Chapter 45: The Crouching Dragon and the Young Phoenix

 

Chapter 45: The Crouching Dragon and the Young Phoenix

Xi'er said, "The true details are unknown, but I do know that the Sage really likes this niece of her. She only met her once but made her the county Princess of Guan, and then brought her into the palace to raise her personally... Therefore, this princess has been watched over by the Sage since she was ten years old; she has truly been treated as one of her own."

  

Treated as one of his own?

Chang Suining did not agree.

Looking at the figure of the female official, who was about to leave with the palace servants, the girl's voice was faint: "If that’s really the case, then while she may not be her own, she is certainly better than her own."

Xi'er also looked over: "Perhaps this princess is particularly pleasing to the Sage, or she indeed has some exceptional qualities. Anyway, she is very much favored by the Sage. Since reaching the age of marriage, she has served as a female official in the court, initially overseeing poetry and elegance, and now she has the authority to issue edicts and participate in political matters."

Chang Suining commented on the matter: "In that case, she could be considered a role model for women."

"Not just a role model for women..." The young girl began to gossip as she spoke, "The Ming female official is the head of the literary officials, admired by countless scholars and students! Over the years, there have been countless suitors, including those from noble families and powerful clans, but it seems the Ming female official has entirely ignored them. Even though she has passed the age of twenty, there are still no marriage plans."

"Perhaps her aspirations lie elsewhere." Seeing that figure disappear under the gaze of the crowd, Chang Suining withdrew her gaze.

With the Sage's granting of peonies for the festivities, the atmosphere of the flower fair became increasingly lively.

By the time the flower fair concluded, most of the noblewomen received flowers from the Duan family, mainly taken from the peony garden. Although they couldn't compare to the one given to Chang Suining earlier, to have peonies to wear in early spring was still a first for the capital.

All the guests returned happily.

Just as the guests had left, the Marquis Zheng, Wei Qin, returned precisely at the appointed time.

Today's outing was part of the Marquis Zheng's routine, which stemmed from—his wife was going to waste money again, and since he couldn’t control her, it was better to stay out of sight and complain to a friend.

Every year on this day, the Marquis Zheng’s friends bore too much burden.

At this moment, the Marquis returned to his courtyard, took out the key he kept hidden, first pulling out a hairpin that he had wedged in the door when he left in the morning, revealing a look of relief before personally opening the door.

However, once he entered the courtyard, his expression changed dramatically: "Which thief has been in my courtyard?!"

"Who touched my flowers?!"

He hurried to the corridor and saw that the red stone peony, which had the best bloom, was already dead without a trace. His vision darkened, feeling as if the sky had fallen!

He bent down in disbelief, trembling hands reaching for the broken flower stem: "It was just fine when I left this morning, and I even gave it half a bowl of spring water. How could it die after I stepped out for a while...?"

"Your Grace!" Seeing him about to collapse, the servant hurried to support him.

"Your Grace, the lady has arrived!"

Hearing the servant’s announcement, the Marquis Zheng looked toward the approaching Duan Shi and was heartbroken, wishing he could stomp his feet and weep: "...My lady!"

"Alright, alright, you’re a grown man and still crying... It’s just a peony; I can buy you a pot, okay?" Duan shi comforted him, patting her husband's back. A servant behind her stepped forward, holding a pot of imperial purple peony.

Tears began to part in the Marquis’s eyes; with just one glance, they widened, and he hurried forward: "Wha... Where did this come from?!"

Seeing her husband calmed down, Duan shi guided him toward the hall, naturally leading with the pot of purple peony, while the servant held the flowers in front, and her husband followed behind, dazed like a donkey chasing a dangling treat.

Inside the hall, the servant placed the pot of flowers down and withdrew.

"Dear, guess who I gave that red stone peony to today?" Duan Shi asked mysteriously.

The Marquis Zheng felt a pang in his heart again. "What are you bringing this up for, my lady?"

Duan Shi couldn't hide her excitement. "Perhaps it's for a future daughter-in-law..."

"Do we still have a chance for a daughter-in-law?" The Marquis looked at his wife as if questioning whether he or she had lost their mind.

"Really!" Duan Shi shared all she knew and speculated with her husband. Finally, she added, "...Zigu came home today. Guess what he did? He didn't even change out of his official robes; upon hearing that the Chang family’s daughter was here, he hurriedly ran off to find her!"

"Such a thing actually happened..." Marquis Zheng clicked his tongue in surprise.

At that moment, a servant announced that Zigu had arrived.

Wei Shuyi, who had come to see the commotion, entered the hall but felt a bit disappointed not to see his father throwing a tantrum and crying.

"Just in time, your mother has something to ask you," Duan Shi smiled as she addressed her son. "I want to find a matchmaker to propose to the Chang family. Zigu, what do you think about three days from now? I’ve already checked, and it's an auspicious day."

Even the usually composed Wei Shuyi was momentarily taken aback by his mother's blunt words.

He was stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter. "What kind of colossal misunderstanding has my mother come up with?"

Duan Shi observed her son's expression closely. "What do you mean? Are you saying this marriage proposal shouldn't be brought up?"

"Mother, this idea is simply absurd." Wei Shuyi sighed helplessly. "The Chang family’s daughter is six years younger than me—"

Duan Shi was surprised. "You’ve even found that out?"

Wei Shuyi replied, "...It’s not difficult to learn."

"What’s wrong with six years? Your father is five years older than me! Back then, he insisted on not marrying and only wanted to live among flowers and plants, yet now he has both you and your sister!"

Seeing his wife signaling him with her eyes, Marquis Zheng, who was squatting there fiddling with his new interest, nodded absently. "Exactly."

"In my son's view, a person comes into this world once; if we talk about fulfilling a mission, it’s nothing more than leaving something behind, and continuing the family line is just one common way, but certainly not the only one." Wei Shuyi spoke earnestly. "My aspirations lie in the officialdom, and I enjoy a free and fulfilling life without needing anyone to accompany me—people like me are simply not suited to being a husband. Why must we harm each other?"

"Exactly!" echoed Marquis Zheng.

Duan Shi glared at him, biting her lip.

Marquis Zheng suddenly jolted awake and smiled sheepishly as he changed his tone. "What my son says is both right and wrong. The wrong part is..."

Stuck in a corner by his son's strange remarks, Duan Shi glared at her husband—say something!

"The wrong part is..." After thinking for a while, Marquis Zheng finally found a point: "The wrong part is that since you have no interest, why stir up trouble for that young girl?"

Once he spoke, he felt that this line of reasoning was feasible: "Your mother just said that you received a lot of care while returning to the capital. You attracted her first, and now she has come looking for you, and yet you say you aren’t suited to being a husband?"

Wei Shuyi found it ridiculous and amusing. "What do you mean, 'come looking for me'?"

Duan Shi insisted firmly, "I have inquired about it. The Chang family’s daughter rarely comes to these social gatherings; she specifically came today. If it wasn't for you, who else could it be for?"

"Exactly!" chimed in Marquis Zheng.

Looking at his parents, who were spouting nonsense, Wei Shuyi felt from the bottom of his heart that this couple truly matched each other as a pair of Crouching Dragon and Phoenix Chicks, which was both endearing and a headache.

"Mother, don’t elevate me too highly. If you want to tease me, that’s fine, but don’t randomly speculate about an unmarried young lady."

He sensed that the Chang family’s daughter was indeed "here for someone," but that someone was definitely not him—it was related to the character he had written.

Duan Shi looked at him suspiciously. "You aren’t being insincere, are you? Are you having difficulty lowering your previously high attitude? Otherwise, why would you keep reminding me that she’s still unmarried? You’re clearly trying to give me a hint!"

Wei Shuyi said, "...How is it that you always manage to say exactly what’s on your mind?"

Duan Shi cleared her throat lightly.

"You two can slowly discuss your speculations; I will take my leave first." Wei Shuyi raised his hand to bow and left helplessly.

Watching her son’s departing figure, Duan Shi furrowed her brow in thought. "Could it be that I really misjudged him?"

...

On the other side, sitting in the carriage, Chang Suining lifted the curtain and asked, "Brother, this doesn’t seem like the way back to Xingning Lane?"

Chang Sui'an , riding beside the carriage, turned and smiled at his sister through the window. "Right, we’re first going to Xuanze Mansion."

With one hand holding the reins and the other giving her a thumbs up, he praised her with delight, "Ning Ning, you’re amazing! You can remember the way now!"

Chang Suining: "…"

Such praise seemed a bit childish for a three-year-old, but it was just right for someone with a mind like his.

However—

"Why are you going to Xuanze Mansion?"

Whenever the words "Xuanze Mansion" came up, she always felt differently inside.

"Father asked me to go to Xuanze Mansion to fetch something back for him," Chang Sui'an replied. "Don’t worry, it’s on the way, and it won’t take too long."

Chang Suining nodded and didn’t ask much further.

Since their father had instructed Chang Sui'an to go fetch it personally, it must have been important.

The carriage rolled along and soon arrived outside Xuanze Mansion.

The imposing gates were guarded by soldiers in black armor, holding long spears, standing on either side, exuding a stern aura that discouraged any approach.

With just one glance, Chang Suining knew that, as Chang Sui'an said, the Xuanze Army, under Cui Jing, had not declined at all.

"Ning Ning, you just wait for me in the carriage," Chang Sui'an dismounted and instructed in front of the carriage. "Everyone in Xuanze Mansion is like a cold-faced Yama; you might have nightmares if you see them."

However, just then, the carriage curtain was lifted by a fair and slender hand, and the girl asked, "Brother, can I go in with you?"

Chang Sui'an was taken aback. "I have my father's token, so I can bring you in, but..."

He instinctively glanced at the imposing place, wondering whether his sister would be frightened.

Chang Sui'an scratched his head, feeling a bit troubled. "Would it be too noticeable for you to go in like this?"

"Of course, it wouldn’t be convenient to enter like that." Chang Suining lowered the curtain. "Brother, wait a moment."

"Ning Ning..." Chang Sui'an listened to the sounds from inside the carriage, though he didn’t understand, he could only wait.

 

Chang Suining didn’t make him wait long.

Soon, the curtain was lifted again, and a young boy jumped out of the carriage. "Brother, let’s go."

Chang Sui'an stared wide-eyed in astonishment. 

— Thank you to Chunhua Qiuyue85, Yuan Xiaoqin, the True Divine Master, chin1088, and all the other readers for your support!

— Thank you for every monthly vote!

— This chapter is also three thousand words (this time I really got into the flow!)

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(End of this chapter)

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