Itās hard to say, after all, Mu Shaoling is not Ye Ziāan. Their upbringing environments were different. Ye Ziāan grew up in the countryside, where he saw couples consisting of a husband and a wife. Furthermore, growing up with Yang Chuxia and her occasional guidance, he developed a strong aversion to the practice of taking concubines and detested such betrayal of feelings.
However, Mu Shaoling was different. He grew up in the prominent households of the Capital City, where it was common for a man to have several wives and concubines, and there was nothing strange about it. Previously, if he didnāt fancy any woman, it was fine, but now that he has taken a liking to someone he wants to bring home, it seems thereās really nothing abnormal about that.
At most, this affair might make people feel that it doesnāt look good, as the real gentlemen of the Capital City, even if they take concubines, would do so after their grand marriage, not before.
Therefore, Mu Shaoling taking a concubine before his marriage would only make people say that his timing is inappropriate, not minding his reputation, but they wouldnāt think of his taking a concubine to be a mistake. Besides, given his status, the people of the Capital City would at most discuss it privately.
Even the Emperor probably wonāt say much.
"What about me?" Commandery Princess Dongyang spreads her hands listlessly, "What can I do? Isnāt it very normal for a man to have multiple wives and concubines? Itās just that my father and brother havenāt taken concubines, so I believed my husband-to-be wouldnāt either. Now, suddenly realizing that the man Iām about to marry is no different from other men, Iām just having a bit of trouble accepting it, thatās all."
"Xiaxia, actually, I didnāt run away from marriage. The wedding is set for next March." She lowered her head and added, "I really didnāt want to listen to all those messy rumors, I just wanted to get some fresh air. The marriage has been settled anyway, and it canāt be changed by the Emperor. If I ran away from the marriage, it would only bring trouble to the Tayun Tribe. Iāll return to the Capital City after the New Year."
"Youāre just going to accept it?" Yang Chuxia was startled, it seemed thatās what she meant.
"What else can I do? We reap what we sow; this is my fate, and I must accept it."
If she hadnāt gone to seek the imperial decree back then, she could have left this mess today. If she had insisted on breaking off the engagement when she first got back on land, things wouldnāt be like this now. And even earlier, if she hadnāt kept pestering Mu Shaoling, today definitely wouldnāt be like this. So, she had no one else to blame; she had to face the consequences of her own actions.
"All right Xiaxia, letās drop this subject. Whatever happens, will happen." After a pause, Commandery Princess Dongyang put on her innocent and cheerful smile again, "Letās go out and have a look around. Iāve never been to Mianyang, and probably wonāt have the chance to come here in the future, so I want to have a good time during this visit."
Yang Chuxia sighed. She realized that this kind of matter couldnāt be persuaded one way or the other, to reconcile or to separate?
"Alright, Iāll take you out for a stroll, but Mianyang County canāt compare to the Capital City."
She thought about discussing this matter with Brother An in the evening, to see if they should send a letter to Mu Shaoling to inquire about the situation, to see if there was any misunderstanding.
But for now, it was better not to continue this topic, as it would only bring heartache.
"Bring Lele and Yangyang as well, I like holding your son Yangyang in my arms."
"No problem, that kid loves to play the most. If he hears he can go out, heāll probably jump for joy."
She was right, Yangyangās eyes rounded with excitement at the prospect of going out to play.
She spent the day accompanying Commandery Princess Dongyang around Mianyang County and returned home in the evening with arms full of large and small packages.
After a day of fun and play, Yangyang couldnāt contain his happiness.
"Dad... Dad..."
Upon arriving home and seeing Ye Ziāan, he immediately burrowed into Ye Ziāanās embrace.