A whirlwind marriage: The real heiress marries a warlord.

Cheng Tianxun's meeting lasted until very late that day.

Qin Yan ate dinner alone, took a short walk, and when she returned, the gardenia tree had already been planted.

She stopped and looked at it.

Sister-in-law Zhou was instructing the maid to sweep up the dirt next to them.

"The young marshal ordered them to be planted as soon as possible. The gardener said they should be planted at night, and a shed should be set up for shade during the day," said Sister Zhou. "The flower beds may be a bit dirty and messy these days."

"This is how you should plant flowers," Qin Yan said.

"This tree has a straight trunk and good natural growth, but it's a bit thin," said Sister Zhou. "The gardener said that if it's well cared for, its canopy will eventually cover the entire flower bed."

Qin Yan listened attentively.

"However, the gardener said that it's better for old flowering trees that are over ten years old to be thinner; if they are too lush, they will die if neglected," Zhou's wife added.

When left to fend for itself, conserve your energy and don't let the branches grow too thick.

"It's amazing that this tree can live on its own for more than ten years," Sister Zhou said with a smile.

Qin Yan said, "The cook also likes it very much; she often waters it with rice water."

She suddenly remembered the maid who managed the kitchen.

When Qin Yan was sick, she served him food, which was egg drop soup made with boiling hot rice water and sugar.

She gently brushed against the tree canopy.

"So, you've received a lot of care and support," she said softly.

Precociousness is a curse.

If Qin Yan hadn't started remembering things so early, and if she hadn't remembered her background, she wouldn't have lived in a cycle of expectation and disappointment, and she could have grown up more easily.

She went upstairs to sleep.

Cheng Tianxun returned to the guest room late at night and squeezed onto the small bed with Qin Yan.

He kissed her forehead.

The next day, the couple woke up very early.

"I think I can smell the fragrance of flowers," Qin Yan said.

Cheng Tianxun had already changed his clothes and was about to go down for training.

"I'll pick some for you," Cheng Tianxun said. "We'll tidy up the flower bed and plant some other flowers."

Qin Yan: "Plant camellias and roses."

"Alright, I'll tell Sister Zhou to talk to the gardener later," Cheng Tianxun said.

He went downstairs, and Qin Yan followed, still in her pajamas.

The gardenia tree I planted last night has already opened many of its buds.

After Cheng Tianxun finished his training exercise and went upstairs, Qin Yan was changing clothes in the master bedroom. On the dressing table was a crystal glass bowl containing pure white gardenias.

"It smells delicious," he said.

Qin Yan: "I thought you didn't like flowers with a strong fragrance. I'll bring some to the office later."

Cheng Tianxun: "Who said that?"

He walked over, his hand gently brushing across her skin and landing on her right arm.

The scars left from being attacked by royalist assassins at the military hospital have faded to just faint red marks after six months of applying medication.

The sleeves of her cheongsam reached her elbows, just enough to cover the scar.

Cheng Tianxun gave him a kiss.

Qin Yan: "You're covered in sweat, go take a shower first."

Cheng Tianxun: "Shall we shower together? It won't delay work, I'll be quick."

"I don't doubt you, but I have a meeting this morning, it's quite important. I can't be late," Qin Yan said.

She gently nudged him, and he put on his cheongsam, buttoning it up neatly.

Cheng Tianxun: "..."

He planned to do something mischievous, intending to wipe the sweat from his clothes onto her body.

Having used this trick before, Qin Yan turned around nimbly and arrived at the door, still holding the bowl of gardenias in her hands, without spilling a drop of water.

"Not bad," he said.

"You flatter me," Qin Yan said.

She went downstairs to have breakfast first.

Cheng Tianxun quickly went downstairs and saw the gardener building a trellis for the gardenias to protect them from the sun. They had just been transplanted and couldn't be exposed to direct sunlight yet.

Qin Yan, sitting at the table, was also watching, seemingly in a good mood, though she didn't smile much. Cheng Tianxun could tell whether she was in a good or bad mood.

She wore a plain white cheongsam with bamboo patterns, and a gardenia was pinned to the lapel, which looked perfectly natural.

When Cheng Tianxun looked at it a second time, Qin Yan asked him, "Do you want it?"

"Where else? On the uniform?" he asked.

Qin Yan: "These days, gentlemen wear flowers in their suit pockets. I've seen Lin Chuan wear roses with his handkerchief; it looks quite nice."

"He used hair oil and perfume. I copied him, and before I even joined the military government, the warlord broke my leg," Cheng Tianxun said.

Qin Yan: "...That makes sense."

After the meal, the couple went out together.

Qin Yan leaned closer and placed a gardenia in the lower pocket of his military uniform.

can not tell.

It didn't really mean anything; I just wanted to share the fragrance of the flowers with him.

Cheng Tianxun: "Thank you, Madam."

He added, "Come back early today."

"I won't deliberately drag things out; I'll come back as soon as I'm done," Qin Yan said.

She turned and left.

Cheng Tianxun arrived at the Governor's Mansion early, before the meeting was scheduled to begin. He first went to the main building to see his mother.

The warlord's wife said to him, "Your birthday is in a few days. I'll have your clothes and shoes sent to your villa later."

He then asked, "Are you celebrating your birthday in the city this year?"

He was there some years; some years he was at the garrison or the military academy, it's hard to say.

His birthday celebrations were very simple; he would have a meal with his parents. For breakfast, his mother would ask the kitchen to cook him a bowl of noodles.

He only briefly visited the governor's wife; otherwise, he was forgotten.

"I'm not a child, it's not like I'm having a birthday party." Cheng Tianxun said dismissively. "I'm in the city this year, but don't make a fuss. I don't want to come over so early in the morning."

He moved to the villa after he got married.

Last year I stayed at my post, and this year I'm too lazy to come back for longevity noodles.

"I'll call Qin Yan and ask her to instruct the kitchen to make it for you," said the warlord's wife.

Cheng Tianxun thought that Qin Yan probably wouldn't die.

Such experiences weighed heavily on her, and her birthday must have been a calamity.

Why stab her in the heart with your own problems?

"Don't hit him," Cheng Tianxun said seriously. "Not everyone likes celebrating their birthday."

She repeated, "I'm a grown man now, not a child. Don't send me clothes and shoes, I can't wear them all."

It's a bit awkward to celebrate birthdays now that he's grown up. Let's wait until he turns fifty to celebrate his birthday.

The warlord's wife, who disliked trouble, immediately agreed: "As you wish."

The mother and son changed the subject.

During the morning meeting at the Governor's Mansion, Cheng Tianxun mentioned Liu Jinyao.

"If he simply refuses to negotiate, what's the point of him coming here?" Cheng Tianxun asked.

Many high-ranking officials glanced at him with surprise.

If I remember correctly, Cheng Tianxun and the Xiang family were not opposed to peace talks; in fact, they were quite enthusiastic about them. They just disagreed with reducing the number of troops.

The warlord's attitude toward this matter was also very ambiguous. Whether it was for training troops or something else, the purpose was simply to gain more.

"Being able to talk means there will be no war. Nobody wants to go to war right now," said Governor Cheng. "As for the North sending him, they obviously have ulterior motives."

Cheng Tianxun: "Nobody wants to go to war. My grandfather said before that unification would be a good thing, but if the north doesn't give up its plans to restore the monarchy, then there's no point in talking."

He also said, "Restoration is something we cannot participate in."

People have differing opinions on this matter.

Those in power are more dependent on the old system, knowing what they can gain from it; new warlords may be more interested in a new democratic government because they cannot get a share of the old benefits.

The main reason for the unwillingness to negotiate was the reluctance to reduce the military; however, the idea that restoration would not cause any harm was that Governor Cheng believed.

He couldn't share these thoughts with his son; he could only tell them to his confidants.

Governor Cheng thought Cheng Tianxun was simple-minded, fashionable, and naive, so he didn't bother to say more: "You don't need to worry about this matter."

When asked about the situation in the areas under Cheng Tianxun's jurisdiction.

After Cheng Tianxun finished reporting on official business, during the lunch break, he privately said to the warlord, "How about we invite Liu Jinyao to go to the opera?"

"What's wrong?"

"Ask him what the North intends to give us. If they want peace talks, the first step is to sow discord between us and the Xiang and Qin families. The conditions offered to the three families will definitely be different."

We should talk to him first, maybe we can find out what he's thinking; then we can have Cen Yan talk to him again, and get something out of him.

"Let's also see what cards he's up his sleeve and who's backing him up," Cheng Tianxun said.

Governor Cheng pondered these words carefully and nodded slightly: "Not a bad idea."

He added, "I'll have someone arrange it."

When Cheng Tianxun turned his face, his eyes were cold and sinister.