The prodigy Zhang Zicheng probably didn't die in the trap formation because he lacked strength.
Talented people are often arrogant, and they often lose their lives due to excessive self-confidence.
In that sense, Chang Lili felt that this rule was somewhat reasonable. War is a serious matter, and defeat in war could very well lead to the demise of a nation.
So Meng Yuxiu was asking her if learning mechanical arts was really worth risking her life for.
Meng Yuxiu's gaze returned to Chang Lili, his smile full of doting tenderness: "Don't you like forging weapons? Aren't you living a good life now? With your talent, given time, you will definitely become a world-renowned blacksmith."
It sounds good, but Chang Lili still feels a little lost. Is this what she wants?
That must have been true in the past. In the past, I would have felt that I had no regrets in this life if I had even had the chance to forge a weapon. But humans are truly greedy creatures. What I once dreamed of is now within easy reach, so I want more. I want to learn mechanical arts and give cold weapons a soul.
But now, all the enthusiasm I've been building up has been poured off me like a bucket of cold water. It's a world of difference, and I can hardly accept it right now.
The pastries in my mouth lost their flavor, and the delicacies in front of me paled in comparison.
"Maybe so. I didn't expect learning mechanical arts to be so difficult," she sighed, trying to make her voice sound light. "I'll think about it some more."
The night breeze was cool, and the candlelight struggled to illuminate the area, making Chang Lili feel the surrounding darkness was somewhat heavy.
A pair of warm, slightly rough hands enveloped her slender hands, and Meng Yuxiu's voice came from above: "If you really like mechanical arts so much and want to try your hand at tackling mechanical formations, I'll go with you."
His palm possessed a reassuring power, and a warm current slowly flowed into her limbs and bones. Her confused heart suddenly found its direction and was no longer adrift.
"Don't joke around. I'm fine, but if you, the great general of Yun Kingdom, were to get involved, I would become a sinner for all time," Chang Lili said reproachfully.
A slight smile appeared on her lips, and she felt indescribably happy.
These rules cannot be broken. If Meng Yuxiu himself breaks the rules, the military discipline will be in complete chaos, and the general's prestige will collapse.
Moreover, he had no choice but to establish this rule. Although he could not break the rule, he was willing to go through thick and thin with me. That was a deeper bond than if the rule had been broken directly!
Meng Yuxiu seemed somewhat displeased upon hearing her words, and looked away, saying, "My business with you is none of the business of the world."
Looking at the meticulously sculpted profile of the man, Chang Lili felt her breath catch in her throat and her heart skip a beat.
At midnight, in the quiet courtyard, only the sporadic chirping of insects rose and fell restlessly. The candlelight flickered gently, and time seemed to stand still until the night watchman rang the gong, which startled Chang Lili awake.
Her face flushed red, and she withdrew her hand from Meng Yuxiu's, not daring to look at his face, and said, "I understand, I will consider it carefully."
To ease the awkward atmosphere, she reached out and grabbed a piece of pastry, stuffing it into her mouth. She then invited Meng Yuxiu to have some, saying, "You should have some too, it tastes really good."
But after a long while there was no response, he turned his head and saw that Meng Yuxiu's face, which had been gentle just now, was now somewhat dark. He was staring at an exquisite and beautiful empty plate, which was placed in a food box with intricate patterns. It was the same plate that had just contained the osmanthus crystal cake.
But now the crystal cake is gone, leaving only an empty plate.
Chang Lili quickly replied, "I didn't know it was the last piece, otherwise I would have definitely saved it for you."
Meng Yuxiu's face darkened even more.
"I... what should I say..." she said helplessly.
“Sure enough, you get tired of eating the same pastries too often,” Meng Yuxiu said, getting up. “You should get some rest.”
After saying that, she turned and left. Chang Lili was a little confused and couldn't figure out what was wrong. What exactly did she eat that caused the problem?
After Meng Yuxiu left, she got up to tidy up the table, thinking to herself that now that he was gone, she didn't need the food box anymore.
She looked at the remaining half-plate of walnut shortbread and kept complaining, "I just ate a little more crystal cake because I was curious, is it really necessary to be so stingy? If you didn't want to give me any, why did you bring it over? But he's not usually this stingy!"
As she spoke, she suddenly noticed that there seemed to be something underneath the beautiful and exquisite plate, which appeared to be a piece of paper.
The pastry must be quite expensive, so it's understandable to line the food box with a piece of paper.
But the paper was very thin, and it would have been more appropriate to place a piece of brocade underneath it. She took out the paper and found that the ink was faintly visible through the folded paper.
Unfold the paper, and the neat and elegant characters on it are clearly visible.
"Your disciple Su Ling respectfully submits this."
Chang Lili blinked, a little dazed.
"Disciple Su Ling?" she murmured, rubbing her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things. "Disciple... Su Ling? This is Su Ling... oh no, it's the First Prince, sending me some snacks? He's acknowledged me as his master? He's really become my disciple?"
As she spoke, Chang Lili burst into laughter, a loud and cheerful laugh.
"I've really gained a great disciple for free, and with such a noble status. As the saying goes, 'A teacher for a day is a teacher for life'... Ugh, I can't say that. This is called 'When one person attains enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.' Yes, if others knew that I was the First Prince's teacher, what would happen?"
After rambling on and on, Chang Lili herself laughed at her own words.
“This disciple was not taken in vain. Even now, he still remembers his master.” Recalling the days when he was framed by Xiao Shuer and Consort Lan and was covered in wounds in prison, Chang Lili was quite emotional and found it unbearable to look back. “However, I have treated him well, so he should also show some respect to me as his master.”
But when I thought of the murky waters of the imperial palace, the intrigues and scheming, I felt that although this matter was beneficial, it was best not to publicize it.
When she was framed before, she was falsely accused of being instructed by Xiao Lingshou. If others were to find out about her relationship with him now, who knows what trouble might arise?
Thinking this through, Chang Lili decided that she should keep a low profile and continued tidying up the table.
But then she remembered Meng Yuxiu's face darkening for no reason time and time again, and suddenly she knew why.
Looking at the empty plate that had held the osmanthus crystal cake and the remaining half plate of walnut shortbread, Chang Lili couldn't help but point at the two plates and mutter to herself.
"The osmanthus crystal cake that Xiao Lingshou sent, and the walnut shortbread that Meng Yuxiu sent?" She suddenly realized, "No wonder you were unhappy, it's understandable, it's understandable."
Chang Lili tidied the table, carried the food box into the house, and felt much better. She kept saying, "Why is Meng Yuxiu so serious? He only ate a plate of pastries, why is he so angry? This general is really strange!"
She put down the food box, intending to wash up and rest quickly, but when she looked up, she saw several books placed at the foot of the bed.
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