Although the princess and her three companions were very unwilling, they naturally did not want to put her in a difficult position, considering that this was a scheme organized by Liu Huan.
He simply said, "Alright, let's start with this round."
After four laps, the four men went down, and four eager young ladies went up in their place. The four of them were having a great time teaching the others how to play.
The princess was the most exaggerated. The young lady sitting in her seat was slow to react, and the princess was exasperated, saying, "Oh dear, how come you can only hit the 'one's chicken'?"
"You won't let me come, okay?"
If her daughter hadn't been crying and begging for her, she probably wouldn't have left.
She stood up angrily, hugged her daughter and gave her a hard kiss, saying, "Tell me, did you do this on purpose?"
Everyone stopped doing anything else and gathered around the group playing mahjong. Even Xu Jiuyan joined in for a game, and the courtyard was bustling with activity.
Seeing that no one needed her, Liu Huan told them to figure it out on their own, while she went to the kitchen to help with the cooking.
Su Wan was quite surprised by the noise outside. "Those young ladies are so loud."
"Everyone's true colors are revealed when playing games. I'll teach you tonight, I guarantee you'll like it."
Liu Huan asked Su Wan to go out and play together, but she refused. So she'll have to come back in the evening.
When it was time to eat, everyone waited until the food was laid out before getting up. They ate in a hurry, and after finishing, they rushed off to play mahjong. As for the snacks, they were served around the table to everyone.
There are also some nuts and melon seeds, which people used to consider unseemly, but now they taste crunchy while watching people play mahjong.
Su Cheng went out for a stroll early in the morning because Liu Huan had to entertain guests. When he returned in the afternoon, he thought everyone had left.
I was startled when I opened the door and was greeted by a courtyard full of young ladies.
Everyone turned to look when they heard the commotion, and Su Cheng's face immediately turned red. He didn't know whether to go in or go out.
Liu Huan stepped forward and said, "Brother, you're back. We're not finished here yet. Why don't you go back to your room first, and I'll bring your food in later?"
Su Cheng nodded stiffly and awkwardly entered the house.
A loud bang came from the courtyard, and everyone laughed happily.
A cheerful young woman asked, "Huanhuan, who is that person?"
Liu Huan replied, "My younger brother is Su Cheng."
"Oh, I know, he's the one who stood with Lord Su in the palace, and he was even praised by the General Who Protects the Nation."
"Won't we disturb him?"
Liu Huan waved her hand, "Oh no, don't worry."
Everyone was relieved and played until dark.
Only after their masters sent messengers to urge them to leave did everyone reluctantly get up. "We'll head back now, tomorrow..."
Liu Huan suppressed a laugh and said, "If you all like it, come back to play again tomorrow."
Everyone was waiting for her to say this: "Okay, let's come again tomorrow."
After the maids and young ladies left one by one, only the princess and Xu Jiuyan remained.
Xu Jiuyan said, "Sister-in-law, let me take you and Xiao Nuo back."
The princess declined, "No need, your brother will come to pick me up soon, you go back first."
Xu Jiuyan wanted to say something, but after opening her mouth, she didn't say anything.
Xu Zijin followed Su Yi to the Su family home. She immediately took her sleeping daughter in her arms and looked at the princess: "What have you been doing today? Why haven't you gone back yet?"
The princess retorted confidently, "What, can't I even have some fun?"
Xu Zijin protested her innocence, "I was just asking. Do you think I wouldn't feel at ease with you here? Let's go back."
The princess then made an appointment with Liu Huan to come again the next day and went back.
Looking at the mess in the yard, Su Yi asked, "What is this...?"
"Everyone was very satisfied with the guests we entertained today; that's a success."
Su Yi nodded perfunctorily, "Yeah, very impressive."
He recalled the princess's last words, "Come again tomorrow..."
Liu Huan smiled mysteriously, "Because I have a secret weapon." She wouldn't tell Su Yi when he asked.
After dinner, Su Wan couldn't wait to call her, "Didn't you say you were going to lecture me? Let's begin."
To make room for the table, she invited Su Yi and Su Cheng to join her. As for Guan Chang, he could only stay on the sidelines and watch over the children, playing on one side with Su Wan.
"This is very simple, I believe you'll learn it in no time."
The phrase "learns it in one lesson" specifically refers to Su Yi. As for Su Cheng and Su Wan, that's a different story.
While Su Wan hesitated for what seemed like the umpteenth time, Guan Chang struck out with a single tile.
"What's the point of keeping this?" Su Wan realized that his words made perfect sense after he hit it; it was always the same for him.
Su Yi became more and more skilled at the game, and in the end, even Liu Huan was almost no match for him.
In the end, it turned out that only Xiao Shi lost the most, Su Wan barely made it through, and Liu Huan won the most.
"Hey buddy, are you coming again tomorrow?"
Su Cheng pressed on, saying, "Come on, I refuse to believe I can't beat you."
Naturally, there was no place for him the next day. As soon as the ladies arrived, he was locked in the room.
The princess handed her daughter to Liu Huan, saying, "Let's begin."
Everyone from yesterday, except for a few who had other commitments, came. They even brought a lot of food from home, so Liu Huan didn't have to cook.
"Oh, right, Huanhuan, remember to give the blueprints to my servants so I can have them make one too."
Once the princess spoke, the other young ladies followed suit, instructing their servants to prepare the weapons while they themselves practiced their skills with Liu Huan every day.
At the Qi residence, just as Qi Yuechan was about to leave again, she was caught red-handed by Madam Qi.
"Are you going again today?"
Qi Yuechan said happily, "I've already made plans with the princess and the others today, Mother, I'll talk to you now, or I'll run out of time."
Madam Qi didn't know what was so attractive about the Su family to these young ladies. After sending someone to inquire, she learned that they were playing a game called mahjong and were so engrossed in it that they forgot all about home.
Madam Qi then asked if she had been in contact with any men outside the family. She was relieved to hear that she had not. She never cared about how her children played around, but her daughter was simple-minded and she was afraid that she would be deceived.
Qi Yuechan couldn't wait to get into the carriage after getting off, and bumped into Su Cheng who had just come out.
Oh dear!
Qi Yuechan was in pain from the impact, and Su Cheng asked, blushing, "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"
Qi Yuechan lowered her head and mumbled, "It's nothing, it doesn't hurt."
He rubbed his sore arm and went inside, putting the earlier incident behind him and focusing on how to win against the princess and the others.
When she got home that evening, she noticed her arm was a little sore. Remembering the man she'd bumped into, she couldn't help but mutter, "Is his body made of stone? How can he be so hard?"
After everyone had finished preparing their mahjong sets, they stopped coming to the Su family's house; it wasn't convenient to keep playing at someone else's place.
For a time, a mahjong craze swept through the capital's nobility. Even the concubines in the inner quarters, who used to fight to the death, began to behave themselves and spend their days playing mahjong together.
After Su Yi and Guan Chang finished dealing with their own affairs, they began preparing to return to Suzhou Prefecture.
The trip, including the visit to relatives, would probably take half a year. His Highness the Crown Prince mediated and managed to give Su Yi a year's leave.
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