In Amber's eyes, not only Shen Qianchen likes to stick to Gu Jue, but Gu Jue, who looks cool and aloof, is no less fond of him. Except for the morning court, these two people stick together most of the time every day.
The two of them got up early to do morning exercises together, ate together, played chess together, took walks together, played with cats together... and occasionally went out of the palace together in disguise.
So, that afternoon, the couple left behind a group of strangers and slipped out of the palace.
In such a hot day in July, Shen Qianchen was actually too lazy to go out. Since the beginning of July, she seldom went out.
However, the heat could not suppress her curiosity about the examination questions. She had been thinking about this matter since she got up in the morning, and she even prepared a particularly scholarly gown for Gu Jue with great interest.
When the two arrived at the lantern shop they had visited on the Chinese Valentine's Day, the middle-aged man they had met last time was already waiting in the alley next to the shop, and he was observing the surrounding environment carefully.
Gu Jue ordered Jing Feng to park the carriage opposite the lantern shop, leaving Shen Qianchen waiting in the carriage while he got off the carriage to meet the question seller.
Shen Qianchen carefully opened the curtains a little and stared at Gu Jue and the middle-aged man without blinking.
The middle-aged man first reached out to take the bamboo plaque engraved with orchids. After inspecting it, he carefully checked the pass given by Gu Jue, and only then did he feel relieved.
Then, the two parties exchanged money and received the goods.
The whole transaction process went very smoothly. After the middle-aged man handed an envelope to Gu Jue, he looked around again and left in a hurry.
Gu Jue put away the envelope containing the test paper and immediately returned to the carriage.
Shen Qianchen leaned towards him in an awkward position and asked curiously, "Jiu Xia, is this true?"
Gu Jue nodded affirmatively: "It's true."
There were three examinations, with a total of three test papers. When the two parties were trading just now, Gu Jue had already inspected the goods on the spot and checked one of the test papers.
It was enough to check only this one copy, enough for him to confirm the authenticity of the test paper, but he still took the other two test papers out of the envelope and took a look at them.
As expected, all three test papers were real.
After reading, Gu Jue handed all three test papers to Shen Qianchen. His thin lips curled up in an ambiguous arc, and his eyes were deep.
The imperial examination that was supposed to be held this spring has been postponed to August this fall for various reasons. Today is July 17th, and the imperial examination is getting closer, but the test papers have been leaked.
While reading the test paper, Shen Qianchen recalled what happened on Qixi Festival and said calmly, "He said he got it from the Queen's family."
Her thoughts moved quickly: Who on earth did the person who leaked the exam questions want to plot against? The Chu family was impossible. The Chu family had already split up. Only the second branch remained in the mansion because of mourning. The other two branches had already been separated. Chu Yunyi almost treated the military camp as his home and rarely returned to the mansion. Therefore, even if "that person" wanted to frame her, he would not frame the Chu family. No one in the Chu family had the opportunity to access the exam papers.
It is even more impossible since there are only Chu Qianhuang and Shen Yunmu on mother Shen Zhi's side.
"So, this can only be aimed at Duke Mu's Mansion?" She seemed to be asking Gu Jue, but also seemed to be talking to herself.
Gu Jue smiled and did not comment.
After Shen Qianchen finished reading the three test papers, he stuffed them back to Gu Jue.
The examination questions focused on classics and neglected poetry and prose. They were all set by the examiner from the Four Books and Five Classics. Shen Qianchen disliked these nonsense the most and felt that they were really boring.
She just looked at it for a few seconds and felt like dozing off.
She actually yawned lazily, with some physiological tears flowing from the corners of her eyes.
The weather has been too hot recently. Every afternoon, she wants to doze off and be lazy.
Gu Jue found her cute when he saw her lazy cat look, so he leaned over and kissed her eye. His warm tongue tip seemed to lick the delicate skin at the corner of her eye inadvertently...
Just a gentle kiss and he pulled back.
Shen Qianchen's eyelids trembled heavily, and then his eyes widened, and all the sleepiness disappeared in an instant.
Gu Jue asked her with a smile: "Going back to the palace?"
There were still tears in Shen Qianchen's eyes after yawning. His eyes looked unusually bright, and there was a hint of coquettishness between his brows.
She originally wanted to take Gu Jue to a restaurant to eat something before returning to the palace, but she changed her mind when she thought of Shen Zhi: "I want to go see my mother. I haven't seen her and Mu Ge'er for a long time."
"I'll take you there." Gu Jue kissed her cheek again and told Jingfeng to go to Shen's house first.
So, the carriage first sent Shen Qianchen to the Shen residence, and then Gu Jue returned to the palace by himself.
When Shen Yunmu, who had just finished class, heard that Shen Qianchen was here, he was overjoyed and ran over like flying, shouting excitedly: "Second sister! Isn't my brother-in-law here?"
"Second sister, you finally came to see me. I thought you had forgotten me."
"I'm telling you, my studies and martial arts have improved a lot recently. Both my teacher and Master Cao praised me."
"I'll show you my homework later, and you'll understand."
“…”
Shen Yunmu has always been a chatterbox. He didn't give Shen Qianchen a chance to speak. He chattered and boasted, looking very smug.
After he finished speaking, he looked at Shen Qianchen expectantly, waiting for her to respond. His phoenix eyes, which were similar to Shen Qianchen's, were sparkling.
He is much more talented than his elder brother, whether in studying or martial arts, so he is the younger brother who makes her prouder, right? Shen Qianchen rubbed his head and said perfunctorily: "Really?"
Her gaze turned to Chu Qianhuang who was standing in front of the hanging flower gate not far away.
Chu Qianhuang was wearing a green skirt embroidered with dragonflies and lotus flowers. Her crow-feather-like black hair was tied up in a bun. She stood quietly beside a crape myrtle tree, her posture elegant and dignified, like a water lily blooming in the wind in a summer pond.
Shen Qianchen stared deeply at the green-clothed girl in front of him who looked both familiar and unfamiliar, and felt complicated: they were obviously the same person, with exactly the same appearance, but there was an extremely subtle difference in temperament between this Chu Qianhuang and that lonely ghost.
The Chu Qianhuang in front of her had a calm look in her eyes. It was obvious that "that person" had left her with a mess, which not only made her lose a period of her youth, but also ruined her reputation and created a rift between her and her relatives.
Putting himself in their shoes, Shen Qianchen felt that no matter who it was, it would be difficult.
However, there was a kind of calmness and tranquility in Chu Qianhuang's eyes, which came from having experienced many things. There was no resentment or cynicism.
"Second sister," Chu Qianhuang smiled at Shen Qianchen and took a step closer to her, "I just accompanied my fourth brother to practice archery next door, and I came here together. Mother is waiting for you inside."
It has been almost two months since Chu Qianhuang followed Shen out of the palace and returned to the Shen residence in late May. During this period, Shen Qianchen came to the Shen residence three or four times and met Chu Qianhuang twice, but the two sisters only exchanged a few pleasantries in the presence of Shen Zhi and did not have a deep conversation.
Shen Qianchen knew at a glance that Chu Qianhuang was waiting for her here on purpose, and seemed to have something to say to her.
really--
Chu Qianhuang then dismissed Shen Yunmu with a smile: "Brother Mu, don't you want your second sister to see the puppy you just raised?"
"It's Frost Shadow. It's called Frost Shadow." Shen Yunmu emphasized seriously, "Second sister, wait for me here. I'll bring Frost Shadow back. It's very beautiful, just like a glutinous rice dumpling..."
Shen Yunmu was a quick-tempered person. While speaking, he ran inside in a hurry.
Chu Qianhuang and Shen Qianchen stood where they were, neither of them was in a hurry to go inside.
The two looked at each other in silence.
Silence quietly spread between the two of them. The crape myrtle tree next to them swayed in the wind, rustling, and a faint floral fragrance filled the air.
Even though he knew that this Chu Qianhuang was not that Chu Qianhuang, Shen Qianchen did not have much to talk about with her.
For her, the memory of Chu Qianhuang was too distant, it was before she was thirteen in her previous life. Moreover, due to Aunt Jiang's intentional interference in her previous life, she and Chu Qianhuang were not close.
Shen Qianchen subconsciously pinched the purse embroidered with a bunch of orchids on her waist. This purse was taken off by Gu Jue himself just now, and he also hung it on her body personally.
Although Gu Jue didn't say it, Shen Qianchen knew that he was reminding himself to go home early.
The corners of Shen Qianchen's lips curved up. She liked these little thoughts of his the most.
"Second sister, how have you been lately?" Chu Qianhuang was the first to break the silence.
"I'm fine." Shen Qianchen smiled slightly, "You seem to have lost weight."
The two sisters' conversation was dry and they were very unfamiliar with each other.
A rain of flowers fell with the wind. Chu Qianhuang raised her hand to catch a falling crape myrtle flower. She looked from Shen Qianchen to the flower in her palm and said with a smile, "The weather has been hot recently, and my mother and I have not had a good appetite, so we have lost some weight. However, Mu Ge'er has a good appetite and eats half a bowl of rice more than before, but he doesn't seem to be fat."
When talking about Shen Yunmu, there was a hint of doting in Chu Qianhuang's smile, which was the doting of an elder sister for her younger brother.
Shen Qianchen: "..."
Shen Qianchen was stunned for a moment, and it was not until this moment that a familiar feeling arose in his heart.
Yes, the real Chu Qianhuang loves her younger brother Shen Yunmu very much, but she does not spoil him too much.
Shen Yunmu has been a bit spoiled since he was a child, but he has always listened to Chu Qianhuang. It was not until "Chu Qianhuang" changed that a gap arose between the siblings.
The smile on Shen Qianchen's face deepened: "Brother Mu is now learning martial arts from Master Cao, so it's only natural for him to eat more. I've noticed that he's grown taller recently."
From last spring to now, Shen Yunmu has grown two inches taller, his body has become taller, and he looks thinner.
Because of the topic of Shen Yunmu, the atmosphere between the two became harmonious.
Chu Qianhuang pinched the stem of the crape myrtle flower with her fingers and turned it gently, with a look of hesitation on her face. But soon, she raised her eyes to meet Shen Qianchen's and said seriously, "Second sister, I have something to tell you."
As she spoke, she tightly grasped the stem of the crape myrtle flower, and the delicate petals trembled slightly in the wind.
"..." Shen Qianchen was stunned.
Chu Qianhuang seemed even more nervous and stared at Shen Qianchen without blinking.
Shen Qianchen raised his eyebrows and asked calmly, "Why should I object?"
Chu Qianhuang: "..."
This time, Chu Qianhuang was stunned, his eyes slightly widened, and he stood there in astonishment.
Shen Qianchen's eyes passed through the hanging flower door in front of him and looked towards the main house. He said calmly, "Life is only sixty years long. I didn't trust the first half of my life to the right people. If I can't live a better life in the second half, do I still have to look forward to the next life?"
Shen Qianchen knew that she was very lucky to be able to go back to the age of thirteen and live her life again, and to spend her life with Gu Jue, so she always cherished her luck and the time she spent with Gu Jue.
But not everyone can start over again. We can clearly grasp the happiness in front of us, so why should we pin our hopes on the afterlife which no one can control?
While we are alive, just live this life well.
6◇9◇Book◇Bar
She only hopes that Shen Zhi can be happy in this life.
Shen Qianchen smiled slightly, his smile was bright and his eyes were open.
"..." Chu Qianhuang stared at Shen Qianchen's delicate profile in a daze, and a myriad of thoughts seemed to flash across her eyes.
These days, she has been worried that Shen Qianchen would be embarrassed because of this matter. After all, if the queen's mother remarried, it would be inconceivable no matter which dynasty. She didn't expect Shen Qianchen to be so open-minded.
Chu Qianhuang also smiled, feeling relieved: "You are right."
The two sisters smiled at each other, their eyebrows and eyes curved with laughter.
The fragrance of crape myrtle flowers in the air seems to be stronger and more refreshing.
"Who is it?" Shen Qianchen moved his face closer to Chu Qianhuang and asked curiously.
She blinked her eyes with interest, thinking that since Chu Qianhuang asked her this, she should know who the other person was.
Chu Qianhuang hesitated for a moment, but still said: "You know my cousin from the Pei family, right?"
"..." Shen Qianchen blinked in confusion. Speaking of "Pei", she immediately thought of Pei Linye. Of course she knew Pei Linye, was it him? Chu Qianhuang continued: "The current Madam Pei is my grandmother's cousin. She married General Pei as his successor, and the cousin of the Pei family is the eldest son of the original wife. He is now the commander of the Jinyiwei."
"Pei Linye." Shen Qianchen whispered the name and thought seriously: Pei Linye has good character and appearance.
Pei Linye had followed Gu Jue in the north for several years, and was transferred back to Beijing by Gu Lang two years ago.
Although Shen Qianchen and Pei Linye did not have much contact, since Gu Jue entrusted Pei Linye with an important task, Pei Linye must be good!
Anyway, Gu Jue has a good eye for people.
Shen Qianchen's hand subconsciously rubbed the pouch on his waist again, and nodded with satisfaction: "Okay, then when will they get engaged?"
After all, the national mourning period is over, so the wedding can be held at any time, and she can also help her mother with the wedding arrangements.
Chu Qianhuang: "..."
Chu Qianhuang was stunned again. She never expected that Shen Qianchen not only agreed to the marriage, but also even thought about getting engaged.
After being stunned, Chu Qianhuang burst into laughter. The happy laughter floated away in the wind like a silver bell, and the look in his eyes when he looked at his twin sister became much more intimate.
There is an innate tacit understanding between sisters.
They all hope that their mother can be happy.
Their mothers deserve a better life and deserve to be cared for throughout their lives.
Chu Qianhuang also looked towards the main house, towards where Shen Zhi was, and said, "Pei Linye once went to the Duke Mu's mansion to ask for marriage, and my grandmother asked mother... Mother didn't agree at the time, maybe she was afraid that you would be embarrassed."
"Grandma seems to be in a difficult situation too..."
In fact, the wife of Duke Mu once asked Shen Zhi to ask Shen Qianchen what he thought, but Shen Zhi never asked, so Chu Qianhuang couldn't help but come to test Shen Qianchen.
After a pause, Chu Qianhuang added, "It wasn't my grandmother and mother who asked me to come here. I just overheard them talking by accident."
Shen Qianchen blinked.
After the initial excitement, Shen Qianchen began to calm down: Marriage is about mutual consent. Pei Linye likes Shen Zhi, so what about Shen Zhi? Thinking this way, she asked, "Big sister, what does mother think of Pei Linye?"
Chu Qianhuang was just a girl who was about to reach marriage age. This topic made her feel a little embarrassed, and a faint blush appeared on her face.
She bit her lower lip slightly and shook her head: "I don't know..."
Chu Qianhuang knew that her mother’s focus now was on raising Shen Yunmu, but Shen Yunmu would also have to get married in the future. Her mother was still so young, and she shouldn’t spend the rest of her life alone, as that would be too lonely.
Ever since she heard the conversation between her grandmother and her mother on the Qixi Festival, she had been thinking about talking to Shen Qianchen about this matter, mainly to confirm Shen Qianchen's attitude towards Shen Zhi's remarriage. Otherwise, there would be no "future" for this marriage.
"I'll go ask mother." Shen Qianchen became alert and took a step towards the Chuihua Gate. As he stepped onto the steps, he felt his sleeves tighten.
"etc!"
Chu Qianhuang quickly grabbed Shen Qianchen's sleeve. Because she was anxious, she couldn't help but raise her voice.
Shen Qianchen turned to look at Chu Qianhuang and raised his eyebrows in confusion.
Chu Qianhuang pursed her lips and stared deeply at Shen Qianchen in front of her. She felt both familiar and unfamiliar with this sister.
In her memory, this sister has always been a soft and introverted person, completely different from the lively and bright girl in front of her.
In such an environment, her second sister still grew up to be what she is now, just like the vibrant red plum blossoms in the cold wind.
Chu Qianhuang took a deep breath and uttered three words slowly and solemnly: "I'm sorry."
"Hmm?" Shen Qianchen became more and more confused.
Chu Qianhuang had been hiding some words in her heart for more than two months. Now she had finally sorted out her feelings, and now she finally had the courage to say: "We are obviously twins, but... the one who suffered is you..."
Over the past decade or so, Shen Qianchen had been trampled into the dust by Aunt Jiang and their father Chu Lingxiao, and his life had been truly difficult.
Putting herself in his shoes, Chu Qianhuang also felt that Shen Qianchen had had a very difficult time in the past fourteen years...
Shen Qianchen tilted his head and smiled, his eyes sparkling: "Are you apologizing on behalf of your father, or on behalf of Aunt Jiang?"
Chu Qianhuang: "..."
"I thought elder sister wouldn't be so hesitant and complain without reason." Shen Qianchen said as he slowly walked through the hanging flower door and went inside.
Chu Qianhuang: "..."
Chu Qianhuang stood still, forgetting to follow for a moment, and stared straight at Shen Qianchen's back as he walked slowly forward in front of him.
She couldn't see Shen Qianchen's expression, but she could hear that Shen Qianchen's voice was very calm and steady: "I don't feel wronged at all, and you don't have to feel wronged for me."
This is indeed the case for Shen Qianchen.
She would not be grateful to Chu Lingxiao for taking her away from her mother, nor would she feel sorry like Chu Qianhuang for crimes that she did not commit.
A blessing in disguise.
She would never forget that it was her previous fourteen years of life that led to her meeting Gu Jue in her previous life, and that was why she was picked up by Gu Jue...
For her, having Gu Jue is enough.
Shen Qianchen suddenly turned his head and smiled at Chu Qianhuang who was still on the other side of the Chuihua Gate: "It's over."
Chu Qianhuang: "..."
Looking at the graceful girl in front of him, Chu Qianhuang felt as if she was left far behind by her.
Yes, Shen Qianchen had already moved forward and flew high.
And I am still complacent.
The lost year and a half can never be returned, just like the flowers that fall from the treetops can never return to the branches.
"Yes. It's over." Chu Qianhuang said to himself in his heart and smiled brightly.
She threw away the crape myrtle flower in her hand and walked towards the inside of the hanging flower gate, towards Shen Qianchen, as if she had resolutely left something behind.
The incomplete crape myrtle flower floated down with the wind, landing on the ground among the dotted petals...
The two girls inside the door were talking and laughing.
(End of this chapter)