Chapter 35 I'm Going to Have Someone Marry In

Two days later, Xie Zhuo actually found Gong Zhengsi.

He handed a slender brocade box to Ling Wei, his tone somewhat unnatural: "Thank you for what happened last time. This... is just a small token of my appreciation."

Ling Wei opened the box and found a fine jade hairpin, which would suit her perfectly. However, she closed the box and pushed it back, saying, "You're too kind, Lord Xie. I was just doing my duty. This gift is far too precious."

"Besides, it's not proper for a man to give a young woman a personal hair ornament; it's better to give it to someone more suitable." She said meaningfully.

Xie Zhuo frowned and said urgently, "That one wasn't her! I and her..." He stopped mid-sentence when he saw Ling Wei's clear but questioning gaze, as if asking, "Why are you explaining this to me?" The rest of his words caught in his throat.

"Then your..." Before he could finish speaking, he realized that the butterfly hair accessory was a gift he had secretly given to the person in front of him, and the person in front of him did not know it, so he slammed on the brakes.

He forcefully shoved the brocade box back into her hands: "Take it. This is from Her Majesty the Empress on behalf of the Xie family. It's not something I wanted to give you... Anyway, it's yours!" After saying that, he didn't wait for Ling Wei to refuse again, turned around and strode away, looking quite like he was fleeing in panic.

Ling Wei: "..."

Several times afterward, when they met in the palace, Xie Zhuo's gaze would unconsciously drift towards her hair before sadly looking away.

Ling Wei isn't stupid; young people's feelings aren't so easily hidden.

However, if she had previously considered suppressing Du Qianqian's rise by bombing the fishpond, now she was using a more thorough method to prevent the transmigrated woman from causing harm to this world.

At the same time, realize your ideals.

Xie Zhuo is not unattractive, but compared to her ideals, they seem too insignificant.

Therefore, she was unable to reciprocate this passionate affection.

Xie Zhuo, however, seemed unable to hide his feelings, nor did he want to.

He disappeared for many days using some unknown method, and then his marriage proposal was interrupted.

When he reappeared in front of Ling Wei, he appeared even more natural and self-assured.

In the past, his appearances were somewhat accidental and official, but now his patrol routes always seem to pass right by the gate of the Imperial Palace.

The efficiency with which the Imperial Guards assisted Miyako in handling difficult matters was astonishing.

One day, the Imperial Attendant was investigating a case and needed to dig up an old peach tree that might be hiding evidence. The peach tree was quite old and had deep roots, and the eunuchs were panting heavily as they dug, making slow progress.

A quick-witted eunuch slapped his forehead and said, "This servant will go and find some strong helpers!"

Such heavy and strenuous work was usually done by tall eunuchs.

Not long after, the young eunuch returned, his face flushed. The person following him surprised everyone – it was Xie Zhuo, dressed in the uniform of the Imperial Guard!

"Thank you, Lord Xie, for coming to help when you heard that the Palace Administration needed manpower..." The young eunuch was so excited that he could hardly speak.

Xie Zhuo's gaze swept over the stubborn peach tree, finally landing on Ling Wei. He raised an eyebrow slightly, as if to say hello.

Then he rolled up his sleeves, revealing his strong forearms, gripped the tree trunk, and with a deep pull, he uprooted the old peach tree that had left the eunuchs helpless.

The soil fell softly, and the sunlight outlined his powerful profile, eliciting a murmur of surprise from those around him.

A deputy commander couldn't help but sigh, "The brothers of the Imperial Guard have become much more agreeable lately. In the past, when we asked for help, we could only ask for it eight out of ten times. But now, sometimes we just need to mention the name of our Imperial Guard, and someone will take the initiative to lend a hand."

She leaned closer to Ling Wei, whispering gossipy, "I heard that Lord Xie specifically instructed us to take care of things here. Lord Ling, what's your relationship with Lord Xie...?"

Ling Wei remained expressionless, her voice clear: "Just cousins."

As soon as the words were spoken, the person hugging the tree paused for a moment, the tree trunk slamming heavily on the ground, as if venting some kind of emotion.

"Alright, alright! Quick, dig it up and take a look!" Everyone's attention was immediately drawn to what was under the tree roots.

Xie Zhuo walked to Ling Wei's side, his breath slightly short and still warm from the exertion. He suddenly leaned close to her ear, lowered his voice, and asked in a cryptic tone, "What should we do with this tree, cousin?"

The word "cousin" was pronounced with exceptional clarity, almost as if he were grinding his back teeth.

Ling Wei's ears burned, and she glared at him. "During work hours, please use your job title!"

Just then, a eunuch delivered an imperial edict, saying that the tree should not be kept and should be towed away immediately.

Looking at the peach tree that had been roughly dug up but still had some flower buds, Ling Wei said with a hint of regret, "What a pity, it should have yielded a lot of peaches this year."

But since the aftermath was no longer her concern, she left with her people.

To everyone's surprise, the peach tree was found standing in Gong Zhengsi's courtyard the next morning. It had been replanted and watered properly.

His men gathered around, marveling at the sight.

Ling Wei entered the duty room and saw a note on her desk with sharp, bold handwriting:

"When the peaches are ripe, remember to share one with me."

Days passed by in Xie Zhuo's unassuming yet highly noticeable behavior.

That day, after Ling Wei finished reporting her work, the Empress casually mentioned Xie Zhuo: "That child is becoming more and more opinionated. He doesn't like any of the people the family has arranged for him to marry, and he throws a tantrum whenever marriage is mentioned. It's really worrying."

Then she changed the subject and looked at Ling Wei: "Ling Sizheng is not young anymore. Now that his future is settled, has he thought about marriage? If there is someone you like, I may be able to make arrangements for you."

Ling Wei hadn't expected the topic to turn to her. After a moment's thought, she said frankly, "Your Majesty, I do have some thoughts. I'm thinking that if I'm to get married in the future, I need to find a husband who is willing to marry into my family."

"Marry into the family?" The Empress and the lady-in-waiting beside her were both taken aback.

Ling Wei nodded, her expression serious: "Now that I am a female official, I want to dedicate myself to serving the court. It would be best if I had a 'wise and capable wife' who could manage domestic affairs and support official duties. Recruiting a son-in-law would be the most convenient way."

The Empress: "..." She paused for a moment before finding her voice, "So... Ah, I see. Ling Sizheng has lofty ambitions and is very thoughtful. I was mistaken."

The Empress felt a sense of relief.

There have been some rumors circulating in the palace lately, saying that her good nephew stayed up late at night to plant peach trees for the Palace Attendant.

She thought...

Now it seems that Ling Wei is clear-headed and focused entirely on official duties, and has no romantic feelings for Xie Zhuo.

That would be good, and it would save her from future trouble.

Although the Xie family is not snobbish, the social standing and background of the heir's wife are still something that needs to be considered.

Ling Wei had done her a favor, so she could reward her handsomely and promote her in official rank, but she couldn't go any further.

A few days later, the Empress found an excuse to summon Xie Zhuo and casually mentioned, "That boy, Ling Sizheng, is really resourceful. Today he told me that if he wants to get married in the future, he must bring a son-in-law into the family."

Upon hearing this, Xie Zhuo's face remained expressionless, but his eyes darkened.

He paused for a moment before speaking in a calm tone: "Aunt, you've gone to a lot of trouble. I have no other intentions towards Ling Sizheng. I only took care of her because she had helped the Xie family and we both served His Majesty in the palace. Her marriage is her own decision."

After saying this, he bowed and took his leave.

Empress: ...Is she really overthinking it?

Ling Wei thought that after the Empress's explanation, Xie Zhuo would give up, but the frequency with which this person appeared in her life increased rather than decreased, making him seem more like an unofficial member of the Palace Administration Bureau.

The system was also baffled: "What is he trying to do?!"

Ling Wei held the handbook and took a small sip of tea. "I don't understand."

But she felt this was easy to handle—

Not proactive, not refusing, not taking responsibility.

Hmm, this is the first time, so why does it feel so familiar?

system:……

As expected of you.