Chapter 153 I'll Spend the Rest of My Life as a Wife of the Qin Family
White Elephant died in Yuyang, and Dai Li was certain that the Green Lotus Sect would not let the matter rest. But she did not expect them to act so quickly. The Northern Army had only been in Chang'an for two days when they were met with a show of force.
Dai Li unfolded the mulberry paper; in the lower right corner was a lotus flower drawn in ink. The ink on the paper had dried, leaving only a few lines of text:
[The previous accounts are numerous and complex; let us settle them in detail later.]
Dai Li's gaze darkened.
Clearly, this is a declaration of war. Not only the governors of the surrounding states, but even the Qinglian Sect is determined to get involved in this mess.
In this chaotic situation, it remains to be seen which fish will ultimately be caught and become meat on the chopping block.
Dai Li asked, "Zhou Zhou, where did the letter come from?"
"The letter was smuggled in with the goods when the cooks went out to make purchases," Qin Yanzhou said.
Dai Li slowly folded the mulberry paper. Chang'an wasn't in the north, so there was no way to openly pursue the real messenger. She asked about something else, "Zhouzhou, have you had dinner with Qinian Rongrong and the others?"
This afternoon, she and Qin Changgeng went out to visit Chang'an. Before leaving, she told the three children at home to take care of their own dinner. Her return date was earlier than expected.
Qin Yanzhou shook his head, "Not yet."
Dai Li thought to herself, "Nangong Qingzhou and his daughter are visiting the manor. The Marquis and Xiao Liu Niangzi's father have something to discuss. Zhouzhou, you can take her to dinner later."
Then Dai Li turned slightly to the side and introduced him to Nangong Zijin, "This is my eldest son, Qin Yanzhou."
Nangong Zijin had been observing him from the beginning, not because she was overly curious, but because she had never seen such a handsome young man before.
As the sun sets in the west, its brilliant afterglow illuminates the young man's profile, casting a soft glow across half of his face, divided by his high, straight nose.
He was exceptionally handsome, with dark eyes like ink and eyelids layered like peach petals, but his cold and sharp aura suppressed any hint of his charm.
Nangong Zijin curtsied and greeted him.
Qin Yanzhou returned the courtesy.
...
"Second brother, you've been gone for a long time, how are you..." Qin Qinian suddenly stopped. It was because he saw that Qin Yanzhou had not returned alone; a beautiful young woman was following behind him.
The boy, who had been lazily lounging on the table waiting for the meal to begin, immediately straightened up and adopted proper etiquette.
Shi Rongyue looked at the visitor in surprise, "Brother Chongle, who is this young lady?"
"This is Nangong Xiaoliu Niangzi. She came to the manor as a guest with her father. The elders have important matters to discuss, so my mother asked us to entertain her." Qin Yanzhou introduced Shi Rongyue and Qin Qinian to Nangong Zijin, and then asked a servant to add a pair of bowls and chopsticks.
The group exchanged greetings.
Although there was no rule against unmarried women meeting men outside their marriage at that time, the two brothers were not familiar with each other and there was a difference between men and women. Therefore, after exchanging greetings, neither of them spoke.
The atmosphere was unsurprisingly tense.
"Hey, we should have put up a few tables and chairs!" Shi Rongyue realized belatedly.
They are used to round tables, but when distinguished guests come, they should dine at separate tables to show respect.
Qin Qinian was about to make the trip when Nangong Zijin said, "No need for trouble, just follow the host's lead. I heard that last year my father and the Marquis formed an alliance to jointly attack Qinglian. Now that we have met again in Chang'an, who knows if we might rekindle our old relationship. In that case, why be so reserved?"
Nangong Zijin always knew why she was able to accompany her father to the capital. She was born into the Nangong family and enjoyed its wealth and honor, so it was normal for her to marry in order to serve her family.
Since Fan's defeat in Yanzhou and the massacre of all the male members of the Fan family, her past marriage agreement was naturally null and void. Now that she's in the capital, her father is very likely to choose a new husband for her.
First, she allied with the Northern Lands to fight together, and then she visited the mansion as a guest. Nangong Zijin secretly felt that there was a greater chance that her husband came from the Northern Lands.
Now let's look at the two young men from the Qin family.
Although the older one was the lord's adopted son, he was tall and straight like a pine tree, with a cool and aloof demeanor, a sword at his waist, and handsome features; he was a first-rate handsome young man.
The younger one was not as handsome as his elder brother, but his eyes were clear and he seemed easy to get along with, especially since he was the son of the Marquis of Wu'an.
Nangong Zijin nodded inwardly.
Shi Rongyue often attended gatherings in Nanyu and was very popular among her peers. Now she smiled and said to Nangong Zijin, "Okay, let's sit at the round table and sit next to each other."
*
Inside the main hall.
Qin Shaozong had just finished his meal and was now only holding his wine cup, barely touching his chopsticks. "...So it's not some supernatural force, it's just the flour causing trouble. If you're worried about a next time, send someone to thoroughly search the house."
Nangong Xiong hadn't eaten yet that night, but now a table full of delicious food was laid out in front of him, yet he paid no attention to it and listened in a daze.
How could mere wheat flour produce such power? It's unbelievable!
Nangong Xiong hurriedly summoned the Qingzhou soldiers outside and instructed his subordinates: "Ba Guang, quickly lead a team to thoroughly search the houses, leaving no corner unsearched. If you find any flour on the ground, clean it up and report back."
The order was given out of the blue, but the lieutenant accepted it with a bow and immediately went to carry it out.
"Wu'an, to be honest, I have doubts about what you said earlier about the collapsed houses in Yuyang. You don't mind if I send a team to Yuyang immediately to verify it, do you?" Nangong Xiong spoke frankly.
In this era of warring factions, those who manage to gain a share of the spoils are no fools. As for what the man before him said, Nangong Xiong only believed five-tenths of it.
Verification is also easy; simply send someone to Yuyang to check everything.
Qin Shaozong readily agreed, "Alright. However, given that I encountered several assassination attempts on my way south, I will send another team to accompany you."
Nangong Xiong had no objection.
With people from the north traveling with them, and with the token in hand, travel was indeed much easier.
but……
Nangong Xiong leaned forward slightly and asked curiously, "That shouldn't be the case. They say people pick on the weak. Even if the Qinglian Sect resents us for ruining their plans, they have no reason to attack Yuyang directly."
That's Yuyang, the core of the North. What's the difference between that and entering Huxue?
"Human greed is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant." Qin Shaozong didn't mention that the other side had lost a core member.
Nangong Xiong, however, felt that this matter was not simple, but judging from Qin Changgeng's expression, he was unwilling to tell him the inside story. He simply didn't ask, and changed the subject, "Besides Liu Jingzhou, all the other powerful figures have already gone to the capital. Do you think he might get involved in the end?"
"What a great opportunity! Liu Zhan isn't an idiot, why didn't he come? The reason he's late is probably because the newly acquired Yizhou still needs more reorganization, and he also needs to avoid suspicion." Qin Shaozong drank the wine in his cup in one gulp.
The golden dragon emerged from the edge of its nest.
Yongzhou was bordered not only by Sizhou, but also by Yizhou. Yizhou had already changed hands, and Liu Zhan, who had risen to become the hegemon of the south, might very well be that golden dragon.
Nangong Xiong picked up the wine pot and poured wine for Qin Shaozong with a smile. "We formed an alliance last year, which can be considered as a life-or-death friendship. Now, Chang'an is turbulent and dangerous. Going alone will easily lead to being attacked from both sides. I wonder if you, Wu'an, are willing to swear a blood oath and continue to be good brothers with me?"
In fact, Nangong Xiong initially had no intention of forming an alliance with the North.
His previous request for a marriage alliance had been rejected time and again. As the lord of a province, he wouldn't be so lacking in integrity. The outcome would depend on his own abilities; why should he necessarily rely on Qin Changgeng?
But the two explosions just now seemed to resound like a great bell in Nangong Xiong's ears, cutting away half of the lush green bamboo forest in his heart.
The Green Lotus Sect has always been wicked, adept at manipulating people's hearts and playing tricks, and their sordid methods are endless. Today they managed to cause the collapse of two buildings, arousing suspicion among the governors; who knows what methods they will use tomorrow?
If they were to slip up and fail miserably, wouldn't their trip to Chang'an be nothing more than doing someone else's bidding? And the Northern Lands have a long history of battles with the Green Lotus Sect; they must know the ins and outs of the game best…
Therefore, after a moment's thought, Nangong Xiong shamelessly spoke up again.
Qin Shaozong let him fill the wine cup. "Oh? That group of men hasn't even set off for Yuyang yet. Nangong, you're so eager to become brothers with me. Aren't you afraid of being stabbed in the back by your good brother?"
Nangong Xiong smiled flexibly, "If it were anyone else, I would never trust them, but Wu'an, you are a true man of integrity, and your word is as good as gold. What do I have to fear?"
Qin Shaozong didn't accept this compliment and said slowly, "That's not necessarily true. I once declared that if I were to remarry, I would marry a woman from the Wei family, but I haven't been able to do so yet."
Nangong Xiong: "..."
*
The city of Chang'an was filled with cloth shops, but Wennan Cloth Shop, located on the edge of the bustling city, could only be considered below average and was not worthy of the attention of the powerful and wealthy.
However, this seemingly ordinary fabric shop has a hidden world on its third floor. The top floor has sandalwood beams, a gold-inlaid jade carved landscape screen, a sandalwood table by the window, and a treasure shelf displaying exquisite ornaments along the edge of the room.
But the most unique feature is the table in the room, which resembles a sand table. At this moment, two people are standing facing each other in front of the table.
The two look somewhat alike, but there is a clear difference in their ages.
The handsome man in the blue robe was clearly over thirty, with two faint lines of age at the corners of his eyes, and a string of gold Buddhist beads wrapped around his right wrist, suggesting he was a member of a religious sect.
The sand table in front of him resembled a gluttonous beast, containing a miniature version of Chang'an. Within the city, there were numerous small cloth bags topped with tiny flags.
"Han", "Liu", "Xie", "Jiang", "Li", "Nangong", "Qin", and... "Dai".
The flag of "Han," representing the emperor, was the most distinctive, with a black cloth bag at the bottom and the rest being white.
"Uncle, after the flour explosion, Marquis Wu'an invited Nangong to his residence. These two cooperated last year, and now I'm afraid they'll be working together again." Di Ting picked up the "Nangong" flag and placed it next to "Qin".
He was somewhat puzzled. "Why did you put these two on the same boat? Wouldn't it have been easier to defeat them one by one?"
“They can form an alliance and then part ways. And you already feel the coercion is even stronger, let alone the impatient Prime Minister Dong, he will definitely not sit still. Let them fight it out before Liu Jingzhou enters the capital,” Liu Dao said calmly.
Listening intently, I suddenly understood.
Uncle is trying to accelerate the development of the situation while using someone else to do his dirty work.
Suddenly, a slender hand picked up the small cloth bag containing the character "Dai" that was stuck in the sand table. Liu Dao traced the characters on it with his fingers, asking, "How is Du Ji now?"
Di Ting laughed and said, "She has some wisdom and can't let go of Marquis Wu'an. So she knows that if she does what we say, she might be able to regain her former glory. She is quite obedient."
Liu Dao put "Dai" down again, but not back in the position where it was right next to "Qin". Instead, he placed it far away from it. "Let her go and scout ahead first. Only by combining internal and external efforts can we achieve results."
*
Qin Mansion.
"A wine tasting banquet?" Dai Li frowned slowly as she looked at the invitation.
The gold-embossed invitation was exceptionally exquisite, with gold powder used as ink to write the invitation in beautiful clerical script, inviting her and Qin Shaozong to attend a wine tasting banquet.
The banquet was hosted by Dong Zhou, the powerful prime minister, and the venue was arrogantly chosen to be a royal villa in the suburbs.
Qin Shaozong stood beside Dai Li. He was much taller than her, and he could see the words on the invitation with just a slight tilt of his head. "There's still no news about the conferment of the title of lord, but instead, we've come up with a wine tasting event."
"Qin Changgeng, are you going to this banquet?" Dai Li asked.
Qin Shaozong beckoned to Hu Bao, "The Dong family sent an invitation. Go and find out who else they invited."
Hu Bao accepted the order and went to carry it out. He returned shortly afterward and reported, "My lord, the Dong family's servants have inspected all the surrounding mansions without missing a single one."
“Everyone has received an invitation, so it doesn’t seem right for us not to go,” Dai Li said hesitantly.
"It's not 'we,' it's 'me,'" Qin Shaozong corrected her. Meeting the woman's questioning gaze, he explained in a low voice, "There will most likely be drinking contests during the banquet, and there might be some impromptu competitions. Swords have no eyes, so it would be best for Madam to stay at home."
Since Dong Zhou has also invited others, Bei Di certainly cannot be absent. Otherwise, if he doesn't even dare to attend a wine tasting banquet, how can he compete for anything else?
Upon hearing him mention the competition, Dai Li immediately thought of Xiang Zhuang's sword dance in the past. It was no surprise that Dong Zhou couldn't contain himself at this wine tasting banquet.
"Madam need not worry. The wine tasting banquet will be held at Chang Le Garden in the southern suburbs. I will send a team to wait at the foot of the mountain. If there is any unusual activity on the mountain, signal with beacon fires, and the Xuanxiao Cavalry will surely attack. Moreover, I personally believe that Dong Zhou will not easily break the balance." Qin Shaozong guessed that this wine tasting banquet was to test the waters.
After the dust explosion, Nangong Xiong publicly questioned him, and there were at least dozens, if not hundreds, of eyes in that area, so it's not surprising that the phrase "You need to give me an explanation for this matter" got out.
"Anyway, be careful." Dai Li lowered her eyes.
The man, who had just been so dignified, suddenly smiled, revealing a hint of wickedness in his bones. He abruptly reached out and pulled her into his arms, bending down slightly to rub his slightly stubbled chin against her soft cheek. "Oh, my lady is worried about me."
His short stubble was prickly, and Dai Li had the illusion of being licked by a giant tiger's barbed tongue. He rubbed against her and made her fall to the other side, but the iron arm around her waist kept her standing still.
"My wife is deeply in love with me." He smiled broadly.
Dai Li's lips twitched, and she reached out to push him, "...Qin Changgeng, don't you really think remarrying is troublesome?"
Those two words made his nerves jump. "It is indeed troublesome, so please, Madam, spend the rest of your life as a wife of the Qin family."
He paused, then added, "The same in the next life."
-----------------------
Author's Note: I suddenly realized that the second half of the story required balancing more things, but I had far less energy than before, while your threshold for appreciation is much higher than in the first half [crying emoji].
Having gotten used to writing grand, sweeping narratives, the small-town intrigue of Chang'an isn't my comfort zone. I'll get used to it later. I don't want to rush to finish this volume, so please allow me some time, my darlings. Read it while it's still well-developed. [Hands clasped in prayer]
Dear VIP, please continue drawing cards! The system will randomly distribute 100 small red envelopes. If you win, you will receive an automatic notification; if you don't, there will be no notification. Please try again next time!
Leave a comment to participate in [Yuanbao]
Participation requirements: Subscription rate of 70% or higher
Lottery draw time: Results will be sent after the next chapter is updated.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
