Chapter 20

Endless Pain

Wang, Quan, and Wei—these were the three noble families of Nihe. The Wang family was a governor’s household, bestowed with an official title by the Emperor. Their duty was to maintain order in the city of ceramics, ensuring that its products met the demands of the entire northern market of the Shuilong Kingdom.

The Quan family managed trade and exports between cities. Although they had only been in official service for four generations, they had deep roots in Nihe City, and both the people and the central government held them in high regard.

The Wei family had once been a military household that had served the Shuilong royal family for three generations. However, due to a grave miscalculation made by Wei Yongjian’s great-grandfather during an era of war and famine, the family's status had plummeted. They were stripped of their military power and demoted to regional administrators, prohibited from interfering in military affairs ever again.

From then on, the descendants of the Wei family were sent to govern distant cities, leaving their main branch behind, isolated in the capital. From that point forward, their heirs could only become scholars. Serving as a provincial official was no easy task. The Shuilong Kingdom ruled under a centralized system, which meant that every year, in addition to working relentlessly in their assigned regions for six months, officials had to spend the rest of the year traveling back and forth to the capital to present their annual reports to the Emperor. They also had to provide justifications for how much funding their city required each year.

Thus, the competence of local officials directly determined a region’s prosperity. And naturally, the families of those officials enjoyed the benefits that came with it. From what Lijin had observed, Nihe City was not a poor city. People were well-off, the cityscape was not overly dilapidated, and judging by the situation before her, Wei Yongjian was wealthy enough to support a house full of wives and children. It seemed that his abilities were indeed quite remarkable... Three massive ships sailed along the Nihe River, struggling against the powerful winter winds. Although the journey had already been delayed by three days due to Lord Wang handling some business in another city, the true cause of the delay was none other than the young, handsome official named Wei Yongjian.

Three beautiful women attended to him, fanning him gently. Draped in sheer, almost transparent silk, their alluring figures exuded a sweet fragrance. The dim candlelight in the cabin enhanced the sensual atmosphere, stirring the desires of men of all ages. And Yongjian was no different from the other men of this era. The number of wives, concubines, and servants a man had was a symbol of power in this age, carrying the same weight as the vast wealth he accumulated each year.

With his silver tongue, handsome face, strong physique, and intellect surpassing most, Yongjian remained a highly sought-after man among women. Even when he warned them in advance that his estate was already filled with wives and concubines, these voluptuous women never hesitated to offer themselves to him. At 36 years old, Yongjian had just taken three new concubines—all of them courtesans from a red-light district in a city where Noble Wang had stopped for business. He had spent thirty taels of gold to indulge in their youthful pleasures, as the 17- and 18-year-old women had satisfied his lonely, lustful nights.

When the three officials finally reconvened before resuming their journey, both Master Wang and Master Quan appeared visibly displeased. "Another concubine, Master Wei?" Master Quan’s tone lacked any trace of approval—if anything, it carried a hint of disdain... Disdain for a man who never knew when to stop.

"You are still young, Yongjian, but do not forget—your children and family matter as well. Everything must have its balance. Even the Emperor reminds us of this every year..."

"I can still manage. Thank you, Master Wang and Master Quan, for your concern. My estate is vast and lonely. Adding more members to the family will surely bring warmth and happiness to everyone." The two officials found themselves at a loss to argue against such twisted reasoning. They, too, had secondary wives and concubines, but only enough to maintain social status in accordance with societal customs. They could not fathom what kind of family warmth Master Wei had in mind. Surely, he did not mean the constant bickering and catfights among his wives, setting his house ablaze with strife—all while the head of the household sat idly, oblivious, believing all was still harmonious and peaceful? The letter Wei Yongjian had sent ahead to Ningjian and Meiying contained nothing but sweet, affectionate words, expressing how deeply he missed them. Even in his dreams, he envisioned the joy of their reunion. This year, he hoped his First Furen would recover, allowing the entire family to celebrate the New Year together, including his still-living mother and all his adorable children.

The words inked onto paper professed a love that seemed boundless. Both secondary wives were daughters of noble families. Though they had not been born to primary wives, they had received proper education, were literate, and had been taught the arts—unlike the daughters of commoners and merchants.

Reading their husband’s heartfelt letter, they let their imaginations soar, basking in euphoric bliss as they reminisced about their lover’s passionate body. In truth, one could say they were ensnared by lust.

Life in this era did not offer many pleasures to savor. Music, literature, paintings, and scenery were among the few sources of relaxation and joy. Beyond that, there was food, drink, and the physical body, providing sensory pleasures. There were no computers, internet, or smartphones for entertainment. The closest thing to a game was probably Go, a strategy board game that required constant intellectual effort, making it more stressful than relaxing. Each era had its own forms of indulgence. Lijin immersed herself in literature and storytelling. Meanwhile, Meiying and Ningjian indulged in their husband's embrace—nothing wrong with that. The real issue was that they had made Lijin their target. Their harassment and mistreatment of her meant that retaliation and justice were inevitable.

…..

Master Wei Yongjian’s ship was the last to dock at Nihe City. Snow fell gently from the sky, and neither Master Wang nor Master Quan could afford to wait any longer for their younger peer. They left only a message with his servants, stating that they would visit him before the New Year to offer their regards.

In their hearts, Wang Dali and Quan Mingzhou felt nothing but pity for Wei Yongjian’s first wife. They still remembered vividly the news of her falling into the water three years ago. Their greatest concern was for the three young children. What kind of suffering had they endured? "Brother Li… let’s go unannounced. Otherwise, we won’t truly see how those three children are living."

"Brother Zhou, no matter what, we are outsiders. That man is insatiable. How could Master Gu have entrusted his daughter to such a person?"

"The old Master Gu helped us immensely. We must repay that debt. If we do not visit that filthy back courtyard, who knows if those children will even survive next year… Perhaps we can use the law to help them secure their rightful inheritance. Or… we can let public pressure rein in those secondary wives."

"Then we shall do as you suggest… We only said we would visit before the New Year—we never specified the exact date. Hahaha." The two high-ranking officials of Nihe City departed northward together. As they shared a carriage, they reminisced about the past, their shared history with the Gu family becoming something that could benefit Lijin’s future.

Meanwhile, at the Wei Estate…

The return of Wei Yongjian was met with grand celebration. A long procession of carriages transported wealth, treasures, and rewards from the capital, stretching almost to the northern city limits. It was not much different from the convoys of the two officials who had arrived before him.

This year's achievements had earned Master Wei numerous prestigious rewards. Among them was a tonic, as the Emperor had received news that Master Wei’s primary wife had been bedridden for three years. The two secondary wives competed to adorn themselves like phoenix queens, dressing in luxurious fabrics and exquisite jewelry.

Their faces were painted pale white, their lips smeared with bold red, and their smiles shone as brilliantly as the golden ornaments woven into their hair. However, those smiles faded almost instantly…

The husband they had long awaited had his mind elsewhere, lost in sweet words written on paper. Stepping down from his grand carriage, he was accompanied by three women. They dressed modestly, yet each wore golden accessories in their hair. Their demeanor was reserved, yet their delicate features carried an undeniable hint of mischief.

"These three are our family’s new members—your younger sisters, as my concubines. Prepare their quarters and private chambers accordingly." Master Wei approached Meiying first, his large frame enveloping her in an affectionate embrace, igniting fierce jealousy among the other concubines, especially for Concubine Ningjian. The sight before her was more painful than a heated blade slicing through her heart.

"How is Mother? Have you taken good care of her?" As Yongjian strode into the manor, he took the soft hand of his other secondary wife, pulling her to his side. He tried to distribute his love evenly, according to his own definition of fairness.

"Mother is still in good health, but she has aged considerably. She falls ill from time to time, but I have had the physician prepare her medicine in advance…" The lovers’ conversation continued until Yongjian finally reached the main residence of the manor. At the same time, a distant pair of watchful eyes recalled the orders they had received. It was time…

"Master Wei! Master Wei, master!" A maid’s panicked cries echoed from the rear courtyard, loud enough that no one could pretend not to hear. Then, a disheveled servant girl burst through the doors uninvited, her face more frantic than ever.

"What is it, Lijin’s servant?" Wei Yongjian asked, puzzled. He did not reprimand her, assuming that this matter must concern his elegant First Furen.

"My mistress…hah,hah, hah… my mistress has awakened, master!!!" Wei Yongjian’s smile widened like never before. In his heart, he silently thanked the prophecy he had once heard. How fortunate he was to have eagerly awaited his return home.

At last… His family would be whole once more.

Yet the faces of the two secondary wives had gone ghostly pale and lifeless in an instant.

Like a bolt of lightning striking their old wounds, their scars were ripped open once more. Old battles and new ones came crashing down upon them all at once.