Chapter 58
Xiao Lingrui’s expression was as usual, and he had an innocent look on his face. “What, is there anything wrong with what I said? Young Master Lu is outstanding in appearance, and others can’t compare. Can’t I tell the truth?”
Just as Wei Yan was about to say something, Lu Ze suddenly tugged at his hand. He looked back and saw that Lu Ze’s face was gentle, and he said with a light smile, “You flatter me, Your Highness. I am untalented and unlearned, and only this face is still presentable, but it is far from Your Highness’s majesty, which is convincing.”
Xiao Lingrui paused, and this time he turned his head and looked him up and down, and snorted from his nose, “You’re quite good with words.”
Wei Yan directly pulled Lu Ze to sit down on the side, looked up at him, and his voice was slightly cold. “You asked me out just to make a scene here?”
Xiao Lingrui leaned idly on the soft couch, fanning himself gently, his posture graceful, and he looked at him with his peach blossom eyes slightly curved. “Tsk, look at what you’re saying, as if I’m deliberately making things difficult for you.”
Wei Yan’s expression was displeased. “If you have nothing to do, I’ll leave now.”
Xiao Lingrui shook his head. “Wei Lin’an, Wei Lin’an, we’ve been through so much together after all, and our relationship is not shallow. Now that we haven’t seen each other for a long time, you’re so heartless?”
His words were a bit ambiguous. Wei Yan sneered coldly, “What relationship are you referring to? Is it the one where you repeatedly courted death in front of His Majesty and repeatedly begged me to go to His Majesty to plead for you? Or is it the one where you were debauched outside, and when the rumor of an illegitimate child came out, you were almost beaten to death by the old princess and cried and begged to hide in my mansion for a month?”
The smile on Xiao Lingrui’s face slowly stiffened. He tutted softly. “Wei Lin’an, you don’t have to expose my old secrets in front of an outsider like this.”
“You’re too serious, Your Highness. Anyone can find out about these things by asking around outside, and the rumors outside are much more exaggerated than what I said. If I really wanted to expose your old secrets, I should have said that year when you were kicked into a pile of horse manure by a spirited horse.” Seeing that Xiao Lingrui’s face was as ugly as if he had eaten shit, Wei Yan said flatly, “Besides, what is an outsider? Lu Ze has already married me, so he is my closest relative. If you really want to talk about an outsider…” His gaze fell on Xiao Lingrui, and there was no need to say anything more. The meaning was already self-evident.
Xiao Lingrui was both angry and amused for a moment. He fanned himself quickly and laughed out of anger. “Alright, I get it. You two are a family, and I’m just an outsider, a nuisance here.”
“It’s good that you know, Your Highness.” Wei Yan’s expression was cold. “If you have nothing important to do, please go back first. It’s not good for us husband and wife to have a third person around.”
Xiao Lingrui looked at him, feeling that it was strange.
Wei Lin’an’s personality was there, not too good and not too bad. No matter how he teased him on weekdays, he was too lazy to bother with him, and he looked at him as if he were a fool. Over time, Xiao Lingrui had also gotten used to it, but he didn’t expect that his reaction would be so big after he had just said a few words.
And the reason for this… Xiao Lingrui’s gaze slowly fell on Lu Ze, and his gaze was a little scrutinizing.
It was obviously because of him.
After knowing each other for so many years, although Wei Yan had never liked physical contact and would not drink and take a bath with other men like other men, Xiao Lingrui had never suspected his identity.
The reason was only that Wei Yan was really not like a ger.
From daily life to killing enemies on the battlefield, in all aspects. Xiao Lingrui had always thought that he was just cold and aloof, and had never thought that he would be a ger.
When he had confessed his identity as a ger in the court, it was really one of the few things that had shocked Xiao Lingrui in so many years. In their subsequent interactions, although there was a bit of awkwardness, because Wei Yan was really completely different from the gers in his previous perception, Xiao Lingrui also slowly got used to it.
Until this time when he was getting married.
The emperor was in high spirits and had taken the portraits of the young masters of various families in the capital to choose one by one. Xiao Lingrui was also watching from the side, but he always felt that those people were not worthy of Wei Yan in any way.
This was the case even for the young masters of the great families who had grown up in wealth, not to mention Lu Ze.
His reputation was not prominent, and his family background was not prominent. Only his face was barely passable. Even the so-called title of Tanhualang was given to him by the emperor to give Wei Yan face.
Xiao Lingrui couldn’t help but feel awkward in his heart. He only felt that Wei Yan was outstanding in every way. Even if he were to marry, he should marry someone who was a match for him, not such a poor and shabby scholar who had nothing.
So when he first saw him, Xiao Lingrui inevitably had some prejudice.
But he didn’t expect that Wei Yan, who had never cared much about this kind of thing, would be so protective of him.
Xiao Lingrui didn’t think it was just because of his face, and he couldn’t help but feel a little interested.
But he was not in a hurry. He would have a chance in the future to slowly explore.
He snorted and said, “You’ve been busy getting married these past few days and haven’t even gone to court. I’m afraid you don’t know that in half a month, the Western Qin will be coming to pay tribute.”
Wei Yan paused, then said flatly, “They were defeated, so they were supposed to come and pay tribute. It’s not strange.”
This was also the condition for their withdrawal that had been agreed upon at that time. Wei Yan was not surprised.
Xiao Lingrui smiled, his gaze sweeping lightly over Lu Ze, his smile bright. “Then you probably don’t know that the Western Qin envoy is also bringing the fifth prince of the Western Qin this time.”
Wei Yan looked up at him. Xiao Lingrui said slowly, “I heard that since the last battle, that fifth prince has been unforgettable about you, especially after he learned that you are a ger, he has been thinking about you day and night. This time, when the Western Qin came to pay tribute, that fifth prince also came along. I heard… he has plans for a marriage alliance.”
As soon as these words were spoken, Lu Ze, who was shelling dried fruits on the side, paused. His eyelids lowered slightly, and then he naturally picked up the dried fruits on the side and continued to shell them.
Wei Yan subconsciously glanced at him. Seeing that his expression was as usual and there was no trace of dissatisfaction, his brows couldn’t help but furrow. Even his tone was not very good. “If he wants to come, then let him come. He can just talk to the emperor about the marriage alliance. It’s not our place to worry about it.”
“That’s not for sure,” Xiao Lingrui said slowly. “What if he insists on you?”
Wei Yan’s tone was slightly cold. “On the land of the Great Zhou, as a defeated country, how can the Western Qin have any room to negotiate?”
“If their attitude of seeking peace is not sincere, then we’ll fight again. In any case, the Western Qin’s territory is vast. If we conquer it, we can also eliminate future troubles forever.”
Xiao Lingrui said, “But that fifth prince is sincere towards you, and I heard that his appearance is also extraordinary. If it really works out, you can get peace on the border without losing a single soldier. Isn’t that beautiful?”
Wei Yan’s brows were tightly furrowed. Before he could say anything, a plate suddenly appeared in front of him, filled with all kinds of shelled dried fruits. He turned his head and saw Lu Ze’s gentle voice. “Have some.”
Wei Yan’s lips pursed slightly, but he didn’t make a move.
Xiao Lingrui on the side looked at him for a moment and then smiled. “What do you think, Young Master Lu?”
Lu Ze looked up at him, his expression calm. “What do you mean, Your Highness?”
“About the fifth prince of the Western Qin, what do you think of my proposal, Young Master Lu?” Xiao Lingrui smiled, looking like he was enjoying the show.
Lu Ze let out a light laugh, his eyes gentle. “Aren’t you joking with the Marquis, Your Highness?”
Xiao Lingrui’s eyebrow raised. “Who told you I was joking?”
Lu Ze put down the things in his hand, slowly picked up a handkerchief on the side and wiped his hands, and looked up, his gaze calm and indifferent. “Otherwise… the Marquis is already married, and it was personally bestowed by His Majesty. With your words, are you asking that fifth prince to be a concubine, or are you asking His Majesty to withdraw the imperial edict of marriage and slap himself in the face?”
The smile on Xiao Lingrui’s face paused, and his gaze on him also slowly became a little more serious.
The smile on Lu Ze’s face did not change. He picked up a teapot on the side and made a cup of tea, first pushing it in front of Wei Yan, and then pouring a cup for himself before he said, “Besides, if the Marquis was really interested in him, how could I be here now? You should stop joking, Your Highness.”
Xiao Lingrui looked at him for a long time before he slowly smiled. “Yes, I was wrong.” He shook his fan, his smile wild. “It’s just a defeated country. There’s no need to worry too much. Come, the dishes in this restaurant are not bad. You should have a good taste later, Young Master Lu.”
The waiter had already brought up the dishes that had been ordered one after another. Hearing this, Lu Ze did not refuse and just said, “Thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness.”
The Linjiang Tower was famous in the capital for a reason. The dishes were delicious in color, aroma, and taste, especially its signature Linjiang fish, which was fresh, tender, and smooth, and lived up to its reputation.
After a full meal, Xiao Lingrui was also very tactful and no longer inserted himself between the husband and wife. He walked out with his fan, and before he left, he did not forget to say, “There will be a parade of painted boats on the river at night, with singers and dancers. If you have nothing to do, Young Master Lu, you might as well stay here and have a look.”
Lu Ze smiled and agreed. He saw him out and turned to close the door.
There was a moment of silence in the private room.
The waiter had already cleared away the wine and dishes and brought another pot of tea. Wei Yan sat by the window, and his peripheral vision saw him approaching, and he was at a loss for words for a moment.
After a long silence, he finally said dryly, “Don’t listen to his nonsense…”
Lu Ze sat opposite him and looked up at him. “What do you mean, Marquis?”
Wei Yan opened his mouth. “Xiao Lingrui has always been like this. Not a single word out of ten is true. I had cooperated with him on the battlefield before, and our private relationship is not bad, but besides that, there is no other relationship…” His voice was a little small, and he seemed to lack confidence.
“And that fifth prince, we only met once on the battlefield. At that time, he was defeated and fled, and I led my troops to pursue him, and almost captured him. We are on opposing sides. How can there be any talk of being unforgettable?”
Even if he was really unforgettable, he was probably thinking about how to take his head.
Lu Ze looked up at him and, after listening to his explanation for a long time, he slowly asked, “That fifth prince, what does he look like?”
Wei Yan paused, looked at him for a moment, and suddenly had a flash of inspiration. “We were all wearing armor on the battlefield. I didn’t see his face clearly, but I think he’s just so-so, and he’s definitely no match for my husband.”
Lu Ze let out a light laugh, his eyes lowered, as if he were disappointed. “That’s not for sure. I heard that the people of the Western Qin have different looks from those of the Great Zhou, and have an exotic beauty. With my looks, in front of them, I’m probably nothing.”
Wei Yan was at a loss for words. “Don’t think like that. What does it matter to us what that fifth prince looks like? In any case, I already have you. It’s impossible for there to be anyone else.”
Lu Ze said silently, “It’s normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines. The Marquis has made great military achievements. If you want three husbands and four attendants, I’m sure His Majesty will also satisfy you.”
Wei Yan was a little flustered. “What do I need three husbands and four attendants for? Isn’t one of you enough for me to handle? If there were a few more—”
Before he could finish, he suddenly realized something. He looked carefully and, as expected, saw that Lu Ze’s eyes were smiling. How could there be a trace of dissatisfaction?
He was a little annoyed. He slammed the table and was about to get up and walk out, but Lu Ze grabbed his wrist and, with a force, pulled him into his arms.
Wei Yan was unprepared and fell straight into Lu Ze’s arms.
He patted his chest with one hand and said angrily, “Let go!”
Lu Ze let out a hiss. Wei Yan was instantly anxious and quickly wanted to pull his clothes. “What’s wrong? Did I use too much force—”
Before he could finish, his other hand was also grabbed. He looked down and saw that Lu Ze was looking at him with a smile.
Wei Yan paused and turned his head to the side.
He only felt Lu Ze pull his hand and place it on his chest, and said helplessly, “You’re so cruel, Fulang. On the first day of our marriage, you want to murder your own husband?”
Wei Yan took a deep breath and looked back at him. “Lu Ze, are you shameless?”
“Shameless?” Lu Ze raised an eyebrow and moved the hand he was holding. “What was Fulang trying to do just now? In broad daylight—”
Wei Yan lowered his head and bit his lips.
