Drunk Bamboo

Xie Yuzhu bowed and said, "Thank you for your help, cousin."

"The imperial edict specifically granted the marriage to the legitimate daughter of the Xie family, but did not specify which one. I am the youngest legitimate daughter, and I reached the age of marriage last month. There is nothing wrong with me getting married. My father has no son, and my eldest sister has been trained as a successor since she was young. She is a role model for the clan's children, and she and Master He are in love with each other. We just need to wait for Master He to finish repairing the houses on both sides of the river before we can get married."

"My second sister is good at chess. My grandfather said that she is a chess talent that is rare in a century. In the future, she will inherit my grandfather's mantle of chess master. My grandfather is old and is now recuperating in Baiyun Taoist Temple. For his health, my second sister cannot leave."

"Baiyun Academy was founded by the Xie family, and its merits in teaching and educating people are immeasurable. Although the emperor is open-minded, if the Xie family openly defies the emperor's will and refuses to marry off their daughter, or just finds a girl from a side branch to marry off, which displeases the emperor, the good intentions of the Xie family's ancestors to protect the peace of the family and not enter the government will be shattered."

Xie Yuzhu's words were like a breeze that blew away the fog, and like a sharp sword that pierced the vital points.

The four people present looked at her in astonishment.

Xie Juesheng was worried: "I heard that the emperor has been in poor health recently. The situation in the court is unstable. I am afraid there will be no peace."

He was afraid that the Xie family would be caught in turbulent times, and even more afraid that the Xie family’s century-old reputation would be ruined in his hands.

Xie Yuzhu said firmly: "It is precisely because of the turbulent situation in the court that His Majesty needs the upright Xie family to maintain balance. When the nest is overturned, no egg will be left unbroken. Therefore, the Xie family must marry off their daughter."

Xie Juesheng was stunned.

For the first time in his life, he took a serious look at his sickly daughter.

"Yuzhu will be very careful and prudent after she gets married and will not bring shame to the Xie family. Please rest assured, father." He bowed again and retreated respectfully.

It took a long while before the people in the hall came to their senses.

Xie Yupei's eyes were filled with tears of gratitude.

Xie Yulan rarely praised: "In the past, we underestimated Yuzhu."

As a father, Xie Juesheng was filled with guilt.

Admiration appeared in Xie Yuyun's wise eyes.

After walking for a while, Xie Yuzhu's tense shoulders relaxed and she wiped the sweat from her forehead: "It's really tiring to be so serious. If I stay in the Xie family and speak in a rigid manner for the rest of my life, I will probably die young."

He took another breath, slowly raised his bright eyes, and looked up at the vast sky: After leaving the Xie family, the sky is high and I can fly freely.

A month later, at Xingyun Villa, on the outskirts of Zhongdu.

Xingyun Villa is a royal villa, gorgeous and majestic. Now it is hung with red silk and brocade, and it is full of joy.

Xie Yuzhu was arranged to stay here temporarily, waiting for King Feng to come and pick up the bride.

"Are you in a hurry to reincarnate? You broke my golden hairpin inlaid with a butterfly flower, and you will never be able to pay for it in your lifetime!"

"I'm sorry, Madam Kong! We were in a hurry to deliver the wedding dress for the princess to try on, and we disturbed Madam Kong by mistake. I hope Madam Kong will not bear grudges and forgive us for once!"

Down the corridor, the palace maids who almost bumped into Madam Kong knelt down and begged for mercy.

The escort of Xie Yuzhu arrived only the day before yesterday, and the rush was also due to Xie Yuzhu. Along the way, she stopped and walked, looked at the scenery, climbed hills, admired flowers and plants, and traveled through mountains and rivers, which naturally delayed her time.

Tomorrow is the wedding day. The Ministry of Rites, the Imperial Pharmacy, the Imperial Household, the Empress, and the Imperial Noble Consort have all sent people to teach etiquette, try on wedding dresses, choose jewelry, take the pulse, greet, etc. They are all waiting in line, and the palace maids are getting anxious and flustered.

Madam Kong is the manager of the other gardens. She once served the late imperial concubine and often takes advantage of her seniority to teach the young palace maids a lesson.

He has a round figure, a big face, high cheekbones, thin lips pointing downwards, and a vicious look on his face.

"It's just a marriage between an unloved prince and the unknown third daughter of the Xie family. Is there any need to panic?"

Criticizing the master is a serious crime, and the palace maids were so scared that they didn't dare to look up.

Madam Kong adjusted the golden hairpin on her head and sneered, "What are you afraid of? You have never seen the world! I served the late emperor's concubine, and I was present at the wedding ceremony of the current emperor and the queen."

The palace maid kneeling in the front raised her head slightly, revealing her pretty face. She was afraid that Madam Kong would cause trouble, so she could only agree: "Naturally, we servants are not as knowledgeable as Madam Kong."

Madam Kong said, "Let me tell you, the emperor only has eyes for the crown prince born to the queen and the fifth prince born to the imperial concubine. Where is this third prince? He has been crowned for three years, but he still hasn't been arranged to marry. This time he was going to arrange a marriage for the fifth prince who is about to come of age, but then he remembered that there was still an unmarried third prince. The court officials felt that it was not in accordance with etiquette, so the emperor reluctantly granted the marriage. If the marriage was granted to the fifth prince, the Xie family would not have married the talentless and sickly third lady."

Seeing that Madam Kong seemed to be possessed and spoke incoherently, the pretty palace maid lowered her head and dared not say a word.

"Look at her shabby dowry, three carts of old books, three carts of flowers and plants. Ordinary women's dowries are more generous than hers. If the Xie family had not given the emperor ten carts of betrothal gifts as a dowry, I'm afraid it would be a disgrace to the royal family!"

"One is a reckless warrior, the other is a sickly weak man without any talent. They are a perfect match."

Grandma Kong kept talking, but no one responded. She felt bored and left in a huff.

The palace maids were glad to have escaped the disaster and immediately got up and left.

Two slender figures slowly walked out from behind a cluster of green plants beside the corridor.

Yun Ling frowned slightly, looking worried: "Princess, don't be angry, these are just the crazy words of some short-sighted and vulgar servants, don't take it to heart. Feng Wang is the third prince of Rao Kingdom, royal blood, and noble status. The princess is the legitimate daughter of Nanmi Xie family, a family of scholars with many students. Feng Wang was born with supernatural powers and killed enemies on the battlefield. The princess is knowledgeable, gentle and elegant. One martial and one literary, a perfect match."

Yunling was a palace maid in the marriage team who was specially left in the Xie family to take care of Xie Yuzhu. During the long journey of more than a month from the Xie family to Zhongdu, she was careful, steady, reliable, intelligent but not revealing.

Xie Yuzhu liked her very much and smiled faintly: "I know you have good intentions, and I won't bother with them."

Xie Yuzhu: I just arrived in Zhongdu and I am unfamiliar with the place. I cannot cause trouble. If I really want to cause trouble, I cannot do it openly.

Yun Ling's eyebrows relaxed: "The princess is very smart, it is me who talked too much."

Xie Yuzhu raised her eyelids slightly: "What else did the outsiders say?"

Yun Ling had served many nobles, and although she didn't spend much time with the princess, she had the best temper. She was kind and always smiled at everyone, never spoke to her loudly, and never treated her like a servant. Such a good person should be with someone equally good.

After hesitating for a while, he said, "They don't understand the prince and the princess. In fact, the prince is not as scary as outsiders say. He has a broad mind and a generous temperament. He never beats or scolds his servants. And the princess is the kindest person I have ever met. You two are a match made in heaven."

It was the first time Xie Yuzhu heard someone speak well of King Feng. She nodded and smiled, "Yunling, go check out the wedding dress first. I'll walk around the yard for a while."

Yun Ling bowed and left.

There was no one around, so Xie Yuzhu stopped pretending and lifted her long skirt to chase in the direction where Grandma Kong had gone.

Walk through the corridor and go through the side door of the inner courtyard to reach the inner garden.

Nanny Kong was standing by the pond, looking at herself in the mirror and fiddling with her golden hairpin.

Xie Yuzhu just felt disgusted when she saw it.

Suddenly a black shadow flashed by, and a masked man fell from the sky, blocking Madam Kong's mouth with something unknown.

Xie Yuzhu was shocked: retribution from heaven?! No need to do it myself?!

She was overjoyed, lifted her skirt and trotted forward to get a better look.

"Ugh——" Madam Kong struggled in fear.

"You are the old woman who is gossiping. The rumors in Zhongdu City these days all come from your mouth! Do you think you can make up stories about the princess? I will teach you a lesson!"

The masked man was tall and strong, about 1.89 meters tall, with a broad back and strong arms, and extraordinary strength. In his hands, Madam Kong looked like she was holding a fat chicken.

After saying that, she punched Kong Ma and she fainted.

"You fainted already? You are so weak!"

He threw his hands and fell heavily to the ground.

When I turned around to leave, I didn't know when a little girl in white appeared in front of me. She had fair skin and tender flesh, and her whiteness was glowing.

After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Where did this porcelain doll come from? You have nothing to do here, get out of here!"