Chapter 60 Chapter 60 "Who touched this place?"
Zhang Jingxian didn't pay much attention to Cai Xiang's reaction. Her eyes were quickly attracted by the various men at the gathering. It must be said that it was quite pleasing to the eye to see dozens of young and handsome men gathered together.
Perhaps the ladies who attended the gathering also thought so. Across a man-made stream, they whispered to each other and laughed non-stop.
Up ahead, County Magistrate Chen was introducing the various outstanding individuals in Wuling City to Xie Yun. Every time he mentioned a person, there would be a brief pause in his laughter.
After a few times, Zhang Jingxian figured out the pattern: the longer the pause, the more popular this outstanding person was.
If he doesn't even stop, it means that he is either notorious or... extremely ugly.
She sat in a seat a little behind Xie Yun, watching a person stand up and sit down with relish, her eyes never idle for a moment.
When it was the turn of a man named Zhou to stand up, the girls' laughter stopped for a long time, but Zhang Jingxian couldn't help but exclaimed.
What a handsome young man, he truly lives up to the description in the book that a man as beautiful as jade is like a street girl.
The love of beauty is human nature, and no one is exempt from it. She stared at Mr. Zhou intently, thinking that if his people were in Wuyang County, there would definitely be many people rushing to Wuyang County.
"Nice name, nice looks. Why don't Zhou Erlang write a poem for this gathering first?" Xie Yun heard the woman's exclamation behind him. With a blank expression, he picked up the wine pot and poured a glass of wine.
He placed the wine glass into the stream, and with a slight force of his long fingers, it just flowed along the stream and stopped in front of Zhou Erlang.
Everything was quiet around him. Zhou Erlang, facing everyone's somewhat jealous gazes, took the wine glass from the stream with trembling hands.
Just as he was about to finish the drink, Envoy Xie said something else with a calm expression.
"Seven breaths is the limit."
In ancient times, people could compose a poem in seven steps, while now they can compose a poem in seven breaths.
Gong Chengyue's eyes were full of sympathy. He slowly waved the feather fan in his hand and thought to himself, poor Mr. Zhou, who made you offend a petty man?
However, this is also a chance to survive. If he performs well, Mr. Zhou can be recruited as his disciple.
However, the Seven-Step Poem was ultimately just a special case. Seven breaths later, under the focused gazes of the women, Zhou Erlang tremblingly drank the wine, struggling to utter only a few unformed words.
"Today... the scenery is truly wonderful. I... I..."
Then he fell silent and handed the wine glass to the waiter behind him with a face full of shame.
"boom!"
The girls' hearts were broken at this point. Mr. Zhou had a good appearance and good manners, but his literary talent was not very good.
Zhang Jingxian also felt a little sorry and didn't dare to look at Mr. Zhou who was in a trance due to the shock. She picked up the wine pot in front of her and slowly poured the wine.
As the glass of wine filled up, a deep male voice came to her ears.
"Today's scenery is truly wonderful. I will sing with you today. When next spring comes, I hope we can say hello again."
The tone was deliberately lowered, and it seemed that only she and one or two people around her could hear it.
Zhang Jingxian put down the wine jug and slightly raised her eyelids. A pair of black eyes were looking at her calmly. The calm expression seemed to say that writing a poem in seven breaths was nothing.
In a few breaths, he could even continue with Zhou Erlang's remaining poem.
Subconsciously, she pulled the corner of her mouth and said something silently.
"My dear, your writing is very talented."
It was a normal compliment. Xie Yun saw her lip movements, his eyes moved, and he casually poured another glass of wine.
But this time, he drank it himself.
"The wine on the table tastes good. Thank you for your effort, County Magistrate Chen." Xie Yun suddenly praised today's wine to County Magistrate Chen who was standing beside him.
County Magistrate Chen was feeling uneasy about Zhou Erlang's behavior, but when he saw that Zhou Erlang not only did not blame him but also looked amiable, he breathed a sigh of relief and loudly ordered the guests to continue passing the cups and composing poems.
Gradually, the scene became lively.
Zhang Jingxian watched the so-called Qushui Liushang for a while, and her interest waned a little. She took some fruits on the table and started to eat.
Wuling City is rich in resources. She ate some fruits and snacks she had never seen before and was in a good mood.
About a quarter of an hour later, Zhang Jingxian caught a glimpse of Cai Xiang leaving the table at the end of the stream. She calmly told Xie that she wanted to enjoy the scenery in other places in the villa.
"Madam Zhang, remember not to leave here too far." Xie understood her hint, glanced at the envoy, and let her leave.
Today's gathering is for entertainment and pleasure. At this time, there are many people who have left their seats and are walking around freely. There are also men and women who are in love with each other hiding in a secluded place and talking secretly.
Zhang Jingxian held the short bow hidden on her body and followed Cai Xiang to the back of a rockery.
She stared intently at the looming figure in front of her, not noticing that there was a pair of eyes following her all the time.
-
Seeing that there was no one around, Cai Xiang stopped.
He turned around, his voice containing a hint of laughter. Compared to the last time when he had the temerity to stop someone, this time he was obviously much more sincere.
"Madam Zhang, I almost misunderstood your meaning before. I didn't expect that you really wanted to ask me out."
"Mr. Cai, you asked Xiaochan to bring me some delicious and expensive meals. I want to thank you in person." Zhang Jingxian pursed her lips, showing a hint of shyness.
"Since I left home, Lord Cai is the first person to show me kindness. My uncle told me that when you receive kindness, you should repay it."
When he heard the word "repay", Cai Xiang raised his eyebrows. This peasant girl was simpler than he thought. It seemed that his previous method was wrong.
The simpler a woman is, the more she will feel that giving her jewelry is sweet talk with ill intentions, while giving her some of her favorite food is considered considerate and understanding.
"My Cai family is extremely wealthy, and these are just a few dishes. Madam Zhang, you are too kind. How can I ask for anything in return?" He flatly refused.
But Zhang Jingxian shook her head solemnly, "No, Mr. Cai, I think you need it. At today's gathering, I saw that you were at the end and not...welcome."
Her earnest tone seemed to stomp on Cai Xiang's heart. "Even Mr. Zhou, who didn't write a poem just now, ranks higher than you, Mr. Cai. I know what this means. Why don't I say a few good words for you in front of the envoy?"
"Next time there's a gathering, I'll let you sit in the front seat!"
After saying this, Cai Xiang's face darkened. A lowly peasant girl actually dared to look down on him.
"Mr. Cai, what do you think?" Zhang Jingxian seemed unaware of the change in his expression and continued to ask for his opinion naively.
"No...what?" Cai Xiang gritted his teeth and forced a lonely smile. "Madam Zhang, you don't know that what our Cai family needs is not just a few nice words. It would be best if we could win the trust of Envoy Xie."
"Your Excellency is naturally suspicious. I'm sorry, Lord Cai, but I can't help you with this."
"No, Madam Zhang, you can help me and the Cai family." Cai Xiang suddenly reached out and grabbed Zhang Jingxian's wrist, his expression very excited. "Don't forget that you are the savior of the envoy. You are the first person the envoy met after he fell into trouble!"
Zhang Jingxian's wrist was grabbed by a strange man. She endured the discomfort and did not push him away. She showed a puzzled expression and asked him for explanation.
"Envoy Xie has been harmed by a villain, and he must be very upset. If Madam Zhang knows the identity of that villain, please tell me. I will help you get rid of him, and then I will gain your trust and respect, won't I?"
Cai Xiang's eyes were burning as he proposed a method that sounded very reasonable.
Hearing this, Zhang Jingxian moved her lips, wanting to tell him that she would do him a favor, but she seemed to be worried about something and was unable to open her mouth due to embarrassment.
Seeing this, Cai Xiang's heart sank, and he slowly approached her, "Madam Zhang, it seems you know the identity of the thief. If you are willing to tell me, I will do anything you ask."
"Even if I could provide Madam Zhang with food for the rest of her life, even if I could marry her."
Cai Xiang put his sleeve over hers and made a promise eagerly, just wanting to get a specific identity from her.
Zhang Jingxian lowered her eyes and stared at his sleeves, not answering for a long time, but one hand had already grasped the short bow.
After not getting an answer for a long time, a ferocious look flashed in Cai Xiang's eyes. If soft tactics didn't work, he could still use hard tactics.
On the other side of the rockery, a figure was moving, as if on the verge of breaking out.
In a split second, the woman who was at the center of the scene but was unaware of the situation whispered three words that were barely audible.
"Brother, you betrayed me."
Cai Xiang's pupils suddenly constricted. Brother, brother! As expected, Envoy Xie had already found the mastermind behind his assassination!
"Lord Cai, I really don't know who the thief who harmed the envoy is. However, when the envoy was unconscious, I was treating his injuries, and he kept saying these three words. I wondered if they were related to the truth behind his injury..."
Zhang Jingxian whispered the origin of these three words, and then without waiting for Cai Xiang to react, she hurriedly broke free from his hand and ran away from behind the rockery.
The hard-working peasant girl was naturally very strong. Cai Xiang was not paying attention for a moment and his arm was thrown heavily on the rockery, and the pain made his face turn blue.
When he came to his senses and was about to pretend nothing happened and appease the peasant girl so that he could use her, there was no one on the other side.
His face was gloomy, and he scolded the rockery, "Why didn't you stop her."
Several people emerged from the darkness, grovelling and confessing their guilt. "Master, that woman ran too fast, and you didn't give any orders. We really..."
"Get lost, useless thing!"
Cai Xiang cursed loudly, and then thinking about what he had just extracted, he didn't care about punishing these people. He immediately found his father, confessed his crime and left.
He rode at full speed and went straight to an ordinary-looking house in Wuling City.
"Mr. Lin, we can't just sit there and wait for death any longer. Envoy Xie already knows that the one who plotted against him is the eldest son! When he recovers from his injuries and returns to Changling County, won't the eldest son be in danger?"
"Why are you so anxious? The eldest master had already issued an order before sending me here. The Seventh Young Master must not be allowed to return to Changling alive. I originally wanted to take action later, but since he already knows the truth and is deliberately contacting Xu Ziji, I'll just do it in the next two days."
A thin middle-aged man in a scholar's robe smiled coldly, without much surprise on his face.
From the first day Gongcheng Yue found Wuyang County, the eldest prince made arrangements. This time, he must kill the seventh prince so that he can no longer stand in the way of the eldest prince.
"What about you? Cai Xiang, do you want your sister or your father? It's time to make a choice."
The middle-aged man patted Cai Xiang's shoulder contemptuously. They found Cai Xiang before Qilangjun arrived in Wuling County.
The manor under the name of the Cai family will be the place where the Seventh Prince will die. Of course, in order to make it realistic and to protect the Cai family, a member of the Cai family must be buried with the Seventh Prince.
Cai Xiang's sister Cai Shu, or his father Cai Hui.
"...Sooner or later, my sister will marry and become someone else's wife. Of course, I want my father to live."
After a brief hesitation, Cai Xiang stated his choice with a cold face.
Hearing this, the middle-aged man, Lin Zhong, stroked his beard in agreement.
"Cai Lang is very filial. When this matter is settled, I will definitely commend you in front of the eldest son. Hahahaha, your Cai family has chosen the eldest son. The future is limitless."
-
At noon, Xie Yun said goodbye to Chen Junshou and Xu Ziji. He got into the carriage for the return journey, and Zhang Jingxian followed quietly in.
The wheels moved towards the Cai family's manor at a moderate pace, and neither of them spoke.
In fact, from the moment Zhang Jingxian left and returned, Xie Yun's eyes were completely away from her.
She could feel that for more than an hour, he didn't even give her a glance.
Zhang Jingxian thought the next thing would be the same and she would be completely ignored.
However, when Chen Junshou and others could no longer see the carriage, Xie Yun's dark eyes moved slowly towards her.
Her wrist, to be exact.
"Someone has touched this place."
He raised his lips slightly and asked, "Who is it?"
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The author has something to say: Muah, here I come.
Xie Yun: I didn’t look at Ah Xian because I was afraid that I couldn’t control my anger.
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