My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

Zhen Yi suddenly smiled and said, "General Ji, now that the deal is done, I have one more favor to ask."

Ji Xuanyuan put down his teacup: "Please speak, Lord Zhen."

"General Zhao was a young hero who killed Cheng Yuanzhi and Zhang Rao in battle, and his name is known throughout the land." Zhen Yi stroked his beard, his eyes gleaming with the calculating light unique to merchants.

"I wish to offer my second daughter, Zhen Tuo, to General Zhao as a concubine. I wonder... what is your opinion, General?"

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the hall fell silent once again.

The fire crackled in the stove, and the candlelight flickered.

Zhen Yi's smile remained warm, but his shrewd eyes revealed an undeniable certainty: this deal required some "additional charges."

Ji Xuanyuan put down his teacup and looked at Zhao Yun beside him.

The young general in white robes sat ramrod straight, his handsome face showing obvious surprise and embarrassment for the first time, his ears turning slightly red.

He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in front of Zhen Yi's earnest gaze and his brother, he swallowed the words back.

"Lord Zhen".

Ji Xuanyuan coughed, breaking the silence: "Zilong is only fifteen years old, still very young. Is it appropriate to discuss marriage at this time...?"

"Alas, General Ji, you are mistaken." Zhen Yi waved his hand, his tone sincere.

"General Zhao is a disciple of the spear master Tong Yuan. He is highly skilled in martial arts and has even killed Cheng Yuanzhi and Zhang Rao in the midst of a large army, making him famous throughout the world. Such a young hero has a limitless future. It is precisely because I value General Zhao's future that I have the audacity to ask this question. It is my daughter's blessing to be able to serve by his side."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Zhao Yun's face, his smile deepening: "Besides, it's just a concubine, not a wife, so there aren't many rules to follow. When General Zhao achieves success in the future, we can find a lady from a prestigious family to marry him formally. My Zhen family only asks for the word 'marriage'."

Ji Xuanyuan and Xiang Yu beside him exchanged a glance.

Xiang Yu narrowed his double pupils slightly, and the corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly, as if he found the scene somewhat absurd.

Ji Xuanyuan's mind raced: This Zhen Yi is indeed a shrewd businessman; he's calculating shrewdly. By binding Zhao Yun through marriage, he indirectly binds his own force. A daughter in exchange for potentially invaluable future protection and benefits—this is quite a deal...

He suddenly felt a sense of mockery and turned to Xiang Yu, whispering, "Look at Zilong, that pretty boy, he attracts unwanted attention wherever he goes. Now he's in luck, he can live off a woman."

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Xiang Yu's mouth.

Unexpectedly, Zhen Yi, with his sharp ears, heard it.

Far from being annoyed, he laughed heartily and abruptly changed the subject: "General Ji is joking. In fact... I have my eye on more than just General Zhao."

His gaze was intense as he looked at Ji Xuanyuan and Xiang Yu in turn: "If all three generals could become sons-in-law of the Zhen family, that would truly be a union that strengthens family ties, a wonderful thing indeed!"

"Pfft—cough cough cough!" Ji Xuanyuan almost spat out the tea he had just taken a sip of, choking and coughing violently, his pale face instantly turning red.

Xiang Yu frowned, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes.

Ji Xuanyuan finally caught his breath, patted his chest, and looked at Zhen Yi with a strange expression. He asked, half-jokingly and half-probingly, "Lord Zhen... it would be understandable if one or two of your five daughters couldn't find a suitable husband, but all five... are still unmarried. Could it be...?"

He dragged out the words, his eyes narrowing.

Zhen Yi's face flushed red, and he coughed awkwardly a few times: "Well... to be honest, my eldest daughter Jiang'er's husband recently... unfortunately died in the Yellow Turban Rebellion..."

In the corner, Dian Wei, who was engrossed in eating a piece of venison, suddenly looked up and interjected in a gruff voice, "Isn't that the widow?"

The sound wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet hall.

"Ahem! E'lai, don't be rude!" Ji Xuanyuan sighed, rubbing his forehead.

Dian Wei muttered aggrievedly, "General, my mother taught me that if your husband dies and you become a widow, then you're a widow..."

"I did teach you, but you can't just say it out loud!" Ji Xuanyuan said, both amused and exasperated.

Zhen Yi, however, was quite magnanimous, smiling as he smoothed things over: "General Dian is straightforward, and what he said is the truth. My eldest daughter is indeed observing mourning, as for the other four daughters..."

He sighed: "Either they have very high standards and look down on ordinary children, or they are still too young, like Mi'er, who is only eight years old this year..."

P.S.: Historically, Zhen Ji was only 1 year old at this time, but she was changed to 8 years old for the sake of plot development.

Another round of verbal sparring ensued, with probing and weighing of options flowing between the glint of light in the wine glasses.

In the end, Ji Xuanyuan made up his mind.

He needs a stable and reliable business partner, and he also needs to appease the Zhen family for the time being.

Zhao Yun's marriage, seemingly a sacrifice, was actually a trial balloon, and also a way to give Zhao Yun an explanation.

After all, it was just taking a concubine.

He looked at Zhen Yi seriously: "Very well, it is natural for a man to marry when he comes of age, and for a woman to marry when she comes of age. Since Lord Zhen has such good intentions, and Zilong is not yet married... I, as his elder brother, will arrange this marriage for him!"

"Brother!" Zhao Yun finally couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice, his eyes full of helplessness.

Ji Xuanyuan shook his head slightly, indicating that he should remain calm.

In this era, the eldest brother is like a father, and Zhao Yun had to obey his decisions in public, even if he was unwilling.

Moreover, Ji Xuanyuan knew in his heart that this was just a temporary measure.

Zhen Yi was overjoyed. Although he regretted not being able to bring Ji Xuanyuan and Xiang Yu under his wing, he was still delighted to have accomplished this.

He immediately clapped his hands and laughed, "Good! Good! General Ji is so generous! Men, please invite the young ladies out to greet the guests, and let General Zhao see the future... cough cough, let him see the daughters of the Zhen family."

A moment later, the jade pendants tinkled softly, and a gentle breeze carried their fragrance.

Five women dressed in colorful dresses entered the hall, accompanied by maids.

The eldest daughter, Zhen Jiang, was dressed in plain clothes, her eyes filled with lingering sorrow and mature charm. The second daughter, Zhen Tuo, was poised and elegant, curiously glancing at Zhao Yun with a slight blush on her cheeks. The third daughter, Zhen Dao, and the fourth daughter, Zhen Rong, were also beautiful and graceful.

However, everyone's attention eventually fell on the youngest girl.

She was only eight years old, dressed in a delicate light purple ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with her hair styled in two buns and adorned with pearls.

Her skin was as white as snow, and her features were as exquisite as jade carvings. Although she still had a childlike appearance, one could already glimpse the shadow of a future beauty that could topple kingdoms.

What is most striking is her demeanor. She stands quietly behind her sisters, her eyelids slightly lowered, her long eyelashes casting a faint shadow on her cheeks, as if she were shrouded in a thin mist of melancholy that seemed out of place for her age.

Unlike the other children who looked around curiously, she simply stared quietly at the hem of her skirt, as if the hustle and bustle around her had nothing to do with her.

This is Zhen Mi, the future Empress Wenzhao Zhen, who at this moment is still a precocious and quiet eight-year-old girl.

Even the maidservants who were serving her were so stunned when they looked up and saw the face of Ji Xuanyuan in the main seat that they forgot to move and almost knocked over the tray in their hands.

Zhen Mi seemed to sense something and slowly raised her head.

Her gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on Ji Xuanyuan.

In that instant, a pebble seemed to have been thrown into her calm, deep eyes, creating a very subtle ripple.

She tilted her head slightly, her clear gaze fixed on Ji Xuanyuan's face, her eyes filled with curiosity, confusion, and a scrutiny beyond her years.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, this youngest daughter, who was always the most polite and quiet, actually did something that left Zhen Yi speechless.

She released her grip on the maid's hand, took small steps, and walked straight to Ji Xuanyuan's desk. She looked up at him, her small face fixed on him.

"Mi'er! Don't be rude!" Zhen Yi said in a low voice.

Ji Xuanyuan was also taken aback, then smiled gently and raised his hand to indicate that it was alright.

He obediently leaned down slightly, bringing his pale face closer to those clear yet deep eyes.

Zhen Mi stretched out her small hand, her fingers were fair and slender, with the softness of a child.

She carefully touched Ji Xuanyuan's cheek with her fingertips. The touch was slightly cool. Her movements were very gentle, as if she were touching a fragile treasure.

"It's so beautiful," she murmured, her voice childish yet calm, lacking the usual childlike exuberance, as if she were simply stating an objective fact.

"Just like the fairies in the paintings."

Ji Xuanyuan chuckled, a genuine tenderness appearing in his eyes.

He raised his hand and gently rubbed Zhen Mi's soft head: "You are beautiful too, like a little jade fairy."

Zhen Mi did not show any shyness or joy like other children. She simply watched him quietly, her gaze lingering on his excessively pale lips and slightly tired eyes.

Suddenly, she asked softly, "Are you sick?"

The question was abrupt, and the atmosphere in the hall froze.

Ji Xuanyuan's smile paused for a moment, then softened into a gentle, helpless expression: "Yes, I've been a little sick."

Zhen Mi nodded and didn't say anything more, but the thin layer of melancholy in her eyes seemed to have deepened.

She withdrew her hand and quietly retreated to her sisters' side, as if her bold move had never happened.

But Zhen Yi saw all of this, and his heart was filled with turmoil.

He knew his youngest daughter best; she was naturally aloof and cold-hearted, maintaining a distant calm towards everyone, and very few things could truly arouse her interest or cause her emotional fluctuations.

To approach a stranger so proactively today, and even to do something out of line, is absolutely unprecedented.

When he looked at Ji Xuanyuan again, his gaze had become incredibly complex.

This young man's appearance and demeanor were so striking that even his precocious and fickle youngest daughter was moved... The idea of ​​a "longer-term bondage" in his heart began to grow wildly again like weeds.

That night, in a guest room at the Zhen residence.

Xiang Yu carried a bowl of thick, dark medicine into Ji Xuanyuan's room. Ji Xuanyuan was leaning back on the couch, gazing absently at the cold moonlight outside the window.

"Big brother, it's time to take your medicine."

Ji Xuanyuan took the bowl of medicine, its bitter taste making him frown. He suddenly asked, "Brother Yu, if I were to actually suggest that you take a Miss Zhen as a concubine, what would you do?"

Xiang Yu remained silent for a moment, his double pupils unfathomable in the candlelight, before finally saying in a deep voice, "If it is beneficial to my elder brother's great cause, I... will follow your arrangements."

Ji Xuanyuan shook his head, a bitter smile creeping onto his lips: "Today... I've let Zilong down."

"Seventh Brother is insightful; he will understand his elder brother's good intentions and helplessness."

"It is precisely because he understands that I feel even more indebted." Ji Xuanyuan finished drinking the bitter medicine, handed the bowl to Xiang Yu, and looked out at the deep night.

"This path will ultimately require those around us to shoulder some burdens as well."

The following morning, Ji Xuanyuan and his party bid farewell to Zhen Yi.

The details of the cooperation have been finalized, and the first batch of refined salt will soon be secretly transported away by people sent by the Zhen family.

Zhen Yi personally escorted her to the gate of the mansion. His gaze lingered for a moment on Zhen Mi, who stood quietly among her sisters. The young girl remained indifferent, but when Ji Xuanyuan's carriage started moving, she raised her eyelashes and glanced at her from afar.

As the carriage drove out of Wuji County, the trees on both sides of the official road gradually became denser.

After traveling about thirty li, the men and horses took a short rest. Suddenly, Xiang Yu, who was on guard duty, sharpened his eyes and pointed his Heavenly Dragon City-Breaking Halberd at the bushes by the roadside: "Who goes there?!"

Zhao Yun and Dian Wei were both on guard.

The guards drew their swords and spears.

After a rustling sound, two petite figures were "invited" out.

It was Zhen Mi and her personal maid!

The maid turned pale with fright and repeatedly apologized.

Zhen Mi, though her hair was slightly disheveled, her skirt was covered in grass clippings, and her face was flushed from running, still stood straight, her calm eyes looking unabashedly at Ji Xuanyuan, who was leaning out of the carriage.

Ji Xuanyuan looked at the little girl he had just met last night and felt completely overwhelmed.

"You...how did you get here?!" he exclaimed in astonishment.

Zhen Mi replied, "I came along."

It was as if they were talking about something perfectly ordinary.

"Nonsense! Quick, Zilong, take some men and escort Miss Zhen back!"

"I'm not going back." Zhen Mi's voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear and firm.

"I left a letter for my father."

Ji Xuanyuan sighed, speechless.

According to Zhen Yi's description, the gist of the letter she left was, "My daughter is going with General Ji to see him. Don't worry."

This behavior is nothing like that of an eight-year-old!

Looking at Zhen Mi's "since I'm here, I might as well make the best of it" attitude, and then at the stubbornness in her eyes that seemed out of place for her age, Ji Xuanyuan suddenly felt a deep sense of helplessness, and a strange...heart palpitation.

Finally, he sighed, "Fine... take her back to Zhuojun first. E'lai, keep a close eye on her. Quickly send someone back to Wuji County to inform Lord Zhen and let him... handle it himself."

The team set off again.

Inside the carriage, there was an unusually quiet little passenger.

Zhen Mi sat in the corner, still not saying much, only occasionally raising her eyes to look at Ji Xuanyuan, who was resting with his eyes closed and had a pale face.

Outside the carriage, Xiang Yu and Zhao Yun rode side by side.

"Seventh brother, about last night..."

"Second Brother, there's no need to worry," Zhao Yun interrupted Xiang Yu, his expression returning to its usual composure.

"Yun knows the importance of this matter. This marriage is advantageous at the moment, but..."

He paused, glanced at the carriage, and said in a low voice, "This fifth young lady of the Zhen family seems... quite unusual."

Xiang Yu glanced back at the carriage, his deep, dark eyes revealing a hint of something else: "Hmm. My elder brother... he's probably going to have another headache."

Inside the carriage, Ji Xuanyuan seemed to sense something, opened his eyes, and met Zhen Mi's gaze.

Seeing that he had woken up, the little girl did not look away. Instead, she softly asked a question that stunned Ji Xuanyuan:

"Will your illness get better?"

Looking at the genuine worry in her clear eyes, Ji Xuanyuan was momentarily at a loss for words.