Chapter 226 Requesting the Conferment of the Title of Heir Apparent

Marquis Zhongyong stared at the silver ingot, his brow furrowing: "What do you mean?"

Concubine Zhao got up and sat on the lap of Marquis Zhongyong, saying sweetly, "My lord, think about it. Ever since Yao Qingling returned to the manor, she has been going against you and doesn't respect you at all."

"Think about it again. Her maids all receive higher monthly wages than those in other courtyards, and they are often given gifts. How could those servants not side with her?"

"How could the servants in the other courtyards not be envious and want to go to her place? You, by giving them that packet of medicine, are giving them an opportunity to show their loyalty."

“Look again, that Granny Liang was beaten to death in public, yet Yao Qingling took out such a large ingot of silver as funeral expenses, and so many people saw it. Doesn’t this show that Yao Qingling is fair in her rewards and punishments, and that even when someone dies, their family still receives compensation? Don’t you think this is winning people’s hearts?”

Marquis Zhongyong's face was grim, and his eyes were sinister.

"Furthermore, Yao Qingling used this silver ingot to warn the Marquis, clearly knowing that this was your intention. But she knew this, yet she still brought it up. Doesn't that further demonstrate that she doesn't respect the Marquis?"

"The Marquis has lost his life in the manor, yet she is busy winning people's hearts. What is her purpose?"

The Marquis of Zhongyong's voice was so somber it seemed as if he had drunk gutter water: "Why?"

Concubine Zhao gently rubbed the man's chest, then pressed down slightly, tilting her head back and slowly saying, "Of course... for this Marquis's mansion, for the position of head of this family."

The veins on the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor's forehead throbbed, and his eyes flashed with a chilling light.

He slammed his hand on the table with a loud bang: "She dares!"

Concubine Zhao held his hand and blew on his palm, saying, "Does it hurt if you blow so hard? My lord, you may be angry, but I won't allow you to treat yourself like this. It will break my heart."

"If you keep hurting yourself like this, then I won't say anything more."

She swayed playfully on the man's lap, and the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage was like a raging tiger whose fur had been stroked, his temper subsided, and he chuckled as he hugged Zhao and kissed her: "Alright, alright, I won't do that anymore, I scared you, didn't I? Let me rub it for you."

He placed his large hand on the woman's chest and lewdly kneaded it a few times. Zhao Qie let out a soft moan, her voice so sweet that it made the man's bones melt.

She grabbed the man's large hand, pressed it onto her lap, then rolled her eyes coquettishly and spat, "You're so annoying..."

Although the Marquis of Zhongyong was immersed in the pleasures of the woman, he did not forget that his position as Marquis was in jeopardy. He held the woman and coaxed her, "Come on, continue. Why do you say that she came for the Marquis's mansion?"

“Yao Qingling is just a woman, and she’s divorced. How can a woman be in charge? There are no women who can be marquises in the Li Dynasty.”

This is the source of the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery's confidence.

Concubine Zhao said, "My lord, Yao Qingling brought up the fact that her father died for the country again, reminding everyone that this mansion was obtained because of her father."

"As the saying goes, a married daughter is like water spilled from a cup, let alone someone who isn't the Marquis's biological daughter, but only his niece. She suffered setbacks outside and returned home dejected. In this Marquis's mansion, she's just a dependent. She can't help but think, if she were a man, this mansion would be hers, and she wouldn't have fallen to this state. She feels that the Marquis's wife and the Marquis himself have both bullied her, so wouldn't she want to be the head of this mansion herself?"

“My lord, please reconsider. She has just given birth to a son. She cannot become a female marquis, but she can ask the emperor to bestow a title upon her son and make him the heir apparent.”

Marquis Zhongyong took a deep breath, his eyes flashing with a sinister light.

It's quite possible that Yao Qingling has become so domineering and powerful.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Hmph, this wretched girl can't steal anything outside, so she comes back to steal from me. This Marquis's mansion is none of her business to cause trouble! Unless I, the Marquis, petition the Emperor for a title, she can forget about it!"

He has so many sons and grandsons, how could it possibly be Yao Qingling's son?

Concubine Zhao shook her head: "That's not necessarily true. My lord, given her current reputation and her relationship with the Censor's wife, it's quite possible that she can get it done for her. The only obstacle might be her status as a merchant's daughter. However, I think Yao Qingling has a way to overcome that."

The Marquis of Zhongyong felt even more threatened and asked urgently, "Then why don't you agree to let her return to the Duke's mansion and become the wife of the Vice Minister?"

With this troublemaker gone, the Marquis's mansion will be much more peaceful.

Concubine Zhao said, "Now that Yao Qingling can make her own decisions, how could she possibly want to live with Second Master Zhan again? She's not like a woman like me. What I want is for as many women as possible to serve the Marquis. As long as the Marquis is happy, I'm happy. But Yao Qingling is competing for favor with Zhou Zhining, only wanting to be the only one."

"Think about it, Master Zhan and Zhou Zhining are childhood sweethearts. So many things have happened that haven't separated them. How could Yao Qingling be the only one?"

"Therefore, if the Marquis forces Yao Qingling to sleep with Master Zhan, Yao Qingling might do something desperate. At that point, the Marquis's mansion will no longer be her maternal home, but her enemy."

Marquis Zhongyong was startled, and suddenly remembered what he had done.

If Yao Qingling finds out, she will "sacrifice her own family for the greater good." At that time, she will already be the wife of a vice minister, and her married daughter will have nothing to do with the Marquis's mansion. She will use this to gain merit, and if the emperor punishes her, the entire Marquis's mansion will be in deep trouble!

Marquis Zhongyong took a deep breath and nodded: "You're right... But what should we do?"

Now that we know Yao Qingling's purpose, we must deal with her as soon as possible to avoid any unforeseen complications.

“How about we kill that child…” Marquis Zhongyong made a “kill” gesture.

Once Yao Qingling loses her son, there will be no question of inheriting the title, and she will have no choice but to give up.

Concubine Zhao got up from him and sat on the other side of the chair, still shaking her head: "My lord, you are kind and compassionate, and you still think that she is your niece and family. But if that child dies, do you think Yao Qingling will avenge her son? Besides, neither the Grand Princess of Deyang nor Master Zhan will let this go."

Marquis Zhongyong grew irritated: "This won't work, that won't work, so what am I supposed to do? Am I just supposed to stand by and watch that brat take the Marquis's mansion away?"

When he got angry, he suddenly started breathing heavily and coughed so hard he almost couldn't catch his breath.

He reached out to Zhao's concubine: "The medicine..."

Concubine Zhao took out her purse, poured out a pill, and Marquis Zhongyong swallowed it without even having time to drink water.

Concubine Zhao served him tea and fed him by hand.

After taking the medicine, Marquis Zhongyong straightened his legs, closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and placed his hands on the armrests. He looked as if he were floating on air, and his chest went from heaving violently to calming down.

From an angle he couldn't see, Zhao's concubine's eyes showed disgust, but it was fleeting.

She said, "My lord, you have so many sons, why don't you ask the Emperor to appoint a crown prince now?"

Marquis Zhongyong frowned. It wasn't that he hadn't thought about it, but the thought of Ma Shi forcing him to establish an heir made him feel like he had swallowed a fly.

He didn't like any of his sons. The eldest was even sent to a Buddhist monastery; what future did he have there?

His plan is to wait and choose a capable grandson from among his grandsons.

Furthermore, if the Marquis's mansion were to establish an heir, it would mean that the Marquis is getting old and the Marquis would have to step aside.

Marquis Zhongyong said, "Since Yao Qingling also has the idea of ​​establishing an heir, she will definitely try to interfere."

Zhao's concubine glanced at him, knowing that this was not his true feeling.

She coaxed, "My lord, I have a way. Not only can you request that Yao Qingling be granted the title of heir apparent, but you might even get him a serious crime!"