Chapter 144 I can't take it anymore, let's get a divorce! ...
Qin Shaozong quickly recalled the scene that had just unfolded downstairs.
After the lady finished her evening meal and put down her chopsticks, the young man took the initiative to approach her. At that time, the tables were not too far apart, and given his excellent hearing, he clearly heard the young man tell her that he had something to say.
Considering her current unusual behavior, he figured that Qin Er had most likely told her about wanting to join the army.
The fact that Qin Yanzhou reported this on the very first day after leaving the city surprised Qin Shaozong somewhat, but upon reflection, he couldn't help but understand. It indicated that his wife was firmly opposed to it, and Qin Er needed more time to persuade her.
But as soon as he returned, she caught him and asked him questions, which was quite unexpected.
However, this fox is always cunning; who knows, it might have figured something out on its own...
After a few twists and turns in his mind, Qin Shaozong remained outwardly calm. He didn't directly answer Dai Li's question, but instead asked in return, "Madam, that's a strange question. We've known each other for so long, when have I ever lied to you?"
Dai Li, standing by the window, turned completely around. The candlelight fell on her face, giving it a jade-like coldness and aloofness. She looked at the man a few steps away, her eyes scrutinizing him.
The man, however, remained calm and composed, as if he knew nothing.
Dai Li scoffed, "Just now, Zhouzhou told me he wanted to join the army and go with other soldiers to suppress bandits. Qin Changgeng, did you have any influence over this?"
"It may be related to me, or it may not," Qin Shaozong said.
Dai Li was amused by his words, "If it's there, it's there; if it's not, it's not. Don't try to fool me. This vague talk seems..."
"Madam, there are some things I haven't told you. Actually, before heading south, Qin Er told me that he wanted to make a name for himself and requested to go to the front lines." Qin Shaozong stepped forward and reached out to embrace her, but his hand was slapped away as soon as he made the move.
The man reluctantly withdrew his hand. "I asked that kid if he had the copy of the agreement that you and I signed?"
When he brought up the divorce agreement, Dai Li glanced at him sideways, said nothing, and listened quietly to what he had to say next.
Qin Shaozong continued, "After the agreement was signed, Madam immediately took it and went out. I thought about it and figured you would most likely give it to Qin Er for safekeeping. And as I expected, the boy admitted it. I asked him if he had seen the agreement, and he said he had."
Dai Li pursed her lips.
"Although my Qin family has been guarding the border for generations, apart from those in the clan who are physically weak like Yun Ce, most of them started going to war when they were around ten years old. Qin Yanzhou is now my son. To be honest, I do hope that he will make great achievements on the battlefield and become a true man, rather than a spoiled brat who can only rely on his mother for his whole life and can't stand on his own."
Qin Shaozong sighed, "But how could I forget the agreement we signed earlier? I knew that Madam would not be happy, so I specifically mentioned the third clause of the agreement to Qin Er at the time, and that kid said he would persuade you himself after hearing it."
He kept repeating "agreement" vaguely, avoiding the first two words.
Dai Li looked at Qin Shaozong with suspicion.
What this person said makes a lot of sense. Could it be that she guessed wrong? Could it be that Qin Changgeng was just a passive participant in this whole affair from beginning to end?
If that's the case, then what he said earlier wasn't wrong, and the main responsibility wouldn't fall on him.
But she also felt that something was wrong.
"I swear by my title of Marquis, not a single word I just said is false," Qin Shaozong concluded.
Dai Li's eyebrows twitched slightly, but she still didn't speak, though the coldness between her brows had lessened considerably.
Qin Shaozong reached out to embrace her, and this time his hand was not slapped away. He smiled and led Dai Li toward the bed, saying, "We've had a long journey today, and we'll continue our travels tomorrow. My lady, let's rest early."
This is the best private room in the inn, much larger than the average one. There is a distance from the window to the bed, passing a table with candlesticks.
The candlelight cast two overlapping shadows, and as the clothes of the person moving moved, the edges of the shadows became irregular, for a moment resembling flowing water, or a black cloth bag that could be pulled at will.
Dai Li suddenly stopped in her tracks.
"Madam?" Qin Shaozong turned his head.
Dai Li stared at him. "You just said that Zhouzhou told you he wanted to make a name for himself. Where did he say that?"
Qin Shaozong: "Study."
"Did he go looking for you on his own, or did you send someone to call him?" Dai Li asked again.
Qin Shaozong paused, realizing she wasn't just asking casually. And it was this pause that allowed the little pea in Dai Li's heart, which had been making her feel so uncomfortable, to quickly take root and sprout.
"You're the one who sent someone to find Zhouzhou, aren't you?" she asked, looking at him.
The question was posed with a strong sense of doubt, but there was little suspicion in those perfectly shaped peach blossom eyes.
Qin Shaozong was about to speak when she beat him to it.
“You can deny it now, but some things, once done, will inevitably leave clues. For example, the soldier who ran errands for you, or the guards at the study door, they can all testify. I think there are a few soldiers in the ranks who look familiar, most likely the guards from the study area. It's not too late now, asking them a few questions won't take much time, why don't we call them up and ask them one by one? What do you think, my husband?” Dai Li said with a smile.
Her voice was incredibly gentle, like the soft flow of a warm spring. Just then, a cool breeze drifted in through the open window, causing the candlelight on the table to flicker.
The flickering candlelight reflected on her smiling face, creating a dazzling, breathtaking beauty, like a peony in full bloom.
Qin Shaozong felt as if an electric current surged through his tailbone, sending shivers of numbness through the area. Without saying whether it was good or bad, his expression remained calm: "My lady, do you not believe what I just said? Even if I were to guarantee it with the title of a marquis."
Dai Li said, "Qin Changgeng, let me tell you a story first. There was a home invasion murder case in a certain place. When the military patrol arrived, they met a man in front of the house and asked him if he had seen the murderer. The man said he heard the murderer and the homeowner had argued about debts, and that the murderer was wearing a brown short-sleeved shirt and a white headscarf, but because of the wrong position, he couldn't see the murderer's face clearly. At that time, the man raised his hand and swore that he was absolutely not lying, otherwise he would never get rich in his life and everything would go wrong for him."
The current creeping up his spine seemed to intensify instantly, and the muscles beneath his robes tightened uncontrollably, trembling with uncontrollable excitement.
“After multiple verifications, this person was indeed not lying, but the most suspicious person standing in front of the house was indeed the murderer. His descriptions were all correct, except that he blurred the key parts or reversed the information. He said he heard the murderer and the homeowner arguing, and as one of the main characters in the argument, he could certainly hear it; the so-called ‘because of the wrong position, I couldn’t see the murderer’s face’ was certainly not a lie either, after all, eyes are on the face, and if he wasn’t standing in front of a bronze mirror, how could he see his own full appearance?” Dai Li said.
In later generations, this kind of lie has a special name: montage lie.
The term "montage" originally came from film. However, the act of transforming reality into illusion through editing and obscuring sequence is called montage lying.
"You haven't given me a straight answer yet, whether it was you who sent people to find Zhouzhou. I think it's most likely so. And then you said he wanted to make a name for himself and requested to go into battle..." Dai Li sneered, her gentle, spring-like demeanor vanishing instantly. "Before that, you must have guided Zhouzhou, right? You started this, didn't you?"
Qin Shaozong didn't speak, but stared intently at Dai Li. The flickering candlelight gathered in his eyes, as if it had solidified into a dazzlingly bright color.
It shines like glass and amber, and is as hot as a flame.
"As for what you said at the beginning, that you mentioned the agreement when you were talking to Zhouzhou, it wasn't to reassure me at all, but to hint to him that he should come to me on his own." Dai Li's anger flared up.
Seeing the man remain silent, especially with that unrepentant look in his eyes, Dai Li's fingertips trembled with anger. "Qin Changgeng, are you ignoring my words? Since you broke the contract first, this marriage is over. I will not be your wife, nor will I accept the title in Chang'an..."
Before she could finish speaking, she was suddenly embraced.
An overwhelming aura of hormones emanated from him, like the clatter of weapons on a long battlefield, or like wine that had been boiled. Dai Li was a head shorter than Qin Shaozong, and her frame was far less robust than his. Now, held in his arms, she was completely unable to move.
Qin Shaozong raised his hand and patted Dai Li's back repeatedly, as if soothing a ruffled animal. "Madam, there's a reason for this."
"Still trying to argue? Let go of me!" Dai Li didn't want to listen to his nonsense.
Qin Shaozong carried her to the bed, placing Dai Li inside while he stood outside, blocking the way out. "Madam, there's no doubt that Qin Er wants to achieve great things. If he doesn't want to go into battle, do you expect me to point a silver spear at him and force him to go?"
Dai Li was still wearing her upturned shoes, which were new. She had spent most of the day in the carriage, and the dirtiest part of the journey she had walked was from the carriage to this inn. Her shoes were not very dusty.
Even so, when she was carried to the bed, Dai Li still subconsciously lifted her feet to avoid soiling the bedding.
Qin Shaozong's words were like adding fuel to the fire for her. She already had nowhere to put her feet, and with her anger rising even higher, Dai Li kicked his hand and pushed him away in a fit of rage, shouting, "Nonsense!"
Qin Shaozong opened his palm, cupped the sole of her shoe, and then squeezed it slightly to make the upturned shoe narrower and longer, before taking the opportunity to take it off.
“Madam, Qin Er has come of age and is now an adult. He has his own ambitions and plans for the future. As parents, we can’t always keep our children by our side. A fledgling eagle will never get rid of the word ‘fledgling’ if it doesn’t spread its wings on its own.” He threw her shoes out of her reach.
Dai Li was so angry at his act of throwing the shoe that her head was buzzing. He threw the left shoe, so she stomped on it with her right foot.
The upturned shoe landed on the man's arm, leaving a shallow footprint on his black robe. Dai Li angrily retorted, "Nonsense! Qin Changgeng, stop trying to change things up. When did I keep him by my side? I just didn't want him to get hurt by someone else."
After being kicked, Qin Shaozong remained unmoved and continued to help Dai Li take off her other shoe. "Madam, Qin Yanzhou is quite skilled. That time he sneaked into the manor alone to find you, and he even fought Bai Jianping to a standstill. He has come of age and is no longer that nine-year-old child. You should trust him."
Dai Li ignored him and tried to get off the bed to pick up her shoes, but Qin Shaozong grabbed her and pulled her back by the waist as soon as she moved to the side of the bed.
"Qin Changgeng, you bastard! Not only did you breach the contract, but you also lied to me. I can't live like this anymore. I want a divorce!" Dai Li pinched the flesh on his arm.
Whether it was because she grabbed him or because he was stung by her last words, the man's arm suddenly tensed, his muscles hard as a rock.
He couldn't stand those two words, and his relatively stable emotions were instantly shattered. "Divorce what? Which clause of that did I break? Madam, show me the agreement."
Dai Li's eyes widened slightly.
This guy actually had the nerve to ask her for the agreement! How could she possibly carry such an important document with her when she's out and about?
"You are a marquis bestowed by the imperial court, how dare you act like a scoundrel?" Dai Li gritted her teeth.
Qin Shaozong curled his thin lips, "A lifetime is so long, you can't always have the same identity."
"Get out of my way, I'm going out." Dai Li raised her hand and pushed him.
Qin Shaozong took her hand and said, "It's getting late. Everyone else has gone to bed. There's no one outside to do your bidding. Where are you going, Madam?"
Dai Li remained expressionless. "No need for anyone else. I'll walk back to Yuyang myself to get the divorce agreement."
The smile on Qin Shaozong's lips gradually disappeared: "..."
The two looked at each other.
Qin Shaozong saw a raging fire in her eyes, while Dai Li saw his unwavering determination to not back down.
"Qin Changgeng, you're such a jerk." Dai Li pulled her hand away from his grasp, grabbed a brocade pillow, and threw it at him. "Only one person can stay in this room tonight. Either you leave or I leave!"
Qin Shaozong caught the pillow and saw that her face was pale. He said helplessly, "Madam, the rooms on the third floor are already full, and the second floor is occupied by people from the imperial court. We are currently in our honeymoon period, and if I go out now, it will inevitably arouse suspicion from others."
When Dai Li heard him say "during the honeymoon period," she couldn't help but scoff. He dared to cause her such trouble so soon after their marriage. Did he think she was easy to bully?
"If you can't get down from the second floor, then I'll trouble you to squeeze in with the other generals on the third floor. Anyway, you're their superior. If you tell them to open the door, do you think they'd dare disobey? As for saving face, didn't you just say that it wouldn't be bad to change your identity and act like a rogue?" Dai Li suggested coldly.
Qin Shaozong: "..."
He raised his hand, wanting to grasp that soft hand again, but she avoided it. Just now, Dai Li couldn't get off the bed, and now she simply wouldn't get off, hugging another brocade pillow and shrinking inside, not letting him touch her.
Dai Li moved inside, leaving a space outside the bed.
Qin Shaozong glanced at it, itching to get in; this was usually his sleeping spot. But before he could even sit down, a blanket flew in from inside. If Qin Shaozong hadn't been quick enough to roll it up, he would have been covered by a blanket.
"Get out." Dai Li glared at him.
Qin Shaozong held a pillow in one hand and a quilt in the other, "Madam..."
Dai Li lay down, turned her back to him, and refused to look at him or communicate with him.
Qin Shaozong stared at the empty space outside, hesitated for a while, and finally clicked his tongue softly, deciding not to sleep there.
However, the man carrying the quilt and pillow did not leave the room. He looked around the room and finally walked to the only long couch in the room.
That small couch was originally intended for travelers to recline and relax, but now it has become Qin Shaozong's bed.
The tall, imposing man lying there made it look pitifully small, not even as tall as Qin Shaozong, and his calves couldn't fit inside.
Qin Shaozong lay on the small couch, looking at the ceiling above him. His arms felt empty, and he felt uncomfortable all over.
Tsk, that kid Qin Yanzhou is really incompetent.
Author's Note: Here I am! There will be an update tomorrow. [doge emoji with rose in hand]
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