Chapter Twenty-Three: This Prince Has Found It
Xie Yanzhi quickly shook off Gu Lingyu and returned to his own courtyard.
He saw Yuan Qing throw something into the pond. Yuan Qing saw Xie Yanzhi looking at him and quickly stepped forward: "Master, I threw my stone fish pendant."
Xie Yanzhi remembered that Yuan Qing used to wear a stone-carved fish-shaped pendant around his neck all the time.
He looked down at Yuan Qing's neck, where a jade pendant had been placed instead.
Then he remembered that a few days ago, Yuan Qing had done a favor and thanked Xie Yanzhi for rewarding him with this jade pendant.
Xie Yanzhi said calmly, "Didn't you used to treasure that stone fish pendant?"
Yuan Qing touched the jade pendant around his neck: "Master, now that I have a piece of unpolished jade, who would still love a stubborn stone?"
Once you have a piece of jade, you no longer care about rough stones.
Xie Yanzhi was stunned for a moment, then suddenly felt enlightened.
Shen Qingnian was confined to this Marquis's mansion all day long, and had no idea what a rough gem was or what a stubborn stone was.
He had originally planned to catch up with her and say a few words, but Shen Qingnian ran faster than a rabbit.
She clearly wanted to avoid him.
She even rejected him yesterday.
Shen Qingnian doesn't recognize his rough gem, so he'll give her a rough stone. That way, she should be able to tell which is good and which is bad.
Xie Yanzhi strode confidently into the study, quickly wrote a letter, and summoned Yuan Qing: "Yuan Qing, go find me a stubborn rock."
"Huh?" Yuan Qing blinked, looking puzzled.
Xie Yanzhi looked up at him, and Yuan Qing immediately took the letter and headed to the Xiao residence.
When Yuan Qing arrived at the Xiao residence, the gatekeeper told him that Xiao Huaiyi was not there and asked him to go to the Taihe Restaurant to look for her.
Yuan Qing arrived in front of Taihe Tower and looked up at it.
On the second-floor terrace, a man was using a fan to lift a young woman's chin and whispering in her ear, "Young lady Peony is even more intoxicating than this peach blossom wine."
Peony turned around shyly and sat on Xiao Huaiyi's lap, covering her face with her fan.
Xiao Huaiyi then tucked a strand of Shaoyao's hair to his nose and smelled it: "Hmm, the fragrance of a beauty."
"Quick, quick! The person is over there!" Several thugs rushed up from downstairs.
Xiao Huaiyi knew inwardly that something was wrong; the people from the gambling den had come looking for them.
He pushed Peony aside and said, "Peony, see you again if fate allows!" Then he jumped out of the window.
Peony was shocked, but still worried about Xiao Huaiyi's safety: "Young Master Xiao..."
Xiao Huaiyi had just landed when he saw Yuan Qing coming to find him. Without saying a word, he grabbed Yuan Qing and ran.
The Marquis of Jingnan's residence.
Xie Yanzhi saw Xiao Huaiyi, who was panting heavily and looked disheveled.
Xie Yanzhi frowned: "How did it get like this?"
Xiao Huaiyi tugged at his belt, adjusted the jade crown on his head, and slowly picked up his wine cup: "I owe the gambling house a little money."
"The place Yanzhi chose for tea today is quite nice, it has a unique ambiance." Xiao Huaiyi said while sipping tea and admiring the scenery before him.
They are now in a bamboo pavilion on the back hill of the Marquis of Jingnan's mansion, where they can see half of the mansion's scenery.
Xiao Huaiyi suddenly saw two women emerge from the small courtyard in the distance.
The woman with the double buns was clearly a maid, while the other woman wore a white pomegranate-colored dress, her jet-black hair was lightly tied up with a green jade hairpin, and her skin was as white as snow, exuding an elegant and refined air.
It was quite far away, and Xiao Huaiyi couldn't see her face clearly, but he could vaguely make out her graceful figure and exquisite curves, which indicated that she must be a beauty.
"Which fairy maiden is this in the manor?" Xiao Huaiyi looked again.
Yuan Qing glanced at her and said, "That's our new cousin."
Xie Yanzhi took a sip of wine and noticed Xiao Huaiyi staring intently at him: "What, Huaiyi, are you interested in this cousin?"
Xiao Huaiyi glanced at the figure again, chuckled softly, and said leisurely, "A fair maiden is the object of a gentleman's affections."
Xie Yanzhi shook his head: "This cousin is proud and aloof, and I'm afraid Huaiyi will not be able to get what she wants."
Xiao Huaiyi turned to look at Xie Yanzhi: "Oh? Did Yanzhi try it?"
Xie Yanzhi scoffed coldly: "I have absolutely no interest in this cousin!"
Xiao Huaiyi picked up his wine glass: "Since Yan Zhi isn't interested, I'll give it a try. There's never been a woman that Xiao Huaiyi can't have!"
Think of the Butterfly Dance Girl from Yicui Courtyard and the Joyful Pearl Girl from Honglefang. They are both beauties that are hard to come by even if you pay a lot of money. Which one of them didn't fall for his charm?
Seeing Xiao Huaiyi's determined look, Yuan Qing really wanted to roll her eyes at him.
This guy spends his days cockfighting and dog racing; he's utterly ignorant and incompetent.
In his spare time, he either got drunk in brothels or gambled in gambling dens; he was a notorious playboy in the capital.
No noblewoman in the capital was willing to marry him.
Such a person still wants to lay a hand on Miss Qing!
However, this gentleman's temperament suited Xie Yanzhi's taste, and the two became good friends.
Yuan Qing only hoped that Miss Qing wouldn't be blind enough to fall for someone like that.
“This one is different from those prostitutes,” Xie Yanzhi reminded her.
Xiao Huaiyi: "Then how about we make a bet and see if I can win over this young lady?"
Xie Yanzhi smiled without saying a word, simply picking up his teacup and looking at him.
Looking at Xie Yanzhi, Xiao Huaiyi sensed a hint of triumph in Xie Yanzhi's eyes.
After seeing Xiao Huaiyi off, Xie Yanzhi walked to Qianyue Residence with his hands behind his back.
Shen Qingnian was watering some flowers and plants in the yard when she caught a glimpse of Xie Yanzhi standing at the gate.
Why is he here? Didn't we already make things clear that day?
Could it be that you were just passing by? But Qian Yue Ju is so remote, it's not easy to just pass by.
So Xie Yanzhi came specifically to find her?
Xie Yanzhi stared intently at Shen Qingnian. He had been waiting for her, yet she still hadn't come over.
Xie Yanzhi's face darkened.
Seeing Xie Yanzhi's dark face and his continued refusal to leave, Shen Qingnian had no choice but to walk over and curtsy: "Does Your Highness need me for something?"
Xie Yanzhi's gaze fell on the hairpin in her hair, the butterfly hairpin that the old lady had given her that morning.
It was also a hairpin he had given me. My displeasure immediately vanished by more than half.
Xie Yanzhi narrowed his phoenix eyes slightly: "Last time you asked me to help you find a marriage partner, and I have found one."
"Hmm?" Shen Qingnian was just saying it casually, but she didn't expect Xie Yanzhi to actually help her find a marriage partner.
"Which family's young master is he?" she asked again.
"You will know in three days." Xie Yanzhi turned to look at Shen Qingnian, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
He then left with Yuan Qing.
Shen Qingnian watched Xie Yanzhi's departing figure thoughtfully.
She rejected him, which embarrassed him. He clearly disliked her, so why would he actually arrange a marriage for her? I wonder what kind of husband he would find for her.
Ling'er was a little confused. Her young lady was too bold to ask the eldest young master to help her find a husband.
Ling'er couldn't help but ask, "Miss, what kind of marriage has the eldest young master found for you?"
Shen Qingnian's expression was firm: "We'll know in three days."
Since Xie Yanzhi has brought the person here, she might as well go and meet him.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
