Don't be a salted fish, the daily life of the concubine in the palace

Sun Qingmei silently clenched her sleeves, her nails almost being broken.

She raised her eyes and slowly scanned the room full of monsters. Everyone's face was so ugly.

Her once beloved husband sat high up on the throne, looking down on people like a king looking down on ants.

Since getting married, Sun Qingmei has been abiding by the code of conduct for women, following the teachings of her deceased father and brother, and being a competent mistress of a marquisate. She only wants to stay away from disputes, serve her parents-in-law, have children, and live a peaceful and smooth life.

But now, the threshold of the Marquis's Mansion is too high. She worked hard to manage the Marquis' Mansion, but in the end, when her husband brought back a new wife, everyone stood on his side, flattering the weak and being arrogant. It seemed that if she did not agree to be a "co-wife", she would be guilty of a heinous crime.

How can there be such truth in the world?

Sun Qingmei felt bitter in her heart. She knew that if she didn't give in tonight, only the abyss would be waiting for her. Sun Qingmei lowered her eyes and said softly, "It's getting late, and tomorrow is Mother's birthday. Let's discuss everything after Mother's birthday."

She said this as if she was giving in.

It was already dark outside, and it was indeed getting late. It was the old lady's sixtieth birthday, and Sun Qingmei was the main organizer of the birthday banquet. If everyone was unhappy tonight, tomorrow's birthday banquet might be ruined.

"Very good." Seeing Sun Qingmei give in, the old lady secretly breathed a sigh of relief, "Xuan'er has been running all the way, so have a good rest tonight."

Sun Qingmei also showed a gentle smile, as if she had finally come to her senses. She stepped forward and looked at Shangguan Xuan with a pleasant expression: "My husband, I will ask the maid to prepare hot water for you, you can take a bath first. As for Miss Zhao Qing, I will arrange a spacious courtyard for her."

Shangguan Xuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He looked down at his wife from a high position - she was pretty, wearing a round-necked brocade shirt embroidered with peonies, and looked very slender. She was petite and gentle, and her every move was gentle and virtuous.

She was a typical lady, and was brought up to be very dignified before she got married. But Shangguan Xuan was tired of dignified women and liked ambitious and intelligent girls like Zhao Qing.

Seeing Sun Qingmei surrendering on her own initiative, Shangguan Xuan felt very contemptuous. She was indeed a spoiled young lady who couldn't stand the storm, and was forced to bow her head at the slightest pressure.

Shangguan Xuan secretly planned to marry Zhao Qing as his concubine, and then find an excuse to divorce Sun Qingmei. He could only have one wife!

"Okay, okay, let's all go back to our rooms and rest." The old lady spoke, and everyone in the inner hall said goodbye.

Shangguan Xuan did not return to Sun Qingmei's room, but chose to sleep in the study. Sun Qingmei did not refute, and calmly asked the servants to make the bed and quilts for the study, arranging them very appropriately.

As the sky grew darker, the masters of the mansion went to bed.

In Sun Qingmei's bedroom, a candle was burning, and the room was dim. Sun Qingmei sat at the table, watching the candle burn, her eyes dull.

The cold wind of early winter hit the window frame, blew it open, and the chilly air poured in. With a snap, the candle was blown out, and a long sword hanging on the wall was blown off with a clang.

"Madam, please go to bed first." The maid Xiaocha went to close the window and lit the extinguished candle.

Xiaocha picked up the sword on the ground, checked it for damage, and then hung it back on the wall.

Xiaocha was Sun Qingmei's only maidservant, and they were like sisters. Seeing Sun Qingmei return to her room without saying a word, Xiaocha felt distressed and couldn't help but shed tears: "Madam, people have to bow their heads under the eaves. The Marquis is treacherous, but you have already married him... There is nothing we can do. As long as we behave ourselves, maybe the Marquis will remember your kindness in the future."

The wind outside was getting stronger and stronger.

Sun Qingmei closed her eyes and suddenly said, "Xiaocha, this winter is really cold."

It was so cold that even tears couldn't fall.

Xiaocha looked confused, not understanding why the lady said such a strange thing.

Sun Qingmei slowly stood up and took down the long sword from the wall. The pattern on the scabbard was old and rusty, and the blade was also damaged.

"Madam?" Xiaocha frowned.

Sun Qingmei sighed and clenched her sword. "Before my brother passed away, he asked me to be a good wife and mother, supporting my husband and raising my children. But my brother was wrong. The more virtuous I am, the easier it is for me to be bullied."

Xiaocha thought about it carefully and realized that this was indeed the case. Madam had always been gentle and good-tempered, and always tolerated others. On the contrary, the people in the Marquis' Mansion were getting more and more aggressive.

"Xiaocha, prepare the carriage, I want to go to the princess's mansion." Sun Qingmei pulled out the rusty sword.

The blade is not sharp, but it can cut through the Gordian knot.

Her father once told her that on the battlefield, killing the enemy requires "quick battle and quick decision."

It was a very windy early winter night. An ordinary carriage left the Marquis's Mansion through the back door and headed for the Princess's Mansion.

...

...

The cold wind howled all night, and the two trees in the Liuli Pavilion courtyard were rustling. When Shen Wei woke up in the morning, she saw the yard full of messy dead leaves. Rong Mama was directing several young eunuchs to clean up the fallen leaves.

There is nothing important happening today, so Shen Wei is very relaxed.

The old lady of the Marquis of Zhennan’s Mansion was celebrating her birthday. Shen Wei personally selected suitable birthday gifts and asked the steward of the palace to deliver them to the Marquis of Zhennan’s Mansion.

Prince Yan hasn't come back yet. Shen Wei guessed that Prince Yan has probably been staying in the Ministry of War and the Eastern Palace these days. He will not return to Prince Yan's Mansion to rest until the composite bow is completely built.

The Prince of Yan was a workaholic outside, so Shen Wei had to be a "good wife" to ensure that he had enough food and clothing. So Shen Wei told Cai Lian: "Cai Lian, prepare some hot meals and send someone to deliver them to the Ministry of War at noon. Make sure someone personally watches the prince eat. Also prepare some thick clothes and cold medicine in case of emergency."

Cai Lian nodded happily: "I will do it right away."

In the afternoon, a ray of sunshine leaked through the gray sky. Shen Wei was afraid of the cold, so she hid in the warm room to play with her child. Li Yao also ran over to play with her sister. The two girls, one big and one small, crawled around on the soft wool blanket, their laughter flowed like silver bells, and the scene was warm.

Shen Wei was leaning back in a soft chair, holding a brush, thinking about her store expansion plan. Cai Ping ran in, her eyes full of excited gossip: "Master! Shocking news!"

Cai Ping is a gossip expert, with a strong curiosity and a natural love for collecting gossip. From the Prince of Yan's Mansion to the entire Yanjing City, Cai Ping always receives the latest gossip.

"What's wrong again?" Shen Wei asked with a smile.

Cai Ping said, "Madam Sun from the Marquis's Mansion committed suicide!"

Shen Wei almost dropped the brush in her hand.

What? Suicide?

Cai Ping was busy trying to comfort Shen Wei, and said patiently, "Master, don't panic! Madam Sun is fine. Listen to me carefully."

It is said that Shangguan Xuan brought Zhao Qing back to the Marquis' Mansion yesterday and publicly announced that he would make Zhao Qing his "equal wife". Sun Qingmei usually looked gentle and kind, but she was unexpectedly a woman with backbone. She left the Marquis' Mansion in the middle of the night and went to the Princess' Mansion to ask to see Princess Zhaoyang.

Zhaoyang hated scumbags the most in his life, so he took Sun Qingmei to the palace to ask the queen for help late at night. It was already late at night, and the queen and the emperor had already gone to bed. The old nanny in Kunning Palace was afraid of disturbing the emperor, so she asked Sun Qingmei to come again tomorrow.

Sun Qingmei knelt down at the entrance of Kunning Palace, holding her father's long sword. Her father had used this sword to save the emperor's life. Sun Qingmei said that if the emperor and empress did not make the decision for her, she would use this sword to commit suicide.

The long sword left by the hero was rusted, and the only remaining daughter of the hero committed suicide in front of the emperor. If this got out, it would be bad for the emperor's reputation.

The emperor sighed and summoned Sun Qingmei.

No one knew what Sun Qingmei said in front of the emperor, but when she left Kunning Palace, she already had the imperial edict of "divorce" in her hand.