The Concubine Maid's Days After Losing Favor

Female lead is not a virgin; uncle takes the male lead's place; an old flame reignites.

A long-neglected concubine's companion x a cold, unhinged lord

The seventh son of the Xiao family, Xiao Shen, excelled in the imperial exams as a youth, and his official career was flourishing.

Not yet twenty, he had already been appointed a third-rank Vice Minister of Revenue.

Xiao Shen was handsome and refined, a fine gentleman.

He was good in every way, except that people criticized his conduct in the inner household.

Three years ago, Xiao Shen wanted to elevate a lowborn concubine's companion.

He lost his senses and insisted on breaking off the prestigious marriage his family had arranged for him.

The Old Madam Xiao was so worried she developed sores at the corners of her mouth. Leaning on her cane, she scolded him:

"A home-wrecker like that must never be brought into the family. At most, give her a side courtyard and send her far away."

-

The maid Jiang Lian, a concubine's companion, was the home-wrecker the Old Madam Xiao spoke of.

But rumors were misleading. It wasn't that she had set her sights on Xiao Shen and forced him to favor a concubine over his wife.

Rather, Xiao Shen had fallen deeply in love with her, resorting to every kind of scheme and coercion to stop her from buying her freedom and leaving the estate.

Three years later, Jiang Lian had long since fallen out of favor, cast aside by Xiao Shen like a worn-out shoe.

From a precious pearl once held in the palm of his hand, Jiang Lian had become a worthless fish's eye.

Xiao Shen no longer stayed overnight in Jiang Lian's courtyard.

Even the servants who fawned on the powerful and trampled the weak now dared to skimp on Jiang Lian's provisions and bully her at every turn, openly and behind her back.

One day, a beauty newly taken in by Xiao Shen heard about Jiang Lian's past.

Thinking of her own face, which resembled Jiang Lian's in three ways, she grew jealous and plotted to harm her.

It happened that Xiao Huaiyu, Marquis of Jingnan, returned in triumph and visited the ancestral home.

The beauty deliberately drugged Jiang Lian and sent her to Xiao Huaiyu's courtyard.

She intended to frame the "aging, faded" companion, accusing her of being unable to bear the loneliness and trying to have an affair!

The beauty waited outside with the matrons, ready to catch them in the act.

She was just waiting for Xiao Huaiyu to fly into a rage and throw Jiang Lian out.

But after a whole night, all was quiet in Xiao Huaiyu's quarters. Not a sound came from within.

-

In the opulent bedroom, incense curled through the air, and the bed was damp and disheveled.

Jiang Lian had been exhausted all night. When she woke, the sun was already high in the sky.

She looked at the red marks covering her neck.

Then she looked at Xiao Huaiyu, the coldly beautiful and dignified Marquis of Jingnan, lying beside her, and felt utterly hopeless.

Could someone tell her... what punishment awaited her for accidentally offending her master's uncle?

[Reading Notes]

1. The female lead, Jiang Lian, is not a virgin; the second male lead, Xiao Shen, is not a virgin; the male lead, Xiao Huaiyu, is a virgin.

The female lead and the second male lead have no husband-wife or concubine relationship. She is a maid and concubine's companion, and their relationship is strictly that of master and servant.

2. Jiang Lian is 19, Xiao Shen is 21, and Xiao Huaiyu is 27.

3. This story is fairly sweet and includes elements of coercive pursuit.

All rights reserved. Unauthorized reposting and plagiarism will be pursued.

Synopsis dated June 26, 2026; screenshot posted on Weibo.

Theme: Self-reliance