You expect me to serve your mistress? The mistress is driving this scumbag and his entire family cra

Chapter 133 Two Tests
Liang Jiang reined in her horse in surprise: "Guanqi, what are you doing here?"

Guanqi stepped forward and said, "The prince and I have been waiting for you here for quite some time."

Liang Jiang dismounted and walked up to Gu Xizhi: "How did Your Highness know that I would be setting off today?"

Gu Xizhi stood up: "Because I know you don't want Baili Shouyue to go with you, and Tong Shouliang has already sent his confidants to Xiliang. Time is of the essence, and you will definitely leave the capital ahead of schedule."

"Then how did you guess that I didn't want my junior uncle to come with me?"

Gu Xizhi said calmly, "You deliberately distanced yourself from me in public because you didn't want others to be involved in this matter. Similarly, although you need the Demon Lord's help, you also don't want him to go through danger with you."

Liang Jiang glanced at Gu Xizhi in surprise, just as he was looking over. Their eyes met, and Liang Jiang blushed and her heart raced.

The other person's eyes were so deep and unfathomable, like whirlpools, that they could grip one's heart and make one's heart flutter involuntarily.

Could this man possibly be a mind reader?

Liang Jiang lowered her head in a fluster: "Your Highness is so wise and resourceful, and you even personally escorted me here. I am extremely grateful."

"It was just on my way, no need to thank me."

Liang Jiang looked up in surprise: "Huh?"

She then noticed that there were two bundles hanging on the horse carrying the chess player, along with a water bag and some dry rations.

"Your Highness, what's wrong...?"

"Back to Weixi," Gu Xizhi said calmly.

"But aren't you and Miss Jian getting married soon?"

Gu Xizhi nodded: "I sent someone to Weixi to deliver a message. My mother insists on coming to the capital to attend my investiture ceremony as a princess. I asked my brother for permission to go to Weixi to bring my mother to the capital. It just so happens that we are going the same way."

Liang Jiang was at a loss for words.

He simply lowered his head and mumbled two words: "It's fine."

Gu Xizhi countered, "What's so good about it?"

Liang Jiang choked, thinking that Gu Xizhi really didn't know how to have a conversation.

I was just being polite, why are you taking it so seriously?

She rubbed the grass under her feet with her toes: "This is a joyous occasion."

"I have said it before, I will not marry her."

"Then why did you agree?" Liang Jiang almost blurted out, but thankfully she stopped herself in time, after all, it was difficult to disobey the emperor's orders.

This topic is really unpleasant; it's awkward no matter how we talk about it.

Gu Xizhi looked at her face and said in a deep voice, "That day at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, when we were in the palace, my brother asked me to choose one of the ladies-in-waiting to be my princess consort."

At that time, I knew that Jian Shuyan was the woman Fu Bai had long admired, and the two of them had made a private agreement.

I think she must have been forced by her family to participate in the talent show, so I gave her a chance.

I told her that my element was wood, and anyone whose birth chart or name contained the element of fire should avoid me. She stood motionless among the candidates for the imperial concubine examination.

"Is Jian Shuyan associated with the element of fire?"

"Her name was originally written as 'Shuyan', but it was changed to its current form after she came of age. Not many people know this, but Fubai always likes to talk to me about her."

If Jian Shuyan was truly forced to participate in the talent show, then this is undoubtedly the best excuse to withdraw.

Her inaction indicates that she wants to become the Princess Consort of Pingxi.

"Later, the Emperor betrothed Jian Shuyan to you?"

"No, I gave her a second chance. I gave the other young ladies a difficult question, and she was the only one who answered it correctly. She could have easily pretended not to know it."

Gu Xizhi's two tests were enough to show that Jian Shuyan's participation in the talent show was entirely voluntary. If she had even the slightest reluctance, or if she had any consideration for her relationship with Xie Fubai, she wouldn't have made such a scene.

"Does Prince Xie know about this?"

"I don't know." Gu Xi knew: "In his heart, Jian Shuyan is perfect. Jian Shuyan always told him that she was forced to participate in the talent show because her family threatened suicide. She had no choice. Originally, I wanted to cancel the marriage and let her be with Xie Fubai. But the Jian family actually spread rumors about you. Regardless of whether it has anything to do with Jian Shuyan, it proves that the Jian family is not good enough for Xie Fubai. So why should I be polite to her?"

She's both a slut and wants to be seen as virtuous.

Liang Jiang had a terrible impression of Jian Shuyan. Clearly, Gu Xizhi was also very unwilling.

"Then why did you agree to this marriage?"

Gu Xizhi glanced at her but didn't tell the truth: "Agreeing doesn't mean I'll definitely marry her. We're incompatible according to our birth charts, so it's not a good match."

Liang Jiang then remembered this matter.

Gu Xizhi spoke so casually just now, and Liang Jiang assumed that his mention of the Five Elements was merely a test for Jian Shuyan. It turns out, he had a backup plan.

The emperor was superstitious about Taoist divination, so if the two people's five elements clashed, they were indeed unsuitable.

"Wouldn't the Empress Dowager's long journey to the capital be in vain?"

"If my mother doesn't come to the capital, how can I possibly have the opportunity to sneak out of the capital?"

"Deceive the heavens? Does Your Highness perhaps have another secret matter to attend to?"

Gu Xizhi stared at her intently for a moment, then snorted unhappily, "Stupid."

He put his hands behind his back and walked away.

He walked up to the horse, untied the reins, mounted it, and then turned to urge Liang Jiang, "Aren't we setting off yet?"

Liang Jiang wrinkled her nose, inwardly grumbling, and replied with a hint of anger: "Let's go!"

Hmph! I'm not a mind reader, how would I know what you're going to do?
The three mounted their horses and headed straight for Xiliang.

Day two.

Baili Shouyue arrived as promised and waited at the Ten-Mile Pavilion for more than half an hour, but instead of Liang Jiang, he met Lu Xingzhan.

Lu Xingzhan bowed respectfully to him and conveyed Liang Jiang's message.

Baili Shouyue looked at Lu Xingzhan and smiled coldly: "The journey to Xiliang is fraught with danger, yet you actually let a woman go alone."

Lu Xingzhan was also quite helpless: "I would like to go with her, but Liang Jiang entrusted Aunt Liang and the matters in the capital to me, I..."

"Who said anything about you? You're just an extra burden." Baili Shouyue scoffed. "I'm saying you actually helped her keep this from me!"

Lu Xingzhan felt a little uneasy.

Although this young master looked gentle and weak, like a pale-faced scholar, I felt inexplicably nervous in his presence.

She stammered, "You don't understand Liang Jiang. She has never liked to trouble others, especially not with something as life-or-death as this."

Baili Shouyue snorted coldly and turned to leave.

Lu Xingzhan stopped him: "Young Master, are you going to Xiliang?"

Baili Shouyue didn't even turn his head: "Nonsense."

"Could you please help me deliver a letter to my master?"

"Your master? Yuhua Mountain?"

Lu Xingzhan nodded: "The Duke's injustice is also a matter of honor for my Yuhua Mountain. I believe that if my master and the others knew about it, they would not stand idly by. So I would like to ask you to help me deliver a letter."

Bai Li Shouyue hesitated for a moment, then extended his hand: "Letter."

Lu Xingzhan was overjoyed and took out the letter from his pocket, respectfully handing it to Baili Shouyue.

"Good work."

When he looked up again, Baili Shouyue had vanished.

He sighed softly, hoping that everyone would have a smooth journey and return safely.

(End of this chapter)