"Wait... wait, Host, what are you planning to do?"
Seeing the other party's increasingly amused gaze, the system's ominous premonition deepened considerably.
Unfortunately, An Ning no longer had any interest in explanations.
At the sa mont, still unaware that the benefactor daughter was about to stretch out a claw toward them, Father Zhou was leisurely sipping his tea in the room, daydreaming about the glorious prospect of becoming the emperor’s in-law and even a future imperial grandfather.
Lady Jiang beside him, however, showed a montary flash of displeasure on her face.
"Master, it is not that I am unwilling to part with my daughters. Ever since Yun was young, she has been raised as the clan matriarch, and her every manner has been dignified and graceful.
With that temperant, she could be an exemplary married wife who treats her husband with equal respect, but as an imperial consort, I fear she would not win the reigning emperor's favor."
As for the Third Young Lady, even less likely.
As if recalling sothing, Lady Jiang frowned slightly and considered carefully before continuing,
"Although she is talented, unfortunately that sharpness shows too plainly. She is prone to competitiveness and stubbornness. At ho that might be fine, but in the palace, I fear..."
Not to ntion, with that temperant, if she stirred up trouble, wouldn't it implicate the entire family?
On that point, Father Zhou offered no rebuttal.
Clearly, however intoxicated by the prospect of wealth and status he might be, when it ca to the safety of the whole family, he still retained so reason.
This was also why Father Zhou had not chosen the Third Prince initially.
Though the First Brother could be sowhat difficult, he at least had the looks, and he was careful and prudent. Raised for years with the family as his priority, even if he were not favored, he would not cause trouble that endangered the whole household.
Besides, an imperial consort is different from an ordinary concubine; being dignified might not be a bad thing, and who knows, the reigning emperor might take a liking to it!
Even so, Zhou Baiyan still felt a twinge of regret. "If only the Fifth Prince were a bit older."
There was no need to debate it further.
Lady Jiang said nothing, obviously in agreent.
To be honest, although the three sisters each had their rits, in Lady Jiang’s view, if one were to enter the palace, Fifth Miss’s temperant would actually be more suitable.
Although lax in daily habits and not inclined to study, she had shown proper manners over the years, so Lady Jiang felt sowhat reassured.
Moreover, she was lively and spirited, brimming with fresh energy—sothing rare even in a palace full of beauties.
Most importantly, she was open-hearted and would not rashly rush into things; she had an inner sense of balance.
Thinking of this, and of her eldest daughter, Lady Jiang could not help but speak up,
"Master, why don't we wait a bit longer..."
But Father Zhou clearly could not wait. He swept his sleeve and said,
"Nonsense. Wait? Until when? The mourning period will pass; the reigning emperor is already nearly thirty-six. In a few years, who knows what the situation in the palace will be?"
Most crucially, offspring—he needed heirs.
The emperor was not young. If they did not seize a position while heirs were scarce, and delayed, the chance of their line producing an heir, not to ntion the chance of succession, would be greatly reduced.
With that in mind, Master Zhou quickly made up his mind.
"All right, let's send Yun for now. If it doesn't work out, Ying can enter the palace later to look after her sister."
"In the future, the two sisters in the palace can watch out for each other."
When he finished speaking, Father Zhou glanced at her warningly, "This concerns the future of the Count's household, madam, do not cause trouble."
Fearing she might not relent, he even put down his teacup and added to the person before him,
"Yiwen also knows about this."
At those words, Lady Jiang trembled all over.
"Master says... Wen'er he also..."
Also agreed to send his own sister into the bottomless abyss of the imperial harem...
Her lips quivered; usually composed and graceful, always instinctively guarding her dignity, Lady Jiang lost her composure for the first ti.
Under her long sleeves, her well-kept fingernails dug into the flesh of her palm without her noticing.
A mother's collapse could hardly be greater than seeing an elder brother willing to sacrifice his sister’s whole life for his own advancent.
"Yun'er... Yun'er is his own sister!"
Seeming stung by Lady Jiang's gaze, Father Zhou turned his face away. A mont later he sighed deeply, wearing an air of helplessness as he said,
"Do not bla or Yiwen for being heartless, madam. You have seen the current state of affairs since the emperor ascended the throne. Look at how the court treats our rit families.
Not long ago, the Yongyi Marquisate—when its head died—the marquis title passed to the next in line, and they were left with not even a minor noble rank."
A first-class general, a third-rank title, turned into a humiliation of losing even a small title—who could they sha here?
Father Zhou could not help but snort coldly.
"Madam, I imagine you do not want to wait for to die soday and have Yiwen or my grandson beco penniless, with nowhere to live in this vast capital."
"As for Yun..." After a brief pause, Father Zhou returned to the point matter-of-factly, "Since she has already enjoyed the honors and benefits of being the legitimate eldest daughter, she cannot expect that when the family needs sacrifice, she would give nothing in return!"
Only after her husband's figure slowly receded from the spot did Lady Jiang support her throbbing forehead and collapse heavily onto the couch.
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