Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Will You Accept Other Husbands?

Xie Tingyu felt her injuries weren't serious, and even considered sneaking out on crutches to watch the Northern Army drills. However, others, convinced she was seriously injured, refused to let her go, forcing her to recuperate for months.

During this three-month period of rest and recuperation, all dens housing male slaves belonging to the Yingchuan Yu clan were destroyed. All male slaves of Xianbei descent were subject to thorough interrogation by the Supreme Court, and only released if confirmed to be spies. The younger members of the Yu clan implicated were not only expelled from the clan but also forbidden from returning to Jiankang.

However, the head of the Yu family who was originally to be arrested and questioned had already fled, and all previous traces were wiped out, as if he had evaporated from the face of the earth without a trace.

Aside from Yuan Fuxue's unwavering presence every day to check his pulse, Ji Lian also used to visit frequently. But after the autumn hunt and the visitation banquet, she seemed to have inexplicably disappeared.

Thinking of this, Xie Tingyu paused slightly as he tossed the pot. His fingertips silently traced a few strokes across his palm. It had been a whole month since we last met.

In order to relieve his boredom, Wei Fenghua ordered people to move the tossing pots, arrows and other items to the courtyard, but Xie Tingyu was only allowed to throw while sitting on a chair, and he was absolutely not allowed to stand to avoid tearing the wound on the back of his leg that had just healed.

But soon, another injured friend came to keep him company.

Cui Yuanying, a bandage around her neck, staggered in with her elbow tilted. Xie Tingyu flicked his wrist, his eyes glancing over her wound as the arrow had already sunk into the pot, colliding with the cluster of arrows in the pot with a dull thud.

“Tsk tsk—”

Cui Yuanying smacked his lips, leaning back on the couch and propping up his injured leg. "If you went on the autumn hunt, how would Yuan Wangshu have the chance to show off his prowess? I'm afraid Wang Lanzhi would be defeated. That imperially bestowed golden eagle bow would have been yours long ago."

"What's wrong with your hand? Is it an injury you got during the autumn hunt?" As Xie Tingyu spoke, he threw two arrows in a row. The back arrow broke the front arrow, and wood chips fell into the pot.

"I fell off my horse while chasing a rabbit, and landed on my hands first. Yuan Wangshu laughed at me for several days straight. Please stop laughing at me, or I'll get angry."

Cui Yuanying raised her head and tossed a purple grape, chewing it vaguely. "Actually, the autumn hunt wasn't that interesting." She chuckled, "The highlight was the banquet. Guess what happened?"

Xie Tingyu shook his head.

During her recuperation, Wei Fenghua strictly prohibited all kinds of irrelevant news from being passed into the Changhao Hospital, saying that she should not overwork during the recuperation period, so that she would recover faster.

"Hey, you're blind and deaf."

Cui Yuanying sat up straight and pointed into the distance, "Did you see that?"

Xie Tingyu followed his lead. It was the site of Ji Lian's future imperial residence. Construction had already begun with the emperor's approval, and the flying eaves and brackets were taking shape. Who knew it might be ready for occupancy by next spring?

"After the Emperor's Mansion is completed, it won't be long before the Emperor gets married."

Cui Yuanying chewed a raisin and leaned closer. "So, it's only natural that Emperor Qing would appear at the matchmaking banquet. Anyone with a discerning eye would know that this was to find him a future wife. He couldn't marry someone he'd never met."

"But guess what?"

She stretched out her voice and whispered mysteriously, "Each young man had to perform. The flower was passed to Emperor Qing, who played 'High Mountains and Flowing Water' on the spot. The melody was lingering and lingering, and the whole room applauded. After the piece ended, Emperor Qing left the stage, drank a few glasses, whispered a few words to Yuan Sanlang, and then stood up and left."

Cui Yuanying nudged Xie Tingyu. "I had a few extra drinks and went to change my clothes. When I came back, I ran into Han Lanying of the Wujun Han clan, who was trying to stop the emperor from presenting him with hibiscus flowers. You've only been back in Jiankang for about a year, so you probably don't recognize her. She's just an old scholar who spends all day buried in books. She never plays with us and has no interest in a career in government."

"Indeed, those who are the emperor's ministers should not be officials."

She glanced at Xie Tingyu meaningfully, and seeing that he was about to play pot-toss again, she quickly snatched the arrow and said, "I haven't finished yet, so don't throw it yet. Han Lanying said that the tune matched the mood of her new poem, and she fell in love with the emperor at first sight, hoping that they could be married—"

Cui Yuanying clapped his legs and laughed, "Emperor Di Qing tried to resist for a long time, but that nerd kept pestering him. In the end, Emperor Di Qing just threw his zither to the ground and made it clear that he had no intention of getting away, and only then was he able to get away. I'm so happy, hahahahahaha!"

"But actually, I heard that the Emperor didn't attend the banquet of his own free will, but rather at the Emperor's behest. The Emperor had already secretly nominated the names of several ladies, including Han Lanying, which is why that nerd dared to block his way. After he left, slamming his zither, the Emperor never spoke to the other ladies again and returned to the palace early. Later, someone from the Han family in Wu County filed a memorial to the Emperor, accusing him of being arrogant and disrespectful. The Emperor then took advantage of the situation and confined the Emperor to the palace, ordering him to reflect on his mistakes and not to leave without permission."

Listening to Cui Yuanying's long and rambling speech, Xie Tingyu finally spoke with a look of sudden enlightenment on his face, "So he was locked up."

"Oh, yes, he was locked up." Cui Yuanying's eyes widened. "Is that the point? Isn't the point that smashing the piano in public is hilarious?"

"...Really?" Xie Tingyu looked her up and down, then with a flick of his wrist aimed his arrow at her injured arm in a sling. "I think it would be funnier if you fell off your horse. If I were there, I would have laughed even louder than Wangshu's mother did."

Cui Yuanying, who had come to gossip behind others' backs, was instead mocked to his face by Xie Tingyu. He was so angry that he skipped dinner and left with his injured arm in a sling. To express his apology, Xie Tingyu specially ordered a stewed mutton soup to be sent to him as an apology.

Thanks to the constant supply of supplements delivered to the Changhao Hospital, and Yuan Sanlang's exquisite acupuncture, Xie Tingyu's already healthy body recovered extremely quickly. From the beginning of September to the falling snow of December, the time of recuperation passed in a flash.

There was heavy snow outside the window, icicles were sparkling under the corridor, and the cold wind made people's cheeks hurt.

Xie Tingyu, draped in a fox fur coat and holding a warming stove, boarded the carriage. Arriving before an elegant and beautiful garden, she lifted the curtain and peered in. A plaque hung high above, reading "Lotus Garden." This was the location of the Imperial Palace. The number of craftsmen entering and leaving the palace had decreased recently, suggesting completion was near.

The carriage followed the official road and headed towards the imperial palace unimpeded.

Today was the Winter Palace Banquet, open to all those holding important positions at court, and they could bring their families along. Xie Tingyu, holding a prominent position at court and the daughter of Grand Tutor Xie, was naturally invited.

The carriage stopped at the main palace gate. Xie Tingyu bent down to get out, gathered his fox fur coats on either side, and followed the palace attendant to the palace banquet venue. When he arrived, he realized it was still early and not many people had arrived yet, so he decided to walk around and take a look.

I stumbled upon a plum grove, its crimson plum trees a frozen sea of ​​rouge, like a riot of color emerging from a snowy landscape. The branches were so dense and lush, their blossoms so densely dotted with blossoms, that even if someone were on the other side, their presence would be completely obscured, invisible.

The pointed-toe boots rustled the snow, and the fox fur coat swept up the fine snow.

As Xie Tingyu was strolling, she suddenly heard the sound of footsteps coming from the other side. They were very light and slow, as if afraid to disturb something, and finally stopped just beyond her by a tree.

A familiar scent of green lotus suddenly seeps into the subtle fragrance of winter plum blossoms.

Xie Tingyu pushed aside the blossoms, and a beautiful face emerged from behind the shadow of the plum blossom.

"I thought His Highness was confined to the Posuo Pavilion, unable to even attend the palace banquet. But you're actually able to come out today?"

"You...Xie Tingyu, do you have any conscience?"

Ji Lian turned around with a flick of her sleeves, glancing back slightly from the side. "Don't you really know who I smashed my zither for? Xie Tingyu, please speak some human language."

Xie Tingyu came out from behind the plum tree and walked side by side with Ji Lian. As they walked, the backs of their hands brushed against each other from time to time, but neither of them offered her hand.

"A zither is precious; it would be a shame to break it. I remember Xie Yuanli had a collection of a famous zither, the Lingyan zither. It's made of catalpa wood from Lingyan Mountain. The sound it produces is clear but not dry, and mellow but not muddy. Your Highness will surely like it."

"snort."

Ji Lian suddenly grasped her hand, slowly clasping her fingers together. Their pulses touched, and warmth radiated from their palms.

"I see you've improved quite well in the past month or so."

Ji Lian took Xie Tingyu by the hand and walked to the deepest part of the plum forest. It was a place rarely visited by people, with hazy shadows of plum blossoms and wafting fragrance, making it a good place for a private meeting.

He raised his eyelids and saw Xie Tingyu's bright eyes and rosy lips. His tone was a mixture of anger and resentment. "Xie Tingyu, I haven't been around for a while now. Only Yuan Sanlang has been with you alone, treating you every day. He has taken good care of you."

He sighed softly, "I guess this Yuan Sanlang is very much to your liking, isn't he? No wonder, at the engagement banquet a few days ago, Yuan Lang didn't even glance at those ladies."

Suddenly, he grabbed the collar of Xie Tingyu's fox fur coat and asked, "Did you two have any physical contact while I was away?"

It looked just like the wife questioning her husband whether he had gone to Qin Chu's brothel to have an affair with another man.

"...No, absolutely not. Apart from discussing how to recuperate in the future with Yuan Lang, we didn't talk about anything else."

Ji Lian still clutched her skirt, refusing to give in, practically gritting her teeth. "Did you know that at the meeting banquet, no fewer than five men were asking why Madam Xie of the Chenjun Xie family didn't come? One even asked why she didn't come to the banquet in a wheelchair?" He leaned in, his breath hitting her lips. "She even said she spent an entire hour in front of the mirror dressing up just to see Madam Xie. If she wasn't here, her dressing up would be meaningless."

"Xie Tingyu, Xie Tingyu, when did you become such a popular figure in Jiankang City?"

"Maybe, perhaps, it was during the Jiankang City riot? I didn't specifically remember how many men were saved. Lianlian, please don't force me. My memory isn't particularly good."

Ji Lian's knuckles turned white, and veins popped on the back of his hands. "If you go there, and several guys offer you sachets, what will you do? Accept them all?"

"If Yuan Lang offered it to you, would you accept it? What about Wang Lang?"

"...Didn't I not go? Why bother asking about something that won't happen? I can't answer that." Xie Tingyu's eyes fell on his tense fingers and wrinkled fox fur. "I haven't seen you for over a month. Lianlian seems to have grown stronger."

Thinking of the various rumors that had been circulating in Jiankang recently, about Yuan Fuxue repeatedly visiting Xie Garden late into the night to treat patients, the young master of the Fanyang Lu family diligently visiting the patient, and the young masters of various families competing to visit, Ji Lian felt a surge of anger.

When he was away, all these beautiful girls came to him!

Is there any law left?!

He was the first person to have physical contact with Xie Tingyu. He didn't even get the chance to be the first to get in, so how could he let these people get there first!

"I don't care. I want you to answer me. You just didn't attend the dating party this year. Will you go next year? If you do, will you accept those sachets, handkerchiefs, and flowers from other gentlemen?"

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Author's note: Thank you all, my lovely children! My author collection has reached 100! A small goal for 2025 has been achieved!