Chapter 42: An Ox Chewing a Peony (fourth update)
Amidst the voices echoing the praises of the wife of Duke Zheng, Chang Suining looked at everyone as if he didn't notice anything.
Mrs. Pei was born thin, and her clothes and jewelry were rather plain, but at first glance she had the elegance and grace that is unique to women from aristocratic families.
Those eyes were also very cold and somewhat arrogant, and they were not very friendly when looking at people - even so, Chang Suining still caught a hint of hostility in them besides the coldness and arrogance.
This hostility is not revealed on the surface, it just happens that the person who captures it always has a keener insight than ordinary people.
When Chang Suining withdrew his gaze, his eyes lingered for a moment on Yao Ran's fingers grasping his sleeve.
"This is the first time that Madam Chang comes here, and I haven't prepared any gift for her—" Duan said, looking around.
The servants around him immediately became extremely alert.
As expected, at that moment, the most terrible thing happened -
The lady picked the best red stone peony.
“Pah—”
The moment the flower branch was broken, the respectful smiles on the faces of several servants became visibly stiff.
It’s great. The person is clearly still alive, but he can clearly feel the feeling of his head and body being separated.
What the lady picked was not a peony, it was clearly the lifeblood of the Duke! Duan smiled and waved, asking Chang Suining to come over to her, and personally pinned the flower into the girl's hair: "In the whole garden, I think this peony is the most suitable for the lady of the Chang family."
There were low exclamations from all around.
Anyone could see that it was the most precious one in the garden! In early spring, it was fashionable to wear flowers in one's hairpins in the capital, and there was no lack of competition. Such a precious and rare peony was worth a fortune... But the wife of Duke Zheng plucked it and gave it to the lady of the Chang family.
Looking at the peony pinned in the girl's hair, everyone was envious and jealous, and couldn't help but think deeply - how much does this Chang family lady please the wife of Duke Zheng? They subconsciously looked at the girl's face, but then fell silent - OK, let's be honest, who can not like this face? Chang Suining did not realize the excessive preciousness of this peony. First, she was not keen on flowers and plants, and she didn't live for many years, so she didn't know much about these new varieties that had just appeared in recent years. Second, she had seen many similar ones.
Therefore, this flower pinned in her hair is somewhat like a cow chewing a peony.
Looking at the girl who thanked her, Duan Shi felt more and more pleased with her. She smiled and said, "It's strange to say, although this is the first time I've met the lady from the Chang family, I always feel very familiar with her, as if I have known her for a long time."
Chang Suining: "...I saw the same thing when I saw Madam."
After all, this is very normal.
After being talked to by Duan for a while, Chang Suining found an excuse that he had to go see his brother for something and finally managed to escape from the clutches of her passion.
"Did the girl find anything?" When they reached a place with few people, Xier saw that her girl seemed to be looking for something, so she asked quietly.
Chang Suining did not comment: "Let's go to the bamboo forest."
She looked carefully and found that there were the least people there, and there was a pond surrounded by bamboo forests, which was very suitable for realizing some dark ideas.
Chang Suining walked over with two maids and sat down in the pavilion beside the lotus pond.
"Girl...is this okay?" Xier said uneasily, "This pool looks quite deep."
"I'm afraid it's not deep enough to give people enough confidence." Chang Suining rested his chin on his hand and looked at the pond, saying casually, "Azhi, go get some tea."
Azhi hesitated for a moment and replied "yes".
"Xi'er, go find your brother."
Xier became even more uneasy: "Girl..."
Is the girl going to send them all away? Although... but... this tiger's den is a bit too deep!
Xier was about to persuade him, but she saw Azhi winking at her.
This was unbearable - if she didn't leave, it would seem that she wasn't as considerate of the overall situation as Azhi! "Don't go too far, you have to stay in the dark to watch over the girl..." Xier said to Azhi in a low voice after leaving the pavilion.
"I can guard it. You don't know how to hide. You might be discovered and end up making things worse."
Xier was angry and sad, but she had no choice but to agree.
The breeze brought the fragrance of flowers, and the bamboo forest blocked the noise of the crowd. Chang Suining rested his chin on his hand, looking at the koi in the lotus pond, and yawned out of boredom.
She could only be so considerate.
The rest depends on the fish's courage and her luck.
Soon, footsteps were heard approaching from behind.
For many years, I have never looked back.
Until the man stopped two or three steps behind her.
"Mrs. Chang, why are you hiding here instead of going to enjoy the flowers?"
As people talked, the koi in the pond scattered instantly.
Chang Suining turned back and looked at the person who had disrupted his plans. "Minister Wei is not in the Ministry of Personnel to handle official business, so how can he have time to return to the mansion to visit the garden?"
Wei Shuyi, who was still in his official uniform, smiled. Just as she did not answer, he did not answer her either. Instead, he looked at the flowers in her hair and said, "This peony is good. It is of excellent quality and color. At first glance, it looks like the blood of my father's heart."
Chang Suining heard the hidden meaning in these words, and thinking of the old obsession of Duke Zheng Wei Qin with flowers and plants, he shuddered secretly in his heart, raised his hand to take the flower, and handed it to Wei Shuyi: "I didn't pick it, please return it to the Duke."
At least the body is still intact. We can take it back and put it in a vase so that we can mourn and commemorate it for a few days.
"There is no reason to take it back after sending it away. If the news gets out, how can we save face for the Duke Zheng's Mansion?" Wei Shuyi also sat down on the stone bench, straightening his official uniform and said with a smile.
"I didn't expect that Madam Chang would come today. I was surprised to see your carriage outside the mansion just now." He asked with a smile: "I wonder what is so attractive about my mansion to Madam Chang? Is there anything that I can help you with?"
Looking at the young man in front of her who seemed to have guessed her purpose at first glance, Chang Suining nodded: "I do have something to ask you, but I don't know if Minister Wei is convenient to tell me."
Wei Shuyi raised his eyebrows: "It's not inconvenient, but please speak frankly, Madam Chang."
Chang Suining said bluntly, "I still remember the ambush on the way back to the capital. Commander Cui's men captured a person alive and handed him over to Minister Wei. I wonder if Minister Wei has found out who ordered those people to do so?"
Wei Shuyi narrowed his eyes slightly: "Why did Madam Chang suddenly ask about this?"
Chang Suining did not answer but asked, "Is it inconvenient for Minister Wei to reveal it?"
Wei Shuyi smiled and said, "This is a secret, and the Saint has not yet given any instructions..."
Chang Suining only asked: "Minister Wei, do you still remember that I almost lost my life because of you without knowing it?"
Wei Shuyi's smile faltered: "Of course I remember."
After all, he was taught a lesson about how to behave.
Chang Suining asked again: "I seem to have saved Minister Wei in a critical moment. Am I mistaken in my memory?"
Wei Shuyi maintained his smile and said, "Mrs. Chang has such a good memory, how could she remember it wrong?"
Chang Suining nodded and looked at him quietly.
They looked at each other for a moment, and then a maid came into the pavilion holding a red plate and brought tea and snacks.
After the maid left, Wei Shuyi sighed faintly, straightened his sleeves, raised his hand to dip some tea, and wrote a surname under the stone table with his fingers -
Fourth update~ (End of this chapter)
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