The Marquis Is Innocent

Xiao Qiao continued to hold her daughter in her arms and waited until she was asleep before gently placing her on the bed.

The weather was getting hot, and the little one was so chubby that her neck and arms were sweaty when she slept.

Xiao Qiao unfolded a thin coverlet to cover her body. Then, she asked the nanny to look after her and went to Mrs. Xu’s place.

When she arrived at the north house, she went to see Mrs. Xu first. She only asked a few questions about the journey, then allowed her to see Fei Fei.

Currently, she is in the garden that Xiao Qiao had built for her, watering a bush of newly transplanted Jishan Chongtai roses.

The yard was lively, with rose branches, leaves stained with water droplets, and various colors of flower bones. The fragrance attracted a few fluttering bees and butterflies. A black moth with golden dots suddenly flew from the slant and hit Mrs. Xu. “Snapped,” it fell on its back in the mud, vibrating its wings with a buzzing sound, trying to turn over and fly again, but in vain.

The cat came out from a corner, pounced on it with agility, held it down with one paw, sniffed it, and played with it. Mrs. Xu took the cat away and turned the moth over on its back.

The black moth arced through the air and disappeared into the flowers.

“Is Fei Fei asleep?” Mrs. Xu withdrew her gaze and smiled.

“Yes.” Xiao Qiao responded.

“Grandmother …….” She called out again as if there were a million words in her throat that she wanted to say. But there was no way to speak.

“Pass the shears for me.” Mrs. Xu said.

Xiao Qiao took it from Old Zhong’s hand and handed it up.

Mrs. Xu took the shears and carefully cut off a cluster of decaying leaves with white insect eggs on them.

“I know all about it.” She said while pruning the branches and leaves. “It’s good that Shao’er can restrain himself. I heard your father lost his eyesight. How is he now?”

“He is fine. I believe his eyesight will be fine in the future.” Xiao Qiao held back the sadness in her heart and said.

Mrs. Xu stopped cutting as if she remembered the past: “I still remember when your father came to Youzhou, elegant and dignified, I was impressed. More than ten years, time fleeting, suddenly ……”

A hazy thought suddenly surfaced slowly in Xiao Qiao’s heart. She wanted to ask this elderly, whom she respected and admired immensely, why she was willing to accept the Qiao family’s request for favors and let her only beloved grandson marry a daughter from the Qiao family.

“Shao’er didn’t say when he could return?” Mrs. Xu suddenly asked.

“Hanzhong provokes the war. He should be busy preparing for the war. I’m afraid that he can not return for a while ……” Xiao Qiao came back to her senses and responded.

Mrs. Xu’s eyes lingered on her face for a moment.

Xiao Qiao met her gaze without flinching.

“You have just returned. The journey was hard. Go and rest well first. Tomorrow, carry Fei Fei back to the west house.” Mrs. Xu examined her for a moment and nodded, smiling.

……

Since ancient times, the military has set up a practice to record the list of soldiers killed in action to provide compensation to the families after the war. Although based on ancient law, the implementation only happened in the flourishing imperial dynasties.

In a time of chaos, and never-ending war, soldiers are fierce and dangerous, too many people have died, and human life is as cheap as grass. In the event of a battle, the dead bodies of soldiers piled up.

Moreover, when military food was scarce, they would take the dead soldiers’ bodies or loot civilians as military food, which was a common thing.

When fighting and dying have become like eating and drinking, even in the Wei Shao army, with continuous war, it is impossible to record the name of every soldier killed in battle. More mothers and wives could only wait day after day, looking through their eyes until they despaired.

The list of the sixteen guards who died with Wei Liang in Yanzhou is complete. Some of them were from Yuyang, and all of them came from ordinary civilian families. The news came to their families with military compensation. Their death was considered common deaths in action.

Xiao Qiao had prepared an additional compensation from her dowry, which was enough for the families of the dead guards to live on, and had sent it to them. She did not go to the family’s home to offer her condolences. The natural disparity in status dictated that even if the families knew the real cause of their sons’ or husbands’ deaths, they could only show gratitude.

A few days later, she visited Wei Liang’s mother and wife. Before she and Wei Liang said farewell in Luoyang, Wei Liang had asked her; when she returned to Yuyang and saw his mother, she should not tell her that he had been injured and was in danger.

……

It had been almost a year and a half since they had seen Wei Liang. Suddenly, they learned that Wei Liang could return home to visit his family in a few days. Wei Liang’s mother and wife were delighted. They felt grateful to the lady for visiting them.

When Xiao Qiao said goodbye, Wei Liang’s mother insisted sent her to the door despite her old age.

On the way home, Xiao Qiao’s heart was filled with mixed feelings as the smiling faces of Wei Liang’s mother and wife appeared before her eyes a few moments ago.

The carriage moved slowly through the street, approaching the Wei Mansion, and stopped at the entrance.

Xiao Qiao was helped off the carriage by Chun Niang and saw a black horse tied to the tethering post next to the lion stone on the right side of the gate.

The horse was tall and majestic, with long hooves and a shiny body drenched with sweat. The horse slave was beside it, wiping its sweat.

“Master’s horse!”

Chun Niang recognized it at a glance and blurted out, her voice full of surprise.

Xiao Qiao’s heart jumped, and all the blood in her body flowed faster.

When the gatekeeper saw that the carriage had returned, he greeted her: “The lady has returned! Master also has returned! Almost at the same time as you!”

Chun Niang took Xiao Qiao’s arm, hurriedly dragged her into the gate, straight to the west house, and stopped when she reached the courtyard gate. Her footsteps were a bit fast, and Xiao Qiao gasped after she stopped.

Outside the house, a line of servants stood at the bottom of the steps. Old Lin looked at the courtyard’s door and saw Xiao Qiao. She hurriedly greeted her, smiling, lowering her voice, and saying: “Master is back! He is in the room! The little Miss is asleep, and Master is beside her, looking at her without blinking. Aiya, his heart is going to melt ……”

Chun Niang’s eyes showed joy. She continued to lead Xiao Qiao to the steps, helping her put her scattered hair behind her ears. After examining her, she smiled and said softly: “You are beautiful today. Go inside.”

Xiao Qiao stopped at the door, fixed her mind, gently pushed it open, and walked in.

……