Chapter 129
Nanning.
The Imperial Palace.
As soon as Yu Ruo arrived, he was summoned by the emperor.
The decoration of the Nanning Imperial Palace is very different from that of the Great Zhou Imperial Palace. Black gauze curtains are stacked layer by layer, embroidered with dragons that symbolize the emperor's authority.
The hall was empty, with a bench in the middle.
Two palace servants stood beside him, holding court sticks in their hands.
The chief eunuch glanced at Yu Ruo and said sharply, "Your Highness, the emperor said that you have been disrespectful in front of the emperor and must be punished." He pointed at the bench and said, "Please come in."
Yu Ruo said calmly: "I accept the punishment."
Lift up your skirt and lie on the bench.
The chief eunuch: "Beat him!"
The executioners immediately came one after the other, hitting Yu Ruo's lower back and buttocks hard with the court stick. In the quiet hall, the only sounds were the sound of flesh hitting flesh and one or two faint groans.
The blood gradually seeped through the hem of his clothes and dripped onto the floor.
Yu Ruo's face turned paler.
I don't know how long the fight lasted, but a deep voice came from inside: "It's over."
The palace servants who were carrying out the execution stopped immediately, the chief eunuch waved his hand, and they retreated.
A half-naked man walked out from behind the screen. He looked much younger than Emperor Chongzhao and was wearing wooden clogs. He walked to the front of the bench.
"Ruo'er, you're back."
Emperor Nanning smiled and said, "I haven't seen you for five years. Don't you want to pay your respects to your father?"
Yu Ruo had a layer of cold sweat on his forehead, shadows overlapped in front of his eyes, and there was a faint tinnitus in his ears. He closed his eyes, forced himself to move, and fell off the stool the next second.
Emperor Nanning raised his eyebrows slightly.
Yu Ruo lay on the ground and said with difficulty: "Your son... pays homage to the emperor, father."
Emperor Nanning: "The people under my command are becoming more and more reckless. I just wanted to teach you a lesson, but look how pitiful you got beaten."
"Now that I'm back, I have to slowly let Da Zhou spit out the things you asked me to give out, understand? Okay, carry it down first, I'm tired."
He stood up and Yu Ruo grabbed his ankle.
Emperor Nanning frowned: "My feet are all dirty, do you still have something to do?"
Yu Ruo's knuckles turned white. He raised his head with great effort. Cold sweat flowed into his eyes, stinging them extremely. He asked weakly, "The plague was caused by my father. I also want to ask, was the dam in Nanning really destroyed by rain?"
Emperor Nanning bowed his head: "Ruo'er, what do you want to say?"
Yu Ruo took a deep breath, the pain in his body made him tremble all over. He spoke word by word: "I want to ask, was the damage to the Nanning dam caused by my father?!"
The eunuch's eyelids twitched.
Emperor Nanning sighed: "Ruo'er, if I say yes, do you still want to rebel against me?"
Yu Ruo: "I dare not."
Emperor Nanning: "Before you say anything, think about your mother first."
Yu Ruo's pupils shrank.
Emperor Nanning: "I don't want to argue with you about the message. I hope you still remember your last name and don't talk nonsense in the Great Zhou. Otherwise..."
After a few seconds, Yu Ruo slowly loosened his grip on his ankle.
Emperor Nanning: "Take good care of your injuries. I have a mission for you."
-
Four months later.
Falling leaves herald the arrival of autumn, white dew and light frost.
The capital of Great Zhou.
Princess Mansion.
Ever since Zhiyi moved into Princess Axiang's mansion, she has had a lot less to worry about.
But she was seventeen years old this year, which was really the age for her to get married. Emperor Chongzhao rarely paid attention to her marriage. He said bluntly that if she could not find a husband she liked within half a year, he would just pick one and issue an edict to grant her marriage.
Rather than being assigned a marriage, it is better to choose one yourself.
Zhiyi is ready to start her blind date life.
There is no rule in this dynasty that a man cannot participate in politics after marrying a princess. On the contrary, marrying a princess is a great thing that can help him rise to fame overnight. Therefore, as soon as the news spread, it quickly became the number one search topic in the capital.
The popularity of the incident spread to several counties surrounding the capital.
There has never been such a scene in the past.
But everyone knew that Zhiyi was nominally raised by Concubine Xuan, who was the adoptive mother of the seventh prince. They grew up together and were very close.
If they can climb up the princess's tree, the series of relationships in between can be used by them instantly.
The blind date banquet was held at a Cuju field in the suburbs of Beijing.
There was an open grassland, and parked outside were the carriages of the invited gentlemen.
On both sides of the grassland are high platforms where people sit to watch the game and enjoy the excitement.
In the middle is Princess Zhiyi’s phoenix carriage.
There were seasonal fruits on the stage. The princess sat behind a curtain, and one could only vaguely see her figure but not her face.
The young men who were preparing in the grassland all looked over here vaguely.
Both brothers of the Wang family came, hoping to win by relying on probability.
"I heard that Her Highness Zhiyi likes cheerful men. When you and I go on stage later, remember to smile more."
"Brother, do you think I look better smiling like this or like this?"
"Hmm..." The eldest brother of the Wang family touched his chin, "The first one."
"You don't look good no matter how you smile," a cold voice came from behind.
A young man in red pushed the two of them apart, "Make way, make way, make way. Don't block the road!" He looked thin, but had great strength, and the two men he pushed away staggered back.
The younger brother of the Wang family looked angrily at the jade beads tied to the boy's hair: "Hey! Who are you? Why do you have to pass between us? What's your attitude!"
"Stop! That's Her Highness Zhiyi's phoenix carriage."
The young man in red went straight to the stage without even turning his head, and was respectfully invited in.
The younger brother of the Wang family was shocked: "Could it be that the princess has already chosen a prince consort?"
Someone nearby sneered, "You have no sense of propriety. The person who just passed by was the Seventh Prince who grew up in the same palace as Princess Zhiyi."
"It turns out to be the Seventh Prince!"
"I've heard about him testing drugs on himself, but I didn't expect to see it like this."
"Hey, you want to say hello? We want to marry his sister, it would be strange if he likes us. I advise you to avoid His Highness."
On the high platform.
Qu Dubian sat next to Zhiyi and stuffed grapes into his mouth.
Zhiyi fanned him amusedly, "Xiaoqi, your face is wrinkled like a bun."
Qu Watanabe: "Sister, I don't think they are good. Anyway, father has given you half a year to make your choice, so let's wait and see."
Zhiyi: "We have to choose one eventually. Choosing one early can help us develop some feelings for each other," she complained. "It's better than just letting father randomly pick one, right?"
It is quite late to start choosing a husband at the age of seventeen. Even if you choose one now, you still have to spend time preparing for the wedding.
"I don't want a new princess's mansion either. Aunt Xiang's is good enough. The national treasury is tight, so it's better to save some money."
Qu Dubian gave a thumbs up: "Sister."
Zhiyi: "I know you sent all the pocket money you saved over the years to Xianghe. That's not a small amount of money. Sister can't fall behind."
Qu Watanabe chuckled, but when he looked at the Cuju field, his face fell again, "Do we really have to choose from here?"
Yuan Jieer came in and couldn't help laughing after hearing this: "Your Highness, all the unmarried men of status and talent in the capital are basically here. Do you still want to pick a banished immortal from the mortal world for Zhiyi?"
Qu Watanabe: "Sister Yuan."
Yuan Jie'er sat down on the other side of Zhiyi.
"The Cuju game has begun. Only the victorious ones can see your sister. Let's take a look first."
Qu Dubian held his chin up and said, "Okay. If Sister doesn't pick the right one, I'll go down and give them a fight and kick them out openly. I guarantee they won't have a single complaint."
Zhiyi came over with a smile: "Okay."
-
The Second Prince’s Mansion.
Chen Muliao: "There are many carriages parked outside the Cuju field in the suburbs of Beijing. It's a lively scene."
“It’s very lively.”
"Your Highness, Princess Zhiyi is not like other princesses. The family power behind the man she marries will naturally lean towards the Seventh Prince."
The second prince took a sip of tea and said, "Men should get married when they are old enough, and women should get married when they are old enough. Can Mr. Chen stop the princess from getting married?"
"Father's attitude is very clear. If I take action at this juncture, it will only ruin Father's favor and let my eldest brother benefit."
Chen Muliao: "Your Highness, are you just going to leave it alone like this?"
The Second Prince: "They haven't gotten married yet. Even if they did, they can still get divorced."
It is much better to ruin a marriage than to make it happen. There are also couples who are not in harmony with each other even after marriage.
He looked up and said, "Mr. Chen, you have come to me and you should understand my personality. You should not rush into things. You should boil water and make tea in order."
Chen Shuliao said solemnly: "Yes, Your Highness."
-
evening.
The Cuju competition in the suburbs of Beijing came to an end.
Qu Watanabe's skills were demonstrated here. After a few kicks on the field, he kicked those men who lost but still shamelessly begged to see the elder sister so hard that they couldn't even raise their heads.
The list of winners of the Cuju game was officially presented to Zhiyi.
Qu Watanabe: "Why don't we try them one by one, and if you are not satisfied, we can hold Cuju again."
Zhiyi smiled and said, “It’s not good to be so picky, even for a princess.”
Qu Watanabe: "Who dares to say it's not good? I'll go to his house and have a chat."
"Okay," Zhiyi led him, "Go back to the mansion with my sister. You are sweating all over, you need to change your clothes before leaving. You can sleep in the princess's mansion tonight."
Qu Watanabe: "Okay, I'll come to the buffet tomorrow, too."
The brother and sister returned home.
After Qu Dubian finished washing up, he returned to his room with the information of the winning young masters.
Name, native place, whether or not one passed the imperial examination, family land and assets, appearance and character... He listed several indicators.
"Liuliu, come, sit down, and help."
Yi Twelve sat down opposite him: "How can I help?"
Qu Watanabe: "Help me keep score and give a score to those who want to be the prince consort. Xi Zixing's method is very good. I will use it."
"……good."
-
The other side.
Outside Zhiyi's bedroom.
In the small courtyard, next to the stone table.
Zhiyi looked at the portraits of the selected candidates on the list, but her eyes were wandering elsewhere, obviously in a trance.
The maid said, "Princess, whichever one you like best, you can choose at the banquet tomorrow. Let's see how they get along first."
"It's so lively today. All the young men in the capital want to be your consort. You are the envy of many ladies from wealthy families."
Zhiyi: "But they are attracted by my status, and they are only marrying me for my status. If they marry me, they will become a member of the royal family." The little girl sighed, "Otherwise, why are they fighting so hard? Aren't they fighting for interests?"
The maid thought for a moment and said, "That's true, but Princess, after spending a long time together, there will be true feelings. And you see, the princes are all like this too."
Zhiyi: “Yeah, everyone is like this.”
There was a little confusion in her eyes, then she shook her head, came to her senses, tapped on the list with her fingertips, and after taking a closer look, she was slightly surprised.
"Hey, a boy from the second branch of the Xie family was also selected."
"..." Maid, "Your Highness, have you just discovered it?"
"When I went to Xie's house to look for Sister Yuan in the past, he always hid in the back and didn't come out. Later, Sister Yuan got married, and I had even less impression of him," Zhiyi coughed a few times, "and after they put on the Cuju uniforms, they all looked the same, so it was normal that I couldn't tell them apart."
"Oh, Sister Yuan was also on the Cuju field today, why didn't you remind me?"
Maid: "It's probably because she doesn't want you to pay too much attention to her. After all, it's your wedding."
Zhiyi: “Hmm…”
She pondered for a moment.
No matter which side people choose, new interests will be involved in the end.
The Xie family is Empress Xuan's maternal family, and they are naturally related. If she chooses a man from the Xie family, it will only be a closer relationship and will not affect other relationships.
Since there is no affection, it is better to choose a consort who is beneficial to everyone around her.
After thinking about it, she said, "Move the seat of the young master of the Xie family forward tomorrow."
-
The second day.
After the banquet.
Zhiyi invited Xie Lishan, the son of the second branch of the Xie family, to have a chat.
Under the pavilion, two people sat opposite each other.
Zhiyi: "Thank you, sir."
Xie Lishan was a little nervous: "Your Highness."
The two exchanged pleasantries.
"In fact, I only chose a son-in-law because of the pressure from my father and mother," Zhiyi said straight to the point, "After all, it is better to have the right to choose than to have my father arrange a marriage."
Xie Lishan was silent for a few seconds: "Then why did you choose me?"
"The Xie family has a relationship with Shunning Palace and the royal family. Choosing you will not involve other interests, which is the safest choice." Zhiyi blinked and showed some liveliness. "But it's not necessarily the case. Although there is no love, it's two people getting married after all. I have made my meaning clear. The rest depends on Lord Xie."
Xie Lishan stumbled: "No feelings... can be cultivated."
Zhiyi: “?”
Xie Lishan took the initiative to pour her a cup of tea. The stumbling just now seemed like an illusion. He said calmly: "If I am your best choice, we should spend our lives together. There must be an emotional foundation, even if it is just friendship."
"If your highness doesn't mind, we can get along first."
Zhiyi thought about it and said, "That's fine."
-
Qu Watanabe attended the buffet, but did not stay with Zhiyi to listen to her negotiation with Xie Lishan.
He sat in the yard with a piece of grass in his mouth.
As for Xie Lishan...I didn’t have much impression of him before.
I had only seen him a few times in the private school at Xie Jingshan's home. I had the impression that he was always quiet and didn't like to talk to people. He had always given people a very calm feeling since he was a child.
He doesn't seem like the type of person who would participate in a Cuju game.
Qu Watanabe: "He's not that good looking, why did my sister pick him?"
Ye Xiaoyuan: "He is of decent character and appearance. He also got a good ranking in the last spring examination and is now working in the Imperial Academy."
Qu Dubian: "The Hanlin Academy is said to be noble, but in fact, there are so many people waiting to be assigned to official positions. He married my sister and saved himself several years of detours."
Ye Xiaoyuan didn't respond.
After all, the princes on Princess Zhiyi's list had been criticized from head to toe by his own prince. He looked at the score booklet given to him by Lord Liuliu.
Not a single one passed.
The young master of the Xie family was ranked behind by His Highness because his appearance was only considered handsome.
About half an hour.
Xie Lishan came out and was stunned for a moment when he saw Qu Dubian, then bowed and said, "Greetings, Seventh Prince."
Qu Watanabe: "Forget it. Have you finished talking to Sister?"
Xie Lishan smiled and said, "Yeah."
Qu Watanabe narrowed his eyes: "…What are you laughing at?"
Xie Lishan hesitated: "Your Majesty... this is a polite smile."
Qu Duanbian stopped talking, and Ye Xiaoyuan smiled helplessly, "Thank you, sir, please go ahead. Your Highness has just performed a set of boxing and is a little tired."
Xie Lishan: "Then I'll take my leave."
Zhiyi stood in the corridor and waved: "Xiaoqi, why are you sitting there? Come here."
Qu Watanabe: "Sister, do you like him?"
"Um……"
Zhiyi thought about what happened just now: "Anyway, let's just be friends first."
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