Mingxiu Garden.
Xiang looked coldly at her niece, who was kneeling in front of her and crying her eyes out, and felt a surge of irritation.
"You've only exchanged birth charts; the betrothal gifts haven't been exchanged, and the marriage certificate hasn't been signed. It's nothing."
Xiang Rulan's eyes were red: "Aunt, you promised me back then..."
My aunt always insisted on marrying someone of equal social standing. The Xiang family was a prominent and wealthy family before the civil war, and she was a good match for Ling Qingxue.
But why did my aunt think that a princess with an illegitimate title was not good enough for her?
Xiang Rulan was unconvinced.
Seeing her determined expression, Madam Xiang sighed and said, "I will have Qingxue arrange a good marriage for you, and your dowry will not be less than what you asked for. What more do you want?"
Xiang Rulan cried uncontrollably: "But I've always loved Brother Yi..."
Everything was ready, and even before her cousin left Hangzhou, his aunt swiftly forced him to get engaged, completely kicking that beautiful widow out of the picture.
But in the end, how come I'm the one who gets hurt?
Xiang said with a frustrated expression, "What can I do? Didn't you hear the prince say last night that this princess is the most beloved daughter of the Prince of Chu, and he is willing to marry the Prince of Fenyang..."
"Then why doesn't she marry the prince?" Xiang Rulan shrieked.
Why do you have to come and ruin my wedding!
“The King of Chu would not want his daughter to be a concubine!” Xiang said coldly. “Fang is currently in seclusion at Fenglin Temple. Regardless of her marriage to the Prince, she is still the Princess Consort.”
"That's why the princess agreed to marry Qingxue." Madam Xiang looked at Xiang Rulan, who was still defiant. "You'd better behave yourself. If this marriage falls through, you can forget about marrying Qingxue again."
Xiang Rulan broke down in tears: "Aunt, if the Xiang family were the same as before, would you treat me like this?"
"You?" Madam Xiang laughed. "Even if the Xiang family hadn't fallen, you would still be nothing more than the eldest daughter of the Duke of Ying, without any title. How can you compare to a princess?"
Xiang Rulan finally understood.
Her seemingly noble and dignified aunt was actually a complete hypocrite!
She looked at her with red eyes: "So, as long as someone has a high status, you can help your cousin marry her?"
"You don't consider your cousin's feelings at all!"
Madam Xiang laughed: "Rulan, when you live to my age, you won't say such things."
Marriage is a major life event, and it's usually decided by parents. Who would dare to object?
Xiang Shi concluded by saying, "The Prince has many talented people around him; I'll have Qingxue take a look..."
At this point, she looked at Xiang Rulan with a hint of inquiry: "If you are willing, I can also persuade Madam Cui to let you enter the Prince's Mansion."
Xiang Rulan was astonished.
Xiang said, "Although the prince is already married, Fang is a sickly woman, and there are no other concubines in the mansion, only Fang Ningzhu, who has no status whatsoever. If you are willing, you might be able to become a concubine in the future..."
"No need!" Xiang Rulan looked at her with a mocking expression. "What do you take a prince for?"
If even the Xiang family looks down on her, how could the prince possibly look up to her?
Madam Xiang's face stiffened instantly, and she glanced at her again: "If you truly love Qingxue, you can stay and be his concubine..."
Xiang Rulan was stunned.
She lowered her head and pondered for a long time before taking a deep breath.
Once she was brought to Hangzhou by the Xiang family, there was no turning back.
But if she didn't want to, she would be betrothed to someone else.
She would rather be a concubine.
"What?"
Su Xuerong was astonished when she heard the news from Cui Yun'er's quick tongue.
"She's willing to be a concubine?"
Cui Yun'er waved her hand dismissively: "In the end, everyone was happy!"
Ling Qingxue has arranged her marriage with Li Feiyi, and Xiang Rulan has volunteered to be her concubine, so Xiang Shi no longer needs to feel guilty.
Su Xuerong was immediately overwhelmed with mixed feelings.
Ling Qingxue is actually that kind of person?
She and Cui Yun'er finished their dinner at Chunfenglou and returned to the Su residence.
To her surprise, there was a carriage parked outside the door, and a person was standing in front of the carriage.
As the sun gradually set, its afterglow shone upon the person, making them appear dazzling and radiant.
Su Xuerong had to admit that Ling Qingxue's appearance was in no way inferior to Xiao Yuan's.
Of course, they belong to two completely different types.
If we disregard Ling Qingxue's attitude towards marriage, he can be described as a person of refined elegance, surpassing the vast majority of men in the world.
Xiao Yuan...
Ahem, a gentleman on the surface, but a shameless scoundrel in secret!
The Prince of Fenyang, who was still discussing matters with others in the Juxian Hall, suddenly sneezed without any warning.
The staff below were so surprised that they looked at each other in bewilderment.
"Your Highness, have you caught a cold?"
"It's been terribly hot lately, but please don't overdo it with cooling measures..."
"Eat less iced drinks, and use the icebox in the house less often..."
"I need to drink more cooling herbal tea..."
...
As the people below began to chatter about health and wellness, Xiao Yuan rubbed his forehead and glanced at Ling Qingxue's empty seat.
Su Xuerong withdrew her gaze, calmly stepped forward, and said, "Mr. Ling."
As she got closer, she noticed that the man in front of her had sunken eyes, dark circles under his eyes, bloodshot eyes, and looked extremely haggard.
"Ah Rong!"
Ling Qingxue stepped forward, intending to put her hand on the woman's shoulder, but saw the woman subtly take two steps back: "Mr. Ling, please have some self-respect!"
Ling Qingxue's hand froze in mid-air for a long while before she dejectedly withdrew it.
“Arong, marrying the princess is not my intention, it is the prince…” Ling Qingxue saw the resistance in her eyes, and felt as if a thorn had been stabbed in her heart, her expression pained.
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