When they went back, the two n had finished their conversation. Long Yue wanted them to stay for dinner, but Su Shi said he had promised to dine with his grandma tonight, and they could discuss it another day.
Long Yue didn’t insist. After seeing them off, she went to the front hall with Li Qingmu to have dinner with her grandfather and brother-in-law.
At the dinner table, Long Yue noticed her brother-in-law A shao had one black eye and couldn’t help but look at her grandfather: "Grandpa, when it cos to training, it’s fine to go easy. Why push him to the point of exhaustion? Look at A shao’s left eye. Doesn’t it make you feel bad?"
"You silly girl, what nonsense are you spouting?" Cao Yin glared at her, angrily pointing at Cao Xiao, and scolded, "This little brat skipped class early in the morning, wandered outside, and ended up like this. Serves him right!"
"Dad, he’s already in this state, and you’re still talking like this. Have so conscience, will you..."
"You brat, still arguing with your dad? Want to be turned into a panda?"
Cao Yin slamd the table and waved his fist, threatening to punch again if his son dared to talk back.
Cao Xiao knew his dad’s temper and didn’t dare to complain further. He quickly shut his mouth and focused on eating.
The dinner table fell silent. Li Qingmu lowered his head and concentrated on eating. Cao Yin pointed at him and told Cao Xiao, "Look at your nephew-in-law, much more well-behaved than you, never causes trouble!"
"When he makes a fuss, you don’t even know!"
"Hey, you little brat, still daring to talk back? I’ll beat you to death!"
"Ah, help, help—Dad, I was wrong, I was wrong, ouch—"
The room erupted into chaos, almost overturning the dinner table. Long Yue finally understood why Li Qingmu was silently eating and saying nothing.
"Boom!"
With a loud crash, the table was overturned, dishes, bowls, and cutlery were shattered all over the floor, and wine and food were scattered everywhere.
"Burp!"
Li Qingmu burped, patted his full belly, and looked quite satisfied.
Long Yue’s eyes widened as she glared at her husband, finding him quite infuriating in his current state.
I’m not full yet! Why are you so stuffed? What’s the matter?
The man leaned in with a sly smile and handed Long Yue a at bun, "Saved this one for you!"
His warm and magnetic voice whispered in her ear, and Long Yue’s face involuntarily flushed as she gave him a playful glare.
"Crafty and tricky!"
Long Yue gave him that remark, but Li Qingmu nonchalantly touched his nose and then they both looked at Cao Xiao being chased and beaten by Cao Yin.
Half an hour later, Cao Xiao appeared before Li Qingmu with two panda-like eyes.
"Xiao Mu, you’re not being fair, watching get beaten like this?"
Li Qingmu sat at a stone table in the back garden, peeling walnuts for his wife, while Cao Xiao stood in front of him, so upset his eyes were bulging, wanting to overturn the table.
But it was a stone table, impossible to lift.
Li Qingmu looked surprised: "You know Grandpa’s temper. If I had tried to intervene, I would have gotten caught and beaten alongside, which would not have saved you and might have made things worse for you."
Cao Xiao listened and realized that was reasonable, so he let go of his resentnt for Li Qingmu not helping. He crossed his arms and muttered, "You said playing cuju over there was fun, so I went, but then I got beaten up. You need to avenge !"
"Who beat you?"
Long Yue found the situation suspicious and couldn’t resist glancing at the man beside her, seeing his calm expression made her even more curious.
"Who else? The Wang Family!"
Cao Xiao looked outraged as he recounted being beaten, "I just wanted to play cuju with them, but they tead up to fool and then beat up with sacks over my head. It’s despicable!"
"Why did they beat you?"
Long Yue felt there was sothing shady here; why would soone beat another for no reason?
Noticing Cao Xiao’s evasive deanor confird her guess. Still, why did Li Qingmu have that mischievous smile?
"I won, defeated them completely, and they felt humiliated, so they ganged up to beat . Hmph, the Wang Family is just shaless and despicable! I will never play with them again!"
Long Yue smiled comfortingly at him as Cao Xiao continued to gripe, only then calming down.
After finishing the walnuts, they took a walk and then returned to their room. As soon as they entered, Long Yue dragged him inside.
"Spit it out, what are you really thinking?"
Her brother-in-law Cao Xiao was playing with the Wang Family and ended up getting beaten. Long Yue, using her woman’s intuition, felt it had sothing to do with Li Qingmu.
Li Qingmu touched his nose: "Nothing much."
Long Yue looked at the man, her face slightly cold, showing so anger.
Cao Xiao is her brother-in-law, her grandfather’s most treasured youngest son. Despite his harshness and frequent beating, it’s out of disappointnt, and it’s evident he knows his limits.
But now, Li Qingmu intends to use her brother-in-law as bait, sothing Long Yue resolutely disagrees with!
Seeing his wife on the verge of an outburst, he remained silent for a while before speaking: "Really, it’s nothing. I only wanted him to scout out the Wang Family."
The General Mansion is in Hanlin Lane, and the Wang Family is behind them in Yulin Lane, not far apart, often encountering each other.
They’re neighbors, and as the saying goes, a distant relative is not as good as a close neighbor.
Good neighborly relations should be maintained, but the prerequisite is that the neighbors are decent to engage with; if they’re arrogant, there’s no need.
Long Yue furrowed her eyebrows, thinking carefully: "So you’re probing?"
"Yes!"
"My brother-in-law is lively and playful, loves ssing around, has no guile, making him the most suitable to probe them. Now it’s clear the Wang Family isn’t great, so what are your plans?"
"Wang Family is a large clan; the Wang Family in Yulin Lane is just a small branch. Wang Ren currently holds the position of Minister of the Ministry of Justice, a Sixth Rank official, which is neither high nor low, rely a useless position, hard to swallow yet painful to discard, so..."
"So, you’re planning to target Wang Ren?"
Over the past year and a half, Long Yue understood him deeply, so rely a hint let her predict the conclusion.
"Wang Ren is a man of the Third Prince, does this an..."
Just arrived in the Capital City, not yet officially taking office, and already aiming at the Third Prince, a fool or a madman!
Li Qingmu’s gaze grew deep as he spoke solemnly, "I’ve just taken office. It’s said that new officials should make three impactful moves. No matter how the upcoming examinations turn out, I must achieve sothing to ensure that those mocking won’t look down upon ! Besides..."
He suddenly turned, seriously looking at Long Yue, slowly walking toward her.
"Yue’er...actually, there’s another reason, I want...to stand up for you! Consort Xue dared to harm you, she must pay a price!"
The man’s words carried sharpness, and Long Yue was montarily stunned.
It’s actually...for ...
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