When they heard that Jing Wenmao left a letter for Zhu Xinning before his death, asking her to marry and take care of Jing Zhe, Qingqiu and Pei Yunxi were instantly stunned.

They were "marrying off their brother by imperial decree," so what else is there to say?

Compared to Pei Yunxi, Qingqiu's feelings for Jing Zhe are more subtle. After all, the two had met before they recognized each other, and only the two of them know what feelings they have for each other.

After hearing this, she paused for a moment, then asked, "That letter...you've read it?"

"Yes, I've seen it..."

Jing Zhe then told him about how Zhu Xinning had shown him the letter.

Qingqiu pouted after hearing this: "You mean she held onto this letter for many days before showing it to you?"

"Um."

"Then how can you guarantee that this letter was really written by Father, or that she didn't alter its contents?"

"..."

Jing Zhe was speechless: "Second sister...no way?"

"Okay, let's assume you can't. But everyone knows she's your sister. Would you dare to marry her openly? Or are you not planning to marry her at all, but only in private..."

"Of course I will marry my second sister openly and honestly, otherwise not only will my second sister be heartbroken, but I will also be unable to live with myself!"

"But...aren't you afraid of being scorned by others?"

Qingqiu asked softly, and Pei Yunxi also looked over.

"You might not know this since you're not in Jingzhou, but I've already written a love poem for my second sister in the newspaper as a warm-up. Later, I'll also write about your relationship with the Jing family, letting the world know that we're actually siblings with no blood relation. At that point, who will have a say?"

Jing Zhe said confidently.

"But...you can't stop gossip and rumors..."

"Anyone who dares to say that, I'll kill them!"

Jing Zhe declared confidently, "Anyway, even if people say that, I will still marry the woman I love!"

As he said this, he glanced at Qingqiu. When their eyes met, Qingqiu suddenly lost her previous assertiveness and lowered her head with a flustered blush.

But he immediately added, "However, I'm fine with it myself, but I'm worried that my sisters might worry about what others will say. So now, apart from those who need to know, I won't acknowledge any other sisters in public. We can just call them that in private!"

As he spoke, Jing Zhe winked at both Qing Qiu and Pei Yunxi.

"..."

The two women hadn't thought much of it at first, but after he suddenly gave them a flirtatious look, they felt something was off. After calming down and thinking about it, they were immediately embarrassed!

This guy... after recognizing them, it seems he really hasn't called them "sister" in public!

Combining this with what he just said, his intentions are crystal clear!

Qingqiu lowered her head, a blush creeping up her snow-white neck. Even Pei Yunxi, a woman as aloof as she was, didn't know how to face Jing Zhe at this moment and lowered her head as well.

Seeing his two aloof older sisters rendered speechless by his words, Jing Zhe was secretly pleased. Pretending not to know anything, he continued seriously, "Fifth Sister has been alone in Liangzhou for so many years, braving wind and rain, facing numerous dangers. It seems that her world consists of nothing but war."

"With our parents gone, my fifth sister is the closest person to me in this world, and she's still so good to me. I love her too, so even with the rumors, I will marry her! The same goes for my second sister; and with Father's instructions, I must marry her!"

"..."

After he finished speaking, Qingqiu finally raised her head and said softly, "Your fifth sister has been all alone for so many years. It must have been very hard for her. With neither our parents nor Zhe'er around, she could only focus all her energy on fighting the war. You should feel sorry for your fifth sister!"

Liu Jinghong was best friends with Jing Zhe when they were young. She was also strong-willed and young, so Qingqiu couldn't bear to feel any dissatisfaction with her. Her words were full of affection.

However, her tone revealed a sadness that made everyone who heard it feel somewhat depressed.

Jing Zhe wasn't stupid; he had already gleaned something from Qing Qiu's words.

At this moment, Qingqiu and Pei Yunxi sat on either side of the bed, with an empty space in the middle just big enough for one person to sit down. Wasn't this reserved for them?

He took two steps forward and sat down. The faint, distinct fragrances emanating from his two older sisters mingled together, creating a mesmerizing aroma.

Sitting down was just the first step in his plan. The next moment, before the two women could react, he took both of their hands.

Qingqiu was alright; her hand, like her body, remained frozen in place. As for Pei Yunxi, after a moment of stunned silence, she immediately tried to pull it back, but how could Jing Zhe allow that?

She gripped her hand tightly, saying, "Just like when I was little, I sat among my sisters, holding their hands..."

After these words were spoken, Qingqiu's stiff hand instantly went limp, and Pei Yunxi's hand stopped struggling. It seemed as if a warm scene from her childhood appeared before her eyes again.

Taking advantage of this break, Jing Zhe immediately said with deep emotion, "Actually, you just said that Fifth Sister suffered so much, but what about Third Sister and Fourth Sister? In the sect, besides practicing hard and thinking about avenging our parents, where is the color in the lives of the two sisters?"

Third sister is better off; at least she has the garden master as a good friend, someone she can confide in. Fourth sister, however, is busy with the sect all day long. Even when she passed through Yongzhou, she didn't get a chance to see me. Zhe'er felt sorry for her after hearing this…”

Jing Zhe's voice was gentle and caring, and both women were moved by his words.

Indeed, they have never told outsiders about the hardships they have endured over the years, nor would they bother to. But the fact that their dearest and most beloved people understand them makes them feel that nothing could be more worthwhile.

Seeing this, Jing Zhe knew his chance had come. He let go of her hands, then wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind, and with a little force, the two older sisters leaned against him.

Overwhelmed with emotion, and knowing it was her most beloved younger brother, both Qingqiu and Pei Yunxi lowered their guard, resting their heads on his shoulder, silent, their faces full of tenderness.

"Third sister, fourth sister, I know you've suffered all these years, which is why I want to become stronger and become the leader of the martial arts alliance. Besides revenge, it's also because I've grown up now, and I want to protect you just like you protected me when I was little!"

After saying that, they used a bit of force, pressing themselves even closer to him, their faces almost touching his, without noticing anything amiss.

"Third sister, fourth sister, if one day Zhe'er avenges us, let's find a quiet place and build a house just like our old home. We'll plant a big osmanthus tree in the yard, just like the old one. We'll live together again like we did when we were little, okay? When the osmanthus blossoms are in full bloom, Zhe'er will shake a tree full of blossoms for you, just like you sisters did when we were little, okay?"

"..."

As Qingqiu and Pei Yunxi listened to Jing Zhe's description, their eyes sparkled with tears. They exchanged a glance and nodded with satisfaction.

"Um…"

————

(This book is first published on Qidian, and it's also available on QQ Reading. If any friends are paying to read it on other platforms, I still recommend supporting the official version, otherwise I won't be able to see any feedback...)