In the garden, Yan Shifan's concubines were happily enjoying themselves, admiring flowers and drinking tea in the sun. They even gathered together to whisper to each other on good terms, creating a harmonious and beautiful scene of a large family.
However, in Rouge Leopard's hut, Ruyu tells a horrifying true story.
"The year I first arrived in the capital, my master rented a house and asked me to stay at home while he went out to pick up some jobs and brought them back home to do.
There are many rich families in the capital, and the master's craftsmanship is excellent. Some wealthy families can also get work on carving crystal cups and jade bracelets, and they can earn more than in their hometown.
My craftsmanship is also getting better and better. I do many jobs with my master, and I am only a little slower than my master. My master is very happy and said that in two years, my craftsmanship will surpass his.
Master also said that when he saves enough money, he will buy the small courtyard he rents. Since he has no children, he will let me take his last name and be his son to continue his legacy."
Ruyu's whole body fell into memories, as if he was hypnotized, with a happy smile on his face. In fact, that should be his happiest time.
Rouge Leopard stared at her blankly, not daring to ask or interrupt her. After a while, Ruyucai's smile gradually disappeared and her voice became low and hoarse.
"Later, I grew taller and stronger, and looked a bit like a man. Master thought it was okay for me to hide at home, so he started taking me out to do business.
Many people complimented me on my handsomeness, but there were fewer men interested in me like before, and many women began to approach me. I was ignorant at that time, and I would also be attracted to beautiful women.
But my master was very strict with me. He told me not to mess around with those people. He would help me arrange a good marriage in the future, so that I could live up to my expectations so that I could inherit his craftsmanship and incense in the future.
Later, the president of the chamber of commerce, Tan Xinren, approached my master and asked us to carve furniture and jade for his home.
The wages he paid were very high, and the work was plentiful and urgent. In order to rush for time, Tan Xinren let us stay at his house to catch up on the work.
Master and I worked day and night. Master said that if we get the money this time, we can buy the small courtyard and we will have a home in the future.
Tan Xinren has a concubine who is very favored. She has the most decorations to do in her room. Because there is too much work to do, the master and I can only do it separately.
She was supposed to hide in other rooms during sex, but she would always come to talk to me secretly, praising me for being handsome, saying that she was bought by Tan Xinren, who had many concubines, and he played with them.
When I get tired of it, I will sell it again or give it away, and I shed tears while talking about it.
She was very beautiful, and I sympathized with her, so I chatted with her for a few more words. Later, the master discovered her, and the master was very angry and asked me to exchange jobs with him and go to another room to work.
One day at noon, after Master and I finished eating the food provided by Tanfu, Master said he was very sleepy, so he found a place to take a nap. Later I found out that because Master drank and I didn’t drink, they gave Master wine to drink.
Got the medicine.
Then she came again and brought me a pot of tea. I happened to be very thirsty, so I drank the tea. Then, as if I was possessed, all I could think about was women. She took off her clothes, and then
Take off mine and I'll..."
Ruyu's face was not red, but turned very white. Her regret and anger made her whole body tremble slightly.
In order to appease her, Rouge Leopard poured her a cup of tea and handed it to her, but she reflexively leaned back, as if to avoid the cup of tea.
"That night, I was in a state of despair and didn't know whether I should tell the master. Then, Tan Xinren led people to arrest us, saying that I had raped his concubine.
I argued that she was the one who found me, but Tan Xinren didn't listen at all. He beat me and my master, and then asked four servants to pick me up. A skinny old man walked in and took off my pants.
.
The master shouted like crazy, begging Tan Xinren to let me go. He didn't want any more wages. As long as he had any money, Tan Xinren would give it to him.
Tan Xinren looked at my master and said: I have plenty of money, and I don’t lack what you have. Besides, this matter is not something I can forgive just by asking for mercy.
Then the skinny old man took action. Although I took medicine, I couldn't help but
I was frightened and in pain, but I still fainted. When I woke up, I was already in the prison of Shuntian Mansion.
That skinny old man actually managed to get into the prison of Shuntian Mansion. He came over every day to change my dressing, so I didn't die in prison. After two trials, Tan Xinren hired a very powerful lawyer, even the people from Shuntian Mansion.
I can't even speak to him.
Then, I was transferred to the prison of the Ministry of Punishment, and they said that I was the concubine of an official and businessman of the Communist Party of China. According to the law, the crime was increased by one level and I could be sentenced to hard labor and exile. Considering that I was disabled, I was given a lighter sentence and was imprisoned for three years.
After a few days, my injuries healed, but I knew that I was a disabled person. But I couldn't let go of Master. I wanted to go find Master after I was released.
One night, Yan Shifan came to the prison. I didn’t know him at the time, but I was very scared when I saw him. But the food I ate that day was drugged, and I felt weak all over, and it was as if I was talking about the Xinren family.
, *** burned himself.
I am no longer a man, and the drug seems to know this, and my desires have become very weird.
He walked into the prison and said something: Lai Tiangong lost you back then, and I didn't expect that I didn't find you until today. We are so destined to meet you thousands of miles away."
Rouge Leopard's hand shook and the tea spilled on the ground. Ruyu looked up at her, with deep despair and mockery of fate on her face.
"You know who Lai Tiangong is, right? Otherwise you wouldn't be so surprised."
Rouge Leopard nodded with difficulty: "He is an official of the Yan Party. You said he was the county magistrate who wanted to snatch you away?"
Ruyu nodded: "He wanted to dedicate me to Yan Shifan back then, but after two years of going around in circles, I still couldn't escape Yan Shifan's clutches.
That night, in the cell, Yan Shifan insulted me. After the effect of the medicine wore off, I felt so depressed that I wanted to die.
But Yan Shifan told me with a smile: Zhao Shilang called his master into the Ministry of Industry and gave him the post of manufacturing. He also told me that my master's job now is to carve jade pendants for the three princes.
If he wants my master's life, he doesn't even have to kill him with his own hands. He only needs to let Zhao Shilang use his hands and feet to scratch the uncarved jade pendant, and my master will be beheaded.
I was scared and begged him to let my master go. He told me that as long as I obeyed, he would not kill my master, otherwise, he could kill him at any time.
The next day, Yan Shifan brought someone in, bound my feet, dressed me up, and put me into women's clothes. Then he took me back to Yan's Mansion in a carriage from the prison of the Ministry of Punishment, and told the public that I was a newly purchased concubine.
He got two kinds of medicine, one for me to soak my feet and one for me to drink as tea. The medicine for soaking my feet made my legs weak and my feet became smaller and smaller.
The medicine I drank made my voice become thinner and thinner, and my skin and breasts became more and more like a woman...
The only thing he didn't move were my two hands. He said my hands were treasures and should be kept for use."
Rouge Leopard gritted her teeth and tried to sound calm and indifferent. Because she was still not sure whether this was a trap for Yan Shifan to test her.
"The jade pendant was carved when the late prince was still alive. It must have been more than three years at least. In these three years, you have never left the Yan Mansion and have not seen your master?"
Ruyu shook her head: "I met him twice. The first time was not long after I entered the Yan Mansion. I was worried that Yan Shifan would not keep his promise, so I asked Yan Shifan to take me to see the master.
As long as Master is still alive, it makes sense for me to live a life that is worse than death.
Yan Shifan took me to the gate of Master's courtyard in a carriage, and proudly told me that if I wanted to kill Master, I could just tell him the truth.
I wore women's clothes and walked into Master's house. Master was having dinner. He didn't recognize me at first sight, but then his face turned livid.
He scolded me for being shameless and making a big mistake. He spent half his life trying to rescue me from the Elephant House and teach me my craft. As a result, I not only ruined myself, but I was also willing to do this kind of thing.
thing.
I didn’t dare to tell him anything. I just cried and asked him: Master, if I can come back and follow you, will you still be my master?”
Ruyu stopped, as if her chest was blocked by a ball of cotton wool
Her mouth was the same. Rouge Leopard's chest was also severely clogged, and her voice felt breathless.
"Your master, Zeng Zaoban, what did he say?"
A smile appeared on Ruyu's pale face, but that smile made Rouge Leopard feel more uncomfortable than any kind of crying. It was an indescribable smile, a miserable smile with a hint of relief in despair.
If I had to find an analogy, it would be like a person sinking into a swamp at the last moment, looking at his eyes above the mud and seeing his relatives being rescued.
"The master said that his apprentice is dead and he has no more apprentices.
He said that his apprentice was the best kid in the world. He was neither the trash that the Ministry of Works forced on him nor the bastard in front of him. It's a pity that such a good kid is dead.
ah.
After the master finished speaking, he ignored me and drank one glass after another, quickly getting drunk. I helped him to the bed, covered him with a quilt, kowtowed to him, and left."
Rouge Leopard suppressed the tears in his eyes and maintained his last vigilance: "What about the second time?"
Ruyu looked at her two hands: "The second time was last year when Yan Shifan asked me to help him carve the prince's jade pendant into King Yu's. I became suspicious, if my master is still alive, why didn't he find my master?
What to do?
So I refused to do anything, and Yan Shifan had no choice but to tell me that I couldn't let anyone know about this, so I couldn't go to my master.
In order to prove that he did not harm my master, he took me to the gate of the Ministry of Works in a carriage and let me see my master working under the Ministry of Works through a curtain.
Master, he is old. Although it has only been more than a year, Master is really old. Yan Shifan told me that Master drank too much, so his hands became shaky, and his craftsmanship is no longer as good as mine.
Sister Bao, tell me, is it because of me that my master is drunk? You are well-informed, please help me think about it, is it because of me?"
Rouge Leopard finally couldn't hold on anymore and tears rolled down her face. She no longer doubted that this was a trap or that Yan Shifan was testing her.
She hugged Ruyu tightly, feeling Ruyu's tears wet her shoulders. She choked with sobs and whispered her answer in Ruyu's ear.
"Your master must miss you very much. He must miss you very much. You are a good boy and a good apprentice. You have done nothing wrong. You are not wrong."