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After the banquet dispersed, Xiao Yan and his brother Xiao Yi, along with their old classmates Sun Yuan and Xiao Chen, walked along the stone path to his magnificent mansion. The courtyard was deep and spacious, with famous calligraphy and paintings displayed on both sides, and a clear spring flowing over the rocks, filling the air with the fragrance of ink and osmanthus.
The group entered an elegant study, where books were neatly arranged, and in one corner of the study, there was an exquisite set of pitching-pot equipment.
"Pitch-pot game How about it, gentlemen?" Xiao Yan asked with a smile.
Sun Yuan smiled, "Good suggestion, let's give it a try."
Zhao Qinglan picked up the pot, took aim, and threw it with precision, landing it directly in the target cylinder.
"Great throw!" praised Xiao Chen.
"Lord Xiao, now that you have been promoted to Shuzi Crown Prince, shouldn't you be considering settling down and starting a family?" Sun Yuan joked while playing the game of pitching arrows.
Xiao Yan smiled but remained silent, his gaze fixed firmly on the target of the game. His smile concealed a kind of restraint and kingly self-confidence, but at the same time, it also carried a hint of mystery.
Suddenly, Xiao Yi turned to Zhao Qinglan and asked, "Qinglan, I heard that your family has a very intelligent and talented sister. Why have I never seen her?"
Zhao Qinglan focused on throwing a pot, hitting the target accurately before replying, "My sister has never been in good health, so my family tries to keep her from going out as much as possible."
"Unable to go out often, it's really frustrating. If it were me, I would definitely feel stifled," sighed Sun Yuan.
Beside him, Xiao Chen seemed to suddenly remember something and said, "It is said that this young lady has been exceptionally intelligent since childhood. Not only is she talented and beautiful, but she is also proficient in various arts. Her calligraphy is elegant, she has a passionate love for epics, and she is skilled in the four arts of qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Even the most exquisite embroidery, she is also adept at."
"Seven years ago, both the deposed emperor Liu Yu of the Southern Song Dynasty and Prince Anling of the Southern Dynasties sought to marry her as queen or princess, but they were both rejected by her. What kind of woman is she, that even princes and emperors could not capture her heart? It's truly intriguing."
Everyone looked at Zhao Qinglan, waiting for his response.
Zhao Qinglan felt a bit awkward when hearing praise for her female identity.
She thought to herself: "Ever since I pretended to be a boy and attended the academy, in order to conceal my true identity, my family publicly claimed that the male student Zhao Qinglan was the illegitimate child of a deceased concubine. However, after my mother's passing, the main wife Wang Cuiyun took me in and treated me as her own."
Although a bastard suddenly appeared, which was a bit suspicious, because the girl Chao Qinglan has been sick for many years and hasn't been seen in public for a long time, everyone didn't pay much attention to it.
Zhao Qinglan smiled slightly, picked up another pot, threw it towards a distant target, and only after hitting it again, casually replied:
"My sister doesn't like extravagance. She values character and temperament. Emperors and princes may be noble, but that doesn't necessarily impress her. She always says that while the luxury and power of the royal family may be attractive, they also bring endless troubles and pressures."
"Instead of that, it's better to choose a life partner who truly understands you. Furthermore, her physical condition makes the family reluctant to involve her too much in the intrigues of the palace."
After hearing this, Xiao Yan showed a hint of admiration in his eyes and said with a smile, "In any case, to have such an outstanding sister, you are also fortunate."
Xiao Yi laughed and said, "What a clever girl, with her own persistence and opinions. Well, Zhao Qinglan, with our outstanding Xiao Yan, it looks like your sister won't be interested in him after all!" He patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder, and Xiao Yan glared at him.
On the other side, Xiao Yi chimed in, "It's a pity. I was hoping to match Xiao Yan with Lan's younger sister, then it would truly be a case of 'the closer, the better!'"
Zhao Qinglan was just about to throw the pot when he heard this sentence, and the wooden pot in his hand suddenly veered off and landed on the outskirts of pot mouth.
"Wow, even the skilled pot-throwing master can make mistakes," teased Sun Yuan.
Xiao Yan, with slightly narrowed eyes, quietly observed Zhao Qinglan.
"Well, I may have had a bit too much to drink today, affecting my performance a little," Zhao Qinglan attempted to use this excuse to conceal his inner turmoil, silently thinking to himself: "If they knew that Lan Di and Chao Qinglan are actually the same person, they would probably be shocked to the core."
However, this secret cannot be easily revealed, at least not before she graduates from the academy.
"Everyone, it's getting late after celebrating today. We've all had a bit too much to drink, maybe it's time to wrap it up." Xiao Yan suddenly spoke, breaking the delicate atmosphere.
"Hehe, is Lord Xiao worried that the future empress won't fancy a husband who drinks too much?" Sun Yuan joked.
"If that's the case, then the future empress might have to get used to it. I've always liked to be free-spirited and not bound by anything," Xiao Yan chuckled lightly, revealing a hint of unruliness in his words.
Xiao Yi listened and burst into laughter, "What a carefree and happy-go-lucky attitude! With this kind of personality, even the future empress would have to follow your lead."
After the conversation, late at night, everyone left Xiao Yan's residence.
Chao Qinglan walked into the spacious house, where embroidered green curtains covered the windows. The candlelight from the white jade lanterns on either side swayed gently, casting beautiful shadows and creating an even more elegant and pleasant atmosphere in the room.
After she gently closed the door, a faint scent of grass immediately filled the entire room. It was the fragrance of bluegrass from the courtyard, natural and elegant.
She untied her robe and slowly removed it, then loosened the cloth wrapped around her chest. "Ah, it's so comfortable. I felt like I was suffocating all day with that thing tied up," Chao Qinglan couldn't help but sigh.
He muttered to himself, "Girls are so troublesome. It was fine when I was ten, just not used to going to the bathroom. Who knew as I grew older, even my chest grew out, forcing me to bind it tightly even when I dress as a man."
Chao Qinglan tied up the removed clothes and fabric together and handed them to Beyue, a young maid dressed in emerald green. Beyue caught sight of the spots on the clothes and looked surprised, "Miss, you're bleeding. Quickly go change into Menstrual cloth."
Chao Qinglan glanced at her with an expression of nonchalance. Beyue couldn't help but giggle, "At first, I didn't even know who it was. When my period came that time, I was so scared and screaming, and when I saw the blood, I immediately fainted."
"Oh, little Beyue, have I spoiled you? Ask around, which maid would dare to speak to the mistress like this." Chao Qinglan said as she reached out and pinched Beyue's cheek, pretending to be angry.
"Chao Qinglan, my lord, please go easy on me~" Beyue shook off her hand, playfully dodging to the side and even sticking out her tongue.
Beyue skillfully took out a clean Menstrual cloth and placed it on the table, also preparing a pot of hot tea.
Chao Qinglan Feeling deeply moved, she used to be a man, never expecting to experience the kind of situation that only women go through now.
Beyue turned her head with a smile, her gaze anxiously fixed on her master Chao Qinglan: "Master, don't you think that recently Mr. Xiao has been acting a little differently towards you?"
Chao Qinglan looked at Beyue in surprise, feeling a jolt in her heart. "Are you saying..."
Beyue continued, "Well, he used to show great respect towards you, and his every move was graceful and elegant. But recently, he seems to be frequenting the Zhao family and even went out of his way to send over that box of medicinal herbs and a book on military strategy. Have you done anything out of the ordinary recently?" Her eyes were filled with concern and curiosity.
Chao Qinglan furrowed her brow, recalling her recent interactions with Xiao Yan. Apart from a game of pitch-pot and a chance encounter in the courtyard, there didn't seem to be anything particularly unusual. "Is that really the case? Perhaps you're overthinking it. However, I am quite curious about the book on military strategy. I wonder what his intention was in sending that book."
Beyue smiled faintly, "Perhaps, my lord, if you read the book, you will understand his intentions."
Chao Qinglan looked at Beyue seriously, then nodded, "Okay, I will go and read it later."
Beyue felt a little relieved after listening, "Master is perceptive, Beyue has been overly worried. But in any case, Mr. Xiao is still a royal relative, and we still need to be careful."
Chao Qinglan flashed a look, "Don't worry, no matter who he is, I have my own bottom line and principles."
At this moment, Chao Qinglan's heart suddenly stirred with a slight ripple. However, no matter what, she decided to temporarily put this matter in her heart and wait for everything to naturally unfold.
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