bigabreads Chapter 148 Second Brother held her hand and stamped her entire body with his seal.
Chapter 148 Second Brother held her hand and stamped her entire body with his seal.
On the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, we sweep the house.
According to the rules of the Great Zhou Dynasty, on this day, one must sweep away all poverty and bad luck from the house.
But for the eighteen villages surrounding the Langya Special Zone, this poverty can never be eradicated.
Because their grain bins were empty, their woodsheds were hollow, and even the old locust tree at the village entrance, which was used for feng shui, had been frozen and cracked open in several places.
As soon as it got dark, a heavy snowstorm broke out.
The doors to the Qin family council hall were unusually wide open.
Two rows of security guards, dressed in black uniforms and with rubber batons (actually hard objects wrapped in iron cores) at their waists, stood like two rows of iron towers in the wind and snow, expressionless and menacing.
Below the steps of the council chamber, a large, dark mass of people were kneeling.
Those were the village chiefs and clan elders of the surrounding eighteen villages, the "local tyrants" who once held absolute power and influence in this area.
At this moment, they were all hunched over, their faces blue and purple from the cold, clutching several old wooden boxes tightly in their arms as if they were their last lifeline.
"Master Qin... please inform him!"
The new clan chief of Zhao Family Village (who took over after the old clan chief died of anger) shouted in a trembling voice:
"We know we were wrong! We were blind before, we were foolish!"
"We're willing to hand over all the land! We just ask the Qin family... for a hot meal and some coal to burn!"
The cold wind howled, sweeping away his wails.
Half an hour later, their knees were almost numb from kneeling.
"Squeak—"
The heavy, vermilion door finally opened slowly.
A wave of heat, a mixture of the aroma of tea, charcoal, and a faint scent of sandalwood, surged out from the crack in the door, instantly dispelling the gloom and coldness at the entrance.
Chief Zhao greedily inhaled the warm air, which carried an air of wealth and luxury, and almost burst into tears.
This is what heaven tastes like!
……
Inside the council chamber, the underground heating system was burning brightly.
Hundreds of red candles, each as thick as a child's arm, illuminated the hall as bright as day.
In the very center, on the main seat, lay a huge, pure white tiger skin.
Su Wan was sitting lazily on the tiger-skin chair.
Today she wore a dark brocade robe with subtle patterns, the collar and cuffs trimmed with a ring of golden fur.
The somber and solemn black did not suppress her vibrant beauty; on the contrary, it made her small, delicate face appear even whiter than snow, and her lips as red as cinnabar.
She held an exquisite hand warmer in her hands, her eyelids drooping slightly, as if she were somewhat sleepy.
Qin Mo stood in the shadows beside her.
He changed out of his usual scholar's robe and into a well-tailored dark blue fitted robe, the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose gleaming coldly. He held a folding fan in his hand, but did not open it, only tapping it absently against his palm, making a chilling "tap-tap" sound.
"Bring it up."
Qin Mo spoke calmly, his voice clear and gentle, yet carrying an undeniable air of authority.
The eighteen village chiefs crawled in tremblingly, not daring to look up. They could only stare at Su Wan's exquisite embroidered shoes on the tiger skin, not daring to even breathe loudly.
"Mrs. Qin, Second Master Qin."
Chief Zhao crawled a few steps on his knees, raised his hands above his head, and presented the wooden box:
"These are the land deeds for 1,300 mu of fertile land in Zhao Family Village, as well as the indentures for all 300 households in the village..."
"It's all here."
Immediately afterwards, wooden boxes from Lijiacun, Wangjiazhuang, and other villages were brought up one by one.
These conservative forces, who once valued land more than their own lives, finally bowed their noble heads under the Qin family's absolute economic blockade and devastating blow.
Qin Mo did not reach out to take it.
He pushed up his glasses, his gaze casually sweeping over the musty, worn-out wooden boxes, a mocking smile playing on his lips—a smile characteristic of a refined scoundrel.
"A month ago, my Qin family offered double the price to buy the land, and you all wanted to break the legs of my Qin family members and throw them out."
"What's wrong?"
"Is the ground too hot to handle now?"
Chief Zhao was sweating profusely, his head hitting the ground with a series of thuds.
"Second Master, spare our lives! We were foolish back then! Now... now even if the Qin family doesn't pay us, we're willing to give them our lives! We just ask that the Qin family take in our villagers, let them work in the factory, and give them a full meal!"
Qin Mo chuckled lightly and ignored the group of stray dogs.
He turned around and looked at Su Wan, who hadn't said a word.
The coldness and arrogance he had shown when facing outsiders vanished instantly, replaced by an almost devout tenderness and a profound possessiveness.
"Sister-in-law."
He leaned down slightly, close to Su Wan's ear, his voice so low that only the two of them could hear:
"These people... they've brought their very lives here."
"This area, encompassing hundreds of miles, has a vast land, population, and abundant resources..."
"From now on, everyone will have the surname Su."
Su Wan felt a tickle in her ear from his warm breath. She turned her head slightly, looking at the mountain of land deeds on the table, and felt somewhat worried.
"So many... how can I possibly manage them all?"
"Moreover, these contracts only become effective after being stamped; my hands are about to fall off from stamping them."
She stretched out her soft hands, which she had been covering in the hand warmer, and waved them coquettishly in front of Qin Mo:
"Second brother, could you help me cover it up?"
Qin Mo looked at the pair of fair and soft hands in front of him, which seemed so delicate that they couldn't even bear the weight of a piece of paper.
His eyes darkened instantly, and his Adam's apple bobbed violently.
"How can such matters of power be delegated to someone else?"
Qin Mo shook his head, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
He bypassed the desk and went directly behind the large tiger-skin chair.
"Second Brother?" Su Wan was startled and instinctively wanted to turn around.
"Don't move."
Qin Mo placed one hand on her shoulder, firmly securing her to the chair.
Then, he bent down.
That tall, slender yet powerful chest pressed tightly against Su Wan's back.
He wrapped his arms around her body from both sides, completely enclosing her in his embrace, forming an airtight cage filled with the scent of books and sandalwood.
"Is your sister-in-law afraid of getting tired?"
Qin Mo rested his chin on the top of her head, his voice hoarse:
"It's okay."
"Second brother... I'm holding your hand."
As he spoke, he stretched out his long, jade-like hand and completely enveloped Su Wan's small hand in his palm.
Her hands were small and soft, only half the size of his palm. Holding them like that felt like a piece of warm jade being embedded in a stone.
"Come, take the seal."
Qin Mo led her hand to the sandalwood box in the corner of the table.
Inside the box lay a blood-red chicken-blood stone seal.
He carved it himself.
There is only one character above it – 【婉】.
"This is..." Su Wan looked at the seal in surprise.
"A New Year's gift for my sister-in-law."
Qin Mo held her hand and picked up the heavy seal.
The stone of the seal was cold, but Qin Mo's palm was burning hot.
Ice and Fire.
"Eighteen villages, 1,800 contracts."
Qin Mo guided her hand and pressed it firmly into the bright red inkpad.
The red ink, like rouge, stained the base of the seal.
"With each layer of land covered, another piece of territory belonging to my sister-in-law is added to this land."
"Snapped!"
On the first contract, a bright red and striking character "婉" was left.
"Zhao Family Village is yours."
Qin Mo whispered close to her ear, his warm breath traveling straight into her heart through her ear canal.
He grabbed a second one.
"Snapped!"
"Li Family Village is yours too."
His movements appeared elegant and composed, but in reality, they carried an extremely strong desire for control.
As Su Wan was being led around by him, her wrists started to ache, and her breathing became rapid.
This feeling of being completely controlled by him, as if she had become a puppet in his hands, filled her with a strange sense of shame and trembling.
Especially considering that eighteen village chiefs were kneeling at the bottom of the steps.
Those people knelt on the ground, not daring to look up.
But they could hear the "snap, snap" sound of the stamp being put on the document.
The sound was crisp and decisive, each note striking their hearts and announcing the end of the old era.
"It won't be slow."
His other hand had somehow slipped quietly into Su Wan's wide sleeve.
Hidden beneath layers upon layers of brocade.
His fingertips moved gently upwards along her forearm.
The rough calluses on his fingertips scraped against her delicate skin, sending shivers of electricity through her.
"Sister-in-law."
He breathed heavily in her ear, his voice tinged with intense desire:
"I've conquered this entire hundred-mile stretch of land for you."
"Shouldn't you... give your second brother a reward too?"
"What...what do you want?" Su Wan's voice trembled, and she almost dropped the seal in her hand.
"I think……"
Qin Mo's fingers stopped at the crook of her elbow, one of her most sensitive spots.
He pressed it hard:
"I want to... stamp my sister-in-law's name on my clothes too."
"Like this contract."
"Seal my name on it."
"Let the whole world know... that this 'land' also has an owner."
"Hmm!"
Su Wan's body went limp, and she pressed the seal heavily onto the last contract.
Because of excessive force, the ink spread out, turning a deep red like a blooming spider lily.
"alright."
Looking at the blood-red mark, a morbid satisfaction flashed in Qin Mo's eyes.
He finally let go of her hand.
But he did not leave.
Instead, in front of the group of people below, she took out a snow-white silk handkerchief from her sleeve.
He took Su Wan's hand, which was slightly red from holding the ink for a long time, and carefully wiped away the traces of ink from her fingertips, one by one.
"Chief Zhao."
Qin Mo wiped the cloth while speaking casually.
His voice returned to its previous coldness, as if the man who had just been aroused in Su Wan's ear was not him.
"The contract is sealed."
"From today onwards, you will be Qin family's long-term servants."
"Go back and tell the villagers that if they want to eat, they have to obey."
"If anyone dares to disrespect the lady..."
Qin Mo paused in his movements.
He looked at the faint red mark on Su Wan's fingertips that she couldn't wipe away no matter how hard she tried, and suddenly lowered his head.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone (although those people dared not look, they could sense it).
He put that finger in his mouth.
Gently suck.
"Gulp."
Chief Zhao heard a swallowing sound.
He trembled with fear and kowtowed even lower.
"Did you hear that?" Qin Mo loosened his grip, his eyes sweeping downwards with a sinister glint.
"We heard you! We will follow Madam Qin's lead without question! We would never dare to have any disloyal thoughts!"
The eighteen village chiefs, feeling as if they had been granted a pardon, scrambled out, clutching the red-stamped copies (Qin family's black technology).
The door slammed shut.
Completely isolate it from the wind and snow and outsiders.
In the huge council hall, only Qin Mo and Su Wan remained.
And the table full of land deeds, and the private seal still stained with "blood".
"Second Brother..."
Su Wan looked at the man in front of her, who had been so refined and elegant just moments before but now had a wolfish look in his eyes, and instinctively wanted to shrink back.
"Everyone's gone."
Qin Mo took off his gold-rimmed glasses and casually tossed them onto the land deeds scattered across the table.
Without the glasses to conceal it, the aggressiveness in his phoenix eyes could no longer be hidden.
He picked Su Wan up from the chair and sat down himself.
Then, he placed her on his lap.
"You just stamped so many seals, isn't your hand sore?"
He held her wrist and kneaded it with just the right amount of force.
"It's sour..." Su Wan muttered aggrievedly, "It's all your fault for having to cover it up so quickly."
"It's my fault."
Qin Mo readily admitted his mistake, but his actions became increasingly excessive.
"Since your hand is tired..."
"Then we won't need to use our hands for the rest."
He picked up the still-dry seal from the table.
The bright red ink gleamed eerily in the candlelight.
"Sister-in-law."
"I wasn't kidding when I said I was going to stamp your name."
He unbuttoned the first button on Su Wan's collar.
The dark brocade robe opened, revealing the snow-white undergarment underneath.
"Second Brother, this ink can't be washed off!" Su Wan exclaimed in alarm, pressing down on his hand.
"Who said we needed to use ink pads?"
Qin Mo chuckled and tossed the seal back into the box.
He leaned down and pressed his burning lips against her snow-white collarbone.
He sucked hard.
"Chirp—"
A sound that made one blush and their heart race.
A bright red, strawberry-like hickey instantly appeared on Su Wan's collarbone.
"Use this lid."
Qin Mo raised his head, looked at his masterpiece, and narrowed his eyes in satisfaction:
"This... looks better than inkpad."
"and……"
His hand slid down her waistline, and through her clothes, precisely pressed on her lower abdomen:
"This is the dantian, the core of this hundred-mile-long land."
"We should build one here too."
"And on the legs, the back..."
"For each of these 1,800 land deeds, I need to find a corresponding place on my sister-in-law's body and stamp it back."
"Qin Mo! You're a madman!"
Su Wan was amused by his absurd logic, but her body went limp under his skillful teasing.
"I'm crazy."
Qin Mo pressed her directly onto the white tiger skin that symbolized power.
Beneath her was soft fur, and on her body was a burning hot man.
The surrounding area was piled high with wealth and contracts.
……
at the same time.
The county town, the back hall of the county government office.
Magistrate Fang, wrapped in a tattered quilt and holding a cold steamed bun, stared blankly at the empty table in front of him.
"My lord! My lord, something terrible has happened!"
Master Sun scrambled in, clutching an account book, his face paler than the snow outside.
"I just went to the warehouse to count the tax silver... and found..."
"What did you find?" Magistrate Fang asked listlessly. "Did rats get in again?"
"It's not rats! It's empty! Completely empty!"
Master Sun slammed the account book on the table, his face contorted with grief:
"Not a single penny of tax has been collected for the second half of this year!"
"Zhao Family Village, Li Family Village... all eighteen villages have given their land deeds to the Qin Family! Now, nominally, that land is the Qin Family's 'private property,' and according to the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty... as long as it's Qin Family land, we can't collect any taxes!"
"What?!"
Magistrate Fang suddenly stood up, his vision went black, and he almost fell over.
"You mean... all the people under my jurisdiction have now become tenants of the Qin family?"
"My territory... is now under the Qin family's control?!"
"No...not only that."
Master Sun swallowed hard and pointed to the pitch-black sky outside:
"A scout just reported."
"The Qin family is... celebrating with fireworks."
"It's said to be... to celebrate Madam Qin's 'coronation'."
Upon hearing this, Magistrate Fang looked at the cold steamed bun in his hand, which was so hard it could crack a walnut.
"puff--"
He finally coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"The Qin family... they've gone too far!"
"This is outrageous!"
However, no matter how much he howled, his voice was drowned out by the wind and snow.
And in that remote Wolf Fang Special Zone.
Brilliant fireworks exploded in the night sky, illuminating the city that never sleeps and the warm, cozy council chamber.
On that white tiger skin chair.
Qin Mo was holding Su Wan's hand as he stamped the final and most important seal on a special "contract".
That belonged only to the two of them—
A lifetime contract.