Chapter 18 Chapter 18 I will not marry the Third Prince! ...
On the day of entering the palace, the Nie family's carriage finally stopped in front of the gate of the villa.
Nie Xiangyi got into the car with an arrogant look on his face.
Inside the car, Nie Yuanwei smiled at her softly and submissively. It seemed that she had been waiting for a long time.
She raised her chin and looked her up and down, sneering coldly, "Even entering the palace is so shabby? Doesn't your mother have another pair of floating flower bracelets for you?"
Nie Yuanwei was wearing a feather-blue dress today and a gold-pink headpiece in her hair. She looked quite otherworldly and very simple and elegant.
On the other hand, Nie Xiangyi wore the red jade headpiece that Nie Yuanwei had always wanted, and matched it with a coral-colored dress. Her jewelry jingled, and she looked extremely bright and charming.
"I forgot. I had already dismantled everything in Furong Court before I left. How could it be that your mother is so ungrateful? She's so used to using my mother's things, yet she can't even afford a nice headpiece herself?"
Nie Xiangyi looked at her with raised lips and tilted head, looking innocent and simple, but the smile on his cheek was provocative, which was really bad and ostentatious.
Nie Yuanwei tightened the silk in her hand, but her face remained gentle. "Eldest sister, it's fine if you just say this to me. But when you enter the palace to meet an honored person, please don't be so outspoken."
She pursed her lips and said, "If others hear it, they will laugh at my rudeness and vulgarity."
Upon hearing this, Nie Xiangyi touched the red jade in her hair with her slender fingertips and looked at her with a raised eyebrow, a look of contempt and disdain, "When you came to me crying for it, how could you not think it was tacky?"
Nie Yuanwei's tone faltered, the silk in her hand tightly clenched. She thought of Fangrui's swollen cheeks when she returned home, and her mother's instructions. After all, there was no need to rush.
She still swallowed her breath.
There was silence all the way in the carriage.
When the carriage reached the palace gate, we saw many carriages from noble families arriving one after another.
A palace maid came to greet him and he walked back through the palace wall before arriving at Shanglin Garden.
It was still early, and the imperial concubine had not yet shown up. She had only sent a palace servant to tell the noble ladies to stroll around for a while.
Nie Xiangyi was not familiar with the other girls, and after what happened at the Xue Mansion last time, she did not want to interact with them too much, so she went to the flower garden alone.
It was the perfect time to bask in the sun on a spring day. In Shanglin Garden, a variety of flowers bloomed on the trees, warblers flew about, and precious flowers of all colors competed for beauty. Butterflies lingered, making the sight a feast for the eyes.
She felt quite bored, so she thought about looking for her cousin Zhong Lingyu.
Logically speaking, the Duke of Qi’s Mansion would definitely receive an invitation to such a palace banquet.
However, Nie Xiangyi searched for a long time but still hadn't found Zhong Lingyu first. Instead, she ran into Pei Lang and his group of girls from aristocratic families.
When Pei Lang saw her, his brows furrowed tightly, and he felt that they were destined to meet again!
Last time, Nie Xiangyi caused her to fall into the water. Because of the clarification of the Third Prince, she suffered a loss in vain, which really made people angry.
"Isn't this Miss Nie?" She was surrounded by the crowd like a star, but she still had a polite smile on her cheek.
"I heard that you have moved to the Marquis's Mansion and have become an abandoned daughter of the Nie family. How can you still be in the mood to wander around here?"
Nie Xiangyi heard her provocative words and was about to retort, but she heard Nie Yuanwei at the end of the crowd speak softly.
"Miss Pei, you've misunderstood. The rumors are all false. My eldest sister just returned to the capital and hasn't adjusted well, so she moved to another courtyard to live alone."
A girl asked curiously, "So it was Miss Nie who took the initiative to move out of the Marquis' Mansion?"
Nie Yuanwei seemed to be kind enough to help Nie Xiangyi out and just nodded slightly.
"That's not right!" The girl's face suddenly showed a look of doubt. "I just heard the other day that the other courtyard and the Third Prince's residence outside the palace are opposite each other. Could it be... that she is using this as an excuse to deliberately get close to the Third Prince?"
Once these words were spoken, it was like a stone that caused a thousand waves.
Everyone looked at Nie Xiangyi with disdain on their faces.
"How can you be so shameless? Isn't Wang Wulang enough for her? And she even dares to cling to His Highness?"
"Do you think that if you chase after the Third Prince all day, he will pay any attention to you?"
Pei Lang snorted coldly, "After all, she's just a woman from a barbarian land, fickle and frivolous. How dare you, with such shamelessness, dream of marrying the Third Prince?"
What she said was really harsh.
Everyone remained calm upon hearing this, as if such unpleasant words would be quite appropriate if they were used by Nie Xiangyi.
Only Nie Xiangyi had a cold expression.
She didn't want to be at a disadvantage, so she just raised her chin and looked at Pei Lang with her nose turned up, her expression proud and calm.
"So what? At least I'm brave enough to admit it! You're all being so sarcastic, but who knows if you're just jealous of me for being so bold?"
Pei Lang's words infuriated her, and she held her head high and chest puffed out like a feisty, quarrelsome kitten. "I'm making this clear today! I will not marry the Third Prince!"
When these words were spoken, everyone in the room was shocked.
Everyone widened their eyes and looked behind Nie Xiangyi in astonishment.
"Three, Your Highness!"
It was not until everyone bowed behind her that Nie Xiangyi suddenly turned around and widened her eyes like everyone else.
The Third Prince is here too?
As soon as she saw that cold and handsome face, she instantly remembered the kiss.
She hurriedly followed suit and only then realized her shame, her cheeks suddenly feeling hot.
It's okay that she kissed him secretly the other day, but how much of his "brave words" did the Third Prince hear? Or did he hear them all?
Would he reproach himself for being shameless again like he did that day?
Nie Xiangyi quietly raised her eyelids, wanting to take a look at Xie Zhi's expression.
However, Xie Zhi just stood there with a straight figure, his brows and eyes blank, as if he hadn't heard anything. He just brushed past her and left without even glancing at her.
She pursed her lips in frustration. She really shouldn't have let Pei Lang and the others get so excited.
I have offended His Highness many times, and he must be angry.
Or like them, you may feel that you are frivolous, indulgent and wishful thinking.
Nie Xiangyi could only catch a glimpse of the corner of his blue-white sleeve out of the corner of her eye, which was fleeting.
"Heh!" Pei Lang chuckled as Xie Zhi walked away. "You're so shameless, and yet the Third Prince never even glanced at you?"
Nie Xiangyi felt a little lost and discouraged. Xie Zhi's indifference seemed to be a judgment on her offense.
My heart was suddenly filled with a trace of sadness.
Nie Xiangyi refused to let anyone see it, and only raised her eyebrows and retorted, "Then why are you pretending to be so reserved? I didn't even see the Third Prince look at you."
"you!"
"Miss Pei, please don't argue with her." Seeing that Pei Lang couldn't win the argument, he was furious, so a girl came up to persuade him kindly.
"She is simply relying on General Anxi's military achievements."
"The Crown Prince's wife is the granddaughter of General Anxi, yet she's not as arrogant and rebellious as she is." Pei Lang sneered, "How dare a granddaughter with the surname Nie, not Zhong, use the title of General Anxi?"
"Miss Pei Liu, you may not know that our Zhong family is descended from military commanders, so we don't have so many rules about relatives."
Nie Xiangyi was about to argue with her again when suddenly a bright voice rang out, like a gentle spring breeze, breaking the tense atmosphere.
She looked sideways and saw that Zhong Lingyu had stood half a step in front of her without her noticing, standing up for her just like when she was a child.
"To be frank, if it weren't for the clan etiquette and laws above, even if Xiangyi wanted to change her surname to Zhong, it wouldn't be a big deal."
Zhong Lingyu's smile was bright and her voice was as clear and melodious as an oriole. Even though her words were a bit outrageous, they were still just a light joke.
Nie Xiangyi felt confident and stood behind her, letting her hold her hand. He pretended to be powerful and made a face at Pei Lang, feeling very proud.
The verbal dispute gradually subsided thanks to Zhong Lingyu's intervention.
With Zhong Lingyu around, Nie Xiangyi felt much more relaxed. She put her arm around Zhong Lingyu and acted coquettishly, "Cousin Lingyu! Why did you come just now?"
"Some things at the mansion delayed me for a while, so I'm a little late."
Zhong Lingyu took her hand and walked with her to the peach and plum forest not far from the forest, chatting with her.
"You're the one who's making me so worried! I'm afraid the whole capital has heard that you were kicked out of the Nie Mansion? They're so bold!"
Hearing her ask this, Nie Xiangyi naturally told Zhong Lingyu all the things in a tangible way.
With her close friends by her side, she spoke with great joy, using both her hands and feet.
"Bah! I knew this Jiang family was no good!"
As the daughter of a military family, Zhong Lingyu also possessed a fiery temper. She snorted coldly, "Back then, everyone said you were difficult to discipline, and that she was virtuous and generous. I just don't believe it! She must be the one getting in the way!"
Nie Xiangyi echoed, "They're both good at pretending to be nice! Seeing them flirting with each other makes me angry!"
"You stay in the other courtyard for now. Even if they ask you to go back, don't go!" Zhong Lingyu flicked her sleeves. "When grandfather returns to Beijing one day, I'll see what they say!"
"Yeah!" Nie Xiangyi nodded heavily.
"Also, there have been a lot of rumors about the Third Prince lately. They're incredibly unpleasant. They say you're pestering the Third Prince. What's going on?"
Being asked so bluntly by her, Nie Xiangyi couldn't help but blush and muttered shyly, "Actually... it's... true..."
She heard Zhong Lingyu gasp.
"You know, if this gets out, how can you discuss marriage?"
"Cousin, can't you guess who spread such a good reputation?"
Apart from Nie Yuanwei who happened to see her that day, who else could have been involved in her interactions with the Third Prince?
"They're so sure you can't marry the Third Prince that they're just trying to use this to discredit you!" Zhong Lingyu said angrily, "I'm going to teach these people a lesson!"
"Can I really not marry the Third Prince?"
Nie Xiangyi tilted her head, looking at Zhong Lingyu with shy but sincere eyes, "But I like the Third Prince. Cousin Lingyu, can't I discuss marriage with the Prince?"
Zhong Lingyu frowned for once.
"Do you know who the Third Prince is?"
Nie Xiangyi nodded, then shook his head.
"Forget it." Zhong Lingyu seemed to be hesitant to speak. She only asked, "You are so determined to marry the Third Prince. What do you like about him?"
Nie Xiangyi's tone suddenly paused.
She couldn't help but think about it seriously.
It started with the astonishment of seeing the ghost face for the first time in Shanzhou, and culminated with the excitement of the lantern during the Lantern Festival.
She likes them all.
What she liked most about him were his eyes, the calm and beautiful eyes beneath the ghostly face.
On this side, Xie Zhide was summoned into the palace and is now accompanying the imperial concubine.
He listened to the imperial concubine's concern for his daily life and diet, and just answered calmly.
Seeing his cold expression, the imperial concubine seemed to sigh.
"In the past, you were summoned to the palace banquet, but you always refused to come. I know you are busy with official duties and diligent. But now you are nineteen, and it is time for you to mention the matter of marriage."
The imperial concubine paused, "Today's palace banquet has many women from aristocratic families, all of whom are outstanding in character, appearance, and talent. If there is one that suits your taste, you can choose her as the prince's consort or concubine."
Xie Zhi couldn't help but frown when he heard this.
Before he could say no, a familiar cheerful voice came from the flower forest not far away.
"I just like the Third Prince's aloof and reserved demeanor! He's like the bright moon, untainted by dust!"
The author has something to say:
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Xiao Xie: I heard it [dog head]
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