The Legend of the Concubine in the Harem

There was still some time before the palace banquet began, and Xie Yu was too lazy to go in and deal with those ladies inside and outside the palace who were all smiling but had their own thoughts. She took two palace maids and walked slowly in the corridor outside the palace, specifically looking for a quiet place where few people passed by so that her ears would not suffer too much.

Turning a corner, Xie Yuzhen saw the temporarily transplanted golden osmanthus flowers blooming lushly and beautifully, so he walked over, wanting to break off a branch to admire and kill time.

When she got closer, she vaguely heard someone talking behind the tree. The voice sounded familiar. Xie Yuzhen thought about it, raised her hand and made a quiet gesture to the two palace maids behind her, then slowed down her pace, and quietly stuck behind the golden osmanthus tree decorated with satin paper lanterns, eavesdropping without any moral burden in her heart.

Chunfen immediately understood and walked a few steps in the direction they came from to help his master keep watch. When he turned around, he saw Huizhu still standing there, seemingly unable to react, so he walked over and pulled her.

Huizhu had something on her mind and was almost frightened by Chunfen's behavior. When she saw the latter looking at her reproachfully, Huizhu finally reacted and quickly walked in the other direction and stood still.

Chunfen didn't say anything else, but returned to the place where she was keeping watch - they had long since figured out that it was Qian Shunyi who was instructing Huizhu to create some trouble for Xie Yuzhen at today's banquet, so that Huizhu could use her merit in protecting her master to win Xie Yuzhen's trust in one fell swoop.

However, Xie Yuzhen had not had time to find out exactly what methods they were going to use. Therefore, although Chunfen appeared calm on the surface today, he was actually paying close attention to Huizhu's every move, in case this idiot made any mistakes and caused Xie Yuzhen to get into trouble.

Xie Yuzhen hid behind a tree and gradually heard the voices of several people talking on the other side.

"......The day before yesterday, the Marquis sent a letter back to the mansion, saying that Concubine Xu is about to give birth, and maybe she can give Xiaoyi a brother. I wonder if Xiaoyi likes this brother born by her own aunt more. It's a pity that your aunt is a calculating person who gave her own sister and niece to me so that she can stay in Jingjun and give birth to a child safely......"

Is this Liu Xiaoyi’s biological mother, Lady Liu Hong, the Marquis of Jing County?

Xie Yuzhen listened quietly. She had already figured out Liu Xiaoyi's family situation from reading the files over and over again. She knew that Liu Xiaoyi was very at odds with her stepmother, but because her biological mother was still in the hands of her stepmother, she had to be controlled in every way and endure Liu Xiaoyi's bullying.

"...Speaking of which, Xiaoyi is a person who values ​​love and affection, and is nothing like your aunt. This lady has given you this overwhelming wealth, Xiaoyi, you must be grateful. You are a concubine's child, oh no, your birth is no different from that of a concubine's child, you are the lowest kind."

Xie Yuzhen couldn't hear Liu Xiaoyi's voice, but he could imagine the expression of this woman who looked weak but very calm and patient.

Liu Xiaoyi lowered her head, her beautiful eyebrows half-closed in obedience, making her look well-behaved, weak, and timid, like a white lotus standing in the wind and rain: "...I have never dared to forget Madam's kindness for a day, and I will definitely keep Madam's teachings in mind, and I will never forget them and think of them all the time."

Liu Hong narrowed her eyes and looked at the woman who disgusted her so much. She said in a cold voice, "Just remember it. With a background like yours... Oh, this is because the Marquis has been kind enough to cover it up for you and your aunt. If a lowly concubine's daughter marries into an aristocratic family, she can only marry a servant of the aristocratic family! Even if she is lucky enough to marry a young master of an aristocratic family, her name must be recorded under the name of her stepmother."

At this point, Liu Hong frowned in disgust: "I used to hate those who pretended to be legitimate children with concubines. If it weren't for the Marquis's Mansion and the Marquis, I would not let you, a lowly creature, be registered under my name!"

Liu Xiaoyi closed her eyes tightly.

Xie Yuzhen curled his lips behind the tree and asked, "Register her as the legitimate daughter?"

Ah.

Only a pedantic and ignorant girl from an aristocratic family like Liu Hong would take this matter so seriously. Outside, a legitimate child is a legitimate child and an illegitimate child is an illegitimate child. When one family marries another, they look at the status of the father and do not care which mother the other person came from.

Only those small border countries, such as Silla and the Joseon Dynasty, where the country is small and the population is small, and the countryside is not as poor as that of Dasheng, would attach great importance to the identity of the mother - because they do not have the financial resources to support too many nobles, and the men cannot control their belts, so they come up with such a deformed and twisted, ridiculous rule.

"You should know how to be grateful!" Liu Hong's tone gradually became serious. In the past, a concubine's daughter like Liu Xiaoyi was not worthy of coming to her. She felt that even looking at her was dirty. "A lowly child should have the duties of a lowly child. Don't think that just because my daughter has fallen out of favor, you have lost power and you have the opportunity to climb up by trickery? Put away those shameful little thoughts of yours. What do you mean by being loyal and righteous for your sister? If you really have some friendship with your legitimate sister, you should take the initiative to prevent the crime for her and accept the punishment, instead of using this matter to promote your own good reputation!"

In this dynasty, the power of the aristocratic families was no longer as great as before, but Liu Hong was still very arrogant and looked down on Liu Xiaoyi from the bottom of her heart - even though the other party was no longer a concubine who could be beaten and scolded by her, but a concubine of a certain rank in the harem, a woman of the same class as her.

Seeing Liu Xiaoyi trembling all over because of her scolding, but still enduring it and not daring to resist, Liu Hong's vanity was greatly satisfied. She raised her chin high: "Jindie." and took the hand of the maid beside her.

Then, as if she suddenly realized that she had said something wrong, she said with some surprise, "Look at my memory. You can't call me Jindie anymore."

"You must pity this maid of mine. She is a servant of the Hong family. She is the most loyal servant of the family. Her father once saved the Marquis and was given the surname Liu... Speaking of which, her family background is even more innocent than yours, Xiaoyi. She has more dignity."

Xie Yuzhen felt a little confused when he heard this.

The "Jindie" mentioned by the wife of the Marquis of Jingjun did not seem to be referring to Liu Xiaoyi, but... the maid beside her.

"In order to give you, Xiaoyi, a legitimate identity, you can no longer use the name Jindie. It's really unfair." Liu Hong smiled proudly, "Why don't you give this girl a new name, Liu Xiaoyi? What do you think, the full moon? It can also be regarded as auspicious for the family reunion during the Mid-Autumn Festival."

The maid, whose original name was "Liu Jindie", knelt slightly in front of Liu Xiaoyi, whose eyes were already red, and said, "Please give me a name, Madam Xiaoyi."