"Brother?" Xie Wangzhi shuddered and sat up. She thought for a moment and said, "Then let them in. Go prepare some food."
The maids waiting in the yard responded in unison. Luzhu went out to lead the way, while Qingyu and Hongyun went to the small kitchen to get some delicious snacks. The rest set up the table and chairs, waiting for the two gentlemen to arrive.
After a while, Luzhu brought people over, but only Xie Yun was there, and there was no trace of Xie Yezhi.
Xie Wangzhi was originally prepared to deal with this annoying half-brother, but when he saw Xie Yunzhi, he was stunned for a moment: "... Brother? Why are you the only one here?"
"I guess you don't want to see him, so just find an excuse to send him away." Xie Yunzhi sat down at the table, and without waiting for the maid to make tea, he naturally picked up a piece of rice cake and took a bite.
"That's good." Xie Wangzhi said, "I really don't want to see him."
"He has no ability and can't even get a job as a clerk. He doesn't want to make a name for himself but wants to take advantage of you. He is not worthy." Xie Yunzhi rarely said harsh words, but this matter really annoyed him. "I have inquired about it. The last time he called people to his house, let's not talk about the Xiao and Zheng families, but the two from the Du and Sun families are complete playboys. They say they have no wives or concubines, but they have a whole yard of prostitutes at home."
Xie Wangzhi was also annoyed, especially the one from the Sun family, but she didn't like to talk about people behind their backs, so she just frowned and said, "Forget it, brother, let's just postpone it next time. Just say that I'm not feeling well and won't see guests."
"I'm sorry to have wronged you." Xie Yunzhi saw that his sister was a little unhappy, so he stopped provoking her. After a pause, a smile appeared on his face, "Let's not talk about this. I want to talk to you about something serious."
"What?"
"Listen." Xie Yunzhi looked around and waved his hand deliberately, signaling the maids in the courtyard to move away. Then he moved closer to Xie Wangzhi and said, "The person Sanlang found is not good. I guess you don't like him, but you are fifteen years old. You have to think about this. Let me ask you, are you thinking about someone in your heart?"
Xie Wangzhi's face instantly turned red, and he moved aside, twisting his sleeves unnaturally: "...Brother, why are you suddenly talking about this? I don't have this in mind for the time being."
It would have been fine if he hadn't avoided it, but with his face reddening, Xie Yunzhi always felt that something was wrong. But he knew his limits and couldn't force this matter. Although he was anxious to know which bastard had made his beloved sister think of him, he didn't ask any more questions, but only raised his eyebrows: "That's fine. If someone is chosen, remember to tell my brother, and I'll help you find out."
"Do you have a candidate for sister-in-law?" Xie Wangzhi hesitated for a while, then turned the tables, "I heard Madam and Father discussing about arranging a marriage for you a few days ago."
"... You are awesome." Xie Yunzhi was caught off guard and poked by Xie Wangzhi. What else could he do? Mi Jin stopped eating. "I don't have the heart to do that. I'll start a career first and then start a family. Otherwise, I'll just be a burden to innocent people. Besides..."
He almost blurted out what happened in the court recently. Xie Yunzhi reacted suddenly, bit his tongue, and swallowed his words. It was better not to know these things. Before Xie Wangzhi found out something was wrong, he pretended to be tired and stood up: "Then I won't bother you, I'll go back now. If Sanlang comes to bother you again, just fight back."
"Okay." Xie Wangzhi also stood up, "I'll take you out."
Xie Yunzhi smiled slightly and did not refuse.
Xie Wangzhi's yard was not big, and it was only a few steps from the front of the house to the last gate. After passing the pavilions and waterside pavilions and arriving in front of the Moon Gate, Xie Yunzhi suddenly stopped and looked back at his sister: "I won't ask too much, but think about it carefully. Are you in a hurry about this matter? Do you have a choice in mind?"
"No hurry, no." After all, she was a fifteen-year-old girl. When talking about this, Xie Wangzhi felt a little shy, but she was frank and looked directly at Xie Yunzhi, "I don't think about this, brother, don't think about it, it's better to think about yourself."
She blushed just now, but now she is frank. This is strange. Xie Yunzhi found that he couldn't figure out his sister's thoughts. He shook his head and patted her on the head gently: "Let's go. Remember to find me if you have anything."
"Okay. Take care, brother."
Watching Xie Yunzhi go out of the Moon Gate, Xie Wangzhi turned back to the yard, sat down on the low couch, casually pushed away the coal balls, and fished out the purse. Wang specially invited an embroiderer from the Suzhou Embroidery Workshop to teach her. Compared with the past, the embroidery of this purse has improved a lot, and with just a few stitches, she was able to embroider a nimble black cat.
This purse was of course embroidered for Li Qishen, and he wanted to have someone send it to him before June. Xie Wangzhi stroked the slightly undulating embroidery patterns on it, thinking of the handsome young man, and smiled unconsciously.
Not to mention the playboys Xie Yezhi had called over, Xie Wangzhi had come into contact with the famous good men in Chang'an City, but she never had any feelings for them. At most, she admired them and forgot about them the next day. The only person who really made her think about them and toss and turn at night was Li Qishen.
She wanted to know how Li Qishen was doing in Fengzhou, what he looked like now, and who he had met.
…reciting.
— “Is there someone you’re thinking about in your heart?”
Xie Wangzhi suddenly remembered what Xie Yunzhi said earlier, and she shuddered, and the purse in her hand felt hot. She was flustered and lost her purse for the second time today.
The girl sitting on the couch swallowed, glanced at her purse, and suddenly raised her hands to cover her face.
Coal Ball, who was watching the whole process from the side, was puzzled. He meowed, stretched out his paw and slapped the purse.
**
Xie Wangzhi's marriage was being considered by his family. Li Qishen was far away in Fengzhou and had no family there, but that wasn't much better.
In the 14th year of Xianyuan, the 4th year of Fengzhou, after following Li Rongjin to repel the Turks several times, this young general became famous. Speaking of Li Qishen, let's not talk about what he did in the Tiande Army. The first year he arrived at the grassland, he won the horse archery competition and kicked the golden sunflower away with one foot, which was legendary enough.
The people of the grasslands are martial and open-minded. If they like a man, young ladies dare to go to the door to propose marriage. Li Qishen had never seen such a situation before, so he did not dare to go out for several days and hid in Tiande Military City.
The young ladies avoided him, but he also attracted a lot of ridicule. The one who liked to laugh at him the most was Li Rongjin. Today he came again, lifted his skirt and sat down next to his nephew, patting his shoulder: "You are so lucky, Alia and Uyahan both miss you, I heard that they made a bet behind their backs, betting on who can win you."
"I'm not an object." Li Qishen was annoyed when he heard this. He didn't dislike the cheerfulness and open-mindedness of grassland women. It was comfortable to be their friends, but when he thought about becoming their wives, he felt uncomfortable all over. He quickly shook his head and said, "Forget it. Let them compete for the most beautiful grassland. Don't involve me."
"There's nothing you can do about it. It's your fault." Li Rongjin smiled. "How about I give you an idea?"
Li Qishen had a hunch that something was wrong, so he decided to counter it: "You talk, I'm listening."
"This is simple. They miss you because you are young, beautiful, and good at fighting. Grassland women like this. They can't stand young boys. They always think that a strong husband who can protect them can make their life smooth and comfortable..."
"I understand." Li Qishen felt that it was inappropriate to continue talking, so he interrupted, "Uncle, just tell me how to deal with them."
"…Okay." Li Rongjin patted his nephew's shoulder, "They know what they are doing and will never try to steal someone else's husband. As long as you have a partner, they will definitely not bother you."
Li Qishen understood that Li Rongjin was just bored and wanted to be his matchmaker. He thought about it and pretended to be stupid: "This is not good, Jialuo and I are cousins..."
"Go!" Li Rongjin knew that he was talking nonsense on purpose, so he raised his hand to scare him, but didn't really hit him. "If you keep talking nonsense, I will really hit you."
"I don't dare anymore." Li Qishen shook his head.
"Stop joking, let's get down to business. It's not that I look down on people of Hu descent, but with your looks and the fact that you're a prince... it's probably not appropriate for you to marry a grassland girl." Li Rongjin told the truth, "The Tiande Army is full of men, and the only two I've seen growing up by my side are Jialuo and Miaoxin. Forget about Jialuo. Even if she's not your cousin, I'd be embarrassed to marry this bastard to you. It's cheating. The only thing left is..."
"Mrs. Liang?"
Hearing Li Qishen calling her so unfamiliarly, and his tone not being shy, Li Rongjin knew that this might not work, but he didn't want to give up: "Oh, yes, it's Miaoxin. I watched Miaoxin grow up. Although she is a little soft-tempered, women, being too tough will make you uncomfortable. Her temper is just right. From now on, you have the final say at home."
"I am a rough man, I don't know poetry and songs, and I don't know what young men like. I just went home and had hot meals and a warm bed. Miaoxin is a good cook, she can sew and mend, and she is good enough to take care of you." Li Rongjin continued, "Your status is here, so you have to be careful about your background. Her family background is clean, so you can rest assured, but her parents died early, which is not a good thing."
Li Qishen lowered his eyes and said nothing.
"But this is easy to solve. If you are willing," Li Rongjin paused, "I am her family member."
Li Qishen's pupils shrank.
In the end, all the above is nonsense. There are so many women in the world, thousands of them are gentle and can wash clothes and cook, but few can make the governor of Fengzhou and the general of Tiande Army become their mother's family. This is what Li Rongjin meant. Liang Zhenlian is nothing special, but once she is tied to the Tiande Army, she is a bargaining chip, so heavy that she can even pull the scale by herself.
"Think about it carefully." Li Rongjin pressed his shoulder and rarely addressed himself like this. "Uncle will not harm you, nor will he force you, but you have to think it through."
Li Qishen didn't say anything. He lowered his eyes and looked at his hands on his knees. When he blinked, the golden fragments in his pupils flickered.
Li Rongjin certainly knew the weight of these words. He was not in a hurry to hear a reply and waited quietly for Li Qishen to figure it out.
After waiting for a while, the young man sitting next to him suddenly raised his eyes, his brows relaxed, and a very relaxed smile appeared on his face, with a three-point of the lightness unique to this age. At first glance, he looked like a dissolute and romantic young man.
"I thought about it and decided that this wouldn't work." He smiled, "I've already given away everything my mother left me as a betrothal gift."
The author has something to say: Changsheng hadn't realized at this time, at least he didn't realize that he liked Wangzhi just for the sake of arguing. But he did give up a very important opportunity for Wangzhi and for his own freedom_(:3)∠)_
Don't rush to comment, our little general will return to Chang'an tomorrow~