The Marquis Is Innocent

Wei Shao was draped in a white robe with the lapels slightly open. The right side was loosely covered his waist. He fluttered out of the bathroom without wearing a belt. Several servants who had served him finished cleaning up and bowed. Chun Niang glanced at Xiao Qiao. She also retreated and closing the door.

The two of them were left in the room.

All his things have just returned to its original position. One of them is a long flat mahogany box fastened with a concealed lock. It was originally resting on the uppermost level of the shelf and now it is placed back as it was.

Wei Shao went up to the couch, but seemed to remember something. He turned down the couch and walked straight to the shelf. He took down the box and turned his back to Xiao Qiao. He fiddled with the secret lock and twisted back to ask: “This box, have you ever opened it?”

Xiao Qiao shook her head. “Never. I haven’t touched your things in this room. When the servants packed them up, they only put them away temporarily, as I instructed. How dare we open it without permission?”

Wei Shao put the lid back and said, “From now on, don’t touch my things.” His voice was cold.

Xiao Qiao nodded: “I don’t need you to say it, I also knew. I was careless today. I won’t touch it again.”

Wei Shao looked indifferent. He walked back to the bed and lay down.

Xiao Qiao was standing in front of the bed when she saw him get into bed and close his eyes as if he was ready to sleep. She couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.

Once Wei Shao returned to the Wei family, she was surprised he was actually sharing a room with her. She never thought he suddenly had the kindness to take care of her face or had an interest in her. Although the reason is a bit confusing, but she guessed it should be related to the evening meeting with his mother, Mrs. Zhu.

These can be slowly studied later. The problem is this moment.

Where should she sleep at this moment?

She guessed this man should not want to share the bed with her.

From her point of view, the two of them are in the same bed, even if they do nothing, it is still awkward ……

“Why are you still standing?”

Wei Shao suddenly said.

Xiao Qiao was stunned. She looked at him.

His eyes were still closed.

It was very obvious what he meant.

Xiao Qiao climbed onto the bed. Carefully and gently. She slowly lay down. Careful not to touch him as much as possible.

He said nothing else. His eyes remained closed, as if he had fallen asleep.

After a few moments, Xiao Qiao’s tensed body relaxed. At this time, Wei Shao opened his eyes and rolled out of bed. He grabbed a sword from the table and rushed in the door.

Xiao Qiao was surprised and did not know what he wanted to do. With one arm propped up, she sat up. She still has not returned to consciousness. She saw him yanked open the door. He pointed the sword at the servant woman, who leaned over to eavesdrop.

This servant is surnamed Wang. The servants girl called her Old Wang, responsible for bathing matters in the west room.

Old Wang put her ears to the door and listened with difficulty. She sensed the situation seemed wrong and was about to slip away. But the door suddenly opened, and the tip of the sword pointed to her nose. She raised her eyes to see a silhouette shrouded down. Wei Shao appeared in the door. His lapel was half open. His two eyes were gloomy and glaring at her. She shivered. Both her legs went soft. She knelt down and could not stop kowtowing on the ground begged for mercy.

“Master, forgive me! Master, forgive me! This servant is helpless …… It’s madam order, this servant does not dare to disobey ……”

Wei Shao narrowed his eyes and gave way to the side.

“Open your eyes wide and look clearly!”

Old Wang didn’t dare to look, only kowtowed and begged.

“I told you to look!”

Old Wang was trembling. Reluctantly raised her head and glanced in quickly.

The room is dim with green screens, and there were several layers of curtain. A hazy figure sitting on the bed. Xiao Qiao’s long hair is draped around her waist. Her figure is very attractive.

The woman did not dare to look again and closed her eyes.

“Did you see clearly?”

A gloomy voice of Wei Shao sounded in her ears.

“Yes …… it’s clear ……”

Wei Shao waved his sword. During Old Wang’s terrifying screams, one side of the door frame was split off.

Old Wang thought the sword was splitting towards her. She sat on her buttocks on the ground. When she realized she was fine, she opened her eyes. She was shaking like a sieve.

“ Scram.”

Wei Shao put away the sword, and a word popped out of his mouth.

Old Wang rose and stumbled away.

Wei Shao “bang” closed the door and walked back.

Xiao Qiao held her breath and looked at him. His face was hazy and sullen. He threw the sword on the case, lifted the curtain and lay back again.

He closed his eyes. After a few moments, his anger seemed to have faded away, and his expression returned calm.

The flame from the candle covered his side of the face.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes again and met Xiao Qiao’s gaze.

“Have you seen enough?”

He asked. His voice was flat and cold, but there was a hint of fatigue between his eyebrows that he couldn’t conceal.

Xiao Qiao closed her eyes.

The candle’s flame on the candelabra burned out, and the light dimmed.

The moonlight dipped in through the window, and the room became hazy.

Wei Shao was breathing evenly. Sleeping.

Xiao Qiao opened her eyes and looked at the white moonlight in front of the window, passing over the man on the pillow.

The moonlight is very nice tonight.

……

The same piece of moonlight also shines in a small mountain village at the foot of Huainan Lingbi Mountain, thousands of miles away.

It was late at night. The village, where many families lived by woodcutting and hunting, was quiet. The villagers had long been dreaming. The owls sounded in the distance, adding to the quietness of the night.

At the end of the village, there is a small field next to a river flowing in the mountains, where the new house of Da Qiao and Bi Zhi is about to be completed.

They were passing through here about half a month ago. Speaking of which, it was fate. They were going to continue their journey to the south when they met some thieves who were robbing Old Wang and his grandchildren’s grain and salt, which they had exchanged with furs from the county market. Bi Zhi beat several thieves to the ground, and the thieves fled in all directions.

Old Wang was wounded, and his grandson was only a teenager. A few years earlier, his son had been forcibly recruited as a soldier by Xue Tai, the ruler of Xuzhou. He died within a few months. Now, there was no one else in the family, only the two of them depending on each other. Bi Zhi and Da Qiao sent them home. The old man was distressed by the military disaster and invited them to stay at the edge of his house.

This small mountain village hides in the deep mountains, surrounded by beautiful mountains and clear water. There are rarely outsiders come in, which is a good place to live in seclusion. Da Qiao’s heart was tempted and Bi Zhi agreed with her. They settled down and chose an area to build a hut. Bi Zhi cut down trees and Da Qiao learned to twist hemp and knot ropes. The two of them worked together. After half a month, they finally built this hut that could shelter them from the wind and rain.

Bi Zhi had been working since dawn until now. He has already laid the roof, just left the last piece on the side.

Da Qiao sat on a stone in the humble courtyard enclosed by a fence. Looking at the man, who was busy on the roof under the moonlight. Although her back was sore, but she was happy.

Their house is almost finished. Although it is only two huts, but it can shelter them from the wind and rain.

With a house, they will settle down and no longer drift around. Later, after they settle down, she also wants to let Bi Zhi build a henhouse. Raise a few chicks, and plant a vegetable field herself ……

“Are you tired? Do the rest tomorrow!”

Da Qiao was concerned about him and shouted.

Bi Zhi told her to go to bed first, saying he would be done soon.

Da Qiao refused and continued to wait for him.

Bi Zhi speed up his movements. He laid the last piece of thatched roof. After making sure that it will not leak, he leaping down from the roof. His body posture is athletic and sharp.

He had been working all day, and his body was covered in sweat. He put down the machete in his hand and went into the water by the mountain stream.

The water was above his waistline. The moonlight shone on his muscular back. His back was dripping wet. It looked solid as a mountain and was filled with strength.

Bi Zhi is very capable. He can do everything. Fighting, clearing the road, cutting trees, building houses, and even cooking and washing clothes.

The food he cooked was much better than hers.

This made Da Qiao feel ashamed. She resolved she must learn these things as soon as possible, lest it be like today. Let him eat the half-cooked rice again after a day’s work.

However, he still ate and applauded her for making it delicious.

Across the fence wall, Da Qiao looked at his back and her face got a little hot.

It was already the middle of the night when Bi Zhi returned from the bath. They went into the house to rest.

Until now, they slept separately. Da Qiao slept in the inner room on the bed Bi Zhi had made for her a few days ago. He slept on the straw bunk in the outer room.

Da Qiao had some trouble sleeping.

The air is floating with the faint smell of fresh grass. The moonlight tonight also seems out of place.

She can’t help but think about the scene she just saw when he stood naked in the stream.

She felt her face was still boiling. Not only her face but also her body seemed to be hot.

She held her breath and listened to the sounds outside.

He didn’t seem to be asleep either. She heard a rustling sound as he turned over on the straw bunk.

She got out of bed, walked slowly in the dark to the door that was still open, and said, “I’m a little cold.”

……

Bi Zhi did not sleep.

Actually, for many nights, he could not sleep properly.

He took her away, the daughter of the Qiao family, who was as precious as a goddess. At the beginning, in order to avoid the Qiao family pursuit, they have been traveling on the road. Living without a fixed place. When they were unlucky, there was not even a broken temple at night. They could only spend the night in the wilderness.

There are too many dangers around …… beasts, thieves, and soldiers in chaos. He took her, even if he can’t give her a stable life now, at least, he had to keep her safe. Those days and nights, he transformed himself into the fiercest hunter.

He had killed all those with ulterior motives against Da Qiao without blinking an eye. He was the most vigilant guardian. Whenever night falls, he does not dare to relax for a moment. If there is a slight movement of wind around him, he immediately opens his eyes until he sees his woman still curled up beside him, sleeping. Only then he can breathe a sigh of relief.

Now, they had a nest of their own that could shelter them from all the storms.

Da Qiao’s adoring gaze when she looked at him made him feel happy and guilty.

This period of escaping has made him realize in this chaotic era, there is no justice, and there is no reason. Only the weak and the strong. Only by strengthening himself he can protect his woman better.

All he has now is far from what he wants to give Da Qiao.

She deserves more, better in everything.

……

When Bi Zhi closed his eyes in the darkness, his mind tumbled with some matters of his heart that he had never told Da Qiao. He heard her footsteps coming down to the ground.

He was stunned and sat up from the straw bunk.

She said she was cold.

Although it is already mid-spring, but in the mountains and late at night, it is normal to feel cold.

At his hand, there was not even a decent quilt. Only an old deerskin that had shed its fur and a few pieces of clothing.

He suppressed the guilt in his heart, got up and lit the oil lamp in the dark and said, “I’ll take clothes to cover you, you lie back first ……”

Da Qiao did not move. She just looked at him.

The oil lamp was dim, but he could see her red cheeks and shining eyes.

He seemed to feel something. The heart in his chest beat faster. The blood all over his body heated.

“I want you to hug me. It should be warmer this way ……”

She leaned over and blew out the oil lamp in his hand with a poof.

The room went dark again. It was dark that one could not see any fingers. But the sound of their breathing became clear.

Bi Zhi dropped the oil lamp. He took her hand and led her to the door. They stand together under the bright moon that hung high above the mountain.

“Can I ?”

His voice was trembling.

Da Qiao felt the hotness in his hand and even heard his heart beating violently.

She whispered, “Isn’t Old Wang and they all know that we are husband and wife?”

Bi Zhi no longer hesitated. He took her with him to kneel on the ground and bowed towards the bright moon. He picked her up and carried her back to the hut. He gently put her on the bed.

The restrained, painful, and joyful moans came from the hut and melted away in the flow of the stream outside the fence. Bi Zhi seems to have a never-ending power. Hot drops of sweat rolled down his young and strong body. Ironing Da Qiao’s delicate body ……

When everything calmed down, she was still held in the man’s arms.

She pressed her face against his chest and shed tears.

It was tears of happiness and guilt.

“I miss my mother. I wonder how she is ……”

“I also miss my sister, Man Man. I recently figured out that she must have been lying to me when she told me she wanted to marry Marquis Wei. I don’t know how she is doing now ……”

Bi Zhi was silent and hugged his wife a little tighter.