Chapter 85: A thousand days of care, a moment of use
"You used the painting of ladies sailing on the lake in this so-called spring outing to remind me of your mother's death..." Cui Wei said almost word by word, "You deliberately want me to have no peace on the day of the birthday banquet, right?"
Cui Jing's expression froze for a moment when he heard this.
He lowered his eyes to look at the image of a lady sailing on the half-unfolded painting thrown on the ground.
Yes.
His mother died on such a spring day.
That day, my mother, who had been ill for a long time, suddenly came out of the house. Her hair was neatly combed, her jade hairpin was warm, and her lake blue dress was particularly new and bright.
The mother stroked his head with a smile, said she wanted to go boating, and asked him if he wanted to go with her.
He was only four years old at that time and nodded happily.
Just as his mother took his hand, his father's stern voice came from behind him, scolding him for only knowing how to play around and not making progress. The teacher was already waiting in the study and asked him to come over immediately.
In the morning light, he could only let go of his mother's hand.
He didn't even have time to take a closer look at his mother's expression.
That day, my mother still went boating on the lake.
It was also on that day that when he bowed properly to his teacher and came out of the study, his mother was no longer there.
Later he heard that when the boat docked, his mother had closed her eyes.
It was a bright spring day, the scenery on the lake must have been beautiful, and the wind must have been warm.
But would my mother be sad or scared when she was alone on the boat?
If he had not gone to the study to listen to the teacher's lecture that day, if he had not let go of his mother's hand, if he could stay with his mother, would she be less sad and afraid? Since marrying into the Cui family, his mother seemed to have never been happy.
Therefore, at the last moment of her life, she chose to walk out of the Cui family's gate and left this world among the beautiful lakes and mountains.
"I know that you have heard a lot of slander from those old people around your mother since you were a child, and you are convinced that I killed her! You have been brooding over this ever since!"
His father's voice brought Cui Jing back to his senses from those fragmented memories.
"But I have never let her down in the slightest... It was her stubborn character that caused her to become depressed and sick!"
Even though it was many years later when Cui Wei mentioned the past, he still couldn't calm down: "When she was alive, I didn't even have a concubine, and since you were born, I and the whole family have regarded you as the future head of the Cui family and cultivated you... I have never owed you and your son anything, but how have you repaid me? When she was alive, you were very sharp to me, and after she left, you also resented me, opposed me in everything, and had no respect for me. Today, you didn't even want to let me have a good time at the birthday banquet——"
After hearing his words finally fall, Cui Jingfang said: "When my mother passed away, I was still very young, and my memory is far less profound than that of my father. I ordered my men to find this painting, and I never paid close attention to it."
Cui Wei sneered, "You mean I misunderstood you?"
Cui Jing raised his eyes and looked at him: "If this painting was given to you by someone else, would you still think the same way, father?"
"Of course not!" Cui Wei's eyes were full of sarcasm: "But you are not others, and others will not treat me with such calculations!"
"Therefore, there is nothing wrong with this painting. There is nothing wrong with depicting a lady boating on the lake in the painting. There is nothing wrong with presenting this painting to my father as a birthday gift—" Cui Jing's voice still sounded calm: "The faults are all mine alone."
Cui Wei's eyes were filled with anger and trembled slightly: "You seem to be speechless, but you are actually good at speaking. You know how to get away with it and punish others with clever words! Today is my birthday, is this how you celebrate your father's birthday?"
"Father treats me with the intention of questioning him, so he thinks that every word I say is to exonerate himself." Cui Jing looked at the painting under his feet again: "I have never regarded father as an enemy, so I would not and would not bother to make sarcastic remarks. It is just because father regards me as an enemy, so he thinks that I have ulterior motives, nothing more than that."
Cui Wei suddenly clenched his ten fingers in his sleeves: "You..."
Cui Jing had already raised his hand to salute, his expression calm and composed. "I am unfilial for disturbing my father's birthday celebration today. I will take my leave first, and I am willing to wait for the punishment of the family law at any time afterwards."
Looking at the figure of the young man who retreated, Cui Wei's lips trembled with anger: "Rebellious son!"
"I shouldn't have married Zheng in the first place... and gave birth to a debt-collecting evil creature like you!"
Cui Jing turned around and left the study.
The door was pushed open by Cui Jing. Cui Lang, who was outside the study, was startled and quickly stepped back, hesitating and apologizing, "Brother... I... I just got here too."
Cui Jing didn't say much and left.
Looking at the figure from behind, Cui Lang wanted to say something but hesitated, and in the end he didn't dare to call out to the person.
The conversation he just heard echoed in his ears. Cui Lang felt angry and wronged for his elder brother from the bottom of his heart. He walked into the study room unable to bear it any longer and said, "Father, I really want to say something to you today!"
Behind the desk, Cui Wei, who was standing there holding the edge of the desk, raised his eyes, his face gloomy and his eyes filled with anger.
Cui Lang shuddered, and changed his words, saying seriously: "As the saying goes...anger is harmful to the body. Father, please rest early. I am leaving."
He bent down and took two steps back. When he saw the painting, he couldn't help but whisper, "Father doesn't want this painting anymore, right?"
Cui Wei: "Have them take it away and throw it away and burn it!"
"No... this is such a waste of money." Cui Lang hurriedly picked it up and held it in his arms: "Since father doesn't want it, then give it to his son."
Cui Wei became even angrier and pointed to the door: "...get out!"
"Okay." Cui Lang quickly rolled out holding the painting.
Seeing Cui Lang coming out with the painting, the servant went to greet him.
Cui Lang sighed, "This is Zhan Ziqian's Spring Outing Painting, it's worth a fortune..."
Listening to the sound of porcelain breaking coming from the study behind him, the servant whispered, "Sir, this is not only hard to come by, but also requires great risk."
The world in which both Langzhu and Dalangjun suffered losses and only Langjun benefited was created.
Cui Lang blew away the dust on the painting, carefully rolled it up, and sighed, "But what is more valuable than this painting is my elder brother's kindness..."
What my father truly ruined was this kind of thoughtfulness.
Thinking of the young man's back that looked too calm when he left just now, Cui Lang felt that after this incident, his father would no longer have the chance to waste his eldest brother's kindness.
"I'm afraid my father is the reincarnation of a troublemaker." Cui Lang whispered, "Just wait and see, he will regret it in the future."
Finally, he snorted, "If you try to trick my elder brother into going home to get scolded again, I won't do it."
…
The moon is cool like water.
Cui Jing and his entourage dismounted outside Xuan Ce's mansion.
"Why is the commander-in-chief back? Didn't the Cui family say that they would hold a birthday party tonight?" After Cui Jing walked away, a soldier asked Yuan Xiang in a low voice.
Today is the birthday of the Grand Commander's father, and the Commander should rest at home.
Yuan Xiang sighed: "Do I need to ask?"
It's obvious that the Cui family has stopped behaving like human beings again.
Yuanxiang didn't say much, he just told the soldiers to prepare wine.
The moonlight poured down on the roof tiles of the main hall of Xuan Ce's mansion, as if covered with a layer of silver frost.
The young man sat on the roof with a white porcelain wine jar at his hand.
Occasionally a breeze blew by, gently caressing the young man's well-defined face.
At this moment, a black shadow suddenly attacked from behind the young man, bringing with it a strong wind.
Cui Jing sat firmly without moving, only leaning to one side to avoid the sneak attack from the person behind him.
The next moment, the man covered his eyes from behind, puffed up his cheeks deliberately and said in a muffled voice: "Guess who I am!"
Cui Jing: “I can’t guess.”
"Haha, it's me!" The other person let go of his hand.
Cui Jing turned around and looked over: "It turned out to be Senior."
Adian smiled proudly and sat down beside him.
Cui Jing took a sip of wine and asked casually, "Why did you come back, senior?"
"I'm here to get something! I'll sleep for the night and go back tomorrow!"
Hearing that he had considered going to the Chang family as "going home", and that he might move all his "belongings" there, Cui Jing smiled slightly and said, "It seems that the senior has been very happy living in the Chang Mansion during this period."
"Because there is little A Li!"
Cui Jing nodded: "I see."
"Don't worry, I won't get into trouble outside anymore." Ah Dian said, and suddenly he felt proud, as if he had a backer: "But little Ah Li said that if I get into trouble again, or if someone bullies me again, she will take the blame for me!"
Cui Jing took another sip of wine: "What a big mouth."
Ever since she threatened to take Zhan Xiu, her tone has been quite arrogant.
Ah Dian raised his chin, a little proud: "But little Ah Li always keeps her word. She never breaks her promise to me."
Then he added: "Just like your Highness."
As he spoke, he held his cheeks with both hands and looked at the bright moon, his expression as serious and pure as that of a child.
Upon hearing this, Cui Jing temporarily put down the wine jug that was close to his lips, and looked up at the bright moon with Ah Dian, and asked slowly: "Your Highness...what kind of person is she?"
Ah Dian blinked: "Haven't you seen it before?"
Cui Jing said: "But only one side."
But, only, that's all——
Such a short sentence seems to have many flaws.
Ah Dian also felt very sorry: "That's such a pity, if you meet His Highness more often, you will definitely like His Highness as much as we do!"
Cui Jing smiled silently.
But you don't need to see it many times before you fall in love with it——
But to say that I like it is too shallow.
Ah Dian said innocently, "Your Highness is just like the moon, the sun, the mountains, the flowers, and so on. Xiao Jing, do you understand what I mean?"
Cui Jing nodded with a smile: "Senior, what you said is very easy to understand."
"Your Highness used to like to sit here and drink alone. Your Highness only allowed me to accompany him. Do you know why?"
Cui Jing shook his head.
"Because I am good at peeling chestnuts!" Ah Dian said, and took out a few chestnuts: "Your Highness is drinking, so I peel chestnuts for him."
Talking about the past, Ah Dian smiled happily: "When the chestnut shells fell, Uncle Chang and the others were sweeping them up!"
Cui Jing looked at the chestnuts in his hand. After a moment, he picked up one and looked at it quietly under the moonlight.
"Your Highness, do you like to eat chestnuts when you drink——"
Ah Dian said seriously, "His Highness also likes to eat chestnuts when he is not drinking. He said he eats a mountain of chestnuts every year!"
Cui Jing laughed when he heard this and said, "Your Highness is so arrogant."
When the word "也" came out, Cui Jing was distracted for a moment.
Ah Dian added: "His Highness said that what he likes most is eating chestnuts, and what he hates most is peeling chestnuts!"
Cui Jing came back to his senses and smiled again.
Maybe he drank too much, or maybe all he heard was about His Highness, but he seemed to be smiling the whole time as he sat here tonight.
"In fact, His Highness broke his promise once..." Children's sadness sometimes comes suddenly. Ah Dian folded his arms in front of him, rested his head on them, and said disappointedly, "When His Highness left for the last time, he asked me to wait for him in Xuan Ce Mansion, but His Highness never came back."
Cui Jing turned his head and looked far away in the direction of Dayun Temple.
"Perhaps we can wait a little longer. Your Highness may not break his promise."
As the alcohol got to him, he couldn't tell whether he was comforting the child or expressing his own unrealistic and bold fantasy.
He knew very well that as time passed, everything in the world was destined to move forward, not stop, and not go back.
But he always felt that such a person should come back.
A gust of wind blew away this idiotic fantasy along with the smell of alcohol.
…
As April entered, the capital became warmer. The girls put their cloaks into the bottom of their boxes, leaving them only with soft spring shirts and skirts. The flower banquets and poetry gatherings in various mansions became more and more lively, and flower invitations flew like spring butterflies to the hands of ladies and men.
One day, after Chang Suining came back from the martial arts arena and took a bath, Azhi walked in with two invitations and handed them to Chang Suining who was sitting in front of the dressing table.
Chang Suining picked up one at random and unfolded it to look at it.
Xi'er, who was combing her hair, saw it and was shocked: "Duke Ying's Mansion... Is this a letter from the Ming family?"
It would be better to say that they are the enemy rather than the Ming family.
It's more like a manifesto than an invitation!
Seeing Chang Suining close the invitation, Xier asked hurriedly, "Are you going, girl?"
If she wants to go, she must practice harder these days! Chang Suining said nonchalantly: "I'm not going."
Regardless of whether the invitation was widely sent out among the noble ladies in the capital and she was just mentioned in passing, or whether there were other intentions, it was a fact that she beat Ming Jin, the son of Duke Ying, and Ming Jin has been under house arrest until now. If she went, wouldn't it cause trouble for the Ming family and herself?
She doesn't mind causing trouble for others, but she won't cause trouble that doesn't benefit her.
Moreover, entering the Ming family is somewhat like entering a tiger's den. It is not advisable to take this risk with no chance of winning.
As she spoke, she had already opened another invitation.
"That's good." Chang Suining nodded and said, "Let's go to Duke Zheng's Mansion."
This was a post from Duan Zhenyi, inviting her to her house for tea.
Although she was not used to being a junior in front of her friends, she really needed Duan Zhenyi's help at this moment.
Thinking back to the time when she had fed Duan Zhenyi a lot of delicious food and drinks in order to bribe him to keep the secret for her.
As the saying goes, "It takes a thousand days to maintain something and only a moment to use it." This is exactly the case.
The next day, Chang Suining went to the Duke of Zheng's mansion with the invitation.
Duan was very happy.
But she saw that Miss Chang was not very happy.
During the conversation, Miss Chang mentioned that she had been dreaming about Princess Chongyue recently, and her words were inexplicably sad.
"...Father and the others said that I was saved by the late Crown Prince when I was young, but for some reason, the person who saved me in my dream turned out to be the Princess."
Duan was surprised to hear this.
This child... How could he reveal the secret in a dream! There is a happy event at home. My sister is getting married tomorrow. I have been busy all day today. Fortunately, I caught up with the update. Good night everyone~ (End of this chapter)
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