The cousin's family is extremely wealthy; she deserves to be a concubine.

"Since Consort Shui and Consort Bing are sisters, whether or not Sixth Sister marries the Fourth Prince will not change the overall situation."

In that case, Sixth Sister may marry anyone else.

The implication was that she was destined to become the Second Prince's consort.

Lord He frowned almost imperceptibly. "Then let your sixth sister enter the Fourth Prince's residence as a concubine."

"The title of a concubine will not make those in power think that we are abusing our power."

It was only because the sixth daughter worked in the palace and came into contact with the fourth prince that she was forced to marry him.

Just like Er Yatou was rescued by Xin Yucheng, she had no choice but to marry him.

With Lord He, it wouldn't be difficult for Sixth Sister to marry the Fourth Prince quietly.

He Zhizhu asked, "Really, it won't affect me?"

Lord He nodded firmly, and neither Madam Shen nor He Zhizhang said anything more, which put He Zhizhu at ease.

But then she remembered Hua Sirong and told her father again about her fear of Hua Sirong.

She thought that her mother was considerate of family ties, and her brother was also hesitant, but her father seemed to be standing by her side as his own daughter all day.

So she told him everything about Hua Sirong.

Lord He glanced at Madam Shen, but asked about something else, "Is that Rong-jie really so beautiful?"

Seeing He Zhizhu nod, Lord He then looked at He Zhizhang, who was also a man, and asked, "Brother Zhang, have you seen Sister Rong?"

He Zhizhang nodded helplessly, and under his father's gaze, he had to add, "She is indeed a rare beauty, but she wouldn't be too out of place in the harem."

He Zhizhu didn't know when her older brother had seen Hua Sirong, but she felt a warning bell ringing in her head, and the way she looked at He Zhizhang seemed a little off.

O man!

Lord He naturally trusted his son's judgment, so it seemed he had no choice but to start paying more attention to his wife's niece again!

"Why are you arranging a marriage for Rong'er so hastily today?"

Lord He harbored resentment towards this matter from beginning to end.

Shen explained, "Master Jiang wanted to act as matchmaker himself. I was forced into it, and since Rong-jie agreed, I was also forced to agree."

Lord He disapproved of Madam Shen's methods, thinking that she was probably being inefficient because of her blood ties.

If he hadn't learned such a huge secret today, he really suspected that the mother and her children would have made a series of foolish moves.

He comforted the dejected He Zhizhu, saying, "It's just an engagement. There are countless engagements in this world that never come to fruition."

He Zhizhu's eyes lit up, realizing that her father had other plans.

He Zhizhang frowned slightly, glancing disapprovingly at his sister who was only concerned with herself, but he did not argue with her directly.

He exchanged a glance with Madam Shen, who then stepped forward and pulled He Zhizhu aside, saying, "Alright, since your father is willing to make the decision for you, I won't say anything more."

I'm a little tired too, so Zhuzhu will accompany me back to the inner courtyard first.

Seeing that it was getting late and with another important matter on her mind, He Zhizhu happily took Shen's arm and left the outer study.

Once the two had disappeared from sight, He Zhizhang turned to Lord He and asked, "Father, are you really going to grant Zhuzhu's wish and interfere in Cousin Rong's marriage to the Jiang family boy?"

Instead of answering, Lord He asked, "What does Zhang-ge'er think?"

"We have such a beauty hidden in our household; how can we bear to let her marry a commoner?"

He Zhizhang argued, "That young master Jiang Huaiji has caught the eye of the Second Prince, and he will definitely become an official in the future."

"Besides, if that person really succeeds, Young Master Jiang's future will naturally be bright."

Lord He disagreed, saying, "If you follow the right master, your future will naturally be bright."

"How can the wife of a minor official compare to a favored concubine? If she is lucky enough to give birth to a son, she could be made a prince, or even... she could rise to the top in one step."

Lord He gave He Zhizhang a deep look, his eyes filled with power and desire.

He Zhizhang took a deep breath and tentatively asked, "Cousin Rong didn't want to be a concubine in the first place, which is why she came to our mansion seeking protection."

Lord He retrieved from the depths of his memory the few words Shen had spoken about Hua Sirong: "How can a concubine from an ordinary family compare to a noblewoman from the imperial family?"

Lord He looked at the silent He Zhizhang and suddenly asked, "Is it that you yourself are reluctant to part with it?"

According to Zhuzhu, this Hua Sirong must be an exceptional beauty, and her own son had seen her with his own eyes.

As the saying goes, even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman. Although his son looks upright, all men are essentially the same.

He didn't believe that his son wouldn't be tempted!

Lord He stroked his beard and said with a smile, "What does a great man have to worry about not having a wife!"

"There are countless beauties in the world. After your wife gives birth to a legitimate son, I will find you a few more who are pleasing to the eye."

"If your wife gets jealous, then you can find someone you like and keep her outside."

He Zhizhang didn't want to discuss this matter with his father, so he changed the subject, "Father, you know that the Second Prince has a better chance, so are you still going to openly support the Fourth Prince?"

Lord He then put away his lecherous gaze and said seriously, "Strange and supernatural things can be believed. But we can't believe them all."

“Zhang-ge’er, remember this. The human heart is the hardest thing to grasp in this world. Ever since Zhu-zhu became a variable, everything she knows may change.”

"Of course, the Emperor's mandate is ordained by Heaven. We must certainly do our utmost to serve His Highness the Second Prince."

But with the Fourth Prince, I have already laid a solid foundation, and with the Shui family's connection, it's no longer appropriate for our Marquis's mansion to withdraw halfway.”

He Zhizhang was so shocked by Lord He's words that he was completely disoriented, and suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.

He slumped into the chair beside him, his voice trembling and heavy, and called out, "Father."

Lord He looked at this eldest son, whom he hadn't previously valued much, and continued to instruct him, "Because of my previous plans, I cannot change course."

At least, it's not allowed openly.

"But at crucial moments, my son and I can completely turn to the light by relying on some secrets we have access to."

He Zhizhang looked up at Lord He and confirmed it several times before slowly saying, "Father's meaning is that if the one I'm following wins, Father will use the Fourth Prince's weakness to offer a pledge of allegiance to the Second Prince."

vice versa."

Lord He nodded almost imperceptibly. "Not bad."

If the Second Prince has a better chance of winning, I wouldn't mind being his spy planted in the enemy camp.

He Zhizhang clenched his fists tightly, "Father!"

Those who act as spies often do not have a good end.

Lord He laughed at this moment, "As long as the Muqing Marquis's mansion can rise to a higher level, what is there to fear in death!"

He Zhizhang's eyes gradually became unfocused. "Father has such determination and courage, but why so many years ago..."