Upon hearing this, Third Sister's face immediately turned frosty.
"Yun Shen is going too far!" Third Sister was so angry she almost ground her teeth to powder. "Li Shi didn't say a word when she came in, and now he's trying to use the same trick again to force me to agree? I won't let him have his way this time!"
Anran sighed.
In her opinion, it was Third Sister who had relapsed into her old ways, not Yun Shen.
"Third sister, please let me say something." An Ran said firmly, "Today's events are really too strange! You and your husband have been married for so many years, you probably know each other better than anyone else! To put it bluntly, your husband knows you will be furious about this. Today is also Dongge'er's full moon celebration. Why did he have to bring people back today of all days?"
"Even if you don't make a scene, will the Prince Yi's mansion look good if others see it?" An Ran analyzed carefully, "There's already the Li family's incident, which at least managed to cover it up. If it happens again, how can we fool everyone in front of them?"
Would my brother-in-law do such a thing?
Third Sister frowned upon hearing her words and remained silent.
"Besides, you don't even know the truth!" Seeing that she seemed to have calmed down a bit, An Ran gently advised, "What if someone is deliberately stirring things up? Think about it, if you and your brother-in-law start a fight, who will benefit? Wouldn't it be Aunt Li and those two concubines!"
“Even if more people enter this mansion, you are the heir apparent’s first wife, and your position is unshakeable. If that day ever comes, it will be Li Shi and the others who will be worried! You don’t need to compete with them and only lower your own status.” An Ran said earnestly, “Their lives and fortunes are all in your hands. You should know that it’s too easy for you to control them!”
An Ran's voice was hoarse from speaking, but at least San Niang was somewhat moved.
"You're right." Third Sister's expression softened a little, and she smiled self-deprecatingly: "I was too reckless."
"Third sister, you are such a smart person, you just care too much about your brother-in-law and can't see things clearly for a moment." An Ran quickly comforted her, "Anyone would be angry in this situation."
What legitimate wife can truly be happy when her husband brings in one concubine after another? It's just that some people have come to terms with it and naturally act magnanimously and virtuously; others haven't come to terms with it, and they get caught up in it, suffering and gaining a bad reputation.
It's really not worth it.
In her previous life, An Ran was caught up in the power struggles among the wives and concubines in the inner quarters of the household. As a wealthy imperial merchant, the rules regarding legitimate and illegitimate children were not as strict as in aristocratic families, and all the favored concubines were putting her at a disadvantage. In addition, she was disliked by her mother-in-law, Madam Ding, and she quickly withered away in Chen Qian's backyard.
"If what happened today is true, you should happily welcome her in." An Ran, just in case, pointed it out in advance. "Her arrival will only cause Li Shi and the others the most trouble. But they are all concubines, so let them fight among themselves. You can just watch from the sidelines."
“Only in this way can you make your brother-in-law feel guilty and make the Princess Consort treat you more well.” Anran earnestly advised her, “You must hold on to this.”
Third Sister nodded haphazardly.
"The distinguished guests are still listening to the opera; you shouldn't stay out too long!" An Ran breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that An Ran had taken her words to heart. "You should go back now."
Seeing this, Huaping and Yinping hurried over to help San Niang tidy up her clothes and jewelry again.
"Ninth Sister, thank you." Third Sister gave An Ran a deep look.
An Ran curled her lips and smiled, "If you say that, Third Sister, that's too polite. If we go back together, people might ask questions. You should go first, and I'll go later."
San Niang nodded upon hearing this and left with Yin Ping and Hua Ping.
An Ran smiled and waved to them. After their figures disappeared along the path, she took a few steps back, as if all her strength had been drained, and collapsed onto the stone bench in the pavilion.
She was really tired!
Like an object, her fate was decided by others. She exhausted herself helping San Niang make plans, but San Niang would always doubt her from time to time and suspect her of harboring evil intentions.
It's not fair to blame Third Sister; after all, she had been just as foolish in her past life. It's just that she was tired.
An Ran forced a smile, but found herself only able to manage a bitter one. She stood up to leave when she suddenly heard a noise. Looking up, she unexpectedly met a pair of eyes as black as ink and as deep as an ancient pool.
Those eyes...
An Ran was so shocked she almost jumped up.
******
Using the excuse of being unable to hold his liquor, Lu Mingxiu declined everyone's toasts and, led by Yun Shen's servant, went to this secluded courtyard to rest.
Originally, the Prince Yi's Mansion and the Marquis Pingyuan's Mansion didn't have much interaction. Yun Shen had only worked with Lu Mingxiu by imperial decree, and they didn't have much of a private relationship. As a rising star in the capital, Lu Mingxiu was very low-key, and many people wanted to curry favor with him but couldn't find a way.
Last time on Zhuque Street, An Ran was rescued by Lu Mingxiu. Since An Ran had an accident on her way to the Prince's Mansion, her brother-in-law Yun Shen went to the Jingzhao Prefecture to inquire about it. He then met Lu Mingxiu and received a personal explanation, so he naturally had to express his gratitude to Lu Mingxiu.
The next day, Yun Shen took the gifts to the Pingyuan Marquis's residence.
When Dongge'er turned one month old, Yun Shen personally went to invite Lu Mingxiu, and that's when they arrived at the Prince's Mansion.
He disliked noisy environments and intended to rest for a while before taking his leave after the banquet. However, unexpectedly, someone suddenly appeared in a small garden behind the secluded courtyard.
He intended to leave quickly amidst the noise of the crowd when he arrived. However, he saw the little girl he had rescued that day through the carved glass window.
She's hardly someone who's considered a "little girl" these days.
The first two times I saw her, she had her hair styled in two buns, which made her look somewhat childish. Today, she had her hair all up, revealing her smooth forehead. Her ruby-colored headdress and bright blue dress made her skin appear even more like cream and white jade.
With her carefully made-up face, she became even more charming and beautiful, possessing a captivating allure.
Lu Mingxiu was taken aback.
He immediately realized that his behavior, which was almost like eavesdropping, was inappropriate, and was about to leave when he suddenly heard San Niang say "Your Highness's concubine".
Unconsciously, he didn't leave, but listened to what the two sisters had to say.
Lu Mingxiu knew a little about the affairs of Prince Yi's mansion. He was also familiar with the inner workings of the household; if a concubine gave birth to an illegitimate son, the Nan'an Marquis's family, as the heir apparent's maternal family, would definitely take action. So that's why An Jiuniang came to Prince Yi's mansion that day.
Seeing An Ran speak eloquently and earnestly, her maturity and composure were definitely not those of a teenage girl. She had actually managed to persuade the Crown Princess An San Niang, transforming her from initial anger to a calm departure, demonstrating considerable skill.
Lu Mingxiu's gaze towards her became complicated.
I originally thought she was an innocent and pampered girl, but I never expected her to have such a clever and insightful mind.
Her calm and composed demeanor earned Lu Mingxiu's silent admiration.