Shen: “…”

If she hadn't known about this, Shen would have almost thought that Lan Ruo had seen some monster.

Lan Ruo walked to a place three steps away from Chu Qianchen and stopped, and honestly repeated what Eunuch Li had asked.

Nanny Chen thought with emotion: Their second young lady is very low-key, but in just a few days, she has already subdued Aunt Lanruo.

Chu Qianchen didn't say a word, and continued talking to Shen as if he hadn't heard anything: "...Mother, there's no need to prepare a horse for me."

"Okay, then we won't prepare the horse." Shen said with a smile, "I happen to have two sets of riding clothes that I never wore when I was young. I'll ask the sewing room to take them to be altered. It should take a day or two. They'll be perfect for you to wear when you play polo."

"Thank you for your help, mother." Chu Qianchen said obediently.

Shen wanted to say that she was too polite, but she was interrupted by a child's voice outside before she uttered a syllable: "Polo?!"

Chu Yunmu, who had just finished school, was like a gust of wind, and he chattered, "Chu Qianchen, I want to play polo too!"

Chu Yunmu became excited, and was pestering Chu Qianchen one moment and Shen the next, with great interest.

Not only Chu Yunmu entered the room, but also Gu Zhiyan. She came to look for Chu Qianchen and just happened to meet Chu Yunmu at the entrance of the yard.

However, the little girl's walking posture is much more elegant than the impetuous Chu Yunmu.

Shen originally wanted to use the excuse that Chu Yunmu was going to study at the clan school to not let him go, but when she saw Gu Zhiyan's expectant eyes, she suddenly changed her mind.

Ever since Gu Zhiyan was diagnosed with amnesia, he has shut himself off from the world and rarely asks for anything.

Shen smiled slightly and asked her, "Qiniang, do you want to go?"

Chu Yunmu was a smart guy. When he heard that, his eyes lit up. He knew that this matter was going to work, so he hurriedly said, "Qiniang... Cousin, you want to go too, right?"

He pulled Gu Zhiyan's sleeve and looked at her expectantly with his pretty little face tilted up.

Chu Qianchen just smiled without saying anything and looked at Gu Zhiyan.

Gu Zhiyan lowered her little head and twisted her fingers into strange shapes.

After a while, she nodded silently.

"Mom, can I go play polo with my cousin?" Chu Yunmu was so happy that his little face lit up.

Shen didn't agree directly, and said to Chu Yunmu: "Brother Mu, you are a boy, you have to take care of your two sisters when you go out."

Chu Yunmu became even happier after hearing this. He felt that he was a man with high hopes and a heavy responsibility on his shoulders.

He puffed out his chest proudly, patted his chest and said, "Mom, don't worry, I will take care of finding my second sister and cousin."

Shen rubbed his head, "Then we have a deal?"

Shen asked Chu Yunmu to play polo together mainly to let him accompany Gu Zhiyan.

Gu Zhiyan has lived in the Marquis' Mansion for a few days. Shen has also noticed that her niece is afraid of adults because of the suffering she suffered when she was kidnapped. However, she is much more relaxed towards Chu Yunmu and the little black cat, who are younger than her, and obviously responds more.

Chu Yunmu endured it and didn't dodge, nodding vigorously: "Yes!"

Next, Chu Yunmu chattered about playing polo, and Gu Zhiyan sat aside and listened obediently.

At first glance, this scene seemed very heartwarming, as if they were a family, and it even made Gu Zhiyan's wet nurse's eyes tear up.

These days, she watched with her own eyes as her own county mistress got better day by day. Although the progress was slow, she was obviously more lively than when she was in the palace before, and even better than when Taoist Xuan Jing performed the ritual for the county mistress for the first time a while ago...

Three days later, which was the second day of July, when Chu Qianchen went out, there were two little tails following him.

One is Chu Yunmu and the other is Gu Zhiyan.

Gu Zhiyan was still the same as usual, tightly grasping Chu Qianchen's skirt with one hand, wishing she could stick to her.

Chu Yunmu originally wanted to go there on horseback by himself, but thinking of his promise to his mother to take care of Chu Qianchen and Gu Zhiyan, he said, "Second sister, cousin Qi Niang, I will ride in the carriage with you."

"I've inquired about it. It takes an hour to get to Hibiscus Garden from here, so I prepared this... This set of chess pieces is made of magnets. It can be firmly attached to the chessboard. We can play Gobang in the carriage."

Chu Yunmu proudly ordered the maid to take out a specially made chess board and chess pieces, and his tail was almost raised to the sky.

He looked like he was just about to say, "Praise me, praise me quickly."

Chu Qianchen laughed and quickly said in cooperation: "Brother Mu is really thoughtful."

Chu Yunyi also went to Furong Garden with Chu Qianchen and the other two, but Chu Yunmu and Gu Zhiyan were just relying on Chu Qianchen, while Chu Yunyi's invitation was his own. All the young talents who had performed well in the martial arts test during the Wanshou Festival received invitations.

Chu Yunyi was riding a horse, so he naturally heard the laughter in the carriage. He looked at Chu Yunmu inside through the window with a bit of disgust, and thought to himself: Chu Yunmu is a boy, how can it be so awkward for him to cling to his sister!

The servant behind him saw that his master was looking into the carriage, so he rode forward a little and asked in a low voice: "Master, it's hot today, do you want to take a carriage too..."

Before he finished speaking, Chu Yunyi glanced at him, as if he was a little moved. Then he raised his chin and said, "If you feel hot now, how can you play polo later!"

He squeezed the horse's belly and sped up, leaving the servant and Chu Qianchen's carriage behind, leaving only a proud back.

The servant touched his nose. He thought the young master wanted to go in and play chess and talk with the second young lady and the others.

Furong Garden is a royal garden located in the western suburbs of the capital. It is surrounded by beautiful mountains and rivers. Since the previous dynasty, the area within dozens of miles has been the location of the royal garden. This Furong Garden was also left over from the previous dynasty and has been renovated several times by several generations of emperors of the Great Qi Dynasty.

Furong Garden covers an area of ​​about a thousand acres, surrounded by mountains and rivers. It is a place for royal summer resort and entertainment. Because the late emperor loved polo, a polo field was built in Furong Garden. When the late emperor was alive, he also liked to bring the princes and some nobles and ministers to play polo here in his spare time.

The emperor does not like this, so the Furong Garden has been deserted for almost two years until today.

Outside the gate of Hibiscus Garden, eunuchs and palace maids were already on standby to entertain the distinguished guests attending the banquet today.

All the guests' carriages were to be parked at the garden gate, after which everyone had to get off and walk.

Chu Qianchen helped Amber get off the carriage, and happened to see a carriage with seven horses parked a few feet ahead. The followers were all tall and mighty. A monk in white got off a black lacquered flat-top carriage.

The monk's robe, as white as the first snow, fell with his movements. When the wind blew, the sleeves of the robe fluttered, giving a sense of elegance and transcendence like Wu Dai Dang Feng.

Chu Qianchen knew that Wuhejialou would come today, so he was not surprised, but Chu Yunmu didn't know.

Jialou's appearance and temperament were both one in a million. Chu Yunmu immediately remembered that he and Chu Qianchen had seen this white-robed monk near the city gate in April, and he exclaimed in surprise:

"It's him!"

“Meow!”

The sound of a cat's meow overlapped with Chu Yunmu's shouting.

Amber thought the cat's cry sounded familiar, but before she could react, she blinked slowly.

The next moment, a small black cat with snow-white hooves jumped down from Chu Qianchen's carriage, ran briskly towards the white-robed monk, rubbed his calf affectionately, and meowed.

"Yueyue!" Gu Zhiyan got off the carriage after the little black cat, looking at the scene helplessly. She wanted to chase the cat, but she didn't dare to leave Chu Qianchen.

Amber said in surprise: "Why is Yueying here?"

Gu Zhiyan's wet nurse cleared her throat and explained to Chu Qianchen apologetically: "Cousin, it was my county lady who secretly brought the cat out." Ever since Gu Zhiyan suffered from amnesia, she has been stubborn and even a cow couldn't pull her back. The wet nurse really couldn't persuade her.

Chu Qianchen pursed his lips and smiled, his smile bright and beautiful.

There was a cat hidden in the carriage, how could she not know about it? She just pretended not to notice it because she was playing chess with Chu Yunmu. To be honest, it was quite interesting to see Gu Zhiyan and Chu Yunmu hiding the kitten together. Children are more lively and naughty.

At this time, Jialuo in front picked up the little black cat that was acting coquettishly towards him. The little black cat obviously still remembered its savior, and kept rubbing against him with affectionate actions.

Chu Qianchen held Gu Zhiyan's hand and walked towards Wuhejia Tower.

Gu Zhiyan looked at Jialou timidly, with a hint of envy in her expression.

The kitten was willing to play with her, but she had refused to hold it until now, so today she brought it over in a basket and hid it in the carriage.

"Second Miss Chu." Jialou also saw Chu Qianchen and smiled slightly, a gentle smile.

He has a noble and elegant temperament, and his white clothes always give people a sense of purity. At this moment, there is a black cat in his arms, as if he has walked down from the clouds, and he no longer looks so out of reach.

"Master." Chu Qianchen nodded slightly at him as a greeting, and then his eyes fell on the little black cat in his arms. "Its broken leg has been well taken care of and has completely healed. Master, would you like to take it away?"

"..." Upon hearing this, Gu Zhiyan's eyes suddenly widened and she subconsciously clenched Chu Qianchen's hand.

Chu Yunmu, who followed behind, also heard it and was a little anxious. He wanted to object, but Jialou said before him, "It has a destiny with the girl, so let it follow her."

Chu Yunmu breathed a sigh of relief again. His heart beat up and down violently in just a few breaths, and he was almost having a heart attack.

Chu Yunmu and Gu Zhiyan looked at each other and smiled, with the same relief in their eyes.

Chu Qianchen also smiled and said solemnly: "Master, according to our Da Qi, we need to give a 'bride price' when we pick up a cat..."

The last time she asked Jialou for a cat at Jishidiang, she saw that the cat had injured its leg and mentioned it casually. At that time, she didn't think it was wrong. It was not until the Ministry of Internal Affairs came to propose marriage a few days ago that she remembered that she accepted the cat but forgot to give Jialou the "bride price".

So, today she deliberately asked Gu Zhiyan to bring the cat, firstly to show the cat to Jialuo, and secondly to get a definite explanation and follow all the etiquette.

Dowry?! Jialou was stunned.

The Domo people behind him also heard Chu Qianchen's words, and looked at each other with strange expressions. What the hell is going on!

Chu Yunmu's eyes lit up.

That’s right!

"Yan Kuo hired a cat servant and often sat in the corner watching operas."

The phrase "salt-wrapped cat as a betrothal gift" means that one has to give a betrothal gift to the cat when marrying it back to the mansion.

That’s right, Yueying’s betrothal gift must be given!

Chu Yunmu felt that his second sister was really reliable. Just imagine, if his second sister did not give the monk a betrothal gift, the cat would still belong to the monk. In the future, the monk might change his mind and want the cat. What would he do if he came to the Marquis' Mansion to ask for the cat? !

Chu Yunmu whispered something to Gu Zhiyan, who blinked and nodded.

He lowered his voice, but Jialuo, Tama and others were martial artists with sharp ears and eyes, so they heard most of what he said.

Duo Mo's mouth twitched, thinking that these Daqi people were simply too picky. Isn't this just a cat?

Chu Yunmu seemed to have heard Domo's cold snort. He looked up at him sharply, then widened his eyes slightly and recognized him.

Isn't this big guy the one he bumped into accidentally in the tea shop last time? !

Thinking back to that time when he relied on Chu Qianchen to "scare" the big guy away, Chu Yunmu felt like he was not a manly person.

He looked up at Tama, his back straight.

He is five and a half years old today! He is no longer a baby hiding behind his sister.

Chu Qianchen took out the gift he had prepared for Jialou, "This is Yueying's betrothal gift."

She took out a small porcelain jar from her sleeve and handed it over, along with a small piece of silk paper.

Jialuo couldn't help but laugh, his brows softened, his face seemed to glow, like a jade statue made by a famous artist.

Jialuo raised his hand to take it.

Jialuo handed the little black cat to the little girl. The little black cat meowed twice and lay quietly between her chest and arms.

Holding the kitten in his arms, Gu Zhiyan felt as if his heart was filled with something and smiled with satisfaction.

Duo Mo raised his eyebrows, guessing that the small porcelain jar probably contained pills. Pills from Chu Qianchen's hands were good stuff. !

He exchanged glances with the other Hao people around him and thought: Actually, the customs of Da Qi are not bad.

Chu Yunmu was still staring at Domo persistently.

Duo Mo finally noticed Chu Yunmu's stubborn gaze, recognized him, and called out with interest: "Boy."

Chu Yunmu held his head high and did not retreat. He said to himself, this guy named Domo is nothing special. He was scared away by Chu Qianchen's archery last time!

Duomo shrugged. Seeing Chu Yunmu looking at the bow and arrow on his back, he thought Chu Yunmu liked it. Thinking that his sister had just given the eldest prince a good thing, he generously took off the bow and arrow on his back and gave it to Chu Yunmu.

"Boy, learn archery from your sister." Tama said in a rough voice.

Chu Yunmu: "..."

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

Chu Yunmu was inexplicably given a set of bow and arrows and was dumbfounded.

Jialou put the small porcelain jar and silk paper given by Chu Qianchen into his sleeve pocket, and said with a smile: "I heard that the King of Chen is seriously ill. Our country has no shortage of elixirs. If you need any, please feel free to ask."

Jialuo looked at Chu Qianchen with deep eyes, which showed a bit of scrutiny and temptation.

Tama and the others stopped smiling and exchanged glances calmly.

Ever since the emperor granted marriage to Chu Qianchen and Gu Jue, Gu Jue has never shown up again. The news about Prince Chen's serious illness has been spreading in the capital.

Some people said that the emperor loved his brother dearly, so he issued an imperial decree to grant the marriage to the prince to bring happiness;

Some people also said that the emperor promised such a concubine's daughter to Prince Chen deliberately to humiliate Prince Chen and had ulterior motives.

Tama and his friends prefer the latter.

However, Garuda has a different view.

Jialou said that Gu Jue was a man of extraordinary talent, but at the same time he was arrogant. With his character, even if he was terminally ill, he would not be easily manipulated by others, even if he was facing the dignified Emperor of Da Qi.

What Jialou was unsure about was how seriously ill the King of Chen was. Was he really so ill that he couldn't get off his bed or go out, or was he using this "illness" to plan something...

Domo and others understood Jialuo’s test, and Chu Qianchen understood it as well.

Before, she suspected that Wuhejialou might have guessed that she was asking for the Seven-Star Grass for the prince.

really.

Chu Qianchen smiled slightly.

The prince spoke highly of Wuhejialou and praised him for his ability to see the big picture from the details.

She knew that if she said anything casually, the other party might get a lot of information out of her.

So, instead of saying more and making more mistakes, it is better to say nothing.

Chu Qianchen did not directly answer Jialou's words, but said something irrelevant: "Master, have you ever heard the saying that everything is like the game of yin and yang, when yin is strong, yang is weak, when yang is strong, yin is weak; one rises while the other falls, the other rises while the other falls?"

Chu Qianchen's words were ambiguous and made no sense at first, and everyone else present was completely confused.

But Jialuo understood.

Their Hao Kingdom is very powerful, but beneath the glory and prosperity, there are also dangers lurking everywhere.

This was also the reason why Emperor Hao reached a peace agreement with the previous emperor of Da Qi.

The Hao Kingdom was different from the Da Qi Kingdom and also from the previous dynasty.

The Hao Kingdom implemented a vassal system, and people were divided into three classes.

The vassal kings are naturally the first class of people. They have absolute control over their own territories. The territories conquered by the vassal kings belong to the vassal kings. Therefore, as the territory of Dahao continues to expand, the vassal kings' territories and rights are also continuously growing.

One gains while the other loses.

Therefore, when the ministers are strong, the ruler is weak.

Over the years, various forces in Dahao have restrained and confronted each other, and the undercurrent is surging.

It’s not that my father doesn’t want him to come out of the temple, it’s just that the time has not come yet.

Jialuo stared at Chu Qianchen steadily, his clear eyes were as vast and boundless as the blue sky, seeming near and yet far away. He was clearly just a few feet away, yet he gave people a feeling of being far away and unapproachable.

Chu Qianchen had a faint smile and clear eyes, and his whole body exuded a calm and unperturbed attitude.

Since both sides have difficulties, there is nothing wrong with cooperation, right?

Jialou's ears suddenly rang with the two meaningful sentences that Chu Qianchen said when they met in the palace last time:

"Everything in this life is the result of karma from the previous life."

"I saved the cat in this life, but maybe the cat saved me in the last life."

He chewed over these two sentences and understood them instantly.

Before, he thought Chu Qianchen was a chess piece in the game between Gu Jue and the emperor.

He was wrong.

She has been a member of Prince Chen's Mansion from the very beginning, so she made such plans for Prince Chen.

The two of them stared at each other quietly. Beneath their seemingly calm exterior, there was scrutiny, exploration, measurement, and also a rivalry between the two sides.

Jialuo did not ask any more questions, as he knew it was useless to test him further.

They are from two different countries, each with its own stance and interests. It is impossible for Chu Qianchen to reveal more.

After a while, a burst of noise from the surroundings broke the silence.

"The Crown Prince is here."

I don’t know which palace servant made the low cry.

The palace servants near the gate all looked in the same direction.

Seven or eight young gentlemen surrounded Crown Prince Gu Nanjin and walked towards this side.

Chu Qianchen also looked towards Gu Nanjin, and when they came closer, he bowed and said, "Greetings to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Chu Yunyi, Chu Yunmu and Gu Zhiyan also saluted at the same time.

At this time, the little black cat in Gu Zhiyan's arms was particularly eye-catching. Even Gu Nanjin couldn't help but take a second look at it and said with a smile, "No need to be polite."

Chu Qianchen knew that Jialou was the protagonist of this banquet, and the others were just incidental. He was very tactful and took his leave directly, taking Gu Zhiyan and Chu Yunmu to pay their respects to the Crown Princess first.

The palace maid who led the way took them straight to the polo field in the northeast of Hibiscus Garden.

This polo field was expanded and renovated several times during the reign of the previous emperor, and it is magnificent and majestic.

The polo field is about a thousand steps long and wide, with colorful flags fluttering around the edges as boundaries. The ground of the field is as flat as a knife and as smooth as a mirror. There are also some scattered bamboo sheds built around it as stands.

Quite a few guests have arrived today. On the main stand sit twenty or thirty young men and women dressed in gorgeous clothes, decked out in jewels.

The Crown Princess, the Third Princess Anle, the Princess Changning, and many other princesses, princesses, and county ladies have all arrived.

In front of so many noble ladies, Chu Qianchen, a mere daughter of a marquis, was really not worthy of being in the limelight. She could only kneel and salute them, and was not even in their eyes at all.

But everyone knows that Chu Qianchen will soon be the Princess of Chen. Even if the wedding fails and the Prince of Chen dies, she will be the Princess of the Jade Bed, with full legitimacy. If the wedding succeeds, the future will be even more uncertain. Even if the Prince of Chen does not like this princess, she will still be the legitimate wife and the future will remain to be seen.

Everyone looked at her with subtle eyes and spoke politely, including the Crown Princess.

After Chu Qianchen bowed to the Crown Princess and the others, she took her two little tails and sat down in her seat.

Her seat was not far from the Crown Princess and had a good view. Her rank was second only to the Crown Princess and the princesses and princesses. After all, now that the marriage certificate had been signed, she was considered half the Princess of Chen.

During the next incense stick of time, young men and women would arrive at the racecourse in groups of three or four from time to time, and then sit down one after another.

There was always no one around Chu Qianchen except Chu Yunmu and Gu Zhiyan. It seemed as if there was an invisible barrier separating them from the people around them.

Chu Qianchen didn't care, and neither did Chu Yunmu and Gu Zhiyan. They talked when they wanted to and teased the cat when they wanted to, as if they were content with having a cat.

After waiting for Gu Nanjin and Jialou to take their seats in the main seats, the originally empty venue began to become lively, announcing that the polo match was about to begin.

Amidst cheers and applause, on one side of the polo field, a team dressed in all black riding uniforms and headbands of the same color came on stage. The young man in the lead held high the ball stick in his hand, looking around with his chin slightly raised, looking very high-spirited.

On the other side, a group of young men in blue riding uniforms also appeared on the scene.

These young men in their prime are as heroic as soldiers leading their troops to the battlefield. Among them are princes, sons of royal families, and sons of military generals. Most of them are well-known figures in the capital.

Suddenly, a young man in blue at the back of the blue team rode his horse towards Chu Qianchen and his group.

"Brother." Chu Yunmu waved vigorously at Chu Yunyi.

There are two types of posts today. One is the one in the hands of Chu Qianchen, Jialou, Princess Changning and others. They are just here to watch polo. The other is the post received by Chu Yunyi. He is here to play polo.

"Hey," Chu Yunyi, who was riding on a white horse, raised his chin and looked up at Chu Qianchen in the stands, "I will win!"

There was a hint of pride and awkwardness in his expression, almost like he was taking an oath.

He lost the last martial arts test, but he won’t lose again this time!

After Chu Yunyi finished speaking, he pulled the reins and turned around to leave, but he heard Chu Qianchen's unhurried voice behind him: "If you score the most goals in the game, I will make a bow for you."

Chu Yunyi had already turned his back. He neither responded nor said no. He just rode his horse towards the court. The white horse pranced happily, and even the boy's back looked a lot more lively.

Chu Yunmu tilted his little face and said to himself: "Big brother, do you want it or not?"

"want."

Beside him, Gu Zhiyan murmured a word.

When Chu Yunmu and Chu Qianchen looked at her, she just silently touched the little black cat lying on her knees and stopped talking.

Chu Yunmu looked at Chu Yunyi who was eager to try in the field. He felt that he was like a belligerent rooster. He smiled with his hands covering his mouth, then nodded seriously and said, "I think so too."

In the Song Dynasty, people had to give betrothal gifts to raise cats, which was also called "betrothal cats".

(End of this chapter)