"Arguably, it is inappropriate for me, as a mother, to tell you these harsh realities, but I want you to understand that in noble houses, a concubine is nothing more than a plaything. She may enjoy brief moments of favor, but such favor often lands her in endless troubles. Once she loses favor, she will face brutal and sinister retaliation, causing her lifelong suffering. Countless concubines have helplessly seen their children harmed, and many have been tortured to the point of taking their own lives. As for the unfavored ones, their lives are worse than those of slaves. Everyone in the mansion can trample over them, yet they must endure it silently. Any resistance results in catastrophic consequences!"
"Like my own mother, she knew full well that I was being cultivated as a tool to appease the powerful in the mansion. But she did not dare to utter a word of resistance. Even when I was sold as a concubine to a doddering old man, she did not dare dispute it. This is the sorrow of being a concubine and the fate of serving as a concubine."
"Therefore, I would rather have you and Fei’er marry peddlers and be rightfully wedded couples, living ordinary lives with simple food and drink, than have you marry into a Marquis’s mansion to serve as concubines, enduring a life of wealth marred by cut-throat infighting."
By this point, Cai Wei understood that her mother was warning her against becoming Huo Yuan’s concubine. Annoyed, she declared, "Mother, I have no intention of becoming someone’s concubine. Rest assured!"
Lady Du said, "If you say so, I am naturally relieved. However, when Young Master Huo sent such a generous New Year’s gift without any clear reason, it made me suspicious of his intentions. You are still young and naive to the treacherous ways of the world. I worry you may fall for his charms without noticing his true intentions. That’s why I’m reminding you."
Laughing despite herself, Cai Wei retorted: "Mother, even if you mistrust Young Master Huo, shouldn’t you trust your own daughter? Do you see your daughter as someone who would degrade herself willingly and become a lowly servant to another?"
Only then did Lady Du feel somewhat reassured, and her anxiety turned into joy. "Perhaps I was overly worried. Surely my Wei’er would not willingly become someone else’s inferior. I was just concerned about Young Master Huo. I fear he might harbor ill intentions with some inappropriate schemes in mind!"
"Mother, that’s not the case!"
Cai Wei explained: "Young Master Huo is not that kind of person. He even told me himself that he has a girl he admires. Therefore, he will not harbor any indecent intentions toward your daughter. So, ease your mind, mother!"
"Of course, it’s true. When have I ever lied to you?"
Seeing her daughter so adamant, Lady Du was somewhat pacified, though she was still not entirely at ease.
"If he has no intentions for you, then why did he send such valuable gifts? We don’t have such a deep relationship with him. No, we should not keep these items lest they lead to trouble. Call Chun Liu and have her go see if those people have left. If not, call them back and have them take the gifts away. Unwarrantedly accepting such large gifts from others simply unsettles me!"
Cai Wei remembered that the man whom Big Brother Huo had sent earlier had made a gesture at her, indicating he wanted to speak with her privately. She was worried about not having the chance to go out and ask him, so when her mother spoke, she seized the opportunity. Standing up, she said, "I’ll go find Chun Liu. I will also ask Zhang Bo to look for that person to make sure he returns, lest Dad and Mom worry."
Hearing this, Lady Du felt reassured and let Cai Wei go.
Cai Wei left the second door and headed straight to the Bafu Winery entrance. Sure enough, the man in the blue robe was there, waiting for her by the restaurant’s door. When she came out, the man approached her, bowed, and said, "Miss Mu, I am under orders from the Young Master to tell you that if you wish to go to Bianzhou Prefecture, you may come to Xinglong Inn at any time. We will accompany you there."