Chapter 124 Comparison Between Men
Dai Li was stunned, not expecting Qin Shaozong to act so suddenly. She noticed her son's gaze, but everyone was there, and the marriage was indeed happening; it seemed inappropriate to say anything at this moment.
Not only Qin Yanzhou, but the others also looked over, first at Qin Shaozong and then at Dai Li.
Qin Hongying had long guessed that he was going to get married, so she smiled and said, "Second brother, you've acted much faster than I expected. By the way, is that jade ring coming back?"
The jade ring was a family heirloom of the Qin family, or more accurately, a token of each matriarch or prospective matriarch.
Dai Li lowered her eyes; at this moment, she only had a small purse at her waist. She had taken off the jade ring earlier and put it back in the box in her room.
Not only because it's conspicuously large, but also because it's so heavy.
It hangs prominently around the waist.
"We've retrieved it today," Qin Shaozong said.
Qin Hongying clicked her tongue inwardly upon hearing this. He'd retrieved the token today, and that very evening he'd announced the marriage to his family at the dinner table; her second brother really couldn't wait a single day.
But outwardly, Qin Hongying still raised the teacup in front of her, saying, "This is truly a joyous occasion, a cause for celebration. I offer this tea in lieu of wine, wishing you and Dai Li a long and happy life together, and that you will be forever united in heart."
Qin Shaozong's smile deepened. Qin Hongying held up a teacup, while he held up a wine cup. "Alright, thank you."
He drank it all in one gulp.
After Qin Hongying started, Qin Yunce also came to offer his congratulations. Since he was unable to drink alcohol, he substituted tea for wine.
Qin Shaozong poured himself a full glass of wine and drank it all in one go.
Generally speaking, when drinking with someone of lower rank or seniority, it's considered a courtesy to even take a sip. Drinking it all in one gulp is either an act of extreme respect or a sign of great enjoyment.
Qin Hongying's lips twitched, convinced that her second brother must be the latter.
People are in high spirits when they have good news, and this good news was only just beginning, yet it made him so happy.
After Qin Yunze, Qin Qinian, who also enjoyed drinking, raised his glass. Following Qin Qinian was Shi Rongyue.
The little girl held the teacup and spoke auspicious words. Qin Shaozong drank another cup, treating her the same as everyone else.
Shi Rongyue put down her teacup and quietly looked up at the person opposite her.
The young man had his eyes downcast, his long, black eyelashes casting faint shadows beneath them. He was much thinner than before, and his straight nose looked even sharper.
As if sensing her gaze, those beautifully shaped peach blossom eyes lifted up, their pupils as black as ink.
Shi Rongyue was stunned.
But the next moment, the other person looked away and turned to look at the person in the main seat.
After Shi Rongyue put down her teacup, Qin Yanzhou felt a gaze from the head of the table fall directly on him.
Intense, with other implications.
He turned to meet those narrow, brown eyes, his face expressionless.
When Dai Li saw the two of them facing off, she immediately felt a headache coming on.
Her son had just come out of quarantine; he was not only thin, but his face was also as white as paper. She originally wanted to wait until Zhouzhou was more recovered before telling him about it.
Unexpectedly, Qin Changgeng announced it tonight.
Qin Yanzhou's gaze lingered for only a moment before shifting to Dai Li. His mother had remained silent since the beginning.
He neither spoke nor left the scene.
He saw the helplessness on Dai Li's face. The young man paused, picked up the wine cup on the table, and gestured to Qin Shaozong.
No auspicious words were said, only a toast was raised.
Qin Shaozong smiled and also raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp.
Today is the Beginning of Winter.
There's a tradition of eating mutton and dumplings on the day of Lidong (the beginning of winter).
However, dumplings in this era weren't called dumplings; they were called "jiao'er" (饺耳). A famous doctor would wrap warming herbs like mutton and pepper in dough, cook them, and then distribute them to patients suffering from frostbite. Because of their ear-like shape, they got the name "jiao'er."
Later, in order to commemorate the famous doctor and also to welcome the arrival of winter, the custom of eating dumplings on the winter solstice was passed down in many places and gradually became a tradition.
The dumplings were filled with mutton, but Dai Li didn't like it and only ate one as a token gesture. Everyone else, including Qin Yanzhou, could eat a lot of mutton.
A large plate of dumplings, dipped in a little vinegar or soy sauce, and topped with minced garlic, is quite delicious.
This dinner was similar to, yet different from, that of usual. Dai Li noticed that Qin Shaozong had finished the whole pot of yellow millet wine next to him.
He was visibly in a good mood tonight.
After the meal, everyone dispersed.
The sky outside was already stained black; normally, one should rest and sleep soon after dinner.
“Zhouzhou, come with me,” Dai Li said to her son.
Qin Yanzhou followed his mother without saying a word.
Qin Shaozong watched the mother and son leave and turned his jade thumb ring.
...t
Dai Li didn't let Nianxia and Bibo follow her; she took a lantern and left the main hall with her son.
She started walking back the way she came.
Instead of returning to the main courtyard, they took Qin Yanzhou back to his own courtyard.
The mother and son remained silent the entire way until they reached the front courtyard of Qin Yanzhou's residence. Only then did Dai Li speak, "Zhouzhou, I originally planned to tell you about this in a few days, after you were feeling better. But just now..."
Dai Li sighed, observing her son's expression. "I didn't expect him to announce it so suddenly. But what he said in a hurry isn't entirely untrue; Qin Changgeng and I will be getting married in a while."
The last sentence was spoken softly, and was somewhat muffled in the night wind.
Perhaps it was because they had been silent for a long time, or perhaps because they had digested many of their emotions during dinner, Qin Yanzhou immediately asked, "Mom, is it your choice to marry him? The Gu poison in my body has been completely removed. If you don't want to, I can take you away."
It's certainly tasteless to cross the river and then destroy the bridge, and it's condemned by everyone. But he felt that compared to his mother's own wishes, none of that mattered.
Dai Li looked at her son, who was already much taller than her, and smiled with relief. "I did it voluntarily."
The poison in Zhouzhou's body has been cured, and the white elephant is dead, but this does not mean that her relationship with the Qinglian Sect can be wiped clean.
This score will ultimately have to be settled with the real leader. But the Green Lotus Sect is a powerful force, and it's highly likely that it will occupy several states in succession.
Qin Shaozong certainly hated religious sects, and he would most likely encounter the Qinglian Sect on his path to conquering the world. But revenge is something that's more satisfying to be involved in, and with no one stirring things up, who knows when he'd finally confront the Qinglian Sect?
More importantly, it's not certain that she and Zhouzhou will actually be able to leave smoothly.
Qin Changgeng promised not to take a concubine, and there was still a wager of a winter hunt that he could try to win.
What can we do? We'll just have to make do for now.
Of course, I can't tell my son about dealing with the Green Lotus Sect right now, otherwise he'll feel guilty again. Zhouzhou has finally become a bit more lively thanks to Nalan Wugong and Qin Qinian, we can't let him go back to square one.
Qin Yanzhou pursed his lips, then said something Dai Li hadn't expected, "Mom, do you think Marquis Wu'an is better than Uncle Zhong?"
Dai Li froze, her thoughts drifting back to the past.
The year after her husband's death, she ran into a former flirtatious boyfriend at a high school reunion. He had never married, and upon learning of her widowhood, he immediately began pursuing her.
She always had good taste in men, and Zhong Mingze later became very successful. In recent years, he started his own company and is financially independent.
Zhong Mingze was good-looking, had a good character, and was financially well-off. He pursued her enthusiastically and repeatedly expressed his liking for Zhouzhou. After testing him for a while, she finally brought Zhouzhou out so that her son could get to know him.
Zhouzhou didn't resist at the time, and after a while, the two of them, one big and one small, became quite familiar with each other.
Later, Zhong Mingze also visited her home.
But those are all things of the past, things that happened before the school bus plunged into the river.
After thinking for a moment, Dai Li finally said tactfully, "These two people each have their own strengths, and cannot be generalized."
She spoke with an air of impartiality, prompting Qin Yanzhou to press further, "Do you think he's good to you?"
When people panic, they make all sorts of little gestures. Dai Li raised her hand and scratched her cheek with one finger. "He's alright, he's quite generous."
Materially, Qin Shaozong did not mistreat her.
Eight out of ten wardrobe boxes in the main room were filled with her dresses, and the jewelry boxes in her dressing case were overflowing with top-quality pieces.
Even if those items weren't made into museums today, they would still be rare and exquisite pieces.
Aside from his occasional madness, some quirky tastes that are not known to outsiders, and his sharp tongue, Qin Shaozong is indeed a good person, setting aside his other emotions.
So yes, it's alright.
Qin Yanzhou frowned, clearly dissatisfied with the answer, "Mom..."
Dai Li pushed open the door in front of her and pushed her son inside. "Don't worry, your mother knows what she's doing. You, on the other hand, shouldn't think too much. Go to bed early and get up early to replenish your lost energy."
After shoving the person into the room, Dai Li, who was about to leave, suddenly remembered something else. "By the way, Zhou Zhou, there's something I need your help with."
The thick clouds in the sky were blown away by the wind, revealing the full moon. Dai Li's eyes shone like jewels in the moonlight. "Zhou Zhou, Qin Changgeng and I made a bet about the upcoming winter hunt. We bet he can hunt a tiger in broad daylight, and the loser has to promise the winner something. You'll help me then..."
This was a secret plot that couldn't be made public. Even when there was no one else around, Dai Li subconsciously kept her voice down.
She lowered her voice again and again, almost whispering to her son.
Qin Yanzhou listened carefully, his handsome brows twitching slightly, and a light also appeared in his eyes. "Okay, Mom."
Dai Li smiled and said, "Okay, it's settled then. Goodnight, Zhouzhou."
"Mother, I'll take you back." Qin Yanzhou belatedly realized that her maid hadn't followed.
Dai Li waved her hand in refusal, "No need, you should go to sleep early. I have a lamp, and there are plenty of guards patrolling the mansion. I can carry the lamp back by myself."
Without giving her son a chance to say anything else, Dai Li carried the lantern and walked back.
...
As soon as she turned out of the gate of her son's courtyard, Dai Li was startled by a dark figure standing beside the gate.
The figure was exceptionally tall, standing silently like an insurmountable peak. The lamplight dispelled the darkness at his feet, and the warm glow shone on his black robe.
At his feet, several fragments of a broken jade thumb ring could be vaguely seen.
Dai Li never expected to encounter Qin Shaozong here. Her mind instantly tightened, buzzing with anxiety, her thoughts racing:
When did Qin Changgeng arrive?
Did he hear everything? Did he hear Zhouzhou's words that he could take her away, and the plans she made with her son at the end?
In her extreme shock, Dai Li's hands trembled uncontrollably, and the lantern in her hand fell to the ground with a "thud".
The fall was quite hard, and all the candles inside were extinguished.
Qin Shaozong stretched out his long arm, encircled the woman's waist, and pulled her tightly into his embrace. "Madam, who is this 'Uncle Zhong' that Qin Yanzhou mentioned?"
Dai Li gasped.
Why did this person arrive so early?
Could it be that he followed her and Zhouzhou shortly after they left the main hall?
Author's Note: Here I am, please give me some nutrient solution! [Hands clasped in prayer]
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