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

Chapter 97 Who is the one giving the betrothal gift?
Princess Yongjia smiled upon hearing this. If Lu Xiao had asked to marry her when he was thirteen, she certainly would not have agreed.

It is indeed heartbreaking that she was married to the wrong man for six years, but now the clouds have parted and the sun is shining through.

Princess Yongjia gently stroked her lower abdomen. In any case, she had finally fulfilled her wish of having her own child.

Lu Xiao pressed his head against Princess Yongjia's lower abdomen and said, "I never expected you to be pregnant so quickly. Our marriage will have to be rushed and you will have to make do with it."

Princess Yongjia looked down at Lu Xiao and said, "I don't know if my father will agree to our marriage... After all..."

Despite Lu Jinshi's assurance, Princess Yongjia was still worried that the marriage might fall through.

Lu Xiao straightened up and said, "No matter what Your Majesty asks for, I am willing to marry you."

Princess Yongjia threw herself into Lu Xiao's arms, and couldn't help but recall that before she married Yuan Jie, Yuan Jie had always been reluctant to give up his position as the heir apparent, even though Yuan Jie had a younger brother from the same mother...

Perhaps because she was so focused on Yuan Jie before, she didn't realize anything was wrong. Now, with Lu Xiao as a comparison, Princess Yongjia realized how foolish she had been all these years.

The feelings I had when I was young were real, but even those feelings had already shown signs of trouble.
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May has arrived, and summer has begun. The sound of cicadas can already be heard in the large trees of the palace.

Little Zhang'er is extremely sensitive to heat, and now she only wears a small bellyband.

Lu Jinshi saw that Zhang'er was young and didn't pay much attention to him, since it had been very hot these past few days.

There was a palace banquet for the Dragon Boat Festival, and Lu Jinshi spent his free time these past few days helping Consort Rong organize the banquet.

This was the first time Lu Jinshi had helped organize a palace banquet since entering the palace, so she carefully remembered everything in preparation for future needs.

After finishing his business at Fengkun Palace, Lu Jinshi returned to Yuliu Palace.

When Rong Yi looked at Lu Jinshi while holding Xiao Zhang'er, both father and son had somewhat resentful expressions.

Rong Yi said, "Why are you only coming back now? It's almost dark."

Lu Jinshi smiled gently and said, "Isn't the Dragon Boat Festival banquet in a few days? I was helping my mother check the snacks for the Dragon Boat Festival today, so I was a little late."

Lu Jinshi walked up to Zhang'er, touched Zhang'er's little face, and said to Rong Yi, "This is my first palace banquet since I married into the palace, so I should try my best to learn."

Rong Yi then said, "It would be better if you went to teach, then I could still see you."

Lu Jinshi said, "I'll be teaching after the Dragon Boat Festival. Don't let any gossip stop me then!"

“Since I promised you, I never intended to confine you to the harem.”

Looking at Lu Jinshi's bright smile, Rong Yi thought that the reason he liked Lu Jinshi back then was probably because she was so different from the women he had met before.

A well-read girl who grew up amidst lush forests and bamboo groves in the mountains should not be confined to the backyard, nor should her abundant talents be trapped in the imperial harem.

Lu Jinshi said, "I heard from my mother that the wedding date for my elder sister and Lu Xiao has been set for the end of May. After all, my elder sister is pregnant and it is not appropriate to delay any longer. The imperial decree will be issued in the next two days."

Rong Yi said, "The wedding date is a bit rushed at the end of May, so the wedding will have to be done hastily."

Lu Jinshi smiled faintly and said, "I believe that even in these short time, my aunt will be able to handle the wedding properly. In addition, my mother will definitely attend Lu Xiao's wedding banquet before returning to Shanyin City, and my mother can also help my aunt."

Rong Yi replied, "That's true."

The weather in May grew hotter day by day, and the rumors circulating in the streets about Emperor Huiyuan's decree to bestow the title of Imperial Son-in-Law upon the youngest son of the Prince of An's family were even hotter than the sun. Inside the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.

Madam Yuan asked the maid who had just entered, "What's all this commotion outside?"

The maidservant approached Madam Yuan and said, "Madam, yesterday His Majesty came to the Princess's residence next door to issue an imperial edict, which turned out to be a marriage decree... The reason why the Princess's residence is so lively today is that the new consort has come to present betrothal gifts to Her Highness the Princess."

Madam Yuan was taken aback. "A bestowed marriage? A betrothal? Why has His Majesty bestowed a marriage upon the princess so quickly? Who will become the prince consort?"

Madam Yuan thought that her son had not yet fully recovered from his injuries. Although he was not as dejected as before, Madam Yuan knew that Yuan Jie could not let go of Yongjia at all. How could Her Highness the Princess find a new consort so quickly?
It's only been a little over a month.

Madam Yuan said, "Among all the men in Chang'an, which one can surpass Yuan Jie?"

The maid whispered, "The current imperial son-in-law is... the heir of the Prince An's mansion, Lu Xiao."

"What?" Madam Yuan exclaimed in surprise. "Say it again, who is it?"

The maidservant said, "It is Lu Xiao, the heir of the Prince An's mansion."

Madam Yuan said incredulously, "How could it be him? Putting everything else aside, he's five years younger than Her Highness the Princess. How could it be him?"

In the backyard of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.

The maidservant brought the medicine into Yuan Jie's room and said, "Husband, it's time to take your medicine. I see that your injury has improved a lot. In a few more days, you will be able to walk on the ground again."

Yuan Jie accepted the medicine, hoping to recover quickly. He hadn't seen Yongjia for a long time.

I wonder how Yongjia is doing?

Yuan Jie drank the medicine in one gulp. He slowly got out of bed, supported by the bed. The injuries from the caning still caused him severe pain, but fortunately, he could walk again.

Yuan Jie said to his stepmother, "Go and get me a new set of robes..."

"My lord, where are you going?"

Yuan Jie said slowly, "It's been more than a month since I went to see Her Highness the Princess. I think Her Highness should have calmed down by now and be able to talk to me properly."

The maid frowned slightly, almost imperceptibly, but still took out new clothes from the side and helped Yuan Jie change into them.

"My husband looks so handsome in his new robes. When Her Highness the Princess sees him dressed like this, she will surely forgive him and calm down."

The maidservant tidied Yuan Jie's hair, saying, "I won't accompany my husband, lest His Highness be angered if he sees me..."

Yuan Jie nodded and said, "Don't worry, Wan Niang. Now that you have become my concubine, I will treat you well. I will also make sure that the princess will accept you. The princess has always been kind. She may have been blinded by jealousy before. She is good by nature, so you don't need to worry too much."

The stepmother forced a smile and found a servant to help Yuan Jie out.

As Yuan Jie walked toward the princess's residence next door, he heard a lively commotion outside. When he went out, he saw many people gathered on both sides of the street.

"As expected of a betrothal gift for a princess, the number of boxes is simply countless."

"This is not just a betrothal to the princess, but also the marriage of the heir of the Prince An's mansion. When Prince An got married, the pearl of the Prince An's mansion was married off, and the betrothal and dowry were just as grand as they are today."

As Yuan Jie watched the red boxes being carried into the princess's residence, his eyes filled with disbelief, he casually approached a bystander and asked, "Who is giving betrothal gifts to whom?"