Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Chapter 189 Transformation

So, does that mean Liang Qingcheng has to stay?

Qin Jiu added, "She is a princess, with a noble status. If something were to happen to her, the impact would be enormous."

Nianyao didn't expose him: "Ninth Brother, this is your family matter. Just think it through so you won't regret it."

Qin Jiu watched Nian Yao leave, then sighed softly after a long while. He carried the hot water back, and while sitting on the doorstep propping his chin up and looking outside, he immediately ran out: "Father?"

The two of them soaked their feet together. Unaware of her small, white and tender feet, she gently rubbed them on Qin Jiu's instep, her gaze fixed on Qin Jiu.

Qin Jiu asked, "I wonder, is there something you want to say to Father?"

The child asked, "Dad, will you abandon us?"

Qin Jiu asked in surprise, "I wonder why you ask that?"

"I don't know: Dad wouldn't do that, right?"

Qin Jiu reached out and touched Bu Zhi's little face: "No, you'll be with Dad from now on."

He seemed genuinely happy and took a towel to wipe his own feet first: "Dad, let me wipe your feet. Mom soaks her feet with me, and I always wipe her feet for her."

Qin Jiu praised, "Great job!"

Qin Jiu moved Liang Qingcheng a little further in, leaving Bu Zhi to sleep in the middle. Qin Jiu held Bu Zhi in his arms, gazing at the top of the tent as if deep in thought.

He shook him, calling out, "Father, Father, Father..."

Qin Jiu snapped out of her reverie: "Can't you sleep?"

"Dad, I want to tell you a secret."

Qin Jiu asked, "What secret?"

Unaware: "Mother can transform."

Qin Jiu asked, "Transform?"

I don't know: "Sometimes she would turn into Liang Qingguo, and she would hit me and scold me, saying that I killed her sister. My grandmother would then have someone knock her unconscious, and when she woke up, she would become my real mother."

Qin Jiu stared into Bu Zhi's clear, bright eyes, then suddenly turned away and snapped the light off. In the darkness, Qin Jiu precisely covered Bu Zhi's eyes, trying to keep his voice steady: "Father knows. It's late. Bu Zhi, go to sleep."

Unaware of the danger, she clung to Qin Jiu's hand, asking, "Will Father be scared?"

Qin Jiu asked, "Aren't you afraid?"

He shook his head: "I don't know, I'm not afraid."

Qin Jiu moved her hand away and kissed his cheek: "Of course, Dad isn't afraid either."

After a moment of silence, she asked again, "Will Dad be angry?"

Qin Jiu said, "Father, don't be angry."

"But Grandma gets very angry every time," the servants said. "I heard from the servants that Mother has a mental illness."

Qin Jiu thought for a moment: "It's not a mental illness, it's a deity descended to earth. Only deities can transform, mortals can't."

She exclaimed in surprise, "Is Mother a goddess descended from heaven?"

Qin Jiu said, "That's right!"

Qin Jiu readily agreed, clearly believing it without a doubt. He laughed happily, "Mother is a goddess descended from heaven..."

After he fell asleep, Qin Jiu opened the window and looked at the night sky. Liang Qingcheng, no matter what, could never return to Bianjing.

Liang Qingcheng knew her family's situation; she had been at odds with them even before she was married, so she definitely wouldn't agree to return after marriage. Even if she did agree, the Duke's mansion wouldn't be able to bear the humiliation and might even drive her to her death.

Furthermore, Liang Qingcheng is quite well-mannered, intelligent, and meticulous, worrying about everything like a little adult.

Now that he is a husband and father, he naturally has to shoulder the responsibilities of a husband and father. He can no longer be as carefree as before, nor can he live without fear and live without any childlike behavior.

Nianyao didn't dare to sleep soundly all night, afraid that Duan Mingzhu would call her. But there was no sound all night. As soon as it was dawn, she immediately got up and went out, only to see Qin Jiu standing outside Duan Mingzhu's door.

Nianyao tiptoed over and patted Qin Jiu's shoulder: "Ninth Brother?"

Qin Jiu was startled and whispered, "Chief, so early?"

Nianyao looked Qin Jiu up and down, noticing the obvious bloodshot in his eyes, and asked, "Brother Jiu, is sister-in-law still not awake?"

Qin Jiu shook his head. Nian Yao hesitated for a moment, then gently pushed open the door and walked to the bedside.

Duan Mingzhu lay on the bed with her eyes open, turned her head and saw her: "Sister."

Nianyao asked, "Is Yunting still not awake?"

Duan Mingzhu threw off the covers, sat up, grabbed her coat and put it on, and called out, "Ninth Brother, come in."

Qin Jiu responded and came in. Duan Mingzhu picked up the medicine pot and poured the medicine into a bowl: "Ninth Brother, please help Yunting up and lean him on your shoulder. I need to feed Yunting his medicine."

Qin Jiu helped Xue Yunting up, letting him lean on his shoulder with his head slightly raised. He held Xue Yunting's chin with one hand, making his mouth slightly open.

Nianyao said, "You brewed the medicine in the middle of the night? Why didn't you ask me to brew it?"

Duan Mingzhu said, "I can't sleep at night, so I come by myself. Besides, I don't trust Yunting's medicine to others."

Duan Mingzhu took a long, small spoon and fed Xue Yunting a small spoonful of medicine, all the way to the back of his throat. She waited quietly for a while and, sure enough, Xue Yunting swallowed.

Duan Mingzhu breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as she finished feeding the bowl of medicine. She waited a while before letting Qin Jiu put Xue Yunting down.

Nianyao naturally took the bowl from her and placed it on the table, asking curiously, "What kind of medicine is this?"

Duan Mingzhu looked visibly tired, leaning against the headboard: "Yiqi Fuma Decoction. Sister, we're afraid our journey will be delayed."

Nianyao quickly said, "No rush, no problem. You're pregnant, you can't take it too hard, go and rest."

Nianyao pulled Qin Jiu out the door, and Qin Jiu glanced back at Duan Mingzhu, seemingly struggling.

After they reached the door, Duan Mingzhu said, "Ninth Brother, Ninth Sister-in-law's illness is a psychological one, and there is no cure. As long as her emotions are stable and she is not stimulated, it will generally not relapse."

Qin Jiu said, "Thank you, young mistress."

Nianyao closed the door and pulled Qin Jiu to the middle of the yard: "What's wrong with you, sister-in-law?"

Qin Jiu didn't answer, but instead asked, "Chief, why did you suddenly decide to cooperate with Yun Ting and get involved in the Jingzhao Manor affair?"

Nianyao was a little confused, but still answered, "I've said it before, I don't like An Liangchen."

Qin Jiu said, "You don't like An Liangchen, so you want to help Nan Yue. Have you considered what the young master thinks?"

Nianyao said, "Does his opinion matter? Did he respect me when making decisions? Even if An Liangchen is scheming, I just don't want him to succeed."

Unifying the world means the most capable should rule, right? His mother was the former emperor of Nanyue, and his maternal uncle was the current ruler of Nanyue. Why wouldn't he want Nanyue to unify the world?

Qin Jiu said, "But he was born and raised in Dongyang..."

Nianyao smiled slightly: "Does Ninth Brother mean that Luo An's opinion is very important for unifying the world?"

Qin Jiu said, "That's not what I meant. I meant... I meant that his opinion should be very important to you, since you are husband and wife."

Nianyao said, "I was born in Dongyang, but I didn't grow up in Dongyang. Besides, so what if we're husband and wife? Luo An's parents were husband and wife, and you and Liang Qingcheng are husband and wife..."

Qin Jiu, usually so eloquent, was instantly speechless. He slightly shifted his gaze to the horizon. The colorful clouds on the horizon resembled a magnificent brocade scarf, radiating a warm aura.

Qin Jiu said, "It's a new day again."