Chapter 75 Third Aunt
What grand dreams are you having?
Even if Zhou Jin weren't currently infatuated with Li Qu, there's no reason for him to send someone to take his woman away.
This also concerns a man's dignity.
Zhou Jin leaned back in his chair, unafraid despite being at a clear disadvantage: "If you want to die, just say so. I'm happy to grant your wish."
Now that the truth has been revealed, someone has to lose face.
The two were clearly at odds.
One gaze was indifferent and direct, carrying a warning of killing intent; the other's eyes held a hidden edge, yet remained dignified and polite.
A black brocade robe, a moon-colored fine dress.
He is the heir to a powerful position in the south and the crown prince of Yan.
Who can lose their dignity?
Neither is possible.
Inside Shou'an Hall, the incense smoke curls gently, and you can hear a pin drop.
The old lady's gaze first fell on the document for taking a concubine in her hand.
The process of royal concubines taking on concubines involved more steps than that of ordinary families.
For a powerful prince like Xiao Cong to take a concubine, he not only had to report to the imperial family, but also obtain the permission of the prince, namely his father, the Prince of Yan.
The old lady stared at the Prince of Yan's seal for a long time before shifting her gaze to the date, witnesses, signature, and fingerprints.
After putting down the document regarding taking a concubine, she reviewed the other materials one by one.
Complete and well-prepared.
"According to the documents provided by the Crown Prince regarding the taking of a concubine, it is not unreasonable for the Crown Prince to refer to Lady Li as his beloved concubine."
The old lady placed the things on the low table beside her, fiddling with her prayer beads: "I heard that the Li family and her grandfather's family usually have no contact."
The name and fingerprint on the marriage contract belonged to Li Qu's grandfather.
Apart from that, it's flawless.
Xiao Cong calmly replied: "Your Majesty governs the country with filial piety. The Li family's grandfather is still alive. How dare the Li family commit the grave crime of unfilial piety?"
"It's just that the Li family's grandfather lived in the village, while the Li family lived in Yicheng, so they didn't have much social interaction on a daily basis."
"However, the Li family has been giving the Li family grandfather a pension every year, as evidenced by relatives and village officials."
"There is no such thing as no contact."
As soon as Xiao Cong finished speaking, Xiao Zuo behind him took out a prepared document and presented it with both hands.
Granny Rong stepped forward, took it, and handed it to the old lady with both hands.
The old lady opened it, and on the document was a testimony from the Li family regarding their filial piety towards their grandfather, with the signatures of relatives, neighbors, and the village head.
Raising an eyebrow, the old lady placed the document together with the other items, including the document regarding the taking of a concubine.
Undeniably, they were manipulated.
Xiao Cong picked up the teacup beside him: "Marriage is based on the wishes of elders and the words of matchmakers. The Li family's grandfather is still alive and has the right to agree to the marriages of his younger relatives."
The old lady glanced at her nonchalant son, put down her prayer beads, and picked up the teacup beside her.
"Thus, the document regarding the Crown Prince taking a concubine was stamped and filed in the government archives in early February of last year."
"There was also the seal of authority that allowed the Crown Prince's wife, Lady Lin, to take a concubine because she was pregnant."
"It is indeed earlier than the wedding day of my Zhou family's third branch in June."
One kill.
Xiao Cong lowered his eyelashes slightly, staring at the rim of the teacup in his hand: "I will not pursue the misunderstanding between the Li family and your esteemed household, but I beg you to release the person, Uncle."
Zhou Jin leaned back in his chair, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Cong: "Your household registration is in your Yan region, and all the Li clan members are in your Yan region."
"Even if the young master wanted to produce the three letters and six rites for marriage, it would be no problem."
Xiao Cong looked up to meet his gaze: "Uncle, are you referring to yourself? Abusing power for personal gain, forging documents, and promoting a concubine to be your wife?"
He was very well-mannered, but he always lost his composure when dealing with Zhou Jin.
The hostility was impossible to conceal.
"So the people who went to the Bamboo Residence last night were from the matchmaker's office (the official agency that manages marriage matters, which can be understood as the civil affairs bureau)."
"Uncle, you know someone went to visit Zhuju, don't you know who that person really is?"
"I was busy drawing the eyebrows for the lady this morning and didn't have time to check the news before coming to entertain the young master. I really don't know who has been bewitched by the young master and forgotten their roots."
Xiao Cong's fingertips, gripping the cup saucer, turned slightly white: "Uncle, is this a thief?"
"Wasn't it the Crown Prince who gave others an opportunity to take advantage of him first?"
The fingertips gripping the cup saucer grew increasingly pale as Xiao Cong delivered another blow.
"The Law on Marriage and Relationships stipulates that a man must obtain an official document from the local government where the woman is registered before he can marry."
"To prevent women from being trafficked or forced into marriage, and to protect their rights."
"The documents related to Uncle Shi's marriage are still missing an official document from the government where the woman is registered."
"The procedure was not completed."
Therefore, strictly speaking, Uncle Shi's marriage cannot be considered a valid marriage.
Zhou Jin's messenger, who was heading north to retrieve the official documents, had only been gone for three days.
The matchmaker's side was indeed missing an official document issued by the government of the woman's place of residence.
The old lady seemed oblivious to Xiao Cong's determination, speaking as if it were a casual chat.
“When your uncle got married, I deliberately omitted this unimportant procedure, leaving the marriage ceremony incomplete, because I was afraid that Li would offend my zodiac sign and cause me trouble.”
“Since the Crown Prince knows that the Emperor governs the country with filial piety, he can surely understand why the Zhou family took the official documents from the Li family’s registered residence late.”
"She is Zhou's third wife in name and in fact, without a doubt."
The prerequisite for poaching someone is that it must be done legitimately.
How could Xiao Cong allow the other party to have a legitimate claim?
"The old lady was joking. Li entered the Prince of Yan's mansion in February, and even if the Zhou family's people went north to retrieve the official documents in June, they still wouldn't be able to get them."
How can one woman be betrothed to two men?
The Yan government had documents documenting Li Qu's entry into the Prince of Yan's residence, so it was impossible for them to give Zhou any official documents.
Second kill.
However, in fact, Xiao Cong's document on taking a concubine, like Zhou Jin's three documents, was a later addition.
He acted only a month earlier than Zhou Jin.
If Zhou Jin had indeed sent someone north to retrieve the official documents last June, the situation would have been reversed, and he would have caught Xiao Cong off guard.
Unfortunately, we have lost both the advantages of location and the opportune moment.
Zhou Jin's hands could no longer do whatever they wanted in Yan.
With Xiao Cong blocking the way, Li Qu was destined to never obtain the official document from the local government where he was registered.
The air was stagnant, making people noticeably more relaxed.
Xiao Cong took a sip of tea and put down the cup.
The barely perceptible sound of a cup hitting the coffee table was exceptionally clear.
"The fact that Li had two wives is a mistake, but since Uncle Shi's marriage procedures were not completed, it cannot be counted."
"Strictly speaking, the Li family members are only people from my Prince Yan's mansion."
"Please, Madam, restrain Uncle Shi from doing anything that is unbecoming of his manners."
"I would like to ask the old lady to make the decision and invite Mrs. Li and her family to come. I will then leave with my people."
"I will make proper arrangements for the follow-up matters to ensure that neither family's reputation is damaged."
The old lady glanced at her son with a faint look in her eyes.
For some reason, a twisted sense of schadenfreude arose in her heart.
It's rare to see the youngest son get the short end of the stick.
Zhou Jin clearly didn't want to play dirty tricks: "If Prince Yan is determined to fight this lawsuit, I'll see it through to the end."
"I wonder if the Crown Prince intends to return to Yan to fight this case, or to fight it in the South?"
Xiao Cong calmly accepted the challenge: "Knowing that Uncle Shi is arrogant and can even ignore the imperial edict, how could I not be fully prepared?"
Behind him stood Xiao Zuo, who admired his young master's flawless strategies to the extreme.
He proudly took out the Chinese letter from his pocket.
Granny Rong stepped forward, took it with both hands, and handed it to the old lady.
After the old lady opened it and read it, her opinion of Xiao Cong rose to a new level.
The letter was placed back on the low table.
She said, "The judgment in Yan has already been made. The Crown Prince has all the necessary procedures and took a concubine first. Therefore, Lady Li belongs to the Crown Prince."
Triple kill.
Zhou Jin gave up on adhering to the rules: "You can't take the person with you."
"Is Uncle sure you intend to defy the royal family?"
"What, does the Crown Prince of Yan intend to return to the capital by imperial decree and hand over military power in Yan to the Emperor? To have the Emperor back him up?"
"When faced with a foreign enemy, brothers should join hands to fight it. As for what happens after the enemy retreats, that's a family matter."
Xiao Cong's threat made the old lady frown.
If the capital and Yan region join forces, it will be a crisis for the south.
"In that case, since the young master has come to our doorstep, it would be my fault if we did not treat him well."
"Uncle, please think it over."
This is why Xiao Cong handed the old lady a visiting card.
With an elder present, things will develop within a controllable range.
The maidservant changed the tea.
Xiao Cong picked up the cup, lifted the lid, and gently blew on the overflowing tea aroma.
As Xiao Cong had expected, the old lady gave her son a warning look and said, "Since it's a misunderstanding, it should be returned to its rightful owner."
With all roads blocked, Zhou Jin gripped the handrail tightly.
The old lady said, "Please, Ms. Li."
Granny Rong bowed and withdrew to invite Li Qu.
Xiao Cong's brows relaxed slightly, almost imperceptibly.
Zhou Jin lowered his long eyelashes, concealing the fierceness in his eyes.
Given his personality, he wouldn't waste any more words now that things have come to this.
It was Xiao Cong's skill to be able to lead people out of the Zhou residence.
If Xiao Cong was able to lead his men out of the South unscathed, then he was truly incompetent.
*
Rong Mama told Li Qu exactly what had happened in Shou'an Hall.
Li Qu dressed in her finest attire to meet the enemy.
Even though Zhou Jin is not a good person, he poses no threat to her now.
Once she falls into Xiao Cong's hands, her fate is unknown.
The choice is obvious.
However, doing so would completely offend Xiao Cong.
How could Xiao Cong be a good person?
The closer she got to Shou'an Hall, the clearer her heartbeat became.
When she reached the gate of Shou'an Hall, her steps stopped abruptly.
She felt pressured at the same time, facing two unattainable men, both of whom she had deceived.
Granny Rong lifted the curtain for her and reminded her again, "Third Madam, please come in."
Li Qu swallowed hard, took a deep breath, suppressed her emotions, and stepped over the threshold.
When the suffocating atmosphere in the room hit her, Li Qu's heart stopped for a moment.
Once I truly crossed that threshold, my heart suddenly calmed down.
Without pausing, she stepped forward.
*
From the moment she appeared, Zhou Jin and Xiao Cong's gazes involuntarily shifted to her.
The two, who would have been at each other's throats if the old lady hadn't stopped them, are now inexplicably feeling guilty.
Xiao Cong felt guilty, knowing that his darling didn't love him as much as he had imagined.
Moreover, he couldn't give his sweetheart the position of the principal wife she wanted.
There is no precedent for members of the imperial family to marry women from poor families.
Whenever the emperor wanted to make an exception, a group of ministers would plead against it to the death.
Etiquette and rules are hard to break.
Zhou Jin felt guilty because he knew in his heart how well Xiao Cong had raised his little Aqu.
He felt that the six months he had known her couldn't compare to the six years... no, eight years of friendship she had shared with Xiao Cong.
His emotional fluctuations were even greater than when he had been overwhelmed by Xiao Cong earlier.
He picked up his cup, thinking that if she dared to leave with Xiao Cong without a second thought, he...
He promised to make her cry after he brought her back!
It's the kind of thing that won't help even if you beg!
His fierce aura was uncontrollable and overflowed from his entire body.
This prompted Xiao Cong, who was opposite him, to glance at it indifferently.
*
Li Qu bowed to the old lady and said, "Greetings, Mother."
Then he bowed to Xiao Cong and said, "Your Highness."
Finally, she turned to meet Zhou Jin's gaze and gave him a sweet smile: "Husband."
The murderous aura emanating from Zhou Jin seemed to have met its nemesis, instantly receding.
Even the unpleasantness of being caught off guard by Xiao Cong's well-prepared attack dissipated.
He gestured on the coffee table: "Please sit, Madam."
Li Qu sat down.
A maidservant serves tea.
Her actions not only comforted Zhou Jin, but also helped the old lady regain some face.
Xiao Cong lowered his gaze, refusing to accept the sight of her calling someone else her husband.
The old lady gestured to Rong Momo to bring a series of documents on the low table for Li Qu to look at.
"The Li family has one daughter who has been betrothed to two men, and Zhou was unaware of this."
"Now that the young master has come, he has a valid reason and evidence. Please take a look."
Even though she was mentally prepared, Li Qu was still stung by the document regarding the taking of a concubine.
After reviewing the other supplementary documents one by one, she returned the documents to Granny Rong.
Granny Rong handed it back to the old lady.
Before Li Qu could speak, Xiao Cong's gaze fell on her, and he spoke first: "May I ask the old lady for a moment, as I have something to say to her?"
Zhou Jin: "Say what you have to say right here."
Xiao Cong's gaze lingered on her: "Uncle won't want to hear this."
"I want to hear it."
The sharpness in Xiao Cong's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a calm and gentle expression.
She was already beautiful, and her formal attire made her even more dignified.
However, her slender figure meant that even when she wore an elegant dress, her charm was still undeniable.
His voice softened slightly as he spoke, "Don't be afraid, be good..."
Before he could finish speaking, the teacup beside Zhou Jin flew towards him.
The folding fan spun gracefully in Xiao Cong's hand. He blocked it quickly, and the cup fell onto the fan surface, splashing water and tea leaves. The fan surface was pushed and bent, and then pushed off by the reaction force, falling to the ground.
Whether the cup was already cracked when it was thrown or something else happened, it shattered into pieces when it hit the ground.
The atmosphere in the room suddenly rose to a level that made people nervous and apprehensive.
The maids didn't dare to step forward to clean up the broken cups and porcelain shards.
"Uncle, there's nothing I can do even if you don't want to face it. She was my darling in the past, and she will be in the future."
Li Qu was the one who responded to this.
"Your Highness is being rude. You should address me as Third Aunt."
Her voice was calm and clear, drawing attention from everyone present.
*
Xiao Cong's robe was splattered with light brown tea, with a tea leaf or two still clinging to it.
Normally, he would say "Excuse me" and immediately go to change his clothes.
Right now, he didn't even notice the one or two tea leaves.
The calm and gentle gaze that had been fixed on Li Qu gradually faded.
She didn't look away or avoid eye contact.
It was a completely different side from the quiet, gentle, or humble and pitiful image he remembered.
There was a coldness and distance in her eyes that he had never seen before.
He understood instantly.
She didn't not love herself as much as she thought; perhaps... she never loved herself.
Never.
The hand gripping the folding fan tightened more and more.
She said, "I am deeply grateful for the Crown Prince's past care."
"Now that the Crown Prince has settled in Hezhou, we should extend our hospitality as hosts."
"If you need anything, Your Highness, please don't hesitate to ask."
She picked up the cup beside her: "As for the document regarding taking a concubine, it is a misunderstanding."
She avoided Xiao Cong's knowing, piercing gaze and shifted her attention to the old lady's face.
“The daughter-in-law’s grandfather has no right to interfere with his daughter-in-law’s marriage.”
"The daughter-in-law has a written agreement made by her grandparents that she voluntarily gave up arranging marriages for the children born to her father."
"The document was signed and sealed by the clan chief and village head, and the date was four years ago."
Thinking of what happened four years ago, Li Qu unconsciously clenched the cup in her hand.
Even though so much time has passed, she still harbors hatred.
They hated those two old bastards for treating the sisters like commodities.
At the same time, it was also a way of thanking Xiao Cong.
At that time, she said she needed to go home to handle family matters and asked him to give her help.
Without asking any questions, he gave her Xiaozuo, which he always carried with him, and his token.
He granted her permission to deploy troops and gently instructed her:
'If anything happens, let Xiao Zuo handle it for you; don't let him get hurt.'
Without his powerful influence, Second Sister...
She probably doesn't have a second sister anymore.
There are many ways to express gratitude to someone.
Offering oneself in marriage is absolutely indecent.
Li Qu sipped her tea, put down the cup, and took out the old document from her bosom: "The Crown Prince's document to take a concubine is invalid."
*
Zhou Jin lost the advantage of timing and location, while Xiao Cong lost the advantage of popular support.
Their victory or defeat depends on her choice.
With a single, decisive move, Xiao Cong swallowed a mouthful of blood.
Zhou Jin's eyes and brows were filled with undisguised joy.
He tilted his head to look at his little Aqu, and couldn't get enough of looking at her.
He praised her without regard for the occasion: "Madam, you are dressed beautifully today, no one can compare."
Li Qu resented him.
He abandoned all decorum, stood up, took her hand, and led her outside: "Please make yourself at home, Your Highness. Excuse me."
He was excited by her choice.
Once outside, he hoisted her onto his shoulder.
She exclaimed, and the sound carried into the house.
"Put me down, Zhou Jin, put me down!"
"I won't let go!"
They're all laughing at me!
"Today is a good day, you are allowed to laugh."
"Zhou Jin!" She pounded his arm wherever it could reach.
He jostled her, which frightened her so much that she screamed.
He lost his usual indifference and was enveloped in the warm sunlight.
He carried her to the only place on the way out of Shou'an Hall and pinned her against the artificial hill.
"To call one's husband by his given name is considered disrespectful and should be punished."
Warm, ticklish breaths brushed against her cheeks.
She blushed and asked him with a smile, "Am I clever or not?"
"clever."
His gaze lingered on her eyes and brows.
"As I said, I don't like him. I like my husband, and I only like my husband."
His heart was pounding wildly.
"Aqu." He couldn't help but move closer to her.
She lowered her eyelashes, appearing obedient and docile.
"Aqu, I love you."
He was completely caught up in it, unwilling and unable to come to his senses.
Their lips touched, soft and tender.
Without any distractions, he offered a sincere kiss.
It's like offering sacrifices to a goddess.
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