Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Seeing the stubbornness written across my face, he composed his expression, his tone indifferent.

“Why should I help you?”

I lowered my head and bowed again. “My lord, noble as you are, you are not the heir apparent. Can you truly feel no resentment?”

“If you present me to the Duke of Qi, or to Crown Prince Jie, then once I win favor, I will surely maneuver on your behalf…”

Yet when Lord Fuyong heard this, he rebuked me coldly. “Who said I intended to contend for the succession?”

For some reason, he had suddenly grown displeased.

Sensing that things were going badly, I hurried to mend my words. “This slave once heard the retainers in your residence say that if a cunning rabbit has not three burrows, it can hardly sleep soundly. This humble girl begs to dig two more burrows for you.”

“Even if my lord does not contend for the succession, in the future, this slave will still prepare a burrow for you!”

A long while passed.

Silence.

The person before me moved his red lips slightly, still hesitating, while from within the shadows, two men had already begun murmuring to each other.

“A cunning rabbit with three burrows… Interesting.”

“My lord, what she says does make sense.”

“Silence.”

Once Lord Fuyong spoke, the two of them immediately fell quiet.

Seated upon the couch, the man before me gazed into empty space, his eyes sharp as thorns. Suddenly, he said in a languid voice, “All affairs under heaven arise from choices, and are determined by choices.”

“Therein lies the wonder of life.”

Amid the fierce wind and snow, those still, silent eyes turned toward me. “What is your name?”

This was an age of strict hierarchy.

When nobles asked for a name and a commoner had none, the noble would often bestow one, as a sign of favor.

At his words, I was so delighted that I knocked my head to the ground again and again. “This slave has no name yet. Please, my lord, grant me one!”

Lord Fuyong looked out toward the snowy ground, where a layer of greenish-yellow wild grass had emerged, sparse and withered.

“Very well. Then you shall be called Man Ji.”

Though it was merely the name of a wild weed, I was already overwhelmed by the honor, so happy I wept.

“Do not be pleased too soon.” One hand resting on his hand warmer, his expression distant, he said, “Without a ruthless heart, how can one survive in the palace? Difficult indeed.”

With that, he let out a long sigh.

I did not know whom he intended to give me to, and as I waited uneasily, Lord Fuyong suddenly smiled.

“However, Man Ji is rather skilled in this path. It may truly be worth a try.”

Knowing he was mocking me for having a vicious heart, I did not care in the slightest. I even took pride in it. “This slave’s life is worthless. If I had learned to do good like noble people do, I would have died eight hundred times over by now.”

Hearing this, he only smiled faintly and said nothing.

Seeing that his manner had relaxed, I boldly crawled closer and reached out to tug at the hem of his robe. “This slave knows many things! If my lord is not at ease, you may try me yourself!”

My intention to curry favor could not have been more blatant.

The person before me seemed rather absentminded. “Man Ji possesses rather rare beauty. Given time, you will surely become a peerless beauty beneath the heavens…”

After saying this, he glanced at the cloak I had dirtied with my touch. Then he untied it and tossed it to me.

“What a pity. I do not like children.”

Me: “…”