Chapter 16 Marry Me It Doesn't Matter Whom You Marry
The horse riding and archery competition begins.
Many students in front have already started drawing lots. As long as they draw the same lot, they will be considered as opponents.
Yun Xi didn't want to get too close to these men, so she waited until they finished smoking and then took the last remaining cigarette.
When the draw results came out, her opponent was Zheng Si, the eldest son of the Shangshu family.
After seeing the lot in Yun Xi's hand, Zheng Si, dressed in an elegant blue robe, walked over first and said politely, "Your Highness Roujia is not good at archery, right? If Your Highness wants to win, I can let you win later."
His voice was soft and small, audible only to the two of them. Zheng leaned in very close, almost whispering in Yun Xi's ear like a lover's whisper.
Zheng Si was very satisfied with the deliberately gentle voice. He knew that Princess Roujia was stupid and had a thin face, and she would definitely not be able to afford to lose, so he came to talk to her.
Of course, there is also a part of selfishness in this. Everyone knows the status of this prince in the emperor's heart. There is no man in Chang'an who doesn't want to get on this golden skirt.
However, Yun Xi saw through him immediately. "General Xie is here today. You don't want to embarrass your family in front of him, do you? I'm here to take the horseback archery course at the order of my father. Now that I'm here, I can afford to win or lose. I don't want to be criticized and bring shame to the royal family."
There's no such thing as a free lunch. If Zheng Si wants her to do something, he'll definitely ask for benefits from her, and there's a good chance it will trigger additional plot restrictions. In a story like this, owing someone anything is taboo.
After being rejected by her righteously, Zheng Si felt a little embarrassed, but he didn't dare to refute, so he stood quietly beside her.
The two of them were shoulder to shoulder, almost touching.
Yun Xi was looking at the people competing in the shooting range and didn't notice anything, so Zheng Si moved closer to her.
Suddenly, a scimitar was placed between the two men's arms as they were about to meet.
He didn't touch Yun Xi, but he stuck close to Zheng Si, like a threatening warning.
Feeling a cold gaze falling on him, Zheng Si sensed murderous intent with his last bit of sharpness. He glanced sideways and saw the person behind Yun Xi.
A head taller than him, her eyes, as dark as the abyss, stared at him silently, like stagnant water that had been stagnant for years. There was not a ripple in her eyes. Although she was so calm, there was an inexplicable chill in her eyes that was creepy.
Just a sneak peek scared Zheng Si to death. He had also attended the princess' birthday banquet and knew how powerful Guard Ji was. He was afraid that he would fly from Jingwen Hall to the outside of Gan Palace in one step.
He finally backed off, bowed silently, and stepped aside.
Ji Xun also put down the knife, looked straight ahead, and returned to his original appearance, as if nothing had happened just now.
From beginning to end, Yun Xi was never alarmed.
Before the competition, Zheng Si suddenly said he was not feeling well and went home early, so he had to draw again.
Yun Xi was lucky enough to pick a thin man as her opponent. The opponent was the third son of Minister Du's family. He was stupid and slow since childhood, and was more likely to cause trouble than to accomplish anything.
She had no intention of humiliating the Third Master Du, nor did she want to find a stronger opponent just to prove herself. Winning was enough.
As she expected, Young Master Du couldn't even hold the bow steadily, and several arrows fell off the string. Yun Xi was taught by Ji Xun for a while, and it was quite effective. With good luck, she hit the target in one go.
The result was not high, just barely on the edge, but I had already won.
The scene of the two noobs fighting each other made many people laugh, and Xie Yange also laughed.
As long as she was thick-skinned, no amount of ridicule could attack her. Yun Xi walked on calmly.
Fortunately, Ji Xun helped her this time, and at least she hit the target. In the original novel, she couldn't even draw the bow.
"The people who will be staying this time are Du Jun, Zhang Mingduan, and Xu Rui..."
At the end of the competition, Yun Xi escaped temporarily. As long as she was not left behind, she could avoid the original restricted plot.
But this time Yun Xi made a mistake.
After reading out the names of some students, General Xie, with a dignified look, glanced at Yun Xi. He folded his hands behind his back and said in a serious tone, "Your Highness Roujia, please stay after the class. I have something important to discuss with you."
Hearing General Xie's words, Yun Xi was stunned for a moment: "???"
If I remember correctly, General Xie was away fighting for many years and never married. If he had gotten married at the right age, his child would probably be the same age as her.
Could it be that she and this general also have...
*
After the course, Yun Xi stayed.
General Xie is now her teacher, so Yun Xi naturally can't refuse him in front of everyone.
She was a useless piece of wood in the Imperial Academy. If she continued to talk back to her teachers, she would definitely be scolded to death by her father after entering the palace.
Under the shady green trees, the ground was covered with mottled spots of light, and a wind with a bit of scorching heat blew past her face, making Yun Xi even more irritated.
Ji Xun, dressed in a stern black, stood behind her, calm and indifferent. His raised handsome eyebrows revealed his indifference to the world. His tall body was leaning against the tree trunk, his arms casually crossed, looking quite noble.
His dark pupils shifted and fell on the girl in the red dress who was spinning anxiously in place. The light gauze of her skirt accidentally brushed against his black boots.
"Is your Highness hot?"
He asked.
Yun Xi frowned and paused, the beaded tassels on her golden hairpin swaying with her movements. "Let me ask you a question."
Ji Xun was at his ease, listening attentively: "Your Highness, please speak frankly."
"Have you met the general who taught me before?" Yun Xi lowered her voice, raised her eyes, and puffed up her cheeks. "Can you beat him?"
Yun Xi had been worried about this matter all along. She couldn't remember any contact between her and General Xie, and the incident happened so suddenly that she couldn't think of a response.
If it were anyone else, it would be fine, but this guy is a battle-hardened general...
"I've never fought before, so I don't know." Ji Xun gave a pertinent reply, "Your Highness, do you want me to give it a try?"
Before Yun Xi could answer, General Xie, who had just finished teaching the students a lesson, came over from the shooting range. He was dressed in armor and was middle-aged, with a mature and steady aura. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle, locking onto the direction where Yun Xi was.
"Your Highness, move." General Xie turned sideways. Although he lowered his posture, the murderous aura that made him intimidating without even being angry could not be ignored.
"Guard Ji doesn't need to follow." He added.
Yun Xi frowned silently. She didn't remember introducing Ji Xun to him. How did he know?
"I'll wait for Your Highness here." Ji Xun said to her.
Just like when he dealt with Zhou Changsheng, if she needed him, he could break in at any time.
In the end, Yun Xi followed General Xie. On the green grass field, General Xie walked slowly with his hands behind his back, while Yun Xi walked beside him, her fingers tightly clasped around the hem of her skirt.
Yun Xi felt quite uneasy walking with such an unfamiliar figure for the first time. General Xie noticed her nervousness and chuckled, "Your Highness, there's no need to be so reserved. When His Majesty ascended the throne, he relied on my Xie family for support. Based on seniority, Your Highness is my half-niece."
Yun Xi listened quietly, and after noticing that he had always kept his distance from her, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She asked, "General Xie, why don't you just speak frankly?"
General Xie chuckled again: "As far as I know, Your Highness has just celebrated his eighteenth birthday, and His Majesty is worrying about your marriage."
"What does this have to do with the general?" Yun Xi looked puzzled.
"Your Highness is not young anymore. His Majesty has no children, and he has issued an edict appointing your eldest son as the crown prince." General Xie smiled. "Now the border is in turmoil, and the neighboring country Daliang is eyeing the Great Wei covetously. The matter of appointing a crown prince is imminent, and Your Highness should plan for a way out."
"Since General Xie has returned victorious, I believe that he will continue to defend the territory of Wei in the future," said Yun Xi.
"Your Highness is too naive. Ever since Daliang annexed Jin, its national strength has grown, and it seems poised to surpass Wei. Your Majesty is advanced in years, and is increasingly unable to handle government affairs. If this continues, Wei may..."
General Xie didn't finish his words, but Yun Xi understood what he meant.
In the original novel, the emperor also hoped that the eldest princess would give birth to the crown prince as soon as possible and appoint a trusted regent to support the young emperor to ascend the throne. However, because Yun Xi played too much and ate too much contraceptive soup, she became infertile.
Without a legitimate heir, the court was in chaos after the emperor's death. Kings of various foreign surnames competed for power, tearing the Wei Dynasty apart. The country was destroyed in less than a year.
There are only three months left before the emperor's death.
Yun Xi's brows furrowed even tighter, her fingers clenched until they turned white, and she didn't know how to answer for a moment.
"I, Xie Yu, am not boasting. In today's Chang'an, only the sons of the Xie family are worthy of Your Highness. If Your Highness is willing, I have a nephew named Xie Zhao who has long admired Your Highness."
Yun Xi's mouth twitched: "..."
The identities of the Xie family's sons... Is that crossdresser Xie Yan Ge among them?
She had heard of the Xie family. They had a garrison general commanding an army, and important court officials who enjoyed the emperor's favor. For Princess Roujia, it was indeed the best choice.
But Yun Xi didn't like it. Because Xie Zhao was Xie Yange's younger brother. One of the brothers was dressed as a man, and the other was known to be bad with women. No matter how you looked at them, they looked like two weirdos.
"I know that Your Highness was born with a dragon and a phoenix, so naturally he is not willing to be subordinate to one man. It doesn't matter who the crown prince is, as long as his surname is Xie."
"General, I need to think about this matter again." Yun Xi did not refuse, nor did she agree directly.
Because she didn't know the consequences of modifying important plot points without authorization, she could only sit back and do nothing.
General Xie didn't ask her to agree on the spot. He smiled and bowed slightly, "Wait for your Highness's news. The Xie family will have a flower viewing banquet in a few days. If your Highness is willing to do you the honor, you can come to the Xie family to enjoy the fun. I will send someone to deliver the invitation to the Princess's Mansion."
"Yes, I understand."
After he left, Yun Xi stood there in a daze for a long time, until a familiar voice came from the tree above her head:
"Hey, did my uncle just say he wants you to marry my brother?"
When Yun Xi looked up, she found that Xie Yan Ge had been sitting on a tree looking at her. Her purple dress fluttered in the wind, and her eyebrows and eyes were extremely delicate and beautiful. She was staring at her with a smile on her face.
"What's it to you?" Yun Xi rolled her eyes at him and turned her back to him.
Xie Yange swiftly jumped down from the tree, not at all like a girl. He slowly approached Yun Xi from behind and whispered behind her ear, "You're going to be my sister-in-law. It's none of my business, isn't it?"
Feeling the breath behind her ear, Yun Xi reacted immediately, raised her hand and slapped him in the face: "Go away. I haven't agreed yet."
A crisp sound stunned Yun Xi and Xie Yange.
Yun Xi didn't expect that he wouldn't even try to hide.
Xie Yange touched the clear red mark on his left cheek, but he wasn't angry at all. He grinned and said, "Your hand is quite strong."
Yun Xi raised her foot and prepared to run away, but the next moment, Xie Yange grabbed her wrist. A young man's voice, no longer trying to suppress it, came from behind. It was a clear and pleasant male voice, with a bit of indifference and laziness:
"It doesn't matter who you marry, so instead of marrying that impotent Xie Zhao, why don't you marry me, Your Highness Roujia?"
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