A look of embarrassment flashed across Xu Yanchi's face. "I didn't want this either, Mian'er. Please listen to me..."
"I don't want to listen." Lu Mian's tears streamed down her face. "Brother Yanchi, we clearly promised to be together for a lifetime. Now it's fine that you keep taking concubines and side wives into the backyard. But now you even want me to be your concubine. Am I really that unworthy in your eyes?"
"No, it's not like this!" Xu Yanchi quickly said. "Mian'er, don't cry. Crying too much during the confinement period will hurt your eyes. Please listen to me. I had no choice but to do this!"
"Okay, go ahead."
"Now it's been confirmed that you have no relation to the Lu family. According to my wishes, I would surely welcome you into the mansion with great fanfare in a sedan chair carried by eight bearers. But the current situation doesn't allow it. Before, when you were in the shadows, I could protect you. But now... there are many eyes watching. I can't stay here to guard you every day. I'm really afraid that something like what happened before will happen to you again."
Perhaps thinking of the previous incident, Lu Mian's face turned pale.
Xu Yanchi continued, "Moreover, Hui'er is being raised in the mansion now. If you enter the mansion, you can also raise him by your side. In my opinion, it's always better for us to raise our own child rather than letting others do it."
Anyway, Shen Qing didn't listen to them anymore. How could his eldest son be raised by a concubine who used to be a maid?
When he mentioned the child, Lu Mian's heart wavered.
It was really true that a child was a mother's weakness.
After the Zhang family left, a new family moved in next door. The mistress of this family was the stepmother of the child. She also had her own child and was not kind to the son left by her husband's previous wife.
This time, Lu Mian learned her lesson and didn't interact with outsiders anymore. But she could still hear that the woman was very caring to the child before her husband left. As soon as her husband left, she started to make the child do housework and threatened him that if he dared to tell anyone, she would beat him.
Once, Lu Mian accidentally saw that the seven - year - old child had to wash the clothes for the whole family and cook every day. If he didn't do well, he wouldn't be allowed to eat.
Every time she went out, she always overheard the neighbors saying that a step - mother would never be kind to a step - child.
Every time Lu Mian heard this, she couldn't help but think of her own Hui'er. Although she heard that he was being well - taken care of by the concubine, what if that concubine had her own child? Would she still be good to Hui'er?
If Brother Yanchi had other children, Hui'er would no longer be his only child. If she wasn't by his side, what kind of situation would he be in?
But Lu Mian still couldn't swallow this anger. "What about Concubine Jin? Brother Yanchi clearly promised that there would be no more new concubines. Why is there a Concubine Jin now?"
"My mother arranged it. I didn't know about it before!"
"Since I was dismissed from office, the finances of the Marquis Mansion have not been good. Jin Bao alone brought a dowry of 200,000 taels of silver when she gets married. I'm a marquis after all. I can't just idle around at home all day. With this silver, I can try to get a new position."
Xu Yanchi swore to the sky. "Don't worry. I'll just let her stay in the mansion. I'll never touch a single hair on her."
Lu Mian lowered her eyes. "Brother Yanchi, I believe you."
Xu Yanchi held Lu Mian's hand. "Mian'er, you're the dearest person to me. I'll never treat you badly. We can't deal with Shen Qing for now. She doesn't care much about the affairs in the mansion either. As long as you don't provoke her, she won't cause you any trouble."
"You don't have to tolerate anyone else except Shen Qing."
Lu Mian pursed her lips. "I understand, Brother Yanchi."
Xu Yanchi lowered his head and gave her a light peck on the lips. "There's still a month left. In this month, you should take good care of your body here. Then we'll have another child for Hui'er to have a younger brother or sister."
Lu Mian blushed and gently punched him. "What are you talking about? You're so improper."
Xu Yanchi let out a soft laugh. "I can't be proper when I see you."
They lingered for a while longer before Xu Yanchi left. Jin Bao's father, Lord Jin, sent silver notes. He had invited people to dinner today.
Lu Mian reluctantly saw him off. Then she told Xiaodie to find some people to inquire about the origin of the jade pendant. Judging from its workmanship, it should be from the capital. There were many powerful and wealthy people in the capital. If they asked more people, they would surely find out.
This matter was urgent. Her identity was sensitive. If she could find her biological parents before entering the mansion and have a proper identity, she could get rid of those annoying people.
Since Shen Qing couldn't be used by her, there was no need for her to occupy the position of the main wife.
Shen Qing didn't know that just a casual remark in front of Xu Yanchi had actually made Lu Mian have the intention to harm her.
Even if she knew, she wouldn't be afraid.
Shen Qing was in great agony because of the decision about the child.
One day, as soon as Shen Qing got up, someone from the Renshou Hall came to invite her, saying that Miss Jin was here and she was asked to go and meet her.
Yingxiu was extremely angry. "Who does she think she is? An unmarried concubine dares to ask our young lady to go and see her in person. I'll go and decline for you right away!"
Shen Qing rubbed her temples tiredly. "Forget it. You go and reply. I'll go to pay my respects to the old madam after breakfast."
Since she had "fallen seriously ill", the old madam didn't require her to pay respects every day anymore. It was changed to once every three days. They had just been there yesterday, so they didn't need to go today. No wonder Yingxiu was so angry.
Shen Qing didn't sleep well last night and had no appetite now. Her complexion was so bad that she didn't even need to put on powder.
When Shen Qing arrived, the old madam, Mrs. Ge, and Mrs. Xing were chatting merrily with Jin Bao. Jin Bao really lived up to her name. Everything she wore showed that her family was rich and she was favored. As long as it didn't violate the rules, she would wear it all.
When Shen Qing entered, the laughter in the Renshou Hall paused for a moment.
The old madam said indifferently, "Sit down."
Shen Qing looked at Jiang Chan, her expression calm and showing no emotion. "Side wife, this is my seat."
Jiang Chan looked a bit embarrassed. Shen Qing was deliberately invited by her. She did this because she thought Shen Qing wouldn't come, so she sat in Shen Qing's seat. But unexpectedly, Shen Qing not only came but also asked her to give up the seat in public.
"Sister, I thought you didn't usually come out to meet people, so I thought you wouldn't come today..."
"It's okay. Just give it up now."
Jiang Chan could only reluctantly give up the seat.
Jin Bao watched curiously as the undercurrent flowed between Shen Qing and Jiang Chan. She thought that Shen Qing was really useless. As the main wife, she even let the side wife boss her around.
In her family, if a concubine showed the slightest disrespect, her mother would drag her out to kneel in punishment. None of them dared to be disobedient.
But it was just right that Shen Qing was so cowardly. Her mother had told her that with her silver, as long as she could please the old madam, the whole Marquis Mansion would have to show her some respect.
She didn't come here just to be a minor concubine.
Thinking of this, Jin Bao gave Shen Qing a provocative look.
Shen Qing found it a bit funny. She didn't seem to have offended Jin Bao, did she?
She originally thought that the Marquis Mansion was not a good place. A young girl really didn't need to bury her whole life in it. She wanted to give her some advice. But now it seemed that it was unnecessary.