High-class Spring Joy

Sold into the Marquis's mansion as a child bride for ten years, Qingyuan took on a job to produce an heir for a death row inmate in order to redeem herself.

"My lord, please give me a child..."

In the dimly lit cell, the musty smell wafted into my nostrils like a hook.

Straw was laid on the cold stone bed, clothes were half-fallen, and hair was intertwined. Qingyuan's lotus-like arms wrapped around his shoulders like water snakes, and she whispered kisses in his ear, asking for his attention.

"If you want it, you can have it."

Chu Jingxian had already been drugged while he was speaking, and now he was completely bewitched by the person in his arms, losing all reason.

"Young master, you must keep your word!"

Without hesitation, Qingyuan straddled the man's waist, her hands resting on his hot, iron-like chest.

She only has this one chance, she must seize it!

Soon, the man's hoarse, suppressed breathing mingled with the woman's seductive moans, heating up the cold, gloomy cell...

suddenly!

"elder sister!!"

The voice of Hongdou, who lived in the same room, suddenly woke Qingyuan.

Qingyuan opened her eyes to a familiar face. She let out a long sigh, her face flushed.

Seeing that her face looked pale, Hongdou asked, "What's wrong, sister? Did you have another nightmare?"

"fine."

Qingyuan struggled to sit up in bed, rubbing her temples. The dream was just... indescribable.

Ten days ago, she took on a job to help death row inmates have children.

Ten days have passed, and I still dream about that night every single day!

It must have been because she was too wild that night, and after she succeeded, she ran away quickly, feeling a little guilty.

Qingyuan thought this to herself, when she heard Hongdou ask worriedly:

"Even if you take that job, you'll still need nine hundred taels to redeem yourself. I have some left, so please take it all."

Two months ago, the Fifth Young Master Chu Jingyu invited people to a banquet on a painted boat.

Qingyuan was busy serving Chu Jingyu with the maids and servants on the back boat when, unintentionally, she brought up some pastries and watched the young masters and ladies chatting and laughing around him.

Someone asked, "I heard that Qingyuan, the maidservant by Brother Chu's side, has an exceptionally lucky destiny. Back then, she was bought to be Brother Chu's child bride to bring him good fortune. Now that Brother Chu's health has truly improved, could it be that a happy event is approaching and you're planning to invite us to a celebratory feast?"

Upon hearing this, the room fell silent.

Chu Jingyu lowered his eyes, making it impossible to read his expression. After a long silence, he said, "Her fate is indeed quite good. If your household also needs her to change its fate and bring good fortune, you can send her to your household for use. If you really want her, you can buy her for a thousand taels."

A burst of laughter followed, and none of the scions of noble families continued to ask questions; the question they had just asked was merely a joke to be told over tea.

Spring sunshine is bright and warm, making people feel lazy and sleepy.

Qingyuan, the protagonist of the joke, stood at the back, her hands and feet icy cold.

For the past ten years, she has taken care of him wholeheartedly, always putting him first. She never dared to hope that she could have anything with Chu Jingyu. As a maid, she was naturally not worthy of the young master of the Marquis's mansion.

After all, in these people's eyes, she was as lowly as an ant, and could be given to whoever wanted her.

A thousand taels of silver is just a drop in the bucket for young masters of noble families; they could do whatever they want with it.

But for Qingyuan, a thousand taels of silver could crush her.

When she was eight years old, she was bought by the Marquis of Zhenguo's mansion because of her koi-like destiny, and was given to Chu Jingyu, who was weak and sickly since childhood, to bring him good luck. She was raised as a child bride and was only given ten taels of silver in total.

Now, after ten years of being treated like a slave, it's ridiculous that a thousand taels of silver are needed to redeem oneself.

Hongdou lost both her parents and was all alone in this world. She worked as a slave for ten years to save up this money. She was a person with a tragic fate.

Qingyuan refused to accept it and pushed it back with a bit of force: "Keep it yourself. I can figure out a way myself. I'll ask the nanny for leave and go home tomorrow."

Over the years, she has sent all her monthly salary home, half to her mother to help with household expenses, and the other half her mother said she would save for her.

One thousand taels... no matter what, she had to scrape together the money.

Early in the morning.

When the Fifth Young Master Chu Jingyu got up, Qingyuan had to serve him.

He was cold and taciturn, and when he was ill, he was even more unpredictable. It took Qingyuan three years of beatings before she could get close to him.

But today, even earlier than Chu Jingyu got up, came another piece of news—

The court has exonerated the Third Prince, Chu Jingxian, and declared him innocent!

"The Third Young Master has returned to the manor; everyone should go to the front courtyard!"

The old woman's shouts came from the courtyard, striking people's hearts like thunder. Qingyuan's hand trembled, and she felt a sharp pain in her fingertips.

Chu Jingxian!

You're back?!

It's no wonder she panicked. The person she was tasked with having a son to carry on the family line was none other than Chu Jingxian, the third young master of the Zhenguo Marquis's mansion, who had committed a capital crime a month ago.

She drugged the man, which gave her the only chance to receive the one hundred taels of silver reward!

When she drugged him, she never imagined he would come back. She figured he wouldn't be able to find out anything while he was on death row. Now that he's back, with his abilities, if he really finds out she drugged him and raped him, how could she possibly save her life?!

"Where is he? The Third Young Master is back! The Old Madam has ordered everyone to go to the front yard to greet him! Don't be late!"

With urging voices filling her ears, Qingyuan sucked on her pricked fingertip to try and calm herself down.

Although Chu Jingxian possessed extraordinary abilities, he had been injured and blind since he was six years old, and he was extremely frantic that night, so he might not have been able to recognize her.

forecourt.

Hundreds of servants and maids from the Zhenguo Marquis's mansion were waiting in neat rows.

Lady Dou, the wife of the Marquis of Zhenguo, was anxiously watching from the gate of the Marquis's residence, accompanied by her maids.

A servant led the way down the long street, with burning copper braziers placed at the entrances, one at intervals, all the way to the main hall of the Marquis's mansion, where mugwort was also neatly prepared.

This news was received just before the event; if we had known it earlier, it would have been an even greater event.

The onlookers weren't surprised; they were used to it.

"This Madam Dou is truly virtuous and kind. For a stepmother to treat her stepson so well, even a biological mother might not be able to compare."

"It's true that Madam Dou has always treated her stepson, the Third Young Master, better than her own biological Fifth Young Master; everyone has witnessed this!"

"The old Marquis married two wives and had five children in total. Due to natural disasters and man-made calamities, only these two sons survived. One was blind, and the other was born with an illness. Over the years, it has been a hardship for Madam Dou alone."

The people were all deeply moved.

As soon as Qingyuan stood at the back of the line, she heard Madam Dou sobbing from the doorway:

"My son... Sanlang, my dear Sanlang, I really thought you wouldn't come back. Now that you've finally been exonerated, I've been hoping for your return. Now you're finally home... How come you've become so thin in just one month?"

Chu Jingxian has arrived.

One by one, they stepped over the braziers, their footsteps growing ever closer, as if treading on people's hearts.

Qingyuan lowered her head and furrowed her brows until a patch of frosty white robe appeared at the corner of her eye.

Chu Jingxian seemed to sense something, paused in his stepping over the last brazier, and frowned slightly as he turned towards her:

"you……"