The festive red lanterns swayed in the warm breeze. Li Qu rushed out of the room and crawled over to the large vat by the wall, where water was drawn every day. She ladled up some water and began rinsing her mouth.
But the moment the water entered her mouth, her stomach churned violently, and she vomited all over the ground.
She could not tell whether the bitter fluid in her mouth was bile or something else. All she could do was rinse again and again with clean water.
The nimble summer wind carried waves of heat as it played with the lanterns, as though mocking Li Qu's wild imaginings—mocking her for using every means at her disposal to hide for six years, only to be wantonly humiliated by a man above her in power and status.
Footsteps passed by her side. Li Qu gripped the dipper tightly and quietly waited for their owner to leave.
It was fine. She had endured six years already; one or two more days did not matter.
After tomorrow, she would have the status and the reason to leave the Zhou Residence.
In the future, her younger brother would be born, and Second Sister would marry. She would have money and leisure, and her days would only grow more comfortable.
She would forget what had happened.
Yes. She would forget.
She scooped up a dipperful of water and poured it over her head, pretending that hot tears had never welled in her eyes.
Only when the footsteps had gradually faded into the distance did she feel fresh air entering her chest.
But before she could finish drawing that breath, she heard Nanny Xu come before her and say respectfully, “Concubine, Fragrant Splendor Court has been prepared. Please move there.”
Li Qu stared at Nanny Xu in disbelief, feeling at the same time as though the older woman were playing the biggest joke in the world on her.
“Concubine!”
From the moment the Heir of Prince Yan, Xiao Cong, had suddenly kissed her cheek when she was ten, she had racked her brains to avoid the path of becoming a concubine.
She had made a name for Eldest Sister, aided her impoverished brother-in-law in the imperial examinations, and asked Xiao Cong to use his connections to secure her brother-in-law an official position. Step by step, she had fled the favor of becoming a concubine bestowed upon her by those in power.
What was so good about being a concubine?
A lowborn commodity to be bought and sold!
A helpless shell with no control over her own body!
Just because she had a lowly background and a beautiful face, she was supposed to become the concubine of a highborn man who held power?
Why should she?
“I have free status! I have free status!”
Li Qu's emphasis sounded pale and powerless on that hot, dry summer night.
Yet the scorching intensity in her eyes left Nanny Xu stunned.
Being Third Master Zhou's concubine was worlds apart from being an ordinary man's concubine!
The woman's face was covered in water, yet her eyes were so resolute, so clear and bright, so unyielding.
She would rather break than bend.
After a long moment, Nanny Xu finally found her voice. “Concubine, even the Heir of Prince Yan, Xiao Cong, must clasp his hands and address Third Master as Uncle.
“Wan County lies in the Yangtze River basin. If the Zhou family wants to replace its county magistrate, it would take no more than a single word.”
Li Qu felt a breath catch in her chest.
It was just like how she had once held Mother Chang and her son in the palm of her hand. The Zhou family could manipulate her with ease.
Li Qu was not resigned to it.
She hoped to find some point of breakthrough. As her eyes swept across the courtyard, she realized that the servants were kneeling all over the ground. Mother Chang and Chang San were positioned especially close to her.
Perhaps sensing Li Qu's gaze, Mother Chang looked up at her, then suddenly kowtowed.
“Today is a day of great joy for you, Concubine. Congratulations. This humble gift is a small token of my regard.”
As she spoke, she pulled a red envelope wrapped in red cloth from her bosom with both hands.
Li Qu forcefully suppressed the frustration and anger in her heart at having fallen just short of success and forced herself to calm down.
“Why don't you want to become Third Master's concubine?”
“He isn't worthy!”
“Whether he is worthy or not isn't for you to decide.”
That's right. Zhou Jin had heard what she said to Chang San.
She forced herself to calm down and slowly relaxed the fingers clutching the dipper.
Even a horse could stumble, and people could make mistakes.
Li Qu consoled herself.
The mistake had already been made. Next time, she would be more careful with her words and actions.
Beyond that, she had to find a way to make amends.
The Zhou family had risen through military service, and every generation had produced a prodigy.
After three hundred years, the family was practically as old as the nation itself—a genuine aristocratic clan.
The head of this branch, First Master Zhou, had entered office through the imperial examinations in the proper manner. He was now a first-rank official in the capital, wielding real power.
He had three sons. The Third Brother was a noble young master, the eldest had entered officialdom through hereditary privilege, and the second was also an official.
Second Master Zhou was a natural businessman. Li Qu had already heard of the Zhou family's wealth while she was in Yan territory.
Of them all, she knew Third Master Zhou best.
He had once risen to the position of third-rank Commander of the Lianshi Bureau and had nearly married a princess. Later, he was transferred on equal footing to Shanxi to suppress bandits. When Li Qu had first arrived at the Zhou Residence, she had heard that Zhou Jin had rendered meritorious service in putting down the bandits and that the emperor would certainly reward him.
For some unknown reason, he had now returned to the Zhou family's stronghold, Hezhou, as a pacification commander.
No matter how she looked at it, the Zhou family was a colossal force far beyond anything she and her brother-in-law could shake.
The key to everything was Zhou Jin.
Born into the Zhou family and the youngest son of Old Madam Zhou in her later years, Zhou Jin had been born into privilege and enjoyed a life of smooth sailing. He had probably never been made to lose face.
Li Qu knew that she had misspoken and was in the wrong. She decided that when she saw Zhou Jin, she would apologize, admit her fault, and soften her stance.
Generally speaking, men who stood in high positions and were arrogant and self-satisfied cared most about saving face.
If she sincerely admitted her mistake, restored both his dignity and his honor, and presented herself as nothing more than a small, powerless woman, there was a good chance he would be magnanimous.
Besides, Zhou Jin had no woman in his chambers and was not fond of women. She did not need to fear him becoming infatuated with her beauty.
Following Nanny Xu, she rehearsed her apology over and over in her mind. But when they reached Fragrant Splendor Court, she did not see Zhou Jin.
“I would like to see Third Master. Nanny, could you pass along a message?”
Nanny Xu shook her head. “Concubine, you will be living in Fragrant Splendor Court from now on.”
“It is close to Embroidered Splendor Hall. Third Master will be staying at the residence for some time after his return. Once he remembers you, he will summon you to attend him.”
“What if I want to see him?”
Nanny Xu wore an expression of sudden understanding.
She knew it. No woman could escape her master's charm.
“Third Master doesn't like things too sweet or too bitter. The iced dessert you made for Old Madam last time had less sugar in it. He should like it.”
“I'll make it right now.”
Seeing the Concubine's enthusiasm blaze like fire, Nanny Xu thought that she was skilled at charming people, while Third Master had only just begun enjoying the pleasures of the flesh and might be thinking of her as well. Thus, she let her go.
In Embroidered Splendor Hall, Zhou Jin had just finished taking a cold bath and was reading a letter at his desk. When Huaiqiu informed him that Concubine Li had brought an iced dessert, Zhou Jin thought of his body, which had only just tasted the forbidden fruit and had not yet been thoroughly relieved. He then said, “Let her in.”
After entering, Li Qu saw Zhou Jin dressed in his inner robes, a begonia-red outer robe draped over his shoulders as he lazily leaned against the back of his chair and stared at her. Her scalp immediately went numb.
Suppressing all manner of emotions, she bowed to him and presented the iced dessert. “This can dispel the summer heat, but it should not be consumed in excess. Please, Third Master, give it a taste.”
Zhou Jin glanced at the iced dessert Li Qu had placed beside his hand, then shifted his gaze back to her. There seemed to be a trace of ridicule in his eyes, though his tone remained ordinary.
“Am I worthy of it?”
Having dealt with the Heir of Prince Yan for eight years, Li Qu understood the temperament of those in high positions. She knew that what she needed to do now was kneel and plead for forgiveness.
Thus, she dropped to her knees without hesitation and admitted her mistake. “This commoner spoke recklessly before. I beg you, in your great magnanimity, to forgive this commoner just once.
“This commoner will set up an everlasting memorial tablet for you and serve you day and night without the slightest negligence.”
Zhou Jin picked up the iced dessert.
The woman his mother had praised as merely being somewhat lacking in birth was indeed beautiful enough.
From her face to the tips of her hair, every part of her was so exquisite that she seemed unlike a daughter any ordinary commoner could raise.
At that moment, she knelt on the ground with both hands pressed against it, her upper body bent low. Her clothes fell forward, accentuating her slender waist and rounded, swaying hips.
Li Qu heard the spoon clinking against the porcelain bowl and let out a long breath of relief.
She straightened and glanced at the man eating the iced dessert. Choosing her words carefully, she began in a timid voice, “This commoner's birth is humble. Even if she were to serve Master without a name or status, it would already be this commoner's presumption.”
She was making her position clear.
“But this commoner's knowledge is shallow and her conduct coarse. If she were to stand at Master's side, she would tarnish Master's pure and flawless bearing.”
She was explaining that their incompatibility was due to her own poor character and upbringing.
“Before, this commoner caused Old Madam harm. It was this commoner's rashness.”
She was admitting fault.
“Fortunately, Old Madam is kindhearted and has already punished this commoner lightly as a warning, sparing her. I ask that you also be magnanimous and not hold it against this commoner.”
She was asking for forgiveness.
No emotion could be seen on Zhou Jin's face. He merely continued eating the iced dessert in small mouthfuls. He seemed quite pleased with what she had made.
Li Qu swallowed and continued, “Once this commoner leaves Embroidered Splendor Hall, she will go kneel before Old Madam's door and kowtow to plead guilty.”
“This commoner also has a beauty formula for women. She is willing to offer it to Old Madam, to help Old Madam preserve her youth and keep the years of her beauty from fading.”
“In addition, I have heard that Third Master suffers in the summer. This commoner is willing to offer up the recipe for the iced dessert to ease Third Master's troubles.”
She was offering these things as proof of her sincerity in admitting her mistake.
Gritting her teeth, Li Qu continued, “Third Master, you are a dragon among men. To have the opportunity to add tea to your cup and warm your feet is already a blessing this commoner has earned over several lifetimes.”
“However, to speak frankly, this commoner already has someone in her heart—”
The iced dessert was thrown onto the desk with a crisp clatter. Li Qu's entire body trembled in fright, and the words in her throat abruptly died.