rumor

The chatterbox seemed to roll around Spring Mountain out of thin air, then returned from the pear blossom cake to Liu Xu in the carriage.

Since the new dynasty's etiquette and laws were newly established, many aristocratic families still retained the unrestrained and unconventional style of the previous dynasty. Therefore, the two sisters shared a carriage with Liu Xu without any psychological burden, and soon they became lively.

Xie Lingguang asked most of the questions, such as where he lived, what he did for a living, how many brothers he had, and how his parents were. Liu Xu sat upright, not daring to sway even slightly, and answered them one by one.

"You have three older brothers? Have they ever been married?"

Liu Xu had been away from home for several months, and could only glean a glimpse of what was happening at home from the few letters his mother had sent. After listening, he shook his head: "I don't know."

"So, where are you now in the capital...?"

Liu Xu immediately replied, "Do some odd jobs."

He was right. The Emperor appointed him as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, and he would officially take office at the beginning of next month. Currently, it's a transitional period, so aside from studying a bit and occasionally being invited to a few banquets, he's mostly been enjoying his leisure time at home.

Xie Lingguang, unaware of the details, had never seen the top scholar's face. A wave of anxiety washed over her – "This won't do. A true man must find some work..."

Xie Lingxi, listening from the side, felt increasingly uneasy. Suddenly, the image of the flamboyant matchmaker, her narrow eyes narrowed, as she judged the young woman and groom flashed through her mind. She could even guess that the next line would be, "Otherwise, how could you possibly marry a girl?" But Xie Lingguang! She was clearly a slender and young woman!

"Sister, are you working as a household registration officer here?"

Xie Lingguang slapped her on the head: "My question is reasonable, isn't it? Liu Lang."

Even though it was a thin spring day, Liu Xu's hands were covered in a thin layer of sweat as he nodded repeatedly.

Xie Lingxi said helplessly, "If that's how it is, I'll invite General Pei home another day so that my father and elder brother can have a good talk with him."

"After all, my husband went to great lengths to save me twice, so I should show my appreciation."

Xie Lingguang frowned as soon as he heard this: "Twice?"

"Only twice." Xie Lingxi picked up a handkerchief and slowly wiped the token in her hand. "This morning I went out and got lost, and it was Young Master Pei who brought me back."

“You really should learn the way… Lingxi,” Xie Lingguang suddenly noticed what was in her hand, “What is this?”

I picked it up by the roadside.

She said this without any guilt, handing the sign to Liu Xu, "Here, it's for you."

Liu Xuduan glanced at Yang Shuo's token, which symbolized the Left Guard Commandant, and suddenly burst into laughter, a gentle, soothing laugh that it startled Xie Lingguang.

He's so handsome, no wonder his sister, who's always been picky, fell for such a laid-back guy.

But he has no job, how will he support his family? Should he... marry into the family?

Xie Lingguang took a deep breath, as if he had discovered something extraordinary.

On the other side, Liu Xu, unaware of what she was secretly thinking, had already devised a hundred plans in his mind. He smiled and nodded to Xie Lingxi, "Third Sister has really helped me a lot."

It must have been Xie Lingxi who snatched the token amidst the chaos of the scuffle. He recalled the recent hanging of heads in the capital and tapped the token, realizing it was quite useful.

Before they knew it, the carriage had reached the foot of the mountain, and after raising dust through the quiet countryside, it was slowly preparing to step into Chang'an.

It was clearly a bit warmer down the mountain than up on it. The wind blowing in their faces blew down thousands of silken ribbons, which hung lazily on their carriages. The area was bustling with people. There were a few houses, and a black dog was dozing in front of the door. Children were flying kites by the roadside.

Xie Lingxi hadn't slept all night and was now completely exhausted. She leaned against the soft pillow and closed her eyes.

She had just drifted off to sleep when she was awakened by the sounds of children playing on the street. Half-opening her eyes, she struggled to sit up, lifted the curtain, and peeked out. She saw several children gathered in a circle, tossing flowery handkerchiefs, jumping and chanting.

—"The willow catkins and flowers of the spring city have all flown away, and the north of the city often presents them to the Xie family's daughter."

What is it?

Xie Lingxi gently kicked Liu Xu, who was dozing off. Startled, Liu Xu immediately sat up straight.

Peeking out again, I heard the next line: "Standing alone in Lingxi Garden, the fragrance of crabapple blossoms lingers in her hair!"

"Ha ha ha ha……"

After finishing the song, he laughed and ran away.

What...thing?!

Xie Lingxi and Liu Xu looked at each other in bewilderment.

The carriage was so quiet that the only sound was the swishing of the wheels against the ground.

"Did I hear that right? That was... an erotic poem?"

After a long pause, Liu Xu asked with a complicated and incredulous expression, "My relationship with Third Sister?"

Xie Lingxi paused for two seconds, then looked at him sharply: "There are some things you don't have to say so bluntly."

She felt her temper was too good! Anyone could write a bad poem to criticize her!

Not to mention that she and Liu Xu did indeed share a room, were trapped in danger together, and supported each other last night, she had already placed Liu Xu in a position closer than a stranger, but their relationship was limited to a few joking words and a few pretentious acts, yet in the eyes of these people, it was as if they had already been sweet and intimate several times.

No, they may not care about the facts; slander is something that comes from the heart and is spoken without thinking.

Liu Xu pondered: "Is it the Fifth Prince?"

"No..." Several figures with different backgrounds flashed through his mind, "That young man surnamed Pei beside the Fifth Prince?"

Xie Lingxi smiled coldly: "Pei Yuanjing, you're doing very well!"

...

This caused an uproar among the powerful and influential circles in Chang'an.

Who is Liu Xu?

This year's new top scorer.

Who is Xie Lingxi?

The noble lady of the Xie family.

I heard that the top scholar was bedridden and didn't attend the banquet that day, and afterwards he kept a low profile, only going to the Orchid Pavilion to study, and rarely showing off at various banquets. The Xie family's daughter was even more arrogant; very few people could catch her eye. Even Xiao Zixuan, the universally acknowledged "Jade Gentleman" of Chang'an, was turned away by her. This time, injured, she stayed home to recuperate for several days and didn't go out—

How did these two get together?

Look at that "warm hibiscus tent," it sounds so real.

They were completely baffled.

On the other side, Yan Ji's face was grim, and he nearly crushed the teacup in his hand: "So! They really did pull a fast one! The whole of Chang'an knows!"

But he was the only one kept in the dark.

Last night, after dealing with those scoundrels, he quietly went down the mountain and returned to his residence. Rumors were spreading all over the streets, almost crushing his dream of seizing the throne right at his doorstep.

The powerful families are rampant, and the brothers are fighting amongst themselves; he has no one to rely on!

Half of the officials in the imperial court are from aristocratic families. Now that Liu Xu, who has no one to rely on, has finally emerged, are we just going to watch him join the Xie family like this?

Dream on.

Why doesn't he marry her first?

Thinking it over, he put down his teacup, raised his hand, and called out, "Lingxiao."

A figure appeared as elusive as a shadow and knelt down: "What are your orders, Your Highness?"

...

The carriage continued its hesitant journey.

Xie Lingxi pulled out the butterfly hairpin from her hand at some point and began to play with it with an inscrutable expression.

Liu Xu suspected that she wanted to kill someone.

Xie Lingxi's probing gaze was too intense for him to bear. When they finally arrived at the Xie family's gate, he was about to get up to say goodbye when he heard Xie Lingxi smile at him and say, "Chengzhi, you must be tired from your journey. Please come in and have a seat."

He glanced outside and had a feeling that someone was hiding in the willow tree in front of the door.

"good."

As they entered the Xie family residence, they were truly as exquisite as jade, as radiant as the moon in their arms.

The Xie family, a century-old family, dislikes extravagance. The furnishings in their home and courtyard are all carefully arranged, with peach blossoms and green willows in spring, flowers reflected in the water, and pleasant window views, where the sky and water blend into one, and the plants wither and flourish.

Liu Xu followed Xie Lingxi at a leisurely pace, now much more relaxed.

"Don't be afraid when you see my father later."

Liu Xu: "The moment you said that, I started to get scared."

Xie Lingxi smiled helplessly: "In short, he is different from what you imagined."

Suddenly remembering something, she turned back to stare at Liu Xu's injured arm, looked up at him, and said with a sharp look in her eyes: "Don't say what you shouldn't say."

...

It was noon when Xie Yuan returned from court. He had just finished lunch with his family and was lying in the courtyard digesting his food when he heard the maids and guards say that the young ladies had returned.

He recalled the rumors he had heard on his way home earlier that day, and couldn't help but rub his hands together, a hint of anticipation in his heart.

Upon seeing Xie Lingxi walk in, he hurried forward to greet her: "Lingxi!"

Seeing that Xie Lingxi was unharmed, he felt relieved and then saw the top scholar walking behind him.

"son in law!"

Liu Xu was startled by the address "son-in-law," but he didn't show it on his face. He quickly bowed to Minister Xie and said, "Lord Xie."

Xie Lingxi had just been showered with concern by her father, so she was startled when she heard this: "Father!"

How could she not know what her father was thinking?

I used to always talk to her about Liu Xu, but now that he's here, Lingyin naturally avoids the topic. As for those books of sages, let whoever wants to ask them go ahead and ask.

She glanced at Liu Xu, her eyes filled with pity that told him to "hope for good fortune."

Liu Xu: "?"

Xie Lingxi smiled kindly at him, then pulled back Xie Shangshu, who had rushed to Liu Xu's side, and said in a cool voice, "Father, I met Chengzhi by chance on Fragrant Hills. We hit it off immediately and invited him over for a chat."

"With friends and family gathering, I wonder if those thugs outside have been dealt with? I hope they don't spoil the fun."

Xie Yuan's eyes sharpened as he surveyed his surroundings. He said nonchalantly, "Let them watch if they want. My Xie family has more than ten members. Are we afraid we can't put on the show they want to see?"

“Father is right, then I will go and talk to my brother.”

“Come back,” Xie Yuan called to her. “Xie Heng isn’t here. He’s gone to find that Cui family brat again.”

He said happily, "Quickly, go and get the writing materials. I want to have a chat with Chengzhi in the courtyard."

This "brief chat" was by no means a matter of amusement, at least that's what Xie Lingxi thought.

If you exchange calligraphy and paintings with your siblings and chat about everyday things, that's fine. But as long as your father is present, he will scrutinize every poem and painting created by your siblings. Whether the painting is good or not, he will comment on it. If he likes something, things will get out of control. He will throw a tantrum and even try to trick you into giving it to him so that you can hang it happily in his study.

He was born with a majestic and imposing appearance, often frowning and looking stern, which made people afraid of him. However, he was actually very soft-hearted in private, and he was the one who was decisive and ruthless towards his siblings.

Her temperament is definitely related to her father.

Xie Lingxi brought over the things and said as she arranged them, "It's already past 1 PM, Mother should be back soon. Please take it easy."