Chapter 110: Precognitive Dream (Qin Lie)
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The old lady fell silent; she simply couldn't bring herself to say she didn't like the princess.
She once hated Emperor Jiahe so much that she wished she could devour his flesh and drink his blood, so naturally she would also take her anger out on his children.
But with the mysterious death of Emperor Jiahe and the collapse of the Liu family's empire, she guessed that Qin Lie had played a part in it, and her hatred gradually faded. Besides, she was a person of great principle; as the saying goes, one should not bring misfortune upon one's wife and children. She was just an unfavored princess; how much hatred could she possibly harbor?
Besides, there was Huan'er, such a lovable boy, who was her most beloved great-grandson.
She wasn't the kind of elder who only cared about her own happiness. Although she liked him, she never thought of raising him herself, nor did she want to disturb the younger generation's peace and quiet. The princess, however, was intelligent and kind-hearted. Every three days, she would come over, ostensibly to bathe in Buddhist teachings and copy scriptures, but in reality, she wanted her to enjoy family time and spend a whole day with Huan'er.
The old lady didn't say a word about such quiet and thoughtful consideration, but she kept it in mind.
Although she knew that the princess was scheming, how could she be blamed for a mother plotting for her son, only for her own benefit and not to harm others?
The thing that changed the old lady's opinion of the princess the most happened half a year ago.
At that time, Zhen had just become pregnant. This pregnancy was hard-won. From the beginning, she often had abdominal pain and bleeding. The doctor told her to rest in bed, but she had no chance to rest.
As the Crown Prince's wife, she had a grandmother above her and sons and nephews below her. Although the royal residence was not extravagant, there were still about a hundred people, including masters and servants. In addition, she also had to deal with external affairs and social interactions. She was always strong-willed and pursued perfection in everything, and could not tolerate anyone saying a bad word about her, so naturally, she had to put in a lot of effort.
Even if Zhen wanted to be a hands-off manager, the princess didn't concern herself with worldly affairs, and her elder sister-in-law stayed at home all day. So who could she leave the responsibility to?
She also didn't want to announce her pregnancy so early. After all, she had lost a child last time, and this time the pregnancy was unstable. If she told everyone before three months had passed, it would only disappoint everyone if something went wrong.
When the old lady learned of this, she originally planned to have Granny Qian fill in for a while.
There's nothing she can do about it; her daughter-in-law is useless, which is why she still has to worry about these trivial matters even though she's over sixty.
Before Granny Qian could even get there, things calmed down again. The old lady had someone inquire and learned that it was the princess who was helping Madam Zhen manage the household.
Compared to Zhen's meticulous attention to detail, the princess clearly focused on the big picture and delegated the small details when managing the household.
She doesn't get bogged down in the minutiae; she only cares about the outcome. This makes her feel at ease, and her subordinates don't have to be so tense anymore.
When the old lady heard Qian Mama's report, she neither criticized nor praised her, saying, "I didn't realize she was so shrewd. She knows how to win over a few key old women, managing them one by one, while she herself knows how to slack off."
Granny Qian said, "She knows who to win over and how to manage them. This ability to recognize and appoint people, and to reward and punish them fairly, truly makes her worthy of being the Third Young Master's bedmate." Seeing that the old lady remained silent, she continued, "She is also truly composed. The Third Young Master has military merits, and she has the skills, yet she doesn't compete or fight for anything. She stays contentedly behind the Princess Consort, without seeking credit or being arrogant. This shows that she is truly a tolerant and kind person."
The old lady glanced at her and said, "What? A centurion has won you over?"
Granny Qian smiled and said, "Nothing can be hidden from the old lady, but I am speaking from the heart. I would not deceive the old lady for the sake of a centurion."
With the savings she had accumulated over the years, she could live the life of a wealthy man. It was clear that, having grown accustomed to the riches of the royal palace, Granny Qian was unwilling for her descendants to stop there and wanted them to achieve great things, establish their own mansions, and build their own residences.
Her casual conversation with the princess at the time may have been a subtle hint.
Unexpectedly, the princess resolved the matter for her so quickly and efficiently, without any intention of taking credit or favors.
The more this happened, the more grateful Granny Qian became, which is why she spoke up for her in front of the old lady.
In her opinion, this third young mistress was truly shrewd and had a knack for winning people over.
But the old lady saw much more.
Are there few women in the inner quarters who are insightful and discerning? What is most rare about a princess is that she clearly knows how to make choices.
The princess was willing to put in the effort to get her and Granny Qian together, but as for the princess consort, the princess completely ignored them, except for basic etiquette.
Despite being a princess and her mother-in-law, the princess showed no hesitation or doubt, abandoning the relationship from the very beginning. This demonstrates not only her sharp mind but also her decisive nature.
Granny Qian is right. A woman like this is truly worthy of being Lie'er's bedmate!
The old lady was shrewd and capable, but she had been burdened by her daughter-in-law for half her life. Suddenly, she met such a granddaughter-in-law who was quiet, unassuming, and gentle like a drizzle, nourishing everything. Except for the princess, she received good treatment everywhere.
He is upright in mind, kind in temperament, and handles matters with ease.
How could she not like it from the bottom of her heart?
It's a pity that such a rare person was a princess from the previous dynasty, of the Liu family bloodline.
She sighed as well: "You should know that, no matter what, your father will never allow a princess from a previous dynasty to become the crown princess."
Qin Lie said nonchalantly, "It's not like I absolutely have to be the crown prince."
The old lady knew he never lied, so she paused for a moment and said, "If you insist on this, I can only try to persuade your second brother again..."
"Grandmother!" Qin Lie interrupted her, staring at her solemnly and said, "The position of Crown Prince can be held by anyone, except for Second Brother."
He considered the throne as his own, but he never imagined that the scenario of the two brothers drifting apart in his dream would repeat itself.
The old lady was stunned for a moment, then looked at him with trembling eyes, "Could it be that you...you..."
The guess was too shocking for her to even utter.
Qin Lie had already regained his usual cold and stern expression. "If Grandmother has nothing else to say, then I should go to Father's place."
After leaving the old lady's courtyard, he went to Qin Shiyan's place.
After Qin Shiyan proclaimed himself emperor, he did not spend his days in the Prince's Palace, but in the "Imperial Palace" that had been built the previous year to handle state affairs.
In Qin Lie's heart, although his father was strict and unapproachable, he always stood tall and unsurpassable like a mountain, steady and reliable.
He regarded him as his role model, and even though his military achievements later surpassed those of his father, he still respected and looked up to Qin Shiyan.
After seeing through his father's cold-heartedness, and after he frankly stated that he had no interest in the position of crown prince, his father was clearly relieved and no longer felt disappointed or frustrated.
After discussing the matter of the Crown Prince, Qin Shiyan summoned several ministers to discuss the current situation and the next steps.
Qin Lie listened silently from the side, not uttering a single word.
By the time he left the palace, the sun was already setting in the west.
He was about to speak when he encountered Qin Hong, but Qin Hong was taken aback when he saw him. Then, as if he hadn't seen him, Qin Hong turned around and walked away, but his movements were stiff and even his hands and feet were moving in unison, which was extremely ridiculous.
This kid must have something to hide.
Qin Lie rushed over and grabbed him in a few strides, casually asking, "Why are you dodging me?"
Qin Hong stammered and hesitated, not even daring to look him in the eye, "Third...Third Brother, haha, haha, you're back! It really is you! When did this happen? I really didn't see you, I didn't recognize you. Sigh! I didn't recognize you. I have something to do now, next time, next time we can talk in detail!"
Qin Lie knew him too well; with just a few casual words, he cornered Qin Hong, who nearly burst into tears. "Third Brother, you forced me to this! I'll talk... I'll talk! Third... Third Sister-in-law has wronged you! She... she's having an affair!"
"What?!" Qin Lie was stunned.
Qin Hong said with a mournful face, "Third sister-in-law, you have another man outside!"
Qin Lie's face immediately turned ashen.
.
The sun was already setting in the west, but a long queue still stretched out at the entrance of the princess's residence, while on the other side, people carrying medicine were gradually coming out.
In the hall sat a doctor with a sallow complexion, none other than the recently sought-after miracle doctor, Wang Daliang.
Qin Lie looked at Qin Hong expressionlessly, "This is the man you were talking about, the one your third sister-in-law is having an affair with?"
Qin Hong, looking like a wilted eggplant, was still trying to plead for his good brother's life. "Third brother, he... he's an honest man, and a coward. He must have just acted impulsively. Please forgive him this time! I promise to send him far away and never let him appear in front of you and your sister-in-law again!"
Qin Hong had always believed that his second sister-in-law's pregnancy was due to Wang Daliang's miraculous healing skills. Therefore, his second and third sisters-in-law trusted him greatly and took good care of him.
After all, no one would believe that a beautiful general's wife would have an affair with an unattractive itinerant doctor.
But why, why did I have to discover this myself?!
The strange thing is that he also greatly admired Wang Daliang and always wanted to get close to him.
Even though Wang Daliang always had a cold face, he still insisted on sticking to him shamelessly.
When someone starts to care about another person, even someone as careless as Qin Hong can notice the subtle changes in that person.
The lingering fragrance on the cuffs, the handkerchief on the body...
No matter how many people are around, as soon as Third Sister-in-law appears, Wang Daliang, who is indifferent to everyone, will always look up at her immediately. Every time the two look at each other, there is a tacit understanding in their eyes that others do not understand.
Without concrete evidence, he could only try to win Wang Daliang's favor while silently enduring the situation on his own.
Until last month, he saw with his own eyes his third sister-in-law leading Wang Daliang out of an empty, locked room.
A lone man and a lone woman, alone in a room, behaving so suspiciously—what could possibly be going on?!
If it were according to his old temper, Qin Hong would have taken them down right then and there.
But before he rushed over, he realized that if things got out of hand, Wang Daliang's life would be in danger, so he involuntarily stopped.
Third Sister-in-law was indeed exceptionally beautiful, a rare sight in the world. No matter how honest and upright Wang Daliang was, he could not resist her deliberate seduction.
So, what did he do wrong?!
Qin Hong immediately suppressed his anger and resentment, and put the matter aside.
However, she kept a closer eye on Wang Daliang afterward, especially when her third sister-in-law came over, she stayed by Wang Daliang's side almost every step of the way.
This action unexpectedly displeased his third sister-in-law, who glared at him frequently, as if she wished he would stay away from Wang Daliang so she could carry out her plan. Her impatient manner almost defied Qin Hong's expectations...
Despite his dissatisfaction with his third sister-in-law, Wang Daliang chose to swallow his anger in order to save his life.
Because I felt sorry for my third brother, I didn't dare to see him until today when I ran into him.
After saying this, Qin Hong was so ashamed that his eyes reddened, and he didn't dare to raise his head.
Qin Lie stared at his fluffy head, opening his mouth several times as if to say something, but then felt that saying anything to such a foolish person would be pointless. In the end, he simply reached out and patted his shoulder in silence, then turned and headed towards the Prince's residence.
Although it turned out to be a misunderstanding, Qin Lie was still unhappy when he returned.
The princess never revealed Wang Daliang's true identity to him.
He hadn't forgotten how the princess had escaped in his previous life. Given his past temper, not killing "Wang Daliang" was already considered merciful. For the past two years, Qin Lie believed he had repeatedly compromised, allowing the princess to associate with "Wang Daliang." Wasn't that more than enough?
He did all this to avoid hurting her feelings, but she remained wary of him. How could Qin Lie not feel disheartened?
He felt a tightness in his chest and thought all the way back that he would have to give her a cold look and question her. But when he stepped into Hanmoxuan, Lingyi was drawing patterns. Hearing the noise, she looked up and smiled sweetly at him.
Qin Lie paused, and the frustration in his heart immediately dissipated by more than half, which was quite pathetic.
This matter must be clarified today. Qin Lie thought to himself with a cold face, but before he could take another step, Huan'er had already grabbed his leg.
The short, stocky little boy, with his chubby face tilted back, grinned, revealing a row of tiny white teeth. "Daddy! I want to ride a horse! I want to ride a horse again!"
It was during the last time they returned home that he carried him on a horseback ride. The three-year-old boy still remembered it. He was truly Qin Lie's son, incredibly intelligent! Qin Lie became proud, and his last bit of resentment vanished. He could no longer recall it.
After dinner, they played with Huan'er for half an hour. When only the two of them were left in the room, it was time to go to bed.
Qin Lie had clearly soaked two sheep intestines before leaving that morning, but now the large bowl had disappeared, which told him that he had been too reckless last night and offended the princess, and that tonight's plan was doomed to fail. Knowing that he was in the wrong last night, he suppressed his thoughts and chatted with the princess in bed, bringing up the matter of establishing a crown prince.
After hearing this, Lingyi remained silent for a long time.
Qin Lie asked her, "Are you still unable to let go of your identity as a princess, and are you unhappy because your father has become the emperor?"
Lingyi said honestly, "At first I felt a little uncomfortable, but I went to the princess's residence. Now many women who fled to Jizhou live there. They told me that war is raging outside and the people are suffering. The Great Han Dynasty was destroyed by my father and my seventh brother. It has nothing to do with anyone else. Who becomes emperor is actually none of my business."
Qin Lie retorted, "That's not right. Husband and wife are one. My father is also your father. How can it be unrelated to you?" He paused, then softened his tone, saying, "Your princess status is nothing to be attached to. Isn't being my wife, Qin Lie's wife, a thousand times, ten thousand times better than being a princess?!"
Lingyi naturally wouldn't refute him, and she really couldn't find a reason to refute him. After a moment of silence, she finally spoke: "General, do you want to be the crown prince?"
He turned his head and asked, "Haven't I already refused Father Emperor? Why do you still ask this?"
Lingyi said softly, "But I feel that the general is not the kind of person who is willing to be subordinate to others. You and your second brother both refused the position of crown prince. Aren't you afraid that if the crown prince takes the throne in the future, he will be wary of you brothers and suppress you?"
Sensitive as she was, she naturally sensed Zhen's recent hesitation and the old lady's scrutinizing gaze. Although she was ignorant of politics, all of this had happened after Qin Xu refused the position of crown prince, and she found it hard not to connect these changes with whether Qin Lie could become crown prince. She assumed that their way of looking at her was because of her status.
Therefore, she asked cautiously, wanting to find out his attitude.
Qin Lie merely smiled arrogantly, "If someone is afraid, they'd be a fool. But if you want to suppress him, you'll have to see if you have the ability!"
But these were his own choices, so what business is it of hers?
He didn't want her to feel guilty or moved; he just wanted her to love him purely, without any other impurities.
His attitude reassured Lingyi a lot, and then they talked about how to distribute the spoils they brought back.
Qin Lie swept away all of Erqi's savings accumulated over the years, including many precious treasures.
Lingyi kept most of the things Qin Lie sent back, and distributed the rest to the various courtyards.
She recounted what she had given to whom and for what reason, her gentle and unhurried tone making Qin Lie feel relaxed and drowsy. After she finished speaking, he lazily instructed, "The things you chose are naturally all appropriate, but there's one thing: you can't sell the ones you keep."
Lingyi felt her face flush whenever this was mentioned.
She had sold many of the things Qin Lie had given her to subsidize the Fifteenth Princess and Aunt Liu Cui, and she had even sold them secretly at a low price. She thought Qin Lie wouldn't notice such a small matter, but one day, Qin Xiaoshan returned all the things she had sold intact. Lingyi was so ashamed that she wanted to disappear into the ground.
Her voice was barely audible: "I changed it a long time ago."
Qin Lie continued, "The war was intense before, and I didn't have much spare money. I'm sorry for the princess's hardship. But after this battle, there won't be any shortage of money for the time being. Tomorrow, I'll have Qin Xiaoshan send over 20,000 taels of silver notes. You won't have to work so hard to draw any more patterns."
He was referring to the two shops that Lingyi and Zhenshi jointly owned.
When Lingyi had nothing to do, she once made a dress for Zhen. Unexpectedly, when Zhen went out to socialize, many people asked which shop made it and even asked her for the pattern. At that time, Zhen had the idea of opening a clothing shop with Lingyi. This was out of necessity, since she had such a bottomless pit of a family, and naturally, she wanted to increase her income and reduce her expenses when she was short of money.
Lingyi didn't need to spend her own money on food, clothing, and lodging, so she didn't want to partner with anyone. She only agreed to draw patterns for clothes from the capital for her. But Madam Zhen was strong-willed and wouldn't accept favors for nothing. She smiled and then didn't mention the matter again.
Therefore, the two hit it off immediately, and since Ms. Zhen had an existing dowry shop, they quickly opened it.
Although Lingyi's painting skills were mediocre, she could still roughly reproduce the patterns and designs of the clothes. Even though she was not favored by the emperor, she was still a princess of the imperial family supported by the entire nation, and with so many women in the harem, she had seen countless exquisite garments. The clothes made according to her designs quickly became sought-after items among the noble circles of Jizhou.
The two followed the same method and opened another jewelry shop, which was just as successful.
From then on, Lingyi had another sum of money that she had earned and could spend at will, so that she could do more for the Fifteenth Princess and for the sick people of Jizhou.
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