In the harsh winter month, snow drifted from the sky.
Goose-feather snowflakes quickly accumulated to a foot high in the courtyard before the mourning hall. The white lanterns hanging from the eaves swayed wildly in the strong wind, while dozens of retainers stood guard like posts around, their iron armor reflecting a chilling gleam.
Madam Wu, the principal wife of the mourning hall’s master, was surrounded by several serving concubines. Frowning, she shifted her gaze to the delicate beauty kneeling outside, displeasure flashing in her eyes.
“What is this spectacle about?”
One of the serving concubines spoke up: “The master favored this woman exclusively, never setting foot in our quarters again. And now, less than half a year later, the master has…”
She was silenced by Madam Wu’s sharp glare, pausing mid-sentence before continuing in a lowered voice: “The fortune-tellers outside are spreading rumors that this Lian Yue brought misfortune upon our master. Madam, this woman must not remain, lest she cause further trouble.”
Knowing Madam Wu desired Lian Yue’s death, the serving concubines united to pave the way.
Another concubine seized the opportunity: “Madam, since Lian Yue was our master’s most beloved woman in life, why not let her accompany him in the tomb? This would honor his deep affection for her.”
Madam Wu sneered coldly: “Deep affection?”
The crowd fell silent.
Her eyes returned to the courtyard.
The snow fell heavily indeed. The beauty in the courtyard wore only thin garments, her cheeks, eyes, and nose flushed red from cold. Her slender shoulders trembled uncontrollably, yet she maintained that pitiful, fox-like charm that moved men’s hearts.
Unfortunately, the man who had appreciated her charms was dead. The surrounding retainers were all Madam Wu’s people—no one could save her now.
Madam Wu declared coldly: “Since this woman brings ill fortune, we should not disturb our master’s rest. Have her beaten to death with clubs and thrown into the mass grave to feed the wolves.”
A collective shudder ran through the crowd as they remembered Madam Wu had been the master’s childhood sweetheart. Were it not for certain circumstances, they would have been the perfect match.
To suggest the master had deep affection for some woman of unknown origins was akin to twisting a knife in Madam Wu’s heart.
This Wei Lian Yue had attracted the master’s exclusive favor—if she didn’t vent Madam Wu’s anger, the other serving concubines would suffer.
Lian Yue was so cold her eyelashes had frozen, her entire body stiff. Upon hearing Madam Wu’s order to have her beaten to death, she couldn’t even manage a facial expression.
She had transmigrated from modern times to the late years of a dynasty, an era of chaos where Vassal Kings rose against each other and human life was as cheap as grass.
Being a physical transmigration, she appeared relatively presentable compared to the common folk struggling for daily sustenance in these troubled times. Thus, she had caught the eye of Vassal King Lu Xun while he was passing through after a victory, who directly captured her to be his concubine.
His nightly visits to her quarters, neglecting the other serving concubines in the rear courtyard, had naturally earned her much resentment.
Had Lu Xun lived, his favor might have ensured her a comfortable life. Unfortunately, he had bad luck—stabbed by assassins half a month ago, he clung to life for five days before dying, not yet thirty years old.
With Lu Xun’s death, Lian Yue’s misfortune began.
In these chaotic times, a woman without family background or connections was merely decorative foliage beside a Vassal King—easily plucked, easily discarded, or even ruthlessly destroyed by another woman, as was happening now.
Over the past few months since her transmigration, Lian Yue had long understood the survival rules of this chaotic era—she knew any defense would be futile. Lifting her eyes with a faint smile, she said, “Madam, I heard the Yuan Clan is attacking Xiang City. I wonder if Wu County Governor can hold it. If he fails, my fate today will be yours tomorrow.”
Madam Wu sneered, “Wretch! How dare you curse my father!”
Lian Yue’s lips trembled from the cold as she struggled to form a smile. “Madam, I merely offer a friendly reminder.”
Madam Wu never expected a lowly servant would dare talk back. Her phoenix eyes narrowed sharply, gazing at Lian Yue as if she were already dead.
“Guards! Slap her face!” she barked.
Though Madam Wu was furious, Lian Yue felt no satisfaction—after all, the future remained uncertain, while her own mortal peril was imminent.
At Madam Wu’s command, the female steward approached with several servants, carrying a nail-studded paddle as she grinned viciously.
If struck by that paddle, her entire face would be torn to shreds.
Lian Yue scoffed softly and closed her eyes.
What did it matter whether she died ugly or pretty? Either way, her corpse would be discarded in the mass grave to feed the wolves. She wouldn’t even keep her body intact.
She only resented Heaven for sending her to this cruel world—alone and helpless, fit only for slaughter.
The steward ordered servants to pin Lian Yue’s arms. The dim lantern light cast across half her face, making her resemble a soul-reaping demon from hell.
Grabbing Lian Yue’s chin, the steward spat and cursed, “It’s this face of yours that seduced our lord! What a cheap appearance—causing strife between our lord and lady! Today, I’ll teach you a proper lesson on Madam’s behalf!”
With that, the steward released her and stepped back, raising the torture tool high.
The serving concubines dared not watch. A bold one stole a glance at Madam Wu’s expression before covering her face and whispering to her companion, “If we tell Madam the lord never favored us, would she spare us? I fear having my face ruined.”
Another murmured, “I fear it too.”
As they whispered, the paddle descended with an icy gust.
No scream followed.
Silence.
Lian Yue opened her eyes to find a young man in black robes standing abruptly before her. He had shoved the steward aside while gripping her wrist.
Tall and lean—approximately eight chi—with a narrow waist and broad shoulders, his jet-black hair fluttered in the wind.
He looked down, revealing handsome features, and asked with slightly narrowed peach-blossom eyes, “Are you injured?”
She recognized him—Lord Gu, named Gu Quan. Lian Yue had seen him a few times at banquets, though they weren’t acquainted.
His rescuing her was utterly unbelievable.
Blinking, Lian Yue wondered if this was a dying hallucination. Under Gu Quan’s gaze, she still replied, “N-No.”
Madam Wu emerged from the ancestral hall, staring coldly at Gu Quan. “General Gu, this is my household affair. Is it appropriate for you to interfere with my punishment of a serving concubine?”
Gu Quan calmly draped his cloak over Lian Yue. With drooping eyes, he sighed. “I shouldn’t involve myself, but I happened to be at Duke Lu’s deathbed. He feared his beloved concubine would be uncared for after his passing, so he gifted me Wan City in exchange for looking after her. Thus, I came to Liao City today to take her away.”
Wrapped in the warmth of a cloak pulled tightly around her for warmth, Lian Yue was taken aback by the words she heard.
That despicable Lu Xun, who only knew how to torment her in bed, would gift an entire city to someone just to ensure the safety of a mere serving concubine like her?
How preposterous.
Madam Wu, of course, didn’t believe it either. She sneered coldly and said, “General Gu, what kind of joke are you making? No matter how foolish the lord may be, how could he give away a city for a mere plaything?”
“Madam, in Duke Lu’s eyes, she was no plaything but the woman he cherished most,” Gu Quan replied, taking out a seal from his robe with a smile. “This is the seal of Wan City, personally handed to me by Duke Lu. How could it be fake?”
Madam Wu stared at the familiar seal, her mind suddenly going blank.
Instinctively, she glanced at the equally stunned beauty.
Snow had settled all over her head, even clinging to her eyelashes. Under the candlelight of the night, the woman’s features were sharply outlined, revealing an undeniable beauty.
Beautiful as she was, Madam Wu had always believed she was nothing more than a passing fancy for Lu Xun. Even if he hadn’t died, he would have grown tired of her sooner or later.
Yet Lu Xun had gifted a city just to ensure this lowly concubine’s survival.
He had truly fallen for her.
She had once thought that the harsh words he spoke to her when they married, and all the serving concubines he had taken over the years, were just acts of defiance—that there was still affection between them. But it turned out she had been deluding herself all along.
He truly hated her for causing his elder brother’s death.
Madam Wu couldn’t help but reach for the seal, but Gu Quan swiftly withdrew it, saying, “Madam, surely you now believe the truth of my words?”
By gifting Wan City to Gu Quan, as long as he lived, she would never be able to harm this woman.
At this moment, Madam Wu’s eyes reddened at the corners, her heart aching bitterly. She spoke hoarsely, “What if I insist on having this wretched servant killed?”
As soon as she finished speaking, the retainers in the courtyard surrounded Gu Quan and Lian Yue, their gleaming spears pointed at the two.
Gu Quan’s expression remained unchanged as he smiled and said, “Did Madam truly think I came here alone?”
Madam Wu: “What do you mean?”
Gu Quan clapped his hands. At the sound, countless archers appeared on the rooftops, encircling the courtyard. At the slightest provocation, a rain of arrows would strike down everyone in the yard.
Everyone was shocked.
When had his men entered the city so silently? Had he already taken control of the entire city?
Gu Quan continued, “Duke Lu has just passed. I have no wish to make things difficult for you, Madam, and I ask that you not make things difficult for me either.”
Madam Wu took a deep breath, suppressing her rage. “General Gu, are you truly willing to draw swords against me over a lowly concubine?”
Gu Quan: “My apologies.”
The female steward stepped forward and whispered to Madam Wu, “Madam, no matter how capable General Gu may be, it’s impossible for him to have taken the city so silently. Moreover, the feudal lords who came to pay their respects have not yet left. If he dares harm you, he will have a hard time explaining himself to the other lords.”
Madam Wu felt slightly reassured.
However, her family’s retainers were no match for the elite soldiers Gu Quan had brought. She could not risk danger for the sake of a lowly servant. Though she seethed with hatred, she forced a smile and said, “Since it is the lord’s wish, General Gu, take good care of this wretched servant. Do not let our lord rest uneasily in the afterlife.”
The female steward: “Madam…”
Madam Wu raised her hand to stop her and added, “However, with the lord newly departed, affairs in the city are chaotic. I’m afraid we cannot offer you proper hospitality, General Gu. I hope you will understand.”
Gu Quan calmly said, “Madam need not worry, I shall leave the city immediately and trouble you no further.”
Madam Wu turned and instructed her retainers: “Let them go.”
The snow continued to fall.
Lian Yue was so frozen her mind had grown foggy. When Gu Quan helped her up, she still seemed somewhat dazed.
Was she not going to die after all?
She lifted her gaze to look at Gu Quan’s profile. He immediately turned his head with sharp awareness, meeting her eyes, making her heart skip a beat.
As someone vulnerable, wasn’t she just escaping the wolf’s den only to fall into the tiger’s lair?
Lian Yue pondered. Before Lu Xun died, he had told her that this man was chivalrous and generous with his wealth. Perhaps saving her was truly just about honoring a promise.
She sneered inwardly.
If that bastard actually remembered to protect her life before dying, then these past months of sharing his bed wouldn’t have been entirely in vain.
Gu Quan said, “Rest assured, Madam. Since I promised Duke Lu, I will protect you well.”
Lian Yue bowed deeply: “My gratitude to Marquis Gu for saving my life.”
Gu Quan raised his hand: “No need for such formalities.”
He then turned back to Madam Wu: “Madam, I take my leave.”
The moment Gu Quan led his people out of the Lu residence, Madam Wu had already flicked her sleeve and turned away, the female steward following closely behind.
Madam Wu said bitterly: “Spread the word that tonight, young General Gu trespassed into the Lu residence. Before our master is even buried, he forcibly abducted his beloved concubine and fled toward the city gates—likely they’ve been having an affair all along.”
Wan City must not fall into Gu Quan’s hands, and that wretched concubine must die.