How many three-year periods does a woman have in her life? Qiu Niang only knew that her most helpless, most beautiful, sweetest, most fearful, and most desperate years were all spent waiting.
The year she entered the palace, she was only seven years old. Because of her diligence and skill in needlework, she was soon assigned to serve in the courtyard of the second son of the Ningyuan Marquis. It wasn't until many years later that Qiu Niang learned his name, and for a long time, he was simply her "Second Young Master." However, even knowing that was useless, as she couldn't read anyway. Unlike the newly arrived Madam Sheng, she was not only literate but also knowledgeable. Her handwriting, said to be called "hairpin flower small regular script," was exquisite and beautiful.
The year she went there, the second young master was not yet ten years old, but the yard was already full of beautiful girls. Because the allowance of the Marquis's Mansion was generous, there was never a shortage of flowers and powder, so they all dressed up to vie with each other - three first-class maids, six or seven second-class maids, a dozen third-class maids, plus the little maids who did the servants, the wives who did the rough work, and the old women in the gatehouse... all the stars surrounded one master.
Unfortunately, her pretty eyes were shown to a blind man. The second young master has loved riding horses and practicing martial arts since he was a child, and doesn't like to hang out with girls.
It wasn't her business. Back then, she was just a humble servant, doing menial tasks like sweeping, cleaning, and mending. She wouldn't see her master for more than ten days or half a month. But she wasn't particularly good-looking or eloquent, which made her less ambitious. No one paid her any attention, and she had no plans. She simply waited patiently, hoping her family would come and take her away.
Three years passed in a flash, and there was still no news from home. Instead, her chest began to swell and ache. One summer noon, as if destined, she was sweeping the courtyard with a broom when the second young master came back like a gust of wind.
Even decades later, Qiu Niang still clearly remembered his appearance that day - a slender and handsome young boy, wearing a red and black pearl silk thick brocade arrow robe, a black belt embroidered with two dragons grabbing pearls and inlaid with jade, a finger-wide gold snake headband on his forehead, his thick black hair loosely tied up, and his handsome face slightly sweating.
The young man seemed a little surprised that there was still someone sweeping the floor in such a hot summer afternoon. His dark and bright eyes glanced at her, and then he strode back to the house to wash and change clothes.
Qiu Niang stood there in a daze, leaning on a broom. Her cheeks, which had not turned red even under the scorching summer sun, suddenly started to burn.
Her girlhood began just like that.
The Second Young Master was unlike any other noble son, radiant with brilliance and valor. He was full of vigor and dignified bearing, a skilled archer on horseback and wielding all manner of weapons. His bare-handed boxing was as swift as thunder and lightning, his laughter hearty and carefree, his actions swift and decisive. Throughout the capital, the Second Young Master of the Gu Family was a resounding name. The refined young men who came to visit him were nothing more than pale, feeble castrated chickens and dogs in his presence.
The girls in the yard were staring at their master like flies and hungry wolves. Qiu Niang didn't dare to reveal her true feelings. She just tried to find more opportunities to do so that she could see him more. If she saw him one day, she would blush and her heart would beat fast for a long time.
During that period, her biggest wish was to see the boy every day; she would go to bed and wait for dawn to sweep the floor, wait for the boy to go out at dawn, and wait for the next day after dark... She waited like this for another three years.
She gradually took on the appearance of a young girl, with a plump chest and a slender waist. However, when she looked at her plain appearance in the diamond-shaped mirror, she felt depressed. Not to mention the girls in the courtyard who were already in the Second Young Master's room, even the beautiful Qingyuan, the charming Zhufeng, and her roommate, Sister Huangying, were as gorgeous as peonies, making it impossible to take your eyes off them. Recognizing reality, Qiu Niang became more dutiful, talking less and listening more, ignoring other people's affairs, and working hard, observing the girls' fierce competition with indifference.
Although she was clueless, she knew this wasn't right. She just wondered why no one was trying to discipline them. Later, she heard from her sister-in-law, who was sweeping the floor, that the Madam… oh, then still the Marquis's wife, was kind and generous, and because she was the second wife, she rarely disciplined the people in the Second Young Master's courtyard. So, as the Second Young Master grew older, the pettiness and mischief among the girls evolved into sinister tactics.
Zi Yan, who served the second young master in his room the longest and was the most trusted, was found to be pregnant!
The old marquis was furious and even scolded the dowager. He immediately had the men tied up and questioned them personally. Zi Yan cried and begged for an explanation, saying that she had clearly not missed the medicine and that someone must have plotted against her. The investigation revealed many secrets, which made the old marquis so angry that he staggered. He pointed at the second young master and scolded him, saying, "You are a lustful spendthrift and unfit for any important purpose!"
The boy stood there blankly, bewildered at first, then with a look of stubbornness. Qiu Niang, hiding in a corner, saw the hurt in his eyes and felt heartbroken. A hot-blooded young man of fourteen or fifteen, surrounded by flowers and attracted by bees and butterflies, he had messed around a few times without knowing why. No one had ever taught him or reminded him, so how could he know the ins and outs of it?
At that time, the old marquis was looking for a marriage for the second young master. If he had a bastard before marriage, how could he marry into a good in-law family?
The young man knew the seriousness of the matter, but he forced himself to take responsibility and protect Zi Yan, saying, "Everyone has his own consequences." The old marquis was so angry that he tied him up and beat him severely. The lady wiped her tears and sobbed as she tried to persuade him.
For some reason, Qiu Niang suddenly hated this lady who only knew how to be a good person.
After giving Ziyan a drug and sending her away, the old marquis personally dispatched the others, especially sending away many beautiful girls. For a moment, the second young master's room was mostly empty. As the old marquis left, he looked up and saw Qiu Niang quietly sweeping the floor. Seeing her honest and unassuming appearance, he pointed at her and told her to come inside and serve. And so, as if in a dream, Qiu Niang arrived beside the young man.
The Second Young Master, a man of deep loyalty, sent messengers to inquire about Zi Yan's whereabouts even before his own wounds healed. Upon learning that she had been quickly married off to a distant land, he remained silent for a long time, refusing to speak to the old Marquis for months. Qiu Niang, knowing she was not good at speaking, simply served him attentively and silently. Over time, the young man began to trust and value her.
Although the old marquis and the second young master were increasingly at odds, and the second young master's reputation was becoming increasingly bad, Qiu Niang was dizzy with happiness. Her lover was in front of her every day, and he was gentle and kind to her. He would bring her some little things when he came back from going out - although she didn't understand most of what he said.
Who were Wei Qing and Huo Qubing? They seemed quite remarkable; the Second Young Master often mentioned them. Since cavalry was so powerful, wouldn't it be better to just order all the soldiers to mount horses? What was the point of a flanking attack?
But it didn't matter. No matter how many beautiful and clever newcomers came, no matter how much pleasure the Second Young Master pursued outside and how he got into trouble, as long as she could stay by his side and serve him every day, she would be satisfied. Those were her best three years - until Man Niang appeared.
Qiu Niang knew he had a mistress outside, and because of this, the father and son had countless arguments and fights, but she never dared to express her opinion, and could only stay silent by the side. Strangely, she was not jealous of Man Niang. Although the Second Young Master had made a big fuss for her, she subconsciously felt that the Second Young Master was not as fond of this mistress as people said.
In her opinion, the Second Young Master failed to protect Zi Yan and was heartbroken. This time he must protect Man Niang. He was also very angry with the old Marquis. The more he was forbidden to do something, the more he wanted to do it... Of course, she also liked him to some extent.
Three years passed in this fear, and suddenly one day news came that the concubine had given birth to a son and a daughter?
Qiu Niang didn't want to recall those days. The once dashing and bright Second Young Master had gradually taken on a silent and sinister air. He seemed to be desperately trying to antagonize the old Marquis, and all sorts of messes had happened.
The situation was getting worse and worse. Qiu Niang prayed to the moon every night, asking the second young master to quickly marry a kind and amiable mistress, so that everything would be fine. Even if she asked the concubine to marry in, it would not matter. When the new mistress gave birth to a legitimate son, she would then have a son or daughter.
Three years of daily prayers passed before a new grandmother finally arrived. Second grandmother Yu, nicknamed Yanhong, was as beautiful as a flame, but after only three days, Qiuniang wished she had never made that wish.
In just a few months of marriage, the Second Young Master and Second Mistress seemed to have fought out every argument anyone would have in a lifetime. Yu had a bad temper, and the Second Young Master wasn't one to be trifled with, so every now and then, a scene of chaos would erupt. As for the concubines and maids, Yu was even more relentless, and those days were like a nightmare for Qiu Niang. Fortunately, she was born ordinary and was personally appointed by the old marquis, so she escaped any harm.
The second young master could no longer bear to stay in the mansion and finally left home. Qiu Niang hid in her room, trembling with fear, and dared not ask anything. Not long after, the second wife and the old marquis passed away one after another. During this period, the second young master came back to attend the funeral, but unfortunately she did not see him.
When Nanny Chang came to ask the concubines whether they were going to stay or not, everyone thought that the second young master would not come back, so they all asked to leave. Only she and Hongxiao asked to stay. Nanny Chang then allocated them a small courtyard in the corner and told them to live there and raise their children.
It was as lonely as a nunnery, as deserted as deathly silence. Even little Sister Rong had a gloomy face all day long. Their daily food, clothing and expenses were inevitably cut back a lot. The three of them lived in such a depressed mood. In a blink of an eye, another three years passed.
Knowing that the second young master had returned in glory, Qiu Niang was overjoyed. The servants in the mansion also heard the news and immediately changed their attitude. They served him with delicious food and drinks and were very attentive. Hong Xiao enjoyed it very much, but Qiu Niang did not care. She just wanted to see her master as soon as possible.
But when she finally saw him, Qiu Niang suddenly hesitated to approach him. His gaze towards her was no longer intimate, but pure care and compensation. Her Second Young Master had completely changed.
This was a mature man of unwavering integrity. The sharp edge of his lips, the stubbornness in his brows, were gone, replaced by a faint sneer, a calm silence, and a calm calculation. The years had honed his character, like the fermentation of aged osmanthus wine, its rich aroma, and he had become even more perfect and outstanding.
More importantly, beside him stood a young and beautiful new wife, as graceful as a weeping willow, with a smile as gentle as the wind, very kind and gentle; the couple stood together. It was a perfect match, this was the mistress she had prayed for day and night.
But she couldn't be happy. For some reason, the moment she saw the new wife, she felt a surge of jealousy that hadn't fermented for decades.
Looking at the newlywed beauty, Qiu Niang couldn't help but touch her cheek. She was already a year or two older than the Second Young Master. Now, she felt even more ashamed of herself. In her frustration, she kept trying to encourage herself. No, no, no, she wasn't particularly beautiful to begin with, and the Second Young Master had never despised her.
Life after that was nothing like she had imagined. The Second Young Master had no intention of rekindling their relationship.
The master's eyes and heart were all focused on his new wife. When the couple started chatting, they seemed to be oblivious to the others and got along very well. Whenever Qiu Niang saw this, her heart would ache again.
The new wife understood everything. When the master lamented Li Mu, she would say, "Without clear internal affairs and a wise ruler, even the best generals are powerless." The master, newly promoted, despised the officials who occupied their posts without doing anything. The new wife would reassure him, "A general who doesn't understand government affairs is not a good general," calming him down and bringing him peace of mind.
Qiu Niang felt a pang of sadness. Was there no one who understood her heart? She would never compete with the lady for favor. If the lady didn't like it, she would be willing to be a maid for the rest of her life. She didn't want anything, just to stay by the second young master's side.
But even these little wishes cannot be realized.
She was publicly scolded by her lover, humiliated by the scolding of the lady, and slapped in the face many times: sitting in front of the diamond-shaped mirror, looking at her damaged and rough face, Qiu Niang finally gave up - it was not that the new lady could not tolerate her, but that there was no room for anyone else in the second young master's heart.
She was an ordinary woman, but she had one advantage: she was willing to accept her fate.
When she first entered the marquis's mansion as a slave, her family didn't come to pick her up for a long time. She was sad for a while, but then she left. There were many beautiful women in the courtyard, but her lover never paid attention to her, so she was content to take a peek at him every day, and then she left too. When she came to her master, she knew he had someone else outside, so she felt lost for a while, and then she left again.
In fact, she had originally planned to wait for Gu Tingye for the rest of her life, but now she is provided with fine clothes and delicious food, no one in Chengyuan dares to look down on her, and she has Rong Jie'er by her side, so what else can she not be satisfied with?
Educate Rong Jie'er well. In three years, it will be time to plan a husband for her.
In three years, Rong Jie'er will be old enough to get married, and in another three years, she will probably be able to see her grandson...
That's it.
Extra: The young man in golden and purple, riding on horseback around the street
Not long after I left the house, a light snow began to fall, and a few trembling white clouds were driven away. The tall tung cypress trees on both sides of the road had no leaves left, and their bare branches were scattered in all directions. The dark brown color against the blue-gray sky was clean and bright, just like the ink paintings of the Jin Dynasty, free and easy, and unconventional.
Qi Heng held the reins in one hand and held down a black gold whip inlaid with dark green emeralds in the other. He stretched his free hand backwards, and his slender white fingers pulled the wind cap to cover his head and face, revealing a handsome and gentle face. Fine snowflakes fell on his royal blue silk Shu brocade cloak, and the young man was as beautiful as an orchid and a jade tree. The girls on both sides of the road could not help but look up at him, but then shyly lowered their frozen red faces and just kept stealing glances.
He was flanked by guards and servants, and beside him was a magnificent black-roofed carriage adorned with eight precious stones and gilded with gold. This carriage was quite spacious, like a small room, and required three sturdy horses to pull it. The side curtains were slightly raised, then lowered again. A moment later, a young servant, about ten years old, who had been sitting at the front of the carriage, jumped out and quickly approached Qi Heng's horse. He took hold of the horse's bridle and respectfully said, "Young Master, Madam said it's snowing outside, and you might catch a cold, so she asked you to get in the carriage."
Qi Heng glanced at the thin snowflakes. Although he was unwilling, he still got off the horse obediently, brushed off the snowflakes on his cloak, and stepped sideways into the carriage.
Upon entering the carriage, a delicately designed copper stove sat in the center, with a chimney extending from the bottom to the outside. The interior was warm, yet untouched by smoke or fire. As soon as he sat down, a warm breeze slammed into his face, and Qi Heng couldn't help but sneeze. Princess Pingning, who was sitting inside, said anxiously, "My son, come quickly and warm yourself up! Don't let the cold get to you... Oh my! You'll be taking the imperial examinations as soon as spring arrives, so don't get sick."
Qi Heng carefully moved in, pulled a cushion next to the stove and sat down. He slowly took off his heavy cloak and smiled, "It's okay, mother, don't worry. I've practiced riding and shooting all these years, so how could it be so useless?"
Lord Qi, who was sitting beside him, put down the scroll in his hand and gently scolded him, "You are not a girl. It's not a big deal for you to go to Dengzhou and back. Don't be so protective of us. It's embarrassing for a family of three to be huddled in the car."
Princess Pingning glanced at him sideways, then took her son's hand and rubbed it gently. "It's wrong for the master to ride with us women and children. I'd like to split the carriages, but unfortunately... hmph. Seven or eight days ago, I told you I'd go to the Duke of Ying's estate outside Beijing for a banquet today. Because the journey is long, we'll have to use a sedan chair equipped with a heater. But that guy chose today to go burn incense and pray for our nephew. Well, well, our nephew is precious, and we can't afford to delay him. It's a favor that you can save one for us!"
The barrage of sarcasm and ridicule knitted Master Qi's brows together, and he said unhappily, "What are you saying in front of Heng'er?" After a pause, he said, "Sister-in-law is anxious, so it's only right that we give in a little."
The princess said disdainfully, "Ever since I gave birth to Heng'er, my sister-in-law has never been happy. I know what she means, so I've always been willing to give in to her. My nephew was born sickly. How could a respectable family allow their daughter to live here? It's not our fault."
The eldest son of Duke Qi's family has reached marriageable age, and the eldest lady of the Qi family is currently arranging a marriage. However, all the respectable families outside only come to inquire about Qi Heng's news. Some of them even know that the eldest grandson of the Qi family is in poor health, so they all stay away from him.
It just so happened that the two cousins were of similar age, and several wealthy and powerful families that Madam Qi favored all preferred Qi Heng as their son-in-law, which made Madam Qi very angry and secretly resentful.
Master Qi sighed deeply and patted his knees. "Brother has been ill and recovering lately. I think he's worried about my nephew's marriage... I have my own considerations. My nephew is in poor health and has a weak character. I will find him a marriage that the clan can support. If his wife is capable and his wife is virtuous, then his future will be worry-free. You should help find one too, so that I don't have to worry alone."
Princess Pingning curled her lips, her smile so gentle it was almost blinding. "I know what my sister-in-law is planning, but... hehe, I just want to ask you, Master. If you have a daughter you love dearly, would you be willing to have a son-in-law like my eldest nephew?"
Nonsense! Who wouldn't want a wealthy and powerful Yue family, and a wife of both virtue and beauty? Who wouldn't know how to choose a son-in-law? Why would they have to choose a weakling who is neither good at literature nor martial arts? Whether he has a promising future is secondary. If things go wrong, he might end up being a widow at a young age.
Lord Qi was speechless, sighing and unable to speak. Princess Pingning continued, "Think of my uncle, Lord Ningyuan, who is much more understanding. When choosing a daughter-in-law for his eldest son, it doesn't matter if the family background is a little lower, as long as she has a virtuous and kind character. Now I see that my nephew Yu and his wife are living a very good life. If my eldest sister-in-law also thought the same, I could help a little, but she still has such high standards even though my nephew is in such a state."
Princess Pingning spoke eloquently, each word making perfect sense. Lord Qi was speechless except for a sigh. Qi Heng lowered his head, observing the rules and not interrupting his parents' conversation. The princess looked at her son, a man of beautiful character, and recalled the various praises and admiration she had received from friends and family these days. Everyone praised her son's good upbringing, and she felt increasingly proud.
"Mom," Qi Heng said softly, "After the banquet today, I want to go out and meet some friends."
The princess frowned slightly. "It's very cold today. What else can you do outside? Besides, it's useless for you to see those who are not good at studying and making progress. If you feel bored and don't want to go home early, why not stay and chat with the Duke of Ying's sons and uncles?"
Qi Heng's delicate brows furrowed slightly, his heart filled with reluctance, yet he dared not disobey his mother's wishes. However, Lord Qi could not bear to see this and said in a deep voice, "Most of the Zhang family members are military men. What can Heng'er get out of talking to them? Heng'er is already grown up, and you don't have to interfere with him, but he's still acting like a three-year-old. He knows what kind of people he should associate with. He knows it himself."
The princess was quick-witted and, noticing her husband's somewhat harsh tone, she stopped objecting.
…
Coming out of the villa of the Duke of England's mansion, Qi Heng jumped lightly and nimbly mounted his horse. He casually tugged at the collar of his cloak, and the biting cold wind suddenly blew into his neck, dispersing some of the hot smell of alcohol, and he immediately felt refreshed.
Unable to find anyone to follow him, the handsome and refined young man, in a moment of childish impatience, whipped his horse and galloped off like the wind. Before long, they arrived at a bustling and noisy street. Qi Heng dismounted in front of an extremely luxurious restaurant, tossed the reins and whip to the servant behind him, and walked straight in.
They arrived at a private room and, after lifting the curtain, found a table set with fine wine and delicious food. Seated at the table were two young gentlemen, both dressed in brocade and satin, their hair adorned with jewels and jade, each a sight of elegant demeanor. Seeing Qi Heng approach, the young man in front, beaming with joy, stepped forward to greet him, "You're finally here! It's so hard to get you here." The young man sitting behind him jokingly scolded him, "You're such a jewel! Qi Yuanruo, you think we're afraid of your mother's power and dare not come to your door, yet you don't even come out!"
Qi Heng hurriedly bowed and apologized, saying repeatedly, "I apologize, Brother Ji Zhi, Brother Zi Kun. I dare not make excuses. I really haven't had a moment's rest lately."
Although his words were polite, his expression was very casual. He smiled and walked over to take the arms of his two friends. After a few pleasantries, the three of them sat around the table, chatting about their recent life, and laughing as they drank and chatted.
"Is everything good in the Imperial College? What do you think, Brother Zikun?" Qi Heng asked with a smile, holding up the wine cup.
Zikun shook his head repeatedly: "It's just a way of getting by. My father is probably just trying to save the situation."
"Don't be too modest, brother!" Ji Zhi laughed and patted his shoulder. "My old man was praising you the other day, saying that you were praised a lot in the Imperial College. If you were a dead horse, what would I be? A dead grasshopper? A dead katydid? I've beaten you and scolded you, but now I think he's given up and even said he wants to find a strong wife to look after me!"
Zi Kun slammed the table and laughed, pointing at Ji Zhi and cursing, "You deserve to find a tigress! You won't have to sleep with prostitutes all the time!"
"That's right! Take care of this lawless situation." Qi Heng also laughed crazily.
"Zikun, stop pretending!" Ji Zhi retorted, "Yuan Ruo is fine, but you think I don't know your true identity! You may not have many maids in your house, but each one is a gentle, charming and stunning beauty." Then he complained, "It's all my mother's fault. There are not many maids in my house with flat heads and smooth faces."
Zikun also blushed a little and quickly changed the subject: "No matter how great your mother is, she can never be as great as Yuan Ruo's mother! You should be content."
Qi Heng didn't know whether to agree or refute, he just blushed shyly, which made his lips and teeth look even more red and his beauty even more picturesque.
The three of them had known each other since childhood and all came from prominent and wealthy noble families.
Faced with an all-around top student like Qi Heng, his childhood friends were inevitably compared to him by their frustrated parents. While they played in the mud, Qi Heng was studying; while they practiced slingshots, Qi Heng passed the imperial examination and became a Tongsheng (Tongsheng) student; while they were cockfighting, running dogs, and roaming the streets, Qi Heng became a Xiucai (Scholarly Scholar); by the time they began to understand the ways of the world and flirt with pretty girls, Qi Heng had already passed the imperial examination and become a Juren (Juren).
After more than ten years of such bloody competition, they can still make friends and be as close as brothers. They are either particularly broad-minded and kind to others, or they are thick-skinned, generous and don't care at all.
The three were talking excitedly when they heard a loud clanging outside, followed by a cacophony of smashing and shouting, the floor shaking and punctuated by the restaurant owner's pleading, "Gentlemen, please don't worry..." Qi Heng was stunned. "Is there a fight going on outside?" Ji Zhi was excited. "Let's go check it out!" He was about to get up, but Zi Kun grabbed him and repeatedly urged him, "Just sit still. You'll definitely cause trouble if you go out! You just got a beating from your uncle a while ago, and you've forgotten it so quickly?" Ji Zhi sat down dejectedly. The three of them could only drink in silence, occasionally lifting the door curtain to take a look, then leaning over the window to peek out. The fighting outside was getting more intense, and they could already hear begging for mercy.
"These people look familiar!" Ji Zhi was very jealous and wished he could go out and join in.
Qi Heng laughed and teased: "Could it be Brother Ji Zhi's former opponent?"
"Come on! He's probably from a prominent family," Zikun said with a wry smile. Fights among the rich and powerful in the capital were commonplace.
Suddenly, a gust of wind rustled the door curtain, followed by a series of rapid thumps. The curtain flew up, and Ji Zhi, who was leaning over the doorway to peek out, was violently slammed back. A man with a bloody head rolled on the ground, his embroidered clothes tattered and stained, yet he still begged for mercy. A tall, slender young man followed closely behind him.
The young man had a face full of anger. He stretched out his long legs and tripped the rolling potato who was struggling to get up. He grabbed the man's collar and lifted him up. The rolling potato screamed miserably. When Qi Heng and the other three looked, they saw that the rolling potato had already left the ground with both feet.
The three of them were stunned. To grab something with one hand, what strength!
"Second brother, second brother! My great ancestor! Please forgive me this time! I won't dare to do it again..." Gundigua kept begging for mercy.
The young man didn't even bother to answer, and impatiently dragged the person away with one hand. As the curtain dropped, Qi Heng and the other three only heard the heavy thuds of flesh being dragged on the stairs, accompanied by long-lasting wailing screams.
The shouting gradually faded away, as if the person had gone out the door. No one knew who had the idea first, but the three young men rushed to the window and stuck their heads out to look. They saw that the young man had tied the sweet potato with a rope and tied it neatly to the saddle. Then, regardless of everyone's surprise and astonishment, he mounted his horse and was about to leave.
Apparently, that rolling sweet potato also had a number of followers and guards, who were shouting and trying to surround and rescue their master, but when the young man glared at them, they dared not move forward and just surrounded him hesitantly.
The young man looked around at the crowd with pride, his eyes gleaming with a fierce, dazzling intensity, a chilling coldness emanating from them. Despite the throngs of people in the bustling city, no one dared approach. He smiled contemptuously, then whipped his horse lightly, spurring it on at an unhurried and unhurried pace. Only the screams of the rolling sweet potato were left behind as it crawled and ran as it was dragged behind the horse.
"What courage! What spirit!" After a long time, Ji Zhi came back to his senses, slapped his thigh, and applauded.
Zi Kun was also unable to recover for a long time, frowning and laughing: "How can you be called a hero if you can do such brutal and violent things like this?"
"The one who got beaten seems to be the eldest son of the Zhou family. He's such a filthy bastard. He relied on his elder sister becoming a princess to do whatever he wanted. Well done, he deserved it!" Ji Zhi knew all the dandies in the capital by heart.
"What good is that Gu Jia Erlang? It's just a dog-eat-dog situation, with a mouth full of fur." Zi Kun laughed. Compared to those real scumbags outside, the two of them are simply three-good students and five-good boys. "Yuan Ruo, don't you agree?"
Qi Heng did not answer, but just looked out the window at the place where everyone had just gathered, slightly lost in thought.
…
"To be more specific, he's your distant cousin. He's in the Ting generation ranking, and he's Hou Ye."
At night, Princess Pingning sat at her son's desk, curling her lips in disdain. "What a pity my uncle, who has been a cautious man his entire life, gave birth to such a wicked child. He's always looking for trouble, keeping an actor, and disobeying his father."
Qi Heng lowered his head, thinking of the man's majestic presence in the streets during the day. He was as hot and arrogant as a ball of fire. No matter how many people looked at him sideways, he was fearless and fearless. This made him feel a strange admiration in his heart.
The mother and son talked for a few more words, and then the princess returned to her room.
Master Qi had already taken off his clothes and was half lying on the bed: "Heng'er is still studying?"
The princess sat facing the mirror and said angrily, "You're so stubborn! I don't know who you took that from. You won't listen to anything I say. You've been tired all day, and you still don't want to rest. I'm sure the eldest son of the Sheng family is still studying hard."
Lord Qi sighed softly, "I didn't agree with asking Heng'er to return to Beijing for the New Year. Even if he did return, he should stay at home and study. But you, on the other hand, ask him to go around visiting people every day. Heng'er is self-disciplined and hasn't touched a book in a few days, so naturally he's uneasy."
This was nothing serious, but the princess' eyes turned red as she listened. Lord Qi saw this and hurriedly got out of bed to comfort her: "You're fine, what's wrong? Come on, come on, I won't tell you."
The princess wiped her eyes and choked with sobs, "You're the only one who feels sorry for your son. Do you think I'm heartless? Heng'er was born after ten months of pregnancy. If he had a biological uncle, I wouldn't be like this..."
Lord Qi knew what was on her mind and just silently patted his wife's shoulder. The princess sobbed, "After our parents pass away, we will definitely have to separate. My uncle has always been henpecked, and my sister-in-law is like that. It seems that the Duke of Qi's Mansion will be unreliable in the future. Apart from us as parents, Heng'er can only rely on himself to make a name for himself."
"...You are too ambitious." After a while, Lord Qi said, "A family like ours is already quite wealthy. Even if Heng'er is mediocre, he can still live a life without worries. Do you really have to be an official, a marquis, or a prime minister to be considered successful?"
"Water flows to the lowest places, and people strive for the highest places." The princess said decisively, "As a human being, you should always look up, never look down!"
"Okay, okay, Madam is right. I'll listen to you." Lord Qi consoled him with a smile, "I finally understand. It turns out Heng'er inherited his competitive and ambitious nature from you, Madam."
"You just talk nonsense!" The princess burst into laughter. "You said Heng'er has made great progress. I just found out a few days ago that when he was studying at the Sheng Mansion, he would tease the youngest girl in the Sheng family whenever he had free time. Who did he take after him?"
"Really?" Lord Qi asked in surprise.
"He's just like a child, pulling someone else's ribbon, hiding someone else's fishing basket and rod, and even catching caterpillars to scare a little girl. Now the little girl is so scared that she runs away when she sees Heng'er from a distance. But he chases her all over the yard and plays with her." The princess was both angry and amused. "This is strange. Heng'er has been sensible and mature since he was a child. Even when he was little, he was never this naughty."
Master Qi laughed heartily: "He is still a young man at heart after all."
"After the New Year, it's time to arrange a marriage for him." The princess smiled warmly, "We must find a great wife for our Heng'er so that he can live a comfortable life in the future."
"That's true," Lord Qi agreed.
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