Chapter 1 Turning Point
Friendly reminder: Don't use your brain, just use your imagination.
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Under the blazing sun, even the cicadas had exhausted themselves and were hiding in the shade of the trees to cool off. But Li Qu was forced to kneel in the courtyard, shriveled up like a wilted eggplant, listless and without any energy.
"Even wiping out your entire family wouldn't be enough to atone for the old lady's life!"
"To be chosen by the old lady to be a concubine for you is a blessing you've accumulated over eight lifetimes!"
"How dare you stop the magistrate's carriage in the street and accuse an old lady of abducting a woman!"
"Without even bothering to find out what kind of powerful family the Zhou family is in these two rivers and eighteen streams, they dare to offend them without even knowing the situation!"
Granny Xu strode over to Li Qu's side, raised a rattan whip, and struck Li Qu on the back, causing Li Qu to gasp in pain.
"Since you entered the manor, you have been served with fine clothes and delicacies, and you have never suffered a bit of hardship. This lash will serve as a lesson!"
As she spoke, Granny Xu put away the rattan whip and changed her tone.
"Look, the old lady fainted from anger because of you. When she wakes up, she'll just punish you with a cane."
"The old lady is the kindest old lady in the world."
"You're so rebellious, you've fooled the old lady so much!"
Li Qu could only laugh upon hearing this.
Kind-hearted?
Because she was the 999th woman to enter the city through the north gate on the day of doing good deeds, and her age was similar to that of the Third Master Zhou, it was a kind-hearted person to coerce and entice her to become the Third Master Zhou's concubine.
If she hadn't acted cleverly and coaxed them into letting their guard down, how would she have had the chance to leave the mansion, block the road of the capital's envoy, and expose the Zhou family's abduction of a woman in the street?
"Luckily, the old lady is not seriously injured, otherwise, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to let you experience the pain of being slowly sliced to death!"
Granny Xu wasn't just making threats. In the region encompassing the two rivers and eighteen streams, the Zhou family held a special power: the grain transport troops.
People say that the Xiao family on earth were emperors, while the Zhou family on the water were uncrowned kings.
The operation of a large country cannot be separated from the stability of its water system.
The Zhou family's status is self-evident.
After warning Li Qu, she walked towards the corridor.
On the veranda, bamboo blinds provided shade, and the cool steam from the ice basins that cooled the air drifted towards the master of Jinxiu Hall along with the fans in the maid's hands.
Zhou Jin lay lazily in the rocking chair, closing his eyes to rest.
Li Qu lifted her eyelids to glance at the scene on the corridor, then lowered her eyelids again.
Unfortunately, man proposes, God disposes.
Unexpectedly, the commander-in-chief from the capital was none other than Zhou Jin, the third master of the Zhou family.
Before she could even attend court, Zhou Jin dragged her back to the Zhou family home and forced her to kneel here as punishment.
Since things have come to this point, you may kill me or torture me, it is entirely up to you.
Li Qu closed her eyes unwillingly, her heart filled with hatred for this rigidly hierarchical and inhumane patriarchal feudal society.
No matter how many sounds came from the corridor, they couldn't stir Li Qu's emotions in the slightest.
She was born into a family where she was born into poverty, but she was one of the poorest people in the world, unable to even feed herself.
Struggling to survive in this ignorant world, all I want is to live a comfortable life.
But she was born a girl, shorter than a man, which hindered her in everything.
Having worked hard from a remote and clan-controlled rural area, he finally achieved financial freedom and had the opportunity to pursue a more carefree life, only to be thwarted in Hezhou.
Heaven has been unkind to me!
Suddenly, a clear, jade-like voice rang in her ears: "Since you are unwilling to become a concubine in my Zhou family, then I will not force you."
She looked up abruptly and saw several people standing on the corridor. Among them was a tall, burly servant with a face full of pockmarks and a pair of beautiful black eyes, staring at her in a daze.
Zhou Jin's personal servant, Huaiqiu, scolded, "Why aren't you kowtowing and thanking the emperor!"
The burly servant quickly knelt down to express his gratitude.
Not far from the burly man, Granny Xu hesitated, her eyes fixed on Li Qu with a hint of urgency.
Only after Zhou Jin and his men left did Granny Xu angrily come down from the corridor: "Why would a proper mistress like you want to work with that manure-carrying dung-collecting man, Chang San!"
This old servant will lead you to apologize to the old lady. As long as the old lady speaks up, Third Master will not refuse to let you stay.
Such a beautiful and charming woman, if she so desires, will surely have a place in the Third Master's room in the future.
Xu Mama felt that only a girl like this was worthy of being the concubine of the handsome Third Master!
Only a girl like this can complement the icy and aloof Third Master!
Li Qu didn't know what Granny Xu was thinking, but she drew a conclusion from the snippets of conversation she overheard.
She pointed at Chang San and asked Granny Xu for confirmation: "Did Master Zhou betroth me to him as his wife?"
Xu Mama quickly tried to justify her master's behavior: "Master is in a bad mood because of the old lady's fainting. You should get up quickly."
With the help of Granny Xu, Li Qu staggered to her feet.
She is now of good status, so there is no way to investigate why Zhou Jin did not follow her wishes to marry her off.
Because this is not an era where reason can prevail.
Xu Mama skillfully massaged Li Qu's knees and calves, advising, "Our Third Master was born into a wealthy and powerful family, and could have entered officialdom through hereditary privilege, but he won the third-highest rank in the imperial examination based on his own abilities. He is truly a dragon among men."
"Auntie, this is a golden opportunity, you must seize it..."
Xu Mama kept rambling on, but Li Qu couldn't hear a word she said. She stared intently at Chang San, and once she could walk again, she staggered to Chang San's side, tilted her head back, and stared into his eyes: "Are you a servant born into a family?"
"Yes, yes." Chang San's ears turned red with embarrassment, and he avoided Li Qu's gaze.
On the day Aunt Li entered the mansion, she became famous for her beauty. Later, she won the favor of all the masters and servants in the mansion, and her reputation spread far and wide among the servants.
"Are you a manure collector?"
"Mother said that by the end of the year they could persuade the old lady to grant me permission to leave the manor. Father and Mother bought ten acres of fertile land outside the city!"
At that time, he will be a law-abiding citizen with land, and he won't have to carry manure!
After he finished speaking solemnly, he realized that his ten acres of fertile land, which he was so proud of, and his freedom from slavery seemed insignificant in front of the gorgeously dressed and beautiful Aunt Li, and he was immediately at a loss.
Unexpectedly, Li Qu laughed: "Leave the manor? Leaving the manor is good!"
She showed the most genuine smile she had shown during the month she had been trapped in the river island.
What does it mean to see the light at the end of the tunnel?
That's it!
Escape oppression and run towards freedom.
Rather than living a life of luxury within high walls and secluded courtyards, surrounded by a life of scheming and intrigue around a man, she longed for a peaceful and carefree life.
She planned for this for six years, a full six years!
From Yan to Hezhou, they proceeded step by step with meticulous care and painstaking effort!
Just a hair's breadth away! Her scheme was about to be thwarted on the riverbank!
Li Qu laughed until tears streamed down her face: "Brother Chang, let's find a place to talk!"
When facing the powerful local tribes of Hezhou, she was outmatched and could only be slaughtered at their mercy.
But she was absolutely certain she could control a household servant.
No matter how much Granny Xu talked in her ear about how happy life was as a concubine in the Zhou family, Li Qu ignored her.
She smiled and bowed to Granny Xu: "Thank you so much for taking care of me in every little detail this past month."
Xu Mama seemed to see Li Qu again before the incident, always greeting people with a bright smile that made people feel like they were bathed in a spring breeze.
Before she could say anything, she saw Li Qu grab Chang San's sleeve and run out of the courtyard.
She was heartbroken: "Auntie, you must think it over!"
"There's no need to think twice. This is such a wonderful opportunity; it would be my mistake to hesitate even for a moment longer!"
She needed to leave the Zhou family mansion and Hezhou as soon as possible. She wanted to go south to Wanxian to reunite with her brother-in-law and sister.
At that time, the whole family will be reunited. She will pay for it and rely on her brother-in-law's official career to protect her, so she won't have to worry about not having a comfortable life.
She saved a lot of money so she could live a carefree life!
With a turning point in sight, the first step was to understand Chang San's family situation.
Chang San answered almost all of Li Qu's questions without reservation.
Chang San's parents were both skilled in cooking. Chang's mother was particularly good at making soup and was favored by the second wife.
Chang's father was a purchasing agent for the outer courtyard of the main kitchen, a lucrative job.
Chang San has two sisters but no brothers. Because he is ugly and doesn't fit in with others, he is a lone manure carrier.
The family relied on the Zhou family for survival; they were born into the Zhou family and had no other special status.
After learning about Chang San's family background, Li Qu revealed her sharp canines.
She was not a purely virtuous person.
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