Chapter 60: The Charming Girl Whose House Was Confiscated and Her Family Was Exterminated 12
Hmm? Why are these two guys here?
Gu Qiao thought a little irritably after seeing who was coming.
"Why are you here?"
Glancing at the river lanterns in the hands of the two, he raised his eyebrows:
"You two are in such a good mood."
The girl also turned her head to look over. The visitors were two gentlemen, one of whom was Mr. Xie whom she had seen at the palace banquet.
The other gentleman with a cold expression was someone I didn't recognize...
Just as she was about to say hello to the two gentlemen, she found that her hands were still being held tightly, and the blush on the girl's face, which had faded slightly, seemed to return to its former glory.
She struggled a little uncomfortably, and realizing the girl's strength, Gu Qiao pursed his lips and let go of her hand.
The girl breathed a sigh of relief, quickly withdrew her hand, and bowed slightly to the two men in front of her.
"How are you, gentlemen?"
Xie Yu turned slightly to the side and returned the greeting: "Girl, how are you."
Out of courtesy, Xie Yu did not look directly at the girl in front of him, but he was born with keen senses, and the cool and refreshing fragrance lingered on the wind around his nose.
Ye Xun also turned sideways and returned the greeting.
Prime Minister Xie was someone my father often mentioned, and this was their second meeting, so they were quite familiar with each other.
The girl shifted her gaze slightly and looked curiously at the man beside her.
Noticing the girl's gaze, Ye Xun's eyes moved slightly. He was about to speak, but Gu Qiao took over the conversation directly.
"It's getting late, you should go release the river lanterns first."
Seeing that the girl's eyes began to look at Ye Xun, Gu Qiao also restrained his warm attitude in front of the girl and said in a calm voice.
Apparently, he hadn't forgotten that the girl had been engaged to Ye Xun. Even if the marriage was later disrupted by Mrs. Ye, it still had happened.
Ye Xun's expression remained unchanged upon hearing this. He just glanced at the girl in front of him without saying a word.
Xie Yu said, "In that case, Mr. Ye and I will not disturb Mr. Liu and the girl."
"Axun, let's go release the river lanterns first."
After saying that, he nodded at the two of them and simply walked towards the river behind them.
...It really looks like they came here purely to release river lanterns.
Mr. Ye?
Ah Xun?
Ye Xun?
Nan Qiao was slightly stunned, and her eyes couldn't help but follow the young man.
Even if she no longer cared about the engagement, she still knew the name of her engagement partner.
So, the man with a cold face just now is the man from the Ye family?
Is this the gentle, refined and kind-hearted man that my mother described?
Gu Qiao's eyes dimmed slightly, and he smiled and said:
"What are you looking at, Qiao Qiao? But you still want to release river lanterns?"
The girl didn't notice the sourness in the other person's words. After spending time with him just now, her fear of the young emperor in front of her was almost gone, so she asked curiously:
"Is that Mr. Ye the young master of General Ye's mansion?"
Gu Qiao said: "Yes"
"He seems to have a rather cold personality..."
Hearing this, Gu Qiao smiled again and said:
"Ye Xun went to the battlefield when he was young, and countless souls died under his sword, so his temperament is naturally cold."
The girl nodded as if she understood, with a hint of admiration in her eyes. Mr. Ye was a general, and he had seen many lives and deaths while defending his country, so it was normal for him to be a little cold.
Seeing the admiration in the girl's eyes, Gu Qiao, who was about to put on the eye drops without leaving any trace, said: "..."
However, the girl was simply admiring him and did not have any remaining feelings for him, which made him feel a little relieved.
But he still didn't want to see the girl's eyes on other men. Gu Qiao's eyebrows turned slightly, and he changed the subject without leaving a trace...
The lover under the moonlight was still as elegant as ever. Xie Yu smiled and watched the boat-shaped river lantern gradually disappear into the distance.
"If I remember correctly, that Nan family girl seemed to have been engaged to Wen Chi?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Xun turned sideways and looked at his friend beside him.
He still looked humble and gentle, as if the abrupt words he just said were just a casual question.
"The engagement has been broken off."
"Removed? That's a pity..."
His words were filled with casual surprise and pity, as if he really felt pity for his good friend.
His good friend appears to be a modest gentleman on the surface, but in fact he is a secretive person, and every move he makes has a deep meaning.
"Zixian, what exactly do you want to do?"
I asked him to come out for a meeting during the Lantern Festival, and booked a private room next to His Majesty's private room. I only had the thought of releasing river lanterns...
This isn't something he would do...
"What do you mean, Wen Chi?" Xie Yu glanced at him sideways, as if he didn't understand why his friend asked that.
"I just feel it's a pity. Wen Chi actually missed such a beautiful woman..."
Ye Xun's expression darkened, and he pretended not to hear what he said. He only warned in a cold tone:
"Don't think about her!"
Xie Yu still wore a faint smile as he watched the river lanterns disappear into the distance, but upon closer inspection, the smile had faded a bit...
The beginning of spring is the time when all things come back to life. At this time, the plum blossoms fall and all the flowers bloom, like snowflakes flying into the South Palace.
It's not a good idea to keep making excuses. Besides, now that the weather is warmer, Mrs. Nan has put some of her worries to rest and selected a few banquets for her daughter to attend.
Even though her daughter was naturally beautiful, according to etiquette, she still had to dress up for the banquet. Thinking of the shopkeeper Duan, who was a good friend of her daughter, she specially sent someone from Huanrongfang to come and do her daughter's makeup.
The clothes, makeup, rouge and powder were all made by the shopkeeper Duan.
Wow, it’s so beautiful, so beautiful. It’s so lucky that the little skirt she designed can be worn by such a fairy.
Duan Yan looked at the girl in front of her who was as beautiful as a fairy, and was amazed. Her heart was almost bubbling with joy.
A beauty is naturally still a beauty when she dresses up. After several banquets, the news that the Nan family had a daughter who was stunningly beautiful spread throughout the noble families in Bianjing. What the Nan family girls wore and wore became popular throughout the entire Bianjing city for a time.
After learning that the clothes and makeup of the Nan girls were all done by the same person, Huanyanfang quickly went from being deserted to being packed with people, making a fortune.
Duan Yan looked at her daily income and was practically grinning from ear to ear. Although there was no such thing as a model in ancient times, Duan Yan thought about the clothes that were all the rage in Bianjing City recently and felt that the little fairy was her best model and her benefactor!!!
The girl's graceful appearance has captivated countless young men, but when they think of His Majesty's behavior at the palace banquet, even if they have desires in their hearts, they dare not act rashly.
However, several months had passed since the palace banquet, and spring had arrived, but the palace's decree had not yet been issued.
Some young men began to have some ideas and thought of sending someone to the Nan Mansion to test the waters, or asking their sisters to make friends with the girl. Although the hope was slim, at least there was still hope. If they really had the chance to win the beauty, they would be so happy that their ancestors would be filled with resentment.
In March, the ice and snow have completely melted. It is the time when all things come back to life, grass grows and birds sing. The weather is getting warmer, spring is in the air, and the girls have begun to go outings.
Spring hunting was also held at this time.
Spring Hunting, also known as Spring Search, was a lesson learned by the previous dynasty that emphasized civil affairs over military affairs, which led to disasters and the destruction of the country. Later generations also remembered this lesson, so when the Great Zhou Dynasty was founded, it left behind ancestral precepts that future generations should pay equal attention to civil affairs and military affairs when governing the country.
Therefore, two hunting trips are held every year, one is the spring hunt and the other is the autumn hunt, which are hunts held in spring and winter.
Court officials and their families would be invited to participate, which was also a way for the monarch and his subjects to maintain a close relationship.
The hunting grounds were the imperial enclosures outside Bianjing. The weather was excellent on this spring hunting day, with clear skies and a gentle breeze. As the teams arrived, flags fluttered in the wind and the sound of horses' hooves clapped incessantly.
The girl changed into a light blue dress and tied her hair into a neat bun. She looked bright and cute, and attracted everyone's attention as soon as she entered the venue.
The mother did not come over. She held her sister-in-law's arm and stared at her brother's heroic figure on horseback. When she saw her brother hit the bull's eye with an arrow, her eyebrows were beaming and her smile was as bright as the sun.
Soon, the monarch and his ministers arrived. The emperor, dressed in black riding clothes, looked very heroic. He caught sight of the girl at a glance, and then strode up to her.
It was a rare opportunity for the girl to go out, and her eyes were filled with comfort and joy. She raised her head and looked at the monarch in front of her, her brown pupils filled with light.
Just as she was about to salute, he held her up with one hand.
The two of them were very close to the ground. The man was very tall and full of vigor. The scent of ambergris almost surrounded her completely, making the girl blush.
"...Thank you, Your Majesty."
The girl still felt a little uncomfortable with such intimacy in public, but seeing that all eyes were focused on her, she quickly agreed.
"Don't call me Your Majesty..." Gu Qiao stared deeply at the girl in front of him: "Since you don't want to call me by my name, then call me by my courtesy name, Shu Cang."
The bridge was named after him by that woman, who hoped that he could be a bridge under her son's feet for the rest of his life and help him ascend to the throne.
Shucang was the name given to him by his teacher, "Traveling away, I hope for rain, and dare to say it is for the people", which expresses all the expectations his teacher has for him.
He would be happy no matter what the girl he admired called him.
The handsome monarch once again shed all his majesty and evilness, staring at the girl with burning eyes filled with sincerity and passion.
“…Shu Cang.”
Noticing that her father's gaze had also shifted towards her, the girl's cheeks became even redder, and she didn't care about etiquette or the emperor's majesty, and hurriedly called out.
Her voice was pleasant and gentle, and the sound of "Shu Cang" floated out softly, making Gu Qiao in front of her feel very satisfied.
He said excitedly, "I'll hunt a fox for you later. If you don't like foxes, you can also get a rabbit as a pet."
The prey in spring is not fat, so hunting at this time is just for fun, but small foxes and rabbits can still be hunted.
He grew up in the frontier and is proficient in riding and shooting, so hunting a small pet is no problem for him.
The girl felt even more embarrassed, her eyes were filled with helplessness, her face was getting hotter and hotter, and she tried to pretend to be calm and said hello.
Her earlobes were completely red, looking very charming. Gu Qiao still had a proud smile on his face, but his eyes had darkened a little.
The beauty's shyness attracted most of the attention again. Gu Qiao raised his eyelids, and the coldness in his eyes made everyone present feel a chill in their hearts, and they quickly shifted their gaze.
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