According to Dasheng custom, the time for Ming's birthday sacrifices is in the evening, but since the sacrifices need to be prepared in advance, the Duan family attaches great importance to it, so they went to the princess's mansion early to prepare.
After Duan got out of the carriage, Chang Suining raised his head and looked at the mansion in front of him.
Everyone in the palace knew that the eldest princess Chongyue unexpectedly suffered from a serious illness when she was eight or nine years old. Although she was lucky enough to survive, she suffered from many sequelae of illness.
When His Royal Highness the Prince was twelve years old, he volunteered to serve in the army for training. Before leaving, he specifically asked the late Emperor for permission to allow his sister to leave the palace to recuperate from illness——
The sage made an exception and made an exception for Princess Chongyue, who was only twelve years old. She opened a princess palace outside the palace and ordered a medical officer to live with her. She stayed away from the noise in the palace and concentrated on treating her illness.
Later, when the late emperor died and Li Bing ascended the throne, Princess Chongyue's Mansion became Princess Chongyue's Mansion.
But neither the princess nor the eldest princess is that easy to be -
Recalling his somewhat short life, Chang Sui Ning only felt that the six words "Princess Chongyue's Mansion" on the plaque of this mansion should be replaced by "The Life of an Unlucky Man".
And she is the unlucky one, Princess Chongyue Li Shang.
"Let's go in with me." Duan's voice rang in his ears, and Chang Sui Ning took his eyes away from the plaque.
Because outsiders are not allowed to enter, the gate of the Princess's Mansion is kept closed all year round and will only be opened unless the Holy Spirit comes.
At this time, Shi Shi took Chang Sui Ning and walked through the side door.
The female envoy who led the way was a young and unfamiliar face. Chang Sui Ning followed Duan's side and walked with the female envoy, only to find that all the furnishings in the mansion were the same as those in the Xuance Mansion, with only traces of repairs missing.
Big move.
Only one place was newly built, and it was this place that the female envoy led them to - the sacrificial hall.
In the quiet and tidy sacrificial hall filled with the smell of incense and candles, there is a memorial tablet of Princess Chongyue, a set of sacrificial utensils, and a portrait.
The woman in the portrait is beautiful, with cold eyebrows and a demure and dignified demeanor.
The painting resembles her very much, but is nothing like her at all - the appearance is similar, but she has probably never looked so dignified and quiet in her life.
Ever since she was little, she has never been dignified and quiet.
When I was young, I was from a relatively humble background among the princes and princesses, and my quiet temperament was destined to only be bullied. Even after I was bullied, I could only swallow my grievances.
She didn't want to be a poor idiot who couldn't even fight back after being bullied. What's more, Axiao was sick and weak. As a sister, she could never be weak any more - this thought had been engraved in her mind since she could remember.
Later, she had no room for weakness and demureness.
When returning to his hometown, old things always come to mind. Chang Sui Ning quietly helped Duan arrange the sacrificial objects without saying a word.
Seeing that although she was a fresh-faced young lady, she acted calmly and was quiet, the female envoy from the eldest princess's palace felt relieved - Mrs. Zheng Guogong came to offer sacrifices with the permission of the saint, so there is nothing wrong with having a young lady by her side.
, after all, there was a precedent for the husband and wife of the Wei family to come together in previous years. As long as they worshiped sincerely and did not make any noise, they would not say anything.
When everything was ready, the sky became dark.
The white candle in the sacrificial hall was lit, Mrs. Duan lit the incense and inserted it into the incense burner. Her movements were rare and steady and careful, probably filled with many heavy thoughts.
Then, Mrs. Duan and Chang Sui Ning knelt down on the mat and kowtowed to the tablet.
After kowtowing, Chang Suining knelt down on the mat and looked at the tablet, feeling very mysterious - I wonder how many people in the world are there who prepare sacrifices for themselves and worship themselves like she does?
Is this great love from Lord Yama given to her alone, or does it include other unlucky people?
Paper money ignited in the brazier.
Duan, who had always been very quiet, suddenly turned red at the corners of her eyes.
Changsui Ningpo felt uncomfortable seeing her like this.
After waiting for a moment, I saw tears falling silently from Duan's eyes with her head lowered.
Chang Sui Ning felt more and more uncomfortable. She turned her head slightly and looked away, only to see the female envoy beside her wiping her tears - but she had never seen this little female envoy. How could the other party do it for her former master whom she had never met?
cry?
This is probably a reflection of being able to do your job in your position...excellent professional quality.
Over there, Mrs. Duan threw a handful of fuel into the brazier, her tearful eyes looking like a poor puppy under the light of the fire.
Chang Suining felt inexplicably guilty after seeing this, and could only comfort her in a low voice: "My condolences, madam..."
Mrs. Duan wiped her tears, exhaled a long breath, looked at the tablet, and sighed hoarsely: "Your Highness once said that I am the most funny when I cry... If you see me looking like this, you will definitely laugh at me.
"
Chang Sui Ning sighed with regret in his heart.
Saw it.
But he didn’t live up to his expectations and couldn’t laugh at it.
Seeing how Duan wanted to cry but didn't want to be too embarrassed in front of a junior like her, Chang Suining said at the right time: "Madam, do you want to talk to His Highness alone?"
Mrs. Duan nodded lightly, and thinking that Chang Sui Ning had been busy with her for half a day, she said, "Mrs. Chang, you can go ahead and have tea and rest for a while."
Chang Sui Ning then agreed, stood up and left.
It was a special case that she came with Duan, and the sacrifices required solemnity and quietness, so she just asked Xi'er to wait in the carriage outside.
There was no female envoy beside her, so a female envoy from the eldest princess's palace led her to a side hall not far from the sacrificial hall.
After Chang Suining sat down, the envoy went to the tea room to make tea and prepare fruit snacks.
Although the furnishings of the eldest princess's mansion have not changed, there is no master there and there are not many servants. After the female envoy temporarily retreated, Chang Sui Ning was the only one left in the hall.
Chang Suining saw the right opportunity and left this side hall.
Although she had never really lived in this mansion for a long time before, she would come back every once in a while when she was not fighting, so her environment was still very familiar.
Walking to a place with a wide view, Chang Sui Ning looked around carefully.
The mansion has been without an owner for many years, so even though it is evening, there are not many places to hold lamps alone. Apart from the sacrificial hall and the servants’ living quarters, there is only one exception——
Chang Suining quickly judged that it was the direction of Xiyuan.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Chang Sui Ning thought for a moment, chose a deserted path, and walked quickly in that direction.
When she got closer, she heard a burst of chaotic voices in the courtyard. She did not continue forward, but dodged and hid behind a rockery on one side.
Among the chaos, there was a particularly serious voice, which was already a bit angry when he spoke.
"Today is His Highness's birthday, and you are so unprepared. I have clearly explained it to you a long time ago. How did you do it?"
"Being so lazy and careless...the princess's palace cannot tolerate such a sneaky person!"
"I will go and report to His Highness Ming!"
While they were talking, the courtyard door was opened from the inside, and the person who spoke quickly walked out.
Through the lantern hanging outside the courtyard gate, Chang Sui Ning could see the man's face clearly.
Although he has changed from his early twenties to his early thirties, it is not difficult to identify him.
That was her former personal maid, Jade Chip——
The other party's manners are impeccable when walking, and she has the majesty of a first-class female servant.
But it was still obvious at a glance that the expression on her face was not what a sane person should have.
Soon two maids with lanterns chased him out.
One of them stepped forward quickly and blocked Yuchi's path, with a complicated and hesitant tone: "...Aunt Yuchi, His Highness is not in the mansion at this time."
Yuchi suddenly stopped when he heard the words. After a moment of stunned expression, his pupils tightened and his whole body trembled, as if he remembered something extremely painful, terrifying and unacceptable.
At this time, Chang Suining, who had held his breath, stood behind the rockery two steps away from him, taking in all the changes in his demeanor.
"His Highness is gone. His Highness was killed in Beidi..." Yuchi murmured: "It's all my fault. It's all my fault for failing to protect His Highness. I'm the one who deserves to die..."
After saying this, as if she was trapped in a painful past, she suddenly pushed away the female envoy who was blocking her and ran into the night without any warning.
"Aunt Yuchen!"
The two female envoys hurriedly followed.
Seeing that they were leaving in the direction of the sacrificial hall, Chang Sui Ning was not in a hurry to follow them. Instead, he bent down and picked up a stone from under his feet. He walked to the wall of the courtyard, drew a few marks on the corner with the stone, and quickly left a mark.
I placed a seemingly simple pattern.
This is not the main courtyard, and the walls are already somewhat mottled. This pattern is not conspicuous on it, and even if you see it, you won't pay much attention to it.
But in the eyes of those who are interested, it must be eye-catching enough.
She came here today just to see Jade Chip and explore the road.
From what I saw just now, it was clear that Yuchi was guarded by at least two female envoys. Under such circumstances, even if she had great abilities, she would not be able to do anything to Yuchi without being suspected.
Moreover, this is the eldest princess's palace, and she is no longer Li Shang. There is no advantage in being a demon here.
Therefore, she wanted Yuchi to take the initiative to come to her, leaving aside everything else and taking the initiative first.
Regardless of whether the other party is really stupid or pretending to be stupid, as long as he is still alive, don't think that you can hide the truth.
…
"Where has Mrs. Chang gone?"
As soon as Chang Suining returned to the front hall, he saw the maid who had gone to make tea walking quickly. It seemed that she had been looking for her for a while.
"I just had some abdominal pain, so I went to find a clean room." Chang Sui Ning said nonsensically as if he was a little uncomfortable.
The female envoy glanced at the direction she came back from, and saw that there was indeed a clean room there, so she didn't think much about it. She just frowned slightly and reminded: "The eldest princess's mansion is no better than others. Madam Chang, it's better not to walk around alone."
Chang Suining also had a correct attitude: "Don't worry, sister, I won't do it again."
The girl's expression was not flattering, her fair and beautiful face only had a look of serious introspection. When her sister shouted such words, the envoy was stunned for a moment.
After a while, his expression softened unconsciously.
——After all, she didn’t cause any trouble, so what’s wrong with the little girl looking for a clean room nearby if she has abdominal pain? On the contrary, what she did so seriously just now is really wrong.
"The wind is cool in the evening, so Mrs. Chang goes into the hall to have some hot tea and fruits."
Chang Suining nodded and thanked him, followed his words and went into the hall to sit down.
After having a cup of hot tea and sitting quietly for another quarter of an hour, guessing that the time was almost up, Chang Sui Ning mentioned that he was going to find Mrs. Zheng Guogong.
The female envoy nodded and took her back to the sacrificial hall.
As soon as the two of them got close to the outside of the sacrificial hall, they heard uncontrollable crying.
But not Duan——
Although just after Chang Suining left, Mrs. Duan let herself go and cried for a while, but in the middle of crying, she suddenly heard a more tragic and violent cry. When Mrs. Duan looked back, she saw that it was Yu.
Zuan rushed in like crazy and fell to his knees, crying bitterly.
This battle frightened Duan to the point where she no longer wanted to cry, so she hurriedly stepped aside and gave way.
The two female envoys who were chasing him tried to take him back, but the more they pulled at the jade crumbs, the harder they struggled. During the struggle, they bumped into the incense table and broke their heads.
He cried and fussed like this for a long time, and not long after Chang Sui Ning arrived, he fainted from exhaustion.
Only in this way can you calm down.
Seeing Yuchi being helped down, Mrs. Duan let out a long sigh and didn't know what to say. In the end, she just said: "Let's go back too."
Chang Sui Ning nodded without asking any more questions.
Back at Chang's house, Chang Suining finished taking a bath and sat at the dressing table, while You Xi'er twisted her hair with a snow-white cotton towel.
As the light flickers, the girl's face in the mirror becomes blurry, seeming real and illusory.
It was a worthwhile trip today, and now we just have to wait for the news from Yuchi.
But even though she had to wait, she couldn't just sit and wait for this one thing. She had many other things to do.
The next morning, Chang Suining got up and went to the martial arts field as usual.
At noon, Chang Kuo returned home early in the morning.
Chang Sui'an was invited to go out to meet friends and was not at home today. During lunch, only the father and daughter were there.
Chang Suining is a person who wants to do it when he thinks of it. During the meal, he mentioned the idea of becoming a teacher: "Dad, I want to ask my third father to be my teacher and let my third father teach me how to study."
Chang Kuo picked up the rice for a moment, swallowed the food in his mouth, and looked at his daughter worriedly: "Sui Ning doesn't want to practice martial arts again?"
"No way, but if you practice martial arts for at least half a day every day, the rest of your time will be wasted. It's better to use it for studying."
This sentence was like a reassurance, causing Chang Kuo to smile with relief: "It seems that we, Suining, want to be both civilized and martial arts... My father naturally approves of your progress, but why do you have to ask your third father to be your teacher?"
He is busy with the affairs of the Imperial College and cannot get away on weekdays. He may not be able to come even for ten days and a half."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Chang Suining: "If it is inconvenient for Third Father to come, I will go to the Imperial College to look for him."
Chang Kuo was stunned: "But all the students in the Imperial College are men——"
"I just want to know what men study." Chang Sui Ning's eyes showed just the right amount of naive expectation: "But I can't get into the Imperial College. After thinking about it, I can only worship my third father as my teacher."
Opportunity touches one or two.”
Chang Kuo's heart ached when he heard this.
This feeling of being a father who cannot fulfill his daughter's little wish is really painful for a general who is invincible on the battlefield.
Apart from feeling heartache and self-blame, I can't help but feel it's unfair.
Damn it, why can’t his daughter, who is so outstanding, not go to the Imperial College to study as a prison student in an upright manner!
There is nothing to say about the place that cannot accept his daughter!
His grief and anger turned into strength. Chang Kuo quickly cooked the rice and urged his daughter: "Let's eat quickly. After eating, I will take you to find your third father!"
Chang Sui Ning couldn't help but ask: "Is it more appropriate to come to the door early in the morning to become a disciple?"
Chang Kuo didn't even raise his head and said: "I am a disciple of my own family, so when should I choose a time?"
This sentence matched his aura at this time, and when it fell in Chang Sui Ning's ears, it felt more like - I will hit you if I hit you, what day should I choose?
After all, it was Lao Chang who didn't abide by any other rules except military regulations.
Chang Sui Ning chose to temporarily observe filial piety and obey his father's arrangements.
Looking at the general and the girl who almost buried their heads in their rice bowls, the servant looked numb.
After dinner, the Chang family father and daughter went to the Imperial Academy to find Qiao to offer wine.
At this moment, Qiao Jijiu was waiting for guests.
The identity of the visitor is somewhat special, and Qiao Jijiu would like to call him the most popular person in the court in recent times.