Chapter 18 Secretly Replacing the Soil: If the soil soaked in wine isn't replaced, he's afraid he'll stay drunk forever.
"His Majesty!"
A loud shout came from the crowd, and almost everyone present looked in the direction of the sound. Han Jiqing was half a head taller than Han Dahai. When he stood up, Han Dahai could not block his way at all. Han Jiqing shouted at Gu Huizhou and stepped past Han Dahai in a few strides. "Your Majesty, this humble general would like to give it a try."
A smile flickered in Gu Huizhou's eyes. He slightly raised his chin and said in a short voice, "Mm."
Han Dahai was furious. He slapped his thigh and sat down in the seat Han Jiqing had just been sitting in. "Why didn't you stop your brother!"
Did he not stop it? He couldn't have stopped it anyway.
Han Jiqing passed by Xiao Xiaoyuan, his head lowered and his face turned away, refusing to even glance at the princess. He strode towards the arena and stood in front of Baili Wenhan, saying, "Second Young Master, please."
"With General Han taking office, the Baili family will have nothing to do with it."
"But Han Jiqing actually wants to marry the princess of the enemy country. Although his military achievements are still uncertain, he should at least be a second-rank general. Instead of protecting himself at this time, he wants to curry favor with His Majesty. Sigh—"
"Hmph, what you mean is, sir. If the Han family marries the eldest princess, then the matter of military merit is off-limits."
"You! I didn't mean that!"
...
Han Dahai remained silent.
Liang Fu pressed down on Liang He's hand and gave him a warning glance.
On the arena, Baili Wenhan squinted at Han Jiqing opposite him, "General Han is dressed very formally today, he must have come prepared."
Bai Liyi, sitting in the audience, showed a slight change in expression.
With his back to Xiao Xiaoyuan, Han Jiqing looked up and said, "Since the outcome will be decided by a martial arts contest, it would be best for the Second Young Master to conserve some of his energy."
Gu Huizhou finally sat up straight. He took the hot tea that Cui Xiangzhu was holding, took a couple of sips, and looked at the arena.
Baili Wenhan held a sword in his right hand, clenched his left fist tightly, stepped back with one foot slightly bent at the knee, and faced Han Jiqing in a fighting stance. Han Jiqing did the same, beckoning to the imperial guards on both sides, and a long sword was thrown onto the stage. Han Jiqing caught it, and the two faced each other, both with a determined look in their eyes.
"Ah—" Baili Wenhan roared and charged forward, his longsword slashing fiercely in the air and slamming into Han Jiqing's raised sword. The distance between the two was only a finger's width.
Han Jiqing saw the ruthlessness in Baili Wenhan's eyes, snorted coldly, and instantly raised his leg, striking Baili Wenhan's abdomen with great force. Baili Wenhan's pupils contracted, and he was forced back several meters until his hind foot hit the edge of the ring, and the two faced each other.
The scene was quiet, and Baili Wenhan's breathing could be heard by everyone. He spread his five fingers and then clenched them, his veins stretching with the movement of his bones. The sky was dark, and dozens of eunuchs stood on both sides with lanterns, the orange light reflecting off the sword hilt.
As Baili Wenhan took a breath, Han Jiqing moved. He rushed forward, almost so fast that he kicked up a cloud of smoke. Before Baili Wenhan could react, Han Jiqing was already in front of him. Their elbows collided, and after a muffled groan, their eyes met again.
Baili Wenhan gritted his teeth, "General Han went to such lengths and risked everything for the princess of the enemy country?"
Han Jiqing didn't respond. He spun around and suddenly ducked, his long leg striking the opponent's ankle like a whirlwind. Baili Wenhan, already at the edge of the area, had no choice but to turn around. He abruptly retreated to the right, only to find himself face-to-face with the tip of the opponent's sword!
"Um--"
Baili Wenhan knelt on one knee, a fine scratch on his neck, but no blood. His knee was violently slammed into Han Jiqing's winter boots. He raised his eyes fiercely, staggered to his feet, and pointed his longsword at the other's forehead, "Again!"
Han Jiqing raised an eyebrow dismissively, smiled faintly upon hearing this, and swung his long sword once more.
Baili Wenhan held his breath and faced Han Jiqing head-on. "Clang!" The longswords clashed again, the force so great that one of them developed a chip. Baili Wenhan immediately looked up, and the two retreated. During this time, he flicked his wrist, throwing the longsword to the ground, and slashed sharply at his opponent with a hand chop. "Ah—"
"Clang!" Another longsword was thrown onto the arena. Han Jiqing steadily blocked it with his elbow in front of his neck. His eyes shifted slightly, and his right hand quickly grabbed Baili Wenhan's wrist. He swiftly changed position, pinning Baili Wenhan in front of him. He leaned close to the other's ear and said coldly, "Even if I'm not the one who marries the princess, it's not your turn!"
"you--"
The two clashed instantly. Han Jiqing's elbow struck Baili Wenhan in the chest. Even a seasoned general, with years of battlefield experience, couldn't withstand such flashy moves. Baili Wenhan was now struggling even to defend; he was forced back, until he met Han Jiqing's flying kick, and his knees buckled to the ground. "Ugh—"
He covered his mouth with one hand and supported his body with the other.
A few breaths later, he stood up unsteadily.
"Second Young Master, shall we continue?"
Baili Wenhan swallowed a mouthful of blood. He stood up defiantly, but stumbled and fell to his knees again. Cui Xiangzhu, who was below the stage, quickly ordered the eunuch beside him to summon the imperial physician, and then ordered two people to carry Baili Wenhan down.
The outcome is clear.
Is anyone else still alive?
Baili Yi looked unwell as he watched Baili Wenhan being helped away, his lips pressed together until they turned white. In contrast, Liang Fu's complexion was surprisingly good. He lifted the hand that had been pressing down on Liang He and began chatting idly with others.
No one responded to Han Jiqing's words, but there were quite a few whispers among those present.
"His Majesty would never agree!"
"Ha, even if he wants to marry her, it depends on whether the princess is willing to marry him."
...
"Your Majesty! I believe this is inappropriate!"
One person shouted out, and immediately everyone echoed, "Your Majesty, I also think this is inappropriate!"
Gu Huizhou asked, "Is there something wrong with it?"
The old minister stammered and couldn't give a clear answer. It was fine for a general to marry a princess, but this was a princess from an enemy country! If she were to secretly collude with the enemy and betray the country, no one would know!
Han Jiqing froze. He turned to look at Xiao Xiaoyuan, a slow smile spreading across his face. A small drop of blood oozed from a sword wound at the corner of his mouth. Han Jiqing mistook it for a moth and tried to wipe it away with the back of his hand. He smeared the blood, and only when he lowered his hand did he realize how unseemly it was. A look of surprise flashed in his eyes, and he hesitated, unsure whether to move his hands up or down.
While the old ministers were still debating, Xue Qingping took the lead, saying, "Your Majesty! I have served in the court for half a year, and have devoted myself to the court. I urge Your Majesty to be cautious. This Princess and the General are not a good match!"
"I don't understand what you mean, Lord Xue. Her Highness the Princess is gentle, virtuous, beautiful, and generous, while General Han is a dashing and valiant man who was once incredibly brave on the battlefield. How can they not be a good match?"
"Lord Liang, you!" Xue Qingping was so angry that his legs trembled. He stared wide-eyed at Liang Fu, pointing his hands directly at him. "Minister Liang, you must prioritize the affairs of the state!"
Accused of blurring the lines between public and private matters, Liang Fu's face darkened. "Lord Xue, you must provide evidence for your words! This is merely a competition, a chance for Her Highness the Princess to witness the spirit of the men of Great Yun. How can it be such a crucial matter in Lord Xue's mouth?" He didn't give the other a chance to speak. "Even if we take a step back, General Han, as a renowned general of Great Yun, marrying the princess is only natural!"
Xue Qingping's lips trembled. Cui Xiangzhu was afraid that he might faint from anger, so he had the imperial physician wait on the side.
"Your Majesty!" Xue Qingping ignored Liang Fu and turned to him. "I urge Your Majesty to reconsider!"
Han Jiqing frowned. He exchanged a glance with Han Dahai and saw that Han Dahai also looked displeased. Han Jiqing pursed his lips.
The commotion made Gu Huizhou's expression turn cold. He fiddled with the agate beads on his bracelet one by one, looking at each of the old men's faces. The emperor reached out to pick up a mushroom, but turned his head and missed. Finally, he placed his hand on the dragon throne and stroked the dragon head. "I will not interfere."
Xue Qingping exclaimed loudly, "Your Majesty!"
Gu Huizhou, who was seated at the head of the table, simply fiddled with the bracelet a couple of times and ignored it.
The old minister from two dynasties was so anxious that he trembled, and the bloodshot in his eyes could be seen even in the bright moonlight.
"His Majesty."
Amid the chaos, a clear, melodious voice reached her ears, and Xiao Xiaoyuan stood up. She took two slow steps, her jewelry swaying quietly with its owner, yet appearing as if still. "Your Majesty, Xiaoyuan has just drunk some wine and is feeling slightly dizzy. I would like to leave for a while to rest."
"Well then, Princess, please go back and rest."
The ministers looked at each other, bewildered. The sky was already dark. They were resting now, but who knew when they could resume their work?
Upon hearing this, Han Jiqing hurriedly looked in that direction, but could only meet the gaze of the Princess who was slowly turning around for a moment. Han Jiqing stared wide-eyed, watching Xiao Xiaoyuan leave in astonishment.
"Xiao..."
Xiao Xiaoyuan was led by a palace maid to a palace to rest. The palace had been prepared in advance and was reserved as a resting place for the princess of Xiao Kingdom. However, even though she was a princess, she had to return to the post station before the palace gates were locked. The palace could only be used for temporary rest.
Chun Ya and Qiu Bai touched up the princess's makeup. Her upturned phoenix eyes looked slightly fierce when she looked at people, but she was still beautiful and elegant.
Qiu Bai cautiously asked, "Would the princess be willing to marry General Han?"
Xiao Xiaoyuan didn't speak. She took a sip of tea, let out a long sigh, and said, "Let's go for a walk."
This imperial garden, whose construction is unknown, is full of rugged crossroads. Now, in the dead of night, there isn't even a eunuch to light the lanterns. Stepping into the snowdrifts, Yao Ruyi still hasn't found a single patch of soft, fertile soil.
She sniffed the smell of alcohol on her body with disgust, her round eyes showing dissatisfaction. She stepped on the cobblestones again, and Yao Ruyi gasped in pain, probably because she had rubbed her feet raw again. "If he hadn't insisted on pouring alcohol into my basin, I wouldn't have been dizzy for more than ten days in a row."
He realized today that if he doesn't replace the soil soaked in wine, he'll probably stay drunk forever.
Yao Ruyi's eyes lit up; she had finally found a good spot. The pebbles were few, and it was under a plum tree with vibrant blossoms. The gardener must have put a lot of effort into the soil; she wondered what he had added. The soil smelled sweet and delicious to Yao Ruyi.
He gently scooped out a piece with his finger and put it in his mouth. His eyes lit up immediately. Mushroom stood up and looked around. He quickly and secretly took his flowerpot out of his pocket and poured out the old soil in a few quick movements.
Afraid of soiling the area, he deliberately ran far away and lay down on the snow under a pine tree in the distance.
He casually used clean snow to scrub the flowerpot vigorously, since it was a flowerpot he would be living in for a long time. "I need to scrub it several times, otherwise it won't be clean."
His hands and wrists were red from the cold wind, but the boy's eyes were bright. He smiled brightly as he looked at the clean flowerpot, not minding the cold soil at all. Yao Ruyi pulled his robe tighter around him and carefully filled the flowerpot with handfuls of soil.
The green porcelain flowerpot, glistening and round under the moonlight, was carefully held in Yao Ruyi's arms. He straightened up, smoothed out the small dent with his foot, and turned to leave.
"etc."
Yao Ruyi was taken aback. She shouldn't have called out to him. She quickened her pace and left.
"etc!"
The voice grew closer, and Yao Ruyi held her breath, cautiously turning her head. "Me?"
Xiao Xiaoyuan hadn't expected the young man to be so handsome up close. His eyes were moist as he looked at her with a timid expression. He was slender yet upright, and the plain white robe he wore gave him an air of nobility.
It suits her taste.
Xiao Xiaoyuan nodded and quickly walked up to Yao Ruyi. "Yes, I am Princess Xiao Xiaoyuan of Xiao Kingdom. May I ask your name, young master?"
Yao Ruyi was stunned. Princess? Princess of Xiao Kingdom? He hugged the flowerpot tightly, took a deep breath, and awkwardly bowed like a little eunuch, "Your subject, this servant greets the Princess."
She turned out to be a palace maid.
Xiao Xiaoyuan remained silent for a long while, then asked, "Are you willing to marry me?"
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[Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]
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