I've Got This Cannon Fodder Trope Covered!

Chapter 9

She couldn't even tolerate the presence of two concubines by his side, and now she was expected to actively bring him more concubines in the future?

Wei Hanzhang felt her vision go black...

"Ranran!" Madam Jiang, noticing her daughter's reaction, hurriedly said, "If I had known this would trouble you so much, I never should have agreed to the Gu family's proposal. You should have been like me—marry someone you've never spent time with before, marry by your parents' arrangement, and you wouldn't even be discussing things like 'minding' or 'love.'"

This world was always harsh on women, but especially harsh on those who overthought things.

How had her precious, treasured daughter ended up getting stuck on the idea of 'one lifetime, one couple' like something out of a romance novel?

Just as she was about to continue, Wei Heng overheard the conversation from the doorway. He paused slightly, then casually walked in, smiling as he saw the mother and daughter. "What's going on here? I could hear the two of you from outside."

Wei Hanzhang hesitated for a moment, then stood up and bowed. "Father, you've returned from court?"

Seeing his lively and obedient youngest daughter, Wei Heng's expression softened. He spoke gently, "I didn't just return from court. Since the Crown Prince has not been in the capital recently, the last two imperial meetings were canceled. I just finished my duties and returned, only to hear the lively conversation between you two."

In this dynasty, there were smaller court meetings every five days, but only officials ranked fourth grade and above could attend. Wei Heng, as a fifth-grade official, could only attend the larger court meetings on the first and fifteenth of each month.

Since two of those meetings were canceled, it had been over a month without any court sessions.

As for why court meetings were canceled when the Crown Prince was not in the capital, even Wei Hanzhang, who had grown up far away in Xuzhou, knew the reason.

The Emperor of the Great Ling Dynasty had been bedridden for years, and seven years ago, he had entrusted the Crown Prince with managing state affairs. Without the Crown Prince, there was no point in officials attending court.

Madam Jiang rose from the couch, ignoring her husband's last comment, and waved to the servants to set the table for lunch.

Since Wei Yunpei was having lunch at the Imperial Academy, the meal was just for the three of them.

Lin Shi and Shen Shi, the two concubines, stood by to serve. After the meal, when Wei Heng left, Wei Hanzhang anxiously asked, "Did Father overhear anything?"

"It doesn't matter," Madam Jiang waved dismissively. "Your father's personality wouldn't bother with such trivial matters. We've spent many years together, and we focus on our bond as husband and wife—there's no need to talk about anything else."

Wei Hanzhang: "..."

Wait, something isn't right. This is a bit different from the plot in the original story.

Her mother's attitude doesn't resemble that of a jealous woman who would scheme to harm concubines' children. Where is the jealousy supposed to come from if Jiang Shi doesn't even have the concept of 'love' for Wei Heng, let alone jealousy born from love?

Could it be that her temperament changed later after a series of misfortunes struck her children?

...

Jiang Shi remembered that her mother-in-law had asked her daughter to visit today to gather with the family's sisters. Not long after lunch, she took Wei Hanzhang and left the house.