Volume 1 Chapter 6: The Pitiful Kitten
First quarter of the hour of Xu, front courtyard.
The tightly closed door opened, revealing Xie Xun’s figure.
Chang Feng, who had been speaking with someone, was startled and immediately fell silent, waving his hand to dismiss the servant before him.
Chang Feng stepped forward and said, “Master, Madam sent word that Concubine Song has finished preparing and is waiting for you.”
The man offered no reply.
As the words fell, he had already descended the steps, standing with his hands clasped behind his back. His long legs strode forward as he headed outside, his tall shadow flickering on the ground before gradually disappearing beyond the courtyard gate.
Judging by the direction, it was toward the rear courtyard.
Inside the room, Tanyin, already dressed and adorned, sat by the edge of the bed, holding a book as she flipped through its pages.
Yin Huan entered from outside. “Concubine, the Marquis is heading toward our courtyard.”
Tanyin, who had been casually browsing a book of erotic illustrations, responded with a faint “mm,” then closed the book and handed it to Yin Huan. “Put it away.”
This book had been brought by Mama Wang, who had emphatically instructed Tanyin to study it carefully so she could serve the Marquis well later.
Tanyin had lost interest after just a few pages.
She had seen such books before—even more explicit and daring in content.
During the five years in the small courtyard on Puhua Mountain, Tanyin would have someone purchase a few books for her every month. After buying many, the shopkeeper would sometimes include gifts. Once, tucked within the layers, was a book of erotic illustrations.
At first, Tanyin thought someone was trying to harm her and carefully hid the book at the bottom of a chest.
As the years passed, the days in the small courtyard grew long and tedious, and Tanyin had even fewer opportunities to learn about the world beyond the mountain. In her idle moments, she would take it out and glance through it.
After seeing it many times, her heart became as still as water.
Yin Huan, who had accidentally glimpsed the subtle yet bold illustrations inside, flushed red in the face and swiftly tucked the book into the chest.
After putting it away, she glanced at Tanyin and saw her expression unchanged, without a trace of shyness, and couldn’t help but admire her.
Truly, the young lady was the young lady—even after seeing such explicit things, her composure remained unshaken.
She inspected the room’s arrangements once more and couldn’t resist asking, “Concubine, I’ve heard that the Marquis is decisive in nature and has killed many people. Aren’t you afraid?”
Tanyin lowered her gaze, her delicate palm gently smoothing the wrinkled hem of her dress. “Afraid of what? Even if he were the reincarnation of the King of Hell, there’s no reason to take lives arbitrarily.”
“Besides, could it be any worse than Fang Shicheng?”
Fang Shicheng was the name of Madam Song’s nephew from her maternal family. In the Song Residence, all the women and maidservants avoided him, a testament to how dreadful he was.
Yin Huan found this reasoning sound. “That’s true. They say the Marquis is a handsome man who values purity and keeps his distance from women.”
Far better than that second-generation scion of the Fang family.
Hearing this, Tanyin let out a soft laugh.
Keeps his distance from women?
To believe that a man with a wife and concubines keeps his distance from women was the greatest joke of all.
As she pondered, movement came from outside—the sound of servants paying their respects.
Her brocade robes were heavy, so Yin Huan hurriedly helped Tanyin to her feet, and they walked toward the door.
The door to the main room was not closed, and Tanyin caught sight of the tall, elegant man standing at the foot of the steps in the courtyard. He wore a stone-blue brocade robe embroidered with crane patterns, his hair as dark as ink under the moonlight, his posture straight and upright.
He stood there quietly, his features deep and stern, an aura of sharp intensity surrounding him. A white jade pendant at his waist swayed gently with his movements.
He truly was a handsome man.
Meeting his pitch-black eyes, Tanyin’s lashes trembled slightly. She lowered her gaze and curtsied gracefully, her vermilion lips parting as a clear, jade-like voice rang out:
“This concubine, Song Shi, greets the Marquis.”
Under the lamplight, a beauty was revealed. Tanyin, clad in a water-red dress that hugged her figure, moved with light, graceful steps, her waist slender enough to be encircled by a single hand. Her skin, as fair and smooth as jade, glowed under the moonlight like a halo of pure radiance.
In the blink of an eye, the man had approached her, a faint scent of sandalwood incense lingering around him, the jade pendant at his waist swaying more noticeably.
"Rise."
A cool, low voice suddenly broke the silence. Xie Xun had already lifted his leg and stepped over the threshold into the room, with Tanyin following closely behind.
The servants closed the door and dispersed.
Inside the room, candlelight flickered softly. The furnishings were simple, and the air was filled with the delicate fragrance unique to a woman.
Her thoughts churned endlessly, but upon seeing Xie Xun, Tanyin changed her strategy.
Xie Xun glanced around the room, swept aside the hem of his robe, and took a seat on the rosewood armchair carved with lotus patterns. He turned his head, his gaze settling on Tanyin, who stood quietly to the side.
"What is your name?" he asked indifferently.
Tanyin lowered her eyes. "This concubine is named Tanyin, seventeen years old."
Xie Xun pondered for a moment before asking, "Your elder sister mentioned that your family had arranged a marriage for you, but you refused because you were unwilling."
Tanyin's heart sank.
Why would Song Shuhua bring this up out of nowhere?
Was she deliberately trying to leave the impression in the Marquis's mind that Tanyin was vain and ambitious, eager to climb the social ladder?
Or was the Marquis troubled by the fact that she had nearly been betrothed?
Indeed, men often seemed unwilling for a woman to have any connection with another man before becoming theirs.
Uncertain, Tanyin replied truthfully, "Your Lordship, it is true."
After a pause, she added, "But this concubine does not regret it."
Upon hearing this, Xie Xun remained silent, though his deep gaze did not leave Tanyin.
"Cousin Fang spent his days frequenting brothels and gambling dens, indulging in idleness and avoiding work. This concubine did not wish to marry such a person."
As she spoke, the disdain on Tanyin's lotus-like face was unmistakable.
Her words were straightforward, yet sincere.
"Do you harbor any resentment?"
Instinctively, she raised her eyes, and their gazes met.
Tanyin pursed her lips and looked away. "This concubine dares not."
Xie Xun pressed, "Is it that you dare not, or that you do not?"
Tanyin was taken aback. She opened her mouth to speak but fell silent again.
A subtle tension filled the air, and the room fell into a temporary stillness.
Tanyin clutched her snow-white handkerchief, biting her lip with her pearly teeth as an indescribable emotion welled up within her.
Seeing her remain silent for so long, Xie Xun's expression grew inscrutable. He spoke coldly, "Why do you not speak?"
Her moist eyes brimmed with tears, their rims reddening. The unspeakable grievance finally condensed into a single sentence: "Your Lordship already has the answer in mind. Why must you press this concubine further?"
To admit resentment would be treasonous, and if word spread, it would damage Tanyin's reputation—especially if it reached Song Shuhua's ears, who could punish her the very next day.
Yet to claim she bore no resentment would be too false.
She did not believe Xie Xun was unaware of her status as a concubine-born daughter, that she had been driven from the mansion for five years, or that she had entered the Marquis's Mansion solely to bear a child for her elder sister…
If such circumstances befell anyone else, only a bodhisattva could remain free of resentment. Tanyin was but an ordinary woman—to claim she felt no resentment would be utterly disingenuous.
If she were to establish an impression of kindness, non-competitiveness, and contentment from the start, any future complaints or struggles on her part would be seen as her own fault.
Since he knew this yet still asked, it was clearly a test.
As a powerful minister of the court, experienced in judging people, Xie Xun could discern truth from falsehood at a glance.
Rather than lying before such a man, it was better to be honest from the outset.
Yet she could not be too direct. Instead, she would turn the question back to him.
She bit her lips, red and petal-like, tears welling up in her eyes but refusing to fall. She dared not even blink, afraid that the tears would ruin her makeup and betray her composure.
Thus, she could only gaze at Xie Xun with her peach-blossom eyes shimmering with moisture, the emotions within laid bare for all to see.
Xie Xun watched her intently, his slender fingers toying with the white jade pendant at his waist. His handsome, imposing face remained expressionless, impossible to read.
Tanyin slowly lowered her gaze, and at that moment, tears fell like broken strings of pearls, pattering to the ground and blooming into faint floral marks.
"Your concubine misspoke. Please punish me, Marquis." Her voice, tinged with a nasal tone, stirred an inexplicable sense of pity.
Though her expression remained calm, her trembling eyelids and pale fingertips seemed to betray her inner turmoil.
Like a pitiful kitten, uneasy yet feigning composure.