Zhao Yao took his wife and children to greet Xie Jingrong and his family. The two sides exchanged polite greetings. Wang Qizhang waited for a long time for Xie Jingrong and Zhao Yao to finish talking, and was ready to chat with Zhao Yao, but Zhao Yao ignored him completely. After greeting Xie Jingrong, he took his wife and children away.

Wang Qizhang looked at Xie Jingrong with a puzzled look, while the other party smiled as if he couldn’t understand his expression.

Xie Jin’s expression became increasingly cold after he saw Zhao Shu. Zhou Huijie saw his son like this out of the corner of his eye, sighed imperceptibly, and then continued to interact with Lin Yin.

Xie Jin’s patience had run out, so he turned around and walked towards the palace.

Zhou Huijie knew that her son was not in a good mood today. Although she tried to take his mood into consideration, his rude behavior at the moment made her unhappy. Who taught him to leave without saying hello to the guests!

Seeing Xie Jin walking away, Wang Yujin quickly bowed and apologized to Zhou Huijie and his mother, then turned around and chased after Xie Jin.

Xie Jin ran very fast and it took Wang Yujin a lot of effort to catch up with him.

Wang Yujin followed beside Xie Jin, panting slightly. She did not take the initiative to talk to him. She secretly adjusted her breathing and put on her best behavior to endure the envious, jealous and hateful looks she received along the way. The more looks she received, the happier she felt.

Wang Yujin slightly turned her head to glance at the man standing beside her as firm as pine or cypress, and the smile on her lips grew wider. He was the man with the most distinguished status in Shangjing besides the princes and the best man among all the men in Shangjing. She had lost such a man once in her early years, but this time she would definitely hold on to him tightly, at any cost!
He will only belong to her, Wang Yujin!
The smile on Wang Yujin’s face grew bigger and gentler.

Zhao Shu followed closely behind Zhang Lanyin the whole time. Although she kept her head down, she could still feel her mother turning her head and glancing at her from time to time. She secretly thought in her heart that if possible, her mother would never let her attend the banquet in the palace.

The Zhao family and the Xie family were the protagonists of this banquet. The banquet tables of the two families were located below the emperor on the left and right respectively, while the Wang family’s banquet table was next to the Xie family’s. Although the Wang family’s official position was not high enough, they were now the future in-laws of the Xie family. For the sake of the Xie family’s face, it was most appropriate to arrange the Wang family’s seats next to the Xie family’s.

When all the ministers attending the banquet had taken their seats, the eunuch standing outside the door shouted, “Your Majesty has arrived!”

All the ministers and their families kowtowed to the man in the bright yellow dragon robe: “Your humble servants and your subjects bow to the emperor. Long live the emperor!”

Qin Su walked up to the main seat, his bright yellow dragon robe raised a sharp arc on the seat, and a deep voice came from above: “My dear ministers, please stand up!”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!”

Qin Su smiled as he looked at the solemn atmosphere below: “My dear ministers, there is no need to be so reserved. Just be casual.”

Ministers: “Yes!”

Although the emperor said this, the behavior of all the court officials was still very formal. After all, they were afraid that one of their words or actions would be seen by the emperor and cause him to be disgusted with them.

Qin Su picked up the wine cup and took a sip. Seeing Xie Jin sitting there drinking calmly, he smiled and put down the wine cup and was about to speak.

But at this moment, the key person in his next speech suddenly left his seat.

Qin Su’s eyes flashed, and he picked up the wine cup and drank again.

After a while, a young eunuch came around to the banquet table where Zhao Shu was sitting and stood behind her: “Miss Shu, Miss Shu!”

Zhao Shu turned her head to look over. Seeing this, the eunuch immediately bent down and whispered in her ear: “Miss Shu, Miss Bao’er is crying outside looking for you.”

Zhao Shu raised her eyes and looked across. Xie Baoer’s seat was indeed empty, but the person sitting next to her was also gone.

Just as Zhao Shu was thinking about it, Zhang Lanyin beside her said calmly: “Since Bao’er is clamoring for you, you should go, so as not to disturb the emperor.”

Zhao Shu lowered her eyes: “Yes.”

Zhao Shu followed the eunuch to the outside of the banquet. Seeing that the eunuch was taking a more and more detour, she stopped and asked, “Eunuch, where is Bao’er?”

The eunuch suddenly turned around and bowed to her, saying apologetically, “Miss Shu, I’m sorry!” After that, he ran away, leaving Zhao Shu alone in the wind! When the eunuch walked away, Zhao Shu suddenly came to her senses and turned around to walk back, but before she had taken a few steps, her wrist was grabbed from behind!

Zhao Shu didn’t look back. She whispered, “Let go!”

The hand holding her wrist not only did not let go, but the strength became stronger and stronger!

Zhao Shu taunted lightly: “Brother-in-law Wang, you pinched me and hurt me!”

The force on Zhao Shu’s wrist suddenly loosened because of her words, but soon clenched tightly again!
A low, hoarse voice came from behind: “Shu’er.”

Zhao Shu’s voice was cold: “Brother-in-law Wang, please respect yourself.”

Xie Jin grabbed her wrist and pulled her in front of him: “Respect yourself! Why didn’t you tell me to respect myself when we were in the carriage that day? Why didn’t you tell me to respect myself when I said I liked you? Why didn’t you tell me to respect myself when you came to the palace gate to wait for me!”

Xie Jin looked at her sneerfully: “Now you know your limits and ask me to respect myself! But your self-respect is too worthless!”

Zhao Shu was not angry at his words. She just looked at him calmly and said, “You were Xie Jin back then, and now you are Wang’s brother-in-law.”

Yes, he was just Xie Jin at first, but now, he is Xie Jin given the title by the Wang family. The two are different after all.

He didn’t want to hear any of these words that hurt his ears. He only wanted to hear what his heart wanted to hear: “That day in the carriage, I told you that I liked you. What about you? Do you like me too?” Xie Jin pressed Zhao Shu’s shoulders tightly with both hands.

Zhao Shu looked at him steadily: “Is there any point in you asking this now?”

Xie Jin looked anxious: “Of course it makes sense.”

Zhao Shu laughed and said, “Okay, then let me ask you, will you ask His Majesty to cancel your marriage with Wang Yujin?”

Xie Jin loosened his grip on her shoulders and said hesitantly, “I’ve already broken off her engagement once before. If I break off her engagement again, she’ll probably become a laughing stock in the whole of Shangjing. In that case, her future marriage will probably be difficult.” Xie Jin looked at Zhao Shu’s half-smile as she looked at him, and said with difficulty, “After all, she didn’t do anything wrong. I can’t hurt her.”

Zhao Shu smiled sarcastically: “I do like you.”

Before Xie Jin could get excited, Zhao Shu poured a basin of cold water on his head: “How do you plan to place me? After Wang Yujin enters the mansion, will you use a sedan chair to carry me into the Xie Mansion, or will you buy a house and keep me outside?”

When Xie Jin thought about Zhao Shu having to beg for a living under the mistress when they were together in the future, his heart ached. He hoped that she would be happy and blooming when they were together, instead of slowly withering away in the deep house.

Xie Jin looked at Zhao Shu seriously: “Shu’er, you will only be my wife!”

Zhao Shu was not moved at all: “Are you planning to make me your equal wife?”

Xie Jin wanted to nod, but seeing her expression he didn’t dare to nod. He always felt that if he nodded, perhaps there would no longer be any possibility between them!
(End of this chapter)