Chapter 72 Fabrication
Li Qu was quite depressed. She lay on the bed, resenting the cruel tricks of fate.
Lin Xiaocong, imprisoned in Hezhou Prison, was equally frustrated.
He sat there all night, clutching the sachet in his hand.
The cicada, who had been kneeling in front of him, was now lying on the ground fast asleep, drooling and not even seeming to feel cold.
"Send a message to the capital at daybreak, asking Junior Brother Qingbai to look after her."
"She's stubborn and outspoken; she shouldn't offend anyone and get bullied."
The cicadas' snoring was quite loud.
The refined Lin Xiaocong gave him a kick in a rather unrefined manner.
Qiu Chan was jolted awake by the kick, and knelt up, saying, "This purse was really embroidered by the Second Miss herself."
Each member of the steamed bun shop received one.
He bought it from Yongniang, the owner of the steamed bun shop, for twenty taels of silver.
"She somehow offended a big shot in Hezhou, and her steamed bun shop was so harassed that she couldn't keep it open."
"So I plan to open a shop in the capital."
"Before leaving, the second young lady asked me to give you this purse."
"I say that my sincerity towards you is as clear as day and night, and I look forward to continuing our relationship in the capital."
He could easily fabricate stories about the second young lady's deep affection for her master.
"The second young lady is, after all, a woman, and is strictly controlled by her mother, so she dares not come to the prison to visit you at will."
"But when she handed the purse to the servant, oh my, her face was filled with reluctance and grievance."
"Even I, your servant, feel heartbroken seeing this... Ah!"
He was kicked by Lin Xiaocong again.
"Pah, pah, pah!" The clever Qiu Chan immediately changed her tune, "This servant felt heartbroken listening to the Second Miss's tearful lament about her reluctance to part with you... Ah!"
He was kicked by Lin Xiaocong again.
"Pah, pah, pah, this servant misspoke. This servant relayed the Second Miss's reluctance to part to the Young Master, and the Young Master was heartbroken."
Lin Xiaocong, caught up in an online romance, was completely led astray by Qiu Chan's fabricated online connection.
He stroked the purse between his fingers, thinking of that resilient woman who dared to scold Zhou Jin even with her toenails covered in silver needles, thinking of her flamboyant laughter, thinking of the undisguised adoration in her eyes when she looked at him, and a warm smile appeared on his lips.
His temperament was naturally humble and gentle, and the tenderness overflowing in his eyes instantly warmed the atmosphere of the Hezhou Prison.
Even the cicadas, who were nervously racking their brains to deceive their masters, could smell the scent of spring.
look up.
Sure enough, they found their master was in heat.
Lin Xiaocong, who was in the throes of spring fever, said: "If you miss me so much, why can't you find a way to see me before you leave?"
His gentle, refined features were now tinged with displeasure: "She hasn't come to see me since she left prison!"
He couldn't deny that he somewhat missed that flamboyant, straightforward face with its unrestrained laughter.
He still remembers the day he first saw her true face.
He was changing the dressing on her foot as usual when she called him sweetly, "Young Master Lin."
There were plenty of women who were aroused by him, but he didn't take it to heart and responded politely as always.
Then, she suddenly let out a soft, seductive hiss, and said ambiguously, "Young master, be gentle, it hurts a little."
He was speechless at the time.
But his good upbringing prevented him from showing any of it.
He ignored her and continued with his own business.
Treating her wounds and changing her dressings was the only activity he could do during his time in confinement, and he cherished it.
But she wasn't honest.
He called out in a high-pitched voice, "It hurts a little, Young Master Lin, please be gentle."
He spends all his time surrounded by beautiful women, so his aesthetic sense is quite good, and he even has high standards for women's appearance.
He didn't deny that her feet were beautiful, fair and delicate.
Her small ankles looked so delicate that a gentle pinch would leave a mark.
But her face... was a completely different color from her feet, and her face was covered in freckles.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it ugly.
He unusually abandoned his gentle demeanor and raised his eyes as if to give her a warning look.
Then……
He was captivated by her flirtatious glance.
This is different from usual.
Today, her fair and delicate skin is complemented by clean and bright features, full lips, and a tender, affectionate gaze.
She's seducing him.
At that moment, he admitted that her face was a passport to his bed.
'You were in disguise earlier?'
'Oh, cough, did I forget to cover up this beautiful color today?' Her acting was terrible.
His gaze lingered on her, from her cheeks to the ample curves her clothes couldn't conceal, to her hips that were still clearly visible even when she was sitting, and then to her ankles.
He was polite yet rude.
He looked her up and down.
She had probably never been looked at by a man before. Her face slowly flushed red, and she looked away from the gaze that had been so bold and direct in expressing her admiration. She became flustered.
She ran her hands through her hair to cover her face, coughing dryly: "Young master, please apply the medicine quickly, I, I..."
Her stuttering silence made her even more embarrassed.
He felt a sense of joy, like finding a beautiful little raccoon dog covered in mud.
That day, he applied medicine to her as usual.
But something felt different.
The monotonous life of being confined was interrupted by a lively character who shouldn't have been there, adding a touch of spring to his eyes and brows.
Autumn Cicada was unaware that her master had completely fallen into the romantic illusion she had woven from her own ramblings.
He kept rambling on, "The Second Miss's love for you is unwavering, as heaven and earth can attest."
"She practiced her cooking skills diligently for you."
“Look how bad the food she made at first was. She couldn’t even rinse the rice properly; there was sand in it.”
"After practicing for about ten meals, my cooking skills improved by leaps and bounds."
"From now on, I will put my heart and soul into every meal I cook for you."
"Second Miss is truly madly in love with you."
Lin Xiaocong firmly believed this.
"Send a message to the capital and ask Junior Brother Qingbai to take care of her."
"You must ensure her safety until I return to the capital."
"Also, give her Chuntang Garden to stay in, and send Qiu Hui to take care of her in every way."
"Take good care of her..."
When he returns to the capital, he will surely relieve her longing.
Qiu Chan began to realize how horrifying her young master's unrequited love was, and couldn't help but remind him, "Is this... inappropriate?"
Lin Xiaocong lifted her long eyelashes and smiled at Qiu Chan: "What's wrong with that?"
Autumn Cicada stammered, "No, no, shouldn't we ask what the Second Miss thinks?"
Keeping her in Chuntang Garden, is it so that the second young lady can become his concubine?
Thinking of the second daughter's fiery temper and the non-existent idea of her being in love, Qiu Chan felt that her life was in danger.
"She is so infatuated with me, and I am willing to grant her that wish. What more could she want?"
“Yes, yes.” Qiu Chan comforted herself. “There are plenty of noble ladies in the capital who are hoping that the young master will support them. It is truly a great honor for the second young lady to be supported by the young master.”
Lin Xiaocong smiled: "Then why don't you go and deliver the message?"
Qiu Chan glanced at the skylight: "It's not dawn yet."
"Should we have Master Zhou's men intercept the young master's carrier pigeon at dawn?"
Qiu Chan got up and hurriedly knocked on the door: "Young master, please stop laughing, Qiu Chan is creepy."
"Help! Help! Open the door! Open the door!"
If it gets any later, the young master will kick his butt again.
The jailer walked in, cursing, and opened the cell door.
Without turning her head, Qiu Chan said, "Don't worry, young master, I will never delay your good deed."
Once the surrounding cells quieted down, Lin Xiaocong stuffed the purse into his pocket, put his hands behind his head, and lay down on the bed.
I've heard that a woman's taste is so irresistible and indescribable, I wonder if it's true.
I'm kind of looking forward to it.
*
Li Rong, completely unaware that she had been marked by Lin Xiaocong, was counting the money she had earned from Lin Xiaocong during this period.
A meal cost 100 taels of silver as a thank you.
At first, her food was hard to swallow, and she hoped that Qiu Chan would give up the idea of ordering food.
Every few days, Qiu Chan would cook seven, eight, or nine meals, and as always, she would send her money.
She couldn't live with herself and felt uneasy accepting money, so she gradually regained her cooking skills and started preparing normal meals.
This was something he did until he left Hezhou.
Of course, she followed her third sister's instructions and never had direct contact with Qiu Chan.
The Ningbo women were the ones who relayed messages, delivered ingredients, and arranged for the meals.
She only wanted to earn money and had no desire to have anything to do with that fake, refined young master who could supposedly spar with any expert.
The river was wide, and the dim light in the room illuminated the hope in her eyes.
"One, two, three... ten, eleven..."
"Once my steamed bun shop takes root and flourishes in the capital, I will spend the rest of my life supporting my third sister and the whole family."
Hehehehe.
She was captivated by the beautiful imagery in her mind and laughed without a care in the world.
*
As he stared at his filthy lower abdomen in the Hezhou prison, an incredulous look of astonishment spread across his gentle, jade-like face.
*
As dawn broke, Li Qu, who had been lying in bed all night unable to sleep, got up, opened the door, and called for someone to come in and help her wash and dress.
"Why didn't you sleep all night, Auntie?" Xu Mama could tell from Li Qu's face that she had insomnia.
"Qingguo, didn't you change the sleeping incense for Auntie?"
"Granny, please don't be harsh on Qingguo. I locked the door, so she couldn't come in, and I didn't let her in either." Li Qu forced herself to appear as if she was having insomnia because she was too happy.
Just after Li Qu finished her makeup, Xueying from Shou'an Hall came to deliver a message, inviting her to have breakfast at Shou'an Hall.
After changing her clothes, Li Qu, along with Granny Xu and Hongguo, followed Xueying to Shou'an Hall.
When we arrived, the old lady had just finished packing.
She went to bed late last night; she's getting old and feels a bit listless.
"Knowing full well that I am old, those debt collectors still come to wish me a Happy New Year. It's so annoying."
Li Qu helped her to the dining room.
She held onto Li Qu's arm and squeezed her forearm hard.
"A scholar should be viewed with new eyes after three days of separation. Now that you're under my watchful eye every day, I'm starting to look at you with new eyes."
As Zhou Jin said, in the absence of any conflict of interest, the old lady was willing to make concessions so that her son could understand her love for him and make up for the guilt she felt towards him back then.
"This concubine dares not."
"A man who is unfaithful is one whose father has two children born out of wedlock."
"You're quite something, managing to make him want to stay with you all the time."
"He even asked me to help you become a wife. He also asked me to take you out more often to socialize."
"I'm so old, I'm not afraid of working myself to death."
The old lady spoke of Zhou Jin's thoughtfulness towards her.
"No matter what you thought before, it's time to settle down and live a good life with him."
“From the concubine’s residence.”
The old lady chuckled, clearly not believing Li Qu's words.
When they arrived at the dining room, Li Qu helped her sit down. As she was about to leave, she grabbed Li Qu's arm and looked at him.
“You are such a smart person. While he is now devoted to you and your status has risen, you should firmly grasp him in your palm and keep the third wife in your grasp.”
“In the future, when he takes full control of the South, you will be the woman who shares power with him.”
"The second son is useless; the future of the Zhou family in Hezhou depends on the third son."
"I will teach you how to manage the family business. If you follow me well, the future management of the Zhou family in Hezhou will be yours."
Li Qu was taken aback, never expecting the old lady to say such a thing to her.
The old lady released her wrist and gestured for her to sit down: "A mother always hopes her child is happy."
"He has fallen deeply in love with you and is trying to show you his heart so that you will reciprocate with yours."
Little did they know that everyone in the world is driven by profit.
"Instead of flattering his worthless heart, it's better to give you benefits that you can't bear to part with."
The old lady, as if she were a shrewd person, picked up a soup dumpling for Li Qu: "Try it, it's a crab dumpling, fresh, sweet and fragrant, the juice overflows when you put it in your mouth, I can't live without this for the rest of my life."
Li Qu hurriedly said that she dared not, and got up to respectfully serve the old lady the food and serve her her meal.
The old lady saw that she seemed obedient and respectful, but in reality she ignored her words, and she felt a little uneasy.
"If you still think you can leave him now, you're just daydreaming."
She directly saw through Li Qu's thoughts.
"He's always been unruly and arrogant. He took a fancy to you, slept with you, and did something utterly despicable."
"You can torment him in the room, hit him, and yell at him, but let bygones be bygones."
"If we keep holding on to her, the reputation of her running away will spread, which is like giving him a cuckold's horns."
Even if he likes you very much, he probably won't allow you to live.
Li Quru felt as if she had been struck in the chest with a hammer, filled with fear and disgust.
A bowl of sweet soup with a fly in it was placed in front of her.
They were all praising the sweet soup and urging her to eat it along with the disgusting fly.
She remained calm and said, "I will remember the old lady's reminder."
The old lady glanced at the jade pendant Li Qu wore on her chest: "The Zhou family members are born with this identity pendant; seeing it is like seeing the real person."
Li Qu had guessed that this brand belonged to Zhou Jin, but she hadn't expected it to be so prestigious.
He smoothly changed the subject: "Can we mobilize troops?"
"It won't work to mobilize troops; mobilizing troops requires a fish tally. But it's possible to send people from the south to do something."
Li Qu silently made a note of it.
After breakfast, the members of the Zhou family's three branches arrived one after another.
Family reunion.
With a smile on her face, Li Qu served tea to the old lady under everyone's gaze: "Mother, please have some tea."
The old lady smiled and accepted the tea, thus explaining Li Qu's change of identity.
“You entered the household last June, and we held a simple wedding ceremony and recorded your name in the family register.”
"She should have enjoyed the treatment of the third wife of the Zhou family, but unfortunately, her birth chart clashes with the Grand Duke Jupiter, so it has never been made public."
"It's a shame that you've been misunderstood as having served the third prince as a concubine for half a year."
"Now that the New Year is over and the Tai Sui has been appeased, there is no need to hide it anymore."
"Today I have drunk your tea, and I have gathered the three branches of the family here to formally reveal your identity."
"..."
As was customary, the old lady gave her daughter-in-law a lecture.
Finally, looking at the face kneeling on the ground, he seemed to be hoping: "I hope you can give me a grandson soon."
Everyone laughed, and Li Qu blushed.
Amidst the laughter, Princess Zhao's voice was the loudest.
The royal family was pleased that Zhou Jin married a commoner.
Regardless of any shady dealings behind this, Lord Zhou severed his own ties with the marriage alliance, and Princess Zhao couldn't stop smiling.
When Li Qu called her "sister-in-law," she laughed heartily, took Li Qu's hand, and praised, "Sister-in-law is truly a beauty."
Second Madam Yao, however, remained much calmer, smiling and replying, "Sister-in-law."
The third wife was a poor woman with no background, and she was happy to see this happen.
The Zhou family of Hezhou always needed someone of suitable status to handle social interactions, and who else could it be but her?
Before Li Qu could greet him, Second Master Zhou Yan burst into laughter: "Sister-in-law, news has spread in the capital that Zheng's wife, that tigress, has threatened to send Zheng to the palace to become a eunuch."
"Hahaha! It wasn't for nothing that I found so many sharp-tongued people to go to the capital to curse him."
"That felt so good, so incredibly satisfying!"
The old lady laughed and scolded him: "Shh, you're so unruly and irresponsible, what kind of person are you!"
“I am so happy. Yesterday when I went to see the traitor Zheng, I saw him secretly wiping away tears.”
Zhou Yan couldn't stop laughing, he couldn't help but laugh just thinking about it: "Hehehe, this year has really been a happy one."
"Yes." Zhou Jin nodded in agreement.
He leaned back in his chair, casually propping his head up with one hand, watching the younger generation come forward one by one, calling her "Third Aunt" in turn. She smiled and handed them red envelopes one by one, unable to suppress the smile on her lips.
His little Aqu deserves this treatment.
But... without the phoenix coronet and embroidered robes, it was ultimately a pity.
*
After the old lady met her own family and confirmed Li Qu's identity in front of them, she met several groups of peers and younger relatives from collateral branches.
During this time, Li Qu quietly served the old lady, maintaining a proper and generous smile.
By the end of the day, her identity had spread throughout the Zhou family.
Despite the doubts, as Zhou Jin said, the old lady covered it up perfectly.
She was placed in the position of Mrs. Wednesday.
By late afternoon, when the old lady was taking her afternoon nap, Li Qu was able to slip away and return to Fanghua Garden.
Upon arriving at Fanghua Garden, the maids and servants cheered and jumped for joy, all addressing her as the Third Madam.
The happiest person was none other than Granny Xu, who was so excited that she rolled her eyes and fainted.
Hongguo and Cuiguo supported her from both sides, taking turns pinching her philtrum and patting her face. Finally, a basin of cold water woke her up.
She woke up and burst into laughter.
Li Qu understood her feelings.
The project, which was supposed to be unregulated and lacked proper documentation, suddenly passed the review and went public.
Anyone would be unhappy or go crazy in this situation.
"Third Madam, is there a reward today?"
Li Qu was dizzy from being bombarded with the title of 'Third Madam': 'Yes, yes, yes, there will be rewards for everyone.'
She maintained a smile on her face, but once inside the room, her expression turned wooden, and her eyelids drooped.
I spent a whole day and night trying to come up with a solution, but I still couldn't figure it out.
She seemed to be imprisoned by his use of the title "Third Madam".
Upon entering the inner room, she suddenly sensed something was amiss; the air was filled with a calming incense she didn't usually use.
Looking up, she met Zhou Jin's gaze, who was leaning against the couch.
He seemed to be taking a nap, his robes draped casually on the floor, his expression somewhat drowsy, his long, narrow eyes casting a soft shadow over her.
"A-Qu is unhappy?"
His tone, as if he had discerned something, made her heart skip a beat.
"I'm tired." She stepped forward, threw herself into his arms, and acted coquettishly, no longer daring to look him in the eye.
"Jinlang got away early, but my legs are sore from standing and my face is stiff from smiling."
He naturally grasped her waist with his hand, measuring it with the pad of his palm, gently pinching and kneading.
"Thank you for your hard work, little Aqu."
She straightened up, took the initiative to kiss his chin.
His expression indeed showed pleasure.
She feigned a pitiful look, hoping to elicit his sympathy: "Jinlang, I didn't rest well last night, and I'm exhausted today. I want to get a good night's sleep."
Little did she know that, in the eyes of those who coveted meat, her feigned pitifulness only added to her allure.
His voice was deep: "Didn't you promise me that you'd properly comfort me tonight?"
"Jinlang~ Jinlang is the best."
She gently placed his hand on her face and rubbed it against her cheek, leaving a faint lip print on the back of his hand.
She prayed fervently to her god.
"It's not impossible," he said, smiling at her. "One more kiss."
She kissed the back of his hand hard again.
He saw the slyness in her eyes and called out, "Are you sure you want to kiss me here?"
She bit her lip: "Then let's make it clear from here."
He laughed: "Why are you so afraid of me touching you, Aqu?"
"I am not afraid of Jinlang. I love Jinlang and long for Jinlang. It's just that I am really tired."
"Then hurry up and kiss her."
He remained leaning against the couch; if she wanted to kiss him, she would have to lean over and press half of her body against him.
With nowhere to put her hand, she placed it on his shoulder.
He gave her a gentle kiss, and just as she was about to leave, he caught up with her.
Her waist was supported by a large hand, and she was forced to sit on his lap.
She pushed him, accusing him: "Jinlang, you broke your promise."
He laughed as he pressed her down onto the couch, untied her clothes, and kissed her tenderly and affectionately.
"Good girl, Aqu~"
He was very skilled at playing the zither; his fingertips explored the light gauze, deftly plucking the strings.
She bit her lip, physiologically intoxicated by his ever-improving skills.
His kisses lingered on her neck, while his other hand pulled open her collar, his lips exploring her collarbone.
"I've been thinking about you terribly since last night."
"It's still early before dark. Comfort me and I'll feel better. Then you can get a good night's sleep."
"Then, tomorrow I'll take you out to play again, how about that?"
No matter what, she only has one contraceptive pill left!
"I showed your menstrual cycle date to an experienced person, who said that if you have intercourse within the next ten days, A-Qu will have a high chance of getting pregnant."
Li Qu's mind went blank.
I think Zhou Jin is desperate to have a child.
"Jinlang!"
"Hmm, Aqu, don't be angry. That person didn't know it was Aqu's menstrual period."
"I didn't know it was you who asked, sir."
She angrily punched him, but suddenly screamed.
He laughed, his husky voice brushing against her ear, tickling her: "It sounds nice."
She said with annoyance, "Jinlang is annoying."
He replied, "Yes. Please forgive me, Madam."
She ultimately couldn't resist his desire and used up the last contraceptive pill she had.
She was in a very urgent situation.
Fortunately, in Wanxian, Zhao Lianqing received an urgent imperial edict from the capital, ordering him to set off immediately to take up his post in the capital.
Li Fu packed Zhao Lianqing's valuables overnight and told him to go to the capital first.
The next day, he took his mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and Zhao Lianqing's concubine, packed his things, and headed towards Hezhou.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Zhou Jin went out early to prepare a surprise for her.
Li Qu reviewed her menstrual cycle records and discovered that the past ten days had indeed been her fertile period.
She dared not act rashly, pretending to be calm, and proceeded with the distribution of rewards in an orderly manner. She chatted with the three concubines from the second wife who came to offer their congratulations, and gossiped about the jealous behavior of the eldest wife, Princess Zhao. In her heart, however, she was anxiously waiting for Li Han to come and bring her a contraceptive pill.
She chose not to drink the precious sweet soup that had been infested with flies.
No matter how sweet the soup is, there will always be flies.
Discomfort.
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