The Legend of the Concubine in the Harem

Looking at the expression on the madam's face, Bai Queci wanted to refute, but she really didn't know how to start - she was a child raised by a prostitute, and although her adoptive mother was kind enough to register her with a good family, in this era that values ​​filial piety, as the madam said, Bai Queci could indeed fall into the same lowly status as her at any time.

When she was young, Bai Queci once complained about why her adoptive mother didn't just send her to an orphanage or a good family to raise her, but... But when she was picked up, the brothel owner was just a young girl with a little kindness in her life. She couldn't even leave this alley filled with all kinds of greasy fragrances, and she was strictly watched by her adoptive mother, the previous brothel owner. She couldn't easily come into contact with outsiders other than the clients. She was also used to seeing the older women in this alley adopting "daughters" to prepare for their old age, so with all these thoughts in mind, she decided to keep Bai Queci.

However, the brothel owner still felt a little reluctant at that time, so she took out her own savings and asked the old couple who worked as night dealers in the building to register Bai Queci. According to the household registration, Bai Queci was the old couple's granddaughter, but out of the brothel owner's own unclear selfish motives, Bai Queci was actually her daughter who she had raised.

This was not a secret in the alley. Everyone knew Bai Que Ci's origin and life story. Everyone believed that although she was registered as a good citizen and was raised by the brothel owner in a small courtyard outside the building, and was literate like a young lady, she was still a member of this entertainment venue, and sooner or later, she would follow the same path as her adoptive mother.

Unless, there is a noble person with great brilliance coming down from the sky, raising his hand and saving this girl who has stepped into the quagmire.

Whenever she heard similar words, and was teased overtly or covertly by the pimps and even the prostitutes, Bai Queci became more and more unwilling to accept her fate, and wanted to go against the various speculations they made...

"...You can go, but where?"

"Can you get your household registration and travel permit from the government? Can you guarantee that they won't harbor evil intentions after seeing your appearance and seeing that your household registration is in a place like this?"

"Are you sure that the people you meet along the way are all kindhearted people, and that no one would want to take advantage of your body, your life or your wealth?"

"Even if you have a smooth journey and have avoided people's calculations, but you are so young, traveling alone, without friends, who can take care of you when you get sick or tired outside?"

Bai Queci, who was only fourteen years old, clenched his fists again and again, but finally, he lowered his head and bent his shoulders, which had always been straight.

"Did I raise you to this age just to harm you?" The brothel owner felt sorry for her when she saw her. "This is the best way out I can find for you."

"Although she is a concubine, at least she has retained her good status and does not have to wander around." The brothel owner said a lot of good things about the second son of Duke Shen's mansion based on the news she had heard from others.

She knew that Bai Queci might not be able to listen to her at this moment, but she still had to tell her what she should say. At the same time, she also put on a respectful attitude in front of the bitter-faced nanny.

While the mother and daughter were talking, Lin Qiao, who was just passing by, became curious. She deliberately glanced at the bitter-faced nanny, revealing a look that could be said to be curious or reluctant, and then turned around and raised her foot as if she was about to leave - as expected, the bitter-faced nanny, who had been misled by the brothel owner's words in advance, stopped Lin Qiao.

"The scholar in front, which family are you from?" The bitter-faced nanny spoke in a not very polite tone, but Lin Qiao had been in the capital for so many days and had met many powerful people and their servants, so she was used to such attitudes.

So she stopped, turned around and bowed: "This old man, I am just an ordinary scholar, and I only have a very ordinary surname. I am not a descendant of a certain family."

The bitter-faced nanny usually follows Chen Peiluan and moves among the wealthy and powerful families. Her vision and experience are much broader than that of the brothel madam who has hardly ever been out of the red-light district. Although she also looks at the clothes on a person, she pays more attention to the upbringing revealed in his words and actions.

Lin Qiao's manners are not bad, but he is more free and easy than those children of noble families who have been strictly following dogma since childhood, but he is not as unbridled and arrogant as the young men raised in noble families.

When facing this scholar, the bitter-faced nanny's attitude was actually much gentler than when she faced the brothel owner, but she still seemed a little arrogant to outsiders. After she asked that question and got Lin Qiao's answer, the bitter-faced nanny was completely relieved - at this time there were indeed scholars who went to Beijing in advance to take the exams, and they might have some money and status in the local area, but when they arrived in the capital, they were not enough to compete with the Mansion of Duke Shen.

"You look young, scholar, so you'd better focus on your studies. Even if the girl in this alley is beautiful, you shouldn't get involved with her. Especially since this flower already has an owner, you shouldn't even think about her. Otherwise, not only will you lose the fame you worked so hard for, but you will also bring trouble to your family." The bitter-faced nanny warned with a smile.

"Really?" Lin Qiao was surprised. "But..." She said after a little hesitation, "I was just passing by. Don't worry, Ma'am. I don't know the girl. I think the girl's mother was too concerned."

When she saw the girl just now, it seemed that she had left home on impulse. There was a number on the door of this house, and it was a rare good-regarded house in the alley. Judging from her dress and behavior, she was not a shady business owner, and she was too young... Although there were conflicts between them after meeting the brothel owner, it did not seem that they had completely lost their feelings for each other.

An adopted daughter of a brothel owner, and a good one at that.

Thinking about the words like "Duke" that the brothel owner had said earlier, combined with the list of nobles in the capital that Lin Qiao learned from the Yongjia Marquis' Mansion, she quickly deduced that the nanny in front of her was from the Duke of Shen's Mansion, and was ordered by the mistress to take a concubine for the male master of the mansion. Apart from the grandson who had been in poor health for a long time, and the Duke of Shen who had killed two generations of his brothers and sons in his pursuit of immortality, the only man in the Duke of Shen's Mansion was Tao Er, who had recently caused trouble.

You've just been punished, why are you thinking of taking a concubine?

Moreover, it was his wife who took the initiative to take a concubine... Isn't he afraid that the censors will impeach him for his wrong attitude in reflecting on his mistakes?

Lin Qiao stayed, puzzled - she knew that perhaps she shouldn't meddle in other people's business, but just as she had promised to help Zeng Suqiu after hearing her crying, she had just caught a glimpse of Bai Queci's eyes, which seemed to be unwilling and resolute, and she couldn't just turn around and leave as if she hadn't noticed anything.

Her ambiguous behavior could also make the nanny unsure of her true relationship with the girl, and would not leave the girl in an irrefutable dilemma.

The bitter-faced nanny frowned and looked at Lin Qiao: "The Shenguo Mansion does not tolerate deception, so the scholar should be honest."

"This girl is chosen by our lady," the bitter-faced nanny looked at the small courtyard where no one had come out for a long time, and began to get impatient. So she said to Lin Qiao with some malice, "It's just that our lady is kind-hearted and asked her to go to the building to help the nanny for a few days so that she can learn some skills of serving people. Our lady...originally wanted to find a bed servant for the young master, so she doesn't mind these things. If the scholar is reluctant to let her go, you might as well seize the opportunity."

Hearing this, Lin Qiao's face darkened completely: "That girl looks young, how can your family be so 'kind'?"

The bitter-faced nanny was as proud as a mouse that had stolen lamp oil: "It is a blessing that she has cultivated for several lifetimes to be noticed by the Madam. With such a background, it is only our Madam who is kind enough not to despise her."

"That's true... When a crow lands on a pig, it becomes the same black from top to bottom." Lin Qiao made up his mind in an instant.