Even though she was mentally prepared, hearing Nalan Zhi confirm that Zhou Zhou's future was perilous still made Daili dizzy.
Perhaps noticing Daili's pale complexion, Nalan Zhi comforted her, "Madam, truthfully, no matter what happens, your position will only become more secure. Not to mention Chongle's great contributions in the decisive victory against the Xuzhou army, your previous achievements with the dragon-bone water wheel, the salt stones, and the unheard-of fertile soil are all your merits. No one can deny this..."
The Madam indeed had not borne the Lord any children, but if a woman was outstanding, her value would far exceed that of ordinary women who only knew how to bear and raise children in the backyard.
Nalan Zhi continued, "The Lord has never altered or concealed your hard work. He even frequently posts notices to inform the public. Therefore, if there is an abundant harvest this autumn, Madam, you will have bestowed a great blessing upon the people of the world, and even upon future generations. This alone is enough to leave your name in the annals of history."
"Right and wrong, merits and faults, will naturally be judged by later generations, but the present is the present," Daili sighed.
Nalan Zhi, however, said in a low voice, "But you must know that a single word of praise is more glorious than a royal robe; a single word of censure is more severe than an axe. The brush of the historian is sharper than any sword."
The water in the pot boiled. Nalan Zhi lifted the clay pot off the charcoal stove and began to brew tea. The hot mist billowed out more intensely, like a spreading veil.
Daili looked at him through the mist and suddenly understood the unspoken meaning in Nalan Zhi's words.
No matter what happened to the two children in the future, whether they fought until their eyes turned red, or one of them was defeated and eliminated, it would not affect her status.
Because she had already left her name in history. She was no longer just the ordinary wife of some warlord, but her own name. This name extended countless invisible threads, flying into the homes of ordinary people and tying themselves to millions of commoners.
An invisible, heavy weight and a layer of glittering golden gauze floated over and enveloped her. Even if there was a storm of blood and rain outside, that golden gauze woven from her merits would be enough to ensure her peace and prosperity for the rest of her life.
It was as if sparks had fallen onto her eye sockets, burning so much that Daili's heart surged with emotion, a tangle of countless thoughts.
She blinked rapidly, trying to wipe away that unusual emotion, and hastily picked up her teacup, blowing gently on the scalding tea to keep herself busy.
Nalan Zhi then spoke of other things, "Hai Qing comes from the Hedong Cui clan, a descendant of a prominent family. When the Lord initially mentioned Hai Qing and Chong Liang, he said they were already making plans and calculations for the Third Young Master. Meanwhile, Chongle has no one by his side. Since I have become his teacher, it is only right that I plan for him."
Daili stopped blowing, and the ripples in the teacup quickly returned to calm. She stared for a moment before saying, "So after that, you started teaching Zhou Zhou books like the Great Learning?"
He repeated his previous statement, "As a subordinate, I can only act according to orders."
But he added a slightly emphasized sentence, "Madam, although Chongle is not the Lord's biological son, as long as you are still here, he is not without a chance of winning."
This involved all aspects and far too many things. Even Nalan Zhi could not deny that his Lord, who possessed the ambition to ride the clouds and transform into a dragon and was decisive in killing, cared for his wife to an extraordinary degree.
Daili's lips parted slightly, but ultimately she shook her head. "Having a chance of winning doesn't mean a guaranteed victory. This matter might succeed, or it might not. Sir, rather than obtaining the great throne after wading through rivers of blood and walking a long and perilous path, I would much rather Zhou Zhou live a smooth, peaceful, and worry-free life."
She had already lost her child once, suffering from endless nightmares and sleepless nights.
These dark and gray pasts were like evil spirits locked in a box. Even the slightest recollection brought piercing pain and an everlasting terror.
Nalan Zhi fell silent.
Daili smiled bitterly, "Qinian is not my biological son, but after spending the past half year together, I know he is a good child, and I truly treat him as family. If Zhou Zhou and I were not here, there would be no competition whatsoever, and he wouldn't even have the possibility of falling into a terrible situation in the future."
Before coming to Great Yan, she was just an ordinary citizen, not a bureaucrat, a politician, or a privileged aristocrat. But history is a mirror; it reflects the past and can also faintly project the future.
Once the war of succession began, in the best-case scenario, the loser would be placed under house arrest until death, losing their freedom for life. In the worst-case scenario, not only would the loser be uprooted entirely, but it would also implicate hundreds of thousands of people, and the repercussions could last for a century...
Just like the Rebellion of the Eight Princes in the Western Jin Dynasty, the victims were countless. The social economy suffered a massive blow, and it was even seen as the beginning of the Uprising of the Five Barbarians. Its malicious and far-reaching impact still sends shivers down the spines of later generations.
Granted, Qin Changgeng currently only had two sons, not enough to gather two tables of mahjong like the Rebellion of the Eight Princes, but Daili still did not want to see brothers turn against each other, causing the common people to suffer alongside them.
Nalan Zhi, who had been silent for a long time, raised his eyes. "Madam, you are wrong about one thing. Even without Chongle, the Lord's achievements might not necessarily be inherited by the Third Young Master."
Daili looked at Nalan Zhi in surprise.
A breeze blew from somewhere, brushing away the dust in her memories. She was suddenly pulled back to the day of her son's capping ceremony—no, it should be the night of the capping ceremony.
After returning from the Marquis's mansion, Qin Changgeng was nowhere to be found. She searched the estate and later found him in a courtyard pavilion where weapons were stored.
The room was filled with the smell of alcohol, and the man seemed somewhat drunk. Rarely, he spoke to her about his past.
He also said that Yun Ce had reunited with his biological father. He said, "Yun Ce said he was sorry to me, that he disappointed me and failed to live up to my cultivation over the years. But if he knew that my older brother died because of me back then, he wouldn't have said such words."
At that time, Daili's focus had been on the second half of the sentence, but now, reminded by Nalan Zhi, she finally realized...
Cultivation?
If it was just ordinary cultivation, even if Yun Ce apologized verbally, why would Qin Changgeng take it so hard? Why would he be so depressed that he poured his heart out to her?
So it was definitely not ordinary cultivation!
"He wanted Yun Ce to succeed him?" Daili was shocked, but after the shock passed, she inexplicably felt that this was indeed something Qin Changgeng would do.
Nalan Zhi nodded slightly. Having served the North for many years, there were some things he could clearly see. "That is why I said earlier, the Lord has always acted in an unconventional manner."
"But you said earlier that Mr. Cui and Mr. Sheng were already making plans for Qinian. Could it be that they haven't noticed Qin Changgeng's intentions?" Daili expressed deep suspicion.
"Of course not," Nalan Zhi gave a negative reply. "They are the teachers of the Third Young Master. Naturally, they will rack their brains to plan for him—for him, and for themselves."
Daili's breath hitched, suddenly recalling the Xuanwu Gate Incident in history. At that time, the person who opened the city gates for Li Shimin was Chang He, a subordinate of his older brother, Li Jiancheng.
And Chang He was the captain of the guards at Xuanwu Gate at the time. After the Xuanwu Gate Incident, he was promoted step by step to the Governor of Qianzhou. In modern terms, a gatekeeping captain of the guards eventually got promoted to the governor of a major province.
What did they rely on? The merit of supporting the emperor's ascension!
Dai Li sighed, a complex, indistinguishable emotion escaping with that breath.
Yun Ce had withdrawn from the competition, but so what? They had just gone around in circles only to return to where they started. The problem remained unsolved.
Nalan Zhi kept his eyes on Dai Li's expression.
"Madam, have you ever told Chongle what you are thinking and planning in your heart?"
"Sir, how should I break this stalemate? Could I simply leave..."
The two voices sounded at the same time, the former half a beat faster, so that the latter had to stop before finishing.
Both of them froze for a moment.
Nalan Zhi looked at Dai Li in astonishment. He had clearly heard the word "leave," but he wasn't entirely sure if she meant what he guessed she did.
For a moment, neither spoke. Finally, Nalan Zhi said, "Chongle has come of age and is an adult now. Why don't you ask him what he thinks and listen to his opinion?"
Dai Li pursed her lips, avoiding Nalan Zhi's gaze, and simply thanked him for the reminder.
...
After finishing a cup of fragrant tea at Nalan Zhi's place, Dai Li took her leave.
It had been dusk when she arrived. Now, as she left, the sky was dark, and the firmament was dotted with stars, as beautiful as a painting.
The main room of the primary courtyard was brightly lit, indicating someone was inside.
Dai Li pushed the door open and entered. As expected, she saw Qin Shaozong sitting by the desk, reading a letter. Whether his good mood from being appointed as the Grand Commandant had lasted until now, or the contents of the letter pleased him, his expression was unusually gentle.
"My wife has returned." Qin Shaozong waved her over. "Yun Ce's letter just arrived. Tsk, I previously suggested so many noble ladies to him, and he rejected every single one. I actually thought the boy had no worldly desires and was ready to become a monk. It turns out the iron tree had blossomed long ago; he just didn't dare to say it."
The gloom in Dai Li's heart dispersed a little. She walked over and asked, "What do you mean? Which family's young lady has caught his eye?"
Qin Shaozong stretched out his long arm, scooped her up, and sat her sideways on his lap so they could read the letter together. "It's the daughter of a merit officer's assistant, Lady Qiao. It turns out Lady Qiao and Yun Ce have known each other for a long time. However, Yun Ce was in poor health a few years ago. Believing he wouldn't recover and not wanting to burden Lady Qiao, and also feeling that his circumstances were too complicated, he didn't dare tell me, and let Lady Qiao marry someone else."
A merit officer's assistant was merely a subordinate to the merit officer. It would take several promotions to reach the level of the Colonel Director of Retainers; it wasn't a very high-ranking position.
Dai Li was even more surprised. Just as she was about to look closer at the letter, she heard the man beside her say, "If Lady Qiao's husband hadn't died of illness, and since she had no children, she probably wouldn't have easily returned to the Qiao family. Who knows how long that boy Yun Ce would have had to wait. In my opinion, half of his sickness was caused by his own suppressed emotions. He hides everything in his heart—it's a wonder he didn't break down entirely. Look at him now, refreshed and energized by a happy event."
Dai Li's mouth twitched.
Someone's husband passing away from illness had somehow become a happy event in his mouth.
He then clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. "To think my Qin family has such a cowardly descendant. I don't know where our ancestors went wrong. Even if she couldn't be his primary wife at the time, he should have at least kept her by his side. How can a man just hand over the woman he fancies?"
The more Dai Li listened, the more wrong it sounded. She turned her head and stared at Qin Shaozong.
Noticing Dai Li's gaze, the man, who had drunk quite a bit of wine today, paused and belatedly looked at her.
In the room illuminated by flickering candlelight, neither spoke. Their eyes met, and time seemed to slow down at this moment.
Ultimately, Qin Shaozong let out a low chuckle. He placed his hand on the back of Dai Li's neck, pressing her toward him, while he leaned in and kissed the small, crimson mole between her brows. "A fair and graceful lady is a gentleman's good mate."
Dai Li turned her head away. "Since Yun Ce wrote to inform you, he and Lady Qiao must have mutual feelings. When we return to Yuyang, his marriage must be settled."
Qin Shaozong smiled in agreement. "Marriage is good. That boy is finally settling down. I'll be able to give an account to my eldest brother and sister-in-law."
Knock, knock. Someone knocked on the door outside.
Nianxia's voice rang out, "My Lord, Mr. Ding sent someone over with a medicinal brew, saying you should drink it while it's hot."
Dai Li stood up from Qin Shaozong's lap and walked over to open the door, only to see Nianxia outside holding a small wooden food box.
"What kind of medicine is this?" Dai Li smelled a strong herbal scent.
Nianxia shook her head, saying she didn't know. She only explained that she had bumped into Ding Lianxi's servant on her way back to the main courtyard. The servant had asked her to bring the food box over, saying it was for the Lord.
Dai Li carried the item back inside. "Qin Changgeng, are you injured?"
The smell of medicine was so strong that she knew what was inside without even opening it. But in her memory, other than that time he returned late at night from the Changle Pavilion with injuries, he had always managed to retreat completely unscathed, even when he personally donned armor to fight against the imperial coalition army.
Why did he suddenly need to drink medicine?
"I'm not injured," he replied. "This medicine was just prescribed by Congjian to condition my body. He's always nagging in my ear about the ways of health preservation. My ears are getting calluses from listening to him. I couldn't stand his pestering, so I'll just drink it casually."
Dai Li was suspicious, feeling that his words were strange.
Having lived with Qin Changgeng for so long, this was the first time she had seen him drink this kind of medicine. And if he had previously refused to drink it even when his ears were callused from the nagging, why was he willing to do it now?
Opening the food box, Qin Shaozong took out the medicine bowl from inside.
The medicine in the bowl was pitch black and had an extremely pungent smell. Just catching a whiff of it made the tip of Dai Li's tongue feel bitter. He seemed to feel the same way; after taking out the bowl, he kept his hand in the holding position but didn't bring it to his lips.
Seeing this, Dai Li was amused. "So you're actually afraid of bitterness."
"A true man fears nothing. What is there to be afraid of?" Qin Shaozong said disdainfully.
Dai Li: "Then drink it."
Qin Shaozong put down the bowl. "It's a bit hot. I'll wait a moment."
"Since Mr. Ding instructed you to drink it while it's hot, its efficacy will surely diminish if it cools down. If you get half the result with twice the effort, you'll have to drink two bowls to make up for it." After saying this, Dai Li ignored him and picked up the letter on the desk to read carefully.
Qin Shaozong stared fixedly at the black bowl, and after a moment, he suddenly looked at Dai Li.
Looking at a beauty by lamplight, the more you look, the more charming she appears. Her cold, glamorous, and elegant features were traced by the soft light. With her dark eyelashes half-lowered, her perfectly shaped peach-blossom eyes seemed to shimmer with a precious light. She was graceful, elegant, and breathtakingly beautiful.
Qin Shaozong picked up the medicine bowl. He kept looking at Dai Li, seemingly treating her as some kind of sweet candied fruit, and downed the medicinal brew in one gulp while gazing at her.
It seemed to be truly foul-tasting. Qin Shaozong's long eyebrows knotted together. He endured it for two breaths but ultimately couldn't hold back, grabbing a teacup to wash it down. "Did that Ding Congjian add goldthread to this?"
Dai Li teased him. "Mr. Ding is doing this for your own good. How can you have the nerve to secretly question his painstaking efforts?"
Qin Shaozong saw her eyes curve in a smile; she looked genuinely happy.
So, his discomfort was what made her happy?
Setting the teacup down with a sharp clack, Qin Shaozong strode over, pulled Dai Li into his arms, and kissed her fiercely. He had just finished his medicine; even though he had followed it with a cup of tea, his mouth was still incredibly bitter.
An indescribable bitterness flooded over, burning through Dai Li's mouth like a raging fire. It meticulously swept over every inch—her soft tongue, her pearly teeth, not even sparing her gums.
As if that were not enough, his thickly calloused thumb pressed firmly against her throat, stroking it repeatedly to coax her into swallowing.
The bitter taste was so overwhelming that it made Dai Li's very heart tremble.
When the kiss finally ended, the smile had transferred to Qin Shaozong's face. Holding her in his arms, he laughed heartily. "My wife truly shares in my bitterness as well as my sweetness."
"I was only kindly urging you to finish your medicine quickly so as not to waste someone else's good intentions. You really are unreasonable, biting the hand that feeds you." Dai Li tried to push him away.
Qin Shaozong did not let go. "You cannot say that. You bear half the responsibility for this medicine, my lady."
"What does it have to do with me? Let go of me, I need to drink some water." Dai Li gave him a hard pinch.
This time, he released his grip.
Dai Li poured herself a cup of water. Just as she was bringing the rim to her lips, she heard him say, "Since I promised you that we would grow old together and weather the cold winters of life as one, naturally, I cannot break my promise halfway."
Dai Li froze, recalling the day he had returned from the Changle Courtyard.
After fighting outside all night, the man had come straight to her. His armor was shattered, his black robes torn to shreds. When his clothes were peeled away, several cuts, both deep and shallow, were oozing blood—he had nearly been sliced to ribbons.
She had told him then that, under normal circumstances, men have shorter lifespans than women. He had angrily dismissed her words as absurd.
But looking at it now, he had actually taken those words to heart...
Dai Li slowly lowered her eyes, letting out a silent, melancholy sigh.