Chapter Forty-Four: A Year's Appointment

  "Du Niang, does your father know that Tong Zhen's downfall was my doing behind the scenes?" Qin Kan asked nervously.

  He couldn't help but ask, that time in order to ruin the wedding, he set up a large group of people, his methods were a bit excessive, and he got into a fight with Young Master Xiao, which was considered to have blown over, but if Du Hongruo knew the truth, it might not be able to blow over, after all, they weren't just ordinary people.

  Destroyed his daughter's marriage, and with the people fighting against the officials, he pushed the whole family down, exiling them for thousands of miles, making the young master a pawn, causing the pawn to be beaten without knowing why... All these added up, if Du Hong knew, it was impossible not to sentence him to death after autumn. Although he could become the prefect thanks to Qin Kan's efforts, he was ultimately too sinister and in the eyes of officials, Qin Kan was a typical evil commoner.

  Du Yan snorted with a smile and gave him a sideways glance, this glance was charming and intoxicating.

  "Do you know what it means to be afraid now? Are you scared that I'll beat you up? What were you thinking when you were being so reckless back then?"

  Qin Kan took a deep breath.

  Listen to this old woman's nonsense, who was being unreasonable and lawless for in the first place?

  Good people can't do it, I knew I should have just watched her jump into the fire pit, she wouldn't dare to jump and I could have pushed her from behind for free...

  Du Yan saw Qin Kan's expression was not good, so she softened her tone and said: "My father only knows that you eloped, the things that happened afterwards, only we and Xiao Gongzi know the truth. Xiao Gongzi has returned to Nanjing and doesn't have a relationship with my father, he won't tell him..."

  Qin Kan slanted his eyes and looked at her: "Don't you know?"

  "You don't even believe me?" Du Yan's eyebrows rose, just about to get angry, but then seemed to think of something and her face flushed with a layer of red, as she said shyly: "If you really don't believe me, why not... why not marry me? If I'm married to you, I'll be a member of the Qin family, and even if I die, I won't betray you..."

  Qin Kan's face turned gloomy and he said coldly: "I've only heard that dead people won't leak secrets..."

  …………

  …………

  "Qin Kan, it seems like you don't want to marry me?" Du Yan said with a hint of resentment.

  Qin Kan sighed: "Big sister, your father now can't wait to take a knife and kill me, do you think I can marry you?"

  "That can't be wasted, you won't go and chat with my dad, say some pleasant words to him, let him swallow this breath, between us there might be a possibility? Now the whole Shaoxing city knows about me and you... apart from you, who else will marry me? My dad must also understand this point, just waiting for you to come and apologize first..." Du Yan glared at him hatefully.

  "If your dad asks when we started... uh, hitting it off with each other, what should I say?"

  "Familiarity breeds affection, I'm so stupid!"

  "Hah! What a joke! I've never had a day off, what emotions! You old hag, don't bully me, or we'll meet in court!"

  Sitting in the main hall of the provincial governor's mansion, Qin Kan's expression was very painful, with bruises on his waist from being pinched by Xiaobabao.

  He came to the government office not to propose marriage, but to apologize.

  The Tong family was exiled, and the marriage naturally didn't need to be mentioned again. However, it was a fact that Du's daughter hadn't been married off yet, and she had indeed been wronged by Qin. A weak scholar without any achievements dared to harm so many people, and Du Hong must have had a strong desire to get rid of him quickly.

  Qin Kan wanted to make a living in Shaoxing, he wanted to earn silver and buy a big house, buy beautiful maidservants, to achieve these lofty ambitions must have a prerequisite, that is, absolutely cannot let the governor of Shaoxing produce this unpleasant strong emotion, otherwise, there will be no tomorrow.

  Qin Kan gritted his teeth and went to their doorstep.

  One must have backbone, can't bow to evil forces, but Du Zhifu isn't an evil force, he's an official, a white way mixed with black, and under the pressure of a certain evil force, Qin Kan may have to call him "father-in-law" in the future. Unfortunately, this father-in-law currently wants to kill his son-in-law the most.

  Inside the hall, Qin Kan sat for a long time. Du Hong seemed to be intentionally punishing him. An hour passed, and the Magistrate was still nowhere to be seen. The inner hall had only Qin Kan sitting alone, while the Du family's maid refilled his tea three times. The good Longjing tea before the rain now tasted even more bland than plain water.

  Just as Qin Kan was holding back a belly full of water, hesitating whether to withdraw halfway to solve the problem, some deliberate coughing sounds came from behind the screen in the inner hall. Du Hong, wearing a blue round-necked casual wear with a group flower pattern, walked out slowly and calmly.

  Qin Kan quickly stood up and bowed deeply: "Late-born pays respects to Master Prefect."

  Du Hong gave him a sideways glance, let out a heavy hum, and didn't even ask to be excused, then sat down in the main seat in the hall, slowly sipping his tea. Only then did he say slowly: "Qin Kan, you made quite a scene the other day, not bad."

  Qin Kan smiled dryly, he knew this sentence was definitely not praising him.

  "Governor Du, I have made a mistake and come to apologize to Your Honor today."

  Du Hong sneered: "Why apologize? What have you done wrong?"

  Qin Kan really wanted to say that he didn't know what he did wrong, not only didn't mind the two hundred taels of silver owed by the Du family, but also kindly rescued his daughter from suffering... If Mr. Du is still a human being, he should sincerely praise me a few words and return the silver I lent him with interest...

  If he says this out loud, Du Hong will rush into the kitchen and grab a knife?

  Qin Kan, fearing death, could only force a bitter smile and say: "I was young and impulsive, the whole city knows that the Tong family's reputation is too poor. I and Miss Du are... close friends, and I couldn't bear to see her suffer for the rest of her life, so I urged her to take action against the marriage. I have let down your expectations and nurturing, sir, and I especially apologize to you."

  Du Hong's mouth curled up in a strange smile: "Close friends, good friends? This is your current relationship with Yan'er, right?"

  Qin Kan's forehead was sweating profusely.

  This is a difficult question to answer, isn't it? A commoner like him daring to have designs on an official's daughter, Du Hong would chop him with a knife, right? He disappointed Du Yan's deep affection, and with Xiao Ba Po's temper, she would also chop him with a knife...

  With the two knives pressed against him, Qin Kan suddenly felt that when he first crossed over and was hung from the beam, he shouldn't have struggled to survive. He should have just died like that, it would be much more peaceful than dying now.

  "Miss Du's beauty is renowned throughout the land, as radiant as a peach blossom. She is virtuous and talented, suitable for both family and marriage..." Qin Kan rummaged through his mind for words to praise her.

  Du Hong's old face turned red, he was very clear about his dear daughter, saying that her appearance was still passable, but if she said "virtuous and virtuous, suitable for the house" it would be too far from reality, and boasting a bit shameless.

  "Cough, cough, alright, alright, Qin Kan, tell me, what's your relationship with Yan'er?"

  Qin Kan's mouth twitched slightly as he said in a low voice: "Time breeds affection..."

  "Huh?" Du Hong's eyes widened, and a faint air of authority condensed in the air: "You want to marry my daughter?"

  "Ah...” Qin Kan's face gradually turned red as he realized he was standing at a crossroads in life, one step heaven, one step hell.

  Behind the screen, Du Yan's pretty face emerged halfway, stealthily poking her head out. Seeing Qin Kan hesitating, Du Yan was both angry and tense, showing him a row of snow-white teeth. In her hand was an iron rod that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. The iron rod bent in Du Yan's hand, bending... finally twisting fiercely, a good iron rod was twisted into a complex iron flower by her.

  Du Yan quietly glared at Qin Kan with a fierce gaze, threateningly waving the iron chain in his direction.

  Qin Kan's eyelid twitched and he wiped away cold sweat, saying: "Yes, I was rude. Indeed, I have the intention of marrying your daughter..."

  After finishing speaking, Qin Kan painfully closed his eyes, feeling limp all over, and erased the "beautiful concubine" from his grand ambitions in his mind.

  Saving one life is better than building a seven-story pagoda, so let's give this beautiful girl a way to survive...

  Du Yan nodded in satisfaction from behind the screen and flashed a charming smile at Qin Kan before disappearing.

  Du Hong stroked his green beard and nodded slightly: "So you came today to propose a marriage..."

  "Apologizing isn't making an offer of marriage..." Qin Kan said weakly.

  Du Hong's face was calm as he looked at Qin Kan, his heart filled with both anger and helplessness.

  On the day of Tong Du's grand wedding, Du Yan angrily hacked at the flower sedan chair in the midst of the bustling streets and ran far away hand in hand with Qin Kan. Everyone in Shaoxing City saw it, and the Du family had become a laughing stock and a cautionary tale among the common people. Nowadays, whenever there were families with daughters waiting to be married, their elders would inevitably lecture them, saying "Look at how Du Zhi's daughter behaved, you mustn't learn from her or else you'll spend your whole life being ridiculed..."

  As expected, Du Yan's reputation now resonates throughout the land, and in the future, which good family would still dare to propose marriage? A dignified official's daughter, a chaste and innocent girl, can't be someone else's concubine, right?

  Du Zhifu looked left and right, and apart from Qin Kan, this good-for-nothing fellow by his side, it seemed that there was no other choice for his daughter's husband.

  Governor Du looked up, sighed alone and tears fell...

  He let out a long sigh, and Du Hong said in a deep voice: "Qin Kan, my daughter may be a bit unruly, but she is also from an official family. The Du family has been officials for four generations, with the highest position being the Deputy Minister of Rites in our ancestors' time. We are a proper scholarly family that values poetry, books, etiquette and rituals..."

  Qin Kan didn't know what Du Hong meant by these words and nodded silently in agreement.

  "I'm not a person who cares about wealth and property, but Qin Kan, marriage is a serious matter that can't be taken lightly. I don't care about your current situation, but that doesn't mean I won't care about your future. My daughter has been pampered by me since she was young, never going hungry or cold. Do you think I would marry my precious daughter to someone who is useless, with no prospects, no power, no wealth, and destined to a life of poverty?"

  Qin Kan looked up at him and gradually understood Du Hong's meaning.

  Du Hong stroked his beard and continued to sigh: "My daughter is already seventeen years old, she's not young anymore, the marriage can't be delayed any longer..."

  Qin Kan didn't know Du Yan's real age until now.

  Hmph, only seventeen years old, what did he eat when he was young to grow so tall... In the future, I'll ask Master Du to write down his diet, perhaps it's another path to wealth.

  Du Hong raised a finger, saying slowly: "One year, Qin Kan. I'll give you one year to prove yourself as someone with prospects. One year later, come back to my house and let me see if you have the qualifications to marry my daughter. If you're still as useless as you are now..."

  Du Hong's face suddenly turned cold and stern, his voice also rose a lot: "If you are really a useless person, I would rather let my daughter be lonely for the rest of her life than marry her to you. At worst, I will earn enough money and property to make her live a comfortable life, and support her for the rest of her life!"

  Qin Kan hastily bowed his hands: "Yes."

  I will never be complacent in the future!

  "May I ask, Lord Du, what level is considered 'having a future'?"

  Du Hong stroked his beard and smiled: "This is for you to decide yourself, after a year, think carefully about it, if you feel qualified to come to my house, then come, but if you can't even satisfy yourself, do you think I'll be satisfied?"

  Qin Kan nodded.

  It's not Du Hong's fault, but rather the universal desire of all parents to see their daughter marry well and live a good life. In this era where only academic achievement and official rank are valued, who would give their precious daughter, a young lady from an official family, to a weak and sickly scholar without even a Xiucai degree? Just think about Tang Yin, that negative example - wasn't he once the champion of the imperial examination? Now his name is known throughout the land, and countless scholars and beauties fawn over him. Yet, his wife, whom he married in childhood, couldn't bear their impoverished life together and eventually abandoned him.

  The rice, firewood, oil and salt in life can't be replaced by a few famous poems.

  Du Hong did not want Qin Kan to be the second Tang Bohu, and even more did not want his daughter to spend her whole life in distress with a poor scholar.

  Qin Kan not only understood Du Hong's kindness but also had a kind of reverence for him, with paternal love as deep and firm as a mountain.

  The mountain and water screen behind the hall was slightly trembling, Qin Kan took a glance, and his mouth corner lightly smiled.

  Duyan, are you also moved for your father? Cherish him, before he gets old, cherish him well.

  "Master Du, I have accepted your challenge." Qin Kan adjusted his clothes and hat, and bowed deeply to Du Hong.

  Du Hong's eyes flashed with a hint of complexity, and he sighed: "Qin Kan, the one-year deadline is short, you must seize the time, don't let me and Yan'er down."

  "Late birth will not disappoint adults, within a year, there must be achievements."

  Du Hong nodded in satisfaction, a faint smile flashing at the corner of his mouth.

  With a surge of emotions, Qin Kan walked out of the government office, and as the cold wind blew, his boiling mind calmed down. He turned around to look at the majestic stone lions at the gate, and suddenly felt an urge to cry.

  I just came to apologize and make amends, why... out of nowhere, did you decide on a lifelong matter?

  As he recalled Du Hong's sinister smile at the corner of his mouth when they parted ways, Qin Kan stood in front of the government office, stunned for a long time, and finally let out a deep sigh.

  Got taken advantage of!

  Du Hong is not showing off his skills, but he can sit in the position of a city's governor, it's not just because of luck, this old fox has real power, and he's not inferior to Qin Kan when it comes to scheming against others.

  At the moment of utmost grief and indignation, Xiaobabu hastily slipped out from the side door of the government office, grasped his shoulder and giggled repeatedly, her excited face blushing with red glow.

  Qin Kan knew that this was the excited color of a fierce beast after catching its prey, and next he should consider how to make his move.

  "Haha, Qin Kan, I knew it, I knew you'd be willing to marry me!"

  Qin Kan sighed dejectedly: "In the end, I still can't escape your grasp..."

  Du Yan didn't hear Qin Kan's mournful cry, and continued to giggle: "Quickly say, did you like me a long time ago? Otherwise, why did you agree to marry me, and agreed so readily in front of my father?"

  Qin Kan's face sank as he said, "I see that the young lady has a clear and bright appearance, with a refined and extraordinary bone structure. Moreover, she possesses an upright and dignified aura. I plan to take her back home and make her part of my family's ancestral tomb after a hundred years, using her as a guardian against evil spirits. Isn't that acceptable?"

  It's almost 12 o'clock now. Please remember to cast your votes before going to sleep... Otherwise, I'll haunt you in your dreams...