As the sun rose from the east and the morning mist gradually dispersed, it was a pleasant thing to be able to see one's sweetheart. The prerequisite was that there was no one around her whom one disliked.
Shi Feixian had never realized that she disliked Ban Han so much. They didn't have much interaction, but why did Ban Han approach Earl Rong again and again? Earl Rong observed mourning for his mother for three years, and then for his father for another three years. Later, his only brother died of illness, leaving him alone in Cheng Anbo's mansion.
His Majesty liked his talent and pitied him for losing his family at such a young age. Therefore, he didn't demote him and let him inherit the title of Earl.
Shi Feixian's heart ached for Uncle Cheng's past. Although he was usually elegant and graceful, his words and actions were like a spring breeze, but after encountering so many sad things, how could he not be sad at all. Uncle Rong … just used a smile to cover it up.
She often thought that if she could live with Duke Rong, how wonderful it would be.
But now, it wasn't so wonderful. She looked at the man and woman on horseback not far away expressionlessly. Although there was half a horse's length between them, in Shi Feixian's eyes, this distance was enough to make her feel uneasy.
"Stop the carriage." She lifted the curtain and got off the carriage with the help of her maid. She didn't believe that Earl Rong couldn't see her when she was standing there.
A beauty looked even more beautiful in the haze. Ban Han looked at the delicate Shi Feixian standing there and couldn't help but stop the horse so that she could admire the beauty for a while.
Seeing her stop, Rong Xia asked with a smile, "Your Highness, why did you suddenly stop?"
"I'm admiring the scenery." Ban Han blinked. "Graceful and graceful, like an immortal."
Rong Xia followed her gaze and saw Shi Feixian standing under a tree. She was wearing a light green dress and a plain silver cloak. She looked beautiful beyond her clothes.
"Where's the beautiful scenery in the white fog?" Rong Xia looked away and smiled faintly. "Your Highness, are you playing with me?"
Ban Han looked at Rong Xia in surprise. Did she really look down on Shi Feixian?
But the man in front of her had a gentle smile. Even the most picky woman in the world couldn't find any fault with him. She smiled. "Your Highness, you're really interesting."
Shi Feixian, who had fascinated the second prince, was no different from a white fog in Rong Xia's eyes. This was really interesting, really interesting.
Shi Feixian and her maid came over. "Your Highness, Your Highness, Princess Ban............."
Ban Li felt that the way Shi Feixian looked at her wasn't like "What a coincidence" at all, but more like "Why are you here, you hindrance". However, she was never someone who cared about these things, so after nodding slightly to Shi Feixian, she didn't say anything.
She didn't want to say anything to another woman in front of a handsome man. She had no interest in showing her sisterly love to another woman. If she had time, she'd rather take a few more glances at the handsome man.
A handsome man was always worth taking a few more glances.
"Miss Shi." Rong Xia saluted Shi Feixian on horseback. "Where are you going, Miss Shi?"
Shi Feixian returned Rong Xia's salute. "Today, my elder brother accompanied me to worship Buddha. I didn't expect to meet you here." She paused and glanced at Ban Han. "Did you and Your Highness go out to play?"
Ban Han turned to Rong Xia and said, "Your Highness, we won't disturb your chat with Miss Shi. We'll leave first. Goodbye."
"I just happened to meet Princess Ban." Rong Xia patted her horse. "Miss Shi, goodbye."
Shi Feixian forced a smile. "Take care."
She looked at Rong Xia's back as she left with Ban Han. She squeezed her handkerchief tightly and forced the smile on her face to remain as gentle as a flower.
"Your Highness." A man in black riding on a tall horse clasped his hands in greeting to Rong Xia. His eyes fell on Ban Han. "Princess Ban."
Ban Han looked at the man, tilted her head and thought for a while. "Young Master Shi?"
Was it popular to wear black brocade robes in the capital recently? Xie Chongan was not enough, and now there was Shi Jin.
Shi Jin's tense face relaxed a little. "That's me. Greetings, Princess Ban."
"Didn't you go to the Northwest Military Camp?" Ban Han remembered Shi Jin because he was the best at riding and shooting among the aristocrats. Some people even praised him for having the aura of a quiet pavilion. Therefore, Ban Han remembered him.
Of course, the aura of a quiet pavilion did not refer to her father, but her grandfather, the Duke Of Jingting.
"My mother is ill. As her son, how could I let her worry about me?" Shi Jin clasped his hands in the direction of the Imperial Palace. "Fortunately, His Majesty took pity on me and made me the Minister of the Guard Office. I was able to reunite with my family."
No wonder Shi Feixian went to worship Buddha. It turned out that Mrs. Shi was ill.
"I see." Ban Han did not return the salute. "I wish you a speedy recovery."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Shi Jin saw the father and son of the Ban Family slowly coming over and bowed to them again.
The Shi Family and the Ban Family were the legendary comparison group. The former was a model of devoted service to the imperial court, while the latter was a nobleman who idled around and played with cats and dogs. Therefore, the two families did not have much interaction with each other.
Ban Huai had a job in the imperial court, but it was an idle job with a salary. Ban Heng did not even have an idle job. Therefore, the three of them did not have much to say to each other. After greeting each other, they just stared at each other.
Shi Jin could not help but look at Ban Han. She was wearing a light yellow riding outfit and an apricot yellow cloak. Her hair was combed into a man's bun, but it was tied up with an extremely gorgeous golden crown. A bright red five-petaled flower was drawn on her forehead. She looked very lively.
"We haven't seen each other for more than two years. Your Highness is even more charming than before." After saying this, he suddenly realized that it was a bit abrupt. He immediately changed the topic. "The morning fog is cold. Please return to your residence early. I will take my leave."
"Lord Shi is so kind." Rong Xia smiled and clasped his hands in front of Shi Jin. "Lord Shi, please."
"Marquis Jingting, Cheng Anbo, Princess, and Heir Apparent, please." Shi Jin rode his horse back half a step, indicating that the other party should pass first.
Seeing this, Rong Xia's smile did not change. "Lord Shi, I will take my leave."
He turned his head and looked at Ban Han. "Princess, let's go."
Ban Han nodded and smiled at Shi Jin. She squeezed the horse's belly with her legs and the horse started to trot.
"Brother." Shi Feixian sat in the carriage. He lifted the curtain and looked at Shi Jin, who was riding beside him. He hesitated for a moment and asked, "Are you very close to Princess Ban?"
His brother had always been a man of few words. Just now, he had said a few words to Ban Han. Could it be that all men in the world would not be like themselves when they saw a beautiful woman? His brother was like this. Even … Earl Rong was like this.
Shi Jin shook his head slightly. "I saw that she was the same age as you. I thought that we would have a lot of time together in the future, so I said a few words."
Shi Feixian wanted to say that he did not like that woman Ban Han at all and would not have any contact with her. However, he was afraid that if he said this, his brother would think that he was being impolite. Therefore, he swallowed his words.
There was some distance between Cheng Anbo's mansion and the Jingting Marquessate. Therefore, after traveling together for a while, they went back to their respective manors.
That day, just after lunch, Ban Jin heard a servant report that someone from Count Cheng An's residence had come up, and they had even brought a lot of things over. Ban Han rushed over to take a look and found that there were several boxes of high-quality leather in the courtyard. There was fire fox leather and white fox leather. Every piece of leather was in perfect condition and did not have a single blemish.
"Sister, these leather are good things that can't be bought with money." Ban Heng moved closer to Ban Han. "Cheng Anbo is too generous."
"Yes. Even Cheng Anbo is so generous. When will you buy me something valuable?" Ban Han rolled her eyes at Ban Heng. "You are my younger brother."
"If I wasn't your younger brother, would you give me money to spend?" Ban Heng smiled bashfully. "Then I don't have money."
As the heir of the Marquessate Manor, he usually went out with a few friends. Sometimes, he even had to go to his sister's place to ask for money. Even if he told others about this, no one would believe him.
Ban Han opened the small box at the top. Inside, there was a set of ruby jewelry. She picked up the note in the box and read it. Then, she put the box away.
"Sister, Cheng Anbo is so generous. I feel a bit uneasy." Ban Heng looked at the box of ruby jewelry and felt that something was wrong. Cheng Anbo used the excuse of giving him a gift, but all the things he gave were for his sister. Wasn't this a bit …
"Do you know who this set of jewelry was originally intended for?"
"Who?"
Ban Han put the note in Ban Heng's hand. "See for yourself."
After reading it, Ban Heng sighed. Cheng Anbo didn't have it easy. He lost his mother when he was 15, his father and brother when he was 19, and his sister-in-law also remarried. This set of head ornaments was originally intended for his brother and sister-in-law. However, after his father and brother passed away, his sister-in-law returned to her parents' home and remarried, so this set of head ornaments was left behind.
It was said to be a good match for a beautiful woman. He probably didn't want to see these sad things, so he sent it along with these fox skins.
Before dinner, Rong Xia received a return gift from the Jingting Marquessate. There was a recipe for desserts, two boxes of desserts, and … a box of books.
It was said that the lost manuscript of "The Chronicles of the East Sea" was copied by a very famous scholar a hundred years ago.
It was the only copy of "Daily Notes to the West" that had been lost for a long time.
It was said that reading the complete book was the only copy of "The Chronicles of the North" that had traveled thousands of miles.
And … "Nanke Dream"?!
The "Nanke Dream" that all the scholars in the world dreamed of reading?!
Holding these four books, Rong Xia felt as if she was holding a mountain of gold.
Did those civil officials in the imperial court who looked down on Marquis Jingting know … that the Jingting Marquessate had such a rich collection of books?
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