The Marquis Is Innocent
Chapter 49:

After Qiao Ci paid his respects to Mrs. Xu and Mrs. Zhu, Xiao Qiao expressed her gratitude to both of them plus Wei Yan and took her brother to the west house.

Chun Niang was looking at the path when she saw Qiao Ci and Xiao Qiao coming side by side. She greeted them and said with a smile, “Sir, do you remember this maid?”

In East County, the time spent between Xiao Qiao and Chun Niang was only two years, but Chun Niang brought up Qiao Ci. Although the Qiao family’s head is mediocre and incompetent, one thing that other families can hardly reach is that he was generous to the people under their rule and the subordinates at home. Qiao Ci is the same. Seeing her, he went up and said: “Chun Niang looks younger than before. I can not recognize.”

Chun Niang knew the young master was teasing her, but she was also pleased with him. She picked him up joyfully and talked gossip back to the west house. Xiao Qiao asked about her father’s, aunt’s, and uncle’s health. Qiao Ci said, “Father is healthy. Before I came, he instructed me to bring a message to tell you that you don’t need to worry. You can live well on your own. But Uncle, when Xue Tai came to attack, he fell ill with worry. Later, Xue Tai retreated, and he recovered after a few days. Auntie has been doing well.”

When Xiao Qiao heard her father was well, she was relieved.

Chun Niang accompanied the conversation for a moment. Knowing they should have something else to say and went out first. The two siblings, Xiao Qiao and Qiao Ci were left behind.

……

Whether the grandmother or her sister’s mother-in-law is surprisingly polite, not to mention the cousin Wei’s attentive reception, practically without fail. It seems his sister, who married here by mistake and had been blessed with a good life. It is good as long as his sister has a good life. It is more important than his well-being. Qiao Ci was in a good mood after experiencing an unexpected joy. As soon as Chun Niang went out, he asked excitedly, ” Sister, when will my brother-in-law come back? I will welcome him outside the city!”

Xiao Qiao remembered the night before Wei Shao left and said to her that he was going to Zhuo County the next day.

Xiao Qiao did not feel Wei Shao was going to Zhuo County to avoid meeting her brother and the Yanzhou people.

Although she did not know him very well so far, she felt that given Wei Shao’s status and his conceited personality, even if he didn’t want to receive visitors, he wouldn’t need to avoid them.

Maybe he just needed to go over at this time.

Nevertheless, even if it was a coincidence, Wei Shao gave her a feeling of coldness and negativity these days concerning Qiao Ci’s arrival. A feeling like ” let Grandmother do what she wants. It’s none of my business”.

If he has been treated her with the same indifferent and disgusting attitude he had at the beginning, she would have been fine with it.

But now, the two of them have done everything intimately. He seemed infatuated with her. The moment before he said that in the study, he forced her to sit on his lap and touch and kiss her.

It was the time she learned he was leaving at that moment, and he didn’t care, not even explain or at least comfort her.

Even if she is open-minded and positive thinking, her heart is a bit stuffed.

She certainly does not expect Wei Shao would treat her family members as nicely as he treats her. After all, the feud is unbreakable.

But in the end, it still is hard to be fair.

To put it bluntly, she felt she was the plaything of Wei Shao, who had been titled his wife. As if serving someone with sex. Now he is lusted for something new and gives her favorable moments, but who knows what will happen in the future?

When she saw her brother was overjoyed at his first visit, she was afraid he would treat Wei Shao the way he treated Wei Yan. He would suffer too much when he met the real person, so she said: “Your brother-in-law is mature and serious, not the same as Mr. Wei. His personality is aloof, usually does not like to deal with people. When you meet him, maintain the necessary etiquette without being too warm, lest he misunderstands that you are offending and have a bad impression of you.”

Qiao Ci was stunned. He looked at his sister. Seeing that she looked serious, she didn’t look like she was joking. After hesitating, he nodded: “I will remember.”

Xiao Qiao smiled, pulled him, and asked about his daily life. Qiao Ci answered all of them. After some hesitation, he suddenly asked, ” Sister, do you have any news of our cousin now?”

Xiao Qiao shook her head.

“Earlier, I met the green-eyed horse slave Bi Zhi!”

Xiao Qiao was stunned.

Qiao Ci told the story of when he was outside of Juye City. His father led Yanzhou’s 50,000 soldiers and horses and the incoming Xue Tai’s two armies to prepare for a desperate battle. He went out to the battlefield, killed Xue Tai’s son first, and fought against two of Xue Tai’s people. He was saved at a critical moment by a strange visitor who suddenly appeared.

” Sister, when he sent me back to my father, I stood on the ground and saw his face. It was the horse slave Bi Zhi who had disappeared from the family together with our cousin. As soon as the battle was over, I set my eyes on him and desperately tried to catch up with him. He stopped and said he and our cousin were already married! I heard him sound as if our cousin was willing to go with him in the first place! Sister, you and our cousin have always been close. Did you not know it beforehand?”

Xiao Qiao knew her father led the army to guard Xue Tai’s army outside Juye’s city, and Xue Tai was forced to retreat when Yang Xin attacked his main camp. She did not know there was such an experience in the middle. After hearing this, she was surprised and happy.

Although she knew Bi Zhi should be able to protect Da Qiao, she was always a bit concerned and would think about it from time to time. Now she learned this news, at least at one point, the two of them should have settled down. Bi Zhi is aware of Yanzhou’s trouble, and they sneak back to help secretly.

Xiao Qiao met her brother’s confused look and said, “I do know. I know. I was the one who helped them get out of the city.”

Qiao Ci was stunned and stared blankly at Xiao Qiao, unable to say a word.

Xiao Qiao said: “I know you do not understand. You will know in the future. Sister wants you to remember Bi Zhi is not just a horse slave of our family. He is capable. Even though he was born in chaotic times, if he meets the opportunity, he may be able to dominate a party in the future. They are perfect for each other. I trust you, so I’m telling you this. I am sure in the future, Yanzhou and the lives of our family will need his help. Keep this in your mind. But when you get back, don’t let your uncle know, understand?”

Qiao Ci always obeyed Xiao Qiao’s words. Although he was still in shock, he saw the seriousness of his sister’s expression when she said this, so he nodded and murmured, “I’ll remember.”

Xiao Qiao said, “This time, Xue Tai attacked Yanzhou, and Yanzhou was saved thanks to the grace of others. If our Qiao family keeps going on like this, even though Xue Tai is gone today, there will be Wang Tai and Li Tai tomorrow. If you don’t have any hope, how can you survive?”

Qiao Ci’s face showed shame: ” What sister said is true. In the beginning, because of the attack by the Zhou Army from Ren City, our family man was incompetent, so we married you far away. Only half a year and Xue Tai attacked us. If we do not hold a stand, Yanzhou will sooner or later fall into the hands of others!”

It’s okay if Yanzhou is lost, but fear, in the end, there will be no one left.

Xiao Qiao stared at her brother. Her tone softened, said: “I know you want to revitalize our family business, but you are only 15 years old. Even if you want to, you can’t do it alone. We can’t count on uncle. I can only hope our father will do well and become the backbone of the Qiao family. In two years, with your help and our family’s popularity in Yanzhou, the three pillars will work together, do not worry about reviving the family business!”

Qiao Ci was excited by Xiao Qiao’s description that his face turned red: “Don’t worry, sister! I will go back and persuade our father not to follow my uncle blindly anymore! If we listen to uncle again, our Qiao family will ruin sooner or later!”

Xiao Qiao laughed: “If you dare to be reckless like this, our father will not only not listen to you but will beat you. No need for you to persuade. Before you return, I’ll give you a letter, pass it to our father for me. Yanzhou has been suffering, and I expect our father is unwilling to look up to others or sit around and wait for death.”

Qiao Ci was embarrassed by Xiao Qiao’s words and scratched his head. After the siblings spoke for a few more moments, Qiao Ci cheerfully said, “Sister, cousin Wei said he would take me out for a horseback ride later. Can I go?”

Xiao Qiao did not want Qiao Ci and Wei Yan close to each other. But in the north room, Mrs. Xu sent such words, letting Wei Yan accompany the guest. If she is not allowed, it is a bit unjustified. Her brother is now looking at her, and with slight hesitation, she nods.

Qiao Ci was delighted.

“However, there are degrees in everything. His warm attitude is out of politeness. But you must follow the etiquette and the rules. You can’t be too close to people, got it?”

Qiao Ci replied obediently.

Xiao Qiao looked at her brother’s cheerful appearance and could not help but laugh, shaking her head.

Qiao Ci spent his lunch at Xiao Qiao’s place. Mrs. Xu sent someone to bring a box of food. The two siblings finished eating and rested for a while, and someone came to deliver the message that Wei Yan had come.

Xiao Qiao sent Qiao Ci to the gate.

Wei Yan wore hunting attire waiting with more than a dozen of the same clothing entourage. A group of people in excellent clothes, rich and powerful. Seeing Xiao Qiao lead Qiao Ci out, Wei Yan greeted and said to Xiao Qiao: “Sister-in-law, don’t worry, I’ll take care of brother. We’ll come back before dark.”

Xiao Qiao thanked him and watched Qiao Ci get on his horse, riding alongside Wei Yan toward the city’s outskirts. The sound of his party’s shouts faded into the background.

……

Before dark, Qiao Ci came back. On the second day, he went hunting with Wei Yan. They came to the Mount Yu hunting ground. The harvest is rich, hitting two deers and countless mountain chickens and hares. In the blink of an eye, the sun gradually began to slope. Wei Yan was about to call the team back to the city when he saw a frightened adult deer. The deer was plump with a bulging belly and looked pregnant. Immediately he drew a bow and arrow. He shot, hitting the running deer’s leg. The deer wailed and rolled to the ground, getting up and dragging the wounded leg bleeding, limping, and struggling to escape. The subordinates rushed to catch the deer. Wei Yan rolled off his horse, took a leather bag, pulled out a dagger from his boot, and was about to cut the deer’s throat. Qiao Ci was beside him, saw the deer wailing, and said, “Cousin Wei, can you let this thing go?”

Wei Yan looked up at him.

Qiao Ci saw many subordinates looking at him with surprised eyes. His face reddened, stammering: “My sister once taught me that if you meet a pregnant female animal when hunting, do not hurt it. I see this deer’s abdomen as big as a drum. I think it must be close to the labor ……”

He is a big man, ashamed to say such words, and stopped talking.

Wei Yan was stunned and then laughed. He immediately put away the dagger and threw away the leather bag. He ordered his men to pull the arrow from the deer’s leg, take the gold medicine, and put it on the deer. Then he let the deer go. He patted the red-faced Qiao Ci’s shoulder and laughed: “What your sister said is true. I will remember that in the future.”

Qiao Ci was worried he was going to laugh at him. But unexpectedly, he was quick in his attitude, and Qiao Ci was relieved. His heart felt closer to him, so he hurriedly thanked him.

……

They returned from Mount Yu, heading in the direction of the city on horseback. When they almost arrived, from a distance, a group of people bathed in the sunset and came. The two sides gradually meet at the fork in the road junction.

Wei Yan’s subordinates identified this group of people as Marquis Wei Shao’s group, which went to Zhuo County three days ago.

The subordinates have stopped their horses on the roadside, dismounted, and kneeled to greet.

Wei Yan slowly stopped his horse but did not go down, only sitting on the horse with the reins down, watching Wei Shao come.

Qiao Ci did not recognize Wei Shao and naturally did not dismount. He followed Wei Yan and stopped his horse, watching the opposite team speeding towards their horse. He saw the forefront man was very young, handsome with his eyes straight ahead. The evening breeze rushed his robe, the corners of his clothes fluttered, and the horse spurred to the front.

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