Chapter 68: Love

The next morning, Sui Yan woke up early and watched his brother load the yard full of betrothal gifts onto the carriage with a speechless look on his face.

A row of carriages tied with red ribbons drove out of the mansion and headed towards South Street in a mighty manner.

And Sui Xun, for some unknown reason, had the carriage take a detour past the busy streets, attracting countless people to stop and watch.

Sui Yan and Sui Xun sat in the carriage together, covering their faces and not wanting to listen to the noise outside.

Sui Xun usually wears black tights, but today he changed into a wide-sleeved dark-black brocade shirt, with his black hair tied with a jade crown, looking extremely handsome.

In the corner of the carriage, there were two longbows and several feather arrows, and no one knew what they were used for.

Sui Xun frowned and asked, "Why did you follow me?"

Sui Yan covered his face and said in a muffled voice: "I want to go find Enhe to play on the street. Don't worry about me, just give me a ride."

Sui Xun's eyes and face were full of disdain, probably because she was afraid that Sui Yan would delay her own business.

Sui Yan shed a tear for himself, raised his head, and said, "Why don't you ride a horse today?"

Sui Xun was a little unhappy: "With so many people watching, is it shameful to ride a horse outside?"

Sui Yan: “…”

Sui Yan screamed in his heart: "You deliberately sent someone to this busy city, wasn't it just to let everyone in the capital know that you were going to get married with Jiang Ning? Why are you being so reserved now?!"

Pretentious!

Sui Yan was angry but dared not say anything. He stayed in the carriage for a while, feeling as if sitting on pins and needles. The carriage slowly stopped at the Jiang Mansion.

Sui Xun: “You…”

Sui Yan immediately opened the curtain and jumped down: "I'm leaving now, right away, I won't bother you!"

Sui Xun sneered: "It's good to know."

Sui Yan: “…”

He didn't deny it?

Not even a word of cover-up!

Sui Yan cried and ran to the side door of Jiang Mansion.

Jiang Enhe had been waiting at the side door stealthily for a long time. When he saw Sui Yan running over, he quickly pulled his hand and dragged him into the door.

Jiang Enhe looked at the boxes of betrothal gifts outside and asked in shock, "Did your second brother empty out the entire mansion? Did he leave nothing for you?"

Sui Yan was disheartened: "My betrothal gift was left for me by my mother and the old lady, so you don't need to worry about it."

Jiang Enhe said, "Hi!" and said, "Then your mansion is quite wealthy and powerful."

Sui Yan didn't want to talk about this, and asked, "Where's your second sister? Is she going to come out to see my brother today?"

Jiang Enhe said: "I don't know. According to etiquette, my second sister cannot come out to meet the general of the same age before leaving the pavilion. But my second sister has a bad temper. If she really wants to come to see the general of the same age, who can stop her?"

Sui Yan nodded: "That's true."

The two of them leaned against the side door and watched for a long time before the betrothal gifts were finally moved into the house.

Jiang Enhe hurriedly took Sui Yan to the front yard. When they were walking in the corridor, they saw Sui Xun chatting with Jiang Zhiyuan.

Sui Xun still had a cold expression on his face, and was talking to Jiang Zhiyuan in a businesslike manner. If you didn't know, you would think that the two were discussing some national affairs.

Jiang Zhiyuan has just turned 50 and is still in good health. He has the temperament of a scholar who has been immersed in books for many years and is always kind and amiable in his dealings with others.

Jiang Zhiyuan had been an honest man all his life, but he was frightened by Sui Xun's magnanimous move. He exchanged a few words with Sui Xun and was about to lead him to the main hall when he saw his second daughter walking quickly out from a path in the side yard.

Jiang Enhe patted Sui Yan's shoulder vigorously: "Look, look, I knew she would come over!"

Dean Jiang hurried over to stop her and asked in confusion, "Ning'er, didn't I tell you not to leave your room today?"

Jiang Ning said, "I couldn't sit still, so I came to take a look."

Jiang Zhiyuan: "..."

Sui Yan whispered: "Second sister is so elegant and majestic."

Jiang Enhe threatened him: "Anyway, you better be careful. She always beats me up at home. Be careful that she will beat you up together with your brother after she marries you."

Sui Yan: “…”

Jiang Ning, who always beat people, didn't notice Jiang Zhiyuan's silence, and bowed to Sui Xun nonchalantly: "General Sui, how are you?"

Sui Xun nodded indifferently, but clenched his hands gently in his wide sleeves.

Jiang Zhiyuan rubbed his brows. He had no way to deal with her, so he had to apologize to Sui Xun: "My daughter is still young. I hope General Sui will forgive her for her rudeness."

Sui Xun said calmly: "It's not rude, I think it's good."

Jiang Zhiyuan: "..."

Sui Xun saw that the betrothal gifts had been delivered, and he reached into his sleeve and took out the invitation card that he had brought from the ancestral temple the night before. He gave it to Jiang Zhiyuan with a respectful gesture and said seriously, "This is the nearest auspicious date that the ancestral temple has predicted. It will be the 27th of January next year. It is suitable for marriage. I hope Lord Jiang will take a look at it."

Jiang Zhiyuan took the red card, opened it and looked at it. Just as he was about to speak, Jiang Ning seemed to be getting impatient and said, "Dad, if I send you the betrothal gift and the card, does that mean we've been accepted?"

Jiang Zhiyuan was choked: "This..."

Sui Xun also said: "The gifts and invitations have been delivered. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave first."

Jiang Zhiyuan: “…Ah?”

You didn’t even enter the main hall or drink a cup of tea, and you’re leaving now?

Jiang Zhiyuan hesitated and asked, "General, do you have something urgent to deal with?"

Sui Xun thought for a moment and said, "Yes."

Jiang Zhiyuan hurriedly said: "General, please excuse me."

Although the two families were going to get married in more than a month, Jiang Zhiyuan still didn't dare to get too close to this majestic and awe-inspiring general all of a sudden, and he was polite in everything he said and did.

Sui Xun nodded and glanced at Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning raised his head slightly and glanced at him with his narrow eyes.

Sui Xun tried to straighten her face and said, "Miss Jiang, do you have some free time later?"

Jiang Ning said: "Yes."

Sui Xun asked, "Can I take the liberty of inviting you to go outside the city?"

It’s freezing and snowy, go outside the city?

Jiang Ning raised his eyebrows slightly: "Why are you going outside the city?"

Sui Xun said, "Hunting deer."

Sui Yan: “…”

Sui Yan almost couldn't control himself and rushed out. Jiang Enhe, who was watching from the side, hurriedly stopped him and tried to stop him: "Brother! Brother! Calm down! Calm down! They are so affectionate now. If you go out and cause trouble, they will definitely beat you up together."

Sui Yan: "Hunting deer, hunting deer, why is he still thinking about this? And he even invited your second sister to go with him? In the freezing snow, which girl would be willing to go hunting outside the city with this lunatic?!"

Jiang Enhe hugged his waist and tried to pull him back: "Who knows, maybe my sister would be willing!"

Sui Yan froze.

Then, Jiang Ning said softly, "Okay."

Sui Yan: “…”

Jiang Zhiyuan, who had listened to the whole thing, was a little confused: "Didn't the general just say that he had something important to do?"

Sui Xun said seriously: "Being with An Ning is the most important thing."

Jiang Zhiyuan: "..."

Sui Yan: “Ahhhh!”

It turned out to be worth the trip. From childhood to adulthood, Sui Yan had never heard Sui Xun say such fatal love words.

Sui Xun grew up in the army and has a very straightforward personality. However, it is the words spoken casually by such a straightforward person that are the most touching.

Anyway, Jiang Ning, who was always indifferent, slightly raised the corners of his lips.

Gan Enhe was amazed: "I admire you so much."

Jiang Ning curled his lips and smiled softly: "Then let's go?"

Sui Xun was about to turn around and lead the way, but after thinking for a moment, he turned back, reached out and took Jiang Ning's hand, and walked out with big strides.

Jiang Zhiyuan was left alone in the front yard, silent for a long time.

After a while, in the private room on the second floor of Wanhua Tower, a pearl curtain concealed the actors in the inner room, and the sound of the guqin was as clear and pleasant as the gurgling of spring water.

Sui Yan and Jiang Enhe sat opposite each other and stared at each other for a long time.

Jiang Enhe said: "Eat, eat the food."

Sui Yan was distracted and said, "I still find it unbelievable that such words were spoken by my rough brother. Am I still not awake?"

Jiang Enhe picked up a piece of food for him and said vaguely, "Eat quickly. After my sister gets married, you will still have someone to look after. You will get used to it sooner or later."

Sui Yan: “…”

Sui Yan looked at him hatefully, picked up his chopsticks, ate a few bites and lost his appetite.

Jiang Enhe was probably hungry, so he kept eating with his chopsticks.

Sui Yan sat by the window, slightly opened the curtain and looked down. In the busy street, a line of brightly dressed people surrounded a strange carriage passing by. The red wooden boards that looked like lotus petals swayed gently, revealing a graceful woman dancing inside.

In the front, there were beats of bass and snare drums, and strange bells playing beautiful music.

Sui Yan glanced at it casually and said, "Look below."

Jiang Enhe took a quick glance in his busy schedule and was immediately shocked: "Oh my God!"

Sui Yan whispered: "You can see it too, right? That woman..."

Jiang Enhe said: "Oh my god, that woman is so beautiful!"

Sui Yan: “…”

Jiang Enhe took a look and said, "Oh, but I think it's not as good-looking as the one in the picture."

Sui Yan couldn't help it, and kicked him under the table, saying unhappily, "Foreign woman!"

Jiang Enhe: "Ah?"

Sui Yan pointed casually and said, "Not only that woman, but also the man holding the drum, that one, that one, and the one at the side, are also foreigners."

Jiang Enhe looked at it for a long time but couldn't figure it out. He asked in surprise: "How did you know?"

Sui Yan said: "I can see it."

Jiang Enhe rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was blind.

Sui Yan said, "The Third Prince was suppressing bandits in Jiangnan a few days ago, and some foreigners had sneaked in. Do you think it's a coincidence that so many of them have suddenly appeared in the capital?"

Jiang Enhe hesitated and said, "It's almost the New Year's Eve. Every year at this time, foreign countries will come to congratulate. It's not a rare thing. You shouldn't be so nervous, right?"

Sui Yan pursed his lips.

Jiang Enhe asked again: "By the way, how did you know there were foreigners in the Jiangnan bandit den?"

Sui Yan chuckled: "Go ask around, Jianghu Bai Xiaosheng, that's me."

Jiang Enhe: "Pah."

In the previous life, Duan Ruwang went to Jiangnan to suppress bandits, but he was different from Duan Zhisu. He smashed the bandit's lair to pieces, but he did not kill them as ruthlessly as Duan Zhisu. Instead, he captured several beautiful foreigners and presented them directly to the emperor.

When Sui Yan heard this, he was simply amazed. Duan Ruwang was truly a unique talent to be able to do such a thing.

The beauty presented to the emperor was the woman in thin clothes dancing gracefully in the snow on the wooden stage.

Sui Yan had met her once before, and because she was so beautiful, he still vaguely remembered her after all these years.

Most importantly, this woman had once suffered a loss.

Because after Duan Ruwang came back from Jiangnan, he first gave the beauty to Sui Yan, and no one knew what An was thinking.

The beauty probably came to the southern border, and her body was full of poison. As soon as Sui Yan approached her, he was almost knocked unconscious by the poisonous fragrance on her body. If Yue Jian had not acted decisively and sent her back, Sui Yan might have lost his life.

So the one who narrowly escaped death under the beauty's skirt was the emperor.

Sui Yan said: "Anyway, just don't touch that kind of woman. They may look glamorous, but they are actually full of poison."

Gannhe sneered: "You speak as if you have encountered it before."

Sui Yan: "I mean well, please remember this carefully."

Jiang Enhe said: "Okay, okay, I got it, Bai Xiaosheng."

Sui Yan kicked him again.

Sui Yan and Jiang En had a quick meal and returned home without staying long.

Wujiu was waiting in the side yard, and when he saw Sui Yan coming, he hurried forward and whispered a few words to him.

Sui Yan's expression changed immediately.

He looked at the sky outside, and after trying to hold it in for a long time, he couldn't help but said, "Prepare the car, I want to go to the palace."

Left without any business.

After a while, Sui Yan entered the palace with the token given to him by Duan Mingchong, and trotted towards the East Palace wearing a cloak.

There seemed to be someone outside the East Palace who was not a member of the palace. Sui Yan took a glance and frowned.

Could it be that Duan Ruwang has already arrived?

If Duan Ruwang really gave that beauty to Duan Mingchong, and if Duan Mingchong could not refuse due to friendship and really accepted her, what would he do?

The more Sui Yan thought about it, the uglier his face became. He stopped the palace maid who wanted to report it, and rushed in like the wind, opening the warm curtain.

"Your Highness! Your Highness, think twice!"

He staggered in, saying to think twice, but when he looked carefully, he was stunned.

Duan Mingchong was sitting on a soft chair pouring tea. Opposite him sat a amiable old man who was drinking tea from a cup. He was dressed in gorgeous clothes and looked very noble.

Sui Yan looked at them in silence.

Duan Mingchong stood up and asked in surprise: "Ayan, what's wrong?"

Sui Yan was startled and knelt down to pay his respects: "Greetings, Queen Mother."

The Queen Mother stayed in the inner palace all year round, and Sui Yan had only seen her a few times when he was young, so he almost didn't recognize her when he first met her.

The Queen Mother smiled gently, raised her hands, and said, "Okay, good boy, get up quickly. It's cool down down there."

Sui Yan stood up with his hands on his hands, feeling embarrassed and at a loss as to what to do.

Duan Mingchong looked at him with a smile and said, "Sit down."

Sui Yan fiddled with his hands and sat aside carefully.

Duan Mingchong looked at his cautious look and smiled more gently, saying to the Queen Mother, "Grandmother, this is A'yan, whom my grandson often mentioned to you. He is the third son of General Sui, and he is very well-behaved and cute."

The Queen Mother smiled and said, "I can see it. She is indeed well-behaved."

Sui Yan was frightened just now, but after taking a sip of tea to suppress his shock, he suddenly became a brave man again.

He was naturally eloquent and quick-witted, and he spared no effort in coaxing his elders. Otherwise, he had been so unruly in the capital for so many years, and if he had not pleased the old lady, he would have been hung up and beaten long ago.

Sui Yan showed a harmless smile and lied without blushing or breathing heavily: "Your Highness often mentioned the Queen Mother in front of A Yan, always saying that you love him very much, which made me jealous."

Duan Mingchong tilted his head and chuckled. He seldom mentioned the Queen Mother in front of Sui Yan. This man was probably talking nonsense again.

Fortunately, Sui Yan was well-behaved and spoke very sincerely. With just a few words, he made the empress dowager very happy and laugh non-stop.

The Queen Mother doted on the Crown Prince very much, and was also very fond of Sui Yan. Before he left, she gave him a fine jade pendant.

Sui Yan hooked the tassel of the jade pendant and smiled at Duan Mingchong: "Look, the Queen Mother also likes me very much, do you have this?"

Duan Mingchong was happy to see him, and he was happy too, so in order to appease him, he said, "I didn't."

Sui Yan tied the jade pendant given by the empress dowager around his waist, then raised his hand to take off the jade pendant that he never took off, and held it in both hands to Chao Duan Ming Chong.

Duan Mingchong: “Hmm?”

Sui Yan winked at him and said, "Then I'll take you there."

The author has something to say: Sui Xun: No one can stop me from hunting deer!

Jiang Ning’s inner thoughts: This man is so special and so romantic.

Hiss... No wonder everyone says you two are made for each other.