A whirlwind marriage: The real heiress marries a warlord.

When her mother-in-law invited her out, Qin Yan had to go out, so she handed the seal to Ling Manyun.

She told her, "If there's anything I need to do this morning, please take care of it for me. I probably won't be going back to the office today."

"Socializing?"

"My mother-in-law is treating us," Qin Yan said.

Ling Manyun: "Of all the jobs in the world, being a daughter-in-law is the hardest. Go ahead, don't worry about the newspaper, I'll take care of everything for you."

Qin Yan asked her, "Where did you buy those cookies you bought last time?"

"Downstairs. The foreign firm diagonally across the street." Ling Manyun only showed it to her.

Qin Yan then went downstairs.

She first went to the trading company and bought a box of biscuits and a box of chocolates. After that, the governor's wife's adjutant arrived.

The coffee shop where I was treated was in the north of the city, close to the International Settlement and also close to the office of the warlord's wife.

It's a huge park. As you drive in, behind the artificial lake, flowers, trees, and shrubs, there are Western-style buildings and tennis courts.

The café is hidden deep within the shadows of flowers.

"I rarely come here," Qin Yan said to his adjutant.

"Even getting a cup of water here requires official status; ordinary people don't come here," the adjutant said with a smile.

Qin Yan nodded.

indeed so.

The second floor of the café was empty, and the warlord's wife was sitting by the window, reading a newspaper.

It happened to be Qin Yan's "Vernacular Times".

She praised her a few times.

Qin Yan presented a box of cookies and chocolates.

The coffee was served, and the warlord's wife opened the box and ate some cookies: "They taste good."

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law get along well.

Qin Yan asked her, "Did Mother call me here because the young marshal suddenly returned to the city?"

"Did he tell you?"

"He was in a meeting until very late yesterday, and before going to bed we talked about buying a new house. He didn't have time to mention why he came back to the city," Qin Yan said.

The warlord's wife put down her coffee cup and sat up straight: "Tao Heng colluded with politicians from the north who had stepped down and were temporarily residing in Tianjin, and opened a smuggling route."

This supply line is extremely profitable, mainly in arms. Tianxun had previously suspected that the base was located in Suzhou. His men were astute and uncovered this supply line.

Tao Heng was a division commander in the military government.

His daughter, Tao Jingxin, was the eldest daughter-in-law of the warlord and the young mistress of the eldest son, Cheng Tianrui.

"No wonder the people at the old mansion were so nervous after the young marshal took control of Suzhou, even going so far as to attempt an assassination," Qin Yan said.

No wonder the two brothers in the old house in Suzhou refused to back down and insisted on fighting Cheng Tianxun for control of the area.

The interests of the people living in the Cheng family's old house are intertwined; they are branches and leaves on the same vine, sharing the same nutrients.

"Mother, what are the warlord and the young marshal's plans now?" Qin Yan asked again.

The warlord's wife said, "Tianxun wanted to make this public and eradicate this cancer; the warlord felt it was a family matter and there was no need to make a big fuss about it."

"If the water is too clear, there will be no fish." The situation is already like this; as long as Commander Tao doesn't betray the warlord's government, we can turn a blind eye.

Upon hearing this, Qin Yan understood why the warlord's wife had sought her out.

"What the warlord is considering is not the people's livelihood and the economy, nor even the 'cleanliness' within the warlord's mansion, but rather the young marshal Cheng Tianrui," Qin Yan said.

That was the warlord's eldest son.

The warlord married at the age of fifteen and had Cheng Tianrui the following year; his first wife was gentle and considerate, and his son was smart and lively. He had experienced true family warmth.

After his first wife passed away, his eldest son stayed with his grandparents, while the warlord went to a military academy. Later, when the emperor abdicated and the country was in chaos, the warlord was busy fighting for power and had no time to care for his son.

I have a slight bias towards my first child; and I also feel guilty for missing out on his growth.

This time, it was Cheng Tianrui's father-in-law who got into trouble.

The warlord was certainly unwilling to investigate thoroughly, fearing it would implicate Cheng Tianrui. Regardless of whether it was related to Cheng Tianrui or not, the warlord wanted to exonerate his eldest son.

If he can take care of his eldest son, he will have to neglect his second son, Cheng Tianxun.

"Mom, is there anything you need me to do?" Qin Yan asked.

The warlord's wife: "You have always been perceptive."

She put down her coffee cup, waved the vernacular Chinese newspaper in her hand, and asked Qin Yan, "How are your connections in the newspaper industry?"

"I abide by industry rules and maintain good personal relationships with most of my colleagues," Qin Yan said.

"Spread the word about Tao Heng's smuggling," the warlord's wife said. "The bigger the commotion, the better. Of course, you must stay out of it, lest the warlord cause you trouble."

Fearing that Qin Yan would be put in a difficult position, the warlord's wife said, "I need reliable people to pave the way. I will cover the expenses."

She wrote a check for Qin Yan, "Here's ten thousand silver dollars. Use it to make things happen. Create some buzz, but don't overdo it."

Qin Yan took it: "Mom, don't worry, I'll handle it."

"I've always trusted you to get things done," the warlord's wife said.

Qin Yan didn't even have time for lunch and hurriedly returned to the newspaper office.

She made phone calls to several familiar club presidents.

Qin Yan personally wrote the newspaper article and had Ling Manyun draw a small picture of it.

These small illustrations are currently very popular in newspapers, and everyone loves to look at them.

It can be derogatory or metaphorical.

Once she had everything ready, she had someone throw it out.

Qin Yan was busy with this matter until after 7 p.m., ensuring that at least five newspapers, both morning and evening editions, would carry the content the warlord's wife wanted.

After finishing my work, I was so tired that my back ached.

Ling Manyun took out a cookie box: "How many more?"

Qin Yan shook his head: "Let's go home and have some wontons."

She got up and left.

When they returned to the villa, Cheng Tianxun had not yet arrived home, so Qin Yan ate first.

This schedule is so flexible that I get back very late every day.

Qin Yan was asleep when she vaguely felt someone kissing her.

She was so tired and weak that she turned to her side and said, "I don't want to."

The man stopped.

I kissed her right shoulder through her pajamas.

The bedroom was quiet.

The next day, Qin Yan got up early, and Cheng Tianxun went upstairs covered in sweat.

He went to take a shower first.

After breakfast, the couple sat in the small meeting room downstairs for a while.

Qin Yan told Cheng Tianxun about the warlord's wife's visit to her yesterday.

Cheng Tianxun: "My mother was very farsighted. The warlord did indeed intend to deceive everyone, spare Tao Heng's life, and shift the blame to Tao Heng's subordinates."

This wasn't for Tao Heng, but for the young marshal Cheng Tianrui. After all, Tao Heng was his father-in-law.

"There will be a lot of reports in the next two days," Qin Yan said. "The warlord is probably very afraid that public opinion will conflate him with the North."

Cheng Tianxun nodded.

The warlord's wife reacted quickly, and Qin Yan was efficient in his work.

Even if the warlord suspected them of being behind it, his wife could argue that it wasn't them, that they didn't have time. This was premeditated, a conspiracy by the royalists.

"...Push it to the royalists, then kick the fire chestnut back to the old house, and see if we can break up their 'alliance'," Qin Yan said.

Cheng Tianxun: "The warlord is not a fool."

"Whether he believes it or not is irrelevant. What matters is whether other high-ranking military officials believe it? What will the public think?" Qin Yan said.

Just like the secret of the second concubine in the old house, Cheng Tianxun handed it over, but the warlord refused to believe it, and no one else could do anything about it.

Poison swallowed will always have a backlash.

"Qin Yan, you've taken a risk this time," Cheng Tianxun said.

Qin Yan: "We are husband and wife, this is our duty."

Cheng Tianxun's gaze fell on her: "I didn't marry the wrong person."

He also wrote a check to Qin Yan.

Ten thousand silver dollars.

Tell her to buy some clothes to calm her nerves.

Qin Yan accepted it without any hesitation or refusal.

"Once this is all done, let's go to the hot springs. It'll be a relaxing end to the year," Cheng Tianxun said.

Qin Yan: "Aren't you going to Suzhou?"

"It's nothing serious, I'm just going to handle this. I'll finish it ahead of schedule and go back after the New Year," Cheng Tianxun said.

Qin Yan nodded.

As Qin Yan left the small meeting room, he felt a little disappointed.

Cheng Tianxun actually stopped leaving.

More than a year after their marriage, Cheng Tianxun spent the longest time in the city. After he left, Qin Yan realized that she wasn't actually very good at getting along with people.

She prefers to be alone in her bedroom.

However, she didn't say anything.

Marriage was her own decision, and she has to adapt to whatever the marital situation may be.