Chapter 127 Trying to seduce me? Fine!
Qin Qinian, standing nearby, started eating sesame cakes without being asked. "Have some, let's chat while we eat. Qin Yanzhou, is this rabbit hunting competition purely about who hunts the most rabbits and finds the most rabbit burrows? Is it a total of both?"
Shi Rongyue arrived a little late and didn't hear what was going on, but from the words "hunting rabbits" and "competition," it wasn't hard to guess that they were having a contest.
But, compared to hunting rabbits?
She pricked up her ears and continued listening.
Qin Yanzhou then said, “Yes and no. It is indeed about quantity, but not on a one-to-one basis. The specific rule is: hunting ten rabbits is equivalent to finding a rabbit hole with a live rabbit inside, and the task must be completed within one day. In this way, it can test both keenness and observation skills, as well as luck.”
This was the first time Qin Qinian had heard of this kind of game. "That's interesting."
Qin Yanzhou added, “In ordinary competitions, the winner is usually only known after the results are tallied at the end. This method inevitably leads to slackness during the process. This time, we will each bring an inspector, who will be used for both counting and reporting.”
"Report? How should we report?" Qin Qinian was full of doubts. "When hunting, we'll be riding horses all over the place, so it won't be easy to find people."
Qin Yanzhou's lips curled into a slight smile. "That's right, which is why this inspector carries gongs and cymbals. Every time he finds a rabbit hole, he strikes the gongs and cymbals to communicate with the other party through sound."
Qin Qinian's eyes lit up. "Hey, this is great!"
It's equivalent to reporting battle results in real time.
The competition is only interesting when you're chasing and pushing each other!
"Young Master Qin, Little Cousin, what are you competing to catch rabbits for?" Shi Rongyue asked curiously.
Qin Qinian: "I've always wanted to spar with this guy, but he refused before. Today he finally agreed. However, he proposed a rabbit-catching contest, and he'll only really agree if I win."
Shi Rongyue suddenly said, "Young Master Qin, I would also like to participate in the rabbit-catching competition, is that alright?"
Both of them were slightly taken aback.
Shi Rongyue smiled, revealing her dimples. "How can a life-saving debt be repaid with just words and a box of dried meat? Actually, I'd like to invite Young Master Qin to a restaurant or teahouse. But if I asked normally, I suspect you probably wouldn't agree..."
Qin Yanzhou wanted to say "There's no need for that," but for some reason, the words got stuck in his throat.
Shi Rongyue noticed that he was somewhat tempted, so she quickly continued, "You just said that hunting rabbits depends on luck, so how about we leave this to fate?"
Qin Qinian thought it was a good idea, let's play together, it'll be more lively with more people. "Qin Yanzhou, let's add her, hunting rabbits isn't dangerous anyway."
Two pairs of round eyes were looking at him, and Qin Yanzhou felt like he was being watched by an innocent puppy.
Suddenly, he remembered his professor neighbor from many years ago. At that time, his father had passed away, and his mother was raising him alone. The publishing house wasn't too busy, but he sometimes had to travel for work.
Whenever that happened, his mother would entrust him to the retired professor next door, asking him to take care of him for two or three days.
The old professor had a small mixed-breed dog at home, the kind with a yellow head and white skin, and a fluffy body that looked like a fluffy cake.
An exceptionally intelligent puppy, so small yet able to understand human speech, with moist eyes that aren't pure black but have a light brown tint.
It wagged its tail whenever it saw him, circled around him and played with him, making him want to have a puppy of his own for a long time.
Qin Yanzhou lowered his eyes and slowly nodded, agreeing.
Shi Rongyue's dimples deepened even more. She seemed genuinely happy, nodding her head slightly, even the tuft of hair that wasn't coiled into her bun swayed along with it. "Then it's settled."
"Some rules need to be changed slightly."
Qin Yanzhou rearranged the process: "Your inspector will use the suona to transmit messages, Qin Qinian will use the gong, and I will use the cymbals. Each time a rabbit hole is found, the inspector will make a simple mark, and then blow or strike the instrument twice in succession to transmit the sound."
"good!"
"good!"
*
"Rongrong is back?"
Qin Hongying saw her daughter return carrying a small round bucket, the golden wheat tassels hanging from her hair bun swaying back and forth, and she seemed to be in a good mood. She smiled and said, "I heard from Ni Chang that you prepared some tea and snacks before going out. That's good. Young men like Qinian at this age have the biggest appetites. Sometimes they can eat five times a day."
Ni Chang, this is Shi Rongyue's personal maid.
The little girl froze, her mouth moved as if she wanted to say something, but her mother smiled and encouraged her, "You can continue tomorrow. Anyway, Qinian isn't a picky eater, he's very easy to raise."
After Qin Hongying finished speaking, she noticed that her daughter's expression was strange. "What's wrong? What happened just now?"
“My cousin said there will be a winter hunt in a few days. He, I, and…Young Master Qin have arranged to hunt rabbits together,” Shi Rongyue said in a low voice.
"Hunting rabbits?" Qin Hongying raised her eyebrows, intrigued. She was also delighted. "Good, good. I didn't expect that Qinian, who usually seems so carefree, is actually a very thoughtful child. He was worried that you wouldn't be able to keep up when hunting wild beasts, so he switched to hunting rabbits."
“Mother, no.” Shi Rongyue shook her head. “My little cousin and Qin Xiaolang were planning to have a rabbit hunting competition. I… I got interested after hearing about it and asked to join them.”
Qin Hongying frowned. "Were they planning to hunt rabbits originally?"
What's so great about hunting rabbits?
The mountains are full of them; with bows and arrows, and a hunting dog, you won't have to worry about coming back empty-handed.
Qin Hongying thought she had found the reason. "Oh, could it be to take care of Qin Yanzhou? I've heard that he's never been in good health, and I guess his skills aren't that great either..."
“It’s not bad.” Shi Rongyue couldn’t help but say. Under the gaze of those long eyes that were seven parts similar to her second uncle’s, the little girl whispered, “If he wasn’t good at it, that day my little cousin and I would have been buried in the tunnel.”
Qin Hongying thought about it and agreed.
"You don't need to remember Qin Yanzhou's life-saving grace all the time. Your mother will repay Dai Li herself. You, a junior, don't need to bother."
Qin Hongying added, "Your second uncle's marriage is a done deal. Qin Yanzhou will also be your elder brother in the future, but he is not on the same path as you. In the future, you can just maintain appearances."
The "you" she referred to were Shi Rongyue and Qin Qinian.
Shi Rongyue pursed her lips and remained silent.
Qin Hongying believed she knew her own daughter well, and seeing the current situation, she knew that her daughter did not approve of her.
My daughter has come of age and grown up; there are some things I can talk to her about in depth now.
So Qin Hongying said, "Qin Yanzhou is not your second uncle's biological son, and Dai Li is not from a prominent family. To put it bluntly, Qin Yanzhou's biological father is nameless and surnameless. If it weren't for his mother's extraordinary abilities, he would have been destined to be a commoner for life. He might not even be able to afford a single hairpin for a noble lady if he saved up all the money he could in a year without eating or drinking. Even if your second uncle loves him dearly and treats him as his own son, it would be almost impossible for him to take over the family business."
"Why?" Shi Rongyue asked.
Qin Hongying said seriously, "Because some people have already quietly chosen sides, and they have secretly formed a secondary force belonging to Qinian. For their own future interests, these people will drag him along and push him forward."
Shi Rongyue frowned slightly. "What if my little cousin doesn't want to? I think he's not the type to fight with his family."
Qin Hongying shook her head. "There's a saying, 'One is not in control of one's own destiny.' Some things may not have been Qinian's original intention, but in the end, they did benefit him. Your second uncle is in his prime now. He can hold on in ten years, but what about twenty or thirty years? Our generation will eventually reach a point where we are no longer able to do what we want. And Dai Li doesn't have a powerful maternal clan, which means that apart from your second uncle, no one is backing her and her son. This is always a fatal weakness."
“Mother, should we… also be those who push our little cousin forward?” Shi Rongyue’s eyelashes trembled slightly.
Qin Hongying didn't answer whether she wanted to be one of those people. She stroked her daughter's head and brushed away a small tuft of hair. "Rongrong, you are my only daughter. I just want you to have a safe and secure future. Qinian is your second uncle's only biological son. Just in that respect, he is far superior."
The marriage between the Qin and Shi clans would be a great boost to Qin Qinian himself.
Qin Hongying suddenly remembered something, "Your second uncle will probably hold a big winter hunt this year. Rongrong, you will be marrying into Yuyang in the future. Take advantage of this winter hunt to get to know the young ladies and wives of the prominent families in Yuyang. You should get to know them all in advance."
Shi Rongyue lowered her head and bit her lip.
...
Recently, all the prominent families in Yuyang have received invitations.
An invitation to participate in the winter hunt.
The recent city lockdown and the dispatch of troops to arrest thieves in various homes have left some impact. This invitation, sent to prominent families, feels like a slap on the wrist followed by a sweet treat.
Despite being under someone else's roof, the various noble families still enjoyed this sweet treat very much.
Qin Shaozong invited prominent families to join him on a winter hunt, a fact that Dai Li was also aware of.
"...So it's a total of three days and two nights, or are we setting off tomorrow?" Dai Li looked at the man beside her.
Both of them were in the study, where two desks were set up side by side. Dai Li occupied one desk, and Qin Shaozong occupied the other one next to her.
"Yes, we'll set off first thing tomorrow morning." Qin Shaozong sat imposingly behind his desk, looking at the secret reports from other states laid out on it.
He spoke to Dai Li while multitasking, “This winter hunt has invited many prominent families, a total of twenty-two families, both large and small, with names and surnames. Each family has brought about thirty children, women and servants.”
Excluding the Qin family members and the guards responsible for security, there are over six hundred people here.
Dai Li stopped practicing calligraphy with her wolf-hair brush. "There are more people than I expected."
"Isn't the lady pleased with this?" he said meaningfully.
Qin Shaozong understood her little scheme.
A large number of people means a lot of things to arrange and a lot of time to spend.
He saw through it all. Dai Li laughed and said, "Yes, I am happy to see it happen. What's shameful about wanting to win?"
“It’s not shameful, it’s just that the lady can only think about it,” he said.
These words were spoken with absolute certainty. Dai Li frowned slightly and tentatively asked, "Qin Changgeng, you wouldn't be planning to send out all the Xuanxiao Cavalry to search for the tiger, would you?"
"Don't underestimate your husband," he said confidently.
Dai Li was relieved.
It doesn't require the entire army to be mobilized.
Qin Shaozong continued, "There will be many noble ladies coming to chat with you, Madam. If you get along with them, chat with them for a bit; if you don't, so be it, there's no need to force it."
He didn't accumulate his current power and influence so that his woman wouldn't have to be subservient to others.
Dai Li, with her eyes lowered, was slowly practicing writing the character "敬" (respect). Upon hearing his words, she responded with an "Mmm".
...
Sunset and sunrise, and another day has passed in the blink of an eye.
The sky is clear and the heavy snow has stopped. It's not snowing, but the wind has picked up, and the cool breeze brings a chill, making people instinctively tuck their necks into their collars.
Before dawn, the Qin family was already bustling with activity. Dai Li was pulled out of her warm bed and left with her eyes closed as Nian Xia and Bi Po helped her change her clothes and fussed over her hair.
After her elaborate hair was styled and adorned with gold hairpins and jade hair ornaments, Dai Li's sleepiness had subsided by about 80%, and she slowly began to wash up.
At this moment, the sky outside was only covered by a thin, almost invisible layer of light, even paler than the pale light of a fish's belly, as if veiled by a black gauze.
By the time we finished breakfast, it was broad daylight outside.
It's time to set off.
A carriage procession, surrounded by horses, drove out of the main gate of the mansion and headed north.
The morning market is usually bustling, but today was an exception. The notices had been posted in advance, and vendors and commoners alike made way for it. Military patrols were also stationed along the way, driving away any stray civilians who might wander in, and the streets and alleys revealed their original spacious and open appearance.
Carriages bearing the wooden plaques of prominent families converged from all directions, proceeding swiftly one after another.
An hour later, the blockade was lifted.
Dai Li lifted the curtain and looked at the white expanse outside, feeling a strange sense of melancholy.
The last time she was outside the city was three months ago when she returned to Yuyang with Qin Shaozong. And it has been almost a year since she arrived in this unfamiliar era.
A year may seem short, but compared to the past thirty years, it's really nothing. Yet, this short year has been filled with dramatic events, ups and downs, all inextricably linked to one person.
Qin Shaozong rode the Crimson Dragon, walking beside Dai Li's carriage. He knew it when the curtain beside him was lifted; the sun hadn't risen yet, and the snow wasn't harmful to the eyes, so she wouldn't mind looking at it a few more times.
But Qin Shaozong quickly noticed that the gaze had fallen on him.
They stayed for quite a while, at least longer than usual.
The man, who had been somewhat languid, slowly straightened up. He gently tugged on the reins, making the horse he was riding walk more steadily and closer to the carriage.
"lady……"
Qin Shaozong turned his head, but before he could finish speaking, the carriage curtain fell, obscuring the beautiful face of the woman inside.
The cold wind picked up a bit more, carrying snowflakes that seemed to have come from nowhere, and it felt stinging on my face.
Qin Shaozong: "..."
With his tongue pressed against his back teeth, the man chuckled softly, "Alright, you'll figure it out slowly."
An hour later, the caravan arrived at the hunting grounds in the northern suburbs.
Before the main force officially arrived, a group of northern troops had already come to the hunting grounds to scout ahead of time.
The most basic preparations have been completed here. For example, ditches have been dug near the campsite to protect against wild animals, and the thick snow has been mostly cleared away.
Now that the caravan has arrived, the servants of each household immediately begin a more thorough cleaning.
This place suddenly became lively.
Dai Li got out of the car and chatted with Qin Hongying and Shi Rongyue.
Dai Li wasn't from a prominent family, so she probably couldn't understand the conflicts and sordid affairs within those large clans. Therefore, Qin Hongying automatically avoided this topic.
The other person wasn't from the North, and she had never been to the South, so they had nothing to talk about about their hometown.
With so few points of common ground, Qin Hongying finally turned the conversation to the younger generation, first asking about Qin Yanzhou's health.
Dai Li looked at her son wandering around not far away, "...Zhouzhou is recovering very well. Thank you for the medicine, Hongying. Otherwise, even if Mr. Ding has unparalleled medical skills, he would be like a skilled cook without rice."
Qin Hongying smiled and said, "No need to thank me. Yanzhou is a lucky child. He also saved Qinian and Rongrong later. It's a case of cause and effect. I was worried that Rongrong would be bored here because she wouldn't have any playmates. I didn't expect that Yanzhou would be willing to bring her along when he was competing with Qinian in rabbit hunting."
It's one thing to approve of the daughter and nephew spending time together before marriage, but it's a bit too conspicuous for the two of them to be alone. Adding Qin Yanzhou is just right; to outsiders, it's like the cousin taking his sister out for a stroll.
A look of surprise flashed across Dai Li's eyes. "Rong Rong is going too?"
The little girl nodded and said she would go, but then she realized that Dai Li's question was unusual, so she glanced at her cautiously.
Dai Li smiled and said, "Go ahead and go, it's actually a good thing."
As for what it was good about, Dai Li didn't say.
The morning of the first day of the winter hunt was mainly for setting up camp and socializing. Except for the young men who rode out on horseback, everyone else stayed at the base camp.
Visit this person, contact that person.
Wei Cheng was also there; she had come to the winter hunt with her husband's family, the Zou family. It was as if she had lost a part of her memory; the person who had spoken so sarcastically before was now paying her respects to Dai Li with several of Wei's sisters-in-law, showing her the utmost humility.
The second signal spread silently.
Soon, Dai Li was surrounded by a group of wealthy women, showered with compliments and praise. Every little detail about her was praised to the skies, and she was almost dazzled by the smiling faces.
Everywhere you look, phoenix hairpins sway, willow waists sway, and a fragrant breeze wafts through the air.
The young ladies followed their mother, lining up to greet Dai Li.
Dai Li felt that one delicate flower had passed by, and another had come over, each whispering its self-introduction.
A riot of colors dazzles the eye, and I can't remember any of their names.
Dai Li: "..."
Having finally escaped the group of wealthy women, Dai Li sat in the tent that had been set up, feeling as if she had finally come back to life.
She's not socially anxious, nor does she dislike socializing, but she really can't stand being surrounded by crowds like a production line.
Seeing her sitting quietly with a cup of hot tea in her hands, her eyes vacant, Qin Hongying smiled and said, "My second brother's achievements are far more than this. You will face many more challenges in the future."
Dai Li pressed her temples.
After everyone set up camp and established ties in the morning, around noon, Dai Li, who was resting in her tent, heard a message from Qin Shaozong.
The other party sent a message through Hu Bao, asking if she wanted to attend the ceremony.
Observing the ceremony, a small ceremony to witness the official start of the winter hunt.
After finishing lunch, Dai Li felt incredibly sleepy. The tent was warm, and she didn't want to move. Furthermore, since Qin Shaozong had asked if she wanted to come over, rather than directly calling her, she declined Hu Bao's offer.
Soon after, Dai Li heard the sound of horns.
Then came the neighing of horses and their crunching in the snow, and a group of people set off.
Dai Li took a nap in the tent, and when she woke up, she found that Qin Shaozong had returned at some point.
"Madam does wake up at the same time every day." He was brewing tea.
Dai Li sat up, adjusting her hair which had been adorned with ornaments. "Isn't Your Excellency going hunting?"
Qin Shaozong remained calm and composed. "If I set off at noon and returned empty-handed in the evening, would Madam tell me that the battle was over?"
Dai Li paused for a moment, then smiled and said yes.
If it's a daytime, then it's a daytime. Who cares when we set off? As long as we set off, we start timing.
"That settles it then. I'll set off again to hunt tigers first thing tomorrow morning." Qin Shaozong changed the subject. "How did your conversations with the ladies this morning go, Madam? Did you find any young ladies you liked?"
Dai Li looked puzzled. "A young lady I'd be interested in?"
"Qin Yanzhou is about to come of age; it's time for a man to marry and a woman to be married... Madam, please don't look at me like that. I didn't say he should get married immediately, but I feel this important life event can be planned. The young ladies who made an appearance at this winter hunt are mostly unmarried and come from prominent families, so their backgrounds shouldn't be too bad. If any of them catch your eye, Madam, you can call them over for a few words, and then let Qin Yanzhou meet them." Qin Shaozong's voice was calm.
Compared to his initial assertion that the marriage was arranged by parents and matchmakers, Dai Li knew that Qin Shaozong's willingness to meet the governor was a significant improvement.
So she didn't give him a cold shoulder, but said gently, "In my opinion, they're all pretty much the same. The winter hunt has only just begun, let the child play for now, I'll ask him again later."
Qin Shaozong lowered his eyes, "Then there is none that Madam likes."
Dai Li sensed something unusual. "Qin Changgeng, what are you planning to do?"
"What can I do?" Qin Shaozong asked with a smile.
Dai Li looked him over suspiciously.
He then brought up other matters, saying, "The two older boys are about the same age. After the winter hunt, they can prepare for their coming-of-age ceremonies together. Has Qin Yanzhou's courtesy name been decided? Will you, Madam, choose one yourself, or will Nalan Wugong choose one?"
A man reaches adulthood at twenty and is given a courtesy name. This coming-of-age ceremony signifies that he is now capable of standing on his own.
Dai Li's attention was diverted. "Let me think about it."
...
The first day of the winter hunt ended in a noisy atmosphere. Most of the men who went out hunting on horseback today were young men in their teens and twenties, with fewer older men.
It wasn't that they didn't want to go, but upon hearing that Qin Shaozong wouldn't be leaving until tomorrow, they couldn't help but postpone their own trips.
Very few of them were military officers; they were used to a life of ease and comfort. They might be able to handle one day of high-intensity exercise, but two days in a row would inevitably be strenuous.
The night passed slowly amidst the occasional howls of wolves. The next day, the weather was equally fine; the sun hid behind the clouds, the sky was a clear blue, and the snow was not glaring.
Perhaps because she had something on her mind, Dai Li woke up immediately when she sensed movement beside her today.
She opened her eyes a crack, and after getting a general idea of the situation, she grabbed the man's arm beside her and pulled him back. "Why don't you sleep a little longer?"
Caught off guard, Qin Shaozong actually stumbled to this side. But it was only a slight fall; before he could fully regain his balance, he used the strength of his core muscles to straighten up again.
He turned to look into the bed, where a woman dressed in a cherry-red undergarment was nestled in the brocade quilt. Her skin was as white as snow, her hair as smooth as satin, and her face was as dark as jade. The crimson mark between her brows perfectly complemented the cherry-red color of her garment.
She slowly opened her eyes, her beautifully shaped peach blossom eyes glistening with tears. Now, nestled on the soft bed, her gaze was even more alluring.
Qin Shaozong's neck veins bulged, and a dark fire flared in his brown eyes. "Madam."
Dai Li slowly rose to her feet, her dark hair gliding over her snow-white neck and the open neckline of her inner garment, revealing glimpses of her alluring curves.
"My lord, please stay with me a little longer." She snuggled up to him from behind, her soft arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him into the soft bed.
A rich fragrance wafted in his nostrils, and her warm, soft body pressed against his shoulder, her fair fingers affectionately caressing his cheek.
The dark fire in Qin Shaozong's eyes surged, and his pent-up desire roared that he wanted to devour this annoying fox.
But then, daylight broke.
From this moment on, every quarter of an hour is precious.
"My husband." She breathed softly, and finally kissed the corner of his mouth with her red lips.
Qin Shaozong's body stiffened, and he turned around and forcefully pressed the woman back onto the soft bed. "Seduce me? Fine!"
The level of interest in the main account is steadily rising.
...
By the time Qin Shaozong finished tidying up and left the tent, it was already Chen Shi (7-9 AM).
"My lord, your breakfast..." Before Nianxia could finish speaking, she saw the man casually pick up some leftover food and then walk away without looking back.
Nianxia looked at the steaming bowl of soup noodles in her hand and muttered in confusion, "Why are you in such a hurry? Why don't you even use the soup noodles, my lord?"
Inside the tent, Dai Li dressed herself as if nothing had happened.
Qin Shaozong did not tell anyone about his tiger hunt today, mainly because if the matter were to become public, a whole host of problems would inevitably arise.
He mounted his horse and led a group of men hurriedly into the mountains. But as soon as they entered the forest, two loud clanging sounds, like gongs, came from deep within.
Qin Shaozong and his entourage were all slightly taken aback.
Who is banging the gong?
No sooner had he finished speaking than a few more clanging sounds came from another direction.
Like music playing, there was clanging here and cymbals going off there, and someone was even playing the suona.
The entire forest was filled with a series of sounds, rising and falling, never ceasing.
Qin Shaozong's face turned ashen.
Author's note: Text version: Truly a case of striking the mountain to intimidate the tiger.
Oh, and I have some bad news for you all: my tenosynovitis flares up from time to time, and when it's not working well, my left thumb is so painful I can barely move it.
I'll be going to the hospital a lot this month, so I'll probably only be able to update every other day to ease the pressure on my writing. It depends on my condition (if I write more than 2,000 words a day, the plot won't be complete and I won't be able to post it, so I'll just save it up).
[9 PM], if there's an update that day, then it will be there; otherwise, it might have to wait until tomorrow. [faints emoji]
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