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

Chapter 123 Searching for Evidence
On the first day of June, a major event took place in Chang'an.

Emperor Huiyuan, who had never had an empress since his ascension to the throne, finally established one. Emperor Huiyuan had been on the throne at a young age for thirty years, which means that the Great Sheng Dynasty had been without an empress for almost thirty years.

Now that there is finally an empress, the common people don't seem to think there's anything wrong with it.

If we're talking about the current Empress Rong, who was His Majesty's former sister-in-law, she has been His Majesty's Imperial Noble Consort for nearly twenty years. They've been husband and wife for twenty years, so why bother with the past and future?

The people of Chang'an were mostly happy about the Empress's arrival. With His Majesty's joy, taxes would inevitably be reduced.

Imperial edicts announcing the appointment of an empress were posted at every street corner in Chang'an.

Outside a small courtyard on East Street.

He Jiayi accompanied He Jinlan to look at the imperial edict. She frowned and said, "His Majesty is really not afraid of being ridiculed by future generations, actually making a disgraced second-marriage woman his empress."

He Jinlan frowned and looked at He Jiayi, saying, "Say less. If this gets to the Empress's ears, do you want your life or your body?"

He Jinlan waved her round fan and said, "It's so hot today, I'm about to die from the heat."

He Jinlan returned to the small courtyard that the He family had just bought.

Old Madam He smashed a cup hard against Liu Xiuxiu. "You incompetent thing! In this heat, how can you be so unfilial, not even giving me a piece of ice?"

Liu Xiuxiu frowned as the cup was smashed on her face and said, “Mother-in-law, ice is really too expensive this year… Now that we no longer have a noble title or income, and after buying this house, I have very little money left. We should save on ice as much as possible.”

Having lived a life of wealth and luxury, Old Madam He could hardly bear such hardship. She said coldly, "No money left? Isn't He Jinlan money? It's all because of this wretched child. If she hadn't been so determined to become the Seventh Prince's consort, ruining the reputation of our He family, how could we be in this situation? Marry her off and collect a generous dowry. Use that dowry to buy ice; that will be He Jinlan fulfilling her filial duty!"

He Jinlan looked at Old Madam He in disbelief and said, "Grandmother, how can you say that about me? It was clearly your scheme to arrange the Seventh Prince's marriage. I didn't know from the beginning that the Seventh Prince's wife was to be given to Lu Jinshi. If I had known, I would never have stolen someone else's husband like my mother did, and I would never have been able to hold my head up high for the rest of my life!"

He Jiayi walked to the side of the old lady He and said, "Grandmother, His Majesty has already established Consort Rong as Empress today. I think it won't be long before he establishes the Seventh Prince as Crown Prince. When Lu Jinshi becomes the Crown Princess, how could she be unfilial to you?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiuxiu frowned and said, "He Jiayi, do you think our family isn't miserable enough already?"

He Jiayi said, "Aunt, isn't filial piety important in this world? If Lu Jinshi becomes the Crown Princess, she must not be unfilial. At the very least, as the eldest sister of the He family, she should arrange a good marriage for us sisters."

Madam He smiled and said, "Jiayi is right. Lu Jinshi is also a daughter of the He family, and she should be filial to me."
-
The palace is bustling with activity today.

Early in the morning, the ladies of the court and the women of the imperial clan all came in to pay their respects to the new empress.

Lu Jinshi went to bed late last night and got up after 9 am this morning. After getting up, Lu Jinshi took Zhang'er to congratulate Empress Rong.

Empress Rong took Zhang'er from Lu Jinshi's arms and said, "I owe you a great debt for my role as Empress..."

Lu Jinshi chuckled and said, "Mother, you flatter me. Actually, Father also wanted you to be his empress. Otherwise, my 'fighting fire with fire' would have been useless."

Empress Rong smiled faintly and said, "No matter what, I am able to become Empress because of your great contribution. What reward do you want?"

Lu Jinshi said in a low voice, "Mother, I do have a request..."

Empress Rong smiled faintly and said, "Just say it."

Lu Jinshi said, "I want to go with the Seventh Prince to Liang Wen's house to pay our respects. Although he was wrong for obstructing you from dying for the Empress, we are still fellow disciples..."

Empress Rong said, "Even if they weren't fellow disciples, Xiao Qi should still pay his respects. I'll have a maid find some items from the storeroom; when you go to pay your respects, please give them to his widow." Lu Jinshi replied, "Yes, Mother."

Empress Rong held the little Zhang'er in her arms and said, "This Zhang'er is growing bigger every day."

Lu Jinshi said, "Yes, Zhang'er can walk now. Time really flies."

June has arrived in the blink of an eye, but so much has happened between February and June.

afternoon.

Lu Jinshi then went to Liang Wen's house with Rong Yi.

A mourning hall had been set up in Liang Wen's home, but almost no officials came to pay their respects.

When Madam Liang saw Lu Jinshi and Rong Yi arrive, she quickly led her two children to kneel before them and said, "This sinful subject's wife greets the Seventh Prince and the Seventh Prince's Consort."

Lu Jinshi stepped forward to help Madam Liang up, saying, "Sister-in-law, please get up."

With tears welling up in her eyes, Madam Liang said, "Seventh Prince's Consort, Liang Wen is really confused. I don't know how he could bear to let me and our two children go to our deaths... Now that he's gone, I don't know how I'll live my life from now on."

Lu Jinshi patted Madam Liang's hand and said, "If you ever need my help in the future, please don't hesitate to ask."

Lu Jinshi walked to the front of the mourning hall, offered incense, and then said to Madam Liang, "Sister-in-law, may I go to my senior brother's study to take a look?"

"Alright." Madam Liang led Lu Jinshi and Rong Yi to the study. "This is the study left by my husband. Seventh Prince, Princess Consort, please make yourselves at home. I can't leave you here..."

Lu Jinshi said, "Sister-in-law, you don't need to worry about us. You go and do your thing."

After Madam Liang left, Lu Jinshi and Rong Yi searched through Liang Wen's belongings.

Rong Yi looked at the articles Liang Wen had written on his desk and said, "Liang Wen is a Grand Academician of the Hanlin Academy, a man of such ambition. I don't know how he was managed to be used by Consort Rong."

Lu Jinshi said, "Let's look for any clues first..."

Rong Yi nodded and continued searching.

Lu Jinshi sat down in the chair, her gaze fixed on a painting opposite her.

Lu Jinshi walked to the framed painting on the opposite side. After taking the painting down, she realized something was wrong. She tore it, and sure enough, there was a painting that could be torn off.

After the first landscape painting was torn down, one of the paintings inside was a portrait of a beautiful woman lying in a flower bush wearing only a gauze dress.

Rong Yi glanced at it and said with disgust, "Aren't you afraid of getting a sty from painting this kind of thing?"

Lu Jinshi asked, "Is this woman Consort Rong?"

Rong Yi said, "I don't remember what Consort Rong looks like either. Consort Rong is different from Consort Liang and the others. Consort Liang and the others left the palace voluntarily, while Consort Rong was demoted and left the palace..."

Lu Jinshi put away the scroll and said, "Let's put it away for now. This scroll might serve as evidence."