Chapter 330 This girl isn't even married yet, and she's already siding with outsiders (4000 words)
In the evening, Xiao Mo and Qin Siyao arrived at the Second Prince's residence.
To be honest, Xiao Mo didn't really want to attend the banquet, but he had indeed received a lot of favors from the Second Prince while he was in the Iron Tiger Army.
Even if it wasn't something she actively sought, she had indeed received benefits from the Second Prince.
So it would indeed be somewhat unreasonable for me not to go.
But Xiao Mo still stuck to his principles—resolutely not to get involved in his struggle for the throne with the eldest prince.
You absolutely cannot take sides.
Otherwise, it will be very troublesome.
It's a very simple principle—one can be loyal to the current ruler of Qin, and to the future ruler of Qin, but not to the future crown prince.
Qin Siyao walked beside Xiao Mo, raised her head, secretly glanced at him, and then looked away, her eyes filled with a thoughtful look.
Before long, the two arrived at the entrance of the Second Prince's residence and heard the magnificent "Frosty Red Battle Song".
At the same time, the Second Prince Qin Jingyuan had already come to greet Xiao Mo and Qin Siyao.
"I apologize for not greeting you sooner, Your Majesty." Qin Jingyuan walked up to Xiao Mo warmly and then took Xiao Mo's hand in a very friendly manner.
"Second Brother only asked Xiao Mo to forgive him, but I don't need to forgive him?" Qin Siyao teased from the side.
"Third sister, what are you saying? We siblings see each other often, so there's no need for apologies. But the Frost King is a rare guest."
With that, Qin Jingyuan took Xiao Mo's hand and hurriedly walked into the lobby.
"Come, come, Frost King, take a look at the show I've prepared. I'm sure you'll enjoy it."
Xiao Mo was led by Qin Jingyuan to sit down in the main hall.
Qin Jingyuan clapped his hands, and one by one, the dancers stepped forward and danced gracefully to the tune of "Frosty Red Battle Song," as if they were rehearsing the great battle that Xiao Mo had fought in Frosty Red City.
However, since it is a dance, it naturally lacks the grim atmosphere of a battlefield, but has more beauty.
In Xiao Mo's opinion, this dance was definitely not something that was rehearsed on the spot. It was likely that Qin Jingyuan had prepared it in advance, just waiting for him to attend the banquet, and the dancers he had chosen were all top-notch in appearance.
Even the dancers looked at Xiao Mo with a seductive gaze, as if they were ready to be favored by him at any moment.
Sitting next to Xiao Mo, Qin Siyao sipped her tea, constantly watching Xiao Mo's gaze.
Qin Siyao saw that Xiao Mo was sitting upright, looking like a gentleman, and his gaze did not linger on the women.
I couldn't help but feel a little happy.
"I wonder how the Frost King feels?" After the dance ended, Qin Jingyuan asked Xiao Mo with a smile.
"This dance is truly excellent; Your Highness has gone to great lengths." Xiao Mo naturally gave him face. "However, Your Highness, please do not address me as the Frost King; just call me Xiao Mo."
"Haha, that's fine too." Qin Jingyuan nodded. "We've known each other for a long time, so there's really no need to be so formal."
Qin Jingyuan drank a cup of wine: "Xiao Mo, your expedition to Weiguo this time, conquering twenty-one cities, was truly remarkable. Today, Xiao Mo, you return in triumph, and I have nothing to give you, but I am fortunate to have a white horse that treads on snow. As the saying goes, a good horse is a hero's gift, Xiao Mo, please don't find it lacking."
As soon as Qin Jingyuan finished speaking, he gestured to his left and right.
The attendants immediately understood and led in a warhorse that had been prepared beforehand.
The warhorse was pure white, incredibly robust, and every part of its body looked so strong that just standing there gave people a sense of overwhelming pressure.
"A fine horse!"
Xiao Mo exclaimed in genuine admiration.
During his years in the army, Xiao Mo rode many fine horses.
But compared to this horse, it does feel quite different.
"I'm glad you like it, Xiao Mo. This Snow-Treading Horse is yours." Qin Jingyuan was also very happy to see that Xiao Mo was satisfied.
"Your Highness, this is far too precious." Xiao Mo shook his head. "How can I accept this?"
"What's so valuable about this?" Qin Jingyuan said with a smile. "It is an honor for this Snow-Treading Horse to fight alongside you, Xiao Mo, and to be remembered in history. Otherwise, if it were to become someone else's mount, I would feel it was not worth it!"
Xiao Mo wanted to politely decline.
But just then, a servant entered the hall and said, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince has arrived."
Upon hearing that his elder brother had arrived, a hint of displeasure flashed in Qin Jingyuan's eyes, but he quickly suppressed his emotions, got up, and said, "Hurry up and invite my elder brother in. Never mind, I'll go greet him myself."
"There's no need to trouble you, Second Brother. I've already come uninvited."
As the voice faded, the eldest prince, Qin Jingsu, entered the main hall.
"Big brother."
"Greetings, Your Highness."
Xiao Mo and Qin Siyao stood up and greeted each other.
"I've met the Frost King. I didn't expect my third sister to be here too."
Qin Jingsu bowed in return, then looked at his second brother and said with a smile.
"Hahaha, second brother, that's not very nice of you. You invited third sister and the Frost King to drink, but you didn't invite me. I'm going to be heartbroken."
"Brother, what are you saying?" Qin Jingyuan explained. "Brother is so busy with affairs of state, unlike me who is so leisurely. I was just afraid of bothering you, brother."
"Haha, no matter how busy I am, I have to spend time with my brothers and sisters, otherwise we'll drift apart after a while, won't we?"
Qin Jingsu clapped his hands, and the servants beside him brought forward several jugs of wine.
"These few jugs of wine were brewed by the Wine Immortal himself. My father bestowed them upon me before, but I have been reluctant to drink them. However, today, my brothers and I are gathered together, and the Frost King is here, so we shall not leave until we are drunk."
"Since you've said so, brother, then let's drink until we drop!" Qin Jingyuan laughed heartily, showing that the two brothers had a very good relationship. "Brother, please take a seat!"
"Good." After Qin Jingsu took his seat, he glanced at the Snow-Treading Horse in the main hall and exclaimed, "This Snow-Treading Horse is truly remarkable! I'm even tempted to own one."
"Please forgive me, elder brother," Qin Jingyuan said with a smile. "This Snow-Treading Horse already has an owner, Frost King. When I encounter another horse of this quality, I will give it to you."
"It's alright, it's alright." Qin Jingsu glanced at Xiao Mo. "It would be a waste for this horse to be in my hands. Only if it were under the Frost King's saddle could it go down in history. But since you, my second brother, have given such a precious gift to the Frost King, it seems inappropriate for me, as the eldest brother, not to reciprocate."
Qin Jingsu said to Xiao Mo:
"I have long admired your great name on the battlefield, Xiao Mo, for your dedication to the Qin Kingdom. I have nothing much to give you, but please accept this gift, Xiao Mo."
Before Xiao Mo could refuse, Qin Jingsu waved his hand.
Several servants brought a tray to Xiao Mo's front.
The red cloth was lifted, revealing a complete set of snow-white dragon scale armor on the shelf.
"This armor was made from the scales of a real dragon, connected with Heaven-Mending Iron and Thousand True Gold Threads, and forged with Chaos Fire. It was crafted by the most skilled blacksmith in my Qin Kingdom."
Qin Jingsu drank a glass of wine.
"Second brother, I present Xiao Mo with a fine horse; in return, I present Xiao Mo with armor. This is not for any other reason than that I hope King Shuang can achieve great things for our Qin Kingdom and enhance its national prestige!"
"."
Xiao Mo sat upright in his seat, his expression calm, but his mind was actually racing with thoughts.
Xiao Mo knew perfectly well that the two of them actually wanted to win him over.
After all, being granted the title of king by His Majesty was a rather extraordinary reward, and even his mother was granted the title of Lady of the Imperial Decree.
To others, this would make them think they would be highly valued by His Majesty in the future.
The problem is that Xiao Mo doesn't want to get involved with them.
But if I refuse directly, it would be like slapping them in the face in public.
Just as Xiao Mo was thinking of a suitable reason, Qin Siyao, who was sitting next to him, lowered her head and looked around.
After a short while, Qin Siyao raised her head and smiled at her two elder brothers, saying:
"Big brother and second brother are really something. Xiao Mo just returned to the capital and hadn't even spoken a few words to you two brothers before, yet you two brothers sent him such expensive gifts. And Si Yao is still your two brothers' sister."
Why haven't my two older brothers shown any interest in Siyao?
"Siyao, what are you saying? What do you want? Won't Father give it to you? Even if we wanted to, we wouldn't have the chance," Qin Jingsu said with a smile.
“Who says there’s no chance? Siyao also has something she wants, but she doesn’t know if her two brothers are willing to give it to her.”
Qin Siyao pouted and turned her head away, looking a little angry.
"Alright, what does Siyao want?" Qin Jingsu looked at his younger sister with doting eyes.
"Can Siyao have anything she wants?" Qin Siyao blinked and asked expectantly.
"Of course." Qin Jingsu nodded. "Anything your second brother and I can give you, we'll give you, right, Jingyuan?"
Qin Jingyuan smiled and nodded.
"Big brother and second brother, you mustn't lie!" Qin Siyao's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"We're not lying," Qin Jingyuan and Qin Jingsu said in unison.
"I want my eldest brother's armor, and I also want my second brother's white horse," Qin Siyao said, pointing to the white horse and armor in the hall.
"this"
Qin Jingyuan and Qin Jingsu looked somewhat embarrassed.
"Big brother, second brother, you said you'd give me anything I set my sights on," Qin Siyao stood up. "It's settled then, these two things are mine!"
Qin Jingsu shook his head helplessly: "Siyao, you're not going to the battlefield, so what do you need this armor and white horse for?"
"Of course it's a gift."
Qin Siyao turned around gracefully and faced Xiao Mo.
"Xiao Mo, I don't have anything good to give you this time you're back. My eldest and second brothers just gave me a Snow-Treading Horse and a set of armor. How about I give them to you?"
Hearing Qin Siyao's words, Xiao Mo was slightly taken aback, then smiled and nodded: "Since Your Highness has said so, how can I waste Your Highness's kindness? Thank you, Your Highness."
"You silly girl, taking our things to give away as gifts," Qin Jingsu said with a smile. "How could you even think of that?"
"This girl isn't even married yet, and she's already siding with outsiders." Qin Jingyuan shook his head helplessly.
"What are you saying, Big Brother and Second Brother?" Qin Siyao said "arrogantly," hands on her hips. "Since the white horse and armor have already been given to Siyao, it's not wrong for Siyao to give them away to others."
"Okay, that's right, that's right."
Qin Jingsu smiled and drank a glass of wine, no longer holding a grudge against his younger sister.
It's clear who Qin Jingsu and Qin Jingyuan are. The reason Siyao did this was because she saw Xiao Mo's dilemma. She knew that Xiao Mo didn't want to accept her favor, but he didn't want to offend her.
So this girl simply took on the favor herself.
"Xiao Mo, we brothers don't have anything to give you, so we can only ask you to drink more wine and eat more food. Tonight, we really won't leave until we're drunk!"
Qin Jingsu raised his glass and said.
“Of course.” Xiao Mo also raised his glass. “I toast to both Your Highnesses!”
After saying that, Xiao Mo drank it all in one gulp.
Xiao Mo and the two princes drank together continuously.
The two princes asked Xiao Mo about things on the battlefield, and Xiao Mo naturally answered truthfully.
Xiao Mo smiled but remained silent about his undeserved fame, believing it was all due to the "Frosty Red Formation Breaking Song" composed by that musician, which led the world to exaggerate his reputation.
After a few rounds of drinks, all three were slightly drunk.
Seeing Xiao Mo swaying and drunk, Qin Siyao stood up again and complained to her older brothers, "Big brother, second brother, stop drinking. Look how drunk Xiao Mo is."
"It's alright, Siyao, I can still drink." Xiao Mo poured himself a glass of wine.
"Stop drinking." Qin Siyao took Xiao Mo's wine glass, bowed to her eldest and second eldest brothers, and said, "Eldest brother, second brother, I'll take Xiao Mo and leave now."
After saying this, Qin Siyao didn't wait for her two brothers to say anything, and helped Xiao Mo leave the hall.
"My third sister usually looks like a little girl, but in front of Xiao Mo, she's like a wife. It's true what they say, daughters grow up and leave home..."
Qin Jingyuan drank another glass of wine.
Only Qin Jingsu and Qin Jingyuan remained in the hall.
"Third Sister isn't young anymore, it's about time she got married." Qin Jingsu stood up with a smile. "But do you think Xiao Mo was really drunk, or was he faking it?"
Qin Jingyuan said with a smile, "Even if Xiao Mo wasn't drunk, if Third Sister says he was, then he is drunk."
"Haha, this girl has never been so considerate to us before."
Qin Jingsu stood up and said to his second brother,
"Let's go, let's go. Thank you for your hospitality, Second Brother. I'm very happy with today's banquet. It seems like it's been a long time since we brothers have enjoyed drinking so much."
“If you wish, brother, it can be done anytime,” Qin Jingyuan said.
"Is it really possible anytime?" Qin Jingsu asked with a smile as he looked at his younger brother.
Qin Jingyuan was speechless for a moment.
"They're gone."
Qin Jingsu took a deep breath, said nothing more, and turned to leave.
Watching his elder brother walk out of the lobby and disappear into the night, Qin Jingyuan sat back down and sipped his drink.
Qin Jingyuan had been drinking for an unknown amount of time. He lay on the soft couch, staring at the ceiling, when he suddenly burst into laughter.
He didn't even know what he was laughing at.
Perhaps, he was laughing at his father for not yet establishing an heir.
He was laughing at himself for being born into an imperial family.
He was laughing at himself for being unable to let go of that position.
(End of this chapter)
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