The Strategy of Love

Qin Huan ran out of the Duke of Anguo's residence that moment, truly intending to run away from home. He didn't want to be a descendant of the Duke of Anguo's family anymore; being a descendant was too exhausting, as he would have to fulfill the marriage agreement with Ling Hua.

That woman Ling Hua was not human at all. When she was young, her insides were as black as they could be. She had many ways of tormenting people, and this time, she must be tormenting him and playing him again. He shouldn't have believed that she wanted to call off their engagement.

After all these years, she had played him so many times, and yet, how could he still believe today that she wanted to call off their engagement? If she wanted to break off the engagement, with her abilities and the Ling Family's status, she would have done it long ago; even her grandmother clinging on wouldn't be of any use.

He was too naive!

He was really too naive!

Ling Hua was just so-called training him, making him obedient, not allowing even a single thorn to prick him, following her arrangements.

He felt both angry and hateful, convinced that being a prodigal son was simply inadequate. Whether or not he was ambitious, Ling Hua would not let him go; he had to get far, far away, leave the Capital City, making Ling Hua unable to find him. If he never returned, he could escape from Ling Hua's devil's clutches.

The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed, so after he left the Duke of Anguo's residence, he ran towards the city gates.

After running for a distance, he remembered he had no money, and without money, he couldn't run far.

Thus, he stood in place for a moment to think, then changed direction and ran to Marquis Duanjing's residence.

Yan Qing had the habit of taking afternoon naps, and moreover, he could sleep for an hour or two at a time, usually not waking until the sun was slanted to the west.

That day, after having lunch, he had just lain down when Qin Huan arrived.

Qin Huan, with his eyes red and swollen, was brought in by the butler. Upon seeing Yan Qing, the first words out of his mouth were, "Brother Yan, save me!"

Yan Qing: "..."

What's wrong with everybody? Did he look like a savior?

He sat up from the bed, sizing up Qin Huan. With his appearance, he looked as if he had been ravaged. He looked at him with disgust, "Third Brother Qin, have you been beaten by the old lady of your house with family discipline again?"

"No, she didn't have the chance to use the family discipline; I ran out already."

"It's not because of your house's old lady? Then who have you offended to end up looking like this?"

Qin Huan bit his lip, "My fiancée. I didn't offend her; it's her who's bullying me."

Yan Qing couldn't remember who Qin Huan's fiancée was for a moment, and he was too lazy to find out, "You're a grown man, and you're still being bullied by a woman?"

Qin Huan felt like crying again, "You also think it's shameful, right?"

Yan Qing was about to nod when he saw Qin Huan's tears about to fall, and he immediately changed his response, "Being bullied is just that, it's not a big deal, and it was by your own fiancée, not by someone else."

For the first time, Qin Huan heard this kind of argument and stared at Yan Qing in astonishment, "You... you're saying I should be bullied by her?"

Yan Qing nodded, "Yes, girls are delicate. You must have done something wrong, that's why she's bullying you. If you appease her, she won't bully you anymore."

Qin Huan: "..."

Appease Ling Hua?

He shuddered coldly at the thought and didn't dare to imagine further, "Brother Yan, please just save me!"

Yan Qing looked at him, "It's just comforting a girl, is it really that hard for you?"

"It is, that woman, she's not human, she's very wicked, you can't appease her with a mountain of gold and silver."

Yan Qing: "..."

He honestly reminded, "Your family doesn't have a mountain of gold and silver."

Since the old Duke of Anguo passed away, the family had been declining day by day, living off their past wealth.

Qin Huan felt embarrassed for a moment, but quickly looked at Yan Qing with tearful eyes pleading, "Brother Yan, you're right, so I have no other way, please save your brother!"

Yan Qing couldn't stand a grown man crying in front of him. Considering his fiancée must be having a rough time dealing with such a crybaby, he said kindly, "How do you want me to save you? Say it. If you don't say it, how can I save you?"

Qin Huan was overjoyed, looking at Yan Qing with excitement, "Brother Yan, are you willing to save me?"

Yan Qing looked at him, "Quick, say it!"

Qin Huan immediately said, "Lend me... um, ten thousand taels of silver; no, ten thousand might not be enough, make it... twenty thousand taels."

Yan Qing: "..."

He had thought his desperate cries for help were about some life-threatening matter. It turned out it was just borrowing money!

He looked at Qin Huan with a loss for words, "Are you sure if I lend you twenty thousand taels of silver, it will save your life?"

"Yes, definitely."

"Alright, write an IOU, and I'll have the accountant give you the silver right now," Yan Qing agreed readily, as in his view, anything that could be solved with money was not a problem.

Qin Huan was moved to tears, "I'll write it right now."

Since Yan Qing no longer fancied pens and ink, there was none in the room. Qin Huan, in his urgency, simply bit open his own finger and wrote the IOU on a silk handkerchief.

Yan Qing watched him in astonishment, "That's... an IOU, right? Not a blood oath, right?"

"It's an IOU." Qin Huan quickly finished writing and handed it over to Yan Qing. "Brother Yan, have a look, is it correct?"

Yan Qing didn't take it but glanced at it, "Yes, it's correct."

After he looked at it, he instructed Duanyang, "Put it away!"

Duanyang came forward and silently took the blood-written IOU and placed it in a box.

Because of his young marquis' generous nature, the box contained many IOUs, with amounts of three hundred or five hundred, and as high as one hundred thousand or eighty thousand, a thick stack of them. Yet one written in blood was truly unique and curious.

Yan Qing waved his hand, "Take Third Brother Qin to the accounting room to get twenty thousand taels of silver, go now."

Duanyang agreed, "Third Master Qin, please follow me."

Qin Huan gave a deep bow to Yan Qing, "Brother Yan, I cannot thank you enough for your great kindness. When your brother is living well, I will certainly repay you."

Yan Qing waved his hand nonchalantly, "It's not a big deal, no need for thanks. Just remember to pay me back when you have the money."

Qin Huan promised repeatedly and followed Duanyang to the accounting room.

The accounting room issued him twenty thousand taels of silver, and with the silver in hand, Qin Huan left Marquis Duanjing's residence, bought a horse on the street, and rode out of the city.