Chapter 4 Yin Xing, who is fickle, sends peach blossoms to the princess.
While Yin Xing was still racking his brains over how to return the gift, Wenbin Garden had already gathered many noble young men who had come on orders, and it gradually became noisy and busy.
In order to attend the princesses' visit banquet, the noble sons were required to receive etiquette lessons from the palace ladies.
Originally, Yin Xing was delayed for two days due to recuperation, but now he has to leave the hospital.
In the morning, Yin Xing was led by a clerk into the classroom corridor, where he saw many young nobles with their servants. He sighed that the competition seemed fierce.
Maybe if I disrupted the etiquette training class and got a failing grade, I could escape easily, Yin Xing thought to himself.
Unexpectedly, when I turned the corner, I saw several noble sons being escorted in. They looked solemn and frightened, no longer arrogant, and were accompanied by several minor officials who were whispering to each other.
"This year, several young and energetic nobles have been negligent and disrespectful in their etiquette and lessons. I think they are trying to use this as an excuse to avoid attending the ceremony, which is undoubtedly a disregard for the imperial decree."
"That punishment of confinement is considered light. If you continue to be ungrateful, you will be punished naked and carried on a thorny stick. You will lose face and even the family behind you will be disgraced."
"Who says it isn't true? Every time the princesses meet at a banquet, there are always a few foolish nobles who try to find ways to avoid participating. They don't realize that disobeying the imperial decree is forbidden. At the very least, the family will be stripped of their title and their fiefdoms taken away, and at the worst, their property will be confiscated and their clan will be exterminated. They are truly foolish."
After he finished speaking, Yin Xing paused. He heard someone saying he was being punished for being naked, so he quickly reached out to tighten his clothes. Suddenly, he thought that he should just study hard.
Yin Xing walked through the corridor and entered the classroom, only to see several people already sitting inside. Their eyes were looking at him with deep meaning.
Yin Xing was puzzled and alert, thinking that his identity had been discovered. His face was tense and he walked to the table by the window in the corner and sat down.
A man at the next table looked at him with admiration, raised his hand and saluted, saying, "You must be the brave man who recently jumped off a boat to escape his marriage, but failed, and then set himself on fire. I am Huairen, son of the Marquis of Lingzhou."
"..." Yin Xing shook his head silently, wondering if the person talking about this was really him?
Jumping off the boat, that was because he was attacked and fell into the water. Setting the fire, that was clearly set by criminals. How could he be an unwitting victim, so how could he be considered a warrior who actively sabotaged things?!
"Brother Yin, don't be modest. We all understand the pain of being forced to do something, so we admire your courage to face death!" Huairen continued to talk enthusiastically.
Seeing this, Yin Xing didn't want to pay any attention to it. He glanced at the people around him and saw that most of them were looking at him with the same expression. He was secretly confused in his heart. Could rumors in the capital spread so quickly?
The fact that he had fallen into the water and been injured while on a large ship far away from the capital had spread to everyone. One should not underestimate the charm of gossip.
Not long after, a female official with a serious expression appeared in the classroom, and the noisy voices finally stopped ringing in Yin Xing's ears.
"My lords, we have spent the last two days teaching the princesses of the dynasty the proper etiquette of their noble status. Today is the last day, so four personal attendants have brought the princess's portrait. Please remember this carefully to avoid any rudeness or missteps at the banquet that could lead to serious consequences."
"yes."
Yin Xing didn't expect that the princess could have a whole set of lessons to teach, and secretly felt lucky that he had escaped the danger by recuperating from an illness the previous two days.
As the four graceful and elegant portraits of princesses slowly appeared before his eyes, Yin Xing felt that they all looked good and not that scary.
But Yin Xing felt that the portraits of the princesses were no match for Xuan Yizhen herself, and wondered which noble family she came from.
It was a pity that he fainted suddenly and didn't have time to ask.
Yin Xing's thoughts were in a mess, and the fingertips of his right hand were placed on his side to keep the jade pendant pouch, cherishing it very much.
The female official explained seriously and with a warning tone, "The current emperor has five daughters. Because the Empress's only daughter, Princess Zhanghua, holds a title, she is excluded from the list. However, we should address them as princesses when meeting them. Here, from left to right, are four of them, arranged in order of age."
After he finished speaking, Yin Xing collected his thoughts, his eyes showing curiosity as he murmured in confusion, "How come there are only four portraits of five princesses?"
"Brother Yin, it seems that you don't understand women. As long as a woman is even slightly good-looking, she will definitely have a portrait. What's more, she is Princess Zhang Hua, who holds tremendous power. Unless her appearance is extremely ugly, of course I advise you not to believe the portrait too much." Huairen at the next table explained in a low voice.
In response, Yin Xing didn't give him a cold look. In his heart, he didn't like this man's comments and groundless speculations about a woman's appearance.
It seems that these noble young men are not good people.
At this moment, the female official on the stage glanced at the several nobles and said calmly, "Each princess has different personalities and preferences. You should carefully understand and serve them. The relationship between the monarch and her subjects is different. Even if you are not destined to become a consort, you can still appreciate and recommend them to serve as an official in the court. This will also bring honor to the family. Today, you are allowed to express your feelings through letters. Please cherish this opportunity."
Everyone immediately sat up straight, their expressions slightly changed as they responded, "Yes."
This scene made Yin Xing feel that everyone was not here for a blind date, but more like an interview, and the letter invitation was a test question.
It seems that the princesses are not looking for husbands or princes-in-law, but mounts to serve them for fun. Yin Xing wants to run away even more.
If this truth is revealed, I will be torn into pieces!
At noon, people were walking in the corridors of Wenbin Garden, and female officials were looking down from the pavilions. Most of the noble young men selected this time were tall and handsome, so it was no wonder that the four princesses had cast their branches early.
The so-called requirement for noble sons to write letters to express their feelings was probably more due to the vanity of the princesses, who wanted to show their prestige.
The princesses of the dynasty were all born into royal families, and none of them wanted to show weakness. Even when it came to choosing a prince consort, they would compete and fight for the position.
The so-called choosing a prince consort is nothing more than choosing something that you like.
The female official's eyes moved among the noble young men. Most of them were accompanied by one or two fair-looking servants. No female companions were allowed in Wenbin Garden. These noble young men, who were also born into high-class families, behaved in a dissolute and extravagant manner, and naturally had their own tricks to vent their emotions.
As long as nothing goes wrong, officials will turn a blind eye to this.
However, there was a young nobleman who did not bring any servants with him. The female official took a closer look at him and found that he had a fair and handsome appearance, especially his bright eyes, which were particularly clear and pleasing. He was quite handsome, but his stature was too thin. It seemed that he was relatively young, and perhaps he was supposed to be a playmate prepared for the fourth princess.
But this person happened to be Yin Xing, the young master of Xizhou Marquis, who was secretly sent back to Wenbin Garden by Princess Zhanghua's personal guards.
In the previous years when the princesses came to visit, Princess Zhanghua, who lived in seclusion, never showed up or sent anyone, so she attracted special attention.
After all, Princess Zhanghua's status is completely different from that of the other four princesses.
The two future princes selected by the emperor for Princess Zhanghua were both sons of the four noble families who inherited the title of Duke.
Most of the noble young men in Wenbin Garden were only marquises, and with such a huge gap in status, they were naturally not worthy of Princess Zhanghua.
"Lady Song, have you not found the son of the Marquis of Xizhou yet?" The two servants in the pavilion were holding portraits. They were dressed in rich clothes, both with small gold and jade ornaments, and had arrogant expressions.
"Please look, both of you," the female official calmed her mind and raised her hand to guide. She knew very well why the eldest princess and the third princess sent their servants to pick on Yin Xing, but she did not want to interfere in the princesses' open and secret struggles.
On the surface, it was a jealous fight among the princesses against Princess Zhang Hua, but in reality it was a fight between the aristocratic families and the princes behind the scenes. The root cause was that the Central Palace had no children and the Eastern Palace had no master.
At this time, Yin Xing in the garden had no idea that his troubles were about to begin. Seeing the clear sky, fragrant flowers and singing birds outside, it should have been a pleasant time.
Yin Xing was worried because there were too many guards outside the courtyard when he escaped at night last time. He might only be able to escape again by sending a letter to invite a princess.
The noisy Huairen followed beside her and muttered, "Letters are a troublesome matter. No matter who we invite, we will offend the other princesses."
"What's the problem? Just don't write anything." Yin Xing responded while keeping a distance.
"If you don't write one, you'll be absolutely utterly murdered. The princesses of the dynasty are terrifying beyond imagination," Huairen warned in a low voice, glancing around before continuing, "Every year, the eldest princess's husband dies of illness, and every year, the second princess's husband is castrated and divorced. And Princess Zhanghua even had two prospective husbands die in mysterious circumstances. You can't afford to offend any of these princesses."
When Yin Xing heard this, he was slightly shocked. Is this what "purification" means? !
Just when Yin Xing felt that escape was urgent, two waiters in rich clothes came up to him and each handed him a gilded invitation.
The golden light is so bright and dazzling that it dazzles people's eyes.
The room was brightly lit, and the sound of a zither lingered in the air. Xuan Yizhen said slowly, "The eldest princess and the third princess invited you. Who did Yin Xing agree to?"
The female official Ji responded truthfully: "Your Majesty, Yin Xing accepted the invitation from the Third Princess's attendant in public and asked to prepare a grand gift and surprise. This is clearly disappointing your expectations."
If Yin Xing was afraid of the princesses' majesty, he only needed to show her the nine-headed phoenix jade pendant. He really couldn't resist the temptation.
Xuan Yizhen continued to play the zither unconcernedly, his slender fingertips plucking the strings, producing a melodious and melodious sound. He said indifferently, "The fact that Yin Xing has attracted the attention of these two is already the beginning of something interesting. Why should Aunt Ji be so harsh on him?"
As soon as she finished speaking, the clear and melodious sound of the piano continued. Seeing this, Lady Ji had no idea what Princess Zhang Hua was thinking.
If Yin Xing accedes to other princesses, it will really damage Princess Zhanghua's reputation and also encourage her arrogance.
In the silence, a bird's wings fluttered as it landed by the window. Lady Ji untied the letter, read it, and then stepped forward, angrily saying, "My Lord, the son of the Marquis of Xizhou is trying to find out your address and arrange a meeting. He's a complete scum who's fickle."
"Chao Qin Mu Chu, this play is not bad, then go and try to cooperate a little." Xuan Yizheng stopped playing the piano, the sound of the piano stopped abruptly, she sat upright, slowly picked up the teacup, and said calmly.
The words were ordinary, but Lady Ji remained silent and dared not speak.
The tea in Xuan Yizheng's palm swayed slightly, and the tea leaves floated up and down, reflecting the shimmering water, just like the beautiful scenery by the lake.
As the sun set, the reflections of the sunset glowed, making the lakeside even more magnificent. The oars skimmed the ripples. The Third Princess's boat waited for a long time, only to see a soldier hurriedly report: "Princess, the son of the Marquis of Xizhou is missing!"
Inside the capital, many troops were searching the streets, and people were in a panic. As the sun gradually dimmed, Yin Xing dodged the guards with gifts in his hands and walked through the streets and alleys according to the information he had obtained.
When Yin Xing entered the Lakeside View Tower, he was surprised to find that it was so close to the place where the third princess had invited him to meet.
"Stop." A familiar and pleasant voice came from behind the screen. The voice was naturally clear and quiet, even a little dangerous and distant.
"Yizhen, it's me!" However, Yin Xing knew that Xuan Yizhen was very gentle, so he bravely poked his head out from behind the screen and called her sweetly. Then he saw a cold figure sitting by the window in a moon-white dress with golden threads. She was elegant and outstanding, so beautiful that it made people dazed.
Yin Xing blushed as she handed over the full bouquet of peach blossoms and said eagerly, "For you!"
"Why?"
"Because I see you like growing flowers, I hope you will like these flowers."
Xuan Yizheng lowered his eyes to look at the plump and gorgeous flowers, touched them lightly with his delicate hands, and suddenly felt that being fickle was actually nothing.
Fish need to be raised for a while before they can become familiar with the environment and recognize their owner.
But Xuan Yizheng didn't know that Yin Xing, the fish, actually came today to say goodbye.
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