Concubine

"What you can't have is always the best."

Lin Yunwan gave Zhu Qing a hint.

Zhu Qing knitted her brows and fell into thought.

Lin Yunwan added, "If she walks into the net herself and then escapes, that's even better."

Just like Ge Bao'er, who had left him while pregnant but told him she was carrying his flesh and blood, leaving him clawing at his heart and liver, unable to stop thinking about her, to the point that he even forgot his duty as a son of the Marquis's Residence.

Understanding suddenly dawned on Zhu Qing. "Yes. I understand."

Lin Yunwan nodded and sent Zhu Qing back to Rain Apricot Pavilion to prepare.

During that time, she had Tao Ye deliver plenty of beautiful clothes and ornaments to Zhu Qing.

Tao Ye said, "Miss Zhu Qing, you have such a refined, graceful beauty. These light blue and lake-green dresses suit your bearing best."

Zhu Qing had always liked such things. They were as elegant and tasteful as the name Lu Zhengliu had given her.

"Thank you for your trouble."

Tao Ye said it was no trouble, put the things down and left.

Zhu Qing began to dress herself up in her room. Though she applied rouge and powder, she aimed for a look of quiet elegance, untouched by the dust of the world.

She told the little maid who attended her, "Of all the maids back then, I was the only one who could attend the Heir Apparent personally."

"Because I knew what sort of woman he liked."

"There's no way I'm going back to that estate to live a hard life."

Once Zhu Qing had dressed herself up, she found out when Lu Zhengliu would return to the residence. She chose her moment and ran into him just as the lamps were being lit.

"H-Heir Apparent..."

Her face was full of alarm.

Lu Zhengliu had just patrolled the streets and had returned to his guard post before coming home. He still wore his patrol armor, and his features were cold and stern.

"You..."

He looked at the woman before him. She seemed very familiar, but it was as though something had suddenly gripped his brain, and he could not recall her name.

Zhu Qing watched him warily, her eyes darting from side to side as she looked for a chance to flee.

Lu Zhengliu's lips curled coldly. "Why are you here?"

Zhu Qing did not answer. She backed away a few steps, then turned and ran down a narrow passage.

Lu Zhengliu wanted to give chase, but she was so fast! By the time he got there, she had already run far away.

At last, he remembered her name.

"Zhu Qing."

He ground out the words through clenched teeth.

Another day, Lu Zhengliu finally ran into Zhu Qing again.

He cornered her in a narrow passage.

When Zhu Qing turned to run again, he caught her wrist and gave a cold smile. "Where do you think you're going this time?"

Zhu Qing said reluctantly, "Heir Apparent, I... I wasn't trying to run. It's just time for me to return to Rain Apricot Pavilion."

"Rain Apricot Pavilion?"

It was where concubines were usually housed.

Lu Zhengliu suddenly recalled Lin Yunwan telling him that she had taken in a concubine for him. It was Zhu Qing, standing right before him.

The moonlight was like water.

He stayed in the rear courtyard that night.

The next day.

Tao Ye said, "Madam, it worked. The Heir Apparent slept at Rain Apricot Pavilion last night."

Lin Yunwan nodded, not in the least surprised.

How could Lu Zhengliu have a sweetheart?

"Zhu Qing will come to pay her respects. Prepare a gift for her. Go and fetch a hairpin."

Tao Ye went to the bottom compartment of her jewelry box and picked out a hairpin.

Sure enough, Zhu Qing came to pay her respects early. Lin Yunwan gave her the hairpin and placed it in her hair herself. "Serve the Heir Apparent well from now on. You needn't come to pay your respects often. The young master studies here with me, and now that you are a proper concubine, you must avoid giving cause for suspicion."

"I understand, but I..." Everything had happened so quickly and gone so smoothly that she was still a little uneasy.

Zhu Qing said, "I would like a bowl of contraceptive medicine."

Lin Yunwan smiled faintly. "As I said, there's no need. Unless you don't want a child yourself."

How could she not want a child of her own?

Zhu Qing said, "Thank you for your kindness, Madam!"

For today, though, she still had to attend to her mistress, so she stood beside Lin Yunwan and served her breakfast.

"Madam..."

Zhu Qing hesitated.

Lin Yunwan looked up at her. "What is it?"

Zhu Qing smiled. "I was just thinking how foolish I used to be, to actually talk back to you."

"Now that I've returned to the residence, I can see that you know how to manage a household."

She lowered her head and added, "You are broad-minded, perceptive and beautiful. Even if I went so far as to say you have no equal under heaven, it wouldn't be too much."

"I can't understand how I could have been so proud and arrogant back then as to think I could compare with you..."

Lin Yunwan smiled faintly. "Even if I truly had no equal in the world, what use would it be? I'd still be trapped within the walls of one small residence."

Zhu Qing was taken aback. She could not understand. "Madam, the Wuding Marquis Residence isn't small."

Lin Yunwan did not explain further.

Nearly half a month passed, and the weather grew hotter and hotter.

Lin Yunwan ordered the kitchen to make mung bean soup and sour plum soup and send them throughout the residence.

"Chang Gong, you must be tired from studying. Take five days off. A real rest—don't sneak in any studying when you go back to the Front Courtyard. Remember what I told you..."

"Balance work and rest. I remember, Mother." Lu Chang'gong smiled with his lips pressed together.

Lin Yunwan pretended to glare at him. "Do you think I'm nagging?"

Lu Chang'gong rubbed his nose. "I wouldn't dare." He held out his hand and said, "If you think I haven't been good, Mother, you can strike my palm."

Lin Yunwan gave him a "strike"—with a pair of shoes.

Lu Chang'gong was delighted and surprised. "Mother, did you make these?"

Lin Yunwan nodded. "They're summer shoes, with thinner soles. I won't have time to make you boots for autumn and winter."

Lu Chang'gong put them away carefully, then went with her to pay their respects to Old Madam Lu and Wei Shi.

On the way, they ran into Qing.

"Mother, elder brother."

After Zhang Feng'an had taught him for a while, he had become much more obedient. His eyes no longer darted about, and he seemed altogether more composed.

Lin Yunwan also saw that his palm was red and swollen, as though the marks had never faded.

Zhang Feng'an still meant what he said. When he said he would beat someone, he did it without the slightest mercy.

"Little brother."

Lu Chang'gong also glanced at Qing's palm.

Qing hurriedly tucked his hand away so they would not see it.

Lin Yunwan said, "Let's go. The sun is strong, so don't stand around."

They went to the Hall of Longevity together.

Qing was much better behaved even in front of the old madam. When it was time to return to the Front Courtyard to study, he made a point of taking his leave of everyone, including Lu Chang'gong.

Old Madam Lu was full of praise. "Mr. Zhang certainly knows how to teach children. Qing is truly different from how he was before."

Lin Yunwan agreed.

But what she found even more laughable was that Qing treated her with more respect than he had in her previous life.

"Those cicadas outside are making a dreadful racket."

Old Madam Lu knitted her brows, unable to bear the noise.

Nanny Yan said she would have someone take care of it right away.

Lin Yunwan was preparing to take her leave with Zhu Qing and Lu Chang'gong when Zhu Qing suddenly felt nauseous as she rose.

"Ugh..."

"Ugh..."

Zhu Qing rushed outside, afraid of dirtying the old madam's room.

Old Madam Lu's eyes widened, and she became a little incoherent. "Th-this..."

Nanny Yan ventured a guess as well. "Could she be with child?"

But it had only been such a short time. Surely it could not happen so quickly!

Zhu Qing recovered, wiped the corners of her mouth and said, "Old Madam, I'm all right. Perhaps I've just been eating so well lately that my stomach has grown delicate."

Though it was not happy news, Old Madam Lu was still pleased.

It was a good sign. Perhaps Zhu Qing would give the residence a concubine-born son!

As soon as Lin Yunwan and the others left, Ge Bao'er arrived. She had brought a heat-relieving soup she had made herself to curry favor, but after seeing what had just happened, her expression was truly ugly.

Old Madam Lu, however, was delighted. She told her indifferently, "Zhengliu only said he might give you the position of principal wife if there was an opportunity in the future. He never said he wouldn't take concubines or have sons by them. Why are you pulling that long face?"

Ge Bao'er set down the soup and forced a smile. "You're right, Old Madam. The weather is hot, and there's too much dampness in your body. Please try this soup. It dispels heat and dampness and is very soothing."

She also offered Nanny Yan a bowl. "Thank you for all your hard work attending the old madam."

Nanny Yan said expressionlessly, "You may leave."

Ge Bao'er lowered her head and withdrew. Back in her room, she shut the door, breaking out in a cold sweat with anxiety.

The position of principal wife?

Now Lu Zhengliu had a new love, and the two of them were nearly ready to have a child of their own, with everything proper and aboveboard. Was there really still a place for her and Qing in the Wuding Marquis Residence?

Did he still have her in his heart?