The Personal Maid

Coming soon: "The Scheming Concubine's Rise to Power" and "The Emperor's Sole-Favored Palace Maid." See below for their descriptions. Description: Nan Zhi was the envy of everyone in the Marquis's residence. The reason was simple: she was the personal, favored maid of the Marquis of Dingyuan, and the only woman he had ever taken to his bed. Such unparalleled favor meant even the masters of the residence had to show her some respect. With her slender waist, delicate enough to fit in one hand, and her doe-like eyes that made people want to protect her, she was sure to have a bright future. But no one knew that Nan Zhi only wanted to earn her freedom and leave the residence. When she knelt before Qi Jingtang and told him what she wanted, the man merely glanced at her. "I'll pretend you were confused. Don't let it happen again." He turned a page with his fingertip, then noticed her reddened eyes and softened at last. She had been through so much since childhood; it was only natural for her to feel anxious and uncertain. "Put your mind at ease. Once my new bride enters the household, you'll be my concubine." But when she saw that the Marquis was about to discuss marriage, and realized she would become a thorn in his future wife's side, Nan Zhi packed her things in the middle of the night and faked her death to escape. The male lead's perspective: At first, he kept her only to reassure the old madam. But somewhere along the way, his thoughts turned improper. Qi Jingtang thought there was no harm in having another concubine in the residence. He hadn't expected the girl to be such a handful, or to have such an unexpected sense of integrity. Like a bird fluttering in its cage, she might peck him if he let his guard down. So every now and then, he'd tap her with a bent finger, then soothe her with a gentle rub and scatter a few grains. He thought she'd behave. But it wasn't until he heard news of her death that Qi Jingtang understood what it felt like to have his heart pecked hollow. 1. Both leads have had no other partners. 2. The male lead is a jerk, but not a womanizer. Coming soon 1: "The Scheming Maid's Rise to Power (Reborn)" Yiwei was beautiful from childhood, with clear almond-shaped eyes, cherry lips, a lovely face, and a slender waist. When she smiled, shallow dimples appeared, and she looked gentle and alluring. Unfortunately, she was only a servant in the Su household. The Su family's young lady had schemed her way into marrying Lu Jingze, the noble heir of the Marquis's household, but he ignored her, and they still hadn't consummated their marriage after a year. So Madam Su chose Yiwei to serve as her daughter's bedchamber maid. Yiwei heard Madam Su advising her daughter: "Yiwei's just a plaything. Once she has a child, you'll hold her contract. You can beat her or kill her as you please." Yiwei smiled. Why should a servant's life be worthless? The night she was sent to Lu Jingze's room, she saw his brows furrow as he turned to leave. She caught his sleeve, tears in her eyes. "My lord, heir, I only ask you to stay here for one night and save my life. I promise to be well-behaved and never overstep." After he let her stay, she was gentle and considerate, a confidante who could always smooth the frown from his brow. Then one day, when her summer clothes were thin, she became his woman in truth. Later, when she became pregnant, she deliberately let him catch her trying to abort the child. As he raged, she threw herself into his arms, weeping like a pear blossom in the rain. "How could I not care for my own child? I'm only afraid that if I give birth, Madam won't tolerate me anymore... How could I bear to see him all alone in this world..." Before long, Lu Jingze obtained her contract, and she was no longer a servant. Not long after that, he divorced his wife. But when she heard Lu Jingze was going to marry a new wife, she took her child and tried to leave the residence that very night. When the man stopped her, she turned aggrieved first. "I don't want Heng to call someone else Mother and be treated as inferior from now on." One night, Lu Jingze suddenly sensed something was wrong. Just as he furrowed his brows, his beloved wife, pregnant again, let out a soft moan beside him. "Husband, my leg's cramping again." Lu Jingze hurriedly got up to massage it. "Does that feel better?" His languid wife complained, "Use a little more force." Lu Jingze had spent his whole life embodying uprightness and propriety, and hated scheming women most of all. Yet in the end, he fell for Yiwei's tricks... Coming soon 2: "The Emperor's Sole-Favored Palace Maid" The palace maid A Fu had snow-white cheeks, a peach-like face, and bright eyes brimming with tenderness. When she looked over, her clear eyes seemed even purer than a mountain stream. Among the palace maids, she always stood out. Even the imperial consorts were no match for her beauty. Sure enough, one day the emperor visited the Noble Consort's palace. As he washed his hands, he saw A Fu holding a copper basin with her head quietly bowed. Her slender, pale neck was bent forward, and the emperor looked twice. The next moment, A Fu felt the Noble Consort's murderous glare land on her, as if it could bore a hole through her. Sensing danger, A Fu seized an opportunity to request a transfer to the imperial retreat. One day later, the emperor went hunting and stopped at the imperial retreat to escape the summer heat. There he happened upon a palace maid in pale blue gauze, perched on a wooden ladder. The thin, blue sleeves hung down, revealing pale, lotus-root arms as she picked golden loquats, only to bring one to her own mouth. Her red lips took a bite of the juicy fruit, a sight that was utterly captivating. At the sound of his voice, the maid startled like a little rabbit and tumbled down in a panic. The emperor spread his arms, and the beauty fell into them. The emperor's gaze grew dark and deep. From that day on, the palace had a new beauty who was the emperor's sole favorite. She rose steadily through the ranks and eventually took up residence in the Kunning Palace. Everyone said A Fu was blessed with good fortune, naturally beautiful and favored by the emperor. Only A Fu knew how, step by step, she had drawn the emperor into her web of love. Who says palace maids are born lowly? She was determined to trample those high-and-mighty masters underfoot. Theme: Stay true to your original aspirations, and you'll reach your destination.