Chapter 117: Precognitive Dream (Qin Lie)
◎The End. ◎
Whenever he became smug from being flattered, Qin Yinrong would pour cold water on him.
She said, “My elder brother is really mediocre. It’s one thing that he’s not as talented as my second brother in military strategy, but after becoming a prince, he’s not diligent enough and he’s not even proficient in classics and history. On the other hand, my third brother is younger, but he is intelligent and diligent. He is proficient in riding, archery, calligraphy, and all kinds of subjects, and the scholars of the Hanlin Academy who teach him all praise him highly.”
She added, “Although we are all Father’s children, and he doesn’t intentionally favor one over the other, what parents in this world can truly treat us equally? Not to mention that he is the Emperor. Father was often away on campaigns in recent years, and now he is busy with state affairs. He only tests our studies occasionally. But Huan’er and Jue’er are the Empress’s children. Father goes to the Empress’s palace every day, so he sees them from time to time. Naturally, he will be closer to them than to us. As the saying goes, a close neighbor is worse than a distant relative. It’s only natural that Father favors them, and it’s hard to avoid.”
Qin Shuo retorted defiantly, "Although Father dotes on Jue'er like the apple of his eye, he treats Huan'er no better, and is even stricter with him than with me!"
Qin Yinrong retorted bluntly, "His strictness stems precisely from Father's expectations of him! You only see how strict Father is when testing his studies, but have you ever seen how they get along in Kunning Palace? Think about it yourself, both of you are respectful before Father, but you and your second brother are afraid, while Huan'er is simply respectful. Even if Father treats you all equally, what about the imperial relatives? The Empress Dowager has favored him since childhood, and your second aunt has always been on good terms with the Empress. It's self-evident who the Prince Xian will support. And then there's Uncle Jing, who is practically Huan'er's half-master of riding and archery, not to mention Father's affection for the Empress. Brother, you have absolutely no chance!"
How could Qin Shuo not see these obvious things? But no man can resist the temptation of being the emperor, and with his status, how could he possibly back down without even trying?
“Our mother is also the Empress!” he said stubbornly. “Father has always respected her, which is why he treats our maternal family with such courtesy. My grandmother and aunt also support me. As the eldest son of the legitimate wife, I may not be without the strength to fight back!”
Qin Yinrong sighed, “Those people flatter and elevate you because they want something from you. If it weren’t for accompanying the Empress Dowager at the temporary palace, your aunt would have been banished to her fiefdom long ago. Her husband is even less favored than some of the princesses’ husbands, clearly indicating that Father has long since abandoned her. As for the Empress Dowager, she didn’t want to go to the temporary palace with Grandfather; it was the Empress Dowager who forced her to go. They have too little, so they have no choice but to gamble. You and they are like driftwood. But brother, we are of noble birth. Rather than fighting to the death and ending badly, it’s better to take a step back. This way, we can gain Father’s remorse. The Empress is kind-hearted, and Huan’er isn’t intolerant. Why not live happily ever after, enjoying a life of luxury, so that our children can also benefit from it?”
Their conversations often ended badly, and this time was no exception.
But at this moment, she was staring intently at herself, while others looked at her with scrutiny, assessment, expectation, and wariness.
Her gaze, however, was filled with unease and worry.
His mother died early, and his younger sister, who was born of the same mother, was the closest person to him in the world.
All along, she had been protecting him, standing up for him, and fighting for him in every way. But on this matter, she had been advising him to give up.
Qin Shuo knew he was not a clever person and could not fathom his father's intentions today.
But he knew better than anyone that Qin Yinrong was a hundred times smarter than him.
Even if the whole world abandons him, his sister will never harm him.
Thinking of this, he composed himself, rose, and knelt in the hall. “Father, although I am the elder brother, I am willing to share your burdens. However, my own abilities are limited, and I am truly unworthy of the responsibility of the Crown Prince. I am extremely ashamed! I only wish to do my best to assist Father and the Crown Prince in the future!”
Qin Lie finally looked at Huan'er: "Both of your brothers declined, so what do you have to say?"
Huan'er rose, knelt down in the hall, and though his face was still young, he said with neither arrogance nor servility, "If Father trusts me, I will certainly do my duty diligently day and night and live up to Father's expectations!"
Qin Shuo was stunned. He had thought that Qin Huan would also refuse, but he did not expect that at such a young age, he would say such a thing, with an air of "I am the only one who can do it", and he wanted to accept the position of crown prince.
He immediately regretted it and looked up to speak, but saw his father sitting above him, looking at Qin Huan kneeling beside him, with a relieved smile on his lips.
Even the Empress Dowager, the Emperor's uncle Prince Xian, and the Emperor's uncle Prince Jing had the same expression on their faces.
He suddenly realized something, then felt a chill, and stared blankly at Qin Yinrong again.
She was looking at him, smiling knowingly, and nodded at him.
.
After the banquet, back at Kunning Palace, once all the palace servants had left, Lingyi complained, "Such a major event as the selection of an heir, you didn't even inform me beforehand!"
Qin Lie said, "No one except the Empress Dowager has said anything. I just want to see what the children think."
Lingyi said, "In the end, the Emperor still doesn't trust me."
Qin Lie laughed as he pinned her down, biting her lip. "The empire I painstakingly built is now being returned to the Liu family. What more do you need to tell me I can trust you?"
When the clouds cleared and the rain stopped, Lingyi rested her head on his arm and asked, "If Shuo'er and Can'er wanted to be the crown prince today, what would Your Majesty say?"
Qin Lie said, "What else can we do? We should make them back down."
Lingyi asked curiously, "What if they refuse to back down?"
Qin Lie twirled a strand of her hair. "They're just not as clever as Huan'er, but they're not stupid. There's no reason for them not to back down."
Lingyi then asked, "If Huan'er were not as intelligent as Shuo'er, would the Emperor still have made him the Crown Prince?"
Qin Lie couldn't answer for a moment.
Huan'er wasn't his first child, but she was the first child he had ever felt move in the womb.
From initially hesitating about whether to keep him, to watching him grow little by little in his mother's womb, and then being born.
From a wrinkled monkey, he grew into a handsome young gentleman.
He carried him on horseback, held his hand and taught him to shoot his first arrow, and watched him copy his own calligraphy and paintings.
People say that men love their youngest children, and it turns out he was no exception.
After a moment of silence, he said helplessly, "There aren't that many 'what ifs' in this world."
Looking at Lingyi, he switched from defense to offense, "Why does the princess have so many questions today, and why is she unusually cheerful?" He narrowed his eyes and said in a deep voice, "So the Empress is only seemingly virtuous, but in reality, she has long harbored ambitions to seize the throne. Today, Huan'er showed no intention of refusing. You and your son are truly audacious!"
Lingyi was not intimidated by him at all; instead, she became even more self-righteous. "Huan'er is a prince and has exceptional talent. If he really has no intentions at all, I'm afraid you will have a lot to say."
He no longer mentions "giving up when faced with difficulties" at this moment.
Ultimately, it's still about favoritism.
Because he favored her two children, Lingyi naturally wouldn't expose him, but she still had worries in her heart. "The Crown Prince may seem to be second only to the emperor, but in reality, he is walking on thin ice. Huan'er is still young, so you should teach him patiently and not be too harsh on him."
Qin Lie said, "I have already thought this through. Once the imperial decree is issued, I will arrange the best tutor for him and assign the most capable officials to the Eastern Palace."
Lingyi frowned. "Then wouldn't he have to move to the East Palace immediately?"
Qin Lie said, "He should have gone to the Prince's residence at eight years old, but you've kept him by your side for two more years, only moving him there when he was ten. Now it's important, so you can't be reluctant to let him go." He paused, then added, "And you're absolutely not allowed to get Jue'er to come and beg me!"
Lingyi said softly, "Could it be that in His Majesty's heart, I am such a person who does not know what is important?"
Upon hearing her address him as "Your Majesty" and refer to herself as "your concubine," Qin Lie knew he had truly offended her.
But he was no longer the Qin general who not only lacked tact but also repeatedly added fuel to the fire, trying to prove himself superior to her.
After all these years together, he has discovered that the best way to deal with her is to exhaust her energy so that she has no strength left to argue with him.
So he pressed the person down onto the bed.
After an unknown amount of time, the bed curtains, which had been tugged and were about to fall, gently and silently drifted down to the floor.
The radiance of the jade toad finally shone through the crimson gauze window onto the two sleeping in each other's arms.
.
In the middle of the night, Qin Lie let out a soft cry and sat up abruptly.
Startled awake, Lingyi sat up and saw him sitting there with his head down, his chest heaving, breathing heavily, and his forehead covered in cold sweat. She asked worriedly, "What's wrong?"
He slowly raised his head and looked at her, but his gaze was cold and menacing, as if he didn't recognize her.
She was startled and instinctively took a step back, but he grabbed her shoulder and stopped her.
His eyes were bloodshot as he stared at her with a dark, brooding expression, a hint of madness in them.
"Princess, tell me, all these years, has it been a beautiful dream or a nightmare?"
Lingyi, puzzled, asked, "Did you have a nightmare?"
He didn't speak, but his hands unconsciously clenched, almost crushing her shoulder blades, causing Yi to cry out in pain, "Qin Lie! It hurts..."
He seemed to have just woken up from a dream, abruptly stopping and staring blankly at her, his gaze slid inch by inch across her face as if trying to identify something. After a long, long time, his expression softened slightly, and when he spoke, his voice was terribly hoarse, "...It's you."
Lingyi responded, "It's me." After a pause, she asked, "What's wrong with you?"
“I had a dream, a very long dream.” He seemed to be in a deep sleep, his reaction was obviously slow, his voice was hoarse, and he answered slowly, then added with a low sigh, “It was just a nightmare.”
But his description was so strange that Lingyi hesitated and asked, "What...did you dream about?"
"I dreamt about..." He only said three words before falling silent, and after a moment he said again, "Nothing."
But he didn't look like he was alright at all; his expression was sad and his face was pale.
Since he didn't want to talk about it, she didn't ask any more questions and said softly, "It's good that nothing's wrong. It's still early before dawn, and we don't have to go to court tomorrow, so we can sleep a little longer."
"Hmm." He still seemed confused, his speech and actions were slow, and he became unusually obedient, even lying back down obediently.
Although Lingyi was still puzzled, she was slightly relieved and lay down.
Before she could even touch the pillow, he pulled her close and held her tightly to his chest.
He held her so tightly that her right hand was pinned between them and unable to move.
The position was uncomfortable, so she tried to push him away, but before she could move, she felt the damp heat on his shoulder.
Although it seemed unbelievable, in an instant, she vaguely realized what it was.
She didn't try to push him away again, but gently stroked his back and hair with her remaining hand.
Qin Lie knew he had woken up from that nightmare.
Even though he was holding her, smelling her scent, and feeling her gentle touch, he felt as if he were still in that pungent, fragrant hall, feeling the chill of life slowly slipping away, while she, oblivious to his suffering, tormented him with each and every word.
No wonder Xie Yu asked him if he knew what his fate was in his previous life. So that's how it turned out. It can only be described as a "fate".
In his dreams, he watched helplessly as another version of himself made one wrong step after another.
only........
Whenever he was briefly detached, he would feel an urge to slap "him" awake and ask "him" a question with pity:
Why did it come to this? Why did it come to this?!
But he was helpless and powerless.
She wanted him to let go, but she knew even more clearly that he couldn't let go.
Therefore, he could only watch as "he" and the princess tormented each other.
One is deceiving himself, the other has a heart as withered as a dead tree.
Ultimately, it led to an outcome that seemed like a twist of fate, but was in fact inevitable.
He had lived in his dream for so long that, for a moment, he didn't even know for whom his uncontrollable tears were flowing.
Only by relying on the warmth and breath of her body in his arms did his soul slowly return to its place, and he felt only relief in his heart.
In his previous life, he realized his feelings for her too late; by the time he acknowledged them, too many people and events had already passed between them.
He seemed to be forcing things, but in reality, he was always cautious and dared not reveal his true feelings.
For nearly twenty years, he was reluctant to let her know that he had only ever loved her in his life.
Even the answer he most wanted to know, in the end, he didn't dare to ask her a single question.
Fortunately, in this life, he had those dreams in advance and realized them before the two of them reached an irreversible point.
I've also had many moments of sullen anger and sadness.
But so what?
Even though he was always simple, straightforward, passionate, and determined, she was still sensitive, thoughtful, and prone to anxiety.
Then he would go even further, so that she could no longer pretend to be stupid, run away, be on guard, or hesitate.
Even though he knew she sometimes blamed him for getting too close, he couldn't help it; he just couldn't learn to be tactful, and he didn't want to hold back.
He's alive and well here, his heart is burning with passion, and he's determined to force her to believe it, whether she likes it or not!
Even if she still harbors doubts in the end, it doesn't matter; they are the emperor and empress, and history will record it.
Qin Lie cannot live without Liu Lingyi; his love will never waver, as time will bear witness and the vast land will testify.
Although I'm relieved, I still can't help but feel uncomfortable right now.
Therefore, after his tears stopped and his emotions calmed down, he pretended to be nonchalant and let go of her.
But the next moment, I saw the streaks of tears on her face.
He was taken aback. "Why are you crying?"
Lingyi just shook her head and remained silent.
Perhaps it was because it was the first time she had seen Qin Lie shed tears—or rather, it was the first time she had seen him shed tears, though she could not say she had seen him shed tears. She could only feel her clothes on her shoulders gradually becoming soaked, and despite her efforts to control herself, her body was still trembling slightly. She could also feel his disordered, hot breath on her ears and neck.
Why is he so sad?
She was lost in thought when, in that moment of reverie, tears involuntarily streamed down her face.
Faced with his probing gaze, she looked away and complained, trying to hide her discomfort: "It's all because you're pressing down on my hand and it hurts!"
"It's my fault." He took her right hand, kissed it, and then held it in his palm, refusing to let go.
She couldn't help but ask, "What did you dream about?"
He paused for a moment before saying, "I'm afraid the princess will be disgusted if I tell her."
Lingyi was unusually domineering, "Then you have to say it first, and then I'll decide whether or not I'm dissatisfied."
Qin Lie smiled and smoothed a strand of hair from her temple. "I dreamt that in order to ascend the throne, I killed my second brother, forced my second sister-in-law to her death, and caused my grandmother to fall seriously ill and pass away. In the end, Shuo'er and Can'er also couldn't escape the infighting between brothers and killed each other."
It was indeed a terrible nightmare; no wonder he was crying. Lingyi blinked and asked, "Where are Huan'er and Jue'er?"
Qin Lie stopped what he was doing. "Huan'er is fine; he's become emperor. As for Jue'er..."
He paused for a moment, then lowered his voice, saying softly, "He never even came into this world."
He stared at her and said, word by word, "Because shortly after Huan'er was born, I killed you with my own hands."
He was clearly talking about a dream, but his gaze was so sorrowful, as if it carried endless grief and boundless loneliness.
She had intended to scold him, but seeing him looking at her like that, she couldn't bear it anymore. She leaned over and hugged his waist. "It was just a nightmare. Huan'er, Jue'er, Second Brother, Grandmother...aren't we all alright?"
"Mmm." He pulled her closer and whispered in her ear, "Princess, thank you."
His tone was so solemn that Lingyi couldn't help but wonder, "Why are you thanking me for something all of a sudden?"
Qin Lie said, "Thank you for being by my side all this time. It was through your help that I was able to escape from this nightmare."
Without her, his second sister-in-law would still have no children. Even if he had a smoother path to the throne, he would likely have ended up in a life-or-death struggle with his second brother.
Lingyi thought he was referring to tonight, and said gently, "His Majesty is probably too tired. Tomorrow, let the imperial physician come and take his pulse. He should drink some calming soup and should not have such strange and pointless dreams anymore."
"Alright," he replied softly, "I'll leave everything to the princess's arrangements."
.
A month later, Qin Lie received a message from Zhou Chuanyang, a trusted eunuch of the former crown prince.
In his previous life, Zhou Chuanyang went to find Qin Xu, becoming the key to sowing discord between him and the princess. In this life, he was found and hidden away by the reborn Xie Yu.
Qin Lie certainly wouldn't let him live.
Even the thought of Xie Yu holding this person in his hand when he met the princess that day sent a chill down Qin Lie's spine.
Fortunately, Xie Yu was always hesitant and indecisive. Perhaps because of a past relationship, he did not tell the princess, which gave Qin Lie the opportunity to kill her to silence her.
Qin Lie originally thought that what he saw was a secret letter about Zhou Chuanyang's death and the destruction of his letters.
Upon seeing Zhou Chuanyang's whereabouts, she felt a pang of unease and had no choice but to leave the palace.
.
In his previous life, Qin Lie only met the Fifteenth Princess once. At that time, she was disguised and came to see the princess who had vomited blood and fallen into a coma.
In the end, he was given a false but sweet period of time.
In this lifetime, they have never met.
He still didn't like her, and even when he had his first dream about her, he thought about killing her.
The reason I didn't take action was that, although I was still stubborn at that time, I had begun to feel a lot of reluctance.
Over the years, he still harbored lingering fears and had always sent people to monitor the Fifteenth Princess.
Just like in her previous life, she continued to travel around practicing medicine, and remained as hard-hearted as ever towards Qin Hong.
However, there are also many differences.
In this life, she no longer had a fixed abode and wandered from place to place. Every year, she would come to the capital to stay for two or three months to reunite with the princess.
She was no longer as impoverished as she had been in her previous life. Besides the profits from the shops owned by the princess and the virtuous princess, the princess had become empress, and wherever she went, local officials would arrange for her to be received. No matter how much she helped the sick, she would no longer have to endure hardship and uncertainty.
Qin Hong could have done these things himself, but while the Fifteenth Princess could accept her sister's kindness with a clear conscience, she insisted on refusing Qin Hong's care.
In addition to that, there's her identity.
In her previous life, she hid her identity very well.
In this life, many people already know that she is a woman, and she also has a mute girl by her side to take care of her daily.
No one looked down on her because of this; on the contrary, they admired and respected her even more.
Qin Lie originally thought that he would never have the chance to meet her in his life, but unexpectedly, he had no choice but to see her under these circumstances.
The fifteenth princess was fiddling with the ashes in the basin when she heard the door open and turned around.
The newcomer was dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit. He was tall and handsome, and just by standing there, he exuded an aura of authority without anger.
Although they had never met, she immediately guessed the identity of this uninvited guest, "Qin Lie?"
Qin Lie withdrew his gaze from Zhou Chuanyang on the ground and looked at her with a complicated expression. "It's me."
“You’ve come at the perfect time; let’s take care of this,” said the Fifteenth Princess.
Qin Lie paused for a moment, then asked, "What did he say to you?"
The fifteenth princess said frankly, "I've said everything I needed to say. There's still one letter, but I'm too lazy to read it, so I just burned it."
Her actions were so unexpected that Qin Lie was at a loss for words for a moment. After a long while, he whispered his thanks.
The fifteenth princess said, "You don't need to thank me. I only have this one sister. I did all this just so that she can live a happy and fulfilling life."
“Of course she will,” Qin Lie said.
The fifteenth princess lowered her eyes to look at Zhou Chuanyang, who seemed to be fast asleep, and sighed softly: "He is a loyal servant, but unfortunately he followed the wrong person and could not see through the situation."
Qin Lie said, "I will send people to find his relatives and ensure their wealth and prosperity for thirty years."
The fifteenth princess smiled slightly. A wise person never needs to beat around the bush when speaking.
Lingyi will never know the truth of what happened back then, or the arrangements made today.
Before taking his leave, Qin Lie suddenly thought of something: "The divine physician should not go to Yunzhou lightly without being fully prepared."
"Why?" The Fifteenth Princess narrowed her eyes. Before Zhou Chuanyang arrived, she was thinking about going to Yunzhou next year and hadn't had time to tell anyone yet.
Qin Lie said, "I only have this one wife. Everything I do is for her to be happy and content."
Her words weren't exactly polite, but Qin Lie wasn't offended. He simply said, "That divine doctor needs to live well to see if such a day will come."
.
In the ninth year of the Tiansheng era, Huan'er got married to the daughter of a fifth-rank official.
In August of the same year, Tong'er was betrothed to the newly appointed third-ranked scholar.
The marriage was arranged at the banquet in gratitude. Lingyi noticed a hint of melancholy on Huan'er's face. After the banquet, she asked him, "Since you have feelings for her, why did you insist on arranging the marriage between you two when I wanted to?"
Previously, Huan'er and Qin Hong led troops to conquer the Liang family army in the Northwest. Tong'er was worried about her, so she secretly left the palace, disguised herself as a man, and stayed in the military camp to take care of Huan'er. Lingyi thought that the two had already fallen in love and wanted to grant them a marriage, but Huan'er refused, saying that he and Tong'er were innocent and had always treated each other with respect.
Lingyi thought he truly had no feelings for Tong'er, but today she realized that wasn't the case.
Huan'er said frankly, "Because I like her, but not enough. Mother, although I have seen you and Father loving each other since I was a child and have longed for it, I know that I will not have only one woman in the future. Sister Tong is too deeply in love with me. Making her empress will only cause more heartache in the future. I really can't bear it. It would be better to let her go to find her own happiness."
Lingyi was stunned by his words and stood there for a moment, a thousand emotions surging in her mind.
After returning home, she told Qin Lie what he had said verbatim: "I thought Huan'er was wonderful in every way, but I never imagined he would be such a heartless and ungrateful person."
Qin Lie disagreed, saying, "It's natural for a man to have three wives and four concubines. As the future emperor, he naturally needs a large harem to ensure the continuation of his lineage, which is a sign of a prosperous nation. Tong'er's ability to disguise herself as a man and infiltrate the military camp shows her strong and resolute character. Such a woman is not fit to be empress. Huan'er's ability to see through this shows her extreme self-control and clarity. You really don't need to worry too much."
Lingyi frowned. "In your hearts, Tong'er's feelings for Huan'er have become a sin?"
Qin Lie said, "Women should naturally be affectionate towards men, but in addition to affection, they should also demand wealth, honor, status, and glory for their maternal family—things that men can provide. If a woman is too deeply in love and only seeks the same return, she is prone to going astray and harming herself and others."
This is what men are like: arrogant enough to want a woman's love, yet they also want a woman to know her limits so as not to hinder their pursuit of pleasure and their flirtations.
Ling Yi was furious and wanted to kick Qin Lie out.
Qin Lie felt wronged, "They're talking about Huan'er, not me. Heaven and earth can bear witness to how I've treated the princess. Why is the princess taking her anger out on me?"
Lingyi said, "I'm going to take my anger out on you, what are you going to do about it?"
Qin Lie had no choice but to put on his dragon robe and belt again. However, as he sat on the edge of the bed putting on his boots, he suddenly hissed. Although the sound was soft, Lingyi heard it clearly. She quickly came over and unbuttoned his clothes, asking worriedly, "Did you aggravate your wound?"
Qin Lie returned victorious from his campaign against Yunzhou in March of this year. Although he pacified Yunzhou in one fell swoop, Yunzhou was hot and humid and filled with miasma. He returned with injuries and illnesses and it took him half a year to recover. How could Lingyi not be worried?
Qin Lie lowered his eyes and watched her anxiously examine every wound on his body, her face pale. His heart felt like it was soaking in warm water, and he felt an indescribable warmth and comfort throughout his body. He only wanted to enjoy this moment a little longer, but he couldn't bear to see her worry and anxiety, so he said, "It's just a muscle strain, it's nothing."
Lingyi never mentioned kicking him out again, and even helped him lie back down on the bed.
He stretched out his arm, and she obediently lay back in his arms.
Qin Lie suppressed a smile, feeling that perhaps all the hardships of his life were for this moment of tranquility and warmth.
An idea then arose spontaneously.
"I wish to abdicate the throne to Huan'er. Would the princess be willing to accompany me on a private journey away from the capital?"
Lingyi looked up at him, her eyes filled with shock, "Why did Your Majesty suddenly make this decision?"
This was indeed the first time Qin Lie had this idea, but he didn't need to deliberately look for a reason.
He wholeheartedly supported Huan'er, sending him a capable minister to the Eastern Palace, and also allowing Huan'er to personally lead troops to achieve great military exploits.
As the power of the Crown Prince's palace grows, some court officials will inevitably try to curry favor with him, which will inevitably lead to conflicts and contradictions with the imperial power.
Now, there are already signs of this emerging in the imperial court.
Even with Qin Lie's strong hand, the only way to curb this trend was to reduce the power of the Eastern Palace, which would contradict his intention to make Huan'er the crown prince.
Two tigers cannot share one mountain, nor can two rulers be tolerated in one dynasty.
The princess said that the position of crown prince is like walking on thin ice, which is the meaning of this.
If you don't do well, it's because you're not worthy of your position.
If you don't do well, the emperor will be even more wary of you.
Besides, he laughed and said, "If you think about it, in these forty-one years, I've only had a little over ten years of truly happy days. Since my elder brother's death, I first raised the Qin family army, and then fought in the south and north for several years. After ascending the throne, although I wouldn't dare say I worked day and night, I never missed a single day of court for personal reasons. I can be considered a diligent ruler. Because of this, I've wronged the princess, as we've had little time together before, and now we're both stuck in this small place. Now that we still have a lot of enthusiasm, why don't we go and enjoy ourselves and experience the pleasures of an ordinary wealthy man? What does the princess think?"
Lingyi was tempted, but had many concerns, "But Huan'er is still so young..."
Qin Lie said, “The court is now politically efficient and the people live in peace and prosperity. Even if we leave, there is still my second brother and many capable officials. Besides, we are just making an incognito visit, not abandoning our duties. As the saying goes, seeing is believing, hearing is deceiving. Rather than listening to those officials sing praises, it is better to personally visit the people and see what kind of life they are living and what bad policies the court has.”
Lingyi was still worried, "But the Crown Princess is newly pregnant..."
Qin Lie raised an eyebrow. "There are people in the palace who take good care of you. Do you think you can have a child for her?"
These words were truly inappropriate. Before Lingyi could even scold him, Qin Lie sighed deeply, "Thinking about it carefully, I was too selfish. But when I was in Yunzhou, I was on the verge of death, and now I'm plagued by a hidden illness. I just want to pass away before I die..."
Before he could finish speaking, Lingyi covered his mouth with her hand. Lingyi looked at him angrily, but her eyes were full of tenderness. "I will agree to your request. You are not allowed to talk nonsense again!"
Qin Lie was overjoyed, but after she withdrew her hand, he pretended to be innocent, showing a very worried and self-reproachful expression.
"The Crown Princess is pregnant..."
"There are dedicated people in the palace to take care of me, and my grandmother is also here, so I don't have to worry too much."
"Huan'er is still too young..."
"When you personally led the expedition, he did an excellent job as regent, and with your second brother assisting him, there is really no need to worry."
Qin Lie pulled the person into his arms, a big smile spreading across his face, though his voice still carried a hint of pitifulness.
"The princess still cares about me the most..."
Lingyi, unsuspecting, continued to comfort him: "The imperial physician said that your hidden ailment will heal with careful recuperation. If you are still worried, we will send the divine physician to the palace to take a look. Whatever it is, with him there, he will surely be able to bring you back to health."
.
The following spring, when the flowers were in full bloom, Qin Lie abdicated in favor of Huan'er and embarked on a journey to Jiangnan with Lingyi.
Before leaving, Huan'er privately asked Lingyi, "Father drank too much yesterday and boasted to me that Mother chose him this time and not me. He said it several times. Does Mother know what he meant?"
Lingyi looked at Qin Lie, who was beaming with pride, and thought to herself that this man was really narrow-minded. She couldn't believe he still remembered what he said years ago. She wanted to say something sarcastic to him, but then she felt that he had also gone through a lot, so she softened and took his hand and said, "From now on, it will only be you and me on this journey, and no one else."
Qin Lie was touched and was about to say something when he saw someone lift the carriage curtain and crawl in.
Lingyi exclaimed in surprise, "Jue'er!"
Dressed in men's clothing, Jue'er squeezed between the two and sat down, saying bluntly, "You think you can just abandon me and run away? Absolutely not!"
Qin Lie did indeed love this daughter the most, but that didn't stop him from finding her extremely annoying. So he ordered the coachman to turn the carriage around and take her back to the palace.
But Jue'er was just pretending to cry. Just now, the princess who had said that there were only the two of them had changed her mind and wanted to take Jue'er with her on the journey.
Qin Lie's face was dark and gloomy, which Jue'er could easily see. She quickly took his arm and smiled ingratiatingly, "Father, Jue'er really can't bear to part with you. I want to see with you the vast land that you have conquered with your own hands and managed with all your heart and soul!"
Faced with his most beloved youngest daughter and the unfaithful, broken-promise princess, what could Qin Lie say? He could only swallow his anger and take her with him.
Although it was supposed to be a sightseeing trip, Qin Lie did not slack off.
He has been to tea plantations, to paddy fields, to rural women, and to wealthy merchants.
Villages and prefectural capitals were all included, leaving no place untouched.
The people are indeed living in peace and contentment, and the officials are doing their duties faithfully.
Nevertheless, Qin Lie still spent several nights drafting reform proposals, revising and editing them many times along the way before sending them to the capital.
They finally arrived in Jiangnan, where the Fifteenth Princess was practicing medicine. Lingyi then asked Qin Lie to come and take her pulse.
After Qin Lie decided to abdicate last year, the Fifteenth Princess went to the palace to examine Qin Lie's pulse. At this time, facing the worried faces of Ling Yi and Qin Hong, she remained indifferent and gave the same diagnosis: "Years of fighting have caused him to suffer from hidden illnesses. He needs to take good care of himself and have an open mind in order to live a long life."
Qin Lie smiled slightly: "Thank you, divine doctor."
The bustling beauty of Jiangnan was captivating, and with Qin Hong here, Jue'er decided to stay and enjoy herself for a while longer.
Qin Lie led Ling Yi southwards, enjoying delicious food and beautiful scenery along the way. They traveled very slowly, often staying for ten days or more at a time.
It took more than half a year to finally reach Zhuozhou.
There was a temple in Zhuozhou that was always crowded with people. When Lingyi got closer, she realized that it was the Song family ancestral hall.
After General Song became emperor, he set fire to the palace and died. However, the Song family had guarded Zhuozhou for decades and had long been regarded as gods by the locals. Even the imperial court never demolished their ancestral hall, nor did it prevent the locals from coming to worship.
Lingyi walked to the stone tablet and looked at each one until she stopped at the last name in the inscription.
Qin Lie was already reluctant to enter the Song family ancestral hall, and now seeing her standing there silently staring at Song Pingkou's name for a long time, his old jealousy surged up. He pulled her away, saying, "What's the point of looking at the names of these dead people?"
Lingyi slowly said, "When I left the palace, my sister-in-law had not yet given birth. I never imagined that in the end she and Emperor Chengtai would be buried together with these Song family members whom I had never met. It is truly heartbreaking."
Years ago, a great fire turned everyone into charred remains buried under the ruins. The people couldn't tell them apart, so they simply buried all the ashes of the main hall in the Song family's ancestral tomb.
Perhaps they also have a share of incense offerings in this Song family ancestral hall.
After leaving the Song family ancestral hall, the two went to the tomb of the Sixteenth Princess.
The calligraphy on the tombstone was elegant and the inscription was heartfelt. Ling Yi read it without expression and said to Qin Lie, "Find someone to change the inscription. My sister is just my sister, not some Madam Xie."
With such a generous reward, the old tombstone was replaced with a new one within a few days. The craftsman then asked, "What are you going to do with the old tombstone?"
Lingyi asked, "How do you usually handle these situations?"
The craftsman was quite honest. "We only make tombstones and rarely change them. They should have been smashed and thrown away. But this tombstone is made of excellent materials and is very thick. If we polish off the top layer, we can resell it for a good price."
Once a person has passed away, even the most valuable possessions left behind are useless. What difference does it make whether you smash them or resell them?
Lingyi gave a mocking smile, did not stop them, and let them take her away to be polished.
After the craftsman left, Lingyi burned the rubbing of the painting for the Sixteenth Princess.
Qin Lie asked, "Since you don't want her to be a member of the Xie family, why did you burn Xie Yu's painting for her?"
Lingyi said, "I just want her to know that her feelings are not without a place to rest. This only concerns herself and not others."
After returning from Zhuozhou, the two stayed in the capital for three months before setting off again, this time choosing to head north.
In Jizhou, he met Qin Can, who was stationed at the border. His eyes were firm and his posture was upright, making him a completely different person from the prince in the capital who often showed a gloomy expression.
Upon seeing Qin Lie, he immediately bowed and knelt down, "Father!"
Qin Lie said, "At this moment, I am merely a military supplies merchant, so there's no need for such formalities."
Led by Qin Can, Qin Lie went to the Jizhou military camp and inspected the border fortifications once again.
That night, Qin Lie and his son Qin Can drank heavily together, a rare occurrence. When they woke up the next day, the sun was already high in the sky.
Qin Lie sat on the edge of the bed, drinking the hangover tea that the princess handed him, and said with satisfaction, "I never thought that Can'er would have the same spirit as I did back then."
Lingyi laughed at him: "Praise the child if you want, but you have to praise yourself as well."
Qin Lie frowned deeply and said in a solemn tone, "I need to write a letter to remind Huan'er to be careful not to let Can'er become like the Qin family of the past, turning the Jizhou army into a private army."
Lingyi stopped smiling. "You suspect Can'er?"
Qin Lie said, "He doesn't have the guts, and Huan'er can keep him in check. But if we don't take precautions soon, who can guarantee that his descendants won't rebel?"
Lingyi remained silent for a moment, then sighed softly, "The most ruthless are those in the imperial family. Is the imperial bloodline a blessing or a curse from heaven?"
Her words were filled with desolation, and Qin Lie quickly smiled and coaxed, "I was just worrying unnecessarily. Huan'er has her own plans and arrangements. Even if something happens, we'll already be buried in the earth by then. It's my fault for being too cautious and disturbing the princess's travel plans."
Lingyi didn't take these things to heart. She had read so many historical records and, as a princess, had personally experienced the changing of dynasties.
The land, though divided for a long time, will unite; though united for a long time, it will divide again. The landscape remains unchanged, but dynasties rise and fall continuously.
They all started out magnificent and powerful, then declined and were replaced by another dynasty.
She couldn't even say these things to Qin Lie, and even if he could listen, it wouldn't matter.
She could only keep it to herself, thinking that Qin Lie's words made sense.
By then, she will be long gone, her remains buried somewhere. Why bother yourself with troubles now?
.
Several years ago, the Xiongnu on the grasslands were shattered by Qin Lie. Now, after years of management and governance by the imperial court, the grasslands are divided into two forces.
One group continued their nomadic hunting lifestyle, occasionally harassing the borders, while another group advocated peace and promoted trade with the Central Plains to exchange goods.
Now the peace faction is in power, and their tribal market is located more than 30 miles outside the border, which is quite lively.
The people of the grasslands are very different from those of the people of the Central Plains. They are mostly dark-skinned, with deep-set features, speak a difficult Central Plains dialect, and are straightforward, enthusiastic and unrestrained.
Lingyi bought a lot of things during the day, and at night she drank wine around the campfire, ate roasted lamb leg, and was even pulled into a dance by several merchant women.
Back in the tent, her face was still flushed, and her eyes were moist.
Qin Lie was no longer a naive young man, but he was still thirsty from watching. He pulled the man into his arms and kissed him thoroughly for a while, but finally forced himself to stop, panting.
Lingyi looked at him with a puzzled expression, her eyes filled with tears.
Qin Lie chuckled and pinched her cheek. "Princess, please bear with it. We'll be going horseback riding on the grasslands later. I'm afraid you won't be able to handle it."
Lingyi angrily pushed his hand away, "Why should I tolerate this?!"
"Alright, alright, it's my fault for speaking out of turn. I'll hold back." Qin Lie pleaded, suppressing a laugh.
The moon over the grassland is unusually large, as if it could capture one's soul.
Lingyi rode her horse toward the moon. At first, she felt exhilarated, but the more she rode, the more frightened she became, so she quickly reined in her horse and stopped.
Thankfully, Qin Lie was still by her side. She breathed a sigh of relief and said with lingering fear, "I'm not riding anymore."
Qin Lie then had her sit in front of his horse, and slowly turned the horse around to head back.
Lingyi said, "It's your fault. Why did you have to come riding at night? It's really creepy."
Qin Lie said, "It is indeed my fault. I only wanted to bring you to see the scenery that I remember so well, but I didn't expect to frighten the princess."
Hearing him say that, Lingyi softened and didn't say anything more. After a pause, she asked, "Why have you always referred to yourself as 'this humble general' in recent years?"
Qin Lie had been in his dream for too long, and it was inevitable that he couldn't change his mind immediately. He simply said, "If the princess doesn't like it, I won't say it again."
Lingyi said, "It's not a matter of liking or disliking, it's just that when I hear you refer to yourself as 'this humble general,' it always reminds me of when we first got married."
Qin Lie unconsciously tightened his arms and slowly asked, "Did I hurt you deeply back then?"
After a moment of careful recollection, he said, "So much time has passed that I can't remember many things clearly. But I still vaguely remember that I was afraid to see you back then, and I was also afraid that you would really abandon me. I was always uneasy."
Qin Lie remained silent for a long time, only holding the person in his arms even tighter.
The grassland stretches out to the horizon, bathed in moonlight, empty and silent, with only darkness at the end of the field of vision.
It is a landscape completely different from that of the Central Plains.
Because he was behind her, Lingyi wasn't afraid. She felt relaxed and refreshed. "Could we stay here a little longer and leave when it gets colder?"
"good."
Lingyi then asked, "What's next? Where are we going next?"
Qin Lie slowly said, "I've heard that there's a village in Huangzhou that's bright and clean, and very elegantly decorated. Would the princess like to go and take a look?"
Lingyi laughed at him, "If you really have nowhere to go, then go back to the capital to see your children. What's so special about a village house, even if it's bright and clean?"
Qin Lie then said, "It's fine if we don't go."
Lingyi thought for a moment and then said, "Anyway, it's on the way, so there's no harm in taking a look."
Qin Lie then said, "Then let's go."
Lingyi lost her temper. "Why do you agree to whatever I say?"
Qin Lie laughed: "You are the princess, and I am the prince consort. This humble general will naturally obey only in the princess's name..."
The two chatted about trivial things and walked forward at a leisurely pace.
But no one felt bored, and no one cared where the road ahead lay or when they would arrive.
The moon is bright and the stars are few; the grass lies prostrate on the ground.
All was silent except for whispers.
[Author's Note]
The extra chapters are finished.
I initially thought it would be at most 50,000 to 60,000 words, but as I wrote and posted simultaneously, I definitely exceeded the limit!
When writing the main text, I had a strong urge to express myself. When writing the side stories, I already knew the ending, so I didn't have the same burst of urge to express myself as when writing the main text, and I wasn't thinking about the plot every day.
I originally wanted to write a side story about Qin Hong's rebirth before Qin Lie got married, and I've already written 6,000 words, so I won't post it for now. I'll release it randomly when I finish writing it later.
Thank you all for your continued support. This is not a mainstream story, and the characters are not particularly likable. I originally thought I would finish writing it quietly, but I didn't expect so many people to read it. I am truly grateful.
The author also needs to take a break to read novels, watch dramas, and play games. See you all again someday! Hope to meet again in new stories in the future.
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