How could it be possible for Mo Junyang to beat s.h.i.+ Qingxue? He was even reluctant to touch her.

He forcibly restrained himself, and gently touched the soft long hair of s.h.i.+ Qingxue with his big hand, as if he were touching something fragile carefully. An emotion surged in his chest and almost invaded him. But Mo Junyang suppressed it with his unimaginable perseverance.

Just before s.h.i.+ Qingxue avoided him, he withdrew his hand. He didn't look at Qingxue's suspicious expression, but only said softly, “Let's go back!”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue had a lot of thoughts in her heart, but at last she didn't make it clear, and obediently agreed, “Okay.”

The little girl thought fast. During that period, she secretly glanced at Mo Junyang for several times, and she looked guilty.

Mo Junyang didn't need to think about it and knew what Qingxue was planning.

Well! He always knew that even though s.h.i.+ Qingxue didn't have the hostility and even blushed and her heart beat, there wouldn't be the love that he wanted.

He didn't expect extravagant and misty love. All he ever wanted was companions.h.i.+p. Even before discovering that s.h.i.+ Qingxue was also reborn, he planned it well that he first made Crown Prince build a good relations.h.i.+p with the s.h.i.+ Family and controlled all the members in the s.h.i.+ Family, then he made s.h.i.+ Junhe give Qingxue to him, which was too easy.

Yes, gave it to him.

He needed to tie s.h.i.+ Qingxue to his side. It was the best that he could see and touch her every minute and every second, no matter what means he used. It didn't matter whether there was love or not.

But gradually, he was not satisfied again.

Mo Junyang wanted to watch s.h.i.+ Qingxue's bright smile, wanted to hear her sweetly calling of Brother Yang, and wanted her to snuggle in his arms every second…

If the policy of conciliation was unsuccessful, it wouldn't matter to extort them, as long as he got her!

Mo Junyang forcibly interrupted his increasingly abnormal thoughts and said something else before s.h.i.+ Qingxue was alert, “It's Zeng Ru's birthday tomorrow. Let's go back to the capital city the day after tomorrow!”

“Aren't you trying to win over Zeng Zhi for the Crown Prince? Have you done it?” s.h.i.+ Qingxue didn't find the value of Zeng Zhi, who was a little rigid and weak, but it didn't prevent her from guessing the purpose of Mo Junyang's trip this time.

Mo Junyang paused for a moment, seeming to be hesitant, but in the end he said frankly, “In fact, I did not come to the House of Zeng Family for Zeng Zhi.”

“What? Who is that then?” s.h.i.+ Qingxue blinked doubtfully. She didn't really understand the fact!

Mo Junyang took out a report from his sleeve and handed it to Qingxue, “I have already had it translated by Qu. You can check it out.”

In the report, there wrote the a.n.a.lysis of s.h.i.+ Junhe's battle with the Liang Country, including the dispatch of soldiers, the consumption of food, the great generals and the influence of the war situation. Even someone who had never been to the war like s.h.i.+ Qingxue could understand it.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue read it very seriously and she thought about it even faster. She immediately found the information she needed in the report. She looked at Mo Junyang and said firmly, “Are you here for Zeng Tai?”

There was a trace of surprise and admiration in Mo Junyang's eyes. He just tested her a little bit, and he planned to tell Qingxue after she read it. But unexpectedly, she realized his intention keenly according to a report.

Should he say that she really deserved the educations of s.h.i.+ Lei and s.h.i.+ Junhe?

He nodded with a smile, “This person, Zeng Tai, is a little rigid like his father, but different from Zeng Zhi's numbness, Zeng Tai chose to give up the literary job and become a soldier because he hated the darkness of officialdom.

He was just a scribe. But with his pa.s.sion and hard work, he became the Captain of Xuanjie without pleasing the superior. He is indeed a malleable talent.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue heard the words and said with pride, “Of course. He was from the s.h.i.+ Army. He is working for Wenren. Wenren knows how to judge people and use them, but he never claims credit for himself, so he definitely won't bury a talented person.”

Mo Junyang's smile disappeared a little bit, and he regretted writing Zeng Zhi's experience all in the report.

Wenren Chi, the man who had sneaked to the roof of the Luotong Boudoir in the midnight, was not like a good person at all.

Of course, Mo Junyang wouldn't think about it at this time. Not only Wenren Chi had done that kind of thing secretly. And he still didn't know that s.h.i.+ Junhe and his wife had planned to make Wenren Chi marry s.h.i.+ Qingxue.

—-

The next day, Zeng Ru's birthday banquet was held as scheduled.

The men and women sat in separate seats, so even though Zeng Yi was motivated to seduce Mo Junyang, she had no way to do it.

But she wasn't that eager today. Instead, she sat next to s.h.i.+ Qingxue and talked enthusiastically. Even though s.h.i.+ Qingxue was lack of interest, she couldn't stop talking.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue didn't know what Zeng Yi was planning. She just talked with her fitfully and silently spared a part of her attention for the matter Mo Junyang mentioned yesterday.

She helped Mo Junhao wholeheartedly in her previous life, so the s.h.i.+ Family had been regarded to be in the party of Fourth Prince since the day she married Mo Junhao.

There were many people trying to win over the s.h.i.+ Family in this life. It was just temporary that s.h.i.+ Junhe could be a whitehanded officer. He had to join a party sooner or later, and he certainly needed to choose the final winner.

But… Mo Junyang didn't seem willing to be the Emperor any more.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue thought anxiously.

Even though Mo Junyang didn't say it clearly, she did feel his thoughts.

“Is this Sister Qingxue?” A gentle female voice sounded aside.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue raised her head and saw a pet.i.te, plainly dressed young woman smiling at her.

She didn't know this person, and was about to ask, when the other party promptly introduced, “My maternal family name is Feng, and my name is Siniang. My husband is the eldest son in the Zeng Family. If Sister Qingxue doesn't mind, you can regard me as your sister-in-law.”

She turned out to be Zeng Tai's wife.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue smiled quickly, and was about to get up but was pulled by Zeng Yi.

Zeng Yi glanced contemptuously at Feng Siniang and said indifferently, “You don't look after you kid in the room. What are you doing out here? It is grandfather's birthday today. If you are rude to the guests, can you be responsible for it?”

The smile on Feng Siniang's face was stiff, and after a while she reluctantly said, “Ling is asleep. I am worried that mother and you will be too busy to take care of the whole banquet, so I want to help.”

“What kind of circ.u.mstances my mom and I haven't seen? Do we still need the help of a rural woman like you who is inexperienced? You'd better go back hurriedly to look after your daughter. Mom is chatting with other n.o.ble madams. If they see you, it will be too unlucky!” Zeng Yi expressed her dislike and her words stabbed in the other party's heart.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue felt embarra.s.sed when she heard it. Seeing Feng Siniang's look, maybe she wanted to find a ground crack and get in.

She knew before that Zeng Tai married a daughter of a poor family, which was according to his parents' orders. At that time, no one expected Zeng Tai to be successful. Luo Jiaoniang even thought that it was good that her eldest son could have a wife so that there was no way that they should be picky.

But at this moment, it seemed that the Zeng Family was also picky!

Feng Siniang quickly regained her indifferent look, but her face was a little pale. She reluctantly pretended to be calm and said, “I just come here to greet Sister Qingxue. My husband has mentioned Qing…”

Zeng Yi interrupted her impatiently, “Are you qualified to call Qingxue's name? Don't you know what kind of person you are? You should go back to your room and hide. Don't stay here to be humiliating.”

Feng Siniang's body shook, but immediately stabilized again. She lowered her eyes and bowed to s.h.i.+ Qingxue.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue withdrew her hand, she took the initiative to grab Feng Siniang, and said with a smile, “Although you are the wife of Brother Tai, we don't care about that while getting along. If I call you sister-in-law, it will seem that we are aloof. How about my calling you Siniang?”

Feng Siniang raised her head violently, her eyes were full of disbelief, and she s.h.i.+vered for a while before responding, “Okay, of course.”

Thinking of Zeng Yi's reprimand to her before, she carefully pursed her lips, “Then I shall call you Sixth Lady.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue frowned, pretending to be mad, “I think you call me Sixth Lady to keep away from me. Didn't you call me Sister Qingxue just now? Why? Are you unwilling to regard me as your sister now?”

Feng Siniang shook her head in a panic. She was only afraid of offending the n.o.ble person, so that she had to lower her att.i.tude. But she didn't expect that s.h.i.+ Qingxue took the initiative to be kind to her.

She hurriedly said, “How can I be unwilling? I'm just afraid that you are unhappy.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue was pleasant and she became very energetic, “How can I be unhappy when there is one more sister who treasures me?”

Zeng Yi watched the two of them leave her aside and chatted with each other, she couldn't help but get angry. She didn't dare to aim at s.h.i.+ Qingxue, so she vented her anger on Feng Siniang, “Why are you still standing here? Don't you know your annoying useless daughter is temperamental. She is always crying. What if she disturbs our n.o.ble guests?”

Feng Siniang had a good temper, but when she heard someone talking about her baby daughter in this way, her face suddenly changed, and she stared tightly at Zeng Yi.

Zeng Yi was taken aback, but soon regained her arrogance and snorted, “Why do you stare at me? Have I said anything wrong? You gave birth to a useless daughter. If I had been you, I would have drowned her in the urine barrel.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue knew that the idea of favoring men over women was popular in small places, but she didn't expect that Zeng Yi, who was a woman, had such a thought.

Drowning her in the urine barrel. How could she say it out?

s.h.i.+ Qingxue glanced at Zeng Yi with a seeming smile, and said coldly, “Then I am so sorry for being that useless. But I'm glad that my mother didn't choose to drown me.”

Zeng Yi realized that she was wrong and quickly showed a flattering smile, “No, I don't mean it. I just…”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue waved her hand to stop Zeng Yi from talking, “It is normal that Sister Yi looks down on girls. Your living environment is limited, and it is unfair to request too much on you. Then I won't stay in front of you to disgust you. I'd better accompany Siniang to visit her little girl. After all, we are that group of fortunate people who are not drowned.”

Zeng Yi looked embarra.s.sed and hurriedly said, “Qingxue, I really don't mean it. You are a distinguished guest to our Zeng Family. If you leave, I won't be able to explain once my mom asks me.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue shrugged indifferently, “It doesn't matter. Mrs. Zeng must also look down on me because I'm a girl. So I won't disgust you in front of you.

Siniang, let's go!”

Feng Siniang didn't even think that s.h.i.+ Qingxue would take the initiative to speak for her, and she was moved completely. No matter how angry Zeng Yi was, she led Qingxue to see her daughter with pleasure. She still introduced at the same time, “Ling is very obedient and smart. But she was born earlier, so she was somewhat weak. But she's much better now. She isn't noisy…”

Zeng Yi saw them leaving and chatting with pleasure, and stamped her foot, scolding, “s.h.i.+ Qingxue, you are too ignorant. I, the n.o.ble lady of the Zeng Family, am here, but you are chatting with a rural woman so happily. How can you be a n.o.ble lady from an aristocratic family? Pah…”