Her hair was cloud-like and beautiful! She opened her eyes and found herself back in the third year

The two exchanged pleasantries with smiles, their greetings all warm and friendly, yet entirely insincere.

Qin Yizhen was unsure of Madam Wang's purpose in coming today, so she decided to speak first: "When I entered just now, I heard from the steward that Concubine Wang had vomited blood again. May I ask Madam Wang, what exactly is the Wang family's intention?"

Lady Wang smiled faintly: "Your Highness is too kind. I would also like to ask Your Highness about this matter..."

"Why are you asking me this?" Qin Yizhen seemed quite surprised.

"Two days ago, your Wang family's daughter came to visit her. After she left, Aunt Wang vomited blood. Today, your Wang family members came to visit her again, and she vomited blood again. What is the reason for this? Why do you have to ask me?"

Lady Wang was rendered speechless by this question.

Yes, she suddenly remembered that Wang Xianrong vomited blood twice, and the timing was just so coincidental—both times were after she met the Wang family.

Qin Yizhen continued, "Although Aunt Wang is a daughter of the Wang family, she has entered the Cheng family and is now a member of the Cheng family, and is under my jurisdiction."

"If you miss her and come to visit her, I will naturally welcome you. But if you bully her, I will not stand idly by."

"Nonsense, how could we possibly bully our sister?" Wang Cong, who was protective of his sister, looked rather displeased upon hearing this and stood up to argue with Qin Yizhen.

Qin Yizhen glanced at him: "Then I ask you, Young Master Wang, what did you say to her, and why did she vomit blood?"

"Of course, thank you—"

"Sanlang!" Madam Wang scolded in a low voice, interrupting Wang Cong before he could speak, "Speak properly, what kind of behavior is this, shouting in front of the princess? Where is your manners!"

Wang Cong then realized he had almost said the wrong thing. He gritted his teeth, then bowed and said, "Princess, please forgive me for my rudeness."

"It's alright, please have a seat."

Wang Cong sat down again, and Madam Wang smiled and said, "Actually, I can guess why Second Madam vomited blood. She was just too heartbroken. Seeing her life's hopes dashed, she couldn't bear it and vomited blood."

"This is also something I, your humble servant, wish to ask of the princess and the marquis. She only has the marquis in her heart. In order to be with the marquis, she is even willing to lower herself to become a concubine. This shows that she is sincere."

"Now that the Marquis and the Princess are a loving couple, she has become a laughing stock. That's why she's feeling so depressed and can't take it anymore."

"Today, I, your humble servant, request an audience with the Princess and the Marquis, not for any other reason than to ask that the Princess and the Marquis show her some tenderness. If the Marquis has the time, I would like to visit her more often. She asks for little; if she could have a child, she would be content."

The implication behind these words is that they want Cheng Yan to pay more attention to Wang Xianrong, and ideally have a child with her.

Qin Yizhen lowered her eyes, thinking to herself that she was indeed no match for this Madam Wang.

Originally, it was she who questioned the Wang family about how Wang Xianrong had become so angry that she vomited blood. Now, Madam Wang easily shifted the blame to Wang Xianrong's unfulfilled desires and despair.

In this way, it becomes Cheng Yan's fault.

After all, it's truly wrong of him to let down such a devoted woman. Anyone with a conscience should go and see her more, and fulfill her humble and pitiful request.

Qin Yi felt a pang of frustration, but she also vaguely felt that these words were familiar, as if... as if they were the words she had used to persuade Cheng Yan to go see Wang Xianrong.

At the time, she didn't think there was anything wrong with what she said, but now that she thinks about it carefully, she was indeed wrong. Cheng Yan didn't owe Wang Xianrong anything.

Qin Yizhen glanced at Cheng Yan and saw that he was holding a teacup with a cold and sullen face, and he seemed to be in a bad mood.

Qin Yizhen suddenly felt a pang of heartache. She looked at Madam Wang and asked her earnestly, "Does Madam Wang mean that Madam Wang's current state is the result of the Marquis's actions?"

Lady Wang paused, then smiled and said, "Princess, you jest. It certainly wasn't the Marquis who caused it."

Qin Yizhen then asked, "Since it wasn't the Marquis who caused it, what does her condition have to do with the Marquis?"

Madam Wang's smile froze. She seemed to have never expected the usually kind Qin Yizhen to say such a thing, and she was completely stunned.

Cheng Yan also looked at Qin Yizhen with surprise.

Lady Wang snapped out of her daze, forced a smile, and said, "Princess, although this wasn't caused by the Marquis, it's still related to him. After all, she became like this because of him..."

"Does Madam Wang mean that the Marquis should take responsibility?"

“That is indeed the case, Princess Minghui.”

"I am not as intelligent as Lady Wang." Qin Yi was lucky she didn't roll her eyes at Lady Wang.

"In my opinion, whether a man or a woman loves someone and is willing to give for him, that is their own business. If they do not get the reward they want, they cannot force it."

"In this world, there are many women who admire the Marquis, not just Consort Wang. Does the Marquis intend to comfort each and every one of them and take responsibility for them?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Cong immediately became displeased: "Princess, how can those women compare to my elder sister? My elder sister is the legitimate daughter of the royal family."

"What's the difference?" Qin Yizhen retorted. "If they all enter the family, a concubine is still a concubine. Does she think she's inherently more noble than others just because she comes from the Wang family?"

Wang Cong grew anxious: "Could it be that if the princess becomes a concubine, she will be treated the same as an ordinary person?"

That's really an unpleasant thing to say.

How could a princess become a concubine?

Who would dare to make a princess a concubine?

Cheng Yan glanced at him, his eyes cold and sharp as swords: "The princess will not stoop to be a concubine like some people. If you dare to humiliate the princess again, don't blame me for throwing you out."

"What do you mean by that? Are you saying my sister is lowly?" Wang Cong nearly blushed with anger and immediately retorted.

"Cheng Yan, you...you scoundrel! How dare you speak of my sister like that! Do you know she did it all for you! She did it all for you! How can you be so heartless and ungrateful? Do you have any conscience at all?!"

"What does it have to do with me?" Cheng Yan's lips were thin and cold, his eyes full of annoyance. "She's like this because I didn't force her. I find her entanglement really annoying."

"It's not that I look down on concubines. There are some women in the world who have no choice but to do so for certain reasons. They are unfortunate people."

But as the legitimate daughter of the Wang family, she has many choices in marriage. Why would she choose to become a concubine for so-called love, instead of being a principal wife? Isn't that self-degrading?

"All that has happened today is the result of her own choices. I said before that I didn't need concubines and hoped she would think it through and return to the royal family to find a good match. But she brought this upon herself and insisted on staying. Who can she blame now?"

"I have said what I should say and advised what I should advise. I have done everything I could in my life and in my work, and I have a clear conscience."