When Lu Ze frowned and was about to refuse the order, he heard Qi Yuning chuckle and said, "Empress Dowager, the concubine has wronged Sister Zhou."
Seeing that Qi Yuning was not angry and was smiling, Queen Mother Zhou breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It's not that she was wronged by the concubine."
Lu Zelian said, "Empress Dowager, I'm sorry I can't obey your order. I will not marry Zhou Jiayun as my concubine. The Lu family's ancestral precepts do not allow concubines."
Queen Mother 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.
Queen Mother Zhou looked at Lu Ze and said, "This is the first imperial decree I have issued since I became Queen Mother!"
Qi Yuning understood the implication of Empress Dowager Zhou's words. Her first decree as the empress dowager 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, he would be disrespecting the Empress Dowager and even 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 Queen Mother's decree cannot be disobeyed. As for me, I will never tolerate my husband having a concubine. It would be better for you and I to divorce. You can fulfill your reputation of loyalty and marry Miss Zhou as your princess. This is the best of both worlds."
Queen Mother Zhou paused in her smile and said, "Yuning, I have absolutely no intention of asking you to divorce!"
Qi Yuning said, "Empress Dowager, you don't need to say more. The Qi and Lu families have always been loyal to each other. We dare not disobey your decree. I will go back and write the divorce letter and return to my parents' home. I will not take your niece's place."
Queen Mother Zhou said repeatedly: "No, no, Yuning, I really don't mean to ask you to divorce and give up the throne..."
Qi Yuning held Lingling who was lying on the small couch beside her and said, "Empress Dowager, Empress Dowager Zhou is your niece, how can she be inferior 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 to write the divorce agreement and will never take up the position that Miss Zhou wants for a day!"
After Qi Yuning left, Lu Ze said to Queen Mother Zhou, "Queen Mother, please forgive me for having to disobey the order. Before the late emperor passed away, he asked me to take good care of Yuning and her child. Now, I am separated from my wife and daughter because of marrying a concubine. I will not be able to live in this world in the future!"
Queen Mother Zhou listened to Lu Ze's words and said, "Lu Ze, I have no intention of letting Jiayun replace Yuning. She is just a concubine, and Yuning will still be the principal concubine."
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. Not long after, a palace maid came to announce that Madam Zhou and Zhou Jiayun were coming. Empress Dowager Zhou even let them both in.
After Madam Zhou bowed, she asked Empress Dowager Zhou, "Empress Dowager, have you issued an order?"
Empress Dowager Zhou rubbed her head with her fingers, feeling a headache and said, "Lu Ze would rather disobey the order than let Jiayun be a concubine."
Madam Zhou was shocked. 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 order?"
Empress Dowager Zhou sighed and said, "Even if he doesn't obey the imperial decree, what can we do about it?"
Madam Zhou said, "Since you are the Queen Mother, I think Lu Ze will have no choice but to obey the order, unless he wants to be charged with disloyalty!"
…
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 give you Miss Tuesday and Miss Wednesday as concubines in the future.
Also, you cannot openly reject the Empress Dowager Zhou's decree. It would be fine if we had rebellious intentions, but as a loyal person, why should we bear the infamy of disobeying the Empress Dowager's 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 the first day of the New Year has not been a good start. If Qi Yuning does not retaliate, she will not feel comfortable for the whole year.
Qi Yuning looked at Lu Ze unhappily and said, "You were concerned about the reputation of the Zhou family before. Does the Zhou family want to be famous? Without any discussion, they directly issued an imperial decree to grant the 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: "What the Zhou family did is too despicable and disgusting!"
Lu Ze advised softly, "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 will 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. The new emperor is still young and has not yet grown strong, but they are trying to suppress their Qi family. I don't know if they have lost their heads because of the sudden wealth and prosperity.
Lu Ze asked: "How do you want to vent your anger?"
Qi Yuning said: "The Zhou family is so shameless that they want to use the imperial decree to steal my things..."
Lu Ze asked: "Things?"
Qi Yuning coughed, "Aren't you a thing?"
Lu Ze pushed Qi Yuning against the desk and bit her red lips gently, "Speak nicely!"
Qi Yuning snorted, "Ever since I was little I've hated it when someone steals my things. Now even my husband is coming to steal them. I was patient and tolerant before, but they treated me like a soft persimmon!"
After hearing this, Lu Ze asked, "Are you angry because they want to steal your things?"
When Qi Yuning heard that Lu Ze was still concerned about these things, she could only say softly, "After all, what they took away was the most precious thing in my heart."
Lu Ze said, "There is no need to save face for the Zhou family now. I originally wanted to promote the Zhou family and give Xiao Zhaojie a support, but I didn't expect the Zhou family to be so confused. I'm afraid they will become the second Qin family. Let's find a reason to drive them back to Jiangnan."
Qi Yuning said, "I really can't let them save face any longer. I will take the dowry back to the palace this time, and I will also make the Zhou family's forced divorce known to everyone in the world. I want to let everyone in the world see how the Zhou family treats the orphans of the loyal and brave."
Lu Ze looked at Qi Yuning and said, "Just send the dowry back, but you don't have to go back."
Qi Yuning said, "I have to go back. I feel that the Qi Mansion is lonely during the New Year, so I just happened to take Lingling back home to celebrate the New Year."
Lu Ze hugged Qi Yuning's waist, held her in his arms and sat down, saying, "Then I'll come over at night. Don't take Lingling with you. She's a nuisance in the palace."
After all, Lu Ze had been a vegetarian for so long, and he didn't want to continue being a monk after Qi Yuning had finally recovered.
Qi Yuning said: "Lingling needs to be brought along."
Qi Yuning's dowry was constantly being moved into the palace, making a lot of noise. Princess Pingrou, who was busy with Lu Yun's wedding, felt more and more troubled. She entered Lu Ze and Qi Yuning's courtyard and saw a maid guarding the door.
Princess Pingrou pushed the door open and saw Qi Yuning sitting in Lu Ze's arms. Qi Yuning was so scared when he saw Princess Pingrou coming that he stood up repeatedly.
Lu Ze also stood up and straightened his clothes, then said awkwardly, "Mom."
Princess Pingrou looked at Qi Yuning and said, "Are you two okay? Why are you taking all the dowry back to the palace?"
Qi Yuning said aggrievedly, "Although Lu Ze and I have nothing to do, there are people who can't stand us getting along. The Queen Mother has issued an imperial decree to make Zhou Jiayun Lu Ze's concubine. I have a petty temper and can't tolerate a concubine, not to mention that Miss Zhou is wronged to be a concubine. I will go back to the palace and give the position of Regent Princess to Miss Zhou."
Princess Pingrou heard the whole story and sighed, "Issuing an imperial decree to grant Lu Ze a concubine? My third brother's wife is really very confused!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
