Seeing that even the highly-ranked officials who had served two dynasties met unfavorable ends at Xu Ge’s hands, the courtiers immediately became subdued, fearing they might become the next target of public criticism.
“Jin Zhi, why are you late today? I was waiting for you to take the first shot to open the game.” Emperor Wei chuckled twice, raising his hand to beckon Xu Ge, signaling him to rise.
“I encountered something that had to be done, so I was delayed.” Xu Ge stood up steadily, looking at the man in the Dragon Robe above him with neither humility nor arrogance.
“Hmm?” Emperor Wei was taken aback, teasingly asking him, “What matter is it that you, Commander Xu, absolutely must attend to?”
Seeing Xu Ge press his lips together without speaking, Emperor Wei, who had known Xu Ge’s temperament since childhood, did not press further. He summoned a maid to escort him to the shaded pavilion designated for Xu Manor.
“Your Majesty, I have heard that Lord Xu has long passed the age of capping, yet there is not even a single concubine or maid in his manor. Why is that?”
The speaker wore a green gauze robe embroidered with large peonies, her black hair styled into a high bun with a jade phoenix hairpin on each side.
At the back of her head was a gold hairpin adorned with red jade droplets and a phoenix, a necklace of red gemstones set in jade around her neck, and coral-red jade bracelets on her wrists.
Her appearance was enchanting, her figure alluring.
This person was the birth mother of the current Third Prince, Wei Zichen—Imperial Consort Shi.
Her hands, painted with bright red nail polish, held a segment of tangerine, which she gently offered to Emperor Wei’s lips.
Watching Xu Ge’s tall and straight figure recede into the distance, she could not help but whisper into Emperor Wei’s ear.
Emperor Wei opened his mouth contentedly, accepting the fruit offered by the beauty, his tone tinged with melancholy.
“Jin Zhi has always had a cold and proud nature. Over the years, I have repeatedly urged him to settle down, but he simply refuses to listen to me.”
At this point, Emperor Wei became emotional.
Worried, he leaned back onto the cushion behind him, gazing toward the shaded pavilions of various families, and let out a long sigh. “Alas, I refuse to believe that among so many gentle and modest noblewomen in the imperial city, not a single one can catch his eye.”
Seeing this, Imperial Consort Shi raised her hand to cover her lips and giggled softly twice.
She then rose on her own, supported by her maid, walked behind Emperor Wei, and placed her hands on his temples, gently massaging them with her fingertips.
“Your Majesty need not worry about this.” A faint glint flashed in Imperial Consort Shi’s eyes as she spoke unhurriedly. “I heard from my father that there is a young lady in our family—slender and graceful, elegant and poised, with a refined and ethereal beauty, skin as fair as snow and as smooth as jade.”
Hearing this, Emperor Wei immediately reached out and grasped her hand, stopping her movements, and asked sidelong, “Your elder brother’s second legitimate daughter?”
“Exactly.” Upon hearing this, Imperial Consort Shi quickly withdrew her hand, her red lips curving into a smile as she nodded. “Yuan Shan has now reached the age of capping, and it is time for her to be betrothed to a good family.”
At this point, Imperial Consort Shi stood up, slowly walked to Emperor Wei’s front, and bowed deeply. “I dare to ask for a favorable marriage between my dear niece and Lord Xu.”
After she spoke, there was no response from Emperor Wei for a long time.
It was only when Imperial Consort Shi’s legs grew numb and she could barely maintain her bow that the emperor finally spoke. “Though your intentions are good, Jin Zhi may not appreciate your kindness.”
Imperial Consort Shi looked up just in time to see Emperor Wei extending his hand toward her.
A radiant smile spread across her face, and she placed her jade-like hand in his, feeling both honored and surprised.
Guided by the emperor, she sat back down beside him.
Emperor Wei did not look at Imperial Consort Shi’s expression, instead gazing at the spirited young men in the field. “Don’t trouble yourself with Jin Zhi’s affairs. That is for the Empress and me to worry about.”
“Your Majesty is right.”
Imperial Consort Shi responded softly, tactfully turning her head away.
Her expression remained unchanged, still wearing a charming smile, yet the malice in her eyes was impossible to conceal.
Damn that Empress, always overshadowing me in everything. Just wait until my son ascends the throne one day—I’ll show you how to deal with you!
The matter of arranging a marriage for Xu Ge had come to a pause. Meanwhile, in another shaded pavilion of Xu Manor, the atmosphere was quite different from the lively gatherings of other court officials.
Behind the broad, comfortable desk sat only Xu Ge, with Ashu standing to one side.
The Court of Judicial Review had endless cases to handle every day, so Duan Qianren, the Chief Minister of the Court, often did not attend such occasions.
Now, with a fiancée in his household, Duan Qianren’s parents naturally would not urge him to come and socialize with noble ladies from various families.
Xu Ge, finding himself rather bored, sat upright at the desk, pouring tea for himself and occasionally glancing up to watch the competitions among the teams in the Horse Racing Field.
He was utterly oblivious, completely unaware of the gazes directed at him by the noble ladies from various families.
As the saying goes, the more dangerous something is, the more beautiful and alluring it becomes.
They feared Xu Ge, yet they could not resist drawing closer to him.
Where there is great reward, there will be brave souls.
Faced with a prize like Xu Ge, those eager to try their luck were far from few.
“Sir, the young lady from the Grand Commandant’s Estate is here.” Ashu had long noticed this young lady, separated by several shaded pavilions, who kept blushing and casting frequent glances in their direction.
As the Deputy Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Xu Ge’s right-hand man, his keen senses made it impossible not to notice.
Xu Ge was holding a porcelain cup in his hand. Upon hearing this, he cast a glance toward the slowly approaching young lady, as if granting her a favor.
Seeing her adorned with jewels and hairpins, Xu Ge found it glaring and quickly averted his gaze.
He made no response until this beautiful young lady from the Lin family walked up to him and bowed. Only then did Xu Ge straighten up and reply.
Lin Yuwan was dressed today in a trailing water-sleeved pleated phoenix-tail skirt, with her hair specially styled in a serpentine bun.
Amidst her dark tresses, a few jade hairpins were dotted, making the tallest one—a bamboo-jade hairpin with a lingzhi pattern—stand out particularly.
A beauty merely standing there, with curved brows and a faint smile on her red lips, was enough to soften hearts and make one reluctant to speak a harsh word.
Judging by Lin Yuwan’s attire today, it seemed the Lin family had put considerable thought into her appearance.
She stood before the shaded pavilion of Xu Manor, her posture gentle and graceful, slowly curtsying as she bowed to Xu Ge. From her red lips came a voice as sweet as a nightingale’s song:
“Lord Xu, I am Yuwan, the legitimate daughter of the Grand Commandant’s Estate. Taking advantage of your presence here today to watch the competitions, I have come to pay my respects.”
She was not the only one with an interest in Xu Ge.
The other noble ladies, seeing this opportunity snatched away by Lin Yuwan, all wore expressions of indignation. They tightly clutched their silk handkerchiefs, glaring fiercely at the delicate, pliant figure standing before Xu Ge.
Among them, the most resentful was Le Ying, the daughter of the Duke’s Estate.
Amidst the crowd of young ladies from official families, she did not hesitate to spit toward Lin Yuwan’s back, exclaiming, “That seductress, rushing forward to flatter him.”
The other young ladies fell silent upon hearing this.
Among all the young ladies in the imperial city, aside from the princesses, the most distinguished families were the Lin family of the Grand Commandant’s Estate, represented by Lin Yuwan, and the Duke’s Estate, represented by Le Ying.
These two individuals, neither of whom can be easily offended.
Yet it is precisely these two who both admire Commander Xu.