Yang Guifei sensed the scornful gazes from the other concubines. She gently tugged at the sleeve of the emperor's dragon robe and chided him, "Your Majesty! Your favor for Zigu is truly excessive! I'm not determined to separate him and Yuyao, but Yuyao's mother, Liao, is now imprisoned and will soon be punished. She will bear the stigma of a criminal. How can the Fourth Prince's wife be the daughter of a prisoner?"
The emperor felt that this statement made some sense. "Although Miss Jiang is fostered in the Marquis's residence, her blood is connected and difficult to sever, which will inevitably lead to criticism. However, the marriage has been arranged and the engagement letter has been exchanged. It should not be canceled lightly."
Yang Guifei then suggested: "Why not let Jiang Yuyao be a concubine? This is in accordance with etiquette and can also preserve their love."
Jiang Yuyao, who had lived in a distinguished mansion since childhood, had always believed that she would become the prince's principal wife and, in the future, the mother of the country. But upon hearing Concubine Yang's proposal that she be relegated to a concubine, her inner resistance was palpable.
Concubine, even if it sounds nice, is still just a concubine after all!
Even though she is not the real daughter of the Yongding Marquis, her real identity is the daughter of the Huguo Duke!
Xinyi Zigu naturally saw through Jiang Yuyao's indecision. How could he bear to let his beloved suffer such grievances? "Mother..." His voice was full of determination and tenderness. He didn't want to cast a shadow on this beautiful love.
However, Yang Guifei's eyes were filled with rage. A single glance swept across the crowd like frost, and her tone was cold: "Zi Gu, although Jiang Yuyao comes from a humble background and her mother, Liao, was once imprisoned, in terms of status, it is an honor for her to become your concubine. The reason I agreed is entirely because of the Yongding Marquis's Mansion."
Faced with his mother's majesty, Xinyi Zigu could only bow his head and agree, his voice trembling slightly. "Yes, mother, your teachings are very true. However, I have a request. Even if Yuyao cannot be promoted to the position of principal wife, I will never marry a vulgar and disrespectful woman like Jiang Songyi as my principal wife!"
The Yongding Marquis's Mansion meticulously orchestrated this drama, causing Yuyao to suffer immense injustice. Wasn't their purpose to force Jiang Songyi onto him? He was determined to foil their plan!
As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of everyone in the Yongding Marquis' Mansion changed, and their dissatisfaction became even greater.
Jiang Songyi felt helpless when she saw Xinyi Zigu glaring at her fiercely again.
[Do you really think I'm a gold brick that can be picked up casually? Don't even think about asking me to be your wife. Even if you're willing to be my concubine, I won't even consider you.]
Upon hearing this, Jiang Dinglian almost spilled the wine in his glass.
His daughter appears gentle and calm on the outside, but her inner monologue is so arrogant and unruly!
However, Jiang Songyi's words were not without reason. How could the daughter of the Yongding Marquis be a commodity to be chosen at will?
Yongding Marquis Jiang Dinglian slammed his wine glass down on the table. His face was livid, and an air of authority emanated from him. His voice was filled with undeniable anger. "Fourth Prince, this marquis' daughter, after enduring many hardships, was finally found. She is the apple of my eye. How can you be so picky? Even if you were willing to marry her, this marquis would not necessarily be willing to give her to you!"
Jiang Songyi was slightly stunned. She had never expected that Marquis Yongding would stand up for her and not hesitate to anger the royal family.
However, when she recalled her experiences in her previous life, a hint of bitter sneer appeared on the corner of her mouth.
[Ha, lost and found again, the pearl in the palm of your hand. That 'pearl' hanging on the city wall, how ironic!]
Jiang Dinglian's heart suddenly tightened, as if it was being grasped by an invisible hand.
Xu's eyes were like knives, she glared at Jiang Dinglian fiercely, then lowered her head and looked at her daughter beside her tenderly, her eyes overflowing with endless pity. She held her daughter's hand tightly, as if silently swearing.
In this life, she vowed to live on bravely and never let anyone hurt her precious daughter!
Jiang Songyi felt the warmth of his mother's palm and gently held her hand back, and his inner irritability gradually subsided.
Whether in past lives or this one, there are always people who stand by her side like a rock, such as the loving master and the gentle mother.
Although the Emperor's love for Yang Guifei and the Fourth Prince was immense, his patience had reached its breaking point when faced with their picky and delayed selection of a marriage, which even angered his most trusted ministers. "Fine," he said, "I decree that Jiang Yuyao, the second daughter of the Yongding Marquisate, be appointed as the Fourth Prince's concubine. The choice of principal wife will be decided later."
The emperor's words left no room for doubt. Although Jiang Yuyao was unwilling, she could only suppress her dissatisfaction temporarily. She bowed and said, "Your Highness, I obey your command."
Xinyi Zigu finally breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he and Jiang Songyi were not bound together, he would be satisfied: "Thank you, father."
The emperor turned his head, his gaze set on Jiang Dinglian. His expression softened considerably. He waved his hand casually and said kindly, "Marquis Yongding, please sit down too. Why bother getting angry with the children? I dare not act arbitrarily regarding Miss Jiang's marriage without your approval, lest I disrupt the harmony between us, the emperor and his subjects."
Thinking back to more than ten years ago, if Marquis Yongding had not defeated the powerful enemy outside Yanmen Pass and protected the vast country, how could he have sat firmly on the throne?
Although he was not a wise monarch who was good at both civil and military affairs, he could be considered a sensible monarch.
How many emperors in history, suspicious of their ministers' achievements, have resorted to self-destructive actions, ultimately leading to the destruction of their country and their families? He draws wisdom from the lessons of history and knows not to repeat the same mistakes!
Yang Guifei frowned slightly, but she didn't dare to show any sign of disobedience. Instead, she said with a smile, "I will follow the emperor's arrangements."
She had long planned to make Jiang Songyi her principal wife, thus firmly tying the Yongding Marquisate to their warship. However, the Fourth Prince's words were so resolute that she was caught off guard.
Forget it. In fact, deep down in her heart, she didn't have much affection for Jiang Songyi. As long as the imposter Jiang Yuyao no longer occupied the position of the main wife, she could choose another noble lady of prominent family as the main wife of the Fourth Prince.
This controversy over the real and fake daughter ended with Jiang Yuyao being demoted from the Fourth Prince's principal wife to a concubine. The position of principal wife remained vacant, and the Fourth Prince hated the eldest daughter of the Yongding Marquis's mansion even more.
…
During the Lantern Festival, the palace was brightly lit, and the sounds of fireworks and firecrackers rang out one after another, lighting up the long night like a sea of fire and silver flowers.
The servants from the imperial kitchen carried jade plates in their hands, and delicacies were brought into the hall one after another, replacing the fruits and snacks that were provided to fill the stomachs of the officials and their families.
All the civil and military officials and their families sat upright and had not yet started eating.
Jiang Songyi held her chin in her hand boredly, watching the singing and dancing with a dull look in her eyes.
Jiang Yuyao had also been sent back to the seat for the women of the Marquis' Mansion by the Fourth Prince, and sat side by side with Jiang Songyi.
She asked resentfully, "Now I have become the Fourth Prince's concubine. Are you satisfied, sister?"
If Xu and Jiang Songyi hadn't intentionally revealed her life story to Prime Minister Sang's wife, how could she have suffered such a terrible humiliation? Now, all the high-ranking officials and dignitaries in Jindu knew that she was nothing more than a fake daughter born to a criminal!
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