Chapter 57 : She Becomes a Concubine

Marrying someone like King Wei … What a pity, Xue Qingyin thought.

Soon, the Empress Dowager and Concubine Wan bestowed their gifts—jewelry and jade bottles.

This Miss Liu, after being personally chosen in the hall and receiving the approval of the Empress Dowager and Concubine Wan, had truly outshone everyone else today!

The crowd’s envious glances toward her grew even more pronounced.

Xue Qingyin raised her eyes again.

Miss Liu Yuerong , hands trembling slightly, received the gifts with such excitement she could hardly contain herself.

Well, it seems I was worrying for nothing.

It was evident that Miss Liu was ecstatic about marrying King Wei .

After accepting the gifts and returning to her seat, Liu Yuerong  unexpectedly glanced at Xue Qingyin.

There was a faint air of smugness about her, as she subtly lifted her chin toward Xue Qingyin.

Xue Qingyin was baffled.

What’s wrong with her? Why is she showing off to me?

In a flash, Xue Qingyin recalled why Liu Yuerong ‘s figure looked so familiar.

Not long after Xue had arrived in this world, He Songning had taken her to a poetry gathering hosted by King Wei .

At that event, she had seen a young lady rise to spar in poetry with King Wei , only to be scolded by him for her lack of learning, leaving her in tears.

No wonder…

It turns out this young lady had admired King Wei  for a long time and had seen Xue as a rival ever since that poetry meeting.

Xue Qingyin shrugged. Losing interest, she focused on her food.

Meanwhile, Xue Qinghe also noticed the banquet had little to do with her anymore.

However…

“Qiu Xin, why are you trembling?”

Qiu Xin shook her head and whispered, “It’s nothing.”

She was worried—worried that Emperor Liang De might announce Xue Qingyin’s name, just like Miss Liu’s, and assign her to Prince Xuan.

If that happened, and gifts were bestowed, Xue Qingyin would bask in glory.

The mere thought of such a scene made Qiu Xin’s chest ache.

Until the sound of a bell signaled the end of the banquet.

Qiu Xin exhaled in relief, secretly smiling to herself. Thank goodness. No Xue Qingyin this time, ha! Someone like her, as a concubine to Prince Xuan, would surely be scorned.

Without parental approval or a matchmaker’s arrangement, she’d be lucky to even become a maidservant!

Yet, to her disappointment, when she turned to look at her lady again…

Xue Qingyin showed no trace of frustration.

She wasn’t upset?

“Miss Xue.”

Someone approached quietly.

Xue Qingyin and her companions turned to see Wanxia.

Wanxia smiled politely, saying, “Since I escorted the lady here, I’ll naturally escort her back.”

Xue Qingyin nodded and followed Wanxia as she left the banquet.

Xue Qinghe and her companion joined them as well.

Other noble ladies left earlier, dispersing at the palace gates. Some curious onlookers whispered:

“Where’s the eldest Miss Xue?”

“I thought I caught a glimpse of her in the hall earlier.”

“Wasn’t she seen boating with Prince Xuan, King Wei , and other nobles? I thought she’d be announced as a match today. But nothing happened.”

“Why were the girls from the Qiao and Lu families skipped, while Liu Yuerong was chosen?”

“Who can fathom the Emperor’s intentions?”

“True.”

Meanwhile, Xue Qingyin and her companions waited quietly in a side hall until Wanxia escorted them out.

They left after most others, allowing them the comfort of sedan chairs instead of walking.

Xue Qingyin was quite content.

Waiting a bit longer was worth it if it meant not having to walk.

As for marrying Prince Xuan…

Now that she had witnessed the complexities of the royal family, she knew it wasn’t an easy path.

Prince Xuan’s help today was likely because… well, he was a gentleman.

Even if such a word hardly matched the villainous portrayal in the original story.

But if someone as ruthless as He Songning could be the male lead…

Why couldn’t a villain be a gentleman?

---

When Xue Qingyin returned home, she bathed and applied medicine.

Her mother, Madam Xue, came to check on her.

“Did you cause any trouble today?” Madam Xue asked nervously.

Xue Qingyin laughed. “Mother, what kind of trouble could I cause? Roll on the floor in front of the Emperor? Fight with a princess?”

Madam Xue laughed too. “Nonsense! I’m serious here.”

Xue Qingyin lowered her voice. “You can rest assured. I behaved well today—hardly spoke a word. To those noble ladies, I barely exist. They didn’t even glance my way.”

Madam Xue grew angry. “How could they not notice my daughter, as beautiful as she is?”

Xue Qingyin thought, Only in a mother’s eyes am I the best.

She climbed out of the bath and said, “If they’d noticed me more, I’d be married off to King Wei , just one of his seventeen or eighteen women.”

Madam Xue sighed. “Better if they didn’t notice you, then.”

She paused and said, “What do you think of the wife of Censor Lin’s house?”

“Ah?” Xue Qingyin reacted immediately, “So you came here to tell me about that boy from the Lin family?”

Madam Xue smiled and said, “You are so smart. You also know that the only person your mother and I have close contacts with is Madam Lin from the Censor’s house. After thinking about it, it’s better to go to her house than to go to anyone else’s. She even held you in her arms when you were young.”

Xue Qingyin pouted, “No, her daughter hates me very much.”

Madam Xue wanted to persuade her again, “They were all conflicts we had when we were children. Why do you still remember it today?”

Xue Qingyin pretended to be sleepy, yawned, and said, “Did you only know today that I hold a grudge?”

Madam Xue felt sorry for her because she was very tired after going to the palace, so she didn’t say anything more.

After Xue Qingyin fell asleep, Madam Xue tucked the corner of the quilt for her.

When she returned to her own courtyard, the maid beside her said to her as usual: “The master is still on duty at the Ministry of Revenue today.”

“Yes, I know.” Madam Xue’s expression was calm.

The courtyard seemed cold and quiet.

But thinking of her two children, Madam Xue fell asleep peacefully.

Xue Qingyin slept until noon.

When the maid saw her wake up, she hurriedly reported the important news: “The Zhaoguogong Mansion sent someone to hold a ceremony for the girl to recognize her as a godparent. The master and the lady were also invited. The separate invitations were sent to the Ministry of Revenue by the master.”

So serious?

Xue Qingyin was not used to it yet.

She didn’t understand why the Zhaoguogong Mansion valued her so much.

The maid paused, and then said: “There is one more thing, I don’t know if the girl likes to hear it.”

“Just say it directly.” Xue Qingyin thought to herself, I hate people who keep things in suspense the most.

The maidservant said softly, “Early this morning, His Majesty issued an edict to appoint the girl from the Qiao family as the concubine of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wei, and the girl from the Liu family as the principal wife of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wei.”

Then Miss Lu should be appointed to the Prince of Xuan, right?

It’s impossible for all three to be given to the Prince of Wei.

Xue Qingyin smacked her lips and speculated secretly.

The maidservant continued worriedly, “Why hasn’t the imperial edict been issued to the eldest girl yet?”

Xue Qingyin smiled and said, “I don’t even have the courage to think about it, but you think about it for me.”

The maidservant blushed and whispered, “I’m afraid that the girl won’t be able to marry the Prince of Xuan in the end, and even the Prince of Wei will be gone.”

Xue Qingyin threatened her, “If you say this to others, you’ll be beaten to death.”

The maidservant quickly raised her hand to cover her mouth, “I, I won’t tell anyone.”

Xue Qingyin got up and asked the maid waiting outside to come in and dress her.

The maidservant beside her was young, and Xue Qingyin taught her while combing her hair: “You don’t know how miserable it was for the girl from the Qiao family to marry the King of Wei.”

The maidservant was puzzled: “What’s miserable? She could become a concubine.”

“Think about it, how many concubines does the King of Wei have? How many people does she have to compete with? There are thirty days in a month, and if everyone gets a share, how many days can she get to stay in her room with the King of Wei?”

“…Yeah, that’s right. But if it’s a girl, it must be different.”

“What’s the difference?”

“The King of Wei will definitely favor you.”

“Then will his dozen wives and concubines poison me to death together one day?”

The maid choked.

Xue Qingyin smacked her lips: “Besides, can he take care of so many women? I’m afraid they will be useless in a few years.”

The maid blushed and hesitated to continue.

The old woman who was combing her hair laughed angrily: “How can the master take the lead in saying such dirty words? What a disgrace?”

Xue Qingyin smiled: “Mother Zhong, am I wrong?”

The maid next to her suddenly interrupted and said, “Then, then for His Royal Highness King Xuan, who doesn’t even have a concubine around him, isn’t it… isn’t it very good in that aspect?”

Xue Qingyin: “Puff.” She almost choked on the tea she was rinsing her mouth with.

But she tilted her head and thought about it, and said: “…What you said makes sense.”

Mother Zhong was so angry that she pinched her waist.

At this time, His Royal Highness King Xuan  was standing in front of Emperor Liang De.

Emperor Liang De frowned and asked him angrily, “Why not? Since you like the girl from the Xue family, I will appoint her as your concubine. The girl from the Lu family will be your principal wife. As a father, am I not good enough to you?”