Her hair was cloud-like and beautiful! She opened her eyes and found herself back in the third year

"So what if it's real or fake? He's rich!"

Zhao Rufang spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world, making no attempt to hide her love of money and her desire for wealth and status.

Song Pingping was so choked up that she couldn't speak.

"This young master Sima is not suitable for you." Qin Yizhen shook her head slightly.

"I know very little about this young master Sima, but I do know that the Sima family is one of the eight great families of Eastern Qin, with many members and many grudges among them. If you marry into the family, it's hard to say when you might be plotted against and lose your life."

"You should find something simpler."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Rufang immediately deflated: "It seems I'm still not good enough."

Qin Yizhen walked slowly to the tea table by the window, saying, "Among all living beings, there is always one mountain higher than another. Ordinary people are troubled by poverty and low status. And the mortals of the world hate that they cannot cultivate Taoism or Buddhism, and achieve immortality and roam freely between heaven and earth."

"So you don't need to think about the distant question of whether you're a good match or not. Just focus on the best and most suitable life you have right now."

Zhao Rufang said, "But I think the best and most suitable life for me is to be the Marquis's concubine!"

"Princess, just think about it. With a noble and generous mistress like yourself, and a handsome and dashing husband like the Marquis, there's no worry about food or money. Even in bed, he'd be able to bring himself to do anything..."

"Cough!" Qin Yizhen choked on the phrase "even on the bed, he could still bring himself to kiss her," and coughed twice.

Lüqiao quickly stepped forward to pat her back to help her catch her breath, then looked at Zhao Rufang with some reproach: "Miss Zhao, don't always speak so recklessly, saying whatever comes to mind."

When Zhao Rufang saw Qin Yizhen cough suddenly, her expression changed. Upon hearing this, she nodded repeatedly and dared not say anything more, behaving as obediently as a quail.

Qin Yizhen caught her breath and shook her head, saying, "It's alright, her nagging is actually quite nice."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Rufang suddenly gained courage: "That's right, even the princess thinks I look great this way, hahaha..."

Before long, maids brought in some snacks and hot water. Song Pingping sat down at the tea table and took some tea leaves to brew tea.

Qin Yizhen glanced out the window and saw the central courtyard of the lobby downstairs.

In the courtyard, there were a few clumps of banana and plum branches. In the very center, there was a high platform, which was the stage for storytelling, playing musical instruments, dancing, and performing operas.

At this moment, a slender man dressed in a blue robe ascended the platform and stood behind a desk that had been set up beforehand.

He slammed his gavel down, and seeing that the surrounding noise had subsided, he then clasped his hands in a respectful greeting:

"Dear fellow readers, I would like to extend my greetings here."

The storyteller had a cheerful and loud voice; once he started speaking, his voice could be clearly heard throughout the entire Wanshi Tower.

"Have you all heard about the recent suppression of the rebellion of Prince Cheng and Prince Rui by the Marquis of Pingxi?"

"Of course I've heard about it. Sir, are you going to talk about the Marquis of Pingxi's pacification of the two kings?"

"No, no, this army will only arrive in Qin capital tomorrow. I know very little about it and dare not speak presumptuously. Let us hear more about the Marquis of Pingxi's campaign against the West back then."

"it is good!"

The storyteller cleared his throat and then began his story:

"...In the autumn of the first year of Jing'an, His Majesty was about to ascend the throne. At that time, internal troubles were not yet quelled. Then, the Western Liang led an army of 100,000 to attack Yunhai Pass. When the news reached the Qin capital, the Emperor sat on the Taiji Hall and asked his officials, 'Who dares to fight against the Western Liang?'"

"The officials lowered their heads and dared not speak. Just then, a man stepped forward and said loudly, 'Your subject is willing to go,' 'I am willing to drive out the enemy and protect my country's peace.' May I ask you gentlemen, do you know who this man is?"

The crowd replied, "It is indeed the Marquis of Pingxi!"

"Excellent!" The storyteller slammed his gavel.

"Bravo!" The crowd cheered and clapped, the thunderous applause drowning out all the noise from Wanshilou.

Qin Yizhen laughed out loud, a slight blush spreading across her fair face: "I wonder what the Marquis will think after hearing this?"

Just then, a maid pushed open the door and entered. She stepped forward, curtsied slightly, and reported, "Princess, Miss Fang heard that you are at Wanshi Tower. Since she happens to be here as well, she wished to come and pay her respects."

Qin Yizhen's previously good mood instantly soured. She didn't really want to see Fang Shixin right now. She took a sip of tea and said, "There's no need for a formal greeting. Just pass on a message to her and ask if she has finished making the velvet flowers she promised to make for me yesterday."

The maid obeyed and left, but after a while, she returned.

Qin Yizhen frowned: "What's wrong? Could it be that she doesn't want to leave?"

If she doesn't want to, then just have someone throw her out.

The maid replied, "Your Highness, Miss Fang is easy to deal with, but there is someone traveling with her that I dare not make a decision about."

"Who?"

“The hostage of Xiliang”.

"The hostage of Xiliang?" Qin Yizhen was stunned, her hand gripping the teacup tightening slightly until her fingers turned white. "Who is the hostage of Xiliang? Liang Xize, the Prince of Xiliang?"

"It was indeed him." The maid spoke cautiously. "As the King of Xiliangze said, he happened to encounter the princess here and came to pay his respects. This servant dared not presume to send him away..."

"Then it's really hard to refuse."

Although Xiliang was defeated and Liang Xize became a hostage, Xiliang is still one of the four kingdoms. Since he came to pay his respects, he should be given some face.

and......

Qin Yizhen squeezed the teacup harder, a chilling glint in her eyes.

In his previous life, Cheng Yan died because of Fang Shixin and Liang Xize's scheme!

She didn't know much about the specifics, but it was roughly that Fang Shixin betrayed Dong Qin and gave Liang Xize something important. Later, Cheng Yan went to retrieve it, but he fell into west Liang's ambush and didn't come back alive.

Liang Xize appears to be a dissolute and romantic prince who frequents brothels, but he is actually an extremely dark and cruel madman.

"Then let Prince Xiliang and Miss Fang in." Qin Yizhen took a deep breath, suppressed the hatred in her heart, and placed the teacup in her hand on the table.

She wanted to see what this pair of treacherous lovers were up to today.

If the opportunity arises, she wouldn't mind sending them straight to their deaths.

"Yes."

The maid obeyed and left, returning shortly afterward with a man and a woman.

Qin Yizhen's gaze swept over Fang Shixin and then landed on the young man wearing a purple robe and a golden crown.

When the other person saw her look at him, he raised an eyebrow and smiled, a flirtatious smile playing on his lips.

He fanned himself with his folding fan, clicking his tongue in admiration, "Everyone says Princess Yizhen has a beauty that could topple kingdoms, and I never believed it before, but after seeing her today, I feel—"

At this point, he smiled subtly, his gaze fixed intently on Qin Yizhen, as if trying to see through every inch of her.

Qin Yizhen, forcing herself to suppress her nausea, asked him, "How do you feel?"

"Even a beauty that could topple kingdoms couldn't compare to one ten-thousandth of the princess's..."