I Have No Choice

A concubine belongs to the lowest social class and can be bought and sold.

Once you become a concubine, your master holds your life and livelihood in his hands for the rest of your life.

1.

Yueluo was born into poverty and sold to the Tianxiang Brothel at the age of five. Because of her bewitching beauty, said to be capable of captivating a kingdom, the madam carefully raised her and treated her as a money tree.

On the day she came of age, the madam paid a hefty sum to choose the man who would initiate her into the ways of love. But the heir of the Yi'an Marquis' household fell in love with Yueluo at first sight. After paying a high price to buy her freedom, he settled her in a separate residence.

From then on, she became the heir's kept woman. Everyone praised her good fortune for catching the heir's eye. But on the very night he took her to his bed, the heir's wife burst in with her attendants. No matter how desperately Yueluo pleaded, the wife resolutely had her sold.

After that, Yueluo was passed from one powerful household to another like a cat or a dog, with no dignity at all. When the mistress of the house was in a good mood, she might toss Yueluo a few silver coins. When she grew tired of her, she would sell her off as casually as if it were nothing. Covered in scars, Yueluo finally understood: becoming a concubine was a road with no way back.

She didn't want to be a concubine, much less be treated like livestock and sold to the highest bidder.

But fate had other plans. Yueluo was sold once more, this time to the Prince of Nan'an's household, where she was assigned to serve the dazzling, aloof, and supremely confident heir.

The Princess Consort of Nan'an threatened her: "If you fail to win the heir's favor, I'll sell you to a low-class brothel!"

Yueluo collapsed to the ground. Thinking of the heir, so radiant and aloof that he had no interest in women, she felt her heart sink into an abyss.

2.

Murong Yu was as graceful as a jade tree and as bright as the moon, a heroic young man admired from afar by every noble maiden in Qizhou.

He thought highly of himself, had a cool and distant temperament, and never let his gaze linger on a pretty face with nothing else to offer.

His stepmother pretended to care for him and arranged a servant concubine for him. She was stunningly beautiful, but also a lowborn concubine who had been passed among powerful men several times.

He sneered. "Someone like her is supposed to serve me?"

But later, by a twist of fate, he spent a night with the servant concubine and tasted a pleasure that consumed his soul. The tiny red mole on her waist especially kept him awake all night.

How could a mere servant concubine have thrown his heart into such disarray?

3.

Before long, Yueluo became the only concubine of Heir Murong, envied by everyone. But only Yueluo knew the truth: the heir detested her. He never let her attend to his writing and ink, nor did he allow her near him. Even when he took her to bed, he covered her eyes with a handkerchief.

Yueluo felt wronged, but thinking that she might at least have a place to rely on, she silently endured it. Later, however, the heir took a wife and, just as she had feared, insisted on selling Yueluo.

"In my next life, I don't want to be a concubine..."

Yueluo swore as she plunged into the rushing river.

4.

Yueluo was sold, and even every trace of her life was erased, as if she had never entered the prince's household.

Whenever Murong Yu closed his eyes, he thought of her. She appeared in his dreams, and even the taste of rose pastries reminded him of her.

Suddenly, a pain unlike anything he had ever felt seized his chest. He coughed up a mouthful of blood and bitterly regretted everything. "Yueluo, Yueluo... I want you back."

Theme: Love is closest at hand