Chapter 124 Making a Covenant
The autumn moon is serene and boundless.
At the side gate of the Marquis of Weiwu's residence, Lin Xiaocong escorted Li Rong to the door.
He raised his hand and straightened the lotus-shaped robe on Li Rong's shoulder, looking rather resentful.
“Rongrong, you’re not angry when you hear that your mother and grandmother want to find me a wife.”
Li Rong's eyelids drooped, and she turned and left as he withdrew his hand.
He grabbed her arm: "Rongrong!"
Li Rong slapped him across the face.
She looked up at him; the moonlight was bright and soft, and she could see that his fair cheeks had darkened in color.
“If you don’t make a promise, there’s nothing I can do about it, but you made a promise first.”
He raised his hand to rub his face and laughed.
"Rongrong played well; it was my fault for not handling things properly."
"If you can't handle this properly, can you just let me go?"
"Rongrong underestimates me?"
"Then it's settled. Your wedding day will be the day we part."
"I will not marry, and we will never be apart."
His hand, which was gripping her arm, slowly slid down her arm and took her hand in his.
He took her other hand with his other hand.
"My dear Rong'er, say you love me before you leave."
"Otherwise, it'll be no fun arguing with someone at the Marquis's mansion by myself."
Li Rong lowered her eyelids and remained silent for a long time.
"My dear Rong'er?"
She stepped forward, stood on tiptoe, and took the initiative to kiss his lips.
He looked down at the woman who was giving him a kiss, his expression one of expected confidence and calm.
He released her hand, put one hand on her waist and the other on the back of her head.
He enjoyed watching her sink deeper and deeper without realizing it.
He released her: "My dear, go home and wait for me. I'll take you and Fourth Sister out to play tomorrow."
Her face flushed uncontrollably as she turned and climbed into the carriage.
He smiled as he watched the carriage disappear into the distance, then turned and entered the Marquis's residence.
Qiu Chan silently followed behind Lin Xiaocong.
"Young master, are you really going to argue with the old lady?"
Lin Xiaocong thought for a moment and replied, "As the ancients said, once you have a wife, you forget your mother, so isn't it even more natural to forget your grandmother?"
Qiu Chan nodded, finding it to be very reasonable.
*
When Lin Xiaocong stepped into Rong'an Hall, Old Madam Lin and Madam Lin were still sitting in their respective seats as he had left.
When Madam Lin saw the handprint on his face, she sneered.
"Lin Xiaocong, you're really useless. You actually got slapped by a woman. Aren't you ashamed?"
Lin Xiaocong was quite pleased: "Or else, Mother, you can help me get revenge?"
He casually took a seat at the very end of the table opposite Madam Lin.
"How could I possibly lay a hand on a whore!"
"I wouldn't lose face!"
She wouldn't admit it was because she couldn't beat them.
The maidservant served tea to Lin Xiaocong.
Lin Xiaocong leaned back in his chair: "You've already lost your dignity by constantly slandering her as a prostitute."
"I didn't slander you at all..."
"That's enough," the old lady said impatiently.
Her gaze fell on Lin Xiaocong, who was sitting far away.
“Mingxu, women love their youngest son.”
"Back then, your mother forced you to give up martial arts and become a doctor. Compared to your older brothers, she probably favored you more."
Madam Lin nodded quickly: "Swords and blades have no eyes on the battlefield, and martial arts training is extremely arduous. How can it be as easy as memorizing medical knowledge and tasting herbs?"
"Moreover, our Marquis's mansion must always have incense offerings."
Grandma Lin: "..."
She ruined a perfectly good opportunity to appeal to family ties.
Old Mrs. Lin ignored Madam Lin and continued.
“You love family learning, and your grandmother dotes on you, so she arranged for Lin Hu and your second uncle to take turns teaching you.”
"Fortunately, you have been blessed by the heavens and have achieved success in both fields, bringing honor to our Marquis's mansion."
"Nowadays, men should marry when they are of age, and women should marry when they are of age."
“Mingxu, the Marquis’s family gave you birth, raised you, and supported you.”
"You should fulfill your duty as a descendant, to ensure the continuation of the Marquis's family line and its glory."
Lin Xiaocong raised his cup: "Grandmother, we don't need so many high-sounding reasons to embellish our relationship."
"For the sake of the Marquis's mansion, my grandson has already chosen the former over Rongrong."
"It's the greatest concession my grandson can make by letting Rongrong suffer."
"If you continue to pressure your grandson..."
He covered the teacup in his hand with his other hand, raised it, and smashed it hard on the ground.
Startled, Madam Lin screamed and stood up from her seat.
He smiled and looked at Grandma Lin: "Then your grandson is going to start causing trouble."
Grandma Lin remained unmoved: "This time, Grandma won't tolerate your nonsense."
"The Wang family of Langya is worthy of you."
"Barring any unforeseen circumstances, her grandfather will be appointed prime minister after the crown prince ascends the throne."
"A marriage alliance with the Wang family is what the Lin family needs."
Lin Xiaocong stood up and bowed to his wife, saying, "Just watch how my grandson makes a scene."
"If you dare to ruin this marriage, I will pour a cup of poison on Miss Li and send her to her death, thus ending your hopes forever!"
Lin Xiaocong straightened up.
This was the first time in his life that he had stood on the opposite side of his grandmother.
"If anything happens to Rongrong, I will go with her immediately."
Grandma Lin slammed her hand on the low table: "You dare!"
Lin Xiaocong laughed.
Old Mrs. Lin's chest heaved with anger: "You wretched child! Your body and hair are gifts from your parents; how can you speak so lightly..."
She was unwilling to utter the word 'death' easily.
Even if you say that, I will not let you off the hook!
He knew when to stop and quickly knelt down to admit his mistake: "Grandmother, please don't be angry. I know you were just joking with me, and I was just joking with you."
Grandma Lin raised her hand to her forehead.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the way this wretched child spoke just now didn't seem like a joke.
Granny Yue patted her back as if she were breathing heavily.
Lin Xiaocong started playing the emotional card.
“Grandmother, if I were not a member of the Lin family, why would she follow me without any status or identity?”
"With her looks, even if she comes from a poor family, she can marry a good husband who will be well-off and have no worries about food and clothing by marrying into the Zhou family of Hezhou."
“Now she is being held by her grandson’s side, and her grandson feels extremely guilty towards her.”
"My grandson promised that she would be his only one for the rest of his life, hoping to soften her heart a little so that she could live a good life with him."
"My grandson wants her to stay!"
"Please grant my grandson's wish."
Grandma Lin looked at Lin Xiaocong with a serious expression: "If you want her to stay, she will stay!"
"When your mother was talking about Wang Shi earlier, she was quiet and didn't fit in with us."
"To tell you the truth, Grandmother's letter should have arrived in Hezhou by now."
"Someone from Hezhou will come to pick you up soon!"
"Just like you said, she was able to marry a good husband because of the Zhou family of Hezhou, so why should she live this life with you without any status or title?"
Lin Xiaocong said, "Because I like it."
Grandma Lin saw through it all: "You like her so much, why don't you marry her?"
"What does liking something matter compared to worldly opinions, gossip, and self-interest?"
"How can you be sure she won't leave you with the feelings she still has for you!"
Lin Xiaocong felt as if he had been stabbed in the heart, experiencing a dull, excruciating pain.
Grandma Lin advised, "Mingxu, your grandmother is determined to make things difficult for you and force you to get married."
"Grandma just wants you to live a normal life!"
"Have you ever seen a young master who doesn't marry or take concubines, and instead stays with a mistress all the time?"
"Even if you have children, they won't be included in the family genealogy!"
Lin Xiaocong stubbornly insisted: "Her family is of low social standing and doesn't care about such things. Just put it in their family genealogy. The grandson doesn't mind that the child has the surname Li."
Madam Lin opened her eyes wide: "Are you keeping a mistress or marrying into the family?"
Grandma Lin slammed her hand on the table in anger: "Those who don't listen to their elders will suffer the consequences."
"Let us make a pact."
"It's a one-year period. If you can keep Li's daughter for a year, your grandmother will no longer interfere with your marriage and concubine arrangements."
Madam Lin glared at him from the side: "Mother!"
Grandma Lin seemed oblivious.
"But if you can't keep Li's daughter, then come back, marry, have children, and live a normal life!"
Lin Xiaocong asked, "How do we determine if we'll keep her?"
"You lose as soon as she sets foot on the land south of the Huai River."
"Very well." Lin Xiaocong bowed. "Thank you for your kindness, Grandmother."
After getting up, he asked again, "What about tomorrow?"
"roll!"
Lin Xiaocong withdrew after getting what he wanted.
He left Rong'an Hall, where Madam Lin was still questioning things.
"Mother, is this it? You're just going to indulge Mingxu like this? You didn't say that before!"
"What can we do! Let our exceptionally talented young master from the Lin family die for Li's daughter!" Old Madam Lin was in a very bad mood.
"Do you really believe he would commit suicide for love?"
"What if something unexpected happens? Wouldn't that be devastating for this old woman..."
The sounds behind him gradually faded away, and Lin Xiaocong could no longer hear them.
The matter was resolved peacefully, but Lin Xiaocong was not happy.
Qiu Chan and the others waited outside Rong'an Hall. When they saw their master walking in expressionlessly, they quickly went to greet him: "Haven't you handled it well?"
Lin Xiaocong ignored him: "Where's Rongrong?"
"The second young lady has returned to Chuntang Garden."
Lin Xiaocong quickened his pace.
*
Inside Chuntang Garden, Li Rong had already washed up.
She took off her shoes and sat on the couch to embroider a purse.
The bright red nail polish on her toes made her small feet appear even whiter and more delicate.
That was applied by Lin Xiaocong.
"Rongrong!"
Lin Xiaocong's joyful voice came from outside the door. She looked up and saw him enter with a radiant expression.
He stepped forward and sat on the couch, leaning forward so that his head was very close to hers.
He asked, "Rongrong, have you decided where you want to go tomorrow?"
Li Rong focused intently on embroidering the intertwined branches in her hands: "I'll ask Fourth Sister later."
He added, "The matter concerning the Wang woman has been resolved."
Li Rong poked her hand and cried out in pain.
He quickly picked up her finger and put it in his mouth.
She looked up at him: "Really?"
He nodded and took her finger out of his mouth.
Seeing that her finger had stopped bleeding, he put it in his mouth and sucked on it again.
She raised the hand holding the needle, pretending to poke him.
He nimbly escaped: "Really!"
She was amused by his running away.
She smiled and casually inserted the needle into the needle holder, then took out a handkerchief and disgustedly wiped her fingers.
He moved her basket aside, sat down in front of her, and asked her for a reward.
"Rongrong, can I have a kiss?"
She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.
As she retreated, he caught up with her and gave her a light kiss on the lips, speaking softly.
"I sent Qiu Chan to fetch the good stuff, we'll go together later..."
"Get out!" she shouted, raising her hand to slap him.
He made accusations as he fled.
"Li Rong, you shrew, you beat your own husband."
She chased after him off the bed, bent down to pick up his shoes, determined to make him think straight once and for all.
"If you make any more mess, I'll break your legs!"
He cried out, "Injustice! Injustice! I only asked Qiu Chan to fetch a jar of wine so we could admire the moon together later!"
The shoe Li Rong threw hit him squarely in the face as he turned around.
Qiuju, who had just come out of the bathroom, couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle when she saw this.
"Young master, the water is ready."
Lin Xiaocong raised his hand to rub his face and walked past Li Rong.
He had an expression that said, "I'm angry, and you can't appease me."
After his figure disappeared into the bathroom, Li Rong laughed and collapsed onto the couch.
*
After Lin Xiaocong finished washing up and came out of the bathroom, Li Rong had already personally prepared two cold dishes for him to enjoy with his drinks.
It wasn't until Qiu Chan brought the wine that Li Rong realized it was a type of wine she had heard of but never tasted.
Nowadays, people tend to enjoy wine on its own or as a celebratory drink after a meal, rather than with food.
Lin Xiaocong picked up the dish Li Rong had prepared and walked towards the courtyard: "Qiuju, give Rongrong a new dress."
In the courtyard, Qiu Chan had already prepared tables and chairs.
Seeing Lin Xiaocong carrying a plate of food in one hand, he quickly moved the fruit and snacks on the table away.
Lin Xiaocong sat down and took the glass cup from the saucer and placed it on the table.
Qiu Chan stepped forward to pour wine, saying, "Young master, please drink sparingly."
"How so?"
"When I went to fetch the wine from Lord Huangfu, he said that this was the last jar and that I shouldn't worry about it."
Lin Xiaocong chuckled: "I know."
As Li Rong approached, Qiu Chan respectfully bowed to her and withdrew from the courtyard.
The moonlight was exceptionally beautiful.
After Li Rong approached, she bent down to examine Lin Xiaocong's face, which had been hit.
Lin Xiaocong angrily turned his head away from her, saying, "Rongrong, punish yourself by drinking three cups and apologizing to me!"
Li Rong sat down and glanced at the wine in her glass: "You can really drink?"
Lin Xiaocong turned to look at her: "It can regulate blood and qi, strengthen the spirit and ward off the cold."
"Take a small sip first. If you like it, you can drink more. If you don't, I'll give you some glutinous rice wine instead."
Li Rong picked up the cup and took a small sip.
The flavors are a delightful blend of sweet, sour, and astringent, stimulating the taste buds and adding a subtle fruity aroma.
The wine wasn't strong, so it probably wouldn't make you drunk.
Li Rong took another bite.
Lin Xiaocong asked, "How is it?"
Li Rong couldn't help but smile: "It's delicious."
Something that money can't always buy must be a good thing.
Lin Xiaocong took out two more cups and filled them for her: "Here you go~ punish yourself with three cups."
"You asked for it, I'm not going to punish myself with three cups."
Lin Xiaocong said meaningfully, "I can't let myself be wronged."
"You're shameless!"
“Rongrong bullied me first,” he said, feeling wronged.
Two cups.
"Okay." Lin Xiaocong pushed a glass of wine in front of her.
Including the cup she just tasted, that makes two cups in total.
Li Rong was decisive and drank two glasses in one gulp.
At first, she didn't feel anything, but after chatting with Lin Xiaocong for a while and drinking a couple more cups, she gradually became more drunk.
When Lin Xiaocong was about to refill Li Rong's glass after it was empty again, Li Rong waved her hand and said, "No, I feel more and more dizzy."
Lin Xiaocong put down the wine glass: "Shall we chat?"
"Weren't you chatting the whole time?"
Li Rong propped her chin on one hand and tilted her head to look at Lin Xiaocong.
Her eyes were tinged with alcohol, tinged with intoxication, and somewhat hazy.
"I can't stand the way you look at me." Lin Xiaocong smiled as he brought the cup to his lips, seemingly hesitant to drink, a slight smile playing on his lips.
Li Rong laughed.
He took a sip of his drink, fiddling with the glass in his hand. "Come here, let me give you a hug, okay?"
Li Rong shook her head: "No, you're a lecher, I need to stay away from you."
Lin Xiaocong leaned back in his chair and chatted with her casually: "Then why don't you usually keep your distance from me?"
"You're not allowed."
"If I allow it, will you then stay far away from me?"
Li Rong nodded without hesitation.
Lin Xiaocong suddenly crushed the cup in his hand, his tone unchanged: "Rongrong doesn't like me?"
She nodded without hesitation: "I like you, I like you."
His mind gradually calmed down because of this answer, which he had known all along.
He placed the cracked cup on the table: "You like me, but you still want to stay far away from me?"
She frowned and said, "You're bad."
"Where is it broken?"
A blush rose to her cheeks, and she sat up straight, leaning back in her chair, refusing to look at him.
"You bullied me, lied to me, threatened me, and punished me."
"Doesn't it have any advantages at all?"
A little.
He asked with a smile, "For example?"
She held up her fingers and counted them one by one.
"Give me money, I won't favor your mother, I'll send my fourth sister to girls' school, and I'll buy myself good food..."
That's all?
"We didn't want the Wang girl."
"You don't like the Wang family woman?"
She shook her head: "I don't like it."
"Then why were you so quiet at your grandmother's?"
She suddenly became very dejected: "What's the point of me not being quiet?"
He leaned back in his chair and laughed at her naivety.
A little alcohol and you've sold yourself out.
"So, you care whether I have other women?"
"Yes, I don't want you to have other women."
He laughed out loud.
She looked up and saw that he had gotten up at some point and was reaching out to her: "My dear Rong'er."
She looked at those hands, then at him smiling gently, and placed her hand on his palm.
He pulled her up, put his hand on her waist, and with a half-turn, lifted her to sit on the other half of the table where nothing was placed.
He asked the question he most wanted to ask that night.
"Rongrong, your third sister is coming to pick you up. Will you go with her?"
She shook her head.
"What does shaking your head mean? You won't go with her?"
She shook her head again.
"My dear Rong'er, speak up."
She was still shaking her head.
He felt a little depressed.
He lifted her chin and leaned down to kiss her.
He tried to please her, showed her tender affection, and pleaded with her softly.
"My dear Rong'er, will you answer me?"
She's so straightforward that she doesn't even know how to hide her emotions.
Yet she passionately followed her heart and responded to him.
Extremely contradictory.
He seemed to have received a response from her, yet he also seemed not to have received one.
He wantonly pinched and kneaded her.
He gently tempted her: "My dear Rong'er, do you like being with me?"
She clung to him, letting him tear at her clothes and his large hands slip inside her garments: "I like it."
"I like you too. Let's stay together like this forever, okay?"
She didn't give him a direct response.
His grandmother's words echoed in his mind.
An unprecedented sense of loss of control rose in my heart.
His tone turned colder: "Rongrong, are you being naughty?"
The man's brutal advances were difficult for her to accept.
Unable to bear it any longer, she pushed him away, saying, "Gently, don't do that, gently."
The wine glasses on the table wobbled and tipped over, and she couldn't help but groan.
He held her waist, watching her forced to prop herself up on the table, her shy and weak expression conveying his pleasure, and felt extremely satisfied.
"My dear Rong'er, you said you wouldn't leave me, so I'll be gentle."
From the table to the bed, she refused to utter a single promise to him.
Even when you make her cry, she won't say a word.
He was furious.
In the end, I was thinking about tomorrow's plans and stopped.
After leaving the bathroom, he put her on the bed.
She rolled over as soon as she touched the bed and fell asleep like a dead pig.
He nudged her: "Rongrong?"
There was no response.
He looked at her for a long time, and finally lifted her shirt and kissed her on the lower abdomen.
I can bear to part with him, but I can never bear to part with the children.
He extinguished the candle, got into bed, and pulled the person into his arms.
He has plenty of ways to control her.
I'm not afraid of her being stubborn.
*
The next day, Li Rong woke up feeling dizzy and lightheaded. She only had fragments of what happened the night before, with no details.
Lin Xiaocong got up earlier than her and had already practiced a set of spear techniques in the courtyard.
As I entered, I saw her get out of bed, wiping the sweat from her face as she headed towards the bathroom.
"My dear Rong'er, if you don't hurry, you'll miss watching Fourth Sister ride a horse."
Li Rong stretched like a cat, got up and rushed towards the bathroom: "Why didn't you call me sooner!"
"Even thunderbolts couldn't wake you!"
By the time everything was settled, it was already late morning.
Li Rong went out excitedly, urging those behind her, "Hurry up, you're so slow!"
Lin Xiaocong, holding a fan, smiled and replied to her lively appearance, "Coming."
It took another half an hour to get from the city to the horse farm of the Lin clan school.
When Li Rong arrived, Li Han was learning how to tame horses under the guidance of an instructor.
Seeing Li Han's progress, Li Rong felt elated and stood by the fence, unconsciously moving closer to Li Han.
Her fourth sister will have a better future.
*
People always hope things will turn out well, but things rarely go as planned.
Zhou Mansion in Hezhou.
The second wife, Madam Yao, arrived at Xi Lingrou's courtyard early in the morning.
The beautiful woman is drying balsam flowers in the courtyard.
Her long hair cascaded down her back, her gauze dress was loose, and her hairband was wrapped around her hair bun, making her look comfortable and at home.
Upon hearing the announcement, she put down her work and hurriedly stepped forward to greet the Second Madam: "Cousin."
Yao raised her hand and slapped her, making her cheeks turn red.
Her knees buckled, and she knelt down, saying, "Cousin, please calm down."
“When Third Master sent someone to tell me to keep an eye on you last night, I didn’t take you seriously.”
"This morning gave me quite a surprise!"
"What? You want to move in and take your place?"
She believed Xi Lingrou understood whose hall she would enter and whose place she would take.
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