Chapter 49 Zhang Ran Provocation
Qingming Festival, Yunwuzhuang.
The morning glow replaced the gray-blue sky, and the golden light sprinkled on the peach blossom forest of Yunwu Manor, making the peach blossoms look beautiful and gorgeous. This is the private manor of the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager liked colorful things, and the late Emperor made one for her one year after she married him.
There is only one variety of peach blossom in the manor, and that is the most gorgeous crimson peach.
When the late emperor was alive, every year when the crimson peaches were in full bloom, the Empress would open the garden to the public and even hold a peach blossom banquet so that the common people in Bianliang could witness this spring feast.
However, since the death of the previous emperor, the Empress Dowager fell into grief and her son was seriously ill, and Yunwu Manor has never been open to the public since then.
Therefore, although the Peach Blossom Banquet held by the Empress was not open to scholars and commoners, all the prominent people and their families in the city of Bianliang were invited to the banquet.
Two quarters of the morning.
There were many carriages and horses parked in front of Yunwu Manor.
It was already the end of the noon hour when the carriage from the Yongyi Marquis's Mansion arrived.
Perhaps Jiang had already informed her sister-in-law from her mother's family. As soon as she got off the carriage, she heard Jiang Shu'er calling out, "Aunt."
Jiang's eyebrows twitched slightly. She looked at Jiang Shu'er who was walking towards her and asked, "Shu'er, where are your mother and sister?"
"Over there." Jiang Shu'er glanced sideways and saw Qin Junyi helping Shangguan Yao get off the carriage.
Jiang Shuer frowned. She did not go when her cousin married a concubine, but she heard a lot about what happened that day.
A girl who got pregnant with a man early on and lost face on her wedding day actually dared to appear in such an occasion. Considering that today's dignitaries all brought their wives and daughters, wasn't it embarrassing enough for my cousin to appear with this woman last time?
"Aunt, won't Shangguan stay in confinement for a short period of time?" Jiang Shu'er asked in a low voice beside Jiang.
Jiang looked at Qin Junyi and Shangguan Yao, and said with a slight twitch of her lips, "Your cousin wants Shangguan to come out and relax."
Jiang Shu'er frowned, and her gaze fell on Xie Rongying who had just got off the carriage. Her brows were almost twisted into a ball. Thinking of the look Xie Rongying gave her and her elder sister at Kaibao Temple that day, she hid behind Jiang.
"A-Ling."
Jiang looked over and saw Jiang Wangshi leading Jiang Huaer over. She stepped forward to greet them: "How come you have lost so much weight in a while?"
"Don't mention it." A trace of disgust flashed in Jiang Wang's eyes. She thought about how since Jiang Yin's death, Old Lady Jiang had been finding ways to make things difficult for her. She couldn't bear to beat or scold her own daughter, so she blamed her for Jiang Yin's death. "I've been watching over my mother day and night recently, but she just doesn't want anyone else to serve her."
How could Mrs. Jiang not know that this was the old lady making things difficult for Mrs. Jiang Wang?
She held Jiang Wang's hand and said, "Sister-in-law, I'm sorry for wronging you."
"It's okay, I'm used to it." Jiang Wang looked in Qin Junyi's direction while speaking, her eyes flickering over Xie Rongying. When she withdrew her gaze, she pulled Jiang Wang around and asked in a low voice, "Didn't I hear that you went back to your parents' home? Why are you following me here again?"
Jiang smiled faintly: "It would be better if you follow me."
When Jiang Wang heard this, she knew what Jiang was secretly planning again.
"I heard that Xie Jing took all of Xie Rongying's dowry back to the Xie family. If you use the same trick again, you won't get any dowry." Jiang Wangshi was still frightened by the last incident and reminded her, "You better be careful. I always feel that damn girl is very evil."
"I can't do anything." Jiang said meaningfully.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wang looked at Jiang for a moment before concentrating on walking forward.
Qin Junyi's gaze swept towards Xie Rongying from time to time. Seeing that Xie Rongying kept a distance from him after getting off the carriage, his face looked a little ugly.
"Xie." Qin Junyi shouted.
When Xie Rongying heard Qin Junyi's slightly dissatisfied voice, she frowned and looked at Qin Junyi.
"Don't forget your identity." Qin Junyi stared at Xie Rongying coldly: "You're so far away, are you afraid that others won't know that I'm ignoring you?"
Xie Rongying was a little puzzled. How could there be so many spectators in this world?
"come over."
Xie Rongying's eyes darkened, but she noticed the displeasure on Shangguan Yao's face. With a faint smile, she walked over to Qin Junyi and said, "Young Marquis, you're really the envy of others today, with two wives by your side."
Qin Junyi couldn't help but hear Xie Rongying's sarcasm and said, "Don't talk nonsense."
Xie Rongying's gaze fell on Jiang, who was walking in front, and she said calmly, "Young Marquis, please take good care of Sister Shangguan. After all, she just got possessed and lost her child. I won't disturb you from spending time alone with Sister Shangguan."
Xie Rongying quickened her pace after she finished speaking. Qin Junyi let go of Shangguan Yao's hand upon seeing this. When he was about to step forward and hold Xie Rongying, he heard a warm and clear voice coming from not far away.
"Eldest sister!"
Qin Junyi looked over when he heard the voice and saw a young man in black brocade clothes walking towards Xie Rongying. He frowned. It was Xie Yi's son, Xie Ting.
Xie Rongying looked at the slightly arrogant young man and asked, "Brother Ting, are you here alone?"
"Yes, I came here alone." Xie Ting looked at Qin Junyi and Shangguan Yao as they walked over, narrowed his eyes, and smiled: "Young Marquis."
Qin Junyi felt particularly uncomfortable when he heard the word "young marquis". "Why didn't Tingge go with the King of Wei?"
"Your Highness is so busy today, how can I follow you?" Xie Ting said as he stood beside Xie Rongying, looking at Qin Junyi and Shangguan Yao with a smile: "Since the young marquis has a beautiful woman to accompany him, then I will take my sister in. Do you mind, young marquis?"
Qin Junyi was about to speak when Shangguan Yao beside her said, "Since my brother has no one to accompany him, I should take him to the Peach Blossom Banquet. My husband will definitely not mind."
"That's good." Xie Ting glanced at Xie Rongying: "Eldest sister, let's go."
Xie Rongying laughed and followed Xie Ting to the other end.
Seeing this, Jiang and Jiang Wangshi waited at a distance until Qin Junyi approached. Jiang Wangshi said, "Junyi, you can't let this go. You have to control it. It's not right for you to walk alone when you go out."
"Aunt, it was my sister who insisted on going with her brother. Junyi just said it, but it's useless." Shangguan Yao gently explained for Qin Junyi.
Jiang Wang snorted coldly: "I don't know how the Xie family raised such a daughter."
"Let's go." Jiang said indifferently.
——
Although it was a peach blossom banquet, the Queen Mother did not order any rules. Except for a few noble ladies who were on good terms with the Queen Mother and accompanied her, the entire manor was casual.
Yunwu Manor not only has gorgeous crimson peaches, but also has a horse farm, a martial arts training ground, and an archery garden.
In the past, the Peach Blossom Banquet was a time for the young men of Bian Jing to shine.
The girls would pick a bunch of the most beautiful crimson peaches and give them to their confidants to pass on to the boys they liked. If the boys accepted them, it meant that they had a mutual understanding.
Therefore, the most anticipated event in Bianjing every year is the Peach Blossom Banquet hosted by the Queen Mother in April.
After the death of the previous emperor, Yunwu Manor was reopened nine years later.
Therefore, many people came early today, and there were already many people gathered outside the racecourse.
When Xie Rongying and Xie Ting stepped onto the corridor, some people had already started gambling in the horse farm. Listening to the cheers of the people around her, Xie Rongying slowed down her pace.
In my previous life, I spent my entire life planning for the Yongyi Marquis Mansion. How could I have been so carefree and unrestrained?
"I heard that whoever wins first place in the race today can ask the Empress Dowager for a favor." Xie Ting stared at the racecourse in the distance and said happily, "Look at those young masters from aristocratic families. They all have something to ask for."
Although the Empress Dowager is in the harem and has a uncle-sister-in-law relationship with the current emperor, they are actually divided into two factions.
How could the royal families of all dynasties be as chaotic as they are today?
The son of the Empress Dowager was only a prince, and the reigning emperor was the younger brother of the previous emperor. When Emperor Ren De was "forced" to take over Dayin, he promised the previous emperor's confidant that he would return Dayin to King Wei after he recovered from his illness.
However, not long after he ascended the throne, he named his eldest son the crown prince.
The late emperor's confidants angrily cursed Emperor Ren De for his mean face in the court, but Emperor Ren De was neither annoyed nor angry, but only said that Prince Wei was not yet suitable to succeed the throne.
The Empress Dowager, who was then the Queen, could only occupy the harem securely and announce to everyone as the Empress Dowager that she was the Queen Mother of Dayin and her son would always be the Emperor of Dayin.
Emperor Ren De also acquiesced to the Empress Dowager's actions, as if this was the only way to shut up the gossipers.
It’s not that he doesn’t want to return the throne, but the timing is not right.
Nine years have passed since Emperor Ren De ascended the throne, and Bianliang has long been divided into two factions.
The subordinates of the previous emperor and officials trained by Emperor Ren De.
Today, both family members and officials came to Yunwu Manor. One reason was to find out who the Princess of Wei ended up with, and the other was to find out what the health condition of the Prince of Wei was like.
Occasionally, when he saw the King of Wei in the court, he looked very weak.
"They all have a wealthy family background, what else do they want?" Xie Rongying looked at the men on horseback in the distance: "As long as they want it, they will definitely get it according to their status."
Xie Ting chuckled: "Eldest sister, don't you understand the kind of flattery that comes after shining in front of everyone?"
Asking for things is fake, wanting to be the center of attention is real.
Hearing this, Xie Rongying smiled faintly and turned sideways to leave, but she heard a voice coming from the horse farm.
"Xie Ting!"
Xie Rongying and her brother looked in the direction of the sound and saw a man in black riding a horse towards them.
Xie Ting narrowed his eyes, staring at the man on horseback approaching from afar, and whispered, "The eldest son of the Zhang family, Zhang Ran."
Xie Rongying looked indifferently at the man who looked 60% like Zhang Ruru. It seemed that trouble was coming.
Zhang Ran, holding the reins in one hand and a longbow in the other, walked outside the corridor. His eyes flicked between Xie Ting and Xie Rongying, and he chuckled, "Xie Ting, last time you refused to compete with me in horsemanship because the King of Wei was present. I won't let you off today."
Because of Zhang Ran's voice just now, many people looked over here.
"Who wants to compete with you? Who do you think you are?" Xie Ting said coldly with a smile.
What Zhang Ran disliked the most was Xie Ting's arrogance. He was just a lowly man who started out as a merchant, but he became arrogant because of his closeness to King Wei. Coupled with what happened to his own sister, Zhang Ran had a strong hatred for the Xie family.
"Are you afraid of losing to me and never being able to hold your head up among the young men in Bianjing?" Zhang Ran smiled faintly. "Or is it that if you lose, it will also embarrass the King of Wei? After all, we all know that you are a dog by the King of Wei's side."
"Say it again?" Xie Ting stared at Zhang Ran coldly.
Zhang Ran chuckled, raised his chin, and said word by word: "You are a dog beside the King of Wei."
Xie Ting clenched his fists and was about to step forward when he was stopped by Xie Rongying.
"Oh, are you planning on hiding behind a woman?" Zhang Ran and Xie Rongying exchanged glances, the coldness in their eyes undisguised. "I didn't expect Xie Yi's son to be such a coward. To raise such a coward, and yet he dares to lead an army into battle? If Dayin loses to the Jin because of Xie Yi, your Xie family will be to blame."
The constant mocking made Xie Ting look extremely ugly. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Xie Rongying say calmly, "What do you want to compete in?"
Zhang Ran stared at Xie Rongying, the curve of his mouth deepening. "Why, the men of your Xie family can't speak, so only the women can decide?"
"Not really." Xie Rongying smiled slightly: "Compared to you, the women of the Xie family are enough."
Sure enough, the curve on Zhang Ran's lips disappeared instantly: "Arrogant!"
"Xie Rongying," Xie Ting said coldly beside him, "Get out of the way."
Xie Rongying pulled Xie Ting's arm hard, blocking him in front of her. She stared at Zhang Ran without blinking and asked, "What do you want to compete in?"
Zhang Ran thought about his mother's complaints about him these days and the pain Zhang Ruruo felt when he went to visit her. It was all because of this woman who had caused his own sister to be in a state of neither life nor death.
He sneered: "Since you said so, it seems that the Xie family still has some ability. Then today I will see whether your Xie family is really capable!"
As he spoke, Zhang Ran pointed his longbow hand not far away: "Do you see the competition paths and the targets on both sides? There are ten targets in total. On horseback, you shoot at the targets on my side, and I shoot at the targets on your side. If we accidentally get hurt during the competition, it has nothing to do with the other party. We are just competing."
"Master Zhang, that's very well said." At this time, Crown Prince Zhao Heng walked over from the other end of the corridor and said, "If you accidentally injure the opponent during the game, you will all have to accept your fate."
Xie Rongying's expression changed slightly. The Duke of Yingguo's Mansion was originally a clan promoted by the government, so they must be people around the prince. In addition, with what had happened around Qin Junyi recently, it seemed that the prince had long been dissatisfied with the Xie family.
"The prince has also come to join in the fun." Xie Ting said with a smile.
The prince's gaze lingered on Xie Ting's face for a moment, then moved to Xie Rongying's face: "So you are Qin Junyi's wife. Why do you still care about your brother's affairs after getting married?"
How could Xie Rongying not know that the prince was saying that she was meddling in other people’s affairs?
The prince didn't wait for Xie Rongying to respond, and continued, "Zhang Ran, since you've both agreed, why don't I keep an eye on you and sign a life and death agreement? If anything happens on the racecourse, it will have nothing to do with the other party."
As soon as the words fell, there was an uproar around them. It wasn't a life-and-death feud, so why did they have to sign a life-and-death agreement?
Zhang Ran smiled and said, "Since Your Highness has said so, I can definitely sign it."
"Xie..." The prince's gaze fell on Xie Rongying: "Do you dare to sign?"
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