Chapter 182 My Wife and I Will Grow Old Together
The Shi family of Nanyu County in the north.
"Mother, Mother! I heard that my second uncle and aunt have returned. Can I go to Yuyang?" Shi Rongyue ran into the house excitedly and asked Qin Hongying.
Compared to her excitement, Qin Hongying's expression was very calm. "I asked you to go play with your little cousin before, but you didn't go, saying you were in pain or uncomfortable. Now that your second uncle and the others are back, you seem refreshed and are rushing off to Yuyang."
Shi Rongyue stopped in her tracks, her round eyes blinking. "Because I'm curious. Hmm, very curious! I can't understand why my second aunt lied to me back then, so I wanted to go and ask her."
Qin Hongying's eyes, like her brother's, were long and sharp. At this moment, she looked up at her only daughter and said sternly, "Are you going to find your second aunt, or do you want to see someone else?"
Shi Rongyue paused, then asked timidly, "Mother, are you unwilling for me to visit my second aunt?"
Qin Hongying laughed in exasperation. Her beloved daughter, whom she had raised with her own hands, was now playing tricks on her. "When did I say I wasn't willing..."
"Yes, Mother, I'll go prepare right away." Shi Rongyue turned around and tried to run away.
"Shi Rongyue, you come back here!" Qin Hongying slammed her hand on the table. The sound of her slamming the table was so loud that the cups and saucers on it bounced slightly.
The little girl, who had run to the door, froze, then slowly turned back. "Mother, are you angry?"
Qin Hongying's chest heaved with anger. "How dare you ask? I told you before to spend more time with Qinian, did you do as I said?"
Shi Rongyue kept her head down and didn't speak, only showing Qin Hongying her two hair whorls.
Qin Hongying's anger subsided. "Rongrong, your mother is only doing this for your own good. Since you are destined to marry back into the Qin family, it's best to strengthen family ties. Qinian is not a bad person; I watched him grow up, I know him well, and his character is impeccable. What are you still complaining about?"
Shi Rongyue kept her head down and didn't say anything.
Seeing this, Qin Hongying scoffed, "Forget about Dai Li's biological son. As for that puppy you brought back from the south, from today onwards, it's not allowed to stay in your yard. Let Mai Dong and the others keep it..."
"You can't do that!"
Shi Rongyue, who hadn't reacted until now, suddenly looked up, her eyes wide open, "Mother, you can't do that! I want to raise Boqi myself!"
Qin Hongying's eyes seemed to conceal a blade, "Do you like that Qin Er?"
The question was posed, but her tone remained calm and composed, showing no surprise whatsoever.
When the girl's secret thoughts were so openly revealed, Shi Rongyue's ears turned slightly red, but she was quickly alarmed that her mother was so certain.
She was flustered for only a few moments before quickly calming down, her round eyes looking directly at her mother. "Yes, Mother, I love Brother Chong Le."
"Shi Rongyue, did you just ignore all the pros and cons I told you before?" Qin Hongying said, exasperated. "Qin Er is no good match. Besides being born to Dai Li, what abilities does he have..."
“How could there not be? It was Brother Chong Le who led the burning of the Xuzhou army’s granary. He can pacify the world with his pen and bring peace with his sword. What can’t he do?” Shi Rongyue retorted.
Qin Hongying did not go south with the army and was unaware of what happened in Xuzhou, but that did not stop her from mocking, "To pacify the world? Does this world belong to him? You are young and admire young men, in my opinion you are just blinded by his appearance."
Shi Rongyue retorted loudly, "No, it's just that Brother Chongle is cold on the outside but warm on the inside. He's actually a very gentle person. Besides, if I simply liked his appearance, I would have fallen for him at first sight."
Qin Hongying sneered, "You dare say you didn't like him at first sight?"
Shi Rongyue paused for a moment, then nodded honestly and said, "Okay, that's true. After all, there are very few people in the world as handsome as Brother Chongle. But that's only natural. Mother, didn't you choose Father over Uncle Yang because you thought he was handsome?"
Qin Hongying almost choked on her breath. She never expected that a few "rumors" her daughter had heard before would become her excuse for now. "Shi Rongyue, do you think I can't bear to hit you?!"
The Qin family was a family of military generals, and Qin Hongying was the daughter of a general from Humen. She was known for her physical discipline when it came to raising her children. All the children received a beating, but the boys were hit more often than the girls.
The last time Shi Rongyue was disciplined was when she was eleven years old, she shook off her maid and secretly climbed over the wall to go out and play.
Shi Rongyue's eyes slowly reddened. "Even if you want to hit me, this is still what I think. Mother, I'm not like those rich young ladies in the stories, determined to marry someone who has nothing. My brother Chongle is capable, with military merits and a position. My second uncle values him highly, and my second aunt is also very capable. He is also a student of Mr. Nalan. He definitely deserves to be called a young talent. He and my little cousin are both children of the Qin family. Why do you treat them differently?"
"You still ask me why?" Qin Hongying was extremely annoyed. It turned out that this girl hadn't listened to a single word she had said last time.
Just as Qin Hongying was about to pinch her ear and reason with her, she heard her daughter continue:
"Besides, you said that my second uncle planned for me to marry back into the Qin family, but you didn't specify which child it would be. The fact that he didn't specify means that he definitely doesn't mind my brother Chong Le, and he might even support my idea. So why are you stopping me, Mother?"
Qin Hongying was taken aback, then anger rose within her. "People in high positions don't speak very frankly. Do you really think your second uncle has ulterior motives? Don't try to use him to intimidate me."
After saying that, Qin Hongying didn't want to say anything more to her daughter. She shouted directly outside, "Maidong, take your young lady back and don't let her leave the yard! Also, move that white dog to another yard."
"We can't take Birch with us!"
*
When Dai Li returned to Yuyang, it was already early winter.
In the north, winter brought heavy snowfall. Although they had missed autumn, it didn't stop Dai Li and Qin Shaozong, both draped in cloaks, from inspecting granaries in various regions.
All the fields that had been fertilized yielded excellent results, resulting in a bumper harvest this autumn. The granaries were so full that they were even overflowing, a rare occurrence, forcing the soldiers to work through the night to repair them.
"Not only this year, but next year will be the same." Qin Shaozong patted the shoulder of the military professor Jin Duole, signaling him to calm down. "Since there is enough food, don't be stingy. Make sure to provide the best supplies for the soldiers and horses. If nothing unexpected happens, there will be a fierce battle with the south next year."
Jin Duole's lips hadn't fallen into a smile since he saw the granary. Now, hearing Qin Shaozong's words, he hurriedly nodded in agreement and bowed deeply to Dai Li, saying, "Your Majesty relieves the worries of millions in terms of food and clothing, your merit will last for thousands of years and benefit future generations. With your assistance, the North is like a fish in water, like a tiger with wings!"
Dai Li smiled and said, "Mr. Jin, you flatter me. I did what I could, and I cannot bear the weight of a thousand years."
Not very good at dealing with the fanaticism of others who seemed to worship a god, Dai Li gave a few perfunctory replies and then quickly pulled Qin Shaozong away.
As she trudged through the snow, Dai Li suddenly asked the man beside her, "Qin Changgeng, you just told Jin Duole that we'll go to war next year. Is that true?"
Qin Shaozong: "Of course."
"Will you personally lead the troops into battle then?" Dai Li asked again. She remembered that back in Wugang, when faced with a joint siege by several prefectures, he did not lead his troops into battle, but only stayed in the rear to oversee the situation.
Qin Shaozong still gave an affirmative answer: "Yes. The situation in the south is different from that of the allied forces. There is only one leader in the south, Liu Zhan, and they are not a disorganized group. Only by leading by example can they achieve overwhelming momentum."
Dai Li took his hand and asked a completely unrelated question, "When was your birthday?"
Qin Shaozong was both angry and amused. He was angry that she hadn't cared about him at all before and hadn't remembered anything about him. Now that she knew he was probably upset, she gave him a "sweet treat."
Bad fox!
He grasped her soft, fair hand in return and said, "The second day of the fourth month, Madam, remember it well."
He squeezed her hand. "When I asked you when your birthday was before, you avoided answering. Now you can tell me, right?"
After she finished speaking, Qin Shaozong noticed her unnatural expression and narrowed his long, narrow eyes. "You were also in April?"
Dai Li: "...No."
Qin Shaozong: "When was that?"
Dai Li looked away. "The second day of the fifth month."
Qin Shaozong's face darkened. They were both in the second year of junior high school, and only a month apart. How could she not remember?
Seeing that his expression was off, Dai Li quickly said, "It's your birthday this year, so I'll give you a gift."
Qin Shaozong raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"I can't tell you now, you'll find out later." Dai Li wanted to keep it a secret.
Qin Shaozong chuckled, "I am very much looking forward to it."
Dai Li looked up as if sensing something, "It's snowing!"
Qin Shaozong raised his hand to catch a snowflake that had just landed on her head. "Madam, another year has passed."
Dai Li turned to look at him.
Meeting her gaze, Qin Shaozong placed the small snowflake he had caught back into her hair, his eyes smiling, "My lady, let's grow old together."
Dai Li laughed too, "Is this what it means to grow old together? What about when we're truly old and gray?"
Qin Shaozong: "In the future, I will have many children and grandchildren."
Dai Li hummed in response. At Zhouzhou's current age, he would only be in college in modern times, surrounded by children and grandchildren... That seems so far away.
As if knowing what she was thinking, Qin Shaozong continued, "The marriage process between prominent families is complicated and cannot be taken lightly. The usual process takes at least a year and a half. Even though Qin Er has already taken my personal letter to the Shi family in Nanyu to pick up Shi Rongrong, it is only to bring her over for the Spring Festival. The formal betrothal and naming ceremony, even if everything goes smoothly, will have to be scheduled for next autumn or later."
Dai Li was a little worried, "Will Hong Ying agree?"
To be honest, if she had raised her daughter like a precious jewel, and someone had arranged her daughter's marriage without her knowledge, she definitely wouldn't have agreed.
If some young punk comes to our house at this time, simply yelling at him and kicking him out would be the least of our worries.
“I’ve already mentioned to Hongying that Shi Rongrong should marry back into the Qin family.” Qin Shaozong looked towards the direction of Nanyu County. “Seeking knowledge, seeking medical treatment, and seeking marriage are all called ‘seeking.’ His father’s path to marriage was fraught with difficulties and obstacles. It wouldn’t be appropriate for him, as the son, to get a wife without any effort, would he?”
Dai Li: "..."
Dai Li couldn't help but reach out and pinch him, "Qin Changgeng, are you gloating?"
"Madam has wronged me greatly; I only have the heart of a loving father," Qin Shaozong said with a smile.
*
Dai Li had thought her son would be gone for at least four or five days in Nanyu County. The journey wasn't short, and dealing with the Shi family would take time.
Less than two days later, her son returned, along with Shi Rongyue.
To Dai Li's surprise, the once neat and tidy young girl was now a ball of cotton that had rolled around in the ground several times. Although she hadn't quite become "the former Bai Jianping," her refined demeanor had completely vanished.
"Rongrong, where have you been?" Before the little girl could answer, Dai Li looked at Qin Yanzhou, "Zhouzhou, where did you take her?"
Qin Yanzhou: "...I met her on the road."
"Woof!" A little white dog was wagging its tail on the ground.
Dai Li took a moment to process what she had said, then looked at Shi Rongyue in astonishment. The latter smiled shyly, like a soft, sweet candy, showing no sign of having the ambition to run away from home.
Dai Li gasped in fear, "How could you be so reckless? Although the North is relatively peaceful now, Nan Yu and Yu Yang are not particularly close. What if something bad happens on the way? What will your family do?"
“Second Aunt, I brought some people with me. My mother had a group of retainers given to me by my second uncle, and I’m closer to two of them. Before, when my mother had some issues with Boqi… uh, me, I secretly contacted them and asked them to send me to Yuyang.” The little girl smiled innocently.
She didn't go into specific details, but Dai Li was still terrified, knowing that the process must have been complicated. "You're really reckless, child..."
But there was no other way. She was already in Yuyang; she couldn't just let Shi Rongyue leave her there without a moment's notice and send her back in a carriage. Dai Li had no choice but to say, "Then I'll write a letter to Hongying and tell her you've come here."
Qin Yanzhou: "Mother, I have already sent a letter to the Shi family, along with Father's handwritten letter."
If you halve the distance between Yuyang and Nanyu, he met Shi Rongyue on the Yuyang side. At that time, taking her home was much farther, and she didn't want to go back, so they had to split up.
Dai Li let out a breath. "Okay, hand over the letter. It's cold outside, you two shouldn't stand at the door, come inside."
There were heaters in the four corners of the hall, making it much warmer than outside. After entering the room, Shi Rongyue took off her dusty gray cloak, revealing a dress in the same cool colors underneath. It was a very ordinary dress, lacking the usual elegance of a noblewoman.
Perhaps because she had arrived in a hurry, Shi Rongyue had only casually tied her hair into two buns. After traveling all the way, and with the fact that she had just taken off her coat, the left bun was slightly crooked and a few strands of hair were sticking up.
Qin Yanzhou walked behind her, his fingertips twitching as he looked at her slightly drooping, still messy, upturned hair. He looked away, but then looked back a moment later.
Qin Yanzhou gently smoothed the few stray strands of hair, trying to tame them. However, the girl turned around even faster than her hair was straightened.
Her round eyes looked at him, like two light-colored amber beads, and she gave him a big smile. "Brother Chongle, is there something you want to tell me?"
For a moment, Qin Yanzhou seemed to see a small golden crow rising, and he heard a sigh in his heart.
Author's Note: Comments have dropped sharply. I know you're all getting tired of it. Okay, it's almost over anyway. [hugs]
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