Chapter 58: Viewing the Divine Elephants

  

**Chapter 58: Viewing the Divine Elephants**

"Sister Chang!" When she saw Chang Suining come out, Yao Xia smiled and waved.

Chang Suining walked towards her. "Let’s go."

 

Yao Xia affectionately linked her arm with hers.

Although Chang Suining felt a bit uncomfortable, she didn’t want to refuse and asked as they walked, "Why miss Ran isn't here?"

"My cousin is accompanying my aunt in copying scriptures and offering lamps."

As the two talked, they walked several steps and soon spotted a young man in splendid attire waiting under a tree.

The young man noticed them and approached, bowing respectfully yet with the youthful energy typical of boys: "I am Yao Gui, sending my regards to Miss Chang!"

"Sister Chang, this is my older brother," Yao Xia said. "He also wants to view the divine elephants, so we can go together."

To see the divine elephants was simply a novelty for young people, as many young men and women from various houses would be attending.

Chang Suining nodded and returned Yao Gui's greeting. "Then let's go."

The three of them walked together. Yao Gui had already inquired about the location of the viewing, so with him leading the way, Yao Xia and Chang Suining chatted behind him and quickly arrived at their destination.

After hearing the news, Yao Xia sought out Chang Suining again, and after several delays, by the time they arrived, there were already many people there.

"Quick, look! There are two of them!" Yao Xia was utterly amazed to see real elephants up close for the first time.

The Da Sheng Dynasty imperial family had been keeping elephants for several decades, and now many rituals and grand ceremonies featured elephants symbolizing peace and good fortune, so the common folk also regarded close encounters with elephants as a blessing.

At that moment, the two divine elephants were both white, fully grown, and calmly strolling on the grass, occasionally bending down to graze or drink water, appearing very gentle.

Chang Suining’s gaze landed on the female elephant. When she noticed the folds on its flapping ears, her memories suddenly transported her back many years—

On a summer afternoon, a six- or seven-year-old girl, her forehead drenched with sweat, clung to her face but still played and ran with a boy who bore a striking resemblance to her.

She lifted the hem of her cool blue palace dress, laughing joyfully, revealing a gap where a tooth had just fallen out.

Suddenly, as she passed by, a playful young elephant in the zoo squirted water, soaking her completely.

The girl jumped up, wiping the droplets from her face, but soon laughed even more heartily, hands on her hips as she scolded, "You splashed me again!"

She climbed onto the elephant’s back, waving a soft willow branch in her hand.

"Big sister looks like a general!" exclaimed the boy resting nearby under the service of palace maids.

"Right!" The girl straightened her slender back, lifted her chin, and remembered to cover her less-than-impressive mouth.

At that moment, the young elephant suddenly picked up speed for a few steps, causing her to lean forward and quickly lie down on its back.

"Princess, be careful!" one of the palace maids cried out.

But the young elephant was not truly reckless; it allowed the girl to lie on its back and gently walked around the zoo with her.

It wasn't until the boy under the tree sneezed that the girl skillfully jumped down from the elephant’s back.

Her movement startled the palace maids again.

"...Ah Xiao, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell again?" The girl crouched down in front of the boy, lifting her hand to check his forehead.

"Big sister, I'm fine," the boy shook his head, his clear eyes squinting as he smiled at her, the afternoon sun filtering through the trees casting a golden light on his unusually pale face, making it look unreal.

The girl sighed with relief.

In that daze, she could almost still feel the warmth of her palm resting on the boy’s forehead, bringing a sense of comfort.

Chang Suining's fingers slightly curled. 

"Dear ladies and gentlemen, the divine elephants are gentle by nature and rarely harm people, but just in case, it's best not to feed or touch them recklessly. Therefore, we ask you to observe from behind the bamboo barrier," a mahout's voice reminded, and everyone nodded in agreement.

The bamboo barrier was only half a person's height, and while it could not truly stop an elephant, the gentle creatures wouldn’t breach it under the watchful eye of the mahouts. This barrier served to remind some of the less discerning young people—some young ones will always test the limits if you don't draw a line for them.

At that moment, everyone saw the female elephant approaching the bamboo barrier, closely followed by the male elephant.

Those who were timid quickly stepped back.

The female elephant's eyes were warm and loving, shining with a spirited light. Suddenly, it raised its long trunk and called out.

The sound of the elephant’s trumpet was soft and ethereal, carrying a cleansing power for the heart.

Looking into those eyes, Chang Suining wanted to reach out and touch it.

However, the mahout's warning still echoed in her ears. Though she wasn’t usually obedient, she also didn't like to act foolishly when attention was not desired.

"This is what the elephant trumpet sounds like... I've heard it for the first time!" Yao Xia took a long while to regain her senses and was soon captivated by the male elephant's tusks, pulling Chang Suining along to take a look.

"These tusks are really long and beautiful." Yao Xia raised her hand, trying to touch the tusks, but they were clearly out of her reach, and she didn't actually dare to reach out.

"These two divine elephants are indeed more majestic than those we've seen before," not far away, Cui Lang nodded in approval, appearing contemplative. Just as Cui Tang thought he was about to compose a poem, he heard him say, "They truly live up to their name, divine elephants; they’re just different."

Cui Tang: "..." Well, at least it rhymed.

"Ah Tang, look... isn't that Miss Chang from the Chang family?" Cui Lang gently nudged his sister, suggesting, "Why don't you go up and chat with her? As fellow ladies, you should have plenty to talk about."

Cui Tang let out a "ha": "You and your elder brother are both men, why don’t I see you two having much to talk about?"

"I say, Cui Tang, if you don’t poke fun at me for a day, you’ll feel restless, won’t you?"

Meanwhile, standing in front of the male elephant across the bamboo barrier, Yao Xia turned back, looking puzzled at Yao Gui: "Brother, why aren’t you watching the divine elephants and instead looking around?"

Yao Gui shook his head. "It’s nothing. I just thought I saw someone a moment ago..."

"Who? A familiar face?" Yao Xia instinctively glanced around.

"Not really a familiar face, just someone I might have seen before..." Yao Gui scratched his head. "Just a fleeting glance; perhaps I was mistaken."

The surrounding voices were noisy, and many people were coming and going. Yao Gui quickly retracted his gaze and didn’t think further.

The two elephants seemed quite willing to approach people; the male elephant extended its long trunk over the barrier, trying to touch those in front of it.

At that moment, right in front of it were Chang Suining and Yao Xia, who were thrilled by the elephant's friendly gesture.

Chang Suining also looked up to see the elephant. As she locked eyes with it, the elephant suddenly retracted its trunk and trumpeted loudly.

This call was unlike the gentle sound from the female elephant; it conveyed a sense of displeasure and agitation, startling those around.

The mahout hurriedly stepped forward, smiling as he explained, "Don’t be afraid, everyone; this is a male elephant, a bit temperamental, but it won’t harm anyone recklessly..."

As he spoke, the male elephant turned and walked away, leaving only the female elephant still by the bamboo barrier.

Chang Suining instinctively turned to look behind her.

In her line of sight, she saw a young woman with a startled expression, a boy casting curious glances, and the accompanying maidservants and young attendants whispering among themselves. Everything appeared normal.

At that moment, a familiar voice suddenly interrupted Chang Suining's thoughts. 

Thank you all for your concern; I’m feeling much better today (specifically, my mind has returned, I’m no longer confused, but my body still hurts, and my throat has started to hurt; my voice is no longer my own).

As for the IV issue, I saw some readers asking, so I’ll answer that here: I’m not a professional and can’t give advice. Moreover, I didn’t go to the hospital for IVs; like everyone else, I couldn’t get in at all. I went to a small clinic I’m familiar with (not highly recommended; I rarely get IVs, but yesterday I truly couldn’t endure it. The pain was so overwhelming that I couldn’t even think about the side effects and took painkillers recklessly. I lost all rationality and kept vomiting, unable to drink water. I had no choice for survival. After the IV, I slept through the night and finally came back to life.)

Now, my suggestion is: this symptom varies from person to person. While many may have mild cases, if it’s very severe, you must not treat it as just a "common cold." It’s still important to seek medical help within your capabilities! Don’t take your body’s signals lightly! Don’t ignore your condition and

 choose to tough it out. Additionally, pay attention to medication contraindications; there’s a lot of health information available, so take some time to look it over—wishing everyone safety and health.

(The chapter ends here.)

VISIT OUR |🔴 Patreon Now

►►CLICK HERE FOR ADVANCE CHAPTERS◄◄

Next Chapter▶▶