"Just give up on that idea. The court will never allow the Dingguo Duke's estate to form a marital alliance with your Lan Yong."
Xu Hengyi knew Xie Jiang still harbored feelings for Song Xun; he'd noticed it last time.
Xie Jiang turned and glared at him with fierce eyes.
"Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing? Trying to commit murder in the palace... Ahhh..."
Xie Jiang almost broke Xu Hengyi's neck with his bare hands.
"It's not me preventing your alliance. I'm just kindly telling you the truth, hoping to make you think clearly..."
Xu Hengyi believed Xie Jiang was just lashing out in embarrassment. Xie Jiang's mind was as sharp as his second brother's; how could he not understand the reasons? It was merely him taking out his frustrations on Xu Hengyi.
But killing him wouldn't change anything. The Dingguo Duke's estate was in a special situation, and Lan Yong was too powerful. An alliance was impossible.
"Did you see them or not? Why all this nonsense!"
"No!" Xu Hengyi replied irritably.
Xie Jiang looked at the pretty young palace maid leading the way.
The young palace maid had been wondering why Marquis of Nanhai was asking about the Song siblings. After hearing what Young Master Xu the Third said, she immediately thought she'd found the real reason.
The Song siblings' appearance was such that anyone who saw them would feel favorably inclined. Even they, palace maids, enjoyed looking at them. "Young Master Song's eyesight isn't good, so he probably wouldn't be walking around much."
Xie Jiang nodded. "Makes sense."
No matter what kind of banquet was held, there would always be guest rooms arranged for attendees to rest.
Just as Xie Jiang was about to ask the palace maid to take her to the resting area, the maid reminded her that the banquet was about to start, and the Song siblings had likely already taken their seats.
The banquet was set by the lotus pond at the lake's edge.
Hundreds, even thousands, of palace lanterns illuminated the lakeside as if it were day, creating a truly ethereal scene.
It was a pity that the lotus season had passed, otherwise, it would have added even more to the ambiance.
As Xie Jiang and her entourage arrived, guests were trickling in, most having already found their seats.
The Lan Yong delegation was seated towards the front, with only a few venerable old princes, important officials, and imperial relatives seated before them.
Opposite the Lan Yong delegation was the Wei Guo Duke's estate, with the Duke of Wei and Xu Hengyi's father both present.
Xie Jiang leaned back in her seat, not quite sitting properly, and glanced at the Duke of Wei with a smile.
The Duke of Wei nodded solemnly at her.
Xu Hengyi, seated behind his uncle and father, thought Xie Jiang was looking at him and was eager to switch seats.
But the seats next to Xie Jiang were occupied by the Duke of Qian and Marquis Yongxin.
Trying to get a seat next to the Duke of Qian or Marquis Yongxin... he, he'd better not.
Xie Jiang's gaze lingered on the Wei Guo Duke's estate for a moment.
Then she looked down the rows and, at a corner, finally spotted Song Ze and Song Xun.
The position that originally belonged to the foremost of the Ten Great Duke's estates, the Wei Guo Duke's estate, should have been occupied by the Song siblings.
But now, they could only sit in an inconspicuous corner.
Far away and secluded.
She could only see two figures sitting side by side, but Xie Jiang knew it was Song Ze and Song Xun.
The light in that area seemed dimmer than elsewhere, but because Song Ze was sitting there, even the night breeze, carried by the moonlight, seemed gentler.
Perhaps sensing her gaze, Song Ze suddenly put down his teacup and turned his head in Xie Jiang's direction.
Although Xie Jiang's eyesight was quite good, she couldn't see Song Ze's face clearly from such a distance, yet she felt that Song Ze was smiling.
The banquet began.
All the guests had taken their seats.
Someone on the high platform was speaking.
Xie Jiang seemed to hear Yi Yanheng's voice.
The Duke of Qian's voice reached her ear, "What are you staring at, boy? Lost in a daze?"
Xie Jiang calmly withdrew her gaze and gestured with her chin towards the large water vats beside them. "I didn't get a good look when I came over. Are these large vats all filled with bi-colored lotuses?"
Although there were no lotuses in the pond, the water vats along the bank were still blooming with rare water lilies.
When Xie Jiang had taken her seat, she had glanced at them. The vat next to her seat and the one next to the Duke of Qian's seat were both cultivated with bi-colored lotuses.
For example, the bi-colored lotus in the vat beside her was half pink and half snow white, while the vat next to the Duke of Qian was half golden yellow and half orange-red.
The Duke of Qian said, "Do you think such rare and precious things are like weeds, found everywhere? There are probably only three to five bi-colored ones."
Xie Jiang casually asked, "Can I take a vat back with me?"
The Duke of Qian glared at her. "You have such refined tastes?"
Xie Jiang replied, "Why can't I have such refined tastes? Do I not look like a refined person?"
The Duke of Qian chuckled, turned, and went to find Old Duke Qin to sample wine.
Old Duke Qin could only drink tea as a substitute for wine. No matter how much he craved the fine wine, he had to endure it. He was still hoping to be able to wield his saber and ride into battle soon.
Moreover, with his sons and grandsons watching him, Old Duke Qin didn't even have the chance to touch the wine pot.
Before the banquet started, Duke Qin had specifically found Xie Taihong and praised Xie Jiang profusely in front of him. He had originally wanted to express his gratitude to Xie Jiang in person, but he had never managed to find her.
Now that the banquet had begun, it was inconvenient to go over, so he could only cast several friendly glances at Xie Jiang.
Old Duke Qin said to Xie Jiang, across from the Duke of Qian, "It's not difficult to get a bi-colored lotus. Do you know who cultivated these bi-colored lotuses?"
Xie Jiang had just found an excuse to appease the Duke of Qian. How much interest could she have in flowers and plants that couldn't be eaten?
Unexpectedly, Old Duke Qin took her seriously. Xie Jiang could only offer another perfunctory response.
"Who? Someone I know?"
"It's Song Ze."
"Hmm? Young Master Song?"
Old Duke Qin nodded. "These few bi-colored lotuses on Jade Pot Island were all presented by Song Ze."
"Young Master Song possesses such unique skills?"
Xie Jiang immediately sat up straight and looked at the vat beside her. This time, she was genuinely interested.
The Duke of Qian finished his wine and said, "Although Song Ze's eyesight is poor, he has a brilliant mind. Such rare bi-colored lotuses can probably only be cultivated by someone like Song Ze."
Xie Jiang nodded vigorously. "You are absolutely right, old sir."
Just as Xie Jiang was admiring the bi-colored lotuses, her pleasure evident, she felt a cold gaze lingering on the back of her neck for a long time.
Xie Jiang turned her head and looked towards the high platform, meeting Yi Yanheng's gaze. It was the first time she had seen him dressed so formally, and Xie Jiang was momentarily stunned.
Yi Yanheng's appearance was already extraordinary. Combined with his natural aura of majesty, a sudden glance could be suffocating. Xie Jiang sighed silently.
She then raised her eyebrows and smiled at him, exchanging a few words with her eyes.
Yi Yanheng did not respond; every strand of his hair exuded seriousness.
The main seat on the high platform was still empty. It would be remarkable enough if His Majesty appeared tonight, so he certainly wouldn't come early.
Yi Yanheng's seat was directly below the main seat, but there was also a seat opposite Yi Yanheng. Since Xie Jiang was looking towards the high platform, she naturally glanced at the seat opposite Yi Yanheng.
The person there also happened to look up at that moment.
Their eyes met in mid-air.
The other person nodded to Xie Jiang in greeting, and Xie Jiang nodded in return.
"The person sitting opposite Yi Yanheng, is he one of the princes?" Xie Jiang asked the Duke of Qian beside her.