As midnight approached, faint sounds of music still lingered from a courtyard at the back of the Prince Manor. Princess Rong, who had already extinguished the lamps, tossed and turned restlessly on her bed, unable to fall asleep.
Recently, she had been summoning a few noble ladies who usually supported her, to inquire whether there was any chance of reclaiming Yongping’s title in the future. The results were disappointing; the husbands of these won were key officials in the court, and according to them, after the Yongping incident, the Empress had issued an edict to all civil and military officials to conduct self-examinations, indicating that the anger had not subsided.
She then invited Yang Zhan over for a al, and during their heart-to-heart talk, she intended to arrange a concubine for him. However, upon probing his disposition, he claid that he already had enough attendants and had no intention of accepting anyone new.
No matter how she persuaded him, he refused to accept the idea, and Princess Rong’s heart burned like rolling oil, becoming even more unsettled.
Ever since Zhe Yu was injured and Yongping was demoted, conflicts between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law with Mrs. Zhang had intensified. Previously, the Prince had shared hardships with her, but now he was living peacefully with Taiping harmony. Not only did he get along well with the heir and daughter-in-law, but he also flourished among the concubines, while she, the legitimate mistress of the house, encountered failures at every turn.
Wanting to arrange a concubine for Yang Zhan was her attempt to place soone at his side to help counter Mrs. Zhang. The Zhang family’s arrogance was overwhelming. Mrs. Zhang, as the princely heir’s wife, could directly influence his status and power in the Prince Manor, and she had to be suppressed!
Who knew her wayward son, who had never missed out on indulgences, would even refuse this!
Turns out, both the elder and the younger were completely won over by that Zhang woman!
Hearing the unending music, Princess Rong felt it was inauspicious.
She lifted the curtain and angrily scolded, "What ti is it, and the commotion still hasn’t ceased? The Prince is of what age now, doesn’t anyone care for his health?!"
Soone outside imdiately acknowledged, quickly striding away to convey the ssage.
"All just whores!"
Princess Rong cursed through gritted teeth and got out of bed.
Picking up the jade cup on the table, she recalled the days of following the army onto battlefields, living in constant fear.
When the Emperor led the army to her hotown, her mother had just been tornted to death by local bandits, and her father took her to join the Righteous Army.
Not long after, her entire father and brothers perished in battle, and she was married off as a second wife to Prince Rong by the Empress’s decision.
At that ti, Prince Rong was almost thirty, and she, in her pri at sixteen, was just thus given in marriage. Among so many young generals in the military camp, wasn’t there anyone she had fancied?
But in the end, she agreed to marry Prince Rong. Why? Because she had no ho, she wanted soone to rely on. Who could guarantee survival in the course of battles? If she had married another general, there was a strong possibility she would beco a naless widow.
Prince Rong didn’t fight or lead troops, he was even sowhat feeble, but he had the identity of being the brother of the rebel leader. Even if he died on the way, the Emperor would ensure she had a proper settlent.
For a woman with nothing to her na, possessing power and status was more alluring than having a soulmate!
Thus, in the ensuing years, she followed Prince Rong through the fire and flas of battlegrounds, several tis nearly skewered by enemy blades, all supported by the prospect of possibly becoming a noble Princess in the future!
She had indeed achieved her wish.
But later she realized that rely holding the title of Princess was insufficient, as concubine after concubine was welcod into the Prince Manor. One after another, illegitimate children were born. The once intimate family of four suddenly gained many unrelated people! These people could even bring joy to her husband’s face!
She also suddenly realized that having children with her husband did not an she could fully possess this man!
He could have many won and children, even though she was the Princess, the wife, she was just one of the many won surrounding him!
Princess Rong would forever rember the tears of joy in Prince Rong’s eyes when his first illegitimate son was born.
He personally nad the child and went to the ancestral temple to offer incense, giving thanks to the ancestors for blessing him with many descendants.
At that mont, Princess Rong clearly realized that the title of Princess, obtained through life-threatening risks accompanying this man from destitution to glory, was by no ans impregnable!
The true authority and power she had to compete for were within the four high walls of the Prince Manor!
Those concubines and concubines who had never faced hardship—how could they effortlessly grasp the imnse riches of the mortal world?
Reviews
All reviews (0)