Wei Qing was the eldest illegitimate son of the Wei family. After the death of his favored biological mother, his position as a thorn in his legitimate mother's side became even more precarious. It just so happened that the Northern Kingdom invaded at that time, and Youzhou was conscripting soldiers on a large scale. Through a series of mishaps, Wei Qing signed up.
Regardless of the hidden machinations behind his enlistment, the fact remained that he ended up on the battlefield. Relying on his own abilities, he carved out a path to survival. As the years passed, he accumulated a significant amount of military merit and was promoted step by step. Finally, after the old garrison commander of the Xuanxiao Cavalry's northern camp retired, he successfully filled the vacancy.
The family situations of military generals were practically open secrets. After all, when they gathered to chat after meals, they couldn't discuss the refined arts of zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, so they could only talk about other things.
For instance, when Feng Feng first began to show his talent, a minor official caught him under the examination board as a son-in-law, marrying his daughter to him and betting on this promising young man.
Bai Jianping's wife was a female herb gatherer. At that time, he was not yet a commander. He had followed the army into the mountains to suppress bandits, but due to his superior's poor command, he fell into an enemy trap. After falling off a cliff, he was rescued by the herb gatherer. Later, he relentlessly pestered her to pledge herself to him. They had three daughters after marriage, and he never took concubines to try for a son even after rising to power.
As for Wei Qing, his first wife was his cousin.
Wei Qing froze in place. No, he wasn't just frozen; he was completely dumbfounded.
In his mind, even if the Lord wasn't seeking him out to settle scores with the Wei family, he would at least be assigning him a secret mission. But he never expected that the Lord would actually ask about his family matters.
And specifically, about his history with his wife.
If Mo Yanyun or anyone else had asked this, Wei Qing wouldn't have found it strange at all.
But this was Qin Shaozong.
The Lord never paid attention to the women in their chambers; he neither inquired nor interfered.
Wei Qing stood there blankly. Qin Shaozong didn't rush him, merely toying with the tiger-shaped brush rest in his palm.
By the time the small brush rest had been turned over for the third time, Wei Qing, standing a short distance away, finally snapped back to his senses.
...At that time, my family suffered some misfortunes. Her aunt didn't want her to marry me and arranged for her to meet another of her cousins. The family Wei Qing referred to was not the Wei family, but the small household consisting of him and his biological mother.
Qin Shaozong stopped rubbing the brush rest. She took a liking to the other cousin?
Marriage arrangements were certainly the orders of parents and the words of matchmakers, but if it was an alliance between relatives, it was inevitable for the younger generation to meet.
Wei Qing slightly lowered his head.
Seeing his expression, Qin Shaozong knew he had guessed right.
At that time, I wasn't her best option, and I was going to join the army shortly after. I had no reason to drag her down. Later, as I built my career and established merits by the Lord's side, I was no longer the man I used to be, so I... snatched her back. Wei Qing stealthily observed his superior's expression.
Snatching another man's wife could only be described as dishonorable.
Yet, coincidentally, there were two people in this room, and both had committed this highly dishonorable act.
Qin Shaozong straightened his spine slightly, losing his previous languid demeanor. What happened next?
Wei Qing then recounted the general course of events, including how he planned before acting, sent people to carefully investigate his wife's former husband, and found a young woman to appear in the guise of his former confidante, seducing the man until he intended to divorce his wife.
If it were anyone else, Wei Qing would absolutely never speak of this, as it was too despicable. But who could blame him when there was a fellow conspirator sitting right in front of him.
The Lord had always been unconventional in his military campaigns, caring only about the final results. Whether the Lord's final actions would be even more despicable than his own was actually hard to say.
...In short, I forcefully married her first, and then cherished and valued her, giving her whatever she liked, and then had a child or two with her. Women always care about their children; some even value them more than their husbands. If you treat the child well, sometimes she will be happier than if she had received a treasure herself. After a long time, she naturally won't dwell on or care about the past, Wei Qing concluded.
Qin Shaozong's eyes darkened. I understand.
After Wei Qing left, Qin Shaozong sat behind his desk for a long time. The man picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote three characters on the mulberry paper spread across the desk.
Looking at the name, the man's gaze was obscure and unreadable.
The last time she saw Wei Cheng, Dai Li had only sat for a short while before excusing herself. Later, when Qin Shaozong mentioned that the other party had arranged another meeting, Dai Li thought it might just be a casual pleasantry, but she didn't expect the visiting card to be sent over again.
It was addressed to her once again.
Let her come. After all, she is Qinian's biological aunt; it wouldn't be good to refuse, Qin Hongying said, looking at the visiting card.
Dai Li picked up a brush to write.
Qin Hongying was talking to her from the side. As Dai Li responded while writing the reply, she momentarily lost focus and wrote two simplified Chinese characters.
What character is this? As soon as Qin Hongying asked, she watched helplessly as Dai Li crossed it out and casually took a fresh sheet of paper as if nothing had happened.
Qin Hongying was speechless.
Hongying, you mentioned before that your riding skills are excellent. Could you teach me how to ride a horse? Dai Li changed the subject.
In the past, she hadn't thought riding a horse was important, but after that time fleeing for her life, she suddenly realized that this skill was quite useful in ancient times.
Since returning from Bairi City, Zhouzhou's Gu poison had left her overwhelmed. Now that everything seemed to be going smoothly, she could spare some energy to plan for the future.
Qin Hongying let out a laugh. You really are an interesting person.
To be caught red-handed and still be able to change the subject so calmly and naturally. Could it be that she was highly experienced, having been caught too many times by her second brother in the past?
During her short stay at the manor over the past two days, Qin Hongying had gained a superficial understanding of Dai Li's background. When she first heard about it, she was amazed and inexplicably understood her second brother's obsession.
Even putting aside Dai Li's beautiful appearance, the matter of the salt rocks alone was enough for her second brother to keep her bound to his side.
Alright, I'll teach you another day, Qin Hongying agreed.
After the reply was sent out, Wei Cheng came to visit again the following day.
Just like last time, as if she feared Qin Qinian was lacking food and clothing here, she arrived with generous gifts.
But unlike last time, she didn't come alone. Accompanying her was a young woman with an outstanding appearance.
The woman wore a married woman's hair bun and a mica-colored long skirt. Her attire was plain and elegant, adorned only with a finely carved orchid jade hairpin on her head and a white jade bracelet on her pale wrist.
The beautiful woman had clear, expressive eyes and willow-leaf eyebrows. With her brows slightly furrowed, she naturally exuded a delicate and pitiful aura.
Qin Qinian came to the side door to receive them just like before, but seeing another person step down from the carriage, he couldn't help but freeze. He took a few extra glances, feeling that the young woman looked somewhat familiar, as if he had seen her somewhere before.
After greeting Wei Cheng, Qin Qinian asked, Aunt, have you brought a friend to visit?
What nonsense are you spouting, child? This is your Aunt Pingzhi, Wei Cheng playfully scolded.
Seeing Qin Qinian's astonishment, she smiled and added, After my sister passed away, your maternal grandfather and your father made an agreement to let Pingzhi take care of you and your father. Now that your brother-in-law is injured, how could Pingzhi be absent?
Prompted by her words, Qin Qinian finally remembered.
This was Concubine Li!
Qin Qinian's mind was in a mess. He felt that something was amiss, but with his elders present, and both of them being his aunts, it was difficult for him to ask, Why did you bring her directly out of the Marquis's manor?
The young man scratched his head. Aunts, please come in first. My older aunt and Lady Dai are already in the main hall.
Wei Cheng's expression changed drastically. Your older aunt is back?
Yuyang Commandery was incredibly large, and the number of convoys entering and exiting every day was unknown. A few days ago, it was rumored that a cavalry unit had escorted a carriage into the Qin Manor, but the identity of the person inside the carriage remained unknown.
Her father had guessed that it might be someone like Nalan Zhi, a strategist who had previously accompanied the army south, returning a step behind the others and coming to visit the lord upon his return.
But now, it turned out that the person in the carriage was Qin Hongying.
Qin Qinian nodded. My aunt and cousin have come back to visit my father. They will be staying at the manor for a short while.
Wei Cheng's mind raced. Finally, she looked at Wei Pingzhi, who had remained silent all along, thinking to herself: could Qin Hongying, as a younger sister, really extend her reach into her older brother's inner courtyard? There was no such reasoning.
Her father was right. The Marquis of Wu'an had already made his intention to remarry plainly known, from something as major as instructing the Cai family to apply pressure, to something as minor as relocating all the concubines out of the Marquis's estate.
When it came to taking a wife, he seemed determined to see it through. And their Wei family absolutely could not just sit and wait for their doom!
After all, the title of the main wife of the Marquis's estate was not merely an honorific; it involved the transition of power in Yuyang, and even the entire northern region.
It could be said that however far the Marquis of Wu'an's future influence reached, the impact of this position would run just as deep. How could the Wei family willingly hand over the fat piece of meat they had enjoyed so much in the past to someone else?
As they walked into the front courtyard, Wei Cheng whispered to her younger concubine-born sister beside her, Other than here, there is nowhere else for you to settle down. Do you understand?
Wei Pingzhi furrowed her delicate brows and nodded. I understand.
Qin Hongying and Dai Li were already in the main hall. Seeing Wei Cheng arrive arm in arm with an unfamiliar young woman, Dai Li's brow twitched slightly. Her intuition told her that today's reception would probably not follow the usual protocols.
After years apart, Fifth Lady Wei, you have truly changed a lot, Qin Hongying said, sizing up Wei Cheng.
Both were legitimate daughters, and the Qin and Wei families were both prominent clans in Yuyang. Before the young ladies were married, they inevitably mingled in the same social circles.
Qin Hongying did not particularly like Wei Cheng. In truth, she did not have much of an issue with her personally; it was mainly because the Wei family had taken advantage of their misfortune back then, adopting an overly haughty posture.
From then on, she felt quite apathetic toward anyone from the Wei family. As for now, with her second brother's instructions beforehand...
Wei Cheng smiled and exchanged pleasantries, flattering her. You haven't changed a bit. Even after giving birth to three children, your appearance is exactly as it was back then, and your aura is even more striking than before.
You really have changed. You never used to speak so glibly, Qin Hongying laughed. Her gaze shifted to Wei Pingzhi, sharply picking out a trace or two of resemblance in their facial features.
She narrowed her eyes, the corners of her eyes lifting in a slightly sharp curve. You, Fifth Lady Wei, truly have a grand entourage. Bringing so many maidservants here, are you afraid there is no one in the estate for you to order around?
Wei Cheng rejoiced inwardly, thinking this played right into her hands. She smiled and was about to reply, but unexpectedly, the other party's speech sped up—
Fifth Lady Wei, you can rest completely assured. My second brother was worried that his sweetheart wouldn't be served properly, so he specially transferred a large number of maidservants from the Marquis's estate, in addition to buying servants from out of town. Sigh, the whole estate is full of people now, so packed that there's barely any room to stand.
Dai Li had originally been sitting to the side, acting as a decorative vase.
For today's reception, with Qin Shaozong's sister present, she consciously placed herself in a supporting role.
The moment the two sides met and she heard the conversation between Qin Hongying and Wei Cheng, she thought to herself that even a supporting role was unnecessary. Qin Hongying was more than capable of handling it alone, allowing her to slack off to her heart's content.
But before she could slack off for long, she was struck by Qin Hongying's phrase his sweetheart.
Dai Li's mouth twitched. She tried her best to resist the urge to turn and look at Qin Hongying, maintaining her polite, faint smile.
The young woman who had come in with Wei Cheng had not been introduced, but Dai Li felt her identity was not hard to guess. Not only was Qin Qinian frequently looking at her, seeming to want to speak but hesitating, but her nose also bore some resemblance to Wei Cheng's.
A subtle gaze came from below. Just as Dai Li met it, the other party lowered her eyes and looked away.
Dai Li could only see the woman lowering her head meekly, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, looking like a fragile little white flower that could not withstand the wind and rain.
Dai Li: ...
Qin Hongying, who was speaking to Wei Cheng, waved her hand. So there's no need for your servants here. Have the two of them wait outside for you. I guarantee that once they step out, you'll still have plenty of servants at your disposal.
Wei Cheng's gaze sharpened. She realized that the situation was not playing right into her hands at all. The other party had clearly perceived Wei Pingzhi's identity and was simply denying her the chance to introduce her, directly treating the person as a servant and driving her out.
But was she just an ordinary maidservant?
The Wei family had gone to great lengths to find the residence where Wei Pingzhi was staying after being moved out of the Marquis's estate, and it wasn't just to have her kicked out of the Qin manor after less than a quarter of an hour.
Ah, Hongying, you haven't met her, so it's quite normal that you don't recognize my sister. Back in the day, Pingzhi almost became your second sister-in-law. It was only because my brother-in-law still missed my older sister and couldn't bear to let anyone else take her place as his wife that he only took her in as a concubine, having her enter the estate to take care of Qinian, Wei Cheng said with a smile.
She was laying the matter completely out in the open.
Qin Hongying frowned imperceptibly.
The next moment, she heard the woman opposite her say, Years ago, my brother-in-law promised our Wei family that if he ever remarried, he would only marry a daughter of the Wei family. For the past fifteen years, my brother-in-law has kept his promise and never gone back on his word. Now that he is injured on the battlefield, how can Pingzhi, as a Wei daughter in his inner courtyard, stand by and do nothing?
On the words kept his promise and never gone back on his word, her tone was slightly emphasized.
Qin Hongying's gaze grew cold.
Sitting in the seat of honor, Dai Li watched as Wei Cheng's words seemed to act like a gust of wind, causing the little white flower seated below to slightly raise her head.
The woman timidly stole a glance at her, and upon being discovered, lowered her head as if frightened.
Dai Li was quite curious. Looking at Wei Pingzhi's appearance, she seemed about twenty-five or twenty-six. Being born into a wealthy family, her actual age was probably a bit older. For a woman of this age to be so timid even during a normal reception was surprising.
Was this done on purpose, or had she been trapped in a palm-sized inner courtyard all her life, rarely seeing anyone?
If it was the former, Qin Shaozong himself wasn't even here; even if she burst into tears on the spot, he wouldn't see it.
If it was the latter, the Wei family definitely had more than one concubine-born daughter. For Wei Pingzhi to stand out among all the other concubine-born daughters back then, it surely took more than just her beauty.
Logically speaking, if she was scheming to take over the position of the main wife, there was no reason for her not to know how to behave when meeting guests.
Could it be that this act was meant for her to see?
Dai Li's pupils trembled slightly as realization seemed to dawn on her.
While Dai Li was studying Wei Pingzhi, Qin Hongying also spared a fraction of her attention to observe Dai Li.
What she saw gave her a great shock; this was no small matter.
This sweetheart of her second brother was quite unusual!
An ordinary woman, deeply in love with her husband, upon suddenly seeing his past concubine—and being told by others that this concubine who had delivered herself to the door almost became her husband's main wife back in the day, coupled with the fact that the woman intended to stay—would certainly find the sight of her completely grating.
Yet, this sweetheart merely showed a look of pure curiosity.
A flash of lightning crossed Qin Hongying's mind, and she suddenly understood something.
If her second brother only wanted the fleeceflower root and musk, he could have easily sent someone to fetch them; there was no need to have her, his younger sister, make the trip personally.
But the reality was the opposite. Not only had she come, but she had also been entrusted by her second brother with the task of receiving the visiting Wei family.
Because he clearly knew that Daili had no desire to deal with the situation, and was even worried she might be tricked by the Wei family into letting them into the estate, he had summoned her, his younger sister living far away in another province, all the way back to act as the vanguard.
Qin Hongying was utterly dumbfounded. Her myriad of complicated feelings ultimately condensed into a single thought: what goes around comes around, and the heavens spare no one. To think that someone as domineering as her second brother would actually see a day like this.