"Let's wait until Madam wakes up; she's just fallen asleep," another person whispered, reaching out to take the cat, only to be scratched by it baring its teeth.
"Quick, find a cage and put it in, it's scratching us."
This was the first time Wei Li had formally inspected the Pingzhou camp.
Pingzhou is located at the border and is considered a military stronghold. It has four major camps in the east, west, south and north. The deputy general spread out the Pingzhou military defense map for Wei Li to see. Wei Li glanced at it and could remember most of the terrain on the map, but the tiny markings made in tiny characters gave him a splitting headache.
He tossed the military defense map to Chen Ruojiang and said, "Read it to me."
He scavenged for food in the mud since he was a child, and he only learned a little about reading and writing after being adopted by the Prince of Zhenbei. He wasn't completely illiterate, so asking him to read and write would be like taking his life.
Deputy General Chen had followed Wei Li for a long time and was aware of his problem, so he silently took the parchment scroll in his hand and opened it.
It's not a good thing that he doesn't like reading. He found all sorts of books, such as "The Thirty-Six Stratagems," "A Million Soldiers," "The History of All Nations," and "The Thirty-Six Years' War," intending to give them to his lord to study. If he doesn't read them and just listens to others read them...
The lieutenant's thoughts raced as he focused his gaze on the parchment scroll. Just as he was about to begin reading, Wei Li suddenly snatched the scroll away, saying, "I'll read it myself."
His father-in-law was proficient in both literature and military strategy; he could fight on horseback and compose poetry. If he couldn't even read a single word, the difference in their abilities would be obvious, and Zhao Xiheng would probably look down on him. Wei Li thought about it and felt as if his thick skin had been slapped again, wishing he could smash everything around him to pieces.
His brows furrowed into a deep frown as he stared at the parchment scroll in his hand for a while, his gloom deepening. He bent his legs on the table, then pushed off forcefully, causing the chair to lurch him backward. Only then did he straighten his legs on the table, feeling much more comfortable.
The lieutenant glanced at him and thought, "Look at this behavior, it's nothing like the behavior of a regional overlord. It's not dignified at all."
"How's the deer farm doing lately?" Wei Li asked, remembering the situation.
"It has suffered a severe blow and it may not be able to recover for at least two years."
"How long will the grain we seized from Goguryeo last time last time last?"
"It's only enough to sustain the garrison of one prefecture for six months."
Wei Li's tongue swept across his canine teeth. "What about Goguryeo? How is Zhao Mingxin doing after she married into that country?"
"I've only heard that she's extremely favored. It's true that she's older than him and has a younger wife, so being favored is for sure," the lieutenant said honestly. After all, they were from two different countries, and the information he could get was only superficial.
“Then let’s go to the South Camp.” Wei Li rolled up the sheepskin and stood up.
Zhao Xiheng was freezing cold when she went to bed the night before last. During the day, she cried while hugging him, saying she was hungry and cold, like a wronged little kitten. Wei Li thought about it and realized that Zhao Xiheng wasn't doing well. As her cousin, how could Zhao Mingxin let her younger sister enjoy herself alone? That wouldn't do.
Sisters should share both hardship and happiness, but when it comes to good fortune... well, let's not share it either.
The Southern Camp was relatively close to Southern Goguryeo. Considering what Wei Li had just said, it seemed he intended to use Goguryeo as a pretext to establish his authority. After some deliberation, the deputy general felt it was extremely feasible. The only one who could be harmed was Princess Ming'an. The Great Zhou was her motherland, and it would be difficult for the King of Goguryeo not to be angry with Zhao Mingxin because of Wei Li's plundering.
"Hurry up, the sooner you go, the sooner you'll be back. You still need to come back for dinner tonight." Wei Li grabbed the absent-minded deputy general by the collar and dragged him forward.
Since Wei Li moved to the remote foot of Changbai Mountain, there has been no news of him going out for many days. The people of Xian are somewhat relieved, especially as the end of the year approaches. Although Wei Li does not allow the New Year to be celebrated, the habits accumulated over the years still make them choose to go out to buy things at this time. Restaurants and teahouses have gradually reopened, and the liveliness has been restored a little. There are more and more vendors calling out in the streets and alleys.
"I heard he used to travel with a bunch of lackeys every day, but why has he been so quiet since he came back from Ji'an?" Several men wrapped in thick cotton-padded coats were eating melon seeds in a teahouse, whispering around the stove.
The sound was so quiet that no one else could hear it except the three of them.
“Once you get married, things change.” Another person gave a knowing smile. “In this freezing weather, if you have a beautiful wife, why wouldn’t you stay home and cuddle with her? Only someone with a brain problem would come out and freeze.”
They felt immense sympathy and gratitude towards Princess Jingcheng. Ever since she was brought to be Wei Li's wife, things had become much more peaceful, at least Wei Li no longer caused trouble for no reason.
Most of them had never met Wei Li, but that didn't stop them from hating him. Some had no vested interests in him, but they followed the crowd because of word of mouth, while others had actually been tormented by Wei Li.
The three of them finished cracking the sunflower seeds, patted their clothes, and began to say goodbye.
"My wife asked me to buy two pounds of pork to make dumplings at home."
"I need to buy some candy; my youngest daughter and son want some."
"..."
Just as I was about to leave, a scream suddenly came from outside, followed by chaos. People packed up their stalls and a crowd squeezed into the teahouse. The scene was earth-shattering. After the screams, there was silence.
The once bustling street suddenly became desolate and dilapidated, leaving only lonely stalls abandoned on the roadside.
"What's wrong?" Someone asked in a low voice in the teahouse, which was now packed with people.
"I heard Wei Li passed by with his men. Judging from the clothes of the people following behind him, it's him," someone whispered in his ear.
Pingzhou attaches great importance to military development, paying meticulous attention to everything from weapons and camps to the insignia on armor, far surpassing other prefectures.
The armor of ordinary soldiers is black with red trim and silver edges, understated and dignified. When the men stand together in a dense mass, their sheer presence is enough to overwhelm any obstacle.
The sugar figurine vendor was brought to the door, his face pressed against the crack in the door. The cold wind howled into his eyes. He moved, trying to squeeze in, but then saw a large, imposing crowd of people approaching and instantly froze.
He looked closely and realized that the one leading the group was none other than the young man who had bought sugar figurines from his stall yesterday!
Firstly, because he was handsome but had a gloomy temperament; secondly, because he was generous with his money; and thirdly, because he kept showing off his wife, which is why he remembered her so clearly.
Is this Wei Li? He is a bit fierce, but after meeting him yesterday, he wasn't as scary as the rumors suggested!
This was Wei Li's first inspection of the camp after taking Pingzhou. Because Wei Li was indifferent to everything, a lax atmosphere gradually became prevalent in the military camp.
In particular, his conquest of Pingzhou was illegitimate and lacked legitimacy. The army revered the strong and respected the mighty. Historically, commanders and centurions were only trusted after they fought their way out of the crowd on the training ground. Although Wei Li had previously led his men to harass the Goguryeo border, only a few people knew how brave and reckless he truly was.
Wei Li sat in the main tent, where most of the generals and commanders had gathered. The atmosphere grew increasingly tense, and the men sat quietly on the wooden stakes with their heads down. Some of them showed impatience in their eyes, feeling that Wei Li was being pretentious by suddenly inspecting the camp without giving them any time to prepare.
Deputy General Chen glanced at the expressions on his men's faces and realized that things were about to end badly.
Wei Li circled the shelf behind him where imperial edicts were displayed, picked one up at random, and opened it to take a look.
"My lord, this is an imperial edict, it is unacceptable!"
The empire has long since fallen apart, who still cares about this damn imperial edict? Wei Li is now the most powerful in Pingzhou, if he can't touch this thing, who can? To put it bluntly, these generals still treat him like a dog kept by the Prince of Zhenbei, and don't respect him from the bottom of their hearts.
Wei Li narrowed his eyes, his already long and narrow phoenix eyes appearing cold and alluring. He could not only touch them.
He looked down.
Hmm, three years in Wanning, I can't help but take a second look. The calligraphy is fluent and the style is vigorous.
Then roll it up and put it back.
The person who had just offered advice couldn't help but raise his chin smugly, "See?"
Wei Li then picked up another scroll.
Wei Li first looked at the inscription at the bottom: Shunhe Year 1.
It was the reign title of Zhao Xiheng's uncle.
Ugh, what kind of bullshit is this?
Two sharp clanging sounds were the crisp sound of the anti-slip metal plate from Wei Li's boot sole striking the table.
Wei Li stepped onto the table, dipped the imperial edict in the water used for grinding ink, and wiped his deerskin boots, which were splattered with mud.
Everyone gasped in shock.
“Wei Li! You…”
Wei Li raised his eyes, his dark eyes looking at them with no expression, which made them tremble with fear and fall silent.
That little beast truly deserves to have crawled out of a pile of corpses.
"Any objections?" He casually tossed the imperial edict, which he had just used to wipe his boots, onto the ground.
The tent was eerily silent. Everyone looked down on Wei Li from the bottom of their hearts, but they dared not speak out, their anger burning inside.
Wei Li then went to the shelf behind the imperial edicts and looked at them one by one.
Twenty imperial edicts bearing the reign title Wanning were discovered.
Zhao Xinglie was indeed a capable and valiant emperor. When he was on his deathbed, Pingzhou had only been recovered for five years, yet he still issued so many decrees.
Wei Li continued reading and found more than ten imperial edicts from the Shunhe reign period.
He looked at one item, too lazy to put it back, and casually tossed it on the ground.
"Are all the imperial edicts here?"
"No, His Majesty still has some that he can't display, so they're stored in the storeroom."
Wei Li frowned. Was this emperor an idiot? He issued so many imperial edicts; did he even know how to mobilize troops for battle? It was all just nonsense.
The tent was lifted up with a clatter, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps, which, though chaotic, were unhurried.
Wei Li turned around and saw several generals with dark circles under their eyes and swollen faces, who were fastening their belts as they went inside.
He suddenly smiled, waved to them, a forced smile on his face, his eyes narrowed into slits, "Awake?"
Those people were all taken aback, clearly not expecting Wei Li to have such a good expression despite their lateness.
So Wei Li walked over, grabbed a person's shoulder, patted his head with a smile, and pressed down with his hand. There was a crisp sound, and the person fell down with his eyes sideways, his neck drooping limply. It had been twisted and broken.
Such a brutal method not only sends chills down people's spines, but also arouses their anger.
"Wei Li, how can you be so cruel and heartless? Aren't you afraid that people will not accept this?" they shouted, slamming their fists on the table.
"They were only a little late, why did you have to be so cruel?"
"How can someone who is neither benevolent nor righteous be fit to be a commander! We refuse to accept this!"
"..."
The saying goes, "The law does not punish the masses." Once one person speaks up, the rest echo him, while a few honest people silently huddle in a corner without saying a word.
Then another discordant voice emerged: "Article Eight of Military Orders: Anyone who disobeys the commander-in-chief's orders shall be executed immediately."
Everyone turned to glare at him, but he stubbornly insisted, "They were already disobeying orders."
"You're just a lowly centurion, do you think you have the right to interrupt? Don't you even know your own limitations before you start showing off!"
Wei Li patiently listened to them finish arguing, then kicked one of the people in front of him to the ground. The non-slip metal plate on the sole of his shoe stepped on the person's face, even rubbing it, creating a large, bloody crater. The person screamed in pain, deafeningly loud.
"If you have any opinions, either speak up and I'll listen to you if you win the fight, or keep your opinions to yourself."
His voice was ruined, extremely hoarse, and especially when he spoke in a sinister tone, it sounded like someone was cutting his heart with a metal instrument, which was incredibly unsettling.
The crowd exchanged glances, their hearts pounding with anticipation.
"Don't waste my time." He pointed to the centurion who had been stubbornly refusing to move earlier. "Take some men and come with me to Goguryeo later. I noticed the horses in the camp aren't very strong, so we'll get some fodder from there."
His arrogant attitude further aroused the dissatisfaction of some generals, who clasped their hands in a fist salute to Wei Li without any politeness, saying, "Then we won't stand on ceremony."
Wei Li nodded, walked out, and went straight to the drill ground.
No one knows who spread the news, but when they arrived, the drill ground was already surrounded by people. Wei Li knew very well that most of these people were there to see him make a fool of himself, to see him get beaten down from the platform, and then be carried back to his residence in disgrace, never daring to boss them around again.
"Let's go together." Wei Li glanced at the sky and said. It was almost Chenshi (7-9 AM), and if they delayed any longer, it would affect his ability to get home for dinner.
From as far back as he could remember, he lived in a dark house, receiving only one meal a day. As he grew older, he was driven from the house to a cave, where he lived with wild dogs and other people like him. He would fight with the dogs and people for food; if he won, he would eat, and if he lost, he would go hungry. If he lost, he would be too weak the next day to get food, creating a vicious cycle that would lead to his starvation and eventual being eaten by the people and dogs.
Therefore, even now, every time he fights someone, he goes all out with a fearless spirit, as if he only has this moment to live, so he doesn't care about anything, like a mad dog.
Perhaps because it is always injured, its body has automatically developed a set of coping strategies, and its healing ability is astonishing. It is like a beast born to fight and kill, able to lick its wounds and still bite and kill a group of people.
Deputy General Chen, his eyes gleaming, diligently recorded the people who were knocked off the stage.
One, two, three... ten... twenty...
Among the onlookers, more and more people were blushing, breathing rapidly, and their eyes were shining.
Until only one person remained, that person put down his weapon and raised his hands in surrender. Wei Li wiped away the blood that wasn't his own from his face with the back of his hand. Sweat dripped from his sharp chin, and his temples were wet with sweat. His dark pupils revealed a ruthless intent, and the whites of his eyes were tinged with scarlet. He looked like he had gone mad with killing. After struggling to control himself, he kicked the man away.
These generals, commanders, and centurions all fought their way up from the crowds every year, but they couldn't match the ferocity of Wei Li alone.
"Anything else?" He stood ramrod straight, his narrow, almond-shaped eyes slightly lowered, obscuring large patches of crimson, and asked in a low voice.
The scene was so quiet you could hear a pin drop for a moment, then erupted into loud cheers.
They are different from ordinary people. What ordinary people want is a benevolent and kind governor who can provide them with a stable life; but the men in the army are passionate. They join the army to protect their homes and country, to expand their territory, and to make achievements. What they want is a commander with extraordinary abilities who can lead them to fight fiercely and win every battle.
Wei Li's ability to defeat all the elite soldiers indirectly demonstrates that he possesses such strength.
You can't just fleece people from one place. This time, Wei Li didn't go to Pyongyang, but went to Lelang County, where he robbed all the grain supplies of the Goguryeo garrison. Then, he arrogantly had someone write a letter to the Goguryeo king.
The gist is that you raided my deer farm, and I feel that the supplies from the garrison in Pyongyang alone cannot compensate for the losses you caused me, so I also seized Lelang. If you have any objections, we can talk face-to-face.
Although it lacked any respect or willingness to negotiate, and was even overly vulgar and direct, it inexplicably felt very satisfying. Some people's eyes shone even brighter when they looked at Wei Li.
Pingju and Goguryeo have had frequent minor skirmishes over the years, but the two sides have never broken off relations and have maintained a facade of peace.
Today you test me, tomorrow I test you, and the letters we exchange are filled with honorifics. Goguryeo, in particular, is cunning; they always like to launch a sneak attack and then immediately bow their heads in apology, never actually correcting their mistakes. They send letter after letter apologizing, while they go off to steal dogs from one neighbor and pigs from another.
After all, the king himself wrote a letter of apology, so it would be really rude for Pingzhou to keep pressing the matter. The Pingzhou army was holding their breath.
But Goguryeo was like a rat, and Wei Li was like a mad dog. He would bite anyone he could get his hands on, whether there was a reason or not. He didn't care whether he had any class or manners.
When Zhao Xiheng woke up, it was already afternoon. The sky was overcast, making it hard to distinguish between day and night. She rubbed her eyes and sat up. "Wei Li hasn't come back yet?"
"No, my lord will probably not be back until tonight." The maid brought Zhao Xiheng clothes that had been warmed by the stove.
"Oh dear, the sleeves are too short!" the maid exclaimed with delight. "Madam has grown taller."
Zhao Xiheng looked at her wrist with surprise. This dress was part of her dowry, and it had been tailored by the Imperial Clothing Bureau before she left. Now it was much too short. She looked down and saw that the skirt, which had originally reached the ground, now only reached her ankles.
She restrained the urge to grin from ear to ear; in just over a month, she had grown so much!
She remembered that when she arrived, she only reached Wei Li's chest; now, would she reach his chin?
"Tomorrow, go and call a decent tailor shop to make a few more outfits for Madam." Seeing her happy, the maids all smiled and surrounded her to congratulate her.
"Madam is still young, she will definitely grow taller."
Taking advantage of Zhao Xiheng's good mood, the maid who was holding the cat carefully reported to Zhao Xiheng, "Madam, a kitten stole your candy last night."
"Huh?" Zhao Xiheng asked, "Where's the cat?"
"It's only the size of a palm. It must have been separated from its mother and came out to find food." The maid grabbed the kitten by the scruff of its neck and lifted it in front of Zhao Xiheng.
She wanted to hold it, but the kitten's fur was standing on end, its claws and teeth were bared, and it looked incredibly fierce.
When Zhao Xiheng saw the kitten, it was all gray and black, with its fine fur standing on end. It was thin and bony, with only a few small eyes. Its amber eyes were large and round. "It's so pitiful."
She's fierce, pitiful, and adorable all at the same time.
She reached out her hand, and the kitten meowed defensively, each meow growing more ferocious than the last.
Before anyone could stop Zhao Xiheng from saying that the cat was scratching her, Zhao Xiheng's hand had already reached under the kitten's chin. The kitten bared its teeth and seemed to be angry at her, but its claws remained unmoved; it simply lowered its head and nibbled at her with its teeth.
The kitten's teeth were sharp, and it would hurt if it really bit someone, but Zhao Xiheng's fingers felt tingly and numb, which showed that it was just grinding its fingers with its teeth.
Oh ho, she thought she was so powerful, but she's just a paper tiger bluffing, all talk and no action.
The kitten meowed fiercely, its fur standing on end as it waved its claws.
Zhao Xiheng picked it up and said, "Little guy, you're so scary! I'm so frightened~" If it could stop licking her hand, it would be quite good at fooling people.
The kitten raised its head and meowed fiercely at her, but Zhao Xiheng couldn't understand what it was saying.
Zhao Xiheng thought it was cute and gave it a good pat.
"Meow~" it continued to meow fiercely, and Zhao Xiheng continued to pet it, but the kitten only meowed and didn't use its claws.
Seeing its appearance, Zhao Xiheng suddenly thought of that old dog Wei Li, who was also a paper tiger, all talk and no action.
But he's nowhere near as cute as a cat!
"Ask the kitchen for some minced meat." Zhao Xiheng was so excited about it. Every time it meowed, she would rub against it, wishing she could rub it bald.
The little guy is both cute and fierce.
"From now on, I'll be your mother, my dear." Zhao Xiheng's tenderness at this moment wasn't feigned towards Wei Li, but genuine; she gave the kitten a kiss on the head.
The kitten's ears drooped down.
"Madam, please don't kiss it yet, we haven't given it a bath." The maid suggested timidly.
"I'll wash it after it finishes eating!" Zhao Xiheng rolled up her sleeves, already ready.
It was her first time being a mother to a cat, and she had no experience. The maids in the house were also doing it for the first time. Several of them ran out to ask the older nannies and uncles in the mansion for advice, while Zhao Xiheng was still petting the cat.
The kitten was asleep on her lap, purring softly. Zhao Xiheng's lap was hot, and she didn't dare to move, because if she did, the kitten would meow to express its displeasure.
She also liked these little creatures when she was in the palace, but Zhao Mingxin was allergic to all small furry animals, so these little guys were not allowed to appear in the entire palace. If they were seen, they would be killed. Zhao Xiheng did not dare to be irresponsible for their lives.
When Zhao Xiheng first woke up, she still had a vague memory of Wei Li, but now, what was Wei Li to her? She had completely forgotten him!
In one day, a series of good things happened: Wei Li wasn't home, and she noticed she'd grown taller. Most importantly, she got a cat!
Wei Li had exhausted himself in the army all day. When he saw the rows of lights in the courtyard of the imperial palace in the distance, he hurried back without stopping.
Zhao Xiheng should have sent someone to wait for him at the door for dinner, since it's already this late.
Wei Li suddenly slowed down and called out, "Chen Ruojiang."
"Hey, my lord, I'm here." Wei Li had taken a walk around the military camp today, and the morale of the troops had improved slightly. Chen Ruojiang felt that his job was becoming more and more secure, so he became more eager to serve Wei Li.
"How can I get Zhao Xiheng to stop waiting for me to eat every day? It's so annoying! Can't she eat without me? Are all princesses this clingy? Can't she live without me?" He looked a little impatient, as if he was really bothered by this. "I'm so busy every day, how can I have time to eat with her?"
"..."
"She even sends people to wait for me at the door every day, asking me to come back for dinner. It's so annoying."
Chen Ruojiang's face was like a colorful palette, alternating between green and blue. He shouldn't be here; he should be on a blind date.
Just keep showing off in different ways, especially to people like him who don't have wives.
Do you think I don't know whether that princess is clingy to you or not? She'd rather you died out there, and you're bragging to me about it!
But Deputy General Chen didn't dare say it out loud, fearing that Wei Li would be enraged and kill him on the spot. He had a younger sister at home who was so poor that she would eat everything and leave nothing behind, so he couldn't die.
The two entered the palace gate one after the other. The gate was deserted, except for a soldier waiting to lead the horse. There was no one else there, and no Zhao Xiheng, the maidservant Wei Li had mentioned, came to invite him to dinner.
Wei Li's face darkened instantly, and he tightened his grip on the reins. "It's getting late, they probably can't stand the cold and have to go back."
Deputy General Chen dared not watch Wei Li's humiliating moment any longer, so he quickly clasped his hands in greeting, "I suppose the lady is still waiting for the lord to have his meal, so I will go home first."
Wei Li's expression softened slightly, and he waved his hand, telling him to leave.
He strode towards Zhao Xiheng's courtyard. The guards, recently transferred from the military camp, were all in high spirits. Upon seeing Wei Li, they greeted him loudly, "Greetings, my lord!"
Wei Li nodded. That made sense. If Zhao Xiheng wanted to run away, being stopped by soldiers like these would be enough to intimidate and frighten her. These people were enough to make him look good.
Zhao Xiheng and her maids were completely oblivious to what was happening outside; their attention was entirely focused on the kitten.
The kitten had just had a bath and was shivering as it lay on Zhao Xiheng's chest. Zhao Xiheng took a towel and rubbed its fur. "Little baby, are you cold? Poor thing."
Several maids brought over a charcoal brazier to warm it.
They all gathered around it, laughing and talking, "It's so small, just a tiny little thing."
"Madam, please give it a name."
"Call it coal briquettes?"
"It's called Little? It's really small."
Several people started offering their opinions all at once.
The kitten clearly didn't like having so many people staring at it, so it started meowing fiercely again, but it was all wet and its fur was sticking to its body, so it didn't intimidate anyone at all.
The maids burst into laughter.
"It's angry, it's angry!"
"It's angry!"
"So cute, even when she's angry she's cute, she's such a rare find."
Zhao Xiheng wrapped it in a towel, picked it up, and examined it closely.
"Let's call him Gou Dan'er." He's all bark and no bite, just like Wei Li, but calling him Old Dog or Dog-Bitch doesn't sound good, so let's go with something similar, Gou Dan'er.
They all praised Zhao Xiheng's name, saying it sounded like she would be easy to raise.
When Wei Li stepped in, this was the scene he saw, and his face immediately darkened.
Zhao Xiheng wouldn't let anyone wait for him at the door, it turns out it was because of that little beast. What a brat! He even boasted to Chen Ruojiang that Zhao Xiheng would send someone to pick him up for dinner.
Wei Li felt like he was being slapped by Zhao Xiheng every day. Zhao Xiheng, holding the cat, seemed to be saying, "Who cares about you? You're just humiliating yourself. I care about the cat, but I don't care about you."
He was both ashamed and angry, but he refused to show it even slightly, keeping a cold face as if someone owed him money.
Zhao Xiheng felt once again that Wei Li always had the ability to bring the lively atmosphere down to freezing point. As soon as the maids saw him, they knelt down one after another like mice seeing a cat, and there was no sound. They even started to tremble.
Zhao Xiheng said with pity, "You all go and set the table, we don't need anyone here."
They fled as if granted a pardon.
When the kitten saw Wei Li, it bristled and meowed. This time, it didn't seem like it was threatening anyone, but rather that it really wanted to bite. Zhao Xiheng could only hold it tightly to prevent it from running away.
When Wei Li saw the cat clinging to Zhao Xiheng's chest, his eyes darkened, and he twitched the corners of his mouth.
Zhao Xiheng looked at Wei Li and then at the kitten. "Look," she said, "they look alike! Absolutely alike!"
She held up the ruffled cat, exclaiming, "My lord, look! My son!"
Wei Li pinched the bridge of his nose. Good heavens, he'd become a father overnight while he was gone for a day.
Looking at the little thing made him uncomfortable; he wanted nothing more than to strangle it and throw it away. No, he wanted it to cause trouble, to make Zhao Xiheng dislike it, and to throw it away on its own initiative.
Wants to be his son? What a load of rubbish! He doesn't even have his own children yet.
All that could be heard was Zhao Xiheng saying to the cat, "Dog Egg, this is your uncle, be friendly."
"What?" Wei Li tilted his head to look at her, his gaze and tone unfriendly. "You dare say that again?"
It's as if if she says the wrong thing, they could strangle her and the cat to death.
Zhao Xiheng licked her lips, her voice trembling slightly, and tentatively said, "No, not your uncle, but your father?"
She thought Wei Li wouldn't be willing to be a father to a cat.
Wei Li took a deep breath. He didn't want to be a cat's father, but Zhao Xiheng was its mother, and he was just some kind of uncle. What was she thinking? Did she want to find someone else?
While the two were talking, the maids had already placed the meal on the table in the central room.
Tonight's dish is sauerkraut and pork rib hot pot, piping hot, tangy and salty, and with soft, fluffy red bean paste.
Snow-white red bean paste is made by whipping egg whites into a fluffy foam, wrapping it around a delicate and sweet red bean paste, then deep-frying it in oil, and finally sprinkling it with white sugar.
Its appearance is pure white and fluffy like clouds and mist, or like fresh snow in winter.
Zhao Xiheng ate two in a row, but because they were deep-fried, she got tired of them after two and didn't touch them anymore. Then she went to drink sauerkraut and pork rib soup to cleanse her palate.
Wei Li was covered in blood, so he took a bath and changed his clothes.
The kitten took a running start and leaped, ready to get onto the table, but halfway there, Wei Li grabbed it by the scruff of its neck and threw it into Zhao Xiheng's arms. Then, he wiped his hands in disgust, as if he had touched something dirty, and said, "Keep an eye on your son."
“It’s clean, it’s not dirty,” Zhao Xiheng said softly, giving him a reproachful look.
Go easy on me! This kitten has tiny arms and legs, you can't lift it around like that!
Wei Li felt as if she had been boiled in a pan of oil. "Zhao Xiheng, now you dare to yell at me over a cat?"
Two days ago, Zhao Xiheng gently covered his ears and asked if he was cold. Yesterday, she even asked someone to wait for him to have dinner together. But tonight, she scolded him because of a cat. He can't live like this anymore.
"I didn't, my lord," Zhao Xiheng explained gently.
Here we go again. Wei Li came home late at night and started acting crazy again, all because of a cat.
"My lord, how could I dare to be harsh with you? I have nowhere else to go but you. I... If even you don't believe me, who else can believe me, my lord?" Zhao Xiheng drawled, tears streaming down her face.
If Wei Li's mother doesn't listen to people properly, she'll cry in front of him. What's wrong with him? She's exhausted.
When Zhao Xiheng lowered her head so weakly, Wei Li felt a chill run down his spine. He couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong, but seeing her cry made him feel uneasy.
"Alright, stop crying." Wei Li ran his tongue irritably over his canine teeth. "You raise it? Can't you raise it?"
Zhao Xiheng took out a small mirror from her sleeve to see if she looked pretty after crying.
She glanced at her and thought, "Wow, beautiful." Even she was amazed. Who could bear to refuse such a beauty?
So she looked up and gazed at Wei Li with misty eyes, her gaze filled with tears. Wei Li felt a chill run down his spine, as if lightning had struck him from the top of his head. His hand trembled, and his chopsticks fell onto the table.
"My lord." Zhao Xiheng took the opportunity to reach out, revealing a sleeve that was a bit too short. "My lord, look."
Wei Li's gaze shifted to Zhao Xiheng's wrist. It was as white as snow, so delicate that he could easily hold two wrists in one hand. He pressed it against the top of Zhao Xiheng's head; it was so white and smooth that it would probably leave a red mark if he squeezed it. His ears turned red, and his Adam's apple bobbed. "What?"
"My lord, look, my clothes are too short. I've grown taller."
So I want to buy new clothes.
"Hmm." Wei Li nodded, his dark eyes forcibly moving away from Zhao Xiheng's wrist and turning his gaze to the bubbling sauerkraut pot. It seemed as if his tender heart also contained a sauerkraut pot.
Zhao Xiheng was a little anxious. She tried to subtly probe Wei Li, but he remained unmoved. "My lord, the sleeves are too short and it's so cold. The wind will let in."
"Hmm, there's a lot of charcoal burning in the room, and you're telling me that I can't make your clothes longer."
Zhao Xiheng frowned. Did she really have to be so blunt? Was it really a good idea?
"My lord, could you please give me a little bit of my dowry? My clothes are too short and uncomfortable to wear; I'd like to have new ones made."
A string snapped in Wei Li's head. He pinched Zhao Xiheng's cheek and asked, "Use your money?"
Do you think I can't afford to support you?
Is this looking down on him or insulting him?
He went into the bedroom, pulled out a drawer next to the heated brick bed, and found a pile of copper keys inside.
"You can open any warehouse; just buy from it."
Zhao Xiheng's breath hitched. This...this...the warehouse key is always above her head. Wei Li really doesn't care.
"How much do you want?" she asked.
"casual."
Her mother once told her that the most beautiful words her father had ever said to her were, "Buy! Buy them all!"
Zhao Xiheng couldn't understand it before. She felt that her mother clearly had everything she needed, and that she could buy everything herself. Now, she seems to be able to appreciate the charm of those words.
"Buy whatever you want," "Buy them all."
It's not that she's shallow and hasn't seen good things, but the sentence itself is magical, as if it carries infinite indulgence, as if someone will always bail you out no matter what you do.
Zhao Xiheng raised the corners of her mouth, her eyes sparkling as if filled with stars, and sincerely said to Wei Li, "My lord, you are so kind."
"Hmph." Wei Li raised his chin slightly and snorted. Only now do you realize how good he is?
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