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

Chapter 29 Requesting the Seventh Prince's Help to Reclaim Zhang'er

Consort Rong teased her grandson in her arms: "I also want to see how Jinshi treats Xiao Zhang'er. If Lu Jinshi is too resistant to Xiao Zhang'er and cannot accept him, then she is not suitable to be your princess consort."

Rong Yi coughed and said, "Mother, Lu Jinshi will definitely be able to tolerate Zhang'er. You are overthinking it."

The Imperial Noble Consort said slowly, "Human hearts are treacherous, it's always good to be on guard. Cuizhu, have Lu Jinshi come to Chang Le Palace..."

Rong Yi said, "No, go to Jade Glaze Palace. We must not let her come to Chang Le Palace!"

The nanny was caught in a dilemma.

The Imperial Noble Consort raised her eyes and glanced at the nanny, saying, "Cuizhu, then let Miss He go to the Jade Palace."

The old woman nodded knowingly: "Yes, Your Highness."

Consort Rong looked at Rong Yi and said, "Is there something you're hiding from your mother?"

Rong Yi said, "No."

Rong Shuang felt something was amiss; Rong Yi was definitely hiding something from her. But seeing that Rong Yi was unwilling to talk about it, she didn't press him any further.

After all, Rong Yi is not young anymore.

Rong Yi said, "Then I'll trouble Mother to take good care of Zhang'er for me."

After saying that, Rong Yi hurriedly headed towards the Jade Palace.

Rong Shuang watched Rong Yi's departing figure, chuckling as she teased Zhang'er in her arms.

Little Zhang'er looked at Rong Shuang with a bewildered expression and giggled, reaching for the phoenix hairpin in Rong Shuang's hair.

Rong Shuang then took off the phoenix hairpin and gave it to Zhang'er to play with.
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Inside the Jade Palace.

Lu Jinshi entered the palace and saw the Seventh Prince behind the gauze curtain again. He couldn't help but wonder why the Seventh Prince was always behind the gauze curtain.

"Your Highness, your humble servant, pays homage to your Highness."

Rong Yi coughed twice, then said in a low, slightly hoarse voice, "No need for formalities, rise."

Lu Jinshi said, "Your Highness, I have something important to discuss with you. I hope Your Highness will dismiss your attendants."

Rong Yi said in a deep voice, "All of you, step back."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The eunuchs and palace maids who were serving inside the palace all came out of the door.

Lu Jinshi waited for the palace servants to close the palace gates from the outside, and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, there was something I didn't tell you last time. I've been feeling uneasy these past two days, and after thinking it over, I feel that I still can't deceive Your Highness."

"What's the matter?"

Lu Jinshi slowly said, "The father of my daughter is Your Highness's cousin, Rong Yi, the young master of the Marquis of Changping."

Lu Jinshi raised his eyes and looked into the gauze curtain.

But there was no movement from behind the gauze curtain for a long time, only wisps of smoke rising from the incense burner beside it.

Lu Jinshi continued, "Your Highness, I shouldn't have kept this from you before, but at the time I just thought it was better to avoid trouble. Besides, I despise Rong Yi and thought I would never have anything to do with him again, so I didn't tell you about it."

But who knew that Rong Yi was truly disgusting and kept harassing me. He actually took advantage of me last night while I was observing mourning for the old Marquis and forcibly took my child away. I beg Your Highness the Seventh Prince to do justice for me.

Behind the gauze curtain, Rong Yi picked up his teacup and took a sip. Lu Jinshi actually dared to go to the palace to complain to the Seventh Prince.

"Your Highness, I know I am unworthy to be the Seventh Prince's consort. I will serve you faithfully from now on. I hope Your Highness will do me justice, help me get my child back, and reprimand Rong Yi so that he will stop bothering me."

Rong Yi said in a deep voice, "Do you despise Rong Yi that much?"

"Yes, I loathe it utterly."

Rong Yi bit his lip, his disgust palpable.

Lu Jinshi said, "I did not want to admit that Zhang'er was Rong Yi's bloodline. In my heart, Zhang'er is my child alone and has nothing to do with Rong Yi. I will just consider that the child's father is dead."

But Rong Yi has now become utterly despicable, forcibly taking my child away, and these past few days he has shamelessly climbed over the wall to harass me. I have no choice but to tell Your Highness the truth, and beg Your Highness to do me justice. I am willing to do everything in the power of Tianzhang Academy to help Your Highness achieve your wish of becoming the Crown Prince.”

Behind the gauze curtain, Rong Yi gripped his teacup tightly, suppressing his anger. "How did Rong Yi offend you? Since you were willing to give birth to his child, you must have had feelings for him back then. You shouldn't hate Rong Yi so much now. Besides, Rong Yi is exceptionally handsome, with a face like jade and an otherworldly temperament..."

Lu Jinshi said, "Back then, when I asked Rong Yi to have a child, it was just to borrow his seed to have a child. Rong Yi is a hypocrite, looks down on people, is arrogant, self-righteous, and very lustful. He tried to make me one of his concubines and even tried to take my child away and give it to his wife to raise."

Rong Yi said, "Perhaps there's a misunderstanding?"

Lu Jinshi frowned, feeling very strange. The Seventh Prince was not surprised at all when he learned that her child was Rong Yi's. Instead, he even helped Rong Yi explain.

Could it be that His Highness the Seventh Prince thinks that arranging a marriage between her and Rong Yi would put him on the Seventh Prince's side?

Lu Jinshi then said, "There is no misunderstanding. My daughter and Rong Yi will be irreconcilable enemies in the future, like fire and water."

Rong Yi took a deep breath behind the gauze curtain. "Do you really hate Rong Yi that much?"

"Yes," Lu Jinshi said.

A male voice slowly came from behind the gauze curtain: "My marriage to you has been decreed by imperial decree and cannot be changed. You will remain the Seventh Prince's consort. As for the child, I will send someone to return it to you."

Lu Jinshi's suspicions grew stronger. Did the Seventh Prince not even care that her child was his cousin's? Yet he was still willing to marry her as his princess consort.

How much does the Seventh Prince desire the position of Crown Prince?

Lu Jinshi concealed her doubts and said, "Your Highness, Rong Yi is a very difficult person to deal with. If I want to become the Seventh Prince's consort, I can only cut ties with Rong Yi completely. Except in front of you, I will never admit that Rong Yi is the father of my child."

I would also trouble Your Highness to convey to Rong Yi that if Rong Yi were to claim that he is the father of my child, it would be tantamount to slandering the future Seventh Prince's Consort, since Rong Yi has no evidence to prove that Zhang'er is his child..."

Rong Yi sneered from behind the gauze curtain. No wonder Lu Jinshi denied that he was the father of the child two days ago; she was trying to cut off the idea completely.

What a Lu Jinshi! How could she have the nerve to call him a hypocrite?
It was clearly Lu Jinshi who disregarded true feelings, betrayed her benefactor, and was heartless and ungrateful.

Rong Yi wanted to lift the curtain right now and see this woman kneeling and bowing to him in submission...

But revealing his identity now would be too easy for Lu Jinshi.

Rong Yi wanted to wait until Lu Jinshi told him in person that she was the Seventh Prince's Consort before revealing his own identity, so that Lu Jinshi could also experience what it was like to be teased!

Rong Yi slowly said, "Rong Yi doesn't yet know that you are the eldest daughter of the He family, and the future Seventh Prince's consort, do you?"

Lu Jinshi nodded and said, "Yes, Rong Yi is unaware of this yet."

The Seventh Prince said, "Then let's do as you say. It's better to avoid trouble. I won't tell Rong Yi that you are the Seventh Prince's consort, to avoid any complications."

Lu Jinshi himself did not want Rong Yi to know his identity, so the Seventh Prince's suggestion was very good.

Lu Jinshi bit her lower lip and said, "Your Highness, I have another matter... Your Highness swore a few days ago that you would not take any concubines in the future. Are Your Majesty and the Imperial Noble Consort aware of this? I heard that Your Majesty seems to have already chosen a concubine for you."

Rong Yi said, "Father and Mother already know that I swore not to take concubines. You don't need to worry. Since I have made a vow, I will not break it. Just be my Seventh Prince's Consort in peace."

Lu Jinshi wants to cut ties completely? He insists on marrying Lu Jinshi. He wants to get rid of her father and keep the child? She's dreaming.

Lu Jinshi felt increasingly puzzled. How could the Seventh Prince have persuaded His Majesty and the Empress to agree that he would have only one wife in his harem in the future?
Lu Jinshi thought that although Tianzhang Academy did have many students in the court, the Seventh Prince would not go to such lengths for the position of Crown Prince.

Lu Jinshi felt something was strange about everything, but she couldn't figure it out.

I spent the whole night in mourning, and although I just got some rest, I'm still feeling dizzy.

Lu Jinshi thought that perhaps she was being too suspicious, after all, she really didn't know what was strange about it.

Lu Jinshi curtsied to the Seventh Prince and said, "Your Highness, I will take my leave now."

As Lu Jinshi left the Jade Palace, she felt that something was amiss, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.

At the gate of Jade Palace, a nanny stepped forward and said, "Miss."

When Lu Jinshi saw the old woman who came forward, she remembered seeing her by the side of the Imperial Noble Consort and said with a faint smile, "What can I do for you, old woman?"

Cuizhu said, "Miss, the Imperial Noble Consort summons you to Chang Le Palace for an audience."

(End of this chapter)