Chapter 27: The Virtuous Merchant

Chapter 27

The Virtuous Merchant

"Nie Shuang..."

Song Qilin kissed her soft lips again, looking at her with adoration. Seeing the intense gaze in his eyes, Nie Shuang felt a bit shy. If she were truly a fifteen-year-old girl, she might have been swept away by the moment. But she quickly reminded herself not to lose sight of her main goal—venturing out into the world, exploring the ancient times, and building her own business empire.

He cupped her face, their noses touching. Though she wanted to look away, she couldn’t. His gaze was too penetrating. When her face flushed red, Song Qilin smiled.

"Nie Shuang, honestly, we make a good match, don’t you think?"

His deep voice was full of charm. Wanting to break the awkward atmosphere, Nie Shuang suddenly shouted,

"Let go! General, don’t you have duties at the military office today? Abandoning your responsibilities like this isn’t proper."

Seeing her flustered, he sat down on the chair, pulling her onto his lap and holding her close.

"Nie Shuang, these past few days I’ve had a special carriage built for you. When we travel far, it won’t be too hard on you. I’ve also arranged a house for you at the border so you’ll have somewhere comfortable to live as soon as we arrive. Since you’ve come to see me today, I won’t keep any secrets. I plan to move up the departure date. It’ll just be you and me traveling together. As for Yuelan, if she doesn’t marry in this lifetime, so be it. What does that have to do with me? Father will probably be furious, but it’s his fault for promising without asking my opinion first."

He spoke with a booming voice, full of joy, as if envisioning a future with just the two of them. Suddenly, Nie Shuang felt like crying.

"You don’t have to do this. Your parents love you deeply; how could you bear to disappoint them?"

"I’ve never disappointed them before. I’ve always made them proud. But with you, I’ve felt guilty for the first time in my life. Just like you once cursed me, in my whole life, I never knew how to lose. I’ve always been so straightforward, often clashing with those in the royal court. I hold a high status, adhering to righteousness, never needing to consider anyone’s feelings. But those people—they use any means necessary. After I exposed them, they lost their benefits and retaliated by sabotaging the military provisions. It was the two hundred thousand soldiers who suffered. I’ve never faced such a disgrace before. Even though I had to accept your father’s help, I still felt ashamed and defeated. That’s why I harbored anger toward both him and you. I grew up never being scolded or doing anything I regretted. I thought I was flawless. If it weren’t for your harsh words snapping me out of it, I don’t know how long I would’ve continued thinking I was perfect."

At this point, he laughed.

"You’re the only one who dared to scold me. You’re the first person to show me my flaws."

"Good that you know..."

Nie Shuang said, sticking out her lower lip and lifting her chin proudly. He smiled at her, his voice taking on a playful tone.

"Next week, let’s run away together!"

Wait—what!? Wasn’t the original plan three weeks away!? And besides, they were already married by tradition. Why would they need to elope!? What about the agreement she had with the Hou?

"General! You can’t do this. What about your parents? What about the Chen family? What about your two concubines? You can’t just abandon them all like this."

"If I weren’t backed into a corner with no other choice, I wouldn’t do this. Mother will understand me. As for Father, he started this, so he’ll have to finish it. As for the two concubines, if they don’t wish to stay, they can leave. I never had any real relationship with them. I only took them in to provoke you,"

He confessed shyly, then chuckled. Nie Shuang felt like she was about to lose her mind.

What was she going to do...? She had already accepted the Hou’s money...

But she was a virtuous merchant. Breaking a deal wasn’t something she could ever do.

"General...oops!"

He covered her mouth.

"Call me dear husband, or just call me Qilin if you prefer. We’re husband and wife; there’s no need for such distant titles."

Nie Shuang turned to face him, her expression serious.

"Qilin, you don’t need to do this. Don’t expect too much from me. I’m just a merchant. I’m not as virtuous as you think. I’m like my father—I only know how to seek profit. It’s not too late to turn back. If you entrust your heart to me, you’ll only end up regret it."

"I won’t regret it! Nie Shuang, I’ll be stationed at the border for many years. I can’t leave you behind here. In the past, I never thought I wanted anyone by my side. But you—you’re the only one who made me feel this. I’ve come to realize that I don’t want you to have other men, so I should treat you the same. We’ll have only each other. I won’t take anyone else."

Although his words touched Nie Shuang, she knew their paths were different. He had his duties, while she had her dreams. How could they walk the same road? Even though he was sincere today, sharing all his plans, it was unfortunate that she would have to betray his trust. Guilt weighed heavily on her, but she knew she had to play along.

"That’s wonderful! You’re going to be a great husband."

But to someone else... Perhaps to Chen Yuelan, the woman the Hou had in mind. Or maybe to someone else willing to follow him. By then, it wouldn’t concern her anymore. Nie Shuang’s eyes stung with unshed tears, but she forced them down.

"It’s almost noon. Let’s go eat, and you can tell me more about your escape plans."

So, I can tell the Hou...For the first time, Nie Shuang felt conflicted about keeping her promise in business, torn by the guilt weighing on her conscience.