Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 563 Don't leave if you dare! [Thank you! Goodbye! I owe you 42k more]

Hearing Chai Zhengzheng's voice, Rong Feiyan, who was a little unsure about where to look, looked towards Xu Zaijing.

In the Xuande Gate Tower, many imperial candles were lit. The candlelight was bright, illuminating Xu Zaijing's handsome face very clearly.

The year before that, the envoys from Northern Liao and Baigao presented the "Young Brave Man Ceremony" to the Emperor of Great Zhou, and Xu Zaijing taught the young men of the two countries a lesson.

Rong Feiyan and Xu Zaijing were not familiar with each other.

After all, Bianjing was the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty under the feet of the emperor. There were more than a hundred noblemen in the city who could enter the palace to pay New Year's greetings, and Rong Feiyan would not know them all.

Ever since Rong Feiyan was old enough to understand, her sister had already been a favorite concubine. When Rong Feiyan began to follow her mother to attend various banquets hosted by wealthy families in the capital and to visit the palace to pay New Year's greetings, she more or less learned from others that she was very beautiful.

At banquets and parties, many of her peers, both male and female, couldn't help but look at her a few more times when they saw her.

But it is also wrong to say that Rong Feiyan had no impression of Xu Zaijing before that year.

Because after visiting the palace to pay New Year's greetings that year, Rong Feiyan asked her mother and brother indirectly what kind of person Xu Zaijing was.

The scandal of the Yuan family in the Earl of Zhongqin's Mansion spread all over Bianjing. The eldest lady of the Rong family and her brother Rong Xian were also busy finding out the gossip about the Yuan family.

Brother Rong Xian answered Rong Feiyan's indirect question very casually:

"That kid Jing'er? Sister, have you forgotten? When you were a child, we went to the palace to celebrate His Majesty's birthday. Wasn't there a kid riding a horse and shooting arrows? That was him!"

"This kid is amazing. When he is still a kid, he can show you how to ride and shoot for your majesty."

Listening to her brother's answer, a vague figure with two long pheasant feathers on its head flashed through Rong Feiyan's mind.

Although my sister is a favorite concubine, the Rong family is not a noble family or a wealthy one. There is no talented person in the family, and my ancestors were bricklayers.

Therefore, when Rong Feiyan followed her mother to attend various gatherings in Beijing, many families would greet the Rong family with a smile in front of others, but would make false accusations against the Rong family behind their backs.

In addition, Rong Xian had offended the powerful Qiguo Mansion and Xiangyang Marquis Mansion by relying on his sister, the favorite concubine. For a long time, Rong Feiyan was mostly alone when she went out to participate in various poetry gatherings and had few friends.

Especially since Rong Feiyan was beautiful, she had naturally encountered this before. She treated a girl sincerely and regarded her as a good friend, but she found out from other sources that the girl turned around and looked down on her background.

After experiencing this several times, Rong Feiyan became less talkative and more serious, and lost interest in those elegant gatherings, polo clubs, and chuiwan clubs.

When Xu Zaijing taught a lesson to the young man from Northern Liao who was rude to her, it was one of the few moments in those years when she felt warm and protected by friendly people.

So, Rong Feiyan began to feel curious about Xu Zaijing and started to pay attention to the news about Xu Zaijing.

Some people say that if you keep thinking about it, there will be a response.

Rong Feiyan was thinking about something and tried hard to find out, so naturally, news about Xu Zaijing began to reach her ears.

Later, when Rong Feiyan knew that Xu Zaijing would attend a gathering or play polo,
These polo and chuiwan gatherings suddenly seemed less boring for Rong Feiyan! They started to become interesting, and she was always looking forward to it.

Every time she saw that person, whether far or near, Rong Feiyan would be happy for a long time.

If she could look that man in the eye, Rong Feiyan's heart would beat fast. She would want to look at him longer, but she was also afraid to look at him longer.

After a few years,

Rong Feiyan found that starting with Sister Anmei of the Xu family, she had made friends with more and more noble ladies in Beijing.

I don’t know if it’s because birds of a feather flock together, or if it’s because Rong Feiyan is growing up, or if it’s something else.

In short, the mockery and ridicule that she had encountered before were much less common in the gatherings and gatherings she attended in recent years.

Even if someone said something unpleasant, there would always be officials' wives and noble ladies who would speak up and stand on her side.

As she grew older, Rong Feiyan discovered that her appearance and figure were becoming more and more extraordinary. When many nobles and children of official families in the capital saw her, their eyes would light up and they would be so rude that they could not take their eyes away.

She didn't even want to listen to those people reciting poems and talking loudly like peacocks spreading their feathers.

On the one hand, I had heard a lot of dirty things about the high-ranking families in Beijing from my mother, sister and brother.

On the one hand, Rong Feiyan herself found out information about Xu Zaijing, which made Xu Zaijing have a filter and halo in Rong Feiyan's mind.

Xu Zaijing's appearance was only 90% perfect to begin with, but in Rong Feiyan's eyes he looked 120% perfect, and in her heart, no one could compare to him.

Looking at Chai Zhengzheng who was speaking confidently and confidently on the other side of Xu Zaijing, Rong Feiyan sighed in annoyance.

"Brother Xu Wu, did you accompany His Highness out of the palace today?"

Chai Zhengzheng continued.

Rong Feiyan leaned forward slightly to look at Chai Zhengzheng who spoke, and then looked at Xu Zaijing's profile.

After she understood what Chai Zhengzheng said, she widened her eyes and looked at Xu Zaijing and Chai Zhengzheng in surprise.

Xu Zaijing smiled and nodded: "Yes! Miss Zhengzheng, did you see His Highness at the teahouse?"

Chai Zhengzheng nodded and said, "Yes!"

Rong Feiyan whispered on the other side: "Today, teahouse? Why don't I see Brother Xu Wu?"

Chai Zhengzheng explained a few words with a smile.

While explaining, Chai Zhengzheng was looking at Rong Feiyan, which forced Xu Zaijing to sit up straight against the back of the chair, with his chest and stomach held in, so as not to block the view between the two girls.

After finishing his words, Chai Zhengzheng looked at Xu Zaijing with a smile on his face and asked, "Brother Xu Wu, we have finished talking. You can breathe a sigh of relief now."

Xu Zaijing glanced at Chai Zhengzheng, who was smiling like a flower, and said, "Okay!"

As he spoke, Xu Zaijing took a deep breath.

Rong Feiyan looked at Xu Zaijing's actions, her eyes slightly curved, and she said with a turn of eyes: "Brother Xu Wu, we only heard about your previous affairs in Baigao Country and Beizhou."

"Your Majesty, the Queen, and His Royal Highness haven't arrived yet. Can you tell us?"

Hearing Rong Feiyan's question, Chai Zhengzheng on the other side said, "Brother Xu Wu, I want to know too."

Xu Zaijing first glanced at Rong Feiyan, then turned his head to look at Chai Zhengzheng, and after a moment of silence, he said: "Ladies, whether it is Bai Gao or Beizhou, it is all a matter of the battlefield."

Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Feiyan looked at Xu Zaijing with confidence and nodded repeatedly.

"On the battlefield, there are casualties and human tragedy. It is inappropriate to talk about these things on a good day like the Lantern Festival."

When Rong Feiyan heard this, she looked anxious and said quickly, "Brother Xu Wu, I, I shouldn't have asked."

Chai Zhengzheng's face changed and her smile disappeared, her expression became gloomy. She had been attacked before, and her personal maids had all met with misfortune. In the Jinyang Stronghold, she also witnessed with her own eyes a small bloody and cruel battlefield.

Looking at the two girls beside him, Xu Zaijing thought for a moment and then said, "It's hard to talk about the battlefield. I'm sure Miss Zhengzheng is more familiar with the scenery of the northern land near Beizhou than I am."

Chai Zhengzheng calmed down and nodded towards Xu Zaijing.

"During the time I was in Baigao, I saw a lot of scenery that was not available in Bianjing."

Listening to Xu Zaijing's casual description of the northwest scenery, Chai Zhengzheng had in his mind the scene of Xu Zaijing wearing armor, riding a horse, holding a flag and running in the yellow sand at sunset.

After all, Chai Zhengzheng had seen all three versions of Xu Zaijing.

Rong Feiyan didn't think much about it. She just stared blankly at Xu Zaijing who was talking. When Xu Zaijing looked at her, she smiled foolishly and continued watching.

After talking for a while,

"Your Majesty has arrived~"

The high-pitched voice of the eunuch came. Xu Zaijing stopped talking and stood up with Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Feiyan.

Soon, female officials, eunuchs and imperial guards holding various objects such as canopies and palm fans lined up to go up to the Duo Tower next to the Xuande Gate Tower, passed the corridor between the Duo Tower and the Xuande Gate Tower, and walked towards where Xu Zaijing was.

Behind the crowd, the emperor, the empress, and Zhao Fang, followed by high-ranking civil and military officials, walked up the steps to the side of the Xuande Gate Tower.

Looking at the many men and women of marriageable age standing in front of chairs along the corridor, the emperor said with a smile full of affirmation: "Empress, this arrangement tonight is really thoughtful!"

The Queen smiled and said, "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty! During the Lantern Festival, it is a good opportunity for boys and girls of marriageable age to meet each other and get married! Speaking of which, it was Fang'er and I who came up with this idea."

The emperor nodded and said, "Haha, Fang'er is not young anymore! I think the queen should pick a day and summon a few more girls to the palace to take a look."

The queen looked at her son Zhao Fang and said with a smile, "I obey your order."

What the emperor meant was that it was time to start choosing a concubine for Zhao Fang.

As the emperor's only son and the future emperor of the Great Zhou, Zhao Fang's wife would be the future empress.

When Zhao Fang heard this, he glanced at the noble ladies along the way, with a look of fantasy in his eyes.

As the family of three were talking, the emperor nodded from time to time to the low-ranking noble officials who were granted permission to come here to watch the lanterns and bowed to salute. He soon walked through the corridor and arrived near the Xuande Gate Tower.

"I greet your Majesty, the Queen, and your Highness!"

Looking at Xu Zaijing bowing and saluting at the steps of the dragon throne, the Queen and Zhao Fang both smiled and nodded.

The emperor glanced up and down at Xu Zaijing, paused for a moment on the cloak Xu Zaijing was wearing, then looked at Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Feiyan on both sides of Xu Zaijing, snorted lightly, and walked towards the dragon throne.

Zhao Fang, who was following behind the emperor, looked at Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Feiyan beside Xu Zaijing, nodded in approval, then smiled and gave Xu Zaijing a thumbs up.

Seeing Zhao Fang's look, Xu Zaijing could only bow deeper.

As the emperor and his family walked towards the dragon throne, the high-ranking civil and military officials following behind the emperor and empress began to take their seats.

Not far behind the emperor, Marquis Xiangyang and Marquis Yongyi, two marquises of a rather large age gap, walked side by side. Marquis Xiangyang said as they walked, "Marquis Xu, although your physical condition is still somewhat inferior to mine, it must be good, otherwise it wouldn't be possible."

Xiangyang Hou raised his eyebrows and said: ".Isn't it~"

Xu Minghua nodded somewhat awkwardly.

"Oh, Lord Xu, your youngest son is in a very blessed position!"

Hearing this, Xu Minghua looked up and saw his youngest son standing between two girls of extraordinary color. Xu Minghua was stunned for a moment and said, "This..."

"But, if you ask me, this position is not arranged well. Why is the little girl from the Chai family ranked before Brother Jing?"

As the Marquis of Xiangyang spoke, he sat down with several other senior officials in one of the few seats in front of Xu Zaijing.

Afterwards, several officials' wives and noble ladies also came to the Xuande Gate Tower and took their seats.

Princess Pingning, as the emperor's adopted daughter, sat with Madam Chai. She glanced behind the dukes and ministers opposite her and said with a smile, "Zhengzheng is there!"

Mrs. Chai quickly stood up and looked over there. Seeing Chai Zhengzheng sitting next to Xu Zaijing, Mrs. Chai laughed.

"Is the one next to Zheng Zheng Xu Jing?"

"Correct!"

As the emperor and the others entered, Xu Zaijing and the two noble ladies could no longer continue talking.

Wait until everyone is seated.
Red lanterns were lit up, indicating that the emperor had arrived at the Xuande Gate Tower.

In the square in front of Xuande Gate, the noise quickly grew louder.

Several lanterns with mechanisms activated when they saw the emperor's arrival, causing the onlookers to cheer.

Beside the Xuande Gate Tower, near the corridor leading to the two towers on both sides, Gu Tingye glanced at Hai Chaoyun beside him with some restraint. When Hai Chaoyun looked over generously, Gu Tingye smiled and said, "How is Lord Hai?"

Although he had heard Gu Tingye ask this several times, Hai Chaoyun still smiled and nodded: "Father is in good health! Is Brother Yu doing well in Xingqing Mansion?"

"Brother wrote to me, everything went well, very well."

"Yeah." Hai Chaoyun nodded.

Gu Tingye also nodded somewhat awkwardly and looked away.

As he glanced around, Gu Tingye saw Qi Heng talking to Yu Yanran with a smile near the Xuande Gate Tower, and his mood suddenly became a little bad.

"I heard that you like poetry, girl?"

On the other side of Hai Chaoyun, a young man from a certain family asked with a smile.

Hai Chaoyun smiled but didn't say anything.

"These past two days, I have come across two lines of poetry. I hope you will appreciate them."

"I wonder what color the girl likes?"

"My family has an estate in Taiyuan Prefecture."

Gu Tingye, who was already in a bad mood, heard the voice beside him, turned his head, glared and said: "I say, can you stop making noise?"

"I'm just talking about my own business, what does it have to do with you?"

"I'm fine! If you have the guts, don't leave after you finish watching the lanterns. I'll let you see if it's none of my business!"

Gu Tingyu’s master is the master of the Hai family, and his wife is the elder sister of Xu Zaijing who saved Hai Chaoyun.

As Gu Tingyu's younger brother, Gu Erlang can be said to have some relationship with the Hai family.

Therefore, it was not too abrupt for Gu Tingye to stand up for Hai Chaoyun.

Hai Chaoyun, who understood all this, shook his head towards Gu Tingye and said, "Thank you Erlang for speaking up for justice. Today is the Lantern Festival, so it's better not to be angry."

Gu Tingye glared at the man and nodded.

Hai Chaoyun, who was smart, looked towards the position of Qi Heng and Yu Yanran not far away.

At this time,

"Long live the saint! Long live the royal heir!"

From the Xuande Gate Square came the loud shouts of the people, attracting everyone to look out through the windows of the corridor.

What followed was the emperor's continuous rewards from the Xuande Gate Tower.

Various rewards would be put into bamboo baskets, slide down along the cable connecting the Xuande Gate Tower to the downstairs, and then delivered to the recipient by the imperial guards.

At Xuande Gate Tower,
The eunuch said loudly: "His Majesty has ordered that you can all get up and enjoy the lanterns outside the building."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

After thanking you,
Marquis of Xiangyang, Princess Pingning and others who came almost every year had no interest in standing up to look at the lanterns, and mostly sat and talked with the Emperor and Empress.

Xu Zaijing, who came for the first time, stood up and walked out curiously.

Rong Feiyan and Chai Zhengzheng looked at each other, then both stood up and followed.
(End of this chapter)