lcionline Chapter 260 An Extra Concubine
Chapter 260 An Extra Concubine
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Watching Lin Shiyue's departing figure, Liu Ye thought to himself: I wonder if we had a grudge in our past lives. Whenever we meet, she always finds a way to slander and ridicule me. We are truly natural enemies.
Turning to look at the bewildered Duan Mengrou, Liu Ye opened his arms with his back to her and reminded her, "Aren't you going to help your master get dressed and wash up?"
"Huh?" Duan Mengrou was stunned.
"What 'ah'? Master isn't the kind of person who starts something and then abandons it. He takes responsibility for his actions. Now that you're my woman, isn't serving me your duty?" Liu Ye said impatiently. "But let me warn you beforehand, you're not eligible for the main wife position. According to the order of your entry into the family, you'll be ranked after Tang Yu and Su Wen, and you'll have to call them 'elder sisters.' But don't worry about one thing: the Liu family doesn't have as many rules as other wealthy families. Even if there's a hierarchy, everyone is equal, and Master treats everyone the same."
Duan Mengrou was at a loss for what to do. Although she had shared a bed with the master, her chastity was still intact. As long as everyone pretended nothing was wrong and kept quiet, no one would know, which seemed like a serious matter. Was it really necessary to squeeze into the Liu family as a concubine for this reason? She was a strong-willed woman; otherwise, she wouldn't have changed the name of the Gao family mansion to the Duan family mansion—who said women were inferior to men? She longed to use the master's power to build her own career, rather than marrying early and becoming a wife and mother.
Liu Ye waited for a while, but seeing that Duan Mengrou still showed no intention of dressing him, he turned around, frowned, and said, "Since you're unwilling to condescend to be my concubine, I won't force you. However, what happened between us makes things awkward for both of us. You're no longer suitable to be the manager of the money shop. I'll give you some silver, and I'll also give you the Gao family mansion as compensation for last night. You can leave the money shop and do whatever business you want."
Hearing this, Duan Mengrou felt a surge of panic. She was educated and knew the saying, "A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime." Without her master's protection, she would be nothing in Guangzhou. Even if she obtained a considerable sum of money, she would only become an object of covetousness. Furthermore, the Gao family's wives and concubines, along with her own family, would not spare her. Not only would she lose her residence and money, but she and her mother might also become playthings of some wealthy and powerful family.
She steadied herself, trying to sort out her somewhat chaotic thoughts: rather than being coveted and ensnared by others, she'd rather wholeheartedly follow the master; at least he wasn't the kind of person who would bully the weak with his power and wealth. If it weren't for him, she would inevitably fall into Gao Hongtu's clutches sooner or later, becoming a victim of his chaotic tragedy—even without blood ties, Gao Hongtu was still her father in name.
Having made up her mind, Duan Mengrou picked up her master's clothes and gently put them on him, saying in a low voice, "This servant will obey everything you say, Master. I dare not even think about the title of the principal wife. I only ask that you allow my mother to have a place in the Liu family as well."
In other families, a concubine's mother wouldn't be allowed to enter the house. However, Liu Ye didn't care about these rules at all, especially since he was aware of Aunt Jiang's special circumstances.