Marrying a concubine and swallowing her dowry? The mistress turns around and marries a high-ranking

Chapter 1

"...Marquis Yongning, Qin Shaoze, returned victorious from the Northwest and, based on his military achievements, sought to marry the loyal and skilled physician Liu as his secondary wife. I hereby bestow this marriage upon the two of them. So be it!"

Shen Lingjun, dressed in white mourning clothes, turned her head in astonishment to look at her husband, Qin Shaoze, who was also kneeling beside her to receive the imperial decree.

Qin Shaoze made great contributions on the Northwest battlefield and recently returned to the capital. The palace's rewards have now been bestowed upon him.

But Shen Lingjun never expected that Qin Shaoze would ask the emperor for a marriage based on his military merits!

Last month, news came from the Northwest that Shen Lingjun's father and brother had been defeated and killed on the battlefield, and their bodies have not yet been found.

The once-powerful Shen family of military generals collapsed overnight, like a great building crumbling.

With her father and brother's bodies still warm, Shen Lingjun had hoped that her husband Qin Shaoze's triumphant return would offer her some comfort.

Instead, he stabbed her in the heart again, and at this moment asked to marry another woman as his concubine!

He didn't even inform me of such a big thing!

Shen Lingjun had been wondering why the reward was delayed.

Even the emperor is probably in a dilemma; bestowing this marriage would be far too cruel for the Shen family!

Upon hearing the imperial edict, Qin Shaoze's face lit up with joy, and he turned to look at another young woman who had received the edict with them.

The girl was in her early twenties, dressed in a bright green dress, with a delicate and beautiful face.

At this moment, she met Qin Shaoze's gaze, their eyes seemingly glued together, filled with fervent affection.

Shen Lingjun's heart was like a raging storm, with wave after wave surging up and washing over her, making her feel like she was about to collapse.

The woman's name was Liu Manman. She returned from the battlefield with Qin Shaoze. It was said that she had superb medical skills and cured an epidemic in the army, saving the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers. As a result, the Northern Yi army was able to win a great victory.

Liu Manman also made great contributions and was awarded the title of "Danxin Divine Physician" by the imperial court. She was also appointed as the chief physician of the Imperial Medical Academy and became the first female physician in the Imperial Medical Academy.

Qin Shaoze and she had been in love all along!

One fought bloody battles on the front lines, while the other healed and saved lives on the rear. The two worked together perfectly and made great contributions. It was truly a wonderful story!

After the eunuch finished reading the imperial decree, Qin Shaoze and Liu Manman were overjoyed and immediately kowtowed, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" three times.

"Your Majesty, I accept the decree! Thank you! Long live the Emperor!"

No matter how heartbroken Shen Lingjun was, she had no choice but to kowtow and express her gratitude along with them.

Her face was deathly pale, and her whole body was trembling.

Dressed in mourning clothes, she knelt on the ground with her husband and the woman he had proposed to marry, kowtowing in gratitude to Heaven...

Each bow was like a heart-wrenching cry of blood!

After the eunuch who delivered the decree left, Qin Shaoze and Liu Manman stood up, looked at each other and smiled, wishing they could embrace on the spot.

Like a couple whose love is stronger than gold, having endured all the trials and tribulations of the world, they have finally overcome their hardships and can now stand side by side openly and honestly.

However, Shen Lingjun, the wife of the Marquis of Yongning, stood alone to one side, as if she had lost her soul.

Qin Shaoze and Liu Manman exchanged glances for a long time, then, as if finally remembering Shen Lingjun's existence, they turned around to face her.

"Madam," Qin Shaoze said somewhat awkwardly.

Shen Lingjun stood up straight with all her might, her back ramrod straight, and stared at him coldly.

Qin Shaoze explained, "I met Manman in the army, and I fell in love with her. We went through many trials and tribulations together, and we are truly in love..."

Shen Lingjun interrupted him: "When you proposed to me back then, you promised my parents that we would be together for life."

She and Qin Shaoze have been married for three years.

The Yongning Marquis's mansion was not glorious back then. The old Marquis had passed away early, and only Qin Shaoze was left to maintain the mansion's prestige. He was only eighteen years old and had not yet accomplished anything.

At that time, the Shen family was at the height of its power. Shen's father was already a second-rank Assistant General, in charge of one-third of the military power in Bei Yi.

Shen Lingjun's marriage to Qin Shaoze was a marriage of convenience for her.

Shen's mother, Madam Wen, chose Qin Shaoze because she saw that the Yongning Marquis's household had a small population, Qin Shaoze was a promising young man, and he promised to be faithful to one person for life.

But the vow he solemnly made back then has now been carelessly discarded by him.

Qin Shaoze looked embarrassed: "Back then I was too young and didn't know what true love was... These were just some absurd words, and they can't be taken seriously."

As he spoke, he began to solemnly declare, "Although I am going to marry Manman as my secondary wife, I guarantee that you will still be the principal wife of the Marquis's mansion. Manman dislikes infighting in the inner quarters and does not care about empty titles, so she will not shake your status and position."

Liu Manman stepped forward, her expression haughty and arrogant, her gaze towards Shen Lingjun filled with disdain.

"Mrs. Shen, don't worry, I'm not the same kind of person as you. My ambitions lie in the inner quarters, and I won't compete with you for favor."

Liu Manman is from a thousand years in the future. She despises these ancient women who stay in their secluded homes, confined to their small world, serving as appendages to men, only knowing how to be good wives and mothers, and fighting over men.

This Shen is nothing more than a victim of the ancient feudal system. In her eyes, the arranged marriage between Shen and Qin Shaoze is not a real marriage at all.

However, these ancient women couldn't survive without their husbands, and she understood that Madam Shen was also a pitiful person, so she was still willing to keep the position of the Marquis's wife for Madam Shen.

Looking at this harmonious couple, Shen Lingjun could only feel a cold laugh.

But this is the main gate of the Marquis's residence, not the place to talk. We'll discuss everything when we get back.

She ignored Qin Shaoze and Liu Manman and turned to leave.

As soon as he turned his head, he saw a man and a horse passing by on the street outside the Yongning Marquis's mansion. The man on the tall black horse was dressed in the gorgeous red robes of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and a group of eunuchs in tight-fitting clothes and carrying swords followed behind him.

He didn't possess the servile demeanor and cunning of a typical eunuch; instead, he exuded a chilling aura that sent shivers down people's spines even in broad daylight.

Her appearance was delicate and alluring, androgynous; her long, narrow, upturned phoenix eyes were like unfathomable, cold pools.

Mo Chonggui, a young Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial and Director of the Eastern Depot, was known as the "Nine Thousand Years Old".

The emperor's most trusted eunuch, wielding immense power and with a bloody past, was infamous for his cruelty and treachery. Everyone in the court and the country trembled at the mere mention of his name. It was said that just mentioning his name could stop children from crying at night.

At this moment, Mo Zhonggui stopped his horse, his gaze fixed on Shen Lingjun.