Chapter 9 Don't be angry
"The same old trick."
Li Rong thought this plan would fail: "Master Zhou has been immersed in officialdom for a long time and has seen all kinds of people. He will probably see through your idea as soon as it comes out."
He is no inexperienced Prince Yan!
Besides, the Prince of Yan's heir has some feelings for you, and so does Master Zhou...
This is both a show of favor and a gift; it doesn't seem like there's no affection involved.
"Can you guarantee that you can manipulate Master Zhou as easily as you manipulated the Prince of Yan's heir?"
Li Qu shook her head: "I still doubt the purpose of Master Zhou keeping me in the manor, but I don't know much about him. The conclusions I have drawn from the conversations of the maids and the discussions of the masters are not entirely accurate."
"Third sister, you always say things like, 'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. Plan before you act.'"
"Even if I can't figure out his true intentions, I can leave as soon as his new wife enters the house."
Why?
“First, he doesn’t like me. Second, what bride would want her husband’s ex-wife’s lover? My leaving would kill two birds with one stone.”
"This kills three birds with one stone, and it suits your heart perfectly, Third Sister. But when will Master Zhou get married?"
“He’s already twenty-six this year, he can’t hold out much longer.”
Li Rong nodded, then thought of the concubine-taking document: "Just now, Granny Xu said that the Second Madam sent someone to Jishui Lane. Could it be that she is forcing Mother to sign the concubine-taking document?"
“Mother won’t sign it. She knows I’m capable of anything.” Li Qu said calmly, “If I approve of this document, I will sign it myself. As for anyone else who comes to ask you to sign it, don’t sign it.”
"Wouldn't refusing to sign the concubine's consent document make one a lowly concubine?"
"What nonsense are you spouting! I am a person of good status, not a drifting duckweed without a place to call home!"
"Actually, Third Sister, you know you are of good birth, and once you sign the papers, you will become a concubine..."
What can a virtuous concubine represent?
"Now that you've been through this, will you leave the manor as a young lady or...?"
"To be a divorced woman, a woman who was sent home by her mother-in-law shortly after marriage because her husband fell ill."
Li Rong reminded her, "The government doesn't have records, but you still have to pay taxes when you reach the required age."
To encourage childbirth, the Daqian Dynasty required women who were seventeen years old and unmarried to pay taxes.
A huge sum of twenty taels a year.
If they didn't pay, the government would drag them away and force them into marriage.
"You don't need to worry about the money. The Zhou family has already sent it to you today, so I won't give it to you."
"Would it be bad for you if we accepted the things from the Zhou residence?"
“I’ll take it all! I can’t let Zhou Jin get away with this for nothing.”
Li Rong coughed and said, "Third Sister, you're so magnanimous."
"Be careful while you're out there. If you have time, try to find out about the Zhou family, especially Zhou Jin. If you need money or encounter any problems, come to me."
Li Rong hesitated, then said, "Your mother has some things to tell you..."
As she spoke, she glanced at Li Qu's face: "Mother said that you offended the Prince of Yan behind the family's back, forcing the family to abandon their good business and move south to seek refuge with our eldest sister."
Now that you've caught the eye of the Third Prince Zhou, who's no less capable than the Prince of Yan's heir, you should try your best to win his heart.
That way, there's no fear of being found and retaliated against by the Prince of Yan in the future.
Li Qu retorted angrily, "How many times do I have to say it!"
"Wanxian is under the jurisdiction of Zhuzhou. Zhuzhou has Tang Xian, a second-rank official and trusted confidant of the government, who is a true regional governor and holds real power, just like the Prince of Yan."
The Emperor has long been wary of the Prince of Yan. If Xiao Cong dares to go to Zhuzhou alone, Tang Xian will not let him leave safely.
In Wanxian, my brother-in-law is not under Xiao Cong's control. With his support, we can keep a low profile and live a worry-free life.
Li Rong sighed.
Li Qu had said this many times, but the Li family was still afraid.
"I think Master Zhou treats you quite well."
Li Qu, unable to bear it any longer, said: "Fine! Then let's go and say that you were the one who entered the city gate first, so you'll become this high-ranking concubine!"
"Don't be angry."
How could I not be angry!
"Am I destined to end up like my mother, losing my looks and being taken in by a mute man who can't even support himself, only to have a bunch of children I can't afford to raise!"
The age of Li's mother is unknown, but Li Qu's eldest sister, Li Fu, is already twenty-three years old, so Li's mother must be at least forty.
But she's still having children!
Even though she wanted to have a son, Li's mother had given birth to male offspring before.
"Then, if they have beautiful children, they become the target of jealousy; one is smothered to death today, another is drowned tomorrow!"
Li Rong was speechless.
Li Fu is twenty-three years old, and Li Rong is eighteen this year. The two are five years apart in age, and there is a male between them.
I heard that he suffocated on the day of the full moon.
The perpetrator is unknown.
Li Qu is sixteen years old this year. She had a younger brother who was three years younger than her. He had just learned to walk when he drowned.
Later, Li's mother gave birth to a younger sister who was ten years younger than Li Qu.
Li Fu took him to Wanxian and raised him personally.
The men in the Li family were nothing special, and Li's father and mother were weak and easily bullied, never making things difficult for anyone.
The only difference among the male members of the Li family is that they are handsome.
She was born with deep double eyelids, a straight nose, and skin as white as snow.
He stood out conspicuously among the majority of ordinary-looking villagers who were mostly ugly and unattractive.
"Third sister..."
Li Qu tried her best to calm herself down: "Second sister, putting everything else aside, the Prince of Yan has countless concubines, but look at how many of Xiao Cong's brothers he has?"
Prince Xiao Cong, the heir apparent of the Prince of Yan, had three brothers born of the same mother and two brothers born of concubines. However, the eldest of the two younger brothers was only four years old.
"Furthermore, Miss Lin, whom you thought was my friend in Yan, is actually Xiao Cong's fiancée, with whom he has been engaged since childhood."
Her father's most favored concubine, a woman from a good military household, was flogged and sold off simply because she knocked over a pot of flowers that the Princess of Yan had given to Lady Lin!
"And then there's the Zhou family. The second master is a businessman and has a concubine who has a son and a daughter. Because she wore the same clothes as the old lady, she was sent to the estate."
"Which family you see has a concubine living in the patriarchal household, enjoying the pleasure of being surrounded by children and grandchildren?"
"No!"
"These are all true stories, and I remember them vividly!"
"Tell me, why should I live this precarious life with no hope for my old age for a man!"
As Li Qu spoke, her long-suppressed emotions, which clashed with the prevailing ideas of the times, burst forth.
"Those who are lucky, like my mother, have survived."
For the unlucky, a crooked tree, a roof beam, a deep well—where can't their soul find its final resting place?
"You're saying you want to compete with the mistress?"
The mistress comes from a noble family, and the servants around her are sharp blades trained by the family from childhood. How many trusted confidantes do you have?
Not to mention marriage alliances between high-ranking families, which are all about intertwined interests. Even if you were made of gold from head to toe, it wouldn't be worth the future and safety of the entire clan in the eyes of the lord!
You might also say that you are more beautiful than others.
Isn't our eldest sister beautiful?
Even after she gave birth, it didn't stop her brother-in-law from taking a concubine who wasn't as beautiful as her elder sister, to add to her charm.
“Li Rong, I could have been like my eldest sister, a wife who held power and managed the household, raising my children and assisting my lord.”
With one or two more concubines to share the risks of childbirth, I can live a worry-free life!
She couldn't help but sit up, her arms trembling with excitement.
"The world does not allow favoritism towards concubines to destroy wives; songs praise mutual respect between husband and wife."
The law stipulated that concubines could be bought and sold. However, a husband who harmed his wife would be exiled a thousand miles away!
Why should I give up being a proper mistress of the household and degenerate into a concubine with no status whatsoever?
"Is it because of the gold and silver filling the room? Is it because of the life of serving servants? Or is it because of the handsome appearance of the men?"
Li Qu looked at Li Rong with a mocking gaze.
"Is this all I deserve to pay for my social standing? My livelihood for the rest of my life? Or even my life itself?!"
"Unworthy!" No man in the world is worthy of him!
These words were deafening.
"Li Rong, in the eyes of powerful families, our backgrounds are as insignificant as ants, easily manipulated. Becoming a concubine is no different from stepping into the underworld! I advise you not to have any such thoughts."
"How could I have such thoughts? You know I admire learned people who are well-read."
Li Qu felt a release of emotions, and her heart suddenly felt lighter.
Seeing that Li Qu's expression had improved, Li Rong casually mentioned, "So, those who came to take your elder sister as a concubine back then were all beaten up by people you had put in sacks?"
She didn't want to talk about this anymore. After telling Li Rong about her plan, she invited Li Rong to stay for lunch and then told Li Rong to go home and reassure Li's parents.
Putting aside feelings, from a purely financial standpoint, Li Rong was counting on Li Qu to pay her taxes for not marrying beyond the legal age, so she sided with Li Qu.
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