Chapter 100: Precognitive Dreams (Qin Lie)
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The Prince's Mansion still refused to fully accept the princess, not only failing to hold a baby shower for the child, but also receiving no visits from anyone other than Madam Zhen and Granny Qian since the child's birth.
When the baby was almost a month old, it was the end of the year, and the Qin family had a New Year's Eve banquet every year.
Although it was called a family banquet, it also included banquets for officials from Ji Province and military generals.
The princess specifically announced that the princess was not allowed to attend.
Although Lingyi was still in her postpartum confinement period and shouldn't have been able to leave the house, Qin Lie's face remained gloomy for a long time after he found out. It wasn't until he returned to Hanmo Pavilion and saw the princess sitting on the bed that his thoughts shifted elsewhere. Looking at her increasingly fuller figure, he whispered, "Is it swollen?"
Lingyi's ears turned bright red, and she turned away, saying, "No, it doesn't hurt."
Qin Lie sat down casually. "Don't hide it from me. If it accumulates too much, you'll be the one who suffers in the end."
He still remembers the first time he learned about it; she was in so much pain that tears welled up in her eyes, and she was drenched in sweat.
Lingyi retorted angrily, "It's not like there's no medicine. Who, who wants you..." Her cheeks flushed red, and she couldn't finish her sentence.
Qin Lie said seriously, "Since ancient times, it has been better to guide than to block. Besides, every medicine has its side effects. With me here, how could I let you harm your own body?"
Lingyi couldn't stand this nonsense any longer and pushed him, saying, "You go out first, I want to sleep."
Qin Lie exposed her: "Didn't you just wake up when I arrived?"
"I'm sleepy again." Lingyi hunched her shoulders and tried to burrow under the covers.
Upon seeing her like this, Qin Lie's eyes darkened. He reached out and checked, and sure enough, the top of her clothes was soaked.
“Little liar.” His voice was hoarse.
Lingyi was both ashamed and angry. If he hadn't brought it up, she wouldn't have felt anything, but he just kept talking about it, which is why she felt this way... In the end, it's all his fault.
Before she could even complain to him, he couldn't wait any longer. He put his arm around her waist, pressed her down onto the pillow, and leaned over her.
The sound of clothes rustling on the bed was followed by swallowing sounds and low, panting breaths.
The servants all knew that when the general and the princess were in the same room, they did not need anyone to serve them unless summoned.
A woman's soft moan came from the bed, followed by his third brother's furious shout: "Get out!"
A wine jug came hurtling toward his face, startling Qin Hong.
He retreated outside the room, looking bewildered, and shouted, "Third Brother, what are you doing? Are you trying to murder your...cousin?!"
Qin Lie walked out with a dark cloud over his face. Anyone else would have felt a chill run down their spine if they looked at him, but Qin Hong had been used to it since childhood. He was still stunned and asked, "Third Brother, why do you smell so good?" He then pointed to the white stain around Qin Lie's mouth, "What... what's on your lips... Oh! What good stuff have you been eating in your room behind people's backs?!"
He spoke loudly, and Lingyi inside the room heard him clearly. Her hands trembled as she fastened her blouse, feeling utterly ashamed.
Qin Lie wiped the white fluid from his lips with his thumb, looked at him intently, and reminded him, "Qin Hong, I am now married."
Qin Hong let out a long "Oh," and suddenly realized, "I was wondering why you were closing the door in broad daylight. So you were hiding in the house with that little princess, secretly having an affair?!"
He knew that his third brother would never do such a thing; only that thin-skinned little princess would be so pretentious!
Qin Lie stared at Qin Hong incredulously for a long time, only to meet a pair of eyes that were so clear they were beyond comprehension.
He closed his eyes and had to accept a fact.
It turns out that the princess wasn't the only person in the world who could leave him helpless; this fool was the other one!
Qin Lie and Qin Hong attended a family banquet and did not return until the moon was high in the sky.
He reeked of alcohol, his steps were unsteady, and he walked straight into the room.
Granny Zhao stopped him at the door, "General, the princess is still in her postpartum period and it's not convenient for her to stay here!"
His eyes were glazed over, and he didn't seem to care. He waved his hand and said, "I'm just here to take a look and then I'll leave."
There was nothing Zhao Mama could do to stop him; she could only watch helplessly as he pushed open the door and went in.
Qin Lie thought the princess had already gone to sleep, but when he went around the screen, he saw the princess sitting on the bed, her eyes darting around, looking at him guiltily.
Upon seeing the wet nurse standing by the bed and the child lying on the inside of the bed, I understood what was going on.
He immediately lowered his brow and scolded, "No wonder you insisted on keeping the child in the side room; it turns out you wanted to sleep with him at night. Have you forgotten what the doctor instructed? How can you rest properly like this?"
Knowing she was in the wrong, Lingyi explained softly, "It's only been these past two days that I've been sleeping too much during the day and can't sleep at night, so I asked them to bring the child over."
Qin Lie snorted coldly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Lingyi gestured for the wet nurse to take the child away, but Qin Lie stopped them, sat on the edge of the bed, and leaned over to look at the baby in the swaddling clothes.
Compared to being wrinkled and chubby like a newborn monkey, now that she's grown up a bit, she looks like the grown-up girl I dreamed of—chubby, fair-skinned, and truly as the midwife praised her, a first-rate beauty.
In her dreams, seeing him would remind her of the princess's elopement, so she didn't want to see him. But now he was sleeping soundly beside the princess, and the princess was staring at her intently, her eyes seemingly filled with gentle moonlight.
Qin Lie's heart softened immediately. He reached out and gently touched the boy's face. Indeed, the president's skin was as smooth as silk, just like the princess's.
Lingyi, annoyed by the calluses on his hands, pushed them away, but he didn't take offense. He withdrew his hand and whispered to her, "At the banquet today, Father gave him a name, Qin Huan."
"Qin Huan... Huan'er?" Lingyi repeated softly, a delighted smile blooming on her face. "A beautiful name!"
It is indeed a good name. Qin Lie once thought that his father in his previous life had just chosen the name "Huan" at random. But today, at the banquet, when he asked his father to name his child in front of so many subordinates and officials, his father still named his child Qin Huan.
Only then did he realize that his father, who had always appeared kind and loyal and refused to take charge no matter how his subordinates urged him, had long harbored ambitions to restore the dynasty.
The princess obviously had no idea about this; she was only delighted that her child had finally been recognized by the royal palace and given a name by the Prince of Dingbei.
But how could that be enough? Qin Lie just did what he was told, rarely making any promises beforehand. But now, under the influence of alcohol, he said to her, "The child has only just been given a name, and there's the third-day celebration and the full-month celebration—all of which I owe you and your child. But for the hundred-day celebration, I will definitely hold a grand and magnificent one. I want Jizhou, no, half the world to celebrate for him!"
He reeked of alcohol, but his eyes were incredibly bright, as if burning with intense flames deep within them.
Lingyi had no time to be moved; she was only alarmed by the hidden meaning in his words.
He took her hand, stared intently at her, and asked, "What are you daydreaming about? Aren't you satisfied yet?"
Lingyi initially only wanted to give birth to her child peacefully and raise him. But now that Qin Lie wanted to give Huan'er a better life, how could she, as his mother, refuse? Ignoring the presence of her wet nurse, she said tenderly, "I am naturally overjoyed that the general treats me so well."
He wasn't satisfied. "And then?"
Ling Yi looked bewildered: "What, then?"
Qin Lie angrily bit her cheek. "Still pretending to be stupid?"
With teeth marks all around her face from his bite, and with the wet nurse and Huan'er still there, Lingyi shoved him away and angrily called his name, "Qin Lie!"
Qin Lie, drunk, was pushed off the bed by her, his eyes half-closed as he looked at her, a lazy and flirtatious smile on his lips, "Your little mouth is so sweet, say it to me again."
He was truly quite drunk, and Lingyi, unwilling to linger with him any longer, called for Granny Zhao and two more maids before they could barely help him out.
Even after he left, Lingyi's face remained flushed. All the poise and elegance she had cultivated in front of Huan'er's wet nurse all day had vanished tonight. The wet nurses of the young masters and ladies were all from respectable families, not ordinary servants. Their status and relationships were different from others; many of the children would take care of their wet nurses' families after they grew up, even caring for them in their old age and seeing them off in their final days.
Such a person would be with Huan'er until she was a teenager, so they would naturally meet often. Thinking this way, Lingyi became even more annoyed with Qin Lie, who would then go on drunken rampages regardless of the occasion or time.
Right now, I just hope to shamelessly act as if nothing happened and try to move on from this.
The wet nurse, standing to the side, remarked with undisguised envy, "The lady and the general are truly loving."
This prevented Lingyi from even pretending to be stupid.
She could only deliberately yawn, letting the wet nurse take Huan'er away, pretending that she was going to sleep to avoid the awkward situation.
What she thought were drunken ramblings were spoken with utmost seriousness by the person who said them.
Qin Lie knew from a young age that his parents were a general and his wife, and now a prince and his wife.
They gave him a lot, but if he wants more, he has to earn it himself.
He wanted to hold a grand celebration for Huan'er's 100th day, and he wanted others to no longer dare to look down on the princess. He could only rely on his military merits.
So, even after the Lantern Festival, before the floating ice on the river had completely melted, he volunteered to go on the expedition.
When he was there, Lingyi was a little annoyed by him, but when she suddenly heard that he was leaving, she became somewhat depressed.
Seeing her like this, Qin Lie felt a sweet warmth in his bones and gently stroked the tip of her nose. "Don't worry, I will definitely return in triumph before Huan'er's 100-day celebration."
He was already an undefeated general, and his opponent was defeated in his previous life. For him, fighting again was as easy as taking candy from a baby.
Lingyi unconsciously tugged at his sleeve, feeling uneasy.
Although she rarely left Hanmoxuan, she lived in the Prince's Mansion. From Zhen's few words or the news that Zhao Mama and the others heard when they interacted with other servants, it was clear that her mother-in-law, the Princess Consort, was petty, had a bad temper, and was easily instigated. Otherwise, why would she have made such a childish move as deliberately spreading rumors to prevent her from attending the family banquet?
Before, she was pregnant and Qin Lie was around, so it was naturally difficult for her to do anything. Now that she has finished her postpartum confinement, Qin Lie is about to leave.
The princess will probably not let her live in peace.
Lingyi has Huan'er and understands the pain of the princess losing her eldest son, but that doesn't mean she's willing to suffer her torment.
But she is a princess and an elder, so he can't avoid her.
These words could not be said to Qin Lie. Not to mention that they were mother and son by blood, the princess had the pain of losing her son, and Qin Lie had the hatred of losing his brother.
Even now, she still can't figure out why Qin Lie suddenly changed his mind and brought her into the palace, and she doesn't dare to ask him.
She could do nothing, say nothing, and could only tug at his sleeve, bowing her head in silence.
The beauty is melancholy, her graceful figure as delicate as ink dots, captivating and moving.
Qin Lie never expected her to be so reluctant to part with him. While he felt satisfied, he also felt a little melancholy.
But he had to leave, otherwise he feared he wouldn't make it in time for a grand celebration of Huan'er's 100-day celebration. In the end, he could only pull Huan'er into his arms and kiss her passionately for a while before resolutely turning away.
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As Lingyi had predicted, no sooner had Qin Lie left than the Princess sent someone to tell her that she should bring her child to pay her respects every morning.
Granny Zhao and Pearl were extremely worried, but Lingyi, though uneasy, was not as afraid as they were.
Ultimately, Ji Province belonged to the Qin family, but not to the princess.
Now that Lingyi has a title and a child, as long as we firmly adhere to the principles of reason and morality and do not deliberately provoke her, it will only be a minor setback. The Princess cannot and will not make things too difficult for her.
As it turned out, the princess's methods were crude and clumsy; she merely made Lingyi stand outside waiting a little longer, or deliberately ignored her in front of everyone. Lingyi was already used to this kind of neglect in the palace, and even enjoyed it, remaining a quiet, smiling figure. Besides, with Zhen Shi around to make up for it, those half-hours each day weren't too difficult to endure.
The princess's methods were of no use to her; even if she was mocked, she simply pretended not to understand.
Huan'er had to be carried around in his swaddling clothes every day before he woke up, and only now that the weather was getting warmer could the baby be carried around without catching a cold. His grandmother clearly didn't care about him; despite carrying him around every day, the princess never even glanced at him.
In fact, Lingyi could tell that the princess did not want to see her either. Making her pay her respects every day seemed to be torturing her, but in reality, it was the princess herself who was suffering.
Lingyi could not understand this practice, perhaps because the palace hierarchy was too distinct and the status too disparate.
She suffered injustices since childhood, and all she could think about was how to make her life better. She rarely thought about those feelings of disgust and hatred because she knew they were useless, let alone let them linger in her mind every day.
It wasn't until she paid her respects on this day that Lingyi met Qin Lie's other three children.
The princess said to them, "Why don't you go and meet your father's second wife?"
These words were extremely blunt, a blatant insult. However, for Lingyi, obtaining what she truly desired was far more important than these empty titles. If she were to concern herself with such things, wouldn't she be forcing them to address her as "Your Highness"?
Although she was inevitably a little embarrassed, she didn't show it on her face, and just smiled at the three children.
Qin Shuo and Qin Can were taken aback for a moment. Although they were somewhat unwilling, they still obediently bowed to her.
Qin Yinrong, however, not only refused to bow, but also pulled Qin Shuo up and said without any politeness, "Brother, our mother's memorial tablet is in the ancestral hall, why are you bowing to her?"
The old woman who served the princess, the godmother of the maid Qin Lie had punished, said with ill intent, "Miss, she really is the general's second wife, your stepmother. She lives in Hanmoxuan now. Didn't you see that the wet nurse over there is holding your own younger brother?"
Qin Yinrong acted as if she had heard a joke, "I know someone moved into Father's courtyard, but if I remember correctly, it's only been less than half a year. How could she have given birth to a child? Father didn't say anything, how could she be my younger brother? Who knows where this bastard came from?!"
Lingyi frowned, not only because of the insulting words, but also because such a young child, a daughter of a prince, should not utter such vulgar and obscene language, even if instigated by others.
The princess was clearly surprised by her words, and her expression changed.
The housekeeper, Madam Zhen, was utterly humiliated and sternly rebuked, "Yinrong!"
Qin Yinrong was still young, and her boldness was only due to someone instigating her. After being scolded by her usually lenient aunt, she couldn't help but burst into tears. Her crying startled Huan'er, who also started crying, and the hall was thrown into chaos.
Lingyi couldn't bear to hear Huan'er's cries and rushed to comfort him. In her haste, someone tripped her, and she almost fell on top of the wet nurse and crushed Huan'er. Fortunately, Zhen Shi pulled her back and she regained her balance. When she looked back, she saw that where she had just tripped, only Qin Shuo and Qin Can, who had bowed to her earlier, were standing there. Now they both had their heads down, and her expressions were not visible.
They were so small, only seven or eight years old despite their height, but it was precisely because of their small size that they were all the more terrifying.
Lingyi felt the hairs on her body stand on end and quickly picked up Huan'er and retreated to a secluded spot.
The old woman then stirred things up again, "Your Highness, seeing that this new lady is too young and can't even take good care of the child, why don't you take the child and raise him yourself? It would be good for him to grow up with the young masters and ladies, so that they can develop a sibling relationship in the future."
The princess was naturally unwilling to raise a child with Liu family blood; even looking at him felt like a betrayal of her eldest son.
But she hated Lingyi's usual nonchalant attitude no matter what she did. Seeing that Lingyi was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on when she heard this, and was on guard, the princess felt much better and decided to change her mind.
Just then, Granny Qian lifted the curtain and came in, smiling, "Am I out of luck? It's so lively here."
She was the most trusted person by the old lady's side. Not to mention everyone present, even the Prince of Dingbei had to give her some face.
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