Chapter 133 He Died Because of Me
The carriage sped along, bathed in the afterglow of dusk, and returned to the Qin residence as the last rays of daylight fell.
After a busy day, Qin Hongying and Shi Rongyue both looked tired. After saying goodbye, they went back to their rooms.
Dai Li is in alright condition, but she feels that her hair ornaments are getting heavier and heavier, and she really wants to go back soon to remove all the pearls and jewels from her head.
but……
"Mom, I'll go back with you," Qin Yanzhou said softly.
Dai Li looked at her son, and for some reason felt that his words went beyond that. If it were any other time, he would have simply replied, and Zhouzhou wouldn't have said that extra sentence.
She briefly told Qin Shaozong that she was taking another route. The man nodded, his face shrouded in the already dim shadows, making it difficult to see clearly.
For some reason, Dai Li felt that his mood was not very clear at the moment.
A group of people left, and Dai Li didn't linger for long either, returning with Qin Yanzhou.
Night had fallen, and the corridor was dark. Dai Li declined Nian Xia and Bi Po's offer to carry her lantern, telling them to go back and prepare water first. She carried the lantern herself and walked slowly with her son.
With no one else around, Dai Li spoke without restraint, "Has something happened to Zhouzhou recently?"
Qin Yanzhou: "Mom, Mr. Nalan has been acting strangely lately. Usually when I go to see him, he chats with me about all sorts of interesting things from the past. But recently he's changed his ways and is telling me about the Book of Changes, the Great Learning, and the Book of Rites..."
Dai Li paused in her steps.
These books have different contents, but if they can be summarized as: cultivating oneself, regulating one's family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world.
“Zhouzhou, have you asked Nalan why she suddenly told you all this?” Dai Li asked.
Qin Yanzhou nodded and said yes, “Mr. Nalan said that all the other boys should read these books. I wasn’t in good condition before, so he didn’t teach me. Now I’ve changed a lot compared to before, so I have to catch up on what I missed before.”
The lantern in Dai Li's hand swayed slightly in the wind, just like her wavering heart at that moment.
A hidden worry quietly crept into my heart.
But this worry was too subtle, like the smallest sprout in spring, so much so that Dai Li was more focused on other things. She asked her son, "Zhouzhou, do you want to learn these things?"
"Mom, I want to study," Qin Yanzhou said softly.
Dai Li's thoughts were suddenly pulled back to the past.
Many of her colleagues used to envy her for having an angel baby, and it's true, Zhouzhou was easy to take care of from a young age. Even as an infant, he would eat and sleep, and when he woke up, he wouldn't fuss. He would only cry a little when he was hungry, and the rest of the time he would just roll around with his big eyes, observing his surroundings.
When he reached kindergarten age, he only cried once, the very first time. After that, he would tell her that kindergarten was fun, and from then on, he would happily go to school with his backpack containing a small water bottle and a small handkerchief.
Once he started elementary school, she never worried about his homework.
When Zhouzhou gets home from school, the first thing he always does is finish his homework. He writes quickly and usually finishes it all before dinner. After dinner, he will read the children's books she bought him.
Dai Li suddenly realized that those precious, shimmering things, like seashells, had not been worn away by those arduous ten years; they had only been temporarily buried by the wind and sand, waiting for the right opportunity to sprout again.
“Zhouzhou, during the first two years you stayed with the Qinglian Sect, what else did they teach you besides literacy?” Dai Li asked.
Qin Yanzhou shook his head, "I only learned basic characters; the main focus after that was martial arts training."
He didn't teach him much literacy, only the most commonly used parts needed for communication. He learned the rest on his own in his spare time.
Dai Li smiled and said, "Then let's learn from Nalan. No matter what era you're in, it's always good to read more books. If it weren't for the coincidence that we came here, Zhouzhou would be in college by now."
Some parents have accumulated enough wealth for their children and feel that it doesn't matter whether they study or not, since they think that even if they finish their studies, they will still end up working like beasts of burden, so they might as well not let their children suffer the hardship of studying.
Dai Li does not support the idea that reading is useless.
Regardless of whether the final outcome is the same, the process in between is undeniably different. Every school is a large environment, and the higher you go, the better the environment becomes.
Living with virtuous people is like entering a room filled with orchids; after a while, you no longer notice the fragrance. Living with wicked people is like entering a fish market; after a while, you no longer notice the stench. ①
Dai Li wholeheartedly agreed with this.
She continued, "If there's anything else you're interested in, you can tell Nalan. He's a very good teacher, and I'm sure he'll teach very well."
Since Zhouzhou became Nalanzhi's apprentice, his son has become much more energetic than before. Like a withered sapling transplanted into moist soil, carefully watered and treated for pests, the withered tree slowly sprouted tender green branches and leaves.
Dai Li was genuinely pleased and happy.
The two walked slowly, but the road eventually came to an end.
Soon after, the main courtyard came into view. Dai Li said to the young man beside her, "You've had a busy day too. Go back and get some rest."
Qin Yanzhou: "Okay, goodnight, Mom."
Dai Li went in alone with a lantern.
Inside, Nianxia and Bipo had prepared water. Daili removed all the gold hairpins from her head and took a comfortable bath, washing away her fatigue. When she came out of the side room and thoroughly dried her long hair, Qin Shaozong still hadn't returned.
Dai Li glanced at the doorway.
Based on her observations, unless there is urgent confidentiality or a small meeting to attend, Qin Changgeng will definitely return before 9 PM.
“Nianxia, did Lord Junhou say he wouldn’t be returning to the main courtyard tonight?” Daili called Nianxia over.
Nianxia shook her head. "No one has come to deliver a message."
Dai Li sat on the soft chair, her thoughts wandering, and she inexplicably thought of what happened at the Junhou Mansion's ancestral hall earlier that day.
Following Zhouzhou, Qin Yunce emerged alone. The young man, now of age, had red foreheads and red eyes; she could tell he had shed tears.
About fifteen minutes later, Qin Changgeng left the ancestral hall.
Dai Li tried to recall that time, but he was standing under the eaves of the ancestral hall when the setting sun was not bright and shadows were cast from the eaves, making him feel as if he had merged into the darkness.
She couldn't remember his expression at that time, only that after he closed the ancestral hall door, he mounted his horse without saying a word and didn't speak to anyone the whole way.
Dai Li got up from her seat and walked towards the door.
Nianxia and Bipo, who had finished serving her and were about to leave, were both surprised to see this. "Madam, where are you going?"
“I’m going out for a bit,” Dai Li said.
It might be Qin Shaozong's unusual behavior, or it might be the change in Nalan Zhi that Zhouzhou had just told her about. Her sixth sense was tingling, telling her that something was happening.
"It's chilly at night, Madam, please put on your cloak." Nianxia quickly brought the clothes over.
Bibo also said, "Madam, where would you like to go? I will carry your lantern."
Dai Li refused again, "No need, I can go out by myself."
Wearing a cloak, Dai Li went out with a lantern.
She went to the study first, and unsurprisingly, it was empty. Although the room was deserted, guards were on duty at the door. Dai Li asked, "Has the Marquis been here before?"
Guard: "No, madam."
Dai Li nodded. "Thank you for your hard work."
She turned and left, walking slowly. This mansion couldn't compare to the Marquis's residence, but it was certainly not small. There were more than twenty pavilions and courtyards alone, not counting other areas, such as a dedicated martial arts training ground.
Of course, Dai Li couldn't ask each of them individually; she directly asked the guards she encountered.
The patrol guard indeed knew, "Madam, the Marquis has gone to the Martial Arts Garden in the southwest corner."
Dai Li has been living here for several months now and knows every part of the mansion like the back of her hand. Now, when she hears the patrol guard mention the Martial Arts Garden, she immediately knows that it is a place where weapons are stored.
But what was Qin Changgeng doing over there?
Dai Li carried a lantern and slowly walked to the Martial Arts Garden.
The bright moon hangs high tonight, its light making the snow in the courtyard sparkle like a layer of shimmering powder. This isn't a permanent residence; servants only come to sweep the snow every two days. Right now, on the thin layer of snow, there's a line of footprints extending inwards.
The footprints were large, clearly made by a man's boots.
Looking further inside, a faint light shone from the not-so-small courtyard, the lamplight extremely dim, and the person inside had only lit a single candle.
Dai Li followed the footprints inside.
The door wasn't closed, and as soon as Dai Li reached the doorway, she was hit by a strong, pungent smell of alcohol. It was thick and irritating, like a silk handkerchief that had fallen into a wine jar and been fished out, now wet and placed on her nose.
The man sitting in the center of the room turned around at the sound, and seeing that it was Dai Li, he paused slightly in the hand holding the wine jar. "Madam has arrived."
The candlelight on the ground flickered, casting an indistinct glow on the man's angular face. His light brown eyes lacked their usual sharpness.
Dai Li pursed her lips, feeling that the scene in front of her was very incongruous.
The dimly lit house, various weapons placed on wooden shelves around the perimeter, wine jars scattered all over the ground, and a man sitting on the ground surrounded by wine jars.
The room was filled with weapons. Halberds were mounted on a stand, longbows hung on the wall, short swords lay quietly on wooden supports, and there were also complete sets of armor...
The only exception was a silver helmet, which was placed beside Qin Shaozong along with a wine jar.
That helmet was probably quite old; most of the silver on its surface had faded, replaced by dark red rust. Even with a candle placed nearby, it couldn't reflect much light.
Qin Shaozong casually swept aside a few wine jars, clearing a space. "Madam, please sit down."
Dai Li walked over, sat down on the cloak, and asked, "Why is my lord drinking alone here?"
"It would be better if you got drunk, but sometimes having a huge capacity for alcohol isn't a good thing." He twitched the corners of his mouth, but couldn't manage a smile.
Dai Li opened the lantern, took out the wick inside, and made the surroundings brighter. "Even if you can't get drunk, drink less. Alcoholism is never good."
Qin Shaozong was still holding a wine jar in one hand, which he had already raised, but upon hearing Dai Li's words, he put the wine jar down.
He spoke of other things, saying, “This mansion originally belonged to my grandmother. When my brother and I were young, we would hide here when we got into trouble and were afraid to go home. Later, when we grew up to be able to go to the battlefield, whenever we were wounded, my brother and I would come here to recuperate so as not to upset our grandmother and mother at home.”
Dai Li's brow twitched slightly.
Judging from Qin Changgeng's current assertive personality, he was probably a fearless and stubborn young man. His elder brother, who would make toys for his son by hand, was likely more gentle and probably a scholar-general.
She could roughly imagine what it was like back then.
Two boys, one older and one younger, were covered in injuries and sat facing each other, bandaging each other's wounds. The older boy gave them warm advice, while the younger boy looked resentful.
"So all these weapons, you brought them over little by little back then? You've accumulated so many over time." Dai Li looked around again.
Otherwise, it would be hard to explain why someone who already has a noble residence would still keep so many weapons in an outer mansion.
Qin Shaozong nodded in agreement.
Then a period of silence ensued.
"Has Yun Ce... denied his biological father?" Dai Li asked tentatively.
“That’s only human nature,” he replied calmly.
Dai Li couldn't help but turn to look at him.
This person said this morning: So even if he acknowledges my brother, it's only natural.
It's still those four words now, so it seems she guessed right.
"Yun Ce said he was sorry to me, that he disappointed me, and that he had let me down after all these years of nurturing." Qin Shaozong said with a self-deprecating smile. "But if he knew that my brother died because of me, he wouldn't have said those words."
Dai Li was startled. "Didn't you say your brother died on the battlefield? Did he die taking a knife for you?"
This was the only reason she could think of; otherwise, why would Qin Changgeng say that he died because of him?
But the man shook his head. Perhaps it was from the alcohol, but that long-buried past was brought up again under the influence of the wine. "Back then, the Wuhuan had not yet been subdued. They would often raid villages in the south, burning, killing, and looting, committing all sorts of atrocities. After the Wuhuan army attacked again and massacred a village, my father decided to teach the Wuhuan a lesson so that they would know the meaning of 'keeping to themselves.' But the timing was not good, because the north and the imperial court were at a great stalemate at that time."
Dai Li did some mental calculations.
He said that Yun Ce lost his biological father when he was five years old, which is almost fifteen years ago. Fifteen years ago, the conflict between the northern region and the imperial court was likely in its early or middle stages.
"Why did things fall apart?" Dai Li asked.
Qin Shaozong's expression slowly faded. "The Han emperor at that time, who was also the late emperor, wanted the sons of the governors of various states to come to the capital to study with the crown prince."
"Go to the capital as a hostage?" Dai Li asked in surprise.
Qin Shaozong finally lifted the wine jar and took another sip. “My intentions are so obvious that almost everyone knows them. My father only has two sons, my elder brother and me. My elder brother is the heir, and he has no chance of leaving the North. If anyone is to go to the capital, it can only be me. But my father knows that Chang’an is a den of dragons and tigers and is unwilling to send me to such a prison.”
“But if they don’t go, it’s considered disobeying the imperial decree, and they’ll have a reason to do anything.” Dai Li asked curiously, “How did your father handle it later?”
Qin Shaozong: "The 'delay' tactic."
Dai Li nodded unconsciously; it was a good idea.
It's not that I don't want to go to Chang'an, it's just that I'll go later. It wouldn't be accurate to call it disobeying the imperial decree.
"Just then, the Wuhuan attacked, so Father simply mustered the army to fight them, planning to ambush and encircle them when they marched south again. I was appointed as the vanguard general, in charge of the charge; my elder brother was the left general, in charge of the flank. But just before going into battle, my old wound flared up again. When my brother noticed, he told Father to switch places with me, that I would be the left general and he would be the vanguard general, saying that we had led the army together for so long and were quite familiar with the soldiers, so changing commanders wouldn't matter." Qin Shaozong put down the wine jar with a "clatter".
A gust of wind blew in at this moment, surging like a black wave, and suddenly submerged the lamp in front of Qin Shaozong.
The light in the room instantly dimmed by half, leaving only the wick in front of Dai Li glowing faintly, like a lonely soul.
Dai Li froze, then blurted out, "So your brother died in that battle?"
Veins bulged on Qin Shaozong's forehead, his face half-hidden in the shadows, exuding an inexplicable sinister aura. "There were spies from the imperial court in the army at the time. Those spies interfered during the battle, causing not only my brother's death but also nearly wiping out the entire vanguard. Later, I realized that the Wuhuan invasion was also unusual; someone from the imperial court had secretly colluded with the Wuhuan leadership to orchestrate this scheme."
Dai Li gasped.
To collude with foreign tribes to set a trap for one's own people? This is clearly treason!
She could probably guess the reason: his achievements were so great that they threatened the emperor's position, and the emperor, far away in Chang'an, felt uneasy about his throne.
Adding fuel to the fire was Qin's father's delaying tactics, so some people simply colluded with the Wuhuan to cut off an arm of the northern lands.
As for the soldiers and innocent villagers of the Great Yan border involved...
No, none of that matters.
In the face of politics, none of that matters.
“But in the end, it’s still because of the change of commanders with me…” Qin Shaozong suddenly fell backward, covering his eyes with the back of his hand, the bone of his index finger brushing against his broken eyebrow.
A solemn voice seemed to drift from afar: "Qin Youzhou, this child has long, brown eyes and a broken eyebrow. He was born to harm his father and mother, and is unfavorable to his relatives. He is destined to have shallow ties with his family."
"I think you're wrong," someone suddenly said.
Her voice was gentle, not particularly forceful, yet it was like a spring breeze that dispelled the darkness before her.
Qin Shaozong paused for a moment and moved his hand away from his eyes slightly.
Dai Li understood the unspoken meaning he had just conveyed.
If the commander hadn't been changed, his elder brother wouldn't have been harmed by villains, his elder sister-in-law wouldn't have committed suicide, and Yun Ce and Yun Shu wouldn't have lost their parents at such a young age.
She didn't know the details of what happened back then, so she couldn't comment on the change of leadership, but she was somewhat certain about another matter: "Those involved are often blinded by their own perspectives. I actually think Yun Ce might know what happened back then. The fact that he admires his biological father so much, and that he still wants to acknowledge him after more than ten years, proves that those memories and feelings have never faded. A child like that would definitely do everything he can to collect everything related to his father, not to mention that the incident was crucial."
Qin Shaozong's pupils narrowed slightly.
“I can’t see what happened in the past, but I’ve observed that Yun Ce has treated you with great respect these past few months, without any resentment. Even if you two don’t have a father-son relationship in the future, he will definitely treat you as the most respected uncle.” Dai Li could roughly understand Qin Shaozong’s unusual behavior today.
Qin Yunce has come of age and is now an adult.
On such a memorable day, he should have been blessed and attended by his parents, but because of the change of coach that year, he was separated from his parents by death at a young age.
Even though Qin Shaozong himself didn't propose changing the coach, as Qin Hongying said, her second brother felt guilty and held a grudge.
However, Dai Li felt that it wasn't entirely true that Qin Changgeng really wanted Qin Yunce to be his son.
His feelings were more likely the disparity of his changing status, or the frustration of his failed attempts to cultivate him.
"You have conquered the Northern Kingdom, and the great grudge of the past has been avenged. I think your brother would be very happy if he knew this in the afterlife." Dai Li took the wick and relit the extinguished candlestick.
Suddenly, a warm light shone through.
Dai Li put the lamp wick away, turned to look at the man still lying on the ground, and suddenly smiled, "Actually, it's not necessarily because they know in the afterlife. Your brother and sister-in-law may have gone to Peach Blossom Spring and are living a better life... Hey, Qin Changgeng, don't pull my robe."
A gentle breeze stirred the hem of her clothes, causing the two candle flames to flicker and sway, casting a warm, gentle glow.
She fell into his arms, but he caught her steadily. The man smiled and sighed, "Madam is right, they've all gone to better places."
“By the way, there’s something I need to ask you.” Dai Li tried to get up.
The long arm around her waist did not loosen its grip. "What is it? Please speak freely, Madam."
He didn't let go, so Dai Li turned slightly and sat on him, looking down at him. "Zhouzhou told me that Nalan has recently started teaching him to read other books, to learn the ways of self-cultivation, family management, and governing the country. Qin Changgeng, did you instruct Nalan to do this?"
Two small lamps were behind, and Dai Li's shadow enveloped the face of the man beneath her.
But a glint of light shone in his eyes in the darkness, and she saw him curl his thin lips into a smile, "Madam's guess is correct."
Before Dai Li could ask, Qin Shaozong said slowly, "Even if Qin Yanzhou had studied before, he was only nine years old when he left Peach Blossom Spring. The Green Lotus Sect picked him up to use as a weapon, not to make him a literary star descended to earth. Knowing a few characters is enough; why would they teach him any other documents?"
He suddenly clicked his tongue, his words tinged with disdain, "How could my son, the dignified patriarch of the Qin clan and the Marquis of Wu'an bestowed by the imperial court, possibly know fewer characters than he has on his own fingers?"
Dai Li: "..."
Author's Note: I'm here! Thank you for waiting, love you all! [pink heart]
Dear VIP, please continue drawing cards! The system will randomly distribute 100 small red envelopes. If you win, you will receive an automatic notification; if you don't, there will be no notification. Please try again next time!
Leave a comment to participate in [Yuanbao]
Participation requirements: Subscription rate of 70% or higher
Lottery draw time: Results will be sent out after tomorrow's update.
①: Book of the Later Han Dynasty
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
