Chapter 31 Why did you have to provoke him in the first place?

Xie Zhuo glanced at the trembling golden sparrow hairpin in her raven-black hair out of the corner of his eye, and finally lowered his voice, "I dare to give it, but unfortunately the servants dare not accept it. It's good that you don't want it, it's long gone."

Needless to say, Xue Mingyao and Xie Zhuo's meeting once again ended in a huff.

After calming down, she had to consider whether Xie Zhuo could really dismiss her brother from his post.

The Jade Unicorn Guard is an imperial guard, and personnel changes are not entirely under the control of the Grand General; the Emperor also oversees them. Clearly, this major upheaval within the guard was approved by His Majesty. Her elder brother, after all, was a junior whom Emperor Deyuan had watched grow up, yet he couldn't get the Emperor to show mercy, demonstrating the Emperor's strong will to rely on Xie Zhuo to reorganize the imperial guard.

I'm afraid the emperor wouldn't care much if Xue Xingtai's pitiful rank were to fall completely; he would even prefer to send him back to his residence to live a life of luxury without worrying about food or drink, rather than let him occupy an official position and become a parasite on the state.

Xue Mingyao thought pessimistically that Xie Zhuo might really be able to control her brother's life and death.

For families like theirs, being stripped of their official positions was already a death sentence.

How will her brother go out in the future?

He had neither a noble title nor an official position; he even had to bow to her when he saw her.

But would Xie Zhuo really go to such extremes?

The core of blackmail lies in deterrence. If you hang a knife over someone's head, it loses its power when the knife actually falls, and it's purely harmful to others without benefiting yourself.

Xue Mingyao had previously used Xie Qinglang's status as a candidate for the provincial examination to blackmail him, so she knew better than anyone what blackmailing someone meant. If he hadn't yielded to her then, she wouldn't have actually colluded with the prefecture to remove his name from the examination list.

But Xue Xingtai is her own brother. Can she really risk his official career?

Xue Mingyao vaguely realized that even if she stood her ground against Xie Zhuo this time, and Xie Zhuo's plan failed, he would find another way to force her to agree to the marriage.

Just like she was back then.

He gave her a taste of his own medicine. Xue Mingyao reluctantly admitted that she was at his mercy, caught in a dilemma, unable to back down.

Upon returning home and facing her sister-in-law's earnest gaze, she offered a dry explanation: the Jade Guard had a corrupt atmosphere, and Xie Zhuo was determined to rectify the situation. Punishing her brother was indeed out of public interest, and she had no other choice.

The sister-in-law didn't say anything, but cursed Xie Zhuo a few times in front of her, especially saying that even if she became related to such a person by marriage, she wouldn't benefit from it at all, and would only give him a reputation for betraying his own family.

Because of her status as a princess, Xue Mingyao, despite being a widow, still held a high position in the family. Her sister-in-law usually didn't act like a sister-in-law in front of her and didn't dare to interfere in her affairs. But now, in her emotional state, she couldn't care less and kept spitting out a string of curses.

Xue Mingyao should have felt embarrassed, but she didn't feel that way at all; instead, she felt a deep sense of displeasure.

Although Xie Zhuo was a scoundrel, only she could criticize him; how could anyone else be allowed to say anything bad about him?

That was the person she had spotted at first glance and seized by any means necessary, the person who would not submit to her charms despite all her temptations, the person who rose from a scholar to a general, the person who bullied her so much that she had no power to fight back!

If Xue Xingtai had even a tenth of Xie Zhuo's ability, he wouldn't have let himself be manipulated like this, leaving his wife and children crying and wailing here.

However, when Xue Mingyao saw her brother, she couldn't stop feeling guilty.

Xue Xingtai, like her, loved to show off. Still not fully sober, he slurred and pretended to be nonchalant, "Do you think I care about this damn rank of general? Wearing brocade robes and serving as the emperor's ceremonial guard, what's the point? I can't go to the battlefield and fight the enemy with real swords and spears. Whether I'm a fifth-rank or a seventh-rank official, it's all the same to me. I don't live off that little bit of salary!"

"It's good that you're taking it easy, brother," Xue Mingyao said sullenly. "I've already gone and scolded Xie Zhuo."

Xue Xingtai slammed his hand on the couch, exhaling a breath reeking of alcohol. "Who told you to go see him? It makes it seem like we can't afford to suffer this loss. If you ask me, you shouldn't marry him. I misjudged him. I was hoping he could help my career. Ha, I'm lucky he didn't ruin me! Getting slapped and still clinging to him, so spineless, making a laughingstock of myself!"

Once the blows landed on his body, he felt the pain. Overwhelmed by the Xue family's strong sense of pride, Xue Xingtai finally shared Xue Mingyao's thoughts and began to avoid Xie Zhuo.

Looking at her brother's flushed face, Xue Mingyao couldn't bear to voice Xie Zhuo's threat.

Xue Xingtai was actually very concerned about his reputation. He longed to fight on the battlefield but had been spending his years in the Imperial Guard. This was because his family background and privileges had limited influence in the border army. He had no experience and would have to start as a captain, which was not much better than being a lowly soldier. Xue Erlangjun couldn't bear to lose face like that.

Xue Mingyao took her leave dejectedly. As she was leaving, she saw Xue Mingyu, who had also come to visit her brother and sister-in-law. Yu Niang still gave her a cold look and went into the house without saying hello.

For two days, the Xue residence was shrouded in gloom. The servants knew that their master had been demoted, so they were very careful in their words and actions.

Green Branch brought Xue Mingyao a cup of cherry custard, put the magnolia flowers with dew on them into the vase, tilted her head and said, "Princess, Chen Hanlin's painting still hasn't arrived."

If it weren't for Lüzhi mentioning it, Xue Mingyao would have completely forgotten about Chen Liangqing.

During this time, her mind was filled with Xie Qinglang and Xie Zhuo, leaving no room for anyone else. She paused for a moment, her tongue tasting the sweet cheese, and repeated, "Yes, why wasn't it delivered?"

Even if you draw slowly, it should be finished by now.

He wasn't waiting for her to ask for it, was he? Xue Mingyao immediately laughed at herself for being presumptuous. Chen Liangqing was probably just too busy with official duties to remember her, just as she hadn't thought of him either.

However, the matter she pondered day and night remained unresolved; Xue Mingyao could neither come up with a solution nor make a decision.

But she could no longer stay cooped up in the house, because Zhao Ying's birthday was approaching.

Princess Yi'an had planned this grand birthday celebration months in advance. As her cousin and close friend, Xue Mingyao had no reason not to attend. Xue Xingtai, on the other hand, was unwilling to appear in public due to the blow he had suffered. He stayed at home and invited his fellow guards who had also experienced similar misfortunes to drink with him. In the end, the two Xue sisters each took a carriage to the princess's residence, which was next to the Chen family's residence.

Xue Mingyao arrived early and, before the guests arrived, had a private conversation with Zhao Ying behind closed doors.

"Yaoyao, you look thinner!" Zhao Ying said with a smile as soon as she saw her.

"Eating and sleeping all day long, and you still manage to lose weight? That's amazing." Xue Mingyao adjusted Zhao Ying's hairpins as she dressed in her finest attire, smiling broadly.

Before they could exchange more than a few words, Zhao Ying asked her if the rumor that Xie Zhuo had proposed to her was true. After Xue Mingyao confirmed it, Zhao Ying showed no surprise, but only sighed, "Back then, the prince consort and I tried to match him with Zhelan, but little did we know that his heart was with you."

Xue Mingyao gave her a smile that was almost like crying.

Zhao Ying understood. "You don't want to marry him, do you? Or do you not like the general?"

Xue Mingyao nodded vigorously, "I like handsome scholars. Besides, he proposed to me while simultaneously stripping my brother of his position. How can anyone bear that?"

She decided not to tell Zhao Ying about her past with Xie Zhuo for the time being.

The handsome scholar she had her eye on ignored her and insisted that she force herself on him, which ultimately led to their breakup. It was a truly embarrassing situation, so from the beginning, she had told Zhao Ying that she and the scholar in Xichuan were deeply in love and inseparable, and now she couldn't change her story.

Xue Mingyao is just that kind of person—she dares to do things but not admit them.

Zhao Ying had also heard about Xie Zhuo's crackdown on the Jade Unicorn Guard, but her opinion differed. "He punished many people, but if he lets my cousin go, it will be too conspicuous and cause trouble. General Xie is an excellent choice for a husband, you should reconsider."

"That's what they say, but I just can't accept it," Xue Mingyao said, her words dripping with unspoken suffering.

"You're still as willful as ever," Zhao Ying said with a smile and a sigh.

"It's your birthday today, why are you worrying about me? Don't talk about such unpleasant things." Xue Mingyao smiled and changed the subject, taking out a gift for her.

As they were talking, they heard the beaded curtain move, and a maidservant quickly announced, "The prince consort has arrived!"

Chen Liangzheng walked over, dressed in a brand-new robe, looking very proper. Xue Mingyao smiled when she saw him, "The prince consort looks particularly handsome today. It's Yingniang's birthday, and you've dressed up specially too. Look how well the color of this robe matches Yingniang's skirt."

Zhao Ying lightly slapped her hand; a man of propriety like the驸马 (Imperial Son-in-Law) shouldn't be teased like that. Her gaze, however, lingered on Chen Liangzheng's purple-brown robe and her own lilac skirt; the colors, one dark and one light, complemented each other perfectly.

Chen Liangzheng nodded, "Your Highness is too kind."

"I'm not joking." Xue Mingyao pointed to a chubby white jade boy figure on the table. "Prince Consort, this is a gift I've sent. What do you think? Where would be a good place to put it?"

Zhao Ying's face flushed slightly. Yao Niang knew what she and Chen Liangzheng had been busy with lately and sent a jade doll to add to the joy and help, which made her feel embarrassed.

Chen Liangzheng examined it carefully for a few moments, then couldn't help but chuckle. "Your Highness is so thoughtful. This jade carving is quite endearing; it would be perfect for placing by the bedside—"

The conversation ended abruptly there, as if realizing that what he had said was inappropriate.

Zhao Ying's face turned completely red. The doll was lying down, propping its head up as if watching a show. What was it supposed to watch by the bedside?

Seeing the awkwardness on their faces, Xue Mingyao finally took pity on them and stopped teasing them, smiling and saying, "I'm glad you like it."

Chen Liangzheng didn't say anything more, turned around, lifted the curtain, and left.

"What did he come in for?" Xue Mingyao asked, both amused and exasperated.

"Let me say hello to you," Zhao Ying said with a smile.

"What? He didn't look at me at all. His eyes were fixed on you, as if he just wanted to see you."

"You're joking again."

"Really, he must have just wanted to see how beautiful you look today..."

As Xue Mingyao spoke, a touch of envy welled up within her. Although Zhao Ying and his wife were both very proper, their shyness in conversation was quite endearing. She prided herself on her extensive experience in love, but she had never felt such a gentle and tender mutual affection before.

She has always been willful and indulgent, but what has she gotten in return?

This earned her the deep hatred of a handsome, transformed scholar who cursed her while begging to marry her, as if he were choking her and forcing her to drink a sweet poison.

Xue Mingyao sighed silently.

She deserved it; why did she ever provoke him in the first place?

The banquet began at noon. A group of female guests gathered in a spacious hall, while the male guests, mainly Chen family members and relatives, occupied a smaller room. Xue Mingyao, upon hearing that Xie Zhuo was also present, thought to herself, "His relationship with the Chen family is so close!" Moreover, Chen Zhelan was deeply in love with him, but Xie Zhuo didn't reciprocate her feelings. Wouldn't she feel awkward if they met now?

Anyway, she was constantly being pricked by Chen Zhelan's thorny gaze.

Not only Chen Zhelan, but more than half of the female guests at the table were staring at her.

Some people of equal or higher status boldly came over to ask about General Xie, and then congratulated her with a hint of sourness on winning Xie Zhuo's favor, asking her what method she used to snag a rich husband. Xue Mingyao was displeased to hear this, as they all thought she was unworthy.

Xue Mingyao was born to be the center of attention, used to accepting all the envy and jealousy of noble ladies. If she encountered unpleasant words, she would pretend to show off and retaliate.

But to ask her to smile and say that she hadn't done anything wrong, and that Xie Zhuo would be devoted to her and marry no one but her, was like stabbing herself in the back.

She didn't want the words to get out and be mocked by Xie Zhuo.

Suddenly someone said, "It's all just rumors. Why hasn't the palace actually issued an imperial decree to grant the marriage?"

"I heard that the Fifth Princess wants General Xie to be her consort, and that's probably why the Emperor is in a difficult position," another woman guessed.

"It has nothing to do with the Fifth Princess. She's a princess, she could have any kind of husband she wanted, why is she fixated on him?"

Xue Mingyao lazily interjected, saying that Zhao Ying had told her that morning that the Fifth Princess, upon hearing that Xie Zhuo had someone he loved, had decisively given up, refusing to steal someone else's love. Xue Mingyao admired her ability to let go, and thus spoke up to clarify things for her.

"Could it be that General Xie himself has changed his mind?"

The person asking the question was a cousin of the Chen family, who had just been sitting with Chen Zhelan, and Xue Mingyao did not recognize her.

She felt that Chen Zhelan's gaze had become more intense.

"Can't it be that I don't want to get married?" Xue Mingyao said with a smile, without explaining, and left the table under the pretext of changing clothes, leaving a group of people looking at each other in bewilderment.

She really didn't want to talk to anyone about Xie Zhuo.

With the truth known only to her and Xie Zhuo, all the talk from those around her irritated her.

What surprised her even more was that someone else also came to the banquet.

Zhao Ying was the eldest daughter of Emperor Deyuan. On her birthday, people would come to the palace. Sometimes the emperor himself would come, and sometimes the empress or the crown prince would come on his behalf. But today, the person who came was Feng Wan, or more precisely, Feng Wan came with the young imperial grandson.

Xue Mingyao thought to herself that this pairing was really strange. Feng Wan and Zhao Ying had no relationship, and she was not particularly close to the little prince either. Why was she joining in on this?

Could it be that they've come looking for her?

It's been so long, Feng Wanding already knows that Xie Zhuo is Xie Qinglang, and who knows what other ideas she might have to come up with to nag her for a while.

While the female guests were all paying their respects to Feng Wan and the young prince who had just arrived, Xue Mingyao asked a maid to inform Zhao Ying, and then simply did not return to the table, but strolled into Qingyuan.

On the male side, Xie Zhuo sat at the table, calmly drinking his wine. Chen Liang had invited him, and he hadn't refused, mostly because he thought Xue Mingyao would come, and he wanted to see her.

Although I don't know what to say when I see her, the most likely thing is that we'll just get angry with each other.

Even so, I still want to see him.

Chen Liangzheng led a group of Chen family members to pay their respects to him. Xie Zhuo patiently dealt with them, memorizing each person's face and name, and accepting the wine they offered.

When he was still a scholar, he was once led by Feng Wan's father to pay respects to some officials. Those high-ranking officials all had their noses in the air and put on airs. One of the officers stared at him for a long time with his beady eyes, then laughed loudly, "Young man, I advise you not to take the imperial examination. With that face of yours, you'd have a better future in a brothel!" He then raised his hand and fed the wine that he had offered to the dancer on his lap.

Xie Zhuo endured it without uttering a sound, mentally scrutinizing the names and titles of his subordinates several times, silently vowing that one day when he ascended to the heavenly palace, he would ridicule them back exactly as they were.

However, I still forgot the man's name and appearance, only remembering his swaying beard as he laughed, which was extremely comical.

Xie Zhuo didn't think he could help others in any way, but at the very least, he would never smile at anyone like that in his entire life.

Chen Liangzheng stopped short of disturbing Xie Zhuo for too long, and after a while, his desk was quiet again.

Chen Liangqing sat diagonally opposite him, and Xie Zhuo saw him every time he raised his cup.

Chen Liangqing's outstanding demeanor made him out of place in such a noisy setting. He also did not drink alcohol, and his attendance seemed more like a gesture of respect to his brother and sister-in-law.

Xie Zhuo's feelings towards him were quite complex.

He had known of Chen Liangqing's great name for a long time. His brilliant articles had spread to Xichuan, thousands of miles away, and were read and imitated by students. Xie Zhuo also collected them in his book box and brought them to the princess's residence.

“Chen Liangqing?” The little princess rummaged through the pages. “This name sounds familiar. I think I’ve met him before.”

"Don't move!" He pressed down on her fidgeting hands. "He is a renowned scholar of our time, and at such a young age, he is already very learned."

"Is he more talented than you?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm no match for him." There seemed to be some frustration in her tone. "I'm far from being as good as him."

“Then you can’t compare. You are definitely better looking than him. If you are also more talented than him, wouldn’t you get all the good things?” Xue Mingyao said as she threw herself into his arms, and with a flick of her sash, she rolled Chen Liangqing’s article to the ground.

Xie Zhuo then vowed that if he went to Zhongjing in the future, he would definitely find an opportunity to befriend the talented Chen.

I stopped thinking about it after that.

It seems he has abandoned all his teenage wishes, leaving only those related to Xue Mingyao. For example, when he sees Chen Liangqing again, all he can think about is how Xue Mingyao suddenly fell for him, and the subtle hostility he feels now—Chen Liangqing is not innocent either.

Chen Liangqing, whose innocence was questionable, walked towards him. "General Xie?"

Xie Zhuo nodded slightly, "Chen Hanlin."

Silence formed a bridge between the two. Xie Zhuo sensed that Chen Liangqing had something to say to him, but after waiting a while, he saw Chen Liangqing cup his hands in greeting, "I have other matters to attend to and must leave now. General Xie, please enjoy your meal."

"good."

Xie Zhuo refused to say more.

The banquet continued, with food and wine being served one after another. Xie Zhuo only took small sips, secretly hoping that time would pass quickly. Chen Liangzheng came over and started a conversation with him, from official matters to personal matters. He said to him seriously, "I am also happy that the general has someone he loves. I have already advised my younger sister, so please don't feel embarrassed."

The implication was that it didn't matter if the marriage didn't happen, and Xie Zhuo naturally shared the same sentiment, agreeing with a smile.

"Thank you, General!"

A crisp, clear voice called from the doorway. Xie Zhuo glanced at it and saw large, dark eyes like black grapes and a round face. It was none other than the young, precious grandson of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

"This little kid is here too?" Xie Zhuo saw him standing motionless at the door and understood what he meant. He stood up and walked over, took his hand, led him to his seat, and gave him a piece of roasted goose meat to eat.

"General Xie, it's been a long time since I've seen you." After finishing his meal, the young prince took the handkerchief Xie Zhuo handed him, wiping the grease from his mouth as he spoke in a serious tone.

Xie Zhuo laughed and said, "It will be difficult for you to see me often."

The young prince lived in the palace, and his daily activities were extremely limited. Yet, he still liked to play with adults. Xie Zhuo thought that his presence here today was probably the result of his grandparents' long-term pleading.

"Yes!" The young prince nodded. "I came today to see Aunt Yi'an and Aunt Yongning. It's a pity I couldn't find Aunt Yongning, but I did see General Xie, so it's not a loss!"

"We couldn't find Aunt Yongning—" Xie Zhuo paused, "Why couldn't we find her?"

Didn't she come?

"Because Aunt Yongning is even more mischievous than a child. She ran off to play halfway through the meal, and Aunt Yi'an doesn't even know where she is." The little prince suddenly tugged at Xie Zhuo's sleeve. "General Xie, you want to find her too, don't you? Let's go look for her together!"

He then tried to pull Xie Zhuo up.

"Your Highness, please eat your meal first before you go." Accompanying the young prince was an older woman, dressed as someone from the palace. Xie Zhuo had never seen her with the young prince before. The woman grasped the young prince's hand, half-coaxing and half-persuading him to let go of Xie Zhuo and sit down to continue eating.

The little prince whined and refused.

Xie Zhuo said, "Your Highness, please continue eating. I'll go find Aunt Yongning for you and come back to tell you where she is. How about that?"

He asked a maid for some sweet and sour plum drink, poured a cup for the young prince, and presented him with a plate of fried cakes.

The young prince chewed heartily, gulped down half a cup of plum juice, and waved his hand, "Granted."

Xie Zhuo took two steps outside, then turned back, picked up two fried cakes, wrapped them in a handkerchief, and put them in his sleeve pocket. The little prince giggled, "General Xie, you're greedy too! Oh, I know, you brought them for Aunt Yongning!"

Xie Zhuo actually thought it was bad for children to eat too much fried food, but the little prince was rebellious. If he was told to eat less, he would eat more to annoy him. So he simply took a few pieces away. With the palace servants watching over him, the little prince wouldn't ask for another plate.

He smiled and patted the little prince's head, "You know everything again."

......

In Qingyuan, as the spring breeze passed by, clusters of apricot blossoms, glistening with dew and fragrant, trembled like snow.

The garden in Zhao Ying's residence is beautiful in all four seasons: plum blossoms in winter and apricot blossoms in spring. The apricot grove is located deep within the plum grove, where the apricot trees densely exude fragrance, their lush branches reaching out to the outer wall, creating a secluded and undisturbed haven.

Xue Mingyao came here to find some peace and quiet and found a swing under the wall.

The swing was spacious, with ropes connecting two rows of wooden planks several feet long and wide. The planks were covered with cloth and tied into a boat-like shape, resembling a small suspended bed.

Xue Mingyao climbed inside, looked up at the sky, and saw nothing but blue, like an overturned lake. She curled up, swaying gently in the dappled shadows of the flowers with the hammock.

The faint fragrance of apricot blossoms floated in the air, almost imperceptible, unlike the intoxicating scent of plum blossoms she had smelled in the flower pavilion a few months ago. Xue Mingyao recalled the scene of her meeting with Xie Zhuo back then, and her heart was filled with indescribable emotions.

As the sky rose higher and her eyelids grew heavier, just as she was about to fall asleep, she suddenly heard a faint sound of footsteps.

Xue Mingyao struggled to prop her head up from the hammock and saw the person approaching through the riotous flowers.

It is Xie Zhuo.