“Do you want to stay in my manor?” Feng Yuran’s cold voice rang above.
Concubine Qin raised her head suddenly, and met right with the strikingly charming eyes. But she could not see any changes in the black eyes, and not understand the color in it. His inky eyes set his handsome look off to extreme, and he was still as enchanting as what he used to be in her memory. Such an attractive man should not exist in the world, and no woman could resist his bewitching eyes…
“Your Highness, I…”
Feng Yuran suddenly gave an evil smile and asked, “Don’t you want to go back to your Duke Wanping’s Manor and become the first miss and the talented lady in the capital?”
Concubine Qin felt her heart beating faster and opened her mouth, unable to say a word. She just felt dark in front of her and clenched her fists to her dress tightly, as if only by doing so could she have the strength to stand there. She had never known that this handsome and enchanting man would be so sharp.
She felt great miserable, but how could she go back?
Since she had made the decision, she had no turning back in her life. But pity that she had not straightened out her thinking on the fact, but still held the vain hope that this handsome man in front would take the initiative to admit mistakes to her and love her tenderly. Contrary to her expectation, she had entered the manor for a few months, but she was unable to approach him. Wasn’t it her sorrow? Didn’t she bring trouble to herself?
“Unfortunately, you have been staying here for so long, and are unable to go out even if you want!” Feng Yuran’s sigh sounded more like a mockery, which shocked her heart almost to jump out of her chest.
But did she stay here and spend the rest of her life like that? Being a humble concubine without any title or status? She was unwilling to accept it. How could she be willing? But the most important thing was to seize his heart. As long as she was able to win the man’s heart, she would have chances in the future, and would not be an unknown concubine forever…
But how about her pride! Even if she loved the man deeply in the heart, she still had her own pride, but what if she was unwilling to put down her pride? Just seeing him leaving further and further away from her? As Concubine Yun said, Concubine Qin still had chances. That’s right. Concubine Qin thought she did have opportunities and would not let the man in front fall to the woman’s arms easily.
Concubine Qin’s mind was crammed with various thoughts, making her hard to make a decision, but her hands were still holding Feng Yuran’s legs unswervingly, showing no intention to loosen her hands.
In fact, her heart had made a choice ahead of her, just as what it had been at the beginning!
“Just let it be,” thought Concubine Qin sadly.
“Now that you have made a choice, why bother to do so now? It was the case, and it is the same now,” Feng Yuran gave a cold smile and continued, “since you don’t want to go, just stay.”
The words sounded familiar, just as casual as the sentence that he had said when she entered the manor, “Since you want to enter my manor, then stay!”
Just with a small sedan, she was carried into the gate of King Xuan’s Manor without any ritual that could match her distinguished status as the eldest legitimate daughter, the same as those prostitutes that were said to be brought from the brothel by him. With her position, how could she be convinced to receive the same treatment as those women?Read latest chapters at L istnovel.com
But now, she found that she could not even express her resistance at all. His eyes were brighter than the lantern. Even for a moment, she felt she was transparent in front of him, and he could see through her completely.
“I, I… am willing to stay here to serve Your Highness.” She knelt down on the ground lowly to cover her burning face.
Feng Yuran moved his legs to motion for her to loosen her hands. Concubines Qin shrank her hands immediately and saw Feng Yuran stand up, turn around and walk inside. Concubine Qin blushed, looked at Feng Yuran’s back, and said prettily, “Your Highness, let me serve you.”
After speaking, she held the side of the couch and stood up with a red face. Concubine Yun said, no more chances if Concubine Qin did not take the initiative this time. Concubine Qin firmly believed that Feng Yuran was different to her. As long as she took a step back, she would win Feng Yuran’s favor undoubtedly so that she could compete with Mo Xuetong.
But out of her expectation, she looked up, only to see the bead curtain swaying in front and the two eunuchs looking at her contemptuously. The simple contempt seemed to tell her that she came from a filthy place, like those dirty and shameless women. Concubine Qin felt choked, unable to breathe.
A eunuch came up and said expressionlessly, “Concubine Qin, His Highness said you can have the supper here before going back.” He pointed at the small stool put aside and said in an odd way, and his jeering eyes seemed to look at a pile of dirty things…
It smashed her self-esteem that she had always been proud of. Yes, she could not go back! She could not go back!
When Concubine Qin was sent back to the backyard where the concubines lived, the evening lanterns were just lit. The concubines in the backyard had already received the message, and they gazed at Concubine Qi coming back under the escort of the two eunuchs. The moment they arrived at the gate, Aunt Xianglan who was in charge of the backyard also reached the gate.
A eunuch took two steps forward, bowed slightly, and said, “Aunt Xianglan, His Highness said Concubine Qin was beautiful and tender, decent and soft, so from now on, she is the official Concubine Qin, and then will move to the garden beside.”
“Yes.” Aunt Xianglan was surprised, and then nodded.
The two eunuchs went back. Concubine Qin’s maidservant helped to pack things, and Xianglan sent two more to help her.
She was the first concubine in the manor granted the official status. All the other concubines were so shocked that they stared at Concubine Qin with astonishment and envy.
“Doesn’t Concubine Qin look down upon currying favor with His Highness? Why did she do it so skillfully today?”
Concubine Ming could not help sneering first.
“That’s right. Concubine Qin, don’t you usually despise our seductive means? Why did you do it so shamelessly, even better than us? A dog that bites does not bark.”
“That’s right. Don’t you know Concubine Qin’s identity? Those means are not something that we can learn in the brothel.”
Concubine Qin blushed with shame and anger, but did not know how to answer back. She used to hold her aloof, thinking that she was above those concubines, so she often sneered those concubines who tried to ingratiate Feng Yuran. But now, jeered by others, she could not even say a word to refute.
So she simply pretended not to hear their words, returned a salute to the eunuch, and said, “Thanks for sending the message.”
The eunuch turned sideways and said indifferently, “I can’t afford it.” After finishing the words, he did not take a look at her but just led the people to go back without looking at her respectfully. Since Concubine Qin had been living in the backyard for some time, she did not show any displeasure on her face, but just raised her head and stood straight.
Concubine Yun stepped forward and said meaningfully with a smile, “Sister Qin, you have got what you want this time. Don’t forget me.” But a deeply hidden bitterness flashed in her eyes.
Concubine Qin gave a bland smile as a response to her and nodded calmly. Then, the deep bitterness in Concubine Yun’s eyes turned into a smile, and she did not talk to Concubine Qin much and went back to the crowd of the concubines.
“Concubine Qin, let’s go. And the room over there had been cleared up. Concubine Qin, please go there.” Aunt Xianglan arched her eyebrows and swung her hands to the crowds. “Concubine Qin could be promoted because she had the ability to attract His Highness’ attention.”
The words seemed ironic and sarcastic, making a big laugh among the concubines. Then, they went back to their own rooms in groups, and even no one came forward to congratulate Concubine Qin. Although there were some, they were stopped and pulled away by others. The whole yard seemed unusually calm and cheerless.
“Lady, let’s go there together.” Hexiang, the maidservant pointed at Aunt Xianglan who was walking in front of her, and nudged the dumbed and disappointed Concubine Qin.
“Okay, let’s go.” Concubine Qin put away the bad mood and led Hexiang to walk to the front. Being Promoted, Concubine Qin would have a different status from others, and deserve a good yard with some good decoration. She wondered if Mo Xuetong would come to niggle her.
Concubine Qin thought, if Mo Xuetong found fault with her, did she go to find His Highness to cry aggrievedly and weakly, as Concubine Yun had suggested?
But the problem was even until now, Concubine Qin could not figure out why she was promoted as a concubine officially, because His Highness did not give a pleasing, benign face…
When Feng Yuran entered the door, Mo Xuetong was having dinner alone. Hearing the voice “His Highness”, she just raised her eyes, showing no intention to stand up. Feng Yuran entered the room, took a glance at her, and found her face was rather calm without a trace of anger and blame.
Mo Xuetong put down the bowl and chopsticks, looked up, and asked, “Your Highness, have you had a meal?”
“Not yet.” Feng Yuran answered directly, and waved his hand to signal Mo Lan to give him a bowl of rice. He sat down and gobbled up the dinner. After finishing it, he asked Mo Lan to add one more, totally unaware of the anger that flashed in Mo Xuetong’s blinking clear eyes.
“Your Highness, you are really tired today. How about asking the cook to make more dishes and sending a few dishes over there?” Mo Xuetong wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, and felt no appetite at all.
“Alright, Mo Ye, ask people to send two dishes there and pass the word that I think she is tired and should take a good rest.” Feng Yuran nodded while eating elegantly.
Unexpectedly, Feng Yuran followed her words, which made Mo Xuetong angry, and she bit her lips and said angrily. “Your Highness favor Concubine Qin a lot. Well, just deliver some there.” After finishing the words, she went into the room alone, lay down on the couch, picked up a book, and read it casually before Feng Yuran finished the dinner.
Seeing the bead curtain waving violently, Feng Yuran raised the corners of his mouth and felt good!
“Tong’er is jealous.” Feng Yuran’s handsome eyes gleamed complacently. He swallowed the food in the bowl, rinsed the mouth with the tea, and waved his hands to signal the maidservants in the room to go down. Then, he stood up and raised the bead curtain into the inner room. Mo Xuetong was leaning to one side and reading a book. He knew that she had sensed his coming, but just ignored him.
“Well, are you really angry?” Feng Yuran smiled, narrowed his eyes wickedly, walked to the couch, and sat down. He stretched his hand to hold her into his arms.
Mo Xuetong didn’t refuse, but let him hug her at will. She just pouted her pink lips slightly and said in displeasure, “I’m not, but just want to know what you think.”
She jabbed her finger hard at his chest.
Feng Yuran heard the meaning of her words, and his eyes lit up immediately. He laughed and asked, “Don’t you think I really like Concubine Qin?”
“You won’t.” Mo Xuetong cast a sideways glance at him and thought that if he really liked Concubine Qin, he had fallen in love with her before and would not have let Concubine Qin stay with those women any longer.
Pleased by Mo Xuetong’s firm tone, Feng Yuran laughed more heartily and gave a soft kiss on her ear. Watching her delicate ear turn crimson slowly, he felt his breath uneven unconsciously, so he hurried to turn his head aside and said in a constant tone, “Concubine Qin is Duke Wanping’s eldest legitimate daughter. She tricked me so that she could enter the manor.”
