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Chapter 5: Qian Xiaoqi, Wait
It was time to go home now.
Qian Xiaoqi didn’t have the mind to wonder why she ran onto the bed from the table again. Climbing over Song Liangzhuo, whose eyes were still closed as he slept, she got down from the bed.
Xiaoqi started packing and getting herself ready, digging through the chest to find things.
Xiaoqi looked through the chest in the corner yesterday. There were a lot of things, from little clay figures to large wood carvings, from fluffy rabbit ears to amusing and cute little puppets, and there was even a stack of account books. As Xiaoqi looked at them, she couldn’t bear to throw a single one away.
Xiaoqi stuck her butt up in the air and dug through them again, but she still felt like she couldn’t bear to part with a single thing. When she turned back, she saw that Song Liangzhuo was awake and currently sitting at the head of the bed looking at her.
Xiaoqi closed the chest and went to sit on the bed. She hesitantly opened her mouth. “Official Song.”
“En?”
“Can I take this entire chest with me? There’s nothing valuable in here, it’s all just some little toys that I like.”
“Where do you want to take it to?”
Xiaoqi’s brows pinched. “Take it back to my home ah. When I go back today, I’ll talk to Dad about our matters, so I won’t be coming back with you.”
Song Liangzhuo folded his arms. “I haven’t agreed.”
“Why won’t you agree? It’s not like you like me!”
Song Liangzhuo was a little embarrassed. That’s right ah, why doesn’t he agree? In any case, pretty much half the reason he married her was for the sake of fixing the river dam. Song Liangzhuo thought for a moment before opening his mouth. “Indeed, I did marry you because of a reason.”
Qian Xiaoqi’s eyes curved, an image of being proud of oneself as if she just knew that this was the case.
“But we still can’t divorce.”
“Why?”
Song Liangzhuo paused for a moment before saying, “I have to build the dam before the summer floods, so I need silver.”
Qian Xiaoqi’s eyes glowered as her mouth opened in an expression of fury. Song Liangzhuo was just about to try soothing her with a couple words when Qian Xiaoqi jumped down from the chest and raged, “That Old Man Qian is too hateful! To make a loss! To make a loss in business!”
Song Liangzhuo was tongue-tied. Watching as Qian Xiaoqi fumed to the point that she continuously stomped her feet, he didn’t know how he should react. Qian Xiaoqi had already stomped around in place for an entire circle. Stomping on the floor, she almost finished two infinity loops when she lifted her head with knitted brows and asked dubiously, “You, just because of that dowry, married me?”
This question was hard to answer and Qian Xiaoqi didn’t expect him to answer. She fiercely hammered the palm of her own left hand and then nodded with resolute conviction. “Then a divorce is even more necessary. There’s no way I want to marry someone who married me just for the sake of silver.”
Qian Xiaoqi turned around and continued to collect her things. This time, she wasn’t polite anymore with her packing; she even threw the little pearl flower on the dressing table into her little bundle.
Song Liangzhuo sighed. “I didn’t want to lie to you, but I need silver. Cai River needs strengthening. Soon, the river will undoubtedly flood and the entire Tongxu county will have to face the natural calamity.”
Qian Xiaoqi curled her lips. “I also know about these things; this place seems to have flooded before. But if you’re going to borrow money, just borrow money. Why’d you borrow me, too? Now that’s just great. Even if I want to go, it’s inappropriate.”T/C
“Haa, there really is this way of thinking about it. But since I’ve already married you, how could I let you receive grievances?”
That sounds so fake! Qian Xiaoqi dug at her ear. “If it floods, my dad will distribute porridge.”
“What if Tongxu floods completely?”
“That’s not possible. If it was going to flood, it would’ve flooded already.”
“Haa, the water level will be very high for the next two years,” Song Liangzhuo gave a worried sigh.
“Then just build it next year.” Qian Xiaoqi was irritated.
Song Liangzhuo sighed and lowered his head. Qian Xiaoqi packed up everything inside the house that looked to be hers. Puffing out her cheeks, she glanced at Song Liangzhuo, then gave a light sigh. “It’s you that made me angry first. It’s only because of that that I’m annoying you. I’m not that type of petty person. When I go home, I’ll just have Dad lend the money to you.”
“It wasn’t a loan, it was a contribution.”
“Ah!” Qian Xiaoqi cried out in alarm. “That Old Man Qian ate a huge loss!”
“Did he?“ Song Liangzhuo shook his head with a bitter smile.
Qian Xiaoqi knitted her brows, feeling perplexed as she pondered the question for a while, then she nodded. “Then just consider it contributed. The Old Man always spends all day staring at banknotes; it’s no wonder he’s always so tired. In any case, after throwing away some, more can always be earned.”
“This is a huge beneficial contribution for the later generations.”
“At that time the Old Man will already be dead. What use will he have for that good reputation?” Qian Xiaoqi gave herself a slap and repeatedly said, “Pei pei(word signifying the action to spit), let the bad be ineffective and the good effective.”
Song Liangzhuo smiled. “What you said is rather true.”
Qian Xiaoqi waved her hand. “I’ll have Dad contribute the money you need, so write a divorce paper for me. Is your official seal at home or at the government office? Can you find some time to stamp a little seal for me?”
Song Liangzhuo shook his head. “You dad said he’ll send the money over once you get pregnant.”
Qian Xiaoqi sucked in a breath. Narrowing her eyes, she asked, “And you agreed?”
Song Liangzhuo nodded.
No wonder he kept wanting to pounce on her in the middle of the night. Luckily, she, Qian Xiaoqi, was smart. Otherwise, she would have already been eaten so cleanly that not even a bone was left. Qian Xiaoqi narrowed her eyes again and pursed her lips. “Then let’s just wait until I get pregnant.”
Seeing her extremely fierce appearance, Song Liangzhuo couldn’t help smiling. “You don’t want the divorce papers anymore?”
Qian Xiaoqi’s expression turned even more ferocious. “I want, why wouldn’t I want!?”
Qian Xiaoqi smirked for a moment, then said, “Why don’t we also make a little business deal? It’s a win-win situation ah!”
“You understand win-win situations?” Song Liangzhuo asked in a good mood.
“Are you doing it or not?”
“Try saying it first.”
Qian XIaoqi sat down next to the table with a proper posture and smiled. “You give me divorce papers and I’ll help you get the money. I’ll wait until you spend all the money before leaving. In the future, you can’t sleep in the same room as me. We’ll count as already divorced in the Song fu. You’re still Official Song and I’m still Qian Xiaoqi, not your Madam Song, ok?!”
Qian Xiaoqi blinked her eyes. “How ‘bout it?”
“It doesn’t sound bad.”
“En, en.” Qian Xiaoqi smiled. “Something like building a dam is a good thing. It’s actually something Qian fu would be happy to do. Don’t worry, my dad won’t do anything to make things difficult for you.”
Song Liangzhuo only smiled but didn’t speak.
“Really!” Qian Xiaoqi thought he didn’t believe her. After thinking a little, she said, “How about then, when I go back today, I’ll have Dad give you a sum of money to use ahead of time. And you guys can start building first.”
“I believe. Qian lao ye(master of a house) really treasures you, this particular daughter of his.”
Qian Xiaoqi smiled a smile that was full of self-confidence. “Then you should hurry and write a divorce paper. In a little bit, after I eat breakfast, we’ll be heading back and asking for the money.”
Song Liangzhuo shook his head. “This way makes me seem quite despicable. Using the Qian family’s silver and even sending away the Qian family’s daughter.”
“In the end are you agreeing or not? If you don’t agree then it’s you yourself that’s missing out. I would also rather not take the trouble to act.”
“And who said I don’t agree? You’re rather impatient.”
Song Liangzhuo walked slowly to the side of the table. After thinking for a moment, he asked, “Does Xiaoqi know how to read?”
“Sss(hiss sound), if I don’t know how to read, how am I supposed to help my dad manage the accounts?”
Song Liangzhuo nodded. “Xiaoqi, come grind the ink.”
Qian Xiaoqi replied ‘oh’ and ground the tea water into ink. Song Liangzhuo lifted the brush. Before he moved, he glanced at her and asked, “Xiaoqi really knows how to read?”
Qian Xiaoqi rolled her eyes. “Up to you if you’d like to believe. Humph, I’m not that uneducated!”
Song Liangzhuo swiftly wrote the divorce papers. The content was very simple: Song Liangzhuo and Qian Xiaoqi’s emotional relationship has broken, discussing divorce.
Qian Xiaoqi saw that he stopped his brush after writing only a few words. She leaned over to take a look, then asked, “Will this work?”
“It will, I’m an official.”
“Oh, that’s true. Where’s the official seal?”
“For the time being, you keep this divorce paper. Once our business is done we’ll talk about the matter of the official seal.”
Qian Xiaoqi thought about it a little. Then she blew the ink dry and carefully folded it up. After slipping it into the folds of her robe over her chest, she even gave it a light pat before smiling. “Don’t worry. I, Qian Xiaoqi, never go back on something I’ve agreed upon. You don’t have to worry about the matter of the money, I’ll definitely get it for you.”
Song Liangzhuo gave a mild smile. “I’ll be waiting.”
Song Liangzhuo and Qian Xiaoqi sat in the same carriage. Qian Xiaoqi lifted the curtain the entire way back and looked at the lively streets. She was so excited she would’ve liked to just jump down from the carriage and run home.
This excitement couldn’t be stifled. As Song Liangzhuo looked at her happy and flushed little face, his mood also unknowingly lightened up and he lifted the curtain to look outside.
May was not a particularly lively season, but it turned out there was a bumper harvest of wheat. The grain market was very lively, so the other businesses were lively as well. Song Liangzhuo looked at the pedestrians and peddlers that were mingling and traversing the large street and his heart felt a little satisfaction. To be able to restore Tongxu to a good condition during these few years of holding this governmental post was not an easy matter. Seeing the citizens living in peace and working happily, Song Liangzhuo still couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit proud.
“Official Song,” Qian Xiaoqi glanced at a little store next to the street and asked with a smile, “should we buy a present for my dad?”
“It has already been prepared.”
“Oh.” Qian Xiaoqi puffed up her cheeks and plopped back down to continue staring out the window.
“Official Song, I want to buy some presents for the older sisters at home.”
“They’ve also been prepared.”
Qian Xiaoqi gave a light humph and gloomily plopped back down again.
“Official Song.”
“Xiaoqi wants to take a stroll on the streets?”
“En en.” Xiaoqi nodded.
“Let’s wait until we make the visit to the maternal family first. After we come back we can stroll.”
Qian Xiaoqi wrinkled her nose, then smiled. “That’s right ah. In the future, I won’t be Madam Song, so I can come out to play whenever. Hey, we still have to add one more condition. You can’t prohibit me from going out.”
“Then you also aren’t allowed to stir up trouble.”
Qian Xiaoqi lifted her chin. “I’ve never stirred up trouble.”
That’s actually true, Song Liangzhuo remarked inwardly. The previous two years were all used for squatting in front of the government doors. She has quite the patience for being a bailiff.
__________
Credits: Translated by Chiyomira, Proofread by Ocelot
[Chiyomira’s Corner]
T/C – And then again, Xiaoqi has a point. With how straight and narrow Song Liangzhuo is usually, why did he choose to marry Xiaoqi rather than straightforwardly borrow money? Haha, there’s a later SLZ pov that talks about SLZ’s true thoughts~ Much much later in the story though~
Lol, reading this chapter reminds me of the later chapters when the divorce papers are brought up. Those chapters made me lmao~~
And ok, last spoiler comment, definitely! For the next 3 chapters, I’ll hold back from the temptation and just give emojis! Xp
Thanks again for the chapters. I am re-reading this because I have forgotten a lot of it. I appreciate your commitment.
Thank you! I’m really happy to hear that! And I know you’ll love the following chapters once the old chapters are filled in. Thanks for being so patient and I can’t wait to bring the new chapters to you! XD
This marriage of convenience is a bit heartbreaking right now. I’m waiting for the sunshine to brighten their lives
Thank you
I would not trust anything but going home to daddy! “He had another woman, he hit me for that woman. I want a divorce! Ask the emperor to grant me one!” Id promise day to never choose against his judgement some loser! She is a double moron so far and actually triple since she ens up with him? What is so good about him? NOTHING