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墨書 Inktalez
Aso is a trusted confidant of Pang Yuanying, but Aso is also the adopted daughter of Du Jiu and the beloved younger sister of Ah Sheng. After the Pang Family was destroyed, her betrayal became understandable.
Perhaps Aso had long been in despair; the seeds of betrayal were sown when she watched her beloved man bring home one woman after another.
Jiunzhou Wudang County was as lively as ever, nestled among mountains and rivers, with beautiful scenery.
Qin Yizhi had not returned for many years, and the landscape he saw was not much different from before. He couldn't help but sigh; after so many years apart, the charm of his hometown's mountains and waters remained unparalleled.
When their family returned, they kept a low profile and did not notify old friends. However, they did not deliberately hide it either. Moreover, the Qin Family's case had not attracted much attention before; only close friends would care and be happy about the Qin Family's vindication. Others would hardly concern themselves with such trivial matters.
But now that it involved Xiangyang Wang, and Qin Yizhi was related to the royal family—his daughter married the son of the Eighth Prince—it naturally made Qin Yizhi well-known.
As soon as he returned to his hometown, news spread quickly. A group of friends who had known Qin Yizhi in his early years came to welcome him. The welcome banquets went on for several days. After being suppressed for so many years, it was time for Qin Yizhi to enjoy himself. Qin Yaru rarely objected and did not stop him from drinking, allowing him to get drunk and lose his senses.
The old residence of the Qin Family had long been sold to a wealthy merchant named Sun from the local area. This Sun merchant was quite perceptive; Gao Feng sent someone to negotiate and help Qin Yaru buy back the house. Without hesitation, he agreed to sell it for a price similar to what it was originally sold for, or even cheaper.
The Sun Wealthy Merchant did not feel he lost out; on the contrary, he believed he had made a great deal. He was extremely grateful to the intermediary who connected him with Gao Feng. Having any connection with such a high-ranking official made even an old house that wasn't particularly expensive worth it—he would have gladly given away ten or eight houses for such an opportunity.
This merchant was indeed capable of doing big business and knew how to handle people. Before the Qin Family returned home, he had renovated their old residence back to its original state when he first took over. However, it was impossible to find the original furniture, so he had to rely on neighbors' memories to recreate them. Overall, it resembled its former self by about seventy or eighty percent, and the new furniture used even more expensive materials.
Thus, when Qin Yizhi returned home and saw two old locust trees in the yard, a wooden swing built for his bride beneath them, along with a stone table and benches nearby, as well as a fenced nursery in the yard and a watchdog named Dafei in the backyard—all these things were surprisingly just as they used to be—he couldn't help but shed tears.
"General Gao really thought of everything!" Qin Yizhi looked at his eldest daughter, who remained calm yet appeared much stronger than before. His heart ached but was also comforted.
Qin Yaru's mouth twitched. If Gao Feng really had the attentiveness and thoughtfulness that his father imagined, she wouldn't have spent over a decade in a long-distance relationship with him without any resolution.
The return of the Qin Family to Jiunzhou was a significant event in the local area. Ordinary citizens might not care, but prominent figures in the government certainly needed to be aware that there was now a wealthy family in town, especially one with royal connections that could directly reach the higher authorities. They had to understand the family's temperament and preferences, as future social interactions would be unavoidable. If they were careless and offended someone, it would be quite regrettable.
When a wealthy family suddenly emerges in a place, especially one with influence, people's first concern is whether they have unmarried sons or daughters suitable for marriage.
If there were a marriage alliance with the Qin Family, it would mean a connection to the Eighth Prince, which would indeed be a good match.
The most sought-after member of the Qin Family was undoubtedly Qin Wenyuan. Although the Song Dynasty valued literature over martial prowess, a man like Qin Wenyuan, who came from a good background and had considerable abilities, was still favored by young ladies.
Before the family could settle down, while Qin Yizhi attended various banquets, people began to probe for information from him. Qin Yizhi felt that it was indeed time for Qin Wenyuan to consider marriage, but he also believed it necessary to choose carefully. As the eldest son and daughter-in-law, this decision could not be taken lightly. Since there was no rush, he pretended to be oblivious and refused to give any answers, planning to return and investigate slowly to assess the character of potential brides.
Aside from Qin Wenyuan, another focus of attention was Qin Yaru, who had already divorced her husband. In the Song Dynasty, it was common for divorced women to remarry, making Qin Yaru a noteworthy target. However, people's feelings towards her were quite complex.
The affair between Chen Wenyue and Qin Yaru was not a secret in Jiunzhou; the locals understood their backgrounds better than those in the capital.
Once a pair of heavenly couple, their current situation elicited many sighs about the unpredictability of life. Women felt sympathy and pity for Qin Yaru, perhaps with a hint of schadenfreude—after all, a lady from a scholarly family marrying a man who easily abandoned his first wife for wealth and status always satisfied ordinary women in an unusual way.
Men could somewhat understand Chen Wenyue's choice; between a princess and his original wife, even a fool would know which one to choose! However, they couldn't help but think that Chen Wenyue was incompetent—many wealthy men took additional wives after achieving success, but which of them would allow their original spouse to have any leverage? They had to arrange their wives well enough that others couldn't find fault with them, even if it was just for appearances.
In these men's minds, Chen Wenyue was unfortunate; the branch he climbed wasn't truly high, and he had abandoned his capable first wife.
Although Qin Yaru's reputation wasn't bad per se, people still held some reservations about her in their hearts.
Which man would be willing to take a woman as his wife who has harmed her own husband so severely? Even though people know that it is not Qin Yaru who has wronged Chen Wenyue, but rather Chen Wenyue who has wronged Qin Yaru, men sometimes do not adhere to reason.
For Qin Yaru, men admire her beauty and family background, but those who are truly determined to propose are few. There are some widowed older men with less impressive family backgrounds and a few fallen aristocrats with appealing names who harbor some thoughts about her. The members of the Qin Family have also discreetly inquired about news through Qin Yizhi.
How could Qin Yizhi possibly agree? Even if he wanted to, he would have to consider the consequences of Gao Feng's potential fury. However, he is not angry at all; in fact, he remains quite calm, leading others to praise Qin Yizhi for his excellent temperament in dealing with such matters without losing his cool.
However, according to Qin Wenyuan's speculation, the reason their father does not get angry is that there is Gao Feng, a man who can be considered a Golden Tortoise Son-in-Law, wholeheartedly admiring his daughter. He certainly does not need to pay too much attention to the idle gossip of those narrow-minded individuals. (To be continued)
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