Chapter 35 Chapter 35 After all, Master Xiao Pei has no family,...
Today the Emperor hunted a black bear and offered the bear's head as a sacrifice to the Heaven, Earth and ancestors. He also ordered everyone to gather in the main tent to celebrate together.
The emperor was in high spirits and drank heartily, making the tent bustling with activity.
All the officials praised the emperor for his age-old skills, which were even better than those of the past. They waved their hands and recalled the glorious days of the past, how he had fought on the battlefield and how he had defeated the Prince of Jin.
The Empress is naturally an unavoidable figure in this topic. "Back then, when the Prince of Jin was powerful, Wanyue remained loyal to me, guarding the border with me for several years, doing everything herself without complaint."
He seemed to be filled with emotion. "If Yu Ru wasn't in poor health, he should have come to this hunting ground to gain some experience and feel the thrill of horseback warfare."
Royal horseback hunting was both a symbol of imperial power and a rare military exercise. It was only natural that the crown prince should be present.
The imperial concubine tightened her jaw, her expression complex and unreadable in the flickering candlelight. She pursed her lips into her usual gentle smile.
"Your Majesty conquered the world and brought peace to the four corners of the country. This is why we have such peace and prosperity today. It is a blessing for Yuru and for everyone."
This again prompted everyone to raise their glasses and toast, praising the emperor for his bravery and ability.
The wine cups flew and the goblets flew, young men from noble families composed poems and lyrics, and noble ladies from various families played the zither and the flute to accompany the guests, and the music of stringed instruments never stopped.
Pei Lang held a phoenix-head konghou in his hand, the sound was crisp, bright, lively and agile, sometimes like a clear spring in the mountains and birds flying in the forest, sometimes like a breeze rippling the shallow grass and horse hooves, extremely moving.
"As expected of the granddaughter of Master Pei, she is extremely talented and elegant."
Such praise made Pei Lang feel quite proud.
She was extremely proud, believing herself to be no less capable than Nie Xiangyi. But she didn't know where her luck came from. Not only did she marry the Third Prince, but even her usually strict brother sided with her!
So she looked at Nie Xiangyi with a provocative look in her eyes.
Nie Xiangyi, standing aside, seemed like an outsider, with her round cheeks puffed up, like a stealing squirrel struggling with the roasted bear meat in her mouth.
She had never eaten such tough and dry meat in her life! Her cheeks were sore from chewing it, and it was like a ball of cotton wool, but she still couldn't swallow it!
Unfortunately, this was a gift from the emperor during hunting, and he couldn't spit it out openly.
Just as Nie Xiangyi covered his face with his sleeves and was about to spit the bear meat in his mouth into his handkerchief and throw it away quietly after the banquet, he suddenly heard her name.
"The Third Prince's Consort was born in a marquisate and was personally raised by General Anxi. I imagine she is extremely talented. I wonder what the Third Prince's Consort can do. I wonder if we will be lucky enough to witness it."
Nie Xiangyi suddenly raised his head, his eyes wide open in shock.
The dry bear meat was still stuffed in her bulging cheeks. Her throat slid open subconsciously in surprise, and she swallowed hard for a long time, leaving the cotton-like bear meat stuck in her throat.
She almost choked and rolled her eyes.
Pei Lang was sitting opposite her, hoping to see Nie Xiangyi make a fool of herself, but she rolled her eyes at him first.
How could there be such a rude and unruly person! Pei Lang gritted his teeth in anger.
Nie Xiangyi took great effort and gulped down two gulps of tea before he finally got the bear meat down his throat.
She looked at Pei Lang in surprise, "What did you say?"
If they want to show off their talents, let them show off their own. Why drag her along?
She has been following her grandfather since she was a child. She only knows which family has the most delicious cakes and which family has the most beautiful jewelry. It is not an exaggeration to say that she is a playboy. No one asked her to learn these things!
Pei Lang chuckled at this, covering his hand with his silk handkerchief and pretending to be surprised, "The Third Prince's wife doesn't know anything, does she?"
Pei Jue at the side seemed to frown slightly, and glanced at her lightly, which made her heart skip a beat.
Who is the real sister? Pei Lang almost gnashed his teeth. She was just a childhood playmate. I really don’t know what kind of magic potion she had fed his brother!
Then, some members of the royal family or officials began to whisper, "We've heard that the Third Prince's wife was arrogant and rude in her boudoir, so uneducated and unskillful. What a pity for His Majesty the Third Prince."
These words were neither loud nor soft, but they were loud enough to reach Nie Xiangyi's ears.
Just knowing how to trip me up every day! She just glared at Pei Lang who brought up this topic, clenching her fists in anger.
She was also afraid that she would lose face for Xie Zhi because of her lack of skills, so she could only stiffen her neck and retort, "Who! Who said I can't do it!"
Just as she was racking her brains, trying to recall what she could say, Xie Zhi's cold voice rang out.
"The Third Prince's Consort will have it on your table."
He looked as if he was talking about something insignificant. "The braised rabbit on the table is the wild rabbit that Ah Si got from hunting today."
Upon hearing this, the emperor clapped his hands and laughed, "As expected of a daughter of a military family! Zhong Qi's granddaughter is so unique in her abilities! She truly has the demeanor of a military family!"
With this statement, everyone could only agree, and Nie Xiangyi blushed with guilt.
This hare was clearly hunted by Xie Zhi while holding her hand.
It's about her, but not much.
The imperial concubine beside him smiled gently and said, "I heard today that Ruheng and Xiangyi went hunting together on horseback. Seeing how close your relationship is, I think General Anxi will feel more at ease!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere suddenly became a little subtle.
The emperor's smile suddenly faded.
The closer their relationship became, the closer Zhong Qi's military power would be to him, and the greater the possibility of brothers fighting in the future.
He laughed indifferently, "It's a good thing for a newlywed couple to have a good relationship."
Xie Zhi's gaze fell on the imperial concubine for a moment, but he quickly looked away with a gloomy expression.
By the time dinner was over, the moon was already bright and the stars were sparse.
When they got back to the tent, Xie Zhi just asked Nie Xiangyi to settle down first, and then turned around and left the tent.
"Hey! What are you doing, Your Highness?"
The only thing that answered her was Xie Zhi's back in the night.
The night wind whistled past, and when Nie Xiangyi finished washing up, he could hear the sound of raindrops falling on the tent.
"Is it raining?"
Hanxu nodded, "Every autumn rain brings a chill."
"Your Highness went out without an umbrella just now." Nie Xiangyi frowned, a hint of worry in his eyes, "What if he gets caught in the rain later?"
As she said this, she picked up her umbrella and was about to go out.
"Where did His Highness go just now?"
"It seems to be the western forest." Han Xu held her hand. "It's dark and the roads are slippery. The night rain is cold and chilly. Madam, why don't you wait for His Highness in the tent? Perhaps His Highness will be back soon."
Nie Xiangyi shook his head stubbornly.
In the pitch-black night, a palace lantern flickered in the wind. Raindrops pattered against the oil-paper umbrella, wetting the raised hem of the skirt.
The brocade shoes on her feet were covered with a thin layer of mud, and the toes were cold as she stepped on the slippery weeds.
"Your Highness, what are you doing in this woods so late at night?"
In the dark forest, Xie Zhi stood facing a tall figure.
A gentle voice chuckled, "Your Highness is as good as a god. There have indeed been remnants of Prince Jin lurking nearby these past few days."
Xie Zhi's expression was indifferent. "This year, because the Crown Prince is on duty in the capital, he only brought half the personal guards of the Divine Strategy Department with him for hunting. Naturally, they won't miss such a good opportunity."
"It seems that Your Highness intends to let it go?"
"Master Pei, the Crown Prince is now the Commander-in-Chief of the Divine Strategy Division." Xie Zhi raised his eyes and looked at him with a half-smile. "What does this have to do with me?"
As soon as the words fell, Xie Zhi's brows suddenly frowned, and his sharp eyes suddenly turned back, "Who!"
A soft and gentle voice came from behind him, "Your Highness...it's me."
The moonlight was dim, with only a palace lantern swaying in the wind.
A bright and beautiful face appeared behind the palace lanterns, eyes as bright and charming as the stars in the sky. Her hair was wet with a light rain, and strands of dark blue hair stuck to her cheeks. When the wind blew, she shivered slightly from the cold, looking so pitiful.
"What are you doing here?" Xie Zhi couldn't help but frown when he saw her like this.
His tone was cold, as if he was dissatisfied.
Nie Xiangyi felt a little aggrieved by his harsh words. She pursed her lips and said in a nasal voice, "It's raining... I'm here to bring an umbrella to Your Highness..."
Xie Zhi's tone paused.
"Sister A'si is very considerate. Your Highness, why do you have to scold her like this?" Pei Jue's voice came gently from behind, as if to rescue him.
Xie Zhi frowned in displeasure, but before he could say anything, Pei Jue smiled gently and bowed, "Your Highness, please forgive me. I forgot again. I shouldn't have overstepped my bounds."
It's really a provocation! Xie Zhi's eyes darkened as he looked at him indifferently.
"Huh? Why is Master Pei here too?" The sudden voice startled Nie Xiangyi.
She picked up the palace lantern, walked around Xie Zhitan and took a look. After seeing who it was, she seemed a little annoyed, "Oh! I only brought an umbrella!"
Pei Jue's palace lantern illuminated her cheeks brightly, and her round black eyes looked at him worriedly.
He pursed his lips and smiled, "Nothing..."
Before he could finish his words, Xie Zhi interrupted him, "Nothing. I'll share an umbrella with you. Give this umbrella to Master Xiao Pei."
"Okay..." Nie Xiangyi hummed, as if hesitant, "But this umbrella is a little small. I'm afraid it will be a bit crowded if two people use it together..."
"I'll carry you back, and you just hold the umbrella for me." He said this calmly, as if it was a matter of course.
Seeing Pei Jue here, Nie Xiangyi always felt a little embarrassed, "This... this is not good..."
"You and I are husband and wife, so what's wrong with that?" Xie Zhi's calm voice carried an undeniable tone. "After all, Master Pei has no family, so there's no one to offer you an umbrella on a rainy night."
This made Nie Xiangyi feel a little strange, but she couldn't tell what was strange about it.
These words don't seem like something someone as aloof as Xie Zhi would say.
Pei Jue lowered his eyes slightly and remained silent for a moment.
In an instant, the smile on his face returned to normal, "That's right. I still remember when I was little, I often carried my sister Ah Si on my back like this."
Xie Zhi raised his eyes and glanced at him coldly.
Since she came of age, Nie Xiangyi had never been carried on someone's back. She lay on Xie Zhi's broad back, feeling his strong arms supporting her, and her face flushed slightly.
She hooked one hand around his neck and held an umbrella with the other, "Your Highness, why are you out so late?"
Xie Zhi pursed his lips and said, "Hunting."
"Then why are you with Master Pei?"
"An unexpected encounter."
His back pressed against her body, feeling soft and warm, and his forearms also soft and elastic. Yet, she remained unaware, whispering incessantly in his ear, "Then why do you come out hunting at night..."
"Don't talk." Xie Zhi's cold voice interrupted her.
"Why? Your Highness, are you tired?" Nie Xiangyi blinked, "Otherwise, I'll just get down and walk..."
The fragrance of gardenias constantly sprays around my ears, bringing with it a burning sensation that wraps around me like a net.
"Don't talk." Xie Zhi repeated with pursed lips.
"Oh..." Nie Xiangyi shut up in frustration.
"But your ears are so hot..."
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Author's words: Xiao Xie: It's not just my ears that are hot [holding my chin]
I wish you all a happy Chinese Valentine's Day [scatter flowers] There will be a surprise drop in the comment area today
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