Chapter 333: Feeling Pressured

As soon as Li Qing’an returned to the mansion that evening, he immediately sensed that something was wrong. Everyone avoided him like mice avoiding a cat, turning and running away. Usually at this time, his wives would be gathered in the side room, chatting happily while waiting for him to return for dinner—a scene of great harmony and joy. But now, there wasn’t a soul in the side room, and he couldn’t even smell the aroma of food.

He wandered around the side room, which was cold and desolate. With no choice, he stepped outside. Just then, he heard a “click” behind the door. Turning around, he saw a young maid coming out, trying to sneak away.

Li Qing’an acted quickly, grabbing the maid’s arm. “Don’t run!”
“Master, I don’t know anything. Please let me go!”
“You must know something. Tell me the truth—what exactly happened?” he demanded fiercely.

The maid, helpless, glanced around before whispering, “Madam Mingyue and Madam Wuyi had a fight today. It’s serious! I heard they even fought physically, and Madam Wuyi’s face was scratched.”

Li Qing’an was shocked. Had Mingyue and Wuyi fought? What on earth was going on?
“Hurry up and tell me why.”
“I don’t know the reason either. I only know they fought, and it was quite fierce.”

Li Qing’an felt a headache coming on. The very thing he feared the most had finally happened. He knew there was a hidden conflict between Mingyue and Wuyi. Wuyi had always resented his marriage to Mingyue; she had deliberately avoided attending their wedding. Her resentment stemmed from her unwillingness to share her husband. Love was selfish, and having grown up in a musical environment, Wuyi was emotionally delicate and sensitive. Her unfortunate background and years of living under someone else’s roof had made her proud and aloof.

Li Qing’an understood all this, so he felt somewhat guilty toward Wuyi and loved her even more. Yet he needed Mingyue to support the household, and he also cared deeply for her. Now, the conflict between Wuyi and Mingyue had erupted. He was eager to know the reason.

After thinking for a moment, he said to the maid, “Go quickly to the backyard and tell Third Madam that I’m waiting for her in the study. Tell her to come right away.”

Third Madam was Rushi. If Li Qing’an wanted to know the truth, he could only get it from her.

In a moment, Rushi hurried to Li Qing’an’s outer study. Although she ranked third in the household, Rushi was his most trusted wife. He knew that if anything happened to him in the future, the only one who would not hesitate to die for him was Rushi. It was precisely because of his absolute trust in her that he entrusted her with cleaning and organizing his most private study.

But now he was in the outer study and didn’t dare enter the inner residence until he understood the situation clearly.

As soon as Rushi entered, she said with a wry smile, “Has Elder Brother already heard?”

“I only know they had a fight. But tell me why and to what extent.”

Rushi sighed. She first poured a cup of hot tea for Li Qing’an and handed it to him before reluctantly saying, “It’s actually about Yunu.”

“Yunu?” Li Qing’an was stunned. He suddenly remembered what Mingyue had told him that morning—that Yunu wanted to become his concubine. He had been somewhat tempted; there was no denying Yunu was beautiful, and he wanted to marry all the beautiful women in the world, which was also undeniable. Could it be that Mingyue and Wuyi had disagreements over Yunu becoming his concubine?

He had planned to quietly ask Wuyi that night whether Yunu would agree to be his concubine. But before he could ask, trouble arose, which made Li Qing’an feel guilty. He quickly asked, “Explain clearly. What exactly is the issue with Yunu?”

“Sister Wuyi found a family for Yunu but made the decision without Mingyue’s consent. Mingyue got angry and went to argue with Wuyi. They ended up arguing because they couldn’t reach an agreement.”

Rushi then recounted in detail what Mingyue had told her that afternoon, concluding, “Actually, Yunu is just a pretext. The real issue is the power struggle between Mingyue and Wuyi—whether Mingyue can control Wuyi’s affairs.”

It was indeed the root cause. Li Qing’an sighed. Of course, he knew Mingyue should be in charge of Wuyi’s affairs, but he had privately told Wuyi that she could make her own decisions. He had always tried to mediate between them. Now, the conflict had erupted. But that Colonel Zhao actually wanted to marry Yunu—did he have the audacity? Did he not know that Yunu was Wuyi’s dowry maid? How could a dowry maid get married outside the family? This made Li Qing’an even angrier, as if the conflict between Mingyue and Wuyi wasn’t caused by him but by that damned Colonel Zhao.

“Elder Brother, how do you plan to handle this? I mean, whose side are you leaning toward?” Rushi asked anxiously.

Personally, Ru Shi favored Wu Yi, as she had spent more time with her, and Wu Yi’s tragic background made her seem similar to herself—both orphans. Moreover, Ru Shi had taught her to play the piano. But logically, she supported Ming Yue, as the mistress, she should be in charge of all matters in the household. Thus, she believed Li Qing’an’s attitude was the most important.

Li Qing’an couldn’t help but sigh. It was hard for an honest official to resolve household disputes—whose side could he take? He loved both women, or rather, he couldn’t afford to anger either of his wives.

“To what extent have they argued? I heard from the maids that Wu Yi’s face was scratched.”

“Who’s stirring up trouble behind the scenes?”

Ru Shi replied irritably, “Brother, do you really think that? They are both ladies of status and refinement. Would they argue like street women? They’re just speaking a little louder and more firmly. Remember, ‘three people can create a tiger.’”

“Hmm! ‘Three people can create a tiger’—a good phrase. Ru Shi, you’ve really improved!”

Hearing her husband’s praise, Ru Shi felt delighted. But the shadow of the two wives’ argument quickly dampened her joy. Worried, she said, “Brother, what should we do?”

Li Qing’an was at a loss. He glanced at Ru Shi, then pulled her close and said with a smile, “Ru Shi, I’ll leave this matter to you.”

“To me?” Ru Shi was shocked. She quickly pushed him away and said, “No! No! How can I handle their affairs, especially those of the chief wife? Interfering with her will only invite trouble, and I might get kicked out of the house.”

“What are you thinking? You’re both my wives. There’s no reason to kick any of them out.”

Li Qing’an quickly reassured her and explained with a smile, “It’s not that you have to take charge of them. I can’t step in directly. Just try to persuade them to calm down first. Tell them I have a lot of work and am under great pressure, and ask them to be more understanding. That’s the gist of it. Think about it yourself!”

Ru Shi nodded silently. Suddenly, Wu Yi’s voice came from outside, “Lord Li, may I come in?”

Startled, Ru Shi turned to leave through the back door, but Li Qing’an held her back and pointed to the inner room. Understanding, Ru Shi opened the back door first and slipped inside. Seeing her careful nature, Li Qing’an nodded in approval.

“Come in!”

The door opened, and Wuyi entered the study. She cried all afternoon, lamenting her unfortunate fate. Gradually, she calmed down and regained her sense. She realized she was at a disadvantage in the dispute with Mingyue, but she refused to yield to her. She knew well that if she did, she would lose all autonomy in the future, and she didn’t want that to happen. Her only reliance now was her husband, Li Qing’an, from whom she hoped to find some comfort.

Li Qing’an carefully examined Wuyi’s face. Though there were no signs of scratches, her eyes were red, clearly from crying. Seeing her husband, Wuyi felt extremely aggrieved. Her eyes reddened again as she turned away, covering her mouth and sobbing. Li Qing’an felt heartache and quickly pulled her into his arms, comforting her, “It’s just family members arguing. It’s normal to have disagreements; it’s no big deal. Don’t be so upset.”

He took Wuyi’s hand and sat her down, smiling. “I already know what’s going on. I really think it’s not a big issue. As long as you can understand each other and compromise, things can be resolved. Take Yunu’s marriage, for example. Emotionally, she’s like a sister to you, so it makes sense that you should decide her marriage. But after all, Mingyue is the mistress of the household. You need to consider her face, especially in front of others. If she ignores everything, how will others view her? How will she be able to manage others in the future? She’s in a difficult position too. So discuss it with her, give her face, and then I’ll have her respect your decision. That way, you won’t argue like this.”

Wuyi lowered her head. Her husband’s earnest advice made sense, both emotionally and logically. She knew she had been a bit disrespectful to Mingyue. Though she understood this, women are after all emotional beings, often lacking rationality. She was also afraid that Mingyue might use Yunu’s matter as a pretext to gain an advantage. Once she gave in, she would be at a disadvantage in everything.

Although she could ignore Mingyue’s face, she couldn’t ignore her husband’s. She wiped her tears with a handkerchief and said through sobs, “You can decide about Yunu’s marriage. Only you can handle my affairs. I’ll listen to you, but aside from you, I won’t follow anyone else’s orders. Li Lang, you know how many years I’ve spent in my uncle’s household. When have I ever bowed my head? If I had, those malicious people would have taken advantage of me long ago, and I wouldn’t be your wife today. This is my bottom line. You need to understand me.”

Li Qing’an understood that Wu Yi was also making concessions—she meant that if Mingyue had any requests, they could be conveyed through her, and she would accept them. However, she couldn’t accept Mingyue giving her direct orders. Li Qing’an sighed inwardly; he knew Wu Yi was extremely stubborn and prone to getting stuck in her own ideas. These were the only concessions she would make. There was no need to rush this matter; it required gentle persuasion. With that in mind, he said, “How about this? Reject General Zhao’s proposal for now. I don’t really like him. Wang Changling also told me that he’s notorious for flattering others and isn’t someone worthy of Yu Nu entrusting her life to.”

Wu Yi understood Li Qing’an’s intention—that Yu Nu’s marriage matter needed to be put on hold to avoid further conflict. In fact, after Mingyue spoke, she realized she had acted too hastily, making a hasty decision without fully understanding the Zhao family’s situation. It was indeed inappropriate. She had intended to delay things, but Li Qing’an was firm in his request for her to reject the marriage proposal. She could only nod and say, “I’ll follow your advice. I’ll reject the proposal tomorrow.”

At that moment, Mingyue’s voice came from outside the door again, “Husband, may I disturb you for a moment?”

Li Qing’an was startled and quickly pointed to the side door, signaling for Wu Yi to step aside. Unexpectedly, Wu Yi remained seated motionless, showing no intention of moving. With no other choice, Li Qing’an decided to mediate in person and reluctantly said, “Come in!”

Mingyue pushed the door open and entered, smiling. She had just heard from her maid that her husband had returned, so she rushed over. But as soon as she saw Wu Yi, her smile vanished. She inwardly snorted, “The villain sues first!”

She also entered and sat down on the other side of Li Qing’an, smiling and saying, “Husband, you haven’t had dinner yet, have you? I’ve already instructed the kitchen to prepare it—it will be ready in a while.”

“Hehe! I’m not hungry yet.”

“You still need to eat, even if you’re not hungry. How about this? I’ll have them bring the food to the west courtyard. Won’t you be staying there today?”

As she spoke, Mingyue glanced at Wu Yi, implying to Li Qing’an that although she had a quarrel with Wu Yi, she wouldn’t compromise her principles—everything would remain as it should be.

As for Wu Yi, despite having already conceded by agreeing to reject the Zhao family’s proposal and being willing to accept Mingyue’s arrangements through Li Qing’an, a woman’s heart is unpredictable. In front of Li Qing’an, she was willing to say anything and make concessions. But when faced directly with Mingyue, all her willingness to compromise vanished instantly. She curled her lips and said, “Insincere and pretentious!”

Mingyue’s face suddenly turned red, the anger in her heart flaring up again. She stood up abruptly and glared at Wuyi, saying, “Explain clearly to me! Where am I being hypocritical or pretending? Have you taken my tolerance and kindness for granted?”
Wuyi also stood up and retorted unyieldingly, “Did I say something wrong? Li Lang was originally planning to come to my place tonight. But after you said that in front of me, how would he dare to go? By saying that, you’re clearly telling him not to come to my place tonight.”
Mingyue trembled with anger. “Great! What an unreasonable woman! I’ve really seen it today.”
“Hmph! You don’t need to worry about who I am. I’m straightforward—I say what I think. Unlike some people who speak sweetly but have different intentions in mind.”
“Enough!”
Li Qing’an shouted softly, angrily saying, “Stop arguing!”
Seeing their husband angry, both women sat down, turning their backs to each other, sulking and silent.
Li Qing’an, however, couldn’t say a word. How could he speak? There was no clear right or wrong in this matter. It seemed like Wuyi was at fault, but not really. Li Qing’an still held some ideas from later generations in his heart. He didn’t want Wuyi to lose herself, nor did he want her to give up her personality and freedom. But Mingyue wasn’t wrong either. According to the rules, Mingyue had the right to manage all household affairs and could even drive Wuyi out of the mansion. But she didn’t do that, showing her tolerance and generosity. Li Qing’an looked at Mingyue then at Wuyi, caught between them. It wasn’t the time to take sides; this wasn’t the moment for reasoning.
Suddenly feeling tired, Li Qing’an waved his hand and said, “Go back first! I need to handle some official matters.”
That sentence worked better than anything else. Both women knew household affairs couldn’t interfere with official duties. They stood up together and headed for the door, walking a bit too quickly. Their shoulders bumped, and they glared at each other. Wuyi then turned and left through the side door.
The room fell silent again. Li Qing’an lay listlessly in the rattan chair. At that moment, he felt that the conflict between his two wives was even harder to resolve than those in the Great Tang Dynasty. Just then, Rushi came out of the inner room and gently stroked Li Qing’an’s hair. Li Qing’an took her hand and pulled her into his arms. Rushi didn’t try to persuade him; she curled up on him like a cat. After a while, Rushi whispered, “Big brother, stay at my place tonight!”

Li Qing’an shook his head and smiled bitterly. “It’s not right to stay at your place, and I can’t explain my situation to Wu Yi either. I’ll spend the night at the government hall! If I stay at home, who knows how they might torment me tonight?”
Ru Shi nodded, understanding his feelings, and said with a smile, “Then let’s leave after dinner.”
“Good! Bring the food here; I’ll leave after eating.”
Li Qing’an quickly had dinner in the outer study before returning to the government hall, where he had a bedroom.
……
The government hall covered a large area, consisting of over thirty buildings. Just like in Chang’an, officials would come to work at dawn and could go home in the afternoon. By now, it was already dark, and the government hall was quiet, with only a few windows still lit—those belonged to officials who were busy working overtime. Teams of fully armed soldiers patrolled for security. Li Qing’an’s office was located on the east side of the government hall, not in the center, in a building covering five mu of land. It wasn’t very large, with only about twenty rooms, serving as his office along with those for his aides and clerks, as well as rest rooms for his personal guards. A wall surrounded the building, just like the other structures. The building was built on a foundation of roughly ten feet high, made of tightly fitted huge stones. The building itself was also constructed from massive stones. It didn’t look impressive from the outside but was extremely sturdy. There was also a basement beneath the building, used to store important items.
The civil officials had all gone home, and only Li Qing’an’s room in the government hall was still lit. His office consisted of four rooms: outside were areas where clerks sorted through documents, while inside were three connected rooms. In the middle was his office, to the left was the war room, equipped with a huge sand table that covered the entire Anxi region, and to the right was a small room with a bed and bedding, serving as his temporary resting place.
At that moment, Li Qing’an sat behind his desk, reclined in a large chair, pondering ways to resolve the conflict between Wu Yi and Mingyue. After much thought, he could think of no better solution than allowing time to cool down and ease their differences. Of course, he could assign them tasks so they wouldn’t spend their time dwelling on trivial matters at home, but that was only a temporary fix. In fact, Li Qing’an had thought of the best solution: having children. If both of them had children, their relationship would become much better. It seemed he needed to find a renowned doctor to address his own fertility issues. He hadn’t paid much attention to this before, but now the problem of having descendants was becoming increasingly urgent.

Li Qing’an was lost in his thoughts when suddenly a noisy commotion came from outside the door. Frowning, he asked, “What’s going on?”
One of his bodyguards peeked outside the gate and said, “It seems it’s that Byzantine princess who has arrived.”