She Was the Only Poor One

"Hm?"

"When I just went to find the steward, I saw him leading some people in making an inventory and putting things in storage! I sneaked a couple of looks, and they were all good things!"

Gu Wanning thought for a moment and understood.

When they went off to war and crossed the border, weren't they just bandits?

Grabbing whatever they pleased... and stuffing a little into their own pockets—wasn't that standard practice?

They were all risking their heads, fighting for their country. No one would be harsh with them over this.

Xu Weibei was the commander of an army. Whatever good things there were, wouldn't he get first pick?

"I wonder if he might give you some later. Then I could broaden my horizons too."

"Don't even think about it," Gu Wanning said lazily. "The moment he gets the chance, he'll divorce me. And I'm supposed to expect him to send me gifts?"

In her peach-scented dreams.

"Then might he give some to the concubines? If you don't get any and they do, where will you put your face?"

"You earn your own face. Other people don't give it to you."

Er Ya didn't understand that.

Seeing that the brocade box containing the corn was still beside Gu Wanning, she couldn't help asking, "The hole in the accounts has been plugged. Are you still going to plant this?"

"Of course I am."

This was her career, and her hope for leaving the marquis's residence in the future.

Even if, even if she went to all that trouble and still couldn't get a mutual divorce—after all, it was an imperially bestowed marriage, and Gu Wanning had fully prepared herself for how difficult a mutual divorce would be—she still intended to become rich.

She had no family affection and no love, so let her shed lonely tears in a cold house of gold.

"All right, then. Shall we plant it this evening, once the sun goes down?"

"Mm."

Gu Wanning looked at the golden corn, countless lovely fantasies rising in her mind.

With the hole in the household accounts plugged and visions of a wonderful future in her heart, Gu Wanning slept through her afternoon nap until evening.

Then she took Er Ya to the back courtyard to plant the corn.

To her surprise, the first concubine also came of her own accord to help.

When Gu Wanning saw her coming over, she couldn't help remembering the banknotes the second concubine had brought.

She figured the first concubine was probably there for the same reason.

Hehe, come on, all of you. Bring your banknotes.

She would welcome them with a smile and make arrangements to everyone's satisfaction!

But the first concubine was good at holding her tongue. She said nothing while they planted the corn, and even when she stood beside Gu Wanning serving her meal, she still didn't speak.

Gu Wanning was on the verge of indigestion from being waited on by her and couldn't help saying, "Did you come to see me today because you needed something?"

If there's nothing else, hurry up and take out the silver. We're doing business; there's no need to spend so long laying the groundwork.

The first concubine probably didn't have much money. The highest bidder won, so surely it was fair for her to come after the second concubine.

"Madam is wise. This servant has a request for you." The first concubine knelt before Gu Wanning.

Gu Wanning sighed and put down her chopsticks.

This was worse than giving her indigestion; she couldn't even eat.

"Go on. What do you want?"

Xu Weibei really was a hot commodity...

Chapter 12: She Was the Only Poor One

"This servant has something to report to Madam."

Gu Wanning: Would you be acting like this if you didn't?

"Madam, I... I don't want to serve the marquis..." The first concubine bit her lip and forced the words out.

Gu Wanning: "..."

Was the first concubine actually a clear stream?

Or was she retreating in order to advance?

When talking to these women, she needed to grow a few extra hearts.

"If you didn't want to serve the marquis, what were you doing before this?" Gu Wanning asked bluntly.

Her marriage had been bestowed by the emperor; she'd been a duck forced onto a perch.

Surely Xu Weibei couldn't have seized all his concubines by force.

Impossible.

Xu Weibei's white moonlight was Gu Wanqing; everyone else was someone he'd settled for.

These four concubines were merely a way for him to vent his dissatisfaction with the bestowed marriage.

Unless their families had forced them, they probably hadn't been unwilling.

"Were you forced to enter the marquis's residence, then?"

"No, I came willingly." The first concubine lowered her head, her dark hair like clouds, revealing part of her fair, smooth neck, a stark contrast to her sun-darkened complexion.

She's so fair.

Gu Wanning was briefly struck by her beauty and only then took a closer look.

She was a delicate beauty, but what stood out most was her shapely figure, her graceful, slender waist and her full bosom. Even though she had deliberately dressed in loose clothes, her curves were still faintly visible.

Good heavens, if I wore those clothes, you definitely wouldn't be able to see my figure.

But Gu Wanning had seen herself while bathing, and her own figure was definitely very, very good too.

The first concubine's must be top-grade...

Xu Weibei was really too blessed.

And... even as a fellow woman, she shamelessly wanted to give them a squeeze...

Gu Wanning had already boarded a bus that wasn't bound for kindergarten, while the first concubine began explaining her difficulties.

"...My father is a registrar at the Court of Imperial Banquets, and my mother was originally an embroideress..."

Gu Wanning thought about it. The Court of Imperial Banquets handled palace sacrifices, banquets, festivities and the like; it was basically in charge of logistics.

There might be some opportunities for profit, but it wasn't a particularly important place.

A registrar at the Court of Imperial Banquets was hardly a significant person, either.

In short, the first concubine came from an ordinary family and was born of a concubine. Being able to attach herself to the marquis's residence was her family marrying above its station.

"My legal mother was strict, and life was very hard for my mother. To make things easier for her, when the people from the marquis's residence were looking for concubines for the marquis, I asked someone to help..."

"Since you took the initiative to come here, why don't you want to serve the marquis?"

Look at the second concubine—her goal was perfectly clear.

When one person attained the Dao, even their chickens and dogs ascended to heaven.

It was as though Xu Weibei's thing sprinkled gold dust, gilding their families.

Gu Wanning couldn't help laughing at the thought.

"Actually, I... I... I deserve to die." The first concubine kowtowed deeply.