The Valued Lady is Truly Dominant

Chapter 237: After Modification: Chapter 237 The Emperor Wishes to Arrange a Marriage

Madam Song was drinking her medicine when she saw Song Zhiyuan enter the room, and she raised her hand slightly.

Song Zhiyuan glanced at the dark, murky medicine, then looked at her noticeably thinner face. He pinched his slightly rounded waist secretly and twitched the corners of his mouth.

”Madam, having children is a matter of fate; we shouldn’t force it,” Song Zhiyuan subtly reminded her. ”You really don’t have to turn your face sallow over those unfounded rumors.”

He didn’t even know where his mother had gotten that childbirth secret method from, yet the women in the family believed it and followed it. His wife had become thinner, but she regained some of the graceful charm of her youth.

However, his second sister-in-law had gained weight. Tsk tsk, it must be difficult for his second brother. Whenever he came over to discuss matters, someone would sneak in meat for him, but he didn’t dare eat too much.

Madam glared at him and said, ”There’s nothing wrong with conditioning the body. Besides, my weight loss isn’t bad; the servants say I look more energetic than before.”

Either because she had hope or because she had received the Imperial Decree, her mind was at ease, and her spirits were uplifted too.

Song Zhiyuan pushed the candied fruit on the heated brick bed’s table towards her and sat down himself.

Madam Song took a piece of candied fruit, seeing the worry on his face, her heart moved. She gestured to Nanny Fang and the others with her mouth.

Everyone left the room, and then she asked, ”Does the Prime Minister have worries?”

Song Zhiyuan removed the sandalwood beads from his wrist and fiddled with them in his hand. He said, ”The Emperor intends to arrange a marriage for Qi’er.”

Madam Song’s eyes lit up. She quickly swallowed the candied fruit and asked excitedly, ”Whose family’s son?”

Seeing her excitement, Song Zhiyuan’s mouth felt bitter; he hesitated to speak.

His hesitant expression fell into Madam Song’s eyes, and her heart sank a bit. Feeling something was off, she hesitated and said, ”Prime Minister?”

Song Zhiyuan said, ”It’s the third son from Duke Ying Mansion, Qi Zhen, who is now serving in the Imperial Guard as a second-class guard, of the fourth rank.”

When Madam Song heard it was the Duke Ying Mansion, she felt relieved at first, but upon hearing it was the third son, she pondered for a moment, and her face turned ashen white as she stood up abruptly.

”The third, third son? Is he the one rumored to be cursed to harm his wives?” Madam Song’s lips were trembling.

Song Zhiyuan paused his movement with the prayer beads and said, ”Those are just rumors. In fact, both his former fiancées—one had a heart condition from childhood, which the Tang family kept secret. The other, Miss Zheng, had feelings for someone else and couldn’t bear it, so she took her own life.”

Madam Song fell back onto the Arhat bed, trembling as she said, ”B-but, this is too ominous. Our Qi’er, she...”

”Madam, this is an Imperial Decree.”

Madam Song’s face turned white. She drank a mouthful of water to calm herself, meditated for a long time, and then said in a low voice, ”The Duke Ying Mansion is part of the Royalist Party. Does the Emperor still need to draw them in?”

Song Zhiyuan shook his head. ”The Emperor’s thoughts are unfathomable and unpredictable.”

Madam Song furrowed her brows lightly.

Song Zhiyuan added, ”Whatever the Emperor’s intentions, the Duke’s eldest household has a granddaughter who is only five years old but is very intelligent and full of potential.”

This was what he and Mr. Jun speculated, but it was inconclusive and not something they dared to confirm.

Having been an official’s wife for so many years, Madam Song had some political insight. Hearing this, she was startled: ”Are you suggesting, Prime Minister, that the child might become...”

Song Zhiyuan gave her a faint glance, effectively suppressing her exclamation.