Before Xiao Jingyan found a place to hide, the emperor's handwritten letter arrived first, ordering him to cooperate with King Jing to welcome the envoy from Northern Jin and to accompany him throughout the journey.
"Now you still dare to say that Princess Xiyue didn't come for you?" Old Marquis Xiao snorted coldly. He had been asked to prepare for a rainy day, but he refused. Now she has arrived at the post station outside Kyoto and will enter the city tomorrow. It is too late for his son to run away.
"Don't worry, my son will never bring shame to the Xiao family. Even if I become a monk, I will not give in easily." Xiao Jingyan vowed. He really made up his mind that if it really doesn't work out, he will be a monk for two years, deceive the princess, and then return to secular life!
"How could you think of such a thing? You want to become a monk? Have you ever thought about what will happen to your mother?" Old Marquis Xiao wanted to beat up his son who only knew how to escape. Why couldn't he stand up straight and be more responsible like his brothers?
"What do you think I should do?" This isn't allowed, and that isn't allowed. Are you still hoping that your son will be taken away?
"First, complete the tasks assigned by the Emperor. If the princess truly came for you, she would have informed you before making her request to the Emperor. Then, you can explain the Xiao family's stance and your resolute decision not to go to Northern Jin. See how the princess reacts."
"Yes, son, I understand." It was a rare moment when father and son were so united in thought. Xiao Jingyan shut himself in his room, summarizing his family's opinions and his own thoughts, and determined the course he should take: to be neither humble nor overbearing, courteous and considerate, and to maintain an appropriate distance from Princess Xiyue. It would be best if she didn't make any demands, but once the subject of marriage came up, not going to Northern Jin was a bottom line he couldn't cross.
If the emperor insists on arranging this marriage or issuing an edict to grant it, I will ask King Jing to inform him in advance and find a temple to hide in for two years. Yes, that's it.
"Fourth Uncle, are you there? Can I come in?" Xiao Yao's soft voice was heard outside the door.
"Come in!" Xiao Jingyan, who had just sorted out his thoughts, instantly turned back into the suave and elegant young man, with a calm face, as if the person with a frown just now was not him at all.
"Are you hiding something from me? Tell me and let your niece help you analyze it." Xiao Yao, who had long felt that the atmosphere at home was not right, thought that only her fourth uncle's place was the best place for a breakthrough, so she came here.
"You're not going to agree to my request, are you? Then just continue to watch me die. Something's going to happen tomorrow, so what's the point of asking me today?"
"So there really is something wrong. Can I help? I'd like to state in advance that I will not be involved in matters related to Prince Jing."
"Is it that serious? Do you have any deep hatred?" No matter how bad-mannered the Prince of Jing was, he would never deliberately bully a little girl. Could it be that he liked his niece and was angry because he was rejected... Xiao Jingyan tried hard to imagine the scene of a boy confessing his love to a little girl who was not much taller than a table. It was too horrifying and unbelievable. The Prince of Jing would never do such a thing.
Seeing Fourth Uncle shaking his head and glancing at her frequently with ill intent, Xiao Yao turned and left. Fourth Uncle didn't look like he was in trouble at all, and she would believe him if he said he had mental problems.
"My little niece, why don't you help me find a solution?" Xiao Jingyan shouted at Xiao Yao who had already walked to the door.
"The fact that you're still thinking about it proves that the problem isn't serious. Just think of a solution yourself. I won't try to stop you."
"This child is becoming less and less lovable. He can't even smile at others. How will he find a husband in the future with such an unkind personality?" Xiao Jingyan muttered to himself.
He then remembered that his nieces didn't need to look for husbands at all. Their father had already arranged everything, and they just had to wait for them to get married when they were old enough. Looking at the treatment others received and thinking about his own miserable fate, Xiao Jingyan's mood, which had just improved, plummeted back to the bottom.
On September 18, envoys from Northern Jin arrived in Beijing, and King Jing led a group of officials to the city gate to welcome them.
"Lord Xiao's attire doesn't seem very formal!" King Jing patted Xiao Jingyan's shoulder and teased him. This guy was wearing a fifth-rank official uniform without any extra decorations on his body. Even the fan that he always kept in his hand was nowhere to be found.
"Of course I have to dress like this when I'm doing my job. How can I dress like Your Highness who can wear whatever he wants and however he wants?" Xiao Jingyan ignored King Jing's teasing and said seriously.
King Jing chuckled lightly and said nothing, thinking to himself: When Princess Xiyue comes, how long can you maintain this sanctimonious appearance? One or two days, definitely not three days. Now is the time to pretend before you are exposed!
At noon, the convoy of the Northern Jin delegation appeared at the city gate in a mighty procession. King Jing walked out of the spacious and comfortable carriage and stood at the front of Tianyu's subjects. Xiao Jingyan turned around and shrank to the end of the team. If you didn't look carefully, it would be difficult to find him.
"Long time no see, Prince Jing." A man in his thirties, also dressed in princely attire, stepped out and bowed to Prince Jing.
"Prince Huaiyang is too polite. We are exhausted from the long journey. Let's go to the inn and rest for a while. My brother has prepared a banquet in the palace and is waiting for your arrival!" Prince Jing responded politely.
"Wait, King Jing, why does you have to do everything yourself? You must have countless talented people under you. Just pick one or two to accompany us. Let me see who you should choose!" A lavender figure gently jumped down from the luxurious carriage. An official who could not hide his curiosity secretly looked in the direction of the voice and saw a bright and beautiful woman walking towards the crowd.
"Old and ugly ones are not allowed to look up." The maid beside the woman scolded.
"Don't be unreasonable." The young Prince Huaiyang scolded the maidservants around his sister. These girls were led astray by his sister. Now they only judge people by appearance. They think this is Northern Jin! Tianyu will not blindly indulge these masters and servants to do whatever they want and act unreasonably.
"Hey, isn't this Master Xiao? So you're here too! Since we've met several times before, could you please lead the way for us?"
It's not good at all, but is it useful to object? Xiao Jingyan knew that he could no longer hide, so he straightened his back and walked out of the crowd, bowing and saying calmly, "I am deeply honored to be chosen by the princess to lead the way."
"This princess has chosen you a long time ago." Princess Xiyue said with a double meaning, her eyes sparkling with stars. This Xiao Jingyan is really a beauty, no, a handsome man! He is so charming in any clothes. He is elegant and handsome in a white robe, evil and charming in a purple casual suit, and now in his official uniform, he gives people the feeling of a modest gentleman, which makes people unable to take their eyes away.
"Well, then I'll have to trouble Lord Xiao." Prince Huaiyang took a few steps forward and grabbed his sister who wanted to pounce on Xiao Jingyan. Of course, he looked down on this little official of Tianyu who was only good in appearance, but his sister had her own ideas since she was a child. Not to mention her brother, even when their father was alive, it was this princess sister who had the final say in Prince Huaiyang's Mansion. They, father and son, had been living under the control of a woman for many years, and the misery in their hearts was obvious.
Now, the clouds are about to clear and the moon will shine. Although this boy is not worthy of his sister in terms of status, and although he is reluctant to let his only sister marry far away, the thought of being able to turn the tables in the future and his beloved concubine never seeing his sister again frightened him so much that his face turned pale and trembled. King Huaiyang made up his mind and personally escorted his sister to Tianyu.
"Prince Huaiyang is too polite."
"Thank you for your hard work, Lord Xiao. See you in the palace tonight." Prince Jing made a gesture of invitation and smiled meaningfully at Xiao Jingyan. "Master Xiao, it's your turn to perform next."
Xiao Jingyan pretended to be the most upright gentleman today. He didn't believe that Princess Xiyue would dare to do anything to him when he treated her with courtesy in public.
After arriving at the posthouse and helping Prince Huaiyang and his entourage arrange everything, Xiao Jingyan wanted to escape. How could Princess Xiyue, who had already sent people to keep an eye on him, let him go so easily! Why did he come here from afar? This handsome man was his target and he had to take him down.
"Where are you going, Master Xiao? We've just arrived in Tianyu and we're unfamiliar with the place, and you're just going to leave us like this?" Northern Jin, located in the northwest, has a tough folk character, and it's common for women to go out for fun, hunting, and even to fight on the battlefield. What they lack is a sense of fragility, and Princess Xiyue has put a lot of effort into imitating the delicate and feeble nature of the women of Tianyu.
But such behavior really needs to be done by different people. Xiao Jingyan felt like vomiting when he saw Princess Xiyue's weird and pretentious movements. What the hell is going on? Ping'an is not even as naughty as Ruyi, who looks comfortable with her hands on her hips!
"What? Lord Xiao doesn't like delicate women? Actually, I don't like them either. We can only live for a few years in this world. Why should we be bound by any constraints? We should live freely and unrestrainedly. We should cry when we want to cry and laugh when we want to laugh. Don't you think so?" Xiyue hoped that her point of view would be recognized by Xiao Jingyan. This was related to her life for the next few decades. She had to understand it clearly!
"The princess is a royal relative, so naturally she can do whatever she wants." Even if you say the moon is square, there will be people who agree with you. What does this have to do with me, Xiao Jingyan complained in his heart.
"But the princess has to get married too!" Xiyue pretended to be shy. In fact, she really wanted to see Xiao Jingyan's reaction when she heard this, but she was a little worried that the other party would be scared away by her shamelessness.
Xiao Jingyan pretended not to understand what she meant, and waited silently for the next words with his head lowered.
"Xiao Jingyan, I don't believe you don't understand what I mean. Do you really think I don't dare to ask the Emperor of Tianyu to grant you a marriage? If then, you will have to leave your hometown and never return to Tianyu in your life."
"My parents are old, so I will never leave Kyoto again. If the emperor really issues an order, I will just become a monk. If anyone wants to threaten my family, I can only die as an apology."
Xiao Jingyan's tone was decisive and firm. Prince Huaiyang, who was hiding in the dark, sighed and thought, his sister is going to lose!
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