Lu Ze frowned and was about to refuse the order when he heard Qi Yuning chuckle and say, "Empress Dowager, the concubine has wronged Sister Zhou."
Seeing that Qi Yuning was not angry but smiling, Empress Dowager Zhou breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It's not really unfair for her to be a concubine."
Lu Zelian said, "Your Majesty, I cannot obey your order. I will not marry Zhou Jiayun as my concubine. The Lu family's ancestral precepts forbid the taking of concubines."
Empress Dowager Zhou smiled and said, "I have asked your grandmother about this matter. Your grandmother is now ill in bed. This morning she said that if Jiayun could become your concubine as soon as possible, she would recover faster."
Lu Ze wanted to refuse with filial piety, but Queen Mother Zhou responded with filial piety.
Empress Dowager Zhou looked at Lu Ze and said, "This is the first imperial decree I have issued since becoming Empress Dowager!"
Qi Yuning understood the implication of Empress Dowager Zhou's words. As the empress dowager's first imperial decree, it was not too excessive. It was to give Lu Ze a beautiful woman as a concubine. She had a good family background and good looks. How could Lu Ze disobey the order?
Especially since it was the first order from Empress Dowager Zhou, if he disobeyed the order, it would be disrespectful to the Empress Dowager and even to the young emperor.
Qi Yuning smiled and said, "Empress Dowager, the concubine has indeed wronged Sister Zhou, but the Regent Princess is not wronged."
Lu Ze looked at Qi Yuning, "Yuning!"
Qi Yuning said to Lu Ze, "The Empress Dowager's decree cannot be disobeyed. As for me, I will never tolerate my husband having a concubine. Why don't we divorce? You can fulfill your reputation for loyalty and marry Miss Zhou as your princess. That would be the best of both worlds."
Empress Dowager Zhou's smile froze, and she said, "Yuning, I absolutely do not intend to ask you to divorce!"
Qi Yuning said, "Your Highness, there's no need to say more. The Qi and Lu families have always been loyal to each other. We dare not disobey your imperial decree. I will go back and write the divorce papers and return to my parents' home. I won't take your niece's place."
Empress Dowager Zhou repeatedly said, "No, no, Yuning, I really don't mean to ask you to divorce and give up the throne..."
Qi Yuning carried Lingling, who was lying on the small couch, over and said, "Empress Dowager, Empress Dowager Zhou is your niece. How can she submit to me? You don't need to say more. The Regent will definitely obey your first decree."
Qi Yuning bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I will leave the palace first. I will go back and write the divorce papers. I will never take up the position that Miss Zhou wants for a single day!"
After Qi Yuning left, Lu Ze said to Empress Dowager Zhou, "Your Majesty, please forgive me for having to disobey your order. Before the late emperor passed away, he asked me to take good care of Yuning and her child. Now, because I married a concubine, my wife and daughter are separated. I am too ashamed to live in this world!"
Empress Dowager Zhou listened to Lu Ze's words and said, "Lu Ze, I absolutely do not intend to let Jiayun replace Yuning. She is only a concubine, and Yuning will still be the principal wife."
Lu Ze said, "Your Majesty, I cannot accept your order. I will never have a concubine!"
After Lu Ze finished speaking, he left in a hurry.
Empress Dowager Zhou frowned, and soon a palace maid came to announce that Madam Zhou and Zhou Jiayun were coming, and Empress Dowager Zhou let them both in.
After Madam Zhou bowed, she asked Empress Dowager Zhou, "Empress Dowager, have you issued any decree?"
Empress Dowager Zhou rubbed her head with her fingers, feeling a headache. She said, "Lu Ze would rather disobey the imperial order than let Jiayun become a concubine."
Madam Zhou was startled. She looked at her daughter and asked, "Why? What's wrong with my Jiayun? Besides, although Lu Ze is the regent, he is still a minister. How can he not obey your imperial decree?"
Empress Dowager Zhou sighed and said, "Even if he doesn't obey the imperial decree now, what can be done?"
Madam Zhou said, "Since you are the Empress Dowager, I'm sure Lu Ze will have no choice but to obey your orders, unless he wants to be charged with infidelity!"
…
After Qi Yuning returned to the princess's mansion, she ordered the maid to pack up the dowry, and even went to the neighboring prince's mansion to ask a few servants to come and carry the dowry.
The dowry was carried around the city to the princess's mansion, and today it was carried back to the prince's mansion after going around the city again.
After seeing Qi Yuning packing up her dowry and giving Lingling to Ali, Lu Ze pulled Qi Yuning into the house and closed the door.
"You really sent all the dowry back? Didn't I already refuse the imperial decree?"
Qi Yuning said: "If I don't make a scene today, Queen Mother Zhou will definitely have Miss Tuesday and Miss Wednesday to be your concubines in the future.
Also, you cannot openly reject Empress Dowager Zhou's decree. It would be fine if we had rebellious intentions, but as a loyal person, why should we bear the stigma of disobeying the order?
The Zhou family has really pissed me off this time. Doesn't Zhou Jiayun want to be someone's concubine? I'll help her and let the whole world know that she wants to be someone's concubine!
It would be fine to talk about making Lu Ze a concubine after the New Year. But things didn't go smoothly on the first day of the New Year. If Qi Yuning didn't retaliate, she wouldn't have a comfortable year.
Qi Yuning looked at Lu Ze unhappily and said, "You were concerned about the Zhou family's reputation earlier. Does the Zhou family really care about reputation? Without even discussing it, they directly issued an imperial decree to grant us a marriage. What do they think of me?"
Lu Ze held Qi Yuning in his arms and said, "You also said it was the first day of the Lunar New Year this year, why are you so angry?"
Qi Yuning said: "The Zhou family's actions are too despicable and disgusting!"
Lu Ze gently advised, "Why get angry at such a mean person? Don't be angry."
Qi Yuning said coldly, "I can't help but be angry. If I don't vent my anger today, I'm afraid I'll be frustrated for the whole year. I'm forgiving for the sake of the overall situation, not to let the Zhou family bully me!"
The Zhou family is really stupid to the extreme. Now that the new emperor is still young and has not yet grown up, they are trying to suppress their Qi family. I wonder if they have lost their heads because of the sudden wealth and prosperity.
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