Chapter 44 Both sides have beauties, and they steal hearts in the arena!

Xie Jingxing raised his eyes and looked at the girl who had suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Why should I marry you?" He put down his teacup, tapping his white jade thumb ring on the dining table with a crisp sound, his words carrying seven parts teasing and three parts inquiry.

Several young men who were dining with him joked, "That's right, why did I marry you?"

"I'm beautiful!" She stepped forward hastily, her skirt trailing on the ground, creating a fragrant breeze.

It is indeed very beautiful.

The phrase "like a lotus emerging from clear water" perfectly describes it!

However, the only drawback is...

She was like a jade statue meticulously sculpted by a craftsman, perfect in every way, but lacking a soul.

Xie Jingxing picked up the celadon teacup beside him.

He had seen countless beauties, some gentle and virtuous, some as beautiful as peonies, some as aloof as frost and snow, but he had never seen a woman like the one before him.

Her empty eyes revealed no affection for him.

Why does he insist on marrying her himself?

Normally, when faced with this kind of situation, he would refuse with a cold face.

I don't know why?

Facing this wooden beauty in front of me.

He teased, "But even if I don't like you, you can't force me to marry you!"

"Why don't you like me?" the girl asked impatiently, lifting her skirt as she ran to him.

Perhaps in her haste, her embroidered shoes accidentally stepped on the trailing hem of her skirt, causing her to stumble and fall forward uncontrollably.

"oops!"

Amidst the exclamations, Xie Jingxing reached out almost reflexively.

A warm, soft body embraced me, carrying a sweet floral scent, like jasmine blooming in spring.

He looked down and saw her looking up in a panic, her nose almost brushing against his chin.

Those usually empty eyes were now veiled with a layer of aggrieved moisture, like a frightened fawn in the forest, its long eyelashes trembling slightly, on the verge of tears.

His arm stiffened for a moment.

With his skills, he could have easily dodged it.

But in that instant, an inexplicable emotion, one that even he himself could not explain, led him to embrace her tightly.

Their eyes met.

His unfathomable eyes churned with scrutiny and suspicion.

He had seen far too many coincidental advances into his arms.

In her clear, bright eyes, there was nothing but panic and innocence.

Several young men watching the play started to jeer and even whistled.

Xie Jingxing spoke slowly, his voice tinged with amusement: "What's your name? Which family are you from?"

"My name is Qian Yueqiu, and I am from the household of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, a third-rank official."

Although she wasn't very bright, she still knew to use the name of the first wife to back her up.

After all, the eldest son's family is a rising star in the court!

The Qian family?

Xie Jingxing's lips curled slightly.

He leaned down, his warm breath brushing against her reddened earlobes. "Was this play you performed today taught by Qian Yueshu?"

The girl suddenly looked up, a hint of panic flashing in her eyes that he couldn't understand.

“No one taught me.” She bit her lower lip, her voice soft but firm. “I came here of my own accord.”

"It has nothing to do with that Princess Jingyang?" the man said sarcastically. "She's not exactly a peaceful person."

"What's wrong with you? My cousin is wonderful. She's beautiful, gentle, kind, and talented. Most importantly, she's good to me..." Qian Yueqiu always defended Qian Yueshu.

Xie Jingxing chuckled: "A woman who can snatch a man from the most talented woman in the capital, can she be gentle and kind?"

He then glanced at Qian Yueqiu's appearance: "But she might be beautiful, after all, she's good for nothing but beauty... Oh, no, she can even steal men by spreading her legs."

Even Qian Yueqiu, who was a bit slow on the uptake, could hear the slanderous and insulting words.

She stomped her feet in anger: "You bastard!"

Enraged, Qian Yueqiu turned and left, running up to Qian Yueshu and berating her: "Cousin, you have no idea how awful Xie Jingxing is! He even said such things about you..."

Qian Yueshu frowned slightly.

Those slanders and insults are secondary.

She only told Liu Yu about her relationship with Crown Prince Xiao Qingxuan.

Qian Yueshu was certain that a proud woman like Liu Yu wouldn't say these things in front of others.

After all, she had vowed to become the Crown Princess!

The prince had long been having an affair with another woman, which made her lose face.

Unless it's someone she's particularly close to and trusts.

So Xie Jingxing helped the Sixth Prince in his previous life not because of Su Zhirou, but because of Liu Yu?

In addition, Liu Yu was the most talented woman, proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

Su Zhirou is also proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

Liu Yu loves to wear plain clothes, and to outsiders she appears both beautiful and delicate.

Su Zhirou was sickly and usually appeared very frail.

This idea came to mind.

Qian Yueshu felt a wave of fear wash over her.

The combined power of Grand Tutor Xie's mansion and the Prime Minister's mansion would be absolutely terrifying!

Therefore, it is even more important to win Xie Jingxing over.

Even if we can't win him over, we can't let him stand against the Crown Prince!

Right now, all she can do is coax Qian Yueqiu to pester Xie Jingxing, and she's already given him a villa in Kyoto.

On the other side.

As Qian Yueshu made her move, the Sixth Prince also began to plan for himself.

right.

He knew Su Zhirou liked him, so he wanted her to help him win over Xie Jingxing.

But she couldn't say it herself; Su Zhirou had to be willing to say it.

The Su residence.

Su Zhirou, wrapped in a slightly thin brocade cloak, leaned against the railing of the lotus pond, gazing at the lotus pond in a daze.

Her face was pale, her lips were light, and only her eyes still retained some of their former sparkle.

A gust of autumn wind blew by, and she couldn't help but cough a few times before quickly covering her mouth and nose with a handkerchief.

"Miss, it's getting cold, let's go back inside," her personal maidservant gently advised.

Su Zhirou shook her head, her gaze still fixed on the path in the garden.

Ever since the Sixth Prince Xiao Qingchen sent a message last month saying that he had obtained a rare snow ginseng and wanted to give it to her, she has been waiting here every day.

"Do you think His Highness will come today?" she asked softly, as if talking to herself.

Before the maid could answer, Su Zhirou suddenly straightened up, a glint of light flashing in her eyes.

At the end of the path, a familiar figure was walking briskly towards them.

"You may leave," Su Zhirou whispered, her eyes never leaving the increasingly clear figure.

After the maids quietly left, Xiao Qingchen walked up to her.

He was dressed in dark-colored casual clothes, with a black cloak draped over his shoulders. He looked travel-worn, and his brows betrayed his weariness.

"Your Highness, you haven't come to see me in so long." She threw herself into the man's arms.

Xiao Qingchen caught her slender body, tightening his arms around her, then loosening them slightly as if afraid of hurting her with too much force.

He caught a faint scent of medicine in her hair, and a sharp pain shot through his heart.

"It's my fault," he said softly, his fingers gently smoothing her wind-blown hair. "Recently, I've been searching for precious medicinal herbs for you. You know, the herbs you need are hundreds or even thousands of years old."

That's half true and half false.

He was indeed searching for medicine for her, but he was more interested in pursuing a businesswoman.

That businesswoman was the daughter of the richest man in the country.