Chapter 283 I Don’t Want to Be a Concubine
Before she could say anything, Zhou Yuzhi spoke up: "Brother, are you crazy? Where do you think Mother is going?"
Zhou Yuxiu's expression changed slightly when he heard this. He looked at his brother, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes.
"Second brother, mother is dead. I just want to pay my respects to her occasionally. Mother is still the mistress of the house, and how much of an impact can a tablet have on her? For so many years, hasn't mother always advised us to be understanding and not bear grudges? We are just ignorant."
Ye Lanxin felt relieved when she saw Zhou Yuzhi objecting, but Zhou Yuxiu's words afterwards almost made her unable to breathe.
Zhou Zhili saw Ye Lanxin's embarrassment, but his face remained solemn.
"Yuzhi is right. Your mother has been gone for so many years. It's inappropriate to bring this up now. Besides, our Zhou family ancestral hall cannot simply place a tablet for a divorced person. As for your suggestion of finding a separate place for her in the mansion, that's even more inappropriate. From the day she left, she has no connection to our family. Even if you offered her respects, she might not be willing to accept your incense."
Zhou Yuxiu was silent for a long time, and he understood their attitude.
The smile on his lips was also a bit ironic.
"Father, is it so difficult to face your own mistakes?"
Zhou Zhili, who had finally calmed down, got angry again: "Say that again?"
Ye Lanxin hurried over to stop him, but Zhou Yuxiu didn't even want to argue with his father. Instead, he said, "Since father doesn't want to see me right now, I'll just leave."
After saying that, he turned around and walked out the door without a trace of nostalgia.
Zhou Zhili looked at his departing back, and a complicated expression gradually appeared on his angry face.
Ye Lanxin stood aside, feeling a mixture of emotions. She knew this matter was far from simple. Zhou Yuxiu's insistence, Zhou Zhili's stubbornness, and Zhou Yuzhi's opposition—each one of them represented a different standpoint and emotion.
"Father, my brother is simply confused. He will figure it out sooner or later."
Zhou Zhili remained undeterred. He added, "What could he possibly understand? He's the eldest son, and he's also responsible for what happened back then. Didn't I ask for his opinion? He was the one who said your mother was jealous and unbecoming of a mistress of the harem. Go ask him if those were his exact words."
Ye Lanxin didn't respond at all. This was no longer her battlefield.
Zhou Yuzhi was very helpless. The Zhou family had been really unlucky recently, and even their marriage was very passive.
They knew Wen Zimei's true identity, but before they could do anything to her, internal disputes arose. This was not good for the future of the Zhou family.
He sighed and tried to comfort his father again: "Father, my eldest brother was just distracted for a moment. He will eventually understand your painstaking efforts. Right now, we should be dealing with our eldest aunt. If something happens to our second branch at this time, it will only make her happy."
Zhou Zhili's expression softened slightly after hearing this, but he still couldn't hide his disappointment and anger. "I only hope that you brothers can work together to overcome this difficult time. The future of the Zhou family still depends on your support. As for your brother's thoughts, they are not important for the moment. Even if we offer sacrifices to your mother at home, what will it matter? Will Gu Ruanci forgive you?"
Zhou Yuzhi nodded, his expression firm. "Don't worry, father. I know what to do. I will go and persuade my eldest brother. I will definitely not let the family's affairs be affected."
Ye Lanxin was standing by, and although she still had many doubts in her heart, she finally breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the father and son were finally able to have a calm conversation.
She knew that what the Zhou family needed at this moment was unity, not infighting.
Although she was angry about what Zhou Yuxiu said, she couldn't lose her temper at this critical moment.
"Mother, how did the Zhou family become like this? This is completely different from our original plan. Not only did it fail to support me, but now it's actually holding me back."
When no one was around, Zhou Qinzhu complained to Ye Lanxin.
Ye Lanxin was upset: "No one would have thought that Wen Zimei had been plotting against us since those days. Now that Gu Ruanci is back, we are facing internal and external troubles."
Zhou Qinzhu became even more depressed after hearing this: "Wen Zimei is truly despicable. It would have been fine if they had eradicated her completely back then, but they left behind this scourge of Gu Ruanci. Now, not only do we have to be wary of Gu Ruanci, but we also have to be wary of that old bitch Wen Zimei. I'm afraid she's been wanting to adopt a son under her name for a long time, but she hasn't had the chance in recent years. Now she's got the upper hand. Seeing that the Second Branch is weak, she's also starting to be tempted."
Ye Lanxin wasn't too worried about this. "It's okay. Gu Ruanci is the Little Medical Fairy. She cured Prince Duan. Concubine Wen is having a hard time in Prince Duan's mansion, so Wen Zimei can't directly pose a big threat to us. Our biggest opponent right now is still Gu Ruanci. Even your aunt suffered a severe setback this time, so we have to take a long-term view."
Zhou Qinzhu actually doesn't like this aunt. When she was Concubine Rong, she always had a calculating look on her face. Her feelings towards the people in the Zhou family were not entirely out of family affection, but more about assessing their value.
Now she is just a talented person, and I am afraid she will never be able to make a name for herself in this life.
Her stupid plan not only harmed her and the third prince, but now it has also dragged herself into it.
"Mother, do I really have to enter the palace to be the Third Prince's concubine?"
After Zhou Qinzhu asked this question, Ye Lanxin could only sigh in her heart.
The imperial decree had already been issued, and she really had no way to change it.
"You still have a few years to go. After all, you're only fifteen. The royal family won't let you enter the palace and experience those things so early. Perhaps by then, the palace will raise your aunt's rank to protect the Third Prince's reputation. As for the position of Consort, she can forget about it. When you marry, you'll have the Jing'an Marquisate as your backing. No matter the status of the principal consort, they won't make things difficult for you. Furthermore, you and the Third Prince are cousins, so he'll naturally protect you. If you give birth to a son first, you'll have completely won. A woman's life isn't just about this moment. At least the Third Prince is the Emperor's biological son, and he won't give up. If your son becomes the Crown Prince of the palace, wealth and glory will be yours."
Zhou Qinzhu was not satisfied with this. In her heart, the most rational position was obviously the queen...
However, due to her family background, it was a luxury for her to become a princess.
"My dear Concubine... hehe, my daughter is fifteen years old now. How many decades will it take for her to reach that age?" Zhou Qinzhu was in a bad mood and her tone was a little sad.
Ye Lanxin clutched her hand distressedly and said, "This is the worst possible outcome. There's another possibility, which is that the Third Prince personally goes to the Emperor to ask for you to be his principal wife... You two have been childhood sweethearts, so he probably won't refuse..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
