Carissa nodded thoughtfully, then asked, "So, may I ask, in which aspect of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, or trustworthiness does society find himcking?" T "It''s because your second marriage has harmed him," Samuel replied.


    "My second marriage has nothing to do with him. My remarriage is my own affair," Carissa responded. Her voice was calm and steady, showing none of the shame Samuel expected.


    "Let me ask you this: does thew forbid a second marriage after a divorce, or is it merely a social custom? Are there not others in society who have remarried? Does benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, or trustworthiness dictate that a woman cannot marry again? And another question: if a woman is abandoned, must she then retreat to a life of solitude, living out her days in misery to satisfy society''s expectations?"


    Samuel sneered, "You twist words to make them pleasing, but true virtue is rare!"


    Unable to counter Carissa''s reasoning, he chose to dismiss her with contempt.


    Carissa''s smile widened. "My concern is that youck virtue, fail to study properly, are unmoved by righteousness, and can''t correct your faults."


    Samuel''s face flushed with anger and embarrassment. "How dare you! I intended to offer my goodwill, yet you insult me with the words of a sage! If this is how it''s going to be with your family, it''s better for us to just stay away!"


    With that, he abruptly stood up and said, "We''re leaving!"


    Leona quickly got to her feet, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked apologetically at Carissa. Her voice choked as she said, "Cari, we''ll leave now. I''lle back to see you in a few days." Carissa sighed softly, almost inaudibly. "Yes, you should go."


    Leona gave a hurried curtsey and then rushed after Samuel, calling out, "Dear, wait for me!"


    Lily watched them leave, and sighed. "It seems Lady Leona might not visit again."


    Carissa murmured in agreement. "I never expected Samuel to be so rigid at such a young age."


    "Some people read so much that they lose allmon sense. You shouldn''t take it to heart, mydy," Lily replied.


    Carissa sipped her coffee, her brows furrowing slightly.


    "Whether I care or not doesn''t really matter. But I can''t understand why Leona, a duchess in her own right, would be so submissive to Samuel without even a hint of her own will."


    Though they sometimes referred to Leona as a princess as she was a prince''s daughter, the official title she had been given was a duchess.


    "She''s head over heels in love. What else could it be?" Lily said, seeing through the situation.


    "Men like Lady Leona''s husband, with their bright futures and charm, are like a woman''s dream- something many long for. Lady Leona probably feels that marrying him fulfills a widely shared romantic


    ideal among many women, so she cherishes it all the more."


    Carissa remained silent, her delicate brows furrowing even deeper.


    Could loving someone really make a person so humble?


    She thought of Rafael, who was admired by many nobledies in the capital. Dozens, if not a hundred, wanted to marry him and be the Hell Monarch''s consort.


    Would he be just as arrogant and self-important after marriage?


    And as for herself, she seemed to have developed feelings for him. Could she truly remain indifferent?


    "Mr. Langley didn''t wait long to take two concubines after marrying Lady Leona," Lily remarked casually." And Lady Leona endured it."


    "Ultimately, Lady Leona is a duchess-how could he dare take concubines so soon after their marriage?" Carissa asked.


    "He works as an editor in the Academy of Wisdom. I heard that his superiors gifted him the concubines, and he couldn''t refuse."


    During Carissa''s time on the battlefield, Lily had gathered quite a bit of gossip from the noble households. "The duchess couldn''t exactly send the women away, or she''d bebeled as jealous. Besides, they''re just lowly concubines. If she doesn''t like them, she can sell them off or give them away."


    "Is that how you see it?" Carissa asked, raising her head.


    Lily smiled bitterly. "Does it matter what I think? This is how they see it, how they do things. It''s tough being a woman in this world. Back then, when thete madam chose to marry you off to General Warren anyone else, it was because he promised not to take concubines." instead of the pri...well, instead of


    Carissa looked at her closely. "Instead of who?"


    Carissa had caught Lily''s slip of the tongue.


    Lilyughed, trying to cover up her mistake. "Who else? I meant instead of others. I misspoke. Back then, so many suitors came knocking that they practically wore down the threshold. Thete madam chose General Warren among them because he vowed not to take concubines."Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Carissa felt that Lily was clearly hiding something.


    But she couldn''t remember all the suitors from back then, and she had no desire to dredge up old memories. Whether or not the Prince family was among them, it was all in the past.