Zhong Shang had a total of four elder sisters, five cousin sisters, and a few more aunts… Because there were so many women in his family, he was never interested in women. He thought of women as a kind of thing, a pleasure to amuse oneself by idling away the time.

  Furthermore, his father and uncles were both generals, and the women in his family were all very fierce. They would make a small move when they were arguing with others, and make a big move when they were fighting with others, to the point where no one dared to provoke them. For example, his three elder sisters who had married had his brothers-in-law completely subservient towards them. In front of these three brother-in-law, they didn’t even have the right to speak … As for fourth sister, who was not married off, there was no need to talk about that. After changing into her military uniform, she was like a man, and was much stronger than him.

  Was this a woman? Are all women this rude?

  Only when he was twelve or thirteen did he come to understand the difference between men and women, and realize that not all women were like the ones at home. Women were supposed to be gentle, sentimental, and delicate, rather than fighting and killing all day.

  At one point, he liked to watch women playing zither and embroidering songs, thinking that this was the normal thing a woman should do. Later on, he felt that she was too pretentious. Weak women often cried, and if she looked at him too much, she wouldn’t be as pleasing to his eyes as his elder sister.

  Later on, he would rather drink with a group of foppish young masters than go to the Qin Residence and provoke women.

  Of course, all of these were prior to meeting Xie Xun.

  The first time he saw her, he did not have much of a throbbing heart. He just felt that this girl was cute, as clean as a spring. Her words were soft and sweet, making him feel very comfortable. At that time, he thought she was someone Gao Xun had his eyes on, so he didn’t dare to provoke her.

  She and Gao Xun were innocent, the one Gao Xun liked was her sister.

  At that moment, he didn’t know why he let out a sigh of relief.

  Then, when there was a feast at home, she didn’t fall into the water at all. I heard that it was fourth sister who saved her. The water was cold in the early spring, and she warmed up on the spot. A girl was always more delicate than a man. A fever was unavoidable. He thought that she would definitely burst into tears, or at least act coquettishly. He didn’t expect that even if she became dazed from the fever, she would only secretly wipe her tears on Mammy’s back. She didn’t want to worry her parents, so she didn’t complain at all.

  This really made him look at her in a different light.

  She seemed to be different from other girls. Other girls liked to dress up and wear clothes and jewelry, but only she liked to eat. When the fourth sister told him to buy refreshments on the street, he probably brought them in front of her and teased her. The longing in his eyes when he looked at her really made him look like a greedy little cat.

  She attracted his attention without having to do anything.

  It was said that the Xie Family’s fifth girl and seventh girl were born beautiful, especially the fifth girl. However, he felt that Xie Xun was more pleasing to the eye than Xie Zhen. Every time she looked at him with her clear and watery eyes, he could not help but want to bully her.

  He thought that their relationship was good enough, and treated her like a little rabbit, just like the rabbit he picked up from the Mingqiu Lake’s side that day. He forgot that B.Rabbit also had a temper and could get angry, so when she said “I hate Big Brother Zhong Shang” in anger, he was actually a bit helpless.

  Should he be coaxed? How should he be coaxed?

  He had never coaxed a woman before and had thought that she would be fine in two days if he left her alone. Who would have thought that two days later, news would spread that she was going to be engaged to Gu Yi!

  Only then did he realize that his feelings for this little girl were not simple.

  That night, he did the most disdainful thing he had ever done. He barged into her room, impatient to know what had happened from her.

  Knowing that there was still room for manoeuvre, he could not help but heave a long sigh of relief.

  He held her shoulders, and under the light her face was so smooth and exquisite that it tickled his heart. He could not help but peck her on the cheek. “Don’t marry him.”


  Xie Xun was so scared that she did not even react when he kissed her cheek. After reacting to his words, he hurriedly pushed him away, “Hurry up and leave, you’ll be seen by others!”


  Although he was unwilling, Zhong Shang still reluctantly walked away.

  Since then, Xie Xun had been avoiding him and ignored his invitation. Even when he was about to go to the Orchid Tomb to battle, she did not ask anyone to say a single word. In the end, it was only because he couldn’t hold it in and came looking for her that she could barely come out to meet him.

  Fortunately, the little girl had the heart, so she gave him a Talisman before she left. He was wearing it on his body, maybe because of the Talisman s, he managed to escape from the blade a few times. He walked under the gates of hell a few times, and when he returned to capital, he missed her a lot. Gao Xun left. He was too sad that he forgot to buy her a special product of Orchid Mountain Range. After returning home, he could only use the Cream Pancake as a substitute. It was a pity that her mother found out before he had even said a few words …


  He pondered for a few days, then went back to Duke Dingguo’s Mansion to pay a visit. Who would have thought that Xie Zhen would force them into a corner at the last moment and ask them to marry Xie Xun.

  … …. He wanted to marry Xie Xun, and bring her home. No matter how he kissed her at night, he didn’t need to worry about being discovered by others, he wanted to give her all the delicious food under the heavens, and wanted to raise her into a white and fat woman.

  As long as the people from Duke Dingguo’s Mansion didn’t agree, he could forget about getting involved with Xie Xun at all.

  If he did not immediately make his father-in-law and mother-in-law happy, he could only watch as Xie Xun married someone else in the future.

  Unfortunately, even if Zhong Shang used all of his strength, Madam Leng still did not have any good impressions of him.

  What’s so good about Gu Yi?

  Both of Zhong Shang’s legs rested on the table, as he thought about the words that Xie Zhen had praised Gu Yi for being “knowledgeable and courteous”. Wasn’t he just a scholar? He had seen this kind of man before, but at the most critical moments, women still liked boorish men like him!

  Zhong Shang decided to meet Gu Yi.

  Instead of riding a horse, he rode on a horse carriage and arrived at the entrance of Grand Secretariat Gu Palace, just in time to see Gu Yi leading a jujube red stallion as she prepared to go out. Zhong Shang sat in the horse carriage and used a jade fan to raise a corner of the curtain. He looked at Gu Yi who was wearing a blue robe and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

  Want to steal his wife? It’s eight hundred years early!

  Without warning, Zhong Shang got off the horse carriage and blocked Gu Yi’s path. He cupped his fists and smiled, “Brother Gu, where are you going?”


  Caught off guard, Gu Yi took a step back and bowed. “So it’s Brother Chong Yuan.”


  Chong Yuan was Zhong Shang’s form of address. Normally, people would not call him that, because he was born in the army, everyone liked to call him Little General. Thus, hearing such a sudden exclamation made him somewhat uncomfortable.

  Zhong Shang’s lips curved into a smile that was not a smile, the jade fan in her hand turned around, and pointed at the entrance of the Grand Secretariat’s mansion: “You want to go out? “Unfortunately, I was planning to visit your house.”


  Gu Yi, of course, asked, “I wonder why Chong Yuan is looking for me?”


  He made an ‘oh’ sound and said indifferently, “It’s not a big deal. I just heard that Brother Gu’s painting is really impressive and I wanted to ask you for some advice.” With that, she curled her lips, and her smile suddenly became ambiguous, “I fell in love with a girl and wanted to make a painting to make her happy.”


  That day when he barged into Xie Xun’s room, he saw the painting on her wall. His heart felt like it had been knocked over. There were all kinds of flavors, and most of them were filled with jealousy. He was clearly burning with jealousy, yet he still had to maintain his poise in front of Xie Xun.

  He wanted Xie Xun to take off the painting, but he didn’t have a proper reason for doing so. Now that he had met Gu Yi, he was enlightened and temporarily asked Xie Xun to teach him how to make a painting.

  Zhong Shang’s fame was spread far and wide, so when Gu Yi heard his words, he didn’t think too much about it and only said with a guilty look on his face, “Brother Chong Yuan, it’s not the right time for you to come. I’ve made an appointment to go out with someone, so I’m afraid I can’t teach you today.”


  Zhong Shang casually asked: “Brother Gu, who do you have an appointment with?”


  Gu Yi was magnanimous and answered frankly, “I made an appointment with the eldest son of the Xie Clan to borrow a few books from my predecessors. If you aren’t in a hurry, come back tomorrow. I’ll be at home all day tomorrow. ”


  Zhong Shang’s eyes darkened, “Xie Rong?”


  There were many Xie Clan members in capital, but the only family that had a reputation was the Xie Clan known as the Duke Dingguo’s Mansion.

  Gu Yi nodded. “Exactly.”


  His expression immediately turned ugly. Gu Yi going to the Xie Clan was simply borrowing books? Would he meet with Xie Xun? Was this arranged by the Madam Leng for them to meet each other?

  Seeing that he did not say anything, Gu Yi saw that it was almost time to negotiate, so he cupped his fists and said, “Sorry about that.” He then mounted his horse and rode towards the Duke Dingguo’s Mansion. Zhong Shang clenched his fists and quickly regained his senses. Gritting his teeth, he jumped onto the carriage and said to the guard driving the horse: Go to Duke Dingguo’s Mansion!

  The guard already knew what his young master was thinking and he didn’t dare delay any further. He turned around and followed behind Gu Yi, arriving at Duke Dingguo’s Mansion.

  But at the door he stopped again.

  With what identity did he enter? What was he doing in there?

  Madam Leng already had dislike so if he rashly barged in again, she would only be unhappy. At that time, the date to marry Xie Xun would be even more distant.

  He still had this little bit of self-awareness, before Madam Leng recognized him, he had better be honest and not act rashly.

  What should he do? Should he just leave?

  He couldn’t do it.

  He clearly knew that Gu Yi and Xie Xun were in the same courtyard, and that the two families had intentionally brought them together, but he couldn’t just ignore them. The smile on Zhong Shang’s lips had already disappeared, her thin lips were pursed into a line, as she held her jade fan and returned to the carriage. He would wait here and see when Gu Yi would come out.

  After waiting for a while with his eyes closed, his heart was a mess. He ordered the guards outside, “Go in and see if he and Seventh Miss have met.”


  The bodyguard had the ability to run away, it would not be difficult for him to enter the Duke Dingguo’s Mansion.

  Before long, the guard returned and reported outside the carriage, “Mr. Gu has been in Eldest Young Master Xie’s courtyard the entire time and has not come out.”


  He felt slightly more at ease.

  However, the sky gradually turned dark and Yi Yi didn’t come out.

  In the evening, it started to drizzle. The rain hit the roof of the carriage and made a crisp “ding ding-dong” sound. The sky darkened at once and a bolt of lightning flashed. Soon after, there was a loud explosion from the horizon. The rain got heavier and heavier, as if a basin had been poured over it.

  For the third time, the guard went in to investigate. When he returned, he said, “Young Master, Second Master Xie and Second Madam Xie said that the rain is too heavy, so it’s not convenient for us to return now. They have to keep Mr. Gu at their residence for the night.”


  The veins on Zhong Shang’s forehead popped out, and the hand that was holding onto the jade fan tightened and tightened. In the end, he couldn’t hold it in anymore and threw the fan far away.