Chapter 5, quite interesting

Indeed. I did not expect to encounter a relative of my husband in this place, it is truly a surprise

Fortunately, this situation did not last long. That very afternoon, a convoy of about thirty to forty people arrived from another side road. The convoy included horse-drawn carriages, ox carts, and donkey carts. Upon seeing the grandeur of Xie Lang's procession, they eagerly pursued and along the way, frequently cast glances at Xie Lang in the carriage.

At this point, the young girl commanded the maid behind her, "Bring out some of the meat, fruits, and vegetables from the Wu family for this sister, and make sure she enjoys her meal to the fullest." The young girl glanced at Xie Lang, who was reading some documents not far away, and then looked at Ji Si, "By the way, those items in front of this sister can be discarded; there is no need to keep them."

Several people became even more flustered, repeatedly responding, "We dare not, we dare not." As they replied, they hurriedly retreated.

Soon, Ji Si finished her meal. After a day of bumpy travel, she felt exhausted. At that moment, Ji Si bowed to the crowd and returned to her own tent with several servants.

As the cooking smoke gradually rose, dinner was also ready. Seeing Ji Si lift a bowl of hot, boiled rice crust, all that was placed in front of her was just a plate of dried fish. Finally, laughter came from within the group.

The guard outside responded with a sound and said, "It is getting late; we will set off in half an hour."

Four people choke at once

Upon hearing the words "white-eyed wolf" from the round-faced girl, Ji Si raised her sharply defined, dark eyebrows and coldly inquired: "Your cousin's good intentions? Am I begging for food from your cousin? Or is it that your cousin, without my permission, allowed someone to sweep away my meal, and then, in a tone of benevolence, offered me food as if to honor and respect me?"

As soon as Ji Si spoke these words, the surroundings fell completely silent

As soon as Ji Si spoke, a hush fell over the surroundings. The guards and the four beautiful maidens all turned to look, and even Xie Lang, with his long, slender fingers gripping the scroll, could not help but pause imperceptibly.

She quickly turned around and said, "No, I'm fine." She was indeed fine, but just a moment ago, she had suddenly realized the identity of that noble in white, just as she had in the previous four times.

She raised her head and, with a pair of exceptionally bright eyes like rippling water, glanced at the middle-aged woman. Then, Ji Si turned to the commanding young girl and said: "Sister, if you wish to please the noble, there is no need to use me as a pawn"

Xie Lang did not speak

Gazing at the figure that resolutely departed under the starlight, a guard could not help but say: "My lord, why is this young lady so familiar with you?" After a moment, he added: "Clearly familiar with my lord, yet she remains neither arrogant nor servile in your presence; this young lady indeed possesses some refinement."

Noticing that her complexion was unusual, Uncle Li asked with concern, "Miss, what is wrong with you?" After calling her twice in succession, Ji Si finally seemed to awaken from a daze, suddenly coming to her senses.

At that moment, Ji Si's heart began to race: such a person, if she could attach herself to...

Xie Lang smiled faintly and, following Ji Si's lead, asked several young men and women: "Is there something you need?"

Seeing her eyes brimming with tears, I momentarily forgot to defend myself. A round-faced, spirited girl standing behind the young lady exclaimed sharply, "What do you mean by that? My cousin clearly had good intentions, yet you, ungrateful as you are, dare to say such things. You are truly a born ingrate."

Xie Lang smiled gently, picked up the book, and said in a warm tone: "If there is nothing else, you may leave. In the future, do not trouble this young lady."

As Ji Si was lost in thought, the sound of the qin floated in and then drifted away.

Therefore, when Ji Zi lifted the car curtain and saw the other party deliberately slowing down for her, a slight flush appeared on her face

Ji Si thought to herself, among the four of us, who is capable of looking after others? Xie Lang, as a high-ranking noble, is clearly helping her, yet still speaks in such a roundabout manner; he truly is a good person

Amidst the laughter, the four young men and women signaled to the servants to bring the dishes and walked over in this direction

The four women, Ji Si and her companions, set up their tents beside Xie Lang and the others' tents, just as they had done yesterday, placing their campfire right next to theirs, mirroring last night's arrangement

In the blink of an eye, the next day has arrived

As the night enveloped the world and the starlight obscured her gaze, Ji Si could not help but cast her eyes towards the noble in white.

At that moment, several people flushed with embarrassment, each responding in a flustered manner: "No, nothing is wrong"

The words she spoke and the actions she took can be regarded as mere noise for someone like Xie Lang: the petty disputes of such insignificant individuals and their daughters, marked by mutual bitterness, are the most tedious.

As dawn broke, a voice from a Xie family guard outside the tent could be heard, "Please convey to your young aunt that my lord has stated he will be heading directly to Jingzhou. If your young aunt does not mind, it would be advisable to travel together, as it would provide mutual support for each other"

With the addition of these dozens of people, the team has grown large. When passing by some mountain villages, those strong individuals who gazed in this direction would size them up for a moment and then no longer appear.

He looked at the guard, raising his eyebrows slightly, "Does she know my surname is Xie?"

As the sky sparkled with the brilliance of the galaxy, a distant and ethereal sound of a qin floated gently through the air

Speaking of which, Xie Lang and his group rode horses and traveled in horse-drawn carriages, while Ji Si and her group rode donkeys and traveled in donkey carts. Compared to the speed of horses, the speed of donkey carts is remarkably slow, almost akin to walking

In the blink of an eye, the convoy set off on the road

One of them, a girl of about fifteen or sixteen, with delicate features and charming beauty, bowed slightly to Ji Si and sweetly said: "Sister, please have some of my food. Although my sister is only about thirteen or fourteen years old and still in her growing years, it is better to eat more nourishing food during this time of being away for half a month to a month."

Ji Si placed her hand on the woman's sleeve

This thought came swiftly, but for some reason, just as the words "cling to" surged to the forefront of her mind, an indescribable sense of self-loathing suddenly welled up within her. It was as if she had suffered countless humiliations and lost her dignity innumerable times because of these two words.

With her command, a middle-aged woman approached, and with a flick of her sleeve, she swept towards the crispy fish.

Looking at the bright, sycophantic expressions in the eyes of these people and observing the guards' unyielding demeanor, Ji Si suddenly felt a sense of relief

Three hundred steps away, that group had just set up their tents and campfire, and they frequently cast glances towards Ji Si and the others, especially the four or five young men and women in the group, whose gazes towards Ji Si were tinged with a hint of envy and jealousy

Moreover, Ji Si's words, whether suggesting how many people should please Xie Lang or admitting her own sharpness and intensity, carried a hint of humor and nonchalance, which indeed revealed a certain grace

At this moment, Ji Si and the other three had arrived at the right side of Xie Lang and the others, their campfires connected. A casual glance was enough to see the noble figure that inspired such admiration.

However, the last words of Ke Jisi surprised Xie Lang a bit. It should be noted that the evaluation of the Xie family as having a broad-minded and cultured demeanor, along with being knowledgeable and charming, was casually mentioned by the most renowned recluse of the time, Huang Gong, three months ago. The journey from Hangzhou to Jingzhou spans a thousand miles, and given the inconvenient flow of information in this world, it is utterly impossible for this young lady before him to have known about it. Therefore, the question arises: how did she come to know of this evaluation? If she did not hear it from someone, could it be that at her tender age, she possesses such insight into his character?

For a moment, both the several young men and women of the Wu family and Xie Lang's group were taken aback, resulting in a brief silence. Following this silence, a wave of soft laughter ensued.

What business do a few people have? They approached, purely as Ji Si had said, hoping to gain the attention of Xie Lang, this rare handsome man and powerful noble, by attacking her.

The guard of the Xie family turned and left, and after a short while, he arrived at the front of his lord's tent. Seeing his lord gently stroking his steed while gazing at the distant mountains, the guard smiled and said: "My lord, that young lady is quite interesting; she actually knows your surname is Xie."

In the blink of an eye, another evening has arrived

Ji Si withdrew her gaze and said earnestly: "Xie Jia Linlang is magnanimous and knowledgeable, charming and well-versed. If you wish to get to know him, simply step forward and introduce yourselves, and it will be accomplished. As for me, I am still young, with a sharp and fierce temperament; if I am not careful, I might inadvertently bring misfortune upon myself, which would be quite unfortunate."

Xie Lang turned his head

Ji Si quickly replied: "Thank you."

Fortunately, she had quickly dismissed the thought of clinging to others earlier. Fortunately, she had warned Sun Fu and others beforehand, which is why her team, despite being the least conspicuous, received more attention and care.

The nobleman in white was undeniably handsome, yet as Ji Si gazed upon him, her heart began to race uncontrollably

The nobleman in white is named Xie Lang, the legitimate son of the Xie family from Chenjun. He is a top-tier aristocrat, surpassing even princes and dukes, and he is exceptionally wise, with unparalleled strategic acumen, although he possesses a somewhat flamboyant personality

At this moment, Xie Lang also turned his head to look at her.

Suppressing her emotions, Ji Si quickly stood up and replied: "Thank you very much for your kind intentions, I truly appreciate it."

As the last rays of the setting sun disappeared, a thin layer of night mist rose between heaven and earth

The young girl's pretty face turned bright red