Who else could you love besides me

Chapter 115

There are two hot spring outlets, separated by a natural stone wall, but unfortunately, both were occupied by Fu Jin long ago.

Fu Jin was quite clever and domineering, fearless and unafraid of anyone, not to mention the Prince Xi whom he had long disliked.

Last night, he sent someone down the mountain to fetch over ten meters of coarse cloth. This morning, he had people stand guard by the hot spring, erecting tall supports around it and covering it with the cloth. Several large characters were written on the cloth, clearly visible from afar. However, when he saw it, he was both amused and exasperated. It read: "Someone is currently bathing; those arriving later, please wait..."

Fu Jin's words were clearly aimed at Suo Ge and his group for preemptively occupying the prime hot spring location. It's unclear what Suo Ge and the others thought upon seeing these words. Perhaps even if Suo Ge saw them, knowing no one would wash there, there was nothing he could do, unless he was as unreasonable as Fu Jin. However, Suo Ge isn't that kind of person, so he certainly didn't get to wash.

This hot spring has been occupied by Fu Jin since this morning, and no one has bathed in it, so the water quality is naturally very good.

Minglu was helpless against Fu Jin's behavior, Xi En shook her head but smiled, and Nalan praised Fu Jin without reservation. Fu Jin was a little carried away by Nalan's praise and said loudly, "Firstly, I was afraid that Suoge and the others would pollute the spring water, and secondly, I was afraid that Fifth Sister would be disappointed after finally being able to come and bathe in the hot spring."

She smiled faintly, for her fourth brother always thought of her first, his heart filled with complex emotions.

However, things didn't go as expected. Nalan said that Princess Ningxiang had been frequently bothering Fu Jin lately, but it didn't seem to be the case. At least, although the two of them appeared at Phoenix Mountain at the same time, they didn't have any real contact. As for Nalan's claim that Ningxiang kept calling him "Young Master Bai," it seemed to be completely unfounded. After all, Ningxiang was a princess, and she wouldn't openly treat Fu Jin like that. Xi Ri was thinking about this.

It has been a day since I returned from Phoenix Mountain, and Long Ming has not sent any news yet, so he must not have returned yet.

Long Ming wasn't as carefree and leisurely as he appeared. He had his own things to do, things she didn't know about and couldn't interfere with. Sometimes she hated being a woman, spending her days forever waiting. She suddenly missed the time half a year ago when she disguised herself as a man and dealt with her four brothers. Although it was absurd, it was extremely fulfilling, unlike now when she was like a useless person, doing nothing.

Thinking of my third brother, I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. I couldn't even play my favorite zither anymore; in my frustration, I slapped it erratically, and the music became chaotic. If I closed my eyes, I could almost see the burning words from that night and hear his words, "Until death do us part." No matter how much I suppressed it, I couldn't deny that my heart was ultimately in turmoil because of that night.

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To welcome the Jin envoy, the palace has been holding banquets one after another in the past few days. I managed to avoid the first one, but I couldn't avoid the second.

The second time, the Jin envoy, Prince Wanyan Gena, personally sent an invitation. In front of the elders of the Tian family, Tian Xiri had no choice but to accept the invitation with a slightly flattered expression. Apart from Tian Shuang, no one in the Tian family knew anything about her connection with Wanyan Gena. Although she really didn't want to go, she had no choice but to go now.

A tall tree catches the wind, and Tian Xiri's tree is just that big, so it attracts a lot of attention. He always tries to live a low-key life, but being too tall makes it impossible to avoid the wind. That's the helplessness of life.

Wanyan Gena's desire to see her was exactly what she had expected.

Wanyan Gena would find out her identity sooner or later. She only hoped that once he knew, he would stop bothering her. However, she also knew that such people were arrogant and proud. She had played a trick on him, so it wouldn't be easy to deal with him. She had intended to avoid him if possible, but he had pulled this stunt, instantly drawing everyone's attention to her. Even her father couldn't help but ask her, "How do you know Prince Wanyan?"

She feigned ignorance and said with a smile, "Father, when has your daughter ever had the chance to meet the young prince of the Jin Kingdom?"

Lord Tian asked, "Then why did he send an invitation only to you, without inviting anyone else?"

Tian Xiri glanced around and replied, "Father, I've heard that the young prince of the Jin Kingdom seems to have a particular fondness for beautiful women. I'm rumored to be the most beautiful woman in the world, and I think that's probably why."

Lord Tian pondered for a moment, then did not ask any further questions.

Xi Ri secretly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, thinking to himself: Luckily, Wanyan Gena was a womanizer...

Following their father, Xi Ri and her younger sister, Tian Xi Yun, rode in the same carriage to the palace early in the morning. They remained silent throughout the journey. Since Xi Yun's head injury and subsequent memory loss, their relationship, which had slightly improved, had returned to its previous state. Now, because of her status, although Tian Xi Yun still treated her with deference, she no longer deliberately provoked her as before. However, every time Xi Yun saw her sister Xi Yun, she felt a little guilty and naturally yielded to her in everything. In this way, they coexisted peacefully.

According to etiquette, she paid her respects to her aunt, the Empress Dowager, and her elder sister, Consort Tian. Her sister was currently enjoying the Emperor's favor and had been promoted from Consort Shu to Consort Gui.

The two sisters had just chatted for a while with Consort Tian when the eunuch serving the Emperor came to announce that Consort Tian's status in the harem was now the most honored, and the Tian family had thus maintained its favor for a long time.

My late father, Lord Tian Wuchen, was a handsome and refined man in his youth, captivating many ladies from noble families. Now, though past forty, he still possessed a dashing appearance. My late mother was the third daughter of the renowned wealthy Li family in Jiangnan, and was skilled in playing the zither from a young age. That year, amidst the misty rain of Jiangnan, a zither melody brought her to life at the Twenty-Four Bridges, where she met my father, Tian Wuchen, and thus began their romance. Though not a perfect union, their love was mutual.

The Tian family is full of beauties. First there was Aunt Tian Wuyu, then her older sister Tian Xiyu, and then there was Tian Xiri, all of whom were famous beauties.

The elder sister, Tian Xiyu, now known as Consort Tian, surpasses even Tian Xiri in terms of elegance and nobility, and is naturally favored by the current emperor. However, it is said that the emperor still misses the former empress, so the empress's position remains vacant. Although Consort Tian has never truly held the imperial seal, as long as her favor remains, and she hopes to give birth to a royal heir one day, she will surely rise to the top. Therefore, many in the Tian family are now currying favor with her.

The current emperor is a wise ruler who values talent regardless of age, and is easygoing and unconcerned with trivial matters. Due to his age, he particularly favors younger generations like Suoge and Minglu. During Longming's recent visit to the capital, he has spent much time with Longming, seemingly developing a closer relationship with her. There are also rumors that the Prince of Zhennan is the emperor's mentor, but it's unclear whether these rumors are true or false.

When Xi Ri and Xi Yun appeared in the main hall with Consort Tian, everyone's eyes seemed to suddenly converge on them. Xi Ri looked up and saw many different expressions on their faces. News always travels fast in the capital, and she knew that her third brother's astonishing actions on Phoenix Peak that night must have caused quite a stir.

Sitting with her family, she was constantly being glanced at. She wasn't really familiar with this circle. She had only been allowed to accompany her father to a palace banquet at the age of fifteen, when she had just come of age. However, she had been rejected by the emperor, Suoge, and, heartbroken, had never attended such occasions again. It wasn't until this year, when she was betrothed to Prince Minglu, that she had another chance to meet these young ladies from prominent families. But by then, she had no interest in cultivating friendships or relationships. When others tried to talk to her, she remained aloof and indifferent. Over time, everyone said she was proud and unapproachable, and gradually, few people spoke to her anymore. She, on the other hand, preferred the peace and quiet.

Normally, she would avoid such occasions if possible, and she didn't have much opportunity to interact with this circle. Therefore, at this moment, facing these families of princes and ministers, she seemed somewhat out of place.

She smiled faintly and didn't take it to heart.

I recently heard that some people say that Third Brother's affection for her is so extreme that it's astounding. Third Brother even sent away all of Yue's concubines for her sake, which only confirms the rumors that Yue Suoge slandered her for not sharing a husband with other women.

She didn't care at all. In her eyes, Suoge's slander back then was exactly what she wanted. She didn't have such a high level of understanding back then, and it was thanks to his guidance that she felt it should be this way now.

If these virtuous and capable women in front of her knew what she was thinking at this moment, what would they think of her? It would probably be another earth-shattering rumor. Xi Ri chuckled to herself. Rumors, rumors, rumors, she would probably never be able to escape them for the rest of her life.

She ate her food lazily, lost in thought, and ended up eating her fill. Looking at the messy dishes in front of her, and then at the neatly arranged meals of the other women, only occasionally touched, she couldn't help but feel a little ashamed.

As he was lost in thought, he heard Wanyan Gena's voice faintly coming from inside the main hall: "Every year at this time, there is a Cuju (ancient Chinese football) competition in Xiao Wang's hometown. It is a pity that Xiao Wang is far away from his hometown this year and cannot see it."

At this moment, Minister of Rites Fu said, "Your Highness need not be disappointed. We in the Central Plains also have this custom, and we hold Cuju (ancient Chinese football) competitions every year at this time. Your Highness can go and watch them together in a few days."

“Oh? Is that so? Then I, Wang, will definitely go and take a look,” Wanyan Gena said.

The Jin envoy accompanying Wanyan Gena arrogantly interjected, "I wonder what the rules are for your country's competitions? Are there any special rewards for winning? In my hometown, we have a custom where each side in a Cuju (ancient Chinese football) match has five men and one woman on the field, and the woman must be a sister of the team leader. Women in the Central Plains are skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and it would be difficult to find two women to participate if they are not good at sports, let alone the sisters of the team leaders. But the women of my Jin Kingdom are different. Jin women are no less skilled than men in riding and archery, just as there is a saying in the Central Plains: 'Women are not inferior to men.'"

The Jin envoy's Chinese was broken and awkward to listen to, but everyone present could still understand what he was saying. The Jin envoy was clearly saying that their women were brave and strong, while the women of the Central Plains were too weak, implying that he was belittling the women of the Central Plains.

Someone in the main hall let out a heavy, cold snort.

Wanyan Gena raised his cup, smiled, and drank, remaining calm and composed.

The Emperor looked at Suoge and said, "Suoge, shall this match be between you and Xi'en?" Suoge was the Emperor's cousin, and the Emperor always addressed him by his first name rather than as "my dear minister."

Soge replied, "Yes."

The Emperor then asked, "The young prince wishes to watch a Cuju (ancient Chinese football) match with women participating. Does your team have any suitable candidates?"

Suoge frowned slightly upon hearing this. Although the Emperor asked Suoge directly, everyone knew that Suoge only had one relative, his younger sister, Princess Ningxiang. As a lady from a prominent family, it was naturally inappropriate for her to play football with a group of men. However, if he did not step forward now, the Jin envoys would look down on him. Suoge was in a dilemma. At this moment, someone in the side hall said loudly, "Brother, Ningxiang is willing to go."

Hearing the sound, everyone looked towards the side hall, where a woman emerged from behind a crystal beaded curtain. Standing gracefully before them, her gaze, once raised, revealed an innate nobility and undisguised arrogance. Everyone's eyes lit up, and they looked at her with approval.

Princess Ningxiang spoke in a loud voice, neither humble nor arrogant: "Envoy of the Jin Kingdom, although women of the Central Plains have always adhered to etiquette and the virtues of womanhood and do not like to show their faces in public, it does not mean that they are all delicate and weak." After speaking, Ningxiang looked at Suoge again and said: "Brother, why do you hesitate? I am willing to go."