Chapter 89: Hello Chang’an
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**Chapter 89: How Big of an Official Does She Want to Be? (Happy New Year!)**
Yu Xue's words left the two female attendants who had rushed over exchanging glances.
They couldn't believe what a person, who had been in a state of madness for most of the year, was saying. Moreover, the content of her words was hard to believe—how could someone who had been dead for more than ten years possibly return?
"It really is the Crown Prince! Didn’t you see?" Yu Xue pointed to the wall. The two attendants were baffled by what she meant and thought she was just imagining some "unclean thing," seeing nothing but emptiness before them.
"That’s true… you wouldn’t recognize it…” Yu Xue murmured, her expression alternating between confusion and determination. "Only I recognize it, only I recognize it! The Crown Prince must have come back to find me..."
As she repeated this, growing increasingly agitated, the two attendants could only forcefully bring her back to the courtyard, using both gentle and firm methods to get her to drink a calming herbal concoction.
After taking the medicine, Yu Xue finally fell into a deep sleep.
After all this commotion, the two attendants were exhausted. One wiped the sweat from her brow and said, “What’s gotten into Yu Xue today? It’s been a while since we’ve seen her like this.”
Although Yu Xue’s madness fluctuated, her current state, appearing possessed, was rare.
“It’s as if she’s been through a great shock…” The other glanced around the courtyard and said nervously, “Could it be she really saw something?”
Her companion shot her a glare: “Even if the Crown Prince’s spirit truly returned, what’s there to fear? Princess Chongyue was such a revered figure in life, always caring for the people of the Da Sheng Dynasty dynasty. Even as a ghost, she would never harm our citizens.”
“That’s true…” The other attendant replied, then frowned in confusion, looking toward the room: “But why does Yu Xue seem so terrified?”
They had never seen Princess Chongyue’s appearance, and this thought made them less fearful. However, Yu Xue, who was once the Crown Prince’s most trusted attendant, had shown her admiration and nostalgia for the late princess through her half-mad ramblings, indicating her deep emotional connection. It was this very bond that had driven her to madness upon accepting the reality of the princess's death.
But why was she now so terrified by the thought of “the Crown Prince has returned”?
“Exactly… Spirits are also divided by kinship. If my mother returned to see me, I’d happily rush to her for a hug.”
After exchanging these thoughts, the two attendants concluded that Yu Xue’s reaction was indeed unusual.
But then they reconsidered:
“Yu Xue is different from ordinary people. Perhaps she just isn’t thinking straight at the moment?”
Some people might be a bit off in the head, and while Yu Xue clearly wasn’t lacking in intelligence, her mind was tangled.
Given the nature of the situation, the two attendants stopped discussing it further and went about their tasks.
While Yu Xue appeared to be sleeping peacefully, her mind was anything but calm.
The calming herbal concoction she took was prescribed by a physician, carefully dosed to avoid causing her physical harm or mental deterioration while effectively calming her nerves—but that was in ordinary circumstances.
Her emotional state today was evidently different.
She was plagued by nightmares.
She quietly poured a tasteless powder into a cup of tea, a long, slender hand marred with many tiny scars took the cup and drank.
As the cup was set down, the scene abruptly changed, and she found herself on an endless snowy plain. She kept running, terrified to look back, yet she thought she saw the prince's severed head.
Just as the pursuers were about to catch up, someone in front came to save her. That was the Crown Prince’s arrangement, giving her a chance to live…
But the person who promised to come to her rescue never showed up.
That person had deceived her!
As she fled through the snow, she suddenly saw crimson seeping through the whiteness—blood staining the snow.
Then she saw a woman covered in blood standing in front of her, her eyes silently questioning.
She quickly shook her head—
“Your Highness… it’s not like that!”
Yu Xue sat up suddenly, awakening from her nightmare.
The dawn light outside was still dim, cold sweat soaked her clothes, and her hair was wet and sticky, uncertain if it was more sweat or tears.
She covered her face to stifle her cries, tears flowing fiercely from her fingertips.
When she lifted her head again, her tear-streaked eyes seemed to regain a bit of their usual clarity.
Recalling what she had seen during the day, she momentarily couldn’t distinguish between dream, reality, and imagination.
So, she hesitated for a moment before getting out of bed, avoiding the sleeping female attendants on guard, and slipped outside barefoot, pushing open the courtyard gate to leave.
Once outside, she hurried toward the wall of the courtyard.
With the faint morning light, she could clearly see the hidden symbols drawn on the wall.
It was real!
Not a dream!
These marks were unmistakably the ones the Crown Prince used!
Yu Xue reached out trembling to touch the pattern, her expression shifting rapidly, and then she suddenly began to frantically rub it away with her palm.
Her hand quickly became chafed, blood seeping out, and finally, the pattern disappeared from her sight.
But it only vanished from her view—
Yu Xue’s eyes were filled with fear and unease, the momentary clarity gone, and she suddenly turned and ran back into the courtyard: “No, it’s all fake, all fake!”
As the female attendants were roused, the small courtyard of Princess Chongyue's residence was thrown back into chaos.
At the same time in the General's residence, Chang Suining had arrived punctually at the training grounds.
Today was the day she was supposed to head to the Guozijian, but she still came to the training grounds.
Chu Xing felt both pleased and reluctant, repeatedly reminding Chang Suining that while studying was important, she must not neglect her martial training.
“Don’t worry, Uncle Chu, I’m not going to be a serious student. I can come back whenever I want—”
Upon hearing this, Chu Xing seized the opportunity to propose his idea, wanting to finalize the arrangement: “In that case, how about you come back for two days every three days?”
Chu Xing wore a look that clearly said, “Isn’t this a reasonable request, Uncle?”
Chang Suining thought for a moment. Although she felt this proposal would seal her fate in front of Qiao Yang as someone who “fishes for three days and dries the nets for two,” she still nodded: “Alright, I’ll listen to Uncle Chu.”
She initially planned to do just that.
Chu Xing felt increasingly gratified and personally prepared a cart of luggage for Chang Suining—everything from a punching bag to a bottle of medicinal oil, quite meticulous.
Today, Chang Sui'an didn’t go to the martial arts field but waited early at the gate to see her sister off to the National Academy.
The moment the sister appeared, the originally dazed young man quickly put on a smiling face and cheerfully urged, “Ning Ning, let’s set off quickly!”
He forced a smile all the way, properly sending her to the National Academy, and it wasn’t until he was on his way back that a hint of tears welled up in his eyes.
Upon returning home, he shut the door and locked himself inside.
The Sword Boy outside felt helpless and advised through the door, “...The lady is just going out to study, and she’ll be back in a few days. Why is the young master so upset?”
“What do you know? You don’t have a sister...” The boy’s choked voice came from inside.
“Though I don’t have a sister, I have an elder sister. Last year, when my sister got married, I was quite unhappy, and didn’t you advise me back then?”
Sitting against the door, Chang Sui'an was crying, speaking quite frankly, “Anyone can say such cold comfort.”
“Then I’m really curious about how you’ll handle it when the lady gets married in the future,” the Sword Boy asked.
Hearing this extremely dreadful topic, the young man trembled, feeling immense pain: “Then I’ll just die, wuwuwu…”
The Sword Boy: “...”
Well, when the young master advised him, he had a whole set of rhetoric, but when it was his turn, he could only put a noose around his own neck.
The Sword Boy could only suggest, “Then why don’t you... cry it out, young master? Let it all out to avoid choking yourself. I won’t go anywhere; I’ll stay right here with you.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Chang Sui'an responded.
Hearing the somewhat deafening cries, the Sword Boy quietly tiptoed away.
...
The next day, Cui Jing returned from the palace to Xuanzhe Manor and unexpectedly saw Ah Dian.
“Senior, back again to get something?”
Ah Dian, following him, looked somewhat dejected: “No, Little A Li went to study with Strategist Qiao. She only returns every three days. They wouldn’t allow me to go with her, so I had to come back to play with you guys.”
Cui Jing: “Studying? Going to the National Academy?”
Ah Dian nodded: “Little A Li said she has taken Strategist Qiao as her teacher.”
Cui Yuanxiang was surprised and regretful: “How did Miss Chang come up with the idea to study?”
That day, he had seen Miss Chang skillfully fighting against his family’s commander in the water; she was clearly a martial arts expert. Going to study, wouldn’t that be a waste of talent?
He could take the unwanted martial arts talent!
Ah Dian said, “Little A Li said she’s going to study to become a high-ranking official in the future.”
A high-ranking official?
Cui Jing couldn’t help but laugh: “What rank does she want to achieve?”
“A very high one! She said only then could she handle all the troubles I cause in the future!” Thinking of this promise, Ah Dian’s disappointment finally faded, and he added, “It’s probably a rank as high as His Highness.”
Cui Yuanxiang hurriedly covered his mouth: “General Dian, you can’t say that!”
The former crown prince is the heir! That’s a sure way to lose your head!
Cui Jing didn’t seem nervous, his expression remained calm as he looked ahead.
Once again, she claimed she would pick up the sword and now sought to study under Scholar Qiao to become a high-ranking official—could she manage it all?
On the other side, Qiao Yubai expressed the same doubts.
“Ning Ning... why did you bring these over?” Looking at the small martial arts arena quickly set up by Xi’er, Qiao Yubai was surprised: “You want to study, practice martial arts, and learn fishing from Father—can you really manage all that?”
Chang Suining: “Studying is just sitting and passing the time; fishing and resting are not much different. As for practicing martial arts, it’s just to strengthen the body and move the muscles. None of these counts as studying.”
Qiao Yubai: “...”
He didn’t understand, but he was amazed.
There actually existed someone who could learn without even considering it learning!
“Ning Ning, big brother, it’s time for dinner,” came Qiao Yumian’s cheerful voice from the corridor.
Chang Suining replied and walked over with Qiao Yubai.
Qiao Yumian linked her arm with Chang Suining, her eyes filled with joy.
Her personality was reserved and gentle, and though she had never spoken of loneliness, being a young girl herself, having a peer sister around made her exceptionally happy.
Dinner was personally prepared by Wang shi, who had been busy for half the day.
Scholar Qiao had finished his official business and now poured himself a cup of leisure wine, smiling as he waved to the children to sit down: “Today is Ning Ning’s first day moving in with us, so I specifically asked your mother to prepare a feast to celebrate—”
Wang shi snorted coldly at her husband—when did he ever ask?
Faced with his wife’s scornful laugh, Scholar Qiao chose to be selectively deaf and continued to take credit: “The cooking is your mother’s, but all the top-quality ingredients were prepared by me!”
Hearing the words “top-quality ingredients,” the newly seated Chang Suining looked over curiously.
Qiao Yubai wanted to say to her—don’t be curious, it’s pointless.
Sure enough, Chang Suining quickly fell silent.
On the table, there were six dishes, four of which were—old tofu stewed fish soup, steamed big fish, fried small fish, and pan-fried fish cakes.
“Come, Ning Ning, try it!” Scholar Qiao urged Chang Suining to start eating.
Chang Suining nodded.
The fish was indeed delicious.
She figured she wouldn’t be here for long before witnessing a hundred different ways to prepare fish, no, ways to eat them.
On the way back from the dining hall after dinner, Chang Suining quietly asked, “Has there been any progress on what I entrust you with?”
(End of this chapter)
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