Qian Yuanbao's mouth fell open. Too soft-hearted? He had directly crippled the man by breaking him in half, and that was considered soft-hearted? Qian Yuanbao glanced at Gu Sinian strangely. He didn't remember this fellow being so brutal. What was going on?
"Tell me, do you have some kind of feelings for that withered bean sprout?" The moment Qian Yuanbao spoke, he felt his guess was spot on. But still—
Besides being withered, she was short, thin, and fierce. If there was anything noteworthy about her, it was her eyes. They were like peach petals, very lively and captivating.
"What are you thinking? With your status, how could the Duke allow you to marry a country girl? Even if the Duchess dotes on you, she wouldn't agree. Your elder brother has his eyes set on the position of heir apparent. When you marry, you must choose someone from a good family who can support you," Qian Yuanbao analyzed. "That girl, at most, could be given the status of a concubine."
"Who says I have feelings?" Gu Sinian instinctively denied. "As for marriage, do you think any noble lady in the capital would be willing to marry either of us?"
Qian Yuanbao's face fell. This shouldn't be a question; it should be a statement of fact.
It wasn't his fault. When Ah Nian was young, his lips were red and his teeth were white, and he looked so delicate, more like a little girl than a boy. Qian Yuanbao fell for him at first sight, thinking he was a girl. He begged his grandmother to arrange a marriage. But it turned out he wasn't a girl at all, but a handsome and wild young man.
Because of this incident, Qian Yuanbao was severely beaten by Gu Sinian, his face bruised and swollen for a month.
Being young, he always felt resentful. Qian Yuanbao declared that he had also found a good match, even if it was a man.
With each beating, their relationship grew stronger, of course, a pure brotherhood. But outsiders didn't believe it. Everyone in the capital gossiped about their relationship, so much so that by the time they were eighteen, neither of them had a marriage arranged.
"We can only say our destined partners haven't appeared yet. Those people are so foolish, how can they believe rumors?" Qian Yuanbao was very helpless.
"It doesn't matter. I don't fancy any of them anyway," Gu Sinian wasn't worried at all.
They were all like puppets on strings. Living a lifetime with such people would be utterly boring. Although men typically had three wives and seven concubines, he didn't want that. From the time he could understand things, he had watched his mother grow increasingly unhappy, unloved by his father. He heard the servants say his father was deeply devoted to Concubine Dong. Back then, he thought that when he grew up and got married, he would marry someone he loved and be good to her his entire life, so she wouldn't have to walk the same path as his mother.
"What are you thinking about?" Qian Yuanbao nudged him. "Why are you spacing out?"
"I'm thinking about the person I'll marry in the future. I will promise her loyalty, one wife for a lifetime," Gu Sinian said slowly.
Qian Yuanbao burst out laughing. "You're thinking so far ahead about something that hasn't even happened. Besides, what kind of man doesn't have three wives and seven concubines?"
"The person you've decided to marry, is it someone you truly love? If so, would you bear to see you dote on another woman? If not, why are you marrying her?" Gu Sinian retorted.
Qian Yuanbao was stumped. It seemed to make sense, but if it made so much sense, why did no one follow it?
"I'm going to the training grounds in a bit. Want to come?" Gu Sinian didn't continue the previous topic.
Qian Yuanbao sprang to his feet. "I have something to do. I have something to do. I won't bother you here anymore. I'm leaving, leaving."
With that, he slipped away, muttering as he walked, "A bunch of stinking men getting together to fight and kill, reeking of sweat. How can that be as comfortable as me returning to the hot spring resort to listen to music and soak in the hot springs?"
Gu Sinian knew Qian Yuanbao's nature. He couldn't stand hardship. He had never been interested in practicing martial arts since he was young, otherwise, he wouldn't have been passively beaten all the time back then.
"Young Master, your injuries..."
The Duke's whip had barbs. Such whip wounds healed exceptionally slowly. This morning, when he helped the Young Master dress, he still saw a few bloodstains on his inner garment. Once they went to the training grounds, those brats wouldn't hold back and would definitely pester the Young Master for sparring.
"I'm just going to see Little Niu. Besides, what are these minor injuries?" Gu Sinian didn't take it seriously.
Gu Qing knew that once he made up his mind, he wouldn't easily change it, so he said no more. He took a greatcloak and draped it over Gu Sinian. The two of them left, one after the other.
Two days later, Xinghua Village.
Two men walked into the village side by side. One of them looked anxious, his steps a little quicker. This was Jin Ping's husband, Zheng Changhe. He was working outside when someone from the village came looking for him, saying there was an urgent matter at home. When asked what it was, they refused to say. He had no choice but to ask for leave from his employer and hurried back.
Upon entering the village, he encountered quite a few people, whispering in twos and threes, their gazes on him varied – some pitying, some mocking...
Zheng Changhe suppressed his surprise. He was almost home. Once he got home, he would ask his wife. He had been away for three months, and he missed her dearly. He almost ran to his doorstep. The courtyard gate was tightly shut, and there was no answer when he knocked.
"Brother Zheng, why are you suddenly running?" The young man from the village chased after him, panting. "Sister-in-law isn't at home. She's been staying in the back courtyard of the ancestral hall for the past two days."
The back courtyard of the ancestral hall? Zheng Changhe was a little bewildered. Why was she staying in the back courtyard of the ancestral hall? That place was very cold and damp. He heard that the village confined people who made mistakes there. What mistake had his wife made? It couldn't be. Jin Ping had a gentle nature and was timid; how could she have made any mistakes?
"The village head asked me to lead you directly to him. Let's go. If you have anything to ask, you can ask the village head directly." The young man patted Zheng Changhe's shoulder. He knew a little about Jin Ping's situation, but the village elders had said that this matter was not to be mentioned casually, so he wouldn't pry.
"Alright," Zheng Changhe replied, tightening the bundle on his back. Inside was a silver hairpin he had bought for Jin Ping. His young wife loved beauty, and Zheng Changhe was willing to spoil her.
"Changhe, you're back? Come, sit," Village Head Song beckoned Zheng Changhe to sit. His face was amiable, which eased Zheng Changhe's worried heart considerably. From the looks of it, there shouldn't be any major issues.
"Village Head, what happened at my home? Why did you rush to call me back? Where is my wife? Why is she staying in the back courtyard of the ancestral hall?" Zheng Changhe asked anxiously.
Village Head Song stroked his beard and sighed. "Changhe, you were raised on the charity of families since you were young. Tell me, how do the people in our village treat you?"
Zheng Changhe's parents had died early. The fact that he had grown up was thanks to the village elders feeding him a mouthful of rice here and a bowl of soup there. Therefore, the elders in the village had deep affection for him.
"Naturally, they treat me very well," Zheng Changhe replied respectfully.
"I also regard you as my own descendant, so I won't beat around the bush. Give Jin Ping a letter of divorce and divorce her.
Zheng Changhe stood up abruptly, his face filled with excitement and confusion. "What are you talking about, Village Head? That's my wife. How can I divorce her?"