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

Chapter 71 is about the concubine His Majesty prepared for Xiao Qi.
In the palace, ministers and noblewomen all came to offer gifts to the Empress Dowager to celebrate her birthday.

The hall, specially used for hosting palace banquets, was bustling with activity.

Each household also went to great lengths to send birthday gifts to the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager was delighted with the longevity painting presented by Princess Yongjia, who said, "Yongjia, you are so thoughtful."

The Empress Dowager took Princess Yongjia's hand and said with a gentle smile, "Embroidering the Hundred Longevity Scroll is not easy; you've worked hard."

Princess Yongjia said softly, "If Grandmother is pleased, then your granddaughter is satisfied."

When Madam Sun saw the Hundred Longevity Scroll embroidered by Princess Yongjia, she quickly gestured to Sun Xian beside her with her eyes.

Sun Xian's gaze was fixed on Prince Rong Yi. She only came back to her senses when she heard her mother tugging at her sleeve.

Lu Jinshi, who was standing to the side, noticed Sun Xian's gaze and then looked at Rong Yi, who was chatting with several princes, and frowned slightly.

Madam Sun smiled faintly and said, "Your Highness's needlework is so skillful. My Xian'er's embroidery for the Empress Dowager is rather inadequate."

The Empress Dowager looked at Sun Xian and said, "Oh, Sun Xian, you also embroidered a Hundred Longevity Characters pattern?"

Sun Xian approached the Empress Dowager and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, what I am presenting is not the Hundred Longevity Painting, but the Magu Offering Longevity Painting by Wang Guzi. This painting became famous throughout the world as soon as it was created. Unfortunately, the original painting was later lost to the world and its whereabouts are unknown. I cannot find the original painting to present to Your Majesty, so I can only embroider a Magu Offering Longevity Painting. I hope Your Majesty will not blame me for this humble gift."

Sun Xian lifted the red cloth on the screen behind her, and the scene of Magu offering longevity cakes was vividly displayed on the screen.

Everyone present praised it.

"Miss Sun, you truly have skillful hands."

Princess Consort Jin smiled at Sun Xian and said, "Sister Xian's thoughtful gift makes it seem like we haven't put enough effort into our birthday gift for the Empress Dowager."

The Empress Dowager said to the Princess Consort of Jin, "You are all good children, and your birthday gift is very sincere. However, what your grandmother wants to see most is that you and the Prince of Jin have a few more children, the more the better."

Princess Jin blushed and said, "Grandmother."

The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "If tomorrow's birthday gift could give me another great-granddaughter, it would be better than any other birthday gift."

Princess Consort of Jin replied shyly, "Yes, Grandmother, Sister Xian's embroidery is so skillful, it's as if the original work of Wang Gu Zi has been brought to life. We have truly broadened our horizons today..."

The princes gathered together, and when they heard the Princess Consort of Jin praising Sun Xian, they all looked at the Prince of Jin and Rong Yi.

Rong Yi then looked at Prince Jin and said, "Elder brother, it's clear that the eldest sister-in-law and Miss Sun get along very well."

The Prince of Jin's face turned ashen, filled with displeasure.

The Prince of Yan then said, "Miss Sun is so virtuous."

Everyone presented their gifts, and as the palace banquet began, the young ladies continued to offer their presents.

However, none of the gifts presented today were as thoughtful as Sun Xian's embroidery.

As the palace banquet began, Sun Xian looked at Lu Jinshi, who was sitting next to Princess Yongjia, and said, "I wonder what birthday gift Miss Lu has prepared for Her Majesty the Empress Dowager today? I'm sure the birthday gift Miss Lu has prepared for Her Majesty the Empress Dowager must be very outstanding. Would you be so kind as to show it to us?"

Princess Jin also chimed in, "By the way, what birthday gift did Miss Lu bring?"

Lu Jinshi said, "What I gave to the Empress Dowager cannot be compared with the princesses and the other princesses. It is just the original painting of Magu giving peaches to immortals by Wang Guzi."

Lu Jinshi handed the brocade box to the palace maid behind him with both hands.

The palace maid took it with both hands and handed it to the Empress Dowager.

Emperor Huiyuan, seated at the head of the table, said, "Isn't the original painting of Magu giving peaches to immortals by Wang Guzi long lost and its whereabouts unknown?" Lu Jinshi smiled faintly and said, "This painting was also seen by chance at the Orchid Pavilion, and it is indeed an authentic work."

Emperor Huiyuan instructed the palace maid, "Open the painting."

Upon hearing this, the palace maid carefully and slowly unfurled the masterpiece. The painting of Magu giving away peaches was slowly displayed before everyone. Compared with the imitation embroidered by Sun Xian earlier, the original was particularly outstanding and beautiful.

The screen embroidered by Sun Xian paled in comparison.

The Empress Dowager smiled and looked at Lu Jinshi, saying, "I am fortunate to have seen the original of this masterpiece today, thanks to Miaomiao."

"I'm glad Your Majesty likes it," Lu Jinshi said in a low voice. "My mother bought this painting with the intention of giving it to Your Majesty."

"Mingzhu has been filial since she was a child." The Empress Dowager smiled with great joy. "This painting has truly touched my heart."

The expressions on everyone's faces at the Sun family's table were not pleasant, especially Sun Xian, who looked at the screen that Sun Xian had given her and wished she could cut it to shreds.

Sun Xian clenched her hands, frowned, and stared at Lu Jinshi. Perhaps Lu Jinshi was deliberately trying to embarrass her. When she presented the screen earlier, Lu Jinshi didn't say anything, but after everyone praised her birthday gift, he presented the real thing now, making her lose face.

Lu Jinshi didn't care about the Sun family's gaze at all. She only looked at the seat of the Prince An's Mansion opposite her, and Lu Xiao kept staring at Princess Yongjia next to her.

Princess Yongjia kept avoiding Lu Xiao's gaze.

Looking at the two of them, Lu Jinshi felt that there must be something between Princess Yongjia and Lu Xiao that she didn't know about, but neither of them was willing to say it, and Lu Jinshi figured she wouldn't be able to get anything out of them anyway.

As the banquet began, many daughters of officials played musical instruments and performed dances to celebrate the Empress Dowager's birthday.

Lu Jinshi was enjoying the palace banquet. She had a very good appetite today, but Princess Yongjia, who was sitting next to her, hardly touched her chopsticks.

Lu Jinshi lowered his voice and said, "Sister, why aren't you eating? The birthday banquet today tastes pretty good."

Princess Yongjia said, "My stomach and spleen have been feeling uncomfortable these past few days, and I feel nauseous after eating."

Lu Jinshi was startled. Could Princess Yongjia really be pregnant? Heaven wouldn't play such a cruel trick on people.

Lu Jinshi glanced at Princess Yongjia, but she dared not voice her suspicions. The princess had plenty of people to take care of her, and if she were pregnant, her maids and servants would surely notice.

After the midday birthday banquet, Lu Jinshi was summoned to Shou Kang Palace by the Empress Dowager.

"Royal Grandmother."

The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "Miaomiao, the gift you presented today is exactly what I wanted."

Lu Jinshi said, "I'm afraid that the painting I give won't convey the same depth of feeling as the one Miss Sun embroidered herself."

The Empress Dowager chuckled and said, "No matter how carefully it is embroidered, it can never compare to the original. However, the gift from Sun Xian is quite good. She is the concubine that His Majesty has prepared for Xiao Qi. You two sisters should get along well in the future."

Lu Jinshi knelt before the Empress Dowager and said, "Grandmother."

The Empress Dowager quickly helped Lu Jinshi up, saying, "Just say what's on your mind, why kneel?"

Lu Jinshi said, "Grandmother, Miaomiao, like her mother, would never allow her husband to take a concubine. The Seventh Prince also promised me that he would never have another woman in his life except me."

The Empress Dowager sighed and said, "Miaomiao, he is a prince and the crown prince favored by His Majesty. How easy is it for him to never take any other concubines in his life? If you are fixated on this matter, you will probably be very tired in the future and may even follow in your mother's footsteps."

“Grandmother, Miaomiao only knows that she cannot betray her mother,” Lu Jinshi said. “I will never allow my husband to take a concubine. If the Seventh Prince breaks his vow in the future, I will also leave the Seventh Prince.”

The Empress Dowager said helplessly, "It's good that Xiao Qi is willing. By the way, have you asked your aunt about your cousin Lu Xiao's marriage? Speaking of which, the men of your Lu family don't take concubines, which is a good thing for Qingyuan."

(End of this chapter)