The sun is slowly setting in the west.

  Today's Taifu Mansion is very lively, but this liveliness is different from the past. There is a hint of strangeness in it. The guests coming and going are all smiling and chatting, but there is also a hint of caution beneath their smiles.

  The big red lanterns were hung in the first corner of the mansion, and outside the gate, a red carpet was laid out, stretching for hundreds of meters.

  This is a common sight in Chen Guo, where luxury and extravagance are the norm, but it's a rare sight in Zhou Di, which emphasizes frugality.

  A dozen or so beautiful maids, dressed in fine clothes, stood on both sides of the road, respectfully welcoming the noble guest. Not far away, several heads stretched out curiously, occasionally gazing towards the front of the road.

  "Has Langling Wang arrived?"

  "Not yet."

  "I really want to see what his concubine with the surname Ji looks like!"

  "Shh, be quiet!"

  ……

  In the bustling hall, several bald men holding rosaries and reciting Buddhist scriptures were particularly eye-catching... Yuwen Hu set up a banquet and also invited several high-ranking monks from nearby Chang'an.

  A simple and unadorned thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl, looking towards the crossroads with everyone else, asked in a low voice: "Wu Niang, is that Zhang Shi A'gui really so beautiful?"

  Wu's old woman was a hunchback, and when she heard this, she smiled kindly and said, "Foolish child, what does it matter if that concubine is the most beautiful and capable? She will never be able to turn her situation around."

  Just as she said that, she quickly pulled the girl back and they retreated a few steps, hiding behind a large pillar to quietly watch a group of elegantly dressed women walking towards them.

  Looking at the girl walking in front, Wu Mu said in a low voice: "Miss, it's not easy for a young lady to have feelings for her husband. Look at your elder sister. No matter how beautiful she is, no matter how much she is loved, what's the use? She has lost so much weight in these two days. Looking at her like this, I'm afraid she won't be happy for a long time."

  The little girl nodded hastily, but she was obviously more interested in Zhang Qi. Blinking her eyes, she asked again in a low voice: "But mother, I heard that Ah Qi is the niece of the Wu County Zhang family... She's so beautiful. Why didn't the Wu County Zhang family take care of her more and instead sent her to be a concubine of the Qi people?"

  "Is she a Wu Jun Zhang?" The old woman sneered. She said seriously: "Girl, she is just the aunt of Wu Jun Zhang's family and can't be compared to you! You are not one of those poor Han family children who value birth order more than life, you are the daughter of the broken wild head household, your father is Zhou Guo Yuwen Hu, even if your mother's status is the lowest, this Zhou Guo has no one who can coerce your father. Even less someone who can force you to be a concubine. In another year, there will be an excellent husband holding a large goose coming for you, he will be a match made in heaven... child. This kind of glorious marriage, Zhang Shi Aqi will never have. Don't envy her at all."

  Next year? The thirteen-year-old girl blushed and bit her lip. At that time, women generally married early, and it was common for 14-year-olds to get married.

  Just then, a commotion arose and several voices cried out in unison: "He's come! He's come!" But as soon as they had spoken, the people felt uneasy and hastily shut their mouths.

  Although no one was calling out anymore, at this time, everyone focused their attention on the intersection.

  At the crossroads, a horse-drawn carriage appeared. Beside the carriage stood ten black-clad guardsmen.

  As the magnificent carriage drew closer and closer, it finally came to a stop. The curtain was lifted, and a young man in black walked out.

  The young man in black walked out, and the crowd suddenly burst into cheers. Although Rao repeatedly suppressed it, more than a dozen girls simultaneously called out softly: "Ah, Prince Langya!" The cry was soft, but couldn't conceal their wild joy and longing.

  The girl beside Wu Mei was now tightly grasping the hem of her garment, staring blankly at Lang Ling Wang. Suddenly, she found her heart racing wildly and erratically, feeling a burning sensation on her face. An indescribable impulse, a mix of joy and bitterness, surged out from her heart.

  At this moment, Langling Wang turned around and reached out to pick up a girl from the carriage.

  As he put the girl down on the ground, as the girl lifted her head up. Wu felt a pain in his wrist.

  She looked down and saw that the girl from her own family was pale-faced, muttering to herself: "Only someone like her is worthy of him... If I were also this beautiful, how great would it be?" That way, she wouldn't be standing here, lost in thought. That way, when she saw someone she liked, she could stand confidently in front of him. That way, no matter how exceptional the person was, she could give him a proud smile, rather than hiding and yearning in vain like now.

  Madam Wu looked at her own daughter, who was both ashamed and disheartened, and hastily pulled her back, retreating into the woods.

  Like that girl, there are countless women who have lost their souls at this moment.

  The King of Lanling held Zhang Gui's hand and walked towards the gate.

  As he approached, the surroundings became quieter and quieter.

  At this time, a laughter came, "Langling King is here, sorry for not welcoming you from afar!" The one who walked in with big strides amidst the laughter was Yuwen Xiu, the second son of Yuwen Hu.

  Yuwen Xiu was the second son of Yuwen Hu, and he did not have as much favor with his father as Yuwen Cheng did. If it weren't for Yuwen Cheng repeatedly losing face, it wouldn't be his turn to entertain guests.

  So when Yuwen Xiu looked at Lang Ling Wang, his eyes were much kinder.

  Yuwen Xiu's voice fell, and a bright laugh followed, "The King of Lanling has great luck. I remember when we were selecting noble ladies in the Jiankang Imperial Palace, among the many beauties gathered together, this Zhang Ji had the most ordinary face... No wonder at that time, the king insisted on taking her as his concubine. It turns out that this beauty was hidden."

  The voice was clear and elegant, the speaker tall and slender, with a complexion as white as jade, and an air of calm dignity. It was none other than Yuwen Chun, one of the three great beauties of Zhou who had once been sent on a mission to Chen.

  The nobles surrounding Yuwen Xiu had never heard of this story before, and now that Yuwen Chuyu mentioned it, they all became interested.

  Among the laughter, Langling Wang looked down at Zhang Qi who suddenly appeared in front of everyone, then lowered his eyebrows and eyes, quietly and obediently smiled without answering.

  At this time, Wei Gong Zhi walked up from behind with big strides and said without any hesitation: "Yes, at first I was the first choice, but after selecting and selecting, I missed the most beautiful pearl."

  Wei Gong was chatting and laughing with Yuwen Chun, but between the lines, he made it clear that Zhang Gui's status was lowly.

  At that moment, the young man who was stunned by Zhang Qi's beautiful and arrogant brush in the afternoon also burst out laughing. At the same time, his eyes looking at Zhang Qi also had a few more points of shallowness and rudeness. As if she was still that concubine who could be chosen by anyone and played with at will.

  Listening to this laughter, Zhang Qi clearly felt it. The King of Lanling's grip on his hand tightened.

  ...the husbands of the world. Few people don't love beauty, these people deliberately belittle themselves, also losing face in front of Langling Wang.

  Amidst the laughter, a somewhat shrill laugh rang out, "But let's get back to the point, Zhang Ji's beauty is truly rare. Gao Changgong, last time I offered you ten beautiful women in exchange for this woman, but you refused. This time, I'll add a higher price, twenty beautiful women and twenty fine horses in exchange for her alone. What do you say?"

  He smiled and said in a gloomy tone, "Ben Lang Jun recently discovered that the newly deceased woman, the yin valley is the most capable of seducing people, its beauty is incomparable..."

  As soon as the voice came out, the loud and clear laughter of the women around her suddenly stopped. The beautiful maids standing on both sides also turned pale at once!

  The person who spoke was Yuwen Cheng. As soon as he opened his mouth, it was a sky-high price. His purpose in asking for Zhang Qi was not to play with her, but to kill her and play with her corpse!

  Of course, he said so much that asking for Zhang Qi at a sky-high price is just an excuse. He just wants to humiliate Zhang Qi and provoke Lang Ling Wang!

  Feeling Langling Wang's hand suddenly tightening around her own, Zhang Yi knew he couldn't show his face and hurriedly lightly grasped his hand back.

  She slowly lifted her head.

  As she raised her head, everyone felt that her face was radiant and surpassing snow, with eyebrows and eyes as beautiful as a lake and mountain at sunset, which made people's eyes widen.

  In the brief quiet, Zhang Qi turned her gaze to Yuwen Cheng. Unlike the other girls who were frightened by Yuwen Cheng's words, her eyes were clear as water, and a hint of elegance shone through her calm demeanor.

  She gazed at him quietly, staring until Yuwen Cheng's face darkened, and he couldn't help but scold her. Just then, Zhang Qiling spoke in a gentle and soft voice: "Yuwen Langjun, you're being unseemly... so arrogant and rude, ugly and vicious, are you a shrew?" Her tone was calm and composed, yet because of the pity and disdain in her words, and the lofty accusation, it made Yuwen Cheng appear like an ignorant and coarse person!

  Just now, everyone was ridiculing Zhang Gui's humble identity. In the blink of an eye, this person with the most humble identity used a very arrogant and high-looking gaze to pityingly educate Yuwen Cheng!

  At this moment, what lowliness is left in this humble-born girl? Her demeanor and bearing, her eyes and tone of voice, are all that of a noble young lady from the highest aristocratic family...

  Not far away, Lu Jun and others who were walking shoulder to shoulder with the sons of aristocratic families saw Zhang Gui, beautiful and elegant, and unknowingly thought: I wonder if the Wu County Zhang family in Jiankang knows that their abandoned illegitimate daughter is so talented? If it were in the Wei and Jin dynasties when the imperial court could still fairly select talents based on the nine-rank system, this Zhang Gui would have already become a famous figure with many scholars seeking to know her, and people admiring her endlessly.

  Unfortunately, it's not like that anymore. In today's world, whether one is born legitimate or illegitimate is far more important than talent, knowledge and elegance!

  As Yuwen Cheng's face turned iron-green, and that urgent and defeated panting sound, Langling Wang raised the corner of his mouth, he took a step forward, blocking Zhang Qi in front of him.

  The King of Lanling stretched out his hand and pressed down on the sword at his waist!

  Yuwen Cheng's neck and face turned blue with rage, his violent temper was beyond concealment! He actually wasn't a person skilled in verbal attacks, nor was he truly calm and composed. At this moment, being counterattacked so sharply by Zhang Qi, apart from furious anger, he could no longer respond to the situation rationally.

  If this continues, something will go wrong.

  Seeing the situation wasn't going well, Yuwen Xiu hastily glanced around and immediately several tall guards stepped forward. They supported Yuwen Cheng and whispered to him without allowing him to resist: "Young Master, it's better for you to take a rest."

  As they spoke, Yuwen Cheng was forcibly dragged away.

  Yuwen Chengyi retreated, and Yuwen Xiu turned to Zhang Qi. Looking at her exquisite small face, he narrowed his eyes, and a cold smile appeared on his delicate face. "So-called words can kill people, I really didn't expect that Zhang Ji had such a sharp tongue!"

  Zhang Yi, who had just gained the upper hand, took a step back instead. She timidly hid behind Lang Ling Wang, tightly grasping his sleeve, her fragile and delicate appearance was completely different from her fierce demeanor earlier.

  Yuwen Xiu was actually very excited, he thought that after being spoken to by Zhang Ji like this, his big brother would probably find it hard to turn the tables... He suppressed the joy in his heart and gazed deeply at Zhang Qi before turning to Langling Wang and bowing, saying: "Your Highness, please!"

  The King of Lanling did not mention his foot, he turned his head to look at Yuwen Chong and Wei Gongzhi, and said lightly: "That night, Ah Gui covered her face, it was because she didn't want you all to choose her... Her eyesight has always been good!"

  The tone was light, but it was full of sarcasm. Paired with Zhang Yi's sarcastic remarks about Yu Wen Cheng earlier, it was as if saying that Yu Wen Chun and Wei Gong Zhi were just like clowns, and even though Zhang Yi's status was lowly, she didn't deign to follow them!

  As he spoke, he took Zhang Gui's hand and strode into the courtyard. Behind him, Wei Gongzhi and Yuwen Chun, who were still stunned by Zhang Gui's stunning beauty, simultaneously changed their expressions. Suddenly, they both felt ashamed of themselves, thinking: If I had known that Zhang Gui was such a beautiful and charming woman, I shouldn't have said those words earlier. Now, she probably looks down on me just like she does on Yuwen Cheng.

  Watching that couple gradually disappear from view, Wu heard her daughter say in a low voice: "Mother, I'm not jealous of her anymore."

  At the age of thirteen, a young girl with a face that had just begun to bloom, her eyes shining brightly, gazed up at the figure walking away and murmured: "Mother, I've always heard people say that in the past, the Han family's children, the Langya Wangs, and the Chenjun Xies were exceptionally beautiful. Their every move was elegant, their every gesture was full of charm. They were so refined and noble that they could make a person fall deeply in love at first sight. But I've seen the children of aristocratic families with my own eyes, and none of them are like that. So I thought it was all just made up."

  The young lady seemed a bit excited, her cheeks flushed red, and she said brightly: "But I know now that it's not fake. Just look at this southern-born Wu Guo Zhang Shi's concubine daughter, and you'll see what kind of charm she has. Those young masters from the Wang and Xie families must be dazzled by her beauty."

  This matter, Wu said nothing. But she saw her own daughter so quickly wake up from the infatuation with Langling Wang, that was a heartfelt joy.

  Until the infatuated girl had talked a good deal, Wu Nu carefully reminded her: "Miss, I don't know what elegance and demeanor are. I only know that there is a distinction between nobility and humility, which is also a natural moat. This Zhang Ji has the most elegance, but she is just a concubine and will always be just a concubine. Moreover, if she grows up like this, who knows whether the future princess of the county can tolerate her? If not, such a beauty will soon wither away and eventually die without knowing how."

  A cruel remark brought the excited and admiring girl back to reality, she stood there in a daze, unable to utter a word for a long time.

  %%

  The first update has been sent. I took a look, and since the most popular book list on the female web homepage was removed from its starting point, my book is now in an awkward position. The click-through rate ranking can't be topped, the recommended ranking my book has never been on, and the red book ranking my updates are always unable to keep up with, so I shouldn't expect too much. Now, the only thing that can be expected is the pink ticket ranking. Therefore, I want to ask friends to continue to top Southern Dynasty in the overall pink ticket ranking within the top 15, so that readers who want to find this book can easily find it.

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