The Female Psychology PhD Who Time Traveled to the Royal Harem-Chapter 312

How shameless - his mistress was now being called his wife, so what did that make her, who had been properly married to him with a grand wedding procession?

One of the two children was walking too fast and didn't notice someone suddenly appearing around the corner. The child accidentally bumped into Madam Zhen, bounced off, and fell to the ground, lips quivering on the verge of tears.

The graceful woman turned pale with fright, rushing over to pick up the fallen child and hold him protectively: "Madam, it's my fault, everything is my fault. Please spare my child."

Shuang Jiang raised an eyebrow - this woman was quite calculating. Before Madam Zhen could even confront her, she had already played the victim.

"If you have any grievances, take them up with me. Don't trouble You Niang."

Sure enough, after hearing the woman's words, Qu Pengfei rushed over to shield the little boy behind him: "Picking on a child - you claim to be from a noble family, but where are your manners?"

Madam Zhen was nearly exploding with anger at this couple's shamelessness: "You dare speak to me about manners, you disgraceful scholar who keeps a mistress behind your proper wife's back?"

"What? Lady Qu is a mistress?"

"I never would have guessed! Lady Qu doesn't seem like that type of person! Their children are already eight years old, and she's pregnant with another!"

The previously sympathetic looks from the surrounding households instantly turned to disgust.

Keeping a mistress nowadays was nothing to be proud of - it was something people would condemn.

"My lord..."

You Niang covered her belly, appearing utterly humiliated. The older child stood in front of You Niang, pointing at Madam Zhen: "You bad woman! Don't bully my mother!"

With that, he moved to strike Madam Zhen.

"How dare you!"

Xiao Xiangzi immediately slapped the child's shoulder, knocking him to the ground, while protecting Madam Zhen: "A mere mistress daring to call herself 'lady', and her children nothing but illegitimate offspring who can't even be recorded in the family genealogy. When it comes down to it, you're no better than servants. How dare you raise a hand against an official's wife - get out of here!"

Qu Pengfei was observant enough to notice that the people accompanying Madam Zhen were actually the Imperial Noble Consort's servants. His attitude softened: "Madam, this is our family matter. Let's not make a scene for others to gossip about. Why don't we discuss this at home?"

Madam Zhen knew what he feared. Leveraging the Imperial Noble Consort's influence, she sneered: "If you want to save face, fine. Bring this woman and the two children - we'll settle this matter before your father."

The shameless one was Qu Pengfei, not her. The Imperial Noble Consort was right - the Qu and Zhen families were equally matched in status, and the Zhen family was no pushover.

Why should she swallow this insult?

Qu Pengfei already had two illegitimate children outside, and this mistress was pregnant with another. She refused to believe his father didn't know about this.

They all knew and treated her like a fool, keeping her in the dark. What a united family they were, working together to deceive her, the "outsider."

"Must you make such a big scene about this?"

Qu Pengfei stepped forward, glaring at her: "There was never any love between us - father forced me to marry you. If you want to talk about shamelessness, You Niang and I were already together before you married into the family. Who's really the shameless one, insisting on marrying me?"

"Slap!"

Madam Zhen couldn't take it anymore and slapped Qu Pengfei: "If you didn't want to marry me, you could have refused the marriage. But you married me and kept someone outside, using me as a tool to appease the family. Qu, just you wait - my Zhen family isn't so easily bullied."

At the Changchun Pavilion-

Xiao Xiangzi vividly described the scene: "Your Highness, you should have seen it - Madam Qu's slap split Young Master Qu's lip. He was so frightened that he reluctantly took the mistress and the two illegitimate children back to the Qu residence. Madam Qu said once Third Young Master Qu is rescued, she will definitely show her gratitude to you."

Madam Zhen was clever - smart people don't make a show of sending thank-you gifts, but rather repay favors in other ways.

Shuang Jiang had already hinted at the issues with the Pei family; surely Madam Zhen would soon send Jiang Xinyue a satisfactory gift.

"Boom-"

A muffled thunder exploded above the Nine States' clear sky, followed quickly by pouring rain. As raindrops splashed through the window, Wang Dequan hurriedly directed the young eunuchs to close the windows.

"Master Wang, Old Master Qu is outside requesting an audience with His Majesty."

Sitting by the bed wearing his robes, the "frail" emperor put down his book: "Let him in."

After three days of confinement, Third Young Master Qu was finally released, though he was barely recognizable, covered in blood.

But he was fortunate - his family background meant he wouldn't actually be beaten to death.

The madam who was arrested with him that day wasn't so lucky - she died in agony after being stabbed with thousands of embroidery needles simultaneously.

He should be grateful just to be alive.

But upon his release, he faced the reality that his father kept a mistress, had nearly broken ties with his mother, and their household now included a pretty Young Lady You, who brought along two illegitimate half-brothers.

If his friends found out about this, they would mock him endlessly.

He'd rather have died in that secret prison!

He couldn't bear this shame.

Try as they might to suppress it, news of Master Qu keeping a mistress still leaked out.

Taking another concubine wouldn't normally cause much of a stir, but this concubine not only brought two eight or nine-year-old sons but was also heavily pregnant - this was quite intriguing.

They say on the day Qu Pengfei took in his concubine, Grandpa Qu slapped her in front of all the guests, declaring that the two illegitimate children would be recorded under Madam Zhen's name.

"Too little, too late,"

Aliali: 675808d88ac4f9fc8900ed42

Jiang Xinyue couldn't help but comment: "It's just for show, trying to save some face. Trading an imperial pardon token for a grandson - he thought it wasn't worth it and took out his anger on the mistress."

Based on Grandpa Qu's previous behavior, that pardon token was probably meant for Duke Dingguo's Mansion in the capital, reserved to help the Third Prince secure the position of Crown Prince.

Originally, since Qu Pengfei already had two illegitimate sons outside, even if Third Young Master Qu died, they wouldn't have used it on him.

After all, the Qu family line wouldn't end.

But unexpectedly, Madam Zhen discovered Qu Pengfei's mistress and threatened divorce, demanding that Grandpa Qu use the pardon token to save her son.

You Niang's entry into the household as a concubine was also at Madam Zhen's insistence. At first, You Niang was reluctant, fearing that once she entered the household, the proper wife would set strict rules and she would face daily bullying.

It was Jiang Xinyue who advised her, suggesting that she record You Niang's two sons under her own name. This appeared to give You Niang great face, elevating her sons from mere secondary sons to noble legitimate sons.

But in reality, a secondary son would always be a secondary son, never truly becoming legitimate.

Especially since these two children were already so grown, their hearts naturally belonged to their birth mother. As long as Madam Zhen showed care for them in public while secretly raising them to be useless, skillfully wielding public opinion...

In the future, when people spoke of these children, they would only say they were ungrateful white-eyed wolves - what future could they possibly have?