“Daughter, your marriage will experience trials. You must be strong! Remember to believe in Haozi. He is always devoted to you. If he does something wrong, be more tolerant. Your love can dissolve everything,” Long Dahai said with rare seriousness.
His words reminded Lan Lan of the Spiritual Master’s advice. If she had doubted the Master’s words, hearing them from her godlike Great-Grandpa made them feel true.
“Great-Grandpa, rest assured. I will never give up on Junhao unless he doesn’t want me,” Lan Lan replied firmly.
“Good! Now I can be at ease,” Long Dahai said, though how could he control heavenly fate?
These days, the queen constantly summoned her to the palace, offering earnest advice such as being less strict with Long Junhao, showing compassion, and allowing him to take a concubine to ensure the imperial dynasty had offspring. She emphasized, “There are three ways of being unfilial, and having no descendants is the greatest.” While Lan Lan understood the queen’s perspective, she felt unsure about navigating this awkward situation.
Helplessly, Lan Lan could only laugh and cry, pushed to her limits by the queen’s demands. She faintly replied that if Long Junhao agreed, she had no objections. She recognized the queen wanted this answer, but felt her own inadequacy had given others a reason to impose on her. Ultimately, she decided to leave this dilemma for her husband to resolve, as the one who tied the bell must untie it.
Long Junhao was troubled by a series of unexpected events. First, the queen unexpectedly claimed that Lan Lan had agreed to a concubine. Then, Lan Lan saw him meeting with the noble lady arranged by the queen and later caught him in bed with another woman. Only when Lan Lan refused to let him close did he become angry, realizing he had been used—by his beloved mother, no less.
Although he understood his mother’s intentions, she threatened that if he did not cooperate, she would punish Lan Lan for a crime of no origin. Reluctantly, he had to pretend to be cooperative.
He feared that if Lan Lan misunderstood, he might lose her, and this thought filled him with anger and frustration.
Lan Lan was also troubled. She deeply believed in Long Junhao, but seeing him entangled with other women made her uncomfortable. She worried that this situation could lead to endless anxiety, but having a child depended on heaven’s will.
Today, Long Junhao was called to the palace again. Feeling frustrated, Lan Lan changed into an elegant male outfit and brought Xiao Yue, disguised as a servant, to wander the bustling street. The lively atmosphere couldn’t dispel her loneliness, and she felt utterly exhausted.
Xiao Yue, observing her master’s blank expression, felt sorry for her.
Marrying the prince was fortunate, but the resulting problems from his status weighed heavily on the princess. Lan Lan’s usual lively demeanor was replaced by a look of exhaustion as she sought a place to rest.
Spotting a nearby teahouse, she called Xiao Yue to join her. Upon entering, she found a seat by the window on the second floor, relieved by the few patrons present, as she craved peace and quiet.
Unfortunately, the chatter from a nearby table disrupted her tranquility. A middle-aged man quietly remarked, “I heard that the second young lady of the Shushu mansion is preparing to become a concubine for the Rui Prince.”
Noticing Lan Lan’s glance, he raised his cup, studying her intently, which made her uncomfortable enough to blush and look away. He chuckled, thinking, “What an interesting woman!”
Recalling her last visit to the palace, she remembered being led by the empress’s maid into a room where she saw Long Junhao sleeping next to another woman.
The woman, caught in the act, panicked and begged for mercy.
Lan Lan coldly watched the empress’s performance, thinking it was clichéd and poorly executed, but her anger was rising. Looking at the man who was once cold but close to her, her heart ached. She was angry at his weakness and lamented her misfortune. When did this shrewd man become someone who could be manipulated? Or was he willing? Not wanting to hear more, she suppressed her pain, maintained her calm, and turned to leave without a word.
Everyone was surprised by her calm demeanor, expecting a scene. The empress, seeing her leave silently, felt uneasy, wondering if she had made a mistake.
Once in the carriage outside the palace gates, tears burst forth uncontrollably. The issue of offspring was challenging even in modern times, let alone in this backward era.
If it were another problem, she could find a solution. But how could she address this? What was Long Junhao thinking? He had shown no unusual behavior. Did this mean he still loved her?
Later, Long Junhao, anxious and frantic, went mad upon learning what had happened after waking up.
He wanted to rush home and explain immediately. If his wife misunderstood, he would be in trouble. He had only had a drink with the empress and then fallen asleep, unaware of what occurred afterward.
Returning to the wang fu, he found Lan Lan lying on the bed, radiating sadness. His heart ached; it was all his fault. Any outcome that hurt her was something he never wanted to see, and now he had caused such a grave mistake.
He gently lay next to her, holding Lan Lan tightly, as if afraid she might leave.
Lan Lan recognized his footsteps but didn’t greet him warmly. She was furious about the trouble he had caused, believing this was just the beginning.
Turning to him with angry eyes, she was on the verge of tears. Long Junhao grunted but felt relieved seeing her animated face. He wasn’t afraid of her anger but dreaded her ignoring him.
“Wife, don’t worry. I’ll handle this,” he promised softly.
“How will you handle it? Tomorrow, the woman who was in bed with you will come knocking. How am I supposed to face this? Where is my dignity?” Lan Lan wanted to kick him out.
“Who is that woman?” she asked calmly.
“She’s Lin Shangshu’s second daughter, Lin Li,” Long Junhao answered softly.
She sighed.
As expected, the next day the empress and Lin Shangshu came to the wang fu, conveniently arriving when Long Junhao was out.
After they were seated, the empress got straight to the point.
“Lan’er, since Junhao has ruined Lin’s reputation, he should marry her as a concubine. You have no objections, right?”
“Mother, how could I dare have objections? Is this something I get a say in?” Lan Lan spoke sarcastically, noting Lin Shangshu’s embarrassment.
As a modern woman, she would never accept sharing a husband. Even if she loved Long Junhao, she wouldn’t want to witness such painful scenes.
“Lan’er, I know you’re humiliated, but this is a woman’s fate. How can we women resist destiny?” The empress spoke with genuine sympathy.
“Mother, as Junhao’s mother, I respect your wishes. Don’t worry, I’ll give you an explanation.” What a Long Junhao, still without a good solution to resolve this, leaving her in an unjust situation. She would leave this mess for him to clean up.
Her plan was to run away, out of sight, out of mind, letting them handle it as they wished. But despite her resolve, she was reluctant to leave, unwilling to abandon him. Weren’t difficult times meant to be faced together?
Her emotions had been in turmoil lately, prompting her to go out for clarity, only to encounter news that deepened her misery.
At the Wang residence, Long Junhao had not yet returned. She lay on the bed, contemplating the conversation she had overheard at the teahouse, deciding to wait for his return for clarification. With misunderstandings brewing between them, she feared things might truly be over. Feelings were fragile, needing delicate care.
