Chapter 43: Deflowered and Pregnant
Li Qingluo was drinking water and wiping her sweat when she heard this, but she didn't change her expression: "Please take her to Que'er's room to wait first, Granny. I'll go with my master after class."
Seeing how composed she was, her martial arts teacher, Shen He, nodded in approval.
"Come on, let's practice one more time!"
Shen He is only twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old this year. She can’t say that her martial arts skills are extremely powerful, but she is definitely one of the best among all the women in Jinling City.
Moreover, if the old lady hadn't personally intervened, she, now a lieutenant's younger sister, wouldn't have so easily become someone's mentor.
But she was quite satisfied when she saw how talented her apprentice was.
"Alright, that's enough for today. Luo'er, tomorrow at dawn, get up again, practice horseback riding for half an hour, then practice your boxing and archery. Understand?"
Li Qinglu clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Yes, Master!"
After sending Chen He down to rest, Li Qingluo changed herself into some clean clothes before going to Que'er's room.
A young woman was kneeling on the ground; she looked no more than seventeen or eighteen years old.
Ever since Li Qingluo came in, he had kept his head down, trembling all over, looking extremely frightened.
Li Qing sat down and asked her to raise her head.
The woman replied, "This servant wouldn't dare..."
Granny Deng gestured to her face, "Miss, she has a scar on her face, perhaps she was afraid of frightening you."
Li Qingluo: "What haven't I seen? Just raise your head."
The maid slowly raised her head, but her gaze kept daring to avoid Li Qingluo's eyes.
Li Qing leaned forward and looked closely. He saw that the maid had a long scar on her face that ran from her brow bone to her cheek and then to her ear!
The scar was thick and red, like a menacing centipede crawling on her face.
Even a man with such a scar on his face would not dare to show his face to others, let alone a woman.
I'm afraid that wherever I go, I'll be an object of disgust and fear.
Mei Shuang waited for a long time, but she didn't see any of the familiar expressions on Li Qingluo's face, such as fear or disgust...
He gave it only a normal look, and even a hint of pity in his eyes.
I heard she's the real legitimate daughter of the Li family?
Mei Shuang boldly glanced at Li Qingluo a few more times and found that she was not only approachable but also gave people a more friendly feeling.
"Miss, I wouldn't dare frighten you anymore..."
Mei Shuang covered the scar and lowered her head again.
Li Qingluo did not stop her, and asked Que'er to get Meishuang a cushion for her to sit on.
"Thank you, young lady."
Mei Shuang was somewhat flattered, and her eyes reddened.
Ever since her face was ruined, no one has treated her like a human being anymore.
"Miss, you want to ask about Mei Xue, right? Whatever you want to know, I will tell you."
Li Qingluo: "No rush. Let me ask you first, what happened to this scar? Also, you were clearly bound by a death contract, how did you gain your freedom?"
Mei Shuang lowered her head and wiped away her tears: "To tell you the truth, Miss, this scar... was inflicted by myself back then."
Li Qingluo: "You yourself? Why did you do this? When did it happen?"
Mei Shuang sighed: "Two years ago, Mei Xue died. Does Miss want to investigate the cause of Mei Xue's death? Let me start with Mei Xue."
Li Qingluo listened quietly.
Mei Shuang: "I am bound by a death contract, while Mei Xue is bound by a living contract. Because we are both good-looking and quite honest, we were chosen to serve in the eldest young master's courtyard as soon as we entered the manor."
"Young lady, you don't know, Mei Xue is tall and beautiful. Like a red plum blossom in winter, her skin is fair with a rosy glow, and every smile, every gesture, is unique."
"She was quiet by nature, so the young master liked to have her serve him in his study, where she would spend an entire afternoon serving him a cup of tea."
“Meixue is also very diligent. She takes the initiative to do all kinds of work. Everyone in our Lancang Courtyard, from the head maid to the little maids and servants, likes her very much. Even the young master used to value Meixue quite a bit and treat her differently.”
“She and I have been the closest of friends since we were children, because we shared a room and slept together.”
"One morning two years ago, Mei Xue suddenly returned to her room crying. The maid was startled to see her disheveled. When she asked, she learned that she had been on night duty the previous night, but the eldest young master, who usually didn't even glance at the maids in the courtyard, had suddenly gone mad and dragged her onto the bed..."
“Meixue cried very sadly. If other maids were like this, I would definitely suspect that it was just an act. But she is the future head of the General’s Mansion. Even if she were to become a concubine, what maid would not want to?”
“But Mei Xue did say it often since she was a child: once her contract expired, she would leave the manor to reunite with her only living brother.”
"Meixue had been looking forward to the day of her release for eight whole years. She could have gained her freedom and a good status in just one more year. Given her personality, she really didn't seem like the type to want to be a concubine."
"Moreover, the eldest young master didn't even give her the title of concubine; he only made her a bed warmer."
“Meixue is depressed every day, and I feel sorry for her. She has already lost her virginity, how can she still think about flying away? I also advise her to serve the young master with peace of mind. When the mistress enters the mansion, she will eventually have a proper status.”
"But soon after, Mei Xue became pregnant."
"This matter cannot be kept secret; soon the master and madam will find out."
"That day, Mei Xue knelt in the hall, while the eldest son's face was gloomy, as if he were the one who had been tricked and taken advantage of by Mei Xue. The madam scolded her for being shameless, a harlot who seduced her master. The master frowned and ordered someone to bring in abortion soup..."
"But at the last minute, they were all stopped by the young lady."
"The eldest young lady said that the child in Mei Xue's belly is, after all, the eldest young master's first child. Although it is born out of wedlock, if it can be born, it will still be a member of the Li family. It can be raised on the estate; after all, it is a life."
"Look at that, what a compassionate heart!"
"Everyone was moved by her kindness, but no one asked Mei Xue about her own wishes."
"Meixue wants to make a move; she still wants to spread her wings and leave this house. However, Lancang Courtyard has assigned people to watch over her and not allow her to do anything rash."
"This servant also believes that perhaps if Meixue gives birth to the child, at least she will have some hope for the rest of her life, right?"
“But that day, I heard it clearly! It was the eldest young lady, Li Qingzhu! She cried and said that Meixue pushed her onto the artificial hill, causing her to suffer a large bruise on her waist.”
"She also said that she only wanted Meixue to take more walks in the garden so that she could give birth to a healthy child for her brother, but Meixue boasted in front of her, saying that she would eventually win over the eldest son's heart by having a child, and that her younger sister would have to take a backseat..."
"Heavens! Mei Xue could never say such a thing! She was already heartbroken at the time, but she was still clinging to life, and she had no choice but to believe that as long as she could give birth to the child safely, she would still have a chance to see her brother."
"Even if she were to live on the estate for the rest of her life, she would never have the slightest thought of the eldest son! It's not that she wouldn't dare to think about it, but that she never had any."
“Miss, I absolutely did not lie or make things up. Mei Xue told me all of this herself…”
"But the eldest young master believed those words. In a fit of rage, he locked Mei Xue in the woodshed and kicked her in the stomach several times."
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