Chapter 77 I Revised
The sky was clear and the air was fresh.
The Zhou family opened their main gate wide to welcome Qin Sixing and his entourage, treating them as honored guests.
At the same time, the gatekeeper received Li Fu's visiting card: "Please inform the Third Madam Li that her eldest sister from her maternal home has come to visit."
Li Fu is beautiful and has a gentle temperament.
She was like a peach blossom in spring, beautiful and radiant.
Because she was a woman visiting a high-ranking household, and was accompanied by servants and guards, she did not wear a veil.
The gatekeeper was stunned, and it took him a long time to react: "Could it be Madam Zhao, the eldest sister of Third Madam Li?"
Li Fu was unaware that Zhou Jin had orchestrated the process of making Li Qu his principal wife.
She smiled and asked, "Doesn't the third branch of the family have a concubine surnamed Li?"
"The third branch of the family has only one wife, Madam Li, who entered the household last June. Because she violated the old lady's taboo, the wedding was kept simple and not announced. Everyone thought she was the third master's concubine."
"It wasn't until after the Lunar New Year this year that the old lady made it public, officially confirming his status as a wife."
Li Fu was shocked, but she didn't show it on her face: "Then that should be it. Please inform them."
"The lady had already given instructions."
The gatekeeper checked Li Fu's residence and household registration, and respectfully invited her into the main hall of the mansion to wait.
The mansion is giving Qin Sixing and his party a grand welcome.
The news of the women's visit did not immediately reach Zhou Jin's ears.
At that time, Li Qu was applying a hot compress of herbal medicine with Bian stone to her lower abdomen in Fanghua Garden.
Li Han was playing with her maids and servants in the courtyard.
Li's mother was chatting with Li Qu.
"Aqu, do you think we'll really be safe? He won't arrest us and put us in jail again, will he?"
"The Emperor is just looking for a reason to punish him. He dares to kidnap people in the capital. If my brother-in-law reports this to the Imperial Palace, there will be plenty of censors and ministers to condemn him."
"A single move can have far-reaching consequences. If things escalate, it will only do him harm, not benefit him."
Li's mother breathed a sigh of relief.
Just then, a servant announced that Li Fu had come to visit.
Li Qu sat up abruptly from the couch.
Li's mother's heart started racing.
Li Qu went to greet the person herself, first walking slowly, then quickly, and finally she couldn't control her legs and started running.
Upon reaching the flower hall, she caught her breath and saw Li Fu sitting upright in her seat.
After three years apart, we met for the first time.
The same face as before.
Li Fu put down her cup and stood up.
Li Qu rushed forward and hugged Li Fu tightly.
Li Fu gently patted her back: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, everything will be alright, everything will be alright."
Li Qu closed her eyes, tears welling up in her eyes.
There was no time for reminiscing; Li Qu had only one thought in mind.
While Zhou Jin was distracted and unable to pay attention to this matter, quickly send the person away!
Her arrangements were made in a hurry and with great efficiency.
Within an hour, Li's mother and Li Han were packed up and given to Li Fu.
Before Li Fu could even ask her if she still wanted to take any risks now that she had been elevated to the rank of Lady, Li Qu sent her onto a ship heading north.
After the servants relayed the message that the ship had departed, she sat alone in Fanghua Garden, feeling a sense of relief as if the dust had settled.
I don't know how long I sat there blankly, but suddenly I heard a servant outside calling out, "Greetings, Third Master."
I felt uneasy.
She gripped the armrest of the chair back, feeling an urge to immediately break ties with him.
At that moment, his footsteps became crystal clear.
Closer, closer, even closer.
He entered, took off his cloak and handed it to the maid, asking in a casual tone, "Why didn't you eat lunch?"
Li Qu realized that it was already past noon.
He walked up to her, knelt down to look at her, and asked gently, "Does it hurt too much?"
Li Qu shook his head.
He scooped her into his arms, carried her to the couch, had someone change the herbal medicine pack with Bian stone to apply to her stomach, and ordered someone to serve her a meal.
The kitchen staff, who always prepare meals, efficiently delivered lunch.
Zhou Jin placed the low table, arranged the food, and then fed Li Qu.
Li Qu ate in small bites, remaining silent.
Zhou Jin spoke first: "Madam is my lucky star."
Li Qu chewed the food in her mouth, looked at him, and asked in her eyes.
He was in a good mood, his eyes gentle and happy: "Sir, you don't plan to leave this time you're back."
Seeing that Li Qu still looked puzzled, Zhou Jin touched the tip of his tongue to his teeth and said, "Sir, you have the talent to assist the world."
Li Qu realized what was happening, and goosebumps slowly crept all over his arms.
He raised his hand and ruffled her hair, changing the subject: "Madam Zhao came to visit, why did you leave in such a hurry?"
She swallowed the food in her mouth: "Aunt Zhao is a widow who raised her son. She has never been separated from her brother-in-law for so long. She was eager to go to the capital and left in a hurry."
She couldn't afford to have a falling out with him.
Because the eldest sister and the others have not yet left Hezhou.
“Husband, you should eat this.” She pointed to a shrimp.
He picked it up and fed it to her.
After she had almost finished chewing, he asked, "Has your mother-in-law left too?"
She swallowed her food: "Mother insisted on taking her son to the capital to show Father. I was also worried that my second sister and Father would not be safe in the capital, so I allowed her to say goodbye and go with my eldest sister."
She frowned slightly, seemingly a little melancholy: "Han'er doesn't want to stay with me either."
“Kids are always eager to play,” Zhou Jin chuckled. “Let’s have a baby soon, then you won’t be lonely in the future.”
A smile spread across her face: "Mm."
The days were warm and cozy, slipping through our fingers like flowing water.
He tried his best to make her feel his sincerity and love.
He took meticulous care of her.
Undisguised favoritism.
She became a legend among the women of the river islands and an object of envy for women in the south.
A month later, Li Qu received a letter from Li Rong confirming that she was safe and sound.
The letter thanked Li Qu for arranging for someone to pick them up, praised the beautiful garden and attentive maidservants arranged by Li Qu, and explained that she had started looking at shops to prepare for making a living in the capital, reassuring Li Qu.
When Aunt Xun bought the house in the capital, there was an old servant who was in charge of the gate, and his adopted granddaughter was transferred to the property together.
Li Qu didn't know if the mansion was beautiful or not, and didn't notice anything unusual in the words.
Half a month later, Li Qu received a letter from Li Fu confirming that she was safe and sound.
The letter said that her brother-in-law, Zhao Lianqing, personally went to the dock to pick them up.
They first stayed at the house rented by his brother-in-law, and would meet up with Li Rong the next day to put her mind at ease.
At this point, only Li Qu remained in the south.
She was waiting for an opportunity to make a clean getaway.
*
February's spring breeze is like scissors, bringing green to all things; spring arrives even faster in the south.
Li Qu stared blankly at the small fish reflected in the glass window.
Her period is ten days late this month.
Tomorrow is the day Dr. An will come to check her pulse, and she is feeling very uneasy.
During this period, Zhou Jin left early and returned late, sometimes not returning for several days, and sometimes coming back in the middle of the night to have the baby, then washing up and leaving again.
Xu Mama and the others knew that Zhou Jin was eager for a child, and that the old lady was eager for a third son to have an heir. They stayed by Li Qu's side every day, afraid that Li Qu might fall or get hurt.
She had no chance to buy any contraceptive soup or pills.
What you fear most is what comes to pass.
Li Qu is pregnant.
News of Dr. An's pulse diagnosis came in the morning, and Zhou Jin returned home in the afternoon.
His joy was written all over his face.
Upon entering Fanghua Garden, he received the good news from Granny Xu, and with a wave of his hand, he declared, "Everyone in Fanghua Garden will be rewarded with half a year's salary."
The servants, who were already happy, were even happier.
Joyful atmosphere.
Li Qu was feeling melancholy.
Zhou Jin entered the room, washed and cleaned himself before going into the inner room.
Hearing his footsteps, Li Qu, who was lying in bed, turned over, curled up like a shrimp, and turned her back to the outside.
He held his breath and carefully sat down on the edge of the bed, calling her, "Aqu."
She ignored him.
He couldn't hide the smile on his face, coughed, and carefully turned her over.
Her eyelashes were wet, drooping as she didn't look at him.
Why are you crying?
She ignored him.
He pulled her into his arms and gently patted her back, as if soothing a child: "Aqu, don't cry."
She hit him lightly, seemingly annoyed with him.
"It's all my fault, Aqu, don't cry."
"Tell me what's wrong with me, and I'll change."
She buried her head in his chest and began to sob softly.
Unable to find out the reason, he went to ask Doctor An and his mother.
Dr. An said, "It's normal for pregnant women to experience significant mood swings."
"They are prone to crying, tantrums, and anger, and their temperament may even change drastically."
This was to give Zhou Jin some time to prepare.
The old lady said, "Pregnancy is extremely difficult for women."
"She's still very early in her pregnancy, so she's not having much of a reaction yet."
"If she stays for another month, she might vomit, vomit until she cries."
"After a while, she might go hungry often and eat every day, making herself fat."
"If she gets a little further along in the pregnancy, her beautiful face might develop spots."
"Now they might be suddenly in a panic and crying because of their change in status. They might be afraid of losing favor, afraid of this and that, and cause a ruckus."
"Hmph." She raised an eyebrow at her son. "When your father was pregnant with your eldest brother, he kept a mistress outside the marriage."
Zhou Jin sipped his tea; "My son is different from his father."
"hehe."
After that, he treated Li Qu with even more care.
I proactively reported my itinerary, afraid she would overthink it.
I would bring her something every time I went out.
If you're tired of sending gold and silver utensils, just give a leaf or a bouquet of flowers.
There were also candied hawthorns, and tiny baby shoes...
He tried his best to let her see his heart.
And he really, really wanted to have a child with her.
He wanted to create a bond in this world that belonged only to the two of them.
This feeling is unstoppable.
They possessed an aura that could slay gods and Buddhas alike.
He even commissioned a statue of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy who grants children, to be enshrined in his official residence and offered incense there daily.
Because of his high regard and instructions.
Li Qu was enshrined like a glass doll.
She could take whatever good things she wanted from the south, and the entertainers and actors lined up to go on stage.
The three concubines of the second wife were ordered by the old lady to take turns coming to keep her company each day.
The number of people serving in the courtyard has doubled.
Not to mention the possibility of miscarriage, even the food we eat every day is guided by Dr. An.
Let alone the possibility of running away from the mansion.
There is absolutely no chance.
Two letters arrived from the capital, adding a touch of turbulence to Li Qu's pregnancy.
Li Rong wrote: The shop is completed and everything is stable.
Li Fu wrote: My second sister and Li's father have disappeared.
Li Qu replied: "My second sister's shop is finished. Let's follow this clue."
*
By April, flowers and plants are in full bloom, and the weather is warm.
Li Qu's pregnancy was stable, and after much pleading and even sacrificing her own hand, she finally coaxed Zhou Jin into agreeing to let her go out of the mansion for a stroll.
Once there was an opportunity to leave the mansion, there were two.
Unfortunately, every time he left the mansion, he could not find an opportunity to escape with a single blow.
*
By midsummer, Dr. An, with his exceptional medical skills, assured everyone: "It's a boy."
The old lady smiled broadly: "I believe you, I believe you. You were the one who took my second son's wife's pulse back then, and it was always accurate."
The whole family was overjoyed.
Zhou Jin stood in the sunlight, his hands behind his back, looking at the woman in the courtyard whose pregnancy was no longer concealed. The indifference in his eyes had disappeared, replaced by warmth.
Even the younger generation is no longer as afraid of him as before, and dares to go up and chat with him for a few words.
Zhou Jin remembered the last thing he looked forward to so much was the love his parents had for him, just like they loved his second brother.
He didn't expect it.
Now, he looks forward to meeting the child.
With six months left, each day felt like an eternity to him.
During this period, it wasn't that no women were drawn to Zhou Jin.
Zhou Jin, however, avoided it like the plague.
He readily admitted, "I'm henpecked."
This made him the laughingstock of everyone in Hezhou.
Even Zhou Feng dared to threaten him with the past: "Third Uncle, lend me some more money, otherwise I want to visit Third Aunt and talk about the punishments in Hezhou Prison!"
Zhou Jin was so angry that he was like ice cream in the summer, unable to hide his chill.
Zhou Feng: Hehe, I love seeing Third Uncle both dislike me and can't do anything about it.
The auspicious day for Zhou to marry Tang was the sixth day of the last month of summer.
Because of the long distance, the in-laws' procession needs to set off a month in advance.
Zhou Jin went along.
The attention of the people in the manor gradually shifted from her to the important matter of the Zhou-Tang marriage alliance.
Li Qu keenly sensed an opportunity.
*
The fifth day of the fifth lunar month is the Dragon Boat Festival.
Family dinner.
They were all smiles and laughter.
Li Qu, Princess Zhao, and Lady Yao sat at the same table, laughing and chatting.
The old lady in the main seat was amused and laughed heartily.
Zhou Jin leaned back in his chair, his gaze lingering on her.
He used to be like a lonely beast king rejected by the sunlight, always shrouded in the shadows.
I'm used to being straightforward, looking down on people, being distant, and being aloof.
She smiled and pulled him into the sunlight, giving him warmth and love that seemed unattainable.
"Third brother, stop looking. The younger generation is laughing at you."
Zhou Yan nudged Zhou Jin's arm.
"But it's not like we haven't seen each other for ten or eight years."
Zhou Jin withdrew his gaze, picked up his cup, and clinked glasses with Zhou Yan: "Second brother, you don't understand."
She was his light.
She taught him what love is.
She loves him.
He loves her.
Having her filled his heart with warmth, sweetness, and ultimate satisfaction.
Zhou Yan scoffed: "I don't care about understanding. Living a carefree and unrestrained life is the only way to make this life worthwhile."
Zhou Jin smiled and said, "Everyone has their own ambitions. I wish my second brother all the best in achieving his goals."
"I also wish you a successful trip, Third Brother."
As their glasses clinked, Zhou Jin glanced down at the wine in his glass.
A man should take it upon himself to ensure his wife's success and that his children's future be secure.
He will lift her up higher and higher, and he will never let her regret bearing his children.
Wine enters the throat, emotions seep into the marrow.
The wine is gone, but my heart is full.
*
At night, the desires suppressed in April turned into wild beasts.
He bit her front: "Aqu, the doctor said the pregnancy is stable, you can be gentle."
Li Qu did not refuse.
On the contrary, she had previously teased him, wanting him to indulge in sex and naturally miscarry the child.
But he was extremely restrained.
When she teased him too much, he would go to sleep at Mianxiaoju.
He even refused to be alone with her, fearing she might unleash her animalistic side.
A cool breeze was blowing, and the sky was full of stars.
He carried her to the couch where the starlight could peek through.
Seeing her dark hair spread out beneath her, contrasting sharply with her snow-white skin, he couldn't help but let his Adam's apple bob.
He kissed her gently, their sweet scents mingling, and the long-lost tingling sensation made his heart beat faster and faster.
The warm, humid air swirled around her face and ears.
Rub your palms against your skin, and you'll feel a burning sensation.
A kiss fell.
Move your head.
I am completely satisfied.
He said, "Aqu, you smell so good."
He shared happiness with her
Step by step, he dragged his goddess down from her pedestal and made her sink into depravity with him.
She was also trying her best to entice him to commit a grave offense.
However, he was clearly more rational than she had imagined, and indeed as light-hearted as he said.
Sweat dripped from his bobbing Adam's apple as his strong arms held her captive.
During the imperial examination, the emperor praised him, saying: "He is as talented as Pan An and as handsome as Zhou Yu. He is the third-ranked scholar."
A handsome young man rode a black horse through the streets, dressed in red, with countless flowers and sachets raining down from the sky.
That day, many wealthy young ladies who watched the third-ranked scholar parade through the streets cried out in their dreams: "Zhou Lang, look after me!"
All he wanted was for her to take care of him.
"Aqu, wait for me at home."
Her well-defined abdominal muscles were close to her slightly protruding waist.
He was not only handsome and talented, but he also wielded a long spear with great skill and power.
The muscles on his body were a sight that Li Qu, a modern man, enjoyed appreciating.
He held her tightly in his arms.
He had just breathed a sigh of relief when he suddenly spoke up, pleading in a trembling voice: "Aqu, no, no, please, please be gentle, loosen your grip."
His pleas startled Qingguo, who was on night watch.
Qingguo Horror: Has Third Master been possessed by a ghost again?
It's hard to imagine what it would be like for Third Master to beg for help in that voice.
She didn't see it, but the stars did.
They twinkled, huddled together, spying and mocking...
*
The next day, Zhou Jin got up early without waking Li Qu.
He stared at her sleeping face for a long time, then leaned down and kissed her forehead before getting up and leaving.
By the time Li Qu woke up, the sun was already high in the sky.
Dr. An had been summoned by Zhou Jin early in the morning and was waiting outside.
After Li Qu finished dressing and washing up, he immediately took her pulse.
"No worries." Doctor An breathed a sigh of relief.
"The Third Master sent someone to summon me early this morning. I thought the Madam's pregnancy was unstable."
"It was a false alarm."
She was so energetic last night, yet he was so gentle.
She was not surprised by the result at all.
After having breakfast, she took a walk around the mansion, surrounded by servants.
Passing by a pomegranate garden, Granny Xu asked Li Qu, "Madam, would you like to go and see the Flower Goddess of May to ward off evil and bring good fortune?"
"good."
Granny Xu carefully helped Li Qu walk over: "There is a piece of cloud-patterned gauze of the same color in the storeroom. We'll make a dress for you later."
"Madam has fair skin; she would look absolutely stunning in that."
Li Qu laughed: "In your eyes, what don't I look good in?"
Granny Xu smiled, revealing her teeth.
Upon entering the pavilion in the flower garden, Li Qu sent her maids and servants to look at the flowers, leaving only Granny Xu and Hongguo by her side.
Leaning against the railing, she is gentle and beautiful.
Li Qu watched as the maids and servants picked flowers to wear, and then asked them to give her one.
Granny Xu seemed to be at a loss for words, so she simply praised her, "Beautiful."
Li Qu was amusing; she propped her head up with one hand, her mind racing.
The month Zhou Jin was away presented an excellent opportunity.
Her gaze drifted down, sweeping over her lower abdomen where she could clearly feel something. She bit her tongue, feeling a slight sting.
At four months, you are already in the second trimester of pregnancy.
It was something she had no choice but to do, something she didn't expect.
After returning, Li Qu began to devise escape plans.
If you don't act, then don't act; but if you do act, make sure you're in a winning position.
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