sovbooks Chapter 127 Marrying Two Concubines! Jiang Qingxue was completely stunned!
Chapter 127 Marrying Two Concubines! Jiang Qingxue was completely stunned!
The tea was almost spilled.
Qin Mu noticed and turned to look at her, smiling slightly: "My dear consort, what's wrong?"
"N-nothing..." Jiang Qingxue quickly lowered her head, her voice trembling slightly, "Your Majesty... my hand slipped."
Qin Mu reached out, took the teacup from her hand, and placed it on the table.
Then I took her hand and gently stroked her cold fingertips:
"Is my beloved concubine worried about Xu Longxiang?"
Jiang Qingxue froze, unable to answer.
Qin Mu smiled, a smile that held a profound insight that seemed to see through everything:
"Don't worry, I only invited him to watch a show. After all... how can a younger brother not be present when his sister gets married?"
He spoke casually, but Jiang Qingxue could sense the chilling murderous intent hidden in his words.
If Xu Longxiang comes, he will be walking into a trap.
If they do not come, it would be an open act of defiance, giving Qin Mu an excuse to attack the northern border.
Either option is a dead end.
Jiang Qingxue's heart sank little by little into an icy abyss.
She slowly raised her head, forcing herself to smile:
"Your Majesty... has given this matter considerable thought."
Qin Mu stared at her quietly for a long time.
Then, he sighed softly and reached out to pull her into his arms: "Rest assured, my empire is as solid as iron, and no one can shake it."
These words were spoken casually, yet they carried an air of complete composure.
Jiang Qingxue stared at him blankly.
In the past, she would have scoffed at it.
How could a foolish ruler who indulges in wine and women and neglects state affairs have the audacity to say such things?
But now...
Scenes from these past few days kept flashing through my mind uncontrollably.
All of this forced Jiang Qingxue to re-evaluate the man in front of her.
Was he really a tyrannical ruler?
Or is it... all of this a disguise?
Jiang Qingxue's heart was like a tangled mess, the more she tried to untangle it, the more chaotic it became.
What terrified her even more was...
She realized that she still hadn't found an opportunity to pass on Qin Mu's true strength!
What puzzled her even more was...
She didn't seem... in such a hurry to deliver the message.
The moment this thought popped into her head, Jiang Qingxue was startled.
Why would she think that way?
Is it because Xu Longxiang doesn't care about Qiu'er's life or death at all, which makes her feel heartbroken?
Was it because after witnessing Qin Mu's terrifying strength firsthand, he felt that Xu Longxiang's plan had no chance of succeeding?
Or is it because of... Qin Mu's "kindness" to her these days?
Those late nights spent with her watching the plum blossoms.
Those afternoons when I patiently listened to her play the piano and taught her to play chess.
Especially this time, Qin Mu personally went to Jiangnan to investigate her background, using the most elite forces of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Although they never found her parents, their dedication quietly opened a crack in a frozen corner of Jiang Qingxue's heart.
"What is my beloved concubine thinking about?"
Qin Mu's voice pulled Jiang Qingxue back from her chaotic thoughts.
She snapped out of her daze and found herself staring blankly at Qin Mu, her eyes filled with a complex emotion she herself hadn't even realized.
"N-nothing..." She lowered her head in a fluster, her voice a little hoarse, "I was just thinking..."
The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I didn't know what to say.
Suddenly, Xu Fenghua's calm and dignified face flashed through his mind, as did the image of her standing beside Qin Mu in her deep purple palace dress.
That grand wedding banquet, that scene of universal celebration...
"I was thinking..." Jiang Qingxue began, almost as if she were sighing, "It seems... I've never been married before."
She was stunned as soon as she said it.
How could she say such a thing?
It seemed like she was envying Xu Fenghua, complaining, and... being coquettish?
Jiang Qingxue's face flushed red instantly, wishing she could disappear into the ground.
Qin Mu was also taken aback.
He looked at Jiang Qingxue's blushing face, at the panic and shyness flashing in her eyes, and a meaningful smile slowly appeared on his lips.
"So that's what my beloved concubine was thinking about." He chuckled softly, his voice tinged with affection. "That's easy to handle."
He paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately:
"Three days from now, I will expand the wedding banquet further and marry you both at the same time."
"boom--!"
Jiang Qingxue felt her mind go completely blank for a moment!
She suddenly raised her head, her eyes widening in disbelief as she stared intently at Qin Mu.
To...marry together?
She and Xu Fenghua?
At the same wedding banquet?
How...how is this possible?!
She couldn't imagine what Xu Longxiang would do if that scene really happened.
He'd probably really go crazy, wouldn't he?
"Your Majesty!" Jiang Qingxue practically sprang up from the soft couch, her knees buckling as she nearly fell. "This...this is absolutely unacceptable!"
Her voice was shrill with extreme shock, completely losing its usual coolness and calmness.
Qin Mu raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by her reaction: "Why not?"
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty has been in the palace for several months now, how... how can there be any reason to hold a wedding banquet?"
Jiang Qingxue stammered, her mind racing as she tried to find a suitable reason, "Besides, I come from a humble background, how can I possibly attend the same wedding banquet as Consort Hua? This...this is against the rules!"
She spoke urgently, and fine beads of sweat even appeared on her forehead.
Qin Mu looked at her quietly, his eyes deep, as if he could see through all her pretense and panic.
After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice still calm: "My beloved consort is overthinking it. The rules were set by me; if I say it's permissible, then it's permissible."
He paused, then added, "Besides, although my beloved concubine has entered the palace, it was indeed rushed at the time, and a grand wedding ceremony was not held. It is only right to make up for it now."
"But..." Jiang Qingxue was so anxious that tears were about to fall.
"But what will the court officials say? What will the people of the world think? His Majesty has already faced much criticism because of Consort Hua's affair; if I were to be added to the list..."
She bit her lip, her voice trembling with tears:
"Your Majesty, I do not wish to be a burden to you, nor do I wish to cause you further criticism."
These words were spoken with heartfelt sincerity, perfectly portraying the image of a concubine who was "wise and righteous" and "shared the emperor's burdens."
But only Jiang Qingxue herself knew what her true fear was.
Xu Longxiang.
If she and Xu Fenghua were at the same wedding banquet, and both married Qin Mu...
Just thinking about that scene sent chills down Jiang Qingxue's spine.
Xu Longxiang will go crazy.
He's going to go crazy.
To watch helplessly as the woman he loves and the sister he respects both marry the man who stole them and humiliated the Xu family...
That would be the worst possible torture for him, the cruelest revenge.
Jiang Qingxue dared not imagine what Xu Longxiang would do then.
Perhaps they will rush into the imperial city without regard for anything, perhaps they will completely lose their minds, perhaps... they will die at Qin Mu's hands.
Neither outcome is something she wants to see.
"Your Majesty, I beg you..."
Jiang Qingxue knelt down, her forehead touching the ground, her voice full of pleading.
"Take back your order. Your Majesty... Your Majesty, I really don't need any wedding banquet. As long as I can stay by Your Majesty's side, I will be content."
As she spoke, tears silently streamed down her face, dripping onto the polished gold-brick floor and shattering into glistening droplets.
Qin Mu watched her kneeling figure silently for a long time without saying a word.
The Hall of Mental Cultivation was completely silent, with only the faint crackling sound of burning sandalwood.
Outside the window, the autumn sunlight streamed in through the carved window frame, casting dappled shadows on Jiang Qingxue's trembling back.
Her moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) spread out on the ground, like a pear blossom that had suddenly withered.
Fragile, fragile, and pitiful.
After a long while, Qin Mu finally smiled.
He stood up, walked to Jiang Qingxue, and bent down to help her up.
The movements were very light and gentle.
"My beloved concubine is truly..." His voice carried a hint of helplessness, "always thinking of me in every way."
Jiang Qingxue raised her head, looking at him with teary eyes, her gaze filled with hope.
Qin Mu reached out and gently wiped away the tears on her face.
"But since I have said it, I will not change my mind."
His tone was gentle, yet carried an undeniable firmness:
"Three days later, the wedding banquet will proceed as scheduled. You and Consort Hua will be jointly bestowed titles."
Jiang Qingxue's heart sank to the bottom.
She stared blankly at Qin Mu, at the gentle yet unwavering light in his eyes, and a deep sense of powerlessness welled up in her heart.
She knew she couldn't change anything.
In front of Qin Mu, all her struggles and pleas were in vain.
Once he's made a decision, no one can change it.
........