Chapter 5

Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

Author: WingYing

Translator: Delia

Proofreader: Dalgona

Glossary & Characters

Author’s note: ps: This chapter has some omniscient point of view, but it’s necessary for the plot. Let’s throw in something terrifying, I’ll take responsibility!

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I couldn’t remember how I was taken away.

I could only remember that red bead. It looked like a pomegranate seed, or like the red agate on the hairpins of concubines in the residence. Its brilliant red color was really beautiful.

I was brought back to the house, guarded by servants, and was not allowed to step out of there for two days. I spent these past two days muddle-headed. Despite the delicious offerings of food, I could not eat nor swallow. I repeatedly woke up in the middle of night from nightmares. Every time I opened my eyes, I wondered if everything that had happened was really just a dream. I didn’t know what was happening to my body. I had thought I was an innocent ordinary person all these years: even the people around me also thought so. Who would’ve thought that there was something this ridiculous that could happen in this world.

Regardless of whether or not I thought about this situation, what’s happening right now, or what’s about to happen—everything, there was no room for me to choose.

Early in the morning, servants woke me up and led me to the next room to wash my face and rinse my mouth. When I got there, I saw that same aunt from before and two older married women. As before, this aunt was dressed to the nines and wearing heavy makeup, with white fox fur hanging around her neck. She kicked her slender legs up and smiled at me in a leisurely manner. Seeing her, I remembered the torment from that day and my body could not help but tremble slightly.

“What, are you afraid of me? Can it be that this aunt will eat you?” She chuckled, her beautiful red lips like fire. “Can you read or write? Have you ever been to school? Hmm?”

I hung my head, and said cautiously in a small voice, “This junior can read and write.” Although I had never been to school, the residence had hired a tutor and I had studied the Four Books and Five Classics before.

This aunt heard me, then said, “That’s fine, it will save us time and trouble if we don’t have to ask the teacher to teach you this. I don’t expect you to be a scholar, but just need to be able to read the commonly used characters. Anyways, even if you learn well, it’s just the icing on the cake. Whether or not you can survive will depend on if you can live up to the expectations.” Every sentence she said was filled with meaning. I stood there with my head down, unsure how to respond.

Feeling bored because she couldn’t get a reaction out of me, she waved her hand and continued, “Fine, I won’t tease you anymore. I’m here today for actual business. Zhao momo, Chen momo, starting from today, you must carefully instruct our Young Master to prevent us from losing face when he leaves for his husband’s house.”

The two momos nodded in understanding; this aunt didn’t say anymore and let me leave.

Starting from that day, I woke up early in the morning, gargled salt water and changed clothes. Then, the momos would start their “lessons”. The content they taught me was not how to read and write, but the Confucian code of conduct and ethics of the noble families. This included whether or not to straighten your back when you walk, how much one could eat at meals, how you should speak depending on the person you were talking to: everything was included without omission. If there was an area I couldn’t do well, the two momos didn’t show any mercy. They would beat me with a stick or deprive me of a meal or two- and these were considered the trivial punishments.

“Kaos have 4 commandments on what you cannot do- First is infertility even with normal chao periods, sharing a bed with your husband for three years without any pregnancies; second is having unfavorable relations with your husband’s parents; third is having messy affairs and being with someone that’s not your husband; fourth is to have an ailment, to have a serious disease means the household cannot be prosperous…….”

What I was reading right now was the “Four Commandments”, and the contents were similar to the book on conduct for women. Every kao had to abide by these, and should any of them be violated, it was up to the husband’s family to decide what to do. That aunt said that each of these commandments must be etched into my bones: but the worst crime of them all, even far worse than promiscuous affairs, was infertility.

After I finished reciting these, I saw the woman sitting on the stool nod in satisfaction. Every three days, that aunt would come test me. If there was an area that I didn’t do well, the two momos would be punished which would negatively affect any good treatment I might receive from them.

“What are the “Three No’s?” this aunt asked. “

I grasped my palm and answered, “The so-called three no’s refer to not fertile, not hardworking, and not getting along well.”

The “Three No’s” were a counterpart to the “Four Commandments”, and consisted of the three worst mistakes made by a “xie” husband. The first was to not have children, to lack vitality and not being able to give their “kao” spouse a child; the second was to be lazy, not only refusing to sleep with their spouse but also leaving their “kao” spouse unsatisfied during their chao period; the third was disharmony. Usually there are many “xie” in the household and the “kao” spouse serves them all- as such the “xie” husbands should not be jealous nor have suspicion amongst the “xie” husbands. And as for how a “kao” wife should get along with their “xie” husband, there were no fewer than a thousand rules.

As a “kao” person, the things you need to know were far more than what the past me and ordinary people needed to know. Kaos were born of a Yin body constitution, especially male kaos- the Yin is more abundant than the Yang. Just like ordinary people, kaos experience puberty starting around age twelve, with kao females having a menstrual period and kao males having the yin liquid flow in addition to the chao periods. During the chao period, all kaos release a fragrance, and the entrance itches as the body turns as hot as a heated brick bed. There is an urgency to have sex, to reconcile Yin and Yang and for heaven and earth to be in harmony. Chao periods come around twelve to fifteen years old, or at the latest before eighteen. When this happens, the kao needs to be married off as soon as possible to prevent the torment an unfulfilled chao period brings.

“What if——,” at that moment, I asked the momo, “I have heard that there is a medicine…”

Zhao momo hurriedly hushed me, her attitude telling me I shouldn’t continue my line of questioning, “Which disaster-courting person told Fourth Brother about this matter?”

I faltered; they were things I’d read during my idle times. Momo said, “Fourth Brother, from today onward, you must never bring up this matter. That kind of medicine shouldn’t be touched! If you touch it, it will end chao, and you will never be able to have children. This is a sin….”

That was then I realized, for a kao person to never bear any children- they were considered worse than an ordinary person.

These days, I’ve been staying in the inner courtyard of the Shen Mansion, not seeing my Father nor Eldest Brother nor other people. My Father should have known about this matter by now. He must be happy about it, just like back then when I occasionally passed by the hall and saw my Father holding Fifth Sister in a loving manner. He never treated me badly; it was just that he had Eldest Brother and Second Brother, and as I was not very smart, he often forgot about me. As for Third Concubine, now that I’m like this, it should make her feel proud and elated, enough to raise her eyebrows high.

The box knocked onto the floor made a sound, and I recovered my thoughts.

This aunt leaned against the table, and shot a lazy look over, “Open it.”

The rectangular box looked extremely valuable, but who could’ve thought that after opening it, the inside was filled with numerous fake phalluses. After seeing this, my entire neck to my ears turned red.

“Why are you so shy, this thing, doesn’t your body also have one?” she asked while sneering. I pursed my lips and turned my eyes slightly aside. The phalluses were made out of a wood material, varied in size, and were about ten in number. The thinnest one was slightly smaller than a toddler’s arms, the thickest and longest one unexpectedly was like a horsewhip. This aunt stood up from the chair, gracefully walked over, bending before me and spoke while choosing a wooden phallus, “Tell me, how can you tell a person is a kao?”

My eyes wandered over her hands, hesitantly said, “The appearance of ‘kao’… naturally is graceful, with black silky hair, soft muscles and thin bones, not tall nor short, not big nor small…” (Note: Modified from Chapter 8 of “Su Nv Sutra”, translation: When choosing a kao, you should choose one with a gentle and graceful nature, black and shiny hair, white and smooth skin, bones like thin bamboo with a suitable height.)

As I was saying this, a servant brought over a stool, and the momo pressed me down as I laid on my head. Afterwards, someone took off my pants, separated my two legs, revealing my buttocks. “In… in addition, there needs to be a hole ——-!” My voice trailed off as the momo wiped something unknown between my buttocks; it was extremely cold and went deep into the hole.

“This is made out of female ginseng, jasmine, cnidium etc., it can treat cold and dampness in the lower region, back pain caused by dampness. Most importantly, it can lessen Yin essence and helps pick up Yang and replenishes qi during sex, and can remove the old to bring in the new. In the future you have to remember to apply some every day and to massage the back hole, three times a day.” As she was speaking, she picked up the smallest one and walked behind me, holding a fake phallus and rubbed it against my buttocks, “Aunt will pick the thinnest one for you today, we can take it step by step in the future. Remember, this is also for your own good.”

Afterwards, that wooden phallus followed the ointment, first entering an inch, rubbed around, then slowly entered half an inch and then another half an inch. This process felt like a blunt instrument was being stuck into my flesh, the pain causing my legs to tremble and almost caused me incontinence. After swallowing half of the rod, the back hole started to itch, and my body also heated up. This aunt rubbed it around a few times, and it seemed the area also became damp, and she joked, “This place of yours is like a treasure, even this aunt feels ashamed of being inferior.” (T/N: Basically, she’s saying that his ability to be wet might be better than hers LOL)

I felt as if I would never stop being ashamed, as she smacked my buttocks forcing me to clench, “Remember, when the penis enters your body, whether is it slow or fast, this flesh must be clamped firmly, but not too tight. It is best to stop up the area in a relaxed manner, from the front to rear it should be smooth and unobstructed. Don’t be slow-witted and simply automatically rock your body, the first nine times are three and a half inches and the next time it goes deep inside.” As she said this she was also pushing in the wooden phallus at the same time. Suddenly, with the last push, it entered deeply all the way in. My entire body quivered from head to toe. I almost died from the pain.

This aunt saw me break out in cold sweat and explained, “That was your ‘kao knot’”.

The kao knot was similar to the female hymen but not the same. Regardless of gender, all kao have knots. During intercourse, it is only when the penis inserts into the kao knot that Yin and Yang combine. The kao knot will then connect to the birth canal, and when the essence pours over that area, then can the kao become pregnant. When speaking of kao and xie forming a knot, it refers to when you are about to reach climax during intercourse, the xie husband will slam his penis into the knot, and during climax must keep slamming into the knot while spurting his essence. This process, for the kao, is extremely painful and uncomfortable.

Just this light touch made me feel like I’d been cut by a knife, not to mention when the real blade will be stuffed in there…Just thinking about it, I felt scared and my body couldn’t help but shake.

Aunt touched the ends of my hair and coaxed me softly, “Suffering, you are not the only one to suffer. After all, our ancestors did not do this for nothing.”

Her sentence was to warn me to not have other thoughts.

Since Fifth Young Mistress’s incident, they were afraid that I would do something foolish so even if I was just going to bed, there was always a momo following me and no sharp weapons were allowed in the house. What they didn’t realize was that I was timid by nature. Since I was young it has always been said I had a temperament comparable to a daughter’s. Even if I didn’t want to follow, I still had to think about my poor concubine mother.

This aunt stood up and said to me, “You must wear this regardless of food or sleep, and unless you go to the toilet, you cannot remove it. Use it for a few days until your area is looser, then we can proceed with other plans.”

After I pulled up my pants, in the beginning I couldn’t even walk, and the momos wanted to help me but were stopped by this aunt. I had no other choice but to stand firm, and after thanking this aunt, I haltingly walked out.

In the middle of the night, the huge Shen Mansion was as quiet as a cicada in winter.

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A solitary lamp was lit in the hall, surrounded by the fluttering of a few moths, each pushing against each other, none willing to give in.

At this time, a beautiful image of a woman rose from the shadows, stopping in front of the Elder Madam. Su Xianrong said nothing but stood by her side obediently, and her two hands started massaging Madam’s shoulders.

The Elder Madam seemed to be quite comfortable, but… she kept turning the flower hairpin in her hand and sighed again.

Su Xianrong recognized the hairpin, her eye flashed as she cautiously asked, “Eldest Madam…is missing Fifth Young Mistress?”

Elder Madam said, “This Fifth Mistress, this old one truly had her in my heart when I spoiled her.”

“What Elder Madam says is true, how you treated Fifth Young Mistress, everyone could see it. Who would’ve thought, this Fifth Young Mistress wouldn’t want the good days ahead of time but instead chose to fornicate with wild men, and had the audacity to commit suicide by swallowing gold, unable to tell good from bad.” When Su Xianrong brought up Fifth Young Mistress, a hint of jealously flashed in her eyes, but it disappeared quickly. After all, the dead could not be stronger than the living.

Eldest Madam did not continue the conversation but instead asked, “That boy… Are you able to discipline him?”

Su Xianrong answers, “Elder Madam, don’t worry, everything is going appropriately.”

“Un.” The Elder Madam nooded, “It seems that our Shen Clan ancestors are watching over us. I thought without Fifth Young Mistress, the Shen family was at an end. Nowadays like this, the willow trees make the shade, the flowers give the light and become another village.” (T/N: She’s seen the light at the end of the tunnel, at one’s darkest hour, a glimmer of hope)

“But,” Su Xianrong said hesitantly, “What are Elder Madam’s plans for the Xu Family? Although Fourth Brother is a kao, in the end…

“Although he is a kao, his body is different from others. If such a person is given to the Xu Family, I’m afraid it will disgrace the Four Families.”

Eldest Madam sneered, “Xianrong, count. Within my Shen Clan, how many xie kao do we have?”

“This…”

Elder Madam stood up, “Don’t even mention the Seven Clans, just count how many kaos the Four Families have had in these hundred years.”

Su Xianrong quickly knelt down, “Xian, Xianrong is ignorant…” Elder Madam sneered again, “In the noble families nowadays, there are many xie, but kaos are less and less. Although our Shen Clan is not the only choice, do you think the Xu Familiy is willing to put down its pride and find an unclean scum from the lower classes to split and pass on the noble bloodlines of the Four Families?”

Su Xianrong did not dare reply. Elder Madam shook her head, “Nowadays, although the Li Family is in charge, there is still a need to balance the other three families. It’s not that there are no noble kaos, but the more noble the kao is, the more they must tolerate serving many husbands. Family Head Xu’s two concubine-borne xies, one’s maternal family is from the Xie Family, one’s maternal family is State Duke Jing’s resident princess, regardless of which, both are considered the noblest of the nobles, it’s impossible to favor one. Let me ask, in the noble families, for there to be this kind of kao, who would allow the Xu Family’s two sons to be monogamous?”

“Xianrong, think about it, although Xu Family was somewhat unsatisfied with my Shen Clan, but in the end they still continued our relationship.” The Elder Madam continued, “In the Seven Clans, besides the three Wang, He, Qi Families, there are no age appropriate kao. This marriage was decidedly early, and now they are being asked to find someone again. In these two years, I’m afraid it will be difficult to find another.”

“What Elder Madam said then it must be so….Our Shen Clan is indeed the best choice.” Su Xianrong said eagerly.

"No.” The old lady looked worried, “The scruples you just said are not unreasonable.”

After all, the Xu Family was a century old prominent family, an unusually prestigious house, it was impossible to say that the Xu Family would absolutely not care.

The Elder Madam thought and thought, sighed and said, “The way it’s looking, after a few days, this old one will personally drop by and pay a visit to see if Xu Family has other conditions and to talk about other things.”

Su Xianrong supported the Elder Madam, helping her walk, saying, “Thinking about it, it shouldn’t be too difficult to deal with the Xu Family. After all, disregarding how this kao is, as long as child birth is possible, this is still the proper order to things….”

The Elder Madam nodded, thinking this was rather reasonable, and threw the hairpin in her hand into the stove without looking at it again.

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