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

Chapter 140 Sister, save me
He Jinlan was furious upon hearing this and said, "Second Aunt, He Jiayi is marrying a Marquis, and you want me to marry a merchant from Cangzhou? I was, after all, the legitimate daughter of a Marquis's family!"

Madam He chuckled, "Your reputation was already ruined when you tried to seize the position of the Seventh Prince's consort. Besides, our Marquis's title has been revoked, so there's no longer any talk of a legitimate daughter of the Marquis's family. It's almost September, and your sister's wedding is only half a year away. You should marry a merchant from out of town. You'll get a large dowry, which will be perfect for Jia Yi's dowry. After all, she'll be the Marquis's wife, so the dowry can't be small!"

He Jinlan said, "Why? Why should my betrothal gifts be given to He Jiayi as her dowry?"

Madam He said, "Jiayi is going to become a Marquis's wife, while you have already lost your reputation. I heard from your second aunt that you should marry that merchant from Cangzhou. The dowry you get will make the He family's life better. Besides, you have a brother named Qin Ge'er, and he is about to be married."

"I won't marry... I'd rather die than marry a merchant!"

He Jinlan looked at Liu Xiuxiu with tears in her eyes and said, "Mother, I won't marry. I don't want to marry a merchant from another place. I don't want to leave Chang'an City."

Liu Xiuxiu looked at He Jinlan with a heavy heart, tears streaming down her face, and said, "It's my fault, it's my fault."

Madam He said to Liu Xiuxiu, "Think it over carefully. Is He Jinlan more important, or is Qin Ge'er more important? Qin Ge'er is also approaching the age to be married. He is already affected by the reputation of his twin sister. Why not sell He Jinlan and get some money back?"

Liu Xiuxiu looked at He Jinlan and said, "Lan'er, your mother has spoiled you for nearly eighteen years. Your grandmother is right. Just listen to your second aunt and marry a merchant from Cangzhou. It would be good to be the wife of a wealthy merchant. After you get married, you won't have to worry about money anymore."

With red eyes, He Jinlan gripped Liu Xiuxiu's sleeves tightly and said, "No! I won't marry her! Mother, aren't you the one who loves me the most? Mother!"

Liu Xiuxiu cruelly pushed He Jinlan away, "Lan'er, you must marry!"
-
In the East Palace.

Three days after taking over the Eastern Palace, Lu Jinshi finally finished reading the letter, neglecting to eat or sleep.

After putting down the letter, Lu Jinshi went into the inner room.

Rong Yi teased Zhang'er with a joke.

When Rong Yi saw Lu Jinshi enter, he ignored Zhang'er and walked to her side, saying, "Finally finished reading?"

Lu Jinshi nodded and said, "I have finished reading it and benefited greatly. Tomorrow I will go to Lingxiao Academy to learn from Dean Lin and Senior Brother Mu."

Rong Yi wrapped his arms tightly around Lu Jinshi's waist, frowning as he said, "It's fine to ask Dean Lin for advice, but you're not allowed to ask Senior Brother Mu for advice! If you really want to ask for advice, you can ask me too!"

Lu Jinshi smiled and said, "Alright, alright, I won't ask Senior Brother Mu for advice. Don't get jealous like this anymore."

Rong Yi said, "Mu Yan is not young anymore. It won't do for him to remain unmarried for so long. I will arrange a marriage for him another day!"

Lu Jinshi said, "Forced marriages are never sweet. Don't ruin Senior Brother Mu's life because of jealousy. Marriage is ordained by Heaven."

"Speaking of marriage, your third sister has been engaged."

Lu Jinshi looked at Rong Yi and said, "Where did I get a third sister? The Prince An's mansion only has two cousins."

Rong Yi said, "I was not precise. It was the third daughter of the He family who arranged the marriage."

Lu Jinshi thought of He Jiayi, and the things she had said before still gave her a headache. "How did you know she was engaged?"

Rong Yi smiled and said, "Because she has become the wife of the Marquis of Anyuan, this marriage naturally needs to be discussed with Father Emperor. Father Emperor came to ask for my opinion today, and I think this marriage is not bad."

Lu Jinshi said, "Marquis Anyuan? Isn't Marquis Anyuan over thirty this year?"

Rong Yi said, "Around thirty-one or thirty-two."

Lu Jinshi was taken aback and said, "Fifteen years older than He Jiayi? The He family can actually agree to this marriage?"

Rong Yi laughed and said, "Don't even mention being fifteen years older, even if it were twenty-five years older, there would still be plenty of girls willing to marry into that family and become the wife of a marquis."

Lu Jinshi frowned and asked, "Doesn't Marquis Anyuan have children at home?" Rong Yi nodded and said, "Two sons and one daughter, all born out of wedlock. The son born to the third daughter of the He family after she married into the family is also a legitimate son."

Lu Jinshi said, "That's enough. I won't bother the He family anymore. Besides, the He family's humiliation of me and my mother has little to do with He Jiayi."

Lu Jinshi yawned and said, "I have to go to the academy tomorrow, so I'm going to sleep now."

Lu Jinshi took Xiao Zhang'er and placed him between her and Rong Yi, but Rong Yi had the wet nurse take Zhang'er away.

After the palace maids and eunuchs had all left the bedchamber, Rong Yi said in a low voice, "You've been engrossed in reading these past few days, so I haven't disturbed you. Now that you've finished reading, it's time to come and warm up your new home..."

Lu Jinshi said, "No, we have to get up early to go to the academy tomorrow."

Rong Yi said, "It's alright to go to the academy a little later."

Lu Jinshi reluctantly agreed, and thus did as Rong Yi wished.

The next morning, Lu Jinshi woke up at dawn and was extremely sleepy. She only planned to catch up on sleep in the carriage.

Now that she's the Crown Princess, her entourage has grown considerably larger, and she has many more guards.

The carriage was much more spacious and stable, and one could even fall asleep inside.

As Lu Jinshi was sleeping, he heard a loud wail.

"I won't marry you! Let me go! Father! Waaah! Father!"

Inside the carriage, Huizhen lifted the curtain and said to the guards, "Tell those people to be quiet and not disturb the master's rest."

Lu Jinshi slowly opened his eyes; the voice was very familiar.

"Waaaaah, you were the ones who told me I was the Seventh Prince's consort, and now it's all my fault!"

"Waaaaah, I won't marry him! I'd rather die than marry him!"

Lu Jinshi got up, lifted the carriage curtain, and saw He Jinlan tied to a horse.

He Jinlan's gaze also fell on Lu Jinshi. "Sister, save me! Waaah, sister! They're going to marry me off to a wealthy merchant in Cangzhou, and that merchant is even older than Father."

"I don't want to be married off to Cangzhou, sister, please save me, I beg you."

Lu Jinshi hurriedly lowered the curtain, his brows furrowed.

Reason told her not to save He Jinlan, since the He family had been plotting against her ever since she arrived in Chang'an.

If Lu Jinshi hadn't been so assertive, she might have been forced to marry Huang Teng and would have been living a miserable life.

Liu Xiuxiu's daughter's fate was entirely her own doing; it was none of her fault that He Jinlan ended up like this.

Lu Jinshi tried to convince himself not to save He Jinlan. How could He Jinlan face her mother and the three-year-old him if he did?

Although he was still quite naive at the time, Lu Jinshi did know something about his parents' separation.

Although she had long regarded Qin Zhao as her biological father, how could she not long for her parents to be together when she was young?
Lu Jinshi clenched his fists, trying to convince himself that he hadn't harmed He Jinlan and there was no need to save her...