A Concubine’s Competitive Life in the Prince’s Household

At the Confucian Temple in the outskirts of Yanjing, a dozen impoverished scholars resided. As the sky began to lighten, Shen's Mother sat under the eaves, weaving on an old, creaky loom.

Shen's Mother was getting on in years and could only weave four feet of cloth each day. She saved every penny she earned from selling the cloth.

She had already made up her mind: if Shen Wei were to die in the Prince's Mansion, she would go and kowtow to the Princess Consort, begging to retrieve Shen Wei's body. With the money she had saved, she would buy a decent burial plot to lay Shen Wei to rest.

This was the only thing a mother could do for her daughter.

"Mother, I'm heading out. I'll be back by noon," Shen Xiuming said as he stepped out of the house, stretching lazily.

Shen's Mother paused her weaving, realizing with disappointment that her son lacked steadfast determination. After being humiliated in the back alley of an inn, Shen Xiuming had vowed to study hard and rise above his circumstances.

But after just over ten days of effort, he was already showing signs of losing steam—"one burst of energy, then a decline, and finally exhaustion."

For the past two days, he hadn’t been rising early to study and had instead been itching to go out and gamble.

Shen's Mother was deeply disheartened.

She had scolded and even beaten him, but a person’s nature was difficult to change in a short time.

"Auntie, I’ve come to collect the cloth," a cheerful voice called from outside. It was the female cloth merchant arriving.

Shen's Mother quickly had Shen Xiuming bring out the cloth she had woven over the past few days. As the merchant counted the bolts, she chatted with Shen's Mother: "Auntie, yesterday I delivered cloth to Prince Yan's Mansion. I heard from the maids that the Prince has recently taken a liking to a new concubine."

Shen's Mother froze, her sleeves clenched tightly.

Shen Xiuming, who had been about to sneak out to the temple, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

The merchant continued gossiping: "The women in the inner quarters of Prince Yan's Mansion, ah, they live such miserable lives. The neglected concubines and maids are treated worse than servants, wearing the poorest-quality cloth. A few months ago, one concubine couldn’t bear the suffering and drowned herself."

Shen's Mother felt as if her heart were being torn apart. Her third daughter, Shen Wei, was one of those suffering concubines in the Prince's Mansion.

Shen Wei clung to life, driven by the hope that Shen Xiuming would rise to prominence and rescue her from her plight.

Shen Xiuming, too, was aware of his sister's expectations. Thinking of his recent laziness, he felt a pang of guilt and shame.

"Here are two strings of coins," the merchant said, praising Shen's Mother’s weaving skills after inspecting the cloth.

Shen's Mother carefully stored the coins and politely saw the merchant off. Not long after the merchant left, an ordinary carriage stopped at the gate of the Confucian Temple.

The curtain was lifted, and Nanny Rong swaggered into the temple. Seeing Shen's Mother weaving under the eaves, she let out a long, disdainful snort.

Shen's Mother was stunned. "You... why have you come here? Where is my third daughter? Has something happened to her?"

Shen Xiuming, who had been studying inside, was also startled. He rushed out, standing protectively in front of his mother.

Nanny Rong clicked her tongue and said sarcastically, "I was passing by the temple and was asked by Lady Shen to bring you some money."

She opened a money pouch and casually tossed a string of coins toward them. The coins clattered onto the stone steps, scattering everywhere.

"This is Lady Shen’s monthly allowance. Take good care of it," Nanny Rong sneered. "Lady Shen is so naive—a useless mother and a worthless brother, yet she still dreams of her brother making something of himself. What a pipe dream!"

Nanny Rong played the role of a domineering palace nanny to perfection.

Shen Xiuming gritted his teeth.

Nanny Rong let out a shrill, mocking laugh before slowly walking away.

In the temple courtyard, tears streamed down Shen's Mother’s face as she knelt on the ground, picking up the scattered coins one by one.

Both mother and son knew that Nanny Rong had undoubtedly skimmed off part of Shen Wei’s allowance. But what could Shen Wei, a neglected concubine, do to resist?

Even in her own suffering, Shen Wei still cared deeply for her mother and brother.

Shen Xiuming wiped away his tears, his eyes filled with determination. He turned and went back inside to study!

...

After leaving the temple, Nanny Rong returned to the carriage. She wiped the sweat from her brow, thinking how exhausting it was to play the role of a villain.

She hoped that when Shen Xiuming rose to prominence in the future, he wouldn’t hold a grudge against her.

As Nanny Rong fretted, the voice of Fu Gui, the steward of Prince Yan's Mansion, came from outside the carriage.

"Nanny Rong, where are you off to today?" Fu Gui asked with a smile.

Nanny Rong stepped out of the carriage and saw Fu Gui, dressed in a brocade robe. Fu Gui and Nanny Rong were around the same age, worked together in the mansion, and were fellow townsfolk, so they got along well in private.

Nanny Rong looked at Fu Gui, remembering Shen Wei’s instructions.

Shen Wei had told her: [If necessary, you can mention Shen Xiuming in front of Fu Gui or the Prince.]

Nanny Rong smiled and said, "I’m running an errand for Lady Shen. Lady Shen’s younger brother is studying at the Confucian Temple. She asked me to deliver some money to help them out each month."

Fu Gui only knew that Shen Wei came from a peasant family and had no idea she had a scholar brother.

Nanny Rong added casually, "Lady Shen’s brother is quite young but has already passed the provincial examination. He’s staying at the temple now, preparing for next year’s imperial examination."

Fu Gui was taken aback.

Who would have thought that Lady Shen’s brother was a provincial scholar! If he passed the imperial examination, wouldn’t Lady Shen’s status rise as well?

Fu Gui knew that Shen Wei wouldn’t fall out of favor anytime soon. She was different from the other women in the Prince’s Mansion—Prince Yan had already taken a liking to her.

With the Prince’s favor, and if she bore a child, coupled with her brother’s official position, the position of a secondary consort would be within her grasp.

Fu Gui, ever the shrewd one, immediately smiled and said, "In that case, I’ll pay a visit to the temple later."

Nanny Rong quickly stopped him, sternly saying, "Scholars value peace and quiet. Steward Fu Gui, please do not disturb him. If you interfere with Lady Shen’s brother’s studies, the consequences would be too great for us to bear."@@novelbin@@

After some thought, Fu Gui decided against visiting the temple.

After chatting for a while, Fu Gui and Nanny Rong politely parted ways.

Fu Gui had come to the outskirts today to inspect the income and expenses of the Prince’s estate. As he passed by the temple, he couldn’t help but sneak a glance inside.

He ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‍happened to see Shen Xiuming reading by the window.

Shen Xiuming and Shen Wei were siblings, so they naturally resembled each other. Fu Gui was impressed by Shen Xiuming’s tall, upright posture and his diligent demeanor.

Prince Yan was in need of talented individuals and would naturally favor officials connected to him by marriage. Shen Xiuming’s ambition and hard work, combined with Prince Yan’s support, would surely lead to great success in the future.

The Prince’s Mansion was about to undergo a major upheaval.

...

Meanwhile, Prince Yan was in the Eastern Palace, discussing border warfare with the Crown Prince. The Qing State and the Yue Kingdom were at war, and the only generals the Qing State could rely on were Shangguan Xuan and Shen Xingxiu.

The newly crowned Emperor of Yue had a fiercely capable general under his command, one who excelled in battle.

The conflict between the Qing and Yue armies had reached a stalemate.

The Crown Prince handed a secret letter to Prince Yan: "Yuan Jing, the Little Southern Marquis has sent word. He has found a way to break the deadlock."

Prince Yan opened the letter and quickly scanned its contents.

Shangguan Xuan mentioned in the letter that both sides had suffered heavy losses in the war, with neither gaining the upper hand. However, Shangguan Xuan had recently recruited a handsome strategist who had devised a new weapon called the "firearm," which had immense destructive power.

Shangguan Xuan hoped to mass-produce these weapons to enhance the Qing army’s combat capabilities.

"Firearms..." Prince Yan frowned slightly, having never heard of such a weapon before.

The Crown Prince smiled. "I’ve had a firearm secretly crafted. Yuan Jing, come with me to the courtyard to see its power."

Prince Yan and the Crown Prince went to the courtyard.

In the center of the courtyard stood a straw dummy clad in armor. A guard used the firearm to attack the dummy. With a loud "bang," the firearm fired a projectile that pierced the dummy’s armor.

The dummy burst into flames, the bright red fire reflecting in Prince Yan’s dark eyes.

Prince Yan’s gaze darkened as he fell into deep thought. The firearm was a highly destructive weapon. If they could form a firearms battalion, they would be unstoppable on the battlefield.

"The blueprint for the firearm is top-secret and must not be leaked," Prince Yan said, exchanging a glance with the Crown Prince. They had already decided to establish a firearms battalion.

The summer courtyard was cool, with lush trees and the buzzing of mosquitoes. The Crown Prince’s hand was already covered in red mosquito bites.

Mosquitoes were impartial creatures, biting commoners and Crown Princes alike.

The Crown Prince waved away the insects and took Prince Yan’s arm. "Let’s go inside to discuss matters. No need to let the mosquitoes feast on us."

Prince Yan chuckled. "Brother, I haven’t been bitten by any mosquitoes."

The Crown Prince was startled when he saw Prince Yan's unblemished hands and neck, completely free of mosquito bites.

How miraculous!

Prince Yan removed the sachet hanging from his waist, his tone tinged with pride. "I have a mosquito-repelling sachet. I fear no insects."

The sachet, crafted by Shen Wei, was exquisitely designed and filled with mint, perilla, mugwort, cloves, calamus, and angelica—all aromatic herbs known to repel mosquitoes.

"A mosquito-repelling sachet?" The Crown Prince was astonished.

Prince Yan's voice brimmed with satisfaction. "It was handmade by one of my concubines. Brother, hasn't the Crown Princess made you a sachet?"

Prince Yan envied the deep affection between the Crown Prince and his wife. The Crown Princess would prepare soups, sew clothes, massage his shoulders, and even add a touch of romance to their lives—a truly loving couple.

Inspired by his elder brother, Prince Yan naturally hoped his future wife would be as virtuous and devoted as the Crown Princess.

Later, when Prince Yan married his consort, they initially seemed harmonious. However, over time, the consort grew increasingly rigid and harsh, paying less attention to Prince Yan. Their conversations became strained, and they often found themselves at odds.

Liu Ruyan, Liu Qiao'er, Zhang Miaoyu... even his concubines became dull and uninspiring, adhering strictly to conventions.

Prince Yan was deeply troubled.

All he wanted was a woman who would love him wholeheartedly. Was that too much to ask? Fortunately, Shen Wei appeared later, filling the void in his heart.

The Crown Prince mused, "Could it be that Shen Wei again?"

Prince Yan replied smugly, "Indeed, it is her."

The Crown Prince nodded slightly and led Prince Yan back inside. As they walked, he mentioned, "A few days ago, Zhao Yang mentioned that during the Spring Banquet, your concubine even pulled her aside, helping her evade an assassination attempt. Next month, for Zhao Yang's birthday celebration, she plans to invite Shen Wei to attend."

Though Shen Wei was only a concubine, she had saved the princess's life, so her presence at the celebration would not be criticized.

As the Crown Prince spoke, his throat itched, and he began coughing violently again.

Prince Yan was alarmed and quickly helped his brother sit down, handing him a cup of hot tea. "Brother, I've already sent people to seek out the renowned physician, Mo Shenyi. He will surely cure your illness."

After sipping the tea, the Crown Prince swallowed the metallic taste of blood in his throat. "It's nothing, just a minor ailment."

Pretending everything was fine, the Crown Prince continued discussing firearms with Prince Yan.

Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

During these five days, the Crown Prince, Prince Yan, and their advisors worked together to plan the secret production of firearms and the establishment of a firearms battalion.

After finishing their official duties, on the evening of the fifth day, Prince Yan finally left the Eastern Palace and returned to his mansion.

Throughout those five days, Prince Yan had been thinking of Shen Wei—longing to be intimate with her, checking if her calligraphy had improved, and wondering how the vegetables in her garden were growing...

He was even worried she might steal his eggplants, as the little minx had been eyeing them for quite some time.

Prince Yan could hardly wait to return home. He secretly resolved that if he were to be away for an extended period in the future, he would bring Shen Wei along to keep him company.

Upon arriving at the mansion, Prince Yan headed straight to the rear courtyard.

The sky was already dark, and a guard carried a lantern to light the way.

As they passed the Rose Garden, Zhang Yue, who had been waiting, stepped forward gracefully and bowed. "Your humble servant greets Your Highness."