CHAPTER 318: CHAPTER 287: YOU MIGHT AS WELL BEAT ME TO DEATH

It was unexpected for Mr. Qi from the Su Family to take the initiative to visit, thought Song Wei.

He asked Uncle Lin to escort the guest to the front hall and changed his robe before coming out.

The Song family’s layout was much smaller than Su Qing had imagined. He hadn’t been seated long when he saw a man approaching from outside.

Clad in a cerulean wide-sleeved cross-collared long robe, the visitor appeared more scholarly, exuding a refined elegance, compared to Su Qing, a martial man.

The Su Family had a scholarly heritage, but due to Su Qing’s humble origins, he had never had the opportunity to follow the literary path into officialdom like his brothers. Thus, he harbored a subconscious resistance toward scholars.

...

Pulling his thoughts back, Su Qing smiled faintly, "This is my first visit, merely to express gratitude for your household’s kindness in sheltering my wife the other day. I hope it won’t inconvenience Mr. Song."

Song Wei moved his gaze from the ribboned gift box on the table to the man speaking.

He had often heard the name of Mr. Qi from the Su Family, but it was his first time meeting Su Qing in person.

Arrayed in a black robe and wearing black high-top boots with white soles, his attire was sharp and efficient.

Finding a seat, Song Wei slowly began, "Mr. Qi from the Su Family, pleased to meet you."

Su Qing slightly curved his lips, "I’ve always been curious about what kind of person led the Jinyi Guards to break the Ningzhou coal mine case. Unfortunately, I hadn’t had the chance to visit before, and today, upon meeting you, Mr. Song isn’t quite what I imagined."

Song Wei did not shy away from the topic of the coal mine case, "I am very curious about what impression I left in Mr. Qi’s mind."

Su Qing raised an eyebrow slightly, "Because you almost cost me my official position, naturally, I thought you were utterly unforgivable."

After a short, low laugh, Su Qing looked back at Song Wei, "But on second thought, you handled that case beautifully."

At least, it caused Su Xiang to suffer a significant blow.

Suspended for a year and fined for three, it might seem mild to outsiders, but Su Qing knew well how severe the loss was for Su Xiang.

Song Wei drank his tea lightly, "I thought Mr. Qi came here to formally challenge me."

"Mr. Song is a scholar with no martial prowess, and I am a military general. To challenge you, wouldn’t that be unsporting?"

As if not expecting the other to be so ’sharp-tongued,’ Song Wei paused his tea-drinking motion.

...

In a hurry to head to the border area, Su Qing didn’t linger long at the Song family.

Song Wei personally saw him out; Su Qing had ridden there, and Song Wei watched his figure vanish around the corner before turning back.

The servants had already packed all the belongings to be moved. Lin Xiaoyue stood outside the main gate holding Ah Nuan. Upon seeing Su Qing from afar, she walked a few steps forward and asked directly before the man dismounted, "How did it go?"

Recalling the earlier encounter with Song Wei, Su Qing smiled slightly, "No wonder the Prime Minister stumbled multiple times in his hands. This Mr. Song is indeed an extraordinary person."

"You two didn’t argue, did you?" Lin Xiaoyue was more concerned about this.

Amused by her words, Su Qing laughed and said, "How can two grown men argue?"

"If not argued, then did you fight?"

Su Qing: "..."

Gracefully dismounting, he handed the horse to a servant, walked over, and said, "It’s cold outside, why not wait inside the house?"

Lin Xiaoyue pursed her lips slightly. After Su Qing went to the Song family, she had taken a nap with Ah Nuan but was startled awake by a dream of that night when the main courtyard caught fire; too frightened to stay indoors, she stood outside holding her child.

Seeing her not answer, Su Qing refrained from asking further, letting her get into the carriage first while he spoke to the butler, then returned.

With his wife accompanying him, Su Qing didn’t plan to ride anymore. He lifted the curtain and entered the carriage.

Lin Xiaoyue made space for him, then looked at the little girl in her arms and said, "By the time we return, Ah Nuan will be able to walk."

After speaking, she sighed, "It’s just a pity I haven’t been able to give you a son."

Su Qing chuckled, "Once we reach the border area, there will be plenty of opportunities for more children."

Lin Xiaoyue’s face warmed a bit, yet she didn’t deny it.

Even though she adored their daughter, she understood that having heirs was a woman’s foundation, and no man wouldn’t wish for a son to carry on the lineage.

Unless she truly couldn’t have more children, Lin Xiaoyue fervently hoped that Su Qing’s first son wouldn’t be borne by another woman.

This is also an important reason why she agreed to go with him — so much could change in two or three years of not seeing each other, and who knows, maybe when Su Qing writes to her, there might be another woman lying beside him.

Previously, afraid of getting hurt, she always pushed him away, always preparing for him to have multiple wives, so she didn’t feel it so deeply.

Even when Lin Xiaorou’s actions provoked her into writing to him, she herself was still in a daze, unsure where to place her feelings.

Until, the main house caught fire.

Having stayed by Su Qing’s side for five years, Lin Xiaoyue had never felt such a desperate desire for the man to suddenly appear by her side as she did that night.

Maybe it was when she saw the flames devouring the main house helplessly, or maybe during the escape, she deeply realized her reliance on him.

"You didn’t sleep well last night, do you want to rest for a while?" Su Qing’s low voice sounded in her ear.

Lin Xiaoyue snapped back to reality, her gaze meeting the man’s deep, ink-black eyes.

She paused her breath, shook her head, and said no need.

——

Ningzhou.

Mrs. Cao, who was arranged to receive Da Ya, had already arrived. The carriage was parked at the entrance of the village, and she sat at Song Erlang’s house, drinking tea awkwardly.

Originally thinking she could take the person directly, unexpectedly that girl was not willing at all.

Second Lang’s wife tried every possible persuasion, her lips nearly worn out, but Da Ya just wouldn’t listen.

Their yard wasn’t very large, and Second Lang’s wife’s voice reprimanding her daughter could be heard through the wall in the main room.

"I’m offering you a life of luxury in the Capital and you’re not happy, what do you want? Do you want to piss me off?"

Da Ya’s retort was just as strong, "You haven’t even been to the Capital, you don’t know what it’s like, why force me to go?"

Second Lang’s wife was exasperated, "So many people are dying to go to the Capital, and here you are, with a free opportunity in front of you, acting blind? I’m telling you Song Daya, you will go whether you like it or not, defy me again, and I won’t acknowledge you as my daughter!"

Da Ya immediately burst into tears, "You’re just trying to get rid of me by sending me to Uncle’s house in the Capital, I’m not going, not going! Push me again and I’ll run away from home!"

The fierce quarrel between the mother and daughter scared Er Ya and Sanyang. They hid in the main room, one on each side clinging to Song Erlang’s sleeves without daring to speak.

Therefore, the slap that landed on the daughter’s face from Second Lang’s wife was particularly crisp and loud.

Hearing this, Mrs. Cao’s hand trembled as she held the tea bowl.

Originally it wasn’t her place to speak about other people’s family affairs, but seeing the situation getting worse, Mrs. Cao worried that Song Daya might do something foolish under pressure, so she said to Song Erlang, "Sir, it’s better to go and advise them, Madam is pregnant, and the commotion might not be good for the baby."

Mrs. Cao’s use of ’Sir’ and ’Madam’ was according to Song Wei’s naming, not knowing how prestigious and proud it sounded to the ears of Song Erlang and his wife.

Song Erlang stood like a stake in the main room, only coming to his senses after hearing Mrs. Cao and instructing Er Ya and Sanyang not to go out. He stepped out over the threshold to the next room.

Da Ya sat crying on the ground with half her face swollen from the slap.

Second Lang’s wife had reddened eyes, her chest heaving with rage.

Seeing this when he pushed the door open, Song Erlang didn’t dare say a word against his wife, and inquired at Da Ya on the ground, "Your mom is doing this for your own good, why won’t you listen?"

Da Ya was stubborn, "Sending me to be raised by someone else is also for my own good?"

Song Erlang frowned, "What do you mean someone else? That’s your Third Uncle and Third Aunt, it’s one family!"

Song Daya was furious, "All those years you didn’t consider Third Uncle as family, now when I can be traded for benefits, you’re acting brotherly..."

"Song Daya!"

Before she could finish, Second Lang’s wife’s angry voice cut her off, "Are you really going to defy me?"

Da Ya didn’t respond, her sobs becoming more pronounced.

"Fine, very well, if you don’t go to the Capital, you can marry Liu Laizi from the next village, let’s see how well you live then!"

"Mom!" Da Ya panicked, changing from sitting on the ground to kneeling, crying as she shook Second Lang’s wife’s arm, "I can do housework, help you earn money by raising fish and shrimp, I can do other things too, please don’t send me away. I just want to stay at home."

Her pleas only earned a cold sneer from Second Lang’s wife, "Useless one!"

"Da Ya, don’t be foolish." Song Erlang bent down to pull her up, "Which girl doesn’t get married when she grows up? Your mother wants you to have a good life in the future, that’s why she wants to send you to the Capital. What’s wrong with the Capital? Your Third Uncle is an official, his family doesn’t worry about food or clothes, and they have servants. You go there as a lady, and with your Third Uncle’s connections, you’ll have no trouble finding a good family."

Da Ya didn’t expect her father to say this too. She gritted her teeth and declared, "I’d rather marry a mud-legged man and stay in the village for life than go so far away. If you’re not happy with that, then beat me to death!"