Chapter 118 Was the lady's ex-husband a soldier?
When Dai Li returned to the Qin residence, the moon had already hidden behind thick clouds. Without the moon's radiance, the sky seemed to be covered with thick, indissoluble ink, unable to let in any light.
The heavy night sky mirrored Dai Li's mood at that moment.
Tonight's destination was clear, and we only visited three places. We spent very little time at the home of the Shang family in the middle, so it's not particularly late now that we've returned home.
It is not yet midnight.
Dai Li did not return directly to the main courtyard, but instead rode her horse to her son's courtyard with a heavy heart.
She didn't go in; she just stood at the entrance of the courtyard and looked inside.
It was late at night, and everyone in the courtyard had gone to rest. The courtyard was pitch black, and nothing could be seen.
A cool breeze swept by, swirling a few withered leaves. The wind picked up, and Qin Shaozong said, "Madam, it's late and the dew is heavy; let's go back."
Dai Li sighed softly, took the reins, turned her horse around, and went back.
...
Nianxia and Bipo had been waiting in the main room. When they saw the two return, one of them boiled water and the other fetched clothes.
By the time Dai Li lay down on the couch, more than half an hour had passed. It was midnight, and if there was still a moon outside the window, it should have begun to set in the west by now.
Dai Li has never had the habit of staying up late, and her sleep quality is usually good. But tonight, she lay on the couch, unable to fall asleep for a long time with her eyes closed.
Turn over and change position.
Still couldn't fall asleep, so I kept tossing and turning, trying different positions.
As Dai Li was turning the pages of the fifth chapter, a long arm reached out from beside her and scooped her up, blanket and all. "Madam has fried a whole bed full of pancakes. What are you planning to do? Are you going to the early market tomorrow?"
The plain curtain was lowered, and the inside of the tent was completely dark.
Dai Li couldn't see Qin Shaozong, but the constant warmth of his breath on her ear made his presence quite strong.
The late autumn chill in the north was biting. Dai Li needed two blankets to feel warm in such weather, but Qin Shaozong was full of energy and found two blankets too hot.
Eventually, it developed into Dai Li covering herself with a small blanket, and then sharing a large blanket with him.
Now, caught off guard, he pulled her into his arms. Dai Li was wrapped in the blanket, and he held her tightly, pressing down the corners of the blanket so that she couldn't reach out her hands.
With her hands full, Dai Li could only say, "Qin Changgeng, I don't think I'll be able to fall asleep anytime soon, so how about we sleep separately?"
White Elephant is dead, but his last words were like a knife, stabbing her heart deeply. The wound, which had never healed, began to bleed again, burning her and keeping her awake at night.
"Perfect timing, I can't sleep either. How about my wife and I have a chat tonight?" Qin Shaozong didn't let go.
When Dai Li heard him mention talking about the night, she naturally recalled what she had said to him before he left: "Can we talk about this again when we get back?" Now they were both back...
Dai Li shrank her neck and buried the lower half of her face in the small blanket wrapped around her.
Although it was impossible to see inside the tent, Qin Shaozong, who was holding her, could not help but feel her subtle movements, and the veins on his forehead immediately bulged.
He suddenly realized that no matter how cunning Bai Xiang was tonight, and how she almost escaped, it wasn't as infuriating as she was right now.
But you can't scold them, and you can't say anything harsh to them.
Qin Shaozong took a deep breath. "Would it be alright for you, Madam, to just talk about Peach Blossom Spring?"
He was always curious about that place and always wanted to know everything about her.
When Dai Li heard him mention "Peach Blossom Spring," she hesitated and slowly peeked out. She was indeed feeling terrible; the pus and blood flowing from her wounds needed an outlet.
Dai Li asked him, "What do you want to know?"
"Bai Xiang said earlier that Qin Yanzhou was going to a place where everyone is equal. That must be referring to 'Peach Blossom Spring,' the place where Madam used to live, where all living beings are equal?" His tone was full of doubt.
Dai Li pondered for a moment, "Well, although class distinctions still exist, with officials in charge of administration and ordinary people focused only on their own affairs, on the surface, everyone is the same. Ordinary people don't need to kneel before officials, nor do they need to address them as 'commoner' or 'slave'. The officials in my area are called public servants of the people."
The last five words intrigued Qin Shaozong.
A public servant of the people?
He was both an official and a servant.
However, Qin Shaozong quickly noticed other words and sighed, "On the surface, that's not true in secret."
Dai Li: "..."
Dai Li retorted with dissatisfaction, "But it's still much better than here. Besides, everything takes time. Did ironware exist from the beginning? And going further back, did bronzeware just fall from the sky? Didn't humans first learn to use stones before they learned to make fire? Then they gradually discovered natural copper ore, and later they smelted bronze."
Qin Shaozong exclaimed, "Heaven and earth are the parents of all things; man is the most intelligent of all things."
Dai Li's lips twitched, thinking to herself that this person always missed the point.
“Take the essence and discard the dross. Although Peach Blossom Spring cannot be said to be perfect in every place, it does ensure that every household has surplus food. It can be said that it has provided thousands of mansions to shelter all the poor and make them happy. The threshold for learning has also been infinitely lowered, allowing people to travel freely from all over the world.”
A glint of light flashed in Dai Li's eyes. "Even marriage is a matter of coming together if it works and breaking up if it doesn't. If a married couple lives together and the woman feels that the marriage is no longer sustainable, she can apply for a divorce at the government office to dissolve her marital relationship with her husband; the same goes for the man. Both parties have this right."
"...Moreover, in Peach Blossom Spring, there is no such thing as arranged marriages or matchmakers. Parents can only give advice to their children, but the final decision is actually up to the individual." Being close to him, a constant stream of warmth emanated from him, like an electric blanket, the temperature was just right, and Dai Li squinted her eyes comfortably.
When Qin Shaozong heard the last part, he couldn't help but say, "Absurd."
Dai Li wasn't surprised by his reaction. "What's so absurd? Is arranged marriage so glorious?"
Qin Shaozong said in a deep voice, "Marriage is not only a matter between two people, but also between two families. When two families form a marriage alliance, it will be both a help and an alliance. If they face a life-or-death situation or a power struggle in the future, this marriage will be a powerful help, and may even be a lifeline."
Dai Li sighed again, realizing that her thinking was separated from Qin Shaozong's by a Mariana Trench.
This is not only a difference of times, but also a difference of class. It is the meticulous calculation of protecting the privileges of the next generation after one has become privileged.
From a macro perspective, this kind of thing has existed throughout history and is not uncommon. This is because marriage can indeed concentrate and even further expand wealth and power.
But regarding the issue of parents having absolute power, Dai Li still had to refute him, "Qin Changgeng, you have to understand that children who receive good guidance from their parents generally have good taste in choosing a spouse and won't fall for ugly people. Just take arranged marriages, where you don't know what kind of person the other is before the marriage, and then you live together, not only do you not love each other, but what if your lifestyles and values don't match? Wouldn't you become a resentful couple? You won't even be able to treat each other with respect, and you'll just be wasting your life together. What's the point?"
It's unclear what touched Qin Shaozong's nerve, but he suddenly reacted strongly. The man, who had been merely embracing her, suddenly tightened his grip.
Dai Li felt as if she were being strangled by a giant python, the tightness even through the blanket causing some pain.
The small blanket only covered her hands, leaving her legs spread out below her calves. Immediately, Dai Li kicked him from below, saying, "A gentleman uses words, not fists. You can't win an argument with me, so you can't resort to violence."
This guy was very athletic, with a well-defined physique and a very strong build. Dai Li kicked him in the shin; she didn't know if he was in pain, but her toe certainly hurt.
Qin Shaozong was already lying on his side, and now, taking advantage of Dai Li kicking him, he squeezed his legs together, trapping her feet between his calves.
Restrained underneath, her hands bound by a small blanket, Dai Li couldn't break free. "Qin Changgeng!"
"Madam, did you choose your deceased husband yourself?" he suddenly asked.
When Dai Li heard the words "deceased husband," she thought for a moment that she hadn't been paying attention and had accidentally let something slip.
She quickly reviewed her past memories and found that she hadn't missed anything. From beginning to end, she had told him that she had a conflict with her husband, which was why they separated.
So Qin Shaozong's constant use of "deceased husband" is purely a venomous curse.
Dai Li: "..."
"He's doing just fine somewhere else, Qin Changgeng, don't talk nonsense." Dai Li believed that she and Zhouzhou could wake up somewhere else, and perhaps... Qin Zheyu could too.
Qin Shaozong clenched his teeth. "They're protecting it so tightly, it seems so."
“The environment is different, so what’s so strange about that?” Dai Li continued, “Where I’m from, if you have feelings for someone, you can pursue them. If you succeed, you become a couple. In this relationship, the two of you get to know each other better, explore each other’s hobbies, lifestyles, and family backgrounds. Some couples even live together, all in preparation for marriage.”
Every word Dai Li spoke was like a thunderclap. In Qin Shaozong's mind, thunderclaps fell one after another, their roar deafening.
The tent was dark, and the darkness seemed to drown out his rarely revealed emotions.
After a long while, Dai Li finally heard him say:
"Utterly absurd!"
He chewed those four words into tiny pieces, then squeezed them out from between his teeth.
Dai Li couldn't help but roll her eyes.
Just now it was "absurd," now it's "utterly absurd." It seems this has been elevated to the comparative degree—no, it should be the superlative degree.
Dai Li snorted softly, "Not absurd. Getting to know each other before marriage is very important. If you find that you are not suitable, then cut your losses in time and find someone else. It's better for both of you."
"No rain falls when there are no clouds in the sky, and no marriage can be made without a matchmaker on earth. What's the difference between living together hastily and engaging in illicit relations without a matchmaker?" Qin Shaozong strongly disagreed.
When he uttered the phrase "unrequited love," Dai Li felt as if she could smell a rotten, feudal stench that made her dizzy and disoriented.
Dai Li was furious, and her tone became much harsher, "Marriage is a solemn matter, how can it be treated like a game? Couples are just couples, and they usually raise children together after they become husband and wife. Qin Changgeng, we have grown up in different environments for more than 30 years, and I can't explain this to you. I can't change your mind, and likewise, you can't change mine."
After saying this, Dai Li kicked him with the foot that wasn't trapped by him, stomping on his strong calf, "Let go."
Qin Shaozong did not move. His breathing was rapid and heavy, as if a ball of flame was rolling and burning in his chest, which was about to burst out but was forcibly suppressed by him.
Dai Li heard him take a deep breath and then slowly exhale.
After a long while, the heavy breathing gradually subsided. "Alright, let's not talk about that for now. Madam, tell me about something else."
He calmed down on his own, and Dai Li didn't add fuel to the fire. After their little argument, the pent-up anger in her chest seemed to have dissipated somewhat, so she casually asked, "What else do you want to hear?"
"Madam, tell me about your deceased husband. What was his family background? Was he also a soldier?" He spoke calmly, even somewhat indifferently.
But the word "also" in those words made Dai Li's eyelids twitch.
Why is this person asking this? Is it because they're feeling competitive?
“Peach Blossom Spring is very peaceful; at least the area where I live has been free from war for decades. In such an environment where people live and work in peace, all industries flourish, and every profession can produce an expert. Therefore, many people do not choose the path of joining the army,” Dai Li said thoughtfully.
She skipped over his first question.
Qin Shaozong raised an eyebrow and asked again, "If you don't join the army, what will you do?"
This man was relentless in his pursuit, determined not to rest until he had an answer tonight. Dai Li could only say, "Didn't I say before that if you travel from south to north on a 'Quru' made of iron, you can make a round trip in a single day? He used to be in charge of driving this 'Quru'."
Qin Shaozong was silent for a moment, then suddenly uttered a meaningful remark, "So he's just a coachman."
Dai Li: "..."
Author's Note: Here I am, still asking for nutrient solution! [Hands clasped in prayer]
Ding ding ding, the little red envelope has been sent! Baby, check if you've received it! =3=
There were three small events before. Were there any super lucky people present who won all three times? [glasses emoji]
One more time! The system will randomly distribute 100 red envelope cards. VIP members, please draw a card! Leave a comment to participate. [Lower-eared rabbit head]
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Lottery draw time: Results will be sent out after tomorrow's update.
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