Fate-Holding Women

CHAPTER 4: 

22

I finally caught a big fish.

Mu Qi, the youngest son of the Duke of Fǔguó (辅国).

The Duke of Fǔguó is a staunch supporter of the emperor, his eldest daughter is the beautiful Consort Li in the palace, and he commands tens of thousands of troops.

He's a political enemy of the Qi family.

This time, I'll have to give Qi Changlan a grand present. I sighed in satisfaction.

Mu Qi, with his status, of course wouldn't marry me.

I was taken into his mansion and became his fifth concubine.

To cover up his crime of running over someone with his horse in the street, the Liang family was framed for colluding with bandits to sell stolen goods, and their entire family was wiped out.

The wealth they had accumulated over generations was also swallowed by the Mu family. 

Mu Qi had a cruel and violent personality. I heard the servants whispering that he had tortured cats and dogs to death with cruel methods when he was young.

As he grew older, he had killed slaves and servants in his household more than once.

His concubines were all terrified of him.  

A single glare from him would send them trembling.

On the night I entered the mansion, I knelt on the ground with tears in my eyes, lamenting that Liang Mu had deliberately lured my husband, Shi Liang, into a gambling den, and after killing him, had forcibly taken his wife.

My eyes were filled with a pitiful expression. “My dear husband, you rescued me from a sea of suffering. You are a chivalrous hero who saves the suffering and oppressed. Even if I repaid your kindness with my life, it would not be enough.”

Mu Qi was completely stunned.  

“Everyone else fears and avoids me, but you... you actually see me as a chivalrous hero?”

I looked at him firmly, my tone unwavering. “Regardless of what others say, in my eyes, you are truly a great hero, a hundred times better than that Liang man!

Today, I am fortunate to serve you, my lord. I hope you will cherish me.”

23

Mu Qi was completely charmed by me and spent several days in my chambers.

Taking advantage of Mu Qi's good mood, I asked him to rescue Cao'er, Liang Mu's maidservant, and give her to me as a servant.

The day Cao'er was rescued, she was dishevelled and trembling as she knelt before me.

“Thank you, Madam, for saving my life. I am not good with words, but from now on, Madam, I will do whatever you ask!”

I patted her head and had someone prepare a meal for her.

Back then, she had been pleased with Liang Mu simply because he had fed her.

Now, naturally, she would be loyal to me because I feed her.

Besides, she actively refused to learn to read and write, which means she's likely someone who follows rules.

Someone who follows rules can't accomplish great things, but they are very suitable to be used as subordinates.

24

Mu Qi had a wife, who passed away two years ago.

According to the gossip Cao'er had gathered, this wife was abused by Mu Qi during her pregnancy and died in childbirth.

Her father, who holds a high position, didn't seem to care about his daughter's fate and still frequently invites Mu Qi out for drinks.

I couldn't help but think of my own father, who was kind and benevolent. 

Men, sometimes they are petty, sometimes they are incredibly generous.

Everyone says that Mu Qi is cruel, but I think he's not inherently violent.

His deliberate harm towards others is actually because he is fragile at heart.

Because he is fragile, he can't withstand any setbacks, and even small things can trigger his anger and rage.

He couldn't relieve the anxiety caused by these setbacks, so he vented it on weak cats, dogs, and servants.

The outward display of aggression masks his self-defense mechanism stemming from a life lived in constant insecurity.

It's like small dogs; the smaller they are, the more likely they are to bark aggressively at people.

I understood his nature and tamed him like a dog.

Whenever he behaved as I wished, I would hold his head and use my spiritual energy to calm his restless spirit.

He became increasingly relaxed and dependent on me, revealing a lot of useful information in our conversations.

He didn't realize the significance of these seemingly trivial details; at first glance, they were just useless chatter like, “Uncle Second made a fortune in a certain month, casually buying ancient paintings worth thousands of taels,” and so on.

But I could piece together the intelligence behind them.

For example, the Mu family's relatives were colluding with local officials to amass land and hoard iron ore.

For example, the second branch of the Fuguo Gong's mansion was embezzling funds from the Ministry of Works, using substandard materials in dam construction.

I wrote down this information on slips of paper and tucked them into my sleeve.

A few days later, Mu Qi took me to a banquet.

As a concubine, I couldn't sit at the women's table with the other noble ladies and had to sit with Mu Qi among the male guests.

At the banquet, a group of noble young men were drunk and reveling, and one of them, a marquis's son, even started to flirt with me.

Before Mu Qi could speak, someone spoke up in a deep voice, “I hope the young lord will be mindful of his words and actions.”

It was Qi Changlan.

He turned his head, his deep gaze fixed on me. 

The once youthful general is now a mature man.

These past few years, he's been fighting wars outside, and his whole being has become rougher.

His skin has darkened, his handsome face has become rugged, and his eyes are no longer as clear as they once were, but sharp as a hawk's.

“My beloved concubine, you don't need to worry about the general.”

After saying this, Mu Qi pulled me into his arms with displeasure.

Qi Changlan's eyes darkened. 

25

When I went out to change my clothes, a maid slipped a note into my hand, inviting me to meet in the bamboo grove.

I thought it would be the person I wanted to see, but it turned out to be Qi Changlan.

His physique was as imposing as a mountain, his knuckles were thick, and his palms were covered in calluses.

These calloused hands were now holding mine in a way that was anything but formal.

“Ah Xian, where have you been all these years? Why are you with that Mu family wastrel?”

“Why do you ask me these things?” I asked. “Do you want to rekindle our past?”

“I…” He was momentarily speechless.

“It's too late to say anything now.”

I closed my eyes, shook my head, forcefully pulled my hand away, and turned to leave.

“I'm not the same Xian Niang as before, and you're not the same Qi Changlan. We... can't go back.”

He hurriedly stopped me.

“Don't go! When I went to the Song family to see you, your father only said you'd gone to the manor to recuperate. Later, when I asked again, the people at the Song residence said you had been ill for a long time and had already passed away. Since you're not dead, why didn't you come back? Ah Xian, all these years, I... I've missed you so much.”

Missed me?

I touched my cheek.

I still vividly remember the pained expression he had when he looked at me before—the one with the mole. 

Now that the mole is gone and my appearance has become even more striking after my cultivation, he's pursuing me relentlessly again.

I took a moment to gather my emotions, then covered my face and wept.

“Changlan, I miss you too… All these years, I've thought of you constantly. My father threw me into the water, and I struggled to survive, forced to submit to one man after another. But in my heart, only you are my husband! 

Now that you're about to marry the princess, and I'm already another man's concubine, if I have any sense of shame, I should stay away from you.

What we just did has already gone too far. If the princess finds out, with her pride, how could she possibly tolerate it?”

His eyes were full of sorrow as he embraced my slender shoulders from behind.

“Don't be afraid, the Eldest Princess has a straightforward personality and is very understanding of women's hardships. Your life has been full of ups and downs, she will surely understand.”

Before I could speak, I saw a young maid emerge from the bamboo grove nearby.

“You scoundrel, Qi Changlan, you're actually meeting someone here! Do you have any respect for our Princess?”

Behind her, a woman in red, wielding a long whip, charged towards us like a blazing fire. 

Qi Changlan's face changed instantly, and he exclaimed, “Princess!”

The Eldest Princess remained expressionless, her whip cracking near Qi Changlan's feet.

“Leave her, you go.”

Qi Changlan shielded me with his body, “Princess, you must understand, because of our marriage, Xian Niang was innocently implicated and barely survived. If you have even a shred of compassion, you shouldn't harm her!”

To be honest, when he stood in front of me, he looked quite like a man.

“Qi Changlan, in your heart, do you think this princess is a cruel and merciless person who kills innocent people indiscriminately?”

The Eldest Princess snorted coldly, “She's a concubine of the Mu family. You're flirting with her here. The Mu family can't touch you, but killing her would be easy. Are you helping her or harming her?”

Qi Changlan tried to say something more, but the Eldest Princess glared at him.

“Aren't you going yet? If the Mu family's brats come looking for trouble, I'll handle it.”

Hearing this, Qi Changlan looked at me, then at the Eldest Princess, hesitated for a moment, and then turned to leave.

I sighed.  

Thankfully, I didn't have any hopes for that man.

Seeing him leave, the Eldest Princess took a few steps forward and used the handle of her whip to lift my chin.

“After all these years, you've actually appeared before me again.”

The forced upward tilt of my head was uncomfortable. I casually brushed the whip aside and smiled faintly at her.

“Yes. But I wonder if the bet we made all those years ago still stands?”

26

I met the Eldest Princess at the Chunzhu Building.

At that time, Yin Niang had just become famous thanks to my poems and songs, and a generous and handsome young man specifically requested to meet her.

The young master gave a generous tip, and after meeting Yin Niang, he showed disappointment after a few words.

“You're not the real person,” he said decisively.

The young master's servant, with a white beardless face, shrieked in anger, “You little courtesan, how dare you deceive my master?”

He moved swiftly, and in a few moves, he had Yin Niang kneeling on the ground. 

Yin Niang was so frightened that she burst into tears, calling my name repeatedly.

I emerged from the inner room and said respectfully, “Please forgive me, esteemed one. I dare not deceive you. The person you are looking for might be me.”

I looked up and immediately realized that this was not a young man, but a real woman.

A woman, of this age, and surrounded by eunuchs.

The fabric of her clothes might seem understated, but it's actually the Tianxiang brocade that was presented as tribute last year.

Considering her identity, and the fact that she stole my fiancé and caused me to be thrown into the river, there's only one person it could be: the Eldest Princess.

She's come here today, is it for me?

My heart sank.

The Eldest Princess waved her hand, dismissing the eunuch with Yin Niang.

I carefully observed her, noting that she showed no surprise at the birthmark on my face, and then asked, “Why has Your Highness come to see me?”

She said solemnly, “I seek out talented individuals. I heard the voice of injustice in your poems, and originally thought I would meet someone with great aspirations.”

Looking at my frail frame, she shook her head, her eyes full of disappointment.

“What a pity.”

“A pity for what?”

“A pity that while you possess talent, you lack the spirit of defiance. Your talent alone should be enough for someone seeking talent to redeem you, yet you cower in this brothel, allowing your talents to be buried, even willingly giving your poems to a prostitute.

It seems you're not the person I'm looking for. I've disturbed you today, farewell.”

In just two short sentences, I realized that the Eldest Princess was far different from what I had imagined.

This marriage, I'm afraid, there's something fishy about it.

Seeing her get up to leave, I calmly threw out my bait.

“Why does the Princess seek talent? Is it for the Royal Family? For the Qi family? For the Fourteenth Prince? Or for the Princess herself?”

She turned around in shock, “What did you say?”

27

During the time I was engaged to Qi Changlan, I often saw the aura above his head.

Unlike others, the aura above his head was a brilliant golden light, with swirling clouds and mist, and I could even faintly hear the sound of a dragon's roar.

This is the aura of a hidden dragon.

In other words, Qi Changlan has the potential to become the Emperor.

Someone with such a heavenly destiny, even with my bloodline as a Fate-Holding Woman, I can't easily alter his path.

Otherwise, the consequences would be disastrous.

But the Princess is of royal blood, and she's engaged to Qi Changlan, and in the future, he will take her family's kingdom.

If you want to create a weapon of death tailored for Qi Changlan, who would be more suitable than the Eldest Princess?

I think there's no one else.

So I calmly asked, “May I ask, Your Highness, do you have ambitions for the throne?”

She furrowed her brow and roared, “Insolence! Do you know that for those words alone, I could have your entire family executed!”

I gave a sly smile.

“If my father could be buried with me, then that would suit me just fine. I'm just wondering, after hearing this, will His Majesty and the other princes suspect the Princess?”

She looked at me darkly.

I smiled faintly back.

After a long moment, she said, “I have absolutely no desire for the throne, nor do I have any intention of emulating the female emperors of the past. The social order cannot be disrupted; do not mention this again.”

I slowly said, “Princess, do you know why in this world men are superior and women inferior? Why are women not as good as men?”

The Princess, upon hearing this, became even more displeased, “You clearly possess talent that rivals any man, why do you belittle yourself? I never believe women are inferior to men.”

I shook my head.

“Your Highness is mistaken. Women are indeed inferior to men. Otherwise, in this world, why are only men able to become generals and ministers, why are only men able to ascend to the throne? Women may be able to weave and embroider, read and write, but they are not their own masters, even if they earn money, it will be taken by their fathers and husbands. In this light, what is the difference between women and oxen? They are merely more expensive than oxen!”

The Princess's face showed signs of restraint.

I continued, “Throughout history, princesses are always the ones sent to be married off in political alliances. A princess from the previous dynasty once said that she was supported by the people, so she should naturally consider the well-being of the common people. But the princes and dukes are also supported by the people, why shouldn't they be held to the same standard?”

“Fine, even if women are inferior to men, tell me, how exactly are they inferior?” 

The Princess drew a long whip from her sleeve and flicked it lightly, a cup on the table was drawn into her hand.

“Since childhood, I have practiced martial arts; swords, whips, bows, horses, spears—I am proficient in everything. This shows that if women diligently cultivate their skills, their physical strength need not be inferior to men's.”

I nodded, “That's natural. I've studied military strategies and history since childhood, and I don't believe my literary talent is in any way inferior to that of men.”

The Princess asked, “Then tell me, where are women inferior?”

“One, not ruthless enough. Two, not greedy enough.” I softly said, “Only these two.”

The Princess's pupils widened.

“When two paths converge, one person draws a sword, the other submits to death. Your Highness, who do you think will win? Who will become the ruler? Who will become a slave?

Men are inherently predatory; women, inherently driven to survive. Predation is evil; the mere will to survive is good. Women are excessively kind and benevolent—this is their sin. Because kindness is merely a pretense to deceive the world. 

If there are two wild beasts before the Princess, one ferocious, hungry, and wounded, prone to frenzied attacks; the other docile, accepting hunger and wounds, spending its days merely closing its eyes and resting…

If Your Highness has only one piece of meat, who would you feed it to? If Your Highness is hungry and must kill one to satisfy your hunger, which one would you choose to kill?”

The Princess was silent, deep in thought.

“Being kind is a sin, and not being greedy is an even greater sin. The desire for power is the most precious thing in the world. If the founding emperor of this dynasty had been content after conquering just one county, how would we have the vast territory we have today?” I prostrated myself, “Your Highness possesses both courage and strategy. Being in the royal family, you clearly have the ability to contend for the throne, yet you say you have no desire for it whatsoever. Your Highness, this is a great calamity.”

Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter