Beicang
Their relationship inexplicably reached a dead end. He wondered if she would change her mind about her answer, and if so, whether he would still be willing to let her go.
He woke up early in the morning to find her nowhere to be seen, and felt a deep emptiness in his heart.
On the other side, Pang Linqiu held a bowl of herbal medicine, looking at her father lying motionless in bed, a sense of fear rising within her. She feared he might leave her like her mother had…
Pang Anru looked weakly at her daughter beside her, her eyes filled with heartache. "Xiaochun, you look so haggard..."
Pang Linqiu regained her senses and stirred the medicine. "I've been having trouble sleeping lately, Dad. Take your medicine." She scooped up a spoonful and held it to his lips.
Pang Anru took a sip, then coughed several times, her wrinkled eyes lifeless. "Chun—" he said weakly, looking at her with great concern, "If Father were to pass away one day, what would you do then…"
Pang Linqiu quickly stopped him, "Father, don't talk nonsense!"
On the other side, after finishing the morning court session, Peng Xuan'an did not rush to have a meal, but instead appeared in the imperial study.
"Xuan'an, what did she answer you?" the Emperor inquired about the result.
Peng Xuan'an bowed respectfully. "Your Majesty, she said..." He hesitated for a moment, but still answered truthfully, "She said there's no need for a divorce."
The emperor was surprised by this answer and turned to ask him, "What does Xuan'an think of this matter?"
Peng Xuan'an didn't know how to answer, and after a moment of hesitation, he finally managed to say, "Your subject... has no opinion..."
The Emperor chuckled softly, sighing, "Haha, unexpected indeed! She actually chose not to leave. Xuan'an, do you know the reason behind it?"
Peng Xuan'an shook his head. "I do not know."
When the emperor saw that he didn't know either, he gave up.
"If that's the case, does Xuan An still want to exercise those three powers? Look, Lin Qiu was also forced into marriage, but now she has chosen not to leave. Perhaps she has developed feelings for him over time and grown reluctant to part with him."
Peng Xuan'an smiled bitterly, his heart filled with unspeakable bitterness. "Your Majesty, it is true that feelings can grow over time, but what grows is not necessarily love. Perhaps it is..." He paused, not continuing, "Your Majesty, I implore you to exercise the three powers."
"No matter the cost, I will do everything in my power to achieve it!"
Seeing his unwavering resolve, the emperor waved his hand and said, "Enough, enough. My dear minister has made many great contributions to the Tao Kingdom. How could I bear to let you suffer any injustice?"
"Your Majesty, what should I do?"
"If you can persuade the officials in the court to agree to the implementation of the three powers you mentioned, I will issue an edict to allow the establishment of these three powers."
"Your Majesty, I understand! I thank you!" Peng Xuan'an understood. The Emperor was probably afraid of what the officials in the court would say, which was why he said that. Persuading him wouldn't be difficult, especially given his third-rank official position and his status as a favorite of the Emperor. It was a piece of cake, wasn't it? But if the official's rank was higher than his, it would be more difficult.
Three days later in the blink of an eye.
Pang Anru's health gradually improved, and Peng Xuan'an was busy running around and rarely returned home at night. Pang Linqiu stayed at her parents' home, and only Peng's parents were at the Minister's residence.
One day, Pang Anru recovered, and Pang Linqiu decided not to continue taking care of him. After arranging for more servants to look after his daily life, she returned to the Minister's residence to pack her bags, intending to continue handling affairs at Yuanshe.
As soon as she pushed open the door, she saw Peng Xuan'an, who seemed to be in a good mood, waiting for her. She didn't understand, and without saying anything polite, she looked away and went inside to pack her things.
Peng Xuan'an instantly became her shadow, following behind her, "Lin Qiu..."
Pang Linqiu tidied herself up, annoyed by his constant following, and asked, "What are you doing?"
"I have some good news to tell you."
She gave a perfunctory "Mmm."
"His Majesty has agreed to my request..." He didn't finish his story, just to keep her in suspense.
She didn't seem to care at all, just said, "Oh."
"Aren't you curious?" He was slightly disappointed by her indifference.
"Are you angry?" he probed cautiously.
"No. Tell me quickly!" she said impatiently.
Peng Xuan'an grabbed her hands as she was packing her bags, and held her shoulders, making her face him.
He happily told her, "His Majesty has decreed the implementation of the Three Powers. All women in the world have the right to choose their partners, and there are laws ensuring their safety after marriage. You can now put aside your worldly affairs."
Pang Linqiu stared at him in surprise, her mouth agape as she excitedly asked, "Really?! Really?!"
"Yes, Your Majesty will inform the world of this matter soon."
Pang Linqiu smiled happily, her eyes full of joy: "Did you make this?"
Peng Xuan'an nodded shyly, feeling that she had done something great and waiting for her praise.
"Why...why did you do this?" She thought for a moment. It wouldn't benefit him either, and it might be for his reputation.
"I..." He stammered. He didn't want her to be burdened by this every day, or perhaps he felt sorry for their misfortune.
Seeing that he couldn't answer, Pang Linqiu stopped asking and hugged him. She said softly, "Thank you," expressing her gratitude.
Peng Xuan'an cupped her cheek in one hand, then lowered his head, gazing at her with deep affection in his eyes. He tilted his head slightly, closed his eyes, and couldn't help but kiss her. Pang Linqiu didn't rush to refuse him; he kissed her passionately several more times before finally being pushed away by her.
He seemed addicted, wanting more. But seeing her unwilling expression, he could only grit his teeth and restrain himself. He asked her gently, "Linqiu, have you thought about how you plan to spend the next year?"
Pang Linqiu looked bewildered. "? What...do you mean?" A year? Does that mean he'll be gone in a year?
Peng Xuan'an chuckled, revealing her white teeth, "I have requested annual leave from His Majesty. For the next year, I will belong only to you."
Pang Linqiu was stunned. Annual leave? A whole year? Belonging to? You?!
So, for 365 days straight, he'll have nothing to do but spend all his time with her?! That's utterly hopeless...
"...I have official business..." She tried to decline, telling him to find something to do himself, as she didn't have time to keep him company!
Peng Xuan'an saw through her little thoughts, cupped her face with his long, slender hand, and rubbed her cheek a few times with the pad of his thumb: "Let Luo Pu and Xi Shuang do it. I have plenty of capable subordinates."
"...I..." She was speechless.
A smile played on his lips, his eyes tender: "How about we travel the world together? Hand in hand, we'll explore mountains and rivers, hear all the interesting things the world has to offer, just the two of us. What do you say?" His expression...
"..." She didn't want to, but didn't know how to refuse.
Why did you do this?
"Now that we're husband and wife, we should spend more time together." He wanted to nurture their relationship and hoped she would still accept him.
"I want to make it up to you properly, to make up for all these years..."
"Stop!" She raised her hand to stop him, pushing Peng Xuan'an away and maintaining a certain distance. She felt that if she listened any longer, the hairs on her skin would stand on end. "I know everything, it's just for fun!"
Seeing her reaction, he found it quite amusing, and with a sly smile, he looked at her and asked, "Would you be willing?"
"Oh." That was her agreement.
The two soon began to travel, going wherever they pleased and wherever seemed fun. They weren't worried about money, as his family was wealthy and had no financial burdens.
The best perk Peng Xuan'an received during this period was that she decided to cancel the twice-monthly opportunities during her year-long trip. She would allow them to have sex if she was in a good mood, but nothing if she wasn't.
A year passed in the blink of an eye, so quickly that Peng Xuan'an didn't even have time to react. In the end, it was she who reminded him, and Peng Xuan'an had no choice but to return to the manor and resume his post as Minister.
When I returned, it was already autumn, and the wind was bleak.
At the end of the month, the two returned home and sat facing each other. Pang Linqiu flipped through the account books on the table, carefully calculating the expenses of the past year. Peng Xuan'an just sat quietly, watching her do the accounting, wondering what she was doing with it.
Pang Linqiu calculated for several moments before finally closing the ledger. "In this past year, you've spent a great deal on me. I've calculated that, after deducting the gifts I gave you in return and some expenses I incurred with you, I owe you three hundred and thirty-nine taels of silver and fifty copper coins. I will..."
Peng Xuan'an was displeased and instantly looked at her angrily, "We are already husband and wife, why be so calculating? We are not strangers!"
Pang Linqiu glanced at him and said indifferently, "I don't want to owe you anything."
Peng Xuan'an was even angrier, "What's this talk of debt between husband and wife? This is joint property! It's yours and mine..."
She casually remarked, "Husband and wife are husband and wife. What's yours is yours, and what's mine is mine. Husband and wife are about shared use, things that you and I both know, not gifts that you bought for me alone. If you know something I don't, it's your property."
Peng Xuan'an was momentarily speechless. He frowned and took a deep breath to suppress his anger: "Just consider it... me making it up to you, okay? You're calculating so meticulously, like you're treating a stranger. I really don't like that."
He could clearly sense that she hadn't changed in the past year. Their relationship wasn't as sweet as a married couple's; it was more like that of very close friends. He sensed this, and they'd argued about it several times. He asked her if she couldn't treat him like Qin Mohe did—caring for him, trusting him, loving him, and feeling jealous and upset when other women approached, instead of appearing indifferent and secretly pleased.
"I told you, you can never repay what you owe me."
"Linqiu!" He slammed his hand on the table and stood up.
Pang Linqiu looked up at him calmly.
He knew she still hated him and blamed him. He placed his hands on the table and said, "Consider this money as repayment. I will slowly pay it back and make it up to you in the future."
Pang Linqiu scoffed, "Money can buy some happiness, but... can it buy back the people I've lost and the people I've missed? Can it bring back what happened six years ago?"
Peng Xuan'an was stunned. Did she still miss the past so much? Did she still miss Qin Mohe so much? And what about him? He only had the title of husband, but couldn't get a single bit of love from the one he loved.
How ridiculous! How pathetic! He hates it!
He sneered, his voice bitter: "If that's the case, why didn't you say so a year ago?! If you had, I would have let you go! I would have given you your freedom. I would have found you a man who looks like Mo He to be your husband! He would have all your love! Are you satisfied now?!"
“…” Pang Linqiu fell silent.
Peng Xuan'an was even angrier. The room was silent. He looked at her silent profile as she turned away and felt ridiculous.
He grabbed the porcelain cup on the table and slammed it to the ground with a loud "bang!" He wanted to tell her that he was very, very angry! If she softened her tone and said something nice, he wouldn't hold it against her.
Pang Linqiu was startled by the sound of the shattering porcelain cup, but then she calmly glanced at him without saying a word.
After a moment of stalemate, Peng Xuan felt even colder and more pained. He turned and walked towards the door, leaving behind a single sentence.
"Pang Linqiu! You truly chill people's hearts!"
"Bang—" The door was slammed shut.
Pang Linqiu sighed. She didn't want to coax them, she didn't want to think about anything. This was for the best; it would allow them both to calm down.
She stood up and glanced at the shattered teacup on the floor; he seemed quite angry.
"Lanmo," she called out.
Lan Mo pushed open the door and entered. "What is it, Miss?" She saw Peng Xuan'an leave angrily, so the two must have had another fight.
Pang Linqiu had his back to her. "Pack your bags, let's go live somewhere else." She had bought several houses outside, just in case the two of them quarreled. She felt awkward with him in the mansion.
So she decided to buy several houses outside, both for living and for handling business.
Lanmo received the instructions and began packing her things. "Miss, where will we be staying this time?"
"Lingdong or Beicang? Or south?"
"Beicang." It's a three-day drive from the capital. When she buys a house, she doesn't care about feng shui; she mainly considers distance, ranging from one or two days' drive to four or five days' drive.
"This servant will go prepare the carriage immediately."
"Wait a minute," she suddenly called out to Lanmo.
"Don't bring Xi Shuang this time, and don't bring anyone he chooses to be by my side!" She was afraid of revealing her whereabouts, and that he would inexplicably find her hiding place again.
"Yes," Lanmo replied.
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