Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Grant a marriage between you two...
Ji Zhao's fingertips caressed the beauty in his arms absentmindedly, but his eyes couldn't help but glance at Xie Helan. Beneath the palace lanterns, the man stood with his back straight, his face as calm as a cold pond, gazing intently at the banquet in the distance. The delicacies on the table remained untouched, and only the palace attendants could be seen pouring him glass after glass of wine.
Since the Xianbei young man sat down at the table, he had not once cast a glance at him.
A nameless fire slid down his throat along with the wine, burning fiercely in his lower abdomen. When he saw Xie Helan stand up and leave, the fire suddenly exploded, burning ever more fiercely.
Ji Zhao pushed the person in his arms away with a gloomy face and quickly caught up with Xie Helan.
Xie Helan caught a glimpse of the bright yellow hem of the dress and stepped back silently. Even the accompanying palace servants subconsciously kept their distance.
When they were a little further away from the palace banquet, Ji Zhao suddenly dragged him behind the corridor pillar. He pinched his chin with two fingers, the jade ring rubbing against the delicate skin. "I noticed that Lord Lan has lost his appetite tonight. Is the imperial meal not to your liking?"
"From what I can see, Your Majesty seems dissatisfied with the beauty in his arms, otherwise why would he leave the table midway to chase after her?"
Ji Zhao sneered, anger rising in his eyes.
Thinking back to the time during the autumn hunt when Xie Helan had repeatedly refused to sleep with her, instead pushing a Xianbei palace slave onto the dragon bed and throwing her face to the ground, and then avoiding her for several days, her anger shot through her head. The alcohol had already made her throat tight, and now with the anger mixed in, she felt a burning sensation all over her body, even her mind was a little fuzzy.
"No matter how beautiful a beauty is, she can never compare to Lan Qing. Once you have tasted Lan Qing, you will know what heaven and earth are like."
Without saying anything, Ji Zhao fiercely covered Xie Helan's lips, like a leopard that had been planning for a long time, biting and rubbing vigorously, and a smell of rust and blood spread between their lips.
Xie Helan struggled to push away, but she grabbed his wrist and pressed him against the pillar.
Ji Zhao bit his lips angrily, the heat from the kiss burning through his body. With one hand, he twisted his wrists behind his back, and with the other, he roughly ripped open his jade belt, causing his outer robe to fall to the ground.
"Your Majesty, please stop. This is all useless."
Ji Zhao reached into his clothes and caressed his warm skin, then clamped his chin and kissed him deeply again, "Really? I don't think Lan Qing's body is like that."
His hand slid down and touched that spot through the fabric, but it was still limp and motionless, like a lifeless snake. Ever since his miscarriage, this body hadn't stirred any interest in him for some reason.
It was as if a basin of ice water was poured over Ji Zhao's head, soaking him thoroughly.
"His Majesty."
Xie Helan put his hand on Ji Zhao's shoulder and said, "Let me go."
Ji Zhao released her grip and watched him coldly as he bent over to pick up his outer robe and tied his jade belt expressionlessly. Her anger surged again, and she ripped the jade belt off with force, kissing him roughly on the lips. When he finally couldn't help but beg for mercy, she suddenly let go, "Xie Helan, what did you secretly obey?"
She had repeatedly sent people to examine all the medical records of Xie Helan's pulse diagnosis, searching for any hidden extremely yin substances in an attempt to find the cause of his physical decline. However, each investigation found nothing unusual, and ultimately ended in vain.
She doesn't believe it!
She had seen Xie Helan lying shyly under her before, and she had also seen his appearance when he was excited. The heat, throbbing, and swelling of that place had all been displayed in front of her in every detail, but why did it come to this now?
She doesn't believe it!
Ji Zhao reached out to pull at his belt to verify it, but Xie Helan fought back with all his might against this unreasonable invasion. His usually calm face finally showed anger, "Ji Zhao, are you crazy?"
"Let me go!"
Ji Zhao ignored her and pinched Xie Helan's waist even more angrily. "I don't believe a single word you say. I've been married to you for several years. Even if I were a stone, my heart would be warmed by it."
"If you had no feelings for me from the beginning and were unhappy, I'll accept that. But have you been blind to all the kindness I've shown you over the years? Have you ever worn the hairpin or bracelet I gave you?"
"At first, you were lifeless like a dead fish during intercourse. When you finally got pregnant, you miscarried. Later, whenever I visited your palace, I was always pushed away by various means. If this were to be revealed to Grand Tutor Xie, what would you do?"
"Xie Helan, you can't see how good I am to you, right?"
Xie Helan lowered his eyes and remained silent, clutching his outer robe tighter. A cold breeze blew across his stiff face. The fruit wine he had just drunk wasn't strong, but now it burned his head and made him dizzy.
"How dare you not look at me, and how dare you ignore me!"
Ji Zhaoyang pulled out the jade hairpin from his hair, and his black hair flowed down like black waves, half covering his eyes that had no desires or demands.
"Believe it or not, I will really kill you! How dare you treat me so indifferently!"
Burning with rage, his rationality completely devoured. Ji Zhao reached out and tugged at Xie Helan's outer robe again. He expected a struggle, but he didn't expect the robe to be peeled off his shoulders so easily.
She clutched her brocade robe, looking at the frail figure standing in the cold wind, yet still standing straight and untrembling, "Then kill me."
The voice was as light as snow falling on the ground. "Just like you did to Feng Jun back then, finish me off with a bowl of medicine."
Ji Zhao's pupils were shocked and there was a lump in his throat.
The alcohol burned in his head. Xie Helan had not wanted to confess tonight, but now that it had come to this, he simply said: "I have never taken any drugs. It's just that when I think about you using me to kill Feng Jun, I feel-"
He paused slightly and uttered those two words, "Disgusting."
"The night Feng Jun gave birth, he needed to take medicine to preserve the fetus for a safe delivery. I handed him the bowl of medicine, and he drank it out of trust in me. However, he suffered from continuous bleeding after drinking it, and ultimately died that night."
"I have never been jealous of Feng Jun. Even though he holds a higher position than me and is pregnant with a dragon fetus, I harbor no ill will. I never tampered with that bowl of medicine. And the only person in the palace who can harm Feng Jun is an imperial decree."
"So many years have passed, and when I look at Xun'er's eyes, I always think of Ye Fengjun's face and the blood flowing from his body."
"That night became a demon in my heart, gnawing at me and haunting me all the time."
"Ji Zhao, when you saw Xun'er, did you miss his father? Did you feel apprehensive about the sins you had committed?"
Every word he said, carried by the cold wind, was like a sharp blade, cutting Ji Zhao's heart and lungs.
Her eyes condensed into ice. "So you knew about this all along. If you've been holding it in for so many years, why did you say this tonight?"
"Because I'm tired and I don't want to play dumb anymore."
Xie Helan clenched his fists under his wide sleeves. "Ever since Lord Feng passed away, I always light a lantern for him during the winter palace banquet."
"You can even kill your first husband, so what can a mere noble like me do?"
There was a loud bang.
It was Ji Zhao's fist that hit the pillar.
"Then what do you want from me?!"
Her eyes were bloodshot, and her words were fierce. "When I was fifteen, I ascended the throne with the help of the Minister of Agriculture, but what good is there in this world that comes for free? The deal was to marry the eldest son of the Yuan family of Runan. But if I don't marry him, how can I get the throne? However, if I let the Yuan family give birth to a princess, and Lord Feng is still alive..."
She paused coldly, "I'm afraid that before the little princess turns ten, I'll be beheaded, and the country will be renamed Yuan!"
"I am trying to protect the Ji clan's empire! He Lan, you've been my bedfellow for many years, so you should know how terrified I've been since I ascended the throne. When my mother was on the throne, the Wang clan of Langya was the sole ruler, followed by the Yuan clan, and now your Xie clan is pressing on!"
A gust of cold wind blew past, lifting the strands of hair on Xie Helan's forehead. The cold wind penetrated into his neck through his collar, causing him to shiver slightly.
"So this is your reason for poisoning Feng Jun? To adopt his child to me, to balance the power of the Yuan and Xie families?"
"Since entering the world, our Chenjun Xie family has always been diligent and dedicated, assisting the imperial family with unwavering loyalty. I have always believed that my mother still holds that passionate and innocent heart."
"Yeah?"
Ji Zhao sneered, "But I heard that while Xie Tingyu was recovering from his injuries, the third son of the Runan Yuan family often visited him, claiming to be treating him. Perhaps soon, I will receive invitations from both of you. I don't know what you two families have agreed to behind the scenes."
"It's just a matter of love between young men. Your Majesty, do you want to interfere?"
"OK."
Ji Zhao let the brocade robe in his hand fall to the ground, and looked at him coldly, "I will do as you wish."
Seeing that the emperor's fury had not subsided, everyone in his entourage lowered their heads and held their breath. Only after the corner of the bright yellow robe disappeared behind the corner of the corridor did the palace servants timidly circle behind the pillar.
The palace attendant saw that Xie Helan's clothes were disheveled, his hair was messy, and there were a few hairpins scattered on the ground. He just silently picked up his outer robe and hairpins, put clothes on him, and helped him to the nearest dressing room, not daring to say a word during the process.
Xie Helan wiped the smudged lipstick from the corners of her lips with a handkerchief and ordered a maid to bring her a powder box. After fixing her hair and re-applying her makeup, she returned to the banquet. By then, Ji Zhao had already returned to his seat, and the Xianbei young man had also returned to his seat.
He subconsciously looked towards a table and saw several teenagers sitting around, laughing and arguing about something.
Wang Lanzhi and Wang Qiwu, who were originally sitting at another table, also came over and sat with Xie Tingyu and others.
"Hurry up! It's Xie Er's turn! You can't deny your debt!"
Cui Yuanying shouted loudly and pushed the bamboo tube on the table in front of Xie Tingyu.
What they are playing now is called "Chou Ling". Everyone writes their request on a bamboo stick and takes turns drawing lots. The person who draws the lot must act according to the lot.
Xie Tingyu lifted the stick holder and shook it gently, and a bamboo stick fell out. He picked it up and saw a poem "Sword Dance" on it.
She sighed, "I use the knife most often. The sword is thin and easily broken, and when it comes to actual battle, it's far less satisfying than sweeping the knife horizontally."
"I don't care. You've got to do it now that you've been chosen."
Cui Yuanying immediately asked a palace maid for a decorative sword. Its scabbard was inlaid with pearls and jade, and wrapped with a crimson silk ribbon. Though it shone with a chilling light, it was unbladed, more likely intended as a waist ornament.
Xie Tingyu took off the fox fur coat she was wearing, took the long sword, and casually made a sword flower. When she was about to come to the crowd to dance, a "wait a minute" stopped her.
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Ji Lian slowly stand up. She looked at Xie Tingyu and said, "Since we are dancing with swords, how can we not have stringed instruments to accompany us? I would like to play a piece of music for you, Master Xie."
Cui Yuanying secretly complained: "Look, look, look, back then, I was pestered by Lady Han to the point of throwing my zither, and now Xie Tingyu is volunteering to dance with the sword. Xie Tingyu, Ji Lian, what the hell are you two doing?! Xie Er, was that person at the farm on the outskirts of the city really Ji Lian?"
These thoughts surged in her heart like a tsunami.
Ji Lian lifted her robe and sat down, placing the guqin on her knees. Her fingertips plucked the zither from the Yueshan to the Longyin, producing a series of clear and melodious sounds like flowing springs. The two of them exchanged a knowing glance, then turned and returned to their respective positions.
Xie Tingyu stood, sword in hand. After a few notes of zither music, she suddenly tossed her sword upward. A flash of cold light flashed, and she grasped the hilt with precision. The ribbon flew as she swung, and with a light kick, the scabbard landed steadily beside her.
Ji Lian plucked the strings of the zither, and a song of "Xijiang Yue" flowed out. The first tune of this song was cheerful and melodious, with a bit of tenderness.
Xie Tingyu bent her knees and crouched down, turned her wrist slightly, and drew an arc with her sword. Then she exerted strength on her feet, flipped over in the air and leaped, thrusting the tip of her sword straight down. She turned around and thrust it out diagonally. With one hook and one stroke, one thrust and one stab, it was like a long wind sweeping through the sky, and the crimson ribbon flew in the air with her every move.
At first, only a few of them paused to watch. Soon, the surrounding guests, who had been chatting, gradually fell silent, their gazes drawn to the figure. Those with discerning eyes, noticing Ji Zhao on the throne also casting his gaze, quickly made way, allowing those in the distance to take in the entire scene.
The sword moves are both hard and soft, and fast and slow at a reasonable pace.
When the tune suddenly turns faster, dripping notes burst out from between the fingers, like a sudden rain hitting the eaves, impenetrable.
Xie Tingyu's figure suddenly became fierce. He turned his wrist and the sword moved with him. He touched the ground with his toes and spun around. He swung the sword in the air, and the sword flew straight towards Ji Lian like lightning.
The onlookers exclaimed.
Ji Lian raised his eyes, his expression unfazed. His fingertips swiftly plucked the strings, the melody suddenly pausing, then suddenly taking a sharp turn, with a series of continuous strings. The sword blade reflected in his pupils abruptly stopped just six or seven inches from his brow.
Xie Tingyu flipped his palm, wrapped the silk ribbon around it, and retracted the sword. As light as a dragon, he used the silk ribbon to control the sword and drew several silver arcs. The sharpness of the sword was breathtaking.
The melody gradually fades away, and every drop of music is like pearls falling on a jade plate.
As the final notes faded away, Xie Tingyu executed a beautiful sword flower, ending the move neatly. He turned around, slung his sword across his back, his pine-like spine standing tall in the dim glow of the palace lanterns.
"Good! Good! Good!"
Among the onlookers, I don’t know who took the lead and shouted three times, and then everyone in the audience couldn’t help but applaud. The applause rose and fell, like thunder, and lasted for a long time.
"Hey hey hey! Since we performed together, we should bow together!" Cui Yuanying cheered.
Xie Tingyu leaned over to pick up the scabbard, and with a flick of her wrist, sheathed it neatly. Ji Lian stood beside her, holding her guqin, and they both bowed slightly to the crowd.
Some at the banquet were already whispering, "Young Commandant Xie and the Emperor, standing together, seem like a match made in heaven." "Yes, yes, the zither and sword just now played in harmony, a perfect match."
Suddenly, someone frowned, turned around, and sternly retorted, "Nonsense! Commandant Xie holds an important position in the Sirong Mansion. She will be indispensable in future campaigns to defend against the enemy. Everyone knows that those who hold the title of Imperial Minister cannot hold court positions. This is a rule set by our ancestors. Rules cannot be broken, so don't mention such things again!"
"Ah... General Huan, I made a mistake."
"I beg General Huan to forgive me."
Ji Lian pursed his lips tightly, nibbling the soft flesh beneath them with his pearly teeth to suppress the excitement surging within him. He calmly glanced at Xie Tingyu standing beside him. This was the first time he could stand before the public in such an open and aboveboard manner, side by side with Xie Tingyu. It was a stark contrast to their previous, furtive, private encounters.
There was a burst of applause.
Ji Lian turned around and saw Ji Zhao approaching, clapping his hands. Everyone made way for him. Xie Helan followed silently behind.
A bad feeling flashed through his mind. Although he and Ji Zhao were born of the same mother, their relationship had always been distant. To him, this imperial sister was nothing more than a presence that forced him to navigate social situations as a member of the royal family. Otherwise, their interactions were rare.
Ji Zhao smiled with his hands behind his back, "I heard that Xie Qing was seriously injured before. Judging from your sword dance just now, I believe you are fine now."
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I have recovered as before."
Ji Zhao laughed heartily and patted Xie Tingyu on the shoulder. "I also heard that while Mr. Xie was recuperating, it was Yuan's Third Young Master who came to your courtyard to take good care of you. Could it be that between you two young people... Hahahaha, how about I make the decision today and grant you two a marriage to make this marriage come true?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the whole room was in an uproar.
Bang——
The guqin in Ji Lian's arms fell to the ground with a thud, and the strings suddenly broke, making a dull sound of broken strings.
His pupils suddenly constricted, his chest felt like it was hit by a heavy hammer, his breathing became stagnant and difficult, his ears were buzzing, and he could hardly hear the whispers around him.
Tears welled up in his eyes, and his fingers dug into his thighs under his wide sleeves, forcing back the tears that threatened to flow. He turned his head abruptly, his eyes trembling imperceptibly, glued to Xie Tingyu.
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The author has something to say: I have always said in previous chapters that Feng Jun died of childbirth complications.
The first mention is in Chapter 5, "Xie Helan, the eldest son of the Xie family, holds the title of noble lord. A few years ago, Lord Feng died of a hemorrhage during childbirth, and the little princess she gave birth to was given to Xie Helan to raise."
(This has been mentioned in previous chapters, so I won’t post it. The foreshadowing is recovered.)
No one could have thought that I would be able to post before 5:00 PM today, no one [glasses]
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