The Concubine Strikes Back: The Marquis Insists on Me to Be His Wife

Ruxue set off immediately and rode back at full speed.

Mian Rumei kept staring at Su Qing, but later found that Su Qing's belly was getting bigger and bigger. She didn't know whether to report this to the master. She didn't know whose child she was carrying! Let's wait until the Marquis comes.

Finally, on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Su Qing gave birth to a baby boy.

Su Qing hadn't decided what to name her child. How about giving her the same surname as hers? Su Nian? Since she missed home so much, she might as well name her child Su Nian!

Su Qing went to ask Dr. Liao, "Grandpa Liao, do you think it's okay to name the child Su Nian?"

"The child's father is still alive, it's not easy to change his surname!"

"Old tradition, what about taking the mother's surname?"

"Don't make a fuss. After all, he is the eldest son of the Marquis's family. If the Marquis's family has no legitimate son, he will inherit the title."

"We have nothing to do with the Marquis' Mansion anymore! I won't tell him. I'll just say his father is dead and that'll be all."

"You kid~ah~in that case, just call him Jiang Nian!"

"Jiang Nian seems to sound better than Su Nian. Well, let's listen to Grandpa Liao!" Su Qing teased little Jiang Nian after saying that.

The business of the pharmacy was getting better and better, and they hired a new accountant and a new clerk.

Li Shang won the first place in the imperial examination that year and became the top scholar. It is said that the emperor wants to summon him personally!

Su Qing was holding Jiang Nian and preparing a gift for Li Shang. She didn't have anything to give, so she bought two fine inkstones for Li Shang.

Li Shang found Su Qing as soon as he came back from the parade. "Cousin, can I talk to you alone?"

Su Qing thought Li Shang must need money and was too embarrassed to say it.

"Okay, let's go to my room and talk. I can bring you the inkstone I bought for you."

When they got to the room, Su Qing put Jiang Nian on the bed and poured a cup of tea for Li Shang. "Congratulations! You won the first place in the imperial examination."

"Miss Su, I...I think..."

"What's wrong? Do you want to borrow money? No need to borrow, I have prepared it for you. Take it. This is five hundred taels, enough for you to buy a small house in Shangjing. It should also be enough for you to arrange things. You will have to rely on yourself in the future! Do you want to bring Li Yue with you too?"

"No, Miss Su, I don't need money anymore. What I have is enough."

"That won't work. I feel embarrassed that you don't ask for money for helping me. Li Yue also gets up early and goes to bed late every day, and helps me take care of Jiang Nian. I will pay you as wages."

"I wanted to tell you something else."

"what's up?"

"Have you ever considered finding a father for Nian Nian?"

"Let's talk about it later. I can raise him by myself."

"I mean, what do you think of me?"

"You're doing great! You even won the first place in the imperial examination!"

"Miss Su, I can be Jiang Nian's father, and I will raise Jiang Nian as my own son. What do you think?"

"what?"

"I've liked you since I saw you, but I didn't pass the imperial examination, so I didn't dare covet you. Now I'm going to be an official in the court, would you consider marrying me? I promise to have only you as my wife and never take concubines. Jiang Nian is my own son, and if we have children in the future, we will treat them equally."

"Li Shang, thank you for your kindness. I really don't have any feelings of love for you. I just treat you as my cousin from the bottom of my heart. I don't know what I did wrong to cause your misunderstanding. I haven't thought about getting married again. I just want to raise Nian'er. Besides, you should find a girl who can recite poems with you. I'm afraid I really can't do it."