Chapter 4

In Great Qi, an official received ten days’ leave to marry a wife, and five to take a concubine from a respectable family.

But after accompanying me on the customary visit to my family, Master Chen went straight back to his government office, leaving his wife, his concubines, and me staring at one another.

Concubine Luo sent her daughter, the Third Young Miss, to find me.

“Concubine Zhou, Mother wants to know if you’d like to play leaf cards.” Third Young Miss was only five, with two adorable little buns in her hair. My heart softened at the sight of her, and I took a handful of sweets from the table for her.

When I reached Concubine Luo’s rooms, I found Concubine Ma and Lady Chen there, too.

I stood with my hands in front of me, as lost as a schoolchild.

Seeing how stiff I was, Lady Chen guided me to a seat. “Your given name is Ah Tao, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Zhou is my surname, and Tao my given name.”

Concubine Luo seemed impatient by nature. She was already dealing. “We were delighted when we heard Master was bringing you into the household.”

I stared at her.

“No more sitting here with three players when we need four.”

Beside her, Concubine Ma said, “Master is busy with official business. He’s always out early and home late. We’ll be spending far more time with one another, so please don’t feel awkward. We’re family now.”

Partway through the game, seeing that I was still as uneasy as a raw recruit, Concubine Luo had someone take Third Young Miss outside.

She moved closer and nudged my arm with her elbow. “Sister Ah Tao, did Master ask you yesterday whether he was impressive?”

I looked at her, then at Concubine Ma and Lady Chen. Were we allowed to talk about this?

“Master,” Concubine Luo said frankly, “has a very high opinion of himself.”

No wonder she had sent Third Young Miss out to play.

I covered my mouth. “Sister Luo, aren’t we getting rather personal for people who’ve only just met?”

She gave me a knowing smile. “Oh, very personal.”

Over the days that followed, I gradually learned what everyone in the Chen household was like.

Master Chen: a workaholic, out early and home late.

Even while hoping I would carry on his family line, he rotated between all four courtyards, scrupulously fair, refusing to favor any one woman.

But whenever he had visited, he ordered a serving woman to brew me a bowl of fertility medicine.

“I’m getting on in years,” he always said. “I can’t go on without a son.”

Every time, I found it too bitter and secretly poured it away.

Lady Chen: generous and kind, the mother of the eldest two girls. All the girls usually played together and got along well, apart from the withdrawn eldest.

Concubine Luo: she looked like an innocent little flower, but was forever making jokes without a trace of reserve.

Concubine Ma: gentle, with a sweet, playful streak—and the best cook!

All in all, they were a decent family.

But I was lazy. Concubine Luo and the others were forever inviting me to join them, yet I preferred to bask in the sun in my own courtyard whenever possible. No particular reason. I simply didn’t want to deal with people.

Before long, word spread through the household that the new Concubine Zhou was aloof and difficult.

I couldn’t have cared less.

My only hobby was practicing tai chi.

At least it was exercise.

If I really did have a baby one day, I would need a strong body. Modern world or ancient, childbirth meant a journey to death’s door.

Yet time and again, I felt a pair of eyes on me.

One day I had just stepped outside to stretch when the eldest daughter appeared at my side without my noticing.

She fixed her big, round eyes on me. “Odd changes, even stays the same?”