Chapter 7 She was really afraid he would die in her car.

Under the dim light, the Xue family carriage, bathed in the swirling snowflakes, rumbled along the streets of Zhongjing. Small lanterns hanging from the eaves swayed back and forth, unusually cheerful.

Xue Mingyao and Xie Zhuo sat on the long benches in the carriage, one on each side, with a considerable distance between them. Lüzhi was nestled in a narrow seat on the side, her eyes downcast and her nose upturned.

Xue Mingyao regretted it as soon as she got into the carriage. Xie Zhuo's threat was clearly harmless. Could a high-ranking general really gossip about Chen Liangqing like a busybody?

Even if he did do that, Chen Liangqing is such an upright person, how could he possibly believe his one-sided story and be prejudiced against her? After all, Xue Mingyao's bad reputation is no secret in Zhongjing, and Chen Liangqing should be aware of it.

Xue Mingyao could only console herself that Xie Zhuo was enjoying the emperor's favor and was riding high, so there was no benefit in making an enemy of him.

Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the other end of the carriage. The general, who had been so imposing just moments before, was now very quiet, his eyes closed, his body leaning against the carriage wall, trembling slightly with the swaying of the carriage.

It seems he genuinely just wanted a ride back to his residence in her carriage, and had no other motives...

Xue Mingyao went over his words and actions in her mind, but she was still full of doubts, so she decided to ask him.

"Ahem." She cleared her throat, not looking at him. "General Xie, you have repeatedly been disrespectful to me. Is there some misunderstanding between us?"

The man at the other end of the carriage remained silent.

Just as Xue Mingyao was wondering if he had fallen asleep, a cold voice rang out, "Princess, you're overthinking it."

"General, don't deny it. I noticed it. Your attitude towards me was particularly strange in front of Chen Hanlin, as if you didn't want me to be alone with him. Why is that?" Xue Mingyao asked bluntly.

Another suffocating silence ensued.

Xue Mingyao's patience was about to run out when she heard Xie Zhuo reply, "Chen Hanlin is a gentleman of our time, full of poetry and books, and loyal and pure in his thoughts. I have long admired him. The princess has a bad reputation and is arrogant and willful. I do not want to see him entangled with you."

Xue Mingyao sneered.

She knew it; he had a prejudice against her!

"Mind your own business," she spat at Xie Zhuo.

Green Branch sighed silently. The princess had been refraining from using vulgar language for more than four months and was about to catch up with her previous record. Now all her efforts had been in vain.

"It seems Chen Liangqing holds a very high position in the general's heart, as pure and unattainable as snow on a high mountain or the moon in the sky, isn't that right? Let me tell you, I'm going to pester you anyway. I'll defile that snow and pluck that moon, and I'll make you furious!"

After Xue Mingyao finished speaking, she felt that it was really suffocating for her to be huddled in the corner while sitting in her own carriage. So she immediately moved her buttocks to the center of the seat, spread her legs, crossed her arms, and strutted around like a tyrant.

Xie Zhuo's body was burning hot, and his head was throbbing with pain. With the jolting of the carriage, his head kept hitting the hard walls of the carriage.

Xue Mingyao received no response and felt rather bored, so she shouted and ordered the driver to hurry up and get rid of this annoying fellow next to her as soon as possible.

The coachman obeyed the instructions, urging the horses to gallop wildly along the sparsely populated snow-covered path. The carriage swayed more and more heavily, and Xue Mingyao barely managed to maintain her balance. However, with a sudden, violent jolt, she couldn't help but veer to the right.

Just as she was about to crash into Xie Zhuo's arms, Xie Zhuo suddenly opened his tightly closed eyes, grabbed Xue Mingyao's wrist with his large hand, and stopped her momentum.

Before Xue Mingyao could decide whether to thank him or scold him, she was startled by the burning heat on her wrist.

Why is it as hot as an oven?

She hesitated for a moment, then reached back to touch Xie Zhuo's arm, before quickly reaching out to touch his neck and forehead, where the heat was alarming.

"What's wrong with you? Is it just a normal fever, or has the 'Beauty's Intoxication' flared up again?" she asked in surprise.

Xie Zhuo closed his eyes again, and surprisingly chuckled softly, saying weakly, "I was angered by the princess."

With a gloomy face, Xue Mingyao once again ordered the driver to speed up.

She was terrified he would die in her car.

The carriage finally entered Chengyi Ward, where the Xie family residence was located. The gatekeeper of the Xie family heard a knocking sound, opened the door, and saw a beautiful woman standing in front of him.

The young woman pointed to the carriage behind her, "Quickly, have two people help your general down and take good care of him. Don't let him die!"

......

When Xue Mingyao returned to her residence, it was already dark, and snowflakes were still falling sparsely.

A man and a woman in the hall had been waiting for her for a long time.

"Brother, Yuniang, what brings you here?" Xue Mingyao asked, slightly weary, as she took off her cloak.

Xue Xingtai and Xue Mingyu are her elder brother and younger sister from the same mother, and are also the other two masters of the Xue family.

Xue Mingyu glanced at her, said nothing, and picked up the pastries from the plate on the table and began to eat them by herself.

Xue Xingtai asked sternly, "Yaoniang, where did you go today? Why are you back so late?"

Xue Mingyao casually removed a jasmine bud from her hair. "I was just going out for a stroll. What are you suspecting, brother?"

"Don't try to fool me." Xue Xingtai snorted and looked at Xue Mingyao's maid, "Lvzhi, tell me everything about where your mistress went today, who she met, and what she did."

Green Branch frowned, looking at Xue Xingtai and then at her master, stammering.

"Alright, brother." Xue Mingyao dragged the plate of pastries in front of Xue Mingyu over, picked up a piece and stuffed it into Lüzhi's mouth, patting her round face. "You know my Lüzhi is timid, why make things difficult for her?"

She looked at Xue Xingtai nonchalantly, "I went to the palace to see Chen Liangqing. You probably guessed it, right? Yuniang complained to you, didn't she?"

Xue Mingyu was a few years younger than her and also had a spoiled and willful nature; they had never gotten along. A few days ago, Xue Mingyao went to the library to retrieve her father's notes on the war in the southern border region, and she happened to bump into her.

Xue Mingyu said confidently, "How can this be considered a complaint? You have not been virtuous as a woman and have made one mistake after another. It is my responsibility to inform my brother."

"Heh, the younger sister dares to interfere in your elder sister's affairs? You're the most well-behaved person in this family." Xue Mingyao mocked.

"Yao Niang!" Xue Xingtai slammed his hand on the table. "You've really taken a liking to Chen Hanlin? Tell me, you're a widow, going out in public to see a man outside your marriage, is that appropriate? You've been living a quiet life at home these past few years, how come you've gone astray again?"

“Exactly.” Xue Mingyu pouted. “You dare to covet a gentleman like Chen Hanlin? He’s so talented, so refined and aloof, how could ordinary women possibly catch his eye? Don’t waste your time, he’ll never be interested in you. If you try to seduce him, you’ll only become a laughingstock, and the Xue family will be ridiculed as well.”

Xue Mingtai glared at her, "Yuniang, how can you say that about your elder sister? Yaoniang is both smart and beautiful. Any man with eyes would love our Yaoniang."

Xue Mingyu stamped her foot in grievance, "Brother, didn't we come together to punish Sister?"

Xue Mingyao smiled at Xue Mingyu, "Yuniang, from what you're saying, it seems you really like Chen Hanlin."

Xue Mingyu blushed instantly. "I... I didn't! I only admire him, I don't like him. He's so wonderful, he deserves to marry a talented and intelligent young lady..."

"Oh, that's a pity. Actually, I'm only a little interested in him, not necessarily trying to win him over. I was thinking that if you were in love with him, I would help you out, and maybe we could even arrange a marriage," Xue Mingyao said with a smile.

Xue Mingyu became increasingly uncomfortable, stammering as if she wanted to say something but then stopped herself.

Hearing this, Xue Xingtai breathed a sigh of relief, "Yaoniang, don't even think about him. At your age, what's the point of being interested in someone like that—"

"You admire young women," Xue Mingyao reminded him.

"Yes, I understand your admiration for young women. But you are a widow after all, so you must do it in the right way!"

When Xue Mingyao heard him mention the correct way, she realized what he was going to say.

Sure enough, Xue Xingtai counted on his fingers for her, saying, "You've been widowed for seven years and have finished observing the mourning period for your father. It's time to consider remarrying."

He pulled a thin booklet from his sleeve and handed it to Xue Mingyao. “This is a list of suitable men for your remarriage compiled by your sister-in-law. I know you don’t like military generals, so I specially searched for civil officials. They are all very good. Take a look and see if there is one that suits your taste.”

Xue Mingyao took the booklet and tossed it aside. "Brother, I've said it before, I don't want to remarry."

"This is not up to you," Xue Xingtai said decisively. "You are young and have no children. Besides, you don't want to be stuck with that unfortunate General Cen. If you don't find a husband, are you going to stay in the Xue family for the rest of your life?"

Xue Mingyao said in a low voice, "What if I stay here for the rest of my life? Can't you afford to support me? Do you have to kick me out?"

“Brother, that’s not what I meant. The title of widow is unpleasant. Everyone thinks widows bring bad luck and bring misfortune to their husbands. You, Yaoniang, are of marriageable age and have a strong personality that refuses to be subservient to others. How could you be content to remain a widow forever? You will remarry sooner or later!”

Xue Mingyao shrugged. "Brother, that's too arbitrary. There are plenty of women who lose their husbands young and remain widows until old age, why can't I? Besides, I am the dignified Princess Yongning, who would dare to think I'm unlucky?"

Xue Xingtai shouted, "You are different from them! They can remain widows for life, but you cannot!"

"Why can't I?" Xue Mingyao retorted.

Xue Mingtai stiffened his neck and remained silent.

Xue Mingyao suddenly said, "Brother, are you in such a hurry to marry me off that you want to sell your sister for personal gain? Father is gone, and the Xue family's prestige is not as strong as before. Besides, you are just a general without real power..."

She pointed to the booklet, "There must be many benefactors in here who can help you, brother."

"Yao Niang!" Xue Xingtai interrupted her in disbelief, "How could you slander me like this? You've always been my most beloved little sister, I only wish for your peace and happiness..."

Xue Mingyu, sitting in the corner, let out a muffled hum.

“If you wish me peace and happiness, then don’t mention remarriage. Otherwise, I’ll assume you have ulterior motives and are trying to use my marriage as a stepping stone to your future,” Xue Mingyao said quickly.

Xue Xingtai paced back and forth in the room in anger, pointing at Xue Mingyu, "Yuniang, you go back to your courtyard first."

Xue Mingyu was unhappy, but she didn't dare disobey her brother. As she walked, she muttered to herself, "What can't I hear? I know all the good things my sister has done."

Xue Xingtai dismissed all the maids again, and when only he and Xue Mingyao were left in the room, he sat down heavily and said in a gruff voice, "You ask me why I insist on marrying you off, right? Fine, I'll tell you, it's because—I'm afraid you'll relapse into your bad habit of bullying men and women! I'm afraid you'll kidnap another Xie Qinglang!"

A note from the author:

----------------------

Xiao Xie started to talk back stubbornly [doge emoji], triggering Xue Xiaoyao's cursing skill.