In the open space on the mountainside where the gathering is located, a stream flows through in a zigzag manner, with the shape of a protruding "ji" character in rows.
Nowadays, both sides of the Nuan River are filled with low tables, and there are only two kneeling mats beside each table.
Clear claps rang out, and the gathering gradually became quiet.
Ye Ruoxi stopped moving and clasped her hands together, "Today our Nuanxi elegant gathering is a little different from the past ones. In order to prevent you from playing your own thing, the men gather together and the women gather together and it becomes too lively. The gathering is organized by men and women.
It is held with two people sitting together at a table."
She felt the curious eyes, smiles and smiles around her.
"Since you are participating in an elegant gathering organized by me, you must listen to me..."
Ye Ruoxi smiled, stopped talking, looked around and said:
"I know that many of you men don't have an appointment or a familiar female companion. It doesn't matter. We are here in a hurry. Today, we won't care about the seniority of our senior brothers and sisters. Since we are here, we are all elegant guests...
Well, my rules are very simple. After a while, the junior and senior sisters will each choose a table and sit down. Then all the other men will draw lots to decide the order. They will line up in order. Starting from the first man, I will choose for him.
If there is a female companion here, neither of them can refuse unless there is a special reason... Of course, if you have already made an appointment with a female companion and a male companion who are familiar with each other, you also have the right to choose to prevent the couple from breaking up.
Therefore, before I choose a female companion for him, every man can decide to give up the choice I gave him and go to the table to choose a table. The other woman on that table also has the right to decide whether to let him sit down.
.
Therefore, this only applies to confirmed couples. You men, please don’t think of using this to cheat or offend the beautiful woman. You should just obey my arrangements.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the gathering suddenly erupted into noisy discussions and whispers. There were mixed reactions, but most of the men smiled helplessly, and many found it quite novel.
Ye Ruoxi stretched out her index finger and tapped her chin, then glanced around again.
"Oh, by the way, I counted the number of men and women. It seems that the number of men and women is not half and half. There are more men, but it's okay. The remaining men can sit with the red carp girls. I tell you, don't underestimate it.
Many of the red carp girls in Zhuyuan are very versatile. Haha, you guys who are studying in the academy really don’t believe it. Some of the red carp girls might be even better than you..."
The academicians all smiled and catered to him. They knew it was a joke and the other party was a beautiful woman, so no one cared about it.
Zhao Rong raised his eyebrows, a little strange about Miss Ye's rules. After thinking about it carefully, he still couldn't take it for granted. He looked around and saw that no one objected, and almost everyone acquiesced or nodded, so
He didn't think about it any more. Anyway, this rule didn't affect him from finding Qingjun.
After a while, Xiaoyao and the female students from Taiyi and Erfu took their seats one after another.
There is a woman sitting behind every table on both sides of Nuanxi, and there is also a vacant seat.
The men all went aside to draw lots.
Zhao Rong followed the senior brothers, and based on the principle of politeness among scholars, he waited with the senior brothers for the government students to finish arresting them before going forward to arrest them.
During this period, his eyes were always focused on Concubine Zhao Ling in the distance.
Like the other women, she was kneeling quietly behind the desk, and the kneeling cushion beside her was empty, waiting for a man.
However, no matter how obvious Zhao Rong's eyes were and how long he looked at her, Zhao Lingfei still sat there without looking away. But at a certain moment, she moved and tilted her head, but she was not looking at Zhao Rong.
Zhao Lingfei lowered her eyes, reached out to pick up the objects on the table, started to add incense with her delicate hands, and lit the incense burner. The sleeves of her underskirt were wide and long, which was a little obstructive, so she was gently rolled up, revealing two slender snowy arms, which were bright in the morning. Under the sun, there were some crystals that were dazzling, and many men's eyes instantly gathered.
Zhao Lingfei was still doing her work intently. She suddenly bent her waist, leaned forward lightly, washed her hands in the clear stream in front of the table, washed the tea sets, and used the water of the warm stream to make tea. Carefully rub and clean the purple clay teacup and place it gently in a place where no one is around.
This set of movements is elegant, calm and methodical.
Zhao Rong looked at this scene of "red sleeves add fragrance" and was slightly surprised.
Not far away, Ji Ganyi, who was standing next to the chessboard, also noticed this scene. In other words, since the arrival of Concubine Zhao Ling, his attention has never left this woman who he regards as someone who can walk on the road.
At this time, the chessboard had already been arranged by Yunzi, but Ji Ganyi had no intention of opening the game again.
At a certain moment, he suddenly said: "Her mortal son-in-law is really here?"
Yunzi, who had been silent all this time, spoke softly.
"Yes, Young Master, that man disappeared for a while after the Youshan Incident. Not long ago, he had an intimate relationship with Concubine Zhao Ling in the Four Seasons Hall of Fuyao Mansion, and was seen by many students. According to inquiries, he is now a student of the academy. , I came to Taiqing Mansion not long ago with a gentleman named Yan from the Academy."
Ji Gan frowned and frowned, "So, this is it... what's it called? It's also called Zhao, right? He was the one who caused Concubine Zhao Ling's state to stagnate, and now, he's here to pester her again?"
Yunzi glanced at his expression and nodded, "It seems so, but... Zhao Lingfei's attitude is very strange, and she seems to be far away from him. What happened in the Four Seasons Hall a few days ago, I heard from the Fu Sheng present that the two of them Ambiguous, but these days, Zhao Lingfei has not seen him again..."
When Ji Gan heard this, he closed the book between his knees, chuckled and interrupted:
"I have long said that Zhao Lingfei is not that kind of ignorant woman. She will know how to choose between the supreme road and the love of the mortal world. This is especially true for sword cultivators. The love between men and women will only tarnish the purity of the sword's heart. She is in the ordinary world. After returning from marriage, the damage to the sword's heart is a lesson, no fool would fall into the same pit twice."
When Yunzi heard this, he wanted to speak but stopped.
When Ji Gan looked at Zhao Lingfei who was making tea by the stream, the corners of his mouth curled up.
"She and I are the same kind of people. She will know that the road is long and the summit is high and dangerous. What we really need, in addition to respectable and difficult opponents, is a companion who can support us on the road. Zhao Lingfei will understand. As for those The worldly affairs and ants at the foot of the mountain are just like this ordinary son-in-law who has no idea what the so-called worldly son-in-law is."
He admired the woman who had been pressing against him since he entered the mansion, and said without looking back: "Yunzi, how are the preparations for the golden elixir?"
Yunzi followed Ji Ganyi's gaze and stared at Concubine Zhao Ling in the distance. There were some waves in her calm eyes, and she was a little envious... This woman could be regarded by the young master as a like-minded person.
"The preparations are almost complete. I will go to retreat tomorrow. There should be no serious problems with Cheng Dan, but..."
Ji Gan turned his head and said, "The family didn't give you the golden elixir technique? Are you going to use the so-so golden elixir technique provided by Taiqing Mansion?"
"Sir, that set of skills... can only be practiced by direct lineage. I am not qualified. Using the skills in the house, it is already very good to be able to cast fourth-grade pills. Yunzi does not dare to ask for a third-grade pill."
Ji Gan squinted his eyes, "A bunch of pedantic old people..."
Yunzi closed his eyes and did not dare to answer.
Ji Gan was silent for a while, "I'll try to help you again."
He let out a breath, stood up suddenly, put away the book, and said with a smile: "This book is very boring to read. Let's go and say hello to Zhao Lingfei."
After saying this, Ji Gan walked towards the place where the lots were drawn.
Seeing this, Yunzi thought for a while, went to find a table by the stream, and sat down.
Many people looked sideways.
Ye Ruoxi, who was watching the men draw lots, saw a trace of surprise in her eyes when she saw the two people who had been wandering outside the gathering joining the gathering.
But in an instant, she thought of Concubine Zhao Ling, and she became somewhat aware.
Ye Ruoxi doesn't know the origin of Ji Ganyi, but she must be a descendant of a noble family or a powerful person in the mountains, because she can let a prodigy who can graduate in Taiqing Mansion serve as a maid, and make the other party willing to do so, unless her luck is against the heavens. , otherwise only a strong background is the only explanation.
She is also a child of an aristocratic family, and she knows that when some of the powerful nobles of the Immortal Family select their children of similar age and good talents when their direct bloodline is born, they get along with them day and night and grow up together. It can also act as a death guard when necessary.
The more ancient the family is, the more this is true, so it can roughly reflect the power of the family behind it.
This is the case with Ji Ganyi. Many people in Taiqing Mansion have speculated about his background and origins. However, there is no reliable statement so far. However, there is one thing that the students in the government have reached a consensus on, that is, he must not be simple and cannot be messed with. rise.
Ye Ruoxi looked at Ji Ganyi who was walking towards her and thought carefully in her heart.
The surname is Ji? Among the top aristocratic families in Duyou City, as well as those who are not in Duyou City, among the top wealthy families on Wangquezhou Mountain, I have never heard of this family. Could it be that they are from ancient aristocratic families from outside Wangquezhou? An experienced disciple?
Regarding his origins, Ji Ganyi has never revealed anything. He is somewhat similar to Zhao Lingfei. Both of them are outstanding figures in the Haoran Realm of Taiqing Palace. Among the current Taiqing Palace students, there is one thing that is almost universally accepted. That is, if one of the students from the same realm is to be chosen to be paired with Zhao Lingfei, only Ji Ganyi is there, and only he has the chance to catch up with her.
The two seem to be the best match at the moment. Although Zhao Lingfei is a swordsman with better talent and practice, Ji Qianyi has a mysterious background, and Zhao Lingfei, as everyone knows, comes from an ordinary Zhao family in the south of Wangquezhou. The side lines, not to mention the bleak situation of the main line.
Therefore, if the two of them are combined like Lu Yaoer and Cheng Lugui not long ago, they can be regarded as a "well-matched" in another sense.
At this moment, Ji Ganyi seemed to notice Ye Ruoxi's gaze, smiled and shouted, "Hello, Senior Sister Ye."
Ye Ruoxi was a little surprised when she heard this cordial greeting, but she understood something immediately. After Ji Qian finished calling her, he glanced at Zhao Lingfei in the distance, then his eyes returned and his smile became even brighter.
Ye Ruoxi nodded and replied, "Hello, Junior Brother Ji."
When Ji Gan saw this, his smile became more sincere and said, "Thank you, Senior Sister Ye."
This thank you was a little confusing to others.
But Ye Ruoxi knew what he was thanking, and just by nodding her head, she was tacitly agreeing to help.
Anyway, Ye Ruoxi was still struggling with how to choose a male companion for Zhao Lingfei at the same table. She felt that no one was suitable. Now Ji Ganyi, who is regarded as one of the two prides along with Zhao Lingfei, happened to be here. In everyone's eyes, the two It's just right for you and can be a favor, so it's probably the best choice, right?
Regarding certain things, her cousin Ye Lanzhi did not tell her. Ye Ruoxi was busy with the gathering these days, and did not pay much attention to some things in the house that were being spread in a small area.
As soon as Ji Gan received the answer, he randomly drew lots without even looking at it. He just used his fingers to open the paper roll and the belly of the paper rubbed slightly, and he knew it.
Shisi.
Not long after.
Most of the men in front had already finished drawing lots, and finally it was Li Jinshu's turn.
When it was Zhao Rong's turn, he stepped forward, reached out, took out a small paper roll from the box, lowered his head, and unfolded it.
Thirteen.
Zhao Rong raised his eyebrows, and he was quite forward. He looked around at the numbers of his fellow apprentices, but none of them were as good as his.
On the other side, among a group of academicians, Du Yifu, the leader, looked at the numbers on the note in his hand and frowned.
Thirty-seven.
Too far back...
Not long after, all the men at the gathering finished drawing lots, except for some who waved their hands and refused and chose to play alone.
The men followed Ye Ruoxi's instructions and roughly formed a loose formation according to the numbers on the note in their hands. Most of them felt novel about this method.
Ye Ruoxi put her hands behind her back, held her head high, and shook her head slightly, she walked forward like a female gentleman. This impressive posture immediately made many women by the stream laugh and joke. Witty words.
"Li Jinshu, you come out first." Ye Ruoxi said with a smile, and picked out the senior brother first, "Well, we have agreed to sit together before, so you don't count..."
These somewhat straightforward words immediately caused a lot of people to boo. Most of the men and women participating in the gathering were young. Even if their cultivation levels were not low, they couldn't help but get into trouble when people of the same age and status were together.
The senior brother walked up to Ye Lanzhi. He was still calm in front of him, but his dark face was slightly red.
Maybe it was because of the booing, or maybe because the looks from the junior brothers behind made him feel a little embarrassed...
Afterwards, Ye Lanzhi was satisfied and began to arrange a female companion for the first man in the queue...
The place near the front of the line.
Zhao Rong was a little bored, thinking about going back to Duyou City. Just thinking about it, he couldn't help but look at Qingjun. He saw that she had boiled water and was filling the tea cup on the empty seat next to her. …
He nodded gently, the lady was so considerate, she happened to know that her husband was thirsty.
At this moment, Zhao Rong caught a glimpse of the man next to him looking at Ye Lanzhi.
Zhao Rong thought for a while, turned his head and said with a straight face: "Don't look at anything inappropriate."