The imperial concubine is charming and charming, and only seeks power and wealth

He held her in his arms, his lips pressed against the top of her head, and whispered her name softly, his voice choked with sobs: "I love you so much."

He was too happy because everything came too easily. His life was so smooth and happy that he never knew the feeling of complete loss, which could make him so painful that he couldn't live anymore.

...If only I had known this earlier.

If he had known this earlier, he would not have dared to hurt her feelings, and he would not have been willing to let her accept him taking a concubine and having children as a matter of course.

After a few days of Ishihara Qing appearing beside her, he was in so much pain that he couldn't sleep all night.

How painful it must have been for her during the nearly one year when those concubines came into the mansion one by one.

There are many things that you cannot understand unless you experience them yourself.

Now, whenever Wang Shaofu thought about how he had hurt her, he wanted to strangle himself to death for being so shallow and ignorant back then.

His heart was beating violently, his lips were slightly blue, and he looked in very bad condition.

Xie Anning frowned, "What's wrong with you?"

"It's fine,"

Wang Shaofu forced a smile at her with difficulty, "An Ning, I no longer expect you to love me back, I just want you to live well."

Even if it means sleeping in the same bed with another man and living together with him.

Xie Anning understood his unfinished meaning, and her expression became complicated for a moment.

Seeing her like this, Wang Shaofu smiled and said, "Every word I say is from the heart. Don't disbelieve me, An Ning."

Xie Anning pursed her lips, "It's best if you think so."

Hearing this, sadness appeared in Wang Shaofu's eyes.

After a long silence, he slowly spoke, "If you don't want me, don't rush to settle on someone else."

"These days I have begun to investigate Ishihara-kun's character and the situation of the Shi family."

"Ishihara-kun is still young and ignorant about matters of love and sex. Whether his feelings for you are the result of a youthful desire for you that he couldn't get, or true love, I'm afraid he himself can't tell..."

"Before you got married, you treated him like a younger brother and were always willing to indulge him. Now is not the time. You can't tolerate any sand in your relationship. You need to think carefully about your relationship with him, and then... and then..."

His voice choked and he could not speak any more.

Xie Anning listened quietly until he finished speaking, then nodded slightly, "I understand."

He hadn't experienced such a calm attitude from her in a long time.

Wang Shaofu's throat choked slightly, and he said with difficulty: "An Ning, I'm afraid..."

Afraid that he doesn’t really love you.

I’m also afraid that you will indulge him and let him get what he wants.

Ishihara Qing is less than 30 years old now.

After three to five years, or even ten years, as the long-lasting resentment of youth is smoothed out by time, the joy gained is diluted.

Will he realize that his original feelings were just a young man's obsession, not true love?

After getting you, he had no regrets and abandoned you, returned to the Shi family, and married another virtuous wife.

People are always tolerant of men.

Even if he is a son-in-law, he can leave at any time.

What should she do when she is left behind again?

If he were still alive, everything would be fine.

Can……

Xie Anning's expression faded.

"What are you afraid of? Are you afraid that Ziqin will hurt me? Or that I'll be hurt again when I'm old and ugly?"

"Wang Shaofu, don't you know? No one will ever hurt me more deeply than you. Even you and I can let go, so what else can't I face?"

Her tone was dull and without any hint of sarcasm.

But Wang Shaofu's face turned pale when he heard this. He stared at her blankly, unable to speak.

Xie Anning slowly broke free from his arms and took a step back.

The two of them just faced each other without saying anything.

In the dead silence, Xie An Ning suddenly asked, "When did you start thinking about taking a concubine and having children?"

After he took a concubine, she often thought about this question.

When did he decide to break his promise and take a concubine and have a child?

It was in the letters from the capital during the years of being exiled.

Or when the couple was on a long journey to have a child, when they were disappointed time and time again and finally almost in despair.

When she was praying to gods and Buddhas, trying all kinds of folk remedies, and drinking bowl after bowl of bitter medicine, hoping to bear another child for him, her beloved husband had already started thinking about letting another woman have the child.

Then, all the sweet love and happiness that she thought of, which were full of trust in each other, were all fake.

It's all a great irony.

At this point, she has left the Wang family and has made up her mind to leave this man, but she still feels unrelieved. In this current atmosphere, she chooses to ask.

Their eyes met, and Wang Shaofu's drooping eyelashes trembled slightly.

"Several years ago, I thought about adopting my second brother's youngest son,"

"...I don't like you taking those medicines, nor do I like you asking for local doctors and trying those weird folk remedies every time you go to a place."

During the years she was exiled, she was almost obsessed with having a child.

"I was thinking that if we were still childless after we were over thirty, I would discuss adoption with you... Taking a concubine was Mother's idea. She wrote to me every month, insisting on having a bloodline to continue in the eldest son's family. I..."

"I won't hide it from you. Ever since I was old enough to understand things, I've always had my own opinions on matters big and small. I rarely listen to my parents. Before returning to Beijing, I never thought I would be unable to withstand the pressure and choose to take a concubine.

Wang Shaofu paused and said with difficulty: "...But after seeing my mother, I want to obey her for once."

Before leaving Beijing, my mother, who was in her early forties and full of energy, became old and haggard.

She burst into tears when she saw him, and her only wish was that he would have an heir in the eldest branch of the family.

Seeing his parents obviously aging and no longer the smart and capable ones in his memory, Wang Shaofu realized what more than a decade meant.

The mother and son had been separated for more than ten years, and a strong sense of guilt came over them the moment they met.

He took care of his wife and daughter, but neglected his biological parents.

Not wanting his parents to be gone when he wanted to support them, he decided to do as his parents wished.

Take a concubine and have children.

He thought that he would live up to his parents and family, and would not let his wife down.

It is not uncommon for wealthy families to kill their mothers and keep their children.

He just wants one child, nothing else will change.

There will never be a third person between them.

But he had clearly made up his mind, and the relationship between him and his wife had already developed a huge rift. He paid such a huge price, and watched the number of concubines in the backyard increase from two to more than a dozen, but he was reluctant to take the next step.

……why.

Wang Shaofu smiled bitterly, "I actually regretted it a long time ago."

However, the price he paid was too high, and her indifference left him at a loss, not knowing what to do.

Wait until something happens to their daughter.

Everything is heading in an irreversible direction.

He was heartbroken and full of regret.

"Do you believe it?" He looked at her, his eyes trembling, "I have never touched other women, not even one."

At this moment, he is still explaining this.

Xie Anning was somewhat amused and confused, "This is not important. You had this idea and took action, but I interrupted your good fortune..."

"No!" Wang Shaofu said, "It's not that I was interrupted, it's that I didn't want to! Even if you didn't come, I wouldn't continue."

It's really boring that he is so persistent.

Xie An Ning nodded indifferently, "Okay, it's you who doesn't want to, and those concubines are not what you want to take in."

Wang Shaofu was silent, his voice hoarse: "...I was just too confident."

I'm sure you love me.

I'm sure you'll take a step back for me.

I'm sure you can't leave me.

But you never thought that something would happen to your daughter, that your health would be devastated, and finally...

After so long, he finally admitted his despicable behavior.

He admitted that he was sure that she was an orphan with nowhere to go, so he dared to make the decision to abandon her even though he still loved her.

Young lovers who are in love with each other will also become people who need to weigh the pros and cons in the eyes of politicians many years later.

It's not that I don't love her, but after weighing the pros and cons, I think the benefits of breaking my promise to her outweigh the disadvantages.

It turned out that her guess was absolutely correct.

The boy whose heart and eyes were filled with her, who would always choose her unconditionally, was heartbroken and didn't know what to do after her parents passed away one after another. In the days that followed, he was also glad that she had no parents and had no way out.

Xie Anning only felt the anger in his heart slowly dissipate.

She took a deep breath and smiled, "Thank you for telling me the truth. I understand."

Wang Shaofu moved his lips and stammered, "I was wrong. I knew I was wrong a long time ago."

"It doesn't matter anymore," Xie An Ning sighed, "In fact, it's fate that makes us two different. You have your own difficulties, and I can't say that what you did was wrong."

If she were in his position, she wouldn't necessarily do better than him.

Perhaps she had given up and chosen to take a concubine.

He tried his best.

Xie Anning smiled with relief, "Wang Shaofu, I don't blame you or the Wang family anymore. Let's all move on."

Wang Shaofu smiled bitterly and said nothing.

He wanted to say, you are to blame.

The Wang family's mistakes went far beyond just taking a concubine.

The two of them were now talking openly and frankly, but he was too embarrassed to tell her about the bizarre memories in his mind.

…………

On this day, Xie An Ning still went to Ning'an Palace.

As Wang Shaofu expected, the emperor and empress personally selected several states and counties for Xie Anning's appointment and let her choose.

Yunzhou is among them.

Xie Anning thought for a few moments before deciding to go to Yunzhou.

She knew that the governor of Yunzhou had a close relationship with Wang Shaofu. The two of them helped each other privately and were considered deep-rooted allies. With this relationship, she could always get what she wanted.

So what if I used Wang Shaofu's favor?

She was a person who listened to advice and knew her own worth. Why would she risk her life by choosing those states and counties that she didn't know the depth of?

His Majesty the Emperor has always been knowledgeable about all matters concerning the court. Jiang Lingyue knows everything about who has connections with whom among those important ministers.

Seeing that she chose Yunzhou, he smiled mischievously and said, "Aunt Xie is very insightful."

The Xie family has no successor. Since the old general passed away, the family has been in decline for many years. Although it is said to be a century-old family, its network of connections may not be as good as that of an ordinary scholar.

But Wang Shaofu was different. He had been sent out for more than ten years and had been humble and upright in his conduct. He never flattered his superiors or bullied his subordinates. He was even particularly lenient and generous to his subordinates.

Friends are all over the world.

Their interests are intertwined and complex.

His connections and resources made the journey through the city much easier, not to mention turning a thorny path into a smooth one.

If someone is willing to give it to you, why bother to be so hypocritical and say no?

These days, the Xie family's drama is being sung very widely in the capital.

It is said that Young Master Wang is reluctant to leave his wife and daughter, and would rather betray his family and live in the Xie family.

They were a good couple, but now they are eager to become a son-in-law and have to compete with the young master of the Shi family.

Thinking about what she had heard, Jiang Lingyue asked curiously, "Aunt Xie quietly told me that Wang Shaofu had acted this way. Have you ever thought about softening your heart and turning back?"

Xie An Ning shook his head and said, "It's come to this point, there's no going back."

"So..." Jiang Lingyue pondered for a moment, then stopped asking, saying, "Once you leave the capital, your marriage to Ishihara-kun will have to be put on hold. Do you want me to issue an imperial decree to finalize the marriage?"

"...No, it's only been a month since I divorced. We shouldn't be so rushed into marriage. So much has happened recently that we haven't thought clearly enough, and we're already talking about marriage."

Xie Anning paused and said, "Both Ziqin and I should calm down and think carefully about each other's feelings... Let's wait until I return from Yunzhou before we discuss anything."

"Okay," Jiang Lingyue nodded, "It's all according to your own ideas."

The two had a long conversation in Ning'an Palace. Near noon, Princess Huayang and County Lady Chengyi came with them.

Several people began to discuss the enrollment of students for Xiaoxiang Library.

Several female officials from the inner court also arrived one after another.

It was not until lunchtime that His Majesty the Emperor sent someone to tell him that he was busy with affairs in the court and would not be back for lunch.

Jiang Lingyue happened to invite them to have lunch together.

After lunch, several people went into the study again.

The study door was not opened until it was getting dark.

As soon as Xie An Ning left the palace and returned home, the Queen's decree arrived at the Xie family.

He ordered the female official Xie to go to Yunzhou to supervise the affairs of the girls' school. There was no time to lose, so after packing everything up, she set off on a chosen day.

Ishihara Kyo was on duty at home at the time, and when the eunuch read out the imperial edict, his face turned stiff.

As soon as the palace eunuchs left, he turned his gaze away from the calm Wang Shaofu and looked at Xie Anning, "Sister, have you never thought of telling me in advance about such a big thing as leaving the capital?"

"I thought you knew that already,"

Xie An Ning said, "I eat the emperor's salary and bear the emperor's worries. Given the current situation of the inner court, since I have been appointed as an inner court lady, shouldn't it be obvious for me to leave the capital?"

It's obvious...

Ishihara Qing's chest heaved violently. He took a deep breath, suppressed his emotions, and pointed at the person next to him: "What about him? Did you tell him in advance?"

The imperial edict came suddenly, and he was shocked and angry, but Wang Shaofu was able to remain so calm.

If it wasn’t knowing it earlier, then what else could it be!

The familiar headache made Xie Anning frown.

Xie Wan also had a headache. She held her forehead and slipped away quietly.

As a younger generation, she really can't stand seeing the elders being jealous of each other.

Xie An Ning patiently explained, "Why would I tell him this? He guessed it himself. As early as when he learned that I was awarded the title of fourth-rank female official, he guessed that I might have left the capital."

This is really the truth.

But Ishihara Qing would never believe it.

Yunzhou!

How could he not know the friendship between Liu Yueping, the governor of Yunzhou, and Wang Shaofu!

If it was really guessed and there was no prior discussion, how could it be such a coincidence that it was Yunzhou!

The bitterness in her heart made Ishihara Qing's eyes red, "Sister, don't play with me."