Chapter 1181
The Unfavored Princess 3
Chapter 1181 The Unfavored Princess 3
Marquis Guangde has military power, and the security of part of the border depends on him.
At first, the emperor and empress dowager were naturally unhappy. They really didn't expect that anyone would take a fancy to a princess whose reputation was ruined, and they couldn't understand what the Marquis of Guangde was thinking.
However, they were not simple people. Even if the Marquis of Guangde was a military general and not particularly unconventional, he would not allow his only son to marry a princess whose reputation was tarnished. Given the circumstances of the Marquis of Guangde's household, there was no need for them to do such things for personal gain.
Besides, what benefits could an unfavored princess possibly have?
Although the Empress Dowager and the Emperor didn't show it outwardly, and didn't openly mistreat the princess, everyone knew they didn't care about the Tenth Princess. Therefore, marrying the Tenth Princess wouldn't win them over.
Having figured this out, the two secretly investigated and, after some unknown investigation, quickly arranged a marriage between the heir of the Marquis of Guangde and the client.
Life after marriage was naturally not pleasant; in fact, the client encountered indifference from the very beginning.
As Jiang Lijun probed further, his attitude towards the client became increasingly perfunctory and indifferent. Now, there was no distinction between superiors and inferiors, just as Azhen had witnessed before.
It turns out that Jiang Lijun didn't like women at all. He was infatuated with a storyteller named Li Gufang, and while he ostensibly treated him like a brother, he actually harbored romantic feelings for him. Before marrying his client, he had already tried every means to be with Li Gufang, though they remained friends in name only.
Li Gufang doesn't live here either, but he comes over often.
Jiang Lijun took advantage of the fact that the Marquis of Guangde was not at home and kept the matter a secret for a long time.
Later, when the truth came out, they still made a big fuss behind the scenes, but they couldn't stop it.
Marquis Guangde only had this one son. It wasn't that he only wanted one son; it was that his health had been damaged by fighting in his early years, making it difficult for a woman to conceive. Of course, it was only difficult, not hopeless. During those years of war, Marquis Guangde didn't have the mind for such things. When he had some free time and saw his outstanding son growing up, he felt that it didn't matter whether he had other children or not.
Anyway, my son is grown up and in good health. He can have many grandchildren, so it's the same. I never expected something like this to happen.
Realizing he couldn't keep his son away from Li Gufang, Marquis Guangde knew that it was better to guide than to block, so he made a concession: as long as Jiang Lijun got married, he wouldn't interfere much, but the matter between the other party and Li Gufang couldn't be made public.
Jiang Lijun agreed. He knew that if he insisted and pushed his father too far, Li Gufang might be in danger. As the heir of the Marquis of Guangde, it seemed inappropriate for him not to marry. It wasn't just about Li Gufang's safety; his own interests were also involved.
Such a powerful marquisate couldn't possibly be inherited by someone else, could it? He himself was unwilling to do so.
He only wanted to marry a woman to be a decoration; as for having children, he would deal with that for now and wait until his parents urged him to.
Just then, news of the client's return came out, giving Jiang Lijun an idea.
Because of his close relationship with the current emperor and his own good information network, he knew some things and was aware that the emperor and empress dowager disliked the tenth princess far more than he had imagined.
He was prepared to take a risk. If this succeeded, it would solve his problem. The fact that the Tenth Princess was not doing well would actually make His Majesty and the Empress Dowager happy.
As it turned out, he made the right gamble. As he tested the waters step by step, he did not openly mistreat anyone, but what he did was enough for a normal princess to punish him.
However, not only were the two not angry, but His Majesty was also very kind to him, so he understood that the Tenth Princess's life in the mansion was something the two were happy to see.
Even so, he didn't do anything particularly outrageous, lest he go too far.
Later, the Marquis of Guangde met a traveling doctor who treated his health and said that the chances of him having children were higher.
Seeing his good-for-nothing son, Marquis Guangde decided to find a concubine to bear him children.
Jiang Lijun was certainly unwilling to sit idly by and wait for his own death, given that his own interests were at stake.
His reluctance to have a child with his client stemmed not only from his disdain for his past relationship, but also, and perhaps more importantly, from considerations of self-interest. Having a child with this unfavored tenth princess would render that offspring useless, wouldn't it?
They couldn't find someone of high status, as that would be tantamount to planting a seed of danger, who could deliver a fatal blow to him and Li Gufang at any moment.
Therefore, it's best to find a woman who has no powerful backers.
Yinshuang was beautiful, but her personality didn't seem like she was single, so he ruled her out.
This bamboo heart is different; it looks rather foolish.
He tested the waters a little and then decided to choose this person.
And by using the bamboo heart, he could still make the Tenth Princess uncomfortable. I suppose that's what the two in the palace wanted to see. He didn't do anything. It's just that the Tenth Princess can't have children. He wanted to leave an heir, and he even chose someone from the Tenth Princess's side. Isn't that respectable enough?
Everyone outside knows about the tenth princess's past; she might have already ruined her health. Isn't it normal for him to do this?
Later, Zhu Xin really did get pregnant, thinking she could rise to a higher social status, and even showed off in front of her clients.
The client had long seen through Jiang Lijun's true nature and told Zhu Xin that he was not a good man, but Zhu Xin naturally did not believe him.
She was sent to the village on the very day she gave birth.
Given her status, she doesn't need to make any excuses for others. She's just a maid; who would care?
Days passed slowly like this. The client couldn't change these things, nor did she intend to. All she asked for was to visit the Dowager Consort in the palace from time to time. If the Dowager Consort was doing well, that would be comforting to her.
In fact, her body had been deficient since childhood, and coupled with the lack of proper care over the years, she harbored resentment. Without proper care, she wouldn't live long.
She had already decided to be buried here, until one day, Zhu Xin, who had been away from Zhuangzi for a long time, appeared before her and wanted to tell her a secret.
The condition was that she could take care of the children in her household.
The client refused, telling her that for the sake of the other party's child, it was best to keep her, the tenth princess, away from him. This child is now the heir to the Marquis of Guangde's household; what mistreatment could he possibly suffer? If the heir wanted more children, he would have already had them; how could he possibly only raise one?
In that instant, Zhu Xin seemed to understand something, and out of gratitude, she told the client the secret.
The next day, the client went to the palace to see the insane Empress Dowager.
After returning home, she fell seriously ill and never recovered.
Just when she was about to pass away, the Empress Dowager arrived, and with a face full of heartache, she hugged her and called her daughter, saying that she had suffered.
The client was only slightly surprised, but didn't react much.
While the Empress Dowager's past actions were understandable, the suffering she had endured over the years was real and unbearable. Therefore, she remained silent upon learning the truth.
If she went to the Empress Dowager with something that had no evidence, she might even be punished.
The Empress Dowager, her face filled with hatred, spoke to her with gentle pity: "You have suffered all these years. I have avenged you by strangling that despicable Liu Qiang and having her body thrown to wild dogs."