My husband, who abandoned his father and kept his son, actually wants me to be his concubine.

Chapter 22 Why hasn't the Seventh Prince arrived yet?

Sun Xian felt a burning pain on her face. She looked at Lu Jinshi in disbelief and said, "My father is the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat. How dare you hit me?"

Lu Jinshi said, "If we've already hit you, then we've hit you. What's there to be afraid of?"

Sun Xian raised her hand to retaliate, but Lu Jinshi grabbed her wrist.

Lu Jinshi gripped Sun Xian's wrist tightly and said, "It's a good thing you still know you're the daughter of the Minister of State. I'd like to ask Minister Sun how he, as the head of the Six Ministries, raised a daughter who talks behind people's backs and creates trouble through gossip."

"What's going on here? Why is there such a commotion?"

Lu Jinshi heard a woman's lazy voice. She looked over and saw Princess Yongjia slowly approaching, surrounded by a crowd.

Lu Jinshi released Sun Xian's wrist, walked up to Princess Yongjia, and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness."

Princess Yongjia looked at the unfamiliar woman in front of her, glanced at her, and chuckled, "When did such a beauty arrive in Chang'an?"

Lu Yiying walked up to Princess Yongjia and said with a light smile, "Your Highness, this is my cousin, Lu Jinshi, the daughter of Aunt Mingzhu."

Princess Yongjia laughed heartily and said, "So you are Aunt Mingzhu's daughter. We used to play together when we were young. It's been more than ten years since I last saw you. You have grown into such a beautiful young woman."

Lu Jinshi smiled faintly and said, "Thank you for your praise, Your Highness. I also remember that Your Highness used to play shuttlecock with me when I was a child."

Princess Yongjia looked at Sun Xian, who was sobbing and covering her face in grievance, and asked, "What happened?"

Sun Xian said aggrievedly, "Your Highness, she, she doesn't respect you at all, she keeps calling me an illegitimate child, and she even slapped me in your princess residence."

When Lu Jinshi met Princess Yongjia's gaze, he said with a soft smile, "Your Highness, the reason I slapped her was twofold: first, because she spoke ill of me behind my back, and second, because she cried and wailed at your birthday banquet, which was very unlucky."

A young lady next to Sun Xian said, "Your grandfather just died and you're already at the princess's birthday banquet. Aren't you going to have bad luck?"

Seeing this, Sun Xian looked at Princess Yongjia and said, "Yes, Your Highness, the funeral of Marquis He has not yet taken place, and for her, as his granddaughter, to come to your birthday banquet is truly unlucky."

Lu Jinshi bowed to Princess Yongjia and said, "It was my oversight. My grandfather has just passed away, and I really shouldn't have come to your residence. However, I heard my two cousins ​​mention the princess's birthday, and I realized that it has been more than ten years since I last saw Your Highness. So I thought I would give you a birthday gift. I hope Your Highness will not find it offensive. I will take my leave now."

Grandfather was in a hurry to send me back to Chang'an, just so that he could bring me good luck and help He Jinlan win the title of the Seventh Prince's consort.

With such favoritism from the old Marquis He, Lu Jinshi didn't really take the old Marquis's death to heart, even forgetting that he was still in mourning.

Princess Yongjia smiled and said, "Lord He was over seventy years old and passed away peacefully in his sleep. How is that bad luck? You and I were childhood playmates. It has been so many years since we last met. I am very happy that you could come to my birthday banquet. You may stay."

Lu Jinshi curtsied and said, "Yes, Your Highness."

Sun Xian never expected that Princess Yongjia would defend Lu Jinshi in this way, and she looked even more aggrieved.

Princess Yongjia frowned and looked at Sun Xian, saying, "It's really inappropriate for you to cry and whine at my birthday banquet. Go back and reflect on your actions!"

Sun Xian felt wronged, wondering why Her Highness the Princess would side with Lu Jinshi.

Could it be that the Seventh Prince's consort is really Lu Jinshi?

How could Lu Jinshi be worthy of the position of the Seventh Prince's consort?

Sun Xian frowned slightly and had no choice but to leave.

Princess Yongjia smiled and said to Lu Jinshi, "Before the Empress Dowager's birthday, she went to a Taoist temple to cultivate. When she left, she was worried that you would suffer some grievances while she was not in Chang'an. Now it seems that the Empress Dowager was overthinking it. You will not suffer any grievances."

Lu Jinshi smiled faintly and said, "I also have to thank Her Highness for your kindness."

Princess Yongjia said, "We're all family, no need for formalities. My seventh brother will also be at my birthday banquet today. Have you seen my seventh brother before?" Lu Jinshi gently shook his head and said, "No."

Princess Yongjia smiled calmly, "You two will be able to meet soon. The banquet is about to begin, go to the table."

Lu Jinshi followed Princess Yongjia to the lakeside pavilion where guests were being entertained.

Lu Jinshi saw several young noblewomen sitting at the main table overlooking the lake in the waterside pavilion. Each of them was dressed in brocade and had their hair styled in an exquisite and luxurious updo, making it clear that they were of extraordinary status.

"Sister, who is this unfamiliar girl next to you...?"

The woman at the head of the group looked to be in her early twenties. She was wearing a slightly old-fashioned dark green wide-sleeved ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), which made her appear very composed and dignified.

Upon hearing the woman in front of her address Princess Yongjia as "sister," Lu Jinshi guessed her identity and curtsied, saying, "This humble woman, Lu Jinshi, greets all the princesses and consorts."

Princess Jin whispered, "Lu Jinshi? You're a girl from the Prince An's household?"

Lu Jinshi said, "I am the eldest daughter of the Yongxing Marquis's family, but I took my mother's surname, Lu."

As Princess Jin looked Lu Jin up and down, she murmured, "You are so beautiful."

Princess Xuan, who was standing to the side, said, "I heard that Princess Mingzhu was as beautiful as a fairy back then, and Miss Lu has surpassed her in beauty."

The other princesses also began to look at Lu Jinshi, praising her appearance in their words.

Lu Jinshi greeted them with smiles. Although they were royal sisters-in-law, they were still sisters-in-law, and Lu Jinshi did not want to make enemies with them.

Regardless of the struggle for the crown prince position, the princesses in the inner palace still had to maintain a facade of harmony.

Princess Yongjia's birthday banquet was held at the Bibo Water Pavilion, where the water rippled and dancers danced gracefully on small boats in the lake, accompanied by music played by musicians. It was a lively and festive occasion.

Lu Jinshi, who was seated next to Princess Yongjia, chatted casually with her.

Princess Yan walked to Princess Jin's side and whispered, "Sister-in-law, it seems that the Seventh Prince's wife is indeed not He Jinlan, but this Lu Jinshi. I heard that the Empress Dowager is very fond of Princess Mingzhu, and even treats her like her own daughter. If Princess Mingzhu's daughter marries the Seventh Prince, wouldn't she have the Empress Dowager's support and it would be easier for her to compete with her brother for the throne?"

Princess Jin whispered to Princess Yan with a smile, "Back then, Princess Mingzhu was arrogant and willful because of her husband's favor. She lost her current position as the Marquis's wife because her husband wanted to take a concubine. And the daughter she raised is so stupid."

"Today, he slapped the Minister's daughter upon arrival, already offending Minister Sun. In the eyes of the civil officials, Consort Rong is already a bewitching concubine who has bewitched the emperor. Lu Jinshi has also offended the Minister. If the Seventh Prince marries her, he will be even more at odds with the civil officials. What is there to fear?"

Princess Yan chuckled softly, "Indeed."

The banquet had already begun. Princess Yongjia glanced at the male guests' seats and asked the maid behind her, "Why hasn't the Seventh Prince arrived yet?"

Lu Jinshi held the wine cup in his hand, also wondering why the Seventh Prince was so late for his elder sister's birthday banquet.
At the entrance of the Princess's residence.

As soon as Rong Yi and Yuan Fei dismounted, they saw a woman crying pitifully and miserably.

Yuan Fei hurriedly stepped forward and said, "You're a girl from the Sun family, aren't you? Why are you crying so sadly and aggrieved?"

Sun Xian looked at Rong Yi next to Yuan Fei. Two years had passed, and the Seventh Prince had transformed from a proud and arrogant seventeen-year-old boy into a more composed young man approaching adulthood. The only thing that remained unchanged was his handsome appearance.

Sun Xian's heart was pounding. After bowing, she cried with tears streaming down her face and said, "This humble woman greets Your Highness the Seventh Prince. I beg Your Highness to seek justice for this humble woman."

Rong Yi said, "It's my elder sister's birthday today. You're crying and wailing at her door, bringing bad luck. Is this how the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat teaches his daughter?"

(End of this chapter)