Chapter 25 Chapter 25 How long do you want to last?
"Your Highness!"
When Xie Zhi came out of the Imperial Concubine's Palace, the sun was already high in the sky, but his eyes were still filled with a cold expression.
"Your Highness, the Divine Strategy Division is now being managed by Master Pei, and there seems to be some movement on the Crown Prince's side."
Xie Zhi glanced at Ling Zhu. "He wants to ask the Divine Strategy Division for help?"
"Yes," Ling Zhu replied, "Master Pei and His Highness were good friends in the past, partly because of his intention to marry Miss Pei Liu. Now that His Highness is getting married, I'm afraid Master Pei has some ulterior motives. It seems..."
Ling Zhu paused for a moment, "The prince is sending someone to contact Master Pei."
"Let him get involved if he wants." Xie Zhi's tone was light and nonchalant, as if he didn't care. "Let's see if he can swallow this bone."
Xie Zhi glanced up at the clear blue sky, a sneer curling up his lips. This Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, anything that belonged to him, Xie Zhi, he wanted to get his hands on.
"Your Highness!" A brisk and lively voice suddenly brought him back to his thoughts.
He looked in the direction of the sound and saw Nie Xiangyi in a phoenix robe in the distance, with a hazy halo in the sunlight.
As soon as she saw Xie Zhi, she seemed to brighten up instantly. She waved at him from a distance and ran towards him gracefully with her skirt lifted.
The jeweled rings and ornaments jingled against her body, but she felt no heaviness at all. She ran briskly to Xie Zhi, raised her face, and asked with a smile, "Your Highness, why did you come out? I haven't gone to thank the Imperial Concubine yet!"
"No need to thank me." Xie Zhi's answer was as calm as ever.
He looked at the tiny beads of sweat oozing from the tip of Nie Xiangyi's nose, which looked like tiny sparkling obsidian in the sunlight. He was about to say something when his eyes suddenly fixed on the back of Nie Xiangyi.
At the palace gate in the distance, the prince was looking at Nie Xiangyi's back with a chuckle.
The two people's eyes suddenly collided, and there was a silent confrontation in the air.
Xie Zhi frowned slightly, and said with a tone of disapproval, "What are you doing running around in the palace? How disgraceful."
Nie Xiangyi pursed his lips, seemingly unconvinced, and muttered, "The Treasure Pavilion is too far away. I don't want His Highness to wait..."
Seeing Xie Zhi remained silent, she realized that running in the palace was against the rules. She lowered her head, tugged at her sleeves, and pouted, saying, "Next time I won't run..."
Like a kitten who did something wrong but is not quite convinced.
Xie Zhi seemed to realize that his tone was inexplicably bad, and he just pursed his lips and said, "Forget it."
"Huh? What are you looking at, Your Highness?"
Nie Xiangyi looked up at him, but noticed that his gaze seemed to be behind her. Just as she was about to look back out of curiosity, she heard Xie Zhi suddenly ask her.
"Has Guanyin been invited?"
Nie Xiangyi's attention was drawn to him. She didn't look back and nodded like a chicken pecking at rice. "I'm here, I'm here."
It just doesn't seem to be anything special.
Xie Zhirang Lingzhu took the Guanyin, glanced at the prince from a distance, and turned to leave. Nie Xiangyi hurriedly followed him, following closely.
"Heh." Xie Chengxin noticed his gaze and chuckled with an ambiguous tone.
"Your Highness, aren't you going to meet the Third Prince's wife?" Mo Jiu asked.
"It seems like it's just that girl from the Nie family who's too enthusiastic." Xie Chengxin narrowed his eyes in the sunlight, as if he had lost interest, and turned away. "Never mind, we'll have a chance to meet again someday."
On the third day after the wedding, there is a return banquet.
Nie Xiangyi had married from the other courtyard, so naturally she would return to it. The fact that they lived door to door was quite convenient.
Early in the morning, just as the sky was getting light, Nie Xiangyi's eyelids opened a little.
Fortunately, Xie Zhi hasn't woken up yet.
She hadn't forgotten what Aunt Wu had said, that she had to get up early to help Xie Zhi get dressed properly. Because she was worried about this, she hadn't slept well all night, and that's why she woke up before Xie Zhi.
Xie Zhi slept on the outside of the brocade couch, even his sleeping posture was so elegant. For two consecutive days, he had slept in this same posture almost until dawn, creating a huge gap between the two of them.
She rustled to her feet and tried to step over Xie Zhi to get down to the bed in the dark. However, the light was too dim and she was suddenly tripped by Xie Zhi's long legs.
Nie Xiangyi lost her balance and fell onto Xie Zhi's waist, her cheek hitting Xie Zhi's chest.
Through the thin nightgown, Nie Xiangyi could hear Xie Zhi's steady heartbeat and breathing, and... the wonderful touch of his chest.
She subconsciously rubbed it lightly with her cheek.
"How long do you want to keep doing this?" Xie Zhi's cold voice, hoarse from waking up in the morning, suddenly rang in Nie Xiangyi's ears.
Nie Xiangyi raised her head suddenly, and met Xie Zhi's dark eyes in the darkness, like a beast locking onto its prey.
"I……"
She hurriedly sat up and waved her hands to explain: "I didn't mean to sit on you, I just..."
The movement of her hands caused her body to rise and fall slightly, and then she suddenly felt something was wrong. "Huh? What's so painful?"
Just as she was about to turn around to look, she saw Xie Zhi closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, then scolded him in intolerable manner:
"Get down here!"
"Oh..." Nie Xiangyi didn't know why he was so angry. She just thought he was woken up and was a little grumpy. She pouted and rolled off the bed in a dejected manner.
Seeing her standing by the bed, Xie Zhi twisted his fingertips with a look of grievance and muttered, "Your Highness, why do you have to be so wary of me..."
"Um?"
"It's not round... That's fine, but I carry a dagger even when I sleep. I won't hurt Your Highness..."
Xie Zhi, who was always indifferent and self-restrained, had a face that could almost be described as brilliant at this moment. He turned over on the bed with a sullen face and asked in a cold tone, "Why are you up so early?"
"Aunt Wu said that I should get up early every morning and dress His Highness properly."
Xie Zhi lowered his eyes and glanced at her, "No need for that in the future."
"Hmm?" Nie Xiangyi thought Xie Zhi was dissatisfied with her. Seeing him stand up and leave, she hurriedly asked, "Your Highness, where are you going?"
"The bathing room."
Until the sound of dripping water was heard in the bedroom, Nie Xiangyi always felt that something was strange.
Why go to the bathhouse so early in the morning?
Wait! Something's wrong!
For some reason, the pattern in the fire avoidance map suddenly flashed through her mind, and her eyes widened immediately!
That... that dagger couldn't be...
"Ah!" Nie Xiangyi nearly screamed. Her cheeks suddenly burned, and even her ears were steaming. Embarrassment and shyness made her want to find a hole to crawl into.
As soon as Xie Zhi came out of the bedroom, he saw Nie Xiangyi looking uneasy, fidgeting and with a face as red as a tomato.
When she saw herself, her face turned even redder, but her eyes were darting around, not daring to meet her gaze.
"I...I'll help His Highness change clothes..."
"No need."
After some tidying up, when it was daylight, Nie Xiangyi and Xie Zhi stepped out of the house.
The return gifts were prepared yesterday. As they were members of the royal family, the ceremony was naturally not too shabby. They were all prepared in accordance with the etiquette and were sent to the villa opposite like water.
After entering the mansion, wash your hands and change your clothes. According to old customs, you should drink a cup of sweet tea made with red dates and longans.
This sweet tea should be brewed by the mother herself as a good omen for early birth of a son and a sweet life.
Nie Xiangyi's biological mother died early, so Jiang Yun'e had to take over.
"According to the rules, this tea should be drunk in the Nie Mansion. But..." She glanced at Xie Zhi, as if sizing up his attitude towards Nie Xiangyi.
This statement was almost a statement that it was Nie Xiangyi who did not understand the rules and insisted on marrying from another courtyard.
The last time she was asked to marry out of the Nie Mansion, she had used Qiao to make trouble, and even forced her to kneel down! How could she bear this?
But Xie Zhi looked indifferent, as if he didn't hear anything.
Isn't it said that the Third Prince values rules the most? Jiang Yun'e was annoyed and shut up at the right moment, only smiling gently, "Forget it, let's not talk about this. My cooking skills are not good, and I don't know if this sweet tea will suit the taste of Your Highness and Xiangyi."
As she spoke, she winked at Nie Yuanwei beside her, indicating her to come forward and serve tea.
"Your Highness, please have some tea. Eldest sister, please have some tea."
Nie Yuanwei's voice was gentle and soothing, with just the right touch of comfort. Her fingertips, stained with pale pink nail polish, held the teacup to Xie Zhi, their fingers curled almost like orchids.
Tea has always been served by servants. How could Jiang Yun'e be willing to let Nie Yuanwei do such a humble job today?
Nie Xiangyi looked up at her curiously. She was dressed very elegantly today.
She was wearing a sky-blue narcissus dress, embroidered with evening primrose flowers in silver thread, her hair was embellished with blue and white jade, and her earrings were shining, making her look quite pitiful.
Nie Xiangyi was disgusted when he saw her frail appearance. He looked at her coldly and scolded her mercilessly, "Who are you dressing like this for?"
Seeing her sudden attack, Nie Yuanwei's eyes immediately filled with tears, and he looked at a loss. "I... I don't mean to steal the limelight from my elder sister..."
"Who told you that!" Nie Xiangyi frowned. "It's my wedding day! You're dressed like you're going to a funeral and you're running into His Highness? Who are you trying to offend?"
What bad luck!
Xie Zhi suddenly turned his head and looked at her inexplicably.
Nie Yuanwei was also stunned.
She originally thought that Nie Xiangyi would make a big fuss out of jealousy, but she never thought that she would be angry for this reason?
"Hold back those tears! It's bad luck!"
Zhong Qi, standing by, saw through their tricks and simply followed Nie Xiangyi's lead, harshly rebuking them: "How dare you disrupt such a happy occasion? Drag them out and beat them to death!"
"Father-in-law, calm down!" Nie Zhengqing glared at Jiang Yun'e and quickly spoke up for them. "How can you say such unlucky words on your highness and Xiangyi's wedding day? It's my fault. I haven't taught my daughter well."
Nie Yuanwei held the teacup, not knowing whether to go forward or backward. She just looked at Xie Zhi tenderly with a pitiful look.
As if waiting for him to rescue her.
"What are you standing there for! Why don't you go change these unlucky clothes of yours!" Until Nie Zhengqing's rebuke exploded in her ears, Xie Zhi's eyes never fell on her at all.
It was a farce. It was not until lunch time that Nie Yuanwei changed into appropriate clothes and came.
Her eyes were red, as if she had just cried.
Jiang Yun'e seemed unaware of it. She served food to everyone with a smile, and at the same time, like a loving elder, she advised Nie Xiangyi to respect his elders and continue his family line.
"I have something I want to discuss with Xiangyi."
Seeing that Nie Xiangyi ignored her, she just spoke to herself, "Your sister is now of marriageable age. The Marquis and I thought that it would be better to marry someone we know well than someone we don't know."
Nie Xiangyi heard the hidden meaning in her words and couldn't help but pay attention.
"Since ancient times, it has been common for sisters to share the same husband. Yuan Wei has a gentle personality, so it's okay for her to be a concubine. If she marries Xiangyi, she can also help out a bit."
Zhong Qi frowned deeply and was about to speak when Jiang Yun'e stopped him, "I know the general loves Xiangyi. But Your Highness can't be without concubines, right? How can outsiders be as good as your own sisters?"
Only then did Nie Xiangyi understand why they came today.
"Xiangyi, as the mistress, you must not be jealous and overbearing. You must help His Highness to have more children."
Jiang Yun'e's words were indeed well thought out.
What man would dislike having three wives and four concubines? As long as she used her "jealousy" to put Nie Xiangyi on the spot in front of Xie Zhi, she would have to agree even if she didn't want to.
"Xiangyi, what do you think?"
Nie Xiangyi paused with the chopsticks in her hand, raised her eyes and looked coldly at Jiang Yun'e.
"Don't force me to slap you on this happy day."
-----------------------
The author has something to say: Xiao Xie: If you were to dress me, I would have to wash it again [melted]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
