A Flawless Gem

I'm a courtesan. I fell into the life at fifteen, became infertile at sixteen, and by twenty I'd slept with more men than there are crucian carp in a pond.

People tell me to go straight. I'd like to, but my father and second uncle are criminals, so I can't be bought out of the brothel.

What a joke. Women aren't even allowed to take the imperial exams, yet when men commit crimes, women have to become whores. Is there any justice in this world?

Some people tell me to seduce the powerful and clear my father and second uncle's names. I give a cold laugh and think: If it weren't for those bastards, I wouldn't be in this situation. Clear their names? If I ever see them, I'll slap them across the face.

I can't kill myself, and no one can buy me out. My only wish is to die as soon as possible, but before I do, I want to take a few people down with me.

I've saved up some money and want to hire an assassin.

Not to kill my father and second uncle's political enemies, just a few clients, for fun.

At long last, one of my clients turns out to be an assassin. I ask if he can give me a twenty-percent discount and take out a few more people.

He turns around and says to me, "Miss, I want to marry you."

I laugh until tears come to my eyes. Thousands have held my jade arms; thousands have tasted my vermilion lips.

And he still wants to marry me? Is he tired of having a clean family tomb?

The assassin looks me straight in the eye and says, slowly and seriously, "I'm dirty too. I don't want to ruin anyone else."

A story about saving each other.

By society's standards, neither the hero nor the heroine is pure, but their love and souls are noble beyond compare.

A very short story, not serialized for payment.

In a certain sense, both leads are pure. Not in the sense of having no sexual experience, but because they have noble aspirations and hearts unstained by the muck of the world.

Theme: Women should be strong and self-reliant