The Female Supporting Role Shows Out

Chapter 77: The God of War (23)

It was not Lin Qing's intention to stay in the capital to get married. If the great empress hadn't threatened him with her life, he would have fled back to the frontier at night. But he didn't expect that the bride he married would be more unhappy than him. She refused to perform the wedding rituals nor to drink cross-cupped wine. Instead, she just sat on the edge of the bed and cried. Her makeup was ruined, and her eyes were swollen. She refused to listen to any advice. 

His sister was attacked by an assassin and fell into a ravine, and her whereabouts were unknown. Lin Qing felt depressed. How could he have the mood to get married? He didn't want to sleep with the bride, so he took a few quilts to the study room. The two were official husband and wife, but in fact, they were like strangers living in the same house. 

It has been like this for half a month; the great empress couldn't stand it anymore, so she made it clear that she wanted the both of them to consummate. As long as the bride was pregnant, Lin Qing was allowed to go to the frontier to fight, and they would never force him to do anything else. Furthermore, no matter the baby was a boy or a girl, they would help Lin Qing raise the baby, which could also be considered carrying on the Lin family line. 

Lin Qing was tempted by the condition. That night, he went back to the bridal chamber with his quilt. Unexpectedly, the bride, who had been quiet for a few days, began to cry again. This time, she cried even more sadly than last time. Her servants were all around her. They seemed to be persuading her, but in fact, they blocked Lin Qing from getting close. 

No matter how stupid Lin Qing was, he could see something wrong. "Are you unwilling to marry me? He asked in a low voice. 

The bride stopped crying for a moment. 

Lin Qing sighed, "Although your family has been destroyed, you still have the noble title. You also can be regarded as the earl's daughter. It's really unfair for you to marry into the Lin family. I understand the situation of my family. All the men of my family had died on the battlefield, and now I am the only one alive. Although my sister is talented, her life and death were uncertain. Whereas I'm incompetent to handle the affairs, nor to support the Lin family. If you marry me, you not only can't enjoy the glory and wealth but also have to suffer with me. If I ask you to bear a child, what will you and the baby do when I leave?  

Tears welled up in Lin Qing's eyes as he thought of his mother's hard work to raise him and the current situation of the Lin family. 

The bride gradually stopped crying, but she didn't look at him. Instead, she tightly grabbed the hem of her clothes. 

Lin Qing saw her reluctant behavior; he waved his hand and said, "Forget about it. I won't hurt you. If you really don't want to marry me, I will send you back. Now the border is in an emergency state, and the Wei Kingdom is in danger. All the nobles in the capital are determined to go south. At this time, no one will care about your marriage and divorce. You can find another good man in the south. " 

After going through so many ups and downs, Lin Qing became permissive. He took out a writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone, and slowly wrote a divorce letter. 

Seeing his reaction, the bride couldn't help but say a few sincere words, "I refuse to marry you. If the great empress hadn't given my father twenty-two thousand gold as the dowry, and my mother was a stepmother, who didn't care about me, I wouldn't have married to you." 

Lin Qing shook his head and said, "I know. There are rumors spread that whoever married into the Lin family would be a widow.  It's said that she should be a widow as soon as she entered the Lin mansion. How could a family with quite a fine background cheat her daughter in such a way? It took the great empress more than half a month to find someone like your situation. She finds that you had a greedy father and a cruel-hearted mother. You are also pity. I will give you some more silver coins, and you secretly take them to the south. Don't let others know. I will die on the battlefield sooner or later. I can't let you suffer. " 

The bride waved her hand and said, "No, no, no. I can't take the money. You just send me home." She still had a brother with her stepmother. It was a long way to the south. She didn't know if her stepmother would take the opportunity to hurt her brother. Besides, she had someone she likes. No one knew her background when she went to the south. She could persuade her father to get her married again. 

In the end, Lin Qing still gave her a bag of money to signify the end of this relationship. The great empress disagreed with their decision, but there was nothing she could do. If his grandson refused to sleep with her, she couldn't force his grandson by drugging him. 

When the bride was sent home, the five Hu allied army and the Western army were engaged in a fierce battle in the frontier. Although the battle news hadn't been reported, all the nobles in the capital were ready to flee. It was known to all that once the border's gate was breached, with the speed of the Huns' cavalries, it would only take seven days to enter the capital city. They didn't dare to imagine how many people would die in the seven days. 

The great empress couldn't swallow her anger and insisted that the family return the dowry. 

Twenty-two thousand gold was not a small amount. If they went to the southern land, they could use it to set up a family business. How could the family be willing to return it? So, they quarreled with the great empress on the spot. They scolded them for being lonely and widowed with no descendants. They also rebuked them for the bad karma they deserved. They chastised them for whatever it was unpleasant. 

The great empress was so furious that she almost fainted. She swung her dragon head stick and was about to hit them. Lin Qing gritted his teeth secretly and regretted that he shouldn't have given the bride a bag of money. If he had known that her family could be so impudent, he would have never been such a kind person! 

The bride didn't help either side but knelt on the ground and kowtowed. For the sake of her younger brother, she would never go back to the Lin family. If the Lin family was still as prosperous as before, it didn't matter for her to be a widow. After all, the Lin family was powerful and could protect her brother until he grew up. But now, the Lin family had nothing but a useless Lin Qing. So when the Huns came and attacked, Lin Qing would definitely be left to guard the capital by the emperor and left to die.

She knew the nature of the Lin family very well. Even if everyone in the capital went to the southern land, they would not flee. It would be better to divorce than stay and wait for death. The more she thought about it, the sadder she cried. Her desperate expression made many passers-by feel pity for her. They couldn't help but speak for her, "Forget it, old lady. Don't you know what's going on in your family? Why do you have to drag her into this? " 

"Yes, you shouldn't have come to propose marriage. You've made up your mind to widow her. Shouldn't that reasonable to give her that much dowry?  

"Y'all had gotten married, and you've taken all the advantages, then suddenly divorce and ask for the return of dowry? That's too rude of you! Do you think the Lin family is still as good as before? You can pick any fine girls in the capital? It's good enough that she is willing to marry you. Don't push your luck.  

Seeing that everyone was on the side of her family, the bride's stepmother became more arrogant. She pointed at the great empress and said, "Today, I'll tell you the definite answer. We won't return the dowry, and we'll take her away. You can do whatever you want. We're not afraid of being reported to the emperor!" After today, even the emperor would escape to the south. Who cared about these petty things? 

As the saying goes, one will be bullied when one is out of power. Sooner or later, the Lin family will all die. What benefits can one get by helping them? It was better to add insult to injury. More and more people spoke for the bride with such a sinister intention, which made the great empress almost faint. Lin Qing was so regretful that he wanted to draw out his sword and kill them. 

He just didn't want to drag her, but he didn't expect that he would hurt his own family. He was indeed good-for-nothing. If only he could trade his life for his sister's life, how great would that be? With the presence of her sister, the Lin family would not be humiliated to such an extent. 

The more Lin Qing thought about it, the angrier he became. He put his hand on the hilt of the sword and was about to kill, but a fast horse passed through the street like an arrow and shouted all the way, "Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me. The battle report from eight hundred miles! A great victory at the frontier! A great victory at the frontier! " 

The crowd burst into an uproar and made way for the envoy to pass unimpeded. 

Lin Qing couldn't care about anything else; he rushed to the roadside and asked loudly, "Is it true that there is a great victory at the border?" 

The envoy refused to talk to him, but he couldn't help but pull the reins and slow down when he saw the great empress. He said excitedly, "It's true! General Lin Dan led a herd of wild horses at that critical moment and suddenly appeared from the rear of the five Hu allied army. She not only barged through the enemy array but also beheaded the leaders of the four clans. She also caused Mo Xiao injured severely and defeated the Huns! General Lin Dan is currently leading the Western army to encircle and suppress the remnants of five Hu joint armies on the grassland. In short, the Wei Kingdom is saved! The great empress, General Lin Dan, ordered me to send you a letter. You quickly go back. After I will go to your mansion after I visit His Majesty "As he spoke, he had galloped away, leaving only a burst of laughter. 

 Upon hearing the envoy's words, the great empress immediately put out her anger and said anxiously, "Hurry up, let's go home! I want to wait for my dear granddaughter's letter! " 

Lin Qing's depressed face disappeared in a split second, and he shouted at the street, "My sister is still alive, and she won! Did y'all hear that? My sister has won?" After that, he laughed out loud as if he was crazy. The passers-by didn't dare to say a thing anymore. Instead, they looked at the Lin family with awe and gratitude. 

Lin Qing roared a few more times, feeling very happy. At last, he didn't even look at the bride's family and hurried back with the great empress. The lady of the Lin family immediately felt relief and stopped worrying. Although they tried their best to hold back, they still laughed all the way back. They were so happy that tears shed from their eye. 

The passers-by made way for them. After they walked far away, they only shouted in joy, "The Wei Kingdom has won. We don't have to flee! Go home and tell everyone! " 

In the blink of an eye, the street full of people became empty. The bride was still kneeling on the ground, with tears on her cheeks. There was no sadness on her face, but as if she had seen a ghost. Her father and mother had been proud and arrogant a moment ago, but now they were trembling. 

Now that Lin Dan was back alive and had made outstanding merit, how would the emperor reward her? As soon as they thought of this, they collapsed to the ground, and it took them a long time to get up. They quickly ordered someone to send back the twenty-two thousand gold along with the bride. 

This time, the bride no longer cried but was very cooperative. But unexpectedly, the door of the Lin family was closed, and she was not allowed to step in again. For her brother's future, she kneeled at the entrance to apologize. Several servants knelt with her and whispered, "Miss, after all, Lin Dan is a woman. Even if she has made military merit, her future is limited. Are you sure you want to be back?" 

"She can't be conferred the title, but Lin Qing can substitute her." The bride explained in a low voice. Lin Dan was a woman, the emperor wouldn't give her a hefty reward, but His Majesty will not treat the Lin family shabbily due to the rules. The merit of the battle would naturally fall on Lin Qing. Lin Dan is in charge of the battle, while Lin Qing enjoys the military merits. The bride would, of course, be a noblewoman and not a widow. So, why not? If she had known that marrying Lin Qing would have such benefits, she would have never divorce! 

Just as the bride was regretting, she saw several eunuchs rushing into the mansion with the imperial edict. A short while later, a few more palace guards ran over, put on ladders, took down the plaque with written "Lin's Mansion", and replaced it with the black gilded plaque written "General of Peacekeeping's Mansion". 

There was a flash of ecstasy in the bride's eyes. Then, she quickly asked, "Sir, is it that Lin Qing has been conferred the title of General of Peacekeeping?" 

"Who is Lin Qing?" Several guards said thoughtfully, "Now General Lin Dan has been conferred the title of General of Peacekeeping and knighthood by the emperor. Don't kneel here and block the way. There will be someone from the palace delivering the rewards later. They would step on you, so be careful." 

The bride was stunned. After being driven far away by the imperial guards, she muttered in a trance, "In the Wei Kingdom, can a woman also be a general and a knighthood? What kind of era is this?"