Shen Mianmian became a low-ranking concubine.
From Hanrong, she learned that concubines in this country were divided into several ranks:
Noble Concubine (Guìqiè), Good Concubine (Liángqiè), Low Concubine (Jiànqiè), and Attendant Concubine (Shìqiè).
There were even women who did not officially qualify as concubines at all, such as secondary wives, companion wives, and maidservant-concubines.
The highest status belonged to a Noble Concubine, second only to the legal wife. Such women could participate in family affairs and even represent the principal wife at certain events. They were usually daughters of respectable families born to concubines.
Good Concubines ranked second. They were often relatives of the principal wife, such as dowry maids elevated to concubine status to bear children or help maintain the husband’s favor.
As for the lower ranks, they were hardly worth mentioning.
According to the original novel, Jiang Yinjin had arranged for Shen Mianmian to become a Noble Concubine.
This time, however, she had been made a Low Concubine.
Shen Mianmian strongly suspected that Jiang Yinjin had done this deliberately to provoke her into causing trouble, thereby creating an excuse to deal with her.
But how could she possibly give Jiang Yinjin that opportunity?
That afternoon, Hanrong rushed into Concubine Shen’s room looking utterly distraught.
The moment she entered, she dropped to her knees with a loud thud.
Shen Mianmian immediately knew what was about to happen.
She had already prepared herself.
Hanrong’s face was pale as tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Concubine Shen, please save this servant!”
Shen Mianmian deliberately asked,
“What happened?”
Hanrong knocked her head against the floor three times before saying,
“My younger brother… my younger brother is gravely ill. We urgently need money to hire a doctor, but… but my family truly has no money left. Please help me, Concubine Shen. Lend me some silver. I’ll repay you from my monthly wages in the future. Please, I beg you…”
As she spoke, she continued kowtowing.
Again and again.
The sound echoed loudly through the room.
Shen Mianmian felt deeply sorry for her.
Yet she could not interfere.
There were three reasons.
First, in order to pave the way for the heroine Jiang Yinjin, the author had essentially given her plot armor.
Hanrong’s brother suffered from a supposedly incurable illness.
No medicine could cure it.
Yet the moment Jiang Yinjin intervened and found a famous physician, he was instantly healed.
A true medical miracle.
Jiang Yinjin could create miracles.
Shen Mianmian, on the other hand, only had a few taels of silver.
She didn’t even know where to find a miracle doctor.
If Hanrong’s brother—who was destined to be cured in the original story—ended up dying because of her interference, wouldn’t that be a case of good intentions leading to disaster?
Second, she suspected that Jiang Yinjin believed she had been reborn as well.
There was a good chance Hanrong’s situation was being used as a test to determine whether she knew the plot.
Third, Jiang Yinjin would definitely recruit informants.
If she failed to recruit Hanrong, she would simply recruit someone else.
If Hanrong became the spy, then at least Shen Mianmian would know where the threat was coming from.
She could even feed Hanrong false information and use her against Jiang Yinjin.
But if Jiang Yinjin recruited someone else in the courtyard, the enemy would remain hidden while Shen Mianmian stood exposed.
That would be far more dangerous.
Thus Shen Mianmian sneered and said,
“Lend you money? This concubine barely has enough silver for herself.”
Hanrong stared at her in disbelief.
“Concubine… you… you’re really not going to help me? You… you once said you wanted to be sisters with us. You wouldn’t let us kneel. And now… you’re really abandoning me?”
Shen Mianmian deliberately made her words as cruel as possible.
“Sisters? Hah. What qualifies you to be sisters with me?”
“Please. I’m a mistress now, and you’re a servant.”
“Masters and servants are different.”
“As for all those things I said before, they were just tricks we courtesans use to attract men.”
“Now that I’ve become a mistress, why would I continue calling a filthy servant my sister?”
“Do you think you’re worthy?”
Hanrong froze.
Her face gradually turned ashen.
Shen Mianmian was doing this on purpose.
Only if Hanrong truly hated her could she betray her without guilt.
…It was the only thing she could do for the girl.
Waving her hand impatiently, Shen Mianmian said,
“Go, go. If you’re going to cry, do it outside. Don’t ruin my mood.”
The light faded from Hanrong’s eyes.
“…Yes. This servant… understands her mistake.”
Slowly, she struggled to her feet and staggered out of the room in a daze.
Shen Mianmian watched her departing figure for a long time before finally withdrawing her gaze.
Then she returned to pondering the question that had occupied her mind.
Once everything ends, can I leave?
If she interpreted that statement based on her current situation, then “leave” probably meant leaving the novel.
And “everything ending” probably meant the novel’s plot reaching its conclusion.
This was a romance novel.
And in a romance novel, the main storyline was love.
In other words, the romance was the central plot.
Once the hero and heroine fell in love, got married, and perhaps even had children, the story would usually end.
Furthermore, the author of this novel had a particular habit.
The moment the main couple got together, the story ended.
No children.
No epilogues.
No extra chapters.
Could it be that once the romance plot concluded, she would finally learn whether she could escape this world?
Of course, it was also possible that she was overthinking everything.
Perhaps the romance would end and she would still remain trapped.
If that happened…
Then there would be little point in preserving this life.
At that stage, she might as well see whether dying would allow her to leave.
When Chuxue returned with the dazed Hanrong, Jiang Yinjin finally relaxed.
She did not ask about Shen Mianmian immediately.
Instead, she focused on Hanrong’s younger brother.
Not only did she provide money, she personally took Hanrong out of the Marquis’ estate and sought a famous physician in the capital who had ties to the Jiang family.
The physician’s treatment worked wonders.
Hanrong’s supposedly terminally ill brother miraculously recovered.
Hanrong’s entire family knelt repeatedly before Jiang Yinjin, swearing that they would repay the Young Madam’s life-saving kindness even if they had to work like beasts of burden for the rest of their lives.
By the time they returned to the estate, evening had already arrived.
Hanrong faithfully reported everything that had happened since the heir had stormed out of Bright Moon Courtyard.
She recounted every detail of Concubine Shen’s actions.
What she didn’t know was that Shen Mianmian had intentionally allowed her to remain present during those conversations.
The entire performance had been staged specifically so Hanrong would hear it and relay it back to Jiang Yinjin.
Jiang Yinjin listened quietly.
A slight frown appeared on her face.
“The techniques taught to courtesans?”
“You mean that things like ‘one husband, one wife for life’ were merely tricks?”
Hanrong nodded seriously.
“Young Madam, this servant doesn’t know what techniques courtesans are taught.”
“But I remember every word clearly.”
“Concubine Shen said exactly that.”
“And afterward, Concubine Shen and the heir never met again.”
Jiang Yinjin looked puzzled.
“Then what has she been doing all this time?”