Chapter 1636: Better to Be Cautious

Lin Guangxiong’s earnest and fearful appearance made the man called Lord Du hesitate for a moment. He wanted to make a few jokes but stopped begrudgingly when he noticed the seriousness and slight displeasure on Lin Guangxiong’s face.

“Lord Lin is rather cautious,” Lord Du said awkwardly.

Lin Guangxiong replied, “In our Great Qing, we still pay great attention to the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate. My Lan’er may be a good concubine, but frankly, she is just a concubine. As her family, how dare we acknowledge a noble relationship with the Crown Prince as if we were of legitimate rank? That would be greatly disrespectful.”

He spoke solemnly, even bowing towards the direction of the Imperial Palace, which left Lord Du somewhat unsettled.

Sitting nearby in a wheelchair, holding a wine cup, Song Zhiqing observed the scene. A flash of disdain and helplessness appeared in his eyes at Lin Guangxiong’s overly cautious behavior.

In his opinion, Lin Guangxiong’s caution was somewhat exaggerated and pretentious, and quite unnecessary.

The Crown Prince has chosen one official wife, two concubines, and two good concubines, a total of five people. Even if someone new comes along, there should be an order of precedence, and besides, the Crown Prince is not a heartless person; he’s quite generous.

Furthermore, even though Lin Zhilan is a good concubine, she has a certain assurance that others do not. This assurance does not come from having an uncle like Song Zhiyuan but from having Song Lingjie, who has been the Crown Prince’s study companion since childhood.

The Crown Prince trusts Song Lingjie just as the current Emperor trusts Song Zhiyuan. The two are now relatives, so how could he not pay more attention to Song Lingjie’s cousin?

Thus, Lin Guangxiong need not abase himself so much.

Song Zhiqing also expressed this point when Lin Guangxiong pushed him to change clothes.

“Holding such a submissive stance is not good for Lan’er; it will only cause people to belittle her and lower your own status,” Song Zhiqing said. “Even if you aren’t the legitimate father-in-law, so what? Your daughter belongs to the Crown Prince, so you can count as his elder. Having this submissive stance only serves to disgrace the Crown Prince and makes others mock you.”

As he advised, he felt somewhat annoyed, lowering his head to glance at his leg, a flicker of malevolence visible in his eyes.

If not for ending up in this state, perhaps he would be the one basking in glory today, rather than just being the father-in-law of a mere Sixth Rank minor official.

So angry, so hateful.

Suppressing the urge and frustration to pound his leg, Song Zhiqing’s whole aura turned sullen.

Lin Guangxiong glanced at him, aware that this true brother-in-law had once more felt resentment, and was unintentional in reopening his wound, merely saying, “There’s nearly a year until the Crown Prince’s wedding. Only when he marries can Lan’er enter the Eastern Palace. There’s still a long time. Should any joke or trouble arise during this period, it would be a loss. Being cautious is still prudent.”

As long as his daughter has not officially married, the title means nothing. Excessive ostentation could easily invite jealousy, leading someone to do something against you or ruin your reputation. In such a case, it wouldn’t be just one’s downfall; the whole family would suffer too.

This principle applies not only to Lin Zhilan but to all selected individuals; aren’t they all staying in their rooms with closed doors, not going out?

Indeed, everyone hoped that during the waiting period, there would be no upheavals because the family’s future depends on it, too risky to gamble on. Thus caution is preferred; won’t there be opportunities to act high-profile in the future?

Song Zhiqing’s expression changed several times, as he grasped the wheelchair armrest, his face stiffened, and he self-deprecatingly said, “Having not been in office for a few years, I seem to have lost my vigilance, unable to think as deeply as you. A person, once ruined, truly is ruined.”