My mother, a concubine, wanted me to marry honorably: “A woman must be a proper wife.”
I made vague noises of agreement, but inwardly I didn’t take it to heart.
Being a proper wife to a peddler or servant meant poverty and beatings from the man.
Being a proper wife in a wealthy household meant constant scheming and exhausting yourself managing the family.
So as soon as my mother passed on, I went to Yujing Tower and registered as a prostitute.
Sixty taels of silver a night, absolutely no haggling.