Marry a Northern Song Dynasty civil servant

Chapter 69

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The rising sun casts a golden glow throughout the room.

As if sensing this dazzling warmth, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and her heavy eyelids slowly opened.

The first thing you see is a tangled black beard, followed by tightly furrowed thick eyebrows and bloodshot eyes.

The faint smile she managed to force was crushed by the sudden weight that lunged at her. Her shoulders felt like they were being crushed by iron clamps, and she couldn't help but let out a soft, hoarse moan that escaped her snow-white lips.

"You're awake? You're finally fucking awake!"

Unable to resist, she could only helplessly look at the already white 'claws' and say, 'It hurts...' Her expression was quite aggrieved, like a child.

He paused for a moment, then quickly let go, continuing to curse: "Damn it, you're something else! You even tricked me, almost making me fight you right there! Now you know what pain is? I thought you were a tough guy! If you're so tough, then shut up, I really want to just crush you to death!"

While cursing, he helped the man, who was putting on a humble and receptive expression, to sit up: "You, on the other hand, went into a coma for two days and one night. If your old man hadn't been a tough guy who'd weathered many storms, he would have been scared out of his wits by you! It's a good thing your precious son and your precious wife aren't here..." At this point, he suddenly realized something and pinched the man hard, making him wince: "Damn it, so you planned this all along, that's why you sent your wife away and had your son stay with your aunt temporarily. You just kept me completely in the dark!"

She took a sip of the lukewarm tea and muttered softly, "Isn't it because you're brave and can handle being scared..."

"Bullshit! Even if I were Huo Dadan, I couldn't withstand your antics!"

"This time, I'm sorry. But if I had told you beforehand, would you still have made me drink that bowl of wine?"

A single, gentle sentence calmed the furious Huo Nan down. He scratched his beard and sat down heavily: "No way!"

Lu Ziqi smiled innocently, a slight curve to his lips: "So, you can't blame me."

"You bastard, are you going to blame me?" she cursed irritably, took the teacup, and then picked up a bowl of steaming medicinal soup and handed it to him: "You Rong made this according to the doctor's instructions, and changed it every half hour, just in case you woke up and couldn't drink it."

"Thank you for your help."

"Enough with the nonsense!"

After finishing his drink obediently, rinsing his mouth and wiping his face, Lu Ziqi closed his eyes to rest for a while. When he opened his eyes again, his gaze had returned to its usual clarity: "Has there been any movement from Chen Kui?"

"Not yet, but soon. Don't worry, the eldest son of the Xue family and I are keeping an eye on things!"

"The turning point will likely be within the next three to five days. Those who were already restless and eager to act will surely be thrown into disarray after this incident."

"Honestly, are you really that confident? After all, this kind of framing isn't very clever. If he really wanted to harm you, why would he choose to do it at a banquet he hosted at his own home, especially in front of so many colleagues? More importantly, he didn't poison you."

"But perhaps it's precisely because many people share your thoughts that this seemingly clumsy and flawed method is the best way to clear oneself and prove innocence. He never intended to kill me, nor did he have the guts. He just wanted to give me a warning, and incidentally, prevent me from continuing my investigation, thus giving his accomplices enough time to make arrangements." He winked and smiled, appearing quite cunning: "Don't you think this analysis makes a lot of sense?"

"But Imperial Physician Han from the palace was present at the banquet. He treated you on the spot, which proves that you were not poisoned, but just had a stomach ailment. Could it be that you bribed him as well?"

"No. However, with Physician Han's superb medical skills, he must have been able to diagnose how serious my stomach ailment was, and I myself couldn't possibly be completely unaware of it. So, knowing that drinking such strong liquor could potentially be life-threatening, how could I have accepted Chen Kui's toast without hesitation or refusal? Therefore, although he couldn't diagnose anything, Physician Han still suspected that there was something wrong with that bowl of wine. He is meticulous by nature and won't speak without evidence. However, when reporting this matter to the Emperor, he inevitably sounded slightly less certain in his words. Thus, it naturally aroused the Emperor's suspicion as well."

At this point, Lu Ziqi paused, smiled at Huo Nan, whose eyebrows were raised high, and said, "I was unconscious, so I don't know what happened next."

He chuckled, "You think you don't know my tricks? The Emperor is suspicious and will naturally investigate, but because of his concerns, he can only do so secretly. This only makes them more confused and anxious. Lu Ziqi, oh Lu Ziqi, you're something else!"

She suddenly stood up, pointed at his nose, and cursed: "You know that damn stomach disease will kill you once it flares up, yet you still dared to do this. If you want to die, at least give us a heads-up so we can prepare for your funeral and avoid a scramble later!"

“I still want to see my son born, how could I not want to live? Please sit down and talk, okay? I’ve been looking up at you for so long, my neck is sore. I remember you didn’t have such a fiery temper before, I don’t know if it was from fighting or from arguing with Xiao Han.”

With a wave of his hand, he said, "...Stop interrupting me!"

With a helpless sigh, he said, "I'm right here, alive and well. Doesn't that prove anything? Someone once said that he would at least guarantee my safety for three years. I believe him."

"who?"

"The opponent we are about to face."

Ignoring Huo Nan's shock, Lu Zixi looked out the window at the rising sun and continued slowly, "Chen Kui dared to embezzle military pay and rations on such a long and large scale for so long. There must be a larger power group backing him and helping him dispose of the stolen goods. This time, my risky move as bait was a last resort. We must bring these corrupt officials to justice this winter, and begin the purge in the border regions next spring. We must see initial results before autumn. Otherwise, we will be unable to deter the covetous Liao and Xia, and it may lead to a war with little chance of victory. Therefore, we cannot afford to delay."

Huo Nan snorted heavily: "I understand your thoughts perfectly well, otherwise I would have already killed Chen Kui with a single blow."

“If I didn’t have confidence in you, I wouldn’t have dragged you to this drinking session with me. If you really killed him, the show would fall apart. It’s because you didn’t act impulsively that they are even more confused. They think we’re deliberately setting a trap, but they don’t know how to break free. The more uncertain they are, the more chaotic things become, and the easier it is for them to slip up and make mistakes.”

"You've been plotting against me!" She paused, then suddenly remembered something else: "Wait a minute! So, you already had me in your plans the day we first met. And you even said you couldn't disobey your wife, which is why you gave up drinking..."

Lu Ziqi quickly clarified, "No, no, at that time I just didn't want you to worry about my minor illness. Of course, I must admit that I did have some idea that I might be able to make something of it in the future."

Huo Nan was so angry that he wanted to punch him, but he couldn't bring himself to do it to such a seriously ill patient. He could only grit his teeth and say fiercely, "You better get better soon, my fists are itching to punch you!"

"No problem, I'll be waiting for you at the hot spring resort. Or rather, I'll be waiting for good news from you and Xiaohan."

The double entendre made Huo Nan blush and fum. Lu Ziqi stretched his limbs with satisfaction, a deep smile appearing on his pale face, shining brightly in the warm sunlight: "I've done everything I needed to do. Now, I can just stay with Yaoyao and wait for our child to be born."

Author's Note: Xiao Lu's intestines are incredibly convoluted!

The principle of a cunning man is to cunningly eliminate everything that can be cunningly exploited, regardless of whether it's the Emperor or the Virgin Mary... = =～

Chapter Sixty-Nine: Initial Appearance

As the name suggests, the hot spring resort is a manor built in the mountains with hot springs.

Song Xiaohua took a comfortable bath, then let Xiaoyan wrap her up in layers of clothes until she was a round ball, while Tingxian carefully dried her hair with a dry towel.

Sitting in the pavilion with its curtains drawn low, sipping hot tea and holding a hand warmer, Song Xiaohua hummed a little tune as she watched the snow falling outside through the gaps blown by the wind. She was in a very pleasant mood.

Although the manor was large, it had very few servants, only a dozen or so old servants who stayed year-round to clean and maintain it; all were honest and taciturn. This life, far removed from all the hustle and bustle, made Song Xiaohua very comfortable. As her body grew heavier each day, she became increasingly fond of quiet and disliked noise, wanting only to soak in the hot springs, enjoy the scenery, and sing songs and tell stories to the baby in her belly. She woke up happily and fell asleep happily every day, even her dreams were sweet.

This is perhaps the sense of fulfillment one feels when about to become a mother; even the most ordinary little things can bring heartfelt emotions.

Lu Ziqi would send a letter home by carrier pigeon every other day, which, as before, contained trivial matters. Lu Ling knew many characters and rarely used drawings to express what he wanted to say anymore, while Song Wuque still left a large, ink-stained paw print on it as usual.

Song Xiaohua's reply was even more detailed. From the day she found out she was pregnant, she began writing a 'baby growth diary'. At first, the fetus didn't show any obvious movements, so she simply recorded her activities, diet, and thoughts. Later, she mainly recorded the changes in the fetus, such as when it moved, how much bigger her belly had become compared to the previous day, and so on.

Therefore, a family letter is actually a diary entry for two days.

Men need to focus on their careers and can't always be by their wives' and children's side. However, she wants her man to not miss a single moment of their children's growth and to make up for any regrets he may have had in the past.

The first snow of the winter arrived the day before yesterday evening, and within a day and a half, the world was blanketed in white. It seems the carrier pigeon won't be arriving today. I felt a little melancholy, but I quickly suppressed it. Pregnant women must always maintain a cheerful mood; it's good for the baby.

After drying her hair, she didn't tie it up, but let it fall loose. Song Xiaohua's hair is now in very good condition, smooth, supple, and resilient, but the color still has a slight yellow tint, as if it has been dyed.

Lu Ziqi once said that one could tell from her hair color that she likely had Hu (non-Han) ancestry, which explained her unruly nature and lack of the gentleness typical of Han women.

I casually pulled a strand of hair and played with it in my hand, but what came to mind was a long, strong hand winding the hair around its fingers.

I remember back then, she pointed her thumb to the sky, trembling on one leg, striking a haughty pose: "Being unruly is my greatest strength, I'm not ashamed of it, I'm proud of it!" Then, like a tiger pouncing on its prey, she pounced on the speechless man, devouring him in the blink of an eye.

Come to think of it, it's been several months since I've eaten, and I'm actually quite hungry...

“Baby, your mom and dad have sacrificed so much for you, enduring hunger and thirst. For that reason alone, you must take good care of us in the future, especially your dad…”

She got up and pulled the curtains open slightly. Outside, the wind was howling and the snow was falling heavily, but inside, it was warm and cozy. Just like how he gave her and this family.

Holly, I am so fortunate to marry you and have children with you.

"Oh dear Second Madam, be careful not to catch a chill in the wind!" Xiaoyan looked up after packing her things and saw Song Xiaohua standing by the pavilion with her big pregnant belly, peering out through the curtain. She immediately started nagging, "You know how precious your body is now. Even the slightest mishap will be met with the wrath of Second Master!"

"I'm not that weak..." Helplessly being helped inside, she turned her head and for some reason had a sudden thought, so she quickly reached out and lifted the tightly covered curtains again.

A sedan chair approached from afar and stopped ten meters outside the pavilion. The door opened, and a person stepped out with their head bowed, then stood up straight.

A white light fur coat, a white jade hairpin, and white leather boots. Black hair, black eyebrows, and eyes as dark as ink. Light-colored lips pressed tightly together, adding a touch of determination to his rugged features.

Song Xiaohua smiled broadly and pulled the curtains open wider with force, letting in the wind and snow instantly. Xiaoyan and Tingxian were so startled that they quickly came over to help her tie her collar and put on her hood.

As if sensing the movement, Lu Ziqi's gaze shifted and sharpened, the corners of his lips curving upwards, his features suddenly softening.

They strode quickly through the snow, bringing with them a chill.

He hurriedly turned around to tighten the curtains, while she focused on brushing the snowflakes off his clothes.

They immediately exchanged a smile.

Lu Ziqi instinctively wanted to hold those small hands, but stopped just as he was about to touch them. His own hands were too cold.

Song Xiaohua rolled her eyes, placed the warm stove, still warm from her body, into his palm, then placed them together, their four hands clasped together.

Xiaoyan and Tingxian poured two cups of hot tea and then quietly left, leaving behind only warmth and tranquility in the room.

Why are you here?

"I've come to see you and the children."

How many days can you stay?

"It's almost the end of the year."

"So long?"

"I've taken leave."