Chapter 69: It's New Year! (Vote Request) Text/Ji Jin

  "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

  A foul word mixed with a low shout flew out of Zhao Zhu's mouth.

  For a moment, all the servants and maids in the courtyard who had not yet dispersed, some sweeping snow or attending to their duties, were stunned and stood frozen in the wind and snow, their eyes fixed on him. Their master, always as dignified and refined as if he were floating on clouds, when had he ever spoken such coarse language?

  Everyone was stunned, but Xia Chuqi's eyebrows rose slightly, and she actually smiled.

  "I have no mother..."

  "Shut up."

  He coldly pursed his lips, yelled at her and stretched out his hand to grab her wrist, heading in the direction of Chengde Temple. But on that dark and gloomy face, not only did the ominous clouds not disperse, but there was also a danger of impending hail, making Xia Chuqi's back feel chilly. In her heart, if it weren't for this guy being too good-looking, with his temperament and temper, he would be enough to scare people to death.

  Arrived at Chengde Temple, didn't go anywhere else, this man directly abandoned her at the toilet door.

  "Haven't you gone yet?"

  He had a sullen face and was angry, but he still brought her to the toilet with a cute expression. At least, Xia Chuqi currently has this point of view. But she just ate that mung bean powder, how could she react so quickly? The previous words were just to divert the topic, there was no intention of going to the toilet at all.

  Looking up at him with his iron face, a face full of obedience.

  "Grandfather, aren't you angry with me anymore?"

  Zhao Zun's face was cold and gloomy as ever, still unpleasant to look at.

  "Don't you go to the toilet anymore?"

  Looking at him, Xia Chuyi couldn't help but laugh, feeling very happy.

  "You promise not to get angry first, then I'll go to the toilet."

  Is there anyone who uses their own affairs to threaten others? Apart from Xia Chuqi, it's hard to find such a scoundrel in this world. As soon as she finished speaking, Zhao Zun's cold and stern face turned even darker, his features like iron castings, gloomy and ominous like an impending storm, the icy intent to strangle her neck was truly worthy of his reputation as "Cold-faced Yan Wang".

  "What's wrong? Staring at me like this is really scary." Xia Chuqi went to pull his sleeve.

  But he cast a chilly glance at her face for a moment, turned black, and suddenly turned around, leaving with big strides.

  "Hello?"

  Xia shouted out loud on the seventh day of summer and then froze.

  He shouldn't think she's teasing him, did he really eat broad beans?

  Damn it! She's even more wronged than Dou E, originally wanted to make a joke to ease the atmosphere, but ended up kissing up to the wrong person.

  She let out a sigh, gazing at the elegant figure in the distance. She pouted and muttered under her breath, "Poser." Then she turned back to her room to prepare some medicine. Otherwise, things might get out of hand later, and her life could be in danger.

  In the distance, she saw Li Mo standing silently on the steps, waiting for her.

  "Sister, I'll give you a prescription, can you help me decoct some medicine..."

  Li Mia's gaze lingered on her face for a moment longer.

  "Chu Qi, you really like him, don't you?"

  "......Is there? Hehehe, just a little bit."

  Xia Zhi Qi has always thought of herself as a tomboy, fearless and daring, but when it comes to emotions, she is strangely timid.

  If Li Mochen was talking about that person being Dongfang Qingxuan, she would say, "Of course, a man as handsome as him, I wouldn't like him if I were weird".

  As soon as she thought of Zhao Zun, her heart suddenly tightened with anxiety. It's probably true what they say, "The more beautiful something is in the world, the less dare you touch it". Or maybe she just didn't want to lose her heart before others did. The feeling was like losing momentum in a battle. Especially when the other person was a feudal king who could have many high-quality women at his disposal.

  She really can't understand this emotional thing.

  Infuriating first love! She's a proud special forces military doctor, yet she doesn't know how to date?!

  She had to admit this pathetic fact. But it was ancient times and there was no Baidu available!

  She turned her head away and casually slipped into the house.

  After taking a hot bath and changing into clean clothes, she hadn't waited for Li Mo's medicine to be delivered yet, but in just the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the croton powder she had taken began to take effect.

  The medicine was extremely potent, coming on fiercely, not giving the doctor any face at all. Her stomach was cramping with pain, running to the bathroom again and again, diarrhea, vomiting water, almost fainting from it. In that excruciating pain, Xia Chuqi suddenly felt a bit of regret.

  You're so arrogant, what can you do? Eating broad beans, your brain must have been pinched by the door! Do you still want to get someone's sympathy? They don't care about you at all, it's none of their business whether you live or die.

  When she came out of the toilet for the tenth time, weak and limp, she cursed people and kicked hard at the sesame stalks inserted under the windowsill to ward off evil spirits. But this time her body was weak and she didn't kick the sesame stalks away, instead her foot kicked against the wall, causing her foot to cramp in pain.

  "Everyone's bullying me! Let you bully me!"

  She kicked again in discontent, but this time her foot was raised a bit higher, and the other foot stood unsteadily. Her already weak and tired body stumbled greatly and fell to the ground.

  "My god—"

  Just as she was about to fall on her butt, two words of anger burst out of her.

  Before she could fall, her waist was already wrapped around by someone. No need to think much, that familiar fragrance rushed straight to the tip of her nose, smelling very good and warm, after taking two deep breaths, it made the fire that had been suppressed for a long time surge up to her heart again.

  She turned around and viciously pounced on him, pinching, scratching, pulling, and poking... using every dirty trick in the book, that rascal was acting like a wronged little wife.

  "It's all your fault! You're raising a bunch of little wives, each one fighting with the others, each one playing tricks on me, each one wanting to kill me. And you're the most despicable, knowing I have diarrhea and am in so much pain that I'm cursing my mother, feeling like I'm about to die, yet you're still lounging around in the house, reading books and playing chess as if nothing's wrong. How heartless can you be?"

  When a man is on fire, his words are not light or heavy.

  She really wanted to have a fight with him, just to vent her anger.

  However, she originally thought he wouldn't tolerate her nonsense, but he didn't fight back. He let her punch and kick him with her weak fists and legs until she was out of breath from scolding. Only then did he stare at her coldly and say sarcastically.

  "Aren't you the young medical genius? Can't even cure yourself?"

  Xia Chunqi snorted and gave him a sideways glance, getting so angry that he started humming with rage.

  "Isn't the little divine doctor born of a father and mother, isn't he made of flesh?"

  "You're not speaking, is your mother dead?"

  Where was it? She was choked by his words, and the fire that Xia Chuqi had just put down came back with a whoosh. Before she could use her old tricks again, he pinched both her wrists, wrapped around her waist, lifted her up, and tightly trapped her in his arms.

  Two people had been at odds for several days, not even seeing each other's face. Now being held in his arms again, Xia Chuyi's heart was suddenly in a mess. Especially with Er Bao and the maids following behind, not daring to make a sound, her face burning bright red, she really didn't have the energy to struggle anymore.

  "Hey, put me down!"

  She stared at her with a pair of copper bell-like eyes.

  But he didn't look at him.

  She stared for a while and saw it was useless, so she had to soften up a bit, embarrassedly lowering her voice.

  "Hurry up and put me down, I need to go to the toilet——"

  She thought she had made herself clear enough.

  That guy is really something, just like he didn't hear anything, and still walks forward.

  My goodness, is she being bullied?

  She grasped his sleeve tightly and softened her voice completely for the sake of the cycle of the five grains.

  "Dear grandpa, sorry to trouble you, be good, I need to take a poop."

  This sentence is too corny and disgusting, she herself was trembling with fear, her skin crawling and her dignity shattered all over the floor, before she weakly leaned against him, her face twisted in pain as she pressed down on her stomach, nodding her head in agreement.

  "It's really unbearable."

  Zhao Zhuo hugged her and turned around to walk towards the toilet, shouting again.

  "Meizi, come and help her up."

  Plum helped her in, but Zhao Zun did not leave.

  Standing in the wind and snow, he didn't move a muscle, but Zheng Erbao on the side couldn't help but sigh. Both of them were stubborn donkeys who wouldn't back down. They couldn't bear to see each other, yet they couldn't bear to part with each other either. When they saw each other, they would inevitably fight, and when they parted, they would inevitably look for each other again. And to make matters worse, neither of them was willing to be the first to give in, wasn't this just asking for trouble?

  After pondering for a while, Zheng Er Bao still didn't understand, but suddenly heard someone shouting inside.

  "Grandpa, we've run out of toilet paper... Can you help us out and send some over?"

  The Second Master coughed and choked for a moment, sneaking a glance over, only to see the master of the house's face had turned black.

  "Ten ounces."

  "Are you kidding me?"

  "If you don't want love, then squat."

  Two people were talking about money from behind the thatched hut, their tone was quite harsh, as if they were not discussing toilet paper but a large sum of gold and silver treasures. One looked like a bandit, the other like a robber, Zheng Erbao shrunk his neck several times, constantly looking around.

  Fortunately, there was no one else around.

  Otherwise, his family's dignity would be gone.

  What's even more lamentable is that he felt the dignity of his master was being worn away by that little servant girl in the outhouse, morning and night.

  ……

  Another quarter of an hour later.

  After taking the medicinal soup cooked by Li Miao, Xia Chuyi ran to the toilet three or four times. Now she was lying weakly on a purple sandalwood chair in the warm pavilion of Zhao Zhu's main house, staring blankly at a bowl of steaming hot white stew in front of her.

  The soup looks delicious, but she's still having diarrhea, how can she eat?

  She glanced at Zhao Zhu and hesitated before scooping up a spoonful with her ladle.

  She lowered her head and took a sip, smacking her lips, "What kind of soup is so sticky?"

  She asked him his purpose, of course, just to make conversation.

  "Peanuts and braised pig's feet, both fried in oil, are not greasy."

  That old man, who had been silent for a long time, finally opened his mouth and answered her with a serious face. Xia Qiuzi smiled softly, nodded, said three "good" words in a row, and then sent a spoonful into her mouth before hearing him add a few more words in a light tone.

  Ate long milk.

  "Achoo! Cough cough cough!"

  One of them couldn't hold it in and spat it out, coughing uncontrollably.

  "Hey grandpa, can't we not make jokes while eating? It's going to be fatal, you know?"

  "Dad said peanuts stewed with pig's feet can produce milk, what are you excited about?"

  Staring at his serious yet extremely punchable cold face, Xia Chuqi's palms were itching.

  She wants to beat him up.

  However, since this old man has taken an interest in teasing her again, she might as well play along. She doesn't like being at odds with her ancestors every day, it's infuriating. Since he wants to take a step down from his high horse, although it's a bit awkward and unnatural, as long as the two can temporarily form a strategic alliance and repair their partnership, she won't bother with this trivial matter.

  "Why don't you drink anymore?" Zhao Zhu asked again, seeing that she seemed distracted.

  "Does drinking soup cost money?" She smiled slightly, her face a bit pale, but with a hint of reconciliation in her tone.

  "No need, I'll reward you." He replied calmly, his tone also softened a lot.

  "You're really that great? I'm not even daring to believe it?" With a disbelieving expression, Xia Chuyi smiled slyly at him, rummaging through her brain for flattering words, and then fully launched into the cooperation between the Nationalists and Communists. But she didn't expect that for Zhao Zhu, there was no "more ruthless", only the most ruthless, and he gave her another sentence that pierced her heart.

  "The soup is what Grandpa drank this morning and didn't finish, it's a pity to pour it away, might as well feed it to you."

  "Ah gu——cough cough!" Is he going to grow breasts too?

  Choked again, Xia Qi coughed and swallowed several mouthfuls of saliva before lifting his head from the bowl, wiping his mouth with a hand, not asking that question, just sighing and shaking his head.

  "Grandpa, you're too much! Knowing I have diarrhea and should be on a diet, you still give me this peanut stewed pig's trotter. You're intentionally trying to bully me. Alright, I'll tolerate it from you, but you've gone too far... actually giving me something that's been eaten before?"

  She said with a half-mocking and half-ridiculing tone, then she heavily hummed again, but saw that his face changed, as if he didn't know at all that diarrhea needs to be fasting, the fire in her heart was reduced by some.

  "Alright, you don't have to apologize to me either. I'm a very kind and loving person, my stomach can hold a boat, and I won't bother with such trivial matters. However, since I've suffered physical and mental damage, you'll have to compensate me with some silver coins, okay?"

  When she mentioned silver, Zhao Zhu's face looked a bit better.

  He leaned lazily against the chair, picked up the teacup in front of him with a careless attitude, used the tea lid to gently sweep the water surface, took a small sip, and slowly asked.

  "How much?"

  "I'm a kind-hearted person and won't cheat you, so let's just cancel out the IOU from earlier."

  "Alright." Zhao's eyebrows slightly raised, just as Xia Chuyi's eyes lit up. He suddenly put down his teacup heavily and glanced over coldly, with a hint of anger in his eyes, "How much did you make at the Xie's place again?"

  She spoke with Xie when no one was around.

  Are you always so good at guessing?

  Pouted, Xia Zhi Qi had a feeling of wanting to cry but having no tears.

  How did things end up like this? She's become a money-making machine for that old man.

  "It's just one hundred taels. For this one hundred taels, you see how much hardship I've endured, can you bear to part with it?"

  "A hundred taels." Zhao Zun muttered to himself, shifting his chair closer to her before staring coldly into her eyes, his gaze unwavering for a moment. His tone was eerily chilly, "A hundred taels of silver, and you'd sell out your own father?"

  Scare him to death!

  When did she sell him out? Wasn't it just leaving a concubine behind?

  She suppressed the urge to vomit blood, stroking her somewhat uncomfortable belly, feeling sentimental about losing half of her silver again, her teeth ached and she pretended to be serious with an "oh" sound, hanging her head down, being obedient.

  "It's not like you're staying behind, so why are you in such a hurry to sleep with her?"

  Zhao's face turned even darker, "Speak properly!"

  "How could I not speak properly? Alright, alright, I'll give you fifty taels. Isn't that fair enough?" Xia Chuyi rolled her eyes and softened her voice, gently reaching out to tug on his sleeve, "The silver is received, no one is allowed to bring up old accounts again, okay?"

  One sentence with double meaning.

  Don't bring up old debts, including what happened before she left last time.

  She knew that this guy must be able to understand, but looking at him still had a cold demeanor, with a black face and not making a sound, neither responding nor refusing, just as if the anger had not dissipated, somewhat unsure of his thoughts.

  It's not that she didn't want to explain, but the matter of meeting Zhao Mianze and her purpose for doing so could easily lead to many other things being dragged out, with far-reaching consequences. Firstly, she didn't want him to think she was using him, and secondly, she didn't want him to be implicated if something happened to her. After all, seeking revenge is a matter of life and death, and every minute counts - he just doesn't know what's safest.

  She thought for a moment, then continued to lower her head and drink the soup, making a "gulping" sound that seemed particularly hateful. But after just one sip, Zhao Zun's face turned even darker, and he snatched the bowl of soup away from her.

  "Another drink?"

  She pretended to be puzzled and looked up, "What's going on? Are you drinking too?"

  "Your grandfather doesn't drink leftover tea."

  Zhao Zun finished speaking in a cold tone, pushed away the soup bowl, turned his head to look at Zheng Er Bao who had been pretending not to exist, and said in an unpleasant tone, "Get out of here, your salary will be deducted for half a year."

  "Master... sir... I'm innocent..."

  Zheng Er Bao felt that his family was really too humiliated...

  He simply used his limited experience of flirting with the young maids to tell his master a sentence, that Chu Qi's body was not comfortable and it would be better to stew some soup to nourish her, which might be beneficial for her recovery. It was all good intentions, but why did the two people end up fighting, with the fire burning fiercely, and everything fell on his feet?

  Zheng Er Bao went down, and there were only two people left in the house.

  No good soup, no good tea, actually diarrhea is not good to eat anything. On the seventh day of summer, he rubbed his hands and felt a little helpless. He glanced at Zhao Zun for half a day, and his heart was beating. She didn't know if she agreed or disagreed with what she said "don't bring up old debts".

  She had been sitting for a long time, and seeing that he didn't ask why she was with Dongfang Qingxuan today, the stone in her heart finally fell. This also means that he doesn't want to pursue what happened to her today anymore, or maybe he knows something and doesn't want to get involved and stir up trouble.

  She let out a sigh of relief that it was all over and felt it necessary to clear up the matter with him about what had happened with Ba Dou.

  "It was me who did the Five Bean Powder thing, you know this because I couldn't stand Dongfang Yuanyi and wanted to make her lose face. But as for the Ba Dou thing, it really has nothing to do with me. Think about it, I wouldn't be able to order Xie's maid Ling'er around."

  Zhao Zun's voice was somewhat chilly and his emotions were hard to discern as he let out a soft "hmm".

  "I hope it's you, grandpa."

  Xia's eyebrows twitched slightly, "That Xie didn't provoke me either, am I the kind of person who would stab someone in the back?"

  Zhao Zun glanced at her lightly and didn't say a word.

  Xia Chu Qi looked at him with a sideways glance for a moment, and saw that his dark eyes were deep, his eyebrows slightly raised, and his face was expressionless. It was as if he couldn't guess what he was thinking, and involuntarily rubbed his forehead hard before speaking again in a calm and unhurried tone.

  "I'd rather you didn't suspect me. Actually, you shouldn't have executed Ling'er earlier, she could have been interrogated."

  "A woman's family matters, her husband is too lazy to get involved."

  Xia Qi's eyebrows twitched slightly as she suddenly smiled.

  "It's also, having a big man like you mixing with women all day, it's really not suitable. I think your backyard needs a housekeeper to manage these ladies of yours. And then there are those things that the three dukes and six ministers send over every now and then, the emperor's rewards when he's in a good mood, and the beauties assigned by the empress during her more...ahem...fertile periods..."

  Zhao Zun's lips tightened slightly, his eyebrows raised even higher, "What does Ah Qi mean?"

  Xia Chuqi deliberately put on a serious face and joked with him, "Sir, why don't I take on a part-time job?"

  Part-time?

  Seeing him raise an eyebrow, apparently not understanding, she smiled and explained, "It means colleagues who are doctors, doing this job on the side."

  "What you said is the doing of Princess Jinwang."

  He spoke slowly and coldly, enunciating each word clearly, as if he was very angry, but it left Xia Chuyi stunned.

  He thinks she overstepped her bounds?

  She paused for a moment, rubbed her stiff face, still with a smile.

  "Just kidding. The three-year agreement is still valid, you can find a princess to come back anytime..."

  Zhao Zun's face turned even darker with a menacing glint in his eyes.

  ……

  ……

  The sky is getting darker.

  At the beginning of summer, on the seventh day, when she returned to the ear room from the thatched cottage again, she dragged her somewhat soft legs under Li Mo's careful support, and couldn't help but grit her teeth. After all, who was the one hiding behind and plotting against her? Was it Yuè Yù, Dōng Fāng Shì, Wèi Shì, or even Xiè Shì herself?

  She is his predecessor.

  It's all about Chinese New Year, and these two or three days can't eat well, it's simply unlucky.

  "Dr. Chu, you're back."

  A lantern hung at the entrance of the ear house. Under the light of the lantern were two women's faces. One was the maid P'ei-erh, who held the lantern; the other was the slender and delicate Hsueh.

  She had already tidied herself up, unlike the disheveled state she was in during the daytime. She wore a plain white blouse with a small collar and a simple skirt, and the pearl flowers on her head were also very understated. Although she looked quite young, she had a classic elegant womanly charm about her.

  It must be said that among Zhao Zhen's three concubines, Xia Chuyi felt that Xie Shi was not the most beautiful, and in terms of appearance and figure, she was actually inferior to Dongfang Yuanyi, but her noble and elegant demeanor surpassed the other two.

  Not wanting to appear weak, she pushed away Li Mo's hand and looked up and down at Xie Shi with a pair of eyes.

  "Is Madam looking for Mr. Chu for something?"

  Xie smoothed his hair, looking a bit uncomfortable.

  "I have brought silver for Doctor Chu as a gift, thanks to your great kindness that saved my life today."

  Originally, Xia Zhichu thought she was just suffering on behalf of others and felt a little guilty for taking the hundred taels. But after holding in her stomach for an entire day, her sympathy had all been flushed down the toilet, and her frustration needed to be alleviated with this silver, so naturally she wouldn't be polite to Xie Shi, and she stretched out her hand as soon as she walked over.

  "Thank you, Mrs. Zhuo, then Chu will not be polite."

  One hundred taels of silver is not a small amount, and it feels heavy in my hand. I handed it over to Li Mo's hand and she didn't say another word, then turned around and was about to enter the house. To be honest, as for Zhao Zhuo and those madams, she had no desire to interact with them, every time she saw them, she hated to dig a hole and escape, not wanting to see them again.

  "I am Chu Yi Guan, and I am called Qing Zi. 'This heart hopes to be calm, Qing Zi is in Yuan Xiang' - that's me."

  What's her name? What did she call her...

  This won't save a life, but he's taken a liking to her, does he want to marry her?

  Xia Chuqi stiffened his scalp, turned around and glanced at her, forcing out a stiff smile.

  "As for the lady's private name, it is inconvenient for Chu to call out."

  With her head bowed and eyes cast down at the ground, Xie Qingzi hesitated for a moment before lifting her head up.

  "May I, a humble servant, enter the house and ask for a cup of tea?"

  "Alas! Xia Qi sighed inwardly, feeling quite annoyed in her heart, but still maintained a good tone and attitude. She glanced at Xie Shi and refused with sincerity and earnestness, "Chu Qiyuan's residence is humble and simple, without even tea or water, I fear it would be inadequate to host you, madam. Moreover, the sky has already darkened, if I were to invite you in now, I'm afraid it would lead to idle gossip."

  He was directly rejected by others, and Xie's voice dropped a few degrees, as if he was a bit embarrassed.

  "In that case, I won't be able to beg for mercy."

  "If you have something important to say, madam, then please say it here."

  Xia Chuqi looked at her with an unchanged expression. Firstly, his current identity was that of a refined and elegant young man, so it was better to have less interaction with women and avoid trouble. Secondly, offering kindness without being asked was suspicious, and although she couldn't see through Xie's true nature, any normal woman wouldn't be kind-hearted towards her romantic rival. Even if Xia Chuqi had secretly fallen for her, he could only interact with her in a distant manner, lest he help someone and end up getting bitten by fleas, which would be unseemly.

  "It's nothing important, so Doctor Chu can rest, I'll go back first."

  Xie said, and then bowed to her, before leading Pei'er away.

  Xia Chuiqi let out a sigh and leaned on Li Mo's arm, looking at her back and saying in a low voice.

  "Older brother, I'm so sleepy. Come on, let's go sleep!"

  Nothing more was said, Li Mo simply reached out and supported her with his hand.

  Li Mia is a very quiet and calm person, even when standing next to her, people often overlook her existence. However, no matter what she does, Li Mia rarely opposes it. Nevertheless, her concern is always present, never absent, and will always appear when she needs her.

  There is such a person around, Xia Qi's heart is very calm.

  In this world, who can understand others' struggles beneath their calm surface?

  But she and Li Mo share a common ground on this point.

  ……

  ……

  On the bed in her room, Xia Qiqi lay down, sat up, leaned to one side, and curled up, changing positions countless times, but her mind remained clear. The direction of the fool's errand, the key point of the Wei Guo Gong case, Dongfang Qingxuan's goal, what Zhao Zhu was thinking about, what she should do next... Many questions swirled in her mind, disturbing her usual good sleep for a long time.

  Similarly, in the study of Chengde Temple, at this moment, the candlelight is also shining brightly.

  On the desk made of golden nanmu wood, aside from the official documents piled up at the edge, there were also several exquisite dishes. Zhao Zun's face was half hidden in the shadow of the candle flame, he sat on the intricately carved large chair behind the desk, gazing lightly at Yuan You who was sitting elegantly with a smile all over his face, and Chen Da Niu who was sitting upright and motionless.

  "Isn't it supposed to arrive on Sunday?"

  "Aren't you worried that I'll get impatient?" Yuan You escorted Fan Congliang all the way to the capital, without even having a meal, and was stopped by Chen Da Niu to report on the situation. At this moment, he was so hungry that his chest was stuck to his back, while eating something without regard for his image, he raised his eyebrows and lips, teasingly.

  "Of course, there's another reason, I still miss my little cousin at home. When we parted ways by the Qinggang River that day, it's been a long time since we've seen each other..."

  "Get out!" Zhao Zun gave him a cold, icy stare.

  Yuanyou sneered, "Tianlu, you're getting more and more petty. Think back to the days when His Majesty rewarded you with women, didn't you give some of them to me? Now my cousin is off-limits?"

  "Are you done eating?"

  Zhao Zun's face turned even more unsightly, and Yuan You hooked the corner of his mouth, coughed, "Just kidding, don't take it seriously. Alright, I'll tell you the truth, on this military expedition, I've been eating vegetarian food all along, my mouth is sour from it. Thinking about the Qinhuai River's scenery and the two new concubines in my estate, it was as if I had divine assistance, so naturally my pace quickened."

  He had an air of a young prince, but it attracted another cold glance from Zhao Zilong.

  "Let's talk business."

  When it comes to official business, Yuan You's smiling face immediately became serious. After taking a mouthful of rice, he slightly narrowed his eyes, and his eyebrows added a few points of seriousness, "Fan Congliang has been escorted to the Ministry of Punishment prison, but I don't know about the situation in the capital, nor do I know how Your Majesty plans to deal with it?"

  Chen Daniu glanced at Zhao Zun and scratched his head.

  "It's probably going to be tried in the Three Laws Court?"

  "I won't." Zhao Zun glanced at them lightly, and suddenly pulled down the corner of his mouth with a profound meaning. "Since the Brocade Guards want to interrogate, let them go ahead and do it." After that, he looked at Yuan Yu again, "The things we discussed before you left, have you all arranged?"

  Yu Xiao Gongzi tapped his chopsticks against the edge of the plate after picking at the dishes on it.

  "Don't worry, I've already taken care of it. For safety's sake, I even specially went to Fang Congliang and used all the tricks my cousin had taught me."

  Furrowing his brow in confusion, Zhao Zun glanced at him, "What trick?"

  Yuanyou raised an eyebrow and smiled slyly, "I told him that I had given all the men in his family my cousin's exclusive 'New Groom Powder', which can strengthen their bodies and make them want to be a new groom every night. The only downside is that they want to be a new groom but can't..."

  "......" Zhao Zun paused for a moment, "Nonsense."

  Yuan You smiled and chuckled, biting his chopsticks, with a mischievous grin.

  "Needless to say, this cheap trick really worked, and Fan Congliang was so scared that his face turned white. Whether he surrendered or not didn't matter, but if his sons and grandsons didn't surrender, they would be cut off from the family line. This person, after all, will have a weak point somewhere, no matter how evil they are, there's always something to worry about, so why doesn't Fan Congliang just behave?"

  Zhao Zun swept a glance at him and didn't say anything more. His gaze turned back to Chen Daniu, who was still in a daze.

  "Big shot, I really didn't expect it from you, your guts are quite big, daring to refuse marriage?"

  "I... Your Highness, it's not that I'm brave, but rather I don't dare to... " Chen Daniu had a black face with a silly smile hanging on it, "It's not that I look down on that Jie, what was her name again?"

  Zhao Zun sighed, "Jinghua Princess."

  Chen Daniu nodded vigorously, "Oh, right, it's indeed Princess Jinghua. It's not that I look down on her, but my family really has a pre-arranged marriage, decided since childhood. The girl is from our neighboring village, and these years I've been away fighting wars, she hasn't married yet waiting for me. Your Highness, you say, now I've followed you to achieve some small merit, basking in your glory, being granted the title of Ding'an Marquis by His Majesty, rewarded with a mansion and silver, can't just raise my tail to the sky, doing something that's ungrateful and unfilial, right?"

  Zhao Zun looked at this subordinate who didn't know how to turn around and fell silent.

  Yuanshuo, who had just returned to Beijing today, was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing and almost spat out the rice grains.

  "Great king, aren't you extremely fortunate? You were rejected? Your Majesty didn't get angry?"

  Chen Dainiu hung his head, his dark face slightly flushed, "Hard to put into words."

  It turned out that this time, the old emperor was no different from other emperors, except for rewarding the military leaders of the Golden Army. He also liked to play matchmaker for his own ministers. It is unknown which concubine blew pillow wind into the old emperor's ear last night, but at the early court meeting today, he publicly announced that he would marry Princess Jinghua, the imperial granddaughter, to Chen Da Niu as his wife.

  That was Princess Zhao Ruhua, the third daughter of Crown Prince Zhao Ke, who was only sixteen years old. She was as beautiful as a flower and jade, and in the capital city, she was also known for her talent. She excelled in playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, embroidery, and needlework, and was very much favored by the old emperor.

  Logically speaking, a girl like that would be married off to Chen Daniu, who can't even recognize the character for "big", or she might even receive an imperial marriage from the emperor himself. Once they're married, she'll instantly become a member of the royal family and it will be a stroke of good fortune that's simply too good to be true.

  But who would have thought that this Chen Da Niu was also not a smooth talker, and after the event, he went to plead with the old emperor, but was actually refused on the spot, kneeling down and kowtowing. He said that although he had joined the army at the age of 15, his family had already arranged a marriage for him, and he did not want to do something as shameful as abandoning his wife. The old emperor was so angry that he lost face, and if it weren't for Zhao Zun's mediation, Chen Da Niu would have made a big mistake.

  "Tianlu, this matter... " said with a hint of meaning, Yuan You stopped here and didn't continue. He just patted Chen Daniu's shoulder and smiled playfully, "However, Brother Daniu, such good fortune is hard to come by, many people seek it but can't get it. You've let it slip away, don't regret it later!"

  "No regrets. I'm not worthy of that delicate young lady, nor do I have the idea of climbing high branches. I just want to wait for no more battles, buy a few acres of land, raise some kids, and live a good life with my wife, taking care of our elders."

  He spoke very realistically, but Yuan You just laughed and held his belly with laughter.

  "Awesome bro, you're really something! Good job! Are you stupid or what? Haha..."

  I don't know if Chen Daniu understood the meaning of Yuan Xiaogong's laughter, but he also followed him with a "heh heh" and seemed to be in high spirits. However, Zhao Zun looked at him for half a moment, his eyes deepened, and his eyebrows furrowed.

  "Great King, is it because of your concern for me that you refused the marriage?"

  Chen Daniu was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head. "Your Highness, although I am dull-witted, there are some things that I also understand. From this time of returning to the court, the rewards given by His Majesty have already shown some signs. However... refusing marriage is not for other reasons, it's really because... I, your subordinate, am a big man, standing tall and upright, with a clear conscience towards heaven and earth. How could I do such a shameful thing? Ah, when we were poor and had nothing, we recognized each other as family, but now that I've made a career for myself, you look down on my wife? It's better to let me die than to do this."

  Being able to say this sentence proves that Chen Daniu looks honest and is indeed not stupid.

  Of course, a real fool could not have survived after fighting for over a decade and still be in good health, living a carefree life all the way to becoming the Left General of the Golden Guard Army and the hereditary title of Ding'an Marquis. You should know that during the Dali era, the left was revered, Chen Da Niu's position in the army was even higher than Yuan Yu, so how could he be a simple person?

  The reason for the old emperor's marriage gift was clear to everyone, whether it was Zhao Zun or Yuan Yu, and even Chen Daniu could see it.

  The old emperor wanted to use marriage to win over Chen Da Niu, a seasoned general. Secondly, he also wanted to cultivate party wings for his grandson Zhao Mian Ze's ascension to the throne. Because Princess Jing Hua Zhao Ru Na was Zhao Mian Ze's younger sister by the same mother. Thirdly, it was also a way to undermine Zhao Zun's power, losing a trusted general would be like losing an arm.

  Everyone knows it in their heart, but no one dares to mention it.

  After chatting for a while, Yuan Xiaogongzi put down his chopsticks, seemingly full, and let out a belch.

  "Hmph, tomorrow when I see Your Majesty, you won't also be arranging a marriage for me, will you?"

  "It's possible."

  "Ha ha, that's not something to be taken lightly," said the young master with a smile. "Ordinary people wouldn't be worthy of His Majesty's consideration, after all, I am his own grandson. But anyone who dotes on their daughter would be afraid to marry her into the Duke of Cheng's household. Who doesn't know that the beauties in my backyard are already bursting at the seams? And now you want to add a crown princess to the mix? If she can win my favor, it might be okay, but if not, life will be difficult for her."

  When he talks about his own romantic history, it's all smiles and laughter.

  Chen Daniu just smiled and only Zhao Zhu gave him a glance, "Wait until the day you go too far, the real yang is exhausted and can't be lifted, there's nowhere to cry."

  "Don't worry, I still have a cousin, right? She'll definitely have a way."

  He deliberately made Zhao Zun feel uncomfortable, but Yuan You didn't mind and smiled, patted the golden armor of the Jinwei Army General that he hadn't had time to change out of yet, stood up, and slightly narrowed his eyes. "Tianlu, if there's nothing else, I'll head back to my estate first. The little beauties in my estate are almost waiting impatiently."

  "Get out!"

  Scolded by Zhao, Yuan You didn't get angry, turned his head and looked at Chen Da Niu with a deep meaning, "Brother Da Niu, why not let me accompany you to drink a few cups, find a place to have fun? You're the kind of person who risks your life in battle, now that it's peaceful, shouldn't you be enjoying yourself instead of being so serious?"

  Chen Daniu's face turned slightly red with embarrassment, he stood up and made a fist, bowing to him in greeting.

  "I won't go... I'll be back at the camp soon, brothers are cooking mutton and waiting for me..."

  "Alright, alright, I'll take my leave first, brother."

  Yuan You left with a smile on his face, and Zhao Zun glanced at Chen Da Niu with a faint gaze.

  "Great Master, you've been fighting battles outside for so many years. Now that you've finally got some peaceful days, why not bring your family and relatives to the capital? It's time to live a normal life and enjoy some domestic bliss."

  Chen Dainiu smiled and scratched his head with a somewhat embarrassed expression.

  "In fact, when I returned to Beijing, I had already sent someone back to my hometown to pick them up. It's just that from Qingzhou Prefecture to the capital, the journey is long and takes a lot of time, they have family and children... I'm afraid it won't be that soon."

  Zhao Zun nodded slightly and looked at him again.

  "If there's anything you need, just let me know."

  "Thank you, Your Highness——" Chen Daniu lifted his robe and hastily bowed to him, with a plain and simple happiness written all over his face. "Now I'm just a single man, living in the camp is very convenient, food and lodging are all taken care of by the camp's provisions, my salary is more than enough, I've been saving it up, leaving it for when I get married, haha..."

  His gaze lingered on his face for a moment, and Zhao Zhu slowly raised his hand and waved it.

  "Go."

  ……

  ……

  The summer began on the seventh day of the first month and was delayed until New Year's Eve due to the chaos caused by the mung bean powder.

  At the end of the year, it was a time for universal celebration and worship of gods and ancestors, with firecrackers sounding from time to time in the capital. The festive atmosphere had already filled the Jinwang Mansion. However, although there was a tradition of family reunions and eating New Year's Eve dinner together during this era, due to the fact that the Prince of Jin had to attend the palace banquet every year according to etiquette, people in the mansion were arranged in different courtyards.

  Zhao Zhu did not have a formal wife and still brought eunuchs and maidservants with him when he went.

  As soon as the master left, there was no one gathering together. Although the mansion had red lanterns hanging everywhere, it still looked somewhat deserted.

  In the ear chamber of Chengde Temple.

  I've been feeling unwell since the seventh day of summer and my mood has also been low these past few days.

  In the evening, she and Li Mo had a reunion dinner, lit several candles, poured several cups of wine in the corner of the wall, knelt down and kowtowed several times, which was roughly a worship for nearly three hundred deceased souls from Xia and Li families.

  It's still snowing outside.

  Two people sat at the windowsill, sipping a few mouthfuls of wine, their faces flushed with drink, and both felt a sense of melancholy - now in this world, only the two of them were left.

  "Chu Qi!"

  That little girl Mei is quite a handful, her voice arrived before she even entered the door.

  As soon as she entered the house, she put her hands behind her back, walked up with a smile, shaking her head and swaying from side to side, causing the butterfly made of gold foil on her head to flutter along.

  "Guess what I've got something good?"

  On the seventh day of summer, Qiuzi stretched her head to look at her back, "Did you pick up the silver?"

  Plum blossom smiled brightly and puckered up her mouth, suddenly holding something behind her with both hands in front of her face.

  "Look!"

  It was an exquisite gold-embroidered velvet box, and when the lid was opened, there was a faint fragrance.

  "Chu Qi, this is the second treasure that Old Master Bao sent someone to fetch from the palace on horseback. The master has given it to you to play with."

  It was a southern red agate, delicate and smooth, as red as flames, with a small statue of Zhong Kui carved on each bead. Mei Zi said it was specially ordered by the Empress Dowager from Yunnan, one string for each prince, princess and young master, blessed by high-ranking monks to ensure peace and prosperity in the coming year.

  Very beautiful Nanhong string of pearls.

  Unfortunately, it was hanging on her hand, her hand was thin, and she wore a men's suit, which looked somewhat incongruous.

  "Look at her, haha, 'Isn't she beautiful? Chu Qi, although I said I couldn't return to the manor today, it seems like this is what you've been thinking about.'"

  In the early summer of July, he gave her a sanitary eye ball without making a sound.

  These two days he treated her extremely well, eating, playing, dressing up, nothing was left behind. But that sentence "Jin Wangfei's errand", even if she was a broad-minded person, still felt somewhat uncomfortable. Originally thought that his "doting" would make her the target of public criticism again. However, it is not clear whether it was because they were used to it or because Ling'er's death had a deterrent effect, but the women in the backyard, although they envied and hated her, did not come to find trouble with her. And she also, due to her body not feeling well, pulled her legs and feet soft, lying in bed without even wanting to move, living a peaceful life.

  She saw her playing with a string of pearls and not speaking, so Mei Zi sat over and urged her.

  "Otherwise, shall we go to the Temple of Confucius to see the flower lanterns? I'll tell you, it's lively outside, I want to go out and have some fun. But when Moon Yu sister went out, she instructed that no one is allowed to run around randomly. Chu Qi, if I follow you out, just say it's accompanying you, Father won't blame me, and Moon Yu sister won't scold me either, okay?"

  Strolling around Fuzi Temple, watching flower lanterns...

  Okay, I have to say that Xia Zhi Qi is also a bit curious.

  It's just...

  Firstly, I'm really exhausted and need some rest. Secondly, I don't have the energy to play around either.

  She hesitated for a moment and then shook her head.

  "I'm still not going. It's late tonight and I'm sleepy!"

  "Go ahead, Chu Qi, I want to go see the flower lanterns, it's lively..."

  Plum pulled her arm, shaking it hard, like a spoiled little girl. But after all, seeing that Xia Chuyi still didn't make a move, she finally lost heart and slumped down on the edge of the kang table, sipping her tea with a pouty face. That round and chubby face was flushed red, looking like a peach, making Xia Chuyi involuntarily smile.

  "Alright, go out and have fun, this is all I can do for you."

  "Wow, Chu Qi you're really great."

  "I'm risking my life to accompany you, shouldn't you show some appreciation?"

  She hadn't finished speaking when a sharp cry suddenly came from outside.

  "Hey, master, take it easy."

  Digression

  Happy National Day! October has begun, a new month starts. Two pieces of brocade, but seeking one vote to get on the list.

  Thank you beautiful girls, your family's Er Jin is so hardworking, must be praised and rewarded!