In the Fucheng, at the Fu Mansion.
Suddenly, two lamps in the main chamber went out. The deep and heavy curtains seemed to conceal all signs of life.
Concubine Four and Concubine Eleven were the two most favored women of Lord Fu in his later years.
Lady Fu had passed away many years ago, and Lord Fu never remarried.
Concubine Four, with more seniority, was in charge of the mansion's household affairs and shouldered the responsibilities of the inner courtyard.
The young and charming Concubine Eleven was like fresh flowers and sweet nectar, accompanying and consoling the increasingly withered Lord Fu.
The two concubines took turns serving the lord, bringing him tea, water, and medicine, handling everything personally without relying on others.
It was obvious to everyone that they were now at odds with each other, officially locked in a fierce competition.
Lord Fu was on his last breath.
At this moment, the one who spent more time by his side would likely inherit the most family property.
The two concubines exhausted all their efforts, hoping to revive Lord Fu.
However, fate is fate, and what was to come finally arrived.
It was Concubine Eleven's turn to keep watch that night.
Concubine Eleven stood about three feet away from the bed, covering her nose with a handkerchief in disgust, and ordered the maid Xiaoque to feed Lord Fu the medicine.
Lord Fu's eyes were cloudy, and his breathing was like a bellows, wheezing loudly as if he would stop breathing at any moment. This sight frightened Xiaoque.
She trembled as she poured the medicine into Lord Fu's mouth.
The medicine was thick and black, with a sour and bitter taste.
Mixed with the putrid smell of the long - ill man, Concubine Eleven almost vomited.
Xiaoque pinched a white cotton towel with her fingertips and quickly wiped around Lord Fu's lips. It was hard to tell if she had wiped it clean.
Suddenly, Lord Fu's eyes bulged wide, his face turned from white to blue, and he let out two hoarse grunts from his throat. Then his head tilted to one side, and he soon fell silent.
Xiaoque was so frightened that she couldn't help but let out a scream.
Concubine Eleven was also stunned.
But she didn't care about the bad luck. She rushed forward and slapped Lord Fu's sunken face hard. "My lord! My lord! You haven't left your last words yet! How could you just die like this?"
After a long time, Concubine Eleven lost her strength.
She looked at the dead man on the bed, filled with loathing. Soon, a great sense of joy welled up in her.
This man was finally dead.
She had finally waited for this day.
Concubine Eleven stood in the lamplight, her red lips fierce and her eyes cold. "The lord is dead. He said that all the family property belongs to Young Master Eight and me."
Xiaoque trembled her lips but didn't say a word.
Concubine Eleven repeated it again, staring intently at Xiaoque.
"Did you hear me clearly?"
Xiaoque bit her lip and made up her mind. "What the concubine said is right."
Only if Concubine Eleven and Young Master Eight lived well could she live well.
Xiaoque understood the principle of sharing weal and woe.
Concubine Eleven whispered an order. "Bring the stamp pad."
Xiaoque quickly brought a box of stamp pad. Concubine Eleven took out a piece of paper from her inner pocket. The handwriting on it was exactly the same as Lord Fu's.
It detailed how the huge family property would be distributed.
Among them, the ones who would benefit the most were none other than Concubine Eleven and her son, Young Master Eight.
There was a strange light in Concubine Eleven's eyes.
She had been by Lord Fu's side for ten years.
Because of her beautiful appearance and her talent for amorous affairs, she was most suited to Lord Fu's dual - natured personality of being upright in public and lustful in private.
Since Lord Fu took her in, he had spent half of each month in her room.
Even Concubine Four, who had been favored for a long time, had to take a step back.
Concubine Eleven was from a brothel. She knew that beauty doesn't last forever. After gaining favor, she pleaded with Lord Fu to let her stay by his side, saying that it would be a beautiful thing for a red - sleeved beauty to add fragrance.
As Lord Fu got older, he became a bit muddle - headed. Finally, unable to resist Concubine Eleven's teasing, he allowed her to enter and leave the study freely.
Concubine Eleven was a thoughtful person with a bit of talent.
Gradually, she learned to imitate Lord Fu's handwriting and also roughly knew where Lord Fu's private property was.
She also secretly took imprints of two of Lord Fu's seals.
She had been preparing for ten years.
She had been waiting for this day.
Concubine Eleven quickly dipped Lord Fu's index finger in the stamp pad and pressed it on the last part of the "will".
With the specially aged seal marks, this will was more authentic than a real one.
After doing all this, Concubine Eleven asked Xiaoque to arrange Lord Fu's remains.
Then she put the will in the jade box where Lord Fu kept his confidential letters.
Concubine Eleven pinched her waist hard and suddenly let out a wail.
"My lord! My poor lord! How could you leave me like this! It's like stabbing my heart! I'll go with you right away!"
Saying that, she rushed towards the pillar in the room.
Even though Xiaoque knew Concubine Eleven's plan, she was still greatly shocked.
She flew over and tried to pull Concubine Eleven back. Half of her sleeve was torn, but she still couldn't stop her.
Concubine Eleven's forehead hit the hard pillar stone heavily.
Before she fell to the ground, she tightly grabbed Xiaoque's hand. "Go and call someone!"
Then her eyes rolled back, and she fainted.
Xiaoque was a good maid. Seeing the pigeon - egg - sized bump on Concubine Eleven's forehead and determined to help her master rise to power.
Not good at acting, she quickly squeezed out tears and ran out crying to call someone.
Everyone knew that Lord Fu didn't have much time left. Except for a few who had no intention of competing for the property, everyone had their own motives.
As soon as Xiaoque shouted.
The lord was dead, and Concubine Eleven had followed him in death.
These two pieces of news were like thunderclaps, waking up everyone who was sleeping, not sleeping, or half - asleep.
In the entire Fu Mansion, the lights in the East, West, South, and North Courtyards all lit up.
Concubine Four arrived the earliest. She lived closest to the lord's courtyard.
The maid supported Concubine Four, and the group rushed over in a hurry.
As soon as Concubine Four entered the courtyard, she saw that none of the lord's confidants were there. Only two old women were left guarding the door.
Inside the room, Concubine Eleven was lying on the ground like a corpse. A few young maids were surrounding her, crying non - stop and shouting "Concubine! Concubine!", which was really annoying.
Lord Fu was lying on the bed like a corpse, so quiet.
Concubine Four's eyes were a bit complicated, but her expression remained calm, making it hard to tell what she was thinking.
In the blink of an eye, people from all the rooms in the Fu Mansion had gathered.
Before Concubine Three even entered the door, she shook her handkerchief and burst into tears.
"My lord! My dear lord! You've just left like this! Without even seeing us, your wives and children... My lord, open your eyes and look at me... Look at your children..."
Lord Fu's first wife had passed away soon after giving birth to the Seventh Young Master.
Concubine Two was also unlucky and had died early.
Concubine Three could be said to be the oldest among Lord Fu's concubines. She had two daughters and a son under her. She had also been in love with Lord Fu for a few days.
But when the more beautiful Concubine Four entered the mansion, Concubine Three immediately became like a piece of rice stuck to the man's lips.
Moreover, her children were mediocre in both talent and appearance.
Among Lord Fu's more than twenty children, they were really nothing special. So poor Concubine Three couldn't even rely on her children.
Seeing Lord Fu leave like this, Concubine Three thought she had to cry quickly.
She had been a non - entity for a long time.
This time, she must perform well.
Not only did she cry, but the Fourth Lady, the Fifth Lady, and Young Master Three and his wife behind Concubine Three also cried so hard that they beat their chests and stamped their feet.
The tears of the whole family would be enough to flood the local Dragon King Temple.