Little Eight (Please Subscribe, Collect, Vote, and Recommend)

"Ha~~"

Gu Sheng smiled as he walked up to her. "The only women who can come home with me are my concubines. You know what a concubine is, right?"

"I—I know!"

Yue Qiluo lowered her head, looking timid. "Mother told me before. A concubine is a secondary wife."

Gu Sheng scrutinized the little beauty again. "You know she’d be a secondary wife, yet you’re still willing? Aren’t you afraid you’ll be bullied after coming home with me?"

"I—I’m not afraid. You’re a good person. You’ll protect me, right?"

Yue Qiluo spoke in a soft, childish voice. Her pitiful appearance was truly endearing. Anyone who didn’t know her background would only think she was a poor girl. Who could have imagined how frightening this hundred-year-old, scheming little beauty really was?

"A good person? What an unusual way to put it. Heh~"

Gu Sheng reached out with his left hand and lifted Yue Qiluo’s chin, pinching her little cheek between his thumb and forefinger. Then he reached out with his right hand and lightly scratched her delicate nose. "Still, you pass."

Yue Qiluo said nothing. Her nose wrinkled slightly, her little face flushed, and she looked shy and timid.

"Come on, get on. I’ll carry you. At the speed of a little tortoise like you, who knows how long it’ll take to get home otherwise?"

Gu Sheng turned around and crouched slightly, signaling for Yue Qiluo to climb onto his back.

"I’m not a tortoise!"

Yue Qiluo argued in a small voice before lying across Gu Sheng’s broad back and wrapping her little arms around his neck.

"Heh~"

Gu Sheng merely chuckled. Then he stood up, reached both hands behind him to support the little beauty, and carried her toward Zhang Residence.

Yue Qiluo was very light; he could barely feel her weight.

"Master!"

Gu Sheng walked quickly. Carrying Yue Qiluo, he drew countless glances as he went. Before long, he returned to Zhang Residence. When the servant guarding the gate saw him, he hurriedly opened it.

"Where’s your mistress?"

Gu Sheng entered without any intention of putting down the little girl on his back. He simply asked the gatekeeper where Liu Daimei was.

The gatekeeper hurriedly responded, "The First Lady, Third Lady, Fourth Lady, and Sixth Lady are playing Sparrow in the main hall. The Second Lady is chanting scriptures and worshiping Buddha. The Fifth Concubine is in her room. I heard she’s unwell. The Seventh Lady is in the kitchen."

"Go notify the Second Lady and Seventh Lady to come to the main hall. Send word to the Fifth Concubine and tell her to rest properly."

After giving his instructions, Gu Sheng carried Yue Qiluo inside. Zhang Xianzong’s six concubines had all been untouched since he arrived. Their food and living arrangements had not been neglected, though. After all, he had to properly play the role of Zhang Xianzong; he couldn’t inexplicably drive out all six concubines.

"Master!"

"Master!"

As soon as Gu Sheng entered the main hall, several women who had been playing cards rushed over enthusiastically. But Yue Qiluo on Gu Sheng’s back was like a bucket of cold water, instantly dousing their enthusiasm. One after another, they glared at Little Yueyue with extremely hostile looks.

"Master, who is this young lady?"

The First Concubine had been with Zhang Xianzong the longest and had learned to handle such matters. With a smile, she brushed back the loose hair at her forehead and cautiously asked Gu Sheng about Yue Qiluo.

Still carrying the little beauty, Gu Sheng walked to the sofa and carefully set the "porcelain doll" down. His attentive care drew wave after wave of displeased looks toward Yue Qiluo. "This is Little Eight. From now on, she’ll be your sister."

"You’re her older sisters, so you must take good care of her. I’ve already sent for the others. What’s wrong with the Fifth Concubine?"

Gu Sheng was somewhat puzzled. The concubines at Zhang Residence ate well, slept soundly, and had no pressure. How could one of them suddenly fall ill? He hadn’t noticed any warning signs beforehand.

"What else could it be? Lovesickness!"

The Sixth Concubine curled her lips and rolled her eyes. "Some people desperately want their bellies to prove fruitful, but without anyone to plow the fields, how could they bear melons and fruit? Master, it’s not that I’m saying this, but sometimes it’s easier to achieve results when everyone shares in the rain and dew."

"Uh~"

Gu Sheng turned his head awkwardly. During this period, he had either been in the study or sleeping in Liu Daimei’s little courtyard. He hadn’t touched any of these concubines again. They were all young beauties with decent looks, precisely at the age when they craved such nourishment.

"Master! Master!"

The chanting Second Concubine and the "sick" Fifth Concubine arrived hand in hand. The Fifth Concubine’s little face was somewhat pale, but her gaze at Gu Sheng seemed capable of squeezing out water.

"Master, you’re back!"

Amid a light chuckle, Liu Daimei appeared with poised elegance. The other six concubines instantly changed expression and, as if united against an outside enemy, stood in a row and glared at Liu Daimei, cursing her as a shameless vixen countless times in their hearts.

"Mhm! I’m back!"

Gu Sheng stepped forward and wrapped an arm around Liu Daimei’s slender waist. Liu Daimei hooked an arm around his neck and provocatively glanced at the other concubines. When her gaze swept over Yue Qiluo, she showed a hint of surprise.

While staying at the residence to look after things for Gu Sheng, Liu Daimei had found ways to amuse herself by stirring up palace intrigue with several of the concubines. They all knew their limits, though, and no one dared do anything too excessive.

Yue Qiluo looked at Liu Daimei, then at the several concubines. It seemed she had discovered something interesting!

"I haven’t seen this younger sister before. What’s her name? Are you planning to replace the old with the new?"

Liu Daimei hooked her arm around Gu Sheng’s neck and leaned against him, acting spoiled toward him with all her might.

"This older sister, my name is Yue Qiluo!"

Yue Qiluo was quite proactive. After giving her name, she looked at Gu Sheng and, as if she had summoned her courage, said loudly, "Master said he wanted me to go home with him and become his concubine…"

"Little Eight! Heh~"

Liu Daimei stared at Yue Qiluo for a moment before reaching out to stroke her little face. "Qiluo, do you know that this man is very fickle? He finds you novel now, but once he gets tired of you, you’ll…"

Liu Daimei wore an expression of concern. "If you have nowhere to go, you’d be better off staying here as a servant girl than becoming a concubine. Being a concubine isn’t easy. Not only do you have to serve that awful man well, you might also be beaten, scolded, and driven out of the house. And since you’re only a secondary wife, even if you give birth to a son, he won’t be able to inherit the family estate!"

"Daimei!"

Gu Sheng was utterly speechless at Liu Daimei’s sabotage. Women!

"It’s fine. I’m willing!"

Yue Qiluo smiled brilliantly at Gu Sheng. On the surface, she looked like an innocent young girl.

"Suit yourself!"

Liu Daimei shrugged. Gu Sheng had not hidden Yue Qiluo’s identity from her, so she was extremely wary of this beautiful little girl.

"Daimei, take good care of Qiluo. Give her a change of clothes. I’m going to the study to take care of some things."

Gu Sheng suddenly remembered that there were still some things in his study that he hadn’t put away. It would be disastrous if Yue Qiluo discovered them.

"See? This is what men are like. They’re always busy and so difficult to deal with."

Liu Daimei smiled at Yue Qiluo. Her right hand reached up and pinched the little girl’s cheek. "Come with Big Sister. I’ll dress you up beautifully and make that lecher’s eyes go wide."