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

Chapter 51 Should I Not Love Rong Yi?

After returning from the academy, Lu Jinshi first escorted Princess Yongjia to her residence, and then returned to the villa at the east end of the street with Rong Yi.

Inside the carriage, Lu Jinshi looked up at Rong Yi and said, "You were just teasing Senior Brother Mu Yan. Were you trying to match him up with my sister?"

Rong Yi said, "Well, Senior Brother Mu Yan is not young anymore. He is very learned and knowledgeable. He is the best student in Master's heart. However, he is too upright and incorruptible, making it difficult for him to maintain relationships in officialdom. He is not good at dealing with people. If he does not enter officialdom, Senior Brother Mu Yan's marriage will be neither too good nor too bad. It would be good for him to be a prince consort."

Lu Jinshi chuckled softly, "Whether it's good or bad isn't up to you or me to decide. It depends on your sister. I just saw that your royal sister didn't seem to have any feelings towards Senior Brother Mu."

Rong Yi said, "Alas, my elder sister and the consort have had such a deep affection for each other for so many years, how can it be so easily dispelled? She probably still misses the consort, how could she possibly have any other thoughts?"

From the princess's residence to the villa at the east end of the street, one must pass by the residence of the concubine.

As he passed by, Rong Yi looked out from behind the carriage curtain at the fine horse parked at the gate of the courtyard, and his brows furrowed slightly.

Lu Jinshi asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

"The horse outside that yard should belong to Yuan Jie."

Hearing Rong Yi's words, Lu Jinshi frowned and said, "How dare Yuan Jie? Didn't he say he was going to break up with that mistress? Why is he here at her place again?"

Rong Yi instructed the guards around him to gather information, and told the coachman to return to the villa first.

As soon as she entered the courtyard, Lu Jinshi couldn't wait to see Xiao Zhang'er. She hadn't seen Xiao Zhang'er all day and missed her terribly.

Soon, Rong Yi had the guard who went to inquire about the news return. He bowed to Rong Yi and said, "Seventh Prince, the Prince Consort is indeed in Wan Niang's residence. I asked the doctor who came out from inside, and it turns out that the lady inside miscarried. The six-month-old baby died and was stillborn!"

"How could that be?" Lu Jinshi hugged Zhang'er tighter in his arms. "When I went to see Wan Niang this morning, she was perfectly fine."

The guard said, "The doctor said that Mother knelt for a full three hours that night..."

Lu Jinshi tightened her grip on Zhang'er's hand. Three hours? That's about the time after she and the princess left, isn't it?

Lu Jinshi suddenly remembered that when Princess Yongjia left in grief and indignation, her mother was still kneeling on the ground that night. Could she not get up forever?
After handing Zhang'er over to the wet nurse, Lu Jinshi said to Rong Yi, "I need to go to the princess's residence again."

Rong Yi looked at Lu Jinshi and asked, "What's wrong?"

Lu Jinshi tiptoed and whispered something in Rong Yi's ear.

Rong Yi frowned slightly and asked, "Did Your Majesty forbid Wan Niang from getting up?"

“No,” Lu Jinshi said. “When the princess heard Wan Niang say that the prince consort was calling her name in his dream, she was disgusted and left the courtyard in anger. At that time, I didn’t even notice that Wan Niang was kneeling on the ground and never got up.”

Rong Yi said, "It's alright, the bastard in her belly is gone, it can't be blamed on my elder sister!"

Lu Jinshi was still quite worried, so he went to the princess's residence while it was still light.

As soon as Lu Jinshi met Princess Yongjia, someone came to report, "Your Highness, the Prince Consort said that he has important business in the military camp today and will not be returning."

Princess Yongjia frowned slightly and said, "Alright."

After the prince consort's servants left, Lu Jinshi said to Princess Yongjia, "Your Highness, the prince consort is probably not busy with important matters in the military camp today, but is accompanying Wan Niang in the villa on East Street."

Princess Yongjia frowned slightly and said, "How could that be? He knelt all night last night, and this morning he swore to me that he would never see Wan Niang again..."

Lu Jinshi approached Princess Yongjia and whispered, "Wanniang has miscarried; her six-month-old baby is stillborn." Princess Yongjia froze, "How could this happen? She was perfectly fine when I went to see Wanniang this morning!"

Lu Jinshi said, "After we left, Wan Niang knelt on the ground for a full three hours."

Princess Yongjia hurriedly said, "I didn't make her kneel!"

Princess Yongjia never harbored any resentment towards her stepmother; she only hated Yuan Jie. Even if she did resent her stepmother, it wouldn't warrant forcing her to kneel for three hours while six months pregnant.

Lu Jinshi said, "I know you don't, but the Imperial Son-in-Law..."

Princess Yongjia found it absurd: "Doesn't he trust me? Doesn't he know what kind of person I am? If Yuan Jie's heart isn't with me, even if I cause trouble for Wan Niang, there will probably be Zao Niang, Wu Niang... Why should I bother with a mere servant?"

Princess Yongjia said to Lu Jinshi, "Go to Wanniang's house and tell the Prince Consort to return to the Princess's residence immediately. If he does not return by midnight, our marriage will be over."

Lu Jinshi asked, "Sister, do you still want to give him a chance?"

Princess Yongjia said, "I cannot let my mother worry about me. I also want to give him another chance, the last chance, based on our friendship from when we were young."

Lu Jinshi stopped trying to persuade him, turned around, got into the carriage, and went to Wan Niang's courtyard.

It was getting dark, and the sun was about to set.

As Lu Jinshi entered the courtyard, he heard mournful cries and Yuan Jie's comforting voice. Lu Jinshi frowned as he listened.

As soon as Lu Jinshi entered the room, he smelled a bloody odor.

"Mother, give me the child, let him be laid to rest..."

The stepmother held the child tightly in her arms and said, "No, I can't let my child live alone underground, nameless and without status. He was born without ever seeing this world. I can't let him go underground all alone."

Yuan Jie said slowly, "I will bury him in the ancestral grave of our Zhenguo Duke's Mansion. This child will be the eldest grandson of our Zhenguo Duke's Mansion, and he will not be all alone after he is buried."

Lu Jinshi frowned upon hearing Yuan Jie's words, feeling disgusted. He said, "Prince Consort, the princess has ordered you to return to the princess's residence immediately. If you do not return by midnight, your marriage with the princess will be over."

Yuan Jie frowned upon hearing this.

Holding the blood-soaked, lifeless infant in her arms, Wan Niang looked at Yuan Jie and said, "Prince Consort, you should go back to the Princess's residence. Don't worry about me. I won't take my own life. Don't worry, I won't. I know how much you care about Her Highness the Princess. You can't bear to sever your marital bond with her."

Yuan Jie looked at Wan Niang with unusual interest. He then looked at Lu Jinshi and said, "No, I can't go back to the princess's residence. If I leave, Wan Niang will definitely do something foolish. Go back and report to the princess. I will go to the princess to apologize in a few days, but I must not go back tonight."

Lu Jinshi felt disgusted and said, "I'm only here to convey Her Highness the Princess's message. If you want to deliver a message to the Princess, you can find someone to go yourself."

Lu Jinshi glanced back at Wan Niang, who was holding the dead infant, shook his head, sighed, and left.

When Lu Jinshi returned to Rong Yi's villa, it was already completely dark.

Rong Yi held Zhang'er in his arms and waited for Lu Jinshi to return in the courtyard.

Lu Jinshi looked at Rong Yi. Even a young couple deeply in love ended up like this. She needed to guard her heart and not fall in love with Rong Yi. She also needed to seize the power that belonged to her after Rong Yi ascended to the position of crown prince.

Compared to love, her marriage to Rong Yi might be more about securing power to solidify her and Zhang'er's positions.

(End of this chapter)