Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I lifted a hand, silencing the chaos in the room.

Everyone’s eyes immediately turned to me.

I said flatly,

“I’ve even given up Cheng’er. I truly mean to let you go. As for the two of you, have you made up your minds?”

“I promise you this: even if you leave the Marquis Manor, I will still keep your daughters’ marriage prospects in mind.”

“If you don’t want to leave, that’s fine too. But my body is truly no good anymore. I’m afraid you’ll only be left to spend your nights alone from now on, so don’t come to resent me then.”

In the end, Concubine Luo stepped forward.

Her eyes were red, but she fought to keep the tears from falling.

“I wish to leave. Please let me go, my lord. I pray your future is bright and that your grace returns. From now on, let us fly our separate ways like parted mandarin ducks, and remember nothing of what once was.”

A trace of melancholy rose in my heart.

Out of all the concubines, Concubine Luo was probably the purest, the one most hopelessly ruled by love.

Because she had truly loved the original owner of this body, she had given up her status as a respectable woman and willingly become a concubine.

That choice had shamed her parents. They cut off all contact with her, and when her brothers and sisters saw her, they pretended not to know her.

But sadly, in just a few short years, that marriage pledge had shattered, and her devotion had become a burden to the original owner.

Madam Song tormented her, and her daughter was suppressed by Madam Song as well. She wanted to ask the original owner to help her daughter, only to be told by him that she was not gentle, chaste, and obedient enough.

Her daughter was forced to marry a poor xiucai, and her life after marriage was miserable.

All Concubine Luo could do was embroider handkerchiefs day after day to send money to her daughter.

Mother and daughter were forced to support their son-in-law’s entire family, and on top of that, they were looked down on because the fourth daughter had been born to a concubine and was therefore considered lowly by birth.

I called out to stop her, feeling that the original owner owed her an apology more than anything.

If I didn’t apologize today, she probably would never be able to let it go for the rest of her life.

“Xueniang, I wronged you. You were born a respectable woman, and I deceived you into becoming a concubine.”

“Back then, I lied to you and said I had no wife. I even forcibly took your virginity and left you with nowhere to turn. I failed you first.”

“When I saw how miserably you lived in the rear courtyard, I said it was because you weren’t obedient enough, and that was why you suffered such torment.”

“But the truth is, the fault was never yours. It was mine. I was useless. All I ever wanted was peace in the household, and I never cared who was truly the one being wronged.”

“I’m letting you go today because I want you to live well. A heartless and unfaithful man like me wasted years of your life. Mourning me for even a moment isn’t worth it.”

“After you leave, I hope you dress your hair anew and smile again. If you ever run into any difficulty, you can come to me. I will also keep your daughter’s marriage matter in mind.”

I gave Concubine Luo eight hundred taels in banknotes.

Madam Song’s face turned green with anger at the sight.

But I didn’t care. I wanted Concubine Luo to live well.

She stared at me in shock, as if she no longer recognized me.

A moment later, her lips parted slightly.

“My lord… you?”

“Go.”

It was as if she understood something.

If someone had truly loved you, they would never fail to recognize your soul.

I closed my eyes and returned to that cold, distant expression, then had someone quickly escort Concubine Luo away.

In a daze, Concubine Luo left with her fourth daughter.

Now only Madam Song and Concubine Zhao remained.

Concubine Zhao kept her eyes lowered and refused to look at me, wearing the air of someone who would hear nothing, see nothing, and involve herself in nothing.

She had originally been Madam Song’s maid.

After Madam Song learned she could no longer bear children, she had sent her own maid to the original owner, hoping to soothe his anger.

Once there was a first concubine, there came a second and a third.

The entire Chu Family became a breeding ground where people preyed on one another.

Madam Song sneered. “My lord is so generous today. You gave away half a year’s household expenses. Are we supposed to live or not?”

“If you don’t want to, you can leave too,” I said coldly.

Madam Song choked on her words.

But I had already sent Concubine Luo and Concubine Hu away.

Now, in this enormous Marquis Manor, only she and Concubine Zhao were left.

And Concubine Zhao was one of her people, someone who always put her first in everything. Madam Song was clearly pleased, so she had no intention of arguing over my angry words.

I felt it was time to poison her mind a little.