Chapter 90: Precognitive Dream (Qin Lie)
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The sharp pain in his chest, the icy river water, and the feeling of impending death jolted Qin Lie awake from his sleep.
He was covered in sweat, his chest heaving rapidly.
Lingyi was awakened by him. She propped herself up and looked at him with sleepy eyes.
Her long, black hair cascaded down the bed, her clothes half-undone, revealing her fair skin, which appeared even more voluptuous due to her pregnancy.
Qin Lie was breathing heavily, his gaze fixed on her, deep and unfathomable, until unease gradually crept onto her beautiful face.
He then gave a self-deprecating twitch of his lips.
That dream I just had was truly absurd.
He reached out and pulled her into his arms, and they lay back down on the bed together. She was still bewildered and her body was slightly stiff.
Despite being pregnant, she had lost a lot of weight. Qin Lie knew what she was worried about and that she was probably going to be frightened by his actions again today. So he said softly, "Go to sleep. I just had a dream."
Despite his attempts to comfort her, the heartache and resentment in his dream were so real that his emotions surged uncontrollably, and he lay awake until dawn.
How could Lingyi sleep well? Qin Lie had never explicitly said that she could save the child, which made her already very anxious. After this ordeal, and noticing that Qin Lie hadn't slept and had been stiff all the time, she finally fell asleep again when she was too tired to stay awake any longer, just before dawn.
When she woke up again, it was already noon. These days, whenever Qin Lie returned to Jizhou, he would stay at the princess's residence day and night unless there was something else going on. But she hadn't seen him even at mealtime today. Lingyi asked Zhao Mama, "Has the general left?"
Granny Zhao said, "The general didn't give any instructions, so he probably hasn't left yet. But after he finished his meal, he suddenly summoned the doctor and the cooks for questioning. After questioning them, he arrested the two men, along with several other people from the mansion. Judging from the scene, it seemed like he was really angry."
Seeing the princess frown, she quickly added, "They are the general's men, so it's none of our business if they do something wrong. Princess, you are pregnant now, so please relax so that the young general can be healthy in the future."
Lingyi knew she was trying to comfort her, and since it concerned the child, she still asked, "How do you know it's a boy?"
Granny Zhao said, "There's an old saying in my hometown: a pointed belly means a little general, a round belly means a little maid. Although the princess is still quite far along, you can tell from her pointed belly that she's definitely going to be a little general. When the little general is born, I guarantee the general will be happy, and the prince and princess will love him too. The princess's good days are yet to come!"
These were words of comfort, and Lingyi, not wanting to disappoint her, smiled and said, "I also hope it's a boy."
Given her circumstances, perhaps only a boy could find a way out.
Qin Lie overheard most of their conversation from outside and sneered inwardly. She really got what she wanted; it was indeed a boy, and he'd entered the Prince's mansion. But what kind of loving mother was she pretending to be now? Didn't she also heartlessly abandon the child and run away in secret later?!
Did she ever consider whether the child lived or died back then?
Thinking of this, he kicked open the half-closed door and strode inside.
Upon seeing him approach, Granny Zhao and Mingzhu, who was serving nearby, hurriedly bowed, "General!"
Lingyi also stood up from the couch and came forward to help him remove his cloak.
Qin Lie had a strange dream last night, which he initially didn't want to pursue, but it kept bothering him. So he summoned the servants who had poisoned her in the dream for questioning. He initially thought he was being absurd by making such a fuss over a dream, but to his surprise, during the interrogation, these men confessed that they had been bribed by Qin Ying to poison the princess.
Even the methods and poisons were exactly the same as those in his dream!
Qin Lie's face was more gloomy than ever before.
It wasn't because of these superstitious and supernatural things, but because she actually betrayed him!
Looking down at her, who was feigning docility, I saw her thick, dark eyelashes, her well-defined chin, and her delicate, upturned nose.
The more beautiful she was, the more hatred and pain welled up inside him.
He grabbed her hand, catching Lingyi off guard, and she gasped softly.
Granny Zhao and Mingzhu hurried over, but Qin Lie's cold gaze froze them in place.
"You may leave. I have something to say to the princess."
Although his tone was relatively restrained, it carried an undercurrent of impending danger.
Granny Zhao and Mingzhu exchanged a glance, not daring to say anything, and retreated to the door, waiting anxiously. Although they had each come with their own masters, now they were only connected with the princess, and they knew that although the princess seemed weak, she was actually a stubborn person.
Both of them strained their ears to listen to what was happening inside, thinking that if anything came up, they could explain things to the princess. But then they heard Qin Lie ask inexplicably from inside, "Do you know Song Pingkou?"
Inside, Lingyi was also terrified when she suddenly heard this sentence and exclaimed "Ah!" in confusion.
Suppressing his anger, Qin Lie repeated, "Song Pingkou of Zhuozhou, do you recognize him?"
Lingyi shook her head. "In the palace, I have never seen a man other than Xie Yu. Who is Song Pingkou?"
Hearing that name from her lips alone, Qin Lie felt as if his insides were burning.
He had access to information and believed her answer, but so what?!
How could he forget, because of her current obsequiousness, that this harlot once seduced his men in an attempt to escape?
Song Pingkou was far better than that centurion, and she was naturally overjoyed and willing to marry him, having schemed and plotted her way to it.
Otherwise, why would he have gone to find her himself? Not only did she refuse to come back, but she also betrayed him, causing Xie Yu to chase after him all the way, which is why he was seriously injured and fell into the river.
Perhaps he has already died in that cold river, otherwise why would he have such a dream?
This was Heaven's way of warning him, giving him the opportunity to kill this wicked woman and prevent him from going astray again!
No matter how cunning she may be, she is powerless. Killing her would be effortless, and with the court in such turmoil, no one cares about her life or death, so there is no need to take any risks.
He pulled her close with force.
Lingyi quickly protected her belly and reminded him, "General, the child..."
Her brows furrowed slightly, and although she looked alarmed, she was still breathtakingly beautiful.
Qin Lie stared at her for a long time, then suddenly let go of her hand and left.
As soon as he left, Granny Zhao and Mingzhu rushed in, looking worriedly at Lingyi, who was staring blankly at the door. "Princess..."
Lingyi felt an overwhelming unease, but the child in her womb did not allow her to show any weakness or fear. She instructed Zhao Mama, "Go find General Qiu quickly and make sure he finds out exactly where he went and what he did!"
Qin Lie had nowhere else to go, so he went to drink with Qin Hong. He was taciturn by nature, and the more troubled he was, the less he wanted to talk to anyone. Moreover, the dream was too bizarre and it tarnished his reputation, so he remained even more silent.
He just drank one cup of wine after another in silence.
Qin Hong was unaware of the reason, only knowing that his third brother was unhappy, so he risked his life to keep him company and drank cup after cup.
Originally, the two had similar alcohol tolerance, but one became melancholic after drinking, while the other was carefree and oblivious.
Qin Lie's eyes were only slightly glazed over, while Qin Hong was already drunk and passed out on the table, still shouting, "Third, Third Brother, come on, drink this one!"
Qin Lie recalled his dream, how it was this fool who was deceived, allowing the princess to successfully elope. Even after catching up with them, he still let them go, allowing the princess to reach Zhuozhou safely. Qin Lie was immediately enraged. He got up and kicked him lightly. Qin Hong slumped to the ground, lying face up unconscious, his eyes unable to open, still muttering, "Third...Third Brother, we won't leave until we're drunk!"
Qin Lie ignored him, mounted his horse, and left the restaurant.
It was already late at night, and he had drunk too much. His head was spinning, and he just rode around on his horse. When he came to his senses, he had already arrived at the princess's residence.
"That beast!" Qin Lie roared in fury.
He took the reins, turned his horse around, and headed towards the Prince's Palace.
Suddenly a shout came from behind, "General!"
He stood stiffly, stubbornly refusing to turn around. A series of hurried footsteps sounded behind him; the princess had already trotted up, stood on her horse, and looked up at him. "...General, aren't we going back to the manor?"
Perhaps I drank too much, and the person in front of me overlapped with the person in my dream.
In his dream, he watched her figure disappear into the distance on horseback; now, it was she who was carefully trying to keep him.
He stared at her and slowly said, "You just want me to leave, don't you?"
Lingyi was taken aback. His sharp and sorrowful gaze made her feel that she could not look him in the eye.
He felt as if he were back in a dream, his chest slashed open by a sharp blade, blood mingling with the river water, the tearing pain seeping into his bones, his limbs and body chilled to the bone. The question burst out: "All you want is the child, you wish I were far away and would never bother you again, and now you're acting all reluctant and attached?"
His words had revealed her thoughts, and now was the time when she could not back down. Lingyi bit her lip, grabbed his hem, and looked at the young woman with great concern. "General, you're drunk!"
Qin Lie sneered: "I've never been this clear-headed!"
He didn't want to pay attention to her and was about to leave with a slight nudge on his flank, but she grabbed his clothes and, caught off guard, was pulled along for a couple of steps before falling to the ground.
The alcohol had ruined his life. By the time Qin Lie came to his senses, he had already carried the person into the princess's residence and summoned a doctor.
After examining him, the doctor said, "Madam is already burdened with worries, and even while pregnant, she can't rest properly. This time, she has also aggravated the pregnancy, so she needs to rest in bed and not upset or upset her any further."
Qin Lie agreed, and Zhao Mama led the doctor to prescribe the medicine. He stood silently for a moment, and finally followed to the bedside.
Lingyi lay there, pale-faced, her expression filled with unease and tension.
Upon seeing him, she stammered an apology: "It was my carelessness that almost hurt the child. I will never do it again."
Qin Lie didn't answer, only staring at her with an expressionless face. Even though he had sobered up, he still felt the same resentment and anger he had felt just moments before falling into the river. How dare she betray him and try to kill him? But if he went back to that moment, there were clearly other, deeper emotions that had been swirling around him, buried deep within him, and he dared not think about them. It wasn't until she fell just now that these emotions gradually surfaced, allowing him to see them clearly.
Even if it means death, I would rather die by the sword she herself thrust at me, so that I can see with my own eyes whether there is a trace of regret and sadness on her face at that moment.
No matter how bizarre it was, Qin Lie could tell that the person in his dream was himself.
Qin Lie felt unfamiliar with this version of himself and was at a loss.
But the fear in front of him was so obvious. He was affected by himself in the dream, and his heart softened. He almost wanted to hug her back. At this moment, he could only say stiffly, "You should rest well. Don't worry. I will make sure you give birth to the child safely."
After saying that, he fled the princess's residence as if he were escaping, and plunged into the study of the prince's mansion.
Finally, they got a straight answer from Qin Lie, although it came out of nowhere, and Qin Lie's previous behavior had also aroused suspicion.
However, he had never gone back on his word. Although Lingyi was still uneasy, she was much better than before. At least she was no longer so anxious and sleepless.
It was more than three months later when I saw Qin Lie again.
He was helped back, his outer robe covered his body, and his white undergarment was stained with blood.
These are the princess's reports from Granny Zhao. This time, he did not come to see Lingyi, but went to the study, which he had almost never set foot in before.
Lingyi went over nervously and saw that the room was filled with the smell of blood. Bloodstained clothes were torn into strips and thrown on the ground. Qin Lie was lying on the bed and Qin Xiaoshan was applying medicine to him.
Although she had heard before arriving that he was injured, Lingyi was still quite shocked to see him in this state.
Qin Lie looked up at her, his face showing displeasure. "Get out."
Lingyi, who had always been afraid of him, walked straight in and said to Qin Xiaoshan, "I'll do it."
Qin Xiaoshan originally only obeyed Qin Lie's orders, but looking at the resolute princess, and then at his master who remained silent with his eyes lowered despite his cold expression, and considering his master's inexplicable decision to return to the princess's residence instead of recuperating at the royal palace, he hesitated for a moment before handing the medicine bottle to the princess, gesturing for Pearl to leave the study with him, and closing the door behind them.
Lingyi sat down on the edge of the bed and then saw the condition on his back.
His back was covered with crisscrossing whip marks, each one drawing blood, making it a gruesome sight.
Hearing her gasp for breath, Qin Lie thought to himself that this injury was nothing compared to the arrow wound he had sustained while recuperating in Huangzhou in his dream, and the knife wound he had suffered before falling into the river. But when he looked up and saw that her face was pale, he suddenly realized why he, in Huangzhou in his dream, had been constantly finding small tasks to order her around and not letting her out of his sight, while at the same time not letting her help him clean his wounds and apply medicine.
This realization struck him as both novel and infuriating!
These days, he kept replaying that dream in his mind, feeling as if he were possessed by an evil spirit. It was clearly himself, yet not himself; many of his actions were incomprehensible and even unimaginable. But now, he was actually empathizing with himself in the dream, a thought that sent a chill down his spine.
He shouldn't have come. He thought to himself that he should just let her fend for herself here. He was about to get up and leave when a soft hand landed on his shoulder. Her eyes were red, and she looked at him with heartache, asking, "Who is so bold as to hurt the general like this?"
"It's just an act again!" Qin Lie sneered inwardly, but he had already taken the opportunity to lie down again. "The Prince of Dingbei beat me with his own hands, so what? Does the princess want to avenge this humble general?"
Lingyi, oblivious to the sarcasm in his words, asked in surprise, "Why did Your Highness whip the general?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Lie turned his head back and remained silent for a long time before saying in a low voice, "Tell the palace servants to pack your things and come back to the palace with me in a few days."
Lingyi thought she had misheard. "What... what did the general say?"
Qin Lie still didn't look at her, his voice as hard as stone, "You are now carrying my child, so naturally you should return to the palace. Do you want my child to bear the stigma of being an illegitimate child?"
This was a decision he made after thinking about it for several days and nights in his study.
She said she wasn't born lowly, and she didn't want to be his mistress, nor did she want to be trampled on at his beck and call.
At first, Qin Lie even found it ironic. He was always the one seeking her out; aside from that time with the embezzlement, when had she ever come to him? To spend more time with her, he rushed about whether he was on campaign or patrolling the border, causing his men endless complaints. How could it be that in her mouth, it was his fault?
However, Qin Lie has always been decisive and ruthless, not one to hesitate.
Doing things is like going to war; if a plan doesn't work, you have to change tactics.
Since doing so in the dream led to his tragic death in the river, and now that he can't bear to kill her but can't bring himself to do it, then he should do the opposite. Otherwise, wouldn't he have lived a wasted life?
He made his decision as soon as he left the study.
Before that, what he needed to do was to accumulate military merits. Only with greater military merits could he better persuade his father to bring the princess back to the palace.
Again, for Hui Niang's sake, this time he didn't need to ask Qin Ying to know the true cause of Hui Niang's death; he had gone to attack Hengzhou several months earlier.
He felt guilty towards Hui Niang, but this guilt had nothing to do with welcoming the princess into the family.
After he finished speaking, seeing that the princess remained silent, he asked in a cold voice, "What? Is the princess unwilling?"
He's already backed down quite a bit, is she still not satisfied? Is she even thinking of running away and remarrying?
Just thinking about it like that, he felt more than just dissatisfied; he was practically burning with rage! His gaze towards her instantly became sharp as a blade.
Lingyi was so shocked that she didn't even notice, and after a long while she asked hesitantly, "General... was it because of me that the Prince whipped you?"
Qin Lie felt uncomfortable under her question. He looked away, then felt cowardly. He coughed lightly and said coldly, "It's for the child."
In Lingyi's heart, the child and she were one. Hearing this, she smiled and said, "Thank you, General!"
Lingyi's gentle words interrupted his thoughts, "General, I will apply the medicine gently. If it hurts, please just let me know."
Qin Lie remained noncommittal, only letting out a cold snort.
Lingyi picked up the ointment with her fingers and gently stroked it onto his back. As her fingers touched it, she was afraid that he would be in pain, so she would check on him and blow on it, treating him like a three-year-old child.
Whether it was the gentle movements, the fragrance when she bent over, or the breath that blew past, it was like a sticky net that bound him.
Qin Lie was in the prime of his life, and after several months without relief, his private parts soon became painfully swollen.
Luckily, he was lying down, so she didn't notice him.
He had no time to think about the grand plan that had been on his mind, so he tried to talk to distract himself.
"The princess's name isn't very good. Have you thought about changing it?" he asked, feigning indifference.
Lingyi didn't understand why he suddenly mentioned her name, so she stopped what she was doing and asked in surprise, "Isn't it good? This was a name that my brother, the Crown Prince, specially chose for me from the Book of Songs."
Qin Lie was taken aback. "The Crown Prince?"
Not knowing why his expression suddenly turned strange, Lingyi nodded, puzzled, "Yes, we also considered several others, but I chose this one because I thought Lingyi sounded better."
Qin Lie looked at her innocent and pure expression, and after a while, he chuckled.
It's a shame that he's been tormented by her words, "The name was given by Xie Yu, he's not worthy to be called that," to the point of having mouth ulcers and sleepless nights. Turns out it was all a lie from beginning to end. Who would have thought that such a gentle person could be so stubborn, and in the heat of an argument, lie would just spill from her lips?!
Just wait, once he's fully recovered, he'll teach her a lesson!
Thinking this way, many erotic thoughts resurfaced, and a certain part of him became aroused again without asking. Qin Lie cursed inwardly, quickly closed his eyes to think about the situation at the border, and forced himself to calm his mind and reduce his desires.
[Author's Note]
I originally planned to write about Qin Hong's rebirth first, but at that time all the princesses were in the palace, and it was a problem to get them to meet.
I just saw in the comments section that someone said it would have been better if Qin Lie hadn't been holding back his anger in Huangzhou, and if Huan'er had been there.
So I wrote this on the spot: When the princess was pregnant, Qin Lie had a dream in which he fell into the river in Zhuozhou...
So this chapter is still a bit dog-like, fresh out of the oven, no drafts yet. I promise I'll update the second chapter within three days, okay?
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