After I died, the scumbag prince cried down the city wall

Chapter 282 Tossing and turning

The speaker had a smile on his face, but his eyes flashed with a hint of amusement and sarcasm, as if he was questioning the other person's ability and composure.

Upon hearing this, the wife of the Marquis of Yongchang could not help but smile with a hint of sharpness: "Are you so narrow-minded that you cannot even tolerate the existence of a concubine?"

Her words were sharp, like an invisible knife, pointing directly at the opponent's soft spot.

Then, another noble lady said with a tone of disbelief and surprise: "So that's the case. No wonder I often hear that Lord Xie's house doesn't even have a maid. This is really rare in the homes of officials."

"A woman's jealousy is one of the reasons a man can divorce his wife. As the legal wife, we should be broad-minded and show our virtuous character. We must not be like those superficial women who compete with concubines for favor and beauty. Family harmony should be what we value most."

Although these words were meant as a warning, every word was heavy, like a hammer blow that made Cui Rong's heart tremble violently.

Faced with such accusations, Cui Rong suddenly felt her throat tighten and she was speechless.

In this powerful family, which man doesn't have a few concubines?

Many young men have several maids serving them before marriage, and after marriage they are naturally promoted to concubines. Sometimes even the personal maids brought by their new wives can rise in status due to chance.

This rare quietness in Song Yanyi's mansion actually became a reason for them to point fingers.

The mere accusation of "jealousy" was enough to put Cui Rong in an awkward position where she could not defend herself.

At this time, Madam Zhao gently patted the back of Cui Rongrong's hand, and her words were full of meaning: "You are still young, you don't understand, how can a man's heart be easily bound? Instead of trying hard to build a copper wall and iron wall to isolate all possible temptations from the outside world, it is better to place a few capable concubines at home to firmly grasp his heart and prevent him from doing anything wrong outside and causing trouble."

Madam Zhao glanced at her illegitimate daughter and raised a meaningful smile: "My daughter Yuan'er is gentle, conscientious, and has a clean background. You can rest assured. If she enters the Xie Mansion in the future, she will abide by the rules and dare not overstep the boundaries. Besides, the Zhao family and the Xie family have always been friends, and Madam Xie and I have been friends for many years. I should be able to understand my painstaking efforts in doing this."

Mrs. Zhao's words were sincere and flawless, and seemed to be harmonious, but in fact they put Cui Rongrong in a dilemma.

If Song Yanyi really had no concubine in his room, it would indeed cause controversy if it got out.

Since there must be one, the Zhao family's prominent background, coupled with Zhao Yuaner's initiative to come to the door and her clean background, is indeed the most suitable candidate.

Cui Rong weighed the pros and cons in her mind again and again, knowing that if she did not agree today, her reputation as a "jealous person" would soon spread, and the good image she had worked hard to build up over this period of time would be destroyed.

So, she nodded slowly and uttered a helpless agreement: "Thanks to Mrs. Zhao for her far-sighted and thoughtful consideration."

Upon hearing this, Madam Zhao smiled even brighter: "No, no, if she does anything wrong in the future, you can just discipline her according to the rules and don't worry about me. In the future, as long as you agree, it will be her blessing to let her give birth to a child for the Xie family."

The Zhao family had long wanted to form an alliance with the Xie family, but had no suitable opportunity.

Now, although Song Yanyi already has a wife, he does not have a concubine. Taking this opportunity to send his daughter to the Xie Mansion will undoubtedly add a strong bond between the two families.

Why not?

Zhao Yuaner heard it clearly and immediately knelt on the ground, kowtowed and thanked her: "Thank you for your grace, Madam!"

Her heart was filled with unprecedented joy and excitement.

As a concubine's daughter, she was inconspicuous in the family. Just because she was a little pretty, she was noticed by Madam Zhao, who planned to send her to a wealthy family as a concubine in order to expand the family's power.

She had originally worried that Madam Zhao would marry her off to an elderly man with nothing but fame, or a tyrant like Mr. Yuan who was addicted to alcohol and sex and had a perverse personality. She had never expected that her final destination would be the famous eldest son of the Xie family!

What an honor and glory it is for her to be the concubine of such a talented man!

Cui Rongrong nodded gently, indicating Zhao Yuaner to stand up: "Get up."

Mrs. Zhao smiled more gently: "I will have someone send her to your house later. The specific arrangement will be entirely up to your wishes."

Mrs. Zhao's methods were so clever that it was admirable. She not only successfully arranged for the person to enter the Xie Mansion, but also gave Cui Rong enough face in her words and deeds. She showed her humanity without damaging Cui Rong's dignity in the slightest.

Cui Rong pursed her lips and smiled, having her own thoughts in mind.

After the banquet, Cui Rongrong returned to the mansion with her personal maid Xiuzhu. Sitting in the carriage following closely behind them was Zhao Yuaner.

When Xiuzhu saw Zhao Yuaner, she was startled. She immediately got into the car, grabbed Cui Rongrong's sleeve and asked anxiously, "Cui Rongrong, who was that person just now?"

"She is the concubine chosen by Madam Zhao for your elder brother."

When Xiuzhu heard this, her brows furrowed, her tone full of disbelief and anger.

"Concubine?!"

Her eyes widened, her chest heaving, her anger evident in her words, "These older people are relying on their seniority to bully you because you are gentle! They are so eager to send someone to be your concubine right after you got married. This is simply too much!"

Cui Rong's face still maintained that faint calm, like the calm surface of a lake, with only a barely perceptible hint of helplessness passing through the corners of her eyes and eyebrows.

"It will be a marriage sooner or later. It doesn't make much difference to me whether it's one day earlier or later. Why should I give others a handle? If he doesn't have a concubine in his room, he will indeed be out of place in this big family. Even if I don't agree today, someone else will definitely bring up the old matter tomorrow."

Xiuzhu pouted and muttered in a low voice: "That being said, if we refuse outright, they will turn around and accuse you of being ignorant and jealous and unable to tolerate even a concubine."

Suddenly, Xiuzhu's tone became firm, and she said confidently: "Why can't I be jealous? If he is really the one I love, how can I watch him being affectionate with others and enjoying the family life together?"

There was an unquestionable power in these words; it was her inner defense of pure love.

Cui Rongrong's gaze paused slightly, a complex emotion flashed in her eyes, and then she forced a smile on her lips, and gently persuaded: "If this is the case, just tell me in private, don't talk about it in front of outsiders. Once the eldest lady hears it, she will inevitably blame you again."

"But I remember that my mother was also very sad about this matter. When I was young, every time my father entered another aunt's courtyard, my mother would toss and turn in the dead of night and couldn't fall asleep."