56. National Master Dad 7
Eight years later.
A vast parade ground, war drums blaring high to the right, a dozen targets neatly arrayed in front. In the distance, a steed galloped past hurdle after hurdle at lightning speed. Atop it, a strikingly handsome young man in white held a bow in one hand and three arrows in the other. He strung the bowstring, his eyes sharp and focused. With a whoosh, three arrows were unleashed simultaneously, lightning-fast. With a thud, thud, thud, the arrowheads pierced deeply into the three targets a hundred paces away. The shafts trembled slightly with the remaining force, demonstrating the immense power of the arrows.
The young man pulled the reins, and the horse neighed, turning to another track. He nocked three more arrows, and with a flick of his wrist, they flew out, their sharp tips slicing through the air, ripping the air with a hissing sound. This time, the three arrows split the three arrows on the target, pinning them firmly to the ground.
The steed leaped over several hurdles and reached the resting area. A handsome man in red riding gear on the steps saw the young man in white dismount. He applauded and said, "Cousin Ye's archery skills are truly getting better and better. He's truly worthy of being taught by the Imperial Master himself."
Cheng Ye handed the horse to the attendant beside him, rolled his eyes at An Chixu, and said, "You talk as if you weren't taught by my father."
Cheng Ye washed his hands in the basin brought by the servant, then walked up to the platform and sat down opposite An Chixu, pouring himself a glass of water and drinking it in one gulp.
An Chixu: "I'm different. Who in this imperial city doesn't know the true talents of my father's sons? The eldest prince, a military hero, the second prince, a smooth-talking prince, the third prince, a man of both civil and military talents, the fourth prince, a kind and benevolent prince, and the fifth prince, who's just plain ordinary. As for the fifth prince, even the personal instruction of the Imperial Master hasn't changed his useless nature. Tsk tsk, a bad bamboo has emerged from the good bamboo forest."
Cheng Ye: "You keep doing it. You have destroyed the goodwill of all the civil and military officials. Just wait and see how you will end up in the future." Now that the princes have grown up, some ministers have begun to have their own ideas, and An Chixu's performance in the court in the past two years has been somewhat mediocre.
An Chixu played with the teacup in his hand, smiled slightly and said, "Smart people won't think so much. They will only do one thing, and that is to be loyal to the emperor."
Cheng Ye: "...What are you thinking?" It's always been clear that the Emperor favors An Chixu as his successor; An Chixu doesn't need to hide his weaknesses or accumulate strength. An Chixu's thoughts have grown increasingly profound over the years, sometimes even his childhood friend Cheng Ye doesn't understand what he's thinking.
An Chixu said meaningfully: "These two
My brothers have been quite active in recent years."
Cheng Ye squinted at him and said, "So, what does this have to do with you hiding your incompetence?"
An Chixu: "I just want to see who jumps the most happily." He doesn't mind using his brothers as whetstones before he ascends to the throne.
Cheng Ye rolled his eyes at him. "I don't believe you," he said. "Don't forget that this year's selection is about to begin. Your wife will be chosen from among this year's concubines. If you keep being so 'unpromising', it might affect your chances of being chosen as your wife." "You, the prince, are allowed to hide your shortcomings? Even if the concubines don't like you, they can hide their shortcomings too."
An Chixu disagreed and said, "Anything that can be 'influenced' is not my fate."
Cheng Ye: "You think it's easy."
An Chixu: "I feel free without you. As the successor of the National Master, I have no pressure, and the National Master will not interfere with whether you get married." The National Master can get married, but since ancient times, National Masters rarely get married.
Cheng Ye nodded seriously and said, "You can't envy me for that."
An Chixu: "Go to hell!" He's so cocky.
Cheng Ye: "Hahaha..."
**************
The air in the early morning is moist and sweet. The plants in the imperial garden are even greener and more lush under the nourishment of the morning dew, and the colorful flowers appear even more vivid.
Groups of beautiful ladies were waiting in the garden for the call, each of them was a beautiful girl, some gentle, some innocent, some cute, some gorgeous, some alluring... The ladies were whispering to each other, occasionally letting out coquettish laughter, their delicately made-up faces even more charming against the backdrop of the flowers.
In a small pavilion.
"What are you talking about?" The little girl with baby fat on her face gently pushed the little sister next to her with a coquettish look on her face.
She was Yang Dongxuan, the Shangshu's legitimate daughter, sixteen years old, having just reached the age for the imperial selection. The gentle lady next to her was Nie Ningzhen, the seventeen-year-old legitimate daughter of Duke Cheng'en. She was a close friend of Yang Dongxuan's and was currently joking with her with a smile on her face.
"Sister, what is Miss Yang talking about? She is laughing so happily. Come and talk to me too." A carefree voice interrupted at this time.
Yang Dongxuan frowned upon hearing the voice. She looked up and saw someone she really disliked. She said unhappily, "Nie Wushuang, why are you everywhere? You have to interfere with every conversation I have with Sister Nie. Can't you just stop pestering Sister Nie?"
Nie Wushuang's eyes widened immediately and he said, "Big sister is my sister, if you want to pester me, it's your sister.
Can you please figure this out, 'my' sister?
Yang Dongxuan: "It's you who needs to be cleared up. You're a concubine's daughter, but you're always getting into trouble. How many messes has Sister Nie cleaned up for you?"
Nie Wushuang suddenly realized and said, "Oh, so you are jealous that I have a good sister. Let me tell you, jealousy is useless! My sister is just good to me and takes care of me, little by little." She made a face at Yang Dongxuan proudly.
Yang Dongxuan's face turned red with anger. She said, "Sister Nie, look at her! She bullies me!"
Nie Ningzhen smiled and tried to smooth things over, saying, "Alright, alright. You two always quarrel whenever you meet, as if you're afraid others won't know that you've developed feelings for each other." As she spoke, she tapped Yang Dongxuan's nose with her handkerchief.
Seeing Nie Ningzhen getting close to Yang Dongxuan, Nie Wushuang became even more dissatisfied and pouted, "Who fell in love with her after a quarrel? She's always pestering other people's sisters and can't be driven away. She's so shameless."
Yang Dongxuan's eyes were red now, and she said, "Who are you calling shameless?"
Nie Ningzhen quickly comforted Yang Dongxuan: "Dongxuan, don't cry. It will be bad if you pretend to be broken. It will offend the important people." As she said that, she tucked her eyes with a handkerchief.
Nie Wushuang angrily said, "Little White Lotus bitch, you cry every time. You're ugly already, and you become even uglier when you cry."
Nie Ningzhen pulled Nie Wushuang aside, asked her to sit next to her, straightened her clothes, and gently scolded her, "Don't talk about Dongxuan like that. You have to change your fierce temper. Especially in this palace, if you are not careful, you will break the taboos. Talk less and listen more."
Nie Wushuang pouted, "I understand, big sister." The ancient times were truly troublesome. The imperial overlords were truly inhumane, even the very act of speaking was taboo. On top of that, officials' daughters had to participate in the imperial selection process. I didn't want to be chosen at all, and I certainly didn't want my sister to be chosen either. Those princes and emperors on TV were all idiots. They were no match for big sister.
On a tall building not far away, An Chixu put down his telescope, tapped his palm, and said, "Cousin Ye, what do you think of those three people just now?"
Cheng Ye played with the telescope in his hand and said, "Judging from their mouth shapes, they seem to be arguing." Two women fighting over one woman? A strange combination.
An Chixu's mouth twitched, and he said, "Is this all you understand?"
Cheng Ye was puzzled: "What else?"
An Chixu: "The girl in the light yellow clothes is one of the candidates chosen for me by my mother, the eldest daughter of Duke Cheng'en." I heard that she is a gentle, lovely, well-educated woman. Judging from her performance just now, it seems that... she knows how to balance the relationships in small groups. This can also be considered a kind of virtue.
Cheng Ye picked up a small snack and stuffed it into his mouth
Well, I feel a little hungry.
"So what did you see? Do you think she meets your requirements, Your Highness the Fifth Prince?" He looked for a long time but still couldn't make a choice. Choosing a wife was indeed very troublesome.
An Chixu: "I think it's okay at the moment, better than the others." The others were either too dignified and reserved or a little arrogant and difficult to control, but Nie Ningzhen was the only one who had something to offer. Her good relationship with the concubine's daughter showed that she was kind and amiable, and her subconscious care for the other two showed that she was generally a thoughtful and considerate person.
Cheng Ye supported his head with his hand and said nothing.
Seeing this, An Chixu asked in confusion, "What's wrong?" Could it be that cousin Ye has other ideas?
Cheng Ye frowned and said, "Well, I always feel that her aura is weird." There was another girl whose aura was also weird.
After hearing this, An Chixu picked up the telescope and looked again, but didn't find anything strange.
**************
The sky is cloudless.
As soon as Cheng Ye returned to the Champs Elysées Courtyard, he was knocked to the ground by a giant tiger. It buried its big head in his arms and roared from time to time.
Cheng Ye felt a sudden pain in his chest from being hit. He pushed the giant tiger's head away with all his strength and protested: "Crybaby, don't you know how heavy you are?" He almost vomited blood every time he was hit. He was so big and had no awareness at all. Did he still think he was a tiger baby?
When the crybaby heard his owner say he was fat, he immediately became unhappy and started yelling to defend himself.
Cheng Ye hugged its neck and stood up, smiling and said, "Okay, you are just bloated, not really fat. I don't know why you, a tiger, mind others saying you are fat." As he said that, he stroked its big head hard and pulled its ears.
"Let's go and see what delicious food Xiao Taozi prepared for you today."
Cheng Ye came into the inner courtyard and saw Xiao Taozi directing the servants to put large pieces of meat on the big plate of the crying boy. Seeing this, the crying boy immediately stepped forward and ate it with relish.
Cheng Ye: "Xiao Taozi, is my father back?" Cheng Jiu went to the palace to see the emperor early in the morning, and I wonder if he is back now.
Xiao Taozi: "Replying to Young Master, the Imperial Master has returned to Wanli Wuyun. However, he went to Tianjian Pavilion as soon as he returned."
Cheng Ye was stunned: "You went to Tianjian Pavilion right after returning?"
Xiao Taozi: "Yes."
Cheng Ye frowned. What happened? He flicked his sleeves and turned to leave. After leaving the door, he walked towards the Tianjian Pavilion.
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