I've Got This Cannon Fodder Trope Covered!

Chapter 47

Just as Madam Jiang said, concubines, no matter how many children they bear, must live by the main wife's rules.
Moreover, in this era, there were very few instances of concubines being elevated to the main position; even merchants who didn't emphasize rules wouldn't do that, let alone the noble families and powerful households.
A little figure in Wei Hanzhang's mind scratched its head in confusion, unable to understand why, in the original plot, Madam Jiang would be divorced, while concubine Shen would be elevated.
Not wanting to disturb her parents' rare moment of affection, she quietly slipped out.
......
Returning to her own courtyard, Wei Hanzhang skillfully pushed open the gate in the courtyard wall and stepped into the territory of Prince Yan's side residence.
Two maidservants were, as usual, stationed at their posts. Upon seeing her, they bowed deeply and greeted, "Miss Wei, may peace be upon you."
Wei Hanzhang casually nodded and said, "No need for formalities," before heading straight to the main hall.
Halfway there, she spotted the young Master Xiao standing beneath a rose tree, dressed in a long blue robe. His figure was tall and straight like a bamboo, and the early summer morning light illuminated his face, clearly revealing the smile at the corner of his lips, seemingly waiting for her.
This thought made Wei Hanzhang pause, and her pace instinctively slowed down.
However, Xiao Junzhan, unable to wait any longer, approached her first.
"Look up," he said warmly as he stepped in front of the girl he had been waiting for, "Let me see if your injuries are getting better."
"..." Remembering his previous tendency to act on impulse, Wei Hanzhang pressed her lips together and tilted her head slightly, "It's already healed."
Perhaps blinded by the sunlight, Xiao Junzhan lowered his eyes and unintentionally moved closer, gazing at her without blinking. His fingers tightened slowly within his sleeves as he smiled and said, "It seems to be healing well."
His voice was low and slightly hoarse, different from the usual gentle tone. Wei Hanzhang suddenly looked up and realized how close he was, hastily taking two steps back and warning, "Xiao Boqian, can you stop trying to take advantage of a young lady?"
Her voice was not quiet, and everyone nearby, including Ning Hai, heard her clearly. Although they were all slightly bowed, making their expressions invisible, the atmosphere suddenly became somewhat strange.
Perhaps it was the first time he had been accused of taking advantage of someone, but Xiao Junzhan was slightly taken aback and then couldn't help but laugh. He pinched the bridge of his nose and said with a smile, "Ranran is right; it seems my words and actions in front of you have indeed become less gentlemanly."

Compared to the initial awkwardness he felt when stealing glances at the girl he admired, these days of interaction had made Xiao Junzhan grow significantly.
Not only did he express his feelings directly, but he also took a step further, holding the girl's shoulders gently and giving her a light pat, saying softly, "If you nod your head now, I will choose a good day to bring Ranran home openly and with dignity. How does that sound?"
"That sounds terrible." Wei Hanzhang retreated two steps, her lips slightly pursed. "What we agreed upon back then didn't include marrying you."
Her clean and decisive rejection made Xiao Junzhan's smile gradually fade as he quietly regarded the girl before him.
She was the only one he had waited twenty-five years to meet, the only one who brought him joy just by being in her presence.
But she wasn't the same; she had a childhood companion, a boy from the Gu family, with whom she shared innocent feelings and promises for a lifetime.
From the day Xiao Junzhan learned that Wei Hanzhang was discussing a marriage proposal with that boy from the Gu family, he understood that the girl he admired already had someone in her heart.
In that moment, a surge of rage almost broke through his skull but was ultimately suppressed.
Killing someone was easy, but he knew he couldn't do that.
To let that boy from the Gu family die during their most sincere period of affection, only to leave her with memories for the rest of her life?
He wasn't that foolish, nor was he that magnanimous.
Xiao Junzhan's gaze slowly moved from Wei Hanzhang's face downward, stopping just above her heart.
His aim was to drive away the shadow of other men from her mind.
There couldn't be any place for others in her heart, not even a tiny bit.
Only he should occupy that space.
As Xiao Junzhan's emotions fluctuated, only Ning Hai, as a close attendant, sensed something amiss. He slightly trembled, lowering his already bent shoulders even further.
Wei Hanzhang, however, remained oblivious. She was indeed grateful that this young master Xiao was willing to save the Jiang family, but that didn't mean she was willing to sacrifice herself to marry a widower.
Even if she were to become a princess one day...
Wait!
Wei Hanzhang paused, suddenly realizing that if she did marry this young heir of Prince Yan, she would become Princess Consort Yan.
In an era where imperial power reigned supreme, the identity of a princess was incredibly noble. Besides being a step lower than the high-ranking women of the harem, it was the pinnacle of what a woman could achieve in her life.
Once she became the princess consort Yan, wouldn't it be a simple matter to protect her biological mother from being cast aside?
Even if she wanted to rescue Wei Hanyue from the ancestral temple, that wouldn't be too difficult, right?
At worst, they could say she had already died and quietly adopted a new identity to start over. Perhaps she wouldn't be able to return to her previous life as a noble lady surrounded by servants, but it would surely be better than spending the rest of her life in the ancestral temple.
If she truly married into Prince Yan's mansion, her influence in the Wei family would undoubtedly change drastically... She would become the strongest support for Jiang Shi and her daughter in the original story, and her grandfather, Wei Ping, would probably be willing to give her that face.
Thinking of this, Wei Hanzhang felt a flicker of temptation... but quickly suppressed it.
No, no.
Wei Hanzhang shook her head vigorously in her mind. Jiang Shi's status was still stable; just to rescue her sister from the ancestral temple, she couldn't agree to marry a widower. She wasn't that selfless.
Her life was important too, and unless absolutely necessary, she didn't want to betray her own views on marriage and relationships, forcing herself to marry a man who already had a multitude of wives and concubines.
Despite being astute and calculating, Xiao Junzhan had no idea what thoughts were running through the girl's mind.
In fact, even with his head clouded by intense affection, he couldn't comprehend how miserable it was for him to bear the title of the heir of Prince Yan and still be despised.
His focus was on the court: who's wife was suffering in childbirth, how many wives and concubines each family had—he truly hadn't kept track of any of that. He only knew that Xiao Wen'an had no wife, and that was enough for him.
Although he had been rejected cleanly once again, Xiao Junzhan still fulfilled his promise and took Wei Hanzhang to the Dali Temple prison to visit the Jiang family.
When the carriage stopped, he handed her a hooded cape, his expression gentle as he said, "There are many people here, should Ranran cover up a bit?"
It was a question, showing his respect for her choice.
Or perhaps, it was a reminder.
Wei Hanzhang felt a warmth in her heart, a bit moved.
Clearly, if a familiar person were to catch her alone with him, given his identity as the heir of Prince Yan, the Zhongyong Marquis would be more than happy to offer her in marriage. Yet, he still reminded her.