My husband, who abandoned his father and kept his son, actually wants me to be his concubine.

Chapter 101 His Majesty's Concubines

The moment Lu Mingzhu questioned him, the palace banquet fell silent.

Some of the ladies and daughters below were whispering amongst themselves.

"Princess Mingzhu has returned to Chang'an after eighteen years, and she's still the same old girl. She left Chang'an because her husband wanted to take a concubine, so why does she now want to interfere with whether the Seventh Prince takes a concubine or not?"

"I heard that His Majesty originally intended to make the daughter of the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat the concubine of the Seventh Prince. If the boots on the Seventh Prince's feet were really embroidered by Miss Sun Xian, Princess Mingzhu should not have questioned it like this."

Whispers continued.

Rong Yi stood up and said, "Mother-in-law, these boots were embroidered by Jinshi's maid Caifeng."

Lu Jinshi chuckled and said, "Yes, Mother, the boots the Seventh Prince is wearing were embroidered by Caifeng. I just don't know why Miss Sun said that you embroidered these boots?"

Upon hearing Lu Jinshi's words, Sun Xian frowned slightly and said, "The black boots on the Seventh Prince's feet were embroidered by me. The white jade inlaid on the back of these boots has the character 'Xian' engraved on it..."

Sun Xian said in a low voice, "If the Seventh Prince's Consort does not believe me, she can look at the back of the white jade on the back of the Seventh Prince's boots to see if the character 'Xian' is carved there."

Lu Jinshi bent down slightly and forcefully tore off the two pieces of white jade from the back of Rong Yi's boots. She carefully held them in her hands and said, "There's no 'Xian' in them..."

"The character 'Xian' might not be very clear..." Sun Xian stepped forward and said, "Seventh Prince's Consort, why don't you let me take a look at the jade?"

Lu Jinshi gripped the jade tightly and handed it to Prince Jin, saying, "Brother Prince Jin, if Miss Sun doesn't believe me, I'll trouble you to take a look."

Prince Jin took the jade from Lu Jinshi's hand and examined it carefully, then frowned.

Lu Jinshi said to Sun Xian, "Miss Sun, you said these boots were a gift from you to the Seventh Prince, but did you give them to him personally?"

Sun Xian said, "I didn't personally give these boots to the Seventh Prince, but I've already made it clear that they were embroidered for my future husband... Now these boots are on the Seventh Prince's feet, I...I..."

Sun Xian blushed slightly as she looked at Rong Yi, her hands nervously clenching her sleeves.

She knew that she had gone all out today, disregarding even the dignity of the Minister's daughter.

But she was willing to do it. Even if she lost face, she could allow the Seventh Prince to have concubines. How could the Seventh Prince, who was going to become the Crown Prince in the future, only have one principal wife?
It's one thing for Lu Jinshi's mother to be jealous, but the Seventh Prince is someone who will achieve great things in the future, and she absolutely cannot let Lu Jinshi's jealousy ruin the Seventh Prince's future.

Lu Jinshi said, "Whoever wears the boots you embroidered, you will consider him your husband?"

Sun Xian nodded and said, "Yes, the boots I embroidered by hand have been worn by a man. I have no choice but to accept him as my husband. Otherwise, I would have no face to live in this world."

Lu Jinshi smiled when he saw Sun Xian's resolute expression.

Why do the people in Chang'an City always seem to threaten suicide at the drop of a hat?
Lu Jinshi looked at Prince Jin, "Brother Prince, did you find the character 'Xian' on the jade?"

Prince Jin raised an eyebrow and looked at Lu Jinshi, saying, "No."

When Sun Xian heard the Prince of Jin say no, she frowned slightly and said, "How could there be no?"

Rong Yi frowned and said, "You don't believe the Prince of Jin even though he said no? Do you really think the Prince of Jin would lie to you?" "This humble woman wouldn't dare," Sun Xian said. "But Your Highness, are those boots you're wearing really embroidered by me for my future husband?"

"Who can testify that you embroidered these boots?" Rong Yi asked, frowning.

Princess Jin chuckled and said, "Seventh brother, I can testify to this. Sun Xian showed me the black boots she embroidered before... and they are exactly the same as the boots you are wearing."

Sun Xian said, "The boots I embroidered for my future husband ended up with you, Your Highness, by some twist of fate. I...I..."

Sun Xian knelt down and said, "Seventh Prince, Seventh Princess, I know that you two are deeply in love after your marriage, and I also know that you, Seventh Princess, specifically warned me that the Seventh Prince would not take me as a concubine. But the boots I prepared for my husband are already on the Seventh Prince's feet. To preserve my reputation, I have no choice but to die..."

Lu Jinshi laughed and said, "The Seventh Prince won't take you as a concubine, but His Majesty will. Why are you talking about dying? It's a holiday, how awful to talk about dying in front of His Majesty and His Majesty."

Upon hearing Lu Jinshi's words, Emperor Huiyuan, sitting at the head of the table, frowned and said, "Lu Jinshi, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Lu Jinshi knelt repeatedly before Emperor Huiyuan and said, "Your Majesty, your daughter-in-law dares not speak nonsense. However, Miss Sun Xian is very virtuous. She would rather die for a pair of boots. Miss Sun is in the prime of her life, and it would be a pity for her to die. Please, Your Majesty, give Miss Sun a way to live."

Emperor Huiyuan said, "Her boots are on Xiaoqi's feet, what does that have to do with me?"

Rong Yi said, "Father, I dare not deceive you. The boots I am wearing were indeed embroidered by Cai Feng, the maidservant of Jin Shi."

Princess Consort of Jin said, "Seventh Imperial Brother, you also know the crime of deceiving the emperor. I have seen the style of these black boots before. They were indeed embroidered by Miss Sun. You say that they were embroidered by a maid. Isn't that the same as saying that I deceived the emperor?"

Princess Jin knelt before His Majesty and said, "Father, your daughter-in-law would never dare to deceive you."

Lu Jinshi looked at the Princess Consort of Jin kneeling beside her and said, "Sister-in-law, you did not deceive the emperor. The black boots on the Seventh Prince's feet are indeed the style of boots embroidered by Sun Xian, but they were also made by my maid Caifeng."

Lu Jinshi looked at Emperor Huiyuan and said, "Your Majesty, not long after my marriage to the Seventh Prince, I saw these boots at our wedding ceremony. My daughter-in-law thought they were exquisitely made and of solid materials. Thinking of showing respect to Your Majesty, and also finding the style of these boots very nice, I had a maid make a pair for the Seventh Prince to wear..."

Lu Jinshi's gaze fell on Emperor Huiyuan's boots. "Your Majesty, the white jade inlaid on the back of the boots you are wearing should have the character 'Xian' carved on it."

Emperor Huiyuan, his face ashen, took a white jade pendant from the back of his boot, on which was clearly inscribed the character "Xian".

Consort Rong leaned closer to take a look and said, "Indeed, there is a character 'Xian' in it."

Emperor Huiyuan glared at Consort Rong, "These boots you gave me, you didn't embroider them yourself?"

Consort Rong said, "Indeed, I did not embroider it myself."

Sun Xian knelt on the ground, looking at Lu Jinshi with shock in her eyes. Lu Jinshi was so cunning, but she had even taken advantage of His Majesty. Wasn't she afraid that His Majesty would punish her or dislike the Seventh Prince?

Lu Jinshi wasn't afraid that after she became the Emperor's concubine, she would also be his stepmother and could discipline her at will?
Consort Rong smiled and said, "Your Majesty, since Miss Sun is so steadfast, seeking a husband for the sake of boots, and willing to die to preserve her reputation, please grant her wish. It just so happens that the harem has not had a new concubine for a long time."

Emperor Huiyuan smashed the white jade in his hand onto the ground.

Everyone at the palace banquet knelt down on the ground.

Consort Rong, however, still had a smile on her face as she said, "Your Majesty... you can't just stand by and watch Miss Sun Xian, such a young woman, seek death, can you?"