Yuque Qiu

The word "brother" is a taboo for Yan Yuque. He has always called Lian Yulou wild species and does not recognize his existence at all, but he is willing to use this word tonight, which shows that he actually recognizes Lian Yulou and his own. Blood relationship, but admitting it is one thing, accepting it is another.

He told Yan An to let the kitchen prepare a little supper, and then Doudou accompanied him, eating a lot more than usual while talking and laughing.When taking a bath, I couldn't stop Doudou from playing with the water, and as a result, I got wet from head to toe, so I took off my clothes and took a bath with him.

After the fourth watch, he managed to coax this curious and talkative kid to the bed, and after coaxing him to sleep, Yan Yuque felt as if half of his energy had been taken away.

Although I am tired, my heart is filled with unknown things, very fulfilling and satisfying.

Holding the candlestick, he looked carefully at Doudou, who was sleeping soundly while hugging the quilt, pouted slightly, and saliva flowed from the corner of his mouth... Those delicate and beautiful facial features reminded him of Lian Yulou when he was a child.

At that time, I didn't have such a big malice towards him. After knowing that I had a younger brother, I was very happy for a while, because in the future, someone would play with me, go to school with me, and even if I got into trouble and got scolded, there would be someone to be with me. The Yan family's house is too big, and although there are many servants, they have different identities. If they have a younger brother, they won't be lonely.

So he often lies on the side of the small bed amid Erniang's "clicking" sound of the loom, looking at that sweet sleeping face, waiting eagerly, hoping that he can grow up quickly, preferably the second As soon as Tian opened his eyes, there was a little person following him all day long, calling him "Brother" sweetly...

The flickering candlelight dazzled people, Yan Yuque withdrew his thoughts, looked at Doudou on the bed again, then blew out the candle, and retreated lightly.

Yan An was waiting by the door and yawned uncontrollably. When he saw Yan Yuque coming out, he cheered up, "Master..."

Yan Yuque pressed his index finger to his lips to signal him to keep silent, so Yan An shrank his neck, lightened his hands and feet and followed Yan Yuque, and after walking a certain distance, he dared to speak, "Master...do you really think Doudou and you are……?"

Yan Yuque stopped, "Don't you think it doesn't look like it?"

Yan An shook his head again and again, "No, no, that's not what I mean. Doudou and you look so similar, but..." He hesitated behind but didn't dare to say.

Yan Yuque reprimanded, "Say what you want!"

"Yes..." Yan An continued, "My lord, you asked me to send someone to investigate, but after so long, the Qinhuai River is full of boats, and there are not many singers and benefactors coming and going. People remember things from such a long time ago... But the little one has a heart, because he heard that the woman carried the child to various famous cloth houses to find the baby's father, so the young one sent people to several big cloth houses in various places. Zhuang such as the Cheng family in Suzhou and the Xu family in Cangzhou asked a few years ago if there was a Qinhuai singing girl who came to them with a child and said that was their child..."

Yan Yuque's eyes froze, "What did they say?"

"Master Hui, they all said that this kind of thing had never happened, and they were quite annoyed to ask the people sent to inquire not to spread rumors and cause trouble."

Yan Yuque frowned and pondered.

Although Yan An sometimes irritates himself, he is smart and loyal. As long as he is told to do things, he can do it properly in all likelihood. , This is why I even let him know about inhumane things.

And Yan An's words just now didn't make sense, but between the lines it meant to be careful, so he asked, "Yan An, do you doubt Doudou's origin?"

Yan An's face was a little embarrassed, and he didn't know how to answer. After getting Yan Yuque's words, "Just say it, I don't blame you", he dared to say, "Master, Doudou is very cute, she looks so similar to you, I am so close to my grandfather again, the younger one also thinks that it would be great if it was my child? But why didn't this child show up sooner or later, but why did he appear at this time? Besides, my grandfather is going to marry Miss Xu Rou soon, if Dou Dou is really Master's child, even if Mrs. Xu can forgive the debts caused by the flirtatiousness of Master, what about Miss Xu?"

Yan Yuque's face became serious. He really didn't think about so many questions, he just wanted to investigate Doudou's life experience clearly, although he knew that if Doudou was really his child, no matter what means he used He won't let him stay with Liu Qi and Lian Yulou again, but he never thought about the consequences of doing so...

Doudou is so similar to himself, even if others don't say anything, they know what's going on in their hearts. He has always been cautious in his private life, even if he goes to the brothel, it is only for entertainment and occasional entertainment.In the eyes of outsiders, I have a deep affection for Miss Xu's family, which is really a gentleman's demeanor. Now that a son who is already this old suddenly appears, what will others think of me?Maybe the servants of the Yan Mansion don't show it on the face, but they are already muttering behind their backs... And Mr. Xu probably wouldn't want his daughter to be a stepmother as soon as she married.

The image I established in front of outsiders will be ruined, and my marriage with Xu Rou will be ruined. I have delayed Xu Rou for so many years. I guess Mr. Xu will not treat me well. People who have offended in the past can not take it to heart. But now if there is a chance for them to take the lead...

Yan Yuque only felt the forehead swell slightly, so he stretched out his hand and pressed it twice.

"I have only one purpose in coming to the capital, and that is to let you... your family be ruined and you have nothing left!"

Thinking that Doudou may be one of Lian Yulou's plans, and thinking that he actually used such a young and innocent child to take revenge on himself, I can't help but feel that Lian Yulou is really cruel...

But after thinking about it, Lian Yulou would be as cruel as he is today, which just shows that in his eyes, the Yan family should have been as cruel as this back then. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

The night is very good, and the surroundings are quiet. The huge mansion always gives people a deserted feeling. I have never felt this way before, but now I feel that the mansion is too big and lifeless. It is only autumn, and it is already so cold. boned.

He suddenly missed Liuqi's place a little bit, whether it was the place where he stayed for knitting flower books in Lingjinyuan, or the second floor of Jinlin Cloth Manor. Although it was only a small room, the two had bickering and Fighting against each other, there is also... the warmth that almost melts when the limbs are lingering.

When he was angry, he slapped the table and quarreled. When he was happy, the two entangled and rolled on the couch. Occasionally, he did nothing. He sat at the table and sipped a pot of good tea, watching Liu Qi sitting under the window and weaving a flower book. Playing, occasionally when the interest came up, Liu Qi raised the corners of his mouth and smiled slightly, and hummed two pieces. Although they were all the songs he learned when he was in Tianxiang Pavilion, they didn't make people bored, but there was a kind of tranquility and leisure. The quietness that passed away slowly, and that face that could only be regarded as handsome, and the expression of seriousness in doing things, made people look at it all day without feeling boring.

What kind of feelings do you have for Liuqi... Is it hatred?Or pure lust?

He couldn't tell the difference either... The only thing he knew was that this person seemed to hold far more weight in his heart than he thought.

◇ ◆ ◇

On the day I took Doudou to Lingjin Courtyard, Doudou was as happy as a mouse that fell into a rice vat, staring with big eyes, looking here and there, touching, grabbing the weaver and embroiderer and asking questions.

Although the similar appearance also made the weaver and the embroiderer a little confused about his identity, but Yan Yuque didn't say anything, and they didn't dare to guess casually, they just joked that their lord gave the person who would take his place so early Find it.

Yan Yuque just laughed at this.

But when I saw Doudou turning back and forth among the looms, I couldn’t help but think of myself when I was a child. At that time, I also liked to play in the weaving workshop, although I didn’t have the same understanding of weaving technology and embroidery methods as Doudou. So curious, but it was the sound of the loom that accompanied me to grow up.

Doudou stayed in Lingjin Courtyard for several days in a row, and when she asked him to go back at night, she was still reluctant to part with her.

Yan Yuque asked him why he liked Lingjinyuan so much, and he dared to say anything without any restraint.

"I want to learn a little more craftsmanship here. When I go back, I can help Master weave more beautiful flower books and weave more beautiful fabrics."

Hearing what he said, Yan Yuque was not only not angry, but felt that he was cute and cute, and touched his head, "Your master doesn't need you to meddle in your own business, your master..."

Possibly the best flower picker in the world.

But Yan Yuque didn't say it, maybe if he said it, Doudou would be proud of Liu Qi for getting such praise, maybe he wouldn't pester him to bring him to Lingjin Courtyard, so he would rather not say it, Let Doudou still yearn for the Silk Brocade Academy in his heart, thinking about "stealing" all the skills of the Silk Brocade Academy one by one, and will not tell him, in fact, most of the flower books of the exquisite fabrics in the Silk Brocade Academy are From the hands of your master, as long as your master is there, no matter how difficult or complicated the pattern is, it will not be difficult for him.

Naturally, Doudou had no time to find out what was hidden in Yan Yuque's unfinished sentence, and in the blink of an eye, he was running around among the looms like a busy squirrel again.

Yan Yuque just stood there with his hands behind his back, looking at that little figure with eyes full of affection.

"Grandpa..."

Hearing Yan An calling him from behind, Yan Yuque turned around, "What's the matter?"

Seeing that Yan An's expression was a little nervous and his eyes were flickering, Yan Yuque knew what had happened and it was inconvenient to speak here, so he turned and walked to his study in Lingjinyuan, Yan An followed behind him and entered the study After closing the door, Yan Ancai said: "Master, just now the steward told me that when they checked the warehouse, they found a few scarce flower books..."

Yan Yuque frowned, "When did you lose it? Why is no one cutting me off?"

Yan An replied: "Before, I was busy with the princess's dowry fabrics, so many precious flower books in the courtyard were used. Now these materials have been properly packed, and the steward has collected all the flower books that have been taken out. It was correct to check the quantity when I went back to the warehouse, but when I went to tidy up the warehouse and recalculated today, I found that there were a few missing..."

Snapped!

Yan Yuque's palm landed on the desk, "Look for it! Let me look for it! If you can't find it, no one can get away with it!"

But Yan An didn't immediately follow what he said, so he couldn't help being surprised, "What else do you want to say?"

Yan An thought for a while, and said: "Someone told me that when he saw Doudou these days, he quietly went to the back door of Lingjin Courtyard with something in his arms at night, and when he came back after going out, his hands were empty. of……"

Yan Yuque only felt a "buzz" in his head, his eyes went dark for a moment, he felt dizzy and almost couldn't stand upright, and after a while, he felt dizzy before going down, his hand pressed on the desk slightly curled up his fingers, and his mind Think carefully about Yan An's words.

Doudou likes to run around, and I didn't restrict him, so I let him stay like this in the silk brocade courtyard, and only asked him to go with him when I returned home at night, so I only knew that he was in the silk brocade courtyard, but He had no idea what he had done.

Yan Yuque shook his head, "Doudou is not that kind of child, not to mention that the flower books in Lingjin Courtyard are all recorded in Liu Qi's mind, Liu Qi can't afford to let Doudou take the risk to steal..."

"But my lord, some flower books in Silk Brocade Academy are too scarce, and I don't usually take them out. I'm afraid Mr. Liu may not have the chance to see them when he's here..."

Yan Yuque still didn't believe that Liu Qi would let Doudou do such a thing. He could treat the neon clothes and feather clothes as casual clothes. If you want to, you can watch it when you were in Lingjinyuan, so why bother?

But he couldn't completely convince himself that Liu Qi could spend three years playing a trick for himself, and now he is still on the side of Lian Yulou, maybe this is another move of his?But if he did this, what would he want to do by stealing the flower book from Lingjinyuan?

At this time, the door was knocked twice from outside, after Yan An opened the door, someone whispered something in Yan An's ear, Yan An turned around and said to Yan Yuque: "Master, come and see one time."

Yan An took Yan Yuque to the back door of Silk Brocade Courtyard, where there were dense bushes, and the sun was setting and it was already dark. The two of them stood in the shadow of the bushes, and if they didn't look carefully, they wouldn't be noticed.

After standing for a while, I heard a footstep "rustling" coming this way.

Yan Yuque held his breath and was careful not to let the other party find out, but after seeing the figure coming towards this side clearly, he was shocked.

That little figure was holding a large pile of things in his arms, piled up so high that it almost blocked his sight, he walked to the back door, looked around, and after making sure no one was following him, he tiptoed With some effort on tiptoe, he unbolted the latch and opened the door.

There seemed to be someone waiting outside the door. As soon as the door opened, there was a voice, "Why is it so late?" If you find something, go away, if you are found..."

Yan Yuque's mind was blank, and he strode up and grabbed Doudou by the collar, which made Doudou scream "Wow!" When the people outside the door saw someone rushing over, they hugged Doudou to him The things run away when they spread their legs.

"Catch that person and bring the thing back!"

Yan An immediately called several people to chase after him.

◇ ◆ ◇

creak-

The hinges made a hoarse sound, and as soon as the night fell, there was an icy chill on the bluestone floor.

Yan Yuque flicked his hand, wanting Doudou to go into the room, but Doudou tripped over the threshold and fell directly to the ground, looking at Yan Yuque with a pair of deer eyes in horror.

Yan Yuque couldn't tell what he was feeling at the moment, he had never liked children, but Doudou was an exception, in order to keep him in the capital and not let Lian Yulou take him back, he was willing to put down his body and do what Liu Qi said Despicable things——the desire to serve him with his mouth, in order to see him twice, he had to run there despite the cynicism and sarcasm of the men in Jinlin Buzhuang, and even took him home, Ling Jin There shouldn't be outsiders coming to the court, and seeing him begging so much, I agreed, but I didn't expect...

"Did Liu Qi ask you to do this?" Yan Yuque asked him in a calm voice. Although the anger in his heart was restrained, his face was extremely ugly. Under the flickering candlelight, his dark face was like Fierce and evil.

Doudou was so frightened by his appearance that she almost burst into tears, her big eyes glistening with tears, but after hearing Yan Yuque's question, she shook her head, "No... no... it's none of Master's business. What's up!"

Yan Yuque only thought that he was trying to quibble, "You don't have to blame yourself for defending your master, even if you don't tell me, I know he told you to do it, I just don't know that he asked you to do it." What is your purpose for doing this? Why did you come to Lingjinyuan to steal the flower book?"

Doudou stared at her eyes, which were already wide open because of panic. There was a trace of surprise in the panic, and she continued to shake her head, "No... I didn't steal the flower book!"

Yan Yuque frowned, dissatisfied with his behavior of trying to protect Liuqi after being caught, so he spoke in a rather impatient tone, "I said, don't defend your master! Your master is Who I know better than you!!!" The last sentence was almost roared out.

Yan Yuque only said that he couldn't accept what was happening right in front of his eyes, but he didn't know what was going on with the almost suffocating pain in his heart at this moment...

Doudou twitched and whimpered softly. She was shocked by Yan Yuque's yelling, and her whole body was petrified, but she still insisted that she did not steal the money.

Yan Yuque felt that his patience had been exhausted. Not only did he experience some beautiful things again and again under Liu Qi's arrangement, but after the good things he always dug a deep hole waiting for him to step into it. go down.

It felt as if he was being held in his hand again.

But this time, he will no longer foolishly run to Liu Qi to confront him. In fact, he should have known early on that Liu Qi is a pawn of Lian Yulou, and he came here just to get revenge on him, whether it's those laughing and bickering, It's still the lingering love between the beds, or Liu Qi's desire for revenge in order to satisfy her.Maybe he was just trying to satisfy his personal desires, but he actually sank down, and was really moved by his words and expressions...

And Doudou is also a pawn of Lian Yulou, even if he may be his son, even if he is very close to him, but as long as Liu Qi says a word, he must obediently obey Liu Qi and do as he says.

The restrained anger in Yan Yuque's heart burst into flames. He was so angry that he was so kind to this child and had done so many things for him behind his back. Angry at myself, angry at why I didn't meet him earlier and taught him well, which led to him now being their helper with Liu Qi and Lian Yulou.

"Come here!" Yan Yuque shouted towards the door.

Yan An led people to chase after the person who took Doudou's stolen goods and hadn't come back. A weaver came. Yan Yuque said to him: "Go to the kitchen and get a knife." Seeing that the man was stunned Without moving, he roared, "Hurry up!"

The man came to his senses immediately, and hurriedly followed what Yan Yuque said. He took the knife, and it was a kitchen knife for chopping big bones. Because he used too much, there were several gaps in the blade, but because of this, he immediately It makes people think of how the chef used it to cut off the bone of the pork leg.

Doudou was so frightened that she couldn't make a sound. She sat on the ground in a daze, her feet were shaking. Yan Yuque walked over, grabbed his arm and pulled him up from the ground. Put it on the table.

"Do you know what happens when someone who steals in the Lingjin Court is caught?"

With tears and snot all over Doudou's face, her expression changed from frightened to frightened, she shook her head, and wanted to pull her hand back, but she couldn't resist Yan Yuque with strength, so she could only back away from it. tables.

Yan Yuque pulled his hand full of anger, and brought him forward. Doudou's feet were unsteady, and his chest hit the edge of the table directly, and then he supported the table with his other hand. Edge still wanted to retreat.

Yan Yuque pressed Doudou's hand with one hand, and picked up the big bone knife on the table with the other. The shiny blade of the knife flashed a cold light under the candlelight, "Anyone who commits theft, chop off his hand as a warning, Use it as an example!"

The cold words fell word by word, and Doudou opened her eyes wide and was taken aback for a moment, and then cried out with a "wow".

"I didn't steal the flower book... I really didn't steal the flower book... woo... I just took some old fabrics to give away, I really didn't steal the flower book... woo woo... Master... "

"At a time like this, are you still quibbling? Silk Brocade Academy lost a few rare flower books, which you didn't have after you came here. If you tell the truth about your master's intentions, I can leave you a few fingers , otherwise..." The hand holding Doudou moved under his wrist, so that his entire palm rested on the table.

"Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo"

Doudou cried hoarsely, startled and frightened, the muscles on her small face were twitching, she looked very pitiful, several weavers and embroiderers who were waiting at the door couldn't help pleading with Yan Yuque.

"My lord, I don't think this has anything to do with Doudou, maybe I made a mistake..."

"Yeah, didn't Yan An take someone to arrest him? It won't be too late to interrogate the person after he is arrested. If he really didn't do it, the knife will be...but..."

But Yan Yuque's head was dazzled by the anger, and he looked down at the hand on the table, thinking that it was this hand that did the sneaky business in Lingjin Courtyard...it was this hand when he went back at night Always holding her hand full of dependence, softly, but in the end...

Yan Yuque raised the knife in his hand, "If you don't teach me a lesson now, I don't know what mistakes you will make in the future!"

"No! My lord!"

"Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh—"

"My lord, please be merciful!"

The voices in his ears were mixed together, making his head swell from the noise, and the images of being humiliated by Liu Qi in the past flooded his mind one by one, and there was only one voice in his heart.

"Teach him a lesson..."

"Teach him a lesson..."

"You must teach him a lesson!"

The raised knife fell down suddenly, at this moment a figure rushed to the door, and shouted loudly when he saw what was going on inside.

"My lord, stop! We caught the person who stole the flower book!!!"

Boom!

There was a muffled sound as the kitchen knife chopped into the table.

The surroundings were quiet for a while, and then Doudou burst into deafening crying first, almost crying out her heart and lungs.

Yan Yuque let go of the hand holding the knife, his hand trembling uncontrollably, and lowered his head, the knife was chopping into the table against Doudou's fingers, all the breath accumulated in his chest was sucked out in an instant, even with The energy in his body also felt like it was being sucked away, Yan Yuque sat down on the stool all of a sudden, exhausted.

He loosened the hand holding Doudou, but Doudou might have been overly frightened, and just kept crying there. A embroiderer couldn't stand it any longer, so she came in and took Doudou into her arms, caressing his back Back, coaxing in a low voice, "Okay, it's okay, don't cry, don't cry, adults don't really want to chop off your hands..."

"Uuuuuuuuu...I didn't steal it, I really didn't steal it..."

"Yes, yes, the thief has already caught us. We all know that Doudou is a good boy and would not do such a thing..."

"Ugh... I want Master..."

Xiu Niang carefully looked at Yan Yuque's face, seeing that he didn't respond, she quietly pulled Doudou aside who couldn't hold back his crying, and helped him wipe away the snot and tears on his face.

Seeing this, Yan An walked in and put the cloth bag in his hand on the table, which was exactly what Doudou gave to the person outside the door, "My lord, look..."

Yan Yuque glanced sideways, a little surprised, reached out to look through, but was even more silent, the cloth bag, as Doudou said, was indeed some discarded cloth.

Yan Yuque glanced back at Doudou, then asked Yan An, "How did you catch that person?"

Yan An explained the ins and outs of the future.

It turned out that they were leading people to chase the man who had picked up Dou Dou's things, and blocked him in an alley, only to find that this man was just a little beggar, and Dou Dou's burden for him was also full of discarded fabrics.

I learned from beggars when I was a child that Doudou said that even if the fabrics in the silk brocade courtyard were not used, they were also high-quality materials. So let them wait here at the back door every evening, and he secretly took out the fabric to them.

Then, when I came back, I happened to meet a weaver from Silk Brocade Court, and I saw him sneaking around as if he was hiding from someone else. I followed him and saw him entering a pawn shop, and Yan An blocked him. At the door, I confronted the owner of the pawnshop, only to find out that he owed a gambling debt, and stole the flower books from Lingjinyuan in exchange for silver to pay off the debt.

"Now people are locked in the firewood room, and the flower books have been brought back, so the people in the warehouse can put them away."

Yan Yuque closed his eyes tiredly, and pressed his hands on his forehead.

On the contrary, he really misunderstood Doudou...

Opening his eyes and looking at Doudou, the child was still in shock. Seeing his gaze sweeping over, he immediately hid behind Xiuniang. Yan Yuque turned his head and glanced at the big bone knife on the table. At this moment, I don't know why my heart softened, and I deflected the blade and didn't chop it down. If I really chopped it down, I'm afraid I don't know how to regret it in my life...

With a wave of his hand, Yan An asked Yan An to take away the fabrics and the big bone knife on the table. Yan An spent a lot of effort in taking the knife, and the other weavers and embroiderers also retreated.

Yan Yuque looked at the child who was huddled in the corner, and said, "Doudo, come here..."

But Doudou just hid her hand on her chest and shook her head vigorously. She was already small, but she wanted to shrink even smaller. Seeing this, Yan Yuque felt guilty.

Regardless of whether Doudou really did something wrong, I shouldn't treat him in this way.

Just now...it seems like I have been fascinated...

Seeing that Doudou refused to come over no matter what, she got up and walked in front of him, squatting down.

"I wronged you..."