Her husband is dead, her mother-in-law is gravely ill, her sister-in-law is still young, and her child is too little to wean.
With nowhere else to turn, Yan Niang cast aside her dignity and became a wet nurse in the prefect's residence, just hoping to keep her family fed and warm.
She was cautious and devoted herself to raising the young master of the household, never daring to get involved in trouble.
One quiet day beneath the covered walkway, she loosened her clothes to nurse her child. Her garments slipped slightly, and the scent of milk filled the air.
She never imagined she'd be caught by Prince Duan Zhao Yi, who was staying temporarily at the residence.
The man's gaze darkened as it fixed on her.
That night, as a storm raged, she was bound and sent to the prince's private estate, treated like a plaything meant to curry his favor.
When she awoke at dawn, the man looked down at her, rubbing her shoulder with his fingertips as he said in a hoarse voice:
"Scheming so carefully to seduce me. You just want to attach yourself to me, don't you? As you wish."
Yan Niang fell to the floor and begged. She was already a wife and mother. How could she become a concubine?!
-
As a member of the imperial family, Zhao Yi had been sent to the frontier after arousing the emperor's suspicions. He was cruel, sinister, and cold-hearted.
He believed that giving this insignificant woman a place as his concubine was already an extraordinary act of generosity!
He never expected her to refuse outright, preferring death to returning to him, unwilling to submit in the slightest.
If she dared to defy him, she'd pay the price.
From then on, she became his captive, locked behind high walls and cut off from the light of day.
-
Later, a fire burned down the side courtyard, and Yan Niang fled without looking back.
A small town a thousand miles away, in a foreign land.
She'd changed her name, but couldn't hide her increasingly large belly.
Fortunately, she met an earnest man who asked nothing of her past and married her as his proper wife with all the traditional rites.
On their wedding day, red silk hung high and the banquet hall was full of guests.
Amid the wedding music, armored guards burst through the door!
Zhao Yi drew his sword and stabbed the groom through the chest on the spot, spattering Yan Niang's wedding dress with blood.
He pressed his large hand hard against her swollen belly, fury roiling in his eyes.
"Kneel and beg me, and I'll spare the bastard in your belly."
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The female lead has had previous partners. Please avoid if that's a dealbreaker.
Theme: Pursuing freedom and a happy life
