Hello Chang’an

Chapter 85: It can be nourished for a thousand days, and it can be used for a while

"You use this so-called spring outing picture to depict the lady visiting the lake, just to remind me of your mother's death..." Cui Tao said almost word for word: "You deliberately want me to have no peace on the day of the birthday banquet, right? "

Cui Jing's expression briefly froze upon hearing this.

He lowered his eyes and looked at the image of a lady boating on the half-opened painting that was thrown to the ground -

Yes.

His mother died on such a spring day.

That day, my mother, who had been ill for a long time, suddenly came out of the house. Her hair was neat and tidy, her jade hairpin was moist, and her lake-blue dress was particularly bright.

His mother smiled and stroked the top of his head, saying that she wanted to go to the lake and asked him if he wanted to go with her.

He was no more than four years old at the time and nodded happily.

As soon as his mother took his hand, his father's cold voice came from behind, scolding him for only playing around and not making progress. The husband was already waiting in the study and asked him to come over immediately.

Under the morning light, he could only let go of his mother's hand.

He didn't even have time to take a closer look at his mother's expression.

That day, my mother went to swim in the lake.

It was also on that day that when he came out of the study after saluting his husband with dignity, his mother-in-law was no longer there.

Later he heard that when the boat docked, his mother had closed her eyes.

It was a bright spring day, the scenery on the lake should be very good, and the wind should be warm.

But when my mother was alone on the boat, would she be sad or scared?

If he had not gone to the study to listen to his teacher's lecture that day, if he had not let go of his mother's hand, if he could have stayed with his mother, would she have been less sad and afraid?

Since marrying into the Cui family, my mother has never seemed happy.

Therefore, at the last moment of her life dissipating, she chose to walk out of the Cui family gate and passed away in the lakes and mountains.

"I know that you have listened to the slanders of those old people around your mother since you were a child, and you believe that I killed her! You have always been resentful about this!"

Her father's voice brought Cui Jing back to her thoughts from those fragmented memories.

"But I have never felt sorry for her at all... It was her stubborn temperament that didn't know how to adapt, which made her depressed and sick!"

Even though it had been so many years since he brought up the past, Cui He still couldn't calm down: "When she was alive, I didn't even have a concubine, and not long after you were born, I and the whole family have regarded you as the future head of the Cui family and cultivated you... I have never been indebted to you, mother and son, but how did you repay me? You don’t mention it with any respect, and you don’t even want to give me a birthday party today to make it easier for me—"

Listening to his words finally falling, Cui Jingfang said: "I was still young when my mother passed away, and my memory is not as profound as that of my father. This painting was found by someone under my command, and I did not pay attention to it."

Cui Tao sneered: "You mean that I misunderstood you?"

Cui Jing raised her eyes and looked at him: "If this painting today was a gift from others, would my father still think so?"

"Of course not!" Cui Hao said with sarcasm in his eyes: "But you are not someone else, and others will not treat me with such calculations!"

"Therefore, there is no fault in this painting. There is no fault in the painting of a lady visiting the lake. There is no fault in presenting this painting as a birthday gift to my father." Cui Jing's voice still sounded calm: "The faults are all my fault. "

Cui Ai's brows filled with anger trembled slightly: "You seem to be averse to words, but in fact you are eloquent and know how to get yourself off the hook and use your eloquent words to retaliate against others! Today is my birthday, and you are like this Are you here to celebrate your father’s birthday?”

"When my father wanted to question me, he felt that I was exonerating myself with every word." Cui Jing looked at the painting at his feet again: "I have never made my father an enemy, and I will not and do not bother to make insinuations. This is just because my father sees me as an enemy, and everything he sees is because of my ulterior motives, nothing more than that."

Cui Ai suddenly grasped the ten fingers in his sleeves: "You..."

Cui Jing has already raised his hand to salute, and his expression has not changed at all: "It is Cui Jing who is unfilial to disturb my father's birthday today. Cui Jing will retire first and is willing to wait for the family law to deal with it afterwards."

Looking at the retreating young man, Cui Hao's lips trembled with anger: "You traitor!"

"I should never have married Mrs. Zheng in the first place... and given birth to you, a debt collector!"

Cui Jing turned around and left the study.

The door was pushed open by Cui Jing. Cui Lang, who was outside the study, was startled and quickly backed away. He hesitated and said with a smile: "Eldest brother...I...I just came here too."

Cui Jing didn't say much, raised her feet and left the place.

Looking at the back, Cui Lang hesitated to speak, but did not dare to call the person out.

With the conversation he just heard echoing in his ears, Cui Lang felt angry and aggrieved for his elder brother from the bottom of his heart. He couldn't bear it and walked into the study: "Father, my son really wants to say something to you today!"

Behind the desk, Cui Tao, who was standing there holding the edge of the desk, raised his eyes, his face was dark, and his eyes were full of anger.

Cui Lang shuddered, turned his words around, and said sternly: "As the saying goes... anger hurts the body, the father should rest early, and the son should say goodbye."

He bent over and took two steps back. When he saw the painting, he couldn't help but whispered: "This painting...father doesn't want it anymore, right?"

Cui Ai: "Tell someone to take it down, throw it away and burn it!"

"Don't... what a waste of money." Cui Lang quickly picked it up and held it in his arms: "If the father doesn't want it, then give it to the son."

Cui Ai became even more angry and pointed to the door: "...Get out of here!"

"Okay." Cui Lang hugged the painting and hurriedly rolled out.

Seeing Cui Lang coming out with the painting in his arms, the young man stepped forward to greet him.

Cui Lang sighed: "This is Zhan Ziqian's picture of spring outing. It's hard to find a lot of money..."

Listening to the faint sound of shattering porcelain coming from the study behind him, the young man whispered: "Mr. Lang, this is not only hard to find, but also wealth and honor."

The Master Lang and the Dalang Jun both suffered losses, and a world in which only Lang Jun benefited was achieved.

Cui Lang blew the dust on the painting, rolled it up carefully, and sighed: "However, what is more precious than this painting is the eldest brother's heart..."

It was this intention that my father really ruined.

Thinking of the young man's back that looked too calm when he left just now, Cui Lang felt that after this incident, his father might not have a chance to mess with his elder brother's feelings again.

"I'm afraid my father is not the reincarnation of a demon." Cui Lang whispered: "Just wait and see, he will regret it in the future."

Finally he snorted: "Next time if you want me to trick my eldest brother into going home and get scolded, I won't do it."

…

The moon is as cold as water.

Cui Jing and his party dismounted outside Xuance Mansion.

"Why is the Governor back? Didn't he say that the Cui family is hosting a birthday party tonight?" After Cui Jing walked further away, a soldier asked Yuan Xiang in a low voice.

Today is the birthday of the governor's father, so the governor should rest at home.

Yuanxiang sighed: "Do you still need to ask?"

It's obvious that the Cui family is no longer a good person.

Yuan Xiang didn't say much, and just ordered the soldiers to prepare wine.

The moonlight shines on the roof tiles of the main hall of Xuance Mansion, like a layer of silver frost.

The young man was sitting on the roof, with a white porcelain wine jar at his hand.

From time to time there was a breeze, quietly blowing over the young man's chiseled face.

At this time, a black shadow suddenly came from behind the young man, carrying a strong wind -

Cui Jing sat firmly and did not move. He only turned to one side to avoid the sneak attack of the person behind him.

The next moment, the man covered his eyes from behind, deliberately puffed up his cheeks and said angrily: "Guess who I am!"

Cui Jing: "I can't guess."

"Haha, it's me!" The other party let go of his hand. Cui Jing turned around and looked over: "It turns out to be senior."

A Dian smiled proudly and sat down next to him.

Cui Jing took a sip of wine and asked casually: "Why is senior back?"

"I'm here to get something! I'll sleep for the night and go back tomorrow!"

Hearing that he had regarded going to Chang's house as "going back", and he was afraid that he would have to move all his "properties" there during this trip, Cui Jing smiled slightly: "It seems that senior is very happy living in Chang's house during this time."

"Because there is little A Li!"

Cui Jing nodded: "I see."

"Don't worry, I won't get into trouble outside now." A Dian said, and suddenly felt a little proud, as if he had a backer: "But little A Li said, if I get into trouble again, and someone bullies me, I will be punished." She will carry it for me!"

Cui Jing took another sip of wine: "What a big breath."

From the moment she threatened to pick up Zhan Xiu, her tone has always been serious.

A Dian raised her chin, feeling a little proud: "But little A Li kept her word. She never broke her promise to me."

Then he added: "Just like Your Highness."

As he spoke, he held his cheeks in his hands and looked at the bright moon, with an expression as serious and pure as a child's.

Hearing this, Cui Jing temporarily put down the wine bottle that was close to her lips, looked up at the bright moon with A Dian, and asked slowly: "Your Highness, what kind of person is she...?"

A Dian blinked: "Haven't you seen it before?"

Cui Jing said: "But it's just one side."

But, only, just—

In just one sentence, there seems to be a lot of shortcomings.

A Dian was also very sorry: "That's such a pity. If you had met His Highness more often, you would definitely fall in love with His Highness like us!"

Cui Jing laughed silently.

But you don’t need to meet a few times to fall in love—

But to say I like it would be too superficial.

A Dian's tone was innocent: "What the moon is like, what the sun is like, what the mountains and rivers are like, what the flowers are like, your Highness is like that. Xiao Jing, can you understand what I say?"

Cui Jing smiled and nodded: "Senior said it is very easy to understand."

"His Highness used to like to sit here and drink alone. His Highness would only allow me to accompany you at most. Do you know why?"

Cui Jing shook his head.

"Because I am very good at peeling chestnuts!" A Dian said and took out a few chestnuts: "When His Highness drinks, I will peel chestnuts for him."

Talking about the past, A Dian smiled happily: "If the chestnut shell fell, Uncle Chang and the others would sweep it away!"

Cui Jing looked at the chestnuts in his hand. After a moment, he picked up one and looked at it quietly under the moonlight.

"Does Your Highness like to eat chestnuts when drinking-"

A Dian said seriously: "His Highness also likes to eat chestnuts when he is not drinking. His Highness said that he eats a mountain of chestnuts every year!"

Cui Jing smiled when he heard this and said, "Your Highness's tone is actually very loud."

When the word "ye" came out, Cui Jing was distracted for a moment.

A Dian added: "His Royal Highness said that what he likes most is eating chestnuts, and what he hates the most is peeling chestnuts!"

Cui Jing came back to his senses and smiled again.

Either because he drank too much, or because everything he heard was about His Highness, he seemed to be smiling all the time as he sat here tonight.

"Actually, His Highness also broke his promise once..." A child's sadness sometimes comes suddenly. A Dian folded his arms in front of him, rested his head on them, and said sadly: "When His Highness left for the last time, he asked me to stay at Xuance Mansion. I waited for him to come back, but His Highness never came back.”

Cui Jing turned his head and looked in the direction of Dayun Temple from a distance.

"Perhaps we can wait a little longer, His Highness may not break his promise."

As he was drunk, he couldn't tell whether he was comforting the children or expressing his own unrealistic and bold delusions.

He knows very well that under the changing circumstances, everything in the world is destined to only move forward, not to stop, nor to go backwards and start over again -

But he always felt that such a person should come back.

A gust of wind blew away this dream-like fantasy along with the smell of alcohol.

…

In April, the capital is getting warmer and warmer, so the girls' cloaks are put away at the bottom of the box, leaving only their soft spring shirts and skirts. Flower banquets and poetry parties in various prefectures are also becoming more and more lively. The flower stickers flew like spring butterflies into the hands of every lady and husband.

On this day, after Chang Suining came back from the martial arts arena and took a shower, Ah Zhi walked in with two invitations and handed them to Chang Suining who was sitting in front of the dressing table.

Chang Suining picked up one and opened it to read.

Xi'er, who was combing her hair, saw it and couldn't help being surprised: "Ying Guogong's Mansion... Is this a post from the Ming family?"

It is better to say that it is the enemy than the Ming family.

It’s more like a message than an invitation!

Seeing Chang Suining closing the post, Xi'er quickly asked: "Is the girl going?"

If she wants to go, she must practice more in the next few days!

Chang Sui Ning said nonchalantly: "I'm not going."

Regardless of whether this invitation was circulated among the noble ladies in the capital, it was just passed on to her, or there was another intention, but it is a fact that she beat Ying Guogong's crown prince Ming Jin, and Ming Jin's grounding has not been lifted yet, if she goes , wouldn’t it cause trouble for everyone in the Ming family and themselves?

She doesn't mind causing trouble with others, but she doesn't want to cause unnecessary trouble.

And entering the Ming family is a bit like a wolf entering a tiger's den. It is not appropriate to add such obstacles that have no chance of winning.

While speaking, she had opened another invitation.

"That's good." Chang Suining nodded and said, "Let's go to Zheng Guogong's mansion."

This was Duan Zhenyi's post to her, inviting her to have tea at his house.

Although she was not used to being a junior in front of her friends, she really needed Duan Zhenyi's help at this time.

I remember that in order to bribe Duan Zhenyi to keep secrets for her, she kept feeding her plenty of delicious food.

As the saying goes, it takes a thousand days to nourish, but it takes a while to use. This is exactly what it is.

The next day, Chang Suining took the invitation and went to the door of Zheng Guogong's mansion.

Duan was very happy.

But when she looked at it, Mrs. Chang was not very happy.

During the chat, Mrs. Chang mentioned that she has been dreaming about Princess Chongyue recently, and her words were inexplicably sad -

"... Dad and the others all said that I was rescued by the late Crown Prince when I was a child, but for some reason, the person who rescued me in my dream turned out to be the eldest princess."

Duan was surprised to hear this.

This kid...how could he have revealed a secret in his dreams!

There is a happy event at home. My sister is getting married tomorrow. It has been a busy day today, but luckily I caught up with the update. Good night everyone~

​

​

(End of chapter)