Chapter 127 The Old Master's Test! Is this daughter-in-law a wild horse or a fine steed?
"Dad, what...does this mean?"
Qin Lie held the thin strip of paper and felt it weighed a ton.
"What does it mean? What else could it mean?"
Zhong Tinglan glanced at her son, her tone tinged with helplessness.
"You've made such a big fuss this time, even upsetting an old guy like Wang Gu. How could your grandfather not know?"
"He wants to personally 'inspect' you, the general who has won the battle, and by the way... test our 'female strategist' who plans everything."
Zhong Tinglan's gaze fell on Jiang Wu, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
There was worry, but also a barely perceptible expectation.
Jiang Wu remained calm. She took the note from Qin Lie, glanced at it, and then smiled at Zhong Tinglan, saying, "Mom, I understand. I will prepare well."
Qin Lie, however, could not remain calm.
He pulled Jiang Wu back to the bedroom and closed the door, his expression more solemn than ever before.
"Xiao Wu, don't let your guard down."
“My grandfather… was different from others.”
Qin Lie sat on the edge of the bed with a furrowed brow.
"He was a decisive and ruthless general on the battlefield, but at home he was a feudal patriarch who had the final say."
“He doesn’t judge people by how much merit or ability they have; he judges people by whether they are ‘controllable’ and ‘can be used by him’.”
"He admires the strong, but demands absolute loyalty and obedience even more."
"You came up with a solution for me this time, which showed him your wisdom and skill. On the one hand, he will appreciate it, but on the other hand, he will definitely be worried."
Qin Lie looked at Jiang Wu with worry in his eyes.
"He would worry that you are a wild horse, capable of galloping across the battlefield but prone to breaking free and becoming uncontrollable at any moment."
"What he needs is a fine steed that can travel a thousand miles a day and also obediently graze."
“I’m afraid… I’m afraid he’ll say something to you tomorrow to put you down, test you, or even… humiliate you.”
Jiang Wu listened quietly to him finish speaking, then walked over to him, sat down, and took his slightly cool hand in hers.
"I see."
She looked into Qin Lie's eyes, her gaze clear and resolute.
"Qin Lie, don't worry, I know what to do."
“He is your grandfather and the backbone of this family. I will not confront him head-on.”
“But,” she changed the subject, a confident smile curving her lips, “I won’t let anyone bully me. A daughter-in-law of the Qin family can’t be a pushover, right?”
As Qin Lie looked at the intelligent light shining in her eyes, that familiar feeling that put his mind at ease returned.
A great weight was lifted from his heart.
Yes, how could he forget?
The woman in front of me is an extraordinary woman who dared to venture into a Category 17 typhoon alone in a single boat.
How could a simple family dinner possibly stump her?
He gripped Jiang Wu's hand tightly, his knuckles turning white.
"You're right, no matter what happens, I'll stand by you."
The next day, Jiang Wu did not go to her "Wuse" studio as usual.
She stayed home all day.
But unlike Zhong Tinglan's worries, she didn't rummage through her closets looking for fancy clothes, nor did she ponder over an elaborate makeup look in front of the mirror.
She simply asked Qin Lie to bring out the most recent month's worth of the Military Region Daily, Reference News, and some other internal journals he could access from his study.
She sat under the grape trellis in the yard, watching the children play while quietly reading the newspaper all day.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the grape leaves, casting dappled shadows on her.
She read it very carefully, sometimes frowning in deep thought, sometimes writing a few lines in her notebook as if she had just realized something.
Zhong Tinglan tried several times to come over and tell her some "precautions," such as speaking less and smiling more in front of the old man, and doing everything according to his wishes.
But seeing Jiang Wu's calm and focused expression, she swallowed her words back.
She suddenly realized that her so-called "experience" might be completely useless in front of this daughter-in-law.
Jiang Wu has her own plans and strategies.
At 5:30 p.m., the main house of the Qin family compound was already full of people.
Qin Lie's elder brother Qin Zheng, his sister-in-law Song Liyun, and a number of relatives, uncles, aunts and cousins were all present.
The atmosphere today is completely different from the last welcome banquet.
The previous sarcastic remarks and veiled criticisms were gone.
Everyone wore a polite but distant smile.
Their gazes toward Jiang Wu shifted from disdain to a mixture of curiosity and inquiry.
After all, Jiang Wu's reputation is now extremely well-known throughout the entire military compound.
The family of the hero who saved her husband during the typhoon.
The founder of "Wuse" studio, which has set off a fashion trend in the capital.
And then there's that "mysterious woman" who, behind the scenes, helped her husband bring down a chief engineer with just a few tea parties.
These combined identities give Jiang Wu a legendary yet dangerous aura.
No one dared to underestimate her anymore.
Old Master Qin Weijun sat in the main seat, wearing a slightly worn Zhongshan suit, holding a cup of tea in his hand, his face as calm as still water, revealing neither joy nor anger.
He would only occasionally lift his eyelids and scan the entire room with his still sharp eyes, and his imposing aura alone made the temperature in the living room drop several degrees.
When Jiang Wu and Qin Lie brought the child in, everyone's eyes immediately turned to them.
Jiang Wu is dressed very simply today.
She wore a light blue polyester shirt, a white long skirt, and her hair was simply tied into a ponytail at the back of her head.
She went out without makeup, her face bare.
But the aloof and ethereal aura she exuded when she stood there was more captivating than any fine clothes or jewelry.
She calmly greeted each of the elders present, then quietly sat down in a corner of the sofa with her daughter Qin Zhao in her arms.
Qin Lie sat down next to her like a guardian deity, exuding an aura of "keep away, strangers" vigilance.
The pre-meal chat was somewhat awkward and dull.
Everyone was cautiously making some innocuous, polite remarks.
It wasn't until Qin Weijun put down his teacup that he slowly began to speak.
“Qin Lie,” he said, looking at his grandson, “you did a good job with this sonar reform.”
This sudden praise stunned everyone.
Qin Lie was also somewhat surprised and subconsciously straightened up: "It's all thanks to the leaders' excellent leadership."
"Hmph," Qin Weijun snorted coldly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
His gaze slowly shifted to Jiang Wu.
The air in the entire living room seemed to freeze for a moment.
Qin Lie's heart jumped into his throat.
It's here!
He could almost sense the sharp edge hidden beneath his grandfather's calm gaze.
Zhong Tinglan also clenched her hands nervously, her palms sweating profusely.
Qin Weijun looked at Jiang Wu, a smile that seemed to be cryptic.
"Xiao Wu."
He spoke, his voice calm yet carrying immense pressure.
“I’ve heard people outside say that Qin Lie’s victory in this battle was largely due to your contribution as his wife.”
"Some even say that this victory wasn't won in the conference room, but rather in your women's...boudoirs."
He deliberately emphasized the phrase "within the boudoir".
What do you think about this?
Some say she is a 'good wife', while others say she is 'a woman interfering in politics'.
Which type do you think you are?
This question is too harsh!
It's like a precise scalpel, instantly dissecting all the feigned warmth and pointing straight to the most crucial and sensitive point!
Admitting to being a "wise and capable wife" is tantamount to admitting that he did indeed "devise strategies" behind the scenes, thus confirming his reputation for "meddling in politics."
Denying it would seem hypocritical, and it would also negate one's own value in the matter.
This is a dilemma!
Everyone's eyes were fixed on Jiang Wu, waiting to see how she would respond.
Qin Lie was about to stand up and refute on the spot, but Jiang Wu gently pressed him down with her hand under the table.
Jiang Wu raised her head to meet Qin Weijun's scrutinizing gaze, her face showing no sign of panic.
She even gave a faint smile.
“Grandpa,” her voice was clear and calm, “you’ve asked the wrong question.”
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