Though Chun Xing wasn’t particularly beautiful, she was quite lovely. A few days ago, when the eldest miss was enfeoffed as a county princess, her status also rose accordingly, after all, she had become the head maid on the county princess’s side.

Two days ago, her mother came to find her, saying that Neighbor Wang Aunt and the steward from the Ministry of Revenue Minister’s mansion had come calling. They said that the Minister of Revenue’s concubine-born son’s legitimate wife had suffered complications during childbirth last month and could no longer bear children, so the minister’s mansion wanted to find a virtuous concubine for the minister’s concubine-born son. Wang Aunt was familiar with the wife of the Ministry of Revenue Minister’s mansion steward, so she recommended Chun Xing, who served by the side of the Zhenguo County Princess. Who knew that upon inquiry, they discovered Chun Xing had signed an indenture contract.

The steward from the Ministry of Revenue Minister’s mansion immediately wanted to leave, but was persuaded to stay by Wang Aunt. With her silver tongue, Wang Aunt continuously spoke well of Chun Xing to the Ministry of Revenue Minister’s mansion steward, saying how Chun Xing was favored in front of the county princess and how beloved she was, and that if she asked to redeem her bond, the county princess would surely agree.

Her mother was also afraid this good marriage prospect would slip away, so she kept nodding and vouching for her. Only then did the Ministry of Revenue Minister’s mansion steward say that, considering Wang Aunt’s face, as long as Chun Xing could redeem her bond, this matter could be settled.

Chun Xing’s mother immediately agreed, hurriedly coming to find Chun Xing, saying the family was counting on her becoming a concubine in a noble family to support her two younger brothers’ studies.

When Chun Xing heard this, her heart began pounding. She had seen the Ministry of Revenue Minister’s concubine-born son before – a few days before the eldest miss returned, she had begged leave from Madam to go home. On the road, someone stole her purse and she had no money to pay for her purchases, nearly being taken for a thief. It was the Minister of Revenue’s concubine-born son who stepped forward to resolve the situation.

So she was certain that the Ministry of Revenue Minister’s concubine-born son had developed feelings for her.

Seeing she didn’t object, her mother told her to ask the county princess for mercy and redeem her bond to return home. Otherwise, if she followed the county princess back to Shouyang, how could she take care of her family?

These past few days, Chun Xing had been worrying about how to bring this up with the county princess. Since today the county princess was willing to bestow favor… having Nanny Tong find her a good family, perhaps she could take this opportunity to ask the county princess to let her redeem her bond.

Bai Qingyan reclined on the soft couch by the window, holding a book in one hand and a round-mouthed azure and white porcelain teacup painted with intertwining lotus branches in the other, not pursuing why Chun Xing had been so diligent today.

After Chun Xing finished wringing out Bai Qingyan’s hair and went out, she knelt at Bai Qingyan’s feet and softly called out: “County Princess…”

“Still call me Eldest Miss.” Bai Qingyan put down her cup, turned a page of her book, “You have something to request?”

Chun Xing bit her lip: “Indeed, Eldest Miss will return to Shouyang in early May, but my parents are here. This servant wishes to ask Eldest Miss for mercy… to redeem my bond…”

She raised her gaze to look at Chun Xing who was kneeling and kowtowing, saying gently: “You and I have been master and servant for some time. When Nanny Tong finds you a good family and you marry, Nanny Tong will return your indenture contract to you. You need not be anxious.”

Her voice paused before asking again: “Or is it that you already have someone you fancy?”

“Replying to Eldest Miss, my mother has… already found me a marriage prospect.” When Chun Xing said this, her ears turned red.

Originally, this shouldn’t have been said. As a maid who had sold herself into service, her parents had no right to arrange marriages for her – whom she should marry was entirely up to her master’s word.

Hearing Chun Xing say this, she closed the book in her hands and smiled lightly: “This is good news. The family your mother found for you, are they reliable? What does the man do? How are the in-laws?”

It wasn’t that Bai Qingyan was particularly interested in this matter, but she had heard from Nanny Tong about what kind of people Chun Xing’s parents were. She was afraid Chun Xing’s parents would, for money, carelessly promise her to anyone. After all, they had been master and servant, so she couldn’t just watch her fall into a pit of fire.

Chun Xing’s ears grew even redder: “It’s… the sixth young master born of a concubine in the Ministry of Revenue Minister’s mansion. Because the sixth young master’s legitimate wife was injured during difficult childbirth and can no longer bear children, they want to find a virtuous concubine to continue the family line.”

The concubine-born son of the Minister of Revenue, Minister Chu Zhongxing?

Bai Qingyan narrowed her eyes. Ministry of Revenue Minister Chu Zhongxing was ostensibly once Prince Xin’s man, but belonged to Left Chancellor Li Mao. Although Chu Zhongxing hid it well, thanks to her experiences in her previous life, Bai Qingyan still knew this.

She lowered her gaze to look at Chun Xing kneeling on the ground, her expression growing indifferent.

She wouldn’t be a legitimate wife in an ordinary family, yet wanted to rush forward to become a concubine-born son’s concubine in a minister’s mansion.

She wasn’t angry, casually placing her book on the black lacquered small square table: “Chun Xing, is this your mother’s idea, or… is this also your intention?”

Chun Xing couldn’t tell whether the eldest miss was angry or not from these words, and for a moment didn’t dare speak, biting her lip and lowering her head in silence.

“Chun Xing, concubines in noble families, even virtuous concubines, are just servants. Your future children cannot call you mother, and cannot be close to you. If, as you say, the sixth young master’s legitimate wife was injured during difficult childbirth, it’s even less likely they’d let you raise the children by your side. There’s even… the possibility of keeping the child but letting the mother die during childbirth. These inner courtyard secrets may not exist in our Duke’s mansion, but that doesn’t mean other mansions don’t have them.” Bai Qingyan patiently guided her.

Speaking more deeply, Bai Qingyan was afraid Chun Xing wouldn’t understand, so she could only pick things she could comprehend to say.

After all, since Chun Xing came to her side, she had never done anything to betray her. If she could talk sense into her… the two of them wouldn’t have to part on bad terms, which would also preserve their bond.

Hearing Bai Qingyan’s words, Chun Xing’s body trembled.

“Even in our mansion, though concubines have maids to serve them and lack nothing in food and clothing, have you ever seen which concubine-born son or daughter was close to their concubine mother? Have you seen which concubine in our mansion dared to seek out the young ladies and masters without caring for her life? Though concubines don’t need to pay morning and evening respects to the main wife like servants do, they cannot even leave their courtyards.”

She sighed softly: “Chun Xing, one’s heart cannot be too ambitious. Being a concubine has never been easy since ancient times! Being a concubine in a noble family is even harder – one careless move and you lose your life! It would be better to let Nanny Tong find you a wealthy family where you can be a legitimate wife and live comfortably.”

Chun Xing thought of that handsome young master who had helped her that day, biting her lower lip. But she believed the sixth young master of the minister’s mansion had feelings for her, and with the sixth young master there, he would surely protect her.

Chun Xing’s eyes reddened. As if making a firm decision, she kowtowed heavily to Bai Qingyan before raising her head: “I beseech Eldest Miss to fulfill my wish.”

Bai Qingyan pressed her lips together, her hand resting on the book, gently stroking its edge. Seeing Chun Xing’s determined appearance, she said again: “Chun Xing, do you know that the minister’s mansion chose you to be their concubine-born son’s concubine, perhaps because you are my personal head maid?”

“No, Eldest Miss! It’s not that. That day, when I went home, someone stole my purse on the road. I had no money to pay for my purchases, and the shopkeeper took me for a thief, grabbed me, to took me to the magistrate. It was the sixth young master of the minister’s mansion who helped resolve the situation!” Chun Xing hurriedly explained.

Her hand, stroking the book spine, paused.

If she wasn’t certain before that the minister’s mansion was targeting her, then at this moment… she could confirm they were indeed coming for her.