Chapter 44 How could he lie to her so cruelly?
The sparse sound of rain, along with the sound of the wind, echoed in my ears, a chaotic cacophony that stirred a restlessness within me. The rain was neither heavy nor light, much like Qian Yingyi's own heart.
She stared at Qin Lizheng's face, hoping he would tell her the truth, but thinking of the past, she was also suddenly afraid he would say it.
Their eyes met, and neither spoke. Qian Yingyi's eyes were slightly red, and she couldn't help but urge, "Speak."
Qin Lizheng knew she was very intelligent and had already guessed her current situation when she revealed her identity today.
Qian Yingyi's urging seemed to strike him hard in the heart. He was momentarily at a loss and took half a step forward, his voice hoarse, "Don't cry, let me explain."
These words brought tears to Qian Yingyi's eyes. He took a half step forward, and she took a half step back, staring at him intently. After a long while, she forced a smile and said, "You've always been decisive and straightforward. What's wrong? When it's my turn to ask you a question, you can't answer it for a while? Then let me guess."
She lowered her eyes, concealing the emotions within them, and carefully recalled the details she had overlooked in the past. She tried her best to remain calm as she spoke: "You are very skilled. On the day I went to the Lin family's spring banquet, I had a dispute with Yu Minsen. The other young masters and ladies avoided the matter, wishing they could stay far away. I should have thought of that earlier. If you were just an ordinary guard, why didn't you have any fear of the Prince Rui's secret guards or the Prince Rui's mansion?"
"I asked you this question before: With your skills, how did you get injured? How did you fall in the rain on the day we first met? What about your gambling brother? You've been by my side for so long, and I've never heard you mention him once."
Hearing his footsteps, Qian Yingyi suddenly raised her voice, "Don't come any closer!"
She stared at the blurry paving stones beneath her feet, suddenly feeling a chill. The surroundings seemed to darken, as if she had fallen into a pitch-black ice cave. "You never mention your parents, never mention your home in the capital..."
At this point, she paused, as if she had grasped something important, and remained silent for a long while.
In that instant, many things came to mind, and a chilling answer formed in her heart. She suddenly smiled again.
"That day, you told me you wanted to be a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. I must have misheard you. You are that ruthless commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the capital, whom prestigious families avoid like the plague, aren't you?"
One afternoon not long ago, she was chatting shyly with her older sister and sister-in-law, and her sister-in-law's words seemed to penetrate her ears at that moment.
Qian Yingyi closed her eyes, her whole body aching slightly. "Brother and you had a falling out. Brother knows you, and brother-in-law knows you too. So, if we think about it this way, the reason why brother-in-law transferred you away from me for those few days was because he knew who you were and was deliberately keeping you away from me."
"I've lived in Jinling for a long time and am completely unfamiliar with many things in the capital. I've guessed your identity, now let me guess your name."
She lowered her head and thought carefully for a moment, then said, "Since you are the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, you naturally have no need to fear Prince Rui. But when you dealt with those secret guards that day, it seemed more like you were venting your anger... Why did you vent your anger?"
“Yes, I should have noticed something was wrong with you a long time ago,” Qian Yingyi nodded to herself. “One night, you started to listen to me completely, a far cry from the impatience you had when you first came to my side.”
She took a deep breath and finally looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears. "It's not so much that you obeyed me, that you did whatever I told you to do, but rather that I spoke up for your deceased brother."
"When my second uncle was telling me about the case of the rebellious king, you overheard it outside, didn't you?"
"The eldest son of the Qin family lost his life because of Prince Rui's false accusation. I heard that the second son of the Qin family had a falling out with the family. When the next news came, it seemed that he had joined the Embroidered Uniform Guard," Qian Yingyi blinked, a string of tears sliding down her stunned face. "This is why you are not afraid of Prince Rui... I understand, I understand everything."
She stumbled back half a step, stepping out of the bright beam of light, the dimness enveloping her seemingly frail shoulders. "Lin Zheng isn't your name. Your elder brother's name is Qin Liran. What about you?"
She had her answer, and with a stiff, deliberate chewing of his name, she said, "Qin Lizheng."
Having been deceived until now, everything has been revealed. Qian Yingyi gave a mocking smile and nodded repeatedly, "You lied to me, you lied to me."
"What else haven't you lied to me about?"
"If it was a misunderstanding that I took you home that day, why have you stayed by my side and refused to leave? What did the Emperor order you to come to Jinling for?"
After a long pause, she could no longer hold back her sobs and choked out, "Are you using me?"
Even though Qin Lizheng knew this day would come, he couldn't maintain his composure when faced with her attack. All the explanations he had tried to make were shattered by her deductions.
He pulled her into his arms without hesitation, ignoring her struggles, wanting to completely meld her into his very being to cover up the panic in his heart. "Yingyi, Yingyi, listen to me, I'll tell you everything."
"The Emperor ordered me to come to Jinling to investigate corrupt officials. I originally wanted to be taken in by Lin Bianhong, but a misunderstanding led me to your house by mistake."
His expression was far from calm, and his words were somewhat incoherent. "At first, I did consider using your identity to get close to the powerful families in Jinling, no... I didn't intend to use you. My liking for you is real, my love for you is real. I kept it a secret from you because I didn't want you to know about those conspiracies and schemes. They were all trying to get close to you..."
"This is no excuse for lying to me!" Qian Yingyi suddenly screamed and struggled in his arms, hitting him wildly, her previous composure completely overturned.
She cried and pushed him away, "When my brother and the others went back to Jinling, you clearly had a chance to tell me, even if you had just let me know a little bit through my brother or brother-in-law. Why did you keep me in the dark like a fool for so long! You lied to me with my brother and brother-in-law!"
Unable to move him, she simply raised her sorrowful face, forcing him to look at her as she wailed, "What do you take me for? I was worried that Grandpa and Father wouldn't approve of you, and I came up with so many excuses for you..."
“I’m worried you’ll get beaten by your brother, I’m worried your family won’t accept your status as a guard,” her voice grew sharper with each word, “If I hadn’t noticed today, how long do you intend to keep it from me!”
The crying was so loud that several maids peeked out with concerned eyes, but Xia Ling quickly pulled them back.
The moisture in her eyes seemed to seep into Qin Lizheng's heart, leaving him momentarily at a loss. Even the reasons he had rehearsed countless times in his mind were overturned. He knew she was right; none of her points were slanders against him. Therefore, as the one who had made a grave mistake, he was powerless to even offer an explanation.
After crying for a while, Qian Yingyi gradually quieted down. Taking advantage of his momentary lapse in attention, she pulled away from his embrace and refused to look at him again.
She stood there blankly, her eyelashes fluttering as she looked up, her anger finding no outlet. She slowly raised her hands, which had been hanging by her sides, and suddenly took off the silver peony bracelet from her wrist, throwing it hard to the ground.
In an instant, even the crying was drowned out by the noise. "The identity is fake, the name is fake, everything is fake! What happy marriage, what solemn and devout love, I don't want any of it! I don't want it!"
She rushed back to the main room and smashed all the things Qin Lizheng had given her to the ground. Just as she was holding the phoenix crown, she caught a glimpse of him trying to chase after her. Qian Yingyi suddenly closed her eyes and threw the crown at him, her cries becoming shrill, "Get out! Get out! I don't want to see you again, get out!"
This scene pierced Qin Lizheng deeply, stirring up boundless panic in his heart. In fact, the reason he had kept the truth from her for so long was because he was afraid she would abandon him.
He suddenly picked up the phoenix crown, along with the jewelry she had thrown to the ground, and placed them on the table. Then he hugged her tightly again, refusing to let go no matter how much she hit him. "You can hit me, scold me, or stab me with a sword, it doesn't matter. As long as you can breathe, I'll do anything you want."
"Just this one thing, you say you don't want to see me again, I can't do it. There's absolutely no possibility of me letting go of you!"
He leaned down and kissed her cheek as they used to be, a tear sliding down his cheek as he gently soothed her turbulent emotions. His grip remained firm, as if afraid she would leave again if he made a mistake. "You don't want to see me now? I can stay away for a while. But if you want me to have nothing to do with you from now on, you might as well just kill me right now. Don't cry, don't cry, it's all my fault..."
Qian Yingyi was breathless from his embrace, feeling dizzy and weak in the knees. She turned her face away from his kiss, her eyes becoming increasingly wet, and pushed against his arm with both hands. "Go away, I don't want to see you right now."
Qin Lizheng grabbed her wrist tightly, stared at her intently with his eyes down, and even his tone became cautious, "I won't leave. What if I leave now and never see you again?"
“If you don’t leave now, I’ll pretend I never knew you,” Qian Yingyi said, avoiding his gaze and sobbing with her eyes downcast. “I won’t say it a third time.”
With no other choice, Qin Lizheng, though flustered, could only comply with her for now. Gradually, he loosened his grip, subconsciously stroking her forehead, his fingertips moving to the corners of her eyes, intending to wipe away her tears. Noticing her evasive movement, his heart ached again.
After a long pause, he withdrew his hand, smiled dejectedly, and nodded slightly. "Okay, I'll wait until you calm down."
Qian Yingyi suddenly turned her back, her usually stubborn shoulders slumped down, no longer gazing at him as before. Only after hearing him leave did she close her eyes and begin to sob softly again.
Xia Ling and Chun Tang quietly entered at this moment to wipe away the tears that covered Qian Yingyi's entire face. Qian Yingyi finally couldn't hold back anymore and hugged the two maids back. Her tears, which had turned cold, suddenly became hot again, and she sobbed and murmured, "How could he lie to me like this... how could he lie to me like this..."
As the rain intensified, her overly fervent love was suddenly struck down, and at that moment, it was swallowed up by the cold rain along with her grief-stricken cries.
After the rain, mist and clouds rose again on the surface of the Qinhuai River. This rain completely blocked out the summer heat, and even summer robes felt a little chilly.
One after another, events that felt like falling into an ice cave struck, causing turmoil throughout the entire officialdom of Jinling.
First, news of the imprisonment of the eunuch Chang Rong reached Lin Bianhong's ears.
At that time, he was lying anxiously on the couch and said to Xun Yun, "I have heard of this Commander Qin's reputation. He has killed a lot of officials for the emperor in recent years. Tell me, why would he come to Jinling out of the blue?"
Xun Yun had been searching for Yan Wenying for a long time without success, and her appearance was no longer what it used to be. Several wrinkles had appeared at the corners of her eyes. Upon hearing this, she pursed her lips, and a hoarse voice escaped from her throat:
"Just do as usual. If you don't know what he's doing in Nanjing, and the fire hasn't spread to us, just pretend you don't know anything. Just one thing: you've been bribing the Ministry of Revenue in Southern Zhili so much, and you've done it all cleanly. Are you afraid he'll investigate you?"
"Even if there is an investigation, there needs to be evidence. Besides, even if he heard something and wanted to investigate you, with your godfather involved, would he dare to take action?"
“That’s true,” Lin Bianhong said, still feeling uneasy. He rubbed his hands together and whispered, “But now we’re on our own paths with Yan Yu, unlike before. It’s always good to be prepared. If we know what Commander Qin is up to, we can take precautions beforehand, so we don’t get caught off guard and run into trouble…”
As fate would have it, Lin Bianhong's trusted steward stumbled in, tripping over the threshold and falling to his knees. With a hint of fear in his eyes, he stammered, "Master! Madam! Something terrible has happened! A letter has arrived from the capital... Eunuch Chang has been imprisoned by the Emperor!"
Lin Bianhong was shocked. The hand that was supporting his head went limp, and he hurriedly climbed off the bed, asking repeatedly, "What's wrong? How did Godfather end up in jail? What did he do wrong?"
Xun Yun's expression also changed. She smashed a cup on the ground and said sternly, "Explain yourself in detail!"
The steward took a couple of breaths, composed himself, and thought carefully before saying, "The letter didn't go into too much detail. It only said that Suzhou Prefecture had sent a batch of satin as tribute this time, and the Emperor was initially pleased and even rewarded Eunuch Chang. But somehow, it turned out that Eunuch Chang had secretly kept a dragon robe, and the Emperor was furious. With just a word, he ordered Eunuch Chang imprisoned pending investigation..."
Hiding a dragon robe? That's tantamount to treason! Lin Bianhong's vision went black, his body swayed on the spot, and he slumped back onto the bed, unable to recover for a long time. "Such a big matter, even if my godfather doesn't die, he'll be half dead. How could he possibly hide a dragon robe?"
He thought about it carefully, then suddenly felt as if he had been hit on the head. He turned to stare at Xun Yun, his eyes revealing horror. "Commander Qin came to our house back in March. Qian Jiaying brought him to the Spring Banquet and even sparred with the secret guards of Prince Rui's son. Do you remember this?"
Xun Yun was also stunned, but quickly came to her senses. "You mean, he had his eye on our family back then, and my godfather's imprisonment might have been his doing?"
"It's not 'maybe'!" Lin Bianhong's voice suddenly trembled. "It must be him! It must be him!"
“He dared to lay a hand on my godfather, which is enough to prove that he has found evidence,” Lin Bianhong couldn’t help but hunch his thick shoulders, his fat hands rubbing his arms back and forth. “Tell me, what exactly has he got on me? Why hasn’t he made a move yet? What is he waiting for?”
Then he remembered Yan Yu's kindness and couldn't help but shudder, saying, "If Yan Yu and I were still on the same boat, we could still find a way out together."
Unfortunately, Yan Yu was also preoccupied with his own troubles. The next day, the sky was clear, and Yan Yu went to the government office as usual. There were still some people blocking the gate to protest against the Wen family. He glanced at them with disdain, then turned away and stepped into the gate.
She hadn't walked two steps when she bumped into Yu Cheng, and gave him a fawning smile, "Oh, Lord Yu, you're here early today."
Yu Cheng responded, "Good morning, Lord Yan."
After a brief exchange, Yan Yu thought that Yu Cheng would soon be going to the prefecture below. Without Yu Cheng around, Yan Wenying's case might be able to be suppressed by her, making it much easier for him to embezzle something.
Yan Yu gradually lost interest in trying to win over Yu Cheng. Since Qian Yingyi was difficult to approach, he decided to put it aside for the time being and wait for another day.
Yan Yu's heart had long since turned into hard silver without him even realizing it. Having been greedy for so long, he no longer knew how to write the word "fear". In the past few days, the officialdom in Jinling has been in an uproar. Even though he knew that Qin Lizheng had come to Jinling, he did not take it seriously for the time being.
Without evidence, what can he do to himself?
Yan Yu then offered an even warmer smile, setting aside the unfounded questions, and inquired about Yu Cheng's plans, "Lord Yu, are you planning to go to Suzhou Prefecture next, or...?"
Yu Cheng glanced down at the insignia on his official robes, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Instead of worrying about me, Lord Yan should think about himself first."
"...What does Lord Yu mean by this?" Yan Yu instinctively sensed something was wrong, and gradually, he raised his face to look around.
The government officials who had once been at odds with him were now scattered in a corner, their expressions somewhat gloating.
Yan Yu's expression changed. He couldn't care less about talking to Yu Cheng anymore. He hurriedly brushed past Yu Cheng's shoulder and passed through the main hall and the second hall. He approached his desk, panting. When he saw the official document lying on the desk, his legs went weak and he almost fell to the ground.
There is always only one copy of the document, except in one situation—when someone steps down and is replaced. In that case, the Ministry of Personnel in the capital will draft two copies of the document to inform both parties.
Yan Yumu picked it up and examined it closely. When he saw that it stated he was suspended from duty pending further investigation, he panicked and, without paying attention, the document slipped from his hand.
This panic subsided somewhat when he returned home in a daze that night and bumped into Yan Ruheng.
Yan Yu stared at him and said, "By imperial decree, my position as prefect has been suspended, and Wei Ming from the Censorate of the capital has been appointed as the new prefect."
Yan Ruheng was startled and subconsciously asked, "Why so suddenly?"
He quickly furrowed his brow again, his tone becoming somewhat certain, "Is it Qin Lizheng who's behind this?"
Ever since Qin Lizheng's identity was revealed, Yan Ruheng had come to his senses. He had long felt that there was something strange about the guard beside Qian Yingyi, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. It turned out he was the Emperor's man...
After the initial shock, he inexplicably felt a mixture of smugness and worry.
What secretly pleased him was that Qian Yingyi didn't seem to know about this. If she knew that Qin Lizheng had been lying to him all along, she would definitely make a scene. What saddened him was that if they made a scene, it would be Qian Yingyi who would feel uncomfortable.
All he wants now is for her to be well.
Shaking his head to dismiss these thoughts, Yan Ruheng felt deeply that his life was tied to Yan Yu's. He composed himself and asked, "Father, what do you plan to do?"
Since Qin Lizheng has been lying low in Jinling for so long, he must have been searching for something. Did he find some evidence to submit to the Emperor? That is why the Emperor dismissed his father from his post.
Clearly, Yan Yu had also considered this possibility. Having been greedy for so many years, it's less about being insatiably greedy and more about using money to fill the void in his heart, which had gradually become distorted due to his hidden illness.
He stood on the veranda pacing back and forth. After a long while, he gritted his teeth and said to Yan Ruheng with a hint of madness, "Go and invite Lord Fan to our house. Let's do one last job in seclusion. No matter if he has evidence or not, he's been hesitating to make a move. He must be waiting for something."
"After we finish this job, our whole family will set up a fire and fake our deaths to escape. It's better than being captured and beheaded!"
Yan Ruheng was taken aback and disagreed, saying, "At this critical juncture, what you're doing is no different from sending yourself to your death."
"My official hat has vanished into thin air!" Yan Yu said angrily, "What do you know? How many people are waiting to see me make a fool of myself? And your elder sister is still missing. If Lin Bianhong finds out that I've been suspended from my post, won't he put pressure on our family? Everyone will be able to kick our family while they're down. I will never allow that to happen!"
"Wen Jianzhou has been imprisoned. His stepson committed such a crime, it's uncertain whether he can get out of prison. Lord Fan owes us a debt of gratitude for saving our lives, so he won't abandon our family. Go and do it quickly, listen to your father. After we finish this job, our whole family will go far away."
"At that time, we can live well even if we go into hiding and are far from the emperor."
Yan Ruheng remained silent, pondered for a moment, and his eyes were filled with a bitter coldness. He still had humanity left. He looked at Yan Yu and said, "Lord Fan is in charge of the Waterway Administration. After thinking it over, all I want is those ten newly built cargo ships. The cargo ships are already in the final stages. What else do you want to embezzle? What is there that is worth risking your life for?"
"If the ship encounters an accident, it will be transporting tens of millions of bushels of grain to the capital. If the ship is damaged and sinks, thousands of sailors will be held accountable. If a careless mistake causes a people's uprising, and there will be an investigation by the emperor, how many heads do you have to pay for it?"
He closed his eyes and advised, "Father, stop. The Emperor only ordered you to be suspended from your post and await further instructions. He did not say that he would imprison you, nor did he know about your embezzlement. Don't scare yourself. If you want the whole family to escape, you should stay at home and wait for Qin Lizheng to catch a break. Maybe we can escape then."
Yan Yu sneered, "I don't necessarily want to be corrupt, but I want to drag Lord Fan down with me. He is the head of the Water Conservancy Bureau, so even if there is an investigation, he will be investigated first."
"Back then, because Fan Baozhu cried in front of him about being disliked by the young ladies, he agreed to let me use money to treat his illness. Because Fan Baozhu admires you, he will leave Fan Baozhu with a complete husband and a complete family."
"He loves his daughter dearly and will take all the blame upon himself. With him in front of us, we'll have a great chance to escape. Do you understand?"
Yan Yu gave a sinister smile. "As for the shipwreck and the people's uprising you mentioned, those are not things we should be considering. I know you tried to blackmail me with evidence of my embezzlement, but now that we're back to normal, doesn't that prove you're a good son of mine?"
"Sanlang, go and do it. Your eldest sister has gone missing, and we don't know if she's dead or alive. You're all I have left."
"You're all I have left..."
These words shrouded Yan Ruheng like a fog, and an indescribable chill ran through him.
Yan Yu had already grasped his weakness. She understood his kindness, his pain and inner turmoil, and his resistance. Yan Yu did nothing, only coldly observing his repeated struggles from the sidelines.
Then, an unbreakable net was woven around him. Yan Yu was like a vengeful ghost attached to him, impossible to shake off. Her sharp claws tightly locked the net, keeping him close by. Even if he wanted to escape at this moment, he could no longer get away.
In an instant, it was as if his soul and spirit had been ripped out, turning him into a living corpse who only knew how to obey orders, and he nodded silently.
Time flies, and the Mid-Autumn Festival on the fifteenth of August is drawing ever closer. The osmanthus trees planted in the Qian family garden are spreading a cool and elegant fragrance, the moon is as bright as day, and Ren Yuqing's courtyard is filled with laughter and joy.
Xu Jun smiled and picked up Tuan Jie'er to tease her, saying, "Oh my, look at this little face, she looks just like Qingqing, only her eyebrows are slightly like her father's."
While speaking, he secretly glanced at Ren Yuqing out of the corner of his eye.
Qian Linye had rushed back several days earlier. He tripped and fell when he entered the house. Seeing that Ren Yuqing and Tuan Jie were both safe and sound, he felt extremely guilty.
Knowing that he had failed in his duty due to that damned official business, he snatched Qian Yuxing's soft whip and lashed himself thirty times. Then, every night he knelt outside the door for an hour, refusing to get up unless Yu Qing ordered him to.
Ren Yuqing naturally knew that he was punishing her. She was a little soft-hearted, but when she thought about the hardships she had endured while carrying Tuanjie's childhood and how he was often not around, she felt a little wronged and let him be.
Upon hearing Xu Jun's words, she smiled, ignoring Qian Linye, and said, "Tuanjie is a girl, it would be better if she looked like me."
Qian Yuxing also gently poked Tuan Jie'er's palm, glanced at Qian Yingyi who was sitting aside in a daze, and coughed twice.
The people in the room suddenly fell silent. They had all heard Qian Yingyi's loud crying that night. The guards in the house had suddenly become commanders of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, silently lying in wait in the house. In the past, they should have rushed out to attack Qin Lizheng together.
However, Qin Lizheng had just saved Ren Yuqing and Tuan Jie'er, so in the blink of an eye, Qian Yingyi had already kicked them out.
They were powerless to help Qian Yingyi in this affair.
With the love and care of her parents and siblings, Qian Yingyi's life has been smooth sailing for the past nineteen years. In such an environment, how could she not be sincere and pure when she likes someone?
Suddenly realizing that your beloved and close family members have been deceiving you all along, it would be a lie to say you weren't heartbroken, sad, or didn't want to vent.
When Qian Yuxing first learned of this, she didn't speak to Yu Cheng for several days.
Not to mention Qian Yingyi.
After a pause, Qian Yuxing looked at her younger sister and said in a very soft voice, "You didn't eat much for dinner. I noticed your face has lost a lot of weight. Your sister-in-law made chicken soup in her small kitchen. Go get a bowl and have a couple of sips."
Qian Yingyi blinked, pursed her lips, forced a not-so-good smile, stood up, glanced at Tuan Jie'er, and said, "I'm not hungry."
Qian Yuxing frowned, opened her mouth as if to say something, but then saw Qian Yingyi straighten the wrinkled hem of her skirt and say softly, "I'm tired, Aunt, Sister, Sister-in-law, I'm going back now."
He immediately turned and walked out.
Qian Yuxing was about to chase after him, but stopped at the last minute. After a long while, he sighed and brought Qin Lizheng out to scold him, "If you're going to investigate corrupt officials, then investigate corrupt officials. Why did you have to pretend to be a guard? Don't let me see him again, or I will definitely not show any mercy."
As Qian Yingyi walked out of the main room carrying a rabbit lantern, Qian Linye was kneeling on the open ground to the side. Upon seeing his sister, he knew he had done wrong and immediately put on a fawning smile.
To his surprise, Qian Yingyi didn't even glance at him, and walked straight past him towards Yunteng Pavilion. Although the distance wasn't far, it took Qian Yingyi almost half an incense stick's time to walk there.
Upon entering the main room, Qian Yingyi noticed a pile of brocade boxes on the table, along with a letter. She calmly called Xia Ling over, "Didn't I say that if these things were sent over again, I would just throw them away?"
Xia Ling glanced at it and looked troubled. "Why was it sent again? I was talking to Cuicui and didn't see it."
Although Qin Lizheng has not appeared before Qian Yingyi these days, he still follows his old habits, sending her her favorite food and drinks every day, and sending her a letter every day to apologize. Inside the brocade box... is Qian Yingyi's most beloved gold.
Unfortunately, Qian Yingyi always had these things thrown out untouched.
Qin Lizheng remained undeterred, continuing in the same manner. It was as if he feared that as the days went by, Qian Yingyi would calm down and forget about him.
Qian Yingyi lowered her eyes and stared at the things on the table. She waved her hand and told Xia Ling to close the door tightly when she left. After the room was completely quiet, she lit the fire in the silver lamp. Her original intention was to burn the letters, but she inexplicably opened them instead.
Staring at the familiar handwriting on the letter, Qian Yingyi felt as if she could recall his tone and expression when he spoke through those words.
Didn't he say she was already a part of his bones and blood? How could he lie to her so cruelly?
Qian Yingyi paced back and forth unconsciously with the letter in her hand. After a moment, she sat down in front of the mirror, put the letter aside, and lay prostrate on the dressing table with her face tilted to the side, without saying a word.
After he left, she took a nap and calmed down considerably.
That day he said he was worried that he would fall into a conspiracy. She pondered it carefully. Although she didn't know who was watching her, she understood the key role her brother-in-law Yu Cheng played in it.
In this way, those who approach her must also be trying to marry her in order to win over her brother-in-law.
He came to Jinling to investigate corrupt officials, but by a twist of fate, she took him in. She knew that perhaps she shouldn't blame him entirely. But she was angry that he hadn't told her anything for so long. He hadn't told her when her older siblings came back, he hadn't told her when their feelings were strong, and he hadn't even told her when he begged her to marry him.
“Qin... Li Zheng…” Qian Yingyi’s lips parted slightly as she called his name in a hesitant voice, and she couldn’t help but recall the fleeting glimpse she had of him through the carriage curtain many years ago when she was still in the capital.
He was young then, not yet the way he is now, and she was still young. If all of this hadn't happened to her, how could she have believed that such complicated things existed in the world?
Two people who had absolutely no connection, who had never even met properly in the capital, somehow managed to come together.
After his identity was revealed, everything became clearer, including the deep-seated hatred he carried. Whenever she thought of this, Qian Yingyi felt a sharp pain in her heart, and she thought bitterly, "He has things to do, like investigating corrupt officials and avenging his elder brother. He should just do them. Why does he have to provoke her?"
Qian Yingyi stood there indignantly for a moment, then turned her face away slightly. Before she knew it, she was looking at the jewelry piled up on the dressing table.
These things had been piled up in a corner ever since she threw them away so violently. She stared silently at the phoenix crown, then, in a moment of distraction, her gaze fell on the peony bracelet that had been smashed and was now warped.
Qian Yingyi sat up, slowly picked up the bracelet, stared at it with her eyes down, and picked at a small notch with her fingertips.
The next moment, something seemed to choke her heart. She took a slight breath and suddenly called out, "Xia Ling, get a knife—"
These words startled Xia Ling, who hurriedly pushed open the door and rushed in, on the verge of tears, "Miss, you can't do something foolish!"
Qian Yingyi's knuckles, gripping the bracelet, gradually protruded as she repeated, "Go and fetch it."
Seeing her calm expression, Xia Ling hesitated repeatedly before finally going to retrieve a small boning knife, turning back every few steps.
Qian Yingyi gripped the knife without a word, scraping it forcefully against the bracelet. After scraping the bracelet, she haphazardly scraped at the earrings and necklaces. When her fingertips were covered in fine gold dust, she suddenly laughed and slammed the knife to the ground. "Idiot!"
Her vision suddenly blurred, and tears streamed down her face. Qian Yingyi seemed to have a hallucination, as if two Qin Lizhengs appeared in front of her. One was deceiving her, so evil that she was about to turn away, while the other was doing his best to be good to her in his own way, desperately pulling her back.
As they struggled, Qian Yingyi abruptly wiped away her tears with her sleeve, a burning anger simmering within her. She overturned all her jewelry and stormed out of the main room, calling out, "Little Tortoiseshell!"
Little Tortoiseshell was not far away when it heard the commotion and was startled. It hurriedly went to her side and said, "Miss."
"Prepare the carriage; we're going to the imperial prison."
Little Tortoiseshell was surprised, "At this time? Miss, why not tomorrow..."
Qian Yingyi abruptly cut him off, saying sharply, "If you don't go prepare the carriage, I'll go to the stable and get the horse myself!"
The little hawksbill turtle was stunned for a moment, but had no choice but to do as instructed.
The bright moon hangs high in the sky, and the sound of pipes and strings fills the air along the banks of the Qinhuai River. The moon shines brightly in the sky, and the bustling atmosphere remains unchanged. As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, many people are reuniting with their families, and the streets are filled with lively activity. Although it is already night, the banks of the river are even more noisy and bustling.
The Jinyiwei prison outside the imperial city was eerily quiet, and Qin Lizheng was leaning back in his chair, taking a short rest.
Wen Zhuonan was, after all, from an official family. Although he had the right to execute first and report later, the outcome of the people's united protest at the government office had to be reported to the court and decided by the emperor.
The round trip took several dozen days.
These days he has only interrogated Wen Jianzhou, his wife Wen, and Wen Xinyan. When did Wen Zhuonan develop this habit, and why did he suddenly kidnap Ren Yuqing? All of this needs to be explained.
As for Wen Ninglan, Qin Lizheng only questioned her briefly before releasing her back to the Wen family on the grounds that she was born to the previous Mrs. Wen and had no kinship with Wen Zhuonan and others.
Wen Jianzhou was truly unaware that Wen Zhuonan had symptoms of uncontrollable manic emotions, so Qin Lizheng turned his attention to Mrs. Wen and, after some questioning, learned the whole story.
At this moment, footsteps began to sound. Qin Lizheng opened his eyes, looked at Chu Zhiyan, and asked in a slightly hoarse voice, "Has the Emperor's decree been issued?"
Chu Zhiyan entered, travel-worn, and quickly walked to Qin Lizheng's side. He nodded slightly with his chin and said, "His Majesty's will is to leave Wen Zhuonan's body in the wilderness, to be pecked by birds and bitten by beasts. There is no need to care about it anymore. As for the Wen family... their reputation for collusion between officials and bandits is here. Wen Jianzhou will be given thirty strokes of the cane, dismissed from his post and never to be employed again, and then exiled a thousand miles away. His wife and children will also go with him."
"This can be considered an explanation to the furious people."
Chu Zhiyan said this without hiding it from anyone, as the prison where Wen Jianzhou was being held was not far away.
Upon hearing that he had lost his official position and was to be exiled, Wen Jianzhou was immediately terrified. His eyes darted around wildly as he hurriedly cried out, "Commander, Commander Qin! Give me another chance, just one! I can redeem myself through meritorious service!"
He said, "I know perfectly well that Yan Yu and the others are involved in embezzlement. I still have the money Yan Yu bribed me to transfer Yan Ruheng back to Jinling buried in my mansion! I will pay it all back. Please save me, Commander Qin, please save me!"
Chu Zhiyan sneered, "Now that we've come this far, Lord Wen probably has no chance of returning to the Ministry of Personnel. As for embezzlement... do you think we don't know?"
Wen Jianzhou froze for a moment, realizing that he would have to spend the rest of his life in this bitter and cold place. He felt endless regret and glared at his wife, who had fainted from fright, before collapsing to the ground.
Qin Lizheng glanced at him indifferently, raised his hand to furrow his brow, and stood up to walk out, saying, "That's enough."
Walking straight out of the prison with Chu Zhiyan, Qin Lizheng glanced at the bright moon overhead and asked softly, "How is she?"
In fact, Qin Lizheng would sneak into the Qian family home every night to check on Qian Yingyi. He only dared to steal a few greedy glances at her when she was asleep and unsuspecting. Therefore, he could only guess at Qian Yingyi's situation during the day.
Coincidentally, Ren Yuqing had been sending fruit, snacks, and gifts to the prison in the past few days to thank the two of them. Chu Zhiyan took the opportunity to ask the maid about Qian Yingyi's recent situation.
Chu Zhiyan sighed, patted Qin Lizheng's shoulder, and said truthfully, "Young Mistress Qian's maid said that she is very quiet and often sits for a whole day without talking to anyone. Sometimes when she goes to see Tuanjie, her smile is uglier than her crying."
"I advised you to be honest with her a long time ago, but you were too busy with this and that. Now look what happened? She's just ignoring you now."
As the two were about to leave, the faint sound of horses' hooves could be heard in the distance, mixed with the creaking of axles rolling. Qin Lizheng's eyes widened, and his hands, which were tied behind his back, clenched involuntarily, making him feel breathless for a moment.
Chu Zhiyan was also quite surprised, staring blankly as the carriage drew closer and closer.
As soon as the carriage came to a stop, Qian Yingyi stumbled and jumped off. Suddenly, she drew the sword from her small tortoiseshell waist and ran towards Qin Lizheng with all her might. Her hair was slightly disheveled and she was panting heavily.
Qin Lizheng looked at her face, which was getting closer and closer, and forced a smile. "Still angry, aren't you?"
His gaze then shifted downwards, watching her trembling hand gripping the sword. He gently closed his eyes and said, "Just vent your anger; I won't dodge."
Qian Yingyi gasped for breath, staring at his tired eyes, her hand loosened, the sword falling to the ground. Then, gathering all her strength, she slapped him hard across the face in front of Chu Zhiyan and some Imperial Guards—
"Qin Lizheng, what do you take me for?" As soon as she spoke, hot tears fell to the ground. "Why did you presumptuously keep things from me? Why did you say it was for my own good and not let me know anything? I may be soft-hearted, but I'm not stupid! You've been handling this matter in your own way, have you ever asked me even once? I, Qian Yingyi, may have lived in a greenhouse, but that doesn't mean I don't understand anything! Let them scheme and plot if they want, I'm not afraid at all! Why do you look down on me like this?!"
She finished speaking in one breath, then coughed violently for a while, looked around the entire prison, and then said, "You were like this prison at first, cold as ice. It was because of me that you became humane. Everything is because of me. I was involved in your change. Why should I be kept in the dark about this matter and know nothing about it?"
“I don’t want your arrogance, nor your silent love,” she glared at him as she always had, “and I don’t want to be a flower under your wings. I am a living, breathing person, and I have the right to know everything! If you can’t do that, why did you even try to provoke me in the first place!”
"Did it hurt when I slapped you? If it hurts, then remember this: I'm not as delicate as you think, nor as vulnerable as you think!" she cried. "What kind of skill is it for you to be my bodyguard, protecting me at every turn and preventing others from getting close to me with ulterior motives?"
The emotions in her eyes suddenly became clean and simple. She pushed him hard and said, "You told me that I must marry you after spring, so you should openly tell everyone that you want to marry me! Marry me as Qin Lizheng, completely cutting off anyone else's schemes! Love me with your purest and most authentic self!"
Every word and phrase carried a powerful and moving emotion. Even Chu Zhiyan's eyes widened in surprise, never expecting her to be so passionate and decisive in love and hate.
As she finished speaking, Qian Yingyi wiped away her tears repeatedly with her sleeve, her voice gradually lowering, "I won't allow you to look down on me... How could you be so self-righteous..."
Qin Lizheng looked at her from a short distance away and suddenly felt as if he had gotten to know her all over again.
Her words were powerful and resounding, like sharp swords piercing his entire body, filling him with overwhelming shame and self-reproach.
She's right. He's been getting to know her again and again. He clearly already knows her very well. How could he be so presumptuous as to think that it's best if she knows nothing?
He rushed forward and pulled her close, pressing her face against his chest, his low, husky voice trembling with emotion, "I was such a jerk, so shallow, so arrogant, it's all my fault..."
Qian Yingyi sobbed against his chest, then suddenly clenched her fist and punched him, "I originally wanted to kill you with a sword, but the moment I saw you, I changed my mind. Why should I be the villain in the end!"
She raised her face, her red eyes fixed on him. "I'll only ask you one question: have you regretted it?"
Upon hearing this, how could Chu Zhiyan not understand? He was delighted to turn around, and casually raised his hand, ordering the Imperial Guards to turn around as well.
Qin Lizheng's fingertips traced her slightly gaunt face as he said in a hoarse voice, "I regret it so much that I wish I could die and start over."
Since they met, they had never been apart for so long. So long that Qin Lizheng felt as if several years had passed. He held her face with utmost reverence, loving her with his truest self, just as she had said. "From now on, it is Qin Lizheng who loves Qian Yingyi, loves Qian Yingyi's sincerity, loves Qian Yingyi's purity, loves everything about Qian Yingyi. You are you, and I am me. There will never be any more self-deception between us."
He lifted her chin and kissed her deeply, his longing surging. The feeling of the kiss completely overturned all the heaviness, leaving only simple emotions and love. Between them, only their truest selves remained.
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Author's Note: When Qin Liran, far away, heard Qin Lizheng say that it would be better to kill him with a sword, he was speechless: "Brother, it's right that you try to appease your wife when she's angry, but don't forget you still have to avenge your brother. [Please!]"
Okay, one slightly angsty chapter, then it's all sweet afterwards.
Qian Yingyi's breakdown was inevitable; her love was simply too sincere.
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