Rebirth: My Dear, Take It: Volume 2

By Bai Yu

In the capital city in November, the sky had already darkened early. Marquis Ning Yuan's residence, which was the military headquarters of the Jia Heng Empire, was already bustling with activity.

In an hour, Marquis Ning Yuan would return home, and lanterns would be hanging high in the sky, illuminating the thick snow red.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Funstory
• Release date: Jun 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9781649486677

Book preview

ENDING

CHAPTER 101 - C101

On the other side of the Green Tong Academy, because they had almost failed to attend the banquet, there were waves again. On the other side, because they did not have the chance to go, the people from the Zi Ling Restaurant did not stop.

Aunt, don't be angry. Xu Qingrong restrained herself and helped Aunt Xiao to calm down. She advised gently, It's not just me that can't go. It's also sister Rui who can't.

When Auntie Xiao heard this, she wanted to cry but had no tears. She turned around and pinched her silly daughter lightly, You fool, what are you compared to her? Her aunt is merely a foot-washing girl. Your aunt is the honorable and upright Xu Family."

However, Xu Yourong lowered her hand and lowered her head with lowered eyes, But my daughter and sister Rui'er are both concubines, and Miss Fu has invited a direct daughter, so my daughter will naturally not be included in the invitation list.

When Auntie Xiao heard this, her heart ached. She looked with good eyes at this daughter who could not make a sound, but could still make people's heart ache. Is this the status of someone who couldn't pass you down?

This low yet slightly trembling voice caused Xu Yourong to hurriedly explain, Aunt, don't misunderstand. Your daughter doesn't mean that. Your daughter wants to say, she wants to say, just like how your aunt looks down on Big Sister Rui. Perhaps this is also what others think of your daughter.

I might as well not explain...

Aunt Xiao stared at her daughter for a long time. Finally, she slowly turned her eyes to the mahogany shelf beside the bed and said: You throw yourself into my, Xiao Rumei's, stomach; this is your life. Whether you are satisfied or not, it doesn't change this fact. But …"

She turned her head and stared straight at her, saying in a deep voice, If you don't want your future child to blame you like this, from today onwards, you better keep your spirits up.

Aunt … This topic was too heavy, Xu Jiangrong's voice trembled.

But Auntie Xiao did not look at him anymore. She got up and left with her maidservant, leaving behind a trace of panic.

Miss … The maidservants by the side did not know how to comfort her. Their young miss had a soft personality and rarely argued with others, especially with Auntie Xiao. This had never happened before.

All of you, go down. I want some peace and quiet.

Yes.

Xu Jiarong took off her shoes and sat on the bed hugging her knees. She buried her head between her knees. Her soft hair then fell down, tightly wrapping around her.

She broke her aunt's heart, she knew. She didn't mean it, but the words came out of her mouth as if they were knives.

She really didn't like going to the Plum Blossom Meet. However, when she heard that she wasn't listed on the invitation list, her heart shrunk a little.

Didn't you say that you don't care? Weren't they always competing for things? But why? His hands unconsciously tightened their grip on the hem of his skirt. The lake-white silk skirt was slightly wet.

Admit it, Xu Jiarong.

You care, you're jealous, you're mad with jealousy!

You're jealous that big sister and the rest of them can go out to dinner, but you can only hide in this small pavilion. You were jealous that their names could appear on a name card, while you yourself could only be forgotten by the world because you were a concubine.

In the end, he managed to vent his dissatisfaction by stabbing himself and loving his aunt the most …

Auntie saw that she was deceiving herself.

...

In comparison, the Peach Blossom Dock not far away from the Zi Chen Restaurant was much quieter.

Xu JiaRui had not finished learning the Four Books and Five Classics. Usually, in addition to studying with her husband, she also liked to practice the zither. Her face was round and small, and her fingers were not delicate, but she especially liked to play the lute and train hard every day.

It was rare to see her at such a young age and having such a temperament. The previous Huang Family got a new chess book and gave it to her. Xu JiaRui was very happy to see him. She never left his hand and was not allowed to be disturbed. She often forgot to eat lunch.

As soon as Aunt Ruan entered the room, she saw that her daughter was lying on the bed with a zither in one hand and a book in the other.

Rui'er.

It was only then that Xu Jiarei realized someone had entered the room. Aunt, why are you here? He put down the lute and walked over, but the music manual was still firmly in his hand.

I heard from the maid that you haven't had your meal yet, so I came to take a look. Aunt Ruan pulled her little hand and sat on the chair. She saw that her hand was still holding the book and asked, What is this?

The zither music my mother gave me. Xu JiaRui introduced the two to each other happily.

Aunt Ruan gave a knowing smile. This daughter of hers was very interested in the lute, and she was also very happy to see it at first. She thought to herself, First Miss really loves calligraphy, so it's good for her to have a skill of her own.

However, this child really liked such skills. It's hard for you to practice the zither, but you can't not remember to eat. It's time to grow up and not allow maids to serve you. You can't be so willful.

Rachel knows she's wrong. Xu Jiarui had always been a cheerful and sweet person. She didn't give her aunt a chance to continue criticizing her, and waved her hands in a coquettish manner. Auntie, don't talk about me anymore.

Aunt Ruan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. You child. However, in the end, he did not say anything.

Her daughter's heart was pure and simple. She should have been happy, but …

Xu Jiarui had always been a smart and astute woman. When she saw the dejected look on Aunt Ruan's face, she asked with concern, What is Aunt worrying about? Tell me and ask Rui'er to advise you.

This child was young, but he was very considerate. Holding her small hand, he thought for a moment before finally saying, Your sisters will go to the Plum Blossom Meet tomorrow. You …

Xu Jiarei cut him off just as he was about to start, Luckily I don't have to go. It's so cold, and I have to go out and enjoy the cold. There's no point in that. Besides, our house has quite a few plum blossoms. Mother loves plum blossoms, red plum blossoms, white plum blossoms, and red plum blossoms. Yet, they still want to go out. Her voice was charming, and her speech was charming and lovable.

Aunt Ruan also smiled when she heard this, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. She was very considerate, so she didn't know if this was what she meant in her heart, or if it was just to comfort her.

Aunt … Xu Jiarui dragged out her tone, Don't even think about it. Rui'er loves to play the lute even more. You should know that. As he said this, he took her hand and pulled her to the music room on the right. I've studied this music room for several days. First, I'll play it for you.

Although Xu Zhiyuan treated the Ruan family with indifference, he didn't really care about his daughter. The lute he gave her was made of silk, made from ox horns. The background was purple sandalwood, and the notes were clear like jade. Even though she was still young, her zither skills were not that proficient. When she played the zither, it was as if a silver bottle had just burst from the water, the playing beautiful and distant.

The penetrating power of the lute was so strong that the sound of the zither instantly spread throughout the entire Xu Estate, tearing through the mist and enveloping the heart.

CHAPTER 102 - C102

Regardless of what the crowd was thinking, on the fifth day, the Huang family had Liu Cheng and Zhao Hui bring a group of guards to escort the three misses to the western suburbs. Even so, they still arrived at noon.

This time, Xu Jiayin only brought new branches and flowers. She wore a jade cloak over her green dress, had a pair of white jade earrings, and a jade hairpin.

Indeed, Xu Jiazhe wore a moon-white brocade dress with pearl jewelry, which was also elegant and elegant. When Xu Jiazhen stood between the two of them, it was very eye-catching.

In the end, she chose the silvery-red pleated skirt that was embroidered with plum blossoms, which complemented today's theme. There was always a phoenix and gold hairpin stuck in her hair, and her golden tail swayed along with her footsteps, giving her a vivid and radiant appearance. She wore a red fox fur cloak and walked out of the carriage, immediately attracting everyone's attention.

There were a lot of young ladies in the capital, but there were only a few that were famous. Xu Jiayin and the others all knew her, and they usually met her in parties.

However, who was this lady who stood by her side? The moment she appeared, she immediately drew the attention of everyone present. Everyone was filled with curiosity.

Wen Ruding, the young miss of the Shang Family who had been on good terms with Xu Jiayin, walked over, Jiayin.

Xu Jianyin was also looking for her in the crowd, Ru Ting, long time no see. They were close friends, and since their ages, they had known each other since childhood. They had been friends for a lifetime, until her death in her previous life.

Wen Ruting was a serious and elegant lady who had been nurtured by literature since childhood. She had a bit of poetical charm to her, which somewhat resembled Xu Jianxuan's temperament.

I came here two days ago to ask you out and just happened to receive Miss Fu's invitation. I was hoping to meet you again today. Wen Ruting had read a lot of poetry since she was young, but her personality was still a bit carefree. As soon as she finished speaking, her gaze fell onto Xu Jiazhen and Xu Jiaxuan, who were standing beside her.

Who are these two?

Xu Jiayi introduced her to him, It's my sister. She just came from the Jin Dynasty, so she was invited to join the Plum Blossom Meet.

Wen Ruting sized them up once more, teasing them, Looks like your Xu Family has quite a few beauties, but you've got to beat all your sisters at the banquet.

Seeing that there were already people starting to talk, the other young ladies also walked over and joined in.

Xu Jiayi laughed dryly. She knew very well that these were just pleasantries. Everyone was indeed intimidated by Xu Jianzhen's beauty, but it was still a fake praise, and only they knew this from the bottom of their stomachs.

However, the original owner's face was filled with pride. Xu Jiazhen was aware of her natural beauty and was used to being praised. Seeing that even the young ladies of the capital were outclassed by her, she started to feel pleased with herself.

Perhaps it was because they had put it too far into the air, but it was immediately noticed by the shrewd ladies. Some of them began to speak harshly.

He came from the Jin, my uncle just entered the Zhizhou region. I wonder what position Miss Xu's father holds? Thinking that Miss Huang Shan asked with an innocent expression, she instantly attracted the attention of everyone.

They all knew that Xu Jiayin's father was at the second rank of official and that he was the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, but the Xu family had a very thin population and had never heard of anyone holding an important position.

Father, father is … Xu Jiazhen, who was smiling sweetly just now, didn't know if it was He Xi or not, looked at the crowd in panic, not knowing how to respond.

Why did he say that his father was just taking care of the family business?

There was a moment of silence, as if everyone was waiting for an answer.

Xu Jiayin didn't have any intention of helping him out in the end. She only watched indifferently.

Sure enough, after Xu Jiaxin cast a pleading gaze at Xu Jianxuan, everyone followed her gaze and turned towards her. It was as if they had just noticed this person.

Although Xu Jiaxuan was also a beauty, since she was able to come to the Plum Garden, the crowd present was also not bad. There were many who had similar temperaments to her, Wen Ruding was one, but there were many more.

Because Uncle is in the capital, Father stayed in the Jin Zhong City to take care of the family business, not entering the official position. Unlike Xu Jiajian who was flustered, Xu Jianxuan openly answered Miss Huang's question.

There was nothing to hide. Of course, he couldn't hide it either. He could just ask around and find out.

Xu Jianxuan's calmness had garnered the goodwill of many present. It seemed like this Xu Family's Second Young Miss Xu was just an easy target, but this Third Young Miss had some inner talent. Someone had already made their judgement on them.

Miss Huang Shan, with the surname Wei, was the Imperial Tutor of the Dynasty, and her father was a junior official of the Supreme Court. He boasted that he was born in a high family and was usually arrogant and domineering. Seeing that this Second Miss Xu was so beautiful, she had become the focus of the crowd. She wanted to mock him and embarrass him, but he rejected her easily. How could she accept this?

Oh? Since you two have never been accepted, how could you be invited to the Plum Garden?"

Yeah. The slightly plump woman standing next to Wei Yuan chimed in: Could it be that you invited us here just because you're a relative? If that's the case, then this Plum Garden will truly be overcrowded.

Yeah. Another woman also received it, Yesterday, I also had a sister who came from Zhenjiang. If she had arrived earlier, she might have been able to come as well.

There was a commotion in the crowd. Wei Yuan and the others' words were harsh, but it was not the truth. As the number one noble daughter of the capital, the ones invited at the Plum Blossom Meet were all direct descendants of aristocratic families. Even if his father was no longer serving in the imperial court, he was still a powerful aristocratic family.

This was the only example of someone like Xu Jiazhen and Xu Jiaxuan who had relied on their relationship with their uncle to get in.

Xu Jiazhen was already so angry that her eyes were red. If not for the fact that she had been specially treated by the Huang family before she left, she would have scolded them uncontrollably. Xu Jianxuan had also lost her calmness. She had never thought of this scene. No matter what happened in Jin Zhong, they were all ladies of the family. They were flattered by the crowd, and even if they didn't fight back, they were still secretly manipulating the situation.

Who would have thought that she would be ridiculed in the capital like this? The lady of the capital was so valiant, she did not care about the reputation of others.

Wen Ruting was worried as she shot Xu Jiayin meaningful glances, but the latter looked indifferent, as if the sisters that had been ridiculed were not members of her Xu Family.

Wei Yuan usually didn't fight with them, but she controlled herself and didn't dare to be so cocky. Wen Ruding couldn't hold it in anymore. Just as she was about to step forward and support them, she was stopped by Xu Jiayin beside her.

Wen Ruting found it hard to believe!

What was going on? You don't care that your two sisters were bullied like this? You're not letting me handle this? Wen Ru Ting accused with her eyes.

Xu Jianyin looked at Wen Ruding who was staring at her, and then looked at the rest of the people who were staring at her.

His heart trembled!

Yes, what was she thinking?

Even if these two were guilty of all sorts of crimes, this was not the time for revenge. Furthermore, everything had yet to be confirmed.

Yet, she allowed the crowd to ridicule them. Wasn't this the same as letting them ridicule her? They had ridden in the Xu Family's carriage, and had been brought here by her. Now, not only her, but also her father's face, humiliating the Xu Family!

CHAPTER 103 - C103

The Xu Family's dignity could not be humiliated!

Xu Jianyin pulled Wen Ruoxi behind her and quickly blocked the path in front of her two little sisters. Wei Yuan also put away her carefree expression and didn't show any signs of backing down. The situation immediately became tense and everyone present realized it.

Usually, Wei Yuan's group of people wouldn't interfere with Xu Jiayin and her group. Although they had had some conflicts, they were all small conflicts and this was the first time they were opposing each other like this.

But unexpectedly, before Xu Jiayin could take action, a voice broke the silence.

Why are all of you standing here and not entering?

The first to react was Xu Jiayin. She could tell a person's identity from the sound, but she would never forget this voice. As expected, Fu Qingrou, the host of the banquet, led a group of people over.

Fu Qingrou's father, the Prime Minister, was above everyone else. She had a noble background and was considered to be the most talented girl in this dynasty. However, this was only her talent. It was not enough to be the first lady in the capital.

What was even more praiseworthy was her ability to build bridges in the face of water and to clear roads at the right time. To put it bluntly, she had a good relationship with many people. Her beauty followed her name. She was a beauty that could topple cities and topple empires, but her beauty didn't give off a sense of sharpness or gentleness.

As such, she was the capital's first daughter.

Even Xu Jiayi couldn't deny this point.

Fu Qingrou didn't seem to notice the tension in the air as she pulled Wei Yuanyuan, who was on good terms with her, and said, I was looking for you just now, but I didn't expect to be here. Then, he looked towards the Xu Family sisters who were still surrounded by the crowd.

This is, right? The Xu Family's Second Miss and Third Miss? Fu Qingrou looked them up and down before praising, Aunt has been praising them all this time. After seeing them today, you truly live up to your name. Everyone was stunned when they heard this.

Who is Miss Fu's aunt? Xu Jianxuan asked curiously, but in her heart, she understood what was going on.

Fu Qingrou replied calmly, Uncle Ren Jinzhong protected the capital. Aunt told me about you many times. When she learned that you had come to the capital, she wanted to invite you to meet her.

With just a few words, he had solved all of the questions that the crowd had just asked.

So the niece whom madame often mentioned to us was Miss Fu? Xu Jiazhen also came back to his senses. They had gotten along quite well with the Protector's Lady in Jinjing, but he didn't expect her niece to have such an influential background.

Exactly. Fu Qingrou replied with a smile.

Seeing the situation, that slightly plump daughter of before instantly showed her full potential, So there's actually such a relationship, what a coincidence. Then, she pulled Xu Jiazhen's arm in a friendly manner, no longer being as harsh or difficult to deal with as before.

Wei Yuan also twitched her mouth awkwardly. Although it wasn't natural, she still expressed her intention to make peace.

Alright, alright, since we're all looking at each other now, we don't need to be frozen here. Let's go first. Someone suggested.

Everyone entered the main hall of the Plum Garden in groups. Xu Jiazheng, who had just been bullied, suddenly became the target of a large number of people competing to show their goodwill. The sudden reversal left Xu Jiazheng unable to react for a long time.

Only Xu Jiayin was left behind.

Wen Ruding walked a few steps before realizing that someone was missing, What are you thinking about? He went in."

Xu Jiayin looked at her with a dazed expression.

What are you doing?

Xu Jiaxuan and Fu Qingrou had such a close relationship?

Why didn't she know it before?!

Let's go. Xu Jianyin blinked her eyes and walked forward. Xu Ruo Ting, who was left behind, had a stupefied expression on her face.

Jiayin, what's wrong with you today?

...

Although the Plum Blossom Meet was called the Plum Blossom Meet, it was only a banquet. Even though he would go out to admire the plum blossoms, he only spent a little time on it. He would eat, drink, change, and chat after that.

The dining room at Plum Garden was divided into three partitions by the screen. There were at least thirty tables, with two people at each table. Xu Jiayi chose a corner with a 30 meter long screen beside it to block her view from everyone else, but she could also observe the situation outside very well.

Wen Ruding naturally sat together with her as usual. The two of them were not interesting people, so while sitting here was quiet, Xu Jiaqing and Xu Jiaxuan did not want to sit here.

Xu Jiazhen and that group of noble ladies had just gotten together and were happily chatting when Xu Jiaxuan pulled them over.

Why are you sitting here? It's not lively at all." Xu Jiazhen had always had something to say, so he directly voiced out his dissatisfaction. She looked around. There were four tables in total, and they were the first corner that they had entered. No one would choose this place.

The most important thing was, who would be able to see her here?

It's better to sit with big sister. Xu Jianxuan comforted her. Her unceasing shouting had already attracted quite a bit of attention.

Actually, she didn't want to sit here either. She had already separated from the main group, so how could she get involved with those noble ladies? Thinking of this, Xu Jiaxuan looked at Xu Jiayin, who was already seated beside her.

It was her again. Xu Jianzhen had been holding her breath since yesterday. Today, she hadn't said a single word to Xu Jianyin, not even giving her a single glance. Now that she heard Xu Jiaxuan's words, she immediately turned around and fiercely glared at her.

Having received two unfriendly looks in a row, Wen Ruoting, who was sitting beside Xu Jiayin, immediately felt it.

I say, what's with your two younger sisters? Wen Ruding whispered to Xu Jiayin through the side of her body. No matter how strong one's heart was, one would not be able to feel it. Moreover, Wen Ruding was not too worried. Her heart was as meticulous as dust.

From the time the two sisters were attacked by everyone, Xu Jiayin had ignored them. Now, they were looking at each other with such clear hostility.

No, quite wrong.

Ignore them. Xu Jiayin also replied, then added after thinking, Stay away from them in the future.

She did not want her only good friend to be pestered by these two. In her previous life, the Xu Estate had been extremely annoyed by them, and she still vividly remembered them.

Nodding her head, Wen Ru Ting understood. There was no need to say anything more about their many years of mutual understanding. From the attitude of their good friend, they knew that these two weren't good friends.

After they had all taken their seats, the maidservants nearly had their fill and everyone began to eat. No matter how much they wanted to chat, they would fill up their stomachs first. Otherwise, as they continued to chat, their stomachs would start to sing of empty city strategies.

After that came the laughter and ruckus that followed. They were just gossiping, so the atmosphere was quite relaxed. The only one who was quiet was Xu Jiayi.

Xu Jiazhen and Xu Jiaxuan had already gone to the main hall to chat with others long after dinner. Only Wen Ruding had accompanied them. At this time, she was also chatting with a few other women about one of the hottest things in the capital.

They had been utterly defeated.

CHAPTER 104 - C104

Old General Huang has done a great service this time. Yesterday's imperial court prize was a hundred thousand taels of gold, three hundred thousand taels of silver, a thousand acres of fine farmland, and a manor house belonging to Prince Gong. "This really is a very generous effort.

This is nothing. The old general would care about this amount of silver. Her father was a military official, so he had a better understanding of the inside story, When fighting outside, the gold, silver, and jewelry that we plundered all belong to them. This little bit of silver is nothing.

No matter how much silver we have, we still have our lives to take. With how vicious that Liao Qiang is, to be able to snatch the silver from their hands is definitely a skill. A passionate voice interjected from the side.

Jia Heng and the State of Liaoning had been at war for years, and had suffered countless casualties. They had long regarded each other as their enemy, and even the young ladies who were raised in their concubines could not help but criticize and punish the bandits whenever they were mentioned.

Actually … Wen Ruding, who had been sitting quietly at the side, followed up, I actually feel that Vice Marshal Li Jian has done a great service for this great victory. When she had finished speaking, everyone looked at her without a word and explained, You see, General Huang has been in command and fighting with the Liaoning Army for more than twenty years. There have been victories and failures, but none of them have been able to achieve such a result. If it wasn't for the vice commander-in-chief, I believe this battle would have been a victory, and we wouldn't have achieved such a result.

A hundred thousand against three hundred thousand. This was no ordinary victory, this was a great victory! It was a huge victory over the bandit!

There was one more point that Wen Ruting did not mention. Although Old General Huang and the Liaoning Army had resisted for so many years and mutually restricted each other, in the past few years Old General Huang had lost more than he had won, and the Liaoning Army stood at the top. There was no helping it, the hero's time was late. Although he was sad, he could not avoid the topic that no one could avoid.

Once Wen Ruding's words were spoken, the previously lively discussion instantly turned silent.

Who was the meritorious general of this battle? It was not as if they did not know that this was no secret. The news had just spread throughout the capital after the battle.

How the vice commander-in-chief arranged the troops into formation and led the troops into the depths, how he directly attacked the Yellow Dragon, and how he destroyed the enemy forces …

Although they had not personally seen that heroic appearance, it had already been demonstrated countless times in their minds.

How could he not know?

Not only did he know, he was very clear about it!

However, it was precisely because they were so clear that they were too embarrassed to announce the praises to their mouths, praising Old General Huang together. It was for no other reason than the fact that the person who had killed the Vice Marshal this time was the crown prince, Li Jian.

When the six ladies heard this name, other than Xu Jiayin and Wen Ruding, who had just 'explained' the key reason for their victory, the other four girls' faces all turned red.

Xu Jiayin wasn't surprised by this scene, because in her previous life, she was also a member of the red-faced army.

Xu Jianyin coughed and covered up her embarrassment. It seemed like she wasn't the only one who was bewitched by Li Kui's charm. Other than her good friend Wen Ruding, who wasn't thinking about this at all, almost everyone else was infected by it. Thinking about it this way, she felt much better.

Seeing the crowd not saying anything, Wen Ruding was afraid that they wouldn't understand. She still wanted to talk about the key to victory, but Xu Jiayin stopped her. She didn't want to hear her good friend always saying nice things about Li Jian in front of her.

No matter how powerful Li Jian is, even if he has three heads and six arms, he still can't win against the army alone. How can the light of the firefly shine on the earth? It is because each and every one of our soldiers is brave and battling bravely, sacrificing their lives for our country, in the end they won, not just him alone. Xu Jiayi swore, she definitely said this because of the old grudge between her and Li Jian, she really thought so.

His words were sonorous and forceful, causing the entire banquet hall to quieten down. Everyone's gaze shifted to the corner where they were standing, and from their shocked gazes, they were able to find the speaker of these words.

Xu Jiayin felt a little awkward. She was just stating the truth, how about this?

What she didn't know was that just as she said this, a group of people passed by the hall and stopped hearing her.

The young marquis Zhao Xincheng, who was walking in the front, first looked towards the banquet hall. The fur on his fur cloak fluttered in the wind, and his face was like jade.

May I know which family this young mistress is from, to not be bewitched by you? I'd like to know him.

The few well-dressed men behind him also looked towards the main character as if they were watching a show when they heard this.

Standing next to Zhao Xincheng was Li Jian. His back was over nine feet tall, and his limbs were long and slim. He was a head taller than the rest of the group, and wore only a black suit. The cloud bat belt around his waist was adorned with a single piece of white jade.

However, he did not even turn his head around and quickly walked forward, only leaving the crowd to gaze at his back. On the other hand, when the young duke Zhao, who was standing beside him, saw his best friend frown, he raised his eyebrows in surprise.

Interesting? Young Marquis Zhao said. Finished speaking, he ignored the people behind him who were anxiously asking for the truth and followed behind him.

...

Meanwhile, Xu Jiayin, who had subdued all the girls with a single sentence, was still in the banquet hall, facing her predicament alone.

In the Plum Garden Dining Hall, aside from the confused Xu Jiazhen and Xu Jiaxuan who had just arrived in the capital, everyone else, who had just recovered from their shock, stared at her with reproachful looks. They were like sharp arrows, and even Wen Ruoting, who was sitting beside them, felt uncomfortable.

Luckily, Xu Jiayin didn't mind.

Fortunately, Madam Hou, whom she had worked with for a period of time in her previous life, had only sustained this little bit of injury. At that time, when they found out that they were going to marry Li Jie, their eyes were practically wishing they could let her live.

What? Did I say something wrong? Xu Jiayin looked at the crowd indifferently. She didn't want to marry Li Jian right now, but she couldn't wait to get away from him and talk bad about him without caring about him at all.

When everyone heard her words, they were angered, but because everyone present was an unmarried girl, if you praised an old general who could be your grandfather, but spoke up for a man who had yet to be married off, you would inevitably be displeased, and your heart would be in your mouth, so embarrassed that you would feel like blushing.

Miss Xu is right.

When Fu Qingrou said those words, the crowd was stunned. They looked at her in disbelief.

A victory in a battle is indeed exchanged for the lives of millions of soldiers. But … As she spoke, she stood up, emitting an imposing aura as she continued, Based on your words, I will make sure that all my bones will wither. As the vice commander-in-chief, Heir Li gave out all the awards from the imperial court to the families of the soldiers that died in battle. Not everyone has this kind of righteousness.

CHAPTER 105 - C105

Heir Li is a man of righteousness. He is a role model for Qing Rou to learn. She held up a glass of wine.

To this end, I would like to offer a toast to Heir Li and to the soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for our country. With that, he drank all the wine in the cup in one gulp, then generously smiled at Xu Jiayin before sitting back down at his table.

After everyone seated around the table heard her words, their faces were truly radiant. Some raised their cups in acknowledgement, while others did the same to toast their wine cups. However, most of them looked at Fu Qingrou with heavy gazes.

Think about it. Who doesn't think much about it when they hear someone praise their sweetheart without fear?

Fu Qingrou's sentence was akin to naming someone by name, I, Fu Qingrou, am already fond of Li jao.

Xu Jiayi was also stunned. She didn't think that she would be forced into such a sorry state today. Fu Qingrou's feelings for Li Jie had been hidden in the past. She only found out about Fu Qingrou's relationship with him after she was engaged to Li Jian.

Yet now, she actually said those words before the crowd. Her courage was truly worthy of praise and infatuation.

Jiayin? Friend status found out wrong.

Huh? Xu Jiayin tilted her head.

Ru Ting looked at her with a worried expression, Are you not feeling well today? Why is it so abnormal? She did not ask the latter question.

Xu Jiayin shook her head and smiled, I do feel a bit uncomfortable. He stood up. I want to go out and get some air.

I'll accompany you. Ru Ting also stood up, worried about her.

No need. Xu Jiayin stopped him, I want to be alone. Think about it while you're at it.

After receiving the cloaks from the maidservants, Xu Jiayin walked out of the hall and found that it was already snowing. The snowflakes that filled the sky swirled and danced in the air before finally falling. Accompanied by the faint rays of sunlight, it was extremely beautiful. This undoubtedly brought back many memories, and the one that left the deepest impression was now just like yesterday, clearly reflected in one's eyes.

In his previous life, at the same time and place.

On a whim, she drank a few more glasses of fruit wine at the banquet, and when she was slightly drunk, she came out to spread the smell of alcohol. Unknowingly, she walked all the way to Merlin, where she met the shackles of her life.

In the morning assembly that day, the Emperor was overjoyed. When he found out that the Prime Minister's daughter had filled the capital with noble women at the Plum Garden Banquet, the Emperor, who had long since passed away, strummed the wrong string and still insisted on coming to Plum Garden to join in on the fun.

Naturally, the ministers did not dare to ignore the emperor's interest, and a few lackeys also suggested that it would be interesting if the emperor brought the young talents along since Plum Garden had already gathered all of their fancy girls from all over the capital.

When the Emperor heard this, he felt very good.

However, the people gathered at Plum Garden were all young ladies who had yet to leave the pavilion. He had brought a bunch of hot-blooded kids to visit her, he was afraid that he would offend her and cause a ruckus among the officials. He then arranged a feast at the Freezing Sky Pavilion beside the Plum Garden, and happened to be looking at the Plum Garden across the Plum Blossom Forest.

This was all decided so quickly that many people in the capital did not know that the emperor was also here to admire the plum blossoms, and Xu Jiayin also did not know. So when she reached Merlin and saw him in a sea of plum trees, she was momentarily confused.

The entire Plum Garden had been heavily guarded for a radius of ten li. How did this person come in?

Somehow, she actually walked over …

Who are you? Why is it here?

She asked with confidence and confidence. She was certain that this guard was lazy, otherwise, how could he be here.

The sun had already set and it was impossible to see his face even after falling into the mountains. She could only rely on the dark gray sky to barely distinguish, but what she was certain of was that this person didn't even give her any reaction. She couldn't help but feel a bit angry.

Asked you a question? Turn around!

If Wen Ruding were here right now, she would have immediately noticed that her good friend was already drunk. Otherwise, with her usual style, she wouldn't have spoken so harshly to a stranger.

When that person heard these words, his reaction was to the side of his head slightly. Luckily, behind him was a small bird that was chirping with all its might. It was tiresome, but it didn't have the interest to chase it away.

Xu Jiayin was infuriated. She took a few steps forward to see what kind of deity this was, to have such arrogance.

At that moment, it was unknown if it was because she was drunk or for some other reason, but she just wanted to thoroughly blame this person from top to bottom. He had already thought of the words. For example, although he was a soldier, he must not neglect his duty. Even if the current Merlin was very beautiful, it would be wrong for him to leave the team without permission. Wait …

But what did that say?

The thoughts were good, but the reality was cruel!

She had only taken two steps when she tripped over a rock on the ground!

Stones:...

Alright, to be honest, it was her who tripped on her right foot. With irreparable force, she pounced towards the ground. Unfortunately, the ground was still covered in snow, and one could faintly see the black soil and snow reflecting each other. It was imaginable that if she were to pounce on him, she wouldn't need to return to the banquet hall, she could just go home and change.

Xu Jiayin closed her eyes. Her heart had turned cold and the alcohol had awoken halfway. She reflexively wanted to use her hands to drop down, but the expected pain didn't happen. Instead, it was replaced by a suffocating feeling that nearly strangled her to death!

That person had arrived at her side at some point. He was clearly at least 100 feet away from her, but now, with one hand leisurely behind his back, and the other holding Xu Jiayin's clothes, it was as if he was holding a little kid.

Sadly, due to the cold weather, she was wearing an inner garment that reached to her neck. The quality of the shirt was so solid that it caused her to be unable to breathe.

Let go … Xu Jiayin grabbed her clothes with both hands and forced out a single word.

That person seemed to have just reacted before releasing her hands. The pitiful girl stumbled and fell onto the ground, her throat started to cough from the suffocation just now. Tears and snot also spilled out. She didn't have a handkerchief with her, it was simply … Extremely sorry!

It was also at this time that a gray cloth embroidered with bamboo patterns landed gently beside her. Now that she was in such a sorry state, Xu Jiayin couldn't be bothered about the fact that the owner of the handkerchief was the culprit that caused her to fall into such a situation. She quickly picked it up, tidying up the mess on her face, and the embarrassment in her heart slowly turned into anger.

She, Xu Jiayin, had grown up to be praised as beautiful and elegant. When had she ever been so awkward in front of others?

No, it was not enough to admonish him just now. She had to make his superior punish him to stay two nights. No, two nights was not enough. Three nights was not enough!

However, when she looked up and was about to say the words that were reprimanding him, she couldn't utter a single sound from her slightly opened mouth.

CHAPTER 106 - C106

What kind of eyes were those?

Deep, indifferent, estranged, cold, yet also like a bottomless lake, crushing all the beauty in the light, causing people to forget about it. They just wanted to jump in without a care for their own safety, but forgot that they couldn't swim, so in the end, they could only drown in this deep pool, sinking continuously.

She remembered that when Ru Ting had asked her why she insisted on marrying Li Keng, she had replied in this way. At that time, her hand had always been holding the brocade handkerchief that had never left her body. Of course, the handkerchief had already been washed.

As for what would happen after Ru Ting asked about the Plum Blossom Forest, ahem, that was fine!

Always, this was the first time he had met Li Jian.

Thinking of this, Xu Jiayin looked at the Plum Blossom Forest that was right in front of her. Her mouth twitched, then she turned around and walked away.

Since she did not want to hear Fu Qingrou praise the person she loved in the banquet hall, nor did she want to bump into her former enemies in the Plum Blossom Forest, she could only choose a nearby pavilion to sit in. Beside the pavilion, a red plum blossom was quietly blooming.

However, Fate had once again played a joke on her.

Big sister …

Xu Jiayin turned her head in surprise, Why are you here?

Xu Jianxuan walked over gracefully and sat on a wooden stool. Seeing that Big Sis hasn't come back for a long time, I came out to take a look.

Heh, you seem to be able to observe the details. Now that things had come to this, there was no point putting on an act any more. Xu Jiayin straightforwardly said, What, you're not going to take the opportunity to make more friends? This is a rare opportunity. "

These words were spoken without any concealment. If it were any ordinary person who heard this, they would have been angered a long time ago, but it was clear that Xu Jiaxuan was not included in this' ordinary person '. Hearing this, she just laughed it off, not revealing any hint of arrogance as she turned her head to meet Xu Jiayin's gaze.

Uncle and I serve the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Elder sister is born to be superior to others. Naturally, she looks down on us, her, for our good manners. As she said this, the smile on her face had long since disappeared, and replacing it was a sharp aura. But isn't it also wrong for my younger sister to always plan something for herself and do what she can for herself?

Xu Jianyin looked at her for a long time. She had never seen such a tough Xu Jianxuan before. In front of outsiders, she was always as gentle as water. From the bottom of her heart, she was gentle, making it hard for people to put up any defenses against her.

Perhaps it was due to him oppressing her after her rebirth, causing her to finally be unable to hold back and begin to confront him tit for tat …

Fu Qingrou is not a simple person, stay away from her. The kind suggestion was to stop right there, to listen or not to her, not to the point where she failed to win over the last person, turning into a knife in someone else's hand instead.

"Thank