Chapter 46: All that can be seen is a rampant surge of desire and love...

The moonlight was clear and bright, slanting down from the horizon onto the Huai River like a white jade mirror. After discussing celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival together the next day, the carriage turned out of Yan Family Lane. The streets were still bustling, filled with rabbit lanterns that illuminated the entire city of Jinling even brighter.

Qian Yingyi sat in the carriage feeling rather bored. She lifted the curtain to peek out, then a thought suddenly crossed her mind. She turned to Qin Lizheng and said, "I'd like to go to your house for a while."

Qin Lizheng kissed her cheek and nodded in response.

So the carriage bypassed Huaiqing Bridge, passed Tongji Gate, and then turned into a small alley on Tiantan Street, where it soon stopped in front of a dark house.

Qian Yingyi pulled up her skirt and got off the carriage, her bright eyes darting around curiously. She followed Qin Lizheng into the house and was quite surprised to find that there wasn't even a servant cleaning the huge house.

As she followed behind Qin Lizheng, she looked around, and soon her gaze settled on a ginkgo tree. The entire house was deserted and rather gloomy, but there was a dazzling swing covered with flowering branches.

"...When did you do that?" Qian Yingyi gently gripped the hem of her skirt, slowly stopped, and lifted her eyelids to look at him.

“Just these past few days,” Qin Lizheng leaned lazily against a rock, crossed his arms and gazed at Qian Yingyi. The moonlight illuminated his dark eyes, and his gaze precisely locked onto her. “I can’t guess what you meant before. I had some free time during the day, but I didn’t dare to go to you, so I could only stay here and do this.”

Qian Yingyi pouted, let out a soft hum through her nose, walked over to the swing and leaned down to peek. Seeing that it was very clean, she sat down on the swing, wrapped her arms around the ropes, and said lazily, "Come here, what are you doing standing so far away? Let's talk."

Qin Lizheng simply walked behind her to push her, but she stopped him by opening her mouth and said, "Hey, sit down, I have something to ask you."

He had no choice but to sit on a low, round stone stool next to her.

The moonlight and flowers intertwined, making it a perfect scene for a romantic evening. Qian Yingyi tilted her head slightly, staring at his face for a long time, before asking a somewhat heavy question, "A-Zheng, where did you go during those years you disappeared?"

Qin Lizheng's eyes trembled slightly as he looked up at her, his voice soft, "Back then, to avoid trouble, my father wanted to send me to the border. But I was young and impetuous, and all I wanted was to avenge my brother, so I fled to Jinling."

“But when I met Prince Rui, I changed my mind,” he smiled. “It’s just that I got separated from my family’s guards and went to the border alone, where I met my master.”

"Master?" Qian Yingyi asked in surprise.

Qin Lizheng opened his arms to her, "Let me hug you."

Qian Yingyi pursed her lips, still tiptoed to stop the swaying swing, stood up and stood in front of him, letting him wrap his arms around her waist.

"Didn't you see me from afar once before?" Qin Lizheng brought his face close to her slightly soft abdomen and gently rubbed it, his fingers kneading a piece of fabric behind her waist. "Before my family suffered any misfortune, I was no different from the sons of officials in the capital. I spent my days chasing chickens and fighting dogs, and my behavior could even be described as vile. As for my martial arts skills, they were naturally far inferior to what they are now."

"When I met my master, he was already in his twilight years. I think he was probably a master from some martial arts sect. I don't know what he experienced in his life. I only know that he kidnapped me, taught me martial arts, and taught me how to kill. From then on, I lived with him in the mountains until he passed away. I took care of his funeral arrangements before I went down the mountain to the capital."

At this point, Qin Lizheng pressed his warm hand against Qian Yingyi's back, pulling her closer, his voice heavy with emotion, "To join the Embroidered Uniform Guard, I went home once. My parents..."

He paused, lowered his trembling eyelashes, and after a long while said, "My parents really thought I was dead, and I was no longer the same as before. In order to avenge them, I had to endure the grief and leave home again. From a strongman to a captain, to a flag officer, a commander, a deputy commander, and a commander, I climbed to the top by stepping on others. It would be a lie to say that I wasn't numb."

Perhaps the topic was too heavy, Qin Lizheng forced a smile, looked up at Qian Yingyi, and said half-jokingly, "My affairs cannot be explained in a few words. If you ask me in detail, I'm afraid you'll feel sorry for me and cry again. Let's talk about something happy. Do you know why your brother and I had a conflict?"

After listening for a while, Qian Yingyi felt indignant at Prince Rui's shameless behavior, as well as a lot of bitterness, for him, for the Qin family behind him, and even more so for the deceased Qin Liran. In short, her emotions were too complicated to describe.

Only then did she realize that he had spent the longest years in the mountains and fields, which explained why he was so adept at carpentry.

Hearing that he intended to set aside these matters, Qian Yingyi fluttered her eyelashes, wiping away the moisture welling up in her eyes, then leaned down to sit on his lap, resting her head against his neck, and said softly, "Go on."

Qin Lizheng wrapped his arms around her, pretending to be exaggerated, "That day was the day your brother first entered the Hanlin Academy as an editor. You know, my brother was the previous editor. Because of this, I deliberately took a detour to the Hanlin Academy after my shift, just to see what your brother looked like."

"Your brother rushed out in a hurry, without any semblance of decorum, just blindly rushing forward. That's when he bumped into me. I didn't think much of it at first, but then I realized that my dog ​​hair had gotten on his patched clothes."

"His official robe was brand new and finely made. There was a lot of dog hair on the insignia in front of him, which could not be cleaned off in a short time. I heard from the Hanlin official who was with him that he was on his way to see the emperor at that time."

Qin Lizheng laughed, "That's probably why he resented me for delaying his work, and his tone wasn't as nice when he spoke to me. At that time, I was thinking about my brother, and my mind wasn't as calm as it is now, so I retorted a couple of times."

“After a while, the feud was formed. Every time we met, I would mock him for his pretentious manner, and he would call me a lackey.”

Qian Yingyi rarely heard Qin Lizheng say so much in one go. She hugged his waist, tilted her head and thought for a moment, and then burst out laughing.

Thinking of that "dog hair," she lifted her suspicious eyes from the side of his neck again. "Oh right, how could I forget that? You got into a fight with someone in the street because of a dog that day. You like dogs, don't you?"

Qin Lizheng chuckled, shaking his shoulders under her gaze, "Its name is Songsong. It's quite old now. I keep it at my home in the capital. Knowing you're afraid of dogs, I entrusted it to Chu Zhiyan a long time ago."

Qian Yingyi was surprised for a moment before giving him a look that said, "You're so sensible." She continued, "I'm not that heartless. You and Song...Songsong must have a deep bond. No matter how scared I am, I can't just let you disappear forever. Hmm...Let me think...I vaguely remember that it was a white curly-haired puppy, wasn't it?"

"It has a very gentle temperament," Qin Lizheng said, seeing that she was slightly more receptive. "When we get back to the capital, I'll take you to see it from afar, okay?"

Qian Yingyi pursed her lips, pondered for a moment, and then nodded.

Upon hearing the mention of the capital, she straightened up from his embrace, her whole body becoming upright. "I know you don't want to talk to me about these heavy things, but there's something I still want to say. After all these years, have you gone crazy missing your parents? When we return to the capital, I'll go with you to see them."

Her mind raced again, and she asked, "Have you caught Prince Rui doing anything wrong?"

Qin Lizheng nodded slightly. "Liang Tu... was Prince Rui's strategist back then."

"Him?" Qian Yingyi exclaimed in surprise, then suddenly realized, "No wonder... I was wondering why you suddenly found a dessert shop like this. Come to think of it, I haven't seen Xixi since she caused a scene at the Wen family's house that day!"

Qian Yingyi was always quick-witted, her eyes gleaming. A thought flashed through her mind, but she caught it immediately and asked, "The commotion that day was so big, the Wen family was dealt with, and your identity was exposed. Doesn't Prince Rui know something? You want Liang Tu to testify for you, right? Will Prince Rui be ruthless enough to kill you?"

Before she could finish speaking, she leaped out of his arms, grabbed his arm, and pulled him outside. "Hey, you still have the mind to talk to me here? Go check on Liang Tu..."

Qin Lizheng couldn't help but chuckle and quickly pulled her back to him, "Don't run, don't run, I ordered my men to keep an eye on that side."

He took in her eagerness and couldn't resist giving her a light kiss on the lips. He explained, "Prince Rui knows of my existence. He's a cautious man and won't make any moves easily. He's not aware that Liang Tu is still alive. I've already had my men escort Liang Tu and Xi Xi to a safe place."

Seeing Qian Yingyi staring at him with a somewhat bewildered expression, Qin Lizheng suppressed a laugh, pulled her close, and pressed his thin lips to her shoulder, letting out a sigh, "Let's not talk about this, Yingyi, what should we do? I'm so nervous."

Qian Yingyi blinked her eyes, which were hovering over his chest. "Hmm? Nervous?"

Qin Lizheng responded softly, "I'll be nervous when I see your grandfather tomorrow."

Qian Yingyi snapped back to reality, realizing that her grandfather had always disliked government offices like the Military Command and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, which were full of cruel officials, especially since Qin Lizheng had been lying in wait at home earlier...

She chuckled softly, wrapped her arms around his waist, and ran her fingertips along his side, giving him a mischievous twist. "You're afraid sometimes too?"

.

"Hiss..." A sharp pain in his waist brought Qian Linye back to his senses. He was holding Tuan Jie'er, and his waist involuntarily lifted up. He turned his head to look at Ren Yuqing sitting in the tent. "Qingqing, why are you pinching me?"

Ren Yuqing glanced at him indifferently, "I'm talking to you, do you remember? Although you have some old grudges with that Commander Qin, your sister likes him, and he saved your Tuan'er this time. No matter how unhappy you are, you are not allowed to give me a long face, do you understand?"

Even now, the mention of this matter still feels like a lump in Qian Linye's throat. He gently swayed Tuanjie's small body with his broad hands, gritting his teeth in hatred, "Before leaving for Yangzhou, I asked my brother-in-law to keep an eye on things for me. I never expected that no matter how much I guarded against it, the one I should have guarded against the most was my sister!"

His tone was not good when he spoke. Tuanjie seemed to sense it, glanced at him with her eyes, and then calmly closed her fair eyelids, as if ignoring her father's anger.

Seeing that he had woken Tuan Jie'er, Qian Linye lowered his gaze and stared at her. Then he recalled the harrowing experience of Ren Yuqing's childbirth. Perhaps for this reason, he restrained himself slightly and replied with a smirk, "I know, I won't cause him any trouble."

During the tofu-flowering season, the bright moon hangs high, and a gentle breeze carries the fragrance of osmanthus. In the garden, besides the laughter of maids and servants, there is also the rustling of the wind and the flickering lights, making it a perfect night for family reunions.

When Qin Lizheng and Chu Zhiyan arrived with gifts for the festival, they bumped into Little Tortoiseshell.

The young man led the two towards the main hall, and said indignantly, "If I had known you were such a high-ranking official, I should have followed you around more. It would have been so prestigious to talk about how I had worked with the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard who served the Emperor."

Chu Zhiyan couldn't help but chuckle twice, giving Xiao Daimao a knowing smile. "I heard you're getting married? The Imperial Guard in the capital is a bit far, but there's an Imperial Guard camp in Nanjing, isn't there? If you want, judging by your figure and the way you walk with the wind, you could get in."

Little Tortoiseshell was a little flustered when it saw Qin Lizheng transform into the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

He relaxed a lot and put his arm around Qin Lizheng's shoulder as before, lowering his voice, "Hey, don't blame me for not reminding you, the old master's complexion wasn't good this morning, so be careful."

Qin Lizheng had remained silent since entering the mansion. Upon hearing the sound, his expression shifted slightly. Seeing that they had reached the outside of the main hall, he bowed to the little tortoiseshell and said, "Thank you."

He then entered the main hall with Chu Zhiyan.

Upon opening his eyes, he saw Qian Lanting sitting upright in the seat of honor, his lips pressed down, his face devoid of emotion.

Xu Jun and Qian Younian sat on his left, while a group of younger people sat on his right. This situation did not resemble an invitation to a Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet, but rather the whole family waiting to interrogate him.

Strangely enough, while Tuanjie was lying in her little wooden bed, she started waving her hands around haphazardly, whether she smelled Chu Zhiyan's scent or something else.

The commotion brought Chu Zhiyan back to her senses, and she quickly bowed, saying, "Old Master Qian, Lord Qian, Second Madam Qian."

Qin Lizheng stood there quietly for a while, and when Qian Lanting didn't question him, he bowed and said in a deep voice, "Old Qian."

Qian Lanting rubbed his thumb on the chair, a cold emotion in his eyes. He scrutinized Qin Lizheng for a moment, then chuckled, "The old man is getting old and his eyesight is failing. He didn't even know that the dignified Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard had been staying at home for more than half a year. Commander Qin, you are quite capable."

“I know I have done wrong, so although I have come to your door today to attend the banquet, it is also to apologize,” Qin Lizheng said, bending even lower. “Please forgive me, Elder Qian.”

Qian Lanting held his teacup and sneered. Just as he was about to speak again, Qian Yingyi's delicate voice suddenly rang out in the hall. She coughed twice and glared at Qian Lanting.

Qian Lanting glared back at her secretly, but didn't say anything more. She then calmly looked Qin Lizheng up and down, and when she spoke again, her voice softened considerably. "Alright, you said you were going to a banquet. You kidnapped my precious granddaughter. I should have kicked you out, but unfortunately you saved my great-granddaughter. Whether you kick me out or not, I won't say anything more. If you have anything to apologize for, go and talk to Yingyi's parents when we get back to the capital."

"...Hmph." Qian Linye sneered as he heard this.

Xu Jun, always adept at reading people's expressions, quickly nudged Qian Younian with her elbow.

Qian Younian, who rarely gets to return home, was still a little dazed. Xu Jun gave him a firm nudge, and he hurriedly stood up with a smile, "That's right, that's right. Today is a family meal, so we should all be happy. Please sit down, please sit down."

"Oh dear, Tuan'er is staring at people with her eyes wide open," Xu Jun said with a smile, clapping her hands as she walked straight to the crib, picked Tuan'er up, and tilted her head to study her expression. "Tuan'er, Tuan'er, what are you looking at?"

Tuanjie'er couldn't speak. Although she came into the world early, she didn't have the weakness of other babies. After half a month of recuperation, soft, chubby flesh could be vaguely seen on her face.

With drool around her mouth, she babbled incoherently, and when her grape-like eyes spotted Chu Zhiyan, a smile bloomed on her face.

"..." Qian Linye's expression grew increasingly grim. He clenched his fists secretly, a sense of grievance welling up inside him for no apparent reason. He got up to take Tuanjie'er away, saying, "Girl, come here, let Daddy hold you."

Unexpectedly, Tuanjie kicked wildly in his arms a couple of times, her mouth twitching as if she was about to cry.

Ren Yuqing was not one to come out and meet people, but because of Chu Zhiyan's visit, she still came out of the courtyard wrapped up tightly. She chuckled twice while holding her handkerchief, and suddenly suggested, "My lord, let's give Tuan'er to Lord Chu. I think she wants Lord Chu to hold her."

Qian Linye's face darkened as he looked at Tuan Jie'er, "You won't let Daddy hold you?"

Tuan Jie'er ignored his jealousy and stared longingly at Chu Zhiyan.

"...How about I give you a hug?" Chu Zhiyan was surprised that Tuan Jie'er was so affectionate towards him. Under the gaze of Qian Linye, who looked like she wanted to devour him alive, he chuckled twice and raised his arms as if to say, "Let me see."

Qian Linye stepped aside, about to refuse, when Tuan Jie'er burst into tears.

Qian Yuxing couldn't stand it, rolled her eyes, got up and took Tuan Jie'er into his arms, then handed her to Chu Zhiyan, saying, "Lord Chu, you'd better hold her tight."

"Hey...hey..." Chu Zhiyan readily agreed, carefully lifting Tuan Jie'er's body and shaking her a little awkwardly. Tuan Jie'er gradually stopped crying and stared at him without blinking, making Chu Zhiyan smile happily, "You really do want me to carry you!"

Yu Cheng and Qian Yuxing had no children. Although he was preparing to go to Suzhou Prefecture, he did not forget to learn how to take care of children. At this moment, he found it strange and smiled, "Oh, it really is true. Tuanjie can't speak, but she looks very real. It is said that children have no memory before the age of three. But it seems to me that she remembers who saved her."

After holding him for a while, Chu Zhiyan's arms became stiff, a force trapped in them, unable to go up or down, because he was being too careful.

Seeing him standing there awkwardly, Ren Yuqing couldn't help but smile gently. She glanced at Qin Lizheng and said suddenly, "Commander, you should hug her too. You also deserve a share of the debt of gratitude for Sister Tuan's life-saving grace."

Qin Lizheng was standing quietly behind the crowd with Qian Yingyi when he heard Ren Yuqing ask him to hold the little bundle. He suddenly panicked and looked at a loss for a moment before opening his arms to take it.

He caught her in his arms, and coincidentally, Qian Yingyi came over with a grin to tease him, "Sister Tuan, who am I? I'm your aunt, your aunt is standing right in front of you!"

Holding the new life in his arms, Qin Lizheng was still quite awkward. He could only let Tuan Jie'er's pure eyes gaze at him, her softness touching his heart, which had already begun to open.

At this moment, he caught a glimpse of Qian Yingyi tilting her head and leaning closer. Qin Lizheng's longing for "home" instantly grew like wild grass in spring, giving him a kind of illusion—as if she was calling herself his aunt, then he himself had taken on the role of his uncle.

Qin Lizheng was stunned for a moment, then was startled by Qian Yingyi's smile. It was as if a tsunami had surged in his heart, but he remained silent and did not express it.

After a long pause, Qian Linye finally couldn't stand his daughter being carried back and forth, and reluctantly took Tuanjie back.

The youngest member, Qian Qiyu, who had been secretly observing from the side, suddenly pointed out that Qian Linye was jealous. Everyone burst into laughter, and the previous imposing manner that seemed to be about to interrogate someone gradually faded away.

Before long, the feast was laid out. Ren Yuqing gently pulled Qian Linye's hand under the table, and the couple rose and faced Chu Zhiyan and Qin Lizheng, offering them warm tea and wine, and formally thanking them for saving their lives.

The warm tea made Ren Yuqing's voice clearer. She raised her eyes and said with a smile, "Grandpa, Second Uncle, Second Aunt, you three elders are all here. I have something to say today."

As she spoke, her gaze swept over Tuan'er once more before returning to her, and she continued, "My husband and I have discussed this. If Lord Chu hadn't been there that day, I might not have made it back to the city to give birth, resulting in the death of both mother and child. Therefore, we want Tuan'er to recognize Lord Chu as her godfather..."

She looked at Chu Zhiyan frankly and asked, "Lord Chu is still young, and you don't have a wife at home, do you? I wonder if you would mind having another goddaughter?"

Qian Linye glanced at them and, though he disliked both of them, it didn't stop him from acting like a true gentleman. He straightened up, bowed to them, and expressed his sincere gratitude.

Xu Jun nodded slightly in agreement, her tone joking, "To be honest, I was terrified at the time. If I had known that would happen, I shouldn't have advised you to go to the Wen family and recognize them as godfathers. Wouldn't this be perfect? ​​I think Sister Tuan really likes Lord Chu."

"...How could this be?" Chu Zhiyan was flattered and subconsciously turned to look at Tuan Jie'er. Seeing her lying so small on the wooden bed, he recalled the feeling of his heart collapsing when he held her just now. He couldn't refuse anymore and could only ask hesitantly, "Really?"

Ren Yuqing smiled and said, "It couldn't be more real."

Chu Zhiyan was overjoyed and kept pouring wine for himself to toast her and Qian Linye. After a few rounds of drinks, he sat down, lifted his robe, and nudged Qin Lizheng with his arm, whispering, "Commander, I have a goddaughter."

Qin Lizheng was speechless, glanced at him indifferently, and then looked away. Qian Lanting, who was secretly scrutinizing him, suddenly asked, "The Emperor ordered you to investigate corrupt officials. Does he intend to arrest them all and bring them back to the capital for interrogation?"

"Yes," Qin Lizheng hurriedly replied, "His Majesty's intention is to give the capital, Nanjing, and even the thirteen provinces a warning in this matter: even if people are to be killed, they should be gathered together before being killed."

Qian Lanting half-closed his eyes, pondered for a moment, then leaned back in his chair, the lamplight casting an inscrutable shadow on his slightly aged face. "I had a feeling something was off about Yan Yu before, but I never imagined those officials in the Yingtian Prefecture government would be so audacious..."

Having heard Qian Yingyi talk about some things outside, Qian Lanting thought of Fan Baozhu and Yan Ruheng, and his mind was clear as a mirror. He said, "I wondered why Lord Fan's illness suddenly disappeared, and why Yan Yu was dismissed from his post, but still reached into the Ministry of Works, as if he was afraid that he hadn't been greedy enough. I used to manage shipbuilding matters for Lord Fan. If these two become related by marriage, I guess if they are greedy, they will be greedy for the tung oil used in shipbuilding."

Qian Younian was startled. He gripped his chopsticks and looked up. "Your Majesty, Father, this is unacceptable! Using tung oil to finish the project is a huge waste. Not to mention how much can be embezzled in one trip, these are ten giant ships. By the end of the year, all the supplies for the entire Jiangnan region will be on them. If one of them is not careful and takes on water and sinks, the Emperor will hold them accountable. It would be one thing if Yan Yu died, but I'm afraid it will cause an uprising among the people of Jiangnan."

“That’s exactly what I’m worried about,” Qian Lanting said in a deep voice. “The entire Jiangnan region controls most of the government’s economy. From silk and satin to cotton and grain, it all comes down to the ‘common people.’ Without the common people, there would be none of these things. If they find out that a year’s hard work has sunk into the canal because of greed, the people will be furious, and things will not end well.”

When this matter was brought up, the table gradually fell silent. Needless to say, Yu Cheng and Qian Linye's expressions were serious, and even Qian Yuxing and Ren Yuqing were very serious.

There have never been few corrupt officials in this world, but this level of corruption, bordering on insanity, is something we've never seen before.

Qian Lanting glanced at Qin Lizheng and suddenly asked, "Everything requires evidence. It might be difficult to completely convict Yan Lin's faction based solely on the Wen family's tens of thousands of taels of silver. What are you waiting for?"

Qin Lizheng ladled a bowl of tender tofu soup for Qian Yingyi, and then replied, "To be honest, I have been investigating someone's account books, but unfortunately the other party hid them too well. Only recently did the Embroidered Uniform Guard find the account books."

He picked up Pei Ji and explained the situation in detail, then said, "Pei Ji is currently unaware that I have switched the account books. With these account books, it becomes clear that Yan Lin's faction smuggled and resold goods through Wang Yi's connections at the delivery station. Yan Yu also wants to embezzle another sum with Lord Fan. I think it would be better to catch them like turtles in a jar. With all the evidence, even if they have three heads and six arms, they will have no chance to escape the imperial prison."

"Once we capture them, we can extract confessions from the officials below, and then we can completely close the net. I will personally escort them back to the capital."

As she spoke, Qian Yingyi buried her face in her bowl, but one hand reached under the table to hook Qin Lizheng's fingertips. After hooking them a few times, he pressed them onto his lap without saying a word. She couldn't help but chuckle softly, laughing at this kind of teasing that only she and he knew.

Qin Lizheng remained composed and continued, "In short, the Emperor has replaced Lord Wei with the Prefect of Yingtian Prefecture. This move will surely provoke Yan Yu into taking action. We just need to wait and see what he does."

Qian Lanting pondered for a while, nodded, and said nothing more.

Instead, Xu Jun looked around and sighed with a smile, "Oh dear, what a fine family dinner! Why are you talking about business? If you want to discuss it, go to the study after the meal. Let's finish our food first, before it gets cold."

After another round of drinks, Qian Linye did not cause any trouble for Qin Lizheng. He only stared at Qin Lizheng with his bright eyes, his gaze containing a warning.

Qian Qiyu was extremely excited. The thought of his future brother-in-law being the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard made him incredibly happy. He drank quite a lot of wine, and Qin Lizheng also had a few drinks with him. A faint, almost imperceptible redness appeared under his eyelids.

When the banquet ended, Qian Lanting pinched his slightly tired forehead, said nothing more, and just waved his hand to let the younger generation have fun on their own.

After this incident, everyone in the Qian family knew that Qian Yingyi and Qin Lizheng had fallen in love with each other.

So Ren Yuqing pulled Qian Linye and took Tuan Jie'er back to her own courtyard.

Qian Yuxing linked arms with Yu Cheng, looked up, and muttered that she wanted to admire the moon over Nanjing.

As for Qian Qiyu, he was naturally dragged and pulled by Xu Jun and his wife to the large garden.

Chu Zhiyan was even more delighted to be a godfather. He waved his hand and left, saying he was going to visit the gold shops on both sides of the Huai River to make a necklace for Tuanjie.

Under the flowers and moon, Qin Lizheng tilted his head and gazed at Qian Yingyi, raising an eyebrow slightly, "It's getting late, I have to go back."

Qian Yingyi glanced around for a moment, then quietly reached out and touched his fingertip. Her skirt swirled, creating a sea of ​​flowers, and she moved to stand in front of him, looking up at him. After a long while, she uttered a startling question, "You don't want to sleep with me anymore?"

Qin Lizheng was slightly taken aback, his blood boiling at her mysterious yet sparkling eyes, but he quickly calmed down and smiled as he offered her an arm. “I’ll have to trouble you to use this for now. If I stay, your brother will be barging in with his sword the moment I step into your Yunteng Pavilion.”

"Then let's not let him find out," Qian Yingyi said, taking advantage of the fact that no one was around. A surge of desire for secrecy welled up within her, and she mumbled, "Let's go somewhere else...maybe..."

She didn't spell it out, and remained standing still, only subtly venturing at him with her eyes. A dark, enigmatic something lurked in her gaze, tracing his nose, lips, neck, and waist...

Qin Lizheng, whose fingers had been hooked by hers, suddenly gripped hers tightly. With a hint of mischievousness, he leaned down slightly to her ear, his voice so low it seemed he wanted to drag her into the sea, "Aren't you afraid to come with me alone?"

Qian Yingyi laughed, "What are you talking about? Don't you have many rooms?"

“Okay,” Qin Lizheng smiled back at her, whispered a few words in her ear, and then straightened up and said, “It’s getting late, I’ll come to find you again tomorrow. I’m going to say goodbye to my elders.”

Qian Yingyi nodded slightly, pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve, and waved to him from where she stood. "See you tomorrow."

How could it really be tomorrow? Qin Lizheng left the Qian residence, leaned against the wall and waited quietly for about half an hour. Then he flipped over and jumped back in, skillfully avoiding everyone, and headed straight for the west wall of the main room of Yunteng Pavilion.

When he came out again, there was another figure in his arms.

They flew along the eaves and walls until they reached the house on this side of Zhengyang Gate. Only then did Qian Yingyi breathe a sigh of relief, wrapping her arms around his waist and exclaiming, "I can fly!"

Qin Lizheng laughed so hard his chest vibrated. He pulled her into his bedroom, lit several silver lamps, and placed the brocade boxes he had prepared in front of her. "Open them and take a look."

Qian Yingyi muttered a few suspicious words, but her hands didn't stop moving. When she opened it, her eyes lit up. "What beautiful pearls!"

"Consider this a Mid-Autumn Festival gift for you," Qin Lizheng smiled. "Do you like it?"

Qian Yingyi's bright eyes remained fixed on the pearls, and she nodded repeatedly, "I like them...I like them..."

As soon as she finished speaking, she seemed to sense something, belatedly lifting her eyelids to glance at him, and figured it out, "Oh, so you knew I would tell you I was coming?"

Qin Lizheng lazily propped his head up with his arm, staring at her. "You know, so now... are you leaving or staying?"

Qian Yingyi glared at him, closed the brocade box, and pushed it aside. She then looked around his bedroom. The bed had an indigo curtain, and the furnishings were simple: a desk, a cabinet, a landscape screen, a set of square tables and chairs, and a few mint leaves in full bloom.

Before coming, she was actually quite excited, feeling a surge of heat emanating from her body. But once she was in his room, she suddenly became shy and bashful.

So she lowered her eyes, twirling two fingers together, and whispered, "I...I just sat there waiting for you, I haven't even taken a bath yet..."

Qin Lizheng couldn't hide the smile on his lips. He nodded slightly, got up and walked towards the cabinet, took out a clean nightgown that smelled of soap and handed it to her, saying, "I'll go prepare some water."

Qian Yingyi held the nightgown, feeling her face flush slightly.

After a long pause, Qin Lizheng prepared hot water, stood outside the door, and gently knocked on the door with his finger, startling Qian Yingyi, who was in a daze.

She immediately grabbed her nightgown and headed outside. A moment later, she ordered him to lead the way. After a few turns, they discovered the bathroom next door. She stepped over the threshold and saw that the lights were already on inside. She turned back and closed the door, her eyes glancing through the crack as she said, "Go take a shower too."

Qin Lizheng nodded, indicating where the soap and handkerchief were placed, then turned and left.

Qian Yingyi's heart pounded, and when she found the bathtub and all the utensils were spotless, her heart warmed. She knew that he hadn't actually lived in this house much; the fine dust had long since turned into a thick layer of ash. Everything was clean because he knew she loved cleanliness.

After letting the hot water soak her eyelashes for a while, Qian Yingyi got up and dressed. She sniffed the minty scent on herself and then her gaze lingered on the soap for a moment. She wondered where the minty smell on him came from; it turned out that the soap contained mint.

It's strange, wearing this pajamas... it's like he's completely covered up.

Qian Yingyi stood quietly for a moment, then opened the door and peeked out half her face. Seeing him standing guard outside, his hair still damp, she was startled. "You're so fast!"

Qin Lizheng's gaze lingered on her for a moment, then he took her hand and led her towards the bedroom. "Don't you already know what I do quickly and what I don't?"

"...Oh dear, you're not allowed to say these things now."

Qian Yingyi blushed with embarrassment. He led her to the bedside, and as she watched him spread his arms, she hesitated for only a moment before breaking into a smile, hugging him and falling into the quilt.

She rolled over inside the tent, instinctively closing her eyes and waiting a moment, but heard no sound. Peeking out, she was instantly furious and kicked his shin, yelling, "What are you doing!"

Qin Lizheng leaned against her, his dark eyes filled with her gaze. "Didn't we say we'd sleep together?"

Qian Yingyi's face turned ashen with anger. She turned over and reached under her pillow, pulling out a booklet. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was a storybook she had written, one that had been sold a couple of years ago but was no longer available!

A hint of smugness flashed in her eyes. She rolled over and lay face down on the covers, flipping through the storybook in front of Qin Lizheng. Suddenly, she said, "I have a secret to tell you. Do you want to hear it?"

Qin Lizheng moved his face closer, his warm breath brushing against her ear, "Tell me."

Qian Yingyi suddenly perked up, sat up crookedly, closed the storybook, held it in front of her face with only her clear and bright eyes showing, and said mysteriously, "Actually, I am Jinling Little Red Bean."

He knew this was what she was going to say. Seeing her smug expression, Qin Lizheng didn't want to admit that he already knew, so he widened his eyes slightly, looking somewhat suspicious, "Really?"

Qian Yingyi climbed off the bed with a grin and went to the first bathroom. After a while, she returned like a butterfly, holding a small lop-eared rabbit stamp for him to see. She then picked up the storybook, pointed to the stamp under her signature, and said, "Look, when have I ever boasted? It really is me."

Qin Lizheng picked up the storybook, pretended to flip through it, then pinched her chin, staring at her and looking her up and down. After a while, he let out a brazen laugh, "You have this other identity too?"

“There’s a lot you don’t know,” Qian Yingyi said smugly, pulling him onto the quilt and flipping through the storybook. She pointed to the first page and said, “It’s about water ghosts, but I didn’t think it was well written, so I rewrote it at the end of this year. That’s ‘The Tale of the Water Ghosts’.”

"Wow, this feels so novel! Come and enjoy it with me."

Qin Lizheng had no choice but to let her pull him down. In fact, he could recite all the details she had written by heart, but he couldn't resist her current smugness and happiness. If he were to tell the truth, wouldn't that be a spoilsport?

Qian Yingyi was initially very interested and flipped through several pages in a row, but perhaps because the breathing next to her was a bit heavy, she couldn't calm down and gradually her fingertips turned the pages slower.

"Why did it stop?"

Qian Yingyi bit her lip secretly, then simply closed the storybook, got up again, and stared at him, "Why aren't you kissing me yet?"

Qin Lizheng let out a sigh, then sat down opposite her, his arms draped over his knees, and said earnestly, "If I said I was afraid of scaring you, would you believe me?"

Qian Yingyi's heart skipped a beat. Her fingertips, hanging at her sides, gripped the quilt tightly, but she gently closed her eyes and whispered, "...I believe you."

Actually, she hadn't completely closed her eyes; she could vaguely sense him approaching. She opened her eyes again and exclaimed, "It's too bright!"

Qin Lizheng sighed and chuckled, then casually unleashed a palm strike, instantly reducing the room to a tiny flame.

His kiss first landed gently and delicately on her forehead, then slowly and tenderly moved down, gently rubbing against her lips, his breathing controlled and steady.

Until someone moistened her lips, and her breathing became heavier, what followed was beyond her control. When the warm tongue touched her, Qian Yingyi's breathing even changed tone.

The tent was damp with moisture, and she instinctively grabbed his still slightly damp hair. A feeling of pleasure, which had somehow grown up her spine, seemed to want to burst through her bones.

Her tears seemed to be drawn from the sensation along her spine. As she stared blankly at the top of the tent, his glistening lips trailed upwards, finally gently wiping away the tear.

He then whispered in her ear in a hoarse voice, "Don't be afraid, I won't scare you."

Qian Yingyi felt like a small boat floating on the sea. The lingering effects of the waves had not yet dissipated when she felt his fingers pulling her down to the bottom of the sea.

A broad, warm hand gently stroked her back, which was sticky with a thin layer of sweat. The soothing touch made Qian Yingyi relax a little. A scent of mint wafted over her, and she subconsciously sniffed it. Just as she was about to catch her breath again, she suddenly realized that he had moved.

Feeling the steam, she tried to retreat, but there was nowhere to go. Suddenly, a gentle, warm spring rippled into the calm water, as if it were restraining its hidden, unruly energy.

Qian Yingyi felt something was strange, her breath caught in her throat, and before she could speak, she felt a chill.

She was already somewhat dazed, and could only fall backward, mumbling incoherently, "Ah... Zheng... your ring..."

Qin Lizheng leaned down to kiss her, his fingertip twirling the ring against it. The ring trailed gently upwards from his fingertip, and he asked softly, "Hmm? Is the ring cold?"

Qian Yingyi's mind went blank. She seemed to hear a pattering sound. Unconsciously, she opened her eyes and met his dark gaze, only to see a surge of desire and love.

Qian Yingyi felt completely glued to the ring, clinging tightly to Qin Lizheng, gritting her teeth and grumbling, "Next time...next time you're not allowed...to give me your ring without my permission..."

"Why?" Qin Lizheng's tender whisper seemed to be mixed with a lonely sigh, "Because you like it."

There was no response. Qian Yingyi was too distracted to talk to him. She felt as if there was another person in the room. That person had the same voice as hers, but made a slightly distorted sound. She tried to cover it up, but couldn't find it.

Finally, when I collapsed, drenched in sweat, I was completely dazed.

Unfortunately, with her eyes slightly closed, she could vaguely see Qin Lizheng staring at her face. Just as she was about to hurl insults at him, she saw him give a laugh that could be described as wanton, and lightly peck her glistening finger in front of her.

"You..." Qian Yingyi's eyes were moist, her mouth slightly open, and after a long while she could only utter one sentence, "You're so mean."

"Are you tired?" he asked in a low voice.

Are you tired? Qian Yingyi closed her eyes, pondered for a moment, then shook her head. "I'm alright..."

"Keep going if you're not tired."

The flame died down as quickly as it was put out, and the quilt beside her collapsed. Qian Yingyi was forced to turn over, and her palms suddenly became hot and burning. His palm covered the back of her hand and grabbed him with a swift force.

In the darkness, it was impossible to determine whose force was leading whom.

His heavy, indistinct breathing came from below, and the tingling sensation in Qian Yingyi's tailbone had already moved to her front. The wind and rain swept over her, and she was enveloped in a wave of heat.

He would still try his best to praise her, letting out a soft "hmm" followed by a muffled groan, "So amazing... Yingyi..."

Then came a torrent of love, one "I love Yingyi" after another crashing into her ears. At that moment, Qian Yingyi suddenly remembered his teasing about "fast and slow," and was forced to listen to his heavy breathing while thinking. When she stopped and came to her senses, she was shocked to find that even her hands were numb.

Just then, fireworks burst outside, casting a beam of light into the indigo-blue tent. Qian Yingyi was pulled into a heaving embrace, a whisper in her ear, "I don't want to be apart from you for even a second longer. I miss you so much, so much..."

Qin Lizheng buried his head in her neck and gently pecked her. After a while, he paused, and Qian Yingyi suddenly felt a warm sensation flow down her neck.

She looked up in disbelief, stunned. "...You're crying?"

Qin Lizheng opened his arms and embraced her. "I just feel that for the rest of our lives, whether we are Miss and Guard or Qin Lizheng and Qian Yingyi, the two of us will never be separated again."

Qian Yingyi remained silent for a moment, then, as the afterglow faded, she hugged him back, saying, "Yes, yes, we will."

After a moment of silence, and as the fireworks that had burst into the sky from both banks of the Huai River faded, Qin Lizheng finally got up, picked up Qian Yingyi by the knees, and walked behind the screen, saying, "Let's wash up."

Qian Yingyi's pretty face gradually flushed red. Then she realized what he meant and punched his shoulder with her fist. "Well, you've prepared everything. You knew what I was going to do all along, but you just didn't tell me on purpose, waiting for me!"

Qin Lizheng smiled, placed her in the still steaming bathtub, and then followed her in. He pulled out a hairpin from somewhere and tied up her hair, pressing his thumb to her lips. "Save your energy for later when you're scolding me."

Qian Yingyi was suspicious and was about to ask what he meant by "I'll scold him later" when she looked down and saw him raising his head again in the moonlight. She quickly turned away.

As the sound of water grew louder, a pair of strong arms came around from behind. Qian Yingyi grabbed the edge of the bucket and this time she was truly brought to the surface of the water.

After a brief pause, the fireworks burst into bloom again, a beautiful scene of flowers and family reunion, and cheers resounded throughout the entire city of Nanjing.

Amidst this grand celebration, Qian Yingyi succumbed to his kiss after kiss, feeling as if she were in a beautiful dream, both real and intoxicating, brimming with longing. She was unwilling to wake up, yet also unwilling to fall any deeper.

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Author's Note: Here it is!