Chapter 134: The Scene of Breaking Up a Couple
Inside, the family is reunited; outside, the atmosphere is lively.
As the most festive day in the Dayan Dynasty, the 30th was brightly lit, with candles every five steps and lamps every ten steps.
As dusk settled, the glow of lanterns gradually replaced the natural light, creating a kaleidoscope of colors beneath the lantern paper, a sight even more breathtaking than during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The streets, avenues, and alleys were packed with people.
Song Jin naturally wouldn't miss this lively and sumptuous reunion dinner, so she dragged her mother out to the lantern festival.
The streets were bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder, and one could easily get separated if one wasn't careful.
Qu Maoze followed behind like a ghost, seemingly without presence, but steadily stayed by his side, his tall figure blocking the flow of people on both sides and avoiding collisions with pedestrians.
Song Jin's gold hairpins and jade ornaments were completely removed, just like on Mid-Autumn Festival. She was without any adornments, yet her nobility was still undeniable. Her red hairpin between her brows was like fire, and her phoenix eyes were filled with countless lights. She was particularly dazzling in the bustling crowd.
It always attracts people with all sorts of ulterior motives.
She kicked away the person who stumbled and fell in front of her, and looked at him with a half-smile. The person immediately rolled into the crowd like a mouse seeing a cat and disappeared in a moment.
Song Jin continued looking at the stall, admiring the numerous lanterns displayed there, and finally picked out two that weren't particularly eye-catching.
It has a cute, chubby look; it's not exactly refined, but it's incredibly lifelike.
Niu Tielan knew that this brat was being silly again and wanted to buy some random trinkets. She shook her head and said, "Take it easy on him. I'm not going to carry anything for you today."
"Stingy girl."
Song Jin paid the money, carried over two lanterns, took Niu Tielan's hand, stuffed the lantern stick into her hand, closed her hand, then looked at Qu Maoze next to her, pouted, handed him the other one, and said fiercely, "Keep an eye on my mother in a bit."
Qu Maoze was unusually surprised. He looked at the rough little tiger lantern in his hand and hesitated, "You...aren't you coming with us?"
Song Jin rolled her eyes: "What's so fun about being with you guys? I'm leaving my mother in your care for now. If she gets lost, I'll break your head off."
Qu Maoze felt uneasy about her seemingly generous demeanor, which made him hesitate.
Something just doesn't look right.
This kid usually stares at him like he's some kind of robber, why is he being so 'generous' today?
Niu Tielan was also somewhat taken aback, and reached out to stroke her forehead.
It's warm, but there's no fever.
Looking at their ghostly expressions, Song Jin was speechless: "Is it really that serious?"
The two nodded, quite agreeably.
During this period of time, the couple did reconcile, but that was all. They were either at home with people coming and going, or they went out with a pair of big eyes watching them.
Song Jin can go out for a stroll on her own, but if the couple goes out alone without telling her or taking her, she can make a fuss for days.
It's Chinese New Year now, and there's a lantern festival. Letting them go out just doesn't seem right.
Niu Tielan even suspected that she was going to secretly go out and do something shady.
It must be bad enough and have a lot of fanfare, otherwise why wouldn't she follow along?
Faced with their suspicions, Song Jin pouted, gave a light snort, walked behind them, grabbed their shoulders, and pushed them forward: "That's enough, you two. It's the New Year, I'm being unusually magnanimous, don't force me to go back on my word."
She lowered her head and pushed the person, muttering to herself.
She is a very possessive person, indeed stingy and unreasonable, wishing that she would be the only one by her mother's side, and that everything would revolve around her.
She will be very happy, but her mother will be so pitiful.
Back in town, Niu Tielan was in poor health and lagged far behind others, so she had no choice but to stay at home. Upon arriving in the capital, she found herself surrounded by all sorts of people and things, which piqued her interest even more. However, because the Song family had made many enemies, she still rarely went out.
She had to have Song Jin follow her everywhere she went, keeping a close watch on her, because she felt sorry for her daughter.
Song Jin also felt sorry for her mother.
My own mother was widowed at a young age, and now that she's middle-aged, her husband is right beside her. She can't let him remain a widow, can she? Oh well, she'll just be generous.
Song Jin pushed the two of them, pretending to be generous, but still couldn't help muttering a bunch of safety precautions the whole way, afraid that her mother would get lost—although it was basically impossible, since the two of them were practically connected because of the Gu worms, and could find each other even if they were hundreds or thousands of miles apart.
She led people out of the bustling crowd until they entered a quiet alley. After speaking in a seemingly generous manner, she couldn't help but emphasize, "It's 5 PM now. There are still two and a half hours until the fireworks show at midnight. Two and a half hours should be enough for you to enjoy yourselves, right?"
Niu Tielan's lips twitched: "What's wrong with you during the New Year?"
Does she lack this little bit of time?
Song Jin raised her head high and declared confidently, "Mother, you should be secretly thrilled to have such a considerate daughter like me."
Niu Tielan reached out and touched Song Jin's forehead again. It was still warm and he didn't have a fever. It seemed that his head was fine. She breathed a sigh of relief, pinched his arm, and said irritably, "Don't make a fuss during the New Year. Aren't we going to release lanterns?"
Song Jin muttered, "I'm not going to be a third wheel."
Niu Tielan: "What?"
Song Jin waved her hand, ignoring her sensitive mother, turned around and slapped Qu Maoze hard on the shoulder, pouting, "I'm leaving my mother to you, pretty boy dad. I'm off."
With that, she leaped onto the roof right in front of the two of them and disappeared into the night.
The couple looked at each other in bewilderment.
Qu Maoze, who was usually at ease, hesitated: "What did she call me just now?"
He wondered if it was just too noisy outside, causing him to have a hallucination.
Niu Tielan was also puzzled, but more than that, she was confused.
Raising children is so difficult. When they're young and don't understand things, it's a headache. But when they suddenly become sensible, it's an even bigger headache.
Fortunately, this time she wasn't the only one sharing the burden. Seeing the undisguised astonishment on Qu Maoze's face, she felt a little better and snorted, "I'm calling you a pretty boy."
However, calling him a gigolo wouldn't be accurate. Qu Maoze's fake face has handsome and dignified features, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes. At first glance, he looks like a righteous and upright gentleman, making him seem very reliable. But unfortunately, he is now a commoner with no roots or connections. He lives and eats at the Song family mansion and seduces Madam Song. To outsiders, he just looks like a gigolo who lives off a woman.
During this time, he often followed behind the mother and daughter, swaggering around. Anyone could see that their relationship was unusual, so there were quite a few rumors about them in Yong'an City.
Qu Maoze didn't care. His reputation had never been good in his life. After confirming that he hadn't misheard, he reached out and pulled her into his arms. He lowered his head, his eyes filled with undisguised joy, and smiled again: "My lady is young, beautiful, wealthy, and talented. It is my honor to be her gigolo."
His broad hands could encircle her slender waist, and you could feel the warmth through her thick clothes.
Niu Tielan blushed slightly and scolded, "You're so glib!"
Qu Maoze raised an eyebrow slightly, his handsome face drawing closer: "Is that so? Madam speaks with such certainty, you must have tasted it. I wonder what it tasted like?"
Niu Tielan felt a surge of anger rising in her chest. In the dim candlelight, her face flushed red. Gritting her teeth, she stomped down, angrily saying, "Can't you have any shame?"
Qu Maoze chuckled lightly and sighed in a pretentious manner: "My daughter has already given us a chance to get along. If I still care about saving face, wouldn't I be letting her down?"
As he spoke, he pressed the person against the wall, slowly lowering their head.
He had a full forehead, a high nose bridge, and deep, narrow phoenix eyes with long, delicate eyelashes that could easily conceal his emotions. At first glance, he appeared aloof, dignified, and reliable, but upon closer inspection, the corners of his lips curled into a half-smile, carrying an inexplicable air of wickedness, captivating the viewer's gaze and making it difficult to look away.
Niu Tielan was completely enveloped in his arms. He looked handsome and slender, but was five feet six inches tall, quite imposing. He easily blocked the cold wind from all directions, and through his thick clothes, his warm body radiated a faint peach wood scent, making her head spin.
She subconsciously bit her lip, revealing pearly white teeth and pink lips. Her bright almond-shaped eyes were etched on her small face, making her look gentle and docile, irresistibly tempting one to hold her slender, fair neck and nestle her close.
Qu Maoze had originally intended to tease her, but seeing her like this, his eyes darkened little by little. He tightened his grip on her slender waist, pressing her firmly into his arms and pressing her tightly against him.
This posture was rather dangerous. In the cold wind, on a secluded path far from the crowds, the noise outside was shut out, leaving only the quiet breathing all around. In the cold wind, it was like a hunter chasing in the forest, each step becoming heavier.
Niu Tielan instinctively held her breath, afraid to move any further, but this position was truly uncomfortable. Her waist felt as if it were firmly locked by iron, stiff and sore. After a while, she couldn't help but gently struggle.
Like a snow hare lying still in the snowstorm, it had thought it had concealed itself well, but suddenly flung off a thick layer of snow, instantly revealing its location. The waiting, hungry wolf grabbed it tightly and dragged it back to its den in the freezing wind.
Outside, the wind was biting cold; inside, it was stiflingly hot.
In a daze, Niu Tielan clutched his clothes tightly, thinking...
What this person said wasn't wrong; she had indeed tasted his glib tongue, and whether it was the literal meaning or his underhanded tactics, the experience was exceptionally unbearable.
...
Good things come in pairs; when it comes to dating, it can't be just me doing it.
Song Jin made room for them, scaling walls and eaves, leaping and bounding across most of Yong'an City, until they reached the towering city wall.
Tonight is bustling with people and lanterns everywhere, so the guards are much stronger than usual, with patrols below the city walls and observations above, in case of a flood and no time to react.
Song Jin darted along the city road and climbed from the ground floor to the top of the wall.
The city walls are towering, and from here you can see most of Yong'an City. The city is brightly lit, with lights twinkling like stars, and each person and each lantern is strung together to form a fiery dragon.
Beside the gun emplacement, a tall man dressed in black stood upright, his dark eyes gazing ahead with an unfathomable gloom.
As soon as Song Jin arrived, she saw this scene, moved her legs, and turned to run away.
A deep, resonant voice rang out: "Mingguang's here."
Song Jin's eyebrows drooped, and with a dejected look, she turned back and performed a haphazard kowtow: "Mingguang greets Your Majesty, long live the Emperor!"
Qi Ye looked down at her, gazing at her bright and beautiful face, feeling slightly dazed.
This girl looks so much like Song Shang, especially her phoenix eyes, which are long, narrow, and jet black, like the eyes of a beast emerging from a bottomless cave, hiding an indescribable wildness.
Aside from their appearance, the father and daughter are practically identical.
The Song Dynasty is like a giant beast hidden in the deep sea, occasionally surfacing. It appears calm and gentle, but when you turn around unnoticed, it will gently shake the seawater and suddenly drag you into the abyss, leaving no trace of your body. It is both strange and dark.
Song Jin, on the other hand, looks like a fierce tiger from the mountains. He is savage and cruel, and he will try to pounce on people whenever he sees them. If he is in a good mood, he will scratch them with his claws and sneer to scare them. If he is in a bad mood, he will bite people and throw them off the cliff, or kick people's skulls for fun.
Unrestrained and arrogant, straightforward
Dangerous, but easy to defend against.
She knelt there, head drooping, lips pursed, her whole being radiating reluctance.
Qi Ye slowly spoke: "You little brat, you really don't want to see me?"
Song Jin pretended to be serious: "Not at all. It is Mingguang's honor to meet His Majesty. Mingguang would love to see His Majesty every day, so that he can boast about it more often when he goes out."
Qi Ye glanced at her: "Really? Then what's that on your lips?"
Song Jin touched her mouth; it was clean, with no residue.
Thinking this, she heard Qi Ye's slightly teasing voice: "The oil bottles hanging here could eat for a month. Get up, or you'll be going to complain about me again in a bit."
Song Jin dared not get up; she continued to kneel, saying, "I'm innocent! This world belongs to you; who can accuse you?"
Qi Ye: "That's right, you can't call this complaining, it's more like saying bad things about someone."
Song Jin's eyes widened, her pupils darting around: "I didn't, I'm not that kind of person. If you want to find fault, you can always find a reason. Even if you are the emperor, you can't wrong people."
Qi Ye glanced at him and said, "If you want to find fault, you can always find a reason. Then you tell me your reason."
Song Jin immediately lowered her head: "...Mingguang has never been to school, he can't explain it."
"You're quite frank," Qi Ye sighed deeply, looking at her crooked posture. "Didn't we assign you a female tutor? How far have you gotten in your studies?"
They're here, they're here.
The drama of forcibly separating lovers may have been late, but it has finally arrived.
Song Jin has been spending every day with Qi Zheng lately. Although he hasn't said anything, it's precisely because he hasn't said anything that there's something wrong with him.
What happened to the arranged marriage?
His delay could be due to either him forgetting or the person above disagreeing.
Based on Song Jin's understanding of Qi Zheng, it couldn't be that he went back on his word; it could only be a problem with his father, who was a man of his word.
Faced with his 'questioning,' Song Jin pouted, inwardly displeased, but outwardly remained obedient: "Mingguang is stupid and can't learn it."
"..."
This isn't honesty; it's pure deception.
Qi Ye asked irritably, "Is it that you can't learn it, or that you don't want to learn it?"
Song Jin shrank her neck, looking timid, but her words were anything but: "We have them all."
Even if her relationship with Qi Zheng is still far from settled, and their birth dates are already set in stone, she would never "force" herself to become a typical well-bred young lady.
She dates for happiness, not to suffer.
Whether the parents agree or not, whether they approve or not, at worst we can just break up and not expect her to change.
Qi Ye looked at her craning her neck, looking defiant, and laughed in exasperation: "What kind of expression is that? I haven't said anything yet."
Song Jin stretched her neck: "Some things don't need to be said, I understand."
Qi Yele: "What do you know that you understand?"
Song Jin turned her head away and muttered, "The heartless father-in-law broke up the couple, and the poor daughter-in-law ran away pregnant..."
Qi Ye's lips twitched, and he said irritably, "Alright, what nonsense are you spouting? Get up, or I'll become the greatest villain in the world."
Song Jin slowly stood up, her eyes darting furtively over there, and she couldn't help but mutter, "That's how it is."
Qi Ye picked up his cane and tapped her on the head, saying irritably, "I think you're incredibly audacious."
Song Jin: "Woof"
Qi Ye: "...Stop fooling around."
He was both amused and exasperated. The entire conversation hadn't covered anything serious. It was truly remarkable how this girl was. No wonder his son was so stubborn; he hadn't even glanced at any of the many beauties in the capital, yet he'd fallen for this dim-witted girl.
Being with her is indeed quite 'pleasant'.
Qi Ye sighed and went straight to the point: "The Prince of Qi has been coming to the palace every day these past few days, begging me to grant him a marriage."
Song Jin blinked: "Your Majesty should be happy to have raised such a loyal and righteous son who keeps his word."
Qi Ye was speechless: "You really dare to say that."
Putting aside everything else, this girl is incredibly thick-skinned and knows how to talk.
His son is naturally the best man in the world.
Song Jin was adept at taking advantage of situations. Seeing that his expression softened, she immediately added, "Mingguang is not well-educated and not good with words. He may not be able to spout any grand principles, but he speaks from the heart. As the saying goes, dragons beget dragons and phoenixes beget phoenixes. His Highness Prince Qi is kind, loyal, and devoted to his family and the people. He has great love in his heart. All of this is thanks to His Majesty."
Qi Ye suppressed a smile and waved his hand, saying, "Don't think that saying nice things is enough. I don't fall for that."
Song Jin feigned surprise: "Are these just nice words? Mingguang is just telling the truth."
Qi Ye knew that she said these things on purpose, but could he assume that she was lying and deceiving people just because she said them on purpose?
Absolutely not. He is a wise ruler with the world in his heart; he cannot be prejudiced against a little girl.
Although this girl hasn't had much formal education, her bright, intelligent eyes are full of wit and she's quite clever. While she's a bit unruly and likes to run around, she's full of energy and has a strong physique; she looks like a fine young woman who could carry two children on her shoulders even while pregnant.
Qi Ye cleared his throat: "My A-Zheng is naturally the best young man in the world. You have some good taste, girl."
Song Jin smiled proudly, her eyes crinkling. "Absolutely."
Qi Ye sighed: "But A-Zheng has grown up away from home all these years, he has seen too little and possessed too little."
Song Jin's face fell, displeased: "Is Your Majesty indirectly insulting me? Not to brag, but when I'm out there, there are plenty of good young men who like me."
Qi Ye looked at her childish appearance and found it somewhat amusing: "Is that so? So Mingguang ignores them and only stays with A-Zheng, does that mean he thinks my A-Zheng is the best?"
Song Jin pouted and said reluctantly, "It's alright."
He's good in every way, except he has a father who has no taste.
Qi Ye's gaze became distant: "You're both young now, so naturally you think the other is perfect in every way, but what about the future? Mingguang, Azheng is still young. He likes you now, but can you guarantee he'll like you for the rest of his life? What if he falls for someone else in the future, and has someone else in his harem? What will you do then?"
Song Jin paused for a moment, realizing the implication in his words, and looked at him with some surprise: "Your Majesty, are you worried about Mingguang?"
Qi Ye smiled: "Song Shang has saved my life several times, showing great righteousness. You are his daughter, just like my daughter, so naturally I worry about you."
He's the emperor, after all. If he didn't really treat her like a junior, why would he be so easy to talk to?
Song Jin was genuinely surprised. She scratched her head, and unusually, instead of interrupting, she thought about it seriously for a moment and said, "I understand what Your Majesty means. If you're asking me if I'm willing to share a husband with someone else, then I definitely wouldn't. I'm not a good person; I won't share what I like with anyone."
Qi Ye sighed; he naturally knew.
What woman with character and backbone would be willing to share a husband with another man?
Song Jin continued, "But Mingguang trusts Prince Qi. At least for now, Prince Qi is sincere, and Mingguang genuinely likes him. That's enough. As for the future, even Mingguang himself can't guarantee that he will continue to like Prince Qi. Judging others by oneself, we can't expect too much."
Qi Ye felt a lump in his throat: "There's no need to be so frank."
Song Jin laughed heartily, his eyebrows and eyes radiating confidence, yet he remained open and sincere, with an air of unwavering determination: "Don't worry, Mingguang and that deadbeat father are both unreasonable, but they're not that crazy. Everyone has their partings and reunions. If I'm ever wronged in the future, I'll just give him a good beating, but it won't come to that. It really won't."
Qi Ye chuckled: "You are even more intelligent than I thought."
Song Jin said slyly, "Who told me my parents to be such smart people?"
These words echoed her earlier praise of others.
Qi Ye laughed heartily: "You silly girl, no wonder A-Zheng likes you, I like you too."
As soon as he finished speaking, Song Jin quickly took two steps back, pricked up her ears, and looked at him warily, as if he were some kind of big scoundrel: "Your Majesty, you could be my grandfather."
Qi Ye felt a lump in his throat, unable to get it out. After a while, he glared at her angrily and cursed under his breath, "You brat, you're just like your father, a complete scoundrel."
With that, he waved his sleeve, turned and left, walking along the other side of the city wall.
As he moved, the guards hidden on his left and right sides emerged one by one, following him closely and protecting him.
Song Jin lay on the edge of the city wall, watching the people who suddenly appeared from above and below, and curled her lip.
She wondered why there were so many people around. She thought Qi Zheng had brought them, but it turned out to be this immortal. It scared her to death.
Song Jin rolled over, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, and snorted softly, "Aren't you coming out?"
As she finished speaking, Qi Zheng, dressed in black, walked out from under the other side of the cannon platform. He was tall, handsome, dignified, and exuded a sense of justice, making him seem exceptionally reassuring.
Song Jin was heartbroken: "You can know a person's face but not their heart. Men are indeed unreliable. They run away as soon as something happens, leaving a weak woman like me to take their place."
A hint of helplessness flashed in Qi Zheng's eyes: "A weak woman?"
Song Jin raised her chin, looking fierce: "Is there a problem?"
Qi Zheng couldn't help but smile, strode over, stood in front of her, lowered his head, and pressed his forehead against hers, his voice unusually gentle: "Clearly a heroine."
Song Jin's eyebrows curved into a smile, and she scoffed, "Don't think I'll forgive you just because you say nice things."
Qi Zheng's dark eyes reflected her image as he softly asked, "Then how can you forgive me?"
A sly glint flashed across Song Jin's face as she tiptoed closer to his ear and whispered...
Qi Zheng's eyelids twitched. Before she could finish speaking, he grabbed her waist, pressed her head against his chest, and leaped off the city wall with one hand. His expression was tense, filled with undisguised helplessness: "Let's go release lanterns."
Song Jin pouted: "No, us! ##..."
Let her say it, you bastard!
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