Jiaoniang Married Three Times Chapter 20

Li Qingquan didn’t look her way. What they’d discussed earlier had been a formal marriage on an auspicious day. But now, he was proposing she enter as a concubine. After hearing the scolding from Qian Jiaoniang and Qingya, he realized this whole affair was far too improper to make public. As long as the child had a proper name and status, everything else could be settled.

“Lord Li!” Feng Yuyan was shaking with rage. “We clearly agreed… I was to enter as the equal wife!”

Li Qingquan said, “Miss Feng, the situation has changed. I’m afraid you’ll have to bear some grievance. Madam, what do you think?”

Qian Jiaoniang said nothing.

Qingya said coldly, “Lord Li, you’re worried about her feeling wronged, but where was your worry for the Marquis when she locked him up?”

Feng Yuyan cried, “I’ve explained a hundred times! I only locked the Marquis away because I didn’t want him to hurt anyone. How could I have known those nasty servants would treat him like that?”

Li Qingquan said, “Madam, you and I have both seen the Marquis’s violent episodes. Miss Feng was frightened—she made a mistake…” Frightened, my *ss. He’d remember what she did for the rest of his life. But since she now carried the Marquis’s child, he’d let it go—for now.

Qian Jiaoniang gave a small smile and glanced at Feng Yuyan’s belly. By calculation, it had been over three months already, yet there was no sign of a bump. “Who diagnosed her?”

“…What?”

“I said, who told you she was pregnant?” Qian Jiaoniang pointed at Feng Yuyan’s belly.

Li Qingquan and Feng Yuyan exchanged a glance. He said, “It was Xu Momo from the manor. I’ve questioned her personally. She swore Miss Feng is pregnant. She read her pulse and said it’s even a boy.”

Qian Jiaoniang burst out laughing. “Just a few months and she can already tell if it’s a boy? That Xu Momo must be going blind with age. Why don’t you find another doctor to examine her?”

“No!” Feng Yuyan refused flatly.

“Why not?” Qian Jiaoniang asked.

“I’ve already had Xu Momo read my pulse. I trust her medical skills. I don’t trust those shady street doctors. It would be a waste of time!”

Qingya chimed in, “Maybe you just ate too much and your belly’s bloated. That old Xu Momo got confused, saw your belly round, and mistook it for a pregnancy!”

Feng Yuyan snapped, “I said no, and that’s final! If anyone brings a doctor here, I’ll throw them out myself!”

She then turned to Li Qingquan, “Lord Li, do you see how they’re humiliating me?”

Li Qingquan stepped forward and said quietly to Qian Jiaoniang, “Madam, the general has few heirs. At present, there is only your son. Now, with the general in such a state, the child Miss Feng carries is incredibly important—for both the general and the Xing family. Regardless of everything else, let her give birth to the child first—would that be acceptable?”

“And if I don’t agree to this?”

Li Qingquan pressed his lips together and bowed, “Then forgive me, Madam, for making the decision myself.”

Qian Jiaoniang’s grip on her fan tightened.

This idiot has the nerve to go over her head. Xing Muzheng cursed internally.

Qingya glanced at Qian Jiaoniang, whose expression flickered strangely in the wavering candlelight.

Feng Yuyan secretly sneered. She had won.

After a pause, Qian Jiaoniang gave a slight smile and fanned herself. “Lord Li, no need to be so serious. If Miss Feng truly carries the Marquis’s child, I’d be happy. Our little fool has always wanted a younger sibling. He’ll be thrilled when he hears.”

Li Qingquan relaxed slightly. “The young master would surely be happy.” He turned to Feng Yuyan. “Miss Feng, I’m afraid you’ll have to accept entering as a concubine for now. Once the general recovers, we’ll revisit the matter.”

Feng Yuyan stood up angrily. “I’m not here to be insulted!”

“Miss Feng!”

Li Qingquan rushed to block her at the carved blossom door and was about to speak when Qian Jiaoniang cut in.

“Don’t worry, Miss Feng. I won’t let you become a concubine.”

Both Feng Yuyan and Li Qingquan froze and turned toward the seated Qian Jiaoniang.

“Because I don’t intend to let you enter the household at all.”

“Madam, just now you—”

Qian Jiaoniang raised a hand and cut him off. “Miss Feng was originally the one the Marquis had decided to marry. If I, taking advantage of his illness, bring her in as a concubine, what will happen when he recovers? He’ll be furious.”

“But… this is urgent…”

“Lord Li, don’t worry. Only the few of us know about this matter. Miss Feng never leaves her courtyard. As long as we don’t speak of it, who else would know?”

Feng Yuyan raised her voice, “Are you trying to confine me?!”

Qian Jiaoniang replied, “What you did to the Marquis is what I’d call confinement. Now that you’re pregnant, you’re precious—who would dare lock you up? Don’t worry, the Marquis Manor will still provide you with good food and care. When the Marquis recovers, maybe there’ll still be time to hold a proper wedding ceremony.”

“You… are you seriously making me live here, heavily pregnant, without any name or status?”

“It’s not that you have no name or status. I’m afraid the status I give you might be too low—and the Marquis would be angry. I know you’re not afraid of him, but I am. Lord Li, are you afraid of the Marquis?”

“Uh…” Li Qingquan hesitated. Of course he feared the general.

Qian Jiaoniang continued, “Lord Li, what’s most urgent for you now is to focus on finding a way to restore the Marquis to health. These messy household matters, you needn’t worry yourself with. I may be useless, but I’m still the wife the Marquis married with full rites. His child is my child too—I will take care of it. Miss Feng will deliver this baby safely. As for the rest, that’s not my concern, nor should it be yours. Lord Li, please devote your efforts to healing the Marquis. Would you?”

Li Qingquan wavered. Feng Yuyan flung her sleeve in outrage and snapped, “If I have no title, I will never stay here in the Marquis Manor! Even being a concubine—fine!”

Qian Jiaoniang said, “It’s not fine. Wife and concubine may be just one word apart, but they are as different as heaven and earth. Once you’re a concubine, even if you become a wife later, it won’t be clean. Don’t you agree, Miss Feng?”

“Then I might as well hang myself with my unborn child and be done with it!”

Qian Jiaoniang’s face turned cold. “Don’t bring that life-and-death act to me! You keep saying you love the Marquis. First, you locked him up. Now you want to harm his child. Tell me, Miss Feng, have you ever thought of the Marquis? If you insist on being this selfish and self-serving, then I’ll make sure the whole world knows what a disgrace to womanhood you are!”

“You… you…” Feng Yuyan’s eyes brimmed with tears. She turned to Li Qingquan, weeping, “Of course I’ve thought of the Marquis! I was to be his legitimate wife. Now I’m even willing to be a concubine. What more do you want from me?” She was practically sobbing, clutching her chest, swaying as if she might faint.

“If you truly care about the Marquis, then quietly take care of your pregnancy, and wait until he recovers before anything else is decided. In the end, all you want is to stay in the Manor, right? Then so be it.” Qian Jiaoniang said, standing up and tossing aside her palm fan as she walked out.

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