Rebirth: So what if my husband is a little crazy? He loves me.

Chapter 183 Sending a concubine to Lord Gu?

With a concerned expression, Madam Chen continued, "Instead of waiting for a man to bring back a vixen from outside, why don't you send someone of your own caliber over yourself? They will be devoted to you in the future."

Shen Li remained calm.

Peony was so angry that she gritted her teeth. What nonsense was this old woman spouting? What was their young lady's background? If the young master wasn't handsome and devoted, how could she have married him?

Sending a concubine to her son-in-law? How could her pig-brain even think of that!

"Aunt, there's no need to worry. A concubine is no different from a slave. If he brings her back, I'll just beat him to death," Shen Li said calmly.

"Beat...beat to death?" Chen was stunned. She never expected that Shen Li, a fairy-like figure, could say such a thing.

“Aunt may not know, but it’s not uncommon for concubines to be beaten to death in this mansion. They’re just wrapped up in a straw mat and a few dozen taels of silver are paid to settle the matter,” Shen Li kindly explained to her.

Seeing Chen's face turn pale and then flushed, Shaoyao finally felt a sense of relief.

"Cough cough." Madam Chen used a cough to cover up her strong emotional fluctuations, and asked, "Wouldn't that make me a jealous woman?"

“My own people naturally won’t talk nonsense. As for the concubine’s family, they can be kept quiet by paying them off.” Shen Li paused and then added, “If they don’t accept being kept quiet, silencing them is also an easy thing to do.”

"Cough cough cough cough..." Chen's cough became more severe.

"I suddenly remembered I have something to do, so I won't bother you any longer. I'll be going now." She quickly came up with an excuse to slip away.

Shen Li watched the fleeing figure and smiled faintly.

"She's so easily frightened." Lian Qiao laughed as she filled Shen Li's cup with water.

"It's not really a scare tactic; she can give it a try." Shen Li said, picking up the book beside her. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "That young lady hasn't come for a few days, has she?"

"Yes." Lian Qiao calculated for a moment and said, "It's been five days."

"Has she changed her ways? She used to always stay here." Peony was also puzzled.

Shen Li was confident, and after listening, she continued reading her book. There were constant arguments in the court, and only a few officials could stay out of it. She was one of those few.

The Crown Prince rarely leaves the Eastern Palace; his power is at its peak, and he has no need for assistance.

King Yi knew she was a member of the Crown Prince's faction and unreliable in crucial moments, and that seeking her help for such an important matter would be useless, so he naturally didn't come to her.

Shen Li watched the events unfold with ease. Although Zheng Shi and Liu Yue often tested her limits when she returned home, she found them very easy to deal with.

She observed this for over a month, from spring to summer, but the matter was ultimately dropped because the emperor refused to release the person.

However, this incident dealt a heavy blow to Prince Yi and even Emperor Cheng. The power of the civil official group was stronger than imagined. It was difficult to depose the crown prince, and it was now almost impossible to establish a prince who was neither the eldest nor the legitimate heir as the crown prince.

The emperor was even more dissatisfied with the civil service, especially with Zhou Zhen, the chief minister, who was not very obedient. If he had been replaced by someone more obedient, things would not have been so difficult.

The Crown Prince, on the other hand, was unusually in high spirits, and his recovery speed even accelerated. However, his injuries were too severe, and it took him nearly three months to get out of bed and walk around. He was still unable to attend court and handle state affairs.

Zhou Qianqian took care of him throughout his injury, and since Zhou Zhen was the one who held up the entire massive impeachment proceedings, Li Heng began to find Zhou Qianqian more agreeable.

Zhou Qianqian was no longer so repressed, and the two of them, who were happy together, quickly became inseparable.

"This time, let the world know what the inevitable trend is. Even if His Majesty is biased, the one who can sit on the throne can only be you," Zhou Qianqian said as she leaned against the bedside and fed Li Heng porridge.

Her eyebrows were also full of joy, which greatly boosted their morale and made them feel that defeating the King of Chess was just around the corner.

If we wait a few more years, the Prince of Yi will have to return to his fiefdom even if he doesn't want to. At that time, who will be a match for the Crown Prince?

"Thanks to my father-in-law, as long as he remains in court, my position as crown prince is very secure." Li Heng looked at her approvingly and said, "I have married a good wife."

"Your Highness is too kind." Zhou Qianqian was pleased with the compliment, the only slight imperfection being that she was still a concubine.

The difference between a concubine and a principal wife is only one word, but their status is worlds apart.

The Crown Prince's concubine was just one of his many women, while the Crown Princess was the future Empress, second only to the Empress in rank. Even the arrogant Consort Zheng had to obediently bow to her.

Li Heng stroked her belly with his hand and said with a smile, "As soon as you become pregnant, I will ask my father to grant you the title of concubine. In the future, I will definitely pass the throne to this child."

"Thank you, Your Highness. It's just that my belly is too uncooperative," Zhou Qianqian said with a sigh.

She frequently consults the imperial physician to check her pulse, and her health is fine, so why has she not conceived in the past two years?

She couldn't understand it whenever she thought about it. She had clearly put in a lot of effort in bed, but it was all for nothing.

"Yes, both the Empress Dowager and I are quite anxious," Li Heng said, then added, "But it's not just you; Shen Li's belly hasn't shown any signs of labor either, has it?"

"Yes." Although Zhou Qianqian didn't want to mention it, she had no choice but to respond.

“That’s good news, but if we don’t have a child, it will be hard to keep Gu Chang’an in check.” Li Heng was quite worried: “If he changes his mind, I really can’t think of any way to control him.”

Zhou Qianqian smiled upon hearing this: "Your Highness, rest assured, I have a way to keep him in check."

"Oh?" Li Heng asked in surprise. In his view, this was quite unbelievable.

That's Gu Chang'an.

Zhou Qianqian then whispered in Li Heng's ear. Li Heng's eyes lit up as he listened, and he finally laughed and praised, "My dear consort, this is a good idea to cast a long line to catch a big fish."

Zhou Qianqian was quite pleased with herself, as this was a scheme she had been planning for a long time, and now it was just a matter of whether this final step would succeed.

"My beloved concubine is truly my lucky star." Li Heng's eyes gradually became cloudy as he watched Zhou Qianqian, and his hand, which had been groping his lower abdomen, began to move upwards.

When Zhou Qianqian let out a soft moan, he said, "I feel much better now, come and serve me."

"Your Highness, this isn't a good idea. I'm worried it might hurt you," Zhou Qianqian said, blushing and hesitant.

"My beloved concubine doesn't want to get pregnant?" Li Heng raised an eyebrow.

Zhou Qianqian bit her lip and leaned over him with her soft, boneless body.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Shen Li has been busy for the past month, designing a complete set of headdresses for female officials based on the official robes of noblewomen.

She changed the official hat to a crown, which was cast in gold or silver with bird patterns corresponding to the rank of a civil official, and then painted to make the patterns more vivid.

The crown is a semi-circular shape tied above the hair bun, with a jade stone of the same grade as the black gauze in the center, and tassels hanging on the left and right, which is both dignified and majestic, and also has a feminine feature.