Chapter 12 "Stay by my side and serve me for life..."
"Commander, you didn't expect this, did you?" Chu Zhiyan's eyes were full of smugness. "Wouldn't you like to know the secret behind this soon?"
Qin Lizheng glanced at him, then remained silent.
Chu Zhiyan rolled his eyes, thinking to himself that this was pointless, but he eventually became serious and began to report on official business.
Ever since the Emperor took notice of these officials in Jinling, the Yan and Lin families, led by Yingtian Prefecture, were the first to be thoroughly investigated. Qin Lizheng had already obtained all the information about these two families before coming to Jinling.
What is unknown is that Yan Ruheng is not Yan Yu's biological son?
Yan Yu entered officialdom from a poor family in his early years. His ancestral home was Lujiang County, Fengyang Prefecture. Because of his extensive learning, he was noticed by the Vice Prefect of Yangzhou, who promised his daughter Wang Cailing to him as his wife.
Yan Yu's parents died early, and he had a younger brother named Yan Cheng. The two were five years apart in age. Yan Cheng was now the magistrate of Lujiang County, but the two brothers rarely had any contact.
But Chu Zhiyan said, "I was lying on the roof, and the more I listened, the more something seemed wrong. This Yan Yu is actually sick."
What was the illness? This story begins with a wedding banquet more than twenty years ago. At that time, Wang Cailing gave birth to another son, named Zhiheng. Yan Yu was only the county magistrate of Shangyuan County at the time. He was overjoyed to have a son and happily held a banquet to entertain a group of low-ranking officials from the county government.
Yan Yu drank heavily at the banquet, his face flushed. When the guests left late at night, he was so drunk that he fell headfirst into a shallow pool.
The servants rushed to retrieve him, saying that the master had fallen into the water. When they pulled him out, they saw that Yan Yu's face was not right, his lips were as white as a ghost, and even though it was a cold day, a layer of sweat was dripping from his forehead!
This alarmed Wang Cailing, who immediately sought out a doctor. The doctor's diagnosis was alarming! When Yan Yu fell into the pond, his lower body struck a sharp rock. The doctor declared that while it wouldn't hinder their sexual activity in the future, he would have no hope of having children.
The news came like a bolt from the blue. Yan Yu's personality changed slightly after that day. But it seemed that fate wanted him to go through another ordeal. Heng Ge'er, who was only a month old, suffered three high fevers due to the poor care of the maids and servants, and died at such a young age.
The couple was almost in despair. Although Yan Wenying was still there to bring them joy, they were still unwilling to accept it. In addition, Yan Yu could no longer have children, so she became increasingly depressed and came up with the idea of adopting a son.
Just then, the second younger brother Yan Cheng got married and had a son. Yan Yu didn't know what he had promised Yan Cheng, but Yan Ruheng was brought to Wang Cailing's side while he was still in swaddling clothes.
Yan Yu ordered his men to bury Heng Ge'er quietly, and announced to the outside world that his youngest son was sick and had a weak constitution. The fortune teller said that he should be kept at home to recuperate for three years. Therefore, Yan Ruheng was only able to go out and play with some other children when he was three years old.
Why is he also called Yan Sanlang? Yan Yu said at the time: "The fortune teller said that my son was born in conflict with the number two, so we avoided it."
Domestically, Yan Yu was still heartbroken by Heng Ge'er's young death, so he ordered Yan Ruheng to take Heng Ge'er as his elder brother, and so on, making him the third child in the family.
At this point, Chu Zhiyan's eyes widened in astonishment. "Yan Yu and his brother are both willing to trade their children for each other. This is the first time in my life I've ever heard of such a thing."
He added, “Yan Ruheng was unaware that he was not Yan Yu’s biological son until later when he became an official in Fengyang Prefecture and had frequent contact with Yan Cheng’s family. He then realized this. From what Yan Yu said, it seems that he was just going with the flow. Now that Yan Ruheng knows, he can more openly instruct Yan Ruheng to do things for him.”
After saying that, he shook his head, "Commander, you didn't see it with your own eyes. When these two, father and son, were sitting together, Yan Ruheng's expression was extremely strange."
"You've been calling me 'father' for so many years, but he's not really your father. What kind of good face do you expect?" Qin Lizheng glanced at him and lazily leaned against the wall. "Human hearts are unpredictable. Yan Ruheng already knows he's not my biological son, yet he still helps the wicked. He must have weighed the options twice, but he just couldn't make a decision."
"With this entry point, we can better target the Yan family. If the Yan family is going to be greedy, they can only do so through government funds, grain, repairs, silk... This will inevitably involve mediation and dealing with the patrol office, the delivery station, and the weaving bureau."
Qin Lizheng recalled the day he overheard Qian Lanting mentioning the servant of the Yan family, Hou, who was in the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Personnel. A cold smile appeared on his face. "Who knows, Yan Ruheng's sudden transfer back from Fengyang was also because the Yan family bribed the Ministry of Personnel in Southern Zhili."
Upon hearing this, Chu Zhiyan composed himself, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, “Let’s trace the entire chain of corruption and see just how many corrupt officials there are in Jinling.”
"You go first," Qin Lizheng waved his hand indifferently. "If anything happens in the future, just give me a signal outside the mansion. Qian Lanting is shrewd. The guards in this mansion are not just for show. Be careful not to arouse suspicion and cause trouble."
Chu Zhiyan chuckled again, then changed the subject, saying, "Are you afraid Miss will suspect something?"
"Commander, I feel that you do your job as a bodyguard much better than the Embroidered Uniform Guard, as if you have more... emotions and desires?"
Fearing a punch, he flipped over the wall and disappeared.
Qin Lizheng glanced at the wall, silently focused his mind and surveyed his surroundings. Seeing only withered trees and broken branches, and some fallen leaves piled on the ground, he turned and walked towards Yunteng Pavilion.
The fallen leaves crunched under the feet of two phoenix-head shoes. Qian Yingyi, with a cloak draped over her shoulders, was walking from under the tree to a stone table. "Xia Ling, have two maids sweep up all these scattered leaves. I can't stand a dirty yard."
Xia Ling responded and hurriedly summoned two cleaning maids, who swept the area clean in no time.
Not long after Qian Yingyi sat down, she spotted a guard coming from the other end. He called out to her with a grin, then beckoned to the others and shouted, "Come here, everyone! Miss has something to say!"
The spacious and clean courtyard was immediately surrounded by two circles of people. Xia Ling and Chun Tang lit the lanterns, and Qian Yingyi looked at each of them and laughed twice. "Spring is coming soon. Are there any maids who are a little younger and have grown taller? Tell Xia Ling. As always, Yun Teng Pavilion will make four new sets of clothes for you every year."
The maids immediately beamed with joy, thanking their mistress repeatedly. They hurriedly reported the measurements to Xia Ling, and then showered Qian Yingyi with compliments, their words like honey, before finally settling down.
After speaking with the maids, it was the turn of the two guards.
In reality, Qian Yingyi used to have four or five guards with her. She always said that a young lady didn't need so many guards, but Xu Jun doted on her and insisted on giving them to her.
As it turns out, sometimes having more people doesn't guarantee everything will be alright. Those guards were timid and cowardly, and when they saw Young Master Wu, they couldn't scold or beat him or drive him away.
Therefore, now only Xiao Daimao and Qin Lizheng remain in Yunteng Pavilion.
Little Tortoiseshell peeked at Chuntang, a little shy, and said coyly, "Miss, I've grown taller too, but as a boy, I've never measured myself. Could you please measure me first, Chuntang?"
Qian Yingyi knew exactly what he meant and decided to tease him. She pretended to rest her chin on her hand and smiled, "Whether Chuntang is willing to take your measurements depends on your ability to make her laugh. If she's happy, she'll agree."
It just so happened that a new family had moved in next door and hired an opera troupe to perform at their home. It was still early, so it couldn't be considered disturbing the peace.
The little hawksbill turtle had sharp ears. After listening to a couple of lines, it remembered that although Chuntang was deaf, she loved watching operas. So it raised its head and puffed out its chest, singing with two fingers together:
"My home is in the Red Mansion, I long for your gracious presence soon. Qing'er, help me to the lakeside, lest I wait in vain, my heart breaking with longing..."
He sang without any hint of ambiguity. Xia Ling chuckled and lightly tugged at Qian Yingyi's sleeve, teasing, "Oh dear, Miss, this opera is getting rather tiresome. It's a pity Chuntang can't hear it; isn't that a waste of effort?"
After the little tortoiseshell finished singing, it deliberately displayed a comical and clumsy manner, which actually made Chuntang laugh. She immediately looked at Qian Yingyi with delight, "Miss?"
Qian Yingyi laughed so hard her shoulders trembled. "I was wondering why your eyes seemed to be glued to Chuntang lately. I thought your eyes weren't feeling well. Oh, it turns out it's like a play where the young master is in love but the young lady is uninterested. You like Chuntang, so you miss her day and night and want to break your heart."
This made Xiao Daimao a little embarrassed. He kept glancing at Chuntang while pursing his lips. Qian Yingyi stopped teasing him and asked Chuntang to go back to the house to get a soft measuring tape. After a while, Chuntang started measuring Xiao Daimao.
As they got closer, Little Tortoiseshell's face flushed red. Having finally gotten a chance, he suddenly became shy again and dared not open his eyes to look at Chuntang, who was so close to him.
While Qin Lizheng blushed deeply, Qian Yingyi looked at him and asked, "Aren't you going to tell me your measurements? Do you want someone to take your measurements?"
Tailored clothes are always worn around the chest, and Qin Lizheng disliked others getting close, and also to avoid the discovery of the notes in his pocket, he said indifferently, "No need."
After speaking, he reported his own clothing size.
He was always tall and imposing, which even Little Tortoise couldn't help but secretly marvel at, and Qian Yingyi also fixed her clear eyes on him.
Strange, how could such a narrow waist be beneath such broad shoulders and back? She had seen many men, but none of them had a figure as good as this guard in front of her.
Her gaze held a hint of inquiry, which Qin Lizheng noticed, and he composed himself and stepped aside.
“…You’re so stingy,” Qian Yingyi pouted in disgust, her lips clenching and unclenching. “It’s like I’ve eaten you up just by looking at you.”
After taking the measurements for the little hawksbill turtle's clothing, Chuntang looked somewhat uneasy and gracefully returned to Qian Yingyi's side.
After a long while, a chill settled in the hazy moonlight. Xia Ling urged Qian Yingyi to get settled as soon as possible, so Qian Yingyi withdrew her bright and clear eyes, leaving behind only her back as she disappeared into the house.
Qin Lizheng glanced at the little tortoiseshell who was staring blankly at Chuntang, and smiled slightly. "She's already inside, and you still can't bear to look away?"
The little hawksbill turtle covered its chest with its arms and whispered, "She was so close to me just now...it keeps jumping here..."
The fair-skinned boy even had a blush on his eyelids, as if he had regained some of his senses. He walked over to Qin Lizheng in a few steps and discussed with him, "From now on, whenever Chuntang is on duty, I will be on duty. Good brother, you will grant my request, won't you?"
"You and I are not related, why should I grant your wish?"
Little Tortoiseshell stared in disbelief, "I thought we were already best buddies..."
Although Qin Lizheng's words carried a hint of coldness, he turned and walked away from the courtyard.
The little hawksbill turtle blinked, then understood, and whispered happily, "Thank you!"
As night deepened, the opera troupe next door also stopped performing. A few wispy clouds drifted across the sky, soon dispersing to reveal the crescent moon hanging over the treetops.
Perhaps it was because he couldn't stop the opera playing next door and was forced to listen to half of it, or perhaps because Little Tortoiseshell was also singing tonight, Qin Lizheng fell into a beautiful and dreamlike dream.
Sometime later, he arrived at a magnificent theater to watch a performance, and in front of him, he could vaguely see a graceful figure listening as well.
As if sensing something, she turned around and looked at him, smiling and waving, "Come on, the performance is just right."
As they got closer, they saw a group of actors performing the same play that Little Tortoiseshell had performed earlier.
"You sang quite well." The beautiful figure beside him chuckled. Qin Lizheng turned his head to look and saw Qian Yingyi's familiar and pretty face.
The stage was still bustling with activity, and the audience was growing larger. As soon as she finished speaking, she pulled Qin Lizheng to sit on a chair in the corner. She blinked her eyes lightly, her dark hair loosely tied, and her hand actually pinched his waist. She frowned and asked him, "Don't focus on the opera. I'm asking you, isn't it good that I made clothes for you? Why won't you let me look at you?"
Qin Lizheng was about to speak when a strange sensation came from his waist, a tingling, numb feeling that pulled him back.
On stage, the song continued, "Don't let me wait until my eyes are dry, until my heart breaks." The hand on his waist moved up slightly, and suddenly she was standing between his legs again, her fingertips circling twice in front of his heart. "And you? Do you have emotions and desires? Have you ever thought of severing them...?"
As if she still had a few scattered thoughts, Qin Lizheng could guess what she was going to say next, and quickly stopped himself from leaving the place.
He hadn't taken two steps before he was tripped up again by those slender, white, and soft hands.
The actor continued singing, and the crowd below cheered loudly, with confetti raining down. The young lady gently pulled him back to her side, trying to seduce him, "Just stay by my side and be my bodyguard for life. Don't go anywhere else, okay?"
Amidst the clamor of gongs and drums, as the young lady drew ever closer, the gong struck loudly—
Qin Lizheng suddenly woke up and sat up, panting heavily.
The water clock ticked away, and the candle by the bedside went out. The man's body was warm, so the bedding always felt cozy.
It was rather chilly at that moment.
It was still quiet outside when a servant happened to return to his room and slammed the door shut with a loud bang, the sound carrying far away.
Apart from that, there was no other sound. Qin Lizheng was left alone, propping himself up and sitting up, staring at the ground beneath him with utter astonishment in his eyes, facing the absurd dream.
A note from the author:
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Sometimes people's dreams are really strange, hahaha, so Qian Yingyi also appeared in Qin Lizheng's dream.
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