Daily Life of a Powerful Official Supporting His Wife

Chapter 1

Chapter One

The sun was about to set, and the sides of the mountain path leading to Kyoto were coated with a layer of golden light as thin as a cicada's wing, like silver powder picked off when playing with a hairpin, shining like stars.

A carriage with a blue-gray canopy came through the dust, then slipped away lightly to the other side of the mountain. The horses kept on galloping towards the main road without stopping.

If I could walk faster, I might be able to reach Kyoto before the city gates close tomorrow night.

The coachman sitting in the front did not dare to make any mistakes. Even if he had to stay up all night, he would keep his eyes wide open and rush forward in the dim light of the fire.

The distinguished guest in the car was honorable, but he didn't even know what rank of official wife the future top scholar's wife could become.

It's a small place, and we've never seen such a world. Those we saw in the play will all become big figures in the future.

Even if he had ten heads, he wouldn't dare offend. Now, being able to sell a favor to an official's wife is a bargain that falls from the sky.

Not to mention giving it away for free, he would be willing to do it even if he had to pay for it.

Lu Baoer in the car was as fragile as a cat, hiding in the thick felt blanket, with only half of her rosy face exposed. The wind blew a few tiny cracks on her face, and it was obvious that she was in pain.

Even so, it couldn't hide her cute and innocent look with her red lips and white teeth - her cherry-red mouth was slightly open, and she looked drowsy.

For men, the defenseless look is a delicate guest who can arouse the desire to protect and conquer. For women, it is a weak and easy-to-control troublemaker.

The maid Yan Fang at the side frowned slightly, unlike her usual obedient self with her eyes downcast. Her heart was in turmoil. How could such a person be worthy of being the wife of the number one scholar!

She was burning with jealousy, but she could only smile so as not to let Lu Baoer see it clearly.

In a blink of an eye, a complicated thought raced through her mind - she was not a lowly servant, but the concubine daughter of Mr. Zhao, the boss of the money shop. If my father had not known that Xie Junling had passed the imperial examination this time and wanted to climb up the social ladder, he would have given her to Lu Baoer as a maid and hired a coachman to send her to the capital. How could Yan Fang be so lucky to go to Kyoto and see its prosperity?

From a young lady to a maid, the gap was huge. But she did not hate her father, and even suffered from the jealous gaze of her elder sister.

Nowadays, not to mention the concubines of officials, even the maids in the same room with the emperor are more pampered than those in small merchant families.

Even when elderly officials were touring the country, local officials would offer their concubines' daughters as tribute, or keep some skinny Yangzhou horses in their courtyards, ready to present them to their superiors so as to build bridges and establish relationships.

No amount of flattery can compare to a concubine's pillow talk. We are all experienced people, so we naturally understand.

Yan Fang was lucky enough that a top scholar emerged from among the common people. He was young, promising and handsome.

How could she not be tempted? This was the perfect opportunity to sneak into the palace and patiently wait for the right opportunity. She had some knowledge and could read, so she was better at serving men than a country woman like Lu Baoer. Her father said that Xie Junling had won the top three places in the imperial examination at such a young age, and was appreciated by the emperor and appointed the top scholar. He was sure to have a bright future.

As long as she could control the seemingly young Lu Baoer and successfully climb onto Lord Xie's bed, wouldn't that be a marriage made in heaven?
After all, Yan Fang was born in a small place and came from a merchant family, so his knowledge was not that broad.

You know, a young and promising number one scholar, just like the court officials, has to network and untie connections with old ministers from all sides in order to survive in this big dye vat. Who doesn't want to use their daughter's marriage to form an alliance?

Not to mention that she had been sleeping with his original wife for several years, so she would never be the one to be gang-raped.

She was secretly delighted when Lu Baoer woke up slowly. Her eyes, as clear as pearls, rolled under her eyelids. She wanted to wake up, but was too lazy.

Needless to say, Yan Fang was up to something again. This maid's ability to read people's expressions wasn't great, so she could easily see through it.

It's just turning a blind eye. It's really dangerous to go to Beijing alone. It's better to find someone to take the blame. If something happens, she can take the lead.

Lu Baoer sat up straight, took two bites of osmanthus cake, and felt sleepy again.

Her eyes were fixed and her soul was wandering outside her body, and she would recall some past events about her and Xie Junling.

Lu Baoer's husband, Xie Junling, passed the imperial examination. Lu Baoer was not entirely happy, but rather a little apprehensive—she and Xie Junling were not particularly close. Not long after their marriage, he went to Beijing to take the imperial examination, staying there for a full year.

One night of marriage means a hundred nights of love, but unfortunately she and Xie Junling did not consummate their marriage and treated each other with respect.

Although he spoiled her, he usually only said witty jokes to tease her, and did not regard her as a woman. He probably didn't like her. He was engaged to her because he was desperate and asked her father for help. Her father was a teacher and a scholar. He valued scholars the most. Seeing that he was so knowledgeable at such a young age, he took him in as a student, taught him literature, and provided him with food and drink.

The teacher's kindness is as heavy as a mountain, and he has no choice but to follow the teacher's orders, marry her and protect her.

Even today, I still remember the bleak night at that time. The small oil lamp in the house cast a hazy shadow on the screen.

After a while, his father's hoarse voice could be heard. He was seriously ill and his days were numbered. He held Xie Junling's shoulders and forced him to promise: "Junling, you must protect Bao'er. Promise me... you must protect her."

She didn't hear clearly what Xie Junling answered.

She was only a little over eleven years old at that time. Although she understood some things, she would still cry when something big happened.

She was raised by her father in this life. Now that her closest relative is about to die, there will be no one as tall as a mountain to protect her for the rest of her life.

Lu Baoer cried non-stop until the man came out, pursed his lips, and glanced at her. Then he reached out his hand, letting her hold his hand as they walked inside. "Your father has something to tell you."

After a while, to show his affection, Xie Junling called out softly, "Bao'er, be good. Go in and talk to your dad."

Lu Baoer was not an ignorant child. She ran to her father's bed like crazy.

She knew in her heart that if she closed her eyes this time, her elderly father would never open them again.

She wanted to cry but didn't dare to. She sobbed and curled up in the snow. The cat was breathing weakly and gasping for air from the cold.

Mr. Lu pulled out a jade pendant from under the pillow, handed it to her, and said, "This is what your mother gave you. Keep it. Take it out when you are in trouble. It can save your life. Baby, be good. Daddy is taking a nap. I am a little sleepy."

He grew weaker as he spoke, and soon fell asleep.

But after this sleep, I never woke up again.

In the days that followed, Xie Junling took care of her.

There are women who marry before they are old enough, and there are also women who are raised from childhood to be the daughters-in-law of rich young masters. This is not uncommon in rural towns.

So, there was no phoenix coronet and bridal robe, but everyone in the academy knew that Lu Baoer was Xie Junling's concubine.

Although Xie Junling was already a juren at that time, his fellow villagers still thought he was lucky. Juren usually means the pinnacle of success. How easy is it to stand out among the famous families from all over the world or the juren from various villages and regions?
Do you really think being an official is like slaughtering pigs, and you can kill them all at once? Some people passed the imperial examination at a young age, studied for most of their lives, and still achieved nothing. They can't even have a meat meal on New Year's Eve. It would be better for them to be practical, have a wife, some land and shops, and if they can't become an official, they can become a landowner.

Mr. Lu has accumulated wealth throughout his life, so he has some foundation no matter what.

He was a childless man, with no boy to fawn over him. When he passed away, he left behind a little girl and a yard of belongings. Although not rich, they could at least have enough to eat and wear.

Isn't it wonderful for a poor scholar to suddenly gain both wealth and beauty? As for this girl, if you don't like her, you can be cruel and throw her away without anyone to complain.

Thinking of this, everyone could only sigh that Xie Junling's luck was not bad.

Lu Bao'er was thirteen, meaning she and Xie Junling had only been together for a little over a year, the last of which he had been in Kyoto. As for their friendship, there wasn't much of one. She had no confidence that Xie Junling, now so rapidly rising in the world, would truly protect and pamper her forever. Perhaps Xie Junling had looked down on her shriveled figure, or perhaps he simply wasn't fond of her. He had never even slept on the same couch, wouldn't let her get close to him, and would occasionally urge her to write, starving her if she didn't do well. Whether it was because he was bullying her because she had no one to turn to, or because of some strange whim, he was stricter with her than a teacher.

At that time, Xie Junling had already passed the imperial examination and he also said that he wanted to take the exam. Lu Baoer said nothing and watched him leave with the money and live with the old nanny he had instructed.

But she didn't know that her husband was so ambitious. He fought his way through thousands of students and got his name on the list of successful candidates.

She was a little panicked. First, she reflected on whether she had treated her husband badly in the past. Would he remember it and treat her harshly afterwards? Thinking carefully, she realized that he hadn't done that. They hadn't been together for long, and because she was taking the imperial examination, they hadn't seen each other for a year. Second, she was a little worried that if she accepted his invitation and rushed to Beijing rashly, her husband would disown her and take the opportunity to get rid of her and become a legitimate, single top scholar.

If this is true, she will definitely put forward some conditions. She can even let her go and extort some money from him, and then she won't ruin his path to promotion. Otherwise, if it gets out that the top scholar has abandoned his wife and children, it will damage his reputation, which is not good at all.

Lu Bao'er had once secretly read unofficial histories, hiding it from Xie Junling. They all described how a scholar, upon passing high school, abandoned his humble wife to marry the daughter of an official, and from then on enjoyed a smooth and promising future. After high school, impoverished students, dazzled by the glamorous world, would often act out of character, abandoning their wives and marrying the daughters of high-ranking officials.

Then would Xie Junling be like this?
It was hard to say, after all, she didn't know him. It had been another year since they'd last seen each other, only communicating through letters. She didn't know how he'd been doing this year. He'd written in his letters, though, that everything was fine, all was well.

As soon as Lu Baoer closed her eyes, she thought of Xie Junling's appearance again - he didn't smile often, maybe he didn't smile at her often.

He is indeed good-looking, with a face like a jade, and a cold look. He has his own unique aura of a modest gentleman, as graceful as orchid and bamboo.

Sometimes he would be gentle, reaching out his hand to her, reading to her, and telling her interesting stories, but when it was time to go to bed, Lu Baoer was afraid and wanted to sleep next to him. After all, they were nominally husband and wife, so he refused and hid in the study alone.

Is it because he hates her that he is just playing around, or is there some other reason?
I don’t know and I can’t say.

Lu Baoer likes him very much, he is handsome.

But he didn't seem to like her, was not gentle, and never expressed it.

Although this guy is not good, he is indeed a man of affection and righteousness. At least he knew to take her to Beijing and give her the title of the wife of the top scholar.

Forget it, maybe he didn't want to break his promise to his father? As long as they didn't divorce, and gave Lu Baoer a place to live and the status of his original wife, she would agree to let him take more concubines, the more the better, whether it was a plump beauty or a thin Yangzhou horse with a foxy nature, she would generously get them for him.

As for children, he could have as many as he wanted, and Lu Baoer would treat them as her own, raising them lovingly and without any jealousy. It was a relief to have her out of the picture, so she could have some free time. In this era, status was paramount.

It's tough for a divorced woman to survive, especially if her ex-husband is powerful. Who would dare marry her? How do you handle bullies when you're out running a small business?

Besides, she still looks like a half-grown child.

Sad people.

Lu Baoer is a person with no ambitions. Now she doesn't even ask for love and marriage. She just wants to have enough food and clothing in this life.

It was a pity for Yan Fang who had followed all the way. She didn't enjoy the blessing, and might lose both her love and wealth. Lu Baoer looked at her with some pity between women, and promised in her heart that if she was really divorced, she would still help Yan Fang recommend someone. After all, who doesn't like a woman with a good figure these days?
Speaking of sad things, Lu Baoer lowered her head again, looked at her shriveled little chest, and her heart began to ache.

The carriage suddenly jolted, the bead curtains slammed against each other, and it swayed endlessly.

Lu Baoer had never seen such a scene before. She was shocked and thought the car was going to overturn.

"Whoa!" the driver outside yelled, "Who is so blind as to bump into our number one scholar's wife? Aren't you afraid that the number one scholar will punish you and throw you in jail?!"

A deep male voice asked from the opposite side, "Is the one sitting in the sedan chair the wife of the number one scholar?"

"That's right, how could it be false? If you know, leave immediately, otherwise I will punish you!" The groom was so proud of himself that he probably had never been so proud in his life.

Just as he finished, he saw a flash of sharp silver light, which struck his forehead. With a snap, the flesh and blood body fell down.

Thick blood splashed into the sedan. Lu Baoer was not stupid and knew what had happened.

Yan Fang was so scared that she went crazy. She muttered to herself and ran out of the car.

It was too late to say it was dangerous.

Yan Fang was chopped into two halves by these ruthless assassins and her body lay in the wilderness.

Lu Baoer gritted her teeth, pulled out the hairpin from her head, and took advantage of the chaos to stab the sharp hairpin into the horse's body.

The horse felt pain, threw off the frame, and ran forward madly, rushing forward with great momentum, squeezing past the group of people who were trying to ambush him.

Maybe the group of people were scared silly. They didn't expect that Lu Baoer, at such a young age, could be so brave, so they didn't catch up.

Of course, there was no need to chase him. A half-grown child, skinny as a cat, would never survive being thrown from a horse. There was no point in chasing him.

The distressed horse galloped forward, regardless of whether it was a steep cliff or a dense forest full of wild beasts, it just rushed in.

Lu Baoer didn't want to die yet, so she held the reins tightly and climbed onto the horse's back even though her knuckles were cracked, refusing to be thrown off.

She has a strong desire to survive and doesn't want to die no matter what.

Those assassins knew that she was the wife of the top scholar, and they still killed her even after knowing that, which meant that they had to kill her.

But does anyone know about her going to Beijing?

She only communicated with Xie Junling through correspondence.

So, was it her unpredictable husband who did it?

For no apparent reason, Lu Baoer's heart ached, as if there was a hole in it, and it was shaking and cutting in the passing wind, with a cold pain.

She also figured it out. Xie Junling would never let his wife stay in a remote place in the countryside. If she was found out, he would be labeled as ungrateful.

The lady must be brought to Kyoto. So, if she disappears along the way, will it be of any benefit to him?
Of course, it wasn't his fault; it was his country wife's misfortune that she didn't live long enough to enjoy his life. This way, he could use the opportunity to marry into a wealthy family and help him rise to prominence. After all, he was born into the common people and had no roots in the brutally cruel Kyoto.

If such people want to gain a foothold, they must find some way.

Did Xie Junling think she was a nuisance, so instead of divorcing her, he decided to create an accident to cause his beloved wife to die, to add luster to himself?

If that's the case, it's a pity. Lu Baoer just wants some money and can leave.

She had never thought of pestering him. She knew the rules very well. As long as she had enough food and clothing for the rest of her life, it didn't matter whether she became an official's wife or not. Xie Junling didn't need to have blood on his hands.

But why is he so cruel?

Didn't she sell her belongings to collect the money for him to go to Beijing for the imperial examination?
All men are bad, it has always been like this since ancient times.

Lu Baoer was in so much pain, wanted to cry, and felt wronged.

But she couldn't do that. Once she started crying, she would have no strength left and would fall off the horse. What if she died?
But she had misjudged Xie Junling. No matter how good-looking he was, she didn't want him in her life.

(End of this chapter)