The unspoken words were left unsaid. Di Xiu and Xuan Yan tacitly agreed not to mention offending the emperor and princess.
With a pot of tea and two cups, the two chatted about everything from the imperial court to the countryside, from astronomy to geography. Both were well-read men, able to engage in conversation on any topic, each with their own insights. They felt an instant connection, as if they had known each other for a long time. By the time they finished the tea, they considered each other bosom friends.
Xuan Yan is a calm and composed person who rarely shows his emotions. However, when he arrives, he is worried, with a cloud hanging over his face. When he leaves, he is relaxed, with a relaxed expression. The contrast is quite obvious.
When the news reached the emperor's ears, his eyes darkened, and he sneered repeatedly: "I valued him so highly, yet he is a sycophant who has actually sided with the Wei family."
The chief eunuch beside him poured him tea and cautiously advised, "Your Majesty, who in this world has more power than you? Master Xuan is honest and kind, simple-minded, and concerned about the country and its people. He was probably just curious about who invented cement, which is why he went to visit him. Master Xuan and Prefect Wei are the top scholars of the last two years, both young talents. Perhaps they admire each other, which is why this misunderstanding occurred."
The emperor's expression softened slightly as he listened to the flattery. He picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea, but upon hearing the last sentence, he slammed the teacup down and sneered, "A young talent? Do you think I don't know what he's really made of? He can only write pretentious poems; when it comes to actually doing things, he's a complete waste. He's all show and no substance."
The Grand Eunuch became even more obsequious, and after much deliberation, said softly, "This old servant has something to say, but I don't know if I should."
The emperor was in a fit of anger and wouldn't listen to any of his inappropriate nonsense. His eyes flickered slightly, and he served him with even greater caution.
After a while, the emperor caught his breath and glanced at him sideways: "Speak."
"Yes, Your Majesty. This old servant is a eunuch and knows nothing of the previous dynasty, nor does he know what kind of person Prefect Wei is..."
The Grand Eunuch spoke slowly and deliberately, which was exactly what the nobles liked. It made them appear peaceful and quiet, avoiding the noisy and troublesome atmosphere.
He secretly observed the emperor's expression, feeling a little hesitant, but still continued, "Prefect Wei previously refused to marry the eldest princess, which disgraced Your Majesty and the princess. It is truly hateful, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that he deserves to die a thousand deaths. However, it also reveals his character; at least he is a responsible person. How can a man who can easily break off a marriage agreement be worthy of the eldest princess, who is of noble birth?"
The emperor could not admit that he was making things difficult for Wei Zixiao, even if everyone could see it. Although he knew that the logic was sound, hearing those around him speak up for Wei Zixiao, a storm suddenly gathered in the emperor's eyes.
Upon noticing this, the Grand Eunuch immediately knelt down and slapped his own mouth repeatedly, saying, "It was this old servant who spoke out of turn. Please punish me, Your Majesty."
"Get out."
Half an hour later, Mu Ruoling rushed into the Imperial Study with red eyes and her face covered. The Emperor had always doted on her and had long ago ordered that she could come and go as she pleased. The guards at the door saw that she was in a bad mood and dared not stop her, but the others following behind her were stopped.
"Father."
Mu Ruoling spoke with a sob in her voice, startling the emperor. He quickly got up and walked around the imperial desk to pull her hand away. He saw that her left cheek was already swollen. He immediately ordered someone to fetch the imperial physician and said angrily, "Ling'er, who hurt you?"
"It was my imperial aunt. She actually hit me for the sake of an outsider."
This princess, who always seems to cause trouble wherever she goes, has run into Princess Fu'an this time.
She never had a chance to bring Mu Ruohan to her side. The Second Princess was always clinging to her and secretly tripping her up. At this poetry gathering, there was also Su Wanrou, a walking igniter. She also lacked Yan Ling, who was her human golden finger. Most importantly, in front of the Eldest Princess, even her status advantage was useless. As a result, she suffered the greatest grievance in her history.
In her past life, no matter how much she suffered injustice in the Wei family, she was never humiliated, let alone humiliated in front of so many people.
There's not much to say about this. The emperor felt guilty towards the eldest princess. Sometimes, guilt is more powerful than favor.
Mu Ziren also went to the poetry gathering today, and even played the villainous accomplice in bullying the female lead. When Di Xiu returned, she told him about what happened at the Duan Prince's mansion, which was nothing more than the same old story repeated over and over again.
The maid that Di Xiu had arranged to be by Su Wanrou's side also delivered a message, which had already been placed on his desk.
He had chosen this maid from the Wei family and sent her there; she was skilled in martial arts and had a calm and composed personality.
He couldn't keep an eye on Su Wanrou all the time, so he specially sent her over to prevent her from encountering any danger. He wouldn't normally send messages, only when he had a conflict with Mu Ruoling would he inform her so that she could keep an eye on whether her intelligence had been lowered.
...
After being rejected twice by Emperor Xiu while posing as the head of Xuanji Pavilion, Yan Ling did not take the initiative to contact him for a long time. As a fellow courtier, he wanted to bring back the beauty and needed the emperor's permission, so he also avoided contact with him.
But when he discovered that Di Xiu's skills were getting better and better, he couldn't help but feel the urge to show off his skills. In the end, he couldn't resist sending Di Xiu another invitation in the name of the Xuanji Pavilion Master, but this time it was a challenge.
Emperor Xiu agreed.
As expected by 001, but unexpectedly for Yanling, the latter lost but became more determined and would issue another challenge every now and then. Fortunately, he knew to do it in private, otherwise the emperor might have become suspicious of the Wei family if he found out.
Even though Emperor Xiu created a cultivation method that suited him, the time he spent practicing it was a major drawback. His internal strength was not as profound as Yan Ling's, who had diligently cultivated for over a decade. However, in terms of techniques, even a hundred Yan Lings would not be his match. In addition, his experiences in the previous worlds made him meticulous in his use of internal strength, which was quite heartbreaking.
001 often worried that his own mission takers would crush Yanling's confidence and turn to the dark side like Xavier, but he had obviously worried for nothing.
Although this male protagonist is easily blinded by lust, he is very rigorous in martial arts. His life revolves around seeking defeat, seeking defeat, and then seeking greater progress.
After fighting many times, Yanling developed a platonic relationship with Yanling and finally stopped being so proud, admitting that he had misjudged people before.
Di Xiu had nothing to say, because he knew that the person in front of him was just a different person who continued to misjudge people, and that he was also involved in it.
The two women from the Wu family who were acting together have switched identities. One left Zhaodu and gained the freedom she longed for, while the other gained a noble status and a suitable husband. But what will happen next is unknown.
In another fierce battle, Yanling lost again, and everyone cheered.
After sheathing his sword, he opened two of the wine jars he had brought, handed one to Di Xiu, and drank his own wine in large gulps, displaying a carefree and elegant demeanor.
Hmm... it's just that the mask he's wearing is a bit too flashy, 001 thought to himself.
"Fine wine! Brother Wei, my master used to praise me as a martial arts prodigy, one in a thousand years. He should really see you; you are truly a monster. But how did you do it? I've never seen you fight anyone, so how do you possess such superb skills?"
Di Xiu's body couldn't hold its liquor, so even if he drank, he had to force himself to drink. He pushed the wine jar back and picked out a plausible explanation from his mind: "Ambidextrous fighting."
"Fight with your left and right hands?" Yan Ling put down the wine jar and began to fight with his hands, but he couldn't find a way to do it.
Most martial arts techniques are passed down through generations and are not easily passed on to outsiders, so Yanling did not ask, and Dixiu naturally would not say either.
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