That evening, Sheng Yong suddenly came to the Peony Courtyard for dinner.
Ever since Huang Yaning had returned to the residence, Sheng Minmin had not allowed Sheng Yong or the brothers Sheng Mingjian and the others to come over for meals on the first and fifteenth of each month. The only times the entire household gathered for a meal together were on major festivals.
On ordinary days, everyone ate separately, and Sheng Yong did not come over unless there was something important to discuss.
After downing two cups of wine, Sheng Yong spoke up.
“Madam, Xiao Qi and Xianjing have also reached the age where they should start considering marriage prospects…”
These words immediately put Sheng Minmin on high alert.
She had no intention of letting Huang Yaning marry out.
As for Xianjie, over the past two years, she had asked the girl about her thoughts.
Xianjie had no desire to marry into a prestigious family in this lifetime; she only wished to wed into an ordinary household and gain as much freedom as possible.
Xianjie had also stated that in the future, after marrying into a common family, she would not be able to manage so much property, so she would continue to let “them” help look after it…
That child was probably afraid that she would clash with Sheng Yong over the Huang family assets, which was why she said that…
To avoid making things difficult for her, she was even willing to give up the Huang family fortune!
She was truly a kind and considerate child to the core.
So, she absolutely could not let Xianjie down.
She would help Xianjie achieve the free life she desired, and she would also take back the Huang family property from Sheng Yong and return it to Xianjie!
“What does my lord mean by that?” Sheng Minmin asked, her face betraying nothing.
“Xiao Qi seems to be rather close to the princess and the prince…”
Princess Duanmu Rui had always been close to Huang Yaning and Xianjie, often inviting them to the Grand Princess’s manor to play.
In the past two years, Prince Duanmu Hui had also frequently invited Sheng Mingshu and Sheng Mingli to go out or to his home as guests.
“Oh, the way my lord puts it—the two sisters are only familiar with the princess. When they go to the Grand Princess’s manor, they stay in the inner courtyard, and the Grand Princess’s people keep a close watch. They’ve hardly even seen the prince a few times…”
“The prince dotes on the princess, and since they are close to the princess, naturally they wouldn’t be strangers to the prince either…”
Sheng Minmin did not want to respond to that.
Perhaps seeing that she did not take the bait, Sheng Yong’s eyes darkened, and he let out a long sigh before speaking in a somewhat earnest tone.
“Madam, you know the current situation in our household.
“Of the five male heirs, only the eldest and the fourth show any promise at the moment.
“If they pass the imperial examinations and enter officialdom, they will surely need someone to recommend and support them—
“I am a military general, so I cannot be of much help.
“Besides, I have been stuck in this position for a long time, and I see no hope of advancement right now…
“If Xiao Qi can marry into… that household, it would be the best outcome for her and also a great support for our family.
“The official arena is like a battlefield—opportunities to earn merit are few, but chances to take the blame are plenty.
“If the eldest and the fourth can receive the backing of the Duanmu family, they may not necessarily rise to great prominence in the future, but at the very least, they will be safer…”
On one hand, Sheng Yong pointed out that marrying into the Grand Princess’s manor was Huang Yaning’s best choice, and on the other, he brought up Sheng Mingjian and Sheng Mingshu.
“Beloved daughter,” “beloved son,” and the “legitimate son” she had nurtured for years—all of them.
It seemed that as long as Huang Yaning could marry into the Grand Princess’s manor, everyone would benefit.
It was clear that Sheng Yong had been mulling over these words for a long time and had deliberately made them so blunt. She could no longer keep up the pretense of playing dumb.
Sheng Minmin also sighed.
“I understand what my lord means. You want Xiao Qi to become the prince’s concubine…
“But with our family’s status, I doubt the Grand Princess and her family would agree…”
“Madam, since ancient times, parents have never been able to win against their children.
“If the prince takes a liking to Xiao Qi…”
He left the rest of the sentence unfinished, but the implication was obvious.
Sheng Yong wanted Huang Yaning to take the initiative and seduce Duanmu Hui!
For a father to say such a thing…
At that moment, Sheng Minmin felt sick to her stomach and wished she could slash Sheng Yong a few times with a knife.
Barely suppressing her revulsion, she said, “With Seventh Girl’s temperament, she would never agree to be a concubine.”
“Madam, Xiao Qi is still young. If we reason with her kindly and explain the stakes clearly, she should be able to understand…”
Sheng Minmin was genuinely afraid she might vomit and really did not want to waste any more words on Sheng Yong.
After all, in the near future, Sheng Yong’s health would collapse, and by then, he would have no say in any of the younger generation’s marriage arrangements.
She brushed him off with, “I’ll find an opportunity to talk to her…”
Only then did she manage to send Sheng Yong away.
After leaving the Peony Courtyard, Sheng Yong did not return to his own courtyard, nor did he immediately leave the residence to visit his beloved mistress. Instead, he went to the Lotus Courtyard.
It had been a long time since Sheng Yong had come to see Sheng Mingzhu in person.
“Father, what brings you here all of a sudden?”
Seeing Sheng Mingzhu, Sheng Yong revealed a look of satisfaction.
There had been several times before when he thought this daughter was beyond redemption, but in the end, Sheng Mingzhu always managed to pick herself back up, and she had grown more beautiful with each passing year.
Once inside the room, Sheng Yong took a glance around.
The room was indeed lavish and comfortable—over the years, he had truly not treated Sheng Mingzhu unfairly.
So now, it was time for him to collect his returns.
The “father and daughter” sat down, and Sheng Yong spoke.
His words were neither too oblique for Sheng Mingzhu to understand nor too blunt to make her feel embarrassed.
In short, Sheng Mingzhu understood.
With his goal achieved, Sheng Yong left.
Sheng Mingzhu saw him out, and the moment she turned around, her expression darkened.
Her father had come today to give her a nudge!
At Zhu Qisheng’s age, if he did not marry within the next couple of years, the emperor would arrange a match for him anyway.
The madam had told her to use whatever means necessary and seize Zhu Qisheng’s heart to enter the Prince Qi’s manor.
Did she not want to marry Zhu Qisheng?
Zhu Qisheng kept telling her to wait.
But after waiting over two years, Zhu Qisheng still had not come up with a way to get the emperor to approve their marriage.
Instead, the Prince Qi’s manor had gained two or three more concubines…
Fortunately, none of those women had conceived a child.
Sheng Mingzhu had thought it through carefully.
Over the past two years, her senior martial brother Lin Zhijing had left the capital, and his letters had grown fewer, as if he had grown distant from her.
Her eldest brother, Sheng Mingjian, still looked at her with affection, but she could not quite bring herself to fancy the current Sheng Mingjian.
If he performed well in this year’s imperial examinations, she would reconsider.
Overall, Zhu Qisheng was still her best option.
However, Sheng Mingzhu had also come to understand deeply that relying on Zhu Qisheng alone would never convince the emperor to approve their marriage.
At best, Zhu Qisheng could only make her his secondary consort.
Sheng Mingzhu clenched her fists. Whatever she wanted, she would fight for herself.
Yuluo had said that once all the medicine was fully absorbed by her body, any man who touched her would become addicted and unable to leave her.
After that, being with other women would feel utterly bland to him.
Her body was her greatest trump card!
She decided to go ahead with the plan she had thought of before.
To let the rice cook first with Zhu Qisheng.
As long as she bore Zhu Qisheng’s child and then made him lose his ability to father more children,
her child would be the sole bloodline of the Prince Qi’s manor.
With that alone, she was certain she could enter the Prince Qi’s manor.
If luck was on her side, she would become the primary consort; if not, at worst, she would be a secondary consort.
Since the worst-case scenario was still a secondary consort, why not take the gamble?
“Yuluo, is my body ready?” Sheng Mingzhu asked with a grim face.
“Three more days of soaking, and it will be perfected!”
