Chapter 93 Responsible
Youpenglai Tea House is located in the east of the city, in a luxurious area, frequented by fine cars and luxury vehicles.
A carriage bearing the insignia of the Marquis of Weiwu drove in and stopped at the entrance of the teahouse.
Lin Xiaocong got off the carriage first.
Autumn fennel is next.
Li Qu was carefully helped down from the carriage by Qiu Hui.
The waiter came forward to invite the servants, and the stable boy led the carriage to the designated area for carriages.
Lin Xiaocong entered the teahouse first.
Li Qu, veiled in a thin veil, followed behind him.
It was already evening, but the heat was still intense.
The teahouse is a different place with two different temperatures inside and outside.
Upon entering the teahouse, Li Qu slightly opened the long gauze curtains, allowing cool air to penetrate the interior of the curtains more quickly to alleviate the summer heat.
She spent two taels of silver at the Qingtang Tea House and got to the bottom of Li Rong's affairs.
The teahouse was quiet; on the first floor, only musicians skilled in musical instruments were playing.
The sound is gentle and soothing to the ear.
The waiter quietly led the group to a private room and then withdrew.
Li Qu entered the room, took off the veil, and naturally handed it to Qiu Hui, who was standing to the side.
Qiu Hui didn't know Li Qu's identity, but Li Qu had the air of a well-to-do woman that Qiu Hui was familiar with.
Tranquil yet not to be underestimated.
She took the mittens and quietly stepped aside.
Lin Xiaocong smiled and invited Li Qu to sit down.
Humility and politeness, a gentleman in his prime.
Li Qu sat down and stated her purpose directly: "Young Master Lin, I hope you can stay away from my second sister."
Qiu Hui looked up in shock.
Even though the woman was heavily pregnant, she sat upright and serenely.
Although she was a guest, she acted as if she were the hostess and started brewing tea.
With delicate, slender fingers, she picked up the tea canister, pinched the long, thin tea spoon, and poured the tea into the pot with practiced, calm movements.
She is completely different from the second young lady whom the young master has taken a liking to.
Lin Xiaocong laughed: "I didn't know that the Third Miss was speaking to me as the third wife of the Zhou family of Hezhou."
"I'll say this from the perspective of the third daughter of the Li family."
Qiu Hui's eyes widened even more.
The third wife of the Zhou family in Hezhou!
Li Qu put down the tea canister and covered the teapot.
The kettle contained hot water at the right temperature that had been prepared beforehand.
Add hot water to the tea leaves and wait for the residual heat to release their internal qualities.
She looked up at Lin Xiaocong and said, "That depends on whether Young Master Lin wants to be on good terms with the Zhou family or make enemies."
"Of course, we should be on good terms."
"Let's talk this out properly."
Lin Xiaocong remained silent.
Li Qu is quiet.
Both of them were calculating their desired goals, the minimum cost required to achieve them, and the information they could utilize.
Smart people never have an easy time chatting.
Lin Xiaocong broke the silence first, raising his hand to pick up the teapot: "Strong tea is not suitable for pregnant women. Light green tea, in moderation, is fine."
Li Qu spoke up: "A woman of the Li family will not be a concubine, nor a mistress."
"I have no plans to get married in this lifetime," Lin Xiaocong said bluntly.
"It would be best if Rongrong were a mistress, without any constraints or control."
He commented on Li Rong: "She is not smart."
A smart girl won't fawn over a man without first figuring out his background.
Or perhaps, she really liked herself too much back then, and couldn't control herself.
He poured Li Qu a cup of tea and presented it to her.
"Madam Zhou, if she is willing, are you willing to grant her request?"
"She would not willingly become someone's mistress or concubine."
Lin Xiaocong poured himself a cup of tea.
"She has a mental illness, and Mr. Lin will cure her."
"If she still refuses to accept Mr. Lin after her illness is cured, Mr. Lin will no longer bother her."
He was very sincere: "Mr. Lin went there with the intention of achieving a good outcome."
“The Third Miss threatened me with the Zhou family of Hezhou, so I dared not act rashly.”
Li Qu looked into his eyes.
Lin Xiaocong is very good-looking, with long eyelashes and beautiful under-eye bags.
He is approachable and friendly, with no sense of distance.
He picked up the cup and took a small sip, his demeanor composed.
His temperament is the refined and elegant look that Li Rong likes.
"As you said, my second sister isn't smart. What do you like about her?"
Lin Xiaocong put down his teacup, met Li Qu's eyes openly, and smiled.
"Although she was a woman with a weak body, she was able to endure torture for her family. She was loyal, righteous, and sincere."
He said as if sharing a little secret, "My maid told me that she is actually most afraid of pain."
"They yell and scream whenever they bump or scrape themselves."
"Stay two zhang away from the pot while cooking, for fear of being splattered with oil."
"Of course, this is just one of her many strengths."
"She is simple, straightforward, loves to laugh, and is bright and sunny."
"Lin believed that as long as one of the two people is smart, that's enough."
“Young Master Lin is right. When two people are together, one of them only needs to be smart.” Li Qu picked up his teacup.
"Will Young Master Lin and my second sister always be the only two people together?"
Lin Xiaocong was slightly taken aback.
Li Qu and Lin Xiaocong chatted for a long time.
Two more kettles of water were added during the process.
Li Qu left the private room first.
She changed her clothes before leaving the teahouse wearing a veil.
Qiu Hui sent Li Qu as a gift.
Inside the private room, Lin Xiaocong put down his cup and casually draped his arm over the armrest.
His serious and gentle eyes revealed a hint of unrestrained charm: "Maintaining gentlemanly conduct towards outsiders is a matter of cultivation."
"Keep your distance from your sweetheart who is of a much higher social status and whom you can easily have."
"...It would only lead to misunderstandings, wouldn't it?"
As for respect?
He admitted that his mistress, whom he had previously been determined to have, lacked this admirable quality.
"Don't you want to be a mistress?"
He raised his hand and rubbed his chin: "But being the daughter-in-law of my Marquis of Might and Power is really difficult."
"Young Master!" Qiu Chan pushed the door open with a bang, disturbing his thoughts.
He smiled at Qiu Chan: "What's gotten into you now?"
"After the second young lady took the medicine and woke up, she went to the Qi family's pharmacy. Would you like to go and see her?"
Lin Xiaocong's smile froze on his face.
He anticipated that his sensitive and taciturn junior brother would fall for his scheme to sow discord.
I never expected Li Rong to be so persistent with Qi Nian!
Is it Rongrong's fault?
No.
It's my junior brother's bewitching potion that's taking so long to work.
He blames himself for being too soft-hearted.
*
At the gate of Qi Family Pharmacy.
Qi's mother said many unpleasant things to Li Rong, but she did not send Li Rong away.
Li Rong insisted on seeing Qi Nian.
"Fine, since you're here, let's make things clear tonight and cut ties cleanly!"
Qi's mother slammed the door open.
"Qingbai is consummating his marriage with Hongxiu. You can wait in the courtyard for a while!"
Li Rong entered the courtyard of Qi Family Pharmacy with a blank expression.
In the west wing room, the candlelight flickered.
She removed the veil, turned her back to the west wing, and sat at the square table in the courtyard, letting the wild mosquitoes buzz around her.
She will eventually get married.
Staying at home and never getting married would tarnish the reputation of the sisters in the family and would also have an impact on the younger brother.
Qi Nian is the most suitable marriage partner she has been able to find so far.
She wanted to fight for herself.
*
The sound of the door opening behind me was particularly loud.
Li Rong slowly stood up and turned to look at Qi Nian, who was standing inside the door wearing only his undergarments.
At this moment, Qi Nian loosened her hair, her long hair lazily gathered behind her head with a hairband.
His face showed the languidness of someone just beginning to understand love, and his gaze towards Li Rong carried a hint of a man's unrestrained gaze towards a woman.
Her unfastened undergarment revealed a bit of skin.
Unlike Lin Xiaocong's powerful presence, he was rather thin and frail.
But it was different from the emaciated, bony figure that Li Rong had imagined.
His casual gaze fell on her.
"Have you thought it through? You want to become my concubine?"
Li Rong stepped forward and looked at Qi Nian: "I told you last night that nothing happened between your senior brother and me."
"I also asked you if there was anything you wanted to ask. You said no."
"I want to tell you that I'm actually a little sick."
"But you had a gloomy face and remained silent the whole way."
So I didn't say anything.
"Now you know."
“I’m sick, I can’t accept strong men forcing me to get close to me.”
"I thought that if I found a gentle and mild-mannered man, there wouldn't be any problems."
"But the reality is, when you approach me with a power greater than mine, I can't accept it either, and I'll have a breakdown."
"Before I lost consciousness, I heard you say that I wasn't innocent."
She rolled up her long sleeves and showed him the mark on her wrist.
“Your senior brother is a lecherous man; he wants me to be his mistress.”
"He discovered my illness."
"But he was still a human being and did not take advantage of the situation."
"He is treating my illness."
"I don't know why I woke up in Chuntang Garden today."
"But when I woke up, he wasn't there."
She lowered her arm: "Qi Nian, my relationship with your senior brother started just like mine with you."
“I am sick, and I think that gentle and mild-mannered men can cure my illness.”
I first met him on the river island.
"He treated my injured foot."
"He looks refined and gentle."
"So I started to bring him food and water and to talk to him."
"Later I learned that he came from a family of military generals and was very skilled in martial arts."
"I'm afraid of people like that."
“From then on, I took the initiative to cut off all contact with him.”
"Then I came to Beijing, and you know what happened after that."
Qi Qing noticed her unfocused gaze.
He tripped on the threshold as he stepped out of the room.
He stumbled down the steps, and seeing her turn away from him, he quickly raised his hand to fasten his clothes.
Li Rong lowered her gaze and continued speaking.
"When I was fourteen, my grandmother and grandfather sold me to a cruel brute who liked to abuse girls and have a pedophilic habit."
She unconsciously raised her hands and hugged her arms.
“It’s not honorable, and I’m afraid you’d mind if you knew.”
Qi Nian walked down the steps and stood in front of her.
She lowered one hand, folding her arms around herself.
"As you said, if I can't get rid of Young Master Lin, I might be a problem for you."
She looked up at him.
"I've said everything I needed to say."
"Qi Nian, I will only be your wife, not your concubine."
Can you accept my imperfections?
"If you can accept this, I'll sell the shop tomorrow."
“I can leave the capital with you and go to a place that Young Master Lin cannot reach.”
"The two of us can support our children and elders."
Her eyes welled up with tears, filled with a longing for a positive answer.
She longed to be redeemed.
Qi Nian was the closest light she could reach.
She didn't want people pointing fingers and saying she was an old maid.
She also wanted to live a normal life.
She mustered all the courage she had in her life to ask for the position of his legal wife.
She felt ashamed.
She should get married as soon as possible so that she can get rid of Young Master Lin; it would be better for everyone.
The problem is that the alignment with the year isn't very good.
Why should he accept this imperfect version of himself?
She quickly added, "You, you've lost your official position, but I, I can make money to compensate you in the future!"
"I still have some savings, and I can get some back after selling the shop."
"I can give you all my money."
Qi Nian never imagined that beneath her ever-bright smile lay an unhealed wound.
He raised his hand to take her pulse, but Qi's mother grabbed his wrist, preventing him from getting close to Li Rong and pushing him into the house.
"Qingbai, Hongxiu is crying, go and see her."
Qi Nian ultimately still liked Li Rong: "Mother~"
"Enough!"
Mother Qi flung Qi Nian's arm away: "It was only today, thanks to your Master Huangfu's intervention, that Young Master Lin was able to settle your score with you!"
"Promise Young Master Lin that you will stay far away from her from now on!"
"It was my senior brother who used a divisive tactic!" Qi Nian looked at his mother.
"I had originally planned to resign from my post and take her away from the capital!"
"She is now completely innocent and willing to come with me..."
Mother Qi interrupted sharply: "I disagree!"
"Our whole family supports you and has gone to great lengths to get you admitted to the National Medical Academy!"
"You're meant to bring glory to the family!"
"If you have any thoughts of resigning your post and leaving the capital to marry her."
"I will hang myself at the door of your bridal chamber on your wedding day!"
Mother Qi took a deep breath: "Besides, just because she is innocent doesn't mean she is innocent."
"If Young Master Lin doesn't let go, she'll never be proven innocent!"
She shoved her son hard.
He turned to Li Rong and said, "With your abilities, you should be the one to marry Young Master Lin, not the one to harm my son!"
"Second Miss, Young Master Lin comes from a distinguished family. He is not someone we, whose ancestors have been commoners for generations, can afford to offend."
“He has taken a liking to you, even if my son is willing to resign from his official post and take you away from the capital.”
"Can you guarantee he'll let you live a peaceful life?"
"Qingbai is not alone. If you drag him down, you are dragging down our whole family!"
"I beg you, please consider that your aunt treated you quite well before."
"Don't come and ruin our house!"
As she spoke, she knelt down before Li Rong.
Li Rong cried.
She understood the grievance that her third sister felt when she visited the Zhou family and her sister burst into tears upon seeing her.
My heart is filled with bitterness.
She said, "I'm sorry."
Then he picked up the mittens and ran outside.
"Second Miss!"
Qi Nian tried to give chase, but his mother held him tightly, saying, "If you dare to chase after her, I'll kill myself right now! You'll have to observe three years of mourning!"
"Mother~"
"Qingbai, calm down. If you lose this official position, you can't protect her!"
"She has a great reputation, and you've lost Young Master Lin's protection. What will you use to protect her!"
"You two are not a good match, not a good match at all!"
In the courtyard, Qi's mother held Qi Nian and cried.
"From now on, your mother will find you a girl who looks like her to be your wife!"
"Think about our whole family, let her go!"
Qi Nian let his mother hold him, closed his eyes, and swallowed the bitterness in his heart.
No one cared that the girl named Hongxiu was crying in distress inside the house.
She was just a lowly concubine.
*
Lin Xiaocong leaned against the wall beside the gate of Qi Family Pharmacy, closing his eyes to rest.
Hearing footsteps, I came out and opened my eyes.
The girl, wearing a veil, walked away quickly without noticing him.
He didn't disturb her, and quietly followed behind her.
The cicadas entered the courtyard of the Qi family's pharmacy.
I respectfully present the transfer order and a red envelope.
"Young Master Qi, our master heard that you are being transferred out of town, so he specially ordered me to bring you travel expenses."
"Wishing Young Master Qi a bright future on this journey."
This was Lin Xiaocong's final concession, out of respect for Master Huangfu.
Madam Qi quickly stepped forward and accepted the gift with both hands: "Thank you, Young Master Lin."
"Please apologize to Young Master Lin on my behalf. It was our Qingbai who was ignorant."
At this point, Qiu Chan couldn't help but brush off non-existent dust from her body and speak.
"The letter I wrote to Young Master Qi back then was written by my own hand."
"It's written clearly above that the second young lady is the one the young master has taken a liking to."
"Young Master Qi, the young master has treated you very well, even going so far as to steal your love!"
Having said that, he turned and left with a flick of his sleeve.
His attitude is the same as Lin Xiaocong's attitude.
*
As Li Rong walked to Chuntang Garden, she was about to knock on the door when a hand reached out from behind her to grab the door knocker.
She turned her head and found herself very close to Lin Xiaocong, almost with her back against his chest.
My body is slightly stiff.
After knocking on the door, Lin Xiaocong distanced himself from her.
He smiled at her: "Shall we talk?"
Li Rong sought him out for the same reason: "Yes."
She climbed two steps, widening the distance between herself and him.
Lin Xiaocong silently retreated, backing away to a distance where Li Rong could relax.
The door opened.
Li Rong entered Chuntang Garden first.
Upon reaching the main room, Li Rong removed the veil and handed the items to Qiu Hui when Qiu Hui reached out to help her with her things, saying, "Thank you."
She sat down on the tatami mat in the room, quite casually.
The maidservant served her tea.
Lin Xiaocong entered the room and sat down opposite her.
Li Rong looked at the colors in the room.
pink.
The color commonly used by concubines or mistresses.
His gaze finally settled on Lin Xiaocong's face.
Lin Xiaocong was looking at her and smiling.
She said, "Do you have to force me to die before you'll let me go?"
Lin Xiaocong raised his hand and picked up the teacup: "If you take full responsibility for me, I will let you go."
"Then marry me."
Lin Xiaocong stopped what he was about to do and looked at her.
“I have three older brothers, and each of them married a woman from a high-ranking family.”
"Now, the three sisters-in-law live in a Buddhist hall, eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist scriptures all day long."
"One followed his elder brother on a post outside the city and never returned home, while the other lived alone outside the mansion."
"With your meager frame, if you went to our Marquis's mansion, you'd probably be bullied to the point of being nothing but ashes."
Li Rong didn't care.
She had no hope for the rest of her life.
Her only goal now is to get rid of this trouble of hers and reduce the trouble she causes her family.
"It's okay, if she hits me, I'll hit her back!"
Lin Xiaocong was slightly taken aback.
Staring at Li Rong's tear-stained and somewhat lifeless face, he asked after a long while, "Aren't you afraid of dying?"
"Anyway, I can't get rid of you, and I won't live much longer."
"It doesn't matter."
Lin Xiaocong bit his tongue, looked at Li Rong's nonchalant and fearless appearance, and nodded with a smile.
"Fine, if you go crazy, I'll cover for you."
Li Rong looked at Lin Xiaocong in shock.
Lin Xiaocong took a small sip of tea, put down the cup, and looked at her with doting eyes.
"Marrying me means bearing me children."
"You must cooperate well with my treatment."
"I have been thinking of you all the way from Hezhou to the capital. I hope that on our wedding night, everything will go as you wish."
Li Rong turned her head away to avoid his gaze.
Whether her illness can be cured is still uncertain.
"I want a proper marriage! Don't get me wrong!"
A chuckle-filled "hmm" escaped Lin Xiaocong's throat.
She glanced at him again.
"If you want to see it, then see it openly and honestly. I'll show it to you."
Li Rong lowered her long eyelashes, took out the dagger she had asked Qiu Hui for back earlier that day from her sleeve, and placed it on the table.
“I originally thought that if you didn’t want to marry me, you would force me to become your mistress.”
"If I can't kill you, I'll kill myself."
"I can't let my sisters in the family be disgraced because of me."
Lin Xiaocong nodded: "I can see that."
"You dare to break into the Marquis's mansion, which even noble ladies avoid, you must be prepared to die."
Li Rong glanced at him: "When are you going to propose marriage?"
"It will take two days; my mother is not easy to deal with."
"Oh, then hurry up, I'm desperate to get married."
Lin Xiaocong nodded: "I understand."
"Okay, that's all. I'm going home now."
"I still have questions."
"Get straight to the point."
Does Rongrong like Junior Brother Qingbai?
"My feelings for him are the same as my feelings for you back then. Now I don't like either of you."
"Then why did you marry him?"
"He comes from a humble background, so there's a good chance he'll marry me. How will I know if I don't try?"
"So what do you think about me marrying you?"
"It makes no difference whether you marry me or he marries me; you two are equally worthless to me."
"So, all you need is someone to marry you?"
"I need a sickly man who needs a marriage to bring me good luck. Would you be so kind as to grant my wish, Young Master Lin?"
Lin Xiaocong reflected: "I'm sorry, it's my fault for not being able to keep Rongrong liking me."
She wants to go home.
He followed her at a distance, escorting her to her carriage.
Just as she was about to get into the carriage, he stepped forward and grabbed her arm: "Rongrong."
Li Rong turned around, pointing a dagger at him: "What are you doing! We agreed that you wouldn't lay a hand on me before we got married!"
Lin Xiaocong laughed: "Rongrong can only like me from now on, do you hear me?"
She took out a dagger and pretended to stab his hand.
He grabbed her wrist.
As she looked at him in surprise, he smiled and spoke again, "Did you hear that?"
Li Rong nodded repeatedly: "I heard it, I heard it, I heard it."
He removed the dagger from her hand: "This weapon isn't good enough. I'll get you a better one."
He released her wrist and said, "Remember to think of me when you get home."
"Because I think about you every day."
Li Rong hurriedly climbed into the carriage, lifted the curtain, and gave him a fake smile: "Okay."
Qiu Chan rushed to take Li Rong home, feeling dizzy the whole way.
how?
The young master actually wants to marry the second young lady?
Is this really that unbelievable?
Could he then ask his master for a favor?
Will you marry Qiu Hui?
Li Rong did not tell her family about what happened that day when she got home.
She didn't hold out hope that Lin Xiaocong would marry her.
She fell into a very depressed state.
I feel lost and uncertain about the future.
After Li Rong left, Lin Xiaocong returned to the Marquis of Weiwu's residence.
The Marquis of Weiwu's mansion was in an uproar; the matriarch, Madam Lin, fainted from anger.
Rong'an Hall.
Lin Xiaocong smiled and said to the old lady Lin, "Grandmother, she has a slender waist and round hips, making her auspicious for the home and family, and she is also as beautiful as a flower."
"I'm sure I'll give you a beautiful great-grandson next year!"
*
Li Qu stayed outside for a day and returned to the Zheng family before curfew.
Just as she was about to knock on the door, Granny Zheng, who had been peeking through the crack, opened the door and reached out to help Li Qu.
"Good heavens, how dare you go out in this sweltering heat!"
"Things in the capital haven't been peaceful lately, and the old man has told us not to go out and wander around unless necessary."
"I've been so bored these past few days, I just can't stand it anymore," Li Qu said with a smile, handing the snacks and pastries she had bought to Granny Zheng.
"It's for the child."
After chatting for a while, Granny Zheng prepared bathwater for Li Qu and stayed with her until she finished bathing. Then she told Li Qu to go to bed early and go back to her room.
Li Qu waited until her hair was almost completely dried before going to bed.
She didn't know if Lin Xiaocong had taken her words to heart.
After running around all day, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the bed.
Huai Xia nimbly leaped into the Zheng family's courtyard and stopped in front of Li Qu's window.
In the sweltering summer, the windows were left open, letting in light through the thin gauze curtains.
The moonlight shone precisely on the woman's peaceful sleeping face.
Huaixia glanced around the cramped room and then quietly retreated.
*
The moonlight shone brightly, guiding the carrier pigeons in the direction to Hejian.
*
The alluring crimson hues stir the heart.
Qi Family Pharmacy in the west of the city.
Inside the room.
The man covered the woman's face with a bellyband, held her in his arms, and called out to her, "Rongrong..."
"Rongrong, I really like you."
"I can't bear to part with you; it's my senior brother who's bullying me."
“I am not alone. I have no choice. I really have no choice.”
"Rongrong, um~ Rongrong, you're such a good girl..."
*
When Li Rong returned home, she was still feeling very down.
After getting into bed, I fell into a deep sleep.
She stepped on Li Han's leg and was kicked by Li Han.
She turned over and went back to sleep.
It is an omen of longevity.
*
The jade plate quietly shifted and disappeared into the clouds.
People hidden in the night were all moving closer to Xieliu Hutong.
Different masters, same goal.
They all noticed her.
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