Do Not Offend the Reborn Wicked Wife-Chapter 85: Overthinking

"Brother Li, this is Laba porridge, uh..."

In the morning, as sunlight spilled in, Long Yue got up early, refusing to let Li Qingmu get up too. His body still needed care, especially in the biting cold of the morning, lest he catch a cold.

When Xiang Yin came in, he saw Long Yue sitting at the bedside, flipping through something that looked like a document, while Li Qingmu reclined comfortably against the soft cushion at the head of the bed.

"Cough..."

He felt a bit awkward, while inwardly pondering whether it was time to find a wife to warm his bed.

The Xiang family was a well-known merchant family in the area, wealthy, and by his age, he should have been married long ago. Families of equal social status had already come to propose marriage, but Father Xiang was keen on finding someone from a government family for him. However, in society, merchants held a lower status, and the families suitable in age looked down upon them...

Thus, Xiang Yin’s marriage was delayed.

"Thank you, Brother Xiang!"

Xiang Yin was still dazing at the serene scene of the couple when Long Yue got up to take the tray from his hands, which held two steaming bowls of Laba porridge, looking delicious. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Previously, Xiang Yin was quite afraid of Li Qingmu, respecting and keeping a distance as one would from a revered entity. But after hearing him talk yesterday, he realized that he had misunderstood him. Back then, if it hadn’t been for his decisiveness, not only his life but his entire family would have been doomed!

That’s just how people are, swinging from one extreme to another. As much as he had rejected Li Qingmu before, now he was that much closer. Being a young master of the Xiang family, he could have had a servant deliver the tray, but he insisted on doing it himself, showing sincerity.

Li Qingmu felt a bit awkward. Back then, he did have the heart to kill Xiang Yin, but due to his own injuries and needing someone to care for him, he spared him.

Now, a few words had made him his little brother...

Indeed, Xiang Yin was quickly becoming Li Qingmu’s little brother.

When he came to deliver the Laba porridge, he also brought a document.

"This is the content you wanted me to find about the Rebellion of the Seven Princes from back then." Xiang Yin watched Li Qingmu take it and carefully comb through it, unable to resist asking, "This matter caused such a stir back then, with so many deaths. Why did you want me to find this?"

Please don’t screw me over!

"Preparedness averts peril."

"Preparedness averts peril?"

Xiang Yin felt uneasy about the situation but still instinctively asked, which resulted in uncovering the issue.

Li Qingmu looked up, speaking slowly: "Brother Xiang, if someone wanted to harm you, what would you do? Would you passively take the hit, or strategize?"

"Does that even need to be said? Naturally, it’s the latter... What? Someone wants to harm you?"

Xiang Yin wasn’t stupid; quite intelligent, in fact. It’s just that compared to Li Qingmu, he seemed less so. Since Li Qingmu asked this, he sensed it.

"Yes! Brother Xiang, you probably don’t know of my origins? My father is Pang Wenzheng, Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. I am his eldest legitimate daughter. The strife in the families of the powerful is cruel, and I was the loser. I was framed by my sister and expelled from my home. Now, she’s trying to harm my husband too. This matter came about because I dragged him into it."

Mentioning this, Long Yue’s expression dimmed a bit. Perhaps in their previous life, discord in their marriage prevented her from acting ruthlessly, but this life...

"Yue’er..."

A gentle man’s voice reached her ears, his large hand lightly covered her small hand, and Long Yue felt a bit better.

Xiang Yin across was stunned speechless. He had only heard Li Qingmu had married a courtesan from the Capital City and felt pity; who would have expected a prestigious lady?

"So, you mean..." He pointed at the stack of documents, voice trembling, "The next battlefield between you two sisters lies in this stack..."

"That’s right! After yesterday, everyone knows my husband isn’t biologically from the Li family, so the question now is, who is he? Who are his parents? How was he adopted by the Li Family member back then? I know my sister too well; she’ll definitely make an issue of this!"

"So..." Xiang Yin’s gaze shifted to the document about the Rebellion of the Seven Princes, looking peculiar, "You’re not thinking your husband is a prince, are you?"

He thought Long Yue and her group had gone mad to consider that. Such a jackpot scenario, daring even to think!

"You’re overthinking!" Li Qingmu saw his disdainful look, shook his head speechlessly, wanted to speak, but was pushed back by Long Yue, so he continued sitting.

"The Rebellion of the Seven Princes was led by those three princes, the rest were just opportunists. Those three princes now, one is imprisoned in the palace, two were demoted to commoners, and the rest had their princely titles reduced but face no life threats. How could I be related to them? If I were, that sister of Long Yue’s wouldn’t dare touch me."

Xiang Yin was startled, feeling deeply ashamed after hearing Li Qingmu’s analysis. Indeed, if Li Qingmu were a descendant of those princes, it would be necessary to report it, and private handling would be defying the Imperial Family, causing more trouble.

"So..." Xiang Yin’s eyes turned, focusing on another document, "You suspect you’re a descendant of these criminals?"

"Thump!"

"Ouch!"

Xiang Yin clutched his forehead in pain, tearing up, and pointed at Long Yue, "Why did you hit me?"

"Just for your big mouth. How could my husband be a criminal’s descendant?"

"It’s just a possibility... Aren’t you guessing now?"

"It is a guess, but we can be sure he’s not a criminal’s descendant! Alright, what you need to do now is help us investigate if any merchants in the area encountered tragic fates 18 years ago, with families torn apart? Preferably someone matching my husband’s age."

"Do you think you’re one of those merchants..."

"Oh, just go investigate now! You’re best not to know how this is proceeding, for your own safety, but merely providing us some information is alright, understand?"

Xiang Yin, bewildered, nodded and left.

Li Qingmu watched his departing figure, his gaze deep, murmuring, "Xiang Yin is straightforward and sincere, not scheming, or he wouldn’t have been so frightened of me then. But this matter is too important for any mistakes, so it’s better he knows nothing!"

Long Yue said nothing, merely took out his swaddling blanket and delicately fingered the embroidered pattern on it. Suddenly, she discovered something, her expression changing, and even her breathing quickened.

"This is Gold and Silver Silk Embroidery... husband, this stitching is only seen in the Imperial Embroidery Workshop. Back then, my grandfather earned great merit, and the Emperor joyfully bestowed a Landscapes Embroidery, done in this very technique..."