Chapter 79 Restlessness

Chapter 79 Restlessness

He was shamefully timid and took several steps back.

After moving to the carriage next to him, he simply didn't have the courage to go out at that moment.

He had never been so timid, not even on the battlefield, as if going out would disrupt the harmony.

Everyone will be unhappy.

He was so nervous that he could barely breathe. He could only listen to their conversation like a voyeur and watch them walk into the Pingyang Marquis's residence one after the other.

"Prince Jing!"

Xue Yubai's voice was like a thunderclap, pulling him out of his previous emotions.

He turned his head blankly. Xue Yubai, Xue Qingning, and the rest of the Xue family were all looking at him and bowing to him.

He composed himself, his voice heavy: "Yu Bai!"

"Why are you standing at the door?" Xue Yubai asked, somewhat puzzled.

Xue Qingning caught sight of the fiery red dress disappearing at the entrance of the Pingyang Marquis's residence, and her usually cool face instantly turned icy.

"It's nothing, let's go!" Xie Yan turned around and walked with Xue Yubai.

Xue Qingning kept a distance to avoid suspicion, and walked towards the Pingyang Marquis's residence with her head down.

After entering the Pingyang Marquis's residence and offering birthday greetings, Xue Yubai had someone lead them to the study in the backyard.

Xie Yan's eyes unconsciously searched through the crowd, looking for that splash of red.

But... to his disappointment, he couldn't see her no matter what he did.

In my memory, she always seemed to be by his side; no matter how fierce the argument, he could see her as soon as he looked up.

It was the kind of thing that was hard to avoid seeing, and it used to annoy him to no end.

But now...

The servant led them into the quiet study.

They simply sat by the window in the courtyard.

The weather is overcast today, with no wind or rain.

"Xie Yan, you seem to have something on your mind today!" Xue Yubai leaned against the window, staring at him.

Xie Yan gazed out of the moon gate, where guests occasionally passed by.

"If you encounter Bai, don't ask."

His voice sounded inexplicably strained and painful, as if he was trying his best to hide something!

This caused a flicker of surprise in Xue Yubai's eyes, and the corners of his eyes, which had been raised, drooped down.

He and Xie Yan had known each other since they were six or seven years old. Because his grandfather was the Grand Tutor, he was able to accompany the prince as a student and go in and out of the palace with his grandfather every day.

Their friendship was established around that time.

It can be said that there were never any secrets between them; they were always completely honest with each other.

Xue Yubai forced a nonchalant smile: "You can tell me when you're ready to."

Xie Yan sat silently, the scene from earlier replaying in his mind over and over again.

Shen Nanzi went out early in the morning to see Xie Yu. Where did they go? What did they do?

And that day at Zuixianlou, in front of Qihuadian, in the flower and bird hut...

Scene after scene repeats itself.

Why is Xie Yu delaying his marriage?

If it's because of Shen Nanzi, then what should we do?

Should he let them be together?

...But why did he feel a vague sense of resentment?

There were also other emotions that I couldn't control.

Xie Yan desperately suppressed his emotions, preventing them from growing and becoming uncontrollable.

“Xie Yan,” Xue Yubai said as usual, “we have everything prepared and there is no way to retreat.”

"Let's wait and see how things unfold." He paused for a moment.

"My fate is intertwined with yours, Qingning and Hongrui, and the other loyal ministers. There is no room for error."

"She was an intruder, someone who shouldn't have been there in the first place."

“I understand your guilt and self-blame, but we can make up for it in other ways.”

"Only by returning to the original position can we avoid shaking the foundation."

“You have suffered so much. If all your efforts are wasted, countless people will be implicated.”

"They are loyal to you and have staked their lives on you."

"If you make a mistake, all your hard work will be in vain, and in the end, blood will flow like a river."

Xie Yan withdrew his gaze, his upright back slumped against the wall as if deflated, and his thin lips parted slightly.

"Of course I understand!"

Upon hearing his words, Xue Yubai smiled, leaned his head against the wall, and relaxed with some relief.

The two sat idly for a while, then a servant came to invite them to begin the banquet.

…

Next to the bookstore was a side room, where light and shadow shone on the screen inside.

The screen inlaid with purple bamboo blocked out all the light, making it impossible to see the faces of the people inside.

Only one delicate hand reached out, "Take it! She can't stay!"

Lin Ruyi's cheek twitched slightly as she took a wooden box about the size of a finger.

The wooden box was wood-colored. She opened it gently, and inside was an inconspicuous silver needle.

"After applying anesthetic powder, a simple prick will leave the patient unaware, and the symptoms will take effect within an hour."

Lin Ruyi listened, a crazy thought flashing through her eyes, "Can it only be used once?"

"Give it a try, it might work."

Lin Ruyi smiled and put away the wooden box. "Don't worry, after today, all grudges will be forgotten."

"Madam Hou, the banquet is about to begin!" The maid outside reminded her at that moment.

Lin Ruyi stopped smiling and left without saying a word.

...

The banquet begins.

The Pingyang Marquis's residence was packed with guests, and the ordinary seats were almost overflowing.

However, the scene at the head of the main hall is quite different.

On the sandalwood mat, exquisite candied fruits and fresh delicacies were laid out, and guests chatted quietly or chuckled as they raised their cups.

Although the seats were full, the place exuded a low-key elegance.

The arrival of the Emperor and Consort Wei instantly elevated the prestige of the Pingyang Marquis's residence to its peak.

Amidst the constant congratulations, the Marquis of Pingyang never closed his mouth.

Xie Yan looked at Xie Yu at the same table until his anxiety temporarily subsided.

They're not together right now, at least not yet.

Shen Nanzi was probably seated in the women's section, such as the flower hall.

Knowing her unforgiving nature, I wonder if she'll cause trouble again.

Amidst the clinking of glasses, Xie Yan noticed a slight commotion.

A maid was walking briskly back and forth, heading directly towards the women's seating area.

Xie Yan had a feeling that something was wrong, so he summoned Wu Ying and whispered to him, "Go and find out from the female guests what happened just now?"

Xue Yubai listened quietly to the side, without saying a word.

Before long, Wuying returned and whispered in Xie Yan's ear.

"It's nothing serious, someone just spilled soup on Princess Jing's skirt."

Xie Yan frowned; sure enough, something had happened to her again. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I took a look and it was spilled below the waist. Princess Jing was wearing a white veil today, so it was quite noticeable. She was taken away by a maid to change her clothes."

Wuying spoke of it casually, as he considered it nothing more than a trivial matter.

Xie Yan frowned, fidgeting, and felt uneasy.

He had never felt this way before, like a sad person who always thinks the worst of things.

Xie Yan wasn't usually like that, but today he just felt absent-minded.

I can't wait a moment longer, I have to see Shen Nanzi and Xie Chengze.

"Prince Jing, where are you going?" Xue Yubai looked up. "Would you like me to accompany you?"

"No need, I'll go to the bathroom." Xie Yan got up.