Xie Ming

She was so charming, but Xiao Gong was oblivious to her feelings, and his rambling words ruined the mood.

Hearing that he was being hypocritical and making a jarring digression, Chen Wanying blinked and had no choice but to agree with him.

"The Duke is indeed a man of great talent."

"Well, what is it?" Ying Qianyan continued the conversation.

Upon hearing this, Xiao panicked but didn't realize he had misunderstood and gone against the girl's wishes. Instead, he continued reading aloud, displaying his scholarly knowledge.

"Uh, hehe."

"It's nothing."

"Oh, right, I just remembered that when Su Dongpo was exiled to Lingnan, he wrote a short poem."

"this."

"Feeding old horses with Rehmannia glutinosa can make them reflect light like a mirror."

“I have heard Bai Juyi’s words, which are a metaphor for Ma Shi’s situation.”

"I am old and frail, my ears droop and my spirit is weak."

"Transplanted to fertile soil, they flourish and vie for a new spring."

"As you can see, this thing is indeed nourishing and beneficial, and has many wonderful uses."

The poems and prose were sung in a mediocre manner.

Having said that, Xiao Lang, shaking his head and swaying, strode forward on his own.

When he stopped talking and turned around to look at the girl behind him, he realized that she had a half-smile on her face and a playful look in her eyes.

Only after completing the course did I realize that my impulsive decision to do so was indeed pretentious and exaggerated.

It is said that in the Jiangnan region, there are many scholarly families.

Although the second young lady is currently a young girl in her boudoir, she must be quite accomplished in poetry and literature. With household chores to rely on, and if she puts in the effort, she is certainly not an ordinary person who is illiterate.

Such a beautiful garden, a world unto itself, how could someone who would bother to cultivate medicinal herbs within it not understand its beauty and its origins?

As a rough and uncouth martial artist, it's quite annoying that I'm here now, trying to imitate such refined manners by reciting classical phrases.

As the saying goes, "Selling calligraphy and paintings in front of the sage's door, reciting the Classic of Filial Piety in front of the Master's door."

Utterly embarrassing, utterly foolish.

Xiao was filled with remorse and frustration. He couldn't help but make a self-deprecating remark, feeling utterly ashamed.

"Uh, please forgive my rudeness. I'm sure Miss Er is well aware of all this."

“Showing off, showing off.”

Feeling embarrassed, Xiao chuckled sheepishly, no longer able to put on airs, instead revealing the honest and simple appearance of a martial artist.

Upon hearing this, and looking at her again, Wanying was quite surprised and unprepared.

It's truly unbelievable that this powerful figure, who commanded 100,000 troops and held real power in the Southern Court, had this side to him.

With a lingering gaze, once the eyes are fixed on something, they unknowingly become so engrossed that they burst into laughter, covering their faces with their sleeves.

"Hehe." Then, with a sweet and melodious voice, her eyebrows curved with joy.

"Lord Duke, you..."

“You are completely different from what I previously thought.”

Her almond-shaped eyes were bright and watery, and her cheeks were flushed.

"Yes, it's very good!"

Unexpectedly, this sentence suddenly appeared, difficult to hear clearly, as if murmuring to oneself.

Immediately, Wanying hesitated and walked forward again.

"Oh?"

What does this mean?

Xiao Jingchuan, standing behind, asked a superfluous question.

It's best not to explain anything further about my daughter's thoughts.

Just then, after turning a corner past a white wall and using a rockery as cover, Chen Wanying deftly moved her graceful steps and hid in the winding path.

It vanished in an instant, leaving only a few words behind.

"Um, it's nothing."

Before Xiao could even look around, suddenly, the woman appeared, smiling, and with the ease of an elf, she peeked out from the other end of the arched bridge.

“These rocks have truly remained unchanged.”

"How wonderful!"

“Yes, now that we’re visiting the garden again, it’s hard not to think back to my childhood.”

"Back then, my sister and I lived in this garden for several winters and summers." "We often played among the rocks and medicinal herbs."

She lingered in her yellow dress on the stone bridge, her slender fingers tracing the stone pillars at the bridgehead, her tone turning melancholy.

Xiao Jingchuan stood to her side, neither too close nor too far, simply gazing at her silently without interrupting or speaking to her.

With a soft sigh, a touch of melancholy suddenly appeared in Wanying's eyes.

"Your Excellency, Wan, Wanying doesn't know whether she should ask or not."

"But speaking of my elder sister, there have been many changes in the palace lately. Is she alright?"

Xiao couldn't reply, but unexpectedly, Miss Chen, fearing some kind of hindrance, suddenly felt a sense of grievance attached to her.

“You don’t know, my sister’s status has been different ever since she was selected to enter the palace more than a year ago.”

"My sister and I never saw each other again."

"No matter how much I miss them, I cannot be summoned. The palace walls are thick, and the court's regulations bind me."

Wanying nodded and murmured to herself, her pitiful appearance catching Xiao Lang's eye.

Having no other option, their businesses had to resort to exporting goods at a discounted rate.

"Ah, you, you mean the Empress Dowager."

When Xiao Qi opened his mouth, Chen Wanying immediately looked up and gazed expectantly.

"The Empress Dowager is well and safe, so the Second Miss can rest assured."

With such certainty, at the very least, Xiao Jue was not wrong.

However, looking at the beautiful woman before him, her face was frosty and sorrowful, and she remained sullen, with little change in her expression.

To understand the fickleness of human relationships, it's hard to say whether it's genuine pity or just a calculated transaction. In any case, once the door is opened, no amount of promises can be made.

"Heh, you really don't need to be like this."

"Now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, some of the old, trivial rules in the palace are being reinstated."

"If you are interested in meeting the sisters in the palace, I may be able to arrange it for you."

At this opportune moment, Xiao was able to deliver the gift, which was exactly what he wanted.

Really?

As expected, upon hearing this, Chen Wanying's eyes lit up again, and she quickly shook off her worries.

"The Duke truly intends to make arrangements for Wanying, I..."

And to show his gratitude, the woman bowed nimbly, and as she spoke, she gently pushed him away and lowered her head.

Seeing this, how could Xiao not help her up?
"Hey, get up, get up quickly."

While they were talking, the two of them huddled together again.

Wanying's thoughts and admiration were evident in her eyes.

Kan was lifted from Xiao's arms and brought back. A glance at her, and even Xiao was stunned by her beauty.

The enchanting autumn scenery, our eyes met as we strolled together.

They walked to the side again, chatting and laughing side by side, no longer as they had before.

After wandering around, I bid farewell to the refined living environment and the tranquility of books.

As you stroll and move around, the atmosphere changes abruptly, and you are immersed in the beauty of nature.

Suddenly, the view opened up before me, revealing the Azure Sky Mountain House.

The hall was bright and spacious, as if it had been washed clean.

Looking out from the railing, there is a pool of water nearby, so green it seems to melt away.

The water surface is not very wide, but it appears deep due to the artificial hills piled up on the opposite bank.

The rocks are made of Taihu stones, which are thin, wrinkled, porous and transparent, layer upon layer, and a small path is unexpectedly made.

A glimpse of the eaves of a small pavilion is visible. The pavilion seems to be right in front of you, but if you were to actually go there, you would probably have to walk around half the garden.

Xiao and Chen loved to travel and were greedy for time.

Under the warm sun, the scenery comes alive as you walk along the waterfront promenade.

Water flows beneath your feet, reflecting the clouds in the sky, the mountain peaks and pavilions, and the willows along the corridors. When the wind blows, everything is shattered, turning into a pool of trembling gold and jade fragments.

The artificial hill on the opposite bank, with its ever-changing scenery, reveals its exquisite beauty.

The cave has a secluded entrance, and the stone bridge has an arch. An old maple tree slants out from a crevice in the rock, its leaves half yellow and half red, reflected in the water, resembling a cluster of quietly burning flames.

People are immersed in the scenery, and the scenery moves with their hearts.

It's impossible to say for sure who ultimately benefited whom. (End of Chapter)