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chapter 172




Back at the State Defender Duke Establishment, the gatekeeper came quickly to lead the horses for the two men and raised his voice, “The Old Lord and Lady have returned–” Why did he shout this? This was to inform other servants that those in charge of preparing hot water should prepare hot water, those in charge of preparing tea should prepare tea, and those in charge of taking care of horses should prepare to take care of the horses….
Qin Mian made a jest at Lei Tie, “A-Tie, in the end, you’re inescapable from walking on the ‘old’ road.”
Lei Tie was calm, “En.”
“You’re pushing 40!” Qin Mian stressed it badly and laughed heartily. Lei Tie was 30 years old this year; wasn’t he pushing 40?
Lei Tie was helpless. Being eight years older than his wife meant he was doomed to be teased by his wife. Alas, he was going to teach his wife a lesson when it was time.
Unaware of the impending crisis, Qin Mian continued to move forward briskly and then joked, “As the old saying goes, ‘three years gap is a generation gap’. Between the two of us, isn’t it almost three—ah!”
Before he finished speaking, his waist was wrapped and his whole person suddenly flew up. He quickly grabbed Lei Tie’s neck, “What are you doing?”
“Proving that I’m not old.” Lei Tie took Qin Mian’s hand and put it on his thigh.
Steward Fu came in a hurry, only to see a figure flying away. “Old Lord, your servant has something important to report—”
In the air, there were only Lei Tie’s chilly four words: “Talk about it later.”
More than an hour later, Lei Tie appeared alone in the main hall of the foreyard. There was still a light languidness after lovemaking on his body.
The old man Steward Fu bowed his head, looking uneasy.
“What’s it?”
Steward Fu reported, “Today, Old Master has received more than ten invitation and visitation notices. One of them is an invitation notice from Princess Yanqing, inviting the Lady to go—”
“Give it to me.”
“Give it to me.”
Lei Tie looked at the door. Qin Mian’s face was covered with two parts of sneer and eight parts of scorn as he came at a brisk pace; his momentum was overwhelming.
Lei Tie walked over, “There’s no need to be angry with that kind of person.”
Qin Mian’s cold aura dissipated. He sat down on the old-fashioned wooden armchair and lightly laughed. “You should say, ‘I’ll support whatever you want to do’.”
Seeing that he was no longer angry, Lei Tie nodded, “I’ll support whatever you want to do.”
Qin Mian patted him on the shoulder and told the steward, “Reply to tell Princess Yanqing that this Lady will go to the appointment as scheduled; also, go check out the exact details of Princess Yanqing. The more detailed the better.”
“Yes.” Steward Fu said, “Old Lord and Lady, there is one more thing. The old lady sent someone here today to urge Old Lord and Lady to go over.”
As for the purpose of asking Qin Mian and Lei Tie to go over, they all understood it without saying. Lei Tie was now a first-rank senior official. Could Lei Daqiang and Du Shi sit still at home?
Lei Tie said coldly, “I’ll go in a moment.”
“Yes. This old servant asks to withdraw.”
After Steward Fu left, Lei Tie sat down in the armchair beside Qin Mian and hugged him, “Sleep a little longer? I’ll be back to accompany you when I’m done.”
Qin Mian jumped up and sat astride Lei Tie’s thighs. He then grasped the back of the armchair with both hands and put his legs through the gaps under the armrest of the armchair, locking himself in the chair. “You, are mine. If anyone dares to steal, they will be humiliated!”
“En. I’m not going. Sleep.” Lei Tie’s heart almost melted into water. He kissed Qin Mian on the cheek, raised Qin Mian’s head, and put it on his shoulder. He embraced the man and he caressed his back.
Qin Mian had just deliberately locked him from leaving, but dozed off in a daze and fell into a dark dreamland.
Lei Tie quietly took the man back to the bedroom and placed him on the bed. Afterward, he took the twenty bodyguards and rode to Lei Xiangzhi’s house.
Lei-Qin Zhong raised his voice and called out, “State Defender Duke has come—”
The servants of Lei Xiangzhi’s residence had been elated when they learned that their Master’s eldest brother was the State Defender Duke and the Grand General of the State. When they heard that the State Defender Duke had arrived, they immediately opened the gate and invited the visitors inside with all smiles.
“Servants greet State Defender Duke. Please come in!”
However, Lei Tie and his party did not move.
Per Lei Tie’s instructions, Lei-Qin Zhong asked, “Where is your Old Master?”
The gatekeeper said, “My Old Master hasn’t come back yet. The old man, the two old ladies, and the madam are all here.”
Lei Tie then urged his horse into the door. Lei-Qin Zhong, Lei-Qin Shun, and the twenty bodyguards followed with an aggressive posture.
Lei Daqiang and Du Shi were in the house when they heard that Lei Tie had come. Their faces lit up with happiness.
“Old man, now the eldest has become the first rank senior official and even Qin Mian has become the First Rank Mandated Lady. We can’t be angry with them anymore.” Du Shi reminded Lei Daqiang, “When he comes, we’ll make amends for what happened before. As long as we win him back, I’ll be granted an imperial order to become the Grand Lady1!” Thinking that she could also put on her noble Mandated Lady’s clothes, Du Shi grinned from ear to ear.
Wei Shi sipped the tea lightly, with contempt in her smile. To this day, Du Shi was still dreaming. If the hurt one had suffered could be made up so easily, there would not be so many sad things in the world. The fact that Du Shi sent people to the State Defender Duke Establishment today must have infuriated Lei Tie. Otherwise, he would not be willing to see Du Shi and Lei Daqiang again.
Wei Shi covered her stomach and frowned in pain, “Old man, my stomach hurts.”
Lei Daqiang quickly helped her and said, “Wei’er, are you pregnant again?” The second year after they came to the Capital, Wei Shi gave birth to a son, which Lei Daqiang dearly loved like the apple of his eye.
“Can you help me back to my room, old man?” Wei Shi leaned weakly in his arms.
Lei Daqiang held her carefully, “Alright. Come, slowly.”
“Old man!” Du Shi was very clear. Without Lei Daqiang, Lei Tie wouldn’t give her respect.
“Aiya–” Wei Shi let out a painful groan.
In a hurry, Lei Daqiang picked her up and walked out quickly. At the same time, he told the servants, “Quick, go invite a doctor.”
Only Du Shi was left in the main hall.
A servant girl walked in a hurry, “Reporting, Old Lady: State Defender Duke is here.”
Du Shi could only face Lei Tie alone. She straightened her clothes and pretended to be calm.
Lei Tie strode into the door and stood in the center of the main hall, condescendingly looked at the old woman sitting on the head’s position.
“I heard you’re in a hurry to see me?”
Du Shi didn’t get up. She raised her hand to the chair beside her and said, “Yes. Sit down. Lei Tie, I called you—”
Lei Tie asked Lei-Qin Zhong, “Lei-Qin Zhong, what’s the punishment for being disrespectful to the State Defender Duke?”
Lei-Qin Zhong said in a loud voice, “Flog with a stick for 10 times and sentenced to prison for 10 days!”
Du Shi was furious, “Lei Tie, you dare?”
“Take her away!” Lei Tie waved his hand without expression.
His two bodyguards suppressed Du Shi and dragged her out the door. Du Shi’s shrill cry sounded similar to a person stabbed with a knife.
“Let me go! Let me go! Ah! This old lady will fight you……”
The servants were terrified. They went blank and at a loss of what to do.
“Tell Lei Xiangzhi that if he can’t manage his family well, this officer will manage it for him!” Lei Tie coldly dropped a sentence and left, flinging his sleeve.
Back at the State Defender Duke Establishment, Qin Mian was still sleeping. Lei Tie leaned over his lips and pecked him gently. He took off his shoes, went to bed to lie down, and took the man into his arms. It was unknown whether Qin Mian was aware of it or not in his dreamland, but he wiggled closer, groped for Lei Tie’s waist, hugged him, and continued to sleep.
When they woke up, they took a look at the chime-clock in the corner. It was more than 4 pm.
After washing up, they had tea and cake in the reception pavilion. Lei Tie mentioned going to Lei Xiangzhi’s house.
After a while, the servant reported that Lei Xiangzhi had come.
The two men met the guest in the main hall of the outer courtyard.
Lei Xiangzhi put down his teacup and got up to bow with his hands folded in front. “Greetings to Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law.”
“Fifth Brother doesn’t have to be courteous. Sit down.” Qin Mian asked directly, “Fifth Brother is here for the old lady?”
“Exactly.” Lei Xiangzhi sighed, “After all, she is my biological mother.” He was in a dilemma, caught between his biological mother and his eldest brother/eldest sister-in-law to who he was indebted.
“Fifth Brother, you can rest assured that the old lady won’t be wronged in prison. A-Te just wants to scare her and give her one last warning. You’ve been in the officialdom for three years, so you could imagine how many waves A-Tie’s presence will set off in the Capital. We’ve always wanted to live in peace and it will be the same henceforth. But if anyone comes to trouble and make us upset, we’ll fight back without hesitation. The same goes to the old man and the old lady,” said Qin Mian lightly.
Lei Xiangzhi nodded, “I understand. Eldest Sister-in-law and Eldest Brother have tolerated the old man and the old lady many times in the past years, all in the consideration of me, Third Brother, and Fourth Brother.” Their feelings could not help the old man and the old lady for a lifetime. Once the last bit of feelings was used up, the brothers would become strangers.
“I don’t have the face to ask Eldest Brother to let go of the old lady. I just hope that Eldest Brother can excuse her from physical pain in consideration of her old age.” Lei Xiangzhi said with a bitter smile, “The old man is fine; Wei Shi can manage him. On the old lady’s side, I’m a bit hapless sometimes. However, today’s matter seems to have spread. I’m afraid that Eldest Brother’s reputation… Eldest Brother, did you intend to make this matter big?” Lei Xiangzhi guessed.
“What is a reputation?” Lei Tie did not deny it. “I don’t need a good reputation.”
For a moment, Lei Xiangzhi could not understand the meaning of this remark.
Qin Mian and Lei Tie did not mean to explain.
When Lei Xiangzhi returned home, Lei Daqiang immediately asked him, “How is it, Old Five?”
Li Shi frowned, “Father-in-law, my husband is now an official. You have to change the way you address him.”
“Used to call that. What’s so serious with an appellation?” Lei Daqiang disagreed and then asked, “How did it go? That Lei Tie, he actually dares to put your mother in prison?”
Lei Xiangzhi said coldly, “Why not? Father, don’t you understand? Eldest Brother’s status is not only your son but also the first rank State Defender Duke and the important minister of the Emperor! Between ‘your son’ and ‘State Defender Duke’, which of these two statuses do you think is the most important?”
Lei Daqiang was speechless. After a while, he said with regret, “If only your official position could be higher, your mother could be granted an imperial order… Who could have imagined that Lei Tie turns to be the Grand General…”
Wei Shi’s heart jolted. She took a look at Lei Xiangzhi’s face, and as expected, it was unsightly.
Li Shi inwardly sneered, then she sighed and said, “If only there were no separation in the first place, father-in-law and mother-in-law can still live with Eldest Brother. Won’t it be a matter of course that mother-in-law can be directly granted imperial order? Father-in-law’s identity will also be on a higher level. Father-in-law, don’t you think so?”
Lei Daqiang wasn’t aware that her words were ironic. He chimed in, “Ah yes.”
Lei Xiangzhi’s face was livid and his hands were tightly held into fists in his wide sleeves. He yelled at Li Shi, “Li Shi!”
Li Shi made a face at him and left with floating steps, “Husband, I’ll go to see the child.”
When the sun fell to the west, the carriage of the State Defender Duke Establishment drove into Chong’en Street, entered through the middle gate, and stopped in the courtyard.
Yuanyuan and Manman jumped out of the carriage and saw their Old Dad and Dad standing side by side not far away. Smiles bloomed on their faces and they ran over quickly.
“Dad, Old Dad!”
“Yuanyuan and Manman, how did it go at the academy today? Were you being bullied?” Qin Mian asked and looked at his two sons. He didn’t find any traces of abuse on them. He was relieved.
Manman spoke first, “Nope. Don’t worry, Dad.”
Yuanyuan said with a poker face, “Dad, we’re big kids now. You can’t call us ‘Yuanyuan’ and ‘Manman’ anymore.”
“Fine.” Qin Mian amusingly rubbed the heads of the two little boys. “Your Old Dad and I will call you ‘Ruiqi’ and ‘Ruilin’ henceforth, alright?”
“En. Also, can’t rub our heads,” said Qin Ruiqi with all seriousness.
Qin Mian reluctantly released his hand, “Fine, fine.” Alas, my sons are not so cute after they grow up.
“Dad, all the students in the academy were envious of the schoolbags that Dad designed for me and Gege.” Lei Ruilin quickly coaxed his Dad to be happy.
Qin Ruiqi chimed in, “They also envied mine and Didi’s oversleeves2.”
Qin Mian chuckled, “Is that so?”
“Yes. Dad, also… ”
The family of four walked back to the inner courtyard while talking and laughing.