"Unbeknownst to me, the servants were actively dividing up their master's property and wantonly insulting him. They've really dared to climb over his head! Who gave you such audacity?"
The chilling words were like knives frozen in winter, slowly cutting into their hearts.
"Young Master, we were wrong, we were really wrong." The two trembled with fear, struggling as if their fragile necks were being choked. They never imagined that the young master, who had ignored Qiao Qingjun and his son for the past year, would suddenly become angry and stand up for them.
If they knew that the young marquis still cared about this father and son, they wouldn't dare to do it even if they had ten times the courage.
"Aqing, take An ge'er inside and close the door. Leave these two ungrateful bastards to me."
Qiao Qingjun was simple-minded and kind-hearted. An ge'er was just a child, so naturally they couldn't be allowed to see that bloody scene.
Qiao Qingjun's lips moved, but he didn't plead for him. He carried An ge'er back to the house. He was angry because An ge'er had been sick last night, but they refused to help him find a doctor.
He has a gentle personality, like a harmless and silly rabbit, but when it comes to An ge'er, even the soft and cute rabbit can stretch out its claws and fight with everything to deliver a fatal blow to the person who hurt his own cub.
Holding An ge'er, Qiao Qingjun sat on the bed. Soon, he heard the sound of whips and the two men's pleas for mercy and screams. Qiao Qingjun immediately covered An ge'er's ears with his hands.
An ge'er blinked his big, clear black and white eyes at him, thinking that his father was playing a game with him. He also stretched out his two short little hands and covered Qiao Qingjun's ears.
Qiao Qingjun was stunned for a moment, then smiled, and the two foreheads, one big and one small, touched each other gently.
"An ge'er is so cute, An ge'er is so good."
“Daddy, good boy, good boy.” An ge’er imitated him very well, making a giggling sound.
-
Meng Xiangbei gave the two treacherous servants a beating, tied them up, and threw them aside. He planned to call a slave trader later to sell them and buy two honest servants to take care of Qiao Qingjun and his son.
Qiao Qingjun and An ge'er also came out of the house.
Together, the two of them arranged the purchased items and placed them in their respective places. An ge'er sat to the side, holding a piece of pastry in his little hand and nibbling on it with his little teeth, his eyes fixed on them as he watched them work.
"Husband, what should we do with the clothes?" Qiao Qingjun touched the clothes that were torn in two, feeling regretful and heartbroken. These were clothes that his husband had bought for him, and he liked them very much.
"If it's ruined, I'll buy you another one."
"Yes, I will definitely protect them well from now on." Qiao Qingjun clenched his little fist and made a solemn promise.
Meng Xiangbei gently patted his head and smiled silently. This guy, who uses protection for clothes? However, he didn't correct him. As long as Qiao Qingjun was happy.
"Oh, right, these are the medical books for you." Meng Xiangbei handed him several medical books.
Qiao Qingjun's eyes lit up, and he quickly took it, flipped through a few pages, and then hugged it like a precious treasure, giving Meng Xiangbei a smile: "Thank you, husband."
Meng Xiangbei pondered for a moment, then leaned closer and asked meaningfully, "So, how does A-Qing plan to thank me?"
Qiao Qingjun was clearly surprised by Meng Xiangbei's question, and his eyes were blank.
"Should Aqing cook for her husband?" he suggested, but shook his head a few seconds later. "No, Aqing's cooking is not good."
With the two servants doing nothing, Qiao Qingjun had to cook for himself so that he and An'er wouldn't go hungry. But how could a rich young master who had never lifted a finger cook? He almost burned down the kitchen.
To this end, Qiao Qingjun secretly went to the house next door to see how they did it, and then came back to learn how to do it himself. It took him a long time to be able to cook properly. Even so, the food was terrible in both appearance and taste, and sometimes it was not even cooked through.
Even so, they still had to sit, otherwise they would starve to death, and the money had to be saved for An ge'er's medical treatment; they couldn't go out to buy food.
What's remarkable is that Qiao Qingjun does a very good job of making rice cereal for An ge'er.
Hearing this, Meng Xiangbei felt a pang of heartache and couldn't help but take his hand. His fingers, which were originally as slender and soft as scallions, were covered with a thin layer of calluses and faint scratches, probably from when he was accidentally cut by a knife earlier.
There is a long, noticeable scar on the palm of his hand.
"How did you do that?"
Qiao Qingjun frowned, his handsome face still deep in thought about how to thank his husband, when he heard Meng Xiangbei ask, his cool fingertips stroking the scar on his palm.
"I was chopping wood and got cut. It's nothing, it doesn't hurt anymore," Qiao Qingjun replied casually, as if the matter was over and didn't need to be taken seriously, even though it hurt a lot and he bled a lot at the time.
Meng Xiangbei pulled Qiao Qingjun into his arms and buried his face in his neck: "Qing, I won't let you and An ge'er suffer anymore."
"AQing isn't suffering," Qiao Qingjun replied, somewhat bewildered, though he sensed that his husband seemed quite distressed.
People cry when they are sad, just like him and An ge'er. They cry when they are upset, but Qiao Qingjun doesn't want Meng Xiangbei to cry.
He gently patted Meng Xiangbei's back to comfort him.
His clumsy attempts to comfort only intensified Meng Xiangbei's guilt.
Qiao Qingjun and his son should be cherished and protected; they shouldn't have to suffer like this.
He would not let them suffer in the future.
In the end, Meng Xiangbei still failed to get a "thank you gift".
For the next few days, Meng Xiangbei stayed with Qiao Qingjun and An ge'er during the day, and returned to the Marquis's residence at night to avoid attracting the attention of the people in the Marquis's mansion.
The two servants had already been taken away by the slave trader, so he bought two more honest servants to take care of Qiao Qingjun and his son.
On this day, the family of three went out shopping again. After spending several days together, Meng Xiangbei and An ge'er had become much closer, and Meng Xiangbei finally got the privilege of taking An ge'er out for a walk.
An ge'er held a rattle drum that Meng Xiangbei had just bought for him, turning it curiously and listening to the "dong dong dong" sound. He was very happy and even took it to Qiao Qingjun to show him.
Good things should be shared with Dad.
"Hey, Xiang Yuan, isn't that Meng Xiangbei?"
On the second floor of Laifu Restaurant, there was a private room by the window. The window was open, and you could see the flow of people on the street outside.
Inside the private room, three young men in brocade robes were leisurely drinking when suddenly, the man in purple casually glanced out the window, saw a familiar face, and said to the man in blue opposite him.
Upon hearing this, Meng Xiangyuan took in the entire scene.
“It really is him,” he said.
"Why is Meng Xiangbei carrying a child, and there's a young master beside him? I haven't heard that the young marquis of the Marquis's mansion is getting married. Could it be a concubine?"
“I think it’s a mistress,” another young man in black said. “What’s wrong with a young marquis playing around with a ger? I just didn’t expect that he would actually have a child.” He scoffed, then glanced at Meng Xiangyuan, whose face didn’t look good, and immediately shut his mouth.
The term "ge'er" (哥儿) refers to a lowly status, often associated with servants or playthings. However, the person who gave birth to Meng Xiangyuan was considered a "ge'er." As a result, even though Meng Xiangyuan was well-liked among the young masters of the capital, he was still considered inferior because of this. What he hated most was when others mentioned the word "ge'er" in front of him.
Seeing Meng Xiangyuan's gloomy face, the man in black immediately changed the subject: "By the way, A-Yuan, I heard that Meng Xiangbei went missing in an accident and only returned a year ago. What exactly happened back then? Could it be that he was with that young man during that time? The child looks about a year old. But, Madam of the Marquis's Mansion, could your stepmother really allow Meng Xiangbei to give birth to the eldest grandson from a concubine?"
Meng Xiangyuan's gaze remained fixed on Meng Xiangbei on the street, the family of three walking happily into the distance.
He lowered his eyes, as if he was thinking about something.
He naturally knew why Meng Xiangbei had disappeared, but he never expected that he would be so lucky as to return.
However, he actually had a mistress and a child with him.
He knew that because his father had stolen the Marquis's favor, his stepmother hated the young master the most. He simply couldn't believe that she could tolerate the existence of that young master and his father.
Meng Xiangyuan was calculating something in his heart, and a smile appeared on his lips.
-
During the Sui Dynasty, the land was vast and rich in resources. For hundreds of years, the people lived in peace and prosperity. The emperor was wise and virtuous, treated scholars with respect, and promulgated many policies that benefited the country and its people. Soldiers defended the country, and the people were able to live in peace.
But this generation is somewhat different.
Emperor Jin'an, in his early twenties, loved beautiful women. Since ascending the throne at the age of fifteen, he had expanded his harem and selected batch after batch of concubines, including not only women but also boys.
The most favored imperial concubine in the palace today is a boy.
In the current imperial court, the most powerful person is General Qian Zheng. The Qian family is a family of loyal and virtuous people who protect the country and its people. Every general in the family has a large army in their hands.
Qian Zheng married a wife and took two concubines.
The general's wife gave birth to two sons, Aunt Lan gave birth to one son, and Aunt Xiao gave birth to one daughter, Qian Jiaojiao.
Qian Zheng did not favor his three rough sons, but he doted on his illegitimate daughter, Qian Jiaojiao, the most.
Once, Emperor Jin'an, fearing that Qian Zheng might have ulterior motives, wanted Qian Jiaojiao to enter the palace, but Qian Zheng directly confronted him in court.
He only has one precious daughter, so naturally he wants to find her a husband who is the one she loves.
Recently, he heard that his daughter is getting quite close to the eldest son of the Marquis of Zhongyuan's family.
At this moment, Qian Zheng was in Aunt Xiao's room discussing Qian Jiaojiao's marriage.
"I have met Xiang Bei before. He is a good boy. He is handsome, gentle, and virtuous. He has no concubines around him."
“Jiaojiao has been spoiled by us and has a rather spoiled personality. I used to worry that if she got married, she would inevitably be tormented by her mother-in-law. But if my sister were to become her mother-in-law, I would be at ease.”
Consort Xiao and Lady Zhongyuan were sisters. However, Lady Zhongyuan was more straightforward and assertive, while Consort Xiao was gentle and kind. Even so, the two sisters had a good relationship.
Qian Zheng sat there with a commanding presence, his tall and imposing figure exuding a sharp and iron-blooded aura.
He seemed to be deep in thought.
Aunt Xiao continued, "I think Xiang Bei is also interested in our Jiao Jiao, so I'm sure he'll treat her well in the future."
Qian Zheng nodded: "Yes, I'll go see him another day. If he's really good, he'd be a good match for our Jiaojiao."
Although Qian Zheng loved his daughter dearly, he had no intention of keeping her by his side forever. A daughter is meant to leave home once she grows up and eventually get married.
Because of her wealthy general father, Qian Jiaojiao had many suitors even before she came of age, including princes and dukes. Qian Zheng rejected them all. Firstly, he didn't like them, and secondly, these men were promiscuous and already had many women in their households, and he didn't want his daughter to be bothered by them. As parents, they simply wanted to find her a reliable family so she could be happy for the rest of her life.
Not long after, a girl dressed in a peach-colored dress entered. She was pretty and had a bright and outgoing face. She looked just like Aunt Xiao, but her personality was exactly like Qian Zheng's. She was lively, active, and had a clear sense of love and hate.
"Jiaojiao is here."
"Father, Aunt, what are you talking about? Why are you so happy?" Qian Jiaojiao asked with a smile, her arms linked with Aunt Xiao's, looking curious.
Aunt Xiao and Qian Zheng exchanged a smile.
Aunt Xiao said, "They're talking about your marriage. Your father said that if you really like Xiang Bei, then your marriage will be arranged."
Even though Qian Jiaojiao has a carefree personality, she is still just a young girl who has only recently come of age. Now that she is talking about the person she likes and her marriage in front of her parents, she can't help but blush.
She practically buried her face in Aunt Xiao's arms, and said coquettishly, "Father, Aunt, what are you talking about? Your daughter wants to stay with you for a few more years."
“I know you’re filial, but you’ll eventually get married. How are things going with your cousin lately? If you really think he’s a good match, we can arrange the marriage.”
"Yes, Jiaojiao, give your father a straight answer."
Qian Jiaojiao bit her lower lip lightly, remaining silent for a moment, a hint of loneliness in her eyes.
In the past, Qian Jiaojiao had never liked anyone, let alone thought about getting married. Especially when she thought about sharing her husband with many women and men, she had no desire to get married.
Until she met her cousin Meng Xiangbei, his gentle and refined nature, his self-discipline, and his vision of spending his life with his wife won her heart and awakened her first love.
She could also sense that her cousin had feelings for her.
If she really had to get married, she hoped to marry her cousin.
However, her cousin seems to have been quite cold towards her lately. In the past, he would always find various reasons to invite her to the Marquis's mansion or to go out for a stroll, but he has been nowhere to be seen in the last few days. Especially yesterday, she couldn't suppress her longing and sent him an invitation, but he refused.
For a moment, Qian Jiaojiao felt somewhat agitated.
"Jiaojiao, what are you thinking about?"
Qian Jiaojiao snapped out of her daze, and the burning heat on her face from shyness subsided somewhat due to her earlier annoyance.
"Everything is up to my parents to decide."
-
Meng Xiangbei was unaware of what was happening with Qian Jiaojiao.
Since he was going to devote himself to Qiao Qingjun and his son, he naturally had to break off his ambiguous relationship with Qian Jiaojiao and stop inviting her or flirting with her whenever he wanted.
He was thinking of finding a time to talk to Meng's mother about Qiao Qingjun and An ge'er, and that he wanted to break off the engagement with the General's Mansion and bring the father and son into the Marquis's Mansion to take care of them nearby.
However, it was very difficult to persuade Meng's mother.
Before he could come up with a proper solution, the nanny beside Meng's mother summoned him.
"Young Marquis, the Madam requests your presence."
-
When talking about the Zhongyuan Marquis's mansion, people talk most about the Marquis, his wife, and his concubine, the young master.
The position of Marquis Zhongyuan is hereditary. When the previous Marquis Zhongyuan, who was Meng Xiangbei's grandfather, was alive, the Marquis Zhongyuan Mansion was not at its peak, but it still held a significant position. However, after Meng Xiangbei's father inherited the position of Marquis Zhongyuan, it quickly declined.
The Marquis of Zhongyuan's mansion is now nothing more than a name that is neither high nor low.
Now, Marquis Zhongyuan's mind is entirely focused on his concubine's son, and he dotes on Meng Xiangyuan, the son born to him. He even had the absurd idea of demoting his wife to a concubine and elevating the concubine to a wife.
Lady Hou, also known as Mencius' mother, deeply loved Marquis Zhongyuan, to the point of being almost obsessive.
Therefore, she went to great lengths to marry him, even if it meant marrying down.
She married into the family as she wished, but still could not win the love of the Marquis of Zhongyuan.
For this reason, she hated that concubine, and by extension, all ger.
Ger has the blood of a demon, which is why he is so beautiful and seductive.
That is why there wasn't a single ger among the servants in the Marquis's mansion.
She valued her son Meng Xiangbei and longed to raise an outstanding son who would attract the attention of Marquis Zhongyuan and bring him back to her side.
She had always been satisfied with Meng Xiangbei's performance, but she never expected that her good son would do such a thing.
"Kneel down."
As soon as Meng Xiangbei stepped in, his mother, who was sitting at the head of the table, slammed her hand on the table and said sternly with a stern face.
Meng Xiangbei frowned but did not kneel down. He glanced at her and said, "I don't know what I did wrong to make Mother so angry." Although he said that, Meng Xiangbei had a vague guess in his heart.
Mencius' mother scoffed coldly: "Don't you know why I'm angry? What, as your mother, am I not allowed to scold you? Do you even respect me as your mother?"
"I don't know, please enlighten me, Mother."
"You didn't know? You raised a foolish ger to be your mistress outside, and secretly had a son with him. If someone hadn't told me, were you planning to keep it a secret forever? Meng Xiangbei, have you forgotten everything I taught you since you were little?" Mother Meng raised her voice, her tone filled with barely suppressed anger.
Meng Xiangbei stood up straight, showing no sign of guilt or panic despite his mother's scolding. However, a flash of anger crossed his eyes when he heard the word "idiot," but he quickly concealed it.
He spoke calmly: "Actually, even if Mother doesn't say it, I will eventually have to. I did have a child with a ger. A Qing is indeed intellectually disabled, but he is kind-hearted. An ge'er is also a well-behaved and lovely child.
Aqing is not my mistress, but my lawfully wedded wife whom I married when I was wandering in Jiangnan. I intend to bring him and his son to live in the Marquis's mansion, and I will need to trouble my mother to cancel my engagement to the General's family."
"Outrageous!" Mother Meng stood up abruptly and shouted, "Have you lost your mind, or have you been bewitched by that vixen outside? How could you say such a thing? I painstakingly planned for you, arranging your marriage with the General's family when you were young. And now, you actually want to break off this engagement for a lowly ger and his child, defying your mother! I never expected you to be so bold. It seems I have been too lenient with you, which is why you want to do whatever you want."
"Mother, please be careful with your words. Aqing is not a lowly person. He is the one I love and will be my only wife in this life. Please do not insult him." Meng Xiangbei remained calm in the face of his mother's anger, but he could not accept the insults she hurled at Qiao Qingjun.
Meng Xiangbei's words were like adding fuel to the fire, enraging Meng's mother. She stared intently at the so-called son in front of her, feeling a sense of estrangement and alienation.
She suddenly realized that her son, whom she had always controlled since childhood, had changed; he had learned to rebel against his mother.
This feeling of being out of her control left her momentarily speechless.
She narrowed her eyes slightly, the light in them shifting unpredictably.
After a long while, she slowly sat down, her emotions seemingly much calmer.
"Fine, you can have that ger if you want, but you must marry your cousin Jiaojiao. As for that ger, it's absolutely impossible for him to be brought into the Marquis's mansion. I can allow you to keep him as a mistress outside, but you must keep it a secret and not let your cousin know.
Furthermore, regarding that ger's child, send him away and pretend he never existed. A dignified young marquis's legitimate son must be the heir of his principal wife, and certainly not a ger."
Based on her recent observations, she believed that her son had feelings for his cousin, Qian Jiaojiao. Besides, Qian Jiaojiao was beautiful, and once she entered the family, she would naturally win her son's heart. As for the other man, she would deal with him later.
While keeping this in mind, Meng's mother also made the biggest concessions on the surface.
But Meng Xiangbei did not compromise.
“Mother, your son has made his words very clear. I will not marry my cousin. My only wife in this life is Qiao Qingjun, and I will never do anything like giving away my own child.”
Meng's mother's chest heaved violently as she pointed at Meng Xiangbei, her face turning ashen: "You, you unfilial son."
As soon as she finished speaking, she fell straight backward and fainted from anger.
"Lady."
-
"I heard that the Lady of the Marquis fainted on the spot and hasn't woken up yet."
The Marquis's residence, Tinglan Garden, is well known to be the residence of Ning Zhi, the beloved concubine of Marquis Zhongyuan.
The silver charcoal burned, making the room warm, and incense burned in the incense burner, filling the air with a calming fragrance.
On the chaise lounge, a person dressed in blue lay with a blanket covering them, in a languid and leisurely posture.
The young man on the couch was strikingly beautiful, with a cinnabar mole between his eyebrows, skin as smooth as cream, and black hair like a waterfall. However, his face was pale, and he coughed occasionally, like a sickly beauty.
"Young master, please wait a little longer, the medicine will be ready soon."
“It’s all because of Lady Hou. If she hadn’t pushed you into the water back then, you wouldn’t have been entangled in bed every winter. Her intentions are truly too wicked.” The servant boy spoke up for Ning Zhi, his expression indignant.
Author's Note: 6000-word update, and another 6000-word update tomorrow. Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2020-02-28 18:16:02 and 2020-02-29 17:54:06!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: 100 bottles of light blue; 1 bottle each for Yiyan and Autumn Diary;
Thank you so much for your support, I will continue to work hard!
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