0 | Concubine Li
Concubine Li Ruolan, wife to the Marquis, mother to none. A beauty with no purpose.
While she could bear no children, Concubine Li was still an exceptional woman, with talents unlike the other maidens and looks that could bring one to their knees, Concubine Li was the perfect trophy wife for the Marquis even if she was a disgrace.
The night had been unforgivably cold when the casket was first placed. Only a single thin blanket was given to keep the small child warm. Freezing to death, the child let out a cry of anguish, gaining the attention of the kindhearted Concubine Li.
The youngest wife of the Marquis had been preparing for bed when she heard the heartbreaking whimpers of a child. Startled and curious, Concubine Li requested for the child to be brought to her chambers only to find it shivering and pale, unlike a normal healthy baby. Despite having a cloth to shelter it's body, the child was unable to withstand the harsh conditions of the night. Concubine Li watched as the child huddled closer towards her chest, feeding off the warmth Concubine Li radiated. Concubine Li's heart broke.
Why would someone leave such a lovely baby to freeze in the cold?
For the remaining hours of the night until dawn, Concubine Li looked after the child with adoration, caring for her as a mother should care for her baby. Watching her rest, Concubine Li conjured up a plan to convince her husband about adopting the child. Over the years, Concubine Li had grown desperate to become a mother herself after learning of her infertility, she knew that the child in her arms would be her only chance to satisfy her growing desire.
Growing determined, Concubine Li headed toward the Marquis's chambers, prepared to state her case. Upon her arrival however, the older man grew livid, demanding why she dared to barge through his chamber doors like a madman. Before the Marquis could dismiss her, Concubine Li got down on her knees, frantically begging her husband to allow her to care for the abandoned child as her own daughter, promising to love the baby as her own.
Despite disapproving of her disgraceful and embarrassing pleas, the Marquis relented and allowed her to keep the child, reluctant to break the heart of his delicate wife. With joy in her heart, Concubine Li profusely thanked the Marquis as he smiled at her antics before rushing back to her new found hope. Hearing the child's laughter ten months later, Concubine Li's heart filled with love and adoration. She finally had someone to call her own; Li Jingyi.
