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

Chapter 172 Choosing a Concubine
With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, the area outside the palace is bustling with activity.

Lu Jinshi had just left the girls' school in Chang'an City to return to the palace when he saw two young ladies fighting over clothes in front of Jinxiu Manor.

For a moment, the manager of Jinxiu Manor, unwilling to offend either of them, could only watch as the two young ladies tore the clothes in their hands to shreds.

"For a piece of clothing, you've even thrown away your dignity?"

Lu Jinshi frowned and asked, "Which two families do these girls belong to?"

Caiyun, who was standing to the side, said softly, "Miss, you don't know this, but the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet is just a few days away. Recently, there have been rumors that His Majesty the new emperor may be choosing his concubines at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet..."

Originally, due to the national mourning period, the young ladies in Chang'an City had not prepared any new clothes for the autumn.

In Chang'an, the silk and satin shops hadn't stocked up on many fashionable fabrics due to the national mourning period. As a result, the prices of decent clothing materials in Chang'an had skyrocketed, and this wasn't the only incident where people had quarreled over a single garment.

Lu Jinshi frowned. "Who's spreading rumors about selecting concubines?"

Caiyun whispered, "In Chang'an, the news spreads like wildfire, and many people are talking about the selection of imperial concubines."

Lu Jinshi couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle.

When Lu Jinshi returned to the palace, he saw Rong Yi holding the little princess in his arms and teaching Zhang'er to read. Now Rong Yi was gradually having more free time and could spend with the two children when Lu Jinshi was not in the palace.

Lu Jinshi took his daughter from Rong Yi's arms and held her for a long time, inhaling the unique baby scent on her body.

Lu Jinshi went back inside and breastfed her daughter herself. Although she was busy on weekdays, she couldn't bear to let the wet nurse feed her daughter.

Although a wet nurse was provided, Lu Jinshi would breastfeed her daughter almost every time she had free time. Occasionally, even when she wasn't by her daughter's side, she would store her daughter's food in an ice chest, warm it up, and then feed it to her daughter.

Rong Yi followed Lu Jinshi inside.

When Lu Jinshi saw Rong Yi arrive, she quickly carried the child behind the screen.

Rong Yi laughed and said, "It's not like you haven't seen it before, so why are you hiding from me?"

Lu Jinshi blushed and said, "There are rumors circulating outside that you will be selecting concubines on the Mid-Autumn Festival. Have you heard about it?"

Rong Yi said, "I haven't heard of that. However, some ministers in the court, as well as Jiang Yin and my sixth brother, have indeed urged me to participate in the imperial concubine selection. I have refused on the grounds that I am observing mourning for the late emperor. I originally wanted to directly and clearly state that I would not participate in the selection, but I was also afraid that it would be inappropriate to go against the court officials after just ascending the throne."

“This Prince Qi…” Lu Jinshi said, “Since he comes to urge you to select women every day, why don’t you send more women to him to fill his harem.”

"Hmm?" Rong Yi walked behind the screen and looked at Lu Jinshi with puzzlement. Giving a woman to the Prince of Qi was not like Lu Jinshi's style.

Lu Jinshi said, "Those court officials who are urging you to choose a concubine, not afraid of offending me or the Prince An's mansion, must be trying to secure a future for their daughters. You can then bestow their daughters upon Prince Qi as his concubines..."

Rong Yi said, "This isn't like you."

Lu Jinshi laughed and said, "If you send one or two girls to Prince Qi, he might dare to accept them. But if you send eight, ten, or even more daughters to Prince Qi's mansion, I'd like to see if he dares to accept so many daughters of important officials as his concubines! When you send them, choose a date six months later, so that these girls don't actually end up in Prince Qi's mansion."

Rong Yiming understood and smiled gently: "I understand."

Lu Jinshi's original intention was not to offer Qi Wang a concubine, but to make Qi Wang never dare to mention the selection of a concubine again.

On the Mid-Autumn Festival, when the moon is full again, the first palace banquet after the new emperor's ascension to the throne was very lively.

In the afternoon, many noblewomen came to pay their respects to Lu Jinshi.

Lu Jinshi summoned An Jing, who had just given birth to a daughter and was now more plump than she had been at the academy.

"The Queen."

Lu Jinshi chuckled and said to An Jing, "We've had a few days of teacher-student relationship. How have you been doing at the Marquis of Wu'an's residence?"

An Jing said shyly, "It's fine." Lu Jinshi asked, "How does Jiang Yin treat you?"

Anjing whispered, "Excellent, thank you Your Majesty the Empress for opening the girls' school that day, allowing me to meet and get to know Jiang Yin..."

Lu Jinshi smiled and said, "Back then, it was thanks to you that many girls were willing to study at my academy. Your knowledge is not bad. I have now opened a girls' academy in Chang'an City and am short of a female teacher. I wonder if you would be willing to teach these girls poetry? I think the poems you have written are excellent."

Anjing said quietly, "This... I need to go back and discuss this with my husband."

Lu Jinshi said, "Why are you interfering? Just ask yourself if you're willing or not."

Anjing said quietly, "Of course I'm willing, but I am now, after all, the daughter-in-law of the Jiang family..."

Lu Jinshi said, "As the daughter-in-law of the Jiang family, you should go and teach. Do you know that Jiang Yin has advised His Majesty to take a concubine more than once?"

"Ah?" Upon hearing Lu Jinshi's words, An Jing hurriedly knelt before Lu Jinshi and said, "Your Majesty the Empress..."

Lu Jinshi said, "Get up. As a subject, it is only natural for Jiang Yin to advise His Majesty to take a concubine in order to prioritize the imperial heir. But the fact that he is asking His Majesty to take a concubine shows that he doesn't care about the relationship between me and His Majesty at all."

He may not value your marital relationship, and he might even be planning to take concubines or mistresses in the future.

Quiet down. I'm not trying to scare you, but you're just an orphan. You're only a cousin of the Xu family. The Xu family may not truly become your maternal family.

Before your marriage, I told you that a woman's livelihood doesn't depend on her husband; she can rely on herself. Since Jiang Yin has the idea of ​​getting His Majesty to take a concubine, he must also have the idea… Rather than depending on him, you should become a female teacher, be independent and strong. As for if Jiang Yin dares to criticize you while you're teaching, that's my order; let him come find me.”

Anjing clenched her fist and said, "Your Majesty, I am willing to be a female teacher."

Lu Jinshi smiled calmly and said, "Get up quickly."

Anjing stood up and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty, and for your willingness to trust me."

Lu Jinshi said, "It's getting late. Let's go to the palace banquet. You also have a daughter, who is about the same age as Rong Jin. You can have her be Rong Jin's study companion in the future."

An Jing, flattered and overwhelmed, said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

To be a princess's study companion is an immense honor; she will no longer have to worry about her daughter's future.

Lu Jinshi and An Jing went to the palace banquet together.

When Lu Jinshi arrived at the main hall of the palace banquet, he bowed to Rong Yi and Empress Dowager Rong at the head of the table, then sat down next to Rong Yi and took her daughter from Rong Yi's hands. Today was not only the Mid-Autumn Festival palace banquet, but also her daughter's 100-day celebration.

As Lu Jinshi arrived, music and dance began, and dancers started to dance gracefully, their long sleeves fluttering, their movements exquisite.

Jiang Yin, seeing An Jing approaching, asked, "What did Her Majesty the Empress say to you when she left you alone? Why did it take you so long to come?"

Anjing glanced at Jiang Yin and said, "Her Majesty the Empress wants me to teach poetry to the female students at Lingxiao Academy."

Jiang Yin frowned and said, "Isn't this ridiculous? As the wife of the Marquis of Wu'an's heir, why do you need to go out and teach in public? Wouldn't it be better for you to just be a good wife of the Marquis of Wu'an's heir?"

Anjing said quietly, "I have already promised Her Majesty the Empress that I will go to the academy to teach tomorrow."

Jiang Yin frowned and said, "Don't you know to come and discuss this with me?"

Quietly, she said in a low voice, "I don't think we need to discuss this matter with you. What the Empress said is true. I am an orphan with no family to rely on. No matter how well the Xu family treats me, they are still just cousins. I can only make a living by teaching."

Jiang Yin said, "Shouldn't you rely on me the most now? As the wife of the heir of the Marquis of Wu'an's mansion, what else do you need to rely on?"

Anjing raised her eyes and looked at Jiang Yin, saying, "People's hearts are fickle. Although I am the wife of the Marquis of Wu'an's heir, if you were to take a concubine one day, and that concubine were to give birth to a son or daughter for you, you might not necessarily stop favoring the concubine."

Jiang Yin frowned and said, "Who said I was going to take a concubine?"

Anjing said, "If you weren't thinking about taking a concubine, why did you repeatedly try to persuade His Majesty to choose a consort?"