Quarrel on day 1 (part-1)

"My granddaughter," he said, enunciating every word, "has made considerable sacrifices to uphold the will of the Emperor. The least you can do, as her husband, is not bring disgrace upon her or this family. I expect you to fulfill your duties and not roam the capital, fool around with the girls like you once did. The Qin Clan might not care about their discipline but we do."

The words struck Qin Wei like a slap, sharp and public, though cloaked in calm dignity.

His face twitched faintly. For a second, he wanted to retort, but he forced a neutral expression.

"Understood," he replied flatly, bowing his head once more. "I will not shame Li Xue or the Li Clan."

Li Wenshu didn't respond immediately. He simply looked at him for a moment longer, eyes still unreadable.

Then, with a small nod, he waved his hand.

"You may go."

Roulan bowed, and Qin Wei followed suit before quietly turning to leave. As the two exited the room, the tension in Qin Wei's shoulders only eased a bit.

He let out a muted sigh and turned to Roulan, who walked just a step behind him, her presence as composed as always.

"So… who's next?" he asked, keeping his voice low.

Roulan glanced up at him with her calm, ever-neutral expression. "Normally, we would proceed to pay respects at the Patriarch's chamber. However, the Patriarch is currently away on official clan business."

Qin Wei raised an eyebrow, not sure whether to be relieved or wary.

"Then?"

"We will visit the next in the hierarchy," Roulan replied. "Lady Xue's young uncle, Li Roujin."

Qin Wei nodded faintly. Another round of forced smiles and veiled insults… perfect.

Meanwhile… at the distant Buddhist Temple nestled on Mount Ping'an.

The interior of the Jingxin Temple was quiet, filled only with the sound of wind chimes and the rustle of wind brushing past golden prayer banners. The faint aroma of incense lingered in the air, giving the space a tranquil holiness.

Inside the prayer hall, Li Xue sat cross-legged in front of a large, ancient Buddha statue, draped in saffron robes and aged by centuries.

Her bridal hairpin still tucked into her bun, she seemed oddly out of place amid the serenity, still in her wedding attire, but enveloped in a cocoon of divine light.

At her front stood Monk Kong Jian, his palm glowing with golden radiance as it hovered over her forehead.

Ancient Sanskrit verses whispered softly from his lips, too ancient for most ears to decipher. His expression was solemn, focused, his entire being emitting a faint, otherworldly divinity.

Li Yujin, Li Xue's father, stood quietly nearby with his hands behind his back. Though he didn't interrupt, his eyes rarely left his daughter's pale face.

As the golden light faded, the monk withdrew his hand, and the divine aura dissipated into sparks of gentle warmth. The sealing process was complete.

"It is done," Monk Kong Jian said, his tone kind but firm. "The seal has been restored."

Li Xue opened her eyes, blinking away the golden haze. She quickly got to her feet, then bowed deeply, palms pressed together, and said:

"Junior thanks Master Kong Jian for your mercy."

The monk gave a gentle smile. "It is not a great deed. But I must ask, what happened? Why did the seal crack?"

Li Xue hesitated, her brows furrowing. "I… don't remember. I was sleeping, and then… it was like something snapped inside."

The monk frowned slightly, stroking his long prayer beads.

"The seal only breaks when the host is under intense emotional stress… or when the alternate self forcefully tries to surface. It's rare. You must maintain your composure, especially during emotional moments. Continue your sutra practice and meditation, child. Calmness is your shield."

Li Xue nodded obediently, though her gaze flickered with uncertainty.

Standing to the side, Li Yujin's expression darkened in thought. He looked at his daughter for a long moment before glancing toward the great Buddha statue.

"Was it really just stress…? If so, why? The wedding? Or was it Qin Wei? Could my daughter truly have felt so anxious on her wedding night that the seal cracked…?"

A small frown formed on his lips as the thought lingered. Then his gaze sharpened, his expression resolute.

"No matter the reason… this marriage must succeed. I'll need to intervene personally to help them bridge the gap."

With that, he stepped forward to thank the monk.

Back at the Li Clan Estate…

Qin Wei followed Roulan down the winding stone pathway to move to his next destination to serve the tea.

As they approached their destination, Roulan lowered her voice, glancing sideways at him. "Young master… You should be cautious around Elder Roujin."

Qin Wei raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What sort of caution are we talking about? The kind where he uses words or weapons?"

Roulan didn't smile. "Both are possible. Elder Roujin has a tendency to lash out. He… doesn't take kindly to disruptions or incompetence."

That made Qin Wei squint his eyes. "Hmm… by the way, I don't seem to recall this person. He was absent at the wedding, right?"

Roulan gave a soft nod. "Indeed. Elder Roujin rarely attends clan functions. He was actually a former Imperial Commander, a veteran of the wars against Western Chu and Beique. His achievements are quite legendary… but the bloodshed was too much, to the point it affected his mind, drove him insane."

Her tone grew more subdued as they continued walking. "As a result, he was forced to retire. Since then, he's preferred wandering the wilderness to staying within the clan. He finds people… difficult to bear."

Qin Wei folded his arms and muttered, "Sounds like someone who'd stab you for breathing too loudly."

"Yeah, that's accurate to describe him. And by the way, he also has a son," Roulan added quickly, as if changing the subject. "Li Shimin. He is just like you, not a cultivator, but quite capable of handling the clan's commercial affairs."

"I remember him," Qin Wei said with a nod. He shot her a sideways glance. "What's he like?"

Roulan opened her mouth to reply, but her answer was cut short as they rounded the corridor into the courtyard and stumbled upon a scene.

In the middle of the spacious, well-manicured courtyard, a young servant was kneeling on the cold stone tiles. His arms were trembling under the weight of a dozen thick account books, his cheeks swollen and red, one clearly bruised from a previous slap.

Standing over him like a storm cloud was Li Shimin, dressed in an elegant but simple dark-blue robe, sleeves rolled up slightly in frustration. "I gave you an entire night to check the statements," he snapped, voice like a whip. "Twenty-two account books. You only managed to go through four or five?"

He slapped the servant again, right across the already reddened cheek, leaving behind a crisp palm print.

"And then you dare to doze off here? In broad daylight? Do you take me for a fool?!"

The servant stammered, trying to speak through trembling lips, but Shimin didn't give him the chance.

With a snarl, he grabbed one of the ledgers and slammed it against the boy's head, pages fluttering with the impact.

"Say it. Say you're a useless loser! Say it!"

Thwack.

"Are you deaf now too?! Huh? Say it!"

Thwack.

"You fuc*ing loser, you can't even count beans without falling asleep…!"

Qin Wei's eyes darkened at the brutal scene unfolding before him. His fists clenched by instinct, the suppressed frustration of the morning boiling over as the repeated thwack of ledger against flesh echoed in the courtyard.

"Stop."

His voice rang out, sharp and cold, slicing through the tension like a sword.

Roulan, taken aback, gasped. "Young master, don't…"

But Qin Wei wasn't listening anymore. He strode forward, each step heavy with intent.

Li Shimin's hand froze mid-swing. "Hmm?"