34 Chapter Thirty-Four (First Update)

You'll regret this sooner or later.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Having lost her mother, Xie Wanyan naturally knows the weight her mother holds in her heart.

If one day she suddenly sees her mother and learns that her mother has set up a new home, has a new husband, and has a new child, and that her mother dotes on her.

Xie Wanyan considered herself a resilient woman, but even she couldn't withstand such an impact.

She might wonder, why doesn't my mother want me?

Once they have a new child, they neglect her completely?

Xie Wanyan felt as if her head was about to explode just thinking about it, as if she could see Liu Qingqing crying and looking extremely pitiful if she blinked.

Although she hadn't been very friendly to Liu Qingqing lately, her mother had always taken her with her when she visited the Liu family when she was young. In Xie Wanyan's eyes, who was a few years older, Liu Qingqing was like a delicate little dumpling.

Her younger sister, whom she hadn't seen for years, treated her like a tigress. She could just poke and tease her and that was it. Why should anyone else bully her?

Was it that the birds she threw into the Liu residence weren't fat enough, or that there weren't enough fishermen she went to sell her fish?

The thought of Liu Qingqing's pitiful appearance, on the verge of tears after learning the truth, broke her heart.

When Liu Qingqing was little, she would secretly cry because she craved the candied hawthorns that Liu Qingying proudly showed off. Now that they're at the Xie residence, if they're still allowed to cry like that, does that mean everyone in the Xie family is dead?!

Xie Wanyan was precocious and had a good memory.

She still remembered Liu Qingqing's mother, the current Regent's wife, a gentle woman who had treated her very well. She imagined she would be a good mother if she were still alive.

Or rather, she is a good mother to that child now.

She recently sacrificed herself and also learned a lot of information from that scoundrel Wei Mingzhao. She learned that the Regent's Palace had secretly protected Liu Qingqing all these years. Otherwise, given Xiao Yingshi's ruthlessness, Liu Qingqing would have "died of illness" long ago.

But she still felt indignant for Liu Qingqing.

On what grounds?

She was the one who was abandoned.

He abandoned her back then, but now he can come back whenever he wants.

He even summoned her to choose a suitable daughter for his son.

How ironic.

Xie Wanyan felt like she was about to explode with anger.

She still remembered when she was a child, she and Xie Lang secretly climbed over the wall of the Liu family mansion and saw the little girl squatting under a tree, crying with red eyes, but not daring to make a sound.

"That's her life, not yours."

Xie Lang's calm voice instantly froze Xie Wanyan's bitterness and anger.

Although she knew Xie Lang was right, her eyelashes and lips trembled uncontrollably. After a long pause, she said to Xie Lang meaningfully, "If you think like that, you will regret it sooner or later."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Unlike its angry arrival, it departed as gently as a breeze.

Over the next few days, Xie Wanyan visited her every day, practicing some ridiculous etiquette. He wanted to find a moment to subtly talk to her, but when he looked into her clear eyes, he couldn't say anything.

I had to sigh and admit that Xie Lang, that bastard, was right.

This is Liu Qingqing's fate; she can only deal with it herself.

If someone else suddenly learned that their mother, who had passed away long ago, was now in a high position of power, they might be overjoyed, but she knew that Liu Qingqing was not that kind of person.

She's incredibly stupid.

When I was a kitten, I was so hungry that I would often go hungry. When I encountered a lame mother cat begging for food with her newborn kittens, I would secretly share my food with the mother cat.

At that time, my mother did consider bringing Liu Qingqing back to live with us, but my father was on the frontier and his fate was unknown. Our family was also feeling our way in the dark, barely able to take care of ourselves, let alone let Liu Qingqing suffer the consequences.

Furthermore, Lord Liu values ​​his reputation above all else and would not release him.

Liu Qingqing was unaware of Xie Wanyan's thoughts, only noticing that her sister was always staring at her in a daze.

Perhaps he has something on his mind.

Once she finished dealing with the matter of the Regent's wife, she would spend more time with her sister.

Jialan Garden has been busy with this matter these past few days, and even the old lady called her over to give her some advice after learning about it.

He also comforted Liu Qingqing, saying, "I once saw the Princess Consort from afar, and everyone said that she is gentle and easy to talk to. Don't overthink it. No matter what, your father-in-law and your husband will protect you."

This is truly typical of the Marquis's family's protectiveness.

However, Liu Qingqing did not expect that she would be included as well, and she quickly lowered her head to hide her suddenly reddened eyes.

Lately, Xie Lang has been staying in the main room whenever he is in the mansion, so that Liu Qingqing can ask him questions.

Those missing things couldn't be made up in a day, and Xie Lang also told her not to overthink it.

"The princess will surely like you," Xie Lang said.

Liu Qingqing was surprised: "Why is my husband so sure? The princess has not even met me yet."

Xie Lang then realized that he had somehow spoken his thoughts aloud. He smiled and shook his head without saying anything more, and then brought up another matter, "Tomorrow, Xie Liu will not accompany you to the Regent's Palace. Tomorrow, I will have Xie Wu send some medicine powder and jewelry. Remember to take them with you for self-defense."

Xie Liu had been silently hiding in the shadows, and she didn't even know he was still there, assuming he had gone to join Xie Lang in his work.

He nodded quickly and reached out to support Xie Lang's arm. "It's nothing, so you don't need to follow me anymore."

Xie Lang glanced at her but did not agree.

Perhaps because she had something on her mind, Liu Qingqing tossed and turned and couldn't sleep soundly.

Nestled into Xie Lang's arms, Xie Lang opened his eyes, sighed softly, reached out and embraced her, closed his eyes to rest, but kept patting her gently.

Where he couldn't see, the girl in his arms finally relaxed her furrowed brow.

For some reason, after consummating their marriage, she always felt that Xie Lang was different from before, like a charcoal fire gradually cooling down.

Although it still looks red, only the person warming themselves by the fire knows it's cold.

He is so gentle and patient, perhaps because he has been too busy with official duties lately and has misunderstood things.

She cursed herself in her heart, how could she confine the upright Xie Lang to petty love and affection?

It would be good if he cared about me and if he valued me.

She dared not covet the passionate love depicted in the storybooks; she was content as long as he favored her.

Feeling the warmth of his body, in a half-dreaming, half-awake state, I felt an itch in my lower abdomen.

Just as Xie Lang was about to drift off to sleep, he was suddenly grabbed. His brow twitched, but he didn't open his eyes.

Xie Lang barely slept a wink all night.

She finally managed to get a short nap after letting go and turning over.

He gets up to practice martial arts every morning at the first light of dawn, but this morning, while changing his clothes, he stared intently at the woman in the bed with a stern face, took a deep breath, and went to the training ground.

Dewdrops slid off the slender orchids, and only barely audible footsteps echoed along the long path.

Xie Lang suddenly stopped and tilted his head slightly. "What day of the month is it today?"

Xie Wu was taken aback by the question, then quickly came to his senses, "The seventh."

Xie Lang tightened his face and continued walking.

Xie Wu hurriedly asked, "Sir, is there an urgent matter?"

Xie Lang replied, "It's nothing."

Xie Wu didn't ask any more questions and quietly rubbed his eyes behind the adults.

He didn't sleep well last night. For some reason, all he dreamt of was Zhao Pansheng standing there charmingly, smiling at him. He woke up almost late, and the bedding was wet. He didn't bother to wash it; he just stuffed the bedding into the closet.

Upon arriving at the training ground, the surrounding bamboo groves rustled.

Even in summer, it has a cool and refreshing feel.

Without saying a word, Xie Lang took a spear from the wooden shelf and threw it at him, then took one for himself as well.

In the blink of an eye, with a powerful push from his strong thighs, he lightly touched the ground with his toes and slashed down at him with his spear.

Terrified, Xie Wu stopped thinking wildly, gripped the spear tightly with both hands, and braced his heel against the ground with one leg, taking the hit head-on.

"Don't let your guard down, or do you want to lose your life on the battlefield?"

Xie Wu shook his head hurriedly, trying to muster his energy even more. After a training session, his clothes were soaked through, and sweat dripped down his face like raindrops.

He was already considered a top-tier expert in the capital, yet his whole body ached.

The adult's martial arts skills have improved again.

Seeing that the master had put the gun back on the wooden shelf, he went to the other end of the study, and knew that the master still needed to take a bath this morning.

He exchanged a glance with the servant waiting nearby and hurriedly went back to his room to make his own arrangements.

I kept complaining to myself the whole way, wondering why the master was so angry today.

The sun had risen, but his heart was still pounding and he was still sweating profusely.

Xie Wu didn't mind wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.

But my sleeves were already soaked through, so there was no way to absorb the sweat.

Beyond the hanging flower gate of Jialan Garden lies his residence.

But as if what I feared most had come to pass, just as I was about to tiptoe, a graceful figure slowly emerged from the hanging flower gate.

For a moment, their eyes met.

The first thing Zhao Pansheng noticed was Xie Wu's lean waist and abdomen, which were stuck together by the wet fabric, and the outline of the character "田" could be vaguely seen.

This was the first time she had ever seen someone like this; she had seen shirtless, rough men before when she was fleeing from disaster.

But this half-concealed state is more alluring than being half-naked.

She blinked and stared.

Xie Wu blushed for a moment, then realized that she was looking at him, and he could no longer stay there. Without saying a word, he slipped away as fast as he could.

Once back in his room, Xie Wu slammed the door shut and quickly looked down to see what had happened. Then, in frustration, he covered his face and growled, "Ah!"

"Brother Xie?"

Upon suddenly hearing Zhao Pansheng's gentle voice, Xie Wu froze, standing there dumbfounded, holding his breath and not daring to move for a moment, thinking he had misheard, his heart pounding wildly.

After waiting a while without any sound, Xie Wu breathed a sigh of relief and muttered under his breath, "I knew it wouldn't be like this..."

"Thank you, Brother Xie."

Xie Wu: "!!!"

Zhao Pansheng said softly, "Madam asked me to bring you some mosquito repellent sachets, which I have left at your door."

Xie Wu: ...

At this moment, Xie Wu had only one thought in his mind—the sky is about to collapse.

-

After Xie Lang rinsed himself with cold water, he returned to his usual upright and gentlemanly demeanor.

Today, however, he did not rush to the yamen. Instead, he personally took the medicine powder and jewelry back to the main house and handed them to Liu Qingqing, patiently teaching her how to use them.

Today, Liu Qingqing's makeup was simple and elegant, and her dress was more dignified than usual.

Xie Lang glanced at her face quickly, but did not praise her at all, which disappointed Liu Qingqing.

"This silver ring contains an antidote for all poisons; it can neutralize most common poisons."

After saying this, he put the silver ring on Liu Qingqing's hand and handed her an exquisite hairpin. "There is a bewitching powder in here. If anything unexpected happens, hold down the top silver bead and flick it outwards to disperse the bewitching powder. It's no problem to bewitch everyone in the palace with this."

"And this..."

Xie Lang explained everything in detail, and even made Liu Qingqing repeat it several times for fear that she might not remember it well. He only stopped when he saw that she had indeed remembered it.

"If you want to use the sleeping potion, what does Madam want first?"

Seeing that he treated her like a child, Liu Qingqing couldn't help but blush. "Of course, I must take the antidote first, and then I can use the bewitching powder after a while."

Xie Lang nodded in satisfaction.

"But my husband, is the Regent's Palace really that dangerous?"

"The Regent's Palace is not dangerous, but Xie Liu cannot accompany you this time. There are many young ladies attending the banquet, and people's hearts are unpredictable, so we should be extra careful."

Hearing him say that, and then hearing him talk about us, Liu Qingqing's heart blossomed like a summer flower, and she smiled sweetly at him.

Xie Lang lowered his eyes and extended his hand to her, "Let's go, Madam, let's leave the manor together today."

Liu Qingqing looked puzzled.

Xie Lang said, "I happen to be passing by the Regent's Palace today, so I'll take you there first."

Once I boarded the carriage and saw the black horse with its white rump following behind, my earlier disappointment vanished.

As expected, upon arriving at the Regent's Palace, Xie Lang alighted first, stood beside the carriage, reached out to her, and helped her down. Ignoring the passersby and young ladies around them, he whispered to her, "If there is no urgent business today, wait for me to come and pick you up."

As she spoke, a gust of wind ruffled her hair. Just as Liu Qingqing was feeling nervous and flustered, Xie Lang reached out and gently brushed the strands of hair back behind her. After hesitating for a moment, he reached out and lightly squeezed her forearm. "Don't be afraid, I'm here for you."

Seeing the steward personally come down the steps to invite him, Xie Lang first nodded to the steward, then looked at Liu Qingqing and inexplicably repeated what he had just said, "Wait for me to take you back to the manor."

Liu Qingqing's eyes welled up with tears. She nodded to him and then followed the butler.

Xie Lang felt his right hand, which had just gripped her arm, burning hot. He pulled it behind his back, staring at her receding figure, and clenched his fist tightly.

It wasn't until someone from the Regent's Palace came and invited her inside that she turned around before going around the screen wall and saw Xie Lang still standing in front of the carriage.

Liu Qingqing's chaotic heart calmed down. She smiled at him, looked away, took a deep breath, and followed the others into the palace.

Today's event is nominally a flower-adorned banquet, inviting young girls in their prime. But how could we allow a half-grown maid to attend the banquet alone at the Prince's residence, for fear of offending the nobles? Everyone knows that although there is a young emperor, the one who truly reigns supreme is the Regent.

Therefore, in each family, either the sister-in-law or the mother would accompany the child.

She arrived early today, but some who wanted to be closer to the princess arrived even earlier.

The princess disliked showing her face in public, and those who were familiar with her were all relatives of the regent. Xie Lang told her all of this on the way.

It was her first time facing these nobles alone, so it was impossible for her not to be nervous.

But recently, perhaps because he has recovered a considerable amount of dowry and gained business experience, he no longer feels as empty as he did when he first entered the Xie family.

She only thought that she was now not only Liu Qingqing, but also Xie Lang's legal wife and the future mistress of the Marquis's mansion. The Marquis's mansion had been kind to her, and she couldn't afford to embarrass it in public.

Even with a heart as soft as a trembling feather, her face remained dignified and graceful, revealing nothing about her.

Today's banquet is being held on a three-story painted boat by Wangfu Lake.

As Liu Qingqing followed the steward to the lakeside, she couldn't help but look up in surprise at how incredibly tall the three-story pleasure boat was. It seemed like something from another world, as if it were used by celestial beings descended to earth.

The painted boat was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and its pillars were carved with dancing phoenixes and painted with fine yellow lacquer. The sunlight shone on it so brightly that it dazzled the eyes.

The pleasure boat appears to be floating on the lake, but it is actually connected to the shore. It is said that the regent specially built it for the princess because she gets seasick but loves water.

Afraid of revealing her timidity, Liu Qingqing quickly lowered her eyes and lowered her brows.

Upon reaching the painted boat, the butler suddenly turned to her and bowed slightly, saying, "Please thank Madam."

Liu Qingqing looked at him in surprise and asked with her eyes.

The gray-haired butler was very kind. "Please go upstairs. The princess is waiting for you on the third floor."

Deeper with surprise, Liu Qingqing remained composed and did not ask any questions, simply nodding demurely. Then she glanced at Zhao Pansheng, who had been following beside her.

Once aboard the painted boat, the Prince's mansion was indeed different; the servants were well-trained, all keeping their eyes down and carrying fruit platters with brisk steps. Upon seeing a distinguished guest, they quickly stepped aside.

The fine curtains at the window fluttered in the wind, and waves of green rippled outside, while the brilliant sunlight cast countless golden spots.

Perhaps it was the cool breeze on the lake that dispelled the heat in her heart, as Liu Qingqing climbed the steps, her heart gradually calming down.

Unlike the opulent gold and silver of the first floor, the higher you go, the more understated and elegant it becomes.

Upon reaching the third floor and climbing the last step, you'll find a different view from the first two floors. At the bow is a pavilion offering panoramic views, the middle section is an open space, and the stern is an exquisite cabin.

The door was open, covered with a thin white gauze.

Suddenly a gust of wind blew the white veil aside, allowing her to vaguely see that slender figure.

The woman turned around and lifted the white veil with her delicate hand.

"Has Madam Xie arrived?"

The person hadn't arrived yet, but the sound had already reached them.

The gentle voice, as clear as a spring, instantly captivated Liu Qingqing. The warm, bouncy tone at the end of the note was like the first warm breeze of spring at the end of winter, or the instant relief one feels when warming oneself by a fire in the dead of winter.

That's really strange.

Before even seeing the person, I already felt a good impression of them.

[Author's Note]

Next chapter preview:

Liu Qingying stood beside him, her watery eyes looking at him, looking extremely obedient.