entertain
Liujiacun?
How could he not know that he recognized people from Liujia Village...?
Judging from the young man's demeanor and the elegant lady beside him, they must be extraordinary people to be treated so highly by the Prince of Jin.
Tan Shijun frowned, then suddenly remembered that his brother-in-law, who had died young, was surnamed Liu. In an instant, dust settled on the doorway, and he subconsciously turned his head away, but spoke to Yan Ji, "Your Highness, are these two your friends?"
Yan Ji had intended to have a proper conversation with Xie Liu, but this interruption caused him to merely lower his gaze slightly and say in a deep voice, "Brother Liu is a close friend of mine in the capital."
A true friend?!
Not to mention Tan Shijun, Xie Liu and the other two were both taken aback—
How utterly shameless!
Liu Xu could no longer hold the vegetables in his arms, staggered backward, and helplessly reached for Xie Lingxi's delicate hands—
"You people of Chang'an, do you really think that a few words exchanged in the morning can turn strangers into confidants?"
These words were naturally not spoken aloud. The two looked at each other and saw speechlessness in each other's eyes.
The recent drizzle has been continuous, and the morning dew has not yet dried. Although it is summer, it is not hot. However, Xie Lingxi felt extremely hot and dry. She even choked on a piece of sticky rice cake that had been sitting in her esophagus for half a day, making her feel so uncomfortable that she could hardly stand it.
“Your Highness is too kind,” she said, turning to the governor and bowing. “Thanks to your care, my husband passed the imperial examination this year and has returned home. I have come to express my gratitude for your kindness.”
The mahogany door had been closed at some point, and the crowd dispersed like sparrows, leaving only a pear tree peeking out from in front of it.
Tan Shijun then remembered Liu Xu's self-introduction and exclaimed, "Ah!"
"It's Chengzhi!"
He quickly wiped the nonexistent dust off his hands with his wide sleeve and said with a smile, "Please come in, both of you."
...
Tan Shijun couldn't recall the "gratitude" shown to him by the newly appointed scholar.
Travel in Jingzhou was slow, and a sudden disaster struck. Liu Xu's name as the top scholar was still hidden in the continuous rain and mist for several days, and had not yet been known to the public.
Thinking of this, Tan Shijun rubbed his face hard and spoke very cautiously: "Young master is a man of extraordinary talent. I have only helped him a little. It is too much of a favor to talk about being recognized and appreciated."
Since entering the house, Liu Xu had been carefully observing the affairs of the mansion. He noticed that the women were carrying porcelain bowls and had gone elsewhere, their feet trembling as if they were stepping on a golden cushion.
Pretending not to have heard the probing question, he asked curiously, "Lord Tan, is that sister-in-law the lady of the house?"
Yes, yes.
Tan Shijun was taken aback, then smiled and said, "Yun'er's mother passed away early, and Chunniang is virtuous and gentle. She is the new mother I found for him."
The bride was named He Guchun, with rosy lips and fair cheeks, and looked quite young.
Seeing that the Liu couple were still peering in Chunniang's direction, Tan Shijun felt a few beads of cold sweat seep from his fists under the table, but he remained expressionless and subtly changed the subject.
"Speaking of which, Chengzhi, you have just arrived for a visit, how come you have brought so much wine, food and silk? This Thousand Machine Wine and Fragrant Brocade are both precious items, I am truly unworthy of such gifts!"
This was the first test.
The two of them came here only to find out what kind of person the governor really was, and whether their guesses from the previous night had come true—that he had indeed been disguised.
Greed for wealth and status isn't so strange, but...
While the others were talking, Xie Lingxi keenly noticed red marks on the wrist of the prefect, who was speaking eloquently, as if bound by hemp rope.
The red mark was hidden on the cuff, surrounded by purplish-blue bruises. Although it was well concealed, Xie Lingxi could still catch a glimpse of it when Tan Shijun raised his glass.
Although Tan Shijun kept saying "I wouldn't dare," his hands never stopped moving.
When Liu Xu introduced an item, he looked at it with eyes that seemed to glow green, and after kneading and playing with it with both hands, he impatiently ordered his servants to take it into the courtyard.
Suddenly, he noticed that the young master Liu's wife was looking at him. His fat face tightened, and he subtly pulled up his sleeves to cover the few red marks.
"Oh dear," he slapped his forehead, seemingly annoyed, "Look at me, a rough man, I only just realized I've neglected my wife. Poetry and wine are not things a wife should be involved in. So I had someone lead my wife to the East Gate to wash flowers."
Before she finished speaking, a young girl with a wooden hairpin in her hair stepped out from the side and said timidly to Xie Lingxi, "My lady, please come with me."
Since that's what she's said, Xie Lingxi lowered her gaze and met Liu Xu's eyes. She saw the young man give her a faint smile and nod before picking up where the maid left off, "Let's go."
...
The pear blossoms in front of the courtyard are in full bloom.
Before Xie Lingxi could even take a look, she saw her newly engaged husband emerge from the east gate, leaning towards her with his eyes half-closed.
Today, Liu Xu wore a green robe embroidered with fine rain and bamboo leaves, and the dark silver brocade was stained with white pears after the rain, which accentuated the young man's strong and vigorous physique, like a brilliant scholar.
Xie Lingxi, without realizing it, had shifted from admiring the flowers to admiring the person, and a smile unconsciously crept onto her face.
"how?"
Liu Xu sat down following her movements, casually picking a fallen flower. "This fragrant brocade truly lives up to its name. When you wear it, a subtle fragrance wafts through the air, as if you were in a fairyland."
Anyone who asks him about the fragrant brocade...
Xie Lingxi lowered her head and brushed her sleeves, about to speak seriously, when she heard her husband suddenly throw down the flower branch, stand up, and rush over—
"What do you think of my fine clothes, my lady?"
This is indeed too close. Although Liu Xu is a scholar, he never neglects martial arts practice, so he is certainly not weak.
Now, as he bent down, his elegant demeanor cascaded down, his chest as heavy as a mountain, carrying the unique scent of bamboo and pine trees that made Xie Lingxi feel unusually at a loss.
"you……"
Xie Lingxi blushed on one side, "...Why are you suddenly asking about this?"
As if to conceal her panic, she turned her gaze to the jade sunflower pendant tied around Liu Xu's waist, "Beautiful, beautiful!"
"Today, dressed in this green robe, you look like a bamboo spirit."
This is clearly anger or reproach.
Liu Xu showed no intention of letting her off the hook. He gripped the stone table with one hand and breathed directly into Xie Lingxi's hair. "How does that compare to His Highness Prince Jin?"
What does this have to do with Yan Ji?
She was startled and subconsciously looked up, only to see the young man staring intently at her with his clear eyes, as if trying to see into her heart.
The last time Liu Xu was so "aggressive" was a few months ago on a slightly chilly spring night, when he spoke his indignant words under the willow tree in front of his door, under the flickering lantern.
Even if Xie Lingxi were dull-witted, he should have understood by now what Liu Xu was so concerned about.
She straightened up as if she couldn't bear it, trying to break free from this man's grasp, but Liu Xu acted first upon hearing the sound, grabbing her hand abruptly, his tone slightly cold, "Where are you going, my lady?"
This seems to be a case of not giving up until things are made clear.
Having spent several months together, Xie Lingxi had never seen him like this before. At this moment, his words stirred up a sense of grievance in her. Her beautiful eyes, like pools of water, hardened, and she shut her mouth and remained silent.
As the two were locked in this stalemate, someone inappropriately approached from the west, and disregarding their strange posture, grabbed Liu Xu's arm—
"My lord..."
The young boy who had led Xie Lingxi to the flower garden cried out, "There are wolves to the west! Help!"
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