If you were cold and aloof in your past life, why are you crying in this one?

The pharmacist was brought in quickly.

When the Xi family's daughter falls ill, the best doctor is naturally called in.

The servant invited a female pharmacist from Liuchuntang.

Ling Xian's brow twitched slightly, and she said to Xi Hui and Xi Song, "You all go out first."

Xi Song was a little dazed. "Sister, I..."

"Shut up, get out."

Xi Song sheepishly complied, while Xi Hui gave the person on the soft couch a meaningful look.

For a moment, only the pharmacist and his mistress, Lingxian, remained in the private room.

After taking her pulse, the female teacher asked, "Young lady, have you caught a chill recently?"

Taozhi: "On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, the young lady accidentally fell into the water. Fortunately, she is an excellent swimmer and her life was not in danger. However, it took some time to save her in the water."

A look of respect instantly appeared in the female teacher's eyes. "Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. Young lady, your kindness and good deeds will surely be rewarded in the future."

Lingxian coughed lightly, lowered her eyes, and asked, "May I ask, doctor, how severe is my chill?"

"It's not serious. Just take a few more doses of medicine and it will be completely cured."

Lingxian's palm twitched slightly. "If it were a male pharmacist, I wouldn't say anything; but it just so happens that's not today. I'd like to ask the Imperial Physician to take my pulse more carefully and see if there's anything else that needs to be treated?"

She paused, her tone shy, "To be honest, doctor, my family has started arranging marriages for me at my age. For a woman, once she gets married, the most important thing is to have children."

Having practiced medicine for many years, the female doctor had seen many noblewomen and wives of officials, so she was not surprised by what she heard.

"This is only natural. Please extend your hand, young lady, so I can examine it more closely."

"Thank you for your help!"

……

Fifteen minutes later, the door opened from the inside.

Tao Zhi helped Xi Lingxian out and personally escorted the pharmacist out.

Xi Song greeted her, "Sister, are you feeling better?"

Lingxian sighed softly and nodded.

Xi Song speculated, "Could it be that the illness he developed on the day he fell into the water hasn't healed yet?"

The female teacher replied, "Yes and no. The fear and worry you've been experiencing these past few days are more harmful to your health than catching a cold."

Xi Song listened, completely confused. "What fear and worry? Sister, what do you have to be afraid of or worried about?"

Lingxian asked Taozhi to pay the consultation fee, saying, "Thank you for making this trip."

He then had his servant, Ah Hu, escort the female tutor downstairs.

Turning to Xi Song, she asked, "Can I come home with you now?"

Xi Song looked into his elder sister's eyes.

Whether it was his imagination due to excessive drinking or something else, his eyes, which were once clear and bright, without a trace of impurity, were now filled with endless sorrow.

The moment Xi Song saw into the other person's eyes, his heart felt as if it had been struck by a hammer.

"Sister, I'll take you back to your residence."

Xi Hui's brow twitched.

Beneath the veil, the girl's lips curled up silently.

"Good boy, Ah Song."

Xi Song's lips twitched slightly, as if he wanted to protest something, but the words remained unspoken.

Xi Hui stood there, watching the two figures disappear into the distance, his eyes filled with an unreadable expression.

The attendant behind him whispered, "Third Master, I feel like something's not quite right with the eldest young lady."

"A young girl like her, heartbroken, will naturally be sad for a while."

Chang Sui: "The Wang family has gone too far in this matter. If it weren't for the fact that the young lady can swim, she might have already perished. What kind of hatred could lead them to refuse to help her in this way?"

Xi Hui stroked the ribs of the folding fan in his hand. "Men are always cruel to women they don't like."

"The eldest daughter is also... given her background and looks..." Realizing he had spoken out of turn, the servant wisely kept quiet.

Xi Hui didn't care much.

Xi Lingxian seems to always have this ability to make people all over the world feel sorry for her and feel indignant on her behalf.

……

The private room next door

The aroma of tea wafts through the air.

The protagonist who was just being discussed is sitting by the window, holding a celadon teacup in his hands, his gaze fixed on the shimmering waves of the Qinhuai River outside the window.

Two people were sitting opposite him: Lu Yun, the third son of the Lu family, and Xie Chenxu, the second son of the Xie family.

The three have known each other since childhood and often get together. Today is just an ordinary tea gathering.

I never expected it to be such a coincidence that I overheard that scene next door.

"Was that the eldest daughter of the Xi family's voice just now?" Lu Yun put down his teacup and tilted his head towards the window. "Could it be that she had ulterior motives, finding out you were here and intending to bump into you?"

Xie Chenxu smiled and said, "It's not impossible."

"Xi Jian was a public-spirited and loyal man, humble and cautious, and no one criticized him. I never expected that he would raise his daughter to be so bold and direct. A noble lady chasing after a man is something I have never seen before in all my years of life."

Lu Yun chuckled: "Lord Xi and his first wife are a perfect match. Naturally, he loves his only daughter born to his first wife as much as his daughter. All the other children in the family combined do not receive as much love from Lord Xi as this Miss Xi. It is a pity that Lord Xi holds military power and guards Jingkou. He is not often by her side, otherwise he would probably be even more spoiled."

The waiter came in to refill the water.

Lu Yun waved to stop them, "What was all that commotion next door just now?"

They only heard the sounds but didn't know the details, which was quite frustrating for Young Master Lu, who loved watching the excitement.

Upon hearing this, the waiter's face immediately lit up.

He lowered his voice, but couldn't hide the excitement on his face: "It was the eldest daughter of the Xi family who came to take the second young master of the Xi family home. It's strange, we've always seen young mistresses of various families come to take men, but we've never seen an older sister take her younger brother."

"Are they really going to arrest them?"

"How could it be fake? The second young master was humiliated on the spot and refused to leave at first. Miss Xi then cracked her whip, which frightened everyone quite a bit."

Lu Yun and Xie Chenxu exchanged a glance, both stunned.

"A daughter of a military family, with a long and distinguished family tradition." Lu Yun chuckled.

Xie Chenxu couldn't help but look at Wang Jue by the window, a mischievous smile playing on his lips: "Did you hear that? Next time you refuse someone, be more tactful, or the girl might get angry and slap you."

The man by the window, holding his teacup, remained motionless. He raised his eyes and looked at his two friends across the way, who seemed to enjoy watching the drama unfold.

"Are you done talking?"

Lu Yun coughed lightly, and when he met Wang Jue's expressionless face, he couldn't help but say, "A falling out with the Xi family won't do the Wang family any good."

Wang Jue slowly stood up, the afterglow of the setting sun falling on his face, outlining a cool and aloof profile.

He wore a snow-white, round-necked robe, his clothes were neat and tidy, and he sat upright, looking like someone who had stepped out of a painting.

Whether the two companies are on good terms or not depends primarily on their interests.

Xi Jian was not an irrational person. No matter how much he doted on his daughter, he should know what was most important.

Without power and status, how could he support his exquisitely beautiful daughter?

Thinking about Xi Lingxian's behavior over the past few months.

The man's lips curled into a mocking smile.

Whoever marries such an arrogant and domineering woman will experience more suffering than joy.

He doesn't do things that would only cause him trouble.

Lu Yun and the other two were used to his cold-hearted attitude and didn't argue with him.

"Yu Liang has caused the Wang family no shortage of trouble in the past two years. Although he is away from home, he uses his geographical advantage to remotely control the court. He has suppressed many of the Wang family's protégés and former officials. Among the aristocratic families, only the Xi family has the power to stabilize the court. You must not let the Yu family get there first."

"Xi Gong's second wife was a woman from the Yu family. She had the advantage of being close to the water tower."

Historically, it was only when emperors were mediocre that powerful families could rise to prominence.

But how could an emperor be willing to be a puppet for life?

Even powerful families are not of one mind; everyone wants to be the one who holds the highest power. Everyone covets the central position, and it is common for emperors to favor one side while suppressing the other.

One faction rises and another falls; for decades, court intrigues have never ceased.

Among a group of powerful family heads who prioritized profit, Xi Jian of the Gaoping Xi clan stood out as a breath of fresh air.

He consistently dedicated himself to reconciling conflicts among the aristocratic families, showing no attachment to power or personal grudges.

Back then, the Langya Wang clan produced a man who held considerable military power and attempted to dethrone the emperor. When that man rebelled, he almost killed Xi Jian, who had come to mediate.

The later rebellion was quelled by Xi Jian's troops, and afterwards he continued to show the Wang family the same respect.

Such a calm, humble, and truly capable person would bring no benefit whatsoever to other families if he were to be won over by the emperor and the Yu family.

Although the Langya Wang clan is at the pinnacle of aristocratic families, in recent years it has also been impacted and suppressed by commoners and relatives of the emperor who have been promoted by the emperor. If it wants to continue the family's glory, it is impossible not to take a different approach.

The Wang and Xi families had a history of marriage alliances, and Wang Jue had indeed considered remarrying at first.

Speaking of this, Xie Chenxu couldn't help but complain, "A marriage between the Wang and Xi families is entirely beneficial. The eldest daughter of the Xi family is beautiful and sincere towards you. I don't understand why you're suddenly so reserved?"

Wang Jue's gaze was deep, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

Xi Lingxian is too suspicious.

The timing of her return to Jiankang was questionable, and it was absurd that she would act as if she were deeply in love with him after only a brief encounter.

Anything uncertain means danger.

And a gentleman.

Do not stand under a dangerous wall.