Housekeeper of the Hundred Blossom Palace

“I fell in love at first sight.”

The man, who accompanied his boss in attending the banquet, told Xu.

However, all of her previous suitors had also expressed the same thing before, so Xu didn’t believe him.

Nevertheless, this man was a little different from those guys. It became his habit to put flowers on top of a wall that was visible from Xu’s room, and he did it every morning.

Xu gradually began to look forward to seeing those blooms on the wall, and eventually, she also fell for him.

She realized that the man was genuinely sincere towards her, and her parents were also determined to marry them and welcome him as their son-in-law.

However, the happiness was short-lived.

Her parents went on a business trip, and they met their demise due to an unforeseen accident.

Xu was suddenly immersed in misery, but disaster still relentlessly poured one after the other.

She was told that she owed a huge debt to the store, and everything in the store that had value was taken away to pay the debt.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to cover the debt, so Xu suffered because of the collection of that debt.

The orphaned Xu stayed with the maid that had treated her well in the past, and her lover also tried his best running helter-skelter in order to help her.

Regardless, nobody else was willing to extend a helping hand towards Xu.

She tried her luck asking the friends of her parents, but they chased her away bluntly.

When her parents were still alive, these so-called friends had been truly good to them and they were very close, but they all changed in the face of misfortune. It made Xu’s heart ache.

She couldn’t rely on anyone, and only her lover became her support, but he didn’t possess great wealth that was enough to pay off her debts, and nobody wanted to lend him money.

Nevertheless, her lover didn’t give up.

“I will definitely make enough money and I’ll help you.”

The man vowed, and he left the capital in order to make money.

At that time, soldiers who would fight in the war on the eastern border were being recruited, and it was said that they could obtain a huge amount of money if they did meritorious deeds while in service.

“You don’t have to go to such a dangerous place!”

Xu tried to stop her lover, but he just shook her off and left.

She was left alone in the capital, worried about her lover and trying to find ways to earn money. One day, a person came, saying he would take over all of Xu’s debts.

However, it wasn’t because of genuine, pure kindness.

“Become my exclusive courtesan in return.”

That person was no other than the man who pestered Xu for marriage but was rejected by her parents because of ill-rumors circulating about him.

Not only that, what he proposed now wasn’t to become his wife, but to be his exclusive prostitute.

He didn’t want to get married, but he wanted her to become a harlot that he could dominate.

Xu had also considered becoming a courtesan to pay her debts, and it had remained at the back of her mind as one of the options.

Regardless, shivers ran down her spine just by the thought of becoming an exclusive prostitute for this man. 

Not only that, Xu realized that this man had a hand on her parents’ demise when she saw his lewd smirk.

No mistake, he and his schemes were the reason why her parents’ friends turned her away so rudely, and why nobody wanted to lend money to her lover.

Her parents had hated this man for all the dirty tricks he was capable of.

Given the situation, it was suspicious whether her parents’ death was truly an accident.

Xu rejected the man’s proposal.

If she took this scumbag’s hand, then what’s the purpose of her lover becoming a soldier and him travelling towards the empire’s borders?

It was utterly impossible for her to accept it.

“Impudent! Doesn’t matter, you’re going with me!”

The man was furious, and he wanted to drag Xu with him.

However, another person interfered at that time.

“I will be the one to buy Xu Zi’s person.”

It was a man who would appear from time to time in the banquets held by Xu’s father.

She remembered him clearly, because he would give her rare sweets frequently, saying it was thanks for her musical performance.

“Nonsense, this Xu is now my harlot!!”

The man turned beet-red after being stopped, and he continued spouting arbitrary words. The other man paid him no heed and he continued talking to Xu.

“Xu Zi, I will not make you a harlot like what that man wanted. Good timing, I’m looking for a courtesan who can work in the Imperial Palace.”

Xu had been so shocked that her soul almost flew out of her when she heard that unprecedented offer to her.

“If you perform with your lute, then I’ll guarantee your safety, you know? In my opinion, it’s a good opportunity for you if you’re waiting for your lover.”

The man smiled while stating his offer to Xu.

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