Spoiled Concubine

[A scheming beauty who always gets even] [A cruel, cunning, lovesick young lord of a marquis's household]

The young woman had a childhood nickname: Yang Liu'er.

That day, beneath the flowers and moon, with shadows of branches crossing in the breeze, she nestled coquettishly in her lover's arms. Her restless hand hooked around his gold-carved, jade-inlaid belt as she murmured sweetly, "I've only told you this name. You mustn't tell anyone else."

He caught her wandering hand and suddenly smiled. "Yang Liu'er?"

The young woman had flirted with the wrong man.

*

Lin Yingniang had been clever all her life, but one day she made a misstep and became Xie Yun's concubine. Living under someone else's roof, she was constantly on edge.

After thinking it over, she decided that although the Xie family was powerful and distinguished, it was a high gate far beyond her reach. She would be better off finding an honest, humble scholar and settling down to a peaceful life.

Lin Yingniang ran away.

On her wedding day, that man came looking for her.

The banquet hall was full of guests. The elegant, refined young lord of a noble family took his seat with a wine cup in hand and looked over with a faint smile, his tone almost cold. "You're getting married, such a joyous occasion. How could you not let your husband know?"

He lifted his eyes to her.

"Yang Liu'er, will you come over yourself, or shall I step over his corpse?"

*

Lin Yingniang was a very worldly woman, greedy for life, afraid of death, and vain.

But there was one man who gave her wealth and splendor, surrounded her with gold and jade, and lifted her high into the clouds.