Chapter 78 Do You Have That Kind of Thought?
The Chang family, which had no family rules to speak of, had never had those heavy and rigid rules. Also, because Cui Jing and Wei Shuyi were both acquaintances of Chang Suining, and although they were in the same hall, each of them ate at a separate table, Chang Suining did not avoid them and had lunch with everyone at noon.
Chang Kuo, as the host, sat in the main seat.
Below him sat the distinguished guests, on his left and on his right were Cui Jing and Wei Shuyi.
Further down were Chu Xing, Adian, and several other senior military men with experience.
According to the seniority system, the Chang family's two children sat at the very end.
Chang Suining, who was about to sit near the hall door, subconsciously looked towards Chang Kuo's seat, feeling a little uncomfortable.
Chang Kuo raised his glass to toast the guests first, and Chu Xing and others followed suit and raised their glasses.
Chang Sui'an, who was sitting opposite, stretched his head and said to Chang Suining, "Ningning, I asked someone to replace your wine with fruit wine. Try it first. If you still can't get used to it, then try honey tea."
Chang Suining looked at the fruit wine in front of him and nodded.
I remember that she used to drink strong liquor with the soldiers in the military camp and was famous for being able to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk.
Although the saying "one can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk" is a bit exaggerated, I never imagined that one day I would be reduced to the point where I could only drink fruit wine.
She raised her glass and drank the fruit wine in one gulp.
"Ningning, how are you?" Chang Sui'an asked in a low voice.
Chang Suining answered truthfully: "...very sweet."
Chang Sui'an grinned: "Yeah, I specially asked someone to add honey for you."
Faced with such thoughtfulness and doting on his sister, Chang Suining could only say, "Thank you, brother."
"Let's start eating!" Chang Kuo said in a loud and enthusiastic voice, "General Cui and Minister Wei, don't be restrained, just treat it as your own home!"
During the banquet, Chang Kuo raised his glass many times.
Wei Shuyi also toasted repeatedly, using different pretexts to toast Cui Jing alone, and when he toasted the host, he did not forget to bring the other party along. He also jokingly encouraged and coaxed Adian to drink too much, showing that he was determined to get Cui Jing drunk.
Although Cui Jing didn't talk much, he always had a look of indifference and disgust when facing Wei Shuyi's nagging at him, but he never refused any wine that was offered to him.
Watching them clinking glasses and drinking happily, Chang Suining did not get drunk, and did not dare to drink too much even of the fruit wine.
After all, the body is not the original body, so it is better to be cautious. The good reputation of the previous life should not be ruined, and the face in this life should not be lost.
So he drank only half a pot of fruit wine and stopped drinking, concentrating on eating the meat.
Over there, facing Wei Shuyi's compliments, Chang Kuo was smiling and said, "...No way, I'm just an old warrior! And Minister Wei is young, his future is truly limitless!"
He just said the same thing again.
The year is peaceful and clear.
Well, this is already seven points drunk.
The sign of being drunk is that he starts to say repetitive words.
He began to call out to everyone, "Come on, come on, we agreed not to leave until we are drunk, let's keep drinking!"
Chang Suining looked around the hall and felt that everyone present seemed more sober than Chang Kuo.
I'm afraid that in the end he will be the only one who doesn't come home drunk.
"thump!"
Suddenly there was a noise coming from the opposite side. Chang Suining raised his eyes and saw Chang Sui'an lying unconscious on the food table in front of him.
Chang Suining: “…”
It’s too early to say that.
Chang Kuo waved his hand nonchalantly: "Take it down!"
Seeing Chang Sui'an being helped down by the servants, perhaps because of the fact that the lips and teeth are interdependent, Chu Xing and others were much more reserved when they picked up the wine again, and no longer drank it all in one gulp - General Cui and Minister Wei were young and formidable, so the guests had to sit upright. If they fell down one after another, how would the general's mansion keep its reputation!
With Chang Sui'an being eliminated, the banquet was coming to an end.
Children always can't sit still. Ah Dian had wanted to leave a long time ago, so he crouched down and sneaked to Chang Suining's side. He squatted beside her and whispered, "Little Ah Li, let's go to the garden to feed the fish?"
Chang Suining also felt that the hall was a bit stuffy, so he put down his chopsticks, stood up and said to Chang Kuo, "Father, I'm going to take General Adian out for a walk first."
Chang Kuo's face flushed from drinking, and his smile became more and more honest and loving: "Go ahead, go ahead."
"Minister Wei, aren't you going?" Ah Dian said to Wei Shuyi, "Let's go and see who can skip the longest stone on the water!"
When they were drinking just now, Wei Shuyi, in order to amuse him and cater to his taste, casually said that he was also good at skipping stones.
Chang Suining wanted to take Ah Dian away, but Wei Shuyi smiled and agreed, then stood up and said, "General Chang, I will leave now."
Chang Kuo: "Minister Wei is leaving now? We haven't even finished our drink yet!"
"I am not a good drinker. If I drink any more, I will lose my manners. So I admit defeat." Wei Shuyi bowed with a smile and his eyes fell on Cui Jing. "I am useless. This important task can only be handed over to General Cui."
Chang Kuo laughed and said, "Minister Wei is too modest!"
But no longer entangled.
Although he loves wine and is hospitable, he is not the kind of person who would pester others to drink at the table.
Wei Shuyi and Chang Suining left the table together.
After leaving the dining hall, Chang Suining saw that Wei Shuyi seemed to be about to speak. He did not want to be probed by him, so he took the initiative and said, "Wasn't Minister Wei going to drink with General Cui to reminisce about the past? Why did he come out now?"
"People still need to know when to advance and when to retreat." Wei Shuyi sighed, "I haven't seen this Cui Ling'an for two years, and his alcohol tolerance has improved. I want to get him drunk, but it seems impossible. If you don't know your place, I'm afraid you'll get yourself into trouble."
Finally, he said with regret: "What a pity, I didn't get to see Cui Ling'an drunk again today."
"Don't mention you, I haven't even seen it myself." Adian said, "They all said that Xiaojing is just like His Highness, and neither can get drunk!"
Wei Shuyi smiled and said, "I have seen it before. It is very interesting."
"But that was a long time ago, when he and I were still children..." Wei Shuyi said, and hissed softly: "Perhaps I am the only one who has seen him drunk... Maybe he has long wanted to silence me."
Ah Dian suddenly realized: "Could it be that Xiao Jing dislikes Minister Wei just because of this?"
Wei Shuyi laughed in surprise.
Chang Suining couldn't help but nodded - it was obvious that he really didn't like her, even Adian could see it.
"That's not entirely true..." Wei Shuyi opened the folding fan in his hand with a "whoosh". There was nothing on the fan. He smiled and said, "Cui Ling'an doesn't like me, probably because I have something that he doesn't have."
Chang Suining blurted out: "Talk a lot?"
Wei Shuyi put away the folding fan in his hand and knocked it on her head: "No -"
Chang Suining looked at him in disbelief.
How dare this person hit her head?
I'm afraid he really drank too much.
"Cui Ling'an's mother died early, and his father used to treat him harshly. He didn't like to obey, and he was born with a rebellious nature, so he was not very popular in the family... Although my parents are a little unreasonable, they never restrict me from doing anything." Wei Shuyi sighed and shook his head: "Perhaps because of this, although I have some similarities with him when I was young, I have gradually developed a completely different personality."
This is what he has and Cui Jing does not have.
Chang Sui Ning does not make any comment.
People have different personalities, and what they seek and want to do is different. Unfortunately, they cannot choose their parents, and even if they cannot get along, they will have all kinds of irreconcilable barriers, and even see each other as enemies. However, under the rules of propriety and filial piety, it is difficult to separate them.
As Wei Shuyi said, he was fortunate to have a pair of good parents, the atmosphere at home was harmonious and relaxed, and no one restricted him.
But Cui Jing was not so lucky.
Neither did she.
Chang Suining looks forward.
But fortunately, she has been cut off.
Although the process is like cutting bones.
"But there is one thing that Cui Ling'an has and I don't." As Wei Shuyi spoke, he squinted his eyes and looked at the scorching spring sun.
Ah Dian followed him and looked over: "Is it the sun?"
Wei Shuyi smiled and nodded, not knowing whether it was true or not, and said: "General Dian is right, it is the sun."
Ah Dian then puffed out his chest proudly.
Chang Suining did not delve into what he meant. Unlike Wei Shuyi, she did not like to delve too much into things that had nothing to do with her.
Wei Shuyi looked at her, as if he was about to speak.
Chang Suining once again took the initiative: "Who does Minister Wei think will take over the position of Minister of Rites?"
Wei Shuyi smiled and shook his head: "This is not something I can speculate on."
There is a lot of reason why the saint chose to attack the Pei family.
Therefore, it is particularly important who takes over Pei Min's original position as Minister of Rites.
But it is not just the saints who have the final say.
Those aristocratic ministers will not give in easily.
What the saints say does not count, so there is even less need for him to say more.
So he just sighed and said, "The court has been arguing about this matter for the past two days, and the saint is having a headache... and there are still some quarrels."
"But... Madam Chang is actually concerned about the affairs of the court?" He looked at Chang Suining with a slight smile and asked jokingly, "Who does Madam Chang think is qualified for the job?"
Asking this question to a young girl who has just come of age sounds like a teasing joke.
Chang Suining did not seem embarrassed or annoyed by the teasing, but replied firmly, "I think it must be Lord Chu."
Wei Shuyi's eyebrows twitched slightly: "Master Chu? Could it be that Madam Chang is talking about Master Chu who was the former teacher of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"
"Exactly."
Wei Shuyi laughed: "Madam Chang, you know a little bit about the officials in the court. Madam Chang, do you know how old Master Chu is?"
Chang Suining said without hesitation: "He must be almost seventy."
Wei Shuyi was somewhat surprised, but his smile did not diminish: "Then Madam Chang should also know that officials in our dynasty retire at the age of seventy?"
Chang Suining asked in return: "Isn't this just right?"
I don’t know what he was thinking about, Wei Shuyi’s eyes moved slightly and his smile faded a lot.
After a moment, he smiled and asked, "Ms. Chang's opinion is quite innovative... Where did you hear it from?"
Chang Suining glanced at him and said, "Do you need to hear it from somewhere else?"
Wei Shuyi's smile faltered: "..."
This was the first time in my life that I felt so offended.
Looking at the calm girl beside him, he smiled and said, "I never knew that Madam Chang was also interested in government affairs."
Chang Sui Ning does not make any comment.
She couldn't help but be interested.
"If Madam Chang has this ambition, she may enter the inner court of the palace one day and take the examination to become a female historian." Wei Shuyi said seriously, "This way, Madam Chang's talent will not be buried."
Chang Suining: "That's not necessary."
Wei Shuyi: “Oh?”
"Although the current saint is also a woman, the only one who truly has the right to participate in politics in the court is Ming Nüshi." Chang Suining said calmly: "It is not easy for a woman to serve as an official in the palace, and the opportunities are even rarer--"
There is a big world of her own, so why should she go to this small world and compete with them for this little snack which is already hard to come by?
Moreover, once you enter the palace, you will inevitably be restricted in every way.
But her ability to protect herself is limited now, and if she makes any more trouble she might be crushed to death. The real power struggle in the palace cannot be escaped by just a fight like she did with Ming Jin.
Furthermore, if one starts as a female official in the inner court and wants to gain the right to participate in politics, it will take at least ten years of accumulation.
Too slow, I don't like it.
And I have to serve the Queen Ming, which I dislike even more.
She wants to do what she likes.
"I don't want to compete with women..." Wei Shuyi asked with a smile: "Then Madam Chang is going to compete with men?"
"I didn't say that." Chang Suining walked forward, suddenly yawned, and said nonchalantly: "How can I have the strength to fight with others?"
She raised her head slightly and felt that the sun was making her feel a little hot.
As we were talking, the garden appeared before our eyes.
As soon as Ah Dian entered the garden, he started picking up stones, not forgetting to share some with Chang Suining, and took Wei Shuyi to the largest pond in the garden.
On the other side, the banquet in the dining hall had ended.
After Chu Xing and others left, Chang Kuo took Cui Jing to the study room alone, saying that he had something important to ask him.
"What does the general mean?" After entering the study room where no one was around, Cui Jing asked seriously.
Chang Kuo sat in the chair, didn't say anything for a while, just stared at him.
Cui Jing was looked at in a somewhat bewildered manner.
But he was always patient and let Chang Kuo stare at him.
After a while, Chang Kuo spoke up again, "There are no outsiders here. Let me ask Commander Cui, do you have any thoughts about my daughter? Do you want to be my Chang family's son-in-law?"
Cui Jing looked slightly surprised: "......?"
General Chang clearly ate food while drinking. How could he be so drunk ?
"How could it be?" He answered without hesitation.
I even felt it was ridiculous and couldn't help but frowned: "Why do you say that, General?"
Chang Kuo spread his hands: "Then why did you give half of the copper talisman to my daughter?"
He knew it when he was in Dayun Temple, but he never found a chance to ask Cui Jing in person! Cui Jing said truthfully: "Ms. Chang beat Ming Jin to stand up for Senior Adian that day. I am afraid that there will be trouble in the future. Senior is from Xuan Ce Mansion. This is my dereliction of duty. The copper talisman is just to make up for it a little bit——"
Chang Kuo understood: "Oh...so that's what's going on!"
He originally thought that the other party's gift of the copper talisman was an uncharacteristic act, and that he was actually actively involved with others. Little did he know that it was precisely because he didn't want to owe anyone anything and didn't want to be involved.
"If the general feels it is inappropriate, Cui Jing can take it back."
"There's nothing wrong with it!" Chang Kuo relaxed his brows and put his heart back in his stomach. At this moment, he said apologetically: "There's nothing wrong with this action. It's really my daughter's fault that she is too popular. I can't help but think about it and ask one more question... I think Commander Cui should understand the feeling of being a father, right?"
Cui Jing: “…”
Obviously, he can't.
"Anyway, I was mistaken. Don't blame me. I'll punish myself with a cup!" Chang Kuo said, grabbing the teacup beside him and gulping it down.
After drinking this cup of tea, he became even more drunk. He asked with a smile, "But speaking of which, Ling An... isn't it time for you to consider getting married?"
Good night everyone~ (Today's work was completed by the cat supervisor! Let me show you my supervisor)
(End of this chapter)
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