Volume One, Chapter Five: Finding This Young Master Another Concubine

Gu Nanxiao had heard that Shi Qingchen was a man of great renown and talent, regarded by many noble ladies in the capital as their ideal husband.

However, hearing his own woman whisper another man’s name in her sleep ignited a fury within him that he could not suppress. He longed to shake her awake and demand an explanation, but his pride forbade it. His fists, clenched within his sleeves, tightened and loosened repeatedly until, finally, he stood up and stormed out in a huff.

The maidservants in the courtyard were left bewildered. Their young master had arrived with a gentle expression, yet departed with a face as dark as a thunderstorm, as if he had been profoundly provoked.

Zisu hurried to the bedroom, which had been left ajar, and found her mistress still fast asleep, muttering, "Sooner or later, I will have your miserable head."

Zisu felt a surge of frustration at her mistress’s lack of composure. Usually, she was such a dignified and well-mannered person; why on earth would she utter such crude and vulgar words the very moment the young master deigned to visit her humble quarters?

Gu Nanxiao returned to his own chamber, his face still clouded with gloom. The more he thought, the angrier he became. As he lay down on his bed, a faint, delicate fragrance drifted to his nostrils. Irritated, he sat up, his gaze drifting involuntarily toward the bathtub in the side room. Memories of their intimate encounter the night before flooded his mind; the sensation of her silk-like skin seemed to linger at his fingertips.

Gu Nanxiao felt as though he had lost his mind. He refused to believe that this woman could leave him—a man of iron-willed discipline—so completely haunted and obsessed.

"Moyu," he called out toward the door. "Go and summon all the concubines the Princess prepared for me. I intend to favor them tonight."

Moyu looked at his master, who was gritting his teeth as if desperate to indulge in debauchery in broad daylight. Daring not to ask a single question, he immediately dispatched men to fetch them.

Ever since Gu Nanxiao turned sixteen, the Princess and the Empress Dowager had been sending concubines to his residence. Four years had passed, and there were now over a dozen such women in his household. They were relegated to the most remote courtyard and rarely even had the chance to see Gu Nanxiao. Some were his own age, while others had grown plump from a life of idle comfort. Most had long since lost all hope. Only two, who had once tried to seduce him, still dressed themselves up diligently every day, hoping to one day catch his eye.

Gu Nanxiao’s subordinates acted with great efficiency. Within a quarter of an hour, a group of concubines, of various shapes and sizes, were brought into his chamber.

The moment Gu Nanxiao saw these women, a familiar sense of disgust washed over him. Looking into their expectant eyes, he was reminded of a life he detested. His father had said that to be a worthy heir, he must be irreproachable in every aspect. His mother had insisted that, as her son, he must not lose to the illegitimate son born of that "vile woman" in any regard.

The past, which Gu Nanxiao thought he had long forgotten, remained etched in his mind. Those days of being controlled played out like a curse, leaving him even more agitated. Without even raising his head, he pointed at someone at random and said, "You stay. The rest of you, leave."

The chosen concubine was stunned with delight, but she walked toward Gu Nanxiao without hesitation. As she leaned in to offer herself, the pungent scent of heavy perfume hit him, instantly extinguishing the desire he had felt for Yunxi.

He looked at the woman before him, her face caked in heavy makeup and her eyes filled with greed, and barked, "Stop! You leave, too."

Seeing that the concubine was reluctant to go, Gu Nanxiao rubbed his temples and strode out of the study. He sat at his desk and picked up a brush, intending to design weapon blueprints to distract himself. Yet, the task that usually brought him the most pleasure failed to hold his interest today.

After a long while, Gu Nanxiao threw down his jade brush and left the mansion with his subordinates, deciding to stay at his office for a while to cool off.

When Yunxi woke up and heard about the punishment of Concubine Xu, she merely nodded calmly. Upon learning that Gu Nanxiao had left the mansion in a rage, she remained indifferent. She strolled through the courtyard with Zisu, heading straight for the second gate, only to be stopped by the guards.

The security of the Prince’s mansion was indeed far stricter than that of the Shi residence. Back when she lived with the Shi family, she could come and go freely with Shi Qingchen’s token. Now, however, she was a woman of the inner household, bound by the rule that one should not leave the inner quarters. It seemed that if she wanted to leave, she would have to find a way through Gu Nanxiao. Yet, Yunxi waited for three days, and still, Gu Nanxiao did not return.

By then, rumors had begun to spread through the capital that Gu Nanxiao suffered from a private ailment and could not perform his duties without medication. It was also whispered that a man in such a state would struggle to produce heirs, and even if he inherited the title, the Prince of Yong’s line would end with him.

It was not hard to guess who was behind such rumors before the Emperor had even officially confirmed his status as heir. When the news broke, the Princess could no longer sit still. Seething with frustration, she summoned Yunxi to Qingfeng Garden.

Led by an elderly maid, Yunxi entered the garden to find the Princess lying on a couch with her eyes closed. She appeared relaxed, but the rapid rising and falling of her chest betrayed her true agitation. Yunxi hesitated for a moment before kneeling to pay her respects. She waited for a long time, but the Princess did not grant her permission to rise.

Since arriving in this ancient era, the hardest thing for Yunxi to accept was kneeling to others. Back at the Shi residence, she had lived mostly in the side courtyard and rarely encountered important people, so she didn't have to perform grand kowtows. Since coming to the Prince’s mansion, she was constantly on her knees. She had knelt to Gu Nanxiao, and now she was kneeling to the Princess. In just a few days, she had kowtowed more times than she had in the past three years.

Having long since read the Princess’s mind, Yunxi had no time to waste. Without waiting for permission, she spoke, "I have a way to make the Young Master return to the mansion, but I need your help."

The Princess opened her eyes and looked at the woman on the floor. Recalling the schemes this concubine had used, she couldn't help but believe her. Rather than taking her anger out on her, it was better to hear her plan. Controlling most of her fury, the Princess asked coldly, "If you have a way, why not say it sooner, instead of waiting until the rumors have spread throughout the capital?"

Yunxi ignored her sarcasm and continued, "Help me enter the Young Master’s study. Give me half an hour, and I will make him return to the mansion of his own accord."