I just got divorced, and this cold, ruthless, and powerful minister is begging for a third child eve

Song Linyuan's eyes narrowed.

"I……"

He knew that Ming Shuang must have overheard him outside the door.

"Mingshuang, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hide it from you, I just haven't had a chance to discuss it with you yet."

Looking into Gu Mingshuang's eyes, which shone like the morning sun, he felt a sharp pain in his heart.

He blurted out:

"If you're unwilling, I..."

Gu Mingshuang chuckled softly.

"Your Highness has misunderstood. I just wanted to tell you that you don't need to discuss this matter with me, and you don't need to wrong Miss Biao. With her talent and beauty, she is perfectly capable of being the Crown Prince's consort."

Meng stepped forward and looked at Song Linyuan, saying:

"Today is Ayu's birthday banquet, but this has happened. How can we not give Ayu an explanation?"

"She's the most proud and arrogant woman, yet she's been tormented like this. She's given you her chastity. You know her personality. If you don't want to marry her, you're forcing her to die!"

Seeing Xie Lanyu unconscious on the bed, Song Linyuan felt extremely guilty and said with a pale face:

"It's my fault! I'll take responsibility for Ayu! I won't let her suffer!"

Meng then spoke.

"Then let's marry Ayu and set the wedding date today."

Song Linyuan looked at Gu Mingshuang, his face growing paler.

"But, Mingshuang..."

He looked at Madam Meng and pleaded:

"Mother! I beg you! Please let Mingshuang stay!"

Meng interrupted Song Linyuan and said:

"Ming Shuang can stay, but she can only be a secondary wife. This is already the biggest concession the Marquis's mansion can make. You know, with her background, she would have been lucky to even be a concubine."

Song Linyuan staggered slightly, his gaze complex, but he quickly seemed to have made up his mind and turned to walk towards Gu Mingshuang.

"Mingshuang, I have already begged Mother to let you relinquish your position as the principal wife. You will remain a secondary wife from now on, just like before."

"Ayu has lofty ambitions and her mind is not on the trivial matters of the household. You should remain the mistress of the house, is that alright?"

Gu Mingshuang's lips curled into a faint self-deprecating smile.

"Song Linyuan, is this the answer you've given me after making me wait so long? It's quite an excellent arrangement."

Seeing that same cold and mocking gaze again, Song Linyuan's eyes were filled with difficulty and helplessness.

He looked at Gu Mingshuang with anguish. These days, Gu Mingshuang had become increasingly indifferent. He had begged countless times and bowed his head countless times.

But she remained so willful.

Song Linyuan frowned and said in a deep voice:

"Ming Shuang, this is already the best arrangement! Which noble family in the entire capital would accept a woman of your status as a secondary wife?"

"You live a life of luxury in Kyoto, served by servants and with no worries about food or clothing. Why do you insist on making a scene? Can't you be as sensible as Ayu?"

Seeing Meng's gaze, Gu Mingshuang didn't speak again and looked away.

"Let's do as the lady and the prince wish, and make Miss Biao the principal wife."

Song Linyuan was stunned.

He thought Gu Mingshuang would continue to blame him and wouldn't let it go, or she would threaten him with divorce.

Unexpectedly, she calmly relinquished her position as the principal wife and willingly became a secondary wife.

This magnanimity was what he had hoped to see before, but now it seemed to have drained his strength.

Song Linyuan didn't even have the strength to reach out.

For some reason, a pain of impending loss welled up in his heart, making his breathing heavy and suffocating.

She had already agreed to lower her status and stop threatening him with divorce, so why was she still heartbroken?

Seeing Song Linyuan's complicated expression, Madam Meng was afraid that something might go wrong, so she immediately stepped forward and arranged the marriage.

Seeing the joy on Meng's face, Gu Mingshuang turned and walked out of the tea room.

"Ming Shuang, I'm sorry for what I did to you today..." Song Linyuan subconsciously took a step to follow, but was pulled back by Meng Shi.

"If Ayu wakes up and can't see you, won't she be sad? You should stay here."

Thinking of his actions just now, how he had been so rough under the influence of the drug, and how he had made the person faint, Song Linyuan stopped in his tracks with a sense of guilt.

Watching Gu Mingshuang's retreating figure, Song Linyuan pursed his lips.

Once he has comforted Ayu, he will definitely make it up to Mingshuang.

Now, as she stepped out of the tea room, Gu Mingshuang could finally no longer smell that cloying fragrance.

The delicate fragrance of lotus leaves wafted over, and her expression grew even calmer.

Lingxiang frowned and said with great regret:

"Just now, the young master seemed genuinely regretful. He is now a noble young master of the Marquis's mansion, and he rarely bows his head to anyone like this."

"Miss, if it weren't for Madam's scheming today, would the young master have been able to see your good qualities much sooner?"

Gu Mingshuang raised her eyes indifferently.

"I used to fantasize that he could go back to the way he was before and bow down to me, but now, seeing him bow down in front of me, I feel no joy at all."

"The connection between us has come to an end. That's fine, so we can go our separate ways."

Just then, screams and curses erupted from the tea room.

Lingxiang opened her eyes wide and looked back.

"It's Miss Cousin who's awake!"

Thinking of Xie Lanyu's expression at this moment, Gu Mingshuang's lips curled up slightly.

"Xie Lanyu usually plays deeply affectionate characters with unparalleled skill, but now, no matter how unwilling she is, she has to swallow it!"

Lingxiang really didn't understand, so she asked:

"But, Miss, I really don't understand. Who in the whole manor doesn't know how deeply Miss Biao loves the young master? Many people secretly think that Miss Biao wants to be the young master's wife."

"Why was she unhappy when the Madam and the Prince actually offered the position of Princess Consort to Miss Cousin?"

Gu Mingshuang's eyes flickered slightly, and she spoke:

"The Marquis's mansion and Song Linyuan are nothing but stepping stones in her eyes. Now that she's bound by these stepping stones she despises, how can she be content?"

Lingxiang stared in astonishment, her mouth agape.

"What? This young lady, a destitute orphan, dares to use the Marquis's mansion that took her in as a stepping stone? She should be burning incense as a sign of gratitude if she even gets the position of the Crown Prince's consort!"

Gu Mingshuang sneered as she listened to the noisy sounds of the billiards in the tea room.

"Let's go, the show isn't over yet."

By this time, the guests had begun to arrive.

Previously, Meng had handled all the birthday banquets herself, and the guests were all ladies and young ladies who were familiar with the Marquis's family.

Because of the arrival of the Princess of Zhennan, there were even more people coming to the banquet today.

Gu Mingshuang greeted the guests who kept arriving in the front hall, but she didn't see the Princess Consort of Zhennan.

She was quite curious about this princess who rarely went out.

Just as Gu Mingshuang was having the steward arrange the seating, a cold, mocking voice came from the side.

"How dare someone so lowly entertain guests? They've truly disgraced Lanyu!"

Upon seeing Li Rong, Gu Mingshuang looked at her coldly and only said:

"Take Miss Li inside."

Li Rong rolled her eyes at her and whispered in her ear:

"Let me tell you straight, don't think that you can win over the old lady of the Qin family. You still have to bow your head now, don't you? If you know what's good for you, you should serve Lanyu well. Maybe Lanyu can give you a meal in the future."

Just as Li Rong was about to walk over, she suddenly stumbled and fell unexpectedly onto a table full of food boxes!

"what!"

The food box was full, and the snacks were spilled all over Li Rong's head and body.

Before Li Rong could even speak, Gu Mingshuang stepped forward with concern and said loudly:

"Quickly! Help Miss Li up!"

The ladies, who were initially confused about what was going on, frowned and pointed at Li Rong.

To embarrass oneself in public at such a banquet—how could a lady from a distinguished family do such a thing? This is clearly a sign of poor upbringing.

Li Rong's face turned bright red when she heard the whispers.

"You!" She reached out to grab Gu Mingshuang, but before she could even touch the hem of Gu Mingshuang's clothes, she was knocked backward by a force.

He fell directly into the ice basin meant to cool him down.

With a splash, ice water spilled all over the floor, and Li Rong was half-soaked.

She covered her face in embarrassment and screamed:

"Help! Help!"

Gu Mingshuang suppressed a laugh as she watched Li Rong being helped up from the basin.

"Miss Li, you should go and change your clothes first."

Before leaving, Li Rong glared fiercely at Gu Mingshuang, gritted her teeth, and whispered:

"You wait! I'm going to tell Lanyu right now!"

Gu Mingshuang's smile deepened.

"Miss Li, Xie Lanyu is probably too busy right now."

Li Rong stamped her foot and quickly walked towards the backyard.

Gu Mingshuang calmly turned around, had someone clean up the mess on the ground, and quickly arranged for the group of noble ladies and young women to take their seats.

A curious lady asked:

"Today is the birthday banquet that Lady Ningyuan is hosting for my cousin, why is no one here?"

Before Madam Meng arrived, Gu Mingshuang knew that Xie Lanyu's reaction had probably exceeded Madam Meng's expectations.

Gu Mingshuang explained with a light laugh:

"Today is my cousin's big day. I imagine her mother-in-law is getting her all ready. I'll have someone go and urge her on in a bit."

As she spoke, Gu Mingshuang had dozens of pots of rare and exotic plants brought over, and invited everyone to admire them with a smile.

At this time, news of what had happened earlier reached Songhetang.

With a bang, Old Madam Song slammed her hand on the table.

"Good! This Meng family hasn't learned a single lesson!"

After comparing Gu Mingshuang and Xie Lanyu, she had already concluded that if the Marquis's mansion wanted peace, it was absolutely unacceptable to let a superficial woman like Xie Lanyu manage the household.

She sent Meng to the ancestral hall to reflect on her actions, intending to temper her sharp edges before explaining the pros and cons to her.

But then, the Meng family couldn't wait any longer and arranged this play early the next morning!

"Foolish! Utterly foolish! How could my Song family have such a useless daughter-in-law!"

Madam Song's face turned ashen.

"Summon Meng Shi here immediately!"

The old nanny standing nearby quickly reminded him:

"Madam, today is Miss Lanyu's birthday. The banquet has already begun, but I'm afraid..."

Madam Song's face turned even uglier.

"The Meng family deliberately chose today so that I couldn't interfere! Fine! Very well!"

The old woman said again:

"There's still a commotion in the tea room, and the Crown Princess is handling things at the banquet."

The old woman paused, then continued:

"Speaking of which, Madam Gu is no longer the heir apparent of the Marquis's mansion. She has just had her name removed from the family register."

With a loud crash, in her fury, Old Madam Song also overturned the teapot beside her.

"My Ningyuan Marquisate is truly doomed to fall into her hands!"

When Madam Song arrived at the teahouse, it was still in complete chaos.