Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Xie Tingyu, will you marry me? ...
In the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Five Surnames and Seven Aristocrats had always upheld the rule that gentry and commoners should not intermarry, and there was even a tradition that royal sons would not marry court ladies. Therefore, when choosing a husband, people often prioritized the highest-ranking families over royal relatives.
The aristocratic families were particularly proud of their legacy of Confucian classics, and the Xie family of Chen County was particularly renowned for their refined conversation. Numerous prominent families in Jiankang City hoped to forge a marriage alliance with the Xie family.
When Xie Tingyu was just one year old, he and Yuan Fuxue were engaged, a story that everyone envied. However, due to Xie Tingyu's frail health, the marriage was called off.
Now that Ji Zhao had taken the initiative to bring it up and personally acted as a matchmaker, everyone at the table naturally agreed and praised it.
"Thank you Yuan for the marriage, it is truly a good alliance between Qin and Jin!"
"Good! Good! Good! A marriage between noble families brings honor to the family!"
"It's important to note that Miss Xie and Yuan Sanlang are a perfect match based on their facial features. They're truly a perfect match!"
Even though she should have been sweating from the heat of playing the zither, her fingers plucking the strings non-stop, the moment these words reached her ears, Ji Lian felt a chill piercing her bones. Even though her outer robe was sewn with rabbit fur for warmth, it couldn't resist the chill in her heart.
He bit his lower lip hard, and a faint smell of rust rose between his lips and teeth. Only then did he suppress the urge to grab Xie Tingyu's arm and loudly tell everyone about their affair.
He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. The curling white mist blurred the corners of his red eyes. He silently looked at Xie Tingyu's profile and swallowed thousands of words.
You can't do that.
No matter what, he could not stop Xie Tingyu's official career.
Everyone had different expressions, some were happy, some were worried, some were shocked, some were sad, and some had already turned around to congratulate Xie Qingyan, thinking about what gifts to give him for the wedding.
"Oh no." Cui Yuanying leaned close to Wang Lanzhi's ear and said, "Give me a chance, and I will definitely persuade your brother to be with Xie Tingyu. I really can't stand Yuan Wangshu and Xie Tingyu being sisters-in-law."
Wang Lanzhi glanced at Wang Qiwu, whose mind was still on the delicious food, and held her forehead with her hand: "Do you think I don't want to?"
Yuan Wangshu, however, wasn't as delighted as Cui Yuanying had imagined. She secretly scrutinized Ji Zhao's expression and shook her head slightly at Yuan Fuxue, signaling him to be quiet. Yuan Fuxue nodded in understanding, lowering his gaze and remaining silent.
"Your Majesty's kindness is so great that I shouldn't refuse it."
Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows slightly, the palace lantern casting a mixture of light and shadow on her face. Turning around, she saw Xie Qingyan slowly walking out of the passage made clear by the crowd.
Xie Qingyan bowed politely, "It's just that my daughter Tingyu was engaged to the son of the Yuan family since childhood, but fate was short-lived, and the engagement was broken off when she was still young. As the saying goes, once a string is broken, it's hard to continue the song. Since the relationship is over, I can only let it go."
After these words were spoken, there was a sigh of relief at the table. Some people even wanted to slap themselves twice for congratulating Yuan Zhaoyun just now.
"Grand Minister, this is wrong."
"The Xie family of Chenjun and the Yuan family of Runan were both meritorious officials of the Great Zhou. If they could marry, it would be a great blessing for both the country and the people."
At this point, Xie Tingyu suddenly understood. Just as the previous emperor had forced Wang Zhuozhang to marry a man of high status to test his loyalty, Ji Zhao was also using marriage as a bargaining chip in his political maneuvers. Wang Zhuozhang had even discussed this with her over a few drinks, and ultimately, he married another man from a middle-class noble family.
"Your Majesty's kindness is a source of deep apprehension."
She stepped back, sword in hand, and saluted, but was interrupted by Ji Zhao's sharp voice: "What are you afraid of?! If I think it's worth it, then it counts! Don't mention the nonsense of avoiding Hong Luan again. Didn't you say you wanted to wait a year? Fine, I'll arrange it for you. Next spring, when the flowers bloom, your marriage will be held!"
With just a few words, it seemed as if the final wedding date had been finalized.
Xie Tingyu sighed inwardly that even reincarnation hadn't been this hasty, but he remained respectful, saying, "My relationship with Mr. Yuan San is merely a friendship of gentlemen. I'm healing my wounds to repay your life-saving grace the night of the riot, and I have no other motives."
At this time, Yuan Fuxue also stood up and approached, bowing to Ji Zhao, "Since Madam Tingyu said so, even though Fuxue admires you, she dare not force you. If we are truly destined to be together, we will have a long time to come."
This statement was appropriate and generous, reflecting the demeanor of a young master from a prominent family.
Xie Tingyu took the opportunity to continue, "I have just recovered from a serious illness, and I am also very busy with my duties at the Sirong Mansion. I really can't spare the time to think about marriage."
"I……"
"His Majesty!"
Xie Helan, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke up, kneeling before Ji Zhao with his collar lifted. "I am delighted that Your Majesty loves Tingyu so much and trusts the Xie family. Since Tingyu is my sister, why not let me handle her marriage?"
Ji Zhao remained calm, knowing that Xie Helan was asking her not to push him too far. She lowered her head and stared at the back of his neck for a long time before saying, "Since Mr. Lan is so willing, I'll leave this matter to you."
"Hahahaha! It seems like marriage can't be forced." Ji Zhaolang smiled and turned back to his seat. "My dear nobles, don't miss the upcoming fireworks."
The storm subsided temporarily, and the palace banquet returned to its bustle.
Yuan Fuxue walked over to Ji Lian and helped him pick up the fallen guqin. He heard him ask softly, "I thought you would happily agree."
"I do want to." Yuan Fuxue raised her eyes, her ambition clearly hidden, "But a forced melon is not sweet. I have to wait until Madam Tingyu is willing to speak, then I can marry her in style."
Ji Lian suddenly grabbed Yuan Fuxue's wrist and said coldly, "You speak as if you have already stepped half a foot into Xie Garden."
"That's better than Your Highness being bound by the ancestral rules and not having even a single chance."
These words hit Ji Lian's sore spot, and the fingers holding Yuan Fuxue's wrist suddenly tightened.
During the second half of the banquet, Xie Tingyu noticed that Ji Lian, sitting across from him, looked dejected and was guzzling glass after glass of fruit wine. Although it was a mild sweet fruit wine, his frail body was no match for such heavy drinking.
Before he'd finished his warm wine, another shot was gushed down his throat. The pungent taste stung Ji Lian, who coughed violently, covering his face with his sleeves. His eyes sparkled with tears. Seeing Xie Tingyu chatting and laughing with Yuan Wangshu and the others, not even glancing at him, he casually grabbed a candied fruit from the table and stuffed it into his mouth. The bitter taste was unbearable, and he hurriedly spat it out. It turned out to be a pitted hawthorn.
They even bully him when it comes to eating!
When Ji Lian thought that Xie Tingyu paid no attention to her at all, she silently picked up two pots of wine and stood up to leave.
Jiangzhu had thought he was heading back to Posa Pavilion, but unexpectedly he was heading all the way to the secluded Lakeside Pavilion. He looked worried, "It's almost midnight now, and it's freezing cold outside. If Your Highness goes to admire the snow on the lake now, you might catch a cold."
Ji Lian glanced at him and said, "Send some charcoal and wine."
Jiangzhu had no choice but to do as she was told.
The Lakeside Pavilion stands on the vast icy lake. The eaves and the lake surface are covered with white snow, as if the sky and the earth are connected into a white silk.
The palace attendants spread a thick mink fur on the beauty's seat, prepared silver charcoal to keep out the cold wind, and hung brocade felt curtains around the pavilion. Only the side facing the lake was slightly opened to allow him to enjoy the snow.
Although this thing can keep out the cold, it also covers the scene inside the pavilion tightly, making it difficult for outsiders to see anything.
Ji Lian dismissed all the palace servants and did not allow anyone to serve near the pavilion, so Jiangzhu took people to guard from a distance.
He leaned against the beauty's chair, raised his glass and drank deeply, gazing at the broken ice on the lake. His fingertips slid unconsciously along the polished wooden railing, the heat of the silver charcoal mixed with the aroma of alcohol, gradually staining his cheeks with two blushes.
The wine burned his throat and flowed to his lower abdomen, gathering an unfamiliar heat. This was the first time he'd ever drunk so much. His wrist softened, and the wine cup tinkled to the ground.
"If only she were here... She saw me leaving, why didn't she come find me?"
Ji Lian simply leaned half-over on the stone table, drinking cup after cup. When he looked up at the scattered stars in the night sky, he suddenly felt a drop of cold water on his hot cheek.
The face he had been thinking about so much came into view, and he sighed softly, "Why are you so drunk?"
Without thinking, Ji Lian suddenly stood up and stared at Xie Tingyu for a long time. Just as he took a step, he accidentally stepped on the wine cup on the ground, slipped, and suddenly fell into her arms.
Ji Lian half-knelt on the ground, his arms around her waist, looking up. Xie Tingyu lowered his eyes. She had her long hair half-covered today, a few strands of hair falling from her shoulders, brushing against Ji Lian's cheek again and again.
"I thought," Ji Lian whispered softly, "you wouldn't come to see me."
As if realizing something, he asked nervously, "Did anyone see you when you came?"
"Your Majesty has hidden gold ingots throughout the palace to celebrate the winter, saying whoever finds them will own them. Cui Yuanying has dragged me to look for them."
Xie Tingyu gently stroked his burning cheek with the back of her hand. "I took the opportunity to slip out. The shortest way is to go behind a small hill, which happened to avoid the palace servants who followed you."
"I see you're feeling rather down tonight."
The alcohol mixed with the ecstasy of seeing her wrapped him in chaos, and he spoke his heart out without hesitation.
"Because someone wants to arrange a marriage for you."
Ji Lian's nose turned red as she cautiously tugged at the corner of her sleeve. "No matter who is chosen for you in the future, you must not marry him, okay?"
"Why?"
"because……"
Ji Lian used the force to hold her forearm to stand up, staggered and hung on her, holding her face with both hands, "Because I want to marry you and be your husband."
"Why do we have to get married?" Xie Tingyu once again raised the question he had that day.
If it were any other time, Ji Lian would have burst into tears upon hearing this. However, this was the second time he had heard such a statement, and with the previous rejection as a lesson, he did not back down or try to escape again.
"Because I want status."
Ji Lian took a deep breath, his tone calm, yet with an almost stubborn determination.
"Yes, that's the kind of guy I am."
"I'm just so jealous."
"I'm just that greedy."
"I am just such a man without moral integrity."
"I'm just so unreasonable."
"Xie Tingyu, as long as you are in this world, I will never stop loving you."
A series of words, like hail in winter, wrapped in love and desperate courage, suddenly hit Xie Tingyu's heart at this moment.
The pavilion was extremely quiet. For a moment, the only sounds that could be heard were the mingling breathing of the two people and the crackling of the charcoal fire.
"Are you forcing me to marry you?"
"What do you mean by forced marriage... Yes, I am forcing marriage."
Tears welled up in his eyes, and he whispered, almost begging, "Xie Tingyu, are you willing to marry me?"
"Not only do I want to be your legal husband, I also want you to marry only me in this life and stay with me forever."
The fingers holding her cheeks trembled slightly, and the white mist exhaled lightly fluttered between her lips.
"I know you have an unruly nature and only want to indulge in the mountains and rivers, but I really want to marry you."
"I know you have no intention of taking responsibility and are only attracted to me because of your appearance, but I really want to marry you."
"I know you have great ambitions and want to achieve great things on the battlefield, but I really want to marry you."
"I know I'm insignificant compared to the high positions in the court, but I really want to marry you."
Ji Lian closed his eyes and kissed the corner of her lips devoutly. Tears fell from the corners of his eyes, wetting their lips as they pressed together. "Xie Tingyu, will you marry me?"
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The author has something to say: Here come the babies.
Copywriter: Later, when the emperor ordered her to marry another man, he took the initiative to get into her arms, carefully tugged at her sleeve, and said, "Don't marry him, okay?" [This foreshadowing is completed]
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