Chapter 1 I Don't Want to Be a Concubine
"The top scholar is back!"
A cry of surprise was heard from the bustling street, and pedestrians on the street turned around to look at Chunzhi who was busy at the tofu stall.
Chunzhi is nineteen years old this year. She is wearing a plain light green dress, with a belt of the same color cinching her slender waist. Her unmade-up face is as beautiful as a peach or plum.
She was a famous tofu beauty in the surrounding area and also the child bride of the Lu family. She relied on her excellent skills in making tofu to earn money to support Lu Jingyun's studies and preparations for the imperial examinations. They were a couple envied by everyone in the neighborhood.
Lu Jingyun left home for three years, became the top scorer in the imperial examination, and returned home in glory today.
The yamen runners blew gongs to clear the way for him. Wherever the number one scholar's procession went, firecrackers exploded and pedestrians gave way. Everyone cast envious glances at the number one scholar riding on his tall horse.
Chunzhi looked up at Lu Jingyun who was riding a horse towards her. After not seeing him for three years, he looked even more elegant and handsome.
The red brocade robe and the top scholar's hat made Lu Jingyun look like a beautiful jade.
He rode his chestnut horse through the bustling crowd and walked towards her step by step.
It was exactly like the scene in Chunzhi’s dream.
She was a little dazed for a moment.
Aunt Zhang, who was selling pancakes nearby, saw Chunzhi still in a daze and couldn't help but reach out and push her. "Chunzhi, what are you still standing there for? Your top scholar is back. Go to the front to greet him!"
Aunt Zhang said, "I'll help you watch the stall. Go and welcome your number one scholar."
"Then I'll go." Chunzhi wiped her hands awkwardly, tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and walked forward excitedly, "Jingyun, you're back."
When Lu Jingyun saw her, his expression changed slightly. He rode his horse straight past her as if she were a stranger.
"How dare you! A common woman actually addresses Lord Lu by his name!"
The accompanying yamen runners regarded Chunzhi as a poor relative who wanted to curry favor with the top scholar, and they scolded her and pushed her out.
Chunzhi was almost pushed to the ground and took three steps back before she could stand firm.
"parking."
A gentle female voice came from the carriage following Lu Jingyun.
The carriage stopped immediately.
Lu Jingyun, who was riding in front, turned around and came to the front of the carriage and asked in a gentle voice, "Madam, why are you stopping?"
A hand as white as cream lifted the carriage curtain. The young woman sitting in the carriage frowned and looked at Chunzhi, "Husband, who is she?"
Lu Jingyun didn't even look at Chunzhi, and said in a calm tone: "I am just a servant in the house."
When Chunzhi heard this, it was as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water on her head.
The hot and excited heart suddenly cooled down.
Tears filled her eyes, but Chunzhi tried hard to hold them back.
She and Lu Jingyun had been together for ten years. He once swore, "My virtuous wife has helped me achieve my ambitions, and I will repay her with ten thousand taels of gold!"
Now Lu Jingyun has really become the top scorer in the imperial examination, but he has forgotten his oath.
He called the young woman in the carriage "Madam" and he had married another woman in the capital!
He said she was a servant in the family...
Chunzhi's nose felt sore and her eyes were red.
Lu Jingyun has been studying in the capital for three years and has never returned.
Someone told Chunzhi that Lu Jingyun had seen the outside world and had long forgotten about her, his child bride.
Chunzhi didn't believe it, so she asked someone to send him money on time every month. This went on for three years and thirty-six months without a single delay.
She thought Lu Jingyun was different from other men.
But all this sincerity was ultimately misplaced.
Lu Jingyun felt her gaze and didn't dare to look her in the eyes.
Even though I have gained wealth and glory, I still feel guilty.
"How dare the servants in the house call you by your first name? The rules of the Lu family really need to be changed."
Ji Ruzhen glanced at Chunzhi and slowly lowered the curtain. She thought to herself that this maid was too beautiful and could not be allowed to stay with her husband any longer. She had to be sent away as soon as possible.
When Lu Jingyun rode past Chunzhi, he lowered his voice and said to her, "Go home first."
Then he walked away as if nothing had happened.
Chunzhi stood there for a long time, until the top scholar's procession went away and the onlookers dispersed. Only then did she come to her senses and return to her tofu stall.
When the people who had originally congratulated Haruji saw what had just happened, they all looked at each other in bewilderment. When they saw her come back, they pretended to be busy.
"Chunzhi," Aunt Zhang wanted to comfort Chunzhi, but she sighed first. "These men have no conscience. Now that Lu Jingyun has become the top scorer in the imperial examination, his new wife must also be a noble lady. When you go home, don't confront them head-on. Talk to them nicely, okay?"
"Um."
Chunzhi nodded, packed up the tofu stall that had almost sold out, and pushed the cart back to the Lu family.
When she arrived, she saw that the door of Lu's house was full of neighbors watching, and they started talking about her as soon as they saw her.
The Lu family used to be a wealthy family. Ten years ago, Lu Jingyun's grandfather and father died one after another, and the family fell into decline, leaving only the house with three entrances and three exits.
Everyone knows that Lu Jingyun is devoted to his studies, and the Lu family has been supported by Chunzhi over the years.
Someone asked, "Chunzhi, did you know that your top scholar has returned with a new wife?"
"Lu Zhuangyuan married the daughter of an official family. Does that mean he doesn't want you anymore?"
Some even said, "If Lu Zhuangyuan really doesn't want you anymore, what do you think of me?"
Chunzhi didn't respond. She parked the cart at the door, walked past these people and left all the discussions behind.
Lu Jingyun and Ji Ruzhen were sitting in the main room drinking tea.
Mother Lu had just finished rewarding the yamen runner and the person who brought the good news. She was all smiles and greeted her as soon as she saw her, "Chunzhi is back."
Chunzhi walked over and called out, "Mom."
"Hey." Mother Lu held Chunzhi's hand, pulled her to her side, and said to her, "Ruzhen is the daughter of the Prime Minister. She and Jingyun were married by the Emperor's order, making them a perfect couple. Don't blame Jingyun. Anyone would do the same. You have been in our Lu family for so many years, and the neighbors jokingly call you Jingyun's child bride. What I mean is, if you are willing, you can stay and be Jingyun's concubine."
When Ji Ruzhen heard this, she put down her teacup.
That's not what she had said to her mother-in-law before.
Chunzhi is so beautiful and she and Lu Jingyun grew up together. If she stays, it will definitely cause a lot of trouble in the future. It would be better to give her some money and send her away.
Now, Lu's mother takes the initiative and wants Chunzhi to be Lu Jingyun's concubine.
Ji Ruzhen was naturally unhappy.
Chunzhi said without hesitation: "I don't want to be a concubine."
In this dynasty, concubines are bought and sold, and are no different from slaves.
On the way home from the East Market, Chunzhi thought clearly that it was a fact that Lu Jingyun had married someone else, and there was no point in arguing or arguing anymore.
"Lu Jingyun," Chunzhi asked him, "Do you remember what you said back then: 'A virtuous wife has helped me achieve my ambitions, and I will repay her with ten thousand taels of gold?'"
Lu Jingyun remained silent.
Of course he remembered it, but he just didn't want to admit it in front of Ji Ruzhen.
"Now, I don't want you anymore. I just want ten thousand taels of gold." Chunzhi suppressed her sorrow and said seriously, "Give me the money and we'll be done with each other."
Lu Jingyun looked at Chunzhi in disbelief, "What did you say?"
Chunzhi repeated each word clearly, "I don't want you anymore, I just want ten thousand taels of gold."
Ji Ruzhen gently shook the round fan in her hand and said unhappily, "You're asking for ten thousand taels of gold right out of your mouth. You're really asking for too much."
Mother Lu's face turned grim. "Chunzhi, since Jingyun brought you home when you were nine years old, we Lu family have been raising you. If it weren't for Jingyun, you would have starved to death or frozen somewhere long ago. I have treated you like my own daughter all these years. If you don't want to be a concubine and want money, I will give you everything I can, but ten thousand taels of gold is too much. How can you force me to do this?"
"I have three hundred taels of silver here, enough to pay you back for all the money you've given me over the years." Lu Jingyun took out three silver notes from his sleeve and handed them to Chunzhi, "Take them if you want them. I don't have any more."
Why not?
You can be against anyone, but you can never be against money.
Chunzhi reached out and took the banknote.
One hundred taels each, three pieces, a total of three hundred taels.
This bought out the ten years of her hard work to support Lu Jingyun's studies.
Chunzhi said, "We agreed that ten thousand taels of gold is ten thousand taels of gold, not a penny less. I will take these three hundred taels as interest first, and I will come back for the rest later."
"Three hundred taels is not enough? You are trying to kill Jingyun!" Upon hearing this, Lu's mother immediately scolded Chunzhi for being "heartless" and "money-obsessed". Seeing that Chunzhi did not respond, she started to complain of a headache.
In the past, whenever Lu's mother made a fuss like this, Chunzhi would do whatever she wanted.
But now, Harue was completely indifferent.
Ji Ruzhen went to help Lu's mother and said, "Someone, get her out of here."
"Go! Go quickly!"
The attendants and maids came in together to drive Chunzhi away.
It started raining outside at some point and the onlookers had dispersed.
Chunzhi was driven out of the house and pushed to the ground.
The next moment, the door of Lu's house slammed shut.
Raindrops as big as beans kept falling, and Chunzhi's tears burst out. She raised her hand to wipe her face, got up and dragged the cart towards the north of the city.
The area north of the city was populated by people who ran small businesses. They had to get up early to sell tofu, so she had to get up before dawn every day to grind the beans. In order not to disturb Lu's mother's rest, Chunzhi saved money over the past few years and bought a tofu workshop with two small tiled houses at the back, where she usually lived.
She has no home anymore.
Fortunately, there is still a roof over my head.
There are also skills that can support yourself.
Chunzhi was pushing the cart in the rain, crying as she walked. Her tears were washed away by the rain, and her heart ached so much.
She just let herself go at this moment, hiding in the rain and crying.
Pedestrians on the street were hurriedly taking shelter from the rain. Chunzhi's vision was blurred, and she stumbled all the way back to the tofu workshop pushing the cart. When it was about to stop, the cart seemed to hit something, and a heavy object fell to the ground with a dull thud.
Chunzhi put down the cart, went forward to take a look, and saw a man lying in front of the cart.
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