Chapter 66, Joyful Scenery.
Although it was the dead of winter before the New Year, the weather had already warmed up and the ice and snow began to melt.
Qin Lie finally had a few days of free time, so he took Lingyi to a country estate in the suburbs to soak in the hot springs.
Along the way, they encountered refugees returning to their homeland one after another. At first, they frequently looked in their direction, but soon after, many people began to kneel and worship them.
Qin Lie said, "The porridge stalls and carriages all bear the mark of the Prince Duan's Mansion. They recognized it and knelt down to thank you."
Lingyi did those things only to put her mind at ease, never expecting anyone's gratitude, and hurriedly urged the carriage to go faster.
She finally breathed a sigh of relief when she reached a place where there were no disaster victims, but when she turned around, she saw Qin Lie's deep and burning gaze.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked.
He took her hand and said solemnly, "It is the greatest fortune of my life that I have been able to marry the princess."
The good fortune wasn't just this one time, but also her kindness towards his children.
Having been raised in the deep palace, the princess knew best that children wanted more than just a life of comfort and ease. She would select the items bestowed upon them by the palace and send them to their respective courtyards; she would generously reward their teachers and tutors for Qin Shuo and Qin Can's progress in their studies and martial arts; and she would send Qin Yinrong the most fashionable jewelry and clothes, without neglecting even rouge and face powder.
And since the children are growing up, they will inevitably have social obligations. She specially put a sum of money in the public fund so that the three of them would not be short of money when they want to hold a banquet or give gifts. They can withdraw the money as long as they have a legitimate reason.
And each time, it was done in Qin Lie's name.
Qin Lie had high hopes for his sons, and whenever he had free time, he would test them in their studies.
He indulged his daughter greatly, hoping that she could live comfortably at home before getting married.
However, there were also many oversights. After all, he went to the border when he was a teenager and never had to worry about money except for his military pay.
They had no idea that people in Beijing were used to fawning over the powerful and belittling the weak, and that socializing and entertaining them was a considerable expense.
The children both respected and feared him, and no one dared to say a word against him.
Although Lingyi never thought of taking credit, her three children weren't stupid.
Even if I wasn't particularly close to her, I did have a genuine respect for her.
After all, who doesn't like an elder who doesn't cause trouble and just gives money? Even Qin Yinrong is no exception, and her attitude has softened.
Although Qin Lie had never held out hope, he was still somewhat pleased to see that they got along well; otherwise, why would he have brought the child along this time?
But once they were in the carriage, he still reminded her, "Don't worry too much about them."
When Lingyi was in the palace, she had seen so many concubines and princesses, each with their own methods of managing their subordinates. Moreover, she had seen many of the various rewards and banquets in the palace, and she naturally understood them well. These three children were nothing to her. So she said, "It's just a matter of borrowing flowers to present to Buddha. It won't take much effort."
Qin Lie said meaningfully, "If you borrow flowers, you have to return them."
On the carriage, he wanted her to return it first.
He had been working tirelessly day and night to get to the estate, sleeping only one or two hours a day. He finally finished his official duties yesterday. It had been a long time since he had been intimate with her. Now that her soft and fragrant body was beside him, he didn't want to hold back, nor did he need to.
But because she refused, he had no choice but to endure it for a day in the carriage until he entered the manor at night. At this point, he no longer needed to endure it, but then bad news came down from the sky—the princess suddenly had her period.
Lingyi was even more distressed, knowing she would definitely not be able to soak in the hot spring now.
While in the palace, her menstrual cycle was very regular. After losing her memory, not only did her period come early or late, but she also suffered unbearable abdominal pain each time. Fortunately, her maid was meticulous and had brought her usual medicine. Qin Lie fed her the medicine and lit a heater to warm her stomach. Once she finally fell asleep, he put the now-cooled heater aside, got up, and went alone to the spring. He recalled the scene in the spring of Jizhou, calculated the days, and realized that by the time they returned, the princess wouldn't be completely recovered. A rekindled romance was impossible, and he couldn't help but sigh deeply.
For the next two days, Lingyi stayed in bed almost all the time. Qin Lie would take several children horseback riding during the day and come back early to watch over her, brew medicine to warm her stomach, and tell her about the interesting things that happened during the day.
Up to this point, Lingyi was still very obedient and drank her medicine as she asked. But on the third night, once her pain subsided, she became spoiled and started complaining that the medicine was bitter.
Qin Lie would usually coax her. The medicine prescribed by the imperial physician was five doses a month, to be taken during her menstrual period, and she couldn't miss a single day.
This time, however, he didn't press the issue, only asking, "Are you really not in pain anymore?"
Lingyi nodded quickly: "It doesn't hurt anymore."
Qin Lie smiled, put down the bowl, and sensed something was amiss. Ling Yi had a vague feeling of danger.
Sure enough, as soon as he put down the bowl, he turned around and his gaze became extremely deep. How could Lingyi not recognize him? She subconsciously moved to the side, but he pressed her down into the quilt.
He gripped her wrist, pinning her to the bed as if he were nailing her there. His determination in his eyes was so obvious that Lingyi had to remind him, "I'm not available today!"
Qin Lie's rough fingers caressed her rosy lips, his voice low and husky: "There's always a convenient place."
Lingyi immediately realized that the teaching nanny had taught her something he had been pestering her to do, something she had always refused to do.
She was naturally still unwilling.
Qin Lie coaxed her, "Princess, you've just forgotten. Actually, you used to love eating..."
Lingyi didn't believe a word he said and quickly interrupted him: "No way, I think it's dirty."
Qin Lie chuckled: "How could that be? I washed it clean. If the princess doesn't believe me, she can wash it for me again herself."
He pulled her hand to hold it, but Lingyi reacted as if she were on fire, immediately pulling her hand away and pushing against his chest.
Qin Lie grabbed both of her wrists with one hand and pressed them against the bed above her head again, his voice soft and gentle, "How can the princess be so ungrateful? I have eaten the princess's food more than a hundred times, why is the princess unwilling to grant me this one time?"
Lingyi's cheeks burned and her whole body turned red from his words. Although what he said was true, it was always him who insisted, and even her pleas for mercy were useless. Now, not only was she being turned on, but she was also being pleaded in a hoarse voice: "Your Majesty, I really can't bear it anymore. Your Highness feels sorry for the disaster victims and the children, why can't you feel sorry for me?"
Lingyi felt that she had been bewitched. Even though she knew he was pretending to be pitiful, she was still pestered by him and eventually gave in to his wishes.
After a long while, Qin Lie came to his senses and realized that he had lost control at the last moment. He released his hand from behind her head and, sure enough, saw her face, which was flushed red, her eyes, and the white discharge from the corner of her mouth.
He quickly brought her a teacup to rinse her mouth, apologizing repeatedly.
No matter how he tried to coax her, Lingyi rinsed her mouth and lay back on the bed, turning her back to him and refusing to say a word.
She was genuinely angry, so Qin Lie didn't dare get too close and could only lie down on his side next to her.
After a while, hearing her calm and even breathing, he felt a little relieved and finally drifted off to sleep.
When Lingyi woke him up, he was covered in cold sweat. Lingyi looked at him with concern, "Did you have a nightmare?"
It was another nightmare, just as expected. Qin Lie asked worriedly, "Did it scare you?"
Lingyi shook her head. "I only heard you whisper 'Don't go,' and then you struggled and gasped for breath. What did you dream about?"
"I dreamt about you," Qin Lie said slowly, panting. "I dreamt that you wanted to leave, and I couldn't stop you no matter what I did."
The shock from his dream hadn't subsided when he pulled her into his arms. "I swear, I'll never make you angry again, never force you to do things you don't like, and please don't leave me again, okay?"
His arms were wrapped tightly around Lingyi's neck, causing her pain. Yet, he was covered in sweat, looking disheveled and sorrowful, pleading like this. Lingyi didn't say much, but simply held his strong waist affectionately. "What kind of strange dream are you having? Why should I leave? And where can I go?"
Qin Lie asked, "...Are you really not angry anymore?"
"I was a little angry just now, but I felt better quickly, otherwise how could I have fallen asleep?" She answered truthfully, then said with distress, "What should I do? I can never get angry with you. Actually, I was a little angry when you wouldn't let me leave the manor. I was also a little angry when you wouldn't let me get off the carriage during the porridge distribution. I was even angrier when you said you would take me hunting and riding, but you broke your promise because of official business. —There are so many things I'm angry about, but..." She looked at him, her eyes bright and gentle, "I feel happy as soon as I see you, especially now that I also feel sorry for you, so I can't bear to be angry with you."
He spoke with difficulty, even stammering, "What...what are you worried about me for?"
My heart aches for his inexplicable panic and vulnerability at this moment, and...
Lingyi leaned down and gently kissed the winding scar on his chest. "This."
That gentle kiss sent a shiver down Qin Lie's spine.
She must be the inescapable demon in his life.
He was born to possess his person, his heart, and his life.
At this moment, Qin Lie wished that the two of them could grow old together instantly and pass away in each other's arms.
Or perhaps he would devour her whole, one bite at a time, to avoid the pain of possible separation.
He used to think that intellectuals were pretentious, that they would think of joy when they were suffering and think of suffering when they were happy.
Only now do I realize that people can truly feel panic when they are at their happiest.
I fear that glass is easily broken, and colorful clouds are easily scattered; the more beautiful something is, the less likely it is to last.
.
After staying at the estate for only five days, the group returned to the capital.
The following day, Qin Lie took Lingyi and several children to the palace to attend the New Year's Eve banquet.
On the way there in the carriage, Qin Lie repeatedly reassured Ling Yi that with him there, she had nothing to fear.
Even though she only sat in an inconspicuous corner, Lingyi had attended many such palace banquets.
Moreover, the New Year's Eve family banquet not only invited imperial relatives but also high-ranking officials from the court.
In such a setting, even if the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager dislike her, they would not embarrass her too much.
So Lingyi wasn't afraid at all, but she liked seeing him nervous about her. While enjoying it, she wondered when she had become so bad and greedy.
The palace banquet followed the same procedures as always. Even with the change of dynasties, the words of praise remained largely the same. The food at the palace banquet was still prepared early in the morning and kept in the steamer, reheated countless times before being served, resulting in a completely identical taste.
Lingyi, having been raised in the Prince's mansion, became increasingly picky about food and found it even harder to swallow.
Fortunately, Qin Lie had the foresight to have his family drink some porridge before they arrived. Seeing that she barely touched her bowl and chopsticks, he squeezed her hand under the table and whispered, "The mansion has prepared food. Just bear with it a little longer and we'll go back."
Many people glanced over unintentionally.
Everyone wanted to see this former dynasty princess who had caused Prince Duan to ruin his future and whom he insisted on marrying.
Moreover, this former princess had served as a concubine in the Southern Song Dynasty during the suppression of bandits, and even gave birth to a son.
Therefore, the rumors circulating were quite unpleasant. Some said that Prince Duan was bewitched, while others said that the princess was skilled in witchcraft.
In every version of the story, the princess is portrayed as a femme fatale, alluring and captivating, with eyes that sparkle with desire, capable of stealing a man's soul with a single glance.
The Princess Consort before him had black hair, snow-white skin, red lips, white teeth, clear and bright eyes, and a touch of innocence on her face. Although she was a rare beauty, she was not at all seductive.
Qin Lie turned to the side, blocking most of her view.
Lingyi kept her head down, deliberately trying not to attract attention.
She only raised her head when the emperor summoned several of his grandsons to ask them questions.
Qin Lie noticed her gaze darting between the princes, then frowned slightly and asked in a low voice, "What are you looking at?"
Lingyi said, "That day I saw a child in the Empress Dowager's palace. He called the Empress Dowager 'great-grandmother.' Why haven't I seen him here today?"
Qin Lie hadn't expected her to suddenly bring up Huan'er. To appease his sister-in-law and save face, Huan'er never participated in family banquets. He never imagined that the princess, who had only seen the child once in the Empress Dowager's palace, would still be thinking of him after so much time.
Qin Lie pretended to be nonchalant and said, "Perhaps it's the Empress Dowager's nephew's child, who is staying home to celebrate the New Year and didn't come over."
Lingyi wanted to refute, but the child clearly said he couldn't leave the palace, so she felt it was unnecessary.
—Whoever the child is, it has nothing to do with her.
But the joy and anticipation of seeing that child before, and the disappointment and sadness at this moment, are so intense that they cannot be ignored.
She could only try her best not to think about it, otherwise she would almost inexplicably burst into tears.
The Emperor encouraged his grandsons and praised the Crown Princess and Princess Duan for their skill in managing the household. In the end, everyone received a reward.
Lingyi calmly bowed to express her gratitude, but the Crown Princess was clearly somewhat disappointed.
In previous years, the Empress would praise her highly at this time. However, the Dali Temple recently discovered that it was her personal maid who was the mastermind behind the murder of that concubine. Although it seemed that she was not involved, the Vice Minister of the Dali Temple also found some evidence that the concubine had become arrogant after giving birth and insulted and scolded the maid, which led to this misfortune. But why would a respectable maid in the Eastern Palace harm a mistress? Anyone with eyes can guess the reason.
Because the Crown Princess suddenly fell out of favor, Lingyi's lack of popularity became less obvious.
After enduring this ordeal until the banquet ended, we were finally able to leave the palace. The carriage was stocked with easily digestible snacks, and the water pouch was filled with warmed wine.
Qin Lie poured wine from his water pouch, intending for Lingyi to drink it to warm herself up. She had already fallen asleep on his shoulder.
Qin Lie put down the wine glass and let her lie in his arms, so she could sleep more comfortably and peacefully.
Suddenly it dawned on me that this was the first time the two of them had spent a complete New Year's Eve together since their engagement.
Although it's a pity, they still have many more Lunar New Year's Eves and countless days to spend together.
He looked down at the sleeping, fair face on his lap and reached out to smooth the stray hairs clinging to her cheek.
She seemed disturbed, her brows furrowed, her cherry lips parted, and she was talking in her sleep.
He listened intently, and finally heard clearly: a soft call, "Lin'er..."
His breath hitched, and he stiffly turned his head, looking at her almost in fear, afraid to see a pair of seemingly calm but actually cold eyes.
She was still asleep, perhaps just having a dream, or perhaps murmuring unconsciously.
A single tear spilled from the corner of her eye, landing on his arm and freezing his blood almost instantly.
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