Chapter 247 The sun was shining brightly and Chang Kuo was on his way (a long chapter with additional updates, please vote for me)
when he heard the servant's message, the hairs on his body immediately stood up and he entered a state of top alert.
He subconsciously looked around the mourning hall, as if looking for a place to hide. The only option seemed to be the coffin placed in the hall, but that was too offensive and disrespectful. The moment the thought flashed through his mind, Chang Kuo said "Amitabha" in repentance in his heart.
So he took his daughter's arm and walked out, urging her, "Come on, Daddy has something to discuss with you."
However, no matter how hard he hurried, he ran into Princess Xuan'an and her daughter when he left the mourning hall and walked down the stone steps.
Chang Kuo paused, his expression frozen.
The eldest princess had a haughty and lazy look in her eyes as she slowly looked him over from head to toe.
Chang Kuo felt annoyed by her gaze, and it showed on his face. He frowned but said nothing.
The eldest princess had no intention of speaking either, and the two seemed to be silently following some tacit rule - whoever spoke first would lose.
Seeing this, Chang Suining made a calculation in his mind.
Three years old...
These two people together can't be more.
If you divide it into two parts, each person will be one and a half years old.
With two one and a half year olds here, the responsibility of speaking naturally fell on her and Li Tong.
"Your Highness, the Grand Princess, Sister Tongtong."
"Greetings, General Chang." Li Tong saluted Chang Kuo and looked at Chang Suining: "Sister Chang, are you going back?"
Chang Suining nodded to her.
"Ningning, wait a moment." The eldest princess's eyes also fell on Chang Suining, and her expression was gentle: "Don't be in a hurry to go back. Let me go in and burn some incense. I have something to say to you."
Chang Suining naturally nodded in agreement.
The Grand Princess then took Li Tong to the mourning hall to pay her respects.
"Let's go." Chang Kuo pulled his daughter up.
Chang Suining did not move: "...We agreed to wait for Her Royal Highness the Grand Princess to come out."
"Why are you waiting for her? What serious business can she have?" Chang Kuo said without any scruples, "This person is not a good person. Don't have any contact with her in the future, or you will be led astray!"
Chang Suining looked at him, lowered his voice, and asked curiously: "This is my biological aunt, does my father know her better than I do?"
Chang Kuo's expression froze... He had forgotten about this relationship for a moment! The outsider turned out to be himself! "Then I'll go...!" He let go of the girl and wanted to leave on his own.
But he was grabbed by Chang Suining.
Chang Suining dragged the man to the corridor at the side. Judging from Chang Kuo's expression, it was as if he had a rope in his hand, dragging a stubborn bull.
When they got to the corridor, Chang Suining looked at the stubborn bull and said, "The Grand Princess personally led the troops to support Hezhou this time, which was a great help. Father, is it not rude to avoid her like this?"
Chang Kuo said confidently: "She is helping Hezhou and is also thinking about Xuanzhou. What does it have to do with me, Chang Kuo?"
Didn’t that woman say that when you beat a dog, you have to consider the neighbors!
Anyway, he is not the beaten dog she mentioned!
"But I invited him here." Chang Suining looked at him and said, "Even if we don't mention this, he helped save my brother before."
"That's not called helping! After all, it's her own..." Chang Kuo said, his voice suddenly paused for a moment, and then said: "Who asked her to meddle in other people's business? I didn't ask her for help!"
Chang Suining was silent for a moment, then said, "If Dad continues to act like this, I will start to think too much."
"What are you thinking!" Chang Kuo's expression changed: "I just can't get along with her... We are not compatible and we can't talk!"
"You know her horoscope?" Chang Suining stared at him: "Why, did you do it secretly?"
"......!" Chang Kuo's expression twisted: "What irrelevant words!"
"I don't know what the feud between my father and the Grand Princess is, but it is a fact that we have received help from others. If my father does this, it will be laughed at." Chang Suining said helplessly: "I will also be embarrassed in this way."
Chang Kuo had a complicated expression.
If a subordinate makes his master lose face, wouldn't that be disloyal and unrighteous? How could he still want such a subordinate? "Didn't we agree to plan for the future?" Chang Suining said again: "For a person as important as the Grand Princess, even if you don't flatter her, you shouldn't reject her and make an enemy, right?"
Chang Kuo clenched his fist again and swallowed those "disloyal and unjust" words.
At this moment, Princess Xuan'an had walked out of the mourning hall. She leaned over to look down the corridor, and seeing Chang Kuo still there, she immediately withdrew her gaze and walked over with a graceful demeanor and elegant steps.
"Your Highness." Chang Suining bowed.
Chang Kuo turned sideways and looked outside the corridor.
The eldest princess nodded and asked gently, "Are your injuries feeling better?"
"Much better, just superficial injuries." Chang Suining said, "Thanks to His Highness's personal assistance, otherwise Hezhou would have fallen into Xu Zhengye's hands."
She has said thank you many times in the past two days, but she still has to find some topics to talk about now... After all, her existence at this moment is just one part of the silent rivalry between the two of them.
The eldest princess's trip was ostensibly to pay her respects, but it was most likely a chance encounter that she had timed it perfectly.
As for "I have something to say to her", it is obvious that he has other intentions.
"That's not right." Facing Chang Suining's words, the Grand Princess took them seriously: "If Xu Zhengye hadn't known about the Xuanzhou troops' movement, he wouldn't have rushed here in person that day. If he hadn't come, there would have been no suspense in that battle, and you would have already won."
Chang Suining: "But if Your Highness hadn't stepped in, Xu Zhengye wouldn't have easily given up Hezhou and retreated to Jiangning."
"But the reason I was able to come here was because of your letter." The eldest princess looked at the girl in front of her with sincere praise in her eyes: "This credit is all yours... You are such a thoughtful child at such a young age, and you are so sensible and righteous. It's really amazing."
Chang Suining accepted the compliment with a chutzpah, and tried to bridge the gap with self-awareness: "…It's all thanks to my father's good teaching."
The bridge was built, and the eldest princess naturally looked at Chang Kuo.
Noticing that gaze, Chang Kuo still looked outside the corridor, but revealed a bit of silent pride: "My daughter is born with it."
The eldest princess said: "Yes, it can only be innate. It doesn't look like it can be taught by the elders in the family."
Chang Kuo turned to look at her and asked, "What do you mean?"
Is it a subtle criticism that he, as a father, can't raise such a good daughter? The eldest princess asked leisurely, "What can I mean? I just agreed with what you said, and I'm wrong?"
Chang Kuo looked annoyed.
The eldest princess glanced at him and said, "Take it easy, or you will faint from anger again. It's not worth it."
Chang Kuo pointed at her and said, "You..."
"Ah..." Li Tong suddenly made a sound of realization, and hurriedly said to Chang Suining: "Sister Chang, I suddenly remembered that I have something to show you!"
Having said that, he pulled Chang Suining away from this dangerous place.
After leaving the corridor, Li Tong fumbled in his sleeves, but couldn't find anything.
Chang Suining began to feel embarrassed for her.
Li Tong was anxious, his eyes turned, he reached out and grabbed a handful of snow, rubbed it in his hands, and smiled as he brought it to Chang Suining: "Sister Chang, look at the little rabbit I made for you, do you like it?"
Chang Suining took it: "...I like it."
There was a faint sound of quarreling coming from the corridor over there.
Li Tong hurriedly said, "Sister Chang, don't worry. I often heard from Mother's maid Chuanzhu that Mother and General Chang were close friends, but they often quarreled!"
He smiled and said, "As the saying goes, quarrels at the head of the bed lead to quarrels at the foot of the bed..."
As he spoke, he paused.
Then he changed his words: "Well, what I mean is, beating is loving, scolding is..."
At this point, there was another meal.
She vividly explained what it means that the mouth runs in front and the brain chases behind.
And it’s very strenuous for the brain to follow.
The two looked at each other, Chang Suining remained silent, Li Tong's lips trembled, and he smiled awkwardly: "... In short, they are both sharp-tongued but kind-hearted, so it's okay to have a quarrel."
Chang Suining nodded: "...understood."
If she continues talking, one of this sister's mouth and brain will be forced to break down and go on strike.
Over there, Chang Kuo didn't want the younger generations to hear something they shouldn't hear, so he dragged Princess Xuan'an to talk farther away.
When Chang Kuo stopped, the eldest princess shook off his hand and shouted angrily: "What do you want to do!"
"I want to ask you what you want to do!" Chang Kuo said angrily, "You took advantage of my absence from the capital to kidnap my two children, and now you have detained my son... Li Rong, you go back on your words and take advantage of others' misfortune. Do you know what propriety, righteousness, and shame are?"
"I didn't know at all." The eldest princess smiled and said, "This is the first day you met me?"
Chang Kuo was so angry that his face turned red: "...The most sinful thing I have done in my life is to meet you!"
"Why? Is it wrong for me to send someone to Beijing to rescue him? Or is it wrong for me to take him to Xuanzhou to recuperate?" The eldest princess firmly took the upper hand emotionally: "I am a good person with good intentions doing good things."
"Good man?" Chang Kuo was so angry that he laughed: "That's right, going to the temple to burn incense is just for fun, if you really want to worship Buddha, you have to look up to you... Good man, you are really a good man who deserves to be struck by lightning!"
The eldest princess paid no attention to his words and even had the mind to fiddle with and admire the wintersweets covered with snow beside her.
Chang Kuo lowered his voice but his anger grew even stronger: "Back then, you threw the child to me without saying a word. I worked so hard to raise him, but you want to take advantage of the situation and snatch him away. I'm telling you, there's no way!"
Seeing that he was about to throw up in anger, the eldest princess, thinking it was not good for the child to lose his father too early, sighed and comforted him: "When did I say I would snatch it from you? Look how scared you are."
"I saw that you were busy with the war, so I kept him for you temporarily. He's such a big kid. If he recovers from his injuries and wants to go back, can I still tie him up and stop him from leaving?"
The snow from the plum branches fell on Chang Kuo's shoulders, and she raised her hand kindly to brush it away for him.
Chang Kuo pushed her hand away and backed away with a sour face: "Why are you pretending? It's obvious that you just want to win his heart! Don't think I don't know your dirty tricks!"
As he stepped back as he spoke, his limping foot tripped over a stone, his body staggered, and he nearly fell.
The eldest princess quickly supported him.
The two looked at each other.
Chang Suining, who was walking with Li Tong "accidentally" to admire the plum blossoms not far away, couldn't help but sigh in his heart when he saw this scene - there are still many beautiful stones in the world.
Chang Kuo pushed the man away, dragged his injured leg, and limped to sit on a huge rock.
The eldest princess took something out of her sleeve and threw it at him.
Chang Kuo took it and saw that it was a medicine bottle. He asked knowingly, "What is this?"
"Arsenic!" The eldest princess was also angrily: "It would be easier if I poisoned you to death!"
Chang Kuo sneered, poured out a few pills and swallowed them down: "If you can't kill me with this poison, you're incompetent!"
The eldest princess glanced at him and this time she really laughed: "At your age, you still have such a bad temper..."
Chang Kuo glared at her, as if he was too lazy to pay attention to her, and sat there without saying anything.
Soon after swallowing the pill, the pain in my legs was relieved.
The eldest princess took two steps closer and said, "Why are you silent? Did you poison him to death?"
Chang Kuo raised his eyes and looked at her, snorting coldly: "She's not dead yet!"
"If you're not dead, let's talk nicely." The eldest princess squeezed over and sat down next to him.
Chang Kuo frowned and moved aside, turning his face away from her.
"Since you are going back to Shouzhou, you should know that it is safest to let Sui rest with me." The eldest princess softened her voice, "The doctor said that he can recover from his injury, but if he is left with any sequelae, it will be a lifelong problem, and you will regret it by then."
Chang Kuo frowned for a long time before he compromised and said, "It's not impossible to leave it with you temporarily, and give you a few days off, but you must swear to me that you are not allowed to tell him anything that shouldn't be said!"
"Okay, I swear, I will never mention the past to him before discussing it with you." The eldest princess was helpless, but also a little melancholy. She was the one who made the mistake back then, and she really didn't know how to bring it up with the child.
Chang Kuo was dissatisfied: "How can you call it an oath if you just mention it verbally? Swear to me a poisonous oath!"
The eldest princess frowned and looked at him: "... Mr. Chang, are you sick?"
“…”
So they started arguing again.
…
That night, the moonlight and the snow were both clear and bright.
Two days later, as the snow melted, Hezhou City returned to its original appearance.
This day was the day that Governor Yun and his son were buried. The whole city was in mourning and paper money was scattered all over the street.
The coffin was lowered into the ground, and amidst the cries, just as the body was about to be buried, there was a sudden commotion among the crowd.
Mrs. Lou, with a pale face, wanted to crash into the tombstone and be buried there with her husband.
Chang Suining and She Cai Niang stopped her.
"...I have vowed that after I have fulfilled my duties, I will follow my master." Mrs. Lou's face was filled with tears: "Now it is time to fulfill my promise."
Everyone came forward to persuade him.
Yun Gui was frightened and rushed forward to hug his mother, crying, calling out "Mother" heartbreakingly.
Mrs. Lou burst into tears.
Before this crisis had subsided, there was a new disturbance over there with a lot of noise.
A girl of about seventeen or eighteen years old, dressed in snow-white, holding Yun Dalangjun's spirit tablet, jumped into the tomb despite all the persuasion and lay on Yun Dalangjun's coffin.
Mrs. Lou was shocked. With the help of Mrs. Shepherd's Purse, she hurried over and said, "...Xin'er, what are you doing?"
The girl's name was Huo Xin. She was her eldest son's unmarried wife. When her eldest son passed away, she wanted to cancel the marriage, but the girl refused to comply and would rather marry a cold tablet and be her eldest son's widow.
Huo Xin has a strong character. She was among the women soldiers defending the city this time, and now she still has a bandage on her forehead.
At this moment, she was lying straight on the coffin: "My daughter-in-law will also follow her husband!"
Madam Lou said anxiously: "How can this be done? Hurry up and get up!"
"Mother, if I don't follow you, won't it seem that I am not as loyal as you? I am competitive by nature, how can I fall behind others?" Huo Xin closed his eyes and said, "If mother is gone, leaving me alone to clean up the mess of the governor's mansion, I might as well die and save myself the trouble!"
"You kid..." Mrs. Lou didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Seeing this, Chang Suining said at the right time: "What Madam Yun said is not entirely unreasonable. Madam, you were wrong just now. Hezhou City is in ruins and needs to be rebuilt. Second and Third Young Masters have already lost their fathers and brothers, how can they lose their mothers? Madam, you are far from fulfilling your duties."
Mrs. Lou looked stunned.
Yun Hui walked over with red eyes and looked at his mother: "Mother can disobey others, but she must listen to Madam Chang's words. Mother's life was on the line several times on the battlefield, and it was Madam Chang who risked her life to save her. Mother has already followed father several times. Now, mother's life is given by a benefactor, how can she talk about committing suicide?"
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Lou burst into tears and looked at Chang Suining.
"Madam, you can still do a lot with what you are capable of." Chang Suining said, "It won't be too late to meet Governor Yun again in a hundred years."
After much persuasion, Mrs. Lou finally nodded.
In fact... she also felt that she didn't have to die...
Times have changed, especially after going through the gates of hell several times, one can better understand the meaning of life and death.
She was not afraid of death, but she was not afraid of living either - when she watched her husband and eldest son leave, she was very afraid to live.
But I've made the vow before.
Everyone in the city knows...
If she didn't die, wouldn't it appear that she, the wife of the governor, was untrustworthy and cowardly?
She was worried that someone would make a fuss about this later, so she did something half-true and half-false.
Mrs. Lou looked at her husband's tombstone with tears in her eyes. If her husband knew about this in the afterlife, would he laugh at her or praise her? Huo Xin climbed up from the coffin swiftly, took Chang Suining's hand that he stretched out to her, and came out of the tomb.
Their eyes met, Chang Suining and Huo Xin blinked, and Huo Xin raised his eyebrows at her knowingly.
The next day, outside the governor's mansion, when Chang Suining was about to leave Hezhou City, Huo Xin held her hand tightly and was reluctant to let go: "...The gates of Hezhou City will always be open to Madam Chang, Madam Chang, remember to come back often."
After hearing what his sister-in-law said, Yun Hui stopped talking and just said, "If you need me, please send a message at any time."
Chang Suining nodded.
Mrs. Lou also repeatedly told her to write to her often.
Then, together with the people of Hezhou, they escorted Chang Kuo and his daughter out of the city.
Behind Chang Kuo were the soldiers he brought with him. Previously, there were nearly 20,000 of them, but now there were only barely over 10,000 left.
But there were a few more people behind Chang Suining.
There were several women, led by none other than Shepherd's Purse lady who had an axe on her waist.
Last night, Madam Shecai and two other girls came to Chang Suining, expressed their intention to follow him, and begged Chang Suining to take them with him.
Women also have ambitions in their eyes. They have not had the opportunity to broaden their horizons, so their ideas are naturally simple and unpolished. What they say has nothing to do with justice. They are more eager to break free from the shackles and want to become stronger. They said, "I heard that Madam Chang is going back to Shouzhou. We also want to follow Madam Chang and try what it feels like to be a woman and make achievements!"
Before leaving the house this morning, Mrs. Shepherd's Purse waved her hands at her two teenage sons and her husband who dared not speak out.
"Let's go. Stay at home and wait for me to accomplish something great. Then I'll bring you guys to glory!"
The sun was shining brightly that day, so it was a good time to get on with our journey.
…
Today is also 5,000 words! (Looking at the word count in the background, I have already averaged 4,000 words per day this month, and the debt of taking leave has been repaid sporadically) The monthly tickets will be cleared at the end of the month, so I beg everyone to support my list with the votes in their pockets, thank you very much!
(End of this chapter)
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