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

Chapter 114 The Fragrance of Fallen Blood, Who Could Not Conceive
Lu Jinshi took a light sniff and said, "This fragrance smells like sandalwood from a temple. If this Guanyin statue is actually enshrined, this fragrance will be masked by the sandalwood offered daily. I wonder what's hidden inside."

Rong Yi put the Guanyin statue into the box: "In a couple of days, we will go to the temple and take this Guanyin statue back to the back mountain of the temple for worship."

Lu Jinshi nodded and said, "Alright."

The two returned to the Jade Palace. As soon as they entered, they saw Xiao Zhang'er stumbling along.

Lu Jinshi was overjoyed and took Xiao Zhang'er into her arms. She looked at the wet nurse in disbelief and said, "Zhang'er can walk?"

The wet nurse smiled and said, "Yes, he just learned to walk today. Zhang'er is not even eleven months old and he can already walk. That's really amazing."

Lu Jinshi chuckled: "Zhang'er is quite remarkable."

Rong Yi reached out and touched Zhang'er's little face, saying, "He truly is my son."

Lu Jinshi looked at Rong Yi with a smile and said, "It's not like I chose the wrong person to borrow your seed to have a child."

Although Rong Yi's identity was indeed troublesome, she never thought of getting involved in the court struggles. Their Tianzhang Academy only cared about teaching students to be loyal to the emperor, love the country, be diligent and love the people. She never thought that one day she would be involved in this storm.

However, the only thing that made Lu Jinshi feel gratified was that if Zhang'er could inherit Rong Yi's looks, talent, or physical strength, it would be quite good.

Upon hearing Lu Jinshi's words, Rong Yi said with slight annoyance, "Lu Jinshi! You dare to bring this up again?"

Lu Jinshi smiled faintly and said, "Alright, alright, I won't say anything more."

It was hot outside, but as Lu Jinshi carried Zhang'er into the room, the coolness of the ice blocks in the bedroom immediately came through.

Rong Yi placed the brocade box containing the image of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, who grants children, aside.

Zhang'er crawled around in the hall. He walked to the small couch and mischievously opened the brocade box.

After Rong Yi dismissed the palace maids and eunuchs, he pulled Lu Jinshi into his arms and said, "You must not mention the matter of having a child through artificial insemination again. How many people have ridiculed me because of this?"

Lu Jinshi smiled and said, "Who would dare to laugh at the Seventh Prince?"

Rong Yi frowned slightly and said, "You are not allowed to mention this past matter again."

Lu Jinshi said, "Alright, I won't mention it again. Let me go. Zhang'er is actually playing with the Guanyin statue."

Like a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger, Xiao Zhang'er had no idea that there was a Guanyin statue in front of him. He thought it was just a porcelain doll and played with the bottle on the statue.

Rong Yi released Lu Jinshi and walked to Zhang'er's side, saying, "This is a Bodhisattva, you are not allowed to play with her."

When Xiao Zhang'er saw Rong Yi trying to snatch the toy from his hand, his short legs, which had just learned to walk, suddenly started running.

Lu Jinshi was a little worried about the fragrance inside the Guanyin statue. She walked up to Xiao Zhang'er and said, "Zhang'er, be good and give the Guanyin statue to your mother."

When Xiao Zhang'er was about to hand the Guanyin statue to Lu Jinshi, she couldn't lift it with one hand, and the statue fell to the ground and shattered.

Lu Jinshi quickly picked up Xiao Zhang'er and asked, "Zhang'er, are you alright?"

After confirming that Zhang'er was not injured, Lu Jinshi handed Zhang'er to Rong Yi. She knelt down and put her hands together, saying, "Greatly compassionate Guanyin Bodhisattva, my child is ignorant and young. I beg Guanyin Bodhisattva to forgive my child for breaking your Buddha statue. I will definitely make a golden statue for you in the future."

If Lu Jinshi had broken it herself, she wouldn't have been so worried. But since it concerned Zhang'er, as a mother, Lu Jinshi couldn't help but feel respect. After kowtowing, Lu Jinshi took a piece of red cloth, intending to pick up the pieces and go to the temple in a couple of days to deal with the broken Buddha statue.

Rong Yi said, "Let the palace maids pick it up; they might cut their hands."

Lu Jinshi said, "I'll pick up the pieces of Zhang'er's mistakes."

Rong Yi placed Zhang'er on the small couch, then went to Lu Jinshi's side and joined her in picking up the fragments.
"what is this?"

Rong Yi saw that inside the Guanyin Buddha statue was a piece of fragrant ointment, about one finger long and half a finger wide.

Lu Jinshi carefully took out the perfume, smelled it, and then threw it to Rong Yi, saying, "Although this perfume contains sandalwood, it also contains a fragrance that is specifically designed to make it difficult for women to conceive if they smell it for too long. If you smell this perfume too much, even if you are pregnant, you will miscarry."

Rong Yi looked at Lu Jinshi and said, "You also know about spices?"

Lu Jinshi said, "When I was young, I read a wide variety of books. There happened to be a spice shop next to the academy. After reading some ancient books on making spices, I went back to the spice shop next door to make a replica. I have a deep impression of the Fallen Red Incense. It requires a lot of musk, and that's the smell."

Rong Yi said, "Fortunately you took this Buddha statue, and fortunately Zhang'er broke it, otherwise the child in my sister's womb would have been in danger."

Lu Jinshi said, "The Princess Consort of Yan is really bold; she dares to poison people so openly."

Rong Yi said, "Apart from a young and ignorant baby like Xiao Zhang'er, who would dare to break a Buddha statue?"

Lu Jinshi nodded slightly and said, "That's true. Who would have thought that someone would dare to do something inside a Buddha statue? Doesn't the Prince of Yan's mansion fear retribution? Should we report this to Father Emperor?"

Rong Yi shook his head and said, "No need. Even if this matter is judged, it can only implicate the Princess Consort of Yan, which would only alert the enemy."

Lu Jinshi thought Rong Yi's words made sense. "Let's lock this harmful spice in the warehouse. It can be used as evidence later."

"Ah."

Lu Jinshi wrapped the Buddha statue fragments in red cloth and planned to go to the temple in a few days to have the abbot deal with the fragments.
-
May 28th.

After a heavy thunderstorm during the night, the rain continued until it stopped at Chenshi (7-9 AM), leaving the sky overcast.

In this sweltering summer, such overcast and rainy weather is rarer than clear skies, making it quite cool to wear formal wedding attire.

Princess Yongjia was married off from the palace, and early in the morning, noblewomen and wives of noble families came to the palace to see her off.

When Consort Xian saw Princess Yongjia off to her wedding, she could not hold back her tears.

After bidding farewell to His Majesty and the concubines, Princess Yongjia boarded the bridal sedan chair.

Lu Jinshi helped the Empress Dowager up and saw that the Empress Dowager also had tears in her eyes and smiled faintly, "Grandmother, don't worry, Lu Xiao is much more reliable than Yuan Jie. After my elder sister marries Lu Xiao this time, she will not suffer any more grievances."

The Empress Dowager said, "Xiao'er is indeed much better than Yuan Jie. I am at ease entrusting him to him. However, I feel sorry for Qingyun. Qingyun has liked Lu Xiao for a long time, but Yongjia is my own granddaughter after all. And forced love is never sweet."

"Jinshi, do you have any promising young men in your academy to choose a good husband for Qingyun? I trust your judgment."

Lu Jinshi bit her lip lightly. The Empress Dowager still did not know that Princess Qingyun had passed away. It was because His Majesty was afraid that the Empress Dowager was too old to be overly saddened, so he specially instructed that no one should tell the Empress Dowager that Princess Qingyun had passed away.

Lu Jinshi smiled and said, "I will keep an eye out for a good husband for my cousin Qingyun..."