Xie Guang's hesitant expression clearly revealed his growing resentment. His dissatisfaction only intensified after seeing Si Xitong. However, his discontent had no effect on the Grand Marshal's decisions.
Xie Lanzhi ignored the busybody and extended her hand to Si Xitong, inviting her to come back with her.
Si Bogong quickly gave Si Xitong a meaningful look.
Si Xitong decisively raised his hand and grasped Xie Lanzhi's palm. She nodded and lowered her eyes, saying, "Yes, Marshal."
Xie Lanzhi led her back to her residence openly and honestly.
The Xie family residence was very large, as elaborate as a small palace. They lived in Chenxiang Mansion and handled affairs in the Southern Region in Fengyu Mansion. It took quite a while to walk through several roads.
Xie Lanzhi noticed that the people around her had been very reserved since they entered the mansion, so she said, "Qitong, my Chenxiang Mansion may not be as nice as Tianjing, but it is still fully equipped and has everything you need. If you want anything, just tell me."
As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Si Xitong silently walking towards her. She stepped into the embroidered shoes that she had personally put on for her, walked up to her first, then went around behind her, and began to untie the ropes of her light armor.
The maidservant outside had just entered when she hurriedly said, "I'm late, but this mistress could have let me come."
Xie Lanzhi waved for the maid to leave.
She spread her arms, letting Si Xitong help her remove her light armor. She knew very well that if Si Xitong wanted to get used to life here as soon as possible, she had to start with small things.
Since she wants to get dressed, let her do it, as long as she stays by my side. That way, she can help Si Xitong right under my nose.
However, her empress was someone who disliked causing trouble for others. She wanted to do everything herself.
Killing Huang Mang was one thing, refusing her was another. This woman was truly resolute, strong, and incredibly tough. Right now, her influence was too overwhelming; she needed Xie Ying's identity to temporarily protect her.
Just like that, Xie Lanzhi felt her light armor being taken off all at once, and then Si Xitong took off the white belt around her waist and wiped it clean. She then began to look for a sword rack in the room.
Xie Lanzhi pointed to the corner of the south window and said, "The sword is resting there!"
Si Xitong walked in the direction she pointed, gently placed Ebai down, and when she came over to personally untie Xie Lanzhi's belt, Xie Lanzhi suddenly grabbed her hands, her ears turning slightly red, and said, "If you untie this, my pants will fall down."
Si Xitong was slightly taken aback, then nodded and said, "This concubine understands."
Xie Lanzhi let go of her hand and sat on the stool. Si Xitong began to remove the jade crown for her and skillfully tied Xie Lanzhi's long hair into a small bun at the back of her head, making Xie Lanzhi feel much cooler on the back of her neck.
She said, "I've never tied my hair up before, so I'll leave it to you from now on."
Si Xitong said, "I understand."
After tidying her hair, Si Xitong bent down to take off her boots. At this moment, Xie Lanzhi could no longer pretend. She directly held Si Xitong's hands, but she didn't control her strength well and pulled her into her arms.
Si Xitong was held tightly by her, feeling Xie Lanzhi's breath approaching her. In front of her, Si Xitong felt incredibly small, as if Xie Lanzhi could easily subdue her if she so desired.
At this moment, Si Xitong stiffened and dared not move in front of her.
Xie Lanzhi was extremely nervous, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it was about to leap out of her throat. Although she had wholeheartedly agreed to accept the title of First Lady of the Xie Clan as the Empress's wife and to protect her, she had absolutely no experience living together in person.
Actually, she was a single woman. Now that she's in a relationship and living with Si Xitong, she's completely bewildered.
Xie Lanzhi's nervousness infected Si Xitong, and she became nervous as well. So the two of them became nervous together, their bodies pressed together and standing still, like an embracing statue.
The atmosphere fell silent for a moment.
What to do? What should be done next? Could it be that the Empress thinks she wants her now, which is why she doesn't dare to act? Xie Lanzhi was a little confused, trying to figure out how to resolve this misunderstanding.
Because she had been standing for quite a while, Si Xitong was still leaning forward. Her center of gravity was not as good as Xie Lanzhi's, so when she moved slightly, she found that her legs were a bit heavy. As soon as she lifted them, she lost her balance and fell directly into Xie Lanzhi's arms.
Thump! Xie Lanzhi hugged her and plopped down on the stool behind her. Then she quickly protected Si Xitong's forehead to prevent her from hitting the stool.
Xie Lanzhi's gentle palms tightly protected Si Xitong. Si Xitong felt the warmth of another person on her forehead. For the first time, she placed her hands on Xie Lanzhi's chest, her beautiful phoenix eyes reflecting her loving expression: "Marshal, I'm alright."
"But your feet are numb. Don't move, let me massage them for you." Xie Lanzhi held her on her lap and then gently massaged her feet.
She massaged very carefully and could feel the changes in Si Xitong's body from head to toe. First, she straightened her body, and then, under the massage, she gradually softened and began to try to move her legs.
As she pressed down to the embroidered shoes, she had just taken them off when she grabbed Si Xitong's toes. Startled, Si Xitong gasped, "Marshal..."
Si Xitong's soft, gentle voice reached my ears, brushing against my heart.
Xie Lanzhi felt overwhelmed and stammered, "Qitong. I...I...did I hurt you?"
Si Xitong's voice came from above her head: "It's all my fault."
"No, no, no, how could it be your fault? It's because I'm clumsy. I didn't even know how to handle myself properly," Xie Lanzhi said with some worry.
"It's alright." Si Xitong's voice came again, but her tone seemed a bit softer than before. Xie Lanzhi felt that she was not as nervous as before. Could this be considered the first step for them to become closer?
Xie Lanzhi was giving Si Xitong a serious massage when she didn't notice that Si Xitong's eyes were flickering as she looked down at her. Feeling somewhat insecure, Si Xitong unconsciously reached out her hands to touch Xie Lanzhi's neck.
As the hand touched Xie Lanzhi's nape, Si Xitong felt a sudden numbness and weakness in her legs, followed by a warm embrace that made her let out a soft, comfortable "Mmm..."
This time.
The two of them were startled at the same time, which added a touch of ambiguity to the situation.
Xie Lanzhi was completely mesmerized by the atmosphere, while Si Xitong lowered her head and gently bit her lip, suddenly realizing she had acted improperly.
The two became absorbed in their own worlds.
Completely unaware that the people outside had already retreated, Xie Guang even heard the Grand Marshal's movements inside.
He was so anxious outside that he kept stamping his feet: "It's over, it's over, the marshal is far too impatient."
"Now, that woman's status is truly confirmed."
Xie Guang's concerns were not unfounded. The Xie elders outside had heard that the Grand Marshal had brought a princess of a fallen kingdom into the Chenxiang Mansion, implying that he intended to keep her as a mistress.
They had come by carriage intending to question Xie Lanzhi, but overheard Xie Guang's words at the entrance of Chenxiang Mansion. These elders didn't even disembark from their carriage; they simply drove past the entrance of Chenxiang Mansion.
An elder even directly instructed people, "Go and prepare the Xie family's burial register!"
The bedchamber log was a record of the times each of Xie's wives served him in bed. It was also the first step in Xie's recognition of a woman's status.
As night fell, the maids outside began to calculate the time it would be time for the lights to go out, while the old woman holding the record book of the concubines' nights with a pen waited by.
Xie Lanzhi lay on the large bed, somewhat intoxicated. She turned her head to look at Si Xitong in the dressing mirror. Si Xitong had just untied her binding rope, and her long, black, flowing hair cascaded down her waist, adding a touch of mysterious beauty to her figure.
Xie Lanzhi was momentarily stunned by what she saw, but she quickly patted her face to clear her mind and told herself that someone outside was recording their first night together, so she had to act convincingly.
However, the Empress seemed unaware that she was faking it, so she decided to explain after they got into bed together.
She stared at Si Xitong, who remained seated leisurely in front of the dressing mirror. She looked at Xie Lanzhi, reflected in the mirror, lying on her side waiting for her.
For a moment, Si Xitong's hand holding the comb froze several times. She knew that she could not escape the fate of serving the emperor today!
She stared at herself in the dressing mirror, wondering which young man she would admire and which young man she would marry. Two years after she came of age, her father died and her relatives passed away, and she went from being a princess to being exiled here.
Within a year, her fate took a dramatic turn, filled with hardship, and she suffered the pain of separation from loved ones.
And tonight.....
The moment Si Xitong put down the comb, her fingertips curled up a strand of black hair, which she bit against her sexy, pearly lips. Her lips parted slightly, revealing her white teeth, and she tore off a strand of hair. Then, with a snap of her scissors, she removed the inner layer of hair, and instantly bound her hands together, transforming it into a black rope.
My father once said, "We'll be like phoenixes in our youth, inseparable until our hair turns white."
Si Xitong tied her hair into a rope and walked step by step toward the bed. She reached out and lifted the gauze curtain, bent her knees, and entered Xie Lanzhi's bed.
Xie Lanzhi finally got a glimpse of Si Xitong's stunning beauty. It must be said that Si Xitong had a pair of expressive phoenix eyes, a straight nose, and features that were both charming and imposing. Her red lips were as full and sweet as pomegranates, making Xie Lanzhi swallow hard.
Guh...
Then she felt ashamed, wondering how she was any different from Cao Cao.
In the dim, red candlelight, Xie Lanzhi watched as Si Xitong gently straddled her, her slender, soft hands caressing her face as if stroking a precious treasure. Adding to this, Si Xitong possessed a pair of captivating, almond-shaped eyes, and her deep, affectionate gaze, as sweet as a lover's, made Xie Lanzhi feel as if in a dream.
Xie Lanzhi stared blankly at Si Xitong and said, "You...."
As Si Xitong leaned down, her crimson lips hovered above her forehead, creating a very ambiguous scene. However, her eyes had gradually darkened. At that moment, Xie Lanzhi suddenly woke up and rolled over, pulling her into the bed.
She gasped for breath, feeling her nose getting hot. She quickly grabbed the blanket and wrapped it tightly around herself, then pulled another blanket over Si Xitong.
Xie Lanzhi, hiding under the covers, said in a trembling voice, "Silly boy, what are you thinking? The way you look so serious scares me."
The empress's earnest demeanor as she served him in bed truly captivated her. But upon realizing this, she understood that she had never cleared up the misunderstanding.
Xie Lanzhi had no choice but to interrupt Si Xitong, but as soon as she got under the covers, her mind started racing. What if the Empress thought that she hadn't served the Emperor and therefore wasn't considered one of her people, and would still be wary of her and create distance between them?
No, she has to bring the two of them closer.
Xie Lanzhi rolled into the bed, curled up in the blanket, and snuggled up next to Si Xitong. Her sudden movement, which had already made Si Xitong doubt her own ability to push her down, made her nervous again, especially since Xie Lanzhi had moved closer. Si Xitong, who had just been ready to take the initiative, was now even more nervous because of Xie Lanzhi's advances.
Si Xitong still remembers how strong Xie Lanzhi was.
"This humble servant..."
Xie Lanzhi pulled her hands out from under the covers and pulled Si Xitong, who was carrying her on her back, into her arms, hugging her like a doll.
She whispered in her ear, "Could it be that the princess thinks serving the emperor is a transaction?"
Si Xitong said, "I am your concubine."
Xie Lanzhi said helplessly, "That's what makes me laugh. Does calling yourself a concubine mean you have to become one? Qi Tong's pursuit is pitifully small."
"Marshal, that's not what I meant," Si Xitong said softly, thinking she was angry.
Xie Lanzhi continued, "That's not what I meant. Who was the person who cut off Huang Mang's arm right in front of me during the day? And who was the person who showed no fear of death and wanted to commit suicide? How could such a courageous person easily submit to me in my bed?"
The more she spoke, the more powerful Xie Lanzhi's voice became: "Am I, Xie Lanzhi, so powerful that I would make you willingly offer yourself to me? No way!" At this point, Xie Lanzhi's arms tightened around Si Xitong, holding her tightly, but not so tightly that she couldn't breathe. Rather, their bodies almost merged together.
Si Xitong trembled as she felt this strange warmth. She tried to break free, but she couldn't muster any strength. And the person behind her—why did she always tell her about these freedoms that had nothing to do with her?
"If you don't speak, I'll take that as a yes. Qi Tong, listen carefully!"
Xie Lanzhi began to whisper provocative words in her ear: "What is the difference in status between the principal wife and the concubine? If the principal wife is favored to a certain extent, she can command my troops. The principal wife can have the power to open my treasury. Only the principal wife can sleep next to me."
"Only the First Wife can do all of the above. Including her own ambitions and freedom."
Xie Lanzhi tried to sway Si Xitong's ambition and bring back her will to live, because she no longer wanted to see her die in the daytime, and even less wanted to see her, a phoenix, reduced to a pheasant locked in a cage.
In this chaotic world, she wants to turn the tables!
Instead of continuing to suffer from plots that the author maliciously uses to gain popularity!
She has said everything she needed to say.
"Goodnight, Qitong." Xie Lanzhi rolled over, tucking Si Qitong's blanket in, then blew out the candlelight in the lantern, closed her eyes, and went to sleep.
Si Xitong was by her side, and she didn't say a word from beginning to end. All she could hear were the words of encouragement from the person next to her.
She gently clenched the black rope in her hand.
Finally, she imitated her, saying in a voice so soft she could barely hear herself, "Goodnight."
Xie Lanzhi smiled slightly: "By the way, your courtesy name is Fu Feng, so I'll call you Little Phoenix in private from now on! You can also just call me by my courtesy name, Lanzhi, or Xiao Lan, whatever you like. Just don't overthink it. Sweet dreams."
"Phoenix... Phoenix." Si Xitong murmured to herself, then let her guard down and followed Xie Lanzhi into sleep.