Chapter 103: Precognitive Dream (Qin Lie)

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He deliberately chose to come over when the child was taking a nap. Lingyi was sitting by the window sewing clothes for the child.

The cicadas chirped, the window was half-closed, and the afternoon sun was already scorching, but when it fell on her shoulders, it only added a touch of touching tranquility.

She had to be a loving mother, yet she also had a sweet tooth. While she was diligently making clothes, Pearl had to sit beside her and feed her peeled grapes one by one.

Qin Lie watched for a while before walking over and gesturing for Pearl to leave, taking her place.

Turning around, he noticed a different person and asked in surprise, "General, weren't you busy receiving guests these past few days? Why are you here now?"

Qin Lie said, "Don't worry, with Father and Second Brother ahead, we won't be delayed in our business."

Lingyi said, "It's not right to just sit back and do nothing at our child's 100-day celebration."

Qin Lie laughed: "Don't wrong me. I brought you some nice things on purpose, and that's how I managed to steal a half-day of leisure."

The items are certainly good, but why sit on his lap while these things are sitting on him?

Lingyi struggled to get down, but he held her by the waist with one arm, Qin Lie resting his chin on her shoulder, "When I get something good, I always think of the princess. But now the princess only has the child in her heart, she won't even make me a piece of clothing."

Lately, he seemed to be vying for Huan'er's favor, and his words often carried a sour tone. Lingyi had gotten used to it and casually coaxed, "I was thinking that the general still has some clothes from last year, so I made Huan'er's clothes. After this one is finished, I will start making the general's summer clothes."

He massaged her soft waist, buried his face in her neck and murmured, "It's too late, I want it now."

Having spent a few days in the recruit camp, how could he possibly resist the urge to touch her now?

He pushed Lingyi onto the couch, not even having time to close the window.

The window frame was half-open, and she couldn't even hold on to it properly, so she kept moving forward little by little.

Their black hair was disheveled, their hairpins and ornaments half-fallen off. Anyone who glanced through the window would know what absurd things they were doing, not to mention the sounds that couldn't be concealed at all.

But the more she struggled and begged for mercy, the more aroused he became, and he went on and on.

She became embarrassed and angry, and then used the tricks that Aunt Liu Cui had taught her.

This tactic worked, and before long, Qin Lie stopped, panting heavily.

Lingyi breathed a sigh of relief and wanted to sit down and gather her clothes, but when she turned around, she saw Qin Lie's face, which was as black as charcoal.

She hesitated, wondering whether to tell him that throughout history, concubines in the palace desired children but also feared losing favor after childbirth. Therefore, the palace possessed various postpartum remedies. Among the treasure chest that Granny Zhao carried when she left the palace were many such pills. Lingyi had been watching her take and use some recently, and she could feel changes in her body; it seemed a bit excessive…

Before she could decide whether to speak, he picked her up and carried her to the bed in a few steps.

Qin Lie leaned down and bit her lip, squeezing out two words between his teeth, "Again!"

He had been caught off guard and stumbled earlier, but this time he was determined to avenge his defeat, so he naturally put on twice the effort. Lingyi was still somewhat conscious at first, but eventually she fainted. When she woke up again, Qin Lie was nowhere to be seen, and she was left feeling as if she had been run over by a wheel.

Normally, she could sleep a little longer, but today she had something to do.

The families of those prefectures and counties were all received by Lady Zhen, the Crown Princess, but the people who came today were relatives of the Qin family.

In the past, General Qin volunteered to guard the frontier and moved his entire family to Jizhou. At that time, his two younger sisters were already married and had children, so they did not come with him. Now, decades have passed, and these two old ladies have passed away one after the other. This time, their descendants have come, and Lingyi has no choice but to meet them.

The Zhen family was very efficient and had already prepared accommodations for them at the Prince's residence, expecting the group to arrive at dusk that day.

Lingyi hurriedly dressed and went to find Zhen Shi, but when Zhen Shi saw her, she said, "Sister-in-law, why don't you go back to your room and change your clothes before coming over?"

Lingyi was puzzled. She had specially changed into a dignified and composed dress when she came over. Was there something inappropriate about it?

Mrs. Zhen smiled ambiguously and pointed to her neck.

Rushing back to Hanmoxuan, Lingyi looked at the red marks in the mirror and was immediately furious.

Since Qin Lie returned, he has been very clingy at night. Her skin is fair, and marks are easily left on her skin. Now that it's getting hotter every day, she specifically told him to avoid covering her neck so that people wouldn't see her wearing thin clothes.

Fortunately, the marks on her body were easy to leave but also faded quickly, and he was quite obedient, so he had never embarrassed himself before.

But today he was so angry and embarrassed that he didn't have time to look closely before leaving, which is why he almost made a fool of himself in front of so many people.

She quickly changed into a spring shirt with a higher collar and rushed back. In just the time it took to walk there, she was covered in a light sweat.

Fortunately, she made it in time. However, upon seeing Madam Zhen, Lingyi felt her face flush and was too embarrassed to look up.

Madam Zhen suppressed a laugh, thinking to herself that it was no wonder her third brother liked to tease her. Such a shy and timid beauty even made her, who was usually dignified and self-possessed, feel mischievous. She deliberately teased her, "It seems that Huan'er will soon have brothers and sisters to keep her company."

Lingyi dared not look up, biting her lip and staring intently at the hem of her skirt.

Although she was angry with Qin Lie, she was even more alarmed by Zhen's words.

Huan'er's siblings...

The elderly often say that having many children brings many blessings. For married women, the more children they have, especially sons, the more secure their position will be.

But right now, her heart is entirely with Huan'er. Huan'er is still so young, and she doesn't want to share her love for Huan'er with anyone else, not even her other children.

Since giving birth to Huan'er, her menstrual blood has not returned. She is not afraid of getting pregnant, but a woman's menstrual blood will return by the time her child is six months old.

Qin Lie is an extremely lustful man, and with such frequent intercourse, once menstruation begins, she will likely become pregnant immediately.

She needed to find a way to prevent pregnancy, but now that her fifteenth sister was gone, neither her good friend Zhen Shi nor her loyal Zhao Mama and Pearl would help her in this matter.

Before she could worry any longer, the carriage arrived. Lingyi quickly put on a polite smile and followed behind Zhen to greet it.

.

Guests arrived one after another over three or four days, followed by the 100-day celebration.

For many, this banquet came at the perfect time. The Great Han Empire was now fragmented, with three dynasties in the south and only the seventh prince in the north claiming the throne. Although he was of the late emperor's blood, he was a notorious usurper. Moreover, he was tyrannical and ambitious, hardly a wise ruler. Whether those who came wanted to establish themselves as kings or seek a new ruler, they could not avoid the Qin family army, a behemoth entrenched on the border.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and the exchange of toasts, countless witty remarks and subtle probing questions were exchanged.

Although the female guests were also influenced by the men, they only mentioned matters of state and family, and in the end, they still talked about trivial family matters.

Lingyi was stunningly beautiful, and Huan'er was exquisitely beautiful. Everyone praised them. In the end, they couldn't help but mention that Zhen was gentle, virtuous, and good at managing the household. The princess was truly blessed.

It was Lingyi's first time being the center of attention, so she was inevitably a little uncomfortable. Fortunately, she had impeccable manners and was supported by Madam Zhen, so the banquet was quite successful.

When she returned to Hanmoxuan, she was physically tired but in high spirits. She was happy for Huan'er, and her heart was burning with joy.

Qin Lie returned even later than her, having drunk an unknown amount, and was even staggering as he walked.

Thinking of the grand occasion today, all for Huan'er, Lingyi looked at him again and suddenly felt that he was handsome and dashing.

She went over and helped him to the bed, took off his shoes and socks, fed him some hangover tea, and then sat by the bed and used a damp towel to wash his face.

He grasped her hand, placed it against his heart, and asked drunkenly, "Are you happy today?"

Lingyi sincerely said, "I couldn't be happier, but I'm sorry to have troubled you, General."

He chuckled, half-asleep: "What's so hard about it? If the princess is happy, then I'm happy."

Although his voice was muffled, his words were earnest, and his eyes were filled with tenderness and affection as he gazed at her intently.

Lingyi, however, seemed to have been burned by a spark, and subconsciously lowered her head, not daring to look him in the eye for a moment.

He was very drunk and soon closed his eyes again, allowing Lingyi to free her hand to carefully wipe his face and neck.

Seeing him lying there fully clothed, Lingyi tried to undress him, but he was so tall and heavy that she couldn't even turn him over. She was about to call the maid on night duty outside to help her when he opened his eyes and stared intently at her.

Lingyi immediately understood, "The general is faking being drunk!"

Qin Lie curled his lips into a lazy smile, "I did drink a bit too much, but I'm not to the point where I can't move."

Since that afternoon, I've been busy welcoming guests for the past few days, and I spend my nights in the study.

Lingyi said, "Then why were you lying there motionless just now?"

Qin Lie went to his right-hand man and said, "If it weren't for that, how could I have been served by the princess? What happened just now was just an appetizer. Since the princess has been a good person, why not serve her to the end?" He teased, his eyes gradually darkening.

Lingyi could easily see through his gaze. She quickly stood up, turned to leave, but he grabbed her and pulled her back.

Then, a dizzying sensation swept over her, and she was already on the bed. Looking into those eyes filled with deep desire, Lingyi hurriedly begged for mercy: "General, I'm so tired..."

He asked, half-jokingly and half-displeased, "Of all the generals in the world, which one are you calling?"

Lingyi readily complied and tentatively begged for mercy: "...Husband?"

He suddenly became inexplicably annoyed and bit her lip. "Which husband are you calling this time?"

Lingyi didn't know what he was talking about or what he was angry about. She only knew that he was quite drunk, otherwise why would he be so concerned about a form of address?

But she was at a loss as to what to call him. He grew increasingly impatient, his bites becoming harder and harder, biting and pulling, making Lingyi's mouth numb and sore. She got annoyed and called out to him crisply, "Qin Lie!"

He was finally satisfied, gave her a big kiss, and coaxed her, "Say it again, let me hear it."

That night, Lingyi didn't know how many times she called Qin Lie's name, sometimes feeling ashamed and angry, sometimes begging for mercy, until she was finally able to fall asleep just before dawn.

The 100-day celebration was a grand affair, and everyone in the Prince's mansion, from top to bottom, was exhausted. Aside from routine tasks, there were no other arrangements for the next two days, allowing everyone to rest. Not only the master, but even Huan'er didn't wake up until late the next day.

It was even more rare for Lingyi and Qin Lie to wake up together, with nothing else to worry about. Qin Lie lazily held her in his arms and cuddled her tenderly.

No matter how glamorous it may seem on the surface, it can't withstand close scrutiny under the guise of prosperity.

Qin Lie rubbed Lingyi's shoulder with his thumb and slowly said, "Mother has always doted on my eldest brother and has high hopes for him. My sister-in-law has been heartbroken since my eldest brother's death and rarely leaves the courtyard unless absolutely necessary. Although they didn't come, I had someone send them gifts on their behalf, so that things can be considered acceptable in public."

Lingyi said softly, "General, you don't need to explain to me. I am also a mother. If my child were harmed, I would probably want to kill that person's whole family. How could I possibly hold a grudge against them because of this?"

"Why are you still calling me General?" Qin Lie pinched his subordinate's soft flesh in dissatisfaction, paused, and then asked, "What about your sister-in-law?"

Lingyi asked blankly, "How is my sister-in-law?"

Lingyi frowned slightly: "General, good people are blessed by heaven, why say such unlucky things?"

He persisted, asking, "If Xie Yu were to harm me one day, would you avenge me?"

Lingyi was even more confused, "Zhuozhou is far away, thousands of miles away, how could he possibly harm you?"

Qin Lie snorted coldly: "It's hard to say. Perhaps one day I will be foolish enough to run to Zhuozhou, be ambushed and killed by him, be seriously injured and forced to jump into the icy river, and end up with no trace of my body."

Lingyi quickly covered his mouth, "Pah! Pah! I didn't mean it, may the gods not take offense!"

Life was just starting to get better. What would happen to her and Huan'er if he died?

After she finished praying, she looked up and saw him smiling broadly, extremely pleased with himself.

She glared at him with wide eyes and said seriously, "General, you must never say such things again!"

"Yes, yes, Your Highness, I dare not disobey your command." He kissed her forehead and promised, "I won't say it again."

The two lingered until just before lunch before getting up. Seeing that Qin Lie was in a good mood, Lingyi pondered for a moment and then asked Pearl to take a set of clothes from the cabinet.

Qin Lie raised his thick eyebrows slightly, both surprised and delighted: "You've made clothes in just a few days? And even boots."

Lingyi dared not take credit and explained, "This was sent by Aunt Liu through someone."

With just a few words, Qin Lie felt as if he had been doused with ice water during a pleasant spring outing. The smile on his face vanished instantly, and at the same time, a surge of resentment rose in his chest. Yet, he stubbornly forced a smile, pretending to be nonchalant. He rummaged through his clothes and said casually, "Oh, I recognize her. She's always been meticulous, and her needlework is excellent. The things she makes are the most comfortable to use; no one else can compare."

Lingyi paused for a moment, then said, "Although she is in the Buddhist temple, she still thinks of the general every day. I heard that the general plans to bring her back after Huan'er's 100-day celebration, and now the time has come."

Qin Lie's heart turned completely cold, but he still smiled and said, "I am so lucky to have married such a virtuous and generous wife as the princess. She is so thoughtful and considerate. I am truly moved."

His tone was gentle, but Lingyi could hear the sinister anger he was suppressing in his words. She quickly said softly, "I dare not act on my own initiative. That's why I specifically asked the general for permission. Only after the general gave his approval did I dare to send someone over."

"Go! Of course I'll go!" Qin Lie shouted. "Ever since she left, I've missed her terribly. I haven't been able to eat or sleep properly. I need to bring her back as soon as possible to put my mind at ease!"

As his wife, Lingyi knew from the beginning that their relationship was extraordinary, but this was the first time she had heard him express his feelings for another woman so frankly. How could she feel comfortable and happy?

But this was exactly what she wanted, and she quickly recovered, smiling as she said, "I'll arrange for someone to go there right away."

Qin Lie looked at her with a sneer, "I will naturally go and fetch my own people, so there is no need for the princess to trouble herself!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he couldn't wait a moment longer and strode out.