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

Chapter 177 Good Times Every Year

Another Chinese New Year has arrived.

During this year's Lunar New Year, Lu Jinshi could sense Du Rongyi's unhappiness. In the blink of an eye, it was the anniversary of Emperor Huiyuan's death.

Lu Jinshi didn't spend much time with Emperor Huiyuan, but everyone knew that Emperor Huiyuan favored Rong Yi, and Lu Jinshi knew it too.

As the Lunar New Year approached, Yu Rongyi felt no joy, but rather deep sorrow.

These past few days, Lu Jinshi has been making everyone in the harem careful in everything they do. She has also placed Xiao Zhang'er in Shou Kang Palace, fearing that the Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager Rong might be saddened by missing Emperor Huiyuan, so she has sent Zhang'er to cheer up her great-grandmother and grandmother.

There was no palace banquet for the Lunar New Year this year, and neither the court nor the public celebrated the New Year in a grand manner. After all, many relatives of the people died during the Lantern Festival last year.

New Year's Eve.

Lu Jinshi walked up to Rong Yi with a bowl of sweet fermented rice balls and said, "You haven't eaten anything today... so have some rice balls... I had these rice balls cooked by myself."

Rong Yi smiled at Lu Jinshi and said, "I thought you would say that you cooked it yourself."

Lu Jinshi smiled at Rong Yi and said, "Don't be too sad. Your father in heaven would surely want you and your mother to live happily and experience more of the beauty of the world for him. If you govern the country well for your father and let the people of Dasheng live in peace and prosperity, your father will surely be pleased."

Rong Yi pulled Lu Jinshi into his arms and said, "I knew that one day Father would leave before me. I never thought it would be so sudden. I never thought Father would leave me so soon. Life is unpredictable."

Lu Jinshi said, "Yes, life is unpredictable, so we should live each day without regrets."

Rong Yi placed his hand on Lu Jinshi's cheek and said, "Yes, it's best to have no regrets. I don't want to have any regrets right now."

As Rong Yi spoke, he picked up Lu Jinshi and placed her on the desk in the Zichen Palace. "Is that alright?"

Lu Jinshi said, "No, let's go back to the palace!"

Rong Yi smiled, picked up Lu Jinshi horizontally, and carried her to the bedroom.

After the New Year, all the female students of Lingxiao Academy came to study, not one was missing.

Lu Jinshi was naturally delighted, fearing that some female students might stop coming to study after the New Year.

With the new year bringing new beginnings, and the new emperor having been on the throne for a year, there were indeed calls for a new emperor to hold a selection of concubines. However, this time, Rong Yi did not need to reject these courtiers. Prince Qi rebuked them severely, saying that the late emperor had only been dead for a year, and they were already asking the new emperor to hold a selection of concubines. He wondered what their true intentions were.

In the new year, after the appointments were made, the court officials discovered that none of the newly promoted officials had concubines in their homes, only their legal wives.

Which official who could enter the court wasn't a clever man? Seeing that the harems of promoted officials were quiet, they would send their childless concubines home with a sum of money, or keep them in the mansion as maids if they didn't want to go home.

Inside the Prince An's residence.

Princess Yongjia and Lu Xiao's daughter also celebrated her first birthday. This little princess should have turned one year old long ago, but because it was during the mourning period for the late emperor, the first birthday banquet was held in February.

Although she is a daughter, the scale of the first birthday banquet held at the Prince An's Mansion this time is in no way inferior to that of a boy.

As the beloved daughter of Princess Yongjia, whom she had finally found, and a granddaughter of Prince An's family, this little princess was born to enjoy a life of luxury.

When the little princess turned one year old, Rong Yi bestowed upon her the title of Fule.

At the baby's first birthday celebration, Princess Fule, dressed in bright red, crawled on the ground to the basket, stood up, and took out a small wooden sword from inside.

Prince An smiled and said, "As expected of my Lu family's daughter, she truly embodies the spirit of my Lu family's military tradition!"

Lu Mingzhu chuckled and said, "Fu Le, with your sword, may one day be able to join our Lu family's army to protect our country and serve the emperor."

Princess Yongjia couldn't help but twitch her lips slightly; she certainly didn't want her sweet, gentle daughter to end up in the military protecting the country. Hearing Lu Mingzhu's words, Lu Xiao happily picked up little Fule and said, "When Fule turns three, Daddy will teach Fule to dance with a sword."

Little Fule was happily gesturing with the small wooden sword in his hand.

Princess Yongjia smiled to herself. She had finally gained her daughter, and if she enjoyed wielding swords and spears, that was fine as long as she was happy.

Sitting at the head of the table, Lu Jinshi smiled at Rong Yi and said, "I wonder what our daughter will grab at her first birthday party?"

Rong Yi said, "She must take after you; she likes books..."

Lu Jinshi smiled faintly and said, "If she really likes books, that would be even better."

As time went by, the pleasant spring days gradually turned warmer, and the little princess's first birthday celebration arrived.

The little princess's first birthday celebration was even more lively than the first birthday celebration of the little prince, Qi Zhang.

Lu Jinshi specially prepared the best writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, as well as several ancient books, because she wanted her daughter to inherit her mantle.

But to everyone's surprise, the little princess, who had just learned to walk and was still toddling, refused to touch the writing brush, ink, paper, or inkstone, nor the ancient books. She threw everything out of the basket.

Lu Jinshi looked at Rong Yi and said, "Why did this child throw away his writing brush, ink, paper, inkstone, and books?"

Rong Yi chuckled and said, "Perhaps little Rong Jin doesn't like these things."

Lu Jinshi asked, "What does she like?"

Little Rong Jin, who had just learned to walk, toddled into Lu Jinshi's arms. Lu Jinshi, holding little Rong Jin, smiled and said, "You should go and choose something, not run to hug your mother."

Little Zhang'er, who was standing to the side, said, "Mother, my sister picked you during her first birthday celebration."

Lu Jinshi smiled gently as she listened to Xiao Zhang'er's explanation. She hugged Xiao Rongjin tightly. If Rongjin had picked her during the first birthday celebration, she would have spent her whole life hoping that her little Rongjin would be safe and happy.

Rong Yi smiled at Lu Jinshi and said, "Our daughter knows how to catch a mother; she caught the best mother in the world."

Lu Jinshi smiled at Rong Yi. Three years ago, in the wilderness of Lanting, Lu Jinshi never imagined that one day she would ascend to the throne, have both a son and a daughter, and find the love of her life.

Rong Yi reached out and intertwined his fingers with Lu Jinshi's. He said, "I've also taken this best wife in the world."

Lu Jinshi looked at Rong Yi. No matter what the future held, at least at this moment, she thought she had grasped the best husband in the world.

At night, after the little princess's first birthday banquet, fireworks lit up the sky above the palace, creating a dazzling display of light and color.

Rong Yi held little Rong Jin in his arms. Little Rong Jin looked at the fireworks in the sky. She wasn't afraid of the loud noise at all and kept making babyish "waaaah" sounds.

Xiao Zhang'er, with his hands behind his back, said, "The east wind releases a thousand trees of flowers at night, and blows down stars like rain. Mother, is the poem I recited correct?"

As Lu Jinshi listened to Xiao Zhang'er reciting the poem, he chuckled and patted Xiao Zhang'er's head. "Very correct, Zhang'er is quite clever."

As Lu Jinshi gazed at the dazzling lights that shone like stars in the night sky, she silently made a wish: that her Zhang'er and Jin'er could be as joyful as they were today every year at this time.

Rong Yi looked at Lu Jinshi and said, "May there be many more such days in the future, and may every year bring such auspicious times..."

Lu Jinshi looked into Rong Yi's deep eyes and said, "Life is a long journey, and I'm so glad I chose you back then."

Rong Yi chuckled: "I can't guarantee you won't regret choosing me."

End of article~