Chapter 149: Hello Chang’an
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Chapter 149: Unwilling to Offend Her
March 25, 2023
The roar of anger came from Ming Jin.
He had been injured and was struggling to get up, having just watched helplessly as Liuhuo went out of control, then watched as Chang Suining subdued it, with both the horse and rider completely unharmed. This only made his anger flare even more.
Why was he the only one hurt?
But since the Chang siblings had no direct involvement in this matter, he could only direct all his fury at the warhorse that had thrown him off—the former crown prince's steed.
He shouted that he would kill Liuhuo and skin it.
Liuhuo, now reunited with its master, was calm and relaxed. Had it not been for the dignified image of the warhorse and its professional conduct, it would have happily rolled around on the ground.
As for Ming Jin's threats, Liuhuo paid them no mind.
It didn’t need to.
"Liuhuo is a warhorse of my Xuanzhe," Cui Jing said, looking at Ming Jin, who was half-sitting on the ground, supported by a servant. His tone was cold. "I had it placed here, and without permission, the Young Master Ming has no right to take action against it."
His words were harsh.
It was well-known that Cui Jing, the Grand General of Xuanzhe, was blunt in his speech, but even so, his tone now was rare—almost as though his boundaries had been crossed.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense, and everyone fell silent. The young men who had been surrounding Ming Jin now dared not speak in his defense.
Although they usually acted arrogantly, they knew their limits—Cui Jing came from the Cui family, held military power over Xuanzhe Army, and had earned real merit. He was not someone they could afford to offend.
Thus, even though Ming Jin was in intense pain, he gritted his teeth and responded: "Grand General Cui, what great authority you have. But what is Xuanzhe Army’s property? It’s just an animal! Am I not allowed to deal with it?"
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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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"It is called Liuhuo, and it is the former crown prince’s warhorse. It has earned significant military merit for Da Sheng Dynasty. Not only are you, Young Master Ming, incapable of dealing with it, but even ordinary officials cannot compare to it."
Cui Jing looked at Ming Jin. "Therefore, not only can you not deal with it, but you must also face the consequences for acting against it today."
"You..." Ming Jin was trembling with rage. Was Cui Jing insulting him, saying that he was inferior to this animal?
"Ah, I understand!" Chang Sui'an suddenly exclaimed, admiringly looking at Liuhuo. "So it is the first-class hoofed guard from the former crown prince’s army!"
Everyone: "...?"
The former crown prince's army... actually had such a position?
"So it holds an official title!" Chang Sui'an continued. "Naturally, it’s not something anyone can just ride or harm!"
"Shut the hell up!" Ming Jin angrily cursed. "Today, I’ll skin it no matter what. Let’s see who dares stop me!"
Cui Jing did not spare him another glance. He simply extended his hand toward Chang Suining. "Give it to me."
Chang Suining did not hesitate and handed over the reins.
If anyone could truly protect Liuhuo right now, it was Cui Jing.
At present, she, Chang Suining, had no real connection to Liuhuo. She didn’t have the same position or power as Cui Jing.
As Cui Jing took the reins, he noticed the bloodstains on the young girl’s palm.
But she seemed unaware.
Cui Jing handed the reins to Cui Yuanxiang. "Take it back to the stable and have someone watch it closely. No one is to approach without my permission."
Liuhuo had its own stable in the Furong Garden, where it lived with two other horses.
"Yes."
Cui Yuanxiang took the reins and tried to lead Liuhuo away, but despite a tug, Liuhuo refused to move.
Cui Yuanxiang froze in surprise.
What was wrong with Liuhuo?
"Go back," Chang Suining said calmly, reaching out to gently pat Liuhuo's neck. She made sure her actions and tone sounded polite, not affectionate. "I will visit you often."
Liuhuo’s ears twitched—one moved forward, the other pricked back.
This was its reaction when it felt confused.
Its master's tone seemed odd.
After all, it was Liuhuo!
It wasn’t some strange horse from outside!
Chang Suining calmly looked away, pretending not to notice its puzzled ears.
Fortunately, Liuhuo had always obeyed her words. Though it didn't understand what its master was saying, it still followed her command.
Liuhuo followed Cui Yuanxiang, occasionally glancing back.
As the horse was led away, Ming Jin’s shouts grew louder.
But no one paid him any mind.
Chang Sui'an looked toward the retreating Liuhuo and said, "Ning Ning, have you noticed? It seems really fond of you!"
Chang Suining replied, "...Well, I’ve always had a natural talent for horsemanship."
She wore an expression that said, "Of course, it’s only natural for a horse to favor someone as talented as me."
Chang Sui'an was easily persuaded by her confidence.
Standing next to Chang Suining, Yao Xia was completely captivated. She remained silent, gazing up at the Chang family sister with admiration.
As for Ming Jin's increasingly frantic shouting, they ignored him completely.
The more Ming Jin shouted, the angrier he became—was no one going to listen to him?
Then, at last, someone responded to him.
"I say, you really don’t know right from wrong. Clearly, you were trying to drive the horse to charge into Sui'an earlier, but because your horsemanship is poor, you got thrown off. Now you're blaming the horse general?!"
Ming Jin looked up, his lips twitching. It was another person with the surname Cui!
He was about to retort when he saw Cui Lang point toward Chang Miao, who was standing nearby. "And speaking of injuries, those are from his horse stepping on you. Why can't you even sort out your own account?"
This remark reminded Ming Jin of something.
He stared fixedly at Chang Miao.
That's right—the mad horse that had thrown him off deserved to die, but his injury... that had been caused by Chang Miao’s useless horse...
"Cousin, I...," Chang Miao, whose nose was still bleeding, turned pale. "I really didn’t mean to!"
Who would have known that the horse’s hoof seemed to have eyes, stepping right on the wrong spot...
Fearful, Chang Miao instinctively glanced toward Ming Jin's groin.
At that, Ming Jin blushed with both anger and shame. He immediately gripped a servant and tried to get up to beat Chang Miao.
But as soon as he moved, the pain flared up again, and the excruciating sensation caused him to let out another wail that sounded like a pig being slaughtered.
"Young Master!"
"Why are you still standing there? Quickly, help your cousin to see the Physician!"
After a chaotic moment, Ming Jin’s incessant screams were soon silenced as he was carried away from the scene.
The supporters of Ming Jin also quickly departed.
“That Lady Chang... she really seems to have true skill. Just watching how she controlled the warhorse earlier shows she's no amateur with flowery moves!”
She had the kind of hands that could control even such a fierce warhorse. If she were to make a fist and strike, it would surely hurt!
They now realized how Ming Jin must have gotten beaten before!
Though, their cheering earlier... they didn’t really make much noise, did they?
Those with smaller courage now felt uneasy, quickly walking away without daring to look back, fearing they might be singled out.
Finally, the surroundings quieted down. Chang Suining turned to Chang Sui'an and asked, "Brother, do you think agreeing to a horse race with Ming Jin was a bit impulsive?"
"Yes," Chang Sui'an admitted, "I was too hot-headed, reacting to his provocation. I thought as long as I checked the horses and they hadn’t been tampered with, there wouldn’t be other issues... If it weren’t for the exceptional instincts of the former crown prince’s steed, I’d probably be facing a bloodbath today."
He didn’t make excuses but sincerely promised, “I was wrong, and it won’t happen again.”
Chang Suining nodded. "If you can think like this, then today's events won't be entirely bad."
If this experience helped him become more cautious, he’d avoid much trouble in the future.
As Chang Sui'an continued to reflect, the heir of the Prince Rong arrived with the company of his servants.
"Thank you, Lady Chang, for saving my life," Prince Rong's heir said with a bow, holding the cloak that Chang Suining had dropped earlier.
Cui Jing looked over.
Xi’er stepped forward, bowing and taking the cloak from him.
Chang Suining replied, "It was just a small effort, no need to thank me."
"Not just a small effort," Prince Rong's heir said, gazing at the young woman before him with gratitude in his eyes. "In such a dangerous situation, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Lady Chang risked her life to save me..."
Chang Suining was silent.
That wasn’t quite the case.
She had confidence in her horse, so there wasn’t any real danger to her life.
Liuhuo had only lost control after hearing her whistle, and she had only acted to ensure innocent lives weren't harmed.
Looking at the young man’s face, which resembled her uncle, she said, "Your Highness looks unwell. You should see a physician as soon as possible."
She recalled that last time at Dayun Temple, he had suffered from a breathing condition after being startled.
"Thank you, Lady Chang." Li Lu bowed again. "I will report your kindness to Holy Emperor and make sure to visit you to express my gratitude when I return to the city."
Chang Suining politely declined, "No need to trouble yourself."
Li Lu didn’t argue, instead nodded to Cui Jing and the others before leaving with his servants.
The group also exited the horse grounds.
Yao Xia went to find her older brother, Yao Gui, while Cui Lang pulled Chang Sui'an aside for a conversation, leaving Chang Suining to walk ahead with Cui Jing.
"...Since it’s the former crown prince’s warhorse, why is it here in Furong Garden?" Chang Suining asked casually.
"It used to be kept at Xuanzhe Manor," Cui Jing explained. "But since Xuanzhe Manor is primarily an office, it’s a bit cramped for housing horses. Since Liuhuo no longer needs to go to battle, I decided to bring it here to Furong Garden to settle it down."
Furong Garden’s horse grounds were spacious with large fields, making it a good place for Liuhuo to retire.
Chang Suining understood.
So when Ah Dian mentioned, "Liuhuo is no longer here," it only meant that Liuhuo wasn’t at Xuanzhe Manor anymore?
That silly had made her think that Liuhuo had passed away.
Cui Jing continued, "Over the years, Liuhuo has been living comfortably here. It now has a wife and a child living with it, and no one bothers it."
Chang Suining was taken aback. "What?"
She was surprised to hear that Liuhuo had even married and had children. With that in mind, she realized she had missed both Liuhuo’s wedding and the celebration of its offspring’s first month.
She instinctively glanced at the young man beside her.
He had settled even a horse from Xuanzhe Manor so carefully, and even arranged a marriage for Liuhuo, treating the horse with such care and respect.
Looking at it from this perspective, entrusting the Xuanzhe Army to such a person was indeed a great choice. It was a good end for the army, and even if she had died, she could now rest in peace, knowing that it was in good hands.
Chang Suining couldn’t help but speak from the heart, "General Cui, you truly are a good person."
Cui Jing, surprised by such a direct compliment, responded simply, "...Really?"
It was the first time he had received such a straightforward compliment, and he felt a bit uncomfortable.
Trying to change the subject, he asked, "…Liuhuo is no ordinary horse. Were you not afraid earlier?"
Chang Suining shook her head.
If she claimed she was afraid at that moment, it would be a bit too fake.
Cui Jing looked ahead. "Last time at Dayun Temple, when faced with the mad elephant, you didn’t seem afraid either..."
"When it’s right in front of you, there’s nothing to fear," Chang Suining said casually, looking down the path. "Fear itself can be scared. When you run towards it, it runs away in panic."
Cui Jing's thick eyelashes twitched slightly.
So, she wasn’t fearless by nature. She had triumphed in confronting her fear.
But when she first faced fear, before she knew that fear would flee when confronted, what kind of mentality did she have when she ran toward it?
He pondered many things.
In fact, an unspoken secret thought had begun to form in his mind...
For the first time in over twenty years of his life, something deep inside him was stirred in a way that had never happened before. The first spark of that unrealistic fantasy ignited on the snowy plains.
But for some reason, he chose not to press further with his speculation at that moment.
Perhaps he wasn’t ready to verify it, or perhaps... he didn’t want to offend her.
No matter what, he stayed silent.
After walking for a while, with a cool breeze brushing their faces, he asked, "Do you have any intentions of becoming the Crown Princess?"
He asked directly, and Chang Suining answered equally plainly, "I have no such intention."
Cui Jing nodded, "Good."
Now he understood.
Just as she was about to speak further, a servant of Chang Kuo approached them.
The servant had come to inquire about the events at the horse arena, and upon confirming that the siblings were unharmed, he then said, "...The General requests your presence, Miss."
"Let’s go together," Cui Jing said.
At this point, it was obvious why General Chang had called for them to speak.
Chang Suining nodded.
It was always a good thing to discuss matters with reliable people present.
When they arrived at Chang Kuo’s temporary residence, Chang Suining was surprised to see that Minister Yao was also there.
As soon as Cui Jing and Chang Suining entered, Yao Yi’s gaze landed on them—Why was General Cui here too?
Cui Jing returned the look—Why was Minister Yao here?
A moment later, both men turned their attention to Chang Kuo.
The two men's gazes seemed to convey a mutual hesitation—each of them thinking the other might not be suitable to participate in the upcoming conversation.
"...?" Chang Kuo paused for a moment in surprise, then smiled and said, "We're all not strangers here, let's sit down and talk!"
He had known Cui Jing for many years, and as for Minister Yao, well, despite Yao's persistence in sticking around for the past half-year, Chang Suining also seemed to have developed a certain trust and camaraderie with him. They had managed to form some level of connection, however unusual it might have seemed.
Minister Yao didn't share the same view.
Now the whole capital knew that he could be considered something of a father figure to the daughters of the Chang family, yet this standoffish and conspicuous General Cui, who was not one for pleasantries, being considered "not a stranger" was a bit of a head-scratcher for him.
But since the head of the family had given his approval, Yao, as the "outside" figure, had no place to protest.
The group then sat down to talk.
Before they got into the main subject, Cui Jing spoke first. His tone seemed casual, but there was clearly some deliberation behind it.
"Let's take care of that wound first."
Chang Suining paused for a moment—what wound?
"...?" Cui Jing, realizing there was no other way to bring it up, looked at her hand.
Chang Suining looked down and noticed what he meant. Ah, that was just a minor scrape.
It was then that Chang Kuo and Yao Yi noticed the injury on her hand. They immediately had Xi'er fetch some medicine to treat it.
The three men watched as Xi'er applied the medicine to Chang Suining's wound, and Minister Yao even leaned in to scrutinize it. "…It won’t leave a scar, will it? Will it interfere with your writing in the future? Should we call for a Physician to check it?"
Xi'er felt the pressure mounting.
Chang Suining, though, wasn’t too bothered by it.
Once the ointment was applied, she let out a relieved breath. "…Alright, let’s discuss the business now."
Cui Jing turned his attention to Chang Kuo and Yao Yi.
He wanted to first hear if the two of them had any better strategies in mind before deciding whether or not to speak up himself.
And with that, the conversation moved on to more pressing matters.
Good night, everyone~
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