Nie Wanyin was a concubine Wei Rong bought out of the Zuixian Brothel.
At the Zuixian Brothel, she had seen all kinds of people and learned that no one in this world could be relied on. Only the money in her own hands was truly hers. So even though Wei Rong treated her well, and even though she had her moments of doubt, she could never abandon her plan to save enough silver to run away and live freely.
One day, Wei Rong encountered bandits while away on business and lost both his money and his freedom.
When the bad news reached the Marquis's residence, Nie Wanyin sighed over it briefly, gathered her private bundle, and planned to sneak out amid the confusion.
But just as she reached the gate, she ran straight into a human wall: Wei Rong's older brother, the Marquis of Pingyang, Wei Zheng, famed for his ruthless, cold-blooded nature.
He seized her wrist and asked, though he already knew the answer, "My second brother hasn't even passed his forty-ninth day. Where are you planning to go, Concubine Nie?"
She hurriedly hid the bundle in her arms behind her back and forced herself to lie. "I'm just going out to buy a few things."
He leaned close to her ear and sneered. "Buying things? Don't tell me you're trying to slip away and make a run for it."
She didn't want to provoke this demon, so she immediately burst into tears and begged him pitifully to let her go.
"All right." He glanced at her wandering eyes and spoke unhurriedly, but then pulled her into his room.
After a long while of indulgence, he looked down at her. "From now on, serve me with a hundred times the devotion you gave my second brother."
*
In her early years, Nie Wanyin had been a courtesan at the Zuixian Brothel who performed arts but never sold her body.
Back then, Wei Zheng's career was at a low point. He had listened to her play the qin from behind a veil. Later, he rose to power and became the Marquis of Pingyang. Sometimes, in the dead of night, he would remember the figure plucking those strings.
Then Wei Rong bought himself a concubine, and Wei Zheng recognized her from her voice alone.
The woman who had once prided herself on her virtue and purity was now willingly another man's concubine, meekly pleasing him.
What a pretentious, fickle woman.
Since that was the case, he might as well take her for himself and see just how wanton she could be.
*
Wei Rong was lucky enough to make it back alive, only to find the Marquis's residence turned upside down. He had nearly been killed by his own brother's schemes, and even the woman he had bought out of the brothel, the one he loved, had been taken by his brother.
Furious and resentful, Wei Rong went to Nie Wanyin. "Did that madman force you? Don't be afraid. I'll take you away!"
Wei Zheng appeared slowly, with servants standing in formation behind him, batons in hand. "Who said you could lay a hand on my woman?"
The female lead has no romantic relationship with the second male lead. By the time she gets together with the male lead, she and the second male lead have already ended things.
Theme: Make the most of every day
The author doesn't update anymore? Look good at yourself
"He is my slave, serving me tea..." This is a big bug for the author~ Speechless
Waiting for you, waiting for you, waiting for everything 😭
When will the teacher update? Teacher 😭
Will the author update more?
Come on, male second, come home quickly, Xiongjing
Very nice, looking forward to updates 😳
Oh, let me guess, this is the one where the male protagonist is pretending to be dead.