Concubine's position
The main hall door was open, and everything that was happening at the entrance could be heard clearly inside.
Such a clear and pleasant voice... The first person to notice Fu Zhi Qiao was Granny Zhang.
The newcomer was dressed in a simple, everyday dress, which accentuated her slender waist. She wore only a jade hairpin and two pearl flowers in her hair, and her long, dark hair cascaded down her back like silk. Her entire outfit was understated, yet her beauty was still undeniable.
The girl's skin was as smooth as cream, her eyebrows and eyes were exquisite, her lips were naturally red, and her eyes were like a spring, clear and captivating.
Such beauty would be considered outstanding even among the noble ladies of the capital, no wonder the young master, who has always been indifferent to women, was moved.
However, possessing such beauty yet coming from a humble background, it's hard to say whether it's a blessing or a curse.
As Fu Zhi Qiao stepped into the main hall, even Zuo Murui had to admit that this woman was indeed a rare beauty.
In the main hall of his own home, someone else was sitting in the seat of honor. Fu Zhiqiao asked, "What brings you here, Madam?"
The maid standing to the side glared at her and said, "How dare you! You don't even bow to the Princess?"
"Your Highness, Princess?" Fu Zhi Qiao's eyes were filled with complex and unreadable emotions.
Upon hearing this, Fu Zhi Qiao calmly bowed to Zuo Murui, her knees slightly bent: "This humble woman greets Your Highness, may Your Highness be well!"
She stood up after bowing, her attitude neither humble nor arrogant.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Seeing that Fu Zhi Qiao's reaction was indifferent, Zuo Murui looked her up and down twice. There was not a trace of panic on that beautiful face, and not even much expression.
She possessed a certain level of knowledge and backbone, and was not intimidated by Fu Zhi Qiao's identity. She had previously guessed that Fu Zhi Qiao would be a delicate woman with tears in her eyes, but after meeting her, she found that Fu Zhi Qiao was different from what she had imagined.
After a moment of silence, Zuo Murui finally couldn't hold back any longer: "You're Fu Zhiqiao?"
"What are your orders, Your Highness?" Fu Zhi Qiao asked, her eyes lowered.
From the moment she learned Xie Zhuo's identity, she knew this day would come, so she always restrained herself, not daring to fully invest her feelings, nor daring to recklessly accept Xie Zhuo's kindness towards her.
But I never expected this day to come so soon.
Granny Zhang gestured for the maids on both sides to leave.
Zuo Murui slowly straightened the wrinkles on her cuffs, her tone indifferent yet tinged with sarcasm: "As expected, you have both beauty and skill. Don't think that just because you've hooked up with the prince, you can marry into the royal family and become a princess. There's a limit to wishful thinking."
Upon hearing this, Fu Zhiqiao had already determined Zuo Murui's purpose in coming.
"Your Highness has misunderstood..."
"Whether it's a misunderstanding or not is not important." Zuo Murui interrupted her, her voice not sharp but possessing a quiet, authoritative edge.
"Since the young master has brought you to the capital, I, as your mother, will take you into my household."
A hint of interest flashed in Fu Zhiqiao's eyes. Zuo Murui somehow found out about her relationship with Xie Zhuo and immediately said that she was delusional and unworthy of marrying into the royal family.
"May I ask, Your Highness, who said I was going to marry into the Prince's mansion?" Fu Zhi Qiao asked innocently, looking directly at Zuo Murui. "Was it the Crown Prince who said it?"
"It doesn't matter who said it..."
Fu Zhi Qiao interrupted forcefully: "Does the Crown Prince know that the Princess Consort has arranged for me to become his concubine?"
A fleeting hint of unease flashed across Zuo Murui's eyes.
Fu Zhi Qiao had been watching Zuo Murui's expression closely. When she saw the fleeting unnaturalness on Zuo Murui's face, she knew that she had guessed correctly.
Zuo Murui came to see her without Xie Zhuo's knowledge, but thinking about it, it makes sense. Instead of scolding her son, the mother was giving her a lecture. She must have run into a wall with Xie Zhuo, so she turned her attention to her.
Fu Zhi Qiao's series of questions left Zuo Murui feeling awkward. She was furious, dissatisfied with Fu Zhi Qiao's nonchalant attitude and also unhappy that her son had been bewitched by such a woman. She was already very unhappy, but she couldn't show it on her face.
Zuo Murui smiled, her face amiable and dignified, but her words clearly carried a warning: "This is not something you should ask. I'm giving you two choices: either pack your bags now and come with me to the Prince's Mansion, or take the money and leave the capital."
"What if I, a humble woman, do not choose?"
"Then don't blame me for being ruthless." Xie Zhuo, a noble young master, is entangled with a merchant's daughter. If word gets out, wouldn't he become a laughing stock in the entire capital?
She would not allow Fu Zhiqiao to stay in the capital and tarnish Xie Zhuo's reputation.
Only after Zuo Murui explained her purpose did Fu Zhiqiao finally feel a sense of relief.
As the Princess Consort of Prince Duan, she held a high position and wielded great power. If she was determined to make herself Xie Zhuo's concubine, Fu Zhi Qiao would be powerless to stop her from using her authority.
This is the capital city, right under their noses. This princess could kill her with a flick of her finger. As the saying goes, the common people can't fight against officials. In the end, she's just a powerless merchant. How could she possibly fight against the high and mighty princess?
Fu Zhiqiao thought to herself that Zuo Murui should care more about Xie Zhuo's thoughts than her own life or death. She could disregard herself, but she couldn't disregard Xie Zhuo.
She quickly regained her composure, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Does the Prince know about the Princess's arrangements?"
Zuo Murui looked at Fu Zhiqiao with disgust as if she had heard a joke, and said sarcastically, "You? You think you can cause a rift between us, mother and son?"
"Whether I am worthy or not, whether I can do it or not, Your Highness should know in your heart." Fu Zhi Qiao knew perfectly well that if Zuo Murui could persuade Xie Zhuo, she wouldn't have needed to come and warn her today.
The other party clearly had ill intentions, and even if I humbled myself, it wouldn't help.
Fu Zhi Qiao was displeased by Zuo Murui's condescending attitude. If it were anyone else, she would have kicked them out long ago. It was only because of Zuo Murui's unusual status that Fu Zhi Qiao restrained her emotions and dealt with her.
However, the other party's tone was far from pleasant, and Fu Zhi Qiao's attitude also turned cold. She looked at Zuo Murui and said, "Since the princess knows where I live, why doesn't she go out and inquire more about who is bothering whom?"
"You!" Zuo Murui had never expected this answer. So, according to her, her son was the one who took the initiative? Remembering Xie Zhuo's words that he would not marry anyone but her, Zuo Murui knew in her heart that this merchant woman probably wasn't lying.
Seeing that Zuo Murui was really angry, Fu Zhiqiao narrowed her eyes slightly. She couldn't afford to offend her completely, so she adopted a humble posture and said in a soft voice, "It's hard for any woman not to be moved by a young and promising man like the young master. I do like the young master, but we have always kept proper etiquette between us and have never crossed any lines."
“I understand Your Highness’s meaning.” She changed the subject: “However, I’m afraid I cannot fulfill the request to leave the capital. I can only assure Your Highness that from today onwards I will not take the initiative to seek out the Crown Prince, will not obstruct his marriage, and will not pester him.”
The implication is that I won't actively seek him out; if he comes knocking on my door, it's beyond my control.
Zuo Murui was amused by Fu Zhiqiao's shameless appearance. "No wonder you come from a merchant family, you're quite the smooth talker."
Granny Zhang observed clearly from the side that this Miss Fu was a person of her own mind, and she did not yield to the Princess's imposing manner. As a woman herself, from her perspective, she admired Fu Zhi Qiao, but she thought that with Miss Fu's personality, even the Princess might not be able to control her once she entered the Prince's residence.
Thinking of this, Granny Zhang stepped forward and changed Zuo Murui's teacup, signaling with her eyes that Zuo Murui should calm down.
Zuo Murui let out a soft sigh of relief. She really shouldn't have lost her composure; such harsh words shouldn't have come out of her mouth.
Zuo Murui frowned and gave Fu Zhiqiao a deep look: "Have you thought it through? You come with me to the manor now, and you can become a concubine after the heir inherits the title."
Concubines could be listed in the Imperial Archives.
Zuo Murui used the title of concubine to entice Fu Zhiqiao. Wealth and honor were right in front of her, and the opportunity to transcend social classes and become a member of the royal family was right in front of her. In her opinion, Fu Zhiqiao had no reason to refuse.
"Concubine." Fu Zhi Qiao chewed on these two words.
So what if she's on the imperial register? No matter how prestigious the title of concubine sounds, she's still just a concubine.
No matter how favored a concubine is, her status in the family will never surpass that of the principal wife.
Concubines were not allowed to appear during important family events such as weddings and ancestral rites. They even had difficulty raising their own children. In short, a concubine's status in a wealthy family was no more than that of a high-ranking maid.
"This humble woman refuses."
Zuo Murui looked surprised. Could this woman be trying to advance by retreating? She looked Fu Zhiqiao up and down: "Think carefully. If you give up today, you will never have another chance."
"This humble woman will never become a concubine in her life."
"No regrets?" Zuo Murui asked again, seemingly incredulous.
No regrets!
Zuo Murui's remaining words were cut off. "That's good then. Remember what you said."
Suppressing her anger, she left with a group of servants. After getting into the carriage, Granny Zhang finally spoke: "This Miss Fu is truly a woman of character. She dared to say to the Princess that she would never be a concubine in this life. Does she really not want to enter the Prince's mansion?"
Zuo Murui said calmly, "It's more than just being quick-witted."
Having served Zuo Murui for decades, Granny Zhang naturally understood her meaning: "Miss Fu is so young, yet she speaks with neither arrogance nor servility. Her mature and steady nature makes her truly impossible to dislike."
Zuo Murui leaned against the soft pillows and sighed, "No wonder Huaiyan likes her."
To be honest, Zuo Murui's feelings were very complicated at this moment.
If Fu Zhi Qiao were a woman from a noble family, she would certainly praise her for having such a temperament. It's just a pity that her background is so humble. Saying that she would never be a concubine would only make people think that she is arrogant and overestimating herself.
Granny Zhang nodded in agreement and asked, "Then what do you think is the proper way to handle this matter?"
To be honest, Fu Zhi Qiao's calm and composed demeanor did earn Zuo Murui's respect, but that was about it.
Zuo Murui didn't really take Fu Zhiqiao seriously. Today's warning was enough. She didn't believe Fu Zhiqiao would dare to disobey her. A glint of shrewdness flashed in her eyes: "Since she has made it clear that she will not become a concubine in the Prince's mansion, let's just wait and see..."
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