Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 778 The Life-Saving Master! Seven [Thank you! Bow again! 15k words owed]

They were separated from the Empress and the others by a tall screen.

Inside the screen,
Gao Taotao sat on a chair, holding her belly, with Consorts Li and Yao and a female official standing beside her.

On the embroidered stool below Gao Taotao sat Chai Zhengzheng, who was in a daze, and Rong Feiyan, who looked uneasy.

"This humble subject greets Your Majesty the Empress, His Highness the Crown Prince, Consort Rong, and the Second Prince," Xu Zaijing's voice, bowing and paying his respects, came from behind the screen.

Upon hearing this, the two noble ladies on the embroidered stools immediately raised their heads and looked out from behind the screen.

Upon seeing this, the two concubines behind Gao Taotao exchanged a glance and then revealed amusing smiles.

Before the two concubines entered the palace and were still young girls, they were already familiar with Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Feiyan, and rarely had they seen Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Feiyan show such an expression.

"Jing-ge'er, rise quickly! Come, sit here." The Empress's kind voice came.

Although people can't see clearly through the screen, they can only vaguely make out their silhouettes.

But this was enough to put the two noble ladies at ease.

Since no words of concern or greeting were heard from the Empress and the Crown Prince, it indicates that Xu Zaijing was not injured during his trip to Chunmingfang.

As Rong Feiyan sat up straight, intending to continue listening to the conversation outside, she caught a glimpse of the Crown Princess covering her mouth with a handkerchief.

Rong Feiyan hurriedly looked over, only to find Gao Taotao and the other two smiling at her and Chai Zhengzheng.

In that instant, Rong Feiyan felt like she didn't know where to put her eyes.

In her panic, Rong Feiyan glanced at Chai Zhengzheng beside her and found that Chai Zhengzheng was still staring intently at the screen.

"Ahem." Rong Feiyan coughed lightly and then tugged at Chai Zhengzheng's sleeve.

"Hmm?" When Chai Zhengzheng turned around to look at Rong Feiyan in confusion, she also noticed the gazes of Gao Taotao and the other two.

Seeing Gao Taotao's teasing smile, Chai Zhengzheng forced herself to stay composed for a moment before shyly looking down at the pattern on the handkerchief.

Outside the screen,
Xu Zaijing, who was sitting in the chair, turned his head and looked at the screen in confusion after hearing a soft cough.

Zhao Fang smiled at Xu Zaijing and said, "Brother Jing, I have something good to say."

"Fang'er!" The Empress interrupted from the side.

Seeing the Empress's slightly reproachful look, Zhao Fang glanced at Xu Zaijing again and said helplessly, "Mother, I'll stop now."

The Empress smiled as she looked at Xu Zaijing, who seemed lost in thought, and said, "Jing-ge'er, good boy, wait a moment."

Xu Zaijing bowed slightly in agreement.

The Empress turned her head and glanced at her personal female official beside her.

The personal maid understood and was about to leave when the maid at the door bowed and announced, "Your Majesty, Lady Xu, Lady Gu, Madam Wu, Lady Chai, and Lady Rong have all arrived."

Upon hearing the announcement, Xu Zaijing quickly stood up from his chair.

"Please come in, everyone."

The Empress smiled and spoke softly.

"Yes."

The female official bowed in response.

Soon, several wives of officials entered in single file.

"Your humble servant, Xu Sunshi, greets Her Majesty the Empress, His Highness the Crown Prince, and Her Highness Consort Rong."

"Your subject's wife, Gu Baishi"

"."

After everyone finished exchanging greetings, the Empress smiled and said, "Please take a seat. Jing'er, you may sit as well."

"Thank you, Queen."

After the officials and their wives expressed their gratitude, they took their seats.

Lady Sun, the wife of Marquis Xu, glanced helplessly at her youngest son. When she saw Lady Chai looking at her, Lady Sun smiled apologetically at Lady Chai, who returned the smile.

Beside Madam Sun, Lady Bai, wife of Marquis Gu, had a mixture of joy and doubt in her eyes. She was joyful because a descendant she had watched grow up and who had a special connection with her had made a contribution, but she was also puzzled as to why these officials' wives had appeared together today.

Madam Wu smiled, her eyes filled with joy and envy as she looked at Xu Zaijing.

When she noticed Xu Zaijing looking at her, Madam Wu secretly slipped her hand out of her sleeve and gave Xu Zaijing a thumbs-up, her eyes full of: You lad, you're really something! You're a promising junior I've always admired.

After turning her gaze away from Madam Sun, Madam Chai looked at Xu Zaijing opposite her. Her eyes held nine parts of a mother-in-law's affection for her son-in-law, and the remaining part of her pride in her choice.

Suddenly, Madam Chai noticed the gaze of the person at the head of the table.

Upon realizing that it was Consort Rong looking at her, Madam Chai smiled slightly at Consort Rong and bowed in greeting.

Consort Rong smiled and nodded in return.

Lady Fuchang, sitting to the left, first raised her chin and glanced at Xu Zaijing, nodding slightly in satisfaction. Then, she looked at Consort Rong and the Second Prince with great delight.

Upon seeing the slightly admonishing look in Consort Rong's eyes, Lady Fuchang's eyes showed some doubt.

"Taotao, you all come out too," the Empress said with a smile.

"Yes, Queen Mother."

Gao Taotao, behind the screen, responded with a smile.

A moment later, seeing the Crown Princess emerge from behind the screen, everyone rose again to pay their respects.

After taking their seats, Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Feiyan curtsied to the Crown Princess and prepared to leave to stand behind their respective mothers.

Gao Taotao laughed and said, "Hey! Zhengzheng, Feiyan, don't rush to leave, stand by my side for a while longer."

Upon hearing this, Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Feiyan were momentarily stunned.

"What Tao Tao said is correct!" The Empress nodded with a smile.

"Yes!"

After Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Feiyan arrived, they stood to Gao Taotao's side, not far from Xu Zaijing, who was sitting in a chair.

As he smelled the delicate fragrance wafting from the side, Xu Zaijing, who had some doubts in his mind, felt somewhat confused and bewildered.

"Dong dong - dong dong -"

Listening to the sound of his own heartbeat, Xu Zaijing, feeling slightly nervous, quickly took a few deep breaths.

Xu Zaijing's mood calmed down a little, and his heartbeat slowed down.

"Dong dong - dong dong -"

Hearing the still somewhat rapid heartbeat, Xu Zaijing was immediately filled with doubt.

After carefully listening to the heartbeat, Xu Zaijing unconsciously glanced to his side and noticed that the fingers of the two noble ladies beside him, who were clutching their handkerchiefs, were trembling slightly.

Noticing Xu Zaijing's gaze, Rong Feiyan glanced at him and quickly looked away.

"Thump thump thump thump—" Xu Zaijing's heartbeat quickened.

"Lady Xu, the palace examination is over. Has Jing'er's marriage been settled?" the Empress asked gently.

Madam Sun stood up: "Your Majesty, there is still no solution. We are looking for one for him these past few days."

"Hmm! Is there a family you like?" the Empress asked.

Before Madam Sun could answer, the Empress smiled and said, "With a child as good as Jing'er, I suppose Madam Xu must have been spoiled for choice these past few days?"

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Madam Sun nodded.

Hearing the conversation between the Empress and Lady Sun, Lady Fuchang, sensing something amiss, glanced at her daughter Rong Feiyan and Chai Zhengzheng with a puzzled look, and then at Consort Rong at the head of the table.

The Empress continued, "Speaking of which, Fang'er and his younger brother are quite destined to be with Jing'er."

"Your Majesty, Jing'er is unworthy of such praise," Madam Sun quickly rose and said.

The Empress looked around at everyone and said in a resolute tone, "Lady Xu, he is a good son! Even His Majesty has said so."

Zhao Fangtong and Gao Taotao looked at Xu Zaijing and nodded in agreement.

The people in the hall looked at Xu Zaijing with deep emotion.

"Madam Xu, please have a seat."

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Madam Sun bowed.

The Empress smiled and said, "Actually, Fang'er has been begging me to find a wife for Jing-ge'er for years."

As she spoke, the Empress smiled and looked at Zhao Fang.

Upon hearing this, Lady Bai, the wife of Marquis Gu, looked at Zhao Fang and the others with disbelief in her eyes, and finally fixed her gaze on Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Feiyan.

"Your Highness, have you found it?" Madam Wu asked playfully.

Listening to the conversation, Lady Fuchang looked at Consort Rong. Seeing Consort Rong's smiling and nodding expression, Lady Fuchang's eyes were full of incomprehension.

Before Lady Fuchang could speak, Consort Rong looked at her.

Looking into her eldest daughter's eyes, Lady Fuchang ultimately said nothing.

The Empress smiled and nodded: "Of course we've found it."

After glancing at Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Feiyan, the Empress said, "I originally planned to summon the ladies to the Linshui Palace this afternoon to discuss this matter, but..."

The hall was quiet for a moment.

The Empress looked down and solemnly asked, "Lady Xu, the marriage of one's children must be arranged by the parents and the matchmaker! Today, His Majesty has ordered me to bestow a marriage upon the fifth son of the Xu family. What do you think?"

Madam Sun stood up, curtsied, and bowed her head, saying, "Your Majesty, the Xu family's current prosperity is entirely due to the favor of His Majesty and Your Majesty! Jing'er's marriage is entirely up to His Majesty and Your Majesty to decide."

"Very well!" The Empress nodded solemnly, then looked to the side and slowly said, "Madam Chai, this is..."

Upon hearing this, Chai Zhengzheng immediately looked at her mother.

Madam Chai immediately stood up, and before the Empress could finish speaking, she bowed and said urgently, "Your Majesty, I am willing! This humble woman is very willing to marry my daughter Zhengzheng to the Xu family!" Seeing this, everyone in the hall laughed.

"Alright." The Empress nodded with a smile.

Looking at the smiling Empress, Rong Feiyan nervously glanced at her older sister.

Consort Rong nodded slightly to Rong Feiyan, glared at Xu Zaijing, and then turned to look at the Empress, who was also the wife of the Marquis of Fuchang, and said softly, "Sister, the Rong family is also very willing to marry our daughter to the Xu family."

Lady Fuchang looked at her youngest daughter, who was smiling with relief, and swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

"it is good!"

The Empress smiled and turned to Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Feiyan, saying, "Zhengzheng, Feiyan, what do you two think? If we don't like this Xu family boy, we can refuse!"

Chai Zhengzheng quickly shook her head, took a deep breath, curtsied, and said with her head bowed, "Your Majesty, I leave my marriage to Your Majesty and my mother to decide."

Rong Feiyan breathed a sigh of relief, feeling both disappointed and happy. She then curtsied and said, "Your Majesty, I leave my marriage to Your Majesty and my sister to decide."

"Very good!" The Empress continued to nod with a smile.

Gao Taotao smiled and chimed in, "Mother, when we get married, should we prepare one wedding gift or two?"

"Of course, there are two portions," the Queen said with a smile.

As she spoke, the Empress looked at Xu Zaijing below her and asked kindly, "Jing-ge'er, do you have anything to say?"

All eyes in the hall turned to Xu Zaijing.

Crown Prince Zhao Fang looked somewhat nervous, afraid that his good intentions might have backfired.

Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Feiyan's eyes held shyness, anticipation, joy, and worry, fearing that Xu Zaijing would publicly reject their marriage proposal.

Xu Zaijing stood up, bowed, and pondered for a moment before saying, "Your Majesty, I have already gained an advantage, so I will not pretend to be virtuous."

The people in the hall were taken aback when they heard this, and after a moment, soft laughter rang out.

"You kid!"

The Empress, holding a handkerchief, pointed at Xu Zaijing.

At this time,

"Ouch." Gao Taotao frowned and touched her stomach.

Before Empress Zhao Fang could ask, Gao Taotao, seeing the concerned looks on everyone's faces, waved her hand and laughed, "Perhaps sensing the joyous atmosphere in the palace, this child is kicking me!"

Everyone in the hall breathed a sigh of relief.

Seeing Zhao Fang's signal, Gao Taotao understood and stood up, saying, "Empress Dowager, ladies, I've been sitting here for too long. I'll go for a walk in the garden behind the palace."

"By the way, the younger sisters from the Li and Yao families said they haven't seen Zhengzheng and Feiyan for a while. Why don't we go together?"

The Empress smiled and nodded: "Go ahead!"

"Yes, Mother." Gao Taotao smiled, waved to Rong Feiyan and Chai Zhengzheng, bowed and said goodbye, and then walked out of the palace.

After the Empress spoke a few more words with the wives of the officials, Zhao Fang, who had been sitting uneasily, also stood up and said, "Mother, I have something to say to Jing-ge, so I will take my leave now."

With that, Zhao Fang nodded in acknowledgment and led Xu Zaijing away from the main hall.

Upon arriving outside the palace, Zhao Fang smiled as he looked at Gao Taotao waiting not far away.

After meeting up with Gao Taotao, Zhao Fang looked at Xu Zaijing and said, "The Crown Princess and I have other matters to discuss. The three of you will stay with us for now, and we will talk to you later."

"Yes, Your Highness." Xu Zaijing bowed and clasped his hands.

The other two noble ladies curtsied.

Then, the three of them walked slowly a dozen steps behind Zhao Fang and his wife.

After Zhao Fang and the Crown Princess turned into a grand hall, a female official from the Crown Princess's side came to Xu Zaijing and the other two and said, "Fifth Young Master Xu, two young ladies, the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess have not yet finished discussing their matters. The three of you may take a stroll in the garden over there."

"Thank you for your trouble." Xu Zaijing bowed and clasped his hands in greeting.

The two noble ladies behind him curtsied again.

"Young Master Xu, you're too kind! And you two young ladies, you're too kind!"

After the female official left with a smile, Xu Zaijing looked back at the garden entrance not far away and said to the two young women, "I..."

"Please, Brother Xu Wu," Rong Feiyan said.

Chai Zhengzheng smiled and nodded.

Enter the garden.

It was certainly inappropriate for the two noble ladies to confide in Xu Zaijing in front of another person.

The three, unsure of what to say, fell silent for a moment.

The three of them walked along the path for a while, one in front and two behind, looking slightly awkward.

Xu Zaijing: "Yes"

Chai Zhengzheng: "Xu"

Xu Zaijing smiled and nodded: "Miss Zhengzheng, please speak."

Chai Zhengzheng, who wanted to ask about Qi Heng's studies, hesitated for a moment, then shook her head and said, "Brother Xu Wu, you should ask him."

Xu Zaijing: "Good! I wonder if any of my fellow students from Cangzhou Prefecture who live in Guangfufang have passed the imperial examination?"

"Hmm—" Chai Zhengzheng pursed her lips and shook her head: "My name is not on the list. I'll have to take the next exam."

"Oh! What a pity."

"Is it the residence that His Majesty bestowed upon Fifth Brother Xu?" Rong Feiyan asked softly.

“Yes.” Chai Zhengzheng nodded.

Rong Feiyan smiled and glanced at Xu Zaijing: "Actually, back then, I wanted to rent it too, just like Sister Chai. I heard the scenery there is beautiful."

Xu Zaijing was somewhat surprised.

“The scenery is beautiful! Sister, you won’t need to rent a place to see the scenery in the future,” Chai Zhengzheng said with a smile.

"Mmm." Rong Feiyan nodded shyly.

"Brother Xu Wu, how is Qingcao doing lately?" Chai Zhengzheng asked.

Xu Zaijing smiled slightly: "It's fine."

The conversation gradually warmed up.

The three walked and talked, then turned a corner and disappeared into the path.

Queen's Palace

At the palace gate,
As she walked outside, Madam Sun said somewhat embarrassedly to Madam Chai and Madam Fuchang, "Thank you both for your kindness to that boy today."

Madam Chai laughed and said, "Madam Xu, what are you saying! I've liked your son terribly since the first time I saw him!"

Just as Lady Fuchang was about to speak, Consort Rong's personal maidservant approached and curtsied to everyone: "Lady Rong, Her Highness the Noble Consort requests your presence."

After speaking, the personal maid nodded to Madam Sun.

"Hmm." Lady Fuchang gave a forced bow to Madam Sun and then walked towards Consort Rong's bedroom.

After Lady Fuchang left, Madam Wu and Madam Bai said something while laughing, and both of them were hit on the arm by Madam Sun.

On the way back to her palace, Consort Rong handed her son to her personal maid.

"You go ahead, my mother and I have something to say."

"Yes, ma'am."

After dismissing the other female officials and eunuchs, Consort Rong and her mother from her maiden family walked slowly.

"Mother, are you dissatisfied with my arrangements?" Consort Rong asked.

"Your Majesty, your sister Feiyan is so beautiful, there are few in the capital who can compare! She has grown up in luxury since childhood, and she is also the aunt of a prince! She could easily be the mistress of a high-ranking family!"

"How did you end up joining the Xu family along with the Chai family?"

"Although that boy is the eldest son of a marquis, he is said to be both literate and martial, with superb martial arts skills and has made many contributions on the battlefield; after years of hard study, he became the top scholar in the imperial examinations!"

"Previously, Jian had a close relationship with the Emperor and the Crown Prince, and today she has made a great contribution at Jinming Pond! But..."

"but."

Looking at her mother, Consort Rong asked, "Mother, but what?"

Lady Fuchang said dejectedly, "But it's not good for two women to serve one husband!"

Consort Rong sighed softly and said, "Mother, as I told you before, the Xu family and Xu Wulang have made so many contributions, but the rewards from the palace are actually not much!"

Lady Fuchang: "I know, your brother said it, isn't it all for the sake of getting rewards from the Crown Prince later?"

Consort Rong: "Hmm. Erlang is right! But today is different from the past! Xu Wulang not only saved His Highness the Crown Prince again, but also His Majesty and the Empress, as well as the officials and ministers of the court."

“From this day forward, Xu Wulang will stay at home and do nothing, at least he will rest with the country.”

"Will Feiyan have no good days ahead?"

As they spoke, the group arrived at Consort Rong's bedchamber.

After dismissing everyone else again, Consort Rong led her mother from her maternal family to a quiet room in the palace.

“Mother, I was born from my heart’s deepest vow and sincere prayers! For the Rong family and for my younger brother and sister! My kind-hearted sister, the Empress, made an exception and discussed this matter with Madam Chai for my sake.”

"Otherwise, Feiyan will most likely enter the Xu family as a concubine!"

Lady Fuchang shook her head helplessly and said, "But it's not necessarily because of the boy's supernatural abilities that you asked the Second Prince to come."

Consort Rong paused for a moment, then shook her head and said, "Mother, I dare not take any chances with this matter, lest I inadvertently implicate my son and the Rong family."

(End of this chapter)