Shuse Jinjia

"Lord Xu, I cannot accept your apology. It's unnecessary... I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave now."

Xie Zhaotang turned and left.

Xu Muyuan wanted to chase after her, but Xie Linzhu grabbed his sleeve.

"Brother Mu Yuan, please go and persuade my brother-in-law. Aren't these servants making a fool of themselves by showing up like this?"

"Don't worry about my fourth sister. My father has already had the doctor examine Aunt Shen, and she's fine. My fourth sister won't hold it against you!"

Seeing that Chen Lifeng was still scolding Xie Linlang, Xu Muyuan also felt that it was going too far, so he stepped forward and pulled Chen Lifeng aside to persuade him.

Xie Linzhu and her maid went over and helped Xie Linlang up.

"Sister, let's go inside and talk. Making a scene here will only make us a laughingstock... Don't worry, Mother and Father will stand up for you."

Xie Linzhu looked down on her older sister, thinking she looked like a pig and had no tricks up her sleeve.

She's just a concubine. If Chen Lifeng wants to take her, let him. Once she's in the inner quarters, he can do whatever he wants with her. Why make such a fuss?

Xie Linlang was helped back to her mother's courtyard by Xie Linzhu.

Madam Xie had already heard what had happened from Granny Wang, but as the mother-in-law, it was inconvenient for her to appear in person, so she asked Xie Linzhu to go and offer advice.

Seeing Xie Linlang's disheveled hair and disheveled appearance, she, like Xie Linzhu, felt that Xie Linlang was incompetent.

She snapped impatiently, "Xie Linlang, before you married into the Chen family, I told you that you couldn't stop a man from taking concubines. I even told you to have your dowry maid shave her face and offer herself to Chen Lifeng as a concubine..."

"The maid's entire family is controlled by the household. Even if she gave birth to a son or daughter, you wouldn't just raise her yourself, but you refused. You even married the maid off to Chen Lifeng's servant out of jealousy. Now that things have come to this, how can I help you?"

Madam Xie was also very troubled. In order to make Xie Linlang's life easier, she and Xie Jianghuai went to great lengths to get Chen Lifeng a position as the supervisor of the border trade market.

Unexpectedly, Chen Lifeng was adept at scheming and thrived in the border market supervision. Although his official position was not high, he made a lot of money. Now, the Xie family could no longer control Chen Lifeng.

Upon hearing this, Xie Linzhu's heart stirred. She gave Wang Mama and Shanhu a look and then approached Madam Xie to say something.

"Mother, I have a plan to help my sister... Didn't Madam Xu tell you to marry Xie Zhaotang off as soon as possible? Why don't we give Xie Zhaotang to my brother-in-law as a concubine..."

"Xie Zhaotang is pretty enough to win over her brother-in-law, so when she gives birth to her son, she can give him to her sister to raise. Xie Zhaotang's aunt and younger sister are both in the Xie family, so she wouldn't dare to be an enemy of her sister..."

Xie Linzhu performed with great effort and authenticity.

"If my sister is worried about her husband spoiling her, she can just get rid of the mother and keep the child!"

Xie Linzhu's facial sores kept multiplying and showed no signs of healing, and she was afraid that Xu Muyuan might really fall for Xie Zhaotang.

Upon hearing this, Xie Linlang's eyes lit up, and she excitedly grabbed Madam Xie's hand: "Mother, my sister's plan is excellent... please agree!"

After today's outburst, she's afraid that Chen Lifeng will really divorce her.

If Xie Zhaotang were allowed to enter, with Aunt Shen and Xie Tiantian at her maternal home, she would never dare to go west if Xie Zhaotang was told to go east.

Madam Xie hesitated.

She was anxious because her daughter couldn't have children, not to mention that Chen Lifeng was different now than before; he would give the Xie family any extra money he got from the market supervision.

If we don't win over this son-in-law, my daughter will have a hard time, and it won't do the Xie family any good either.

"There's no rush. Your father has other plans for Xie Zhaotang. Even if he wants to send her there, we'll have to wait a while longer."

Madam Xie confided in her two daughters about the imperial court's bestowal of honors upon Xie Jianghuai and others.

She said, "Linlang, you should introduce that mistress into the house today and bear with it. If your father gets promoted, Chen Lifeng will never dare to mention divorcing you again. Even if you sell that mistress, Chen Lifeng won't dare to say anything."

Xie Linzhu then understood why her mother hadn't listened to Madam Xu. She pressed on, asking, "Mother, does that mean you'll marry Xie Zhaotang off once the imperial court bestows its rewards?"

"Mother, I really don't want that little slut to stay in the house anymore. You don't know, she was just trying to seduce Brother Mu Yuan. My face is like this now. What if Brother Mu Yuan decides to marry her?"

Madam Xie looked at Xie Linzhu, also anxious for her daughter. She comforted her, "Linzhu, don't worry. Her status is not good enough for Xu Muyuan. Even if Xu Muyuan takes a liking to her, she can't become Xu Muyuan's concubine without my and your father's approval."

"Alright, let's leave it at that for now. Linlang, since you can't have children, we're not in the right. If you agree, I'll have Granny Wang talk to Chen Lifeng and ask him to allow that mistress to come in."

Xie Linlang had no choice but to listen to her mother, and finally nodded while wiping away her tears.

Xie Linzhu was still thinking about Xu Muyuan, so she went out.

Xu Muyuan hadn't left yet; he gave Chen Lifeng some advice and then waited for her in the front yard.

Xie Linzhu walked over and saw him standing alone, seemingly lost in thought.

"Brother Mu Yuan, I'm so sorry you had to see this!"

Xie Linzhu said gently, "My mother has already persuaded my sister, and she's agreed to let the mistress into the family. Sigh, my sister is just spoiled by my mother; she can't tolerate anyone..."

Xu Muyuan turned to Xie Linzhu, and said resolutely, "Linzhu, I know you love me, and I admire your magnanimity. I... I want to tell you something. If you agree, I'll have my mother come to our house tomorrow to finalize our marriage!"

Xie Linzhu's heart pounded wildly. She had been chasing Xu Muyuan for so long, and finally, the clouds had parted and the moon was shining.

"Brother Mu Yuan, what's wrong?"

Xu Muyuan clenched his fist and said in a low voice, "I know what I'm saying might not be fair to you, but I really can't let go of your sister, Xie Zhaotang..."

"Sister Linzhu, I think we should take her as a concubine after we get married. If you agree, we'll get married as soon as possible... Don't worry, she will never overstep your bounds after the marriage. I will wait until you give birth to a son before we consummate our marriage..."

Xie Linzhu's enthusiasm seemed to freeze instantly.

"Little Linzhu, don't you want to?"

Xu Muyuan said uneasily, "I just feel sorry for Fourth Miss. Your father wants to give her to Lord Gong, and Granny Qiao even set dogs on her aunt. If she marries the wrong person, her life will be even more miserable... I... I just want to help her!"

Xu Muyuan had no other choice. He knew that no matter how much he resisted, his parents would not allow him to marry Xie Zhaotang. He couldn't bear to let Xie Zhaotang go and marry someone else, so he had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure.

Xie Linzhu's fingernails, hidden in her sleeves, dug into her flesh.

She really wanted to do what her sister did and scratch Xu Muyuan's face to pieces.

But looking at Xu Muyuan's handsome face, Xie Linzhu tried her best to suppress her anger.

She's just a concubine, isn't she?

She just taught her sister to remove the mother and keep the child, so why doesn't she use it herself!

She could have done so much more... like giving Xie Zhaotang an infertility drug, or even ruining her completely before she even entered the family...

Xie Linzhu revealed a malicious smile beneath her veil.