Chapter 421: He Couldn’t Reconcile

Chapter 421: He Couldn't Reconcile

As the year-end approached, the weather turned fiercely cold, but the atmosphere at the horse track was ablaze with activity. The young nobles, either riding or chatting, transformed what was initially a riding appointment between Xiao Yuzhu and Xia Dailan into a social gathering.

Coming from a military family, Xia Dailan was naturally a skilled rider, and Xiao Yuzhu was no less accomplished. The two women rode side by side around the track, and after a couple of circuits, they dismounted to rest.

Xia Dailan asked Xiao Yuzhu, “If I were to enter a marital alliance, who do you think I should choose?”

Xiao Yuzhu was taken aback; she hadn’t expected Xia Dailan to pose such a question so directly. Yet, it seemed Xia Dailan, despite her straightforward nature, was far from foolish. Her blunt words were, in fact, quite to the point.

But Xiao Yuzhu found herself at a loss to answer Xia Dailan’s question, thus falling into a moment of silence.

“When your father attacked the Kingdom of Rouli, he worked closely with my father,” Xia Dailan continued, looking at Xiao Yuzhu. “Our families have shared an unbreakable bond; you can’t mislead me.”

Xiao Yuzhu: “…”

She indeed could not afford to mislead Xia Dailan; should she give poor advice and Xia Dailan’s life turn out poorly, the blame would surely fall on her. And then, perhaps even the Prince of Yong would hold a grudge against her family’s dukedom.

It wasn’t fear of the Prince of Yong but rather an avoidance of unnecessary conflict between the two families that guided her thoughts. After pondering, she said, “Each person's character is different, as are their preferences. What good is my telling you who is suitable if you do not find them agreeable?”

Xia Dailan pondered for a moment, then said, “That's true. But if my father intends to use my marriage for an alliance, what should I do? I can’t just pick anyone, can I?”

Xiao Yuzhu glanced towards the young noblemen gathered in small groups and suggested, “How about this: you pick someone from among them, and I'll inform you about that person's background. Then you and your father can decide, how about that?”

Xia Dailan nodded, “That's a good idea, I’ll go and choose.”

She stood up and headed over, with Xiao Yuzhu quickly following behind. They had only taken a few steps when they encountered the eldest Fan son. Clad in a blue brocade robe, he epitomized genteel elegance—a paragon of grace and nobility.

"Lady Kang Le, Lady Dai Lan," Master Fan greeted the two with a bow.

Xiao Yuzhu returned the greeting, while Dai Lan sized him up and then asked, "Which family does the master belong to?"

Master Fan did not expect such a forthright question, but after a slight pause, he replied, "The An Jin Fan family."

Dai Lan was not familiar with the Fan family but found Master Fan's appearance to her liking and inquired, "Has the master also come to ride today?"

Master Fan glanced at Xiao Yuzhu and answered, "Yes, I came here to ride for leisure today."

"How about a race around the field?" Dai Lan suggested.

Master Fan looked towards Xiao Yuzhu: "Would the lady care to join?"

Xiao Yuzhu shook her head, "I'm a bit tired, I'll pass."

Master Fan nodded, "I've also ridden a few laps and am a bit tired; I'll refrain from competing with the lady."

Dai Lan glanced between the two and then walked off with a smile, Xiao Yuzhu hurried to keep up, while Master Fan followed at a respectful distance.

In a low voice, Dai Lan asked Xiao Yuzhu, "Does he fancy you?"

Xiao Yuzhu was noncommittal, yet replied with certainty, "I'm not interested in him."

"What's wrong with him?" Dai Lan inquired.

Xiao Yuzhu answered, "I don't know him well enough."

Understanding, Dai Lan nodded, "He's not the type you'd be interested in."

Xiao Yuzhu did not respond to her comment, for besides Li Jingyi, she hadn't considered anyone else.

On the edge of the racecourse, Xiao Yuming and Qi Er, along with Yan Wu, stood together. Qi Er nudged Xiao Yuming's arm and whispered, "Look at that Fan fellow, trying to undercut you."

Xiao Yuming snorted coldly and did not speak, but Yan Wu suggested, "Shall we teach him a lesson?"

Back when Li Jingyi was not yet Emperor, their relationship might not have been the deepest of friendships, but it was certainly a good one. Now that someone was attempting to disrupt the relationship between Li Jingyi and Xiao Yuzhu, they naturally disapproved.

Xiao Yuming didn't respond, but Yan Wu and Qi Er took his silence as consent. They grabbed a horse and entered the field, quickly approaching near Xiao Yuzhu and the others.

Qi Er, mounted on his horse, looked at Master Fan and challenged, "Master Fan, do you dare to race a lap?"

The provocative tone of the challenge left Master Fan with no choice but to accept. "Very well!" he declared.

Then, turning to Xiao Yuzhu, Qi Er said, "Sister Yuzhu, you should watch from the sidelines."

Xiao Yuzhu smiled, "Alright."

She took Dai Lan by the hand and walked to the edge of the racecourse to watch the three race. As Dai Lan inquired about Qi Er and Yan Wu, Xiao Yuzhu shared without reservation. She thought it would be nice if Dai Lan paired up with either Qi Er or Yan Wu.

Neither Qi Er nor Yan Wu were eldest sons in their families; their wives would not be of the main line, which meant fewer strictures, fitting Dai Lan's free spirit well. It all depended on whether they could take a liking to each other.

Qi Er and Yan Wu, who were initially intent on teaching Master Fan a lesson, rode for a while before beginning to close in from both sides, squeezing Master Fan into the middle.

Master Fan's horse, caught in the pincer move, grew restless, thrashing about. Master Fan had to grip the reins tightly to prevent being thrown off.

Qi Er and Yan Wu knew their limits and, seeing this, roared with laughter and rode away. Master Fan gripped the reins tightly, squinting at their retreating figures. Did this mockery have anything to do with Xiao Yuming, considering the good relationship they shared with him?

If so, that would reflect the stance of the Duke of Ding Guo's mansion towards him. With this thought, his grip on the reins tightened.

Why should it be so?

He was not content to accept this.

After circling the racecourse, Qi Er and Yan Wu stopped in front of Xiao Yuzhu and Dai Lan, boasting to Xiao Yuzhu with gleeful smiles.

After exchanging a few jokes, Dai Lan suddenly turned to Qi Er and proposed, "Young Master Qi, how about a little competition with me?"

Qi Er, charmed by her candid personality, agreed with a smile, "Of course!"

Dai Lan stood up, led a horse into the field, and with a swift motion, mounted it. She snapped the riding crop and dashed off. Seeing this, Qi Er quickly did the same and followed.

Xiao Yuzhu and Yan Wu stared at their disappearing figures for a long time. Had they taken a liking to each other?

"This... wasn't the Emperor planning to have her choose from the imperial clan? How did she end up choosing Qi Er?" Yan Wu exclaimed in surprise.

Xiao Yuzhu replied, "It shows that Brother Qi Er is more appealing than those from the imperial clan."

Yan Wu laughed heartily, then heard Xiao Yuzhu tease, "Brother Yan Wu, if Brother Qi Er gets engaged, you'll be the only one left single."

Yan Wu paused, then slapped his thigh exclaiming, "When the time comes, my mother will indeed weep daily, urging me to get betrothed."

Xiao Yuzhu's laughter rang out, and in the distance, Master Fan's heart was struck once more upon witnessing her radiant smile.

When he first laid eyes on her, she was laughing just as heartily, like the most resplendent flower of summer, unforgettable in his mind.