Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Su Li is indeed a natural born vixen! ...
Chapter 12
In the following days, Cui Jue would often see Su Li talking with Wei Zhiyan, the gatekeeper, while he was enjoying the cool air in the bamboo building on the second floor.
Su Li did not interfere with other people's work, and she even rarely talked to Wei Zhiyan. However, when she had free time, she would bring some snacks from time to time to please Wei Zhiyan.
For example, there are sliced watermelon, mung bean soup with ice, and even locust leaf cold noodles, plum ginger and other side dishes for drinking.
I don’t know if Wei Zhiyan was scolded by Cui Jue, and he still feels scared.
He no longer brought food to Shuyue Pavilion, but temporarily handed the job of gatekeeping to his colleagues. He squatted under the sycamore tree at the gate of the courtyard to eat his snacks, and then came back to continue guarding the gate.
Su Li didn't leave after seeing this. She stood by with a smile, pointing at the dim sum and explaining the recipe to Wei Zhiyan in detail...
The two of them talked and laughed happily, and got along harmoniously.
There is actually a strange feeling that they are a perfect match.
Cui Jue narrowed his eyes slightly and tapped the corridor with his slender and well-proportioned fingertips.
Two knocks.
Finally, he fell silent, put away the book in his hand, and went downstairs to review the documents.
-
Another half month passed and it was August.
In the late summer and early autumn season, the hottest period has passed.
It was cooler in the morning, so Su Li would put on an extra layer of long clothes. When the sun got stronger at noon, she would take off her clothes to enjoy the coolness.
August is the osmanthus season, and the osmanthus trees transplanted in Muchong Pavilion are in bloom. The emerald green branches are covered with clusters of soft light yellow flowers. The light yellow color is pleasing, and the fragrance is also faint and rich.
Su Li used a bamboo pole to pick up a lot of them, and ordered the maid to clean them, and then add rice wine, sugar, and honey to make sweet wine or pickled osmanthus honey.
That day, Su Li received a letter from the Su family.
Zhou told Su Li that her grandmother had arrived in Jianye, but did not tell her where her grandmother was hiding.
Su Li was not stupid. She knew after careful consideration that Zhou wanted to force her to take a further step... Zhou had already shown her sincerity, and the next step depended on Su Li's performance.
After reading this letter, Su Li felt a surge of anger in her heart.
The stepmother didn't need to think about it. Cui Jue was in a high position and had great power, and was a model of a noble family. If he was really that easy to approach and could be easily seduced by his beauty, how come so many noble families couldn't even fit a maid into Cui Jue's harem?
Su Li thought dejectedly that given Cui Jue's lack of understanding of romance, he might not be interested even if she stood naked in front of him.
Su Li bit her lip and even considered lying about having had intimate contact with Cui Jue, thus paralyzing Zhou and allowing her to see her grandmother first. But then she thought, telling the first lie would inevitably require more lies to cover it up. If something went wrong, it would alert the Su family, and it would be difficult for her to see her grandmother again.
Su Li must not alert the enemy...
On the same day, Su Li actually received an invitation to a birthday party from Princess Chonghua.
Although she didn't know why Li Muyao invited her, an unknown little person, to attend the birthday banquet, Cui Jue and Li Muyao had a close relationship and she would definitely attend the banquet. This was a rare opportunity for Su Li to get close to the eldest son, and she would not miss it.
Su Li knew that she was despicable. Cui Jue and Li Muyao had a close personal relationship, but she still interfered.
But the man is unmarried and the woman is unmarried, and the fact that Cui Jue could be seduced by her shows that she is fickle and not loyal in love, and is not a good match for him.
Su Li was just a touchstone for their love... She wasn't that wrong, at most she just had no moral integrity.
Thinking of this, Su Li took the invitation and went to Jianjiayuan where Aunt Xu was.
When Cui Shunying learned that Su Li had also received an invitation, she was so happy that she didn't know what to say.
She pulled Su Li's sleeve and acted coquettishly: "Sister Su, this time you have to accompany me to play no matter what! You don't know, when the princess holds a banquet, all the guests are royal relatives and those young ladies from aristocratic families. Some princesses and county ladies, relying on their mother's family coming from an aristocratic family in the capital and their fathers being princes and old nobles, can't say a few words to me. Every time I do, I get so annoyed, but I can't say I'm sick and not go to the banquet. After all, she is the princess..."
At this point, Aunt Xu knocked on her daughter's head and said, "Don't talk nonsense, be careful that the walls have ears and the eldest master hears you!"
They all knew that Li Muyao loved Cui Jue, and with the eldest son's prominent status, he would naturally marry the princess.
Li Muyao is very likely to be the future wife of the elder and Cui Shunying's future sister-in-law, so Cui Shunying must of course give Li Muyao some face.
Aunt Xu didn't dare to go against Her Royal Highness the Princess.
But Cui Shunying still doesn't like Princess Chonghua.
Li Muyao once disliked Cui Shunying for being a illegitimate daughter. Whenever she spoke to Cui Shunying, Li Muyao seemed reluctant, with a smile on her face and a very arrogant tone, as if saying a few words to Cui Shunying would lower her status.
On one occasion in particular, Li Muyao learned that Cui Shunying had never played polo, so she specially gave her a top-quality crescent-shaped batting stick. The stick was made of high-quality fragrant wood, and the shaft was wrapped with countless luxurious gold and silver threads, making it precious and gorgeous.
It was originally a good thing, but Li Muyao said with a smile: "This crescent-shaped staff is a tribute from Tubo. I have only used it once, and it is quite handy. I will give it to you."
Cui Shunying felt a tightness in her chest when she heard this... Even if it was a gift from a wealthy family, she would not want something that had been used by others!
Cui Shunying couldn't swallow this insult, so she deliberately told this to Cui Jue at the dinner table. The eldest son looked indifferent, but that night he gave his fourth sister several boxes of crescent-shaped polo sticks and seven-treasure balls, which shows how much Cui Jue loves this sister.
When this matter reached Li Muyao's ears, it further infuriated the little princess who had always been held in the palm of Emperor Xuanning's hand.
Li Muyao was born in a good period. The imperial power was prosperous and the military and political affairs were in control. Most of the time, Emperor Xuanning did not have to consider the attitude of the aristocratic families. As the legitimate princess of Emperor Xuanning, Li Muyao was naturally arrogant and domineering, with no taboos.
Li Muyao was suddenly attracted by a concubine's daughter from a noble family, and in front of her lover, she felt indignant, and the feud between the two began.
Cui Shunying knew that this birthday party would be difficult, but fortunately, although Su Li was a little reluctant, she still nodded slightly.
Cui Shunying was overjoyed and asked Su Li: "Sister Su, can you play polo?"
Every time Li Muyao had a birthday banquet, she would form a team to play polo. Not only would the ladies ride horses to play, but even the young men from aristocratic families would ride horses and hold sticks to have a hearty polo match, and show off in front of the elders of each family.
Su Li shook her head: "I can't..."
Cui Shunying said with a hint of regret, "I was hoping to bring you along, but just watching from the sidelines is fine too! Sometimes my brother would go out to bat... At the birthday banquet, he led a makeshift team to a crushing defeat against the Turks, earning great honor for our Wu. Just thinking about him riding a horse and swinging the ball, he looked so majestic and full of spirit!"
An elder brother is like a father. Cui Shunying is naturally full of admiration and respect for his elder brother who is both literary and martial.
But Su Li found it hard to imagine that the immortal young man who always wore flowing robes would gallop on horseback and hit the ball like an ordinary boy, with his blood boiling.
After all, Cui Jue seems indifferent to everything. He is like a ghost, not worldly, not involved in deep things, wandering away from the world, with a faint temperament.
Su Li thought for a moment and said, "There are still a few days left, I can learn..."
"That would be best."
Su Li has a good learning ability. She has learned to ride a horse. Although her polo skills are not so proficient, she can occasionally catch a few balls hit by Cui Shunying.
After a few days of training, Su Li's legs were red from riding horses. Fortunately, she was able to play polo quite well, and with Cui Shunying's care, she was able to barely play in the game.
But unexpectedly, something unexpected happened on the birthday party day.
Cui Shunying had no idea what she had eaten for dinner, but she had a stomachache and stayed at the toilet without leaving the guest room. On the polo field, only Su Li, the substitute player, was left.
The noble ladies were whispering to each other, staring at Su Li with sharp eyes, revealing a strange look in their eyes.
He comes with ill intentions.
Su Li knew it very well, but her face showed no abnormality and she remained extremely calm.
Su Li looked around to confirm the terrain for the upcoming competition.
They were located in a royal garden far away from the capital. Fresh water was drawn here to form streams and lakes, willows were planted by the lake, and the grass was green. The area was so vast that it could easily accommodate tens of thousands of people.
In the distance, there is a viewing platform for guests to watch the battle. The audience are dressed in scarlet and black robes, and one can tell from the color of their clothes that they are all royal relatives, dignitaries, and even Emperor Xuanning will come to the banquet to watch the battle.
On the other side, a group of dashing young men came with their horses. They all wore black boots and narrow-sleeved robes. They looked high-spirited and heroic.
The leader had an extraordinary bearing, but a calm temperament. He did not play around with others and led the team silently.
Looking closely, the person coming was actually Cui Jue.
Would the dignified Mr. Cui also come to participate in a polo match played by young people like this?
What Su Li didn't know was that polo matches had long existed as a "military ceremony". Emperor Xuan Ning would even hold a competition in the Forbidden City from time to time to test the riding results of the light cavalry camp, to see whether the soldiers were lazy, whether they were training diligently, and whether their horsemanship was superb enough.
Su Li only took a glance and then looked away.
Since she was going to replace Choi Sun-young, she had to lead a good horse with a gentle temperament.
When Su Li walked towards the horse slave, Li Muyao lowered his gaze to the young lady of the Su family who had a close relationship with Cui Jue.
Indeed, Su Li was very well-behaved today. She knew that when attending someone else's birthday party, she should not dress too seductively so as not to overshadow the guests.
But she was clearly only wearing a bunch of lily of the valley in her hair and a narrow-sleeved riding coat with a pattern of birds holding flowers, yet she was still as beautiful as a flower and charming. Her bust was full, her waist was narrow, and her thin belt outlined her graceful figure. Her every move was full of natural beauty, which made people both envious and jealous.
Su Li is indeed an absolute beauty.
Li Muyao's face suddenly turned pale.
She originally didn't believe that Cui Jue had any connection with anyone else, but now seeing Su Li's outstanding appearance, she became a little uncertain.
Su Li was unaware of Li Muyao's dislike for her. She was busy looking at the healthy horse brought by the horse slave.
With bright coat and strong hooves, it is a rare and good horse.
Su Li walked forward.
She had just pulled the reins when, for some reason, the horse suddenly twitched its nose, sneezed, and ran away a mile.
Su Li let go of her hand. If she hadn't let go in time, she would have been knocked down by the horse!
Jianma seemed to be avoiding Su Li as much as possible, and even Ma Nu was confused.
When other people saw this scene, the noble ladies looked at each other and suddenly burst into laughter.
They knew that Su Li had no power or influence, and was just a poor woman who came to the Cui family for money, so they did not hide their ridicule towards her.
"Look, isn't it disliked by the horse?"
"How strange! This is the first time I've seen a young lady who doesn't even want to get on a horse..."
"She's riding Bizhu, right? Bizhu is known for her gentle nature. How could she be so disdainful?"
"Who knows? You remember what happened at the hunting grounds, right? That lowly commoner didn't look for anyone else, but followed the scent and went looking for her. Didn't he think she was the poorest?"
…
These blunt and sarcastic words fell into Su Li's ears word by word.
Su Li looked at the slightly upturned corners of Li Muyao's mouth, and understood in her heart: They dared to say such dirty words in public, which obviously required Li Muyao's instructions behind their backs.
However, she had never met Princess Chonghua before, so why would Li Muyao target her?
Su Li hasn't taken action against Cui Jue yet, right?
The malice came inexplicably and blatantly, and even Su Li felt helpless.
When the horse slave brought the horse back again, Su Li tested it again. Sure enough, as soon as she approached the healthy horse, the horse would run around and make her eat a mouthful of sand.
Li Muyao smiled when she saw this: "What's going on? Bizhu is obviously the most obedient."
Li Muyao seemed to want to verify her words. She went forward to lead the horse, but after gently stroking the horse's mane, Bizhu calmed down.
Then, Li Muyao climbed onto the horse's back nimbly.
She held the reins and drove the horse closer.
The woman's sharp eyes stared at Su Li, looking down at her and whispering sarcastically, "A pariah is really a pariah. Even the imperial horse can smell the stink of poverty from you."
A few sarcastic whispers passed by their ears, and only the two of them could hear them, with the frivolous and arrogant tone unique to those in power.
This made Su Li unhappy.
No matter how dumb Su Li was, she realized that someone had tampered with her riding clothes when she was changing in the guest room, and sprinkled them with a powder that the imperial horse disliked.
Su Li raised her sleeve and smelled it, and sure enough, there was a faint and strange fragrance.
Su Li was just an insignificant lady from a small family. Even though she was related to the Cui family, she didn't think Mr. Cui would stand up for her because of such a small quarrel.
Thinking of this, Su Li's mind started to race.
She suddenly took out a dagger and cut off a piece of her sleeve with a loud noise.
Then, Su Li looked at the red BMW following Cui Jue in the distance and shouted loudly: "Chixia——!"
Everyone knows whose BMW Chixia is.
Su Li was so bold and presumptuous that she dared to drive Cui Jue's mount!
Li Muyao was furious at these words. Su Li was so shameless! How dare she call Cui Lanju's horse in public? Who the hell was she?!
Just as Li Muyao raised the whip, wanting to slap Su Li's clever mouth and teach her a lesson, the rumbling sound of horse hooves suddenly came from the distance.
The earth shook and the wind and sand rolled.
The wind and smoke dissipated, and a beautiful red figure came out of the dust and ran straight to Su Li.
What is that?! That's Chixia?!
Everyone was stunned as they watched the horse rush forward, abandoning its owner and running towards Su Li.
All the noble ladies present were shocked.
Even Cui Jue watched this scene with a cold expression.
It is really embarrassing for the mount to run away with an outsider.
Su Li lowered her head timidly. She didn't dare to look at Cui Jue's expression.
She thought of an idea in a hurry, who knew it would be so effective?
Su Li hugged the horse's neck with a guilty conscience, rubbing her ears against Chixia's, and quietly praised him: "Brother Chixia, you are such a good horse! You have lived up to the friendship we had when we first met!"
Chixia snorted with pride and nudged Su Li with her head, urging her to climb onto the saddle as quickly as possible.
Seeing this infuriating scene, Li Muyao's eyes turned red and her teeth were about to break.
She clearly remembered that the Chixia horse only obeyed Cui Jue's orders, so why could it be ordered by Su Li? You know, even Li Muyao wanted to get close to Chixia, but was kicked in public by the horse!
Hateful! Su Li is truly a born vixen!
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