"To spend the rest of my life... but whether that girl reciprocates my feelings..."
Seeing Tao Qingyun's cold expression and her turning her head away without looking at her, Li Chuirong knew that she couldn't marry into the Tao family, and her heart plummeted from the clouds to the bottom of the valley. She smiled, quickly took the gold hairpin from her hair, and with a few quick slashes, tore open her clothes, revealing the snow-white skin of her neck.
She looked at Tao Qingyun and said, "I have to make some plans for myself. I wanted to lower myself and submit to you, but you refused to listen and are now asking for trouble!" As she spoke, she lunged forward.
In an instant, Luo Yuan drew a short dagger from his waist and swiftly flew towards Li Chuirong. Li Chuirong instinctively took two steps back, lost his balance, and fell to the ground, putting distance between himself and Tao Qingyun opposite him.
Then she looked in the direction of the person who came and saw that it was Qin Weixi. Immediately, hatred surged into her heart, and she was about to get up, pick up the hairpin again, and pounce on her.
"It's all because you returned to the capital! Everything started to become unsettled because of your return. You're a jinx; wherever you go, misfortune follows. Otherwise, my brother wouldn't have died, and my Li family wouldn't have fallen to this state! I'm still the noble lady of the Li family!"
Seeing this, Luo Yuan was about to leap forward, but Feng Hua stepped in front of him to block her way. Tao Qingyun, on the other hand, stood still and remained unmoved. Qin Weixi shielded Feng Hua behind his back with one hand, then smiled and said, "What does this have to do with me?" There was no sign of annoyance in his expression.
In an instant, a figure appeared out of nowhere and blocked Qin Weixi's path. She flicked the soft whip in her hand into the air, then focused her gaze on the hairpin in Li Chuirong's hand. With a gentle flick, the soft whip curled up the hairpin.
Qin Weixi was somewhat surprised to see that the person who came was Queshe. Queshe chuckled and bowed, saying, "The Marquis has instructed me to protect the young lady's safety from today onwards." She winked at Luo Yuan, "The capital is not like the Northwest; my skills have become rusty."
Tao Qingyun cleared her throat and chuckled, "I figured it out."
Qin Weixi watched him talking to himself in a daze, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Li Chuirong staring intently at her with a vicious look, as if he wanted to devour her alive.
She turned to look at Li Chuirong and said calmly, "Me, a jinx? Back when the old Marquis Wuding was alive, the Li family was once a family of great wealth and influence. If it weren't for your mother's heartlessness, your father's jealousy and harming of the virtuous, and your brother's disregard for human life and his view of people as ants, how could your Li family have ended up like this! Everything in this world has a cause and an effect. Miss Li, this is the bitter fruit that your Li family has to swallow."
Li Chuirong pointed at Qin Weixi, trembling uncontrollably. Feng Hua, furious, stepped forward with her hands on her hips and glared at her: "You, you, you, what do you mean 'you'? I think you're the jinx. I was wondering why you ran away when the Li family questioned you that day. Turns out you were waiting for us here!" She waved her fist in mid-air, pointing in Li Chuirong's direction: "And you almost ruined Young Master Tao's reputation."
Hearing that his name was suddenly called, Tao Qingyun hurriedly said, "Hey, how could I let her get away with it? It's just that Little Seven Sister is worried about me." As she spoke, she was about to walk out of the alley without looking at the others. He wiped the thin layer of sweat from his forehead with his sleeve: "Since you are all here, I am relieved. I need to return the horse and the girl's handkerchief money."
However, the others noticed that his face was flushed and his pace quickened.
Qin Weixi remembered that he had important business to attend to today, so he didn't look at Li Chuirong again and followed Tao Qingyun out.
The market outside the alley was still bustling with activity. She suddenly stopped and turned to look at Li Chuirong, who was weeping silently. After a moment's hesitation, she suddenly took off the cloak covering her and tossed it to her.
Li Chuirong was taken aback, then casually took it, but said, "I want your pretense!"
Qin Weixi looked at her coldly: "You think I'm doing this for you? I'm doing it for the millions of women in this Great Xia. To get out of an alley, you have to go through many main streets, and those streets are not only filled with the people of our Great Xia, but also with many merchants who have traveled all over the country and even come from foreign lands." After saying that, he didn't look at her again.
As Qin Weixi left the alley, she was about to say goodbye to Queshe and was thinking of going to Afu's house, which Luo Yuan had mentioned, to buy some clay dolls for Jiubao.
Sparrow Tongue replied, "The Marquis said that from today onwards I will be responsible for protecting your safety, Miss. Wherever you are, I will be there." She smiled as she spoke, looking at Luo Yuan, whose face remained expressionless, "From now on, I will be seeing Brother Luo Yuan all the time."
Qin Weixi then realized that the Sparrow Tongue technique he had just used was not just empty talk.
Seeing that the three of them seemed to have something important to do, Sparrow Tongue asked, "Does something happen to you, young ladies? Perhaps I could do it for you?"
Qin Weixi looked at her and recalled that Jiu Bao had seen Que She yesterday, and she was naturally better than Luo Yuan, who had never shown his face in front of Jiu Bao.
She said, "I want to buy some clay dolls and have Brother Luo deliver them to Chengxin Nunnery."
Sparrow Tongue laughed heartily, "Ah! No problem! How can a grown man be as convenient as a woman like me? I can be very discreet. Besides, that nunnery is full of old nuns; he can't get in!" With that, she patted her chest, "Leave it to me!"
Upon hearing this, Luo Yuan looked at Sparrow Tongue with suspicion, then turned away with a blank expression.
On the bustling street, Ah Xiao, a courtier of the Eastern Palace, was hidden among the crowd. Luo Yuan quickly spotted him, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "Ah Xiao."
The group looked in the direction of the voice and saw Ah Xiao looking in the direction of Qin Weixi. Then he bowed his head and disappeared into the bustling streets.
Feng Hua said to Qin Weixi, "Miss, it seems they've come for you. Could it be that His Highness the Crown Prince sent him to protect you?"
Qin Weixi looked at the bustling street but remained silent. The sudden rain last night had not stopped for a long time, and Jiang Yuanjun only said, "It's getting late, Seventh Sister, you should rest early," before leaving Tingyuxuan.
Until dawn this morning, his elder brother Luo Ling said that Xiao had come to the mansion looking for him, but he had left early and had not agreed to stay for breakfast. Today in the dining hall, his elder brother did not ask him about their conversation yesterday.
Feng Hua sat in the carriage and pointed to the bustling city outside the window: "Miss, those are Afu's clay dolls."
Seeing this, Qin Weixi snapped out of her thoughts, a smile playing on her lips, and went with Feng Hua to select many items that the children liked, which she then handed to Queshe. However, she did not return directly to the Luo residence, but instead instructed Luo Yuan to drive the carriage to the Jingning Marquis's residence.
On the way, she explained to Luo Yuan about her encounter with Lady Zhu, the wife of the Marquis of Changxing, at Chengxin Nunnery. Luo Yuan was shocked to hear that the heir of the Duke of Dingguo and his infant son were still alive, and he was even more surprised to learn that the one who had secretly saved the descendants of the Qin family was actually the Marquis of Jingning.
Luo Yuan immediately replied, "Miss, rest assured, the young master has already instructed his subordinates to send people to keep an eye on Lady Changxing."
Qin Weixi smiled upon hearing this, his elder brother always being meticulous.
The Jingning Marquis's Residence.
Chu Yening was wiping the bloodstains on his hands with a handkerchief on the armchair in the secret cell. In the past two days, Sun Shaopu was no longer the same as before. He was in a daze in the secret cell, and every day he was left on the rack by the burly man with a fierce appearance and a full beard, and made to smell the blood and stench around him, and watch the burly man eat roasted meat.
No one paid him any attention; he was hungry and thirsty. Only when he was on the verge of death, his lips cracked and split open, did someone, with a mocking expression, offer him a sip of water.
Sun Shaopu, his clothes tattered, his hair disheveled, and his body seemingly boneless, crawled on the ground. He crawled forward step by step, toward the man who always seemed to look down upon all living beings from a superior position. He was more terrifying than his father, General Chu Lanzhe, who had repeatedly charged into battle for his country. This man was like an ant to all living beings. No, Sun Shaopu gave a bitter smile; perhaps he was only like an ant to him.
Sun Shaopu dragged his crippled body, crawling towards the armchair, the very same sharp knife that had slashed his calves with with an incredibly sharp blade every time he shook his head. He had been like a fish on a chopping board, sliced and slashed by the man with a smile on his face.
Sun Shaopu sobbed as he looked up at Chu Yening with his last remaining eyes, reaching out to touch his brocade boots.
Jiuqu kicked him angrily from the side and said coldly, "Get your filthy hands off me! You bastard, back then, when Old Song's younger brother startled your horse, you poured boiling water over him and didn't stop there. You even took him to that desolate wilderness and buried him alive!" At this point, Jiuqu kicked him again, this time in the chest: "You bastard, do you know that he was just a child back then!"
Sun Shaopu felt a sudden, intense pain and cried out "Ah!" but the sound coming from his throat was barely audible.
Chu Yening's lips curled into a slight smile, but he looked at him coldly, walked closer to him, and then said indifferently, "Grandma Sun, let me ask you one more question: who harmed you?"
Zhong Ti, standing to one side with his hands behind his back, picked up a teacup from the table and splashed hot tea all over Sun Shaopu. Sun Shaopu realized that this meant he was being asked to use the tea to write.
Sun Shaopu shuddered as he looked at the intimidating gaze of the man in front of him. He hurriedly stretched out a finger and wrote half of the character "Qin" on the water stain on the ground. Before he could finish writing, the man who had kicked him in the chest earlier kicked him again and then put a sword to his neck.
He quickly withdrew his hand and repeatedly kowtowed, begging for mercy.
Chu Yening raised an eyebrow, then with a cold laugh, took the long sword from Jiuqu's hand and pointed it directly at his other intact eye.
Sun Shaopu was terrified and quickly leaned back.
"Do you know why I didn't kill you?" Chu Yening asked.
Sun Shaopu stared intently at him.
Chu Yening casually sat back down in the armchair, picked up a cup of hot tea from the table, and took a sip: "Because you are still useful!" He looked at Sun Shaopu expressionlessly: "But what if one day I think you are no longer useful?"
Chu Yening then asked Jiuqu, "What dishes did you make in the small kitchen today?"
Jiuqu immediately understood: "Aunt Ruan made roast duck." He chuckled, his face quite honest, a stark contrast to his fierce appearance just moments before.
"My lord, the roast duck was excellent. Aunt Ruan cleaned it meticulously, and I even helped out, cutting it into eight pieces, one slice at a time..."
Sun Shaopu listened with growing fear, about to let out a muffled, silent scream. But before he could speak, Jiuqu swept a cold glance over him and said sharply, "Shut your dog mouth!"
Suddenly, the sound of chains clanging echoed on the stone steps of the prison, followed by someone opening the door from the outside in. Songyang descended the steps and bowed, saying, "My lord, it's my third aunt who has come to the manor."
Chu Yening's lips twitched, seemingly helpless, before she got up and walked outside, not looking at Sun Shaopu again.
Jiuqu said, "My lord, shall we continue with the torture?"
Chu Yening's lips curled into a slight smile as he strode out of the cell, saying casually, "Just hold her up for now. Remember to apply some medicine and take good care of her. Don't let her frighten my young lady one day."
Jiuqu's mouth dropped open. The prison gate closed gently again, and Jiuqu hurriedly asked Zhongti, "Old Zhong, what was the Marquis saying just now?"
Zhong Ti remained standing with his hands behind his back, but then burst into laughter.
Inside the Fanyin Hall, Third Aunt Ge was helped to her seat by the servants of the Marquis's mansion. She married into the Chu family at the age of eighteen, becoming the new wife of the third son of the Chu family, but she watched as her husband followed the founding emperor in his conquest of the world and died in the midst of heavy snow.
She had no children in her life, her husband had passed away early, and all that accompanied her was a mansion bestowed upon her by the late emperor, her abundant honors, and her title of first-rank noblewoman. As the years went by, she came to regard the mischievous little monkey of the Marquis of Jingning's mansion as her own grandson.
Madam Ge took a sip of tea and sighed softly. She saw the little rascal approaching with a smile in the distance.
"What brings you here, Third Aunt? Why didn't you tell your grandson so we could have sent someone to pick you up?" Chu Yening respectfully performed a junior's greeting.
Madam Ge deliberately kept a straight face and tapped her cane on the ground: "Can't I come to your palace for no reason? Your Marquis's carriage clatters and rattles all the way here, attracting countless eyes. I dare not ride in it." She stared at Chu Yening for a long time, then said: "I heard that His Majesty has granted you the position of Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Why aren't you on duty today?"
Chu Yening sat lazily on another armchair next to Ge Shi. These two chairs were added by the servants in the mansion after Ge Shi left that day.
He rested his elbow on the flower stand, his fist pressed against his cheek, and said casually, "Just checking in, nothing else happened." He then idly played with the small styrofoam at his waist and scoffed, "What's the point of playing with those bastards?"
Lady Ge sighed again: "How would the sages view such behavior?"
Chu Yening laughed and said, "Third Aunt, is this the first day you've met your unreliable grandson?"
Madam Ge said earnestly, "You mischievous monkey, don't I know you well enough? My little grandson is the most sentimental person I know." But speaking of which, Auntie has indeed come here today for a reason. She glanced around but said nothing more.
Chu Yening understood and waved his hand, and all the people who had been serving in the Fanyin Hall withdrew.
Then Madam Ge said, “Yening! You’re not young anymore. I’ve been thinking of you every day since you left the capital ten years ago. Have you been cold? Have you eaten today? Is there anyone to wash your clothes? Is there anyone to care for you? Now that you’re back in the capital and have an official position and a livelihood, you should think carefully about finding a girl who cares for you and the two of you can live a quiet life together!”
Chu Ye listened quietly, then suddenly laughed. It turned out that his third aunt had come to talk about marriage for him today.
Hearing that he didn't respond and instead laughed, Madam Ge's brows furrowed slightly. Then, with a thud, her cane fell to the ground: "How dare you! Your third aunt has come today to ask you if you have a girl you like, or if I have already chosen a few girls in the manor who are beautiful and of excellent character for you, my little rascal. After you get married, you can't act like this anymore."
Chu Yening chuckled softly: "I'm sorry to trouble my grandson with such concern, but Yening already has someone he loves."
"From now on, Ye Ning only wants to spend the rest of his life with her."
"Whether that girl reciprocates my feelings or not, I have no idea."
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