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

Chapter 14 Face to face
The Imperial Noble Consort did not tell her son the truth about the eldest daughter of the He family having a child out of wedlock.

After all, having a child through artificial insemination, leaving the father behind, is truly shocking and unconventional, and it also concerns Lu Jinshi's reputation.

Consort Rong then fabricated a reason, saying, "Miss He's fiancé, with whom she was engaged, died of a serious illness. She was pregnant with her deceased fiancé's child and gave birth to him."

Rong Yi said, "Since her child's father is dead, it is not unreasonable for me to marry her as my principal wife, as long as she can tolerate Zhang'er and his mother."

Since Miss He gave birth to a child for her deceased former fiancé, it is evident that she had a deep affection for him.

I imagine that for the sake of her future wealth and honor with her lover's child, she will surely take good care of Zhang'er for me, and Zhang'er can be registered under her name as her legitimate son.

If Zhang'er becomes his legitimate son, Lu Jinshi will no longer be angry with him for making her a concubine.

Rong Shuang felt that the name Zhang'er sounded very familiar, but she couldn't remember where she had heard it before. "Your child is named Zhang'er?"

Rong Yi nodded and said, "Yes, call him Zhang'er."

Rong Shuang smiled gently and said, "Why don't you bring Zhang'er to the palace for your mother to see? I'm looking forward to holding my precious grandson."

Rong Yi said, "It's not the right time yet. Zhang'er's mother didn't know my identity before, and now she's complaining about me because I want her to be my concubine. I didn't talk to her about it before bringing her and the child to the palace. I'm afraid my brothers will use this as an excuse."

In particular, Lu Jinshi actually regarded him as just a seed, and even thought of abandoning the father and keeping the son. If his brothers knew about this, he would inevitably be ridiculed by them.

Rong Shuang chuckled and said, "Alright, I'll wait a little longer to see my dear grandson."

"Then I shall take my leave."

After Rong Yi left, the nanny who served Rong Shuang said, "Imperial Noble Consort, our His Highness is an outstanding person. How can he marry a woman who is pregnant out of wedlock as his principal wife? This is too unfair to His Highness."

Rong Shuang picked up her teacup and said, "The crown prince has not yet been established. The Empress Dowager treats Yi'er quite well, but she dislikes me and favors her eldest grandson, Prince Jin, more. If His Majesty wants to establish Yi'er as the crown prince, it will be difficult to get past the Empress Dowager."

The Empress Dowager dotes on Princess Mingzhu the most. If Yi'er could marry Princess Mingzhu's daughter as his principal wife, the Empress Dowager would no longer stop His Majesty from making Yi'er the crown prince.

Rong Shuang took a sip of tea and said, "And those civil officials in the court are ignorant and pedantic. His Majesty has repeatedly tried to make me Empress, but those civil officials have refused to listen to his advice and have even knelt down to their deaths. One of them even banged his head against a pillar before. When His Majesty wants to make Yi'er the heir apparent, I wonder if those civil officials will refuse to listen to his advice and have even knelt down to their deaths."

Miss He's stepfather is the headmaster of Tianzhang Academy. Over the past ten years, many students from Tianzhang Academy have emerged from each imperial examination, and quite a few officials in the court are now graduates of Tianzhang Academy. There's no harm in Yi'er marrying Miss He.

As for getting pregnant out of wedlock, so what? She just gained another grandson.
-
Lu Jinshi returned to his residence on East Street.

As soon as I entered, I heard Zhang'er crying.

Lu Jinshi hurriedly went over and hugged his child, saying, "Oh dear, why is Xiao Zhang crying so pitifully?"

The wet nurse beside her bowed her head and said, "Miss, the young master wants to go outside to play, but it's cold outside in early spring, so I don't dare let him go out."

Lu Jinshi smiled gently and said, "Give me his coat, and I'll take him for a walk in the yard."

Lu Jinshi wrapped Zhang'er up in a padded jacket, but little Zhang'er didn't just want to wander around in the courtyard; he kept peeking out the door.

Lu Jinshi thought there shouldn't be any familiar faces outside East Street, so he carried Xiao Zhang'er out of the courtyard. Just as he stepped out of the courtyard, he saw Rong Yi outside the house.

Rong Yi watched as Lu Jinshi came out of the door, and went forward to take the little Zhang'er from her arms.

Lu Jinshi took two steps back. "Double happiness, double blessings, drive him out with sticks."

"Zhang'er".

Xiao Zhang'er stretched out his hands towards Rong Yi. Ignoring the two servants, Shuang Xi and Shuang Fu, who were holding wooden sticks and trying to chase him away, Rong Yi stepped forward and hugged Xiao Zhang'er.

Lu Jinshi frowned and did not let go of Zhang'er.

Xiao Zhang'er saw Rong Yi and giggled at him.

Rong Yi looked at Lu Jinshi and said, "Zhang'er obviously wants me to hold him too."

Lu Jinshi finally let go of Zhang'er, his brows furrowed slightly. If he had known this would happen, he should have left the father and kept the son when Zhang'er was born. Now Zhang'er has already begun to recognize people.

Rong Yi held Zhang'er and played with him for a while before going into the courtyard.

Seeing Rong Yi step over the threshold, Lu Jinshi frowned and asked, "Who allowed you to cross the threshold?"

Rong Yi entered the gate and closed it. He then said to Lu Jinshi, "I have come to tell you something. You were unwilling to become a concubine before because you were afraid that Zhang'er would be an illegitimate son. I can persuade my future wife to register Zhang'er under her name and make him the legitimate son so that he can inherit my family's ancestral legacy in the future."

Upon hearing Rong Yi's words, Lu Jinshi's anger, which had not yet subsided, flared up into a raging inferno.

Lu Jinshi said angrily, "Rong Yi, not only do you want me to be your concubine, but you also want to take away the child I carried for ten months and register it under your legal wife's name?"

Rong Yi said, "Although Zhang'er is registered under my legal wife's name, he can still call you Mother."

Lu Jinshi scoffed, took Zhang'er from Rong Yi's arms, handed Zhang'er to the wet nurse beside her, and ordered all the servants to leave.

After the maids and servants had all left, and the wet nurse had also left with Zhang'er in her arms, Lu Jinshi raised his hand to slap Rong Yi across the face.

Rong Yi frowned and grasped her hand, saying, "Jin'er!"

With her hand held, Lu Jinshi could only lift her foot and kick Rong Yi between the legs.

Rong Yi could only release Lu Jinshi and take two steps back: "Can't you talk properly? Why do you have to be so violent?"

Lu Jinshi roared in fury, "What's there to say between us? I thought you knew you were the one who should be removed from the family, but you actually tried to take my Zhang'er away and make someone else his mother? Don't even mention hitting you, if murder wasn't against the law, I would want to kill you right now! There is no one more despicable than you in this world!"

What sins did I commit in my past life to deserve such treatment from Rong Yi in this life?

It's absolutely infuriating!

Rong Yi said, "Having Zhang'er registered under my legal wife's name is also for Zhang'er's future. My family has quite a bit of wealth..."

Lu Jinshi said, "Who wants your family's legacy? Zhang'er's surname is Lu. He is only my child and has nothing to do with you. You just lent me a seed. If it wasn't you, Rong Yi, then there was Zhao Yi, Li Yi, who could all lend me a seed!"

Upon hearing Zhao Yi and Li Yi, Rong Yi became furious, his brows furrowing tightly. "You borrow and you return. Since you said you borrowed, how do you plan to repay me?"

Lu Jinshi took out the 15,000 taels of silver notes that he hadn't even warmed up yet and threw them at Rong Yi, saying, "Here are 10,000 taels of silver notes. They can be exchanged at any bank in Chang'an. Consider them as the money I paid you for the seeds. Also, you have served me well these past two years, so the extra 5,000 taels are your reward for being my male favorite these past two years."

Upon hearing the words "male concubine" and seeing the scattered silver notes in front of him, Rong Yi was furious: "Lu Jinshi, not only do you only treat me as a seed, but you also regard me as a male concubine who can be dismissed at will with silver?"

Seeing Rong Yi's angry expression, Lu Jinshi felt a sense of relief: "Hmm, you should have some self-awareness about your status. You should take the money and leave. Don't come hanging around in front of me again. Don't interfere with me finding another male concubine so that Zhang'er can have a younger sister."

Rong Yi's anger intensified, and he laughed in a fit of rage, "Five thousand taels of silver to buy me to be your male concubine for two years? That's too much of a loss for you. How about I give you an extra year? I'll be your male concubine for another year?"

(End of this chapter)