Chapter 29: Old Ministers (1) [VIP]
"Come and learn the piano. I have some free time today, so I'll teach you." His sleeves brushed against the chair seat, and he stood upright behind it, as if he was accustomed to teaching the piano without any distance.
"Come sit down here."
This was something that the master had bumped into, she had not forced him, nor had she seduced him... Chu Qingluo pondered secretly, and sat down in front of the Yaoqin as she was told, and then she felt a light and elegant breath enveloping her from behind.
The orchid-like scent was extremely pleasant, lingering around her. She let the elegant young man hold her hands, feeling the cool breath on her neck gradually warming her.
"Someday, Master, please move out the zither you often use in the inner room."
Qu Hanjin looked at the luxurious jade zither in front of him, but still felt that it was too noble and did not like the elegance it exuded.
Someday he would definitely replace his usual piano.
She frowned and chuckled, then asked jokingly, "Sir, you're not angry anymore?"
His face was still as beautiful as a jade, and the young man replied coldly, his mind focused on the music: "Let's put that anger aside for now. After all, studying is the most important thing."
The sound of the piano lingered as the whispers faded away, as clear and traceless as he was, like the distant moonlit night breeze that was out of reach.
Chu Qingluo's mind wandered after just a few notes. At such a pleasant moment, she couldn't help but recall the days in the palace many years ago.
After the song was over, the beautiful girl in his arms still looked absent-minded, as if she was thinking about something very far away and was not listening attentively at all.
He thought for a few moments, then suddenly let go of the woman's slender fingers, bringing her back to her senses in an instant.
Qu Hanjin's eyebrows were dyed with displeasure. He never slacked off in class and would not tolerate anyone having distracting thoughts. "Lectures should be taken seriously. You are distracted and not focusing on learning the piano. According to the rules, you should be punished."
"Teacher, you can punish me as much as you want, and I am willing to accept the punishment."
But as she looked lightly at the strings on her fingertips, the smile on her beautiful face faded away, she lowered her head slightly, and spoke sincerely.
Seeing her whispering in such a dazed state, he could not bear to blame her anymore. The anger that had arisen in his heart gradually dissipated, and his cold fingers touched the back of her hand again.
With a silent sigh, Qu Hanjin's face became solemn. He took her hand, which had rested on the zither, and said, "I'll teach you how to play it again. Watch carefully."
But the memories came like a violent storm, flowing through my mind and surging constantly, and the scenes of studying literature and practicing martial arts in the palace in the past were like a breeze blowing by.
She was distracted for a moment, and her thoughts drifted away with the gentle breeze passing through the hall.
One afternoon, not long ago, the spring flowers in the garden were in full bloom, and the sound of the zither in the Shuyu Palace was melodious and graceful, like the sound of flowing water in the mountains and pearls falling on a jade plate, which seemed even softer and more lingering than the music played by the imperial zither player.
The sound of the zither was like the gurgling of a spring, and she sat calmly in the palace, practicing non-stop for several hours.
"Mother, I've played this piece hundreds and thousands of times. Can I take a break?"
When the last note of the piano music ended, she looked at the elegant and virtuous figure beside her with a reproachful look and pleaded in a low voice.
Concubine Zhao sat in a pavilion not far away, leisurely pouring tea and moving the cakes on the stone table forward: "Rest for half an hour, then continue practicing martial arts."
"I still need to learn martial arts..."
Hearing this, she curled her lips and stood up, slowly walked to the pavilion, picked up the cakes on the jade plate and tasted them: "Your son feels very tired, can you please stop studying..."
She was young then, only aware of her many things to learn, and she loathed her identity as a princess of Long. She often muttered that if she were just a girl from an ordinary family, she might be happier.
Concubine Zhao sighed deeply, her face suddenly filled with sorrow, unwilling to recall the past. "Perhaps you have forgotten that the Imperial Master once said that you were destined for misfortune. His Majesty originally wanted to execute you, but it was mother who was determined to keep you in the palace."
At this point, Concubine Zhao was helpless. She could have been carefree, but the Imperial Master's words could not be disobeyed, so she had to resort to this desperate measure: "I was so stubborn that the Imperial Master finally said that it's okay to keep you, but you have to study literature and martial arts, and your appearance may not be presentable to others. So, mother..."
"Born with a tragic fate, I can only accept this fate. I have no other choice..."
She couldn't bear to see her mother sad, so she quickly accepted her fate and planned to eat the cake before practicing sword skills.
But the cake was so delicious that she tried some more: "This cake is so delicious, where did mother get it from?"
"Your Majesty gave it to me," Zhao Fei smiled gently and moved all the jade plates on the table in front of her. She said softly, "Only Your Majesty can enjoy these cakes. If you like them, I will ask Your Majesty for more another day."
"Father, the Emperor doesn't like me, so forget it..."
When she mentioned her father, she froze, thinking that her father had not wanted to keep her and must not like to see her, and she hesitated and put the cakes back.
An hour later, peach blossoms and willow catkins were flying everywhere. She danced lightly in the palace garden with a long sword in her hand, giving full play to her daily sword practice.
The surrounding branches and leaves were frequently vibrated by the dancing sword energy, and the petals flew into the gentle breeze.
I don't know how much time passed, but I stopped by the pavilion in the garden and calmly put down the tea and snacks.
The palace maid was not a maid from Shuyu Palace, but a personal maidservant beside His Majesty. She said a few words and then walked away.
"Your Majesty, His Majesty sent over some Emperor Cake, saying he's tired of it lately, so the extra portion is a gift to Your Majesty."
She had no idea what was going on, and didn't know who had tipped off her father, causing him to send cakes...
Concubine Zhao seemed puzzled and asked hurriedly where he had gone to the side.
"Just now, after leaving Shuyu Palace, the palace maid whom I questioned shook her head repeatedly, wondering about the maidservant I was talking about, and she really didn't know where she had gone.
It seems that the maid must have received the order from His Majesty to come here secretly to take care of her.
Surprisingly, she, the Princess of Long State, was not abandoned by her father. It was only because of the power of the Imperial Master and the so-called punishment from heaven that her father avoided her for many years.
A faint smile appeared on her red lips. Concubine Zhao gently beckoned her to her side and whispered, "Although the Imperial Master says you are a wicked person, you are His Majesty's flesh and blood. His Majesty cannot be cruel after all..."
"I will definitely live up to the expectations of Mother and Father..."
Her eyes flickered, a trace of warmth flowed through her heart, and she tasted the cakes of that day in silence.
She had once believed that once she had mastered both civil and military skills, and could reveal her true form, she would be showered with favor from both her father and mother. She would be the world's most carefree princess, happily accompanying her mother and father.
But later... that only remaining dream was shattered.
She fled in disgrace from the war and walked until now with endless hatred in her heart. She suffered unbearably from morning till night.
She had been swallowed by the long night many times and was numb with grief. The only way for her to find peace was to attack the Daning Dynasty and force it to pay for its blood debt.
Perhaps seeing that the beautiful girl in his arms had no intention of learning the piano, Qu Hanjin asked her to go back to her room to rest and had to teach her the piece another day.
The elegant hall was once again deserted, with only him left in the room.
He had no idea why she was daydreaming today. He just stared at the plate of cakes on the table in a daze.
This gaze lasted for nearly two quarters of an hour.
His brows knitted slightly, as if he were thinking about something. Only when he heard footsteps in the hall and saw Fu Guang approaching respectfully did he pull his thoughts back and look at the boy calmly.
Fu Guang fetched a few books from somewhere and placed them on the desk. He noticed the tea had gone cold and wanted to get a new one, but the teacher stopped him with a raised hand: "Sir, the tea is cold. I'll get a new one."
"Is this pastry really the best in the mansion?"
Qu Hanjin opened his thin lips meaningfully, his deep gaze still fixed on the snacks.
"The cakes on the table are all from the palace. If you want to try some more exquisite cakes, you have to ask His Majesty and the concubines in the harem." Fu Guang answered respectfully, not knowing what the master meant, and his words became unconsciously cautious.
"Why do you ask that, sir?"
Mr. Ran calmly read the book that was brought to him and said softly, "Nothing, please change the tea and take away the cakes."
"Yes." Fu Guang retreated upon hearing the voice, but when he turned around, he was stopped by the teacher again.
"Wait a minute, go check someone for me."
Lightly holding the ink brush, Qu Hanjin wrote a few words on the rice paper, then folded it slowly and handed it to the boy with his sleeve.
As he unfolded the paper, Fu Guang was filled with confusion. Unable to suppress his curiosity, he hesitantly asked, "Sir, didn't the people of the previous dynasty already..."
"You can check it out. No need to ask any more questions."
He looked back coldly and told the servant not to know anything and just to do as he was told.
After Fu Guangqian bowed and left, he sat leisurely on a bench, looked up at the flowers and trees in the yard, his expression still peaceful and calm, as if his thoughts had never stopped.
At night, dark clouds covered the moon, and the lush trees swayed in the night wind. The mountains behind Siyue Mansion were hazy, and the cold night wind added a bit of eerie and terrifying atmosphere.
A bright and graceful color like spring flowers stopped in the woods, with its back to the thousands of trees, looking up at the moonless night sky.
After a long silence, her phoenix eyes smiled and she asked softly, "Ningzhu, Fuzhao was wiped out by the Ninth Prince. How many people are left now?"
"Replying to Princess, less than 30%..."
A figure then emerged from the shadows of the trees. Ning Zhu knelt solemnly, thinking over and over again, and recounted his recent encounters one by one: "However, I have found the former deputy general Dong Chang, who still has some soldiers and generals under his command."
Dong Chang...
She was the most powerful general in the Long Dynasty, aside from the Grand General. Years had passed since the fall of the country, and unexpectedly, besides her, there was another person who had survived the catastrophe...
"He was lucky enough to survive..." Chu Qingluo murmured, then suddenly turned around and said urgently, "Call him to see me."
Recalling the scene of meeting Dong Chang, Ning Zhu felt extremely troubled and could not help but slow down her tone: "It's just... Lieutenant General Dong is already terminally ill. I'm afraid he won't last many more days."
The hope that had ignited in her eyes dimmed instantly. The deputy commander she didn't want to find was already gone. Her eyes were filled with complex emotions as she asked in a deep voice, "How much longer can he hold on?"
"Seven days at most."
Ning Zhu responded sternly, and remembering that he was holding the military token, he hurriedly reported in a solemn voice: "When the general is executed, the military token will be handed over to him for safekeeping."
"Now, Vice General Dong wishes to personally hand the military talisman to the princess, so he can see her one last time."
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