"How about this, we divorce and you welcome Miss Bai into the house, and I will be spared from the humiliation and slander of my fifth sister."
"I didn't!" Lu Linglong retorted, but unfortunately no one paid attention to her.
She looked at the stern-faced Lu Yan for help, hoping he would defend her, but he remained silent for a long while. She thought Qin Wan's proposal for divorce had humiliated him, so she immediately stood up for her brother, "Divorce? You're dreaming. You can't tolerate a meritorious person like Sister Bai. You'll only be divorced!"
"Fifth sister, you haven't learned the Four Books well." Qin Wan shook her head. "In our dynasty, women are not abandoned for seven reasons and three reasons. I took care of my mother-in-law until her death and mourned for three years, which is one of the three reasons. If you don't understand, go back and ask your aunt to teach you."
Lu Linglong was not convinced and took a step forward. Before she could speak, she heard the Queen say:
"Alright, let's put the matter of the concubine aside for now. Today is the auspicious day for Lord Lu and the soldiers to return to the court. A banquet has been set up in the palace. You should pack up and go into the palace first."
After much deliberation, the emperor finally decided that the idea of a co-wife was feasible. It would only be unfair to Qin Wan, and the Qin family wasn't one to be trifled with. He would need to appease them later. Thinking of this, he looked at Qin Wan with a friendly expression and said, "Divorce is a major matter for both families, and requires careful consideration. Madam Pingyang Marquis should not act on impulse. If you feel wronged, please go to the palace and speak to the empress. We will handle the matter for you."
The emperor and the empress seemed to be on Qin Wan's side, but neither of them rejected the idea of having a co-wife. They just said to put it on hold for the time being. The final struggle was between Qin Wan and Bai Wanyi.
As the emperor and empress left, the civil and military officials couldn't help but wonder who would ultimately win in this battle for the wife of a concubine.
Lu Linglong's words were stuck in her stomach as she watched the emperor and empress leave with the civil and military officials. She looked at the emperor's back unwillingly and opened her mouth to say something, but her arm was held tightly again. She turned around and saw who else could it be but her grandmother?
Lu Linglong felt wronged, tears streaming down her face: "Grandma."
"Get back!" The old lady gritted her teeth and squeezed out a few words. Immediately, two maids came forward, grabbed Lu Linglong, covered her mouth and dragged her back.
Qin Wan looked at Lu Linglong struggling away and shook her head slightly. When she turned around again, the Qin family members were already standing behind her.
Qin Xie looked at her daughter with a look of heartache: "Wan'er, you have suffered so much."
The words the emperor said before he left were very clear. He hoped Qin Wan would accept Bai Wanyi and would not be willing to agree to her divorce.
Marquis Xuanwu Qin Zhan's chest heaved violently with anger: "This dog..."
He didn't say the rest of the curse. After all, he was the old marquis who dared to hand over the military power during the heyday of the family, and retired with his entire family, ensuring the prosperity of the marquisate for decades.
Know the priorities best.
Changing the subject, if Qin Zhan can't scold the emperor, can he scold Lu Yan?
His eyes widened, and he wished he could chop Lu Yan into pieces: "What a good grandson raised by Old Man Lu! He insulted my granddaughter Qin Zhan like this. If anything happens to Wan'er, I will dig him out and grind his bones to dust!"
Lu Yan frowned slightly, but he was also well-behaved in front of Qin Zhan: "Grandfather, don't worry, I will never let Wan'er suffer any injustice."
"Hmph!" Qin Zhan snorted coldly, "If your grandfather hadn't held my hand before his death and begged me to marry Wan'er to you, I would never have agreed to this marriage! The daughters of our Qin family don't have to worry about marrying into a wealthy family. They just want to marry into a good family! Even if the good one marries into our Qin family, we have no objection!"
Lu Yan didn't know how to respond to this.
But it is indeed so. Except for Qin Wan who married into the Pingyang Marquis Mansion, the other daughters of the Qin family all married down and all married soldiers. After marriage, they lived near their parents' home, which was no different from being unmarried, and their husbands lived in harmony.
Seeing that he remained silent, Qin Zhan snorted again: "Wan'er, let's go home and wait for Lu Yan to deal with this woman and come to pick you up!"
Qin Zhan cursed in his heart: The dog emperor is so cruel. He doesn't agree with the idea of having a co-wife, but he forces Wan'er to agree.
The dog emperor was just afraid that if he had a concubine, it would disrupt the moral code and ethics, and the common people and the wealthy and powerful would follow suit, and the marriage would be neither legitimate nor illegitimate. Those who agreed would naturally be criticized.
This infamous dog emperor doesn't want to take the blame, but instead lets his Wan'er take it. Bah!
Qin Wan obediently followed Qin Zhan's footsteps, thinking in her mind how to get a smooth divorce, but she was stopped after taking only two steps.
Old Lady Lu leaned on her dragon-headed cane and said to Qin Zhan with an apologetic look on her face, "Don't be angry, my dear. Don't be anxious. It is true that Miss Bai has saved you many times. I cannot repay her kindness."
With his grandmother's support, Lu Yan spoke with more confidence. He protected Bai Wanyi and her son behind him and said, "Wanyi has saved me from danger many times, not to mention her military merits. However, as a woman, she cannot be awarded an official position. I will seek a position as a co-wife for her to compensate her."
Qin Zhan was so angry that he blew his beard and glared: "That's what your mansion owes, not what my Wan'er owes! If you want to compensate her, then do it. Why are you dragging my Wan'er into this and making her suffer? Why?!"
Lu Yan looked at Qin Wan. Although they had known each other since childhood, they could not be considered childhood sweethearts.
They had only met a few times when they were young. At that time, she followed the Qin sisters and hung out in the army at a young age, just like a boy.
Not long after they got engaged, Qin Wan followed her father to a post outside the capital, and the two never met each other. In his memory, she still looked so vulgar, just like those shrews at the border.
Who would have thought that when I saw her today, she was so bright and intelligent, but her temper was still as stubborn as when she was a child.
However, after working hard for the Marquis's Mansion for eight years, it is natural for him to be a little stubborn.
Lu Yan's heart softened a little: "We can talk about this later. I'll settle Wan Yi first."
Qin Wan looked at Lu Yan and said coldly, "No matter how you arrange for Miss Bai, you cannot enter my Lu family without a name or status."
"However, if the Marquis wants to take her as a concubine, that is a different matter. There is no need to mention the matter of a co-wife."
Lu Yan frowned and wanted to say something else, but then he felt his palms getting hot. He turned around and saw Bai Wanyi gently shaking his head. A child beside him said in a childish voice, "Daddy, I'm hungry."
They rushed back to the capital from the border, and were exhausted from the long journey. In order to catch the emperor's personal welcome today, they got up before dawn to set off. Not to mention the children, even the adults could not have held on.
Lu Yan picked up Ping'er with a distressed look on his face: "I'll take you to rest first."
He then said to Old Lady Lu, "Grandma, I'll go back after I've settled them."
After saying that, he didn't care about Qin Wan and left with Bai Wanyi and her son.
Qin Xie held her daughter's hand, heartbroken: "I watched you wait and see the moon, but who knew he would be so cruel and heartless."
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