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

Chapter 74 Lu Xiao and the Princess

The carriage traveled for about half an hour before arriving in Chang'an.

When Jixiang lifted the curtain outside the carriage to call Princess Yongjia, she saw her princess being held in Lu Xiao's arms, and her princess falling asleep against Lu Xiao's chest.

Jixiang's ears turned red, and she immediately dared not wake the princess.

The coachman was instructed to drive the carriage directly to the princess's residence.

Princess Yongjia didn't know how long she had slept. She only knew that she seemed to be having a dream in which a little child kept calling her "Mother." Then, she dreamed of a little tiger.

Princess Yongjia didn't fully wake up for a while. She realized she was in someone's arms and quickly reached out to push Lu Xiao away, "You... Lu Xiao... how could you take advantage of me while I was asleep... let me go!"

Lu Xiao did not release Princess Yongjia, saying, "This humble subject only wants Your Highness to sleep better."

Princess Yongjia struggled slightly and said, "Let me go, Lu Xiao! You...you dare to do this..."

Lu Xiao wasn't afraid of Princess Yongjia, but he still slowly released her.

Princess Yongjia felt her legs were a little numb, perhaps because she had been sleeping in the same position in Lu Xiao's arms for too long. After getting up, she couldn't help but fall back into Lu Xiao's arms because of the numbness in her legs.

Lu Xiao pulled Princess Yongjia into his arms and chuckled softly, "Your Highness... this time you've thrown yourself into my arms."

Princess Yongjia blushed and glared at Lu Xiao, saying, "Lu Xiao!"

Lu Xiao hugged Princess Yongjia tightly and said, "Why did you refuse our marriage proposal?"

Princess Yongjia said, "It was never possible for us to get married, I am five years older than you..."

Lu Xiao said in a low voice, "Your Highness, you should know why my aunt wanted to divorce He Shizi of the Yong'an Marquis's Mansion?"

Princess Yongjia said in Lu Xiao's arms, "Yes, because Aunt Mingzhu cannot tolerate her husband having concubines."

Lu Xiao nodded and said, "As my aunt's only nephew, I can't expect my aunt to forbid her husband from having multiple wives and concubines while I am not devoted to him. That would make our Lu family seem like a bunch of strongmen."

Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you. My aunt's wish is to have one partner for life, and as her only nephew, I can only have one wife for life as well.

Before meeting Your Highness, I was a virgin and had never been with another woman. After spending a night with Your Highness, I naturally cannot marry any other girl; I can only have one woman.

Princess Yongjia did not expect Lu Xiao to say this. She said in a low voice, "What happened between us is known only to heaven, earth, you, me, and my two maids. We will not talk about it. Just pretend that nothing happened between us."

Lu Xiao said, "I can't pretend that nothing happened. These past few nights, every time I close my eyes, all I see are the memories of that night when I was happy with the princess."

Princess Yongjia hadn't expected Lu Xiao to be so blunt, and her face flushed even redder with embarrassment. "Lu Xiao, you..."

Lu Xiao leaned close to Princess Yongjia's ear and said, "Your Highness, I wish to ask to marry you. I don't think I'm any less capable than Yuan Jie. He was able to become a prince consort, so why are you refusing me?"

Princess Yongjia said, "I am older than you..."

Lu Xiao said, "If we walk down the street together, no one will think you are much older than me. Besides, five years is not a long age. There are many child brides in the countryside who are eight years older than me."

Princess Yongjia chuckled and said, "You're comparing me to a child bride from the common people?"

"Your Majesty, I dare not!" Lu Xiao hurriedly replied, "I was only saying that age is not a matter."

Princess Yongjia said, "You are the only male heir of the Prince An's Mansion. Do you know that if you marry me, you may no longer hold any important official position in the court... Your Prince An's Mansion will also lose much of its power, and you may even have to hand over the military power of the Lu family army that has been passed down for generations..." Lu Xiao lowered his eyes slightly and said, "These are certainly important, but I would rather marry Your Highness the Princess."

Princess Yongjia said, "Lu Xiao, my father will not agree, and my grandmother will not agree either. Your Prince An's Mansion is loyal to our Qi family royal family. Your grandparents died in battle to protect my father... I cannot implicate your future."

"Your Highness, I am not afraid of being implicated."

Lu Xiao looked down at Princess Yongjia in his arms, "I just want to marry you."

Princess Yongjia said, "If it's just because of our one night together, there's no need for that. It can be completely ignored. I will keep this a secret and will not let your future princess know about it."

Lu Xiao said, "You can pretend it never happened, but I cannot. I just told Your Highness that I think of you every night and toss and turn."

“Lu Xiao…you…”

Princess Yongjia really didn't know what to say. She thought that Lu Xiao was just young and had only recently started having sex.

After all, Lu Xiao is only nineteen years old, a time when his blood is surging. "Lu Xiao, once you find another woman, you'll forget about this..."

Lu Xiao said, "This humble subject is unwilling to seek other women. I hope Your Highness will understand. Since that day, this humble subject has not been able to get a full night's sleep... I beg Your Highness to marry this humble subject."

Princess Yongjia said helplessly, "I really can't marry you."

"Your Highness, Madam Yuan is requesting an audience."

Princess Yongjia quickly pushed Lu Xiao away from her embrace and said, "Let Madam Yuan in."

Lu Xiao gripped Princess Yongjia's wrist tightly and said, "You and Yuan Jie have already divorced. You've already divorced Yuan Jie, so why go to see Madam Yuan again? You're not allowed to go."

Princess Yongjia frowned slightly and said, "Lu Xiao, I am the princess..."

Lu Xiao pulled Princess Yongjia into his arms again with force, and he lowered his head to kiss her red lips.

Princess Yongjia never expected Lu Xiao to be so bold. She punched Lu Xiao's shoulder twice with her fists, but Lu Xiao held her tightly in his arms.

With red-rimmed eyes, Lu Xiao stared intently at Princess Yongjia, his gaze deep and unwavering. "Princess, please don't go to see Madam Yuan, I beg you."

Princess Yongjia seemed to notice the tears in Lu Xiao's eyes. She said slowly, "Madam Yuan came to see me. Perhaps it is something important. You...you even kissed me forcibly, and I didn't cry. Why are you crying? You really are a child."

Lu Xiao said, "Where did I cry? You don't want to marry me, you reject me, is it because of Yuan Jie? He's bullied you like this, and you still want to forgive him?"

Seeing the tears in Lu Xiao's eyes, Princess Yongjia quickly explained, "I went to see Madam Yuan not for Yuan Jie, but because I felt there might be something wrong. If you don't want me to see her, then I won't..."

Princess Yongjia didn't know why she had to explain to Lu Xiao, but perhaps it was because Lu Xiao was a child she had watched grow up, and she couldn't bear to see him suffer.

Lu Xiao chuckled lightly at Princess Yongjia, "It's good that we don't see her."

When Madam Yuan heard that Her Highness the Princess did not want to see her at the entrance of the Princess's residence, she staggered two steps.

Back at the Yuan family home, Madam Yuan entered Yuan Jie's room. The room reeked of medicine. Yuan Jie, who had been flogged, lay on a small couch, half-dead and unconscious, murmuring, "Jia'er, Jia'er..."

(End of this chapter)