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

曲府

As soon as Qu Yingyue stepped into the gate of the Qu residence, she was stopped by the steward who had been waiting for a long time.

"The old master is waiting for you in the main hall, Miss. Please don't rush back to your courtyard."

Qu Yingyue's face was grim, but she had no choice but to change her route. Her heart pounded with anxiety, as if she were about to be sent to the execution ground for a joint trial.

"Kneel down!" As soon as Qu Yingyue appeared in the main hall, a cup full of tea flew towards her.

Qu Yingyue was somewhat domineering outside, but in the Qu family, she was most afraid of her grandfather, who spoke in classical Chinese.

Grand Tutor Qu's face, weathered by time, was blazing with anger. "You left the banquet early on. Where did you go? Tell me honestly!"

Qu Yingyue looked up, wanting to ask her mother for help, but her mother was barely able to take care of herself. After hesitating for a long time, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and reply.

"Replying to Grandfather, I went to the Third Prince's residence. I had important matters to discuss with him personally, which is why I returned a little late."

Grand Tutor Qu couldn't help but snatch the whip from the steward's hand and lash out at Qu Yingyue, shouting, "Do you have no sense of propriety or shame?!"

Madam Qu couldn't bear to see her daughter being beaten, so she rushed over, shielding Qu Yingyue with her body while begging for mercy from Grand Tutor Qu, "Father-in-law, father-in-law, please have mercy."

Yingyue's father passed away early, and as a woman raising her, I inevitably neglected her upbringing.

"If you want to hit someone, hit me."

She's just a young girl, not yet married, she can't withstand your whip. It will break her, and her husband in the afterlife will be heartbroken."

When his son, who had died young, was mentioned, Grand Tutor Qu finally stopped wielding his long whip. With his back to the mother and daughter, he instantly hunched over, his eyes slightly red, a sight only noticed by the steward.

"Our Grand Tutor's Mansion, at most, only has three masters."

"I want to adopt a son for my son, but you're worried it will be unfair to Yingyue, so you say you'll only agree to the adoption once her marriage is settled and you have no more worries."

“I have countless disciples, but you always manage to pick the wrong one no matter how hard you try. I finally made up my mind to settle Yingyue down, but you two, mother and daughter, have been secretly involved with the Third Prince without my knowledge.”

"Who is the Third Prince? He is a member of the imperial family."

What is my identity?

To put it nicely, he was the Grand Tutor, one of the princes' mentors.

"But since ancient times, the Grand Tutor has been responsible for teaching only the Crown Prince."

But I am to teach the four princes!

As long as Your Majesty does not appoint a crown prince, I cannot let my guard down for even a day!

Given this situation, I have a long-standing relationship with all four princes, and whichever of them ascends to the next position, they will only be treated with courtesy by my Grand Tutor's Mansion.

"But you two fools have really ruined the Grand Tutor's mansion." They almost caused him to lose his reputation in his later years.

Qu Yingyue usually pretended to be obedient and compliant in front of Grand Tutor Qu. But when it came to her own interests, she was waiting for the day the Third Prince ascended the throne, which would be the day she was crowned Empress.

So, once again relying on the fact that she was the only grandson of Grand Tutor Qu, she argued, "Grandfather, now the Third Prince and I share the same fate, whether it is good or bad."

"By helping the Third Prince, you are helping your granddaughter."

She even went so far as to add, "Doesn't Grandfather want our Qu family to produce an empress?"

Upon hearing this, Grand Tutor Qu was greatly alarmed and exclaimed, "Be careful what you say!"

Madam Qu quickly covered her daughter's mouth; she had been a widow for over a decade and was used to being extremely cautious.

Unfortunately, this daughter, though seemingly timid, has accomplished and spoken with considerable skill and authority.

Previously, she had been secretly exchanging gifts with the Third Prince. If she hadn't discovered it in time, the two of them might have gotten pregnant, which is why she reported it to her elders.

Afterwards, if Qu Yingyue hadn't gone on a hunger strike to force him to commit suicide, and if Madam Qu hadn't knelt before her father-in-law, Grand Tutor Qu, for three days and three nights out of maternal love for her daughter, this marriage would never have happened!

“Father-in-law, Yingyue is still young, and she may speak without thinking. I will definitely discipline her properly in the future.”

Speaking of upbringing, Grand Tutor Qu was filled with bitterness. “You always say you want to teach her well, but look at how you’ve spoiled Yingyue.”

Secret rendezvous, lying, hunger strike, suicide… which of these is something a young lady from a sheltered family could do?

These accusations were practically the death knell for Madam Qu.

She knelt before Grand Tutor Qu and kowtowed forcefully, saying, "It is because I am a daughter-in-law who is immoral that I have failed to raise my husband's only child well."

But Yingyue has been fatherless since she was little, and I always worry that she lacks fatherly love compared to others, so I can't help but want to make up for what my husband lacks for her, which is why I spoil her a little more..."

Grand Tutor Qu had heard this countless times. He waved his hand helplessly, "Fine, I'm already down to my wits' end. I can't keep an eye on you for long."

"Yingyue, may you have good fortune."

Grandfather only hopes that you won't regret the path you stubbornly chose back then.

Qu Yingyue is still waiting to become empress, how could she regret it!

She only hoped that her grandfather wouldn't hold her back or hinder her future.

Seeing that Grand Tutor Qu had yielded once again, Madam Qu couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.

However, she still had some conscience, so she casually mentioned something that would make Grand Tutor Qu happy: "Father-in-law, the time for Yingyue's marriage is not far away."

When a woman gets married, a brother always carries her out of the house on his back.

“My father-in-law has been wanting to adopt a child for my husband. I think it would be better if he could choose an auspicious day in the next couple of days and get it done?”

The steward was overjoyed to hear Madam Qu's words of relent. He looked into Grand Tutor Qu's eyes as if they could speak, "Master, did you hear what Madam said?"

You'd better agree already!

"Shall I go and consult the almanac now to find an auspicious day?"

Qu Yingyue wanted to roll her eyes as she listened, but since she was a woman who was going to get married, she couldn't bring herself to say anything about not allowing her family to have an heir.

After a long pause, Grand Tutor Qu waved his hand and said, "Let's talk about the adoption later."

He gestured for Madam Qu and her daughter to leave first.

Madam Qu didn't mind, since she had already generously agreed to the adoption. As for what happened afterward, her father-in-law would handle it himself.

She was in a hurry to lead Yingyue back to the courtyard to apply medicine.

After the person had gone far away, the old steward spoke up and asked, "Old Master, you've been looking forward to the adoption for so many years, why are you silent now that it's at this crucial moment?"

Grand Tutor Qu looked weary. "To outsiders, it seems that Yingyue has climbed up to the Third Prince and is even desperate to marry him."

The third prince also put on a show of deep affection, declaring that he would marry no one but her.

When this matter became a huge uproar, he pretended to be concerned for me, this old codger, and went to His Majesty to ask for an imperial decree to grant us the marriage, in order to save face for our family.

His scheme has truly put our Qu family in a very difficult position.