Chapter Forty-Two
"How could that be? The climate in Qin is different from that in Nandu, and the food is also... cough cough... different. With your weak little body, you mustn't lie to your sister."
"Really, there isn't any. The food... is mostly the same as in Nandu..."
At the Prince of Qin's residence, every meal seemed to be much the same as in Nandu. Wu Guan even told her to just say what she wanted to eat, and every dish was made to taste like those in Nandu, just like when she was at home.
When they first arrived, it was cool, and the fire in the stove in the house burned very well every night. Wu Guan would also prepare a basin of water and place it in the room to prevent the room from getting too dry.
Si Yunyun smiled knowingly, "Ahem, it seems that the King of Qin really likes you."
"How did the conversation turn into talking about him?"
Si Yanmo felt that her sister was playing matchmaker, and Zhou Yanqing had been nagging her these past two days, so what was there to talk about liking someone?
"I've been eating Qin food these past few days, and it's completely different from what I've had in Nandu. If you think it's the same, you're just being naive. You don't know that someone has taken care of everything for you behind the scenes!"
Si Yunyun poked her younger sister's head with her delicate hand, "You, you don't know how lucky you are!"
"What..." Si Yanmo rubbed her head, "Even if someone takes care of things, it's also..." It's also because Wu Guan, the housekeeper, does a good job. What does it have to do with Zhou Yanqing?
Seeing that her little sister refused to admit it, Si Yunyun shook her head helplessly and amusedly.
It seems that His Highness the King of Qin has a long way to go in getting his little fool to understand things!
"Alright, let's not talk about that anymore. I have some good news I haven't told you yet." Si Yunyun took her hand, her eyes sparkling with joy, "You're going to be a concubine!"
Si Yanmo was stunned. She hadn't expected her fate to change and her sister's pregnancy to come so soon.
But she clearly remembered a line in her sister's destiny: "Raising children is perilous, halfway to the underworld."
My sister had a brush with death.
She quickly asked, "Then why did you come here? Did you call a witch doctor to take a look? How can your body handle being pregnant while you're ill?"
"It's alright, it's alright," Si Yunyun quickly reassured her when she saw how anxious she was. "The witch doctor has examined her and there's nothing serious. She's been taking the medicine to help with the pregnancy, so don't worry."
Zhou Junsong initially disagreed with her coming along, but she was really worried about her younger sister. She was afraid that she would be unfamiliar with Qin and what would happen if Zhou Yanqing treated her badly again.
She was relieved to find that all her inquiries today were good news.
——
Meanwhile, the two brothers on the other side also treated each other with the utmost respect.
"Since the Third Prince has come to visit merchants, may I accompany him?" Zhou Yanqing asked, taking a sip of the tea offered by a servant.
Zhou Junsong, just like Nandu, had a pale face and looked no better than Si Yunyun, who was ill.
He smiled and said, "Ahem, thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty, but it's no need. Ahem, it's nothing."
"How can His Majesty's decree be a trivial matter? I shall accompany the Third Prince."
Since Si Yanmo finished talking about the matters in her destiny, Zhou Yanqing has been more focused on figuring out the timing for Zhou Junsong to form an alliance with the King of Qi.
He and Si Yunyun had only been married for three months and had not left Nandu. If he wanted to meet the Prince of Qi, the opportunity should be during this "visit to merchants". If he wanted to meet the people that the Prince of Qi had placed in Qin, it would probably be at this time.
Then he should keep a close eye on this person.
"I wonder why the Third Prince came to Qin first this time?"
"My wife is pregnant, and I don't want her to overwork, so I came to Qin first to have her stay so she can keep the Princess of Qin company. Cough cough, I will go to Sacran Island later, and I can pick up my wife when I return from Qi Valley."
A month and a half ago, at the Third Prince's residence.
The guard, A Zhe, rushed in, "Your Highness, we've found Mo Li."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Junsong, who was writing a memorial, put down his pen and said, "Speak."
"A new diviner has joined the Qin'an Divination Academy. His name is Mo Li, and he is skilled in divination. His stature is also similar to that of He Chunlou."
Zhou Junsong's gaze fell back on the folded documents on the table. It seemed he needed to hurry up with the matter of visiting merchants in various places...
——
The lilacs in Qin are in full bloom now. A gentle breeze blows, and tiny, delicate petals fall onto Si Yanmo's arrowhead, only to be gently brushed away by a large hand.
She leaned against Zhou Yanqing, letting him put his arm around her waist, looking very intimate, and smiled as she said goodbye to Zhou Junsong.
Once inside the carriage, her smile vanished instantly. "My sister has already written to my uncle, and I reckon the Third Prince will definitely visit Prince Qi on this trip..."
She spoke, unsure how to break the deadlock, but Zhou Yanqing remained silent.
Si Yanmo turned around abruptly, "Are you even listening to me?"
The person next to her had her ears burning red and stared blankly at the hand that had just been around her waist, completely oblivious to what she was saying.
"Hey, what are you thinking about?" She snapped her fingers twice in front of the other person.
Zhou Yanqing suddenly came to her senses, and the hand that had been resting on her waist withdrew in a daze, as if the jasmine fragrance still lingered.
For a moment he didn't know where to put his hands. When he put them back on his legs, the warmth of his palms made him wonder if it was left by the girl or if he was just too hot.
"What...what did you say?" He coughed lightly, trying to regain his composure.
"I said you're going to die!" Si Yanmo was completely baffled. "If Zhou Junsong goes to Qi Valley this time, he'll probably have to see the King of Qi. Aren't you worried?"
"I thought you were just catching up with your sister."
He laughed for no apparent reason, and after laughing, he didn't even know where his joy came from.
Zhou Yanqing realized that something was wrong with her. Whether it was the recent racking of her brains to find gifts for Si Yanmo or her dazed state just now, nothing was right, very wrong!
He quickly shook his head, trying to focus on Zhou Junsong's matter.
The two recounted their previous conversation.
Si Yunyun introduced her uncle to Zhou Junsong half a month ago, and Zhou Junsong will definitely meet with the King of Qi when he goes to Qi Valley.
“Although we haven’t seen them yet, we can’t stop them now.” Si Yanmo rested her chin on her hand.
“It’s not that we can’t stop them. Either kill your sister or your uncle, and that will solve the problem.”
Si Yanmo's heart sank immediately. He really had... set his sights on her family.
She pursed her lips, pondered for a long time, and then cautiously spoke, "Your Highness, you should be careful. According to fate, my sister and the Third Prince are in love. If you really kill my sister or uncle, and the Third Prince finds out, you will only bring trouble upon yourself."
Zhou Yanqing then realized she had misspoke and hurriedly explained, "Don't misunderstand, I didn't mean to kill your family, I was just joking. Why aren't you cursing me?"
He was completely unaccustomed to such subservience.
“Your Highness is of noble birth and wants to save yourself; anything you do is justified.”
Her calm words felt like a thorn in Zhou Yanqing's heart. It didn't hurt, but rather made him feel uncomfortable, yet he didn't know where to begin.
The man waved his hand irritably. "Alright, what I mean is, since they haven't met yet, we still have a chance. What's more uncontrollable than Zhou Junsong now are the spies Qi Gu has planted here. We have to eliminate them before they make a move against me."
Si Yanmo gave a curt "Yes," and remained silent for the rest of the journey.
Zhou Yanqing really didn't understand where this woman's sudden humility came from. Had he offended her recently? He hadn't acted like the King of Qin either.
But why does the atmosphere between them seem to be getting stranger and stranger?
Even after the carriage stopped at the gate of the Prince of Qin's mansion, he still couldn't figure it out.
"Sister Si, Brother Yanqing, you're finally back!"
As soon as the two got off the carriage, they saw Sano running towards them with a long face. In an instant, they realized that they seemed to have forgotten someone!
Si Yanmo followed Zhou Yanqing into the room and, sure enough, saw Consort Qin directing Wu Guan to do this and that.
"Qin... Mother."
She bowed to Zhou Yanqing, but Consort Qin merely glanced at her sideways before asking Zhou Yanqing, "I heard from Wu Guan that the little fool is better now?"
When Zhou Yanqing told Wu Guansi about Yan Mo's situation early in the morning, she said that she had healed the person on the way, just to prevent her mother from finding out. Now it has come in handy.
He pulled his mother down to sit, frowning as he corrected her, "Mother, her name is Si Yanmo. She's still your daughter-in-law, don't talk about her like that."
"Alright then." Consort Qin waved her hand leisurely. "Um... Yan Mo, sit down. The food has been prepared for a long time and we've been waiting for the two of you."
Si Yanmo saw that although she was as harsh as before, at least she didn't say anything about taking a concubine and having children, so it was peaceful.
Unfortunately, she was so wrong!
Just as Wu Guan brought the food up, Consort Qin spoke up again: "Now that Yan Mo is better, when are you going to have a child?"
puff--
Zhou Yanqing almost vomited it all up after taking a sip of soup.
How did my mother train herself to say these words the moment she opens her mouth, giving no time to react at all!
“Mother! The hostage is still here!” He had no choice but to use Sano as an excuse.
"What's wrong with that? He's not young anymore; he'll be of marriageable age in a couple of years. What's so hard to believe?"
Consort Qin, however, remained unconvinced and began to speak at length…
Seeing that things were not going well, Si Yanmo secretly gestured to Sanobi, and each of them sneaked away with a chicken leg in their pockets, leaving Zhou Yanqing alone to face the situation.
By the time Zhou Yanqing realized it, the two had already run quite a distance.
He glared at the two men through gritted teeth, his mouth clearly saying, "You two treacherous bastards!"
What is loyalty?
Is it edible?
Sano cupped his hands in return, saying, "On the battlefield, one must sacrifice the small to save the large!"
As he spoke, he and his sister Si ran back to the West Courtyard.
After closing the door, the two finally breathed a sigh of relief, ran to the table, poured themselves a cup of tea, and slumped into their chairs.
"Sister Si, I support you being with that Zhong Zihe! Your mother-in-law is too terrible, life is not easy at all."
Sano shook his head repeatedly, still shaken by fear.
Who makes someone give birth the moment they walk in the door? Even their cows need to be well cared for for a few days before they can work in the fields!
"What nonsense are you talking about!" Si Yanmo took it as a child's joke.
"I'm serious. Isn't your childhood sweetheart someone you know well? Are his parents easy to get along with? If they are, you might as well remarry. Anyway, you don't like Yan Qing."
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