Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Zhong Xue was undoubtedly quite striking. His appearance in the Zhao Palace caused quite a stir, drawing the attention of many noble men and women. Even the serving maids and eunuchs couldn't help but steal glances, eager to see what the renowned Chengyang Jun looked like.
Most men sighed that Chengyang Jun didn't have any more impressive features than anyone else, while the women couldn't help but resent Princess Ying. What merit did she have to marry such a husband?
In fact, this Princess Ying was truly an anomaly in the Zhao royal family. The Zhao Empress had given birth to three sons and two daughters, and with several other illegitimate children, there were easily over a dozen offspring. Zhao Wang was quite handsome in his youth, and his sons were all strikingly good-looking, while his daughters were exceptionally beautiful, making them the envy of many. Only this Princess Ying, with her figure, seemed to sit like a mountain when she took her place, creating an overwhelming presence. However, this also had its advantages; losing her would be nearly impossible to overlook, and upon entering the main hall, she would be the first thing one noticed.
The moment Princess Ying saw Zhong Xue, a rare blush appeared on her face. She shyly lowered her head, seemingly enamored by her distinguished and imposing husband.
However, Zhong Xue ignored her completely and nodded slightly toward the seated Zhao Wang. “Chengyang Jun greets Zhao Wang.”
As a son-in-law who was not a ruler himself, he was expected to show respect as a junior. His casual demeanor drew curious glances from those present in Zhao. Some passionate young nobles stood up, ready to voice their grievances.
Zhao Wang smiled and said, “Lord Jun, how have you been?” He seemed unperturbed, stroking his beard with a smile that suggested he was growing fonder of his son-in-law by the moment. This made it awkward for others; those who had stood up sat back down.
Zhao Empress quickly instructed someone to set up seats. Zhong Xue thanked her, and the Queen smiled, saying, “We are all family here; no need for formality.”
Zhong Xue nodded and took his seat. His position was placed before all the other young nobles, suggesting he held precedence over the Zhao Country Princes. Some of the princes frowned slightly, perhaps displeased.
San Chun sat next to Zhong Xue. When she saw him appear, Ji Xun momentarily froze in surprise, opening his mouth as if to say something but then hesitating.
Upon noticing the maid sitting beside him, San Chun felt a surge of anger. How dare a mere servant enter such a space? Did he truly consider her his?
Feeling resentful, she didn’t want to meet his gaze at that moment and turned her eyes elsewhere when suddenly she spotted Qing.
Taken aback for a moment, she wondered why Qing was here.
Qing noticed her too and looked slightly surprised. He raised an eyebrow at her. They exchanged glances but couldn’t decipher each other's thoughts; nonetheless, they managed to convey some joy through their expressions.
At this time on the high platform, Zhao Wang and Zhong Xue had exchanged pleasantries for a few moments and seemed to be sharing some amusing stories as they laughed heartily together.
After a while, seeing that all the guests had arrived in the hall, Zhao Wang announced loudly: “Today I am fortunate to have invited Wei Kingdom Chengyang Jun and Qin Prince, along with three renowned young nobles in attendance; my banquet shines even brighter.”
Hearing this, Zhao Empress couldn’t help but chuckle lightly and said, “Your Majesty is truly thick-skinned; you include your own son among them.”
Zhao Wang laughed heartily. “It is my great fortune that Zhi’er can take a seat among them.”
Seeing the old couple singing praises of their son, it seems there is nothing wrong with their admiration. This shows their affection for Ji Xun, and it's no wonder he faces jealousy from his brothers.
Qing Weiwei smiled, "It's just that Crown Prince Yan is missing; otherwise, the Four Young Masters would be complete. How coincidental that the four of us have been renowned for some years yet have never gathered together."
As he spoke, Zhong Xue and Ji Xun's gazes involuntarily turned towards San Chun.
San Chun seemed not to hear them; she was playing with the wine goblet in her hand, lightly flicking her fingers to produce a crisp yet slightly dull sound, clearly made of fine bronze. She poured herself some wine and took a small sip, the aroma wafting up—truly excellent wine.
Seeing her drink cup after cup, Zhong Xue felt a bit worried and softly advised, "Drinking alone can harm your health; you should eat some food first."
Zhong Xue had always been the center of attention among everyone; his every move was particularly scrutinized. The crowd noticed how gentle he was towards San Chun and couldn't help but feel curious, frequently glancing in her direction.
Zhao Empress, being the mother of Princess Ying, was the most anxious and couldn't help but ask, "Who is this lady?"
San Chun didn't know how to introduce herself; aside from her true identity being off-limits, she was just an unknown individual. Just as she was about to say she was from Wei Kingdom, she heard two voices in the hall simultaneously say, "This is my sworn sister."
The speakers were Qing and Zhong Xue.
If Qing claimed her as a sworn sister, it could be explained since they shared more of a sibling bond. But Zhong Xue? Why would he say that?
She was well aware of his feelings towards her; they could be friends or enemies, even having had intimate moments together, but they absolutely could not be related as siblings.
Not only San Chun was curious; everyone in the hall showed expressions of surprise. It wasn't unusual for Qin Prince to have a sworn sister or for Wei Kingdom Chengyang Jun to have one either. However, if both Qin Prince and Wei Kingdom Chengyang Jun's sworn sister were the same person, that would indeed be remarkable.
Zhao Wang stroked his beard and laughed, "I must not be getting old and hard of hearing; surely I heard wrong."
Just as Qing was about to speak, Zhong Xue interjected, "Your Majesty did not hear wrong; San Chun is indeed my sworn sister and also the sworn sister of Qin Prince Qiu Lan. We are bound by an oath of brotherhood and have both received life-saving grace from her."
San Chun secretly rolled her eyes at this statement, thinking that Zhong Xue truly had a talent for fabrication. Qing had saved her life, but as for him—they should be considered mortal enemies instead.
Ji Xun also felt quite astonished; this certainly did not sound like something Zhong Xue would say.
In just this short moment, San Chun's status skyrocketed from an unknown woman to the sworn sister of two prominent young masters. While it was one thing to be Qin Prince Qiu Lan's sworn sister, being Chengyang Jun's sworn sister held a status that rivaled any princess from any nation.
For a moment, she became the flower that everyone admired, with several noble young men casting their attentive gazes her way, and some even began to inquire about the preferences of this adopted sister.
San Chun, however, sat uneasily, feeling a strange discomfort. When had she ever needed to rely on someone else's reputation to gain prominence?
Today, Zhao Wang appeared very pleased, drinking several cups and becoming intoxicated, requiring assistance from the eunuchs to rest in the inner hall. After he left, the banquet quickly came to an end.
San Chun, unable to catch up with Qing Xu, hurried out of Zhao Palace and eagerly asked Zhong Xue, "What do you want?"
Zhong Xue smiled slightly. "Are you scared? Anxious? Or do you think I might harm you?"
It was a lie to say she wasn't afraid; he was always unpredictable in his actions. Even when he harmed others, they still felt grateful to him. Just like her—before that incident, she had always thought he was a good person. She took a deep breath. "Just be straightforward with me. What are your intentions? No need for circumlocution."
Zhong Xue's face suddenly bore a hint of sadness as he spoke softly, "What else could I want? You hate me so much that you naturally think everything I do is wrong. The only reason I am doing this is to help you."
She didn't believe him. "Help me with what?"
He countered, "Do you really intend to marry Ji Xun?"
Was she going to marry him? She hesitated slightly in her heart but nodded in front of him. She thought to herself that this had been her wish for many years; she and Ji Xun were mutually affectionate, something no one could easily tear apart.
Zhong Xue chuckled bitterly. "Your heart truly hasn't changed. I'm only doing this so that you two can be together. Even if you are the Daughter of Ju Rong and have become Gongzi Qiulan's adopted sister, it doesn't guarantee you can marry Ji Xun. Only if you are Chengyang Jun's sister can your wishes be fulfilled. With my current prestige in the Seven Kingdoms, I can promise you to anyone; the kings of all nations would have no choice but to accept."
San Chun looked at him suspiciously. When did he become such a kind-hearted person?
"You don't believe me?"
"I don't."
"Alright then, consider it compensation for what I did to you back then. I truly made mistakes and have regretted them all along. Since you're no longer who you used to be, shall we start over? Just like when we first met—if you treat me sincerely, I will treat you sincerely too. We can be friends or siblings; I will treat you like a sister. If you want to marry Ji Xun, I will help you fulfill that wish. Whatever you want, I will help you achieve it, as long as you can forgive me..."
His expression was so sincere, and his words were so touching that San Chun felt moved... She truly felt his sadness and regret; perhaps he really regretted the things he had done.
She sighed. "Actually, I also wish we could go back to how things were before."
Returning to the days when the two supported each other, back to the calm life at Proton Manor, without the shadow of war, where the young masters from several countries got along well. She and he could happily chat over tea like friends, with no barriers or suspicions between them.
He gently took her hand and said, "As long as you can trust me, don't worry. I will do my best to make it up to you and ensure your happiness."
"Mm." She nodded involuntarily.
With their hands intertwined, both of them wore happy smiles, truly resembling a pair of long-lost friends.
Kazama watched from the side and couldn't help but roll his eyes dramatically. What kind of nonsense was this? Lord Jun was going to give his woman away as a daughter-in-law, or rather as his sister; how could he think this was a reliable situation?
It wasn't that he didn't trust Zhong Xue, but he simply didn't see Lord as such a good person. So when San Chun left, he boldly asked, "Is Lord really going to hand her over?"
"Shut up." Zhong Xue bluntly replied.
Was he out of his mind? Giving happiness to someone else—what would happen to his own happiness? Moreover, he didn't believe that San Chun would find happiness just by following Ji Xun.
Kazama wiped his face, unsure if it was just in his mind or if he had actually gotten some saliva on him. He suddenly realized that he understood Lord too well; his character was indeed just as people outside said—one could never guess which cloud in their family might bring rain.
Comment 0 Comment Count