Chapter 16: The New Concubine
Although Song was under house arrest, she did not appear to be in dire straits.
Burn incense and brew tea, leisurely and calm.
He no longer looked as crazy as he did in front of the old lady that night.
She is a daughter of the Song family, and her sister is the Empress Dowager.
Even though she was under house arrest, no one dared to blame her.
This is the confidence given by my mother's family.
"On March 15th, there will be a grand event at Guoqing Temple. The old lady will take you there, so you'd better prepare well." Song grabbed a handful of ethereal green smoke.
Qu Lianxue was excited.
All the dignitaries in the capital will attend such a grand event, which is a good opportunity to show off.
She didn't dare show her happiness too obviously in front of her stepmother, so she asked cautiously, "What about mother and second sister?"
Song's expression was calm, without a trace of anxiety, "Just take care of yourself."
The room fell silent for a moment, but Qu Lianxue felt even happier.
That means Qu Lianzhi is not going.
It’s better not to go.
Only if Qu Lianzhi doesn't go will she have a real chance.
Seeing that the corners of her mouth couldn't help but rise, Song Shi's eyes flashed with contempt.
Thinking about what she was going to do, Song decided to give her some sweeteners.
"The Crown Princess has been chosen, and the concubines are still being selected. The Queen wants a girl from our family to enter the Eastern Palace. Do you want to go?"
Qu Lianxue suddenly looked up and looked at Song in disbelief.
Concubine of the Eastern Palace?
To serve the prince?
The pie that fell from the sky was so big that Qu Lianxue almost fainted.
"My daughter dare not dream of such an honorable position." Qu Lianxue pinched herself secretly.
She crouched on the ground, looking uneasy, "Let Second Sister..."
Song threw the beads in her hand directly onto the table, and the sound made Qu Lianxue tremble.
She heard her stepmother say, "My daughter is the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's family and the niece of the Empress. How can she be someone else's concubine? She has a bright future ahead of her."
Qu Lianxue's face flushed and she felt extremely embarrassed.
Suddenly I feel that the prince's concubine is not so attractive.
They are all daughters of the Marquis, only she is a concubine's daughter.
It used to be Qu Lianzhi, and now there is one more person, Qu Ling. She will always be the mud under their feet.
There was grievance, unwillingness, and cruelty in his drooping eyebrows.
"This is Qu Ling's handwriting when he was ten years old," Song handed a piece of paper to Qu Lianxue, "You don't need me to teach you how to do this, do you?"
Qu Lianxue clenched her hands into fists in her sleeves. When she looked up again, she looked obedient again. "My daughter understands."
At night, a servant came to announce, "The Marquis is here."
Song had a reserved smile on her face. As long as the Song family did not fall, what could the Dingxiang Marquisate do to her?
Not to mention that the old lady was safe and sound, even if she died, she wouldn't have to pay with her life.
"Please come in, my lord."
Song stood up to greet him, but her face froze when Qu Xi came in.
Behind him followed a woman in a plain dress, with lowered eyebrows and pleasant eyes, walking lightly.
Qu Xin looked indifferent and waved his hand to let the servants leave.
Song's fingertips trembled slightly, and her heart was burning with anger, but she forced herself to suppress it.
His eyes swept across the woman like a knife, and he asked coldly, "What do you mean, Lord?"
Qu Xi's expression remained unchanged. "This is the new concubine Miao. I'm bringing her to meet you."
Song's breathing was rapid. "My Lord, are you going to slap me in the face? Even though I made a mistake, I won't tolerate such humiliation!"
Qu Xi frowned slightly, but his tone remained calm, "Humiliation? It's just adding a concubine. In the powerful families of the capital, who doesn't have three wives and four concubines? Or is it that the son-in-law of your Song family can't take concubines?"
There was a hint of sarcasm in his tone.
There was no princess in this dynasty who would not allow her husband to take a concubine.
"The eldest princess's consort, Prince Pei, has two servants in his mansion. What's the matter? Are you, the daughter of the Song family, more valuable than the eldest princess?"
Song was so angry that she was shaking all over. She pointed at the woman and said sternly, "If you want to take a concubine, why didn't you discuss it with me first?"
A hint of impatience flashed across Qu Xi's eyes, and his tone turned cold. "This is the Dingxiang Marquis's residence, not your Song family. Do I need to ask you before I take a concubine?"
"Do I need to write a visiting card first and ask your father's permission?"
Qu Xun is not a lustful person.
Over the years, he has not taken in anyone except Qu Lianxue's concubine.
Qu Lianxue's concubine had died a long time ago, and Song was the only one left in the rear house of the marquis's mansion.
I don't know how many people secretly envy her.
But today, she was slapped in the face.
Song felt a pang of pain in her heart, as if she had been stabbed hard.
She stumbled back two steps, holding onto the corner of the table to barely stand. "Okay, very good. By treating me like this, you are disregarding the years of marriage relationship?"
"Marriage?" Qu Qi's face darkened. "If you consider me your husband, you should treat A Ling well and be filial to your mother. But look at what you have done!"
After the court session today, Empress Song sent a message to him, saying, "The daughters of the Song family cannot be humiliated at will."
Qu Xi was very angry when he received the Queen's warning.
"Do you really want me to make public what you did?"
His tone was as sharp as a knife. "Although Queen Song is your sister, it is not her turn to meddle in the internal affairs of the Marquisate. The eldest princess is still alive, and the court is not dominated by your Song family alone!"
The present state of Dingxiang Marquis Mansion is the result of his trepidation and self-sacrifice.
It's not like I rely on the Song family.
He remembered Qu Ling's words.
It’s not certain who will win or lose?
Several important officials were promoted in the court, all of whom were the eldest princess's men.
"I told you, I don't want to see anyone from your Song family in the Marquis' Mansion. If you don't replace those in the yard, I will beat them all to death!"
Qu Xi said no more, turned around and left with the woman.
Song looked at his back, her vision went dark, and her chest heaved violently.
The news that the Marquis brought back a concubine quickly spread.
While having dinner at Yunsong Hall in the evening, the old lady was smiling happily.
"That's a good thing. I'll have two tables of wine set up tomorrow to make it lively."
Then he asked, "But she is a girl from a white family? Who are her family members?"
Qu Xi answered them one by one, "She is a daughter of a merchant family. Her family is in the cloth business. Her parents are both alive, and she has a younger brother."
The old lady nodded, very satisfied.
Qu Ling's eyes flickered as she smiled, "Then why did she agree to be Daddy's concubine?"
The old lady hurriedly stopped her, "You are an unmarried girl, why are you asking these questions?"
Qu Ling stopped talking.
Why would an unmarried girl mention the matter of a concubine?
"A-Ling isn't a child anymore," Qu Xi said without any hesitation, "In one month, it will be your sixteenth birthday."
Qu Ling never celebrates his birthday.
That day was also her mother's death anniversary.
"Daddy knows you don't like celebrating your birthday," Qu Xi said, "even after all these years, your mother won't blame you."
"Okay, I'll listen to Daddy," Qu Ling didn't refuse, looking up and chuckling, "I'll go to Guoqing Temple in a few days. I want to offer some scriptures in front of the Buddha and light some eternal lamps for Mom."
Qu Xian liked her well-behaved appearance and said, "Of course you can. If the money is not enough, Daddy will give it to you."
Qu Ling nodded and ate his meal.
But she was thinking about her mother's dowry.
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