Chapter 34: Concubine

…

Upon hearing Wang Yisu's notice that she would be going to the Shen Wang Fu with Zhao Yu, Ma Xiao Jiao hurried back to her quarters to pack.

As for Ci De Gong, Ma Xiao Jiao felt not the slightest attachment.

Only after becoming a palace maid did Ma Xiao Jiao realize how hard palace maid work truly was, especially for the lowest-ranking laboring maids.

Zhang Chun, Li Lin, Ye Shi Yun, Ma Xiao Jiao, and Yuan Qing Cheng were crammed into a single room less than fifteen square meters in size.

The room contained nothing but a large communal sleeping platform and a cooking stove—no extra space at all.

What made it even more unbearable was that they had to cook their own meals.

In this sweltering summer, the heat from cooking lingered for hours; after every meal, their tiny room turned into an oven, scorching hot.

Their food was also extremely poor.

Most of the time, they could only eat coarse rice or rough-grained grains; even a steamed bun counted as a good meal.

Vegetables consisted of radishes, shepherd's purse, cabbage, beans, and gourds.

Meat was rare, granted only on special occasions.

Seasonings were limited to salt, soy sauce, and vinegar—Yuan Qing Cheng's high culinary skill had no room to shine.

In short, their daily meals were painfully bland.

Only during palace banquets could they receive small portions of leftover delicacies.

On special days, such as festivals, they might be granted a few pastries or fruits.

This was already their best possible fare.

In sum, palace maids' diets were slightly better than those of the destitute, far worse than those of urban commoners, prioritizing fullness over flavor.

To be honest, they were already far better off than other laboring maids, because Zheng Yaban and Wang Yaban specially took care of them—they had lighter duties, and whenever leftovers, pastries, or fruits were distributed, they always received extra portions.

Yet even so, accustomed to comfort, they struggled to accept such harsh living conditions.

Most crucially, they had no freedom. Wherever they went, they had to submit reports—even just visiting a nearby palace required reporting all the way up to the Empress Dowager; only with her approval could they go, and they had to clearly state when they left, when they returned, and why.

So, leaving Ci De Gong to live with Zhao Yu felt to Ma Xiao Jiao like true liberation.

There was little to pack—only the sketches Ma Xiao Jiao had drawn in her spare time needed taking; everything else was broken and worn, and she discarded it all, planning to ask Zhao Yu for new, better things once she reached the Shen Wang Fu.

As Ma Xiao Jiao was packing her sketches, Zhang Chun came over.

While helping Ma Xiao Jiao pack, Zhang Chun asked: "Xiao Jiao, do you know what your greatest task on this journey is?"

"To help Zhao Yu build a glass factory so he can earn more money; otherwise, when Zhao Yu becomes Emperor, his empty treasury will constrain him at every turn, preventing him from achieving centralization in time, causing him to miss countless opportunities and possibly follow the old path of Zhao Ji—half-hearted reforms, outward strength but inner weakness, hidden dangers everywhere—you've said this so many times, my ears are calloused from hearing it."

But Zhang Chun replied: "I'm not talking about that. I mean something far more important."

Ma Xiao Jiao froze: "Something more important?"

"Xiao Jiao, among us, I'm closest to you, so I must make this clear to you—so you don't stray down the wrong path," Zhang Chun said solemnly.

"What is it?" Seeing Zhang Chun suddenly so serious, Ma Xiao Jiao's heart tightened.

"Sigh!"

Zhang Chun sighed deeply, her voice tinged with genuine sorrow and helplessness: "In this era, shaped by social conditions and lacking modern moral or legal constraints, men's innate lust drives them to take as many wives and concubines as they can when they have the power and opportunity—just like Zhao Yu, who at only sixteen already has three fiancées."

Ma Xiao Jiao dismissed it: "Isn't polygamy normal for ancient men?"

"Those unfamiliar with history call this marriage polygamy, but that's inaccurate. This era's marriage system should be called one-wife-many-concubines or wife-concubine coexistence," Zhang Chun corrected.

"What's the difference?" Ma Xiao Jiao asked.

"In this era, whether noble or commoner, everyone strictly follows ritual law: a wife must be formally betrothed and wed; a concubine, however, can be acquired through multiple means—buying, for instance, or the path you're now taking."

"Some concubines must satisfy their master's desires while also performing heavy labor like servants; once the master grows tired of them, they may be resold, treated as tools to turn profit."

"Many who pride themselves on being generous treat concubines as gifts to be given away at will; those seeking immortality treat them as ingredients to be arbitrarily processed; the wealthy who compete in extravagance treat them as outlets for rage, killing them at will; those pursuing eternal nobility treat them as burial sacrifices, denying them even peace in the afterlife—in short, some people in this era treat debasement as elegance, harbor absurd perversions, and regard concubines as livestock."

"Moreover, in this era, if a husband harms a concubine and no one reports it, there will be no punishment; if reported, even if deemed a crime, the husband may receive a reduced sentence due to his status—his punishment is lightened—while the concubine, for daring to accuse her husband, will face social condemnation and endure an even harder life afterward."

Ma Xiao Jiao began to understand what Zhang Chun was trying to say.

No.

Rather, Ma Xiao Jiao now understood what her upcoming status would be.

With a sliver of hope, Ma Xiao Jiao confirmed with Zhang Chun: "You mean… I'm going to become Zhao Yu's concubine?"

Zhang Chun shook her head: "You'll become Zhao Yu's concubine only if Zhao Yu grows fond of you; only then might you become his consort. Otherwise, you'll be sent back to your original status—remaining a palace maid, even reverting to the laboring maid you were when we first arrived."

Only now did Ma Xiao Jiao realize: her move to Zhao Yu's side wasn't to serve as his technology advisor—it might simply mean switching locations to remain a palace maid.

"Didn't you say that as a teaching maid, the worst you could end up as was a female official?" Ma Xiao Jiao challenged Zhang Chun.

"Only after you've slept with Zhao Yu. The question is—will you sleep with Zhao Yu?" Zhang Chun shot back.

Only now did Ma Xiao Jiao realize: the path she was on wasn't merely leaving Ci De Gong—it led straight to Zhao Yu's bed.

"Zhao Yu is about to marry Zheng Yaban and Wang Yaban, and also Guo Ting—he'll have three wives already. How can I possibly be with him?" Ma Xiao Jiao said, agitated.

"Choose: continue as a palace maid—or even return to the life of a laboring maid you had when we first arrived—or seize this chance for a better life. It's your life. No one can make this decision for you."

"But as your friend, I must tell you—if it were me, I'd never let this opportunity slip through my fingers."

"And if you make the same choice I would, you must know certain precautions."

"To men of this era, abusing or killing a concubine is a private household matter—they have the right to punish their concubines as they please. Some men enjoy throwing their concubines into rivers and watching them struggle to drown; others like locking their concubines with dogs in a cage, playing a concubine-version of death game…"

"Stop!!" Ma Xiao Jiao shouted.

Seeing Ma Xiao Jiao frightened, Zhang Chun realized she had gone too far—she must pull back, lest Ma Xiao Jiao truly choose to remain a maid.

"Actually, what I've said is only the dark side of this era. Didn't we have abusive husbands in our last life too? Overall, good people still outnumber the bad."

Hearing this, Ma Xiao Jiao felt somewhat better.

Ma Xiao Jiao took a breath, looked at Zhang Chun, and asked bluntly: "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Sensing the moment was right, Zhang Chun finally revealed her true intent:

"In this era, women depend on men. Their happiness depends entirely on which man they follow—even a wife's future well-being is determined by the man she marries, let alone a concubine, whose status society defines as inferior."

I've observed him—Zhao Yu is strikingly handsome, emotionally stable, bold and accountable, loyal to old ties, values talent regardless of origin, and is a rare kind of haven.

Ma Xiao Jiao understood what Zhang Chun meant, and asked in disbelief: "You want me to really become Zhao Yu's concubine? One among his many wives and concubines?"

"It's not just that."

"A concubine's status can rise from low to high, from despised to honored—especially once Zhao Yu becomes Emperor."

"And a concubine's standing, whether high or low, largely depends on how much favor she enjoys, and her position in her husband's heart…"

Before Zhang Chun could finish, Ma Xiao Jiao impatiently asked: "So you mean I not only have to truly become Zhao Yu's concubine, but also compete with his other wives and concubines for his favor?"

"I know you're not that kind of person, and you dislike doing such things."

"But feudal etiquette has repeatedly indoctrinated women to be non-jealous and tolerant of their husband's other women, insisting that harmonious coexistence is a woman's virtue; many men also foolishly dream of many beauties like stars circling the moon, peacefully yielding to one another, taking turns to serve him, so he may revel in the gentle, obedient warmth of his harem. Yet more often than not, this is merely the men's delusion—once wives and concubines are kept together, they will inevitably scheme and fight against each other for their position in the husband's heart."

"In the imperial court, it's even worse."

Here, Zhang Chun switched to a sincere tone and spoke to Ma Xiao Jiao:

"I'm telling you this not to urge you to compete with Zhao Yu's other wives and concubines—you're not skilled at such things—but to make you understand that in this era, even if man and woman share tender affection and are soulmates, tying your entire fate to one person remains an uncontrollable and deeply tragic thing!"

"Moreover, no matter how good your relationship with your husband, a concubine remains subject to him; even occasional conflicts or problems can utterly transform her living conditions."

"A disgraced mistress is worse off than a favored servant—if a concubine truly loses favor, even her maids will bully her; worse still, she may be beaten to death!"

"And people, after all, are human—they inevitably grow tired of the old and crave the new."

"So, Xiao Jiao, if you're wise and want to avoid regretting your future, you must do everything possible to make Zhao Yu fall for you, and seize every opportunity to bear his child—you must bear him as many children as you can, especially sons, for only then can your quality of life in this era be secured…"

……

(End of Chapter)