Chapter 106 Her second brother helps raise other people's children
Dai Li was stunned, never expecting that his request would be to call him "husband".
This is something you do by simply speaking; you don't have to do anything else, just touch your lips together.
But in the bright afternoon sunlight, when Dai Li looked into those light brown eyes, it was as if she saw a mirror. In the very center of the mirror were two miniature versions of herself.
He was very serious and not joking at all.
Some words seemed to sprout thorns, stuck in her throat, impossible to utter. Her red lips parted slightly, and Dai Li looked away. "Why are you suddenly bringing this up?"
Qin Shaozong's eyes darkened, and he pinched her cheeks again with his long fingers, tightening and loosening them to make her mouth look like a goldfish's mouth. "What did you promise me just now, Madam? Say something nice."
After looking away, the unease disappeared. Not only was her cheek being pinched, but this person was also playing around. Dai Li immediately reached out and pushed him, "Let go first."
Qin Shaozong released her hand as instructed, but still kept his eyes fixed on her.
Dai Li lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on his beast-head belt, which was carved with a tiger's head, its long, protruding teeth making it exceptionally ferocious and intimidating, just like his imposing and dignified demeanor.
He didn't speak, nor did he urge him.
"I feel much better without looking at him," Dai Li called out helplessly, "My husband..."
The two words were spoken very softly, so lightly that they seemed to be blown away by a strong wind.
But Qin Shaozong heard it.
All the anger and resentment in my heart slowly turned to dust in those two words, and then, blown away by the wind, they vanished without a trace. A very pleasant feeling, somewhat similar to returning victorious from the battlefield.
That damned bird outside the window is still chirping, but its chirping is much nicer than before.
Okay, let's take it one step at a time. He's never lacked patience.
"Hmm," he responded first, straightening his spine and sitting more upright than before. When he spoke again, his voice contained a hint of amusement, "What are your orders, Madam?"
The tense atmosphere began to dissipate, the ice and snow melted, and the previous peace was restored.
Dai Li looked up and met his smiling eyes. The two small figures in the mirror were very clear, just like before.
Dai Li sighed silently in her heart.
*
A few days later.
A carriage escorted by a group of cavalrymen arrived at the side gate of the Qin residence. After entering through the side gate, guards led them to a pavilion courtyard.
The carriage door opened.
Hu Bao said respectfully, "Madam Qin, please."
A tall, slender figure in crimson maple leaves stepped out of the car first. "Where is my second brother?"
"The Lord is in the main courtyard," Hu Bao replied.
Remembering that they had arrived earlier than expected, Hu Bao added, "Please wait in the main hall while I inform the Marquis."
"No need, I'll go straight to the main courtyard. He's injured and shouldn't move around too much." Qin Hongying refused, then said to the girl who was getting out of the car, "Rongrong, let's go to the main courtyard to visit your second uncle first."
Knowing her daughter's tendency to speak out of turn, Qin Hongying cautioned, "Don't say anything reckless. You can do whatever you want in Nanyu County, but not here."
Shi Rongyue had been peeking through the carriage curtain since earlier, and her doubts reached their peak when the carriage entered the manor. "Mother, this place doesn't seem to be the Marquis's manor."
Qin Hongying was taken aback. Her narrow eyes swept around and she belatedly realized that although the courtyard was elegant, it was very unfamiliar and was not the courtyard she had left home before.
Before Qin Hongying could ask any questions, Hu Bao said, "Since you returned to Yuyang, you have been staying here."
It means you've come to the right place.
Qin Hongying's heart, which had been pounding all the way, was in her throat again. More than a month ago, news that Marquis Wu'an was seriously ill and seeking medicine came from Yuyang and spread to the surrounding counties, causing quite a stir.
Upon hearing this news, she was extremely anxious and wrote a letter, which she had sent to Yuyang overnight.
Her second brother's reply arrived quickly, and on the paper were only three words written in bold, elegant calligraphy: "Undying."
Qin Hongying took one look and thought, "Okay, then it's alright."
Given her second brother's personality, the fact that he could say such a thing meant that everything was still alright, and who knew he might still be plotting something. So she simply sent someone to take some medicinal herbs back to Yuyang, and decided not to go there herself.
However, a few days ago, she received a second letter.
The letter was written by Yun Ce, but her tone was just like that of her domineering second brother. The letter said that she had just recovered from her illness, but she asked her to bring precious medicinal materials such as Polygonum multiflorum and musk.
Is my life coming to an end?
"Madam Qin, the Marquis is actually not injured," Hu Bao explained.
Qin Hongying was stunned, her anger and joy mixed. "Since my second brother wasn't injured, why did he say he was just recovering from an illness and ask me to bring him medicine?"
Hu Bao lowered his head. "This matter is a long story. Why don't you ask the Marquis yourself later?"
Qin Hongying: "Take me to the main courtyard."
...
This morning, Dai Li was informed by Qin Shaozong that his younger sister would be arriving today, but the estimated arrival time was around 3 PM. So, as usual, she took a nap, since there was still plenty of time.
As for the argument about marriage the day before, the two of them tacitly avoided bringing it up again.
Footsteps approached from outside, and Qin Shaozong, who was sitting at the table in the outer room reading a letter, looked up at the sound.
The desk was placed directly opposite the door, and through the open door, one could see who was coming. And a distance away, two pairs of similar-shaped eyes met.
Qin Hongying was completely relieved, but then she felt annoyed. "Second brother, why did you call me back from Nanyu in such a hurry? Did you want me to come and watch you review the memorials?"
Qin Hongying was furious and dared to speak with barbs, but the girl beside her had to greet her respectfully, "Greetings, Second Uncle."
"Keep your voice down." Qin Shaozong shifted his gaze back to the desk and finished writing a letter with a few strokes of his pen.
Qin Hongying raised an eyebrow slightly. "What, are you keeping a mistress?"
Only after saying this did she realize that the room was quite different.
In the corner stood a vase almost as tall as a person, next to which was a wooden stand supporting an incense burner, and a landscape painting hung on the wall. In addition, a soft couch was placed by the window, on which was a small lotus-green sable blanket.
On the other side of the tatami mat and armchair, there was a novel little table with small wooden wheels underneath, clearly movable. On the table were two books and a small wooden box that looked like it was for storing snacks.
Too gentle, completely unlike the style of a widower military commander.
A scene inexplicably surfaced in Qin Hongying's mind. A slender woman sat on a soft couch by the window, holding a book in her hand. She moved a wooden box on a small table and opened it, revealing candied fruits, rice cakes, and other snacks inside.
She read a book, occasionally munching on snacks, and sipping a cup of steaming tea; while the man sitting at the table not far away, taking a break from reading papers, glanced up at her.
Qin Hongying felt a chill run down her spine from this inexplicable thought of hers.
Who is her second brother?
Aside from his close relatives, he was extremely clear about his boundaries and had a very strong sense of territory. She remembered that after her second brother got married, he always lived in his own courtyard and did not live with his sister-in-law.
She had seen his room before; it was hard and solid, filled with all sorts of weapons. It was more of an armory than a place to sleep.
How come now...
"Qin Changgeng, is your sister here?" Dai Li was awakened by the voices outside.
She had just woken up and was still groggy, thinking it was Nianxia or Bipo who had come to report.
It was quiet outside.
Soon, Dai Li, who was sitting on the bed with a quilt in her arms, saw Qin Shaozong push aside the beaded curtain and enter the inner room.
"Hongying arrived at the mansion ahead of time." Qin Shaozong handed the dress from the clothes rack to Dai Li.
Dai Li rubbed her eyes, took the dress, and looked out the window. "It seems to be earlier than expected."
"The driver was probably in a hurry and whipped the whip, causing sparks to fly." Qin Shaozong stood beside her watching her get up, completely ignoring the people waiting outside.
Since he didn't mention it, Dai Li assumed his sister was having tea in the main hall. Besides, if he wasn't in a hurry, why should she be? So she moved slowly.
After putting on her coat, Dai Li tossed her hair.
She hadn't left the manor today, and instead of having Nianxia style her hair, she simply tied it up with a hairband. The hairband had come loose before her afternoon nap, and since she was meeting guests now, she couldn't possibly go out with her hair down.
"Nianxia," Dai Li called out to the outside.
There was no response from outside.
Dai Li paused. "Not Nian Xia? Then let's try another one," she called out to Bi Po.
But there was no response.
Qin Shaozong chuckled softly, "They went to the kitchen to prepare the meal and are not in the courtyard now."
Qin Hongying arrived early and hadn't had lunch yet, so Qin Shaozong sent two maids to the kitchen.
“Then my hair…” Dai Li had no idea that there was someone outside, and only thought that Nian Xia Bi Po had left after sending the message.
"Let me help you tie your hair, Madam," Qin Shaozong suddenly said, intrigued.
He led Dai Li to the mirror box, and she sat down with a hint of disbelief. "You know how to do hair buns?"
"No." He was honest.
Qin Shaozong had never done this before, but he had seen maids style his hair for her many times.
"No, don't mess around with it." Dai Li snatched the hairband back from his hand. The man was clumsy, and it was she who was hurting when he pulled her hair.
She tied her long hair into a ponytail. "Just make do for now. I'll go find Nianxia to help me with my hair. You go to the main hall to see your sister. Anyway, she's here to see you, so she won't mind if I don't go out with you."
Qin Shaozong recalled Qin Hongying's expression earlier and said meaningfully, "That's not necessarily true."
After getting dressed, Dai Li followed Qin Shaozong out.
Qin Shaozong was very tall and had a strong build. Dai Li was a head shorter than him, and she walked behind him, completely blocked in front of her.
It wasn't until Qin Shaozong stepped aside that Dai Li saw two unfamiliar women.
She was a woman in her early thirties, tall and voluptuous, with long, narrow black eyes. She wore a red maple leaf dress, exuding a flamboyant yet cold and sharp aura.
The other girl had a pretty face, and perhaps because she hadn't fully grown in yet, her round face was very cute. At this moment, she was looking at her with a pair of big, light brown eyes.
Dai Li: "..."
Dai Li froze for a moment, then stiffly turned to look at Qin Shaozong beside her. The latter seemed completely oblivious to her embarrassment and began to introduce the two of them.
“Hongying, this is my wife, Daili.”
Then he introduced Qin Hongying and Shi Rongyue to Dai Li.
Dai Li: "...Hello."
Qin Hongying looked Dai Li up and down, then glanced at Qin Shaozong, her eyes brimming with interest.
It turns out my second brother really did have a great beauty hidden away.
But before she could speak, her brother asked, "Hongying, how much of the Polygonum multiflorum and musk did you bring?"
The Qin family was a family of military generals who guarded the frontier. In the early years, when the north was not yet pacified, all of Qin's uncles and elder brothers had to go to the battlefield. Qin Hongying had a habit of collecting medicinal herbs since she was a child. Today she would take some to her father or elder brother, and tomorrow she would give some to her other uncles.
Dai Li's eyes lit up immediately.
In the next fifteen minutes, Qin Shaozong witnessed for the first time Dai Li's fiery enthusiasm and unparalleled social skills.
When this fox wants to coax someone, it can probably even coax the birds down from the trees.
In just fifteen minutes, she and Qin Hongying became as close as if they had known each other for over a decade and were still best friends; they could even hold hands and talk.
The veins on Qin Shaozong's forehead bulged.
The smile on Qin Hongying's lips never faded. She found Dai Li's personality very interesting, and besides, it was indeed hard to resist being courted by a stunningly beautiful woman.
Of course, it's extremely rare for her second brother to suppress his anger and hold it in.
A moment later, two brocade boxes brought from Nanyu County were presented to Dai Li.
Dai Li opened it, her eyes filled with even greater eagerness.
He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum) is a plant of the Polygonaceae family, and is generally reddish-brown with wrinkled grooves on its surface. The piece of He Shou Wu that Qin Hongying brought was even larger, at least as thick as an adult male's arm, and weighed at least several kilograms.
As for the musk next to it, after processing, it becomes a brown, lumpy solid. Qin Hongying brought quite a bit of musk, which was quite heavy.
Even if Ding Luying wanted double the amount of these two medicinal herbs, it could be easily fulfilled.
Dai Li heard the sound of a heavy weight being lifted from her heart.
"Second brother, this is the first time in over thirty years that you've asked me for anything. Look, all the He Shou Wu and musk from the entire Shi family are here. Aren't I generous enough?" Qin Hongying said to Qin Shaozong, but her eyes remained fixed on Dai Li.
Although there was a hidden meaning behind these words, they were not untrue.
In Qin Hongying's memory, not only after her second brother took on a leading role in the family, but even when her eldest brother was still alive, her second brother never asked her for anything. Her second brother was proud and strong-willed throughout his life, only supporting and protecting his twin sister, never deigning to ask for anything in return.
This was the first time, and that's why she immediately set off for Yuyang after receiving the news.
Dai Li noticed Qin Hongying's gaze and realized that most of what the other woman said was directed at her.
She hesitated for a moment.
Whether to accept this question or not, and if so, in what capacity.
I won't take it; this is the state's life-saving medicine...
"That's really kind of you. I'll consider this a favor I owe you." A deep male voice rang out.
Qin Hongying was even more surprised, but she said, "We're like siblings, there's no such thing as owing each other anything. I didn't even know how to thank you for what happened with Changfeng before, how could I possibly ask you for a favor now?"
"By the way, Second Brother, Hu Bao said you've been staying here ever since you returned to Yuyang. Why don't you stay at the Marquis's residence? Nowhere is as comfortable as home." Qin Hongying asked curiously.
Qin Shaozong, who hadn't responded to Dai Li earlier, now offered the opportunity, saying, "Ask her."
Dai Li: "..."
Qin Hongying readily agreed, "Why?"
"...The Marquis's residence is under renovation," Dai Li simply said.
Qin Hongying smiled meaningfully, "Then go back to live there after the repairs are finished. The Marquis's mansion is much bigger than this place."
Dai Li remained silent.
Just then, someone arrived from outside. It was Qin Yunce, who had come to pay his respects after hearing that his aunt had arrived at the mansion.
After he had exchanged greetings and pleasantries with the mother and daughter, Qin Hongying asked in confusion, "Where is Qinian? Why haven't I seen him? Did he go to the military camp again?"
Qin Shaozong: "These past few days, he and that kid Qin Yanzhou have been going out every few days. You arrived earlier than expected, and they probably haven't returned yet."
Qin Hongying and Shi Rongyue were both stunned.
Qin Yanzhou?
His surname is Qin, and he is a member of the Qin clan. Why is he with Qinian? And why is it said "the two of them"? Does this mean they came back together?
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.
"Father!"
Before the man even entered the main courtyard, his hoarse voice could be heard first.
"Hey, Qin Yanzhou, why did you hit me? Oh, I forgot your mother needs a nap at this time. This isn't the first time I've done something this important with you, I was just too excited! Hey, how are you so clever, managing to spot their clues..."
The sound gradually faded until it was no longer audible.
However, not long after, two figures, one tall and one short, entered through the cave entrance.
The tall young man had a face as beautiful as jade, with delicate and exquisite features, but he rarely showed any emotion and his face was pale, as if he were shrouded in a layer of cold snow from a high mountain.
The slightly shorter boy was dressed in a black and red color-blocked outfit, with his long hair half tied up. He kept turning his head to talk to the person next to him the whole way in, without paying attention to where he was going.
Suddenly, the young man stopped.
In that brief moment of pause, Qin Qinian reached out and hooked his arm around his shoulder in a friendly manner. The boy grinned, revealing a row of white teeth, clearly quite pleased with his successful "sneak attack," even though the other person was taller than him and his movement felt awkward.
The moment Qin Hongying saw the two enter, her pupils constricted for a split second. She subconsciously glanced at Dai Li beside her, her unusual expression revealing her astonishment.
The mother and son appeared together, and no one could tell that they were related by blood.
The second brother was unharmed, yet he collected a great deal of medicinal herbs, even going so far as to ask his own sister for them. Looking at Dai Li's fervent excitement just now, it turned out that someone else needed the treasure.
This person wasn't even the second brother's woman, but rather his woman's son.
Her second brother devoted himself to raising other people's children.
Author's Note: Here I am! ●v●
Please, please provide nutrient solution. [Hands clasped in prayer]
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