If he has Master Jin’s assistance in the future, he believes that no matter what he does, he will be twice as successful with half the effort, though he’s afraid the princess might be reluctant to part with him.
In just a short time, Qiu Zhujun was already addressing Xiao Jin as ’Master Jin’, his face full of admiration and an unusual ecstasy, leaving Yang Mengchen both amused and bemused.
"Princess, how should those women be dealt with?" Hong Ling came over and asked at this moment.
Turning to look at Long Xuanmo, Yang Mengchen sought his opinion.
If it were up to Long Xuanmo, he would simply give those women some silver and let them go back to their homes, but he knew his compassionate wife wouldn’t want to see them die (even if they did return home, they would ultimately perish), so he let Yang Mengchen handle it.
Just as he expected, Yang Mengchen truly couldn’t bear to watch those women, who had narrowly escaped a living hell, end up dying from rumors and gossip or at the hands of their own family. She nodded to Long Xuanmo and went with Hong Ling and the others to temporarily arrange rooms for the women.
Watching Hong Ling follow Yang Mengchen away, Qiu Zhujun hesitated for a moment before cautiously saying to Long Xuanmo, "Prince, I have an unreasonable request, and I hope you can grant it."
"Let’s hear it," Long Xuanmo raised an eyebrow, impressed by Qiu Zhujun’s dual talents in literature and martial arts, as well as his unwavering loyalty, considering his humble background.
With a blush on his handsome face, Qiu Zhujun steeled his heart and said, "I intend to marry Miss Hong Ling and I hope for the Prince’s blessing!"
Previously in Danyang County, he witnessed Miss Hong Ling’s delicate and meticulous mind and her decisive actions. Plus, as someone from Princess Chen’s side, her experiences must be exceptional – an ideal candidate for a household matriarch. Just the thought of it wavered his heart, and after working together again, his desire only grew stronger. If he could marry Miss Hong Ling, he wouldn’t have to worry about a shaky household, and he could focus on his duties outside.
"With your abilities and official position (Qiu Zhujun is from the Second Rank), you could entirely find a lady from a prominent family. Aren’t you worried that marrying Hong Ling, who has slave status, will tarnish your official reputation?" Long Xuanmo looked slightly astonished, as he hadn’t expected such a request from Qiu Zhujun, yet he knew that the people by Ah Jiu’s side were indeed exceptional.
Qiu Zhujun shook his head: "I don’t care about that."
As long as she has good character and is knowledgeable about literature and etiquette, and most importantly, if she is to his liking, then status and position don’t matter to him at all.
Moreover, he comes from a humble background with no foundation in The Capital. Those ladies from prominent families who are either affectedly coy or outright arrogant don’t appeal to him. And those large households emphasize strict rules; should he marry into such a family, it’s not just that his own family members might feel uncomfortable, he’d be lucky if the Yue family doesn’t end up pressing down on him.
Furthermore, even though Miss Hong Ling has slave status, Princess Chen is kind; if he really asks for her, she will definitely free Miss Hong Ling from servitude.
"Are you aware that if you marry Hong Ling, you cannot have a second woman, unless you are childless by thirty and can only take a concubine then?" Long Xuanmo kindly reminded Qiu Zhujun.
Qiu Zhujun began to hesitate.
He understood that this must be the intention of Princess Chen; doesn’t Prince Chenl himself proclaim to the world that he has only one wife for life and typically stays three feet away from other women?
But it’s quite normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines. As long as he favours his wife and distinguishes between wife and concubines, legitimate and illegitimate offspring, isn’t he a good husband? Besides, concubines are mere diversions to satisfy a man’s physiological needs and desire for novelty when his wife is indisposed, or even a matter of social status for a man. Unless one cannot afford it, or is ’impotent’, which man doesn’t have several concubines? Back in his village, when people got some spare money, they would buy a concubine.
As a Deputy General of the Second Rank, if he only sticks to one woman without even a single concubine, won’t his colleagues laugh at him?
Seeing Qiu Zhujun’s changing expressions, Long Xuanmo guessed his thoughts and shook his head silently, not blaming him, as after all, not everyone can readily accept the concept of ’one life, one lifetime, one partner’; far too many men yearn to embrace multiple women.
"The maids by the Princess’s side are devoted to her for life and will never leave the Prince Mansion. You should give up on this idea and find another suitable woman to marry and have children with."
Hong Ling and her comrades would never leave the Prince Mansion, and Qiu Zhujun’s wish to carry on his family line surely wouldn’t be acceptable to him or his family.
Qiu Zhujun finally gave up the idea, realizing that even if he promised there would be no other women besides Miss Hong Ling, he couldn’t possibly become a son-in-law staying at the Prince Mansion, not even qualifying as that.
But as for Miss Hong Ling... well, it seems they were destined to meet but not fated to be together.
Seeing Qiu Zhujun had moved on, Long Xuanmo felt a tinge of regret but said no more. He instructed Qiu Zhujun and the soldiers to clean up the battlefield promptly before secretly transporting the stash of treasures back to The Capital.
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