Chapter 69 - I was not afraid of my wife, but Yun Fenghuang

“I can’t go with you.” Yun Fenghuang didn’t hesitate and said exactly the same as three years ago, “My sister’s derailment has caused great trouble to my family. If I elope with you, that means two young ladies of Xie’s Family do not obey the woman’s rules. If so, is there any place for Xie’s daughters in the north?”

“Not only Xie’s Family, my sister and I were raised my mother, so even my mother’s natal family, Jiang’s Family, would be shameless and criticized… Thanks to them, Xie’s Family finally gave me the opportunity to go to Dijing!”

“Because I was the legitimate daughter and had been engaged with you since childhood, I had a superior position in the family, and was greatly favored by my father and brothers. As for the discussion of family matters, even my legitimate cousins could not attend if they were not aspirant. But I could hear it beside my father since I was seven or eight years old… My family tried their best to raise me, but I paid them nothing back so far. How could I make my tribe worse only because of my own private thought?”

“Besides, as the eldest legitimate son of your tribe, you are taught and supported by them. If we elope, how could you face your parents and relatives? We are destined to be apart, so don’t force it. It’s better if we say goodbye and never see each other ever again!”

Qi Jiulu listened to it motionlessly, and said softly after a while, “Actually, I have guessed that, but I still held a trace of hope in the end that you would be willing to cheat me.”

Yun Fenghuang sighed and said, “You… I used to lie to you. At that time, you were always convinced. Now I don’t want to keep you in the dark again. What I just said is true, but you refuse to believe it. I told you not to come. Why didn’t you listen to me?”

“Maybe because you were close to me before, I didn’t want to think a lot about what you said and did.” Qi Jiulu said softly, “Your happiness is everything to me. But now it is hard for me to meet you, and I just want to hear something nice.”

“Of course I could say sweet words to you, but it would do you no good.” Yun Fenghuang shook her head, “The reason why I refused to go with you at that time was actually not the so-called consideration for the two families. It was just an excuse… In the final analysis, I couldn’t believe you. I came to Dijing under my mother’s arrangement. Although I lived in my aunt’s house, I would still have a lot of dowry. Even if the person I married was not as good as you, I would be his legitimate wife and have the basic guarantee.”

If she let go of everything and went with Qi Jiulu, Qi Jiulu was only fifteen at that time. Even though his family cultivated him carefully, he still didn’t grow up. He himself still needed the help of his family, let alone protecting her.

She did not believe in Qi Jiulu’s ability, or could not believe that Qi Jiulu had the ability to take her away and settle her at that time. And she didn’t believe that Qi Jiulu wouldn’t regret after giving up so much for her.

Yun Fenghuang said calmly, “I said it because I had another intention. Because I knew that the more I put the blame on our families, the more you would hate Xie’s Family and Qi’s Family, and maybe you would hate Qi’s Family even more. After all, my family didn’t decide to send my sisters to family temple or marry them afar until Qi’s Family proposed to cancel the engagement. And I won the promise of being sent to Dijing only because my father and mother tried their best… Therefore, after you became the head of your family, you absolutely could not let go of those people who had caused me to go far away from home!”

“Apart from that, it would still be hard for you to forget me, and no matter who you would marry, you couldn’t help but compare her with me. We grew up together, but I was separated from you forcibly when you had the most harmonious relationship with me and looked forward to our future. You definitely only remember my goodness, and in your mind, no one could compare with me! Even your wife would be gentle, virtuous and kind, you could not forget me. Then that woman who replaced me would not be happy in her life. In this way, I could feel more comfortable even if I couldn’t see you again.”

She turned her head slightly and looked at the silent man who was not far away, “You see, I’m actually not as good as you think I am, but at that time, since we were young and had a crush on each other, you couldn’t know it clearly and I wouldn’t tell you the truth.”

“… So what?” Qi Jiulu said in a dumb voice, “We grew up together. Did you really think I didn’t know your tricks? You also said, I am the eldest legitimate son of my tribe, and supported by them. So, though I had a close relationship with you, how could I know nothing about your temperament? You didn’t like Chao Jingyou, and did not allow me to talk to her. Even my friendly greetings with people of Chao’s Family would make you angry… At that time, some people in my tribe talked in private that you were aggressive and jealous, and not qualified to be my wife. But I didn’t care, because it was me who was gonna marry you, and in my eyes, compared with you, Chao Jingyou meant nothing to me. If you didn’t like them, then you didn’t like them. I couldn’t bear to grieve you. As for others, they were not qualified to ask you to grieve yourself for me?!”

He was not unaware that Yun Fenghuang was not a virtuous woman recognized by the secular world, and that those her good reputations were probably spread and managed by her family.

But he just liked her.

“My tribe had been worried for a while, thinking that I was naturally henpecked, and could not be a qualified homeowner in the future.” Qi Jiulu smiled self-deprecatingly, “But this view was wrong, because I am not henpecked, and I just want you to follow your heart.”

He was not afraid of his wife, but Yun Fenghuang.

As long as it was Yun Fenghuang, no matter she was self-willed, aggressive, selfish or hypocritical… in his opinion, whatever she did was cute.

In addition, all the virtues and kindness recognized by the secular world were dull for him.

The only trace of vivid color in this world was only Yun Fenghuang.

Qi Jiulu did not want to hear all the voices of opposition.

“You see, because of this, I didn’t want to deceive you anymore.” Yun Fenghuang sighed, “You didn’t owe me anything, and there is no need to do so much for me… Now, Dijing is a trap, and I have already got involved in it. Why do I drag you into it? You just go back to the north. There are a few offspring in Qi’s Family. Since Qi Jiuzhang is not as talented as you, what could he do after taking over the power in a hurry? Your family will depend on you in the future. It must take a lot for you to let them agree with you to come over. But we have no future.”

Seeing that Qi Jiulu was going to say something, she shook her head slightly and motioned him to listen to her, “Our country had no precedent to let go of a concubine. Moreover, since I joined in the Imperial Harem, I blocked many people’s roads, and made troubles for them intentionally or unintentionally. These contradictions are not obvious now, but they will inevitably hurt me in the future. Even if the Prince Regent succeeds, you also know the early death of Shizi’s mother, and the power of his mother’s family is not as good as Marquess Qingping’s Mansion. That throne is still far away from him. Even if he could inherit it luckily in the future… It must take many decades for him. The world is unpredictable, and maybe we would be old at that time and had no such intentions like now.”

“You just go back to the north.”

She extorted him again, “I haven’t thought about how to live tomorrow since I joined the Imperial Harem. Your appearance distracts me and makes me feel guilty. It’s not a good thing for me, neither for you.”

“… Qi’s Family needs me, but what about you? You don’t intend to need me anymore?” Qi Jiulu looked at her and said lightly, “Or have you decided that you would give up everything?”

Yun Fenghuang frowned slightly and was just about to speak. He waved his sleeves and said in a lower voice, “I always listened to you. Even if I was attacked by arrows on Kong Que Hill, as you wished, I gave the way for you to come to Dijing… You said that I didn’t owe you anything, but what about you? Don’t you think that you owe me? Now I don’t want to listen to you any more… I often think that if I hadn’t obeyed you, and I insisted, and if I had forcibly taken you away… maybe you wouldn’t have joined the Imperial Harem! Maybe you were the one who married me at the beginning of the year!”

“…” Yun Fenghuang didn’t know how to respond.

Qi Jiulu continued, “And you think it is you being good to me by telling me these so-called truths and driving me back to the north? Why didn’t you think that our parents and tribes stopped us hysterically with the excuse of for our own good? A choice good for them maybe not good for us. A choice they think that is good didn’t turn out to be good, and the choice that you think is good is not really good for me. Now I don’t want to listen to anything anyone, and I just want to act according to my own wishes.”

Yun Fenghuang was silent for a long time, and said, “Last time… I forgot to ask you who the backer of Chao’s Family is. If it is Duke Yi’s Mansion, why did you come to Prince Regent’s Mansion after arriving in Dijing?”

“…” Qi Jiulu looked at her with some traces of disappointment in his eyes. He didn’t expect that she would change the topic so clearly, but he still answered slowly, “Chao’s Family refused to reveal it, and only said that it is a big figure in Dijing. My family thought repeatedly and guessed it is Marquess Qingping. You joined the Imperial Harem so abruptly while in the name of a daughter of Duke Yi’s Mansion. We could not confirm it now.”

“Marquess Qingping…” Yun Fenghuang groaned, saying, “The little lord of the Prince Regent is still young. Unless the Prince Regent is fool, it is impossible for him to tolerate his sons for the competition of Shizi at this time. What they did should not be directed at Gongxiang Xiao, at least not at present. So, has the Prince Regent already realized something?”

The north was controlled by Dingbei Army. Therefore, everything happened there was closely related to the Prince Regent.

The local tribes such as Xie’s Family and Qi’s Family had already refused to blend in the matters of the Imperial Court for a long time.

And the Prince Regent had no intention to suppress them to choose their sides all these years. At this time, the current father-in-law of the Prince Regent suddenly intervened, and they must plan it for a long time.

There must be another intention.

In Yun Fenghuang’s view, Xie’s Family, Qi’s Family and other families were indeed deeply intertwined in their places and had huge power. But for the Imperial Court, they had no influence on it at all, and it could even be said they were unknown to it.

Marquess Qingping managed to instruct Chao’s Family to destroy the marriage between Xie’s Family and Qi’s Family, so as to pull them into the water. What was his purpose?

What they wanted was nothing more than their local power and the accumulated fortunes.

While since the family of the Prince Regent had already grown strong, even if they were in trouble at this time, it was still no need for them to do it.

Possibly… they had big things to do.

As for what big things, combined with the fact that the Imperial Court’s control of Dingbei Army focused on its supplies, it was not difficult to guess something such as forced remonstration…

Dingbei Army had been fighting against foreigners for many years. It was the most elite army in the country and enjoyed the best treatment.

However, after the Prince Regent took the order from Emperor Xiaozong to improve himself, and consolidated Dingbei Army, Ji’s Family, Zheng Ju and others jointly suppressed him.

Therefore, although this army had the strength to attack Dijing City, but it had been short of supplies for many years and was difficult to leave the station for a long time.

Qi Jiulu said indifferently, “Of course. This lord seems to be decisive, but is irresolute. If it were me, I would have taken actions before Chunjia arrived in Dijing! Now Chunjia has been in office for eight years. Although he didn’t do something great, there was nothing to be blamed. If there is no good excuse for us to start the war, whether we succeed or not, the history book will record it and we will be blamed for generations inevitably. It would have been better to attribute it to Ji’s Family directly if they had succeeded at that time.”

He also said, “Although Emperor Xiaozong could not compete with Ji’s Family, he was quite popular with his light servitude and taxes policies. The Prince Regent received this former Emperor’s favors and did not use them at the time. Nowadays, after a long time, people have forgotten the previous Emperor. If he does not rely on the army and arms, and just wants to use the power of the Imperial Court to usurp the throne, it will be difficult.”

Yun Fenghuang knew that what he said, in the final analysis, was because he held the grudge for their marriages after being separated at Kong Que Hill. It seemed that he was satirizing the Prince Regent, which actually was full of his remorse. She sighed in her heart and said, “It’s a big deal. If you won’t go back to the north, then you should be careful.”

However, she thought her words made no sense. She was silent for a moment and said again, “Chao’s Family is insidious. As long as you keep away from Chao Jingyou, they will not trust you, and even will be suspicious of you. Occasionally… occasionally you can be nice to Chao Jingyou, making her feel that you cannot forget me for the time being, and as long as she treats you wholeheartedly, you will be moved by her one day.”

That bitch had always regarded Qi Jiulu as a knot in her heart. Even if she did not really love Qi Jiulu, she might take great efforts to win his sincerity.

When Yun Fenghuang suggested it, she was slightly stunned, remembering how her mother had held her on her kneel and taught her how to win Qi Jiulu’s heart and how to use Qi Jiulu to deal with Ms. Chen when she was young… The most important thing was that she should not love Qi Jiulu with all her heart.

At that time, Ms. Jiang had looked at his daughter tenderly, “You should remember that at any time, you should be most concerned about yourself, not your husband.”

At that time, Yun Fenghuang had naively assured her mother that she would definitely always take her own interests first. Qi Jiulu was nothing. She must make him obedient, and let Ms. Chen tolerate her in her whole life.

Later, she really made Qi Jiulu obedient, and even now he still treated her wholeheartedly.

But unconsciously, she also fell in love with this person…

So now she let Qi Jiulu be nice to Chao Jingyou courteously but without sincerity. But after a long time, could he… still be indifferent to that bitch?