Forced to marry, I picked up a young powerful official

The old woman snorted coldly and was about to close the door.

Cai Ling was quick to block the door frame. The old woman glared at him and asked, "Sir, what are you doing? Are you going to use force on an old woman like me?"

Cai Ling changed his cold and arrogant face towards Shen Nankui just now, and his eyebrows and eyes were filled with a gentle smile, "Grandma, how dare I disrespect an old man? It's not that we don't want to go into the city. We are traveling late at night just to get to Beijing earlier. But my wife is pregnant, and she can't stand it after walking here. Grandma, please be kind and take us in for one night. The price is negotiable..."

Shen Nankui was still surprised by the word "wife", but Cai Ling had already pushed her arm, signaling her to give him the money.

After listening to this, the old woman looked at Shen Nankui carefully again.

Although her belly was flat and nothing could be seen, her face was slightly swollen, and she did look a bit pregnant.

Shen Nankui showed a bit of weakness at the right time, "Grandma, they say that you shouldn't do anything during the first three months. I'm afraid of hurting the fetus, so I took the liberty to knock on your door. Please give me some convenience."

As she spoke, she stuffed a string of copper coins into the old woman's hand.

The old woman took the money, looked at the two people again, opened the door and said, "I see you two look kind and don't seem like bad people, so come in."

Hearing this, Shen Nankui looked a little embarrassed, but Cai Ling looked calm and walked in chatting and laughing with the old woman.

The old woman took them to their room and went to light a fire to cook food for them.

Shen Nankui looked at Cai Ling with some displeasure, "I'm already married, how can you pretend to be a couple with me?"

Cai Ling's voice returned to its cold tone. "If not, wouldn't it be even more suspicious for the two of us to travel together at night? Then why would the old lady agree to let us in?"

Shen Nankui snorted, "Just give me more money."

Cai Ling looked disdainful. "Compared to the money you gave, ordinary people are even less willing to cause trouble. Besides, if you really promised her a large sum of money, I'm afraid she would take you in and then report you to the government. Don't forget that this is the capital's jurisdiction, the safest place in Tiansheng. Any suspicious person may be reported to the government for investigation."

"I am upright, am I afraid of being investigated?"

"You said that the purpose of staying here is to conceal our identity. Do you want to make it known to everyone? That's fine. Anyway, those people didn't arrest me. At most, I will tell the old lady that you and I are not husband and wife, and then let her kick us out."

Shen Nankui: “…”

Well, this man is still as ruthless as ever. She has lived two lifetimes without arguing with him.

only……

A trace of embarrassment appeared on her face. "But you and I are alone in the same room. Isn't this a bit inappropriate?"

Cai Ling had already sat down calmly. "As a child of Jianghu, we should not be too fussy about trivial matters. Are you still afraid of what I might do to a pregnant woman like you?"

Although Shen Nankui felt that it was against etiquette, she also knew Cai Ling's open-minded character. Outside of here, he would never gossip about the two of them, so there was really nothing to worry about.

After a while, the old woman prepared two bowls of noodle soup and brought them over.

The noodle soup didn't have much seasoning, and it was filled with the aroma of wheat. Shen Nankui hadn't had hot soup for two days, so when he smelled this aroma, his appetite was aroused, and he held the bowl and ate it.

Although she ate in a hurry, she did not look embarrassed at all and remained calm and composed.

Cai Ling drank the noodle soup slowly, but his curiosity towards her became more and more intense.

After eating and drinking, the old woman thoughtfully brought hot water for Shen Nankui to soak his feet before going to bed, which could also reduce some swelling.

Shen Nankui finished soaking her feet comfortably and was about to fall asleep when Cai Ling's cold voice rang out in the room, "Did you forget what you promised me?"

She sat up helplessly and suddenly said mysteriously, "Okay, I'll tell you. Don't be surprised, because everything I say is true."

Cai Lingjing waited for her next words.

Shen Nankui said: "Actually, I met you in a dream."

Cai Ling stood up angrily upon hearing this, "How dare you play tricks on me?"

Shen Nankui looked innocent, "I told you it was true, why don't you believe me? Then tell me, if I hadn't seen you in a dream, how could I recognize you and know so many of your private affairs?"

"Who are you anyway?"

"The Shen family in the capital is now the Gu Shen family in Lai'an Town. You can go and ask. We have indeed never met, but I also know that your jade plaque was carved by you personally, and it depicts a cedar tree on the cliff of Puyunling. Do you admit it?"

Cai Ling stood there in a daze, with deep shock in his eyes.

The jade token was indeed carved by him personally and he had never shown it to anyone, so when he received the letter from Shen Nankui, he was so shocked that he rushed to Gu's house to look for someone. When he found out something was not right, he hurriedly followed him all the way.

Moreover, these hidden birthmarks and moles on his body were only known by his deceased master. This woman had never met him, so how could she know them so clearly?

Is this really a dream?

He had never heard of such an absurd thing, but the woman's words were so convincing that he had to believe her. Otherwise, how could he explain it all?

Seeing that he was already wavering, Shen Nankui said slowly, "Mr. Cai, I know you still have doubts in your heart, but you have been in the underworld in your early years, and you must have heard of many weird and strange things. Maybe this is our destiny?"

"good fortune?"

Cai Ling sneered, "You know a lot about me, but I know nothing about you. What kind of luck is this?"

"So-called fate does not necessarily mean knowing each other well. Maybe you helped me escape from the jaws of death, and I saved your life in return?"

"how do I say this?"

Shen Nankui asked: "Mr. Cai, I wonder if anyone from Princess Lekang's mansion has looked for you?"

Cai Ling frowned and recalled for a moment, then nodded and said, "Years ago, someone from the Princess's Mansion sent me a letter, asking me to paint. I declined and then ignored it. What happened?"

"This year, the Princess's Mansion will definitely invite you again, but if you don't appreciate it this time, I'm afraid you will be doomed."

Cai Ling scoffed at this remark, "Is it against the law if I don't paint for the rich and powerful?"

"Disrespecting the royal family is a crime." Shen Nankui said solemnly.

Cai Ling was stunned, and after a moment of silence, he said, "You know I come from the underworld, and I am not a soft persimmon that can be bullied by others."

"Yes, Your Excellency is a martial arts expert, and you look down upon the martial arts world. But can the court be the same as the martial arts world? The Princess's Mansion is regulated to have 500 guards. Because Princess Lekang is the emperor's sister, an additional 300 are added. If these 800 fully armed guards attack you, do you have any way to deal with them? With so many people, they can force you into a desperate situation just by shooting arrows from a distance. Do you really want to die?"