96. Permitted to enter the residence

"Sima Hong, have you no shame?!"

"My lord, something terrible has happened! A woman with two children is kneeling and crying in front of the gate!"

The servants of the Marquis of Quzhou's residence shouted loudly and knelt on the ground.

For a moment, everyone stopped talking and looked at Marquis Guangshun of Quzhou.

A woman with two children? Aside from the concubine of the Marquis of Guangshun, it's hard to imagine who else would come to the gate of the Marquis of Quzhou's residence at this time.

Marquis Qu Zhou looked at Marquis Guang Shun with eyes as sharp as twin swords, "Fine, fine, Yuan Kuai, you're deliberately making things difficult for me today. You're intentionally ruining my birthday banquet."

Before Yuan Kuai could speak, King Yi explained on his behalf, "Oh dear, sister-in-law, Brother Yuan Kuai didn't mean that." King Yi then said to Yuan Kuai, "Brother Yuan, you should quickly explain your plans. It's your fault for causing your sister-in-law to misunderstand." King Yi kindly advised.

Marquis Qu chuckled lightly, glanced at Prince Yi, and thought, "What a Prince Yi who shares the burdens of His Majesty."

Before Yuan Kuai could speak, Marquis Qu Zhou stopped looking at Yuan Kuai and the Prince of Yi. A smile spread across his round face, and with a turn, his priceless shawl twirled gently.

She stood up and said, "Everyone, I'm really sorry for today. I originally came here to have some fun and relax, but who knew... it would turn out like this. Since that's the case, I, Zhang Zhi, will just go all out today, put on some colorful clothes, and let everyone have some fun."

"Someone, bring the mother and her two children in. It's rare for everyone to be here today, so let's all enjoy ourselves. The stage is set up, how can we leave empty-handed?"

Qu Zhouhou's eyes swept over the faces of Yuan Kuai, Prince Yi, Guo Yun, the Second Prince, and others. His previous anger subsided, and his eyes held a hint of unfathomable depth: "All you opera stars, you must perform well. If you perform well, I will reward you; if you don't perform well, I will punish you."

What Yuan Kuai, Prince Yi, Guo Yun, and the Second Prince thought about Qu Zhouhou's veiled and sarcastic words was unknown to the others. All they knew was that today's birthday banquet was anything but a pleasant one.

As if a theatrical troupe had been prepared, Marquis Qu invited people to sit down, and servants brought out fine wine and food. But who was in the mood to eat and drink now?

Soon, the banquet began, and the mother and her two children were led to the center of the table. A beautiful young woman with a gentle appearance walked in carefully, holding a baby who was still nursing in her arms and leading a toddler who had just learned to walk on her left.

The three knelt in the center of the banquet hall. Yuan Kuai looked anxiously at the mother and her two children. Marquis Qu Zhou sneered, "Is Yuan Kuai going to offer them seats?"

Yuan Kuai wanted to plead for the mother and her two children, but his straightforward mind knew that pleading for them now would be a slap in the face to his wife and would only make her angrier. So he could only awkwardly say, "It's all my fault."

"Yuan Kuai, Yuan Kuai, your pig brain can't think of anything, except this one thing you're right about." Qu Zhouhou's voice suddenly rose: "It is indeed your fault! How dare you sit down! You should kneel on the ground with those three, mother and son, and kowtow three times to me!"

Qi Gu looked at her aunt, who appeared angry but whose smile didn't reach her eyes, giving off a strange feeling.

After the mother and her two children entered, Marquis Guangshun only had eyes for them and paid little attention to Marquis Quzhou's anger.

He asked Sima Hong, "Today, were these three—mother and sons—arranged?" Qi Gu glanced in the direction of Prince Yi and the Second Prince.

"Qi Gu is intelligent."

"Don't look down on people."

"It's all my fault. I will never look down on Qi Gu again."

Qi Gu glanced at Sima Hong's smiling eyes, "What exactly are they trying to do?"

"Nothing special, if the opponent's defense is too strong, I just want to break through one corner of the wall."

Just then, a woman's sobbing voice came, "Sister, it's all my fault, please calm down, I'd be willing to die for you."

The toddler, bewildered, watched his mother cry sadly, tugged at her sleeve and cried along with her, while the child in her arms began to cry restlessly.

The only sound in the banquet hall was the shrill cries of two children. The mother and her two children looked so weak and helpless, it was truly pitiful.

Marquis Qu Zhou didn't even glance at them, and instead focused on enjoying the exquisite dishes on the table.

Sitting next to her, her daughter Yuan Zhuang tugged at her sleeve and looked at her mother with concern, "Mother, don't be sad."

Marquis Qu Zhou placed a piece of food on his daughter's plate with his chopsticks, saying, "Eat more. You're only just starting to recover. Don't let irrelevant people affect you."

"Enough!" Yuan Kuai finally couldn't hold back any longer and stood up from his seat. "A-Ling, why are you doing this!"

Yuan Kuai walked up to the mother and her two children, picked up the woman, and said, "A-Ling, I have decided to raise A-Pei's two children in your name. From now on, A-Pei will be my concubine, but you will still be my wife. Why are you forcing me like this?"

The sounds of chopsticks clattering and dishes clattering in the banquet hall ceased instantly, and even the crying of the woman and the two children stopped.

The young woman, unsure whether to be happy or surprised, looked at Yuan Kuai with teary eyes, unable to believe her eyes.

Upon hearing Guangshunhou's words, Qi Gu slammed her chopsticks heavily on the table. This Guangshunhou had such a big mouth, making his mistakes sound like he was doing his aunt a favor.

Her eyes flickered. Why did her mother spare his life in her past life? He should have died like Prince Yi, without a complete corpse!

Sima Hong pulled her hand over. The swelling on her hand, which had just hit the Second Princess, had not yet subsided, and two of her fingers were now red from being pressed by chopsticks.

"Does your hand hurt? Why hurt yourself for someone who isn't worth it?" she said, carefully rubbing the reddened area.

Qi Gu let him hold her hand, mainly because she couldn't pull it away even if she wanted to. "I've never seen such a shameless person," Qi Gu said angrily.

Sima Hong gently rubbed Qi Gu's fingers with his fingertips. Qi Gu's fingers were plump and round, and her palms were fleshy with thin calluses, which were left from years of holding a hoe.

The calluses on Qi Gu's palms were gently scratched by his dry fingertips, which felt both itchy and comfortable. She tried to pull her hand away, but Sima Hong wouldn't let go.

He paid no attention to the mother and her two children or Yuan Kuai, only seeming interested in her palm. Qi Gu felt a little itchy and couldn't stand it, so she whispered a scolding: "What are you doing!"

Sima Hong gently rubbed his thumb against Qi Gu's palm, as if he couldn't bear to part with it.

Qi Gu felt uncomfortable because of him, as if his hand was crushing not her palm, but her heart.

"Sima Hong, have you no shame!" He covered her hand with his other hand, making him stop. She was truly afraid of him; it was even more painful than having a sword pierce her palm.

Despite being scolded by Qi Gu, Sima Hong was not angry at all. Instead, a happy smile appeared on his lips. He even put Qi Gu's palm to his lips and gently kissed it.

A faint dampness came from her palm, accompanied by a breath as light as a feather falling into her hand. Qi Gu was so frightened that she pulled her hand back forcefully.

She clasped her hands together, clenching them into fists. The feeling of feathers brushing against her palms lingered this time. She glared angrily at Sima Hong, but he patted her head and looked back at the center of the table.

Qi Gu could only look around warily. Fortunately, everyone's attention was on the four people in the center of the banquet and her aunt, and no one noticed Sima Hong's presumptuous actions.

Aside from Gao Ruyu, who was completely devoted to Sima Hong, seeing the two so intimately accommodating that they didn't even try to hide it from anyone, Xiu Yuan was actually... That was Sima Hong, the bright moon in her heart! Xiu Yuan, he actually put that village girl's hand to his lips...

Gao Ruyu thought bitterly, "Chu Qigu, do you think you can marry Xiuyuan? Don't even think about it!"

"Hahaha!!!"

At this moment, Marquis Qu Zhou looked at the woman and child in Yuan Kuai's arms and laughed three times.

Just like when a theatrical troupe is performing a wonderful piece, even King Yi can't understand what Marquis Zhou is thinking.

However, as he sat at the table, he raised his wine cup and took a sip. The wine today was excellent, just right. He thought that Yuan Kuai would be able to make a decision after today.

He could then give His Majesty a satisfactory explanation.

"Yuan Kuai, if you had just said what you thought, how could I have refused? I absolutely adore this young lady! Someone, someone, quickly find her a seat!"

"ah?"

Everyone was puzzled by Qu Zhouhou's sudden change. The person who had been determined to divorce Yuan Kuai before was now suddenly no longer resentful or angry, and was even happy with his subordinate "sister".

It's bizarre, truly bizarre.

Prince Yi had just finished a sip of wine and almost choked on it from this sudden turn of events. He asked uncertainly, "So, Marquis Quzhou, you've agreed to let the mother and her two children enter your residence and give them a proper status?"

Yuan Kuai and the woman in his arms were both stunned. What was going on? They had negotiated for so long before, and Marquis Qu Zhou hadn't given in. Why was he suddenly acting this way today...?

Marquis Qu Zhou said, "That's right, I've agreed to everything."

"That's wonderful, truly wonderful! Yuan Kuai, look how well your sister-in-law knows etiquette! Come, quickly have the two children kowtow to the mistress and pay their respects to Zhuang'er, their elder sister. From now on, she will be your mother and sister." Prince Yi was even more excited than Yuan Kuai.

Marquis Qu Zhou looked at King Yi. In today's drama, Yuan Kuai seemed to be the protagonist, but he was not the real protagonist.

The woman in Yuan Kuai's arms tightened her grip on the child in her arms and looked at Yuan Kuai, "Brother Kuai, this, this...didn't you say before that the three of us, mother and child, would live in your mansion?"

Qu Zhouhou suppressed his disgust and said, "Oh, sister, the Guangshunhou residence is not as convenient as the Qu Zhouhou residence. There isn't even anyone to serve you there. How can we let you live there? Besides, how can our family live separately? That would be too distant. A family should be together 'all together'."

For some reason, Qu Zhouhou was smiling, but everyone felt that the smile was terrifying.

Marquis Quzhou then said to King Yi, "Brother Xinchen, I owe a great debt to you for mediating my affair with Yuan Kuai. Otherwise, I really wouldn't have been able to come to this conclusion so easily." Marquis Quzhou raised his wine cup to King Yi, "This cup is for you. Without you, Yuan Kuai and I would probably have parted ways."

King Yi laughed a few times, "Ha~ I didn't do anything, it's best if my sister-in-law can understand."

"I understand now, it's all so clear." A glint of light flashed in her eyes. "Your Excellency, Prince Yi, have done a great service. I will definitely repay you in the future."

“Sister Azhi, you’re too kind. However, I’m thinking it’s not good for the mother and her two children to live in your Marquis of Quzhou’s residence. Let them live in Brother Yuan’s Marquis of Guangshun’s residence. Firstly, they won’t be in your way, and you’ll have some peace and quiet. Otherwise, you’ll have to worry about such young children if they fall ill. Secondly, my eldest niece Zhuang’er needs your care, and I can’t bear to see you overworked.”

Yuan Kuai nodded quickly and gave the Prince of Yi a grateful smile.

Marquis Qu Zhou's fingers turned white as he gripped the wine cup, but he smiled and said, "Didn't Prince Yi say before that I was the mistress of the children? As the mistress, I naturally have to take responsibility. Prince Yi, rest assured, with the two children here, I will naturally treat them well and will not let anything happen to them while they are here. If anything happens to the children, Prince Yi, just come and find me!"

The woman looked up at Yuan Kuai. Yuan Kuai didn't know why, but he had previously hoped that his wife would accept the three of them, mother and children. However, she suddenly accepted them, and he suddenly started to panic. So he said, "Azhi, why don't we let the three of them stay at the residence of the Marquis of Guangshun?"

Qi Gu could no longer contain herself and shouted angrily, "Uncle, what? Haven't you been asking Aunt to give them, her two children, a proper status? Now that Aunt has done everything you asked for, you're trying to push your luck!"

If this woman lives in the Guangshun Marquis's residence, will she still need to pay her respects to the mistress every day? Will she need to serve the mistress? Uncle, do you go back to the Quzhou Marquis's residence or the Guangshun Marquis's residence every day? Before, she cried and begged to come to my aunt, and my aunt agreed, but now she wants the three of them, mother and son, to live in the Guangshun Marquis's residence.

"Hmph! Anyone who doesn't know better would think this woman is the mistress of the Guangshun Marquis's mansion, or perhaps you don't want her as a concubine and want to take her as a secondary wife? Uncle, that's not how you enjoy the blessings of having two wives! Even if you go to the palace to see Father, I'm afraid he won't favor you this time. Elevating a concubine to a secondary wife seems wrong in terms of morality, reason, and law."

Qi Gu then looked at the Censor-in-Chief and the Minister of the Imperial Clan Court who had come to attend her birthday banquet today, and asked, "Am I right, Censor-in-Chief and Minister of the Imperial Clan Court?"

"Indeed, Marquis Guangshun, your decision to take a concubine for your own selfish reasons is already morally reprehensible and violates the law. Now you want to elevate her to the status of a secondary wife, which is even more wrong!"

“Lord Guangshun, your marriage to the Marquis of Quzhou was personally guaranteed by His Majesty. Now that you have committed such a wrong, the Marquis of Quzhou, out of consideration for your marital bond, has allowed the mother and her two children to enter his residence. However, his wish to elevate them to the status of a secondary wife is indeed a violation of the law.”

The Imperial Censor was upright and incorruptible, and was in charge of officials' misconduct. The Director of the Imperial Clan Court was in charge of the royal family's weddings and funerals. The Empress was the mother of the country, and the Marquis of Quzhou was the Empress's sister. Her marriage was under the jurisdiction of the Director of the Imperial Clan Court.

It was somewhat understandable that the Marquis of Guangshun took a concubine into his household, and His Majesty could turn a blind eye to it. However, it was a different story that he elevated his concubine to the status of a secondary wife. The Censorate and the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs would never allow it. Otherwise, if other officials and imperial relatives followed suit, wouldn't things fall into chaos?

Unexpectedly, this princess who returned from the countryside was described by everyone as uncouth and crude. She claimed to be rough in her actions, but she easily used etiquette to suppress Marquis Guangshun.

The Prince of Yi cast his gaze toward the eldest princess, and indeed, she seemed somewhat different.

She then looked at Sima Hong beside her, thinking how lucky the Zhang family was, her eyes filled with a mixture of jealousy and envy.

[Author's Note]

Sima Hong is quite cunning; he seized every opportunity to wear those sunglasses.