TFWYH – Chapter 794 The So-Called Concubine Yan

She did not even have the heart to look at what the man looked like. She only knew that he was the son of a sixth-rank official.

A sixth-rank official’s son? Fine.

All she wanted now was to get married as soon as possible.

The man was merely the son of a sixth-rank official and, from what she had heard, didn’t even hold an official post himself.

She was clearly marrying beneath her station.

The thought filled Gu Xiyan with resentment once more, and she burst into tears.

She was the Prime Minister’s granddaughter.

She couldn’t marry into the imperial family.

She couldn’t marry into one of the great noble houses.

After considering all her options, she had ended up choosing someone like this.

Sob…

However, she had not wallowed in self-pity for long.

That insignificant sixth-rank official had actually gone back on his word, saying that his family was not worthy of marrying the Gu family’s young lady.

What did that mean?

He was just an ordinary commoner without any official rank!

She was the one marrying beneath her status—beneath her status, understand?

And he still dared to back out?

Furious, Gu Xiyan stormed out, intending to confront the sixth-rank official in person.

In her rage, she failed to notice the strange looks the servants gave her as she passed.

It wasn’t until she reached the garden that she saw several maids whispering among themselves.

She vaguely heard her own name.

Curiosity drove her to quietly creep closer.

“Haha, it’s ridiculous. She’s still crying over it. The Eldest Miss probably doesn’t even know that nowadays, let alone the son of a sixth-rank official—even an ordinary commoner wouldn’t marry a woman like her.”

“Of course not. We’re only servants, but even we aren’t that lowly. What respectable family would dare marry someone like the Eldest Miss?”

“She had an illicit affair with the Young Master, and the whole capital knows about it. On top of that, she ended up in the Register of Beauties. Don’t you know? Plenty of wealthy and powerful households now keep Yan Concubines.”

“What’s a Yan Concubine?”

“Hehe… that’s the interesting part. I heard that after many wealthy gentlemen read the Register of Beauties, they became captivated by the Eldest Miss’s beauty. So they deliberately sought out women who resembled her and took them as concubines. Some were trained courtesans, some were prostitutes, some were singers… there are all kinds. The only thing they have in common is that they look like the Eldest Miss. Those gentlemen call them Yan Concubines. What’s more, there are now people making a business out of supplying Yan Concubines!”

“Wow… it’s really gotten that far? She’s still the Eldest Miss of the Prime Minister’s family. Aren’t they afraid of offending the Prime Minister?”

“When everyone’s doing it, no one can be punished. The Prime Minister is powerful, but can he really take on so many people at once? I even heard that Grand Tutor Yi’s household has a Yan Concubine.”

“That’s disgusting. Doesn’t that mean those men are basically treating the Eldest Miss as their wife by proxy?”

“Exactly! I bet whenever they’re sleeping with those Yan Concubines, they’re imagining the Eldest Miss instead.”

…

Every sentence drifted into Gu Xiyan’s ears.

Each word was like the sharpest dagger, stabbing her until she was covered in invisible wounds.

Her face turned deathly pale.

Her vision blurred, and her ears rang loudly.

Finally, she let out a shrill scream and rushed at the maids.

She grabbed them and began beating them while crying hysterically.

The maids were terrified, crying and begging for mercy as she struck them, though inwardly every one of them was cursing Gu Xiyan.

So what if you were born into a noble family?

So what if your status is exalted?

You’re still nothing but a disgrace!

One of the maids who had been gossiping despised Gu Xiyan the most.

After taking several hard blows, anger overcame her fear.

Unable to hold back any longer, she shoved Gu Xiyan.

Gu Xiyan fell to the ground, struck her head, and lost consciousness.

When the maids saw blood seeping from her forehead, they panicked.

They immediately began shouting for help.

Once again, the Prime Minister’s residence was thrown into complete chaos.

…

When Gu Xiyan finally regained consciousness, the only person keeping watch over her was Madam Gu.

She threw herself into her mother’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably, wailing that she wanted to die.

It was only after Prime Minister Gu personally stepped in that she finally calmed down.