Would I Become Your Concubine?

Su Zhixia said coldly, "Young Master Shen, we don't seem to know each other well. Please don't call me 'sister' all the time; I can't accept it."

When Su Zhixia was a child, she lived across the street from Shen Zhiyu, and they had a pretty good relationship.

But now that she's older, and Shen Zhiyu has a fiancée, is it appropriate to say she's getting prettier?

Shen Zhiyu looked down at her. When Su Zhixia was angry, she looked like a little pufferfish, puffing up her cheeks, which was extremely cute.

He said helplessly, "Zhixia, my marriage to Lu Xuening was arranged by my family. I've always loved you. If you're willing, I can marry you."

Su Zhixia exploded:

"Shen Zhiyu, what kind of daydream are you having? Why should I marry you?"

Lu Xuening is your legal wife, do you expect me to be your concubine? You're utterly shameless."

Lu Xuening smiled faintly and said:

"Su Zhixia, you're shameless! You're nothing but a businesswoman!"

Even if your maternal grandparents' family has some money now, aren't they still essentially inferior merchants?

"Look at you, always showing your face in public, dealing with money and accounts, reeking of money, where is there even a trace of a refined lady from a noble family?"

She sneered, each word piercing Su Zhixia's sore spot:

"It's a blessing that Young Master Shen would even glance at you a couple of times!"

With your background, you're only fit to be a concubine. How dare you even dream of becoming someone's wife?

Stop daydreaming! What respectable family in the capital would want a money-grubbing merchant's daughter as their principal wife?

Shen Zhiyu gently waved her folding fan and said:

"Xuening, that's going too far. I think Zhixia is quite nice."

"When I marry her in the future, I'll take her as a concubine, and she can manage those businesses outside."

He spoke as if it were a great favor bestowed upon Su Zhixia:

Isn't she the best at accounting, the most knowledgeable about spices and herbs, and the most capable of making money?

"They'd be perfect for managing my businesses and making money."

Su Zhixia sneered:

"You two are putting on a show, acting like clowns. Do you really think nobody can't see through it?"

No matter how good your Estate of the Count of Yongning is, that's your business and has nothing to do with me.

Besides, I already have someone I like.

Shen Zhiyu's faint smile froze instantly, and her face darkened.

Lu Xuening laughed heartily:

"Someone you admire? Su Zhixia, you're not talking about Zhou Qingyan, are you?"

That peasant from some backwater village, a complete country bumpkin? You dare say you want to marry him?

Even if you're willing to pay extra, they might not want you!

I'd like to ask you this: if you really marry a penniless guy like him, how much dowry will he give you?

One, or two? Aren't you afraid people will laugh their heads off?!

Su Zhixia trembled with anger. "What does this have to do with you? Anyway, I will never be someone's concubine."

Lu Xuening and Shen Zhiyu wanted to force Su Zhixia to become a concubine, since concubines are the easiest to control.

Su Zhixia's maternal grandparents' family is very wealthy, which is exactly what they need.

Furthermore, Su Zhixia has a talent for business. If she could become a concubine of the Shen Clan, it would be a great thing for the entire Estate of the Count of Yongning.

Because the Estate of the Count of Yongning is currently heavily in debt, and Lu Xuening is not good at doing business.

They planned to set a trap today, forcing Su Zhixia to become a concubine in the Shen Clan.

Madam Su rushed out and said, "What nonsense are you spouting? My daughter would never become someone's concubine."

Madam Shen smiled and said:

"Madam Su, our two families have been neighbors for many years, and our children have been good friends since they were little."

Now that they're all grown up, my Zhiyu still thinks about Zhixia. Do you remember when we were naming them, we both put "Zhi" in their names?

They also agreed that they would get married when the two of them grew up.

Madam Su sneered:

"Countess of Yongning, we agreed on a marriage alliance, but doesn't your family already have a daughter-in-law who is about to be married?"

Moreover, it was just a casual remark between the two families at the time, and there were no tokens or keepsakes.

Are you trying to act like a scoundrel?

Countess of Yongning chuckled and said:

"How could I not have a token? Look, isn't this a purse embroidered by your Miss Su?"

My son wears it every day; he never takes it off.

"Otherwise, how could we have allowed your daughter to enter our Estate of the Count of Yongning?"

The ladies and wives around them exchanged glances, pointing and whispering, "Oh my, they've even given her a purse; their relationship is definitely special..."

"This is no ordinary gift; it's clearly a clandestine transaction! Miss Su Family is ruining her reputation!"

"Such a young lady, so unreserved and shameless! Not only does she show her face in public to do business, but she also secretly gives men purses. She has no shame whatsoever!"

"I think she's really ruined this time; her reputation is completely gone."

"That's right. Now that things have come to this, where else can she marry? Besides being forced to become a concubine in the Estate of the Count of Yongning, what other way out does she have?"

"What a shameless act! With such a privileged family background, she had to ruin herself like this. She's utterly shameless..."

Su Zhixia shouted, "Nonsense! I didn't embroider this purse at all!"

"If you didn't embroider it, then who did? It's clearly your work!"

"I recognize the purse you embroidered, Su Zhixia. How dare you! You actually dared to seduce my fiancé!" Lu Xuening said angrily.

Today was all a performance, just to solidify the relationship between Su Zhixia and Shen Zhiyu.

In this way, the Shen Clan can marry Su Zhixia without spending much money.

After all, who would want to marry a woman whose reputation is ruined?

Zhou Wanwan had just been reading for a while when the Old Scholar Tree came looking for her.

After hearing the whole story, Zhou Wanwan called Zhou Qingyan to the study and said, "Brother, that's how it is. You need to think it through. Do you like Su Zhixia? Do you want to marry her?"

Zhou Qingyan blushed:

"I... of course I like it, but I have nothing now except the title of a scholar."

Her father is Principal Fourth Rank scholar in the Hanlin Academy; I'm afraid I'm not good enough for him."

Zhou Wanwan chuckled and said:

"You don't need to worry about that. What's this about fourth-rank officials? We have so many first-rank and second-rank officials in our family."

What use are they now? Aren't they just working for our family?

What I mean is, if you like it, let's go and propose marriage right now.

It's a bit late now, but it won't matter.

Zhou Qingyan said speechlessly, "Now? It's already dark, there's no way we'll make it in time!"

Zhou Wanwan smiled faintly and said:

"Oh dear! The betrothal gifts are on the mountain. I've already had them retrieved; it should have taken about half an hour."

I even went to invite a matchmaker, who arrived quickly, and I even had someone catch a wild goose.

The question you need to think about now is whether you're willing to spend your life with Su Zhixia.

This is the most urgent matter right now.