Republic of China: My great warlord, many children, many blessings.

Hu Xueli's eyes lit up, and she was extremely excited.

She looked at Shen Hao with a charming gaze and said, "Director Shen, it's so good to have you. I'm not wronged at all, not even a little bit."

Tao Yingying, who was standing to the side, was dumbfounded. What was going on? Weren't we supposed to stay and discuss something?

How did you two get together?

Hu Xueli knew that she had been engaged before, that it was not her first marriage, and that she was a virgin.

She certainly wasn't a competitor in Shen Hao's eyes, but she had her own special skills.

She was also a little scared, worried that Shen Hao would dislike her because she was a white tiger.

Moreover, Hu Xueli could tell that Shen Hao also had feelings for Tao Yingying.

So, his eyes darted around, and he thought to himself:

If I can help Director Shen win over Tao Yingying, then Director Shen will definitely be more satisfied with me.

Well, that should be the case.

So, Hu Xueli took Tao Yingying's hand and said with a sorrowful expression, "Oh, Yingying, you're not even married yet, and you've already caused your fiancé's death. If this gets out, it won't be good for your reputation."

The days ahead are going to be tough.

If your in-laws don't release you, won't you be a widow for life?

Even if we let you go, will you be able to marry into a good family in the future?

Those rumors and gossip can drown a person!

Hu Xueli's words only brought tears to Tao Yingying's eyes.

I felt extremely wronged.

She was a young woman who usually stayed at home and always believed in the traditional virtues of obedience to father, mother, and son.

I don't even go to the streets.

I never imagined that after trying so hard to be a good wife, I would end up a widow. Who would believe it if I told them?

Feeling wronged is useless; that's just how this era is.

They were far too cruel to women.

As Tao Yingying thought about her miserable future, tears streamed down her face as if they were free.

She was sobbing softly.

Seeing this, Hu Xueli smiled. This girl was soft-hearted and easy to control.

We can be good sisters in the future.

Hu Xueli is a very intelligent woman, and in the past few years, apart from consummating her marriage with the bureau chief, she has not suffered any hardship.

I've seen a lot of the world.

It made me realize even more how wicked people with power and influence can be; they don't treat women like human beings at all.

That one didn't have three wives and four concubines.

He was embarrassed to go out if he didn't have a few concubines.

The Qing Dynasty fell, and the Republic of China came.

Society became even more turbulent. Hu Xueli knew very well that it was not easy for a woman to make a living in such chaotic times, and the prostitution industry developed rapidly during that year.

With her looks, it's easy to imagine what would happen if she had no one to protect her.

The most famous place in Beijing is the Eight Great Hutongs.

In this capital city, the people who love to frequent the Eight Great Hutongs are not local thugs or wealthy tycoons, but rather the elite members of the two academies and one court.

The two houses refer to the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of China.

The term "一堂" refers to the Imperial University of Peking.

Especially those professors and scholars, they are all lecherous.

His favorite place to go was a first-class brothel, known as the "Little Class".

The reason for adding the word "Qingyin" is that most of the prostitutes came from Suzhou, Yangzhou, and Hangzhou, all from the Jiangnan region. They were more delicate and beautiful than women from the north, and therefore more valuable.

They were bought at a young age and began to practice the sheng, stringed instruments, poetry, literature, and music, hence the name "Southern Class".

These sanctimonious scholars and officials, which one of them doesn't have three wives and four concubines, yet they still frequent the Eight Great Hutongs every day?

The so-called freedom only applies to those in positions of power; those at the bottom remain at the bottom.

Therefore, Hu Xueli knew very well that a man like Shen Hao would definitely have many women in the future.

She couldn't stop it.

Since we can't change it, we might as well integrate into it.

So, Hu Xueli thought that she should try to win over a few more of her sisters, so that she would at least have teammates.

We can look after each other in the future.

It must be said that Hu Xueli has a long-term vision.

Another point is that Shen Hao is handsome and tall, which also fits Hu Xueli's aesthetic.

Even if she didn't get a single silver dollar, Hu Xueli would still be willing to follow such a man.

Moreover, Hu Xueli discovered that Shen Hao had a bottom line in his actions; he wasn't the kind of person who was wicked without any limits. A man like that wouldn't treat his woman badly.

This is also the experience Hu Xueli has learned in judging men over the years.

Seeing Tao Yingying crying incessantly, Shen Hao gave Hu Xueli a look and then walked out.

After Shen Hao left, Hu Xueli held Tao Yingying's hand and gently comforted her, "What do you think of this Director Shen?"

Tao Yingying sobbed and nodded, saying, "This Director Shen not only saved us, but also gave us 300 silver dollars. He's such a good person!"

If there's mutual attraction, there's a chance; there's a possibility.

Hu Xueli smiled and asked again, "How does Director Shen compare to your fiancé?"

A hint of shyness flashed in Tao Yingying's beautiful eyes, and her cheeks flushed as she said, "Director Shen is the most handsome man I've ever seen, like he stepped out of a book. He also has a pleasant personality and speaks very well."

Hu Xueli rolled her eyes, speechless.

You silly girl, you rarely leave the house, how many men have you seen in all these years?

However, this is also good, since they haven't seen much of the world and their expectations are low.

So he coaxed her gently, "Do you think it would be a disservice for me to marry Director Shen as a concubine?"

Tao Yingying thought for a moment and said, "I don't think it's unfair. I think it's pretty good. It's better than marrying someone who does hard labor."

They were bullied outside, so they came back and beat their wives.

It's better to find a strong one.

After saying that, Tao Yingying thought of her father.

A rickshaw puller, after being mistreated outside, would come home and beat his mother and her.

And they've always wanted to sell her for a good price.

16. So white!

Hu Xueli was somewhat surprised to see that Tao Yingying was so aware at such a young age.

So he smiled and said, "How about this, you and I will both become Director Shen's concubines? That way we'll be sisters in the future."

In an instant, two blushes rose on Tao Yingying's delicate, fair cheeks. She lowered her head shyly, rubbing her hands together incessantly, momentarily at a loss for words.

No refusal means consent.

Hu Xueli smiled and said, "In that case, I'll tell Director Shen that from now on we'll be sisters."

Tao Yingying hesitated for a moment and said, "But...but my father won't agree."

Hu Xueli asked in astonishment, "Why?"

Upon hearing this, Tao Yingying lowered her head in shame.

"My father gambled away all the dowry the Zhou family gave us before. That was 40 silver dollars. How can I afford to pay it back?"

The thought of her family made Tao Yingying feel extremely sad.

Hu Xueli chuckled and said, "You're still worried about this? Don't you realize you're going to be Director Shen's concubine? Do you think your father would dare to disagree?"

Does he no longer want to stay in the capital?

If Director Shen were to utter just one sentence, your father would probably be more than happy to hand you over to him.

“How are we going to explain this to the Zhou family? That’s 40 silver dollars,” Tao Yingying said.

"This isn't something you should be thinking about, it's something Director Shen should be thinking about. Right now, you're just wondering whether you're willing to become Director Shen's concubine," Hu Xueli asked.

For a moment, the entire office was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

After hesitating for a moment, Tao Yingying glanced shyly at Hu Xueli and whispered, "Sister Xueli, I...I'll listen to you from now on."