"Madam Ning?" After hearing Mei Xiang's words, Xi Ying dropped the covered bowl in her hand. "Since ancient times, there has only been one legitimate wife. Now, wouldn't there be two principal wives? Even if the general dotes on her, how can he disregard ancestral laws!"
"Madam," Xia'er called softly, supporting the swaying Xi Ying who was about to fall.
"Madam?" Xi Ying laughed self-deprecatingly, then raised her eyebrows and looked at them, saying, "I'm afraid that if there are two generals' wives in the manor in the future, you won't be able to tell who your master is!"
"We swear to serve you to the death, Madam!" Xia'er and Meixiang immediately knelt down and said.
Xi Ying sat in the main seat, suppressing her earlier dissatisfaction, straightened her back, and wore a virtuous smile. "Xia'er, go and invite Aunt Lian over to discuss the General's marriage to... no, to Lady Ning!"
"What?" Xiang'er didn't let Xia'er finish speaking before she stood up angrily, pushing everything on the table to the ground, and said with a bitter smile, "Madam Ning? Where does the General intend to place me?"
Xiang'er wiped away her tears and clutched the handkerchief tightly in her hands. "Rongxi, come with me to pay our respects to your future Madam Ning!"
Yan Ning leaned against Fukang'an's chest. Since she couldn't get used to using a calligraphy brush, she dipped the brush handle in ink and drew her dream wedding on paper. "On the day of the wedding ceremony, I want to wear a white wedding dress," Yan Ning said, looking at Fukang'an expectantly, hoping he would agree.
Fukang'an looked at the strange things Yan Ning was drawing on the paper, but didn't mind. She always caught him off guard. He gently tapped Yan Ning's nose and said softly, "I'll grant you anything except the white wedding dress! I want you to wear bright red, only the principal wife can wear bright red!"
Yan Ning put down her pen and nuzzled her head against him. "Is this really okay? Is this in accordance with the rules? Will people criticize you? And then the Emperor will dismiss you from your post, or..." Yan Ning hugged him tightly with worry as she thought about how Fukang'an had committed bigamy.
"Haha..." Fukang'an took the layout drawings that Yan Ning had drawn for him and hugged her tightly.
"Aunt Lian, you really can't go in!" Zhao Xing stopped Xiang'er at the entrance of the Fu residence.
"How dare you! Is it because there will soon be another Lady Ning in the manor that I, Concubine Lian, will lose my status?" Xiang'er looked at Zhao Xing with sharp eyes.
"This is the general's order, and this servant is merely following orders!" Zhao Xing said with a forced smile, looking at Xiang'er.
"Get out of the way!" Xiang'er kicked Zhao Xing to the ground. Because he didn't dare to fight back, Zhao Xing followed closely behind her, saying, "Aunt Lian, what you're doing will anger the General!"
Seeing the main room door closed, Xiang'er pushed it open with her eyes still closed, only to freeze in the doorway upon opening them. Fukang'an was holding Yan Ning, tenderly watching her doodle on paper. Xiang'er watched Fukang'an gently stroke Yan Ning's hair, watched him lightly kiss her lips, and watched the two of them in the throes of mutual affection. Xiang'er collapsed to the ground, bowing her head in despair.
Hearing the noise at the door, Fukang'an opened his eyes, pulled away from Yan Ning's lips, and looked towards the door. His gaze immediately underwent an unfathomable change. When Yan Ning opened her eyes, she saw Xiang'er sprawled on the ground, and her face flushed with shame. At the same time, she felt sorry for her. For a married woman, nothing is more painful than seeing her husband being intimate with another woman.
Yan Ning got up and walked to the door to help Xiang'er up, but Xiang'er threw her to the ground, causing her to bump her bandaged wound and cry out.
Fukang'an walked over and helped Yan Ning up, his brows furrowing slightly. He looked at Zhao Xing and said, "Rongxi, help Aunt Lian up!" Upon hearing the order, Rongxi quickly stepped forward and helped Xiang'er up.
"This servant could not stop Aunt Lian!" Zhao Xing knew he had made a mistake, so he knelt down to beg for forgiveness.
"Get down!" Upon receiving the order, Zhao Xing quickly withdrew.
Fukang'an pulled Yan Ning to the main seat, letting her sit in the place that should have been Xi Ying's.
Supported by Rongxi, Xiang'er stood in the middle of the hall, refusing to sit down. "Why? Why are you doing this to me?"
“If you feel uncomfortable, then I will allow you to stay in your own courtyard and not get involved in this matter!” Fukang’an looked up at Xiang’er and said expressionlessly.
"So, General, you're determined to marry Lady Ning?"
"Yes!" Fukang'an replied without hesitation. Yan Ning sat beside Fukang'an, looking at him, already too moved to speak.
Fukang'an, you can hate me, you can despise me, but why must you treat me so coldly? Thinking this, Xiang'er drew a dagger from her sleeve and stabbed Yan Ning.
As the dagger flashed, Yan Ning saw Aunt Lian rushing towards her. Fu Kang'an leaped up and struck Xiang'er's right arm with a palm strike. Xiang'er's hand went limp with pain, and she dropped the dagger. Her eyes were filled with fierce jealousy and resentment as she stared at Yan Ning.
Fukang'an picked up the dagger and sheathed it. He took Xiang'er's hand and placed the dagger in her grasp. "In my memory, you were an innocent and proud woman. How could you have become like this!" Fukang'an's tone was tinged with an indescribable estrangement.
Xiang'er held up the dagger in her hand and said desperately, "This is the dagger you had made for me the year we got married. You even carved my name on it yourself. But why are you being so heartless to me now!"
Xiang'er collapsed to the ground, sobbing. "You've been away on campaign for three years, and Xi Ying has De Lin by her side. But what about me? You won't let me bear you a child. In these three years, I know clearly how many flowers have bloomed and withered in my courtyard. I've watched them dwindle year by year, while my longing for you has grown deeper with each passing year. You, a wise and intelligent general, surely understand the loneliness of one who counts flowers?"
Seeing Xiang'er's despair, Yan Ning felt deeply guilty. She hadn't known that beneath Aunt Lian's arrogant and haughty exterior lay such a tender and affectionate nature. She knelt down and said to Xiang'er, "I won't marry him anymore. Please don't be like this. He still belongs to you and Madam. I will leave this place and won't disturb your lives anymore!"
Xiang'er pushed Yan Ning away, stood up, and straightened her back. "I, Li Xiang'er, don't need your pity!"
Fukang'an helped Yan Ning up, hugged her, and said with unease and force, "I will not allow you to leave!"
"I only said I was discussing the General's marriage to Lady Ning with Sister Xiang'er, but Sister Xiang'er was nowhere to be seen. So she came here to be jealous of the General." With Xia'er's help, Xi Ying stepped into the room and saw Xiang'er's tearful appearance. She couldn't help but tease her to ease the atmosphere.
"Yan Ning greets Madam!" Yan Ning broke free from Fukang'an's embrace and bowed.
Xi Ying hurried a few steps and helped Yan Ning up. "Sister, you mustn't do that. I am a few years older than you, so I call you 'sister,' but in terms of whether we are legitimate or illegitimate, we are equals. I cannot accept your courtesy!"
Fukang'an sat back down in the main seat, looking approvingly at the dignified and graceful Xiying.
Upon hearing Xi Ying's words "legitimate and illegitimate," Xiang'er became even more desperate. She removed the pearl ornaments from her head, drew a dagger, and cut her own hair.
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