bookcurios Chapter 204 Yixiu 1
Chapter 204 Yixiu 1
My name is Ulanara Yixiu.
I am a concubine's daughter, and my biological mother is my father's third concubine.
Because my aunt was the Defei, the Ulanara family gradually prospered. My father left his hometown and went to Beijing to marry the daughter of the Tao family, a prominent family in the capital. When he returned to his hometown to worship his ancestors, he found that his childhood sweetheart, the girl next door, Yunying, was still unmarried. Perhaps because of the friendship they had when they were young, or perhaps out of pity for a woman who was infatuated with him, he took her as a concubine.
When my stepmother found out, she flew into a rage and treated my mother like a thorn in her side, making things difficult for her. My father was intimidated by the power of my stepmother's family, but after a brief moment of happiness, he set her aside and didn't dote on her very much.
Ten months later, I was born!
When I was little, my mother often said that she had fallen in love with my father at first sight, and there was no room in her heart for another man. She would not marry anyone but my father, and she didn't care about her reputation or whether others would laugh at her.
Every time Ama came to my mother's room, he was so arrogant as if he was giving alms, and my mother was like a lowly maid, crawling at his feet.
So I know the pain of unrequited love, and no one understands the meaning of humility better than me.
My elder sister, the legitimate daughter of the Ulanara clan, was born on the same day as me.
Although we were born on the same day, our destinies are completely different.
From a young age, she was praised for her "skin of ice, bones of jade, delicate and exquisite." Doted on by her father and mother, she grew up in luxury, even receiving gifts from her aunts in the palace. To nurture her, her father spent a fortune hiring a female tutor to teach her how to dance, play the pipa, and play the flute. She resembled a fairy, detached from the mundane world.
As for me, I am like "the dull fish eyes beside this jewel in the palm". I am not good-looking, nor as smart or likable as my sister. The clothes and jewelry in the house are all given to me by my sister after she has picked out the leftovers. The maids and servants in the mansion have completely different attitudes towards my sister and me.
I wanted to learn some talents, but my mother looked down on me. She was a jealous woman who disliked my biological mother and even more so me.
"You are just a concubine's daughter. It's fine if you marry into a small family in the future. What's the point of learning this?"
"A concubine's daughter is born with a lowly fate. She will never be able to turn over a new leaf in her life."
Yes, a concubine.
Being born out of wedlock means being inferior to others for the rest of your life.
But I refused to accept my fate, so I learned to endure it early on. I acted obediently in front of my mother, diligently serving her, racking my brains to say things that would make her happy, and following my sister around like a servant.
I was only twelve years old at that time.
Gradually, my life became much better. My mother found someone to teach me how to manage the household and also found a teacher for me to read and write. I was very grateful to her and served her even more wholeheartedly.
My mother's health was getting worse and worse, and there was no one to take care of her. I was helpless and could only read medical books one by one. My ambition touched the daughter of the court doctor, and she came to my side and taught me with all her heart.
Gradually, as my aunt's status in the palace became higher and higher, the Ulanara Mansion also gained a place among the officials in the capital. I could occasionally attend gatherings of noble ladies and gained a bit of reputation among the ladies in the capital.
But only I know that I am more inferior than anyone else, and I also desire to be promoted more than anyone else. The love, hatred, and emotions in my heart have all turned into a mechanical smile that has not changed for thousands of years, and all the grievances have also been transformed into extremely powerful energy in my body.
Until one day, my father was summoned to the palace. When he came back, he informed me that I should marry the fourth prince Yinzhen as his concubine.
I was struck by lightning when I heard this. Concubine means concubine.
Is a concubine only fit to be a concubine?
But I know I can't change anything.
The Fourth Prince, the Emperor's son, doesn't have a legitimate wife yet, but I may be able to take that position.
After entering the palace, I took over the general affairs of the palace and managed it in an orderly manner. Everyone in the palace was united and respected me.
Although I was somewhat dissatisfied with my limited position as a concubine, my deep love for him was unquestionable. I considered everything related to him carefully and took care of everything myself, no matter how big or small, so that he could have no worries and devote himself to the affairs of state.
As time went by, his position in the court became more and more stable, and this mansion had become his solid backing, allowing him to gain a firm foothold and move forward steadily in the turbulent court situation.
But I have never been able to get pregnant.
I was extremely anxious. Doctor Wang, who taught me medicine, left me a prescription for helping with pregnancy and told me that this prescription was extremely effective. If used on a healthy person, the baby could be born, but the child would have congenital deficiencies. If used on a person with poor health, the baby could only be kept for six more months.
I know my body well, and I will definitely be able to give birth to the baby safely and raise him.
Not long after, I became pregnant. He was overjoyed and promised that if I gave birth to a son, he would make me his wife. He also personally put a pair of jade bracelets on my fingertips and said, "May you be like these rings, so that we can see each other day and night."
I feel like I am the happiest woman in the world.
He became more and more capable in the court, and the emperor praised him highly for the tasks he performed.
I thought everything was going in the right direction until I was more than four months pregnant and my sister Rouze came to the palace to visit me.
That day, I was incredibly happy. I could finally hold my head high and proud in front of my legitimate sister. I ordered her favorite snacks and tea, along with numerous valuable gifts, and waited for her in the palace. However, fate played a trick on me, making me fully realize my status as a concubine's daughter.
My aunt summoned me into the palace, and at that moment, I felt as if the sky had fallen.
But I know that I am powerless to change all this. My aunt values my sister, he likes my sister, and I am just a concubine's daughter.
I knelt on the cold ground and said respectfully, "There is a difference in status between legitimate and illegitimate children. When my sister enters the mansion, she will be the legitimate wife."
I have given everyone a way out, and I will swallow the remaining bitterness alone.
Three months later, my elder sister entered the mansion and became the legitimate wife.
I looked at my sister standing beside him in her gorgeous bright red wedding gown. They were a perfect match made in heaven, a handsome man and a beautiful woman.
A concubine's daughter is still a concubine's daughter after all. Even if she tries her best, she cannot get rid of this identity.
On the day I met the new wife, my elder sister still had a gentle and peaceful smile on her face, just like she had all those years ago. She secretly called me to her side and handed me a hairpin: "Sister, there's a flower viewing party tomorrow. I've asked mother to let you go with me. Wear this hairpin, and you'll definitely stand out among the ladies in the capital."
I didn't hear what she said at this time. She took my hand and inserted a hairpin into my hair.