Chapter 107: Hello Chang’an
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**Chapter 107: Spreading the Word Together**
It wasn't until Cui Jing set down his pen that Cui Yuanxiang quietly asked, “Lord General, should we head over to Dengtai Tower now?”
Cui Jing glanced at the time and replied with a simple “Hmm.”
Cui Yuanxiang, who had been eagerly preparing to accompany his lord to the feast and enjoy the festivities since early morning, beamed with a smile and quickly brought over the formal robe he had prepared for Cui Jing.
Soon, a group of them departed from Xuanzhe Mansion.
Cui Jing took only three people with him, including Cui Yuanxiang. Dengtai Tower was not far away, and with the festive season causing a dense flow of people, the four men on horseback walked leisurely to avoid startling the townsfolk.
As they slowed down, snippets of conversation from the crowd drifted into their ears.
“Have you heard? Dengtai Tower is quite lively today…”
“That’s nothing new; when isn’t it busy?”
“It’s different this time… Today, Head Master Qiao from the Imperial Academy is holding a banquet at Dengtai Tower to celebrate taking on a disciple, and it’s a female disciple!”
“A female disciple?!”
“Yes, I heard that today is the day the female disciple is hosting her apprenticeship banquet!”
“The scale of this banquet is extraordinary, with many remarkable figures in attendance!”
“Which notable figures? Tell us more!”
“…”
Seeing Cui Jing momentarily halt his horse, looking towards the group discussing the apprenticeship banquet at Dengtai Tower, Cui Yuanxiang quietly asked, “Lord General, is something wrong?”
They had already overheard discussions about Lady Chang’s apprenticeship banquet several times on their way.
Cui Jing’s gaze subtly fixed on one person in the departing group.
It was a man dressed in a long gown, who had initiated the discussion about the banquet earlier; now he was leaving the group and walking ahead toward a more crowded area, his eyes searching as if looking for something.
“Have someone follow this person discreetly. Pay attention to his words for any inaccuracies or inappropriate comments. If he spreads any rumors that could harm someone, have him brought to Xuanzhe Mansion for questioning immediately,” Cui Jing instructed.
Cui Yuanxiang nodded and turned to quietly instruct another subordinate to follow the man.
It wasn’t that he was shirking responsibility; he had been at Cui Jing’s side for years, and many people recognized him. His face was too familiar, making him unsuitable for such covert tasks.
The subordinate acknowledged the command and quickly left.
Cui Jing dismounted and sat at a tea stall set up outside a nearby tea house, ordering a pot of cold tea.
“It’s really hot today,” Cui Yuanxiang said as he gulped down a bowl of tea, wiping sweat from his brow. He noticed several young women passing by casting furtive glances in their direction and followed their gazes—ultimately landing on Cui Jing, who was sitting there drinking tea.
Watching his lord, Cui Yuanxiang could only internally sigh at the unfairness of it all.
Cui Jing’s good looks were a result of fine genes from his parents, and they were so striking that it hardly mattered to others. Even after two years of leading troops in battle, which had made his skin somewhat rough, he returned to the capital for just a month, and it was as if nothing had changed.
Cui Yuanxiang closely examined Cui Jing’s features, his brows and eyes, the bridge of his nose… He noticed the beads of sweat on his forehead and felt that someone could be so handsome that even their sweat seemed clean and radiant!
Not to mention the young women who were seeing the lord for the first time; even he felt refreshed, as if a cool mountain spring was washing away the heat of summer, leaving one to appreciate the beauty of the season.
“Cui Yuanxiang, have another bowl to cool off!” one of the brothers traveling with them offered a bowl of cold tea.
“Thanks, brother,” Cui Yuanxiang replied, but the next moment he couldn’t express his gratitude.
As he lowered his head to drink, he unexpectedly caught sight of his own reflection in the tea—his previously dull face now appeared greasy from the heat.
Cui Yuanxiang grimaced, instantly losing his desire to drink.
And that grimace only made things worse.
“…”
If Cui Jing’s looks made the young women feel that summer was delightful, then Cui Yuanxiang’s appearance was just a source of irritation for them, making them wish they could go home.
He glanced at the tea bowls in their hands and felt the stark contrast in their fates.
Cui Jing’s bowl—blessings earned from a previous life.
His bowl—I’d rather it had shattered today.
“Brother Cui Yuanxiang, many young ladies are stealing glances at our lord,” one companion whispered enviously. “With a face like that, he won’t have any trouble finding a wife.”
Cui Yuanxiang couldn't help but sigh.
It was just that the person least worried about finding a wife had no intention of marrying at all.
As the last of the tea was finished, the subordinate who had gone to follow the suspicious man returned.
“Reporting to the General, that man is merely spreading news about the apprenticeship banquet at Dengtai Tower, and his words carry no malicious intent,” the subordinate whispered to Cui Jing. “However, it is suspicious that I found another person following a similar pattern, also spreading news about the banquet. It doesn’t seem like a coincidence… What do you think, General? Should we intervene?”
“Mm.” Cui Jing replied, “Then let’s have people spread the word along with them.”
The subordinate was confused: “Huh?”
Cui Jing had already stood up from the tea table, and Cui Yuanxiang took out a piece of broken silver to leave on the table. Before departing, he whispered to his puzzled companion, “Just follow the orders!”
He understood; these people spreading the news were likely arranged by Lady Chang herself.
“General, Lady Chang really enjoys the hustle and bustle…” As he mounted his horse behind Cui Jing, Cui Yuanxiang couldn’t help but murmur, “I fear everyone on these two streets knows about her apprenticeship banquet at Dengtai Tower today.”
As he spoke, he glanced at Cui Jing.
Though Lady Chang’s actions were somewhat ostentatious, they were still in line with her usual style… but for Cui Jing to involve himself in such matters was certainly not his usual approach.
“Lord General…” Cui Yuanxiang cautiously asked, “What kind of woman do you think Lady Chang is?”
Cui Jing shot him a glance. “Do you think you’ll live if you keep talking like that?”
Cui Yuanxiang immediately pressed his lips together, silencing himself.
Cui Jing urged his horse forward, eyes focused ahead.
His horse moved slowly, and the crowd partook calmly, laughter and shouts blending with the scent of mugwort in the hot air, creating a unique atmosphere that lingered around him.
The scorching sun bore down, and three days prior, the same heat enveloped the jujutsu arena at the Imperial Academy.
Cui Jing recalled the moment when the girl handed over the jujutsu stick—she had returned Qiao Yubai’s stick, a symbol of justice she fought for among everyone.
When she faced Chang Miao on the field, he had felt it was a giant bullying a child, yet now he reflected on her slight frame, and realized she had no inherent advantages.
Her small movements were quick, precise, and sharp; while others didn’t notice, he saw it clearly—she understood her strengths and weaknesses. With limited time training and insufficient strength, she relied more on clever maneuvers.
Thus, what truly suppressed her opponent was not her appearance or physical strength, but rather her tactics and her fearless spirit.
The tactics were military tactics.
The spirit was an indomitable one.
Speaking of that fearless feeling she exuded, he had noticed it back at Dayun Temple when she faced the elephant’s attack.
No, perhaps it was even earlier than that…
Long before he first met her.
On the way back to the capital, Wei Shuyi recalled the day of the assassination—
It was strange; at that time, he hadn't truly paid attention to her, his gaze never really lingering on her, but now it felt as if he had returned to their first encounter, everything suddenly becoming inexplicably clear.
It was dusk when she and Wei Shuyi emerged from the forest, dressed as youths, and indeed resembled a true young boy. After narrowly escaping death, she looked quite disheveled, her robe torn and her hair tangled with bits of grass and leaves. Yet her eyes remained calm.
Aside from her disheveled appearance, one couldn’t tell what she had just gone through.
Cui Jing rode his horse, looking ahead, yet his thoughts seemed to drift back to that day, locking eyes with those fearless orbs in the dimming light.
So, if one were to ask what kind of woman she was…
He believed one should first discard the notion of gender and not limit the evaluation of her by male or female standards—
She was undoubtedly an extraordinary person, someone worthy of admiration.
She was like a green bamboo shoot breaking through the soil, vibrant and growing quickly; with just a spring rain, she would soon become a tall and straight bamboo.
But what then? If she continued to grow like this, what would she ultimately become?
Cui Jing's brows furrowed in contemplation.
Soon, they arrived at Dengtai Tower.
An attendant, noticing Cui Jing and the others approaching, hurried inside to inform his lord, “My lord, my lord, your elder brother has really come!”
Poor thing, he had waited outside under the blazing sun until now; even the pot of water was about to boil over.
Cui Lang rushed out like a gust of wind.
“big brother!”
By the time he reached Cui Jing, Cui Jing had barely dismounted.
“You’ve finally come!” Cui Lang bravely went to take the reins from Cui Jing’s hands, eagerly helping his elder brother with the horse.
Meanwhile, Cui Yuanxiang took a formal invitation from his bosom.
Cui Lang’s keen eyes spotted the invitation and struggled to suppress the sudden pang of jealousy, forcing a smile as he asked, “Did big brother come here at Lady Chang’s invitation too?”
Cui Jing glanced at his expression and paused before replying, “Just passing by.”
Hope surged within Cui Lang as he followed Cui Jing into the restaurant—his big brother must have come to Lady Chang’s apprenticeship banquet, right?
Seeing Hu Yi and Xi Zhiyuan come out to greet them, Cui Jing remarked, “With me around, you all seem out of sorts—this jar of wine is specially brought to liven things up.”
Cui Yuanxiang had already taken the wine jar from the horse's back and approached.
Cui Lang's eyes lit up as he reached over to take the jar, hugging it tightly with one arm. “Thank you, big brother!”
Watching his lord’s trivial demeanor, the attendant couldn’t help but feel that a jar of wine was all it took to cheer him up.
Cui Lang happily cradled the wine jar, following Cui Jing inside, but was stopped by an attendant.
“What’s the matter?” Cui Lang tightened his grip on the jar—was he not allowed to bring his own drinks?
The attendant, wearing a smile, reminded him, “My lord, why not hand your horse over to me?”
They were already in the main hall!
Although he could guess the identities of the two brothers and knew the horse belonged to the one from Xuanzhe Mansion, it wasn’t proper to do so.
Cui Lang came to his senses and handed the reins to the attendant, not forgetting to remind him, “This is my big brother's horse; take good care of it!”
The attendant dutifully agreed.
Cui Yuanxiang showed the invitation to the Chang family servants waiting at the stairs, and Cui Jing made his way to the second floor.
Cui Lang, holding the jar of wine, beamed as he bragged to his classmates, “This was specially brought by my big brother from Xuanzhe Mansion!”
His tone carried a sense of grandeur; under such embellishment, the gazes of those around the wine jar turned filled with reverence.
Hu Yi had the illusion that drinking this would allow him to leap into the battlefield and immediately defeat a hundred enemies.
Cui Jing had already reached the second floor.
He arrived a bit late; looking around, most people had already taken their seats, and the apprenticeship ceremony had begun.
Cui Jing stopped the attendant who was about to announce his arrival, signaling him not to disturb the proceedings.
He walked over to stand next to Chang Sui'an , his gaze landing on the girl performing the apprenticeship ceremony.
Chang Suining raised her hands to offer her respects, bowing her head down.
Seeing this, Chang Sui'an turned his head away, forcing back the tears in his eyes.
“?” Cui Jing looked at him in confusion.
Chang Sui'an choked out softly, “I… I just thought about my sister bidding farewell to our family when she gets married.”
Cui Jing: “…”
After completing three bows, Qiao Yan smiled and waved her over. “Come here, my student.”
Chang Suining stepped forward.
“I have prepared a gift for your apprenticeship,” Qiao Yan said as a book boy brought over a long box.
Everyone’s attention shifted to the box.
Among the ten or so students from the Imperial Academy who were invited, many had already guessed what was inside.
Someone gestured toward the length of the box and whispered, “When did the teacher catch such a long fish…?”
“Since it was put in the box, it must have been dried into salted fish.”
Thus, Chang Suining was prepared to see a long and salty fish jerky.
However, when the book boy opened the box and Qiao Yan took out the item, it was an umbrella.
The handle was made of fine purple bamboo, and the canopy was adorned with green mountains and waters.
“This umbrella was crafted by your teacher with his own hands. For the past three days, he hasn’t even had time to go fishing…” Wang Shi smiled at Qiao Yan before turning to Chang Suining and said softly, “Take it.”
Coming back to her senses, Chang Suining accepted it with both hands, holding it in front of her.
She looked at Qiao Yan and Wang Shi, both smiling at her, and then at the satisfied face of Old Chang standing nearby.
The gift of an umbrella carried the meaning of protection.
Without this umbrella and this apprenticeship banquet, they would still protect her.
Long ago, they had already become her family.
But what she desired even more was to one day be the one who protects them.
“Thank you, teacher, for this gift,” Chang Suining said earnestly. “With this umbrella, I shall maintain my determination to seek knowledge. Whether in sunny days or frosty nights, through wind and rain, regardless of day or night, I will strive diligently.”
Qiao Yan was taken aback for a moment; after a while, he couldn’t help but feel touched and nodded in appreciation. “Good, very good…”
What was truly good was that he hadn’t realized that giving an umbrella could carry such a profound meaning.
Indeed, a thoughtful student understood how to elevate their teacher’s intentions.
The surrounding crowd nodded, smiling.
“Why does it suddenly feel like the teacher’s students aren’t so reckless after all?” a student murmured quietly.
His classmate beside him nodded in agreement.
After the apprenticeship ceremony concluded, Chang Suining saw Cui Jing standing to the side watching and walked over to him.
Good night, everyone!!! I really fell asleep while editing this chapter huhu
(End of this chapter)
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