Chapter 18: The Cat and the Giant Kun
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Chapter 18: The Cat and the Giant Kun
After a moment, Wei Shuyi said, “It’s probably because he’s someone born to rebel.”
He felt it wasn't enough and shook his head, “No, it’s clear that a person has been forced to grow out of this rebellion.”
Chang Suining: “…”
What kind of “rebellion” must it be to deserve such a description?
Wei Shuyi sighed. “He would rather forsake his prestigious position as the head of the Cui family, endure scorn from his family, and risk his life on the battlefield. Others join the army out of necessity or for fame and fortune, and those with a greater sense of justice do so to serve the court, but he doesn't need any of that… What else could it be but rebellion?”
Isn’t that a bit too much?
Chang Suining slightly raised her head and gazed at the bright moon in the night sky.
She didn’t know what kind of person Cui Jing was or why he had thrown himself into the battlefield among military generals. However, for some people, the land they stand on, no matter what grows upon it, is worth protecting with their lives.
Only when standing on one’s homeland, looking up at the moon from home, can one see the bright moon.
Noticing her silence, Wei Shuyi turned his head to look at her.
The girl, still sporting a youthful ponytail, was tilting her face slightly upward, her fair skin bathed in a faint moonlight, giving her an ethereal glow.
Her face bore little expression; it was a kind of inner tranquility, so quiet that one could not detect even the slightest fluctuation of her thoughts or emotions, leaving only a sense of mystery that was impossible to probe.
Wei Shuyi squinted slightly and then looked back at the bright moon.
In this unspoken stillness, he felt like he was walking down a path he had never walked before—
After watching Chang Suining return to the courtyard, Wei Shuyi muttered to himself thoughtfully, “...It’s as if I have never walked this path before.”
“But my lord, this is your first time here, so you have indeed never walked this path,” Chang Ji pointed out pragmatically.
“……” Wei Shuyi chose to ignore him.
“My lord, how do you plan to repay Miss Chang’s life-saving grace?” Chang Ji asked curiously as he followed behind.
Today by the stream, Chang Suining had saved him twice; he had seen it with his own eyes. Although it still seemed unbelievable to him that she didn't appear to have any particular strength, she seemed to have an extra eye, always spotting hidden dangers a moment before they arose.
“Miss Chang does not wish to acknowledge this life-saving grace,” Wei Shuyi replied casually, his hands clasped behind his back. “Rather, she taught me the principles of being a person.”
“Is there anyone in this world who can teach you, my lord…” Chang Ji muttered, recalling the scholars who had once left in frustration after crossing paths with his lord.
Wei Shuyi chuckled lightly and sighed vaguely, “Yes.”
After a moment, he collected his thoughts and asked, “Has the package been delivered to Prefect Magistrate Zhao?”
“It has been delivered as per your orders. Prefect Magistrate Zhao probably won’t dare to sleep tonight,” Chang Ji replied.
Under Wei Shuyi’s arrangement, Prefect Magistrate Zhao had been secretly transported to this place a day earlier.
And before Prefect Magistrate Zhao, there had been the severed head of the substitute from the prison cart.
As for where the substitute had come from, it could be considered an old acquaintance of Prefect Magistrate Zhao’s, the village chief of Zhoujia Village, who was about the same age as him.
Whether Prefect Magistrate Zhao would dare to close his eyes that night was uncertain, but after seeing Chang Kuo and Chang Suining, she indeed slept soundly.
The next morning, after breakfast, she went to see Chang Kuo.
“Please wait, my lord. General Cui is currently discussing matters with the General in the study,” said Chu Xing, Chang Kuo's deputy.
Chang Suining recognized him; in her memory, he was in his thirties.
Over a decade, time had refined him into someone more reserved and sharp, like an old sword concealed in its sheath, heavy and solemn.
Having been by Chang Kuo’s side for many years, Chu Xing was both subordinate and trusted confidant, so he recognized Chang Suining. However, he still addressed her as my lord in a relatively gentle tone, “My lord, you may wait in the hall and have some tea.”
Drinking tea alone was boring, and Chang Suining was someone who could hardly sit still: “That’s fine. I’ll just wait outside.”
“Then feel free to walk around,” Chu Xing said, subconsciously glancing around the courtyard—though there wasn’t really anywhere to walk.
The courtyard of the post house was naturally small, with only the soldiers guarding the perimeter and the weapon racks used for the Grand General’s morning training.
Clearly, these were not things that a timid and delicate girl would enjoy… right?
Just as Chu Xing thought this, he saw Chang Suining walking over to the weapon rack.
Seeing her reach out to touch the bows, crossbows, and sabers on the rack, he was about to remind her to be careful when he noticed the girl had already retracted her hand and was heading towards the large knife that stood upright in the ground.
That was Chang Kuo’s knife.
It had clearly been casually inserted there after his morning training, standing in the hard-packed gravel training ground.
This casual placement, however, was not simple.
The knife was large and sharp, with a thick back. Excluding the knife ring, it weighed one hundred and thirty-six pounds—specifically made for Chang Kuo by a master craftsman when he founded the Xuanzhe Army. The knife was named Zhan Xiu.
Chang Suining’s thoughts momentarily drifted away as she reached out to touch the handle of the knife, slowly gripping it.
The “youth” had a calm expression, holding the knife with a composed posture—
Chu Xing stared in astonishment, feeling as if he was hallucinating, that the “youth” would pull the large knife up any moment.
—Wait, she really pulled it up!
Seeing her action, Chu Xing gasped.
—The large knife did not budge at all.
Chu Xing’s held breath escaped, returning him to reality in an instant.
What on earth had he been imagining just now?
“Zhan Xiu” was the Grand General’s knife. Not to mention a delicate girl, even among the soldiers, very few could lift it single-handedly.
Yet he saw the “youth” refusing to give up, using both hands to try to lift the knife, gritting her teeth, her fair face turning red from the effort.
Chu Xing gradually found it amusing.
As Cui Jing walked out of the study, he turned his head, noticing this scene.
The slender “youth” was straining to pull the knife, but the knife remained immovable.
It seemed more likely that the knife would lift her up than vice versa.
To Cui Jing’s eyes, it was like a kitten just reaching its first month of life facing a giant Kun—
The “kitten” was so exhausted it seemed about to explode, finally realizing its own weight, shaking its sore hands, placing them on its waist, helplessly gazing at the enormous knife that left it powerless.
“My lord, this knife is so heavy, we can’t lift it even together,” Ah Che kindly offered his kitchen knife: “My lord, use this one!”
Looking at the kitchen knife handed to her, Chang Suining paused for a moment.
“No need.” She looked back at the ‘Zhan Xiu’ standing there and said, “I will lift it up, sooner or later.”
Her voice was neither loud nor soft, but it carried a sense of certainty.
Suddenly, a hearty laugh rang out: “Good, good, you have ambition!”
Chang Kuo stepped out, clapping his hands in delight, looking as if he were amusing a child.
Hearing this tone of coaxing a child, Chang Suining, standing with her hands on her hips under the weapon rack, helplessly glanced over at him.
At that moment, she unexpectedly locked eyes with a pair of deep, cold brows and eyes.
General: Look, a cat and a giant Kun!
Ning Ning (calm and hands on her hips): I’m the big fish. (After all, A Li is the big carp.)
(End of Chapter)
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