Chapter 636 Jiaojiao is here
Gu Jiao got into Su Xue's carriage.
When Su Xue's coachman saw his young mistress bring a strange man into the carriage, he couldn't help but whisper a reminder: "Miss, isn't this inappropriate? Men and women shouldn't touch each other. If the master and mistress find out, they will punish you."
Su Xue snorted coldly: "If you don't tell and I don't tell, how will my parents know? Or are you planning to betray me and secretly complain to my parents about me? I'm warning you! If you scheme against me behind my back, I'll make sure you can't stay in the Su family!"
The driver hurriedly replied, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. Miss, rest assured, I will keep my mouth shut."
"That's more like it." Su Xue raised her eyebrows in satisfaction, looked at the closed carriage curtain, smiled knowingly, and lifted her skirt to get into the carriage.
She sat down on the bench next to Gu Jiao. She was wearing a pink and white belted dress, her figure was light and graceful, her waist was so slender that it could be encircled by one hand. Although she wore a veil, her eyes, full of autumn waves, were bright and sparkling, and she was extremely beautiful.
Actually, just by looking at Mu Qingchen's appearance, you can guess that Su Xue is not bad either.
However, Gu Jiao was not a real man after all, and would not covet Su Xue's beauty.
Her eyes were clear, without a trace of disrespect, and Su Xue's face turned even redder.
He is truly a rare gentleman; even when we were in the same room, I did not harbor the slightest thought of offense.
The carriage traveled along the wide street, with a constant stream of pedestrians and the sounds of vendors hawking their wares, creating a bustling scene in the capital.
"Miss Su, could you walk a little faster?" Gu Jiao asked.
If she walked too slowly, it would get dark soon, and she was afraid she wouldn't make it out of the city in time.
Su Xue wished she could walk slower, but since Xiao Liulang had made the request, she could only comply: "Oh, Afu, walk faster."
"Yes, Miss!"
The coachman, called Afu, cracked his whip, and the horse galloped off in an instant.
Su Xue's face darkened. "I told you to hurry up, not this much faster! I'll deduct your pay when we get back!"
Canglan Women's Academy is located in the southeast of the inner city of Shengdu, in one of the four prime locations of the inner city, and is the only women's academy in Shengdu.
It's not that there were no girls' schools elsewhere, but they were mostly small private schools that had a separate class for girls.
The previous times she came, she either hid under or inside the car, or was being watched, so she couldn't properly appreciate the local customs and culture of the inner city. Today, thanks to Su Xue, she was able to lift the curtain and see everything she wanted.
The outer city was already prosperous, but the inner city was even more so.
Seeing that she kept looking outside, Su Xue assumed she was in a hurry and said, "We'll be there soon. We'll take a shortcut, going around the back gate of the Duke's mansion. It'll be there in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. By the way, what deep-seated grudge do you have against my roommate?"
Gu Jiao certainly couldn't say that her roommate had abused her Jingkong, so she only said, "Anyway, that's how it is."
"Fine, I won't say then." Su Xue didn't press the issue further, after all, she could tell that Gu Jiao genuinely wanted to deal with that new beauty, unlike those playboys outside who used all sorts of excuses but were actually just there to see the pretty girl.
"I believe you!" she said with a smile.
Gu Jiao was bewildered by this sudden trust.
What does Su Xue believe in her?
The carriage traveled for a while before suddenly stopping.
Su Xue frowned and said through the curtain in an annoyed tone, "What's wrong? Who told you to stop?"
"Miss..." The driver's voice sounded off.
Su Xue lifted the curtain and exclaimed in surprise, "Father!"
A carriage belonging to the Su family was approaching and stopped almost at the same time as Su Xue's carriage. The person inside lifted the curtain, revealing a dignified and stern middle-aged face.
It was Su Xue and Mu Qingchen's father, Su Yuan, courtesy name Rongchuan.
His sharp gaze swept over the guilty coachman and Su Xue. Su Xue's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly stepped out of the carriage, pulling the curtain down tightly. Standing on the outer carriage platform, she said to Su Yuan, "Father, what a coincidence! Didn't you take Fourth Brother out of the city on business? You're back so soon? Where is Fourth Brother? Is he in your carriage?"
Su Yuan didn't answer Su Xue's question, nor did he need to. If Mu Qingchen were in the carriage, she would have come out to help Su Xue out of the awkward situation long ago.
Su Yuan's gaze was fixed on the carriage curtain behind Su Xue.
Su Xue subtly shifted her position, trying to use her body to block the carriage curtain.
This is truly a case of trying to hide something obvious.
"Who is it?" Su Yuan asked in a deep voice.
"No, there's hardly anyone here," Su Xue quickly waved her hand.
Su Yuan was a martial artist; how could he not sense the atmosphere inside the carriage? Besides, Su Xue and the driver's reactions had already given them away.
Gu Jiao lifted the curtain and walked out openly and honestly.
Upon seeing that it was a young man in blue, Su Yuan's gaze instantly turned cold. He did not judge people by their appearance, but the arrogance in the young man's eyes made him frown slightly.
"Who are you?" Su Yuan asked coldly.
"Xiao Liulang," Gu Jiao said, neither humble nor arrogant.
Su Yuan narrowed his eyes: "You're Xiao Liulang?"
Su Xue hurriedly explained, "Yes! Father! He's the Xiao Liulang I told you about who saved me from under the horse's hooves! Father, you weren't there at the time, so you don't know how dangerous the situation was! Even Fourth Brother couldn't save me! If it weren't for him... your daughter would have..."
Before she could finish speaking, Su Yuan shot her a cold glare, and Su Xue immediately shut her mouth.
Su Yuan was furious that a man and a woman were alone together in a room.
However, even if Su Xue doesn't know the rules, she still needs to be taught a lesson properly at home behind closed doors. Su Yuan wouldn't embarrass her in public.
But Su Yuan didn't need to hide his arrogance when facing a person from a lower country: "You are Qingchen's classmate. Didn't Qingchen tell you to come to my house more often? It's just a pity that Qingchen is not at home today, so you've made a wasted trip."
In his words, he made no mention of Gu Jiao's life-saving grace to Su Xue, only acknowledging Gu Jiao's friendship with Mu Qingchen as classmates.
He even interpreted Gu Jiao and Su Xue riding in the same car as going to find Mu Qingchen.
Having said that, he looked at Su Xue beside Gu Jiao and said authoritatively, "Why aren't you coming over here?"
Su Xue bit her lip, slowly jumped off the carriage, and walked towards her father's carriage, turning back every few steps.
The servants arranged the wooden steps for Su Xue.
Su Xue climbed the steps.
"Go inside," Su Yuan said to her.
Su Xue entered the carriage feeling wronged.
Su Yuan continued looking at Gu Jiao and said, "Qingchen is not at home, so I am truly sorry to have made Young Master Xiao make a wasted trip. Afu, take Young Master Xiao back to the academy. When Qingchen returns another day, I will have him invite Young Master Xiao to the manor for a chat."
Su Xue's expression changed: "Father!"
Su Yuan, without anger, spoke with an air of authority: "Afu."
"Yes!" Afu dared not disobey Su Yuan's order, so he turned the carriage around and drove it towards the south inner city gate.
Watching the carriage drive away, Su Xue stamped her feet in anger: "Father! Why did you do that just now!"
Su Yuan abruptly pulled down the curtain and sat down opposite Su Xue: "I should be asking you why you did this! You, a young woman, are riding in the same carriage with a man from a lowly country. What if someone sees you like this? Don't you care about your reputation?!"
Su Xue snorted, "Apart from Father, there's no such thing as 'what if'!"
Those in the capital more powerful than her wouldn't deign to stop her carriage, and those less powerful wouldn't dare to stop her carriage, so how could she possibly be discovered!
Su Yuan said sternly, "You're still trying to argue! And don't keep bringing up the life-saving grace. He didn't save you; he was just training the horses. Aren't you ashamed to be associated with someone from a lower country?"
Originally, Su Yuan was unwilling to even acknowledge that the boy and Mu Qingchen were classmates, but in order to make their shared ride in the same carriage seem reasonable, he had no choice but to change the story of his daughter taking him to the capital to Mu Qingchen inviting him to the capital.
Su Xue argued forcefully, "But he saved me! Does Father not acknowledge it because he thinks his daughter's life is worthless?"
Su Yuan said seriously, "I'm worried that he'll cling to the Su family! If he uses the excuse of saving your life to get entangled with the Su family, do you still want to get married for the rest of your life?!"
Su Xue said defiantly, "I didn't want to get married in the first place!"
Su Yuan's face darkened: "I know he saved you. I'll have someone prepare a thank-you gift and send it to the academy later. He should be content with the Su family's reward! You'd better not make this mistake again! He doesn't have an inner city seal. If the authorities find out you brought him into the city without permission, the consequences will be unimaginable!"
Su Xue said aggrievedly, "Isn't the government our family's business?"
"You!" Su Yuan was furious with her. What did she mean by saying that the government was run by their Su family? Was this girl really not afraid of having her entire family executed?
Su Xue said angrily, "My grandfather is the Prefect of the Capital! Isn't investigating the tally and seals an official duty of the Capital Prefecture? Who in the Capital Prefecture would dare to investigate me! Are they out of their minds?!"
This...this is the absolute truth.
But you can't say that!
If His Majesty hears this, will the Su family follow in the footsteps of the Xuanyuan family?
Su Yuan gritted his teeth: "How dare you say such a thing!"
"I was just talking to my father, I'm not gossiping outside!" Everyone knows what's going on.
Su Yuan was speechless for a moment before he remembered the important matter: "Why did you bring him to the inner city?"
Su Xue wasn't truly stupid, so she naturally wouldn't reveal that Xiao Liulang had made enemies. She said, "He's never been to the inner city before, so I was showing him around. Who knew we'd run into Father?"
"Hmph!" Su Xue said, quickly shifting the blame to avoid giving herself away. She turned her back to him, "Father is unreasonable! I don't want to talk to Father anymore! I'm going back to tell Grandfather that Father bullied me and my fourth brother's friend!"
Su Yuan said coldly, "What do you mean by 'friends of you and your fourth brother'? Does he deserve it? Su Xue, remember this: you are the daughter of the Su family. You cannot lower yourself for a man from a lower country."
Su Xue was so angry with Su Yuan that she cried.
Seeing his daughter crying, Su Yuan frowned and sighed helplessly, "Alright, let's not talk about her anymore. Wipe your tears, Father will take you somewhere."
"I'm not going!" Su Xue refused without hesitation.
Su Yuan said, "You don't even know where we're going and you're saying you're not going?"
Su Xue choked back tears and cried, "I'm angry... I don't want to go anywhere!"
Su Yuan replied, "It is Mr. Meng's chess shop."
Su Xue's crying stopped.
Su Yuan knew she was interested, so he continued, "Yesterday, Mr. Meng encountered a group of robbers in the outer city and his whereabouts are now unknown. His coachman reported the case, but unfortunately, the authorities only caught the unconscious robbers and did not find Mr. Meng. Some people speculate that Mr. Meng may have met with misfortune."
Su Xue was taken aback: "Then... are we going to offer incense to him?"
Su Yuan: "..."
Su Yuan said, "We're going to see Master Meng's eldest disciple. That disciple has truly inherited Master Meng's skills, and his chess prowess is second only to Master Meng. We've never been able to see him before, but now that Master Meng is in trouble, and we're helping the chess club, it's the perfect opportunity to win him over. You should perform well later and try to gain his favor so he can take you and your sister as disciples. Your sister is already there, and I'm not worried about her; I'm only worried about you."
Of the whole family, Su Xue is the most troublesome.
...
On the other side, Afu drove the carriage slowly toward the city gate.
He wasn't worried that the city guards would stop his carriage to check if the people inside had the inner city's official seal. After all, it was the Su family's carriage, and even if they checked it, it would be handed over to the Jingzhao Prefecture, and the old master of the Su family could release it later.
He just felt a little sorry for the people on the bus.
What happened today was quite embarrassing.
He spoke frankly, "Ah, Young Master Xiao, don't take it to heart. My master may be sharp-tongued, but he certainly won't treat you badly behind your back. When you return to the academy, you might even receive a gift from him. However, I also advise you, Young Master Xiao, that the Su family's daughter is not someone you can befriend. You should give up on that idea as soon as possible. If you act wisely, the Su family will be able to protect you. What do you say?"
Young Master Xiao ignored him.
The coachman continued, "Young Master Xiao, do you think what I said is right?"
"Young Master Xiao."
"Young Master Xiao?"
Afu felt something was strange, so he turned around and lifted the curtain. He found the carriage empty; the person who should have been sitting inside had vanished without a trace!
Happy May Day
(End of this chapter)
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