bayedsolid Chapter 81 Su Wan'er: "I will never be a concubine!"
Chapter 81 Su Wan'er: "I will never be a concubine!"
Inside the Su family mansion, the atmosphere was so oppressive it seemed almost palpable. Su's father sat upright in the main seat, his face stern, his eyes revealing an unwavering resolve. To ensure the Su family's unshakeable position in the court, he had decided to betroth Su Wan'er to the powerful Zhao family as a concubine.
Upon hearing this news, Su Wan'er felt as if struck by lightning, and she swayed several times before barely managing to stand. Her eyes instantly filled with tears, which rolled down her cheeks like broken beads, and she cried out in utter grief, "Father, how can your daughter become someone's concubine? How can I face anyone after this!"
Her knees buckled, and she knelt down with a thud, tightly hugging her father's legs with both hands, pleading, "Father, please retract your order. I am willing to serve as a servant in the manor, just please don't push me into that situation."
Su Yao'er watched from the side, a gloating smile curving her lips, and said sarcastically, "Sister, this is a great opportunity to climb the social ladder. The Zhao family is all-powerful in the court, and countless women would kill for them."
Seeing this, Su's father quickly stopped her, saying, "Yao'er, don't talk nonsense anymore." Then, he frowned and gently comforted her, "Wan'er, I did this for the sake of the Su family. What does a woman's life all she asks for is the prosperity of her family? What does personal grievance matter? You should relax and serve well in the Zhao family in the future, bringing honor to the Su family."
Madam Su coughed lightly, adopting the demeanor of a dignified matriarch. Her expression seemed gentle, and her tone was tender as she said, "Wan'er, you must understand that for someone of your status as an illegitimate child, becoming a concubine in Minister Zhao's household is the highest position you can attain. Although you are a young lady in this household, your status is still different. This opportunity is fortunate for you, and even more so for the Su family. You should understand your father's good intentions and refrain from being willful and crying, which would be unseemly."
Su Wan'er shook her head desperately, her black hair falling messily on both sides of her face. Her eyes were full of despair and resentment, like a wounded little animal.
“Father, I have always been cautious and prudent in this Su family since I was a child, and I have never had any improper thoughts. I know that I am of lowly status, but I also hope to have a proper marriage of my own. Even if I live a plain life, it is better than being someone’s concubine and suffering all kinds of humiliation.”
Her voice was hoarse from crying for so long, yet she stubbornly knelt on the ground, her hands tightly clutching the hem of her father's clothes, which were crumpled as if they were her last lifeline. She kept kowtowing, her forehead hitting the ground with a dull thud, "Father, I beg you, please have pity on your daughter."
Su's father's face immediately turned red, and the veins on his neck bulged like writhing earthworms. He slammed his hand on the coffee table beside him, and with a loud "bang," the teacup fell to the ground and shattered, spilling tea everywhere.
His eyes widened in anger as he glared at Su Wan'er, who was still pleading desperately, and he shouted angrily, "You rebellious daughter! How dare you defy me like this! The Su family has raised you for many years, and now we are asking you to contribute to the affairs of the family, but you only think about your own selfish interests and completely disregard the rise and fall of the family. My mind is made up, and you will not be allowed to act recklessly!"
Upon hearing her father's resolute words, Su Wan'er's last glimmer of hope was shattered. Her eyes turned bloodshot, as if burning with two flames of anger, and she abruptly stood up from the ground. Though her figure was somewhat frail, it exuded a resolute stubbornness.
She gritted her teeth, stared directly at Su's father and mother, and shouted hoarsely, "Although I, Su Wan'er, am just a concubine's daughter, born as lowly as an ant, I still have human dignity and will never be a puppet to be manipulated! There is absolutely no way I will become a concubine in the Zhao family!" After saying this, she roared to the sky, "I will never be a concubine!"
Her roar was like thunder, so loud it seemed to shake the roof beams. Then, she lifted her skirt and stormed out the door like a whirlwind, her figure receding into the distance along the corridors of the Su residence, leaving behind a crowd of astonished onlookers.