Chapter 112: Precognitive Dream (Qin Lie)
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Qin Lie first captured the capital, then defended against the enemy on the banks of the river until the Southern Dynasty withdrew its troops, before returning to Jizhou to receive Ling Yi.
At this point, it had been more than a year since he left Jizhou.
In fact, after he captured the capital, the emperor, empress, empress dowager and others had already moved to the capital.
Lingyi was still in Jizhou because Zhenshi's health had been poor since giving birth, and the child was also weak, making it inconvenient for her to travel long distances.
Qin Xu originally wanted to stay, but the capital was still a dangerous place, and the emperor couldn't do without him. So Lingyi volunteered to stay and take care of him, and they would go back together when Zhen Shi and the child were healthier.
After Qin Lie returned to the capital to report, he quickly rode over.
Having not seen each other for over a year, Qin Lie was naturally as enthusiastic as ever, but the princess was as hard-hearted as iron, and still only soaked two sheep intestines.
This time, Qin Lie didn't indulge her. After feeling her for a moment and finding she was still usable, he leaned in and pressed down on her again.
When Lingyi came to her senses, she realized something was wrong, and Qin Lie also lowered his eyes, not daring to look at her.
She hurriedly lifted the blanket and saw that, sure enough, the sheep intestine casing had been torn open, and there was a mess between her legs. She was so angry that she punched Qin Lie a few times.
Unfortunately, she had no strength left at the moment. Qin Lie accepted it with a smile, even blowing on her hand and asking with a grin, "Does your hand hurt?"
Outsiders praise him as wise and mighty, even calling him a god of war, but who knows that when the two of them are alone, he is no different from a rogue and scoundrel?
Lingyi pulled her hand away, not wanting to pay attention to him, but he insisted on coming closer to coax her: "Huan'er is all grown up now, we should have another child to keep him company."
Lingyi said, "Huan'er already has older brothers and sisters to keep him company."
Mentioning this, Qin Lie said curiously, "It's strange, you're here with your second sister-in-law, and none of the children want to leave; they all want to stay here with you."
Lingyi said, "It's not that he's keeping me company. Yinrong has his own things to do, Shuo'er wants to stay with his sister, and as for Can'er..." She paused, then added, "His mother is still here, how could he bear to leave?"
Mentioning Aunt Liu, Qin Lie's expression turned sour. "He has a legal mother in the house, so what mother does he have?"
Lingyi said, "Why do you have to say such harsh words? How can you just throw away the bond of blood? If he could really throw it away, then I would find it terrifying."
Therefore, she knew that Qin Can would occasionally secretly visit Aunt Liu, but she never exposed him and even indulged him. Every month, a portion of Aunt Liu's expenses was sent to his courtyard.
The two were being affectionate, and Qin Lie, unwilling to let an outsider spoil this moment of tenderness, softened his tone, "It's my fault for asking that question. The princess is the kindest person in the world. From now on, as long as the princess makes the decision, I will not dare to say a word."
Although she knew he said it on purpose, Lingyi accepted it all with a smile and rewarded him with a sweet kiss on the forehead. Before he could leave, she was pressed down and kissed again, panting heavily.
Once her breathing had calmed, she nestled in his arms and asked hesitantly in a low voice, "When we return to the capital, you and the Southern Dynasty will likely have another battle soon. At that time... could you... could you spare Chengtai's life?"
Since the incident with the Crown Prince, she had never asked him for anything on behalf of anyone else, and she thought she would never ask him again. But she had finally mustered some courage from his indulgence and pampering over the past few years, which led her to ask this question.
Qin Lie's hand, which was stroking her back, paused for only a moment before he saw her eyes instantly become uneasy.
His time together in Huangzhou during his dream was enough for him to understand the deep-rooted sensitivity and caution in the princess's nature. It was a deep pool that had been frozen by past wounds, and now it would freeze over at the slightest chill.
He didn't answer immediately because she finally spoke up again. He was overwhelmed with emotion, but then he saw her unease, which made him feel even more guilty and heartbroken.
He stared into her eyes. "The situation is constantly changing, and I cannot fully guarantee his safety. I can only promise you that I will do my best to protect his life."
Lingyi, having copied many historical records, was no longer the ignorant palace princess she once was. She naturally knew that such a puppet emperor, being the legitimate ruler of the previous dynasty, would inevitably bring endless trouble if spared. Therefore, the descendants of those usurped emperors rarely met a good end. She was slightly moved by Qin Lie's promise and softly said, "Thank you, General."
Qin Lie added, "Even if I save his life, he will have to live in anonymity and may not be able to see you."
Lingyi nodded slowly: "That's only right. As long as he's alive and well, that's enough."
After a moment of silence, she spoke again, tears welling in her eyes, "And...and Sixteenth Sister's daughter, could you bring her back to me?"
Since Xie Yu married a concubine, the Sixteenth Princess was filled with resentment and could not find a way to relieve it. She passed away a year ago, leaving behind only a daughter.
Qin Lie deeply loathed Xie Yu and wished he could erase him from the princess's memory. However, he preferred to continue to sulk rather than let the princess finally begin to hate Xie Yu at the cost of losing her loved ones.
When the princess received the news, she wasn't even by her side. She only learned from a letter sent by Qin Xiaoshan that the princess had cried silently all night. Although she didn't show it in public for the next few days, she reduced her daily food intake by more than half. It took a long time for her to slowly recover.
Even now, he is still somewhat thin, and a few strands of sorrow often appear between his brows.
Qin Lie pulled her into his arms even tighter. "That child's identity isn't as conspicuous as Chengtai's. Xie Yu will protect her. Don't worry, I will definitely bring her back unharmed."
Lingyi leaned on his shoulder, "When I left the capital, my sixteenth sister came to see me off, little did I know that would be the last time we'd see each other. But at that time, I actually harbored resentment towards her, and there were many things I should have said to her that I didn't. Later, she wrote to say that she was pregnant. Although I was happy for her, I also felt sorry for myself. If it weren't for that, I should have written her more letters. She didn't even know that I was pregnant with Huan'er..."
Warm tears soaked his clothes, but she wouldn't even utter a sound while crying.
In the past, if someone had harbored resentment or wallowed in self-pity, Qin Lie would have been furious. But now, he only felt heartache and pity. "You've done enough. She certainly won't blame you."
"Sixteenth Sister has always been the kindest, I know she won't blame me, but... but..." Lingyi couldn't continue, only tears flowed silently.
Qin Lie said, "Then she must also know that you have always cared about her. If she sees you one last time, she will definitely tell you to take good care of yourself and not to be depressed or heartbroken because of her."
Lingyi's tears flowed more and more uncontrollably, and she broke down in sobs.
When the news arrived, the Fifteenth Princess was far away in Zhuozhou. She only had one night to grieve. When she woke up the next day, she was the general's wife in the royal palace and Huan'er's mother. How could she spend her days in tears? There were many things she wanted to say, but no one could tell her.
For some reason, I poured out everything today. I thought he would be impatient, but he actually said a few things that were pleasing to the ear.
Because he doesn't usually say these things, they seem all the more convincing.
Lingyi cried herself to sleep in his arms. When she woke up the next day, it was almost noon, and her eyes were swollen like walnuts.
In this state, he really couldn't go out, and he was even more afraid that Huan'er would see him and press him for an explanation.
Just then, Qin Lie returned from outside and said to her, "I just discussed it with my second sister-in-law, and the departure date is set for ten days from now. It's fine to pack in a couple of days. Today I'm taking Huan'er and the others horseback riding, so we'll be back a little late. Princess, you don't need to wait for us to come back for dinner."
This arrangement resolved several of her concerns, and Lingyi gave a soft "hmm," not daring to look at him too closely.
I don't know why, but after crying in his arms last night, I felt even more embarrassed and uncomfortable when I woke up today than after making love.
Qin Lie never allowed her to escape. He walked over and looked carefully at her swollen eyes, then touched his chin and clicked his tongue twice. "Princess, your eyes are so long and narrow, they have a unique charm. After I leave, Princess, don't forget to soak two more sheep intestines..."
"Get out!" Lingyi couldn't help but pick up a soft pillow and throw it at him. He caught it casually, watched her try to open her eyes wide to show her anger, but was hindered by her swollen and half-closed eyes. He laughed and walked away amidst her angry gaze.
Lingyi watched him walk out the door before turning her gaze away. She sat on the bed for a moment, then couldn't help but burst out laughing. Her embarrassment and discomfort vanished instantly.
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Before leaving, Lingyi asked Qin Can to say goodbye to Aunt Liu, but unexpectedly, another incident occurred.
Qin Can suddenly went over and unintentionally stumbled upon Aunt Liu's affair with the stable boy.
Although it was called an affair, the two had been betrothed by their families since birth. However, due to poverty, they were sold together to the general's mansion. Later, the man went to work as a servant in the outer courtyard, while Aunt Liu, because of her good looks and cleverness, went to work in the madam's courtyard. The two gradually drifted apart, especially after Aunt Liu went with Qin Lie, and no one mentioned the matter again.
After Aunt Liu was sent to the estate, the coachman would come to see her whenever he had a spare moment. He didn't say much, and left after delivering the things.
Sometimes it was food, sometimes it was objects, but whatever it was, it was worlds apart from what she used to have in the Prince's manor. Although Qin Lie had someone send her to the estate, he had not neglected her needs, and even what she used now was vastly different from what she had now.
But for some reason, from initially looking down on them, Aunt Liu gradually began to value these things and even carefully treasured them.
It wasn't until the princess entered the palace that she realized Qin Lie could love, but he just didn't love her.
It's a pity that despite her beauty and intelligence, she was never loved, never received a sincere heart, and never even a shred of pity.
Looking back on the past twenty years, it was nothing but self-deception, absurdity, and laughable; she had long since given up hope.
The osmanthus cakes that had gone cold after being bought back from the state government, the cheap hairpins that still carried the warmth of a man's body, the cotton clothes that were not presentable in terms of workmanship and fabric... were like a gentle rain that slowly moistened the parched earth, allowing her to awaken in silent tenderness.
Before, I was chasing after unattainable, beautiful dreams, but today I realize that what I really wanted was just the simplest care and concern in the world, and a sincere heart.
Unfortunately, it was too late.
Although she had the intention, she dared not do anything out of line, and she was even less willing to implicate the coachman.
Therefore, she refused to see him again.
He didn't force her, after all, he wasn't good enough for her anyway. He was just afraid she would suffer, so he wanted to treat her as well as possible.
Every month on the fifteenth, the manor would come to the estate to collect goods. No one else wanted to come, but he volunteered, using the excuse of being from the same hometown and pretending to be her parents to deliver things. He was an ordinary-looking stable boy, known for his taciturnity and honesty. No one would associate him with Aunt Liu, which is why he could deliver things in this way without arousing suspicion.
She refused to see him, so he would just buy things, leave them at the gate of her yard, and leave. He did this for a whole year.
Until this night of the full moon, with lightning and thunder and torrential rain, Aunt Liu stood by the window, still thinking he wouldn't come.
But he still came, wearing only a straw hat and no raincoat. He carefully placed the things wrapped in oil paper at the entrance of the courtyard, glanced inside once more, and then, not daring to linger any longer, turned to leave.
Aunt Liu couldn't describe the impulse she felt at that time. Perhaps she just wanted to scold him awake and tell him not to be so foolish. For someone like her, not only would there be no future, but it wasn't worth it either!
But when she rushed into the rain, called out to him, and ran over to hug him tightly, she had to admit that she wanted more than just that.
He was stunned for a moment, then pushed her away and stammered, "Aunt Liu, this won't do!"
Her tears mingled with the rain as she smiled at him, "Brother Aniu, this is the only time there's no one around. Just this once, this one time, let me look at you properly, hug you, I can't do it again."
The coachman, whose face was usually expressionless, showed a look of sadness as he embraced her, calling out, "Willow Leaf, Willow Leaf!"
Yes, her name is Liu Ye'er. She has been called Aunt Liu for so long that she has almost forgotten her own name.
Aunt Liu held him tightly, holding the only person who remembered her name. Thunder rumbled, and at first she was afraid. Was it going to strike down the adulterous couple? But soon she was no longer afraid. So be it, dying together wouldn't be so bad!
It just won't work; it won't work whether you're alive or dead.
Because she is not just a woman, but also a mother, and she has Can'er!
If Can'er's mother is such a fickle and promiscuous person, how can the young master tolerate her?
She pushed the coachman away in fear, and just then, a flash of lightning illuminated Qin Can, who was standing dumbfounded to the side, staring at them in shock.
Although Qin Can was still young, she knew that women should obey the three obediences and four virtues and remain faithful to one man until death.
He couldn't accept it, he was in unbearable pain, and he wanted nothing more than to kill the coachman to vent his pent-up frustration! He couldn't face his mother either. Why? Why?!
What a heroic figure his father was! His mother was his concubine, how could she possibly have an affair with a stable boy?!
Aunt Liu gently wiped his hair. "There are many things I can't tell you, and you're destined never to understand. But Can'er, your mother will only tell you one thing: I can do anything for you and will never be an obstacle to you. I'm already deeply grateful that you came to see me before you went to the capital, so whatever happens in the future is my own fault and has nothing to do with anyone else. Madam is a good-natured woman; you should listen to her more in the future and pretend that I don't exist as your mother."
Qin Can was sensitive and gloomy from a young age, and he heard her call him Can'er instead of Second Young Master.
He immediately realized that Aunt Liu had developed a desire to die.
And all of this was for him.
Therefore, she was no longer as hesitant and timid as before. Even though the lady of the house didn't care, she would still try to hide whenever she saw him.
In public, she would refuse to even look at him, and wouldn't even make him a pair of shoes and socks.
He had always harbored resentment towards her, resenting that she was just a concubine and that her love was beneath him and could not be openly expressed.
Now, however, she is willing to risk her life for his future, so that he will have no more worries.
He knew this was the best outcome; otherwise, he feared that one day his misdeeds would be exposed, and he would be unacceptable to his father and the Qin family.
But just because it benefits him, does he think he can just stand by and watch her die?
Especially after he first clearly and intensely felt her love?
It was clearly her lack of virtue that led her to this predicament. No matter what her fate was, he should be at peace with himself!
His heart felt like it was being fried in oil, torn apart all the way back. When he returned, he walked into his courtyard with a sullen face.
But as he pushed open the door, he suddenly turned around, ran straight to Hanmoxuan, knelt before Lingyi, and touched the ground with his forehead, pleading, "Madam! Please! Please save my mother!"
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