In the original story, the little phoenix held a goddess-like status in her heart. A goddess is to be admired from afar, not to be profaned, which instilled in her a great sense of mystery and reverence. The little phoenix was supposed to be a figure of unapproachable height, but now, influenced by her, she had become so approachable. One wonders if this will affect the little phoenix's imperial dignity in the future?
Xie Lanzhi was worried when her face was suddenly cupped in a soft, gentle hand to straighten her gaze. Si Xitong held her, her eyes warm, and smiled sweetly: "What does 'darling' mean?"
Xie Lanzhi: "..."
She didn't remember saying any of these things. Could it be that she talked in her sleep last night and Little Phoenix overheard her?
Another devastating blow!
Is Little Phoenix so diligent that she even takes her sleep-talking seriously?!
"This, you, where did you hear this from?" Xie Lanzhi felt her voice trembling with fear: "I don't think I've ever said those two words to you."
Si Xitong frowned and said seriously, "It was you talking in your sleep."
Just as I expected.
Little girl, please don't learn this from me!
Since "darling" wasn't a swear word, she explained, "It means dear."
After saying that, Xie Lanzhi couldn't help but blink: "Why would I talk in my sleep like that?"
Unexpectedly, the beautiful woman in front of her released her, lowered her eyelashes and looked down, seemingly a little unhappy.
Then she simply turned around and angrily turned her back to her.
Xie Lanzhi was completely bewildered: "Little Phoenix, why are you angry?"
Si Xitong said, "No!"
No, no, the voice was a bit loud, so she's definitely still angry.
Xie Lanzhi turned her body around, and Si Xitong turned back around, turned back around, and turned back around. The two tried five or six times.
In the end, Xie Lanzhi compromised. She knew that if she didn't know when to coax Xiao Fenghuang when he was angry, it might take ten days or half a month to coax him back.
She tried hard to think, and realized that the dream was probably a romantic drama she watched in modern times, and that it was related to that dream.
"Little Phoenix, where I'm from, there's something called a TV series, which is basically a storybook. It's just that TV series are acted by people, like the female impersonators of today. They act out the story of Snow White finding true love."
"In our area, both men and women enjoy watching these kinds of youth dramas."
Si Xitong raised an eyebrow and said, "You mean, you dreamed about this thing called a TV series?"
"In TV dramas, do scholars address princesses as 'darling'?"
“Oh, this must be what the princess said to the scholar.” Xie Lanzhi helped her translate, “It’s a term of endearment between lovers. Actually, there are quite a few.”
"Husband and wife are common, and there are many, many 'baby' and 'treasure' terms that are too sweet."
Si Xitong pondered carefully, then slowly said to her, "Wife?"
Before Xie Lanzhi could react, she nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes, wife."
"And my husband."
Si Xitong commented on the poem indifferently: "Never mind."
Xie Lanzhi: ? ? ?
This means removing the "husband" part.
Little Phoenix thinks her husband is her father-in-law.
When she tried to explain again, Si Xitong awkwardly called out to her, "Darling."
Xie Lanzhi was a little confused at first.
Si Xitong called her again, as gently as a willow breeze: "Darling."
The sound, like heavenly music, struck her chest unexpectedly, resounding like a drum.
Xie Lanzhi's breath hitched, her heart pounding. She stared wide-eyed at Si Xitong in disbelief.
Si Xitong was captivated by her intense gaze; her ears turned red and her cheeks flushed, like fiery red cherry tomatoes.
Her eyes, lowered and looking around, were full of expectation: "Lanzhi, may I call you that?"
Xie Lanzhi was so disoriented by the pounding of her heart that she lost her bearings. Her mind was racing, and she forgot whether she had agreed or not.
She started to stammer, "Um... ah, um."
Si Xitong suddenly stood up slightly, rushed over, and with a "cheep cheep," her lips landed on Xie Lanzhi's right cheek. Then, she picked up the folded paper and fled as if she were running away.
The clerks and scribes around him had long since left the Golden Palace and disappeared without a trace.
Xie Lanzhi felt a soft touch on her lips, and then her master ran away.
She covered her face, completely dazed, as if she had been possessed, sitting there blankly for a long time before she came to her senses.
Little Phoenix, she kissed me.
It took Xie Lanzhi an hour to come to her senses. She covered her face and paced around the hall, sometimes giggling, sometimes conflicted, sometimes crouching down with her head in her hands. Finally, she punched the main beam twice with loud bangs, startling the guards outside who rushed in, thinking the marshal had been assassinated.
As a result, the soldiers saw that the marshal's two fists had dented the main beam, leaving two clear fist holes. They all swallowed hard, not daring to say a word, and secretly pushed it back.
Finally, Xie Lanzhi released her pent-up energy. She sat on the couch, mustered her courage, and clenched her fist: "She, she likes me."
"I also..." I really like her.
But she wasn't sure if this counted as a confession, because she had never expressed her feelings for Little Phoenix.
She has always liked Little Phoenix. Whether in the book or in real life, she likes her very much.
Then she thought that Xiao Fenghuang would be eighteen in four months, which would be the age of adulthood. Xie Lanzhi wasn't stupid; she understood this implication.
Xie Lanzhi quickly stood up, patted her cheeks, and encouraged herself: "Don't be a coward, be brave."
She moved her limbs, her body stiff like a robot, using both hands and feet to walk out of the palace gate, her footsteps clattering like a soldier standing at attention as she walked towards Lanzhang Palace.
The personal guards behind him hid behind pillars and asked curiously, "Is the marshal practicing some new kung fu?"
"It feels rock hard, could it be the Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill?"
"I sense that the marshal is very happy."
"Can happiness make someone as hard as a rock? Believe me, I'm not mistaken, the marshal must be practicing his martial arts. It's the Vajra Invincible Iron Shirt."
Chapter 67 The Marriage Alliance Between the Si Clan and the Northern Regions
The two in Lanzhang Palace seem to be much more affectionate than before.
The palace maids and servants were all delighted to hear this.
Xie Lanzhi has many excellent partners and lovers in handling official business, which has improved her work efficiency.
Si Xitong quickly absorbed her political views. Although they were mostly theoretical, she was very good at localizing them. After the imperial examinations, she introduced policy recommendations and began to implement new policies in pilot areas.
Xie Lanzhi just received a letter from Li Li.
They are still urging the establishment of a commercial capital.
He was even more eager to make a decision than Xie Lanzhi. Xie Lanzhi thought that it was probably because her proposal and blueprint were too tempting that he couldn't wait to implement it.
The establishment of a commercial hub cannot be rushed, but it must be put on the agenda.
She asked Si Xitong, "Li Li's letter urges the matter of Shangdu, but only mentions the marriage alliance in a few sentences at the end."
It was clear that they viewed the marriage alliance as a form of subservience. And they accepted it extremely quickly.
Si Xitong asked, "Did he mention any family's daughter or son he wanted to marry into the alliance?"
Is this referring to Li Li's own marriage or his sister's marriage?
Xie Lanzhi recalled Xiao Fenghuang's last reminder that Li Li needed to personally propose the marriage, and in fact, it had to be him who made the proposal; otherwise, she would be the one passively placed on the marriage list.
She didn't want to marry someone and go to the wilderness.
Since Yelü Lili has brought it up, it means he will marry her. If he does marry, he will certainly value the person he marries.
Xie Lanzhi thought about the Xie family women she had in mind. Those whose names she remembered were all already taken, or were girls like Xie Ying who didn't take men seriously, or were scumbag Xie family women who forcibly took men from other men.
Indeed, the roe deer family doesn't have any ladies from prominent families.
The young ladies from prominent families in Tianjing were not close to her, so after much thought, only her brother-in-law remained. However, Li Li had no intention of using his sister's happiness for a marriage alliance, nor did he intend to use Si Xinian for one. He himself was a responsible man.
Xie Lanzhi was impressed with Li Li; it seemed this male supporting character was a good man.
"Little Phoenix, Xie Shiwen is no good, and there aren't many gentle girls like her either." Xie Lanzhi said with a helpless tone, "I really can't find a suitable candidate."
Si Xitong was caught off guard by the question.
She said, "You don't need to worry about the selection of women by the Si family."
Si Xitong had long been prepared; she had intended to accept the Yu clan's offer. Coincidentally, Duke Lu Ping of Jin had introduced her to Princess Jiuyin in order to bring him glory.
Princess Jiuyin was the youngest daughter of the ruler of Jin. She was skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting from a young age. She was also a pawn specially cultivated by the ruler of Jin to form a marriage alliance with the Shi Kingdom.
Now that the Jin dynasty is gone, and its ruler has been deposed, her status has naturally plummeted due to her father's influence.
Xie Lanzhi said, "I will elevate her status. In the future, she will be granted two counties as the Princess of Jiujin, which will be worthy of her title as Princess Jiuyin."
"There's no need for such elaborate arrangements. Most women of the Si family obey the royal family's arrangements." Si Xitong had long seen through reality. If her father were still alive and well in Tianjing, she would probably be arranged into a marriage as well.
She suddenly seemed lost in thought.
Xie Lanzhi gently took her hand in hers, rubbed it and felt it was much softer. She then hid it in her sleeve and smiled at her: "Let's not talk about the past, let's talk about the present."
"Since you've brought it up, we'll meet Princess Jiuyin."
Si Xitong nodded: "That's fine, and I also believe that Li Jun will be a good husband."
However, Li Jun already has a prospective wife in the Northern Region, and this wife is probably not a kind person either.
The two were about to meet Princess Jiuyin. Xie Lanzhi had made the deposed ruler of Jin rise in status through his daughter. Apart from the other rulers who had resisted and died, only he remained. Xie Lanzhi then bestowed upon him the title of First-Class Duke and granted him the fiefdom of Danshui Lake in Jin for his retirement.
I heard that Er Jin can raise a lot of fish with one hand, become a fishpond owner, and have an endless supply of fish to eat and sell for the rest of his life, which can also help him retire comfortably.
Si Xitong followed her advice, saying with a mix of praise and concern: "You are always soft-hearted. Although I am happy about it, it doesn't always end well."
Xie Lanzhi said indifferently, "A snake with its teeth pulled is not worth mentioning."
Si Xitong shook her head: "I'm not talking about Yi Jin."