Chapter 127: Hello Chang’an
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Chapter 127: Summoned by the holy Emperor
“The painting is certainly an excellent piece, but Luo’er wouldn’t dare to speak recklessly,” Ming Luo replied. “However, based on Grand Tutor Zhu’s assessment, there is indeed a faint resemblance.”
She knew precisely how similar it was, but as she had said, it wasn’t her place to speak out of turn.
Without raising her head to observe the holy Emperor’s expression, she simply heard her inquire, “I hear the painting is currently displayed at Dengtai Pavilion?”
“Indeed, it is.”
The holy Emperor seemed to deliberate for a moment but ultimately said, “Very well, let it be.”
Ming Luo felt a sense of relief wash over her.
Having the painting on display at Dengtai Pavilion had its pros and cons. The main advantage, though, was that it quelled her aunt’s idea of retrieving it to view in the palace.
At this moment, a palace maid entered to announce, “Your Majesty, Attendant Yu requests an audience.”
The holy Emperor nodded, signaling to let him in.
Ming Luo retreated to one side, silently accepting that the discussion about Chang Suining had reached its end.
Yu Zeng entered with a list, which he presented respectfully after bowing. “Here is a list of officials recently advocating for the early selection of a crown princess. Please review it, Your Majesty.”
The holy Emperor glanced over the document, her face reflecting a hint of the expected.
The list was mainly composed of officials from noble families, with names like Cui, Zheng, and Zhang leading the way.
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This novel is translated by the Eternal Novel Hits translators. Please read it at https://eternalnovelhits.blogspot.com
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Despite the incident involving the Pei family, these officials hadn’t truly backed down. First, they had clashed with her repeatedly over the position of Minister of Rites, finally compromising by nominating Grand Tutor Zhu to resolve the matter. Now, they were pressing for the early selection of a crown princess for the Crown Prince…
Crown Prince Li Zhi was only thirteen, so there was no urgency for a crown princess. This was ultimately a means of reminding her—and every faction—that the Crown Prince was now grown and that it was time for her to return power. They sought to use this call as a rallying signal to consolidate their influence.
Closing the list, the holy Emperor refrained from further comment, instead giving Yu Zeng additional instructions on other matters.
Yu Zeng acknowledged each order.
Ming Luo took the freshly prepared tea from a palace maid and approached the holy Emperor’s desk, pouring her a cup of hot tea.
As the steam rose from the teacup, the holy Emperor turned to Yu Zeng casually. “Before you arrived, I was discussing with Gu’an about the young lady from the Chang family.”
Having served the holy Emperor for many years, Yu Zeng was occasionally privy to topics outside the realm of state affairs.
Ming Luo gently set down the teapot, keeping her gaze lowered as she stood behind the holy Emperor.
“Do you mean the events at Dengtai Pavilion yesterday, Your Majesty?” Yu Zeng smiled slightly. “I heard about it as well.”
“She managed to organize the poetry gathering and even controlled the sudden chaos,” the holy Emperor commented.
Ming Luo’s eyelashes twitched slightly.
Yu Zeng replied, “Your Majesty is too kind—she’s just a child who enjoys the liveliness, and she was merely fortunate.”
The holy Emperor gave a rare smile. “It seems you see her as one of your own, knowing to speak modestly on her behalf.”
Then she added, “Now, this child was brought back by Ah Xiao, wasn’t she? Do we know her exact origins?”
“As His Highness once mentioned, she was just an ordinary girl from a poor family. Orphaned young, he found her pitiful and brought her back to the capital.”
The holy Emperor nodded thoughtfully. “Ah Xiao was compassionate. While on his campaigns, he saved many orphans. But… of all those he saved, she was the only one he arranged to be cared for in such a way.”
“Yes,” Yu Zeng explained. “The others were often placed in camps to learn basic skills, but Sui Ning was very young when she was brought back, barely able to walk, and she was also a girl. So she was kept at Xuanzhe Manor. She was a charming child, always clinging to His Highness, and he was quite fond of her, even giving her a name. As a result, both I and General Chang took special care of her.”
“Later… when His Highness passed, he left instructions to care for her well.” Yu Zeng paused before continuing, “Following his wishes, General Chang and I grew used to keeping her close by and gradually came to view her as our own.”
The holy Emperor seemed moved. “Meeting Ah Xiao was her blessing.”
She said, “Have her come to the palace tomorrow. I’d like to meet her.”
Yu Zeng replied, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
A trace of faint irony flashed in Ming Luo’s eyes.
So, she wasn’t wrong—the girl had indeed been exceptionally fortunate.
From start to finish, everything the girl possessed was granted simply because the former crown prince had taken a liking to her—an affection that effortlessly secured her this life, including the holy Emperor’s attention now.
...
Having only gone to bed near dawn, Chang Suining took a nap during the day, then went to the training ground at dusk.
Xi’er had checked on the two little beggars they’d brought back the night before.
After a thorough wash, their hair was combed neatly and bundled up, and they’d been dressed in clean clothes. Although their malnourished complexions couldn’t be remedied overnight, they already looked like different people.
Xi’er nodded approvingly, then glanced at their tattered old clothes, saying, “The lady instructed to keep your original clothes—you might need them later.”
The two boys felt a nervous flutter in their chests.
Was this… a warning that if they didn’t perform well, they’d be thrown out in those rags?
Unaware of their anxious thoughts, Xi’er said, “Come with me.”
The boys hurried after her.
Xi’er led them to the training ground.
Chu Xing, who had been briefed by Chang Suining, took one look at the boys’ small, scrawny figures and simply instructed, “Just run two laps today.”
The boys didn’t understand. Was this some kind of test?
Terrified of being thrown out for running too slowly, they bolted around the track, completing two laps at top speed before returning to Chu Xing and Chang Suining.
“My lady, we’re very fast runners!”
“Yes! If there were a dog chasing us, we’d run even faster!”
“I can run the whole length of Vermilion Bird Street in one go!”
Chu Xing: “…” Well, they certainly have potential.
Seeing the two children, sweating and eyes full of eagerness for approval, fearful of abandonment, Chang Suining smiled at them and nodded. “Very good.”
She then called over Ah Che.
“This is Ah Che; he’s around your age. Starting today, you two will follow Ah Che. Come here every morning to train, and the rest of the time, just do whatever Ah Che does.”
The two boys nodded obediently and looked at Ah Che with respect.
Ah Che suddenly felt a bit nervous—was the lady entrusting him with newcomers? He felt a pang of anxiety but tried to appear as seasoned and composed as possible in the face of their gazes. “What are your names?”
The two boys shook their heads in unison.
As unwanted orphans, they didn’t have real names—just a couple of nicknames, nothing formal.
Chang Suining, experienced with such situations, knew it was time to test her naming skills once again.
“You will be Xiao Duan,” she said to one boy.
She turned to the other. “And you will be Xiao Wu.”
“Perfect!” Chang Sui'an, who had just finished a round of sword drills, walked over, wiping his sweat and marveling, “Simple yet meaningful!”
Chang Suining: “…”
There isn’t *that* much meaning behind it.
Chang Sui'an, with a look of admiration that suggested he wanted the names for himself, made the two boys even more flattered. They promptly knelt and thanked Chang Suining.
They then left the training ground, trailing behind Ah Che.
On the way, Ah Che, trying to seem seasoned, asked them a few questions. When the boys responded eagerly and obediently, Ah Che felt more at ease.
But he quickly discovered that being overly obedient and eager to please could be a problem too.
The two boys took the lady’s words—"just do whatever Ah Che does"—a bit too literally, completely lacking even the most basic sense of personal boundaries.
“I just got up to use the restroom… you don’t need to follow me for that too!” Ah Che’s panicked voice echoed from his room that night.
...
The next morning, Chang Suining resumed her habit of early morning training at the martial grounds.
Just after she dismounted her donkey and handed her bow to Xi’er, Ah Zhi came over with a message from holy emperor: someone from the palace had arrived with an imperial order summoning her to the court.
Chang Suining paused briefly as she wiped away her sweat, though her expression remained unchanged. “Very well. I’ll return to change.”
While she seemed calm, Xi’er couldn’t help but feel anxious.
This was the lady’s first time entering the palace! And the holy Emperor herself had summoned her…
Xi’er followed her mistress back to her quarters, helping her bathe, change, and then arranging her hair.
“No need to worry,” Chang Suining reassured the young maid, sensing her apprehension. “Once I reach the gates of the inner palace, palace attendants will stop you. You won’t be coming with me to meet the holy Emperor.”
As the daughter of an official without any noble title or rank, she wasn’t permitted to bring her personal maid into the palace.
Xi’er paused, looking dazed for a moment before her concern deepened. “But, my lady, going alone…”
Chang Suining interrupted, “I’m not going to a fight.”
With that, she casually picked up a golden hairpin adorned with southern pearls, fastening it herself. “Let’s go.”
The holy Emperor’s sudden decision to see her was undoubtedly due to the events at Dengtai Tower.
But Madam Jie’s errors were clear for all to see; no matter what the holy Emperor thought of her, she wouldn’t openly act against her. If the holy Emperor’s interest was merely piqued by her “imitation” of Princess Chongyue’s style, there was no reason for concern. She would simply respond as the situation demanded.
Chang Kuo personally escorted his daughter to the carriage, giving her a few quiet words of reassurance before watching as she set off for the palace.
The carriage traveled uninterrupted.
Chang Suining stepped down from the carriage, looking up at the grand and imposing imperial palace.
In this new life, both the palace and the holy Emperor were unavoidable—one might even say she had chosen not to avoid them.
The young woman took a step over the palace threshold, her skirt brushing lightly over the vermillion threshold.
Inside the palace gates, a eunuch awaited her.
The eunuch led her to the Ganlu Hall. When they were alone, he leaned in and said softly, “Head Yu asked me to remind you of a few things…”
Chang Suining walked forward without turning her head. “Please, go ahead.”
“There’s no need to be nervous, Lady Chang. When you meet the holy Emperor, simply observe the proper etiquette. Speak sparingly, look sparingly, ask sparingly, and just answer what’s asked.”
Chang Suining nodded.
“Also…” the eunuch lowered his voice further, “it’s scorching today, and after walking all this way, it’s only natural that one might feel hot-tempered. But remember to stay calm. Don’t get into any quarrels, and above all, don’t get physical with anyone… Head Yu mentioned that he’s tied up with court affairs today, so if you end up in a fight, he might not be able to get there in time.”
Chang Suining: “…”
Knowing Yu Zheng, his original words were unlikely to have been this polite.
He was certainly overthinking her mere palace visit.
The sun blazed down, and she walked briskly along the shaded path by the palace wall. Soon, the Ganlu Hall came into view.
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