Chapter 157 Something Happened
A few days after the emperor returned to the capital, urgent news suddenly arrived.
An urgent report came from the south, and after passing through a post station and changing horses, it arrived outside the palace gate at noon that day.
"Here is the urgent military report from eight hundred miles away. Surrender now!"
There was a rapid sound of horse hooves, and the dusty man on the horse shouted loudly in a hoarse voice.
Seeing the urgent military flag behind him, the guards at the palace gate hurriedly made way.
The urgent report was quickly presented to Ganlu Palace.
Soon, several palace maids came out of the hall and arranged to urgently summon ministers to the palace.
There were also eunuchs who came to the General of the Cavalry's Mansion in Xingningfang. Chang Kuo was summoned and hurried into the palace.
Chang Suining had just been to the Imperial College this morning and didn't know that Chang Kuo had been urgently summoned to the palace. At this time, Qiao Jijiu and his wife and Qiao Yubai were surrounding her and asking her about the Hibiscus Flower Banquet.
Only Qiao Yunian from the Qiao family went to the banquet this time. The invitation was sent to Qiao Yunian simply by the Ministry of Rites to show equal treatment. Qiao Yunian was not among the candidates for the Crown Princess from the very beginning, so no one from the Qiao family went with her. They just wanted Qiao Yunian to relax with Chang Suining.
In Qiao Jijiu's opinion, Chang Suining should not have been among the candidates, but unexpectedly, an accident happened, and these accidents happened one after another, in a cluster...
First, she almost became the future Crown Princess, and then she almost became the Crown Prince's Consort of Prince Rong, and she even almost became the daughter-in-law of the Cui family!
Really, it’s full of twists and turns.
But at this moment, the Qiao family is most concerned about Cui Jing.
Qiao Yubai was a little worried: "Ningning, will Grand Commander Cui be embarrassed after being rejected?"
Qiao Yang also hesitated and said, "How about asking Lao Chang to go and give it some advice?"
The young man was used to being decisive in the battlefield, and this was the first time he expressed his feelings in public, but he was rejected just like that... What if he couldn't get over it and went to extremes? Wang was also a little worried.
"It's fake." Since there was no one else around, Chang Suining explained, "It's just a show."
She gave a general account of the situation.
Everyone in the Qiao family breathed a sigh of relief.
Qiao Yubai suddenly realized: "I was wondering...how could Grand Commander Cui have such thoughts towards Ningning!"
When he first heard about this, he felt that it was unrealistic, like listening to a divine book. It turned out that it was fake.
"Why can't there be one? Our Ningning is so outstanding. Even if there is one, it is human nature." Wang glared at her son and whispered, "You must be careful about what you say about this matter. After all, it is suspected of deceiving the emperor. You have to pretend that you don't know in public..."
Qiao Yubai restrained his expression and nodded seriously: "Don't worry, mother, I understand."
"What about Prince Rong?" Qiao Jijiu couldn't help but ask, "Is he also invited to perform?"
Chang Suining took the chestnuts Xier had peeled and said, "There's no need to perform the same play twice. It would be a big loss to owe two people a favor."
"Then is it true that Prince Rong's proposal of marriage is out of love?" Qiao Jijiu was skeptical.
Chang Suining shook his head: "It's hard to say what this person is thinking."
This incident shows that Prince Rong may not be as simple as he seems, and we must be careful and cautious in the future.
Qiao Jijiu said thankfully: "In that case, it's a good thing that we have the help of General Cui..."
Otherwise, Sui Ning would not know what kind of troubles and schemes he would get into.
"Yes, fortunately, Commander Cui came forward in time..." Qiao Yumian recalled the scene at that time and was still a little scared: "Otherwise, Ningning's marriage would not be up to her."
"But it's all right now." Qiao Yumian turned to Chang Suining and said with a smile, "With the promise of the saint, from now on Ningning can decide for herself who she wants to marry and who she doesn't want to marry."
Chang Suining chewed the fragrant and glutinous chestnuts slowly and nodded with a relaxed expression.
For her, this is indeed something worth being happy about and even celebrating.
She didn't want to have the experience of being controlled by circumstances in her marriage like in her previous life again.
Compared to her self-destructive countermeasures, Cui Jing's method was a one-time solution, and she was very grateful to him.
But there are still many other things in this world that can influence her. If she doesn't get married, there will be other things. She can't think that everything is fine. On the contrary, she should be prepared to face more troubles.
She had been preparing since she started working as Chang Suining, but it was far from enough.
The road is still long, but she has to take this road, if only to prevent herself from being manipulated again.
The Qiao family members only saw the girl sitting in a chair eating chestnuts with a relaxed look on her face, but they didn't know that the chestnuts were dense, fragrant and glutinous, and the girl's silent determination was stubborn and firm.
Wang said "Amitabha" thankfully, "I have to thank that great governor Cui."
Qiao Jijiu nodded and said, "I'll catch a few fish later and have someone send them to Xuan Ce Mansion."
Wang glared at her husband: "You're still thinking about fishing today!"
"I'm just sitting around doing nothing." Qiao Jijiu said something softly subconsciously, then he thought of something and straightened his back again: "I'm the boss today, so don't meddle in the birthday boy's business!"
Wang gritted her teeth and thought, "It's alright. There are 365 days in a year, so she will just let him run rampant for just this one day. She will settle the score with him when she's done with him."
At this time, a servant knocked on the door of the study from outside, saying that Hu Huan from Wuer Society had come, and was here to meet Suining and Qiao Yubai.
Chang Suining went to see Hu Huan.
Hu Huan asked timidly, "Mrs. Chang... Cui Liulang asked me to ask, are we still going to play polo?"
Chang Suining: "Why not fight?"
After hearing her words, Cui Lang, who was hiding behind a rockery, flashed out with a smile: "I knew that the master still recognized me as his disciple!"
He was also afraid that if his elder brother's expression of interest was rejected, the master would be angry with him and abandon him as well - this was the first time in his life that Cui Lang wanted to sever ties with his elder brother.
Fortunately, the master didn’t seem to take my eldest brother’s matter to heart.
Just thinking about it, Cui Lang couldn't help but feel a little sad for his elder brother.
But this sadness did not stop him from arranging for his classmates to go to the river to play polo.
As soon as Chang Suining and others left, guests arrived.
"...Hey, I've already said that there won't be a birthday party this year. Why did you take the time out of your busy schedule to make this special trip?" Qiao Jijiu walked over with a smile and a sigh.
Master Chu suddenly realized: "Oh, today is your birthday."
"?" Qiao Jijiu's smile froze a little: "Then what are you doing..."
"Fishing." Master Chu said as a matter of course.
Qiao Jijiu was half-believing and half-doubting.
Not long after the two of them sat down by the river, the half-belief disappeared.
"...Today's polo is played with great care." Master Chu held the fishing rod and said with some displeasure, "Not a single ball has been hit in half a day. How can young people play polo so lifelessly? Have you not eaten yet?"
Qiao Jijiu was used to it.
Ever since the old tutor took over the post of Minister of Rites, even if an ant crawls past him, it will be scolded.
When a ball flew towards him, he was so angry that he felt like he was going to be a kid again.
No ball flew over, and he started to complain again.
Qiao Jijiu said helplessly: "Why don't you hope for something else? At your age now, if a ball really hits you, if it happens to hit a critical part, it will not be them who are dead..."
Qiao Jijiu said, and suddenly raised his eyebrows: "You haven't received the painting yet, have you?"
Master Chu snorted.
Qiao Jijiu suddenly realized.
Oh, the debt collector is here again. He is not waiting for the ball, but for the person who picks up the ball.
"This child has been really busy these days. You must have heard about those things..." Qiao Jijiu first made some excuses for his own child, and then sent his servants to the stadium to ask Chang Suining to come over and talk during the half-time break.
When the person came over, Master Chu didn't even look at him. He just smiled and fished and said, "...This amazing work is not easy to paint. Why don't you wait until I am buried a hundred years later and burn it in front of my grave for me to see."
"How can I do that?" Chang Suining said with a smile, "I have already finished half of the painting, but recently I have been so busy and upset that I cannot calm down for a moment, so I dare not start to paint casually for a moment."
Master Chu's gray eyebrows moved slightly. "Oh, you are indeed a busy person. I have been listening to your stories for a long time, and my ears are almost calloused. How about you beat Mr. Song in chess..."
"Actually, I have to thank the Grand Tutor for helping me beat Mr. Song." The girl stood under the willow tree with her hands behind her back and said with a smile.
Master Chu then glared at the girl: "Why are you thanking me? I'm not your teacher, and I never taught you how to play chess."
Chang Suining smiled.
How could it not be? Why wasn’t it taught?
But she said, "It was because you named my Jiju Club Wuer Club that the people in Mr. Song's poetry club were dissatisfied. Under the provocation of everyone, Mr. Song and I had a game of chess."
"Why do I hear you say something that seems to be blaming me for making enemies for you by naming the club this way?"
"No, I want to thank you for helping me become famous."
"How can a young girl always talk about fame and fortune..." Master Chu snorted and said, "Speaking of fame, I don't know how many people in the capital are talking about the Hibiscus Banquet. Does this mean you are doing what you want?"
Chang Suining still smiled and said, "Thank you, Master, for organizing this flower banquet."
Master Chu glanced at her and said, "...Why do you have to thank me for everything?"
It was true that the flower banquet was organized by their Ministry of Rites under the order of the emperor, but the Ministry was busy and he did not go along. He only found out what happened at the banquet afterwards.
Her experience was thrilling, but luckily she escaped unharmed.
It was strange, he always thought about this little girl from time to time... After thinking about it, it was probably because he hadn't gotten the painting yet? Master Chu thought that the distinction was clear in his heart, but he couldn't stop talking: "Do you know how people are talking about you now?"
"It's nothing more than being too picky, having high standards, and not knowing what's good for you?" Chang Suining said in a normal tone, and just knelt down casually beside his fish basket. She always liked sitting next to her teacher.
Seeing this, Master Chu sighed, "How can you look like a girl at all... Look at you, Prince Rong despises you, and Cui Ling'an is not in your eyes either. You don't want to be the Crown Princess either, so what do you want to do when you get married?"
"When did I say that I didn't want to be the Crown Princess? Unfortunately, someone ruined the plan. Master, you should be careful with your words. If word gets out, I will be in big trouble." The girl's words were nervous, but her tone was still relaxed.
"I didn't realize you were afraid of this." Master Chu asked again, "Then tell me what kind of person you want to marry?"
Qiao Jijiu smiled and asked, "Master, do you want to be a matchmaker?"
Chang Suining smiled and said, "Then don't bother me, Master. I have no plans to get married."
Master Chu raised his eyebrows: "Never marry in your life?"
Chang Suining nodded: "Yes."
Getting married is too troublesome and restrictive, and it is not suitable for her.
Moreover, her life was destined to be on the chessboard, and she might lose her life any day. If she married someone, the other party would at best become a widower one day, or at worst be implicated by her and all the nine clans would be implicated.
This matter harms others and does not benefit yourself, it is really unnecessary.
This time, Master Chu did not scold her. Instead, he said, "If you don't want to marry, then don't marry. It's not impossible..."
He looked at the calm river and suddenly said slowly, "My former student...should not have married."
Moreover, if she married so far away and got wronged there, he, as her teacher, would be unable to help her seek justice and support her.
He must have suffered a lot of grievances.
"She didn't listen to advice..." The old man seemed to want to say something blaming her, but when he said it, there was no sense of blame at all: "No one could persuade her back then, and I don't know... whether she regrets it or not."
The smile on Qiao Jijiu's face faded, he said nothing, and remained silent.
After a while, Master Chu complained, "She won't regret it... She doesn't care how others miss her."
Chang Suining nodded in his heart.
The one who knows her is her teacher.
She never regretted it.
But she also missed them, so didn't she come back?
She turned her head and smiled at the old man beside her.
"…What are you laughing at?" Master Chu blew up his beard. Didn't you see that he was angry and sad?
This is also heartless!
This is quite similar! ... Also similar?
This fleeting thought startled Master Chu. He grasped this thought and for a moment he looked at the girl in green robe sitting on the ground beside him in a daze.
At this time, the old servant of the Chu family walked over quickly.
"Sir, the palace urgently summons you." The old servant's voice was a little breathless: "Someone came to the palace and said that the saint urgently summoned you to the palace to discuss matters."
"I'm taking a day off today!" Master Chu's anger suddenly grew wildly.
Old servant: "Who says it's not true? But the saint is calling urgently..."
"It must be something very important." Qiao Jijiu said, "Master, you should go quickly."
"You are talking without any pain in your waist. I haven't caught a single fish yet!" Master Chu said hatefully.
Chang Suining took his fishing rod and said, "I'll help you fish. I'll bring the fish back to your house."
Master Chu threw the fishing rod to her, stood up reluctantly, and left with his old servant and a lot of resentment.
After taking a look at his teacher's departing back, Chang Suining asked Qiao Jijiu in a serious tone, "The Saint summoned him so urgently that he even summoned officials who were on leave to the palace. Do you know what happened, Third Father?"
Given this situation, I'm afraid something might happen.
At this moment, she suddenly felt the fishing rod in her hand shaking slightly. She looked up and saw a fish taking bites, causing ripples on the originally calm water surface. The ripples shook and spread before her eyes.
It's the last day of the monthly ticket. If you don't vote, it will be cleared. If you still have some left, don't forget to clear it out! I'll update tomorrow. See you tomorrow (づ￣3￣)づ
(End of this chapter)
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