Chapter 824 Two women sharing one husband?

After hearing this, Jiang Fenghua understood. "The Pan family intended to marry their daughter to you, but you did not agree. However, Xie Xin interfered and said that you agreed to the marriage. He also said that you had one condition: that the two women should share one husband. So, Madam Pan agreed to marry her daughter to Prince Qi."

Jiang Fenghua couldn't help but sigh. His status as a prince was indeed a symbol of power and wealth, and Xie Qi was currently the prince most favored by the emperor among all the princes.

"Don't you, the dignified Prince Qi, think the same way? After all, getting close to the Pan and Lu families would be a great help to you," Jiang Fenghua said calmly.

Xie Qi frowned. "Even the Empress doesn't believe Xiao Wang."

"I dare not underestimate people's hearts in the face of power," Jiang Fenghua said directly. "I have no dealings with His Highness Prince Qi, so there's no question of trust." It was Lu Xuefei who helped him, not her.

Xie Qi knew that the Empress was very powerful, so he said, "Please help me, Your Majesty. I really can't afford to offend the Pan family, nor can I afford to offend the Lu family, and I don't want to hurt Fei'er's feelings."

Xie Xin is a scoundrel now, and Xie Qi can't do anything about him. He added, "Xie Xin would never let me have an easy time, that's why he plotted against me like this."

"Lu Xuefei came to see you, why didn't you see him?" Jiang Fenghua asked.

Xie Qi suddenly remembered what happened that day. He said, "Pan Xiuying and her mother suddenly came to the Qi Prince's mansion and said that they wanted to marry into the Qi Prince's mansion as the principal wife. At that time, I was confused. Then Fei'er suddenly came. I didn't want her to misunderstand, so I deliberately made her leave. Who knew that she not only didn't leave, but also wanted to ask for clarification. Pan Yang deliberately said something else. I was thinking of explaining to her later. Who knew that she wouldn't come to the Court of Justice. I wanted to go to the Lu Mansion, but I was entangled in some things. It seems that Lord Lu doesn't like me anymore."

"Didn't you ever consider that Lu Xuefei has seen you and Pan Xiuying together more than once? She might be disappointed in you."

Xie Qi couldn't explain it clearly. "Pan Xiuying has always appeared in front of me as my fiancée. I can't get rid of her. I really have nothing to do with her. Now many people think the rumors are true. I've explained, but no one believes me."

"Now, Commandant Lu is distancing himself from me. I want to marry his daughter, and he wants me to handle all this mess." Xie Qi said, "Please help me, Sister-in-law."

Jiang Fenghua felt overwhelmed; the Pan and Lu families were not people she could afford to offend.

She said, "Madam Pan wants to marry her daughter to you as a princess, which means she wants Lu Xuefei to be your concubine."

Xie Qi nodded. "That sounds like it, but I didn't agree."

"You haven't agreed yet. Would you have agreed if she had arranged for Lu Xuefei to marry you as her princess and Pan Xiuying as her concubine?"

Xie Qi was speechless. "What are you talking about, Your Majesty? What have I done to deserve this? This is all Xie Xin's doing to mess with me."

"He's not afraid that if you really agree to marry both of them, you can enjoy the 'blessings of the King of Qi'."

"Does Your Majesty think Fei'er is willing to marry someone else as a concubine? Or does Your Majesty think the Pan family is willing to marry their daughter to someone else as a concubine, and that no matter who I marry, I will not be happy?" He said, "From beginning to end, the only person I want to marry is Lu Xuefei. There will be no two women serving one husband, nor any concubines."

Lu Xuefei suddenly stood behind him. She and Hongxiu hadn't gone far before turning back. She had been staying at home these past few days and hadn't left the manor. Her father had returned, but his face was pale and he hadn't said anything to her. It turned out that it was because of Prince Qi that her father was unhappy.

Her father wouldn't let her leave the manor either, probably because he was afraid she'd hear the gossip going around!

She never imagined that one day she would become the subject of gossip.

Lu Xuefei suddenly spoke up, "Your Highness Prince Qi."

Xie Qi was stunned. "Fei'er."

Lu Xuefei feigned ease, her eyes filled with arrogance, "Your Highness is not wrong. I do not wish to be Your Highness's concubine. I would rather marry a poor man as a wife than a rich man as a concubine. Your Highness may not take me as a concubine in this life or the next."

She added, "Of course, the man who wants to marry me must never take a concubine. Otherwise, I would rather remain unmarried for life. Such a request may be wishful thinking, and no man in the world could tolerate me. But I will not change my bold ideas."

"If Your Highness truly wishes to marry me, you must fulfill your promises. If you cannot, please do not casually tell others that you intend to marry Lu Xuefei. Although Lu Xuefei is not particularly beautiful, she has her own principles." Lu Xuefei also liked Xie Qi, but she did not say this aloud because Prince Qi and Pan Xiuying were indeed entangled.

Xie Qi said in a deep voice, "I can do it."

Lu Xuefei was stunned, and for a moment she didn't know what to say. She had wanted to rush up to him several times to ask him why he had gotten involved with her after he left with her hand that day, which meant he rejected Pan Xiuying.

She felt she wouldn't ask those questions again; asking them would be pointless.

Jiang Fenghua chuckled and said, "The Pan family's matter is easy to resolve."

Several people asked in unison, "How does Your Highness plan to resolve this?"

"I've heard from you that Madam Pan has been handling Pan Xiuying's marriage all along. Grand Tutor Pan probably knows that Madam Pan wants to marry her daughter to Prince Qi. The fact that Grand Tutor Pan didn't stop her shows that he also has this intention. However, Grand Tutor Pan is probably still unaware of the rumors that Prince Qi wants to marry daughters from both the Lu and Pan families at the same time."

Xie Qi said, "Indeed, it has always been Madam Pan who has been looking for Xiao Wang."

Jiang Fenghua continued, "If Grand Tutor Pan knew that his granddaughter was going to marry into the Qi Prince's mansion as a concubine, would he still be willing? Grand Tutor Pan is a highly respected figure; how could he allow his granddaughter to marry someone as a concubine?"

Xie Qi never knew he could become a hot commodity in other people's eyes. He didn't want this kind of hot commodity. Xie Xin's purpose was to deliberately make him offend the powerful figures in the court. If the news of Prince Qi taking wives and concubines at the same time reached the emperor's ears, the emperor would probably think that he was abusing his power.

Even if the granddaughter of Grand Tutor Pan were to marry into the palace and become a concubine, she would be qualified. However, Grand Tutor Pan refused to allow his daughter to enter the palace, so Madam Pan set her sights on Prince Qi, believing that her daughter would be a noble princess.

Pan Xiuying, dressed in a pure white dress, walked gracefully towards us like a fairy.

She bowed gently to Jiang Fenghua and Xie Qi, saying, "This humble woman, Pan Xiuying, greets Your Majesty the Empress and pays respects to Prince Qi."

Jiang Fenghua curled her lips and secretly sized up Pan Xiuying. Her voice was gentle and melodious, her temperament was elegant and refined, and her appearance was above average. She could be considered a beauty!

She said, "So it's Miss Pan. Please rise, Miss Pan."

Pan Xiuying slowly rose to her feet. "Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress."

She walked to Xie Qi's side, pretending not to see that Lu Xuefei and he had a good relationship, and said gently, "Your Highness made Ying'er look for you, how come you're in the garden in the blink of an eye? Grandfather is looking for Your Highness!"

Xie Qi felt embarrassed. "What business does Grand Tutor Pan have with me?"

Pan Xiuying said, "It seems that they want to recommend a few scholars to Your Highness. They are quite knowledgeable in law and are all learned old scholars. Your Highness should go and meet them!"