The location of the place where Xie Han sat although a bit desolate had a wide and unobstructed view, with a semi-open room, and Xie Han could see out into the open courtyard without a problem. Baron Nore stood up and left to mingle with the other ladies, not before throwing Lady Ann a haughty sneer.
The servants from the brought good wine and good food, and after confirming that the guests had no other needs, they withdrew. Xie Han took the small cup placed beside the jugs and poured himself a bowl of fragrant fruit wine.
He picked it up and took a sip. The sweetness of the wine carried the unique aroma of passion, which was extremely delicious. He glanced down and saw that no one noticed this, and scooped a spoonful of fruit purree into his mouth, narrowing his eyes like a contented cat.
The initial enthusiasm for the gathering rather quickly cooled down, they already had a hard time interpreting the theme, and the lack of excitement in exchanging poems each year made the nobles quickly divert their attention. Only a few daring persons went up to address the bored crowd.
The hall rang with sparse applause but it still did not subtract from the liveliness of the individuals. After the first few performers went up, the attention of the nobles was naturally diverted, they gathered together to talk, chatting and discussing the major events that happened recently.
They were talking for so long and somehow the conversation landed on the current Imperial Royal Family.
Xie Han squinted his eyes lazily and took a small sip of the wine, the corner of his eyes flushed red.
"I really didn't expect such a big thing to happen this year."
"Really the royal family is getting bolder and bolder."
Some nobles who weren't in the know asked enquiring to which the person replied, "This? isn't it just a certain third prince from the royal family who was caught stepping on several boats and was caught by several of them at the same place?
" Not like choosing a concubine but more like choosing a dish," someone in the crowd said sarcastically
A soft-spoken voice interjected sharply, "Does he think he's worthy? The crown prince had not even entered a woman into his back palace and this third prince wants to sully all the women of the aristocratic families!?"
The disgust in the green-clothed woman's voice was expressed beyond words, and many people present couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"If you think about it carefully, it's true that the Crown Prince Edward has not chosen a wife and the third prince has been so impatient that he went into battle and provoked someone for himself."
"The key is that he picked someone and hid his true identity to cheat an innocent woman. A man like that is truly shameless."
Some had a good impression of the third prince and couldnt help but try to save his face.
"Isn't this a bit too much? There is no evidence, I believe that the person who spread the news has hatred with the third prince and deliberately smeared him."
"The third prince is still a prince, no matter what kind of woman he wants, there's no reason to hide his identity and get to know the daughters of various families in the capital. "
"You missed the fact that there are still men that were provoked."
"In this matter, the third prince really can't compare to the crown prince ."
"That's natural, otherwise, why is the third prince just the third prince."
Xie Han raised a brow, from the general discussion, he could barely understand from the third prince was a trash scumbag and the crown prince was popular amongst the courtiers.
Really setting a disparity amongst the people.
He, however, didn't believe that the third prince would be so stupid enough to invite everyone to the same place.
It's a pity that he thought back and forth several times, but didn't know enough to judge the actual situation.
He naturally noticed that a few people in the crowd who to everyone's discussion, had faces that were red and white as if humiliated. The most unbearable thing for a person was for their secrets to be pulled out and discussed in public. He was guessing that these were families of the supposedly deceived women
With a strong intuition, he thought of something and looked in the direction of the woman who had just criticized the third prince.
The woman was wearing a long light green dress, with a green hairpin of the same color on her head, and her face was pale, which was actually very pitiful.
But the words from her mouth were extremely poisonous. The woman seemed to notice his gaze and looked at him with a friendly smile,
"His Royal Highness the third prince is so majestic, isn't he being afraid of being called out and beaten by all the families?"
The woman in pink can be said to be unwilling to hold back when she spoke about the third prince.
"... fuck," Cecilia snorted, " I don't know that wild woman, why is she here. The third prince is so gentle and kind, how could he be the type to deceive women. It must be those sluts being too jealous and wanting to frame him."
Her words were muttered, and not many heard or paid attention to what she said, most people had been distracted by the conversation.
"When he was caught, he tried to hide his identity, still lying at this time, even the prince can't do this, right?"
Cecilia was even more stimulated "It must have been unintentionally discovered by those women, and now they are still dreaming of becoming a magpie that flew up the branches and became a phoenix."
Xie Han poured another glass of wine, with great interest, listening to the nobles as if seeing an exciting drama, he hummed along with his sister's word
"I don't know whether the third prince really doesn't know these women or if he is pretending he doesn't."
Regardless of whether he knows them or not, now everyone will only think that these women are one of his beauties."
Cecilia poured unhappily and looked at her brother, then paused doubtfully, looking at the red apple cheeks and the flushed eyes she shed hesitantly, "Brother how many cups did you drink?"
Xie Han tilted his head to the side and recalled with dizziness, "Four? Five?" The red lips raised into a sloppy smile, and he shook the large jug. It was half empty.
On the other side, the conversations continued, "A person's character has nothing to do with his identity."
"This is still our dignified third prince."
"Precisely because he is the prince, I don't think he can do anything to deceive the little girl." Others were still unconvinced.
"If it's really the third prince, this matter can't be settled easily. Everyone should think about it carefully. The third prince deliberately concealed his identity and approached the young girls. What is his plan?"
A clear voice sounded in the crowd.
Most of the people present are not stupid, and after a little thought, they could clearly realize that something is wrong.
These women are not all stunning, apart from their own natural conditions, what else is worth attracting about by the dignified prince? After thinking about it, only the elders in their family are officials and the power they wield is attractive to a prince.
If you think about the women involved in the rumors all of them have a father and brother who are officials in the court with relatively high positions.
Although the was quickly figured out, the nobles did not actually say it out. It was alright to gossip about meaningless affairs but anything involving treason or betrayal could not be spoken casually.
"In any case, because of this incident, our Majesty is looking for wives for all the current princes. Most likely there will soon be invitations sent out to all the noble houses."
The others laughed, "Maybe we can even take this opportunity to get acquainted with a few girls." The topic was naturally diverted and what was being discussed now was pointless chatter.
The poetry meetings were still underway and it's estimated that it will take a while for them to converge. Xie Han stumbled up, the translucent fingertips brushed the short blond hair that stuck to the sweat on his face generated from the wine.
He needed some fresh air.
Narrowing his eyes, he waved off Cecilia's attempt to help and walked unsteadily out of the main house. Although the fruit wine wasn't strong in flavor it still seemed to have a high alcohol content that left him reeling.
After drinking, Xie Han's lips were rosy, and his skin was dusted with a light pink, but his eyes were bright and clear, mixed with the sultriness brought out by the wine creating a confusing temperament.
"Who are you?"
It wasn't until a clear and cold voice like the deepest depths of an ice cave sounded did he finally woke up from his daze, only to find that he had wandered far off from the gathering and standing behind him was an unforgettable silver-haired man.