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

On the sixth day of the tenth lunar month, the weather was perfect, with clear skies and very few clouds.

The Xi residence was brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and a red carpet was laid all the way from the main gate to the main hall.

Guests arrived in droves to offer their congratulations, and the carriages lined up for half the street outside the gate.

An incense table was set up in the main hall, on which were placed wine, sweet wine, dates, chestnuts, and a lacquered tray holding hairpins.

The coming-of-age ceremony for a young lady was a major event, and female relatives of officials who had some old ties with the Xi family came to attend and offer their congratulations. No matter how much a commotion there was, the outward appearance of propriety remained, and female relatives from the Langya Wang clan and the Chenjun Xie clan also came.

Suddenly, a slight commotion came from outside the door.

Xi Lingxian, who was talking to the elders presiding over the coming-of-age ceremony behind the screen, heard the noise and subconsciously raised her eyes.

At the entrance of the hall, a tall, slender figure walked against the light.

The man was extremely tall, with a face like jade, and eyebrows like paintings. His black hair was tied up with a white jade hairpin, and his eyebrows slanted upwards into his temples.

He wore a wide-sleeved robe with cloud and water patterns. The precious sky-blue fabric subtly revealed silvery-white patterns under the light, like moonlight flowing over water. He was extremely thin, and the wide robe made him appear even more wiry and upright.

As he walked, his clothes fluttered, exuding the refined and elegant air of a scholar.

Wang Jue was known to all in Jiankang for his good looks; however, his clothes were usually too plain, which, while making him handsome, made him seem distant, aloof, and unapproachable.

Today, it suddenly changed into a bright color, truly like a glacier melting and a celestial being descending to earth.

Xi Lingxian's eyelids twitched suddenly.

What's wrong with this guy?

Isn't he the one who dislikes such flamboyant and bright colors the most?

A series of tinkling sounds rang out, signaling the start of the coming-of-age ceremony.

The ceremony was presided over by an elder of the Xi family, an elderly lady in her sixties who was in good spirits and had a reputation for virtue among the ladies of Jiankang City.

Xi Lingxian wore a pale yellow wide-sleeved blouse, an autumn-colored half-sleeved blouse with lotus leaf embroidery, and a cloud-blue floor-length skirt. As she swayed with her steps, the lake-blue ribbons on both sides of her knees flowed gracefully, making her look like a fairy.

Her face was like a lotus in full bloom, and her eyebrows were like distant mountains shrouded in mist.

Her peach blossom eyes shimmered with light, the corners of her eyes upturned; her skin was like solidified cream, her teeth like pearls. Her waist, outlined by a palace sash, was so slender it could be encircled by a single hand; a faint fragrance of plum blossoms lingered wherever she went.

A beautiful woman, fragrant and alluring, captivates the soul.

Xiao Yun's eyes suddenly lit up. All the hard work he had put into urging the flowers to bloom over the past two days vanished in an instant. It was all worth it.

The room was filled with gasps of shock.

The amazement in everyone's eyes was impossible to hide; they couldn't take their eyes off them.

Xi Lingxian smiled proudly, allowing everyone to look her over with an air of nonchalance.

"Even Chang'e in the moon and the goddess of the Luo River couldn't compare," Xie Chenxu sighed, then turned to Wang Jue, "To be honest, our young master Wang is no ordinary man. Such a beauty was chasing after you back then, and you remained unmoved. I admire you!"

Wang Jue didn't even want to give him a second glance.

Xi Lingxian knelt on the prayer mat, her black hair cascading over her shoulders.

The elderly lady who presided over the coming-of-age ceremony picked up the white jade hairpin from the lacquer tray, gently gathered her loose black hair, and coiled it into a simple bun before inserting the hairpin into her hair.

Xi Jian walked to his daughter's side, helped her up, and his eyes welled up with tears several times.

"My Fanfan has grown up. Your mother in heaven must be so happy to see this."

"Your precious pearl is so dazzling, I wonder what kind of talented young man you would choose to marry it to?" a spirited young man asked bluntly.

Xiao Yun, Xiao Jing, and a few dozen other scions of prominent families turned their gazes in that direction.

Wang Jue frowned slightly.

Xi Jian: "Today is my daughter's coming-of-age ceremony. Let's not talk about anything else. Please take your seats."

The young ladies' banquet was set up in the pavilion on the left side of the hall, where they could lean against the railing and enjoy the view of the red plum blossoms.

The Red Plum Garden of the Xi family was famous in Jiankang because Xi Jian's first wife loved plum blossoms, and his current eldest daughter, Xi Lingxian, also loves plum blossoms.

The amount of money the head of the Xi family spent on this plum grove is unknown.

The gardeners carefully tended the plants, and the gardeners pruned the branches and leaves, resulting in this magnificent sea of ​​red plum blossoms.

Maids brought plum blossom cakes made from freshly picked plum blossoms to the ladies.

"Why are the plum blossoms blooming so beautifully at this time of year?"

"I heard that the Prince of Chenliu, in order to please the Xi family's sister, led the gardeners to go to great lengths to force the flowers to bloom."

"The Xi family's daughter is truly blessed. The Second Prince of Wang deposed the Crown Prince for her sake, and now the Prince of Chenliu is going to great lengths to win her favor."

"What good fortune? I think it's a femme fatale, a vixen with clever tricks." A sharp and sarcastic voice stood out abruptly in the crowd.

Today is a joyous occasion for the Xi family, and the guests who came to witness the ceremony were all very respectable. For a moment, everyone fell silent and looked at the person who had spoken so harshly.

The speaker was none other than Princess Nankang from the palace.

She spoke in a rush and forgot her voice for a moment. When she realized it, everyone was looking at her.

The girl was proud; even knowing she was wrong, she wouldn't admit it in front of others. She raised her chin, her face showing disdain, and asked, "Where did I go wrong?"

"A small coming-of-age ceremony costs so much manpower and resources. They really don't know the suffering of the people and have no compassion for the common people at all."

"Why does the princess say such a thing?" Shen Qingdai asked indignantly.

"Our country is in ruins, and people are resorting to cannibalism. We should be concerned about the people's livelihood and help them. But Xi Lingxian spends thousands of taels of silver on her birthday. Isn't that extravagant and wasteful?"

A hint of ferocity flashed across Princess Nankang's face; she was filled with jealousy and anger.

Xi Lingxian's birthday celebration has garnered such fawning from these people; even a princess like her doesn't receive such treatment.

What gives Xi Lingxian the right to do this?

"When did the princess learn to be so compassionate? I have been taught a lesson in this moment."

A gentle voice, neither too loud nor too soft, made everyone present straighten their backs almost instantly.

The once proud Princess Nankang blushed and looked shy upon seeing the newcomer. "Brother Qingyu~"

Princess Nankang and the royal family are not related by blood, so her address is neither reasonable nor in accordance with regulations.

It's just an attempt to show intimacy.

Wang Jue frowned slightly and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I am humbled and cannot accept Your Highness's address of 'brother'."

"The Xi family started setting up sheds and distributing porridge throughout the city at dawn this morning. Could this be considered the princess's concern for the people's livelihood and her act of helping the common folk?"

Princess Nankang's smile faltered. "I, I..."

"The princess's clothes cost a hundred taels of gold, so why don't you criticize the embroiderers in the Imperial Workshop for spending too much?"

"The princess cares deeply for the common people, so why doesn't she use her own salary to provide disaster relief? Is her compassion just lip service?"

Wang Jue was a man of great social skills and shrewdness. Even when facing political enemies, he would usually remain calm and collected, using insincere words and expressions. It was rare to see him speak so harshly and without any mercy.

Princess Nankang was heartbroken and filled with resentment after being reprimanded by her beloved for another woman. "Brother Qingyu, are you saying all this to speak up for Xi Lingxian?"

Wang Shuhui and Princess Nankang were on good terms, and seeing this, she stepped in to smooth things over.

"Brother, Her Highness is deeply in love with you. Instead of showing her any tenderness, why are you being so fierce?"

"There are so many women in the world, if I were to cherish and pity them all, I simply couldn't possibly attend to them all," Wang Jue said coldly, his expression aloof.

Wang Shuhui was furious. "Second brother, have you been cursed? That Xi Lingxian changed her mind so easily. She hasn't given you a kind look since the Dragon Boat Festival. Why are you still so eager to be with her?"

In an instant, Xie Wanyi, Princess Nankang, and some girls who secretly liked Wang Jue all looked at that person.

They were curious too.

Having just met with the elders of each branch of the Xi family, Xi Lingxian was escorted back to her seat by the other daughters of the Xi family.

The atmosphere was unusually quiet, with everyone gathered around the railing to admire the plum blossoms.

A clear, melodious voice, both familiar and unfamiliar, reached her ears through the crowd.

Some people and things don't need a reason.

"..."

Xi Lingxian recognized the owner of the voice and slowly turned her head.

The two looked at each other across the crowd.

Xie Mingshuo curled his lip, unable to resist defending his own, saying, "According to Second Brother, what is my eldest sister then?"

Xie Wanyi said softly, "Stop talking. Today is Sister Xi's special day. Why bring this up?"

"I'll say it anyway," Xie Mingshuo said righteously. "The Wang and Xie families are separated by only a wall and are also related by marriage. Their children have been raised together since childhood, and there have been frequent rumors in the household that Second Brother and Eldest Sister are a match made in heaven and will become husband and wife sooner or later. My sister has diligently studied and practiced traditional Chinese virtues and needlework, fearing that she might embarrass Second Brother. But Second Brother hasn't offered a single explanation and wants to erase everything from the past? What about all of my Eldest Sister's devotion and sacrifices over the years?"

"That's enough!"

Xi Lingxian's eyes were icy cold. "If you want to argue, go back to Wuyi Lane. Don't spoil the mood here."

Xie Mingshuo sneered, "Stop pretending, Xi Lingxian. You're really good at playing hard to get. Your second brother is being led by the nose by you now. Aren't you very proud of yourself?"

"Snapped!"

A clear handprint instantly appeared on Xie Mingshuo's right cheek.

Xie Mingshuo covered his face, looking incredulously at the person waving at him, "Second Brother, you..."

Wang Jue's gaze was disdainful, as if he were looking at a dead object.

"If you dare to be disrespectful again, it won't be as simple as just a slap."

happy!

Xi Lingxian raised an eyebrow and walked closer with her arms crossed.

"Playing hard to get? If you're so familiar with Sun Tzu's Art of War, why don't you lead troops into battle? All you do is talk big and rely on women!"

Xie Mingshuo's face was contorted with rage, his teeth clenched. "Don't be so smug!"

Xi Lingxian was in a good mood and turned to Wang Jue, saying, "Second Young Master Xie may have a million faults, but he's right about one thing: Miss Xie has devoted herself to love for so many years, her deep affection moving heaven and earth. It wouldn't be right for Second Young Master not to give her a proper title, would it?"

She acted as if she were detached and indifferent, jokingly teasing him about other women with a smile, and even shrugged at him innocently.

Since their reunion, Wang Jue had a feeling that he might lose her if he wasn't careful.

But these subtle and superficial understandings were nothing compared to the heart-wrenching pain of her trying to match him with another woman right in front of him.