Chapter 186: No Need to Compete

 Chapter 186: No Need to Compete

Whether Concubine Lin liked it or not, the decision for the new concubine, Concubine Liu, to move into Shuangxin Courtyard was final. Madam Li, who had no intention of seeing either of her husband's concubines more than necessary, ordered Concubine Lin to quickly prepare a room for Concubine Liu, and also assigned two maidservants to her. Afterward, she dismissed both women.

Watching Concubine Lin leave reluctantly but with no choice, Daohua smiled and sat down next to Madam Li. “Mother, what’s going on with this Concubine Liu? Didn’t Father go to the banquet? How come he came back with a woman?”

Madam Li glanced at her daughter and after a moment's thought, decided it was time to tell her some things so that she would know how to handle similar situations when she married in the future.

“Concubine Liu is a gift from Du Canji to your father. She used to be from the Du household’s back courtyard.”

Daohua froze for a moment, then widened her eyes and asked, “Was Concubine Liu one of Du Canji’s concubines?”

Madam Li fell silent for a moment. Discussing matters related to her husband’s concubines wasn’t something she felt comfortable explaining in detail to her daughter, so she responded vaguely, “She probably hasn’t been formally taken as a concubine.”

Daohua was speechless. “Even so, it’s still off-putting! I think Du Canji really has something wrong with his brain. Men are usually sensitive to the color green, yet he blatantly sends her over like this.”

Madam Li didn’t respond, but she could tell her daughter’s reaction clearly.

Daohua asked again, “Why would Du Canji even think of sending Father a concubine?”

Madam Li sneered. “Do you know why your father was a county magistrate for nine whole years?”

Daohua immediately understood. “Because of Du Canji?”

Madam Li nodded. “When your father was first assigned to Zhongzhou, he unknowingly offended Du Canji, and from then on, Du Canji made sure to suppress him.”

She then gently patted Daohua’s head and smiled.

“Your grandmother said you’re the family’s lucky star. If it weren’t for the coincidence that you saved the Young Prince, your father might never have had a chance to turn things around in this life.”

“The recent incident with the wheat seed being reported to the court by the Prefect Magistrate—His Majesty cares a lot about agriculture. Your father will now have a name in the emperor’s eyes.”

“Regardless of whether your father is eventually promoted, at least he won’t be isolated anymore. So, taking advantage of this banquet, Du Canji gathered a few officials and gave Concubine Liu to your father.”

“If your father refused, it would have meant he didn’t want to reconcile with Du Canji in front of so many people. What else could he do but accept her?”

Daohua felt helpless. “This Du Canji is really not very clever. There are so many ways to reconcile, so why send a concubine? Why not send gold, silver, or paintings instead? Those would be much more practical.”

Madam Li sighed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Sending gold, silver, and paintings would be too vulgar. If someone with ill intentions knew about it, it might even be seen as bribery. But a concubine is different.”

“Many men, when mingling socially, often bring along one or two young and beautiful concubines. To them, exchanging concubines is a refined thing. It's not something that money can compare to.”

“Do you know where Concubine Liu comes from? She’s a bought beauty from Yangzhou, sold at a high price. From what your father said, many officials wanted to ask Du Canji for her, but Du Canji didn’t give her to anyone.”

Daohua didn’t know what to say. She felt a tightness in her chest.

In ancient times, the status of women was so low that they were treated like goods, exchanged as gifts.

The sense of pleasantness she had felt earlier due to Concubine Lin’s displeasure vanished in an instant.

“So, you’re saying that Concubine Liu is pitiful?” Daohua asked.

Madam Li lowered her gaze slightly, her voice neutral. “As long as she keeps her head down, the Yan family will give her a meal.”

Daohua sighed.

Seeing her daughter’s face scrunched up in distress, Madam Li chuckled. “Alright, you don’t need to worry about these things. Just know about them, but don’t let them bother you.”

With that, Madam Li stopped talking about it and glanced at the sky. She waved and called over Ping Xiao. “Go check on Shuangxin Courtyard. See if the room is ready. Tell Concubine Lin to have it finished before dark.”

“Understood.”

As Ping Xiao left, Daohua’s attention was diverted. “Now that Concubine Liu is staying in Shuangxin Courtyard, Concubine Lin won’t be able to freely come and go, right?”

Shuangxin Courtyard.

Concubine Lin's face turned pale as she watched the maids and servants constantly entering and leaving to clean and arrange the Western Chamber. What made her even more frustrated was the sight of Liu Shi standing quietly in the courtyard.

Especially when she saw Liu Shi's beautiful face, as charming as a flower, and her body, which was even younger and more seductive than hers.

Since entering the Yan family, although Concubine Lin had heard many stories of concubines using all sorts of tricks to compete for the master's affection, she had never experienced it herself.

In the master's room, it was only the wife and her—because the wife came from a business background and was more dignified than she was, she was not as favored by the master, so there was no need to compete for favor. Concubine Lin had always been the favored one.

For many years, other than bearing the title of concubine, her life had not been worse than that of some legitimate wives. When they were in the county, she could still socialize with other ladies.

For a long time, she didn’t feel like she was a concubine at all.

But now, looking at Liu Shi, who was about to move into the Shuangxin Courtyard, her heart sank like it was falling into an ice cellar. All the pride, secret joy, and thoughts that made her feel special faded away.

She was just a concubine! A concubine who had to share a courtyard with other concubines and compete for favor!

Shuangxin Courtyard.

Looking at the plaque on the courtyard door, Concubine Lin was momentarily stunned.

She still remembered when she gave birth to twins, how the master was so happy, like a child.

To express his joy, he named the courtyard where she lived "Shuangxin Courtyard."

At that time, she thought this affection was something only she and the children had, but now, seeing Liu Shi in the courtyard, she suddenly realized that this affection could also be shared with others.

Shuangxin Courtyard would no longer be the same Shuangxin Courtyard it once was.

At the courtyard gate, Yan Wenbin and Yan Yishuang also looked worried as they watched the maids and servants moving in and out of the courtyard.

"Fifth Brother, do you think Father no longer likes Mother and us?" Yan Yishuang said with a trace of panic in her eyes.

Yan Wenbin pursed his lips. "Father doesn’t dislike us, it's just... he’s going to divide some of his affection for us to others."

Yan Yishuang was taken aback. "Since Big Sister came, Father’s affection for us has already decreased a bit, now he has to divide it with someone else?"

Yan Wenbin glanced at Liu Shi in the courtyard but did not speak.

Yan Yishuang pouted. "Father has so little time each day, and with Liu Shi here, he’ll spend even less time with us. But if we lose out, so will Mother and Big Sister, so everyone will compete together."

"Mother is pregnant with a younger brother now, so Father will definitely favor us more. Others won’t be able to compete with us."

Yan Wenbin forced a bitter smile. "Mother and Big Sister don’t need to compete. The only ones who ever have to compete for favor are always us."

The distinction between the legitimate wife and the concubine; the legitimate children and the illegitimate ones, he might have understood before, but after more than a year in Xingzhou City, he had fully realized it.

No need to look further, just take Concubine Liu, whom Father brought home.

Mother could sit calmly in the main seat and drink tea, while the concubine could only anxiously watch as her courtyard was divided by someone else.

(End of this chapter)