Chapter 2: The Female Supporting Character Who Crossed Over

  When Yuanyang pushed the door open, she saw Qingjin sitting in front of the mirror, wearing thin clothes and staring blankly. She quickly put down the food she had brought from the kitchen and said to Qingjin, "Madam, how did you get up? You're still wearing so little, your body is originally..."

  When he saw Qing Jin's face turn into a dying person's dead wood color, he was shocked and forgot what to say next, only staring at Qing Jin in disbelief.

  Qing Jin heard the sudden stop of Yuanyang's voice, knowing that she was also frightened by her current appearance. She gave Yuanyang a reassuring smile, but when she thought of the eerie and frightening smile she had just made in front of the mirror, she froze with this smile on her face.

  "Yuan-yang let out a loud wail, Qing-jin felt embarrassed for a moment before apologizing to Yuan-yang, "Sorry, Yuan-yang, I scared you."

  Who would have thought that the mandarin duck heard her master's comforting words and cried even louder? She didn't know what had happened between her master and the grandfather last night, but looking at her master's current appearance, when had he ever spoken to her in such a tone?

  Qing Jin didn't know what Yuanyang was thinking, seeing Yuanyang crying unscrupulously, her eyebrows furrowed and she subconsciously wanted to scold her, but then thought of something and moved her lips without saying anything.

  This little girl was bought from a human trafficker on the street when she was three years old, at that time it was with a playful mood, unexpectedly after buying her back this little girl recognized her and wanted to follow her wholeheartedly. At that time there were many serving girls around her, so Madam Jun wanted to arrange her in another courtyard. She still remembers that when the little girl heard Madam Jun's words, although she didn't say a word, she looked at her stubbornly, and her eyes showed an unspoken determination.

  Later, the lady still gave this maid to her. At that time, Yuanyang was only five years old and had been serving by her side ever since. It can be said that this maid grew up with her from a young age and even after she married the third prince as his concubine, she remained by her side in the third prince's mansion because she didn't marry out due to concerns about her mistress. Over the years, she had become her trusted personal maid and reliable assistant. Their relationship was no longer simply that of master and servant.

  Now her future is uncertain, and there's only one person left by her side who truly cares about her. Let this girl be rude to her face just this once, anyway, she has already arranged a good life for her after leaving the palace, and from then on, she won't have to live so cautiously anymore!

  "Milady, how did you become like this overnight? What exactly did the prince do to you last night?" Yuyang cried out in anger and hatred.

  Qingjin's expression changed under Yuanyang's questioning, and she quickly hid it when Yuanyang wasn't paying attention. She smiled at Yuanyang and said, "No, my body has been hurt since that time, you know that too." As she spoke, she took out a box from beside the dressing table and handed it to Yuanyang.

  Yuanyang hesitantly took it over, and Qingjin said to her, "Open it and take a look."

  The mandarin duck opened the box according to Yuwen's words, and first saw a thin piece of paper. The mandarin duck took it in her hand and looked at it, it was her own sale contract. Then she looked into the box again, some precious and beautiful jewelry and several hundred taels of silver tickets. The mandarin duck's eyes were red, she already vaguely knew Qingjin's meaning, "Madam this..."

  "Swan goose, I know you're clever. You've followed me for so many years, and I haven't been able to give you anything. You can see it too, my body is no longer good, and I'm afraid I won't be able to hold on for much longer. This mansion has always been about stepping on others to elevate oneself... Consider these as the dowry I've prepared for you. You're also someone who's been delayed by me..."

  "Madam, what exactly happened between you and Master last night? Are you trying to drive me away? I've been following you for so many years, now even you don't want me anymore?" Yuanyang looked at Qingjin with a stubborn gaze, just like she did back then.

  "Yuan-yang, just call me 'young lady'!" Qing-jin said without responding to Yuan-yang's words, avoiding her gaze.

  "Miss..." Yuanyang spoke up despite being dissatisfied with Qingjin's lack of response.

  "Swan goose, do you still remember the days when I hadn't met that girl yet?"

  "Are you talking about the days we spent in Anji Houfu? Yuanyang remembers, of course. You were clever and had your own ideas from a young age, always knowing many things that even our old lady didn't know. At that time, you liked to wear a bright red dress and ride a fine horse. I was happiest when accompanying you on horseback rides. Your whip skills were incredible. Among all the girls in the Houfu, the old lady liked you the most. She said that among so many people in the Houfu, only you inherited the bloodline of our ancestors, not to mention your exceptional poetry skills at such a young age."

  "You don't know, miss, but I will never forget the sight of you wearing a red dress on horseback, with an aura of superiority and invincibility, just like a phoenix about to take flight, dazzling and captivating. What's more, I will never forget that when I was being sold to a brothel by human traffickers at a young age, although I didn't understand what the brothel was, my heart was filled with an instinctive fear of that place. It was then that you appeared before me like a goddess and saved me."

  Qing Jin heard Yuanyang's words, a smile spread across her face, and she thought of the simple and free life before. She couldn't help but be filled with nostalgia as she opened her mouth: "Yes, at that time I was so ignorant... If it wasn't for me being reckless and insisting on marrying... forget it, I won't mention those things again. Grandmother was also deeply hurt by me, I wronged the Anji Marquis's household, wronged my mother... and father... what a pity... alright, let's not talk about these things anymore, you should leave now."

  "Miss, I'm not leaving." Yuanyang didn't expect Qingjin to want her to leave at this time.

  "Do you want me to call someone to chase you away?" Qing Jin said coldly.

  "Miss..." Yuanyang called out, but seeing Qingjin didn't even glance at her, Yuanyang fell silent and turned away dejectedly.

  As she heard the sound of the door closing, Qingjin stared fixedly in the direction of the door, a mix of reluctance and comfort lingering in her heart.

  Half a moment later, she looked in the mirror and began to carefully paint her eyebrows and eyes. She wanted to see that man again. She had once given up everything and married him as his concubine. She thought she would be special, that with her own abilities she could make him fall deeply in love with her. She thought she could have a beautiful ending for the two of them in this ancient era where women's status was low. But ultimately, she was too naive.