Forced to be a concubine? I turned around and married the scumbag's father.

Gu Hua struggled free and knelt down in front of Gu Wanru with a thud. Ignoring the pain in her hands, she forcefully tore off the handkerchief covering her hands and opened her palms.

She cried, “Elder sister, you love your husband so much that you were unwilling to let me serve him. You had Yinzhi deliberately burn my hand and then took me to serve tea to the Duke. Wasn’t that to make the Duke feel sorry for me and take a liking to me?”

"Elder sister, now you've got your wish. The Duke has taken a liking to me, and I won't be an eyesore to you and your husband anymore. Elder sister, please persuade your husband to let me go."

Mu An's face instantly turned ugly as he stared at the hands. Although medicine had been applied, they were still severely swollen and oozing yellow liquid.

He turned to look at Gu Wanru: "Gu Wanru, you asked her to serve me tonight, why did you deliberately burn her hands like this?"

Gu Wanru panicked: "How could I deliberately burn her? Yinzhi brewed the tea too hot, and Gu Hua accidentally burned herself. I originally took all three of them with me, but on the way, Yinzhi knocked over the silver teapot and got burned too. I asked Jin Kui to accompany Yinzhi back to apply medicine, so..."

"So, both she and Yinzhi were burned, then why did you only take her to see Father? Did you want her to deliberately come and disgust Master?"

Mu An's gaze turned sinister.

Gu Hua lowered her head and sobbed softly.

She wanted to see if a thorn could remain in a couple's heart and they could still be as loving as before.

This was the first time Gu Wanru had seen Mu An's expression so terrifying. She turned pale with fright and, disregarding her image as a virtuous and gentle person, grabbed Gu Hua's hair and forced her to look up.

"You shameless woman! How dare you sow discord between my husband and me! You dare to cling to my father! Do you want to die?"

Ignoring the tearing pain in her scalp, Gu Hua quickly pulled out the Snow Lotus Jade Complexion Cream and burn ointment from her sleeve.

"This is a reward from the Duke."

Gu Wanru was slightly taken aback, released Gu Hua's hair, and tried to take the medicine bottle to look at it.

Mu An snatched it away: "Snow Lotus Jade Complexion Cream!"

"This is a rare and priceless tribute from the Western Regions. I know the Empress Dowager bestowed a bottle upon Father. The other day, Yaoyao burned her finger, and I asked Steward Zhou for it, but he said Father wanted to keep it for himself. Father is actually willing to give it to you?"

Even a lowly prostitute doesn't deserve it!

Gu Wanru was so angry that she almost blurted it out.

He stared at Gu Hua with suspicion in his eyes: "When did Father bestow this upon you? How come I didn't know?"

Gu Hua wiped away her tears: "After my elder sister returned from serving tea, she instructed Dongmo to bring it over."

"Dongmo?" Gu Wanru was furious and felt uncomfortable holding it in.

Her father rewarded her with two tattered bolts of brocade, giving the little wretch Western Region tribute? And he even deliberately bypassed her?

Could it be that Father fell for the little vixen at first sight today?

Wasn't Father supposed to be celibate?

Gu Wanru and Mu An exchanged a glance, both of them hesitant.

Since it concerned the succession of the title, they had to be cautious.

Gu Wanru's eyes darted around: "My lord, Father gave her medicine because her burns were severe, not because he took a liking to her. All the noble ladies in the capital want to marry Father, but he hasn't taken a liking to any of them. How could he possibly take a liking to a servant girl born to a concubine?"

Mu Anshen agreed, staring at Gu Hua, who was kneeling on the ground with her hair disheveled, and sneered: "Tonight, I will take you. My father loves me, so naturally he won't compete with his son for a woman."

Gu Hua was shocked and scrambled to her feet to run away, but Mu An grabbed her by the back of her collar.

"Trying to run? Guards, take him away."

Gu Hua struggled fiercely, crying out hoarsely, "Son-in-law, elder sister, please let me go. I will serve you like a slave for the rest of my life."

Gu Wanru sneered: "It's your good fortune that the son-in-law has taken a liking to you. Don't take your good fortune for granted."

A group of people were making a ruckus when a man walked in through the courtyard gate, smiling and saying, "Oh, young master is here too."

"Butler Zhou."

When Gu Wanru saw the person who came, she was startled. She couldn't let her father's side see her mistreating her half-sister, so she quickly tugged at Mu An's sleeve.

Mu An quickly loosened his grip on Gu Hua's collar, trying to hide his panic, and forced a smile: "Butler Zhou is a rare guest indeed."

Gu Hua's legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground.

Her clothes were disheveled, her hair was a mess, and she looked incredibly humble as she sobbed with her head down.

Zhou Chunyu ignored them and bowed to Mu An and his wife, saying, "My lord said it's rare for me to return to the manor, so he specially ordered a feast to be prepared. Please, young master and young mistress, move to the front courtyard for dinner and chat."

Gu Wanru and Mu An were overjoyed and breathed a sigh of relief.

Gu Wanru seized the opportunity to claim credit: "When I served tea today, I mentioned that my husband wanted to fulfill his filial duty and specially invited my father to dinner. And sure enough, my father agreed."

Shouldn't you thank her now, my lord?

"Your wife is virtuous," Mu An said with a smile, gently lifting her chin.

Gu Wanru turned her face away shyly and said politely to Zhou Chunyu, "Butler Gu, please go ahead. My husband and I will come over as soon as we change our clothes."

Mu An glanced at Gu Hua, who was kneeling, and gently instructed, "Your hand is injured, so go back to your room and rest."

Gu Wanru hurriedly helped Gu Hua up: "Silly sister, your husband is doing this for your own good. He doesn't want you to suffer in the future. Get up and go back to your room to rest."

Gu Hua was about to retort, but before she could speak...

Zhou Chunyu seemed to have just noticed her: "This must be the second daughter of the young mistress's family, right? When the master heard that the second daughter of his in-laws had come to the manor, he instructed us to go and meet her and entertain her."

Gu Wanru stiffened.

She glanced quickly at Mu An, whose gaze was icy cold.

Gu Wanru forced a smile: "Butler Zhou, Gu Hua is born out of wedlock and has a lowly status. She is not worthy of being entertained by Father. So, she won't go."

Zhou Chunyu looked troubled: "Young Madam, the master has spoken, and this old servant dares not disobey. If I cannot fetch the right person, I will be punished. Why don't you go and report back yourself?"

Gu Wanru couldn't figure out if her father had really taken a liking to Gu Hua, but since Steward Zhou had said so, she dared not disobey. Under Mu An's gloomy gaze, she braced herself and said, "How can I not go, given such a great favor from Father? Sister, go and wash and change your clothes quickly, don't be impolite."

Gu Hua felt a sense of relief.

Her hard work last night was worthwhile... It wasn't in vain.

She stood up unsteadily, her steps faltering. Anyone with eyes could see that her legs were weak and unsteady, as if they were exhausted from overexertion.

A glint flashed in Zhou Chunyu's eyes, but his expression remained unchanged. He turned and led the way.

Gu Hua had been tormented all night and had just struggled and torn apart, almost exhausting her strength.

Dragging my noodle-like legs, I struggled to keep up with them.

The banquet was held at the Lanyue Pavilion in the back garden, overlooking the water.

The moment Gu Hua saw the lotus pond, she felt a sudden chill run through her body.

The suffocating feeling of impending death suddenly overwhelmed me. My legs trembled, I couldn't take a step, and I leaned weakly against the pillar, feeling cold all over my body and unable to breathe.

In her past life, she was dragged here by Mu An and Yin Zhi in the dead of night, where they held her down in the icy water and drowned her.

Because of her jealousy of the lady, Aunt Pei wanted to trample her daughter into the most lowly person.

The legitimate wife's daughter was switched with the real daughter, who now enjoys wealth and luxury, while the real legitimate daughter is bullied and forced into becoming a lowly servant by her aunt, who trains her to be a plaything in the hands of men, paving the way for her own daughter.

How ridiculous things are in this world!

She carried the heavy burden of slavery on her shoulders, and all her cries for help went unanswered.

Having lost her innocence and having no relatives, she felt sorry for herself, blaming God for being unfair and for her own bad fate, for not having a loving mother who was born into a good family.

I blame myself for being cowardly, for not daring to escape regardless of the consequences.

She just wanted to survive, and they wanted to extinguish even that hope.

The couple, despite their despicable deeds, still enjoyed wealth and luxury, living in harmony and holding hands for a lifetime.

Little did she know, her misfortune was all caused by human actions!

...On what grounds?

She felt both hatred and resentment.

Gu Hua looked up and gazed into the Moon-Embracing Pavilion.

A dignified and upright man, dressed in a black robe, sat solemnly.

He was her lifeline.

But he didn't even glance at me...

Gu Hua clutched her clothes tightly, her pale cheeks and lips so pale they were almost bloodless, showing the excruciating pain she was enduring.

Gu Wanru noticed Gu Hua's unusual behavior, reached out and pinched a piece of flesh on her waist, twisting it hard. Gu Hua gasped in pain and instantly sobered up.

Gu Wanru whispered viciously in her ear: "If you dare to play any more tricks, I'll break your legs when we get back and sell you to a brothel!"

After speaking, she raised her head and put on a gentle smile. She followed Mu An forward and gracefully bowed to Mu Junyan.

"The son (daughter-in-law) greets Father."

"No need for formalities, please sit down," Mu Junyan said calmly, raising his hand.