Chapter 122 She has to marry him!
Qin Shaozong's brows relaxed and then furrowed again.
Winter hunting?
Why wait until the winter hunt?
Having just made a bet, Qin Shaozong couldn't help but think of something the loser had promised the winner.
The man's face darkened slightly, and he spoke frankly to her, "Madam, the 'Marriage Agreement' has been given out, but the 'Reply Agreement' does not necessarily have to be written by your own hand. I can do it for you."
The subtext of this statement is clearly: regardless of whether this "marriage agreement" exists or not, she must marry him.
Dai Li reached out and placed her hand on his chest. Although what he said was outrageously absurd, it wasn't surprising when she thought about it carefully.
This person can be completely unreasonable at times, she said helplessly, "I know."
Qin Shaozong opened his eyes, and the long arm that had been around her waist suddenly tightened, lifting Dai Li up slightly. At the same time, his other hand reached down and placed her legs underneath him.
Dai Li suddenly levitated, then quickly landed back on solid ground, sitting on the dressing table.
After sitting on it, she was slightly taller than Qin Shaozong. His arm was propped up beside her, and the area where his thumb and forefinger were pressed against the outside of her leg. A continuous stream of heat came over her, which was somewhat inexplicably scorching.
Dai Li looked up at him. Her position was now several degrees higher than his, and she looked down at him condescendingly. "What do you want now, my lord?"
That insincere "My Lord" had a rather hurtful undertone no matter how you looked at it.
Caught off guard, Qin Shaozong laughed angrily, "That's not how you called me, Madam."
He reached out and pinched her red lips, pinching Dai Li's upper and lower lips between two fingers, making her beak look like a duck's mouth. "Say what you said earlier, now let me hear it again."
Knowing that he was still thinking about the previous "husband," Dai Li turned her head away from his hand and then stabbed him with her words, "Please be mindful of your words and actions, my lord, and don't go too far, lest you chill the hearts of your advisors."
"There's something even more outrageous, Madam. Would you like to try it?" Qin Shaozong said this without waiting for her reply.
He lifted Dai Li's chin and skillfully pried open her lips. The man's other hand went around to the back of her head, pressing her head down, allowing him to penetrate deeper, carefully plundering every inch of the softness in her mouth.
A breeze blew by, causing the lamps in the room to flicker.
The light flickered, casting two shadows, one deep and one shallow, on the ground, which were pressed together. She and he were entangled, like two adjacent trees in an ancient forest, their vines intertwined.
The apricot-colored outer garment drifted down like fallen leaves, and in the flickering candlelight, the large expanse of snow was dazzlingly white. It swayed and undulated slightly, and was measured inch by inch by lips and teeth, leaving a trail of vibrant color.
The bronze mirror reflected a graceful figure with her clothes half-undone; her apricot-colored dress billowed around her waist like clouds, making her seem as if she were trapped in clouds.
The night is still long.
*
Yuyang, the capital of the Wei Prefecture.
The servant rushed into the study and immediately said, "My lord, something terrible has happened," causing everyone in the study to freeze involuntarily.
"What happened again?" Wei Congmu rubbed his temples, looking troubled.
The third brother, Wei Congsen, said, "What other instructions does Wei Qing have? As long as it's not excessive, try to satisfy him so that he can finish his investigation and withdraw his troops quickly."
A day ago, the Xuanxiao Cavalry suddenly visited the major clans in the county, claiming that a group of thieves who had attempted to assassinate the Marquis of Wu'an had colluded with a certain family and had taken refuge in the mansions of the noble families after the assassination failed.
The Xuanxiao Cavalry were different from ordinary soldiers; they were the sharpest blade in Qin Shaozong's hands, representing to some extent his own will.
When Xuanxiao arrived at the door, the prominent families were greatly alarmed. Upon hearing that they had come to arrest thieves, they naturally did not refuse them entry.
If you're upright, you have nothing to fear; if you want to search, then search.
With all the other families opening their gates, the Wei family, not wanting to be the exception, immediately welcomed Xuanxiao's horse inside as well.
However, given that Qin Shaozong had instructed the Cai family to suppress them, the Wei father and son always felt a vague unease. This unease reached its peak when they learned that Lai Mo Bookstore had been shut down and that the shopkeeper and all the servants had been imprisoned.
Come to Mo Bookstore...
They did indeed have some connection with this bookstore; the other party had sent someone to inform the Wei family:
The claim that Marquis Wu'an was injured was a ruse. The Cai family's series of actions were all at the behest of the other party, with the aim of retracting their initial promise and paving the way for their future marriage.
The Wei family was greatly alarmed and hurriedly notified Wei Wu, who was already married. This led to Wei Cheng bringing Wei Pingzhi to visit the Qin residence as a test.
Okay, whatever happened before.
In short, after learning that Laimo Bookstore had been shut down, the Wei father and son were restless. And just at this critical moment, the Xuanxiao Cavalry came to search their mansion.
Feeling guilty and also out of precaution, the confidant who had gone to deliver the message to the ink shop was hidden away.
However, because the Wei family did not immediately learn of the incident at the bookstore, the subsequent hiding of the confidant was delayed. The trusted aide could only remain hidden within the mansion, unable to break through the blockade formed by the Xuanxiao cavalry outside.
“My lord, Wei…Wei Changsheng has been discovered,” the servant said.
Both Wei and his son were shaken, and felt a buzzing in their heads.
Wei Congmu jumped up: "How could we have been discovered? Didn't we hide them?!"
The servant had no way to explain his predicament: "That garrison commander Wei searched extremely thoroughly, as if he had supernatural vision. He didn't miss any of the nooks and crannies. He even summoned several young women to search the ladies' rooms specifically."
Wei's father nearly choked on a mouthful of blood.
"Where is he? Where is Wei Changsheng?" Wei Congmu asked anxiously.
"I was... I was taken away..."
The study fell silent instantly.
Wei's father's expression changed several times, and in the end, he seemed to have aged more than ten years in an instant. "Eldest son, take that jade ring to Marquis Wu'an and tell him that Fei Niang has been gone for more than fifteen years, which is long enough. If he meets a suitable person, it is fine for him to remarry. He doesn't need to worry about the promise he made in the past."
"Father!"
"Father!"
Wei Congmu and Wei Congsen spoke at the same time.
"The token must not be returned. If it is, the Wei and Qin families will inevitably drift further apart."
"Yes, Father, we must return this token! Now that we have returned it, perhaps Marquis Wu'an will be able to get married next spring."
Father Wei sneered, his face contorted. “The Marquis’s mansion has been under renovation for a long time. Do you all think Qin Changgeng is just doing it for fun? Everyone who came to the Ink Bookshop has been arrested. Do you think that since he was able to find Wei Changsheng, there might be some of those arrested who recognize him?”
The two brothers looked at each other in bewilderment.
“The person who tipped off my Wei family has never revealed their true identity, but for the Marquis of Wu’an to go to such lengths to arrest them, they must be extraordinary, and perhaps even seen as a thorn in his side. I’m worried that he thinks we’re secretly colluding with the people behind the bookstore.” This was what Wei’s father feared most, and what he felt most wronged about.
He let out a long sigh, as if with that exhale, most of his energy had dissipated. "Everything Qin Changgeng has done seems aimed at getting married. He's the kind of person who won't give up until he achieves his goal. Even if we escape this time, there might be another one."
This token had to be returned.
When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head.
The northern family is ultimately surnamed "Qin". Since the Wei family has no military power, how could they really go against the Qin family?
Wei Congmu couldn't bear to see his father in such a dejected state, so he comforted him, "Father, Qinian is your grandson, and that will never change."
Wei Congsen also said, "That's right, and Qinian is his only biological son. In the future, won't the vast family business of Marquis Wu'an be handed over to Qinian? Once Qinian takes over and shoulders the main responsibility, the Wei family will surely reach new heights."
These words truly struck a chord with Wei's father, and his expression immediately softened. "That's right. Let Yue'er and Dai'er spend more time with Qinian in the future."
*
Qin Mansion.
"My lord, Chief Clerk Wei requests an audience. He says he has an important item to return."
When Hu Bao came to report, Qin Shaozong was reviewing the interrogation records.
The merchant surnamed Zhao from the east of the city was brought back. It was unclear whether he had gotten wind of the situation beforehand or couldn't endure the hardship and therefore decided to be a pragmatic hero. Before any torture was even used, the man confessed everything like beans spilling out.
He joined the Green Lotus Sect three years ago when he traveled south to trade. It hadn't been long; he had previously served as the fat shopkeeper's assistant. Even if the latter stubbornly refused to confess, following Zhao Shangjia's lead, they could still uncover more and more.
Qin Shaozong understood the implied meaning and smiled immediately, "Take good care of Chief Secretary Wei. My wife and I will arrive shortly."
Dai Li, who was reading by the window, was baffled. "The Wei family is looking for you. If you want to go, then go. Why drag me into this?"
Qin Shaozong did not give a specific reason, only saying, "Just this once."
Dai Li pursed her lips and remained silent.
He added, "Old Master Ding said the treatment would take three days. Qin Yanzhou will finish his treatment by the end of Shenshi today. Since you're idle anyway, why don't you come with me to kill some time?"
Today is the third day of Qin Yanzhou's seclusion. If nothing unexpected happens, the door that has been closed for so long will be completely opened as dusk approaches.
Dai Li was certain that nothing unexpected would happen, because Ding Lianxi would come to report every day on his grandfather's orders, so that she would know that everything was going smoothly.
"Alright then." Dai Li put down the book in her hand.
Dai Li had specially styled her hair into a bun today, her dark hair coiled into a "fallen horse" bun, adorned with a gold and jade butterfly hairpin, and on the other side was a phoenix-shaped hair ornament with pearls hanging down.
The beads were exceptionally round, each one a beautiful bright white, and all roughly the same size, making it clear at a glance that this hair ornament was no ordinary item.
As Dai Li stood up, the crimson skirt of her dress slid down her legs like water, as if a ray of bright sunlight had swept across her.
She and Qin Shaozong left the main room together.
...
Main hall.
The servant offered Wei Congmu tea, but the latter had no interest in drinking it and kept looking toward the side corridor.
Time seemed to stretch on endlessly, filling him with anxiety. It felt like a full hour had passed, yet also like only a quarter of an hour, before Wei Congmu heard footsteps.
Two voices, one soft and one loud.
Soon, two figures emerged side by side from the side corridor. One was tall and imposing, dressed in a black robe and wearing a military cap, his aura as heavy as a mountain.
The other woman was much petite compared to the men, but still considered tall among ordinary women. She was beautiful and graceful, and her long dress in the shade of Xiangfei was elegant and refined, yet also subtly glamorous.
This was the first time Wei Congmu had seen Dai Li. He had previously heard that Lady Dai, who was by the side of Marquis Wu'an, was a beauty from a painting, with the appearance of a moon goddess and possessing unparalleled charm.
That's why the Marquis of Wu'an was so infatuated with her that he even abandoned his residence and moved out with her.
To be honest, Wei Congmu didn't believe it.
Who is Qin Changgeng? He's fought in the north and south for years, and he's seen all kinds of beauties. How could he be so bewitched? Could it be that the so-called "favored concubine Dai Shi" is just a cover to conceal a deeper purpose?
But at this moment, nine-tenths of Wei Congmu's doubts vanished.
Bright as the rising sun at dawn, dazzling as a lotus emerging from clear water.
This Lady Dai is indeed a beauty beyond compare, no wonder...
"Chief Secretary Wei." A deep voice came from above.
Wei Congmu suddenly came to his senses, quickly lowered his head, and then looked up at Qin Shaozong, bowing deeply to him. "This humble servant pays his respects to Your Majesty. I apologize for the abruptness of your visit and hope Your Majesty will forgive me."
Qin Shaozong stepped down from the head of the table and personally helped him up: "The Chief Secretary has come with generous gifts; how could he possibly be considered 'rude'?"
Upon hearing the word "generous gift," Wei Congmu couldn't help but twitch his lips, knowing that Qin Shaozong was not giving him any chance to back down.
He felt a tightness in his chest, but he still had to say, "Your Excellency is mistaken. How can that be considered a generous gift? It originally belonged to the Qin family, and now it is simply being returned to its rightful owner."
After speaking, Wei Congmu turned around and presented the brocade box he had brought with both hands.
Qin Shaozong took it, and not only that, he wanted to open it and take a look.
The gold clasp was lifted, and the exquisitely carved sandalwood box was opened. Inside, a beautiful red cloth was laid out, and on it lay a jade ring of exceptionally lustrous Hetian jade.
The character "环" in Yuhuan is a homophone of "还" (huan), and "t" symbolizes the continuation of a relationship, implying a happy reunion.
This exquisite jade ring has quite a history, dating back to the generation of Qin Shaozong's great-great-grandfather. It was a gift from his great-great-grandfather to his great-great-grandmother when they were betrothed, and it was then passed down to the eldest son of each generation, to be given to his wife when he got married.
Qin Shaozong was the second son in his family. This jade ring was initially unrelated to him and was kept by his elder brother and sister-in-law.
However, the Qin family later suffered a calamity, and his brother and sister-in-law passed away together. The jade ring briefly came into Qin Shaozong's hands, and was soon sent to the Wei family along with his promise.
After fifteen years of twists and turns, it finally returned to Qin Shaozong's hands.
However, I didn't stay with him for very long.
After Qin Shaozong glanced at it a few times and confirmed that it was correct, he reached out and pulled the purse hanging from Dai Li's waist.
To Wei Congmu's astonishment, he then hung the Qin family token around Dai Li's waist as if it were jade.
Dai Li: "?"
Author's Note: I saw some readers asking if I'm ending the story. I feel like if I ended it now, it would be a rushed ending, so it won't be that soon, haha [laughing emoji]
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Finally, I beg for nutrient solution. [Hands clasped in prayer]
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