If Bu Yi were a woman, and Shen Qichuan liked her, they would be overjoyed and could prepare a dowry upon returning home. But if Bu Yi were a man, he could be a male concubine, not a husband.
How could a man like him, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, have a male concubine in his household!
If they didn't know, fine, but knowing that they absolutely couldn't let Nan Yu return to the General's Mansion, the nanny next to Qi's mother went around to the right, quickly came to her young master's side, and knelt down with her back bent.
He said, "Young Master, Madam wants you to return to the Minister's residence with Master and Second Young Master this evening."
Nan Yu: "...What?"
Shen Qichuan guessed it; he understood when Qi Xuan kept glancing over.
Shen Qichuan said to the nanny, "I will take him back later."
The old woman had no idea what had happened; she was just told by the madam to deliver a message that General Shen had spoken. She nodded and left.
Nan Yu: "Did you want to eat lychees? That's why you let me go home."
Shen Qichuan: "Keep a few."
The young master nodded in agreement.
Shen Qichuan: "The northwest frontier is in turmoil, and I may have to leave the capital in the second half of the year. I will ask the Emperor for permission to marry me later, okay? Even if it is a short time, it will not be rushed. The dowry will be a hundred miles long, and I will keep my word."
Dengxin peeled another lychee, biting into it and finding it sweet. He nodded, indifferent. He couldn't get married anyway; he'd been married so many times. So what if he got married?
"By the way, my parents don't know yet."
Shen Qichuan had no intention of hiding it from the young master, and said, "They probably already know."
Deng Xin paused in chewing the lychee, then scratched her cheek. Indeed, she and Shen Qichuan were always together, and sitting in the wife's seat would cause misunderstandings.
He glanced at his father's expression.
His parents both had complicated expressions, as did his second brother.
Nan Yu: "..."
He turned to Shen Qichuan and said, "I'll go take a look."
Shen Qichuan nodded: "Remember to come back."
Nan Yu: "Okay."
Nan Yu went to his father's place and was immediately scolded. Although Qi's father lowered his voice, he could still feel the force of the anger erupting. His father even slapped him hard on the back, causing him to lean forward in pain.
Shen Qichuan slammed his hand on the table, almost standing up.
Thinking that the other party was his father-in-law, he forced himself to suppress his temper.
The seats were for sitting or kneeling, or sitting on a plate. Nan Yu pouted and knelt next to his father.
The Minister of Works pointed at him, his expression unable to be too obvious, "Qi Ziming, I'm warning you, the Qi family does not accept male concubines! If you dare to be with him, I'll break your legs!"
Lampwick: "He never said he would take me as a concubine!"
Father Qi: "Look at which powerful man's favorite isn't a plaything? Alright! The Emperor's banquet is a great favor from Heaven, so I won't get angry with you today. Come back with us tonight and don't have anything to do with Shen Qichuan again!"
Lampwick: "He's not a plaything. If he marries her, I'll go and ask the Emperor for a decree soon."
Qi's father sneered: "Who is Shen Qichuan? Even the Emperor fawns over him. What makes you think he'll look up to you?"
Lampwick: "I've been living in the General's Mansion for almost half a year now."
Qi's father's face immediately turned green. It would have been better if he hadn't said anything, because what he said really made him furious. If he had known that the two of them had a special relationship, he should never have agreed to it!
"You're not allowed to go there. Go stay with your brother. I'll settle the score with you when we get home!"
Dengxin was unconvinced and pouted, saying, "I just came to let you know that Yuanzhou is going to ask the Emperor for a marriage decree later, so you won't say that I don't treat you like a father and then come to tell me, and then start scolding me."
Qi's father really wanted to hit him; a jade stone must be carved to become a useful object!
"What, now that you have Chen Qichuan backing you up, you think you can do whatever you want?"
"So if you won't let me be with him, am I not allowed to resist?"
"You're going to be someone's concubine? Where am I supposed to put my old face?" He patted his own face as he spoke, attracting the attention of the Grand Secretary standing nearby. Qi's father awkwardly forced a smile and said, "Eat well."
Seeing how quickly his cheap father's expression changed, Nan Yu pouted once again.
Question: "If I don't become a concubine, can I get married?"
Qi's father coldly retorted, "Even a concubine won't do!"
The lamp wick was also fuming: "He married me, so of course he's my legal husband! How can he be a concubine! Do you really look down on your son like this?"
Father Qi: "Fine, if he marries you as his legal husband, I won't say a word and will let you leave the Qi family in style through the main gate! If it's anything else, don't even think about it!"
Lampwick: "You just wait and see! I'm going."
He was about to leave when his father grabbed him, saying, "Come back with me tonight! You're not allowed to go anywhere else!"
Nan Yu: "He took me home that night."
Father Qi: "No!"
Nan Yu: "On what grounds?"
Qi's father: "Because I'm your father!"
Nan Yu was angry, but he couldn't really go against Qi's father. After all, they were still in the palace, and the emperor was sitting on top of him, his little face puffed out as he sat cross-legged. Since the official husband was in charge, he would wait.
The young master is not coming back.
I looked out over Chenxi River again and again.
After they had eaten their fill, the emperor, tired as well, went back to rest with the empress dowager and empress. Shen Qichuan planned to meet the emperor at court the next day. With everyone gone, Qi's father could no longer eat. He said goodbye to a few colleagues and left with his wife and children.
Shenxichuan caught up.
Outside the palace.
Nan Yu was shoved into the carriage by Qi's father. Shen Qichuan strode over, his brows and eyes gloomy, exuding a murderous aura. As a refined scholar, he naturally had a certain ability to withstand pressure to reach this position, but the man's cold eyes were too intimidating. Qi's father said with a stern face, "General Shen."
Shen Qichuan carried a food box containing a plate of premium lychees and handed it to the servant beside Qi's father, saying, "Uncle Qi."
Why bother getting close to the Minister when you're no longer addressing him as "Lord Minister"?
Qi's father said in a deep voice, "General Chen, I did not know that you and my son had such a relationship."
Shen Qichuan: "I'm sorry, I should have visited you at the Qi residence earlier."
Qi's father sneered, "I dare not accept such praise."
Upon hearing Shen Qichuan's voice, Nan Yu ignored her mother's attempts to pull her away, poked her head out from behind the curtain, jumped out of the carriage, and came to the man's side, saying, "My father won't let me be a concubine or a male lover."
Shen Qichuan immediately assured him, "Uncle Qi, I will not be wronged by her. Once she marries into the General's Mansion, she will surely take charge of the household affairs. Tomorrow I will ask the Emperor for permission. In this life, I will only trust one wife."
The power to manage the household usually rests with the principal wife. If the young master is unwilling to manage it, he can hire someone to do so, but the power belongs to him.
Qi's father frowned, knowing that Shen Qichuan's words could not be false.
Nan Yu hugged Shen Qichuan's arm and looked at her father: "Dad, I only want Shen Qichuan in this life, I don't want anyone else."
Qi's father turned green; the shock was too great for him to accept immediately. Even though the other party agreed, he calmly said, "Come back with me!"
Shen Qichuan patted his wife's arm and told her in spoken language that he would come over during the night and that she could go home without worry. Only then did Dengxin reluctantly get into the carriage.
Qi's father also turned and left.
After sleeping with Shen Qichuan for a long time, I suddenly returned to the house that was both strange and familiar. I tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep. I dismissed the servants and left the doors and windows ajar. Just before midnight, I heard a creaking sound as the window was pushed open.
Shenxichuan has arrived.
The lampwick's eyes lit up: "Yuanzhou?"
Shen Qichuan lowered his voice and said, "It's me."
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