The Marquis Is Innocent

Wei Yan left Yuyang in the evening of the same day.

He was born and grew up in the city for 28 years. Now, he left with one horse.

He walked alone to the northern part of the city in front of the bronze double lion gate of Wei House, kneeling on both knees, bowing, and then getting up to leave.

The nightfall. Wei Yan walked through the streets of Yuyang with his horse. The streets filled with people hurrying to return home. In front of a half-open door on the side of the road, a woman called her child to eat. The child was four or five years old, squatting in front of the door to grab the stones to play. He heard his mother call, ran into Wei Yan’s body, rebounded, and sat on the ground. His buttocks fell in pain. He was about to cry when he saw an adult looking at him with a strange expression, different from normal people. His heart felt fear, stop crying and gazed at him fearfully.

Wei Yan gaze fixed on the child for a moment. He squatted down and extended his hand towards him.

The child was even more frightened and scrambled to run. The man seemed slightly stunned. Then he grabbed a large amount of money from his pouch and put it on the ground. He pulled his mouth stiffly towards him as if he smiled at him.

The mother could not call the child back and came out to look. She saw him sitting on the ground, squatting in front of a lifeless man, and immediately barked: “Who are you?” Her heart was uneasy, panicked, and calling her husband out.

Wei Yan stood up, led the horse, and continued forward.

The child forgot his fear, sat on the ground, and turned his head, staring blankly at the back of the man fading away.

The night gets heavier, and the lights of each house, one by one, gradually light up.

When the lights of ten thousand families lit up half of the city, Wei Yan stopped opposite the frame store.

The store was about to close. The same shopkeeper was currently at the door, closing the wall door one by one. Vaguely can see the interior on the day he first met her.

Wei Yan fixedly looked for a moment. Suddenly turned on his horse and galloped off in the direction of the city gate.

He asked to leave. The reason is to be satisfied and happy.

The Wei family responded to his request and let him go.

Only he knows, his heart has no return, wandering, what is satisfied, what is happiness? Even he does not know. He only knows that for the rest of his life, no matter where he goes, he will not find true peace.

……

Two days later, Wei Yan arrived at the banks of the Sangan River.

After crossing the river was the territory of the Xiongnu.

Wei Yan saw a man sitting on a horse by the river bank as if he had been waiting for some time.

He slowed down his horse and walked towards the man, finally stopping and gazing at him. A smile slowly appeared on his face: “Second brother, I didn’t expect you to come to see me off one last time.”

Wei Shao’s face was expressionless. He raised his arm and waved. Behind him, two soldiers carried a large sack over, placed in the ground.

The sack tied. As if it was a living thing, wriggling and struggling in the bag.

“Do you know why I burned down your residence?” Wei Shao coldly said, “I do not want you and me to have a brotherly grudge. But someone wants you and me to turn against each other. Unfortunately, someone has succeeded in their treacherous plan, and now I have nothing to say. Concubine Lan, I wanted to kill her, but I thought she was your woman, so I kept her and left her at your disposal. I came here to see you off and counted the whole 20 years of brotherhood. What happens in the future, let’s listen to fate.”

The sack opened, revealing a struggling woman inside, looking wretched. It was Wei Yan’s former favorite girl, Lan Yun.

Lan Yun’s hands are bound, her mouth plugged, could not speak. Suddenly she saw the light of day and Wei Yan sitting on a horse. She was surprised, wanting to ask for help. But he cast a cold and ruthless gaze. She stunned at look at him with fear.

Wei Yan raised his eyes and finally fell on the face of Wei Shao. The two are sitting on their horses, four eyes facing each other, and no one says another word.

Wei Shao’s gaze was dark. He looked at Wei Yan for a moment. Suddenly he pulled the reins, shouted, and turned the horse away.

Not far away, his entourage followed. A group of people and horses disappeared at the end of the meadow.

……

Three days have passed since her brother left. Wei Shao sent her brother out of town that day and never returned.

Xiao Qiao knew Mrs. Xu went out that day. Later, when she returned to the house, she was lying down.

When Xiao Qiao went to see her, she saw that she was mentally exhausted and seemed to have no strength to speak, lying on the bed as if she had grown old all of a sudden.

Xiao Qiao’s mood was very heavy.

She vaguely guessed there should be a problem on Wei Yan’s side.

But what went wrong? Why did Mrs. Xu bedridden as soon as she returned? Where exactly did Wei Shao go these days? She had no idea.

Only one thing was sure. Something happened to the Wei family.

Since it was related to Wei Yan, Xiao Qiao’s reaction was the so-called Wei Yan’s adoration of her that she thought was uncovered in the past revealed in the sky.

Otherwise, she really can’t think of what it could be.

Her mood was apprehensive and heavy as she was a sinner. In the evening, Wei Shao has not returned. She went to the north house to serve Mrs. Xu.

The sun was setting. The room, which was always well-lit during the day, was now gradually covered with a layer of gray shadows. Xiao Qiao hurriedly went forward and helped her up together with Old Zhong.

Mrs. Xu leaned back and sat up, and her eyes fell on Xiao Qiao’s face as if she was thinking about something.

Xiao Qiao’s heart pounded, and not dare to look at her. A moment later, she heard her say she was hungry and wanted to eat something. Xiao Qiao got up, and Mrs. Xu said, “Ask Old Zhong to go.”

Old Zhong went away. Only Xiao Qiao was in the room. Mrs. Xu asked Xiao Qiao to sit on the edge of her bed and asked Wei Shao. Xiao Qiao said he had been away for three days and had not returned. Mrs. Xu was lost in thought and said, “He has gone to see off his eldest brother.”

“His cousin, who has gone to the land of Xiongnu.” Mrs. Xu added.

Xiao Qiao was astonished.

Mrs. Xu was silent for a moment: “You are Shao’er’s wife. There are some things you should know. Yan’er’s life is special. His father is a Xiongnu. He wants to go over, I can not keep him, only let him go.”

Xiao Qiao looked at Mrs. Xu in a daze.

Mrs. Xu gazed at Xiao Qiao in the twilight haze.

“What a beautiful child! No wonder ……”

She let out a sigh.

Xiao Qiao’s heart jumped wildly. She knelt in front of the bed, bowing her head and saying, “It’s all my fault. I beg grandmother for forgiveness!”

Mrs. Xu turned her head, looked at her kneeling figure in front of her bed, and slowly shook her head.

“What am I blaming you for? You are not at fault either. Thirty years ago, I planted the root of the trouble myself, and now the outcome has come. It’s fate.”

Xiao Qiao raised her head and looked at Mrs. Xu.

She looked tired. Her gaze no longer fell on her but crossed her head and looked at the sunset beyond the western window.

“Shao’er comes back. You can comfort him.”

Mrs. Xu said. Her voice was gentle.

……

Mrs. Xu ate something, sat for a moment, and lay down again.

Xiao Qiao stayed by her side until she fell asleep and returned to the west house.

She hadn’t seen Mrs. Zhu for the past few days. She also didn’t want her to go over there now. Xiao Qiao did not care about her so much. After returning from the north house, when she was in her room, she heard familiar footsteps ringing outside in the courtyard. Her heart jumped and ran out.

Wei Shao is back!

He was so dusty. He hadn’t taken care of his appearance on the road, a layer of light green stubble had appeared on both cheeks, and he looked tired and sleepy.

Xiao Qiao welcomed him into the room. She asked him whether he should eat or bathe first. He said to bathe first. Xiao Qiao asked someone to prepare water. When it was ready, she followed him in and served him herself.

Wei Shao dipped into the tub, and the water reached his shoulders. He rested his arms on the edge of the tub and tilted his head back with his eyes closed.

Xiao Qiao sat behind him on her knees, untangled his hair, wet it with water, and applied a rose-scented hair cream. She pressed her fingertips against his scalp and gently rubbed out the foam with her palms. Rinsed it with water, took a dry cloth towel to wipe away the wetness, and helped him put his hair back on, pinning it with a jade hairpin.

He seemed to have fallen asleep. His eyes were closed, and his expression was calm and unmoving.

Xiao Qiao took a look at him. Seeing his cheeks covered with rose foam she accidentally wiped on them, she reached out to wipe them.

Her fingertips touched his cheeks, and his eyelashes fluttered. He opened his eyes and stood up from the water with a ‘clatter.’

Xiao Qiao silently served him to get dressed.

He put on a set of casual clothes and told Xiao Qiao he was going to the government office to deal with the official business. He asked her to rest early and not to wait for him. After saying that, he left.

Xiao Qiao kept waiting for him. She waited until almost midnight. She thought of his tired face when he came back. After hesitating, she changed her clothes and ordered a carriage to be prepared to take her to the government office. When she arrived at the entrance, the guard recognized her and rushed over to greet her. Xiao Qiao asked if Marquis was there, and the guard said Marquis had not come out since he entered the office in the evening.

Xiao Qiao carried the food box in her hand and went inside his study in the back hall, which she had visited once before.

The door and windows of the study were closed.

Xiao Qiao stopped in front of the door, took a deep breath, raised her hand, and gently knocked on the door, saying, “Husband, can I come in?”

After she said, she pushed open the door and saw Wei Shao sitting behind the large table. With a pen hanging in his hand, he was writing rapidly. Volumes of scroll silk and paperwork filled the corner of the desk. He looked as if he was stunned. She smiled and went over, kneeling and sitting opposite him, saying: “I saw Husband returned late. I’m afraid the paperwork is serious and you’re hungry. The road is not far anyway, and there should be fewer people in the office at night, so I came to bring you some food.”

She opened the food box, took out the warm bowl, opened the lid, put it in front of him, took the spoon, and handed it over.

Her delicate, moist jade fingers gently squeezed the white spoon and brought it to Wei Shao’s face.

Wei Shao raised his eyes and looked at her again. At first, he did not take it.

Xiao Qiao met his gaze and smiled faintly at him: “I will leave when you have eaten. I will not disturb your business.”

Wei Shao took the spoon. He ate with his head down and finished it quickly. Xiao Qiao handed over a handkerchief. He took it and wiped his mouth. Xiao Qiao took back the empty bowl, put it in the food box, got up, and said, “I’ll go back first. Husband should also go back early, don’t be too tired.”

She bowed slightly toward Wei Shao, who was still sitting behind the table, leaned down to lift the food box, and turned to the door.

After a few steps, she heard a slight movement behind her. She turned her head and saw Wei Shao had already got up from behind the desk and rushed up. His arm extended and swept her into his arms from behind, tightly holding her, picked her up, walked briskly to the couch where he was sitting, and laid her down.