Chapter 196: Hello Chang’an
Chapter 196: A Double Dose of Humor
This note was secretly slipped to her earlier today by Wei Miaoqing when no one was watching.
It contained Wei Shuyi's handwriting, with just two brief lines:
"The Emperor harbors doubts and does not permit the case to be hastily concluded by the Three Judicial Offices. Investigations have already been ordered in secret. Stay at ease."
Reading it again, Chang Suining glanced at the gradually fading darkness in the east.
The Emperor's refusal to allow a rushed conclusion and her order for a covert investigation stemmed from her unwillingness to be deceived or to tolerate any matters beyond her control.
If the true culprit were someone else, she might hold onto a glimmer of hope.
But once the holy Emperor learned that the case was tied to the Ming family, would justice truly be served?
Wei Shuyi could offer such words of reassurance because he had no inkling that the true culprit was most likely Ming Jin.
But she knew. And after tonight's events with Feng Min, she was ninety percent certain.
Thus, she could not and would not “stay at ease.”
Regardless of the cost or means, this time, she would make sure Ming Jin paid with his life.
---
About a quarter-hour later, the door behind her creaked open, and Chang Suining turned around.
It was Xi'er who stepped out.
“How is she?” Chang Suining asked.
“Lady, the wound has been treated and bandaged, and the bleeding has stopped,” Xi'er replied. “But as for her condition, Physician Sun hasn’t said.”
Since the moment the injured had been brought here, Physician Sun hadn’t uttered a single word.
If others were known for being frugal with words, then Physician Sun was practically miserly, as if speaking even one extra syllable would cost him his life.
Over the past few days of interacting with him, Xi'er, who had never left the capital, often wanted to ask: In your hometown, if someone speaks recklessly, how many years in prison does the government usually sentence them to? Do locals have an annual word limit?
Chang Suining entered the room and asked directly, “Physician Sun, may I ask if she can be saved?”
In a low voice, Physician Sun replied, “The wound is near her back, and I have a seventy percent chance of saving her. The remaining thirty percent depends on her waking up.”
Chang Suining exhaled slightly in relief. “Thank you, Physician Sun.”
Physician Sun, with his freshly washed hands clenched uneasily, paused before gesturing toward the guest room across the way. “...Perhaps it would be better to settle her there.”
That way, he could more conveniently tend to her.
Chang Suining expressed her gratitude once more.
Xi'er, standing by, chimed in with praise: “Physician Sun is so averse to being disturbed, yet he still took the initiative to suggest keeping the injured here. Truly a testament to his benevolent heart as a healer!”
The lady had gone to great lengths to invite him here, so a few words of flattery to maintain goodwill surely wouldn’t hurt.
Physician Sun looked slightly embarrassed.
That compliment, however, was quite the opposite of reality...
First, the unconscious patient wasn’t capable of disturbing him at all.
Second, the reason he chose to keep her here was precisely to avoid others coming to bother him about her survival. Otherwise, his nerves would be perpetually on edge, and he wouldn’t be able to do anything at all.
---
Once Feng Min had been settled, Chang Suining left the guest courtyard, instructing Chang Ren to ensure the area was well-guarded.
Feng Min was now a critical witness.
Even if her testimony alone lacked weight and the Ming family could easily dismiss it as baseless accusations, who could say for certain that she didn’t hold other evidence in her possession?
Even in the worst-case scenario, if she was a collaborator, she would surely know many insider details, which could advance the case significantly.
But all of that depended on Feng Min waking up first.
Fortunately, her life had been preserved.
Chang Suining glanced back at the receding guest courtyard.
Physician Sun, though sparse with his words, was cautious. Since he claimed a seventy percent chance of saving her, Feng Min’s survival seemed likely.
Today’s events also confirmed a previous suspicion—when “she” had encountered Physician Sun years ago, he had claimed to only specialize in eye diseases and to know nothing about other injuries or illnesses. That, it turned out, had merely been an excuse to avoid attention.
Lost in thought, Chang Suining turned her head when a sudden rush of wind grazed her ear from the side.
“Watch out, my lady!” Chang Ren immediately shouted.
Chang Suining shifted her body to dodge and swiftly grabbed the arm of the shadow attacking her.
In the thin night light, the masked figure moved swiftly, his strength immense. His other hand immediately struck toward her.
Chang Suining quickly dodged. Using the arm she held onto for leverage, her other hand grasped his shoulder. With a swift motion, she vaulted behind him and, in the next instant, locked her grip around his neck.
"You’ve lost," she declared.
The masked figure, intentionally lowering his voice, asked, "Then guess who I am!"
"…The winner gets to make others guess," Chang Suining replied as she released his neck and pulled down the cloth covering his face. "And you’ve lost."
"That’s because I was going easy on you!" said Ah Dian, dressed in his night suit, as he turned around earnestly. "I didn’t want to hurt you!"
Chang Suining smiled at him. "I know."
Hearing this, Ah Dian grinned broadly and boasted in a low voice, "I even climbed back over the wall this time!"
Chang Suining nodded. "How did the mission go?"
"All cleaned up! I made sure it was spotless!" Ah Dian exclaimed, pulling over another black-clad companion who had been following behind. "Xiao Ah Li, tell her! Back me up!"
He and another of Chang Ren’s men had been tasked with tonight’s support and cleanup operations.
The companion affirmed, "General Ah Dian left no trace of where he passed tonight."
"See?" Ah Dian said proudly. Then, turning to Chang Ren, he added, "Why’d it stop so quickly? I didn’t even get to finish cleaning! Why didn’t it drip a little more?"
Chang Ren: "…"
Such innocent, childlike words, yet they spoke of something that could send shivers down one’s spine.
He wanted to humor the kid and let him wipe a bit more, but if things kept "dripping," he might end up carrying back a dried-out corpse.
Ah Dian, oblivious, felt he hadn’t done enough and asked excitedly, "Xiao Ah Li, next time there’s something like this, remember to call me!"
Chang Suining nodded in agreement.
Satisfied, Ah Dian accompanied her back, chattering incessantly, his spirits particularly high.
"Xiao Ah Li, I’m useful, aren’t I?" he asked eagerly, like a child finally able to prove his worth. "Didn’t I tell you before? His Highness always says I’m great. You believe me now, right?"
Chang Suining nodded. "I’ve always believed you. Ah Dian is a smart, capable, and diligent boy."
Hearing this affirmation, Ah Dian couldn’t hide his joy. He began skipping as he walked. "…His Highness said that too!"
"Hmm… His Highness has a good eye for talent," Chang Suining added with a touch of self-praise. "Otherwise, how could he have singled you out the first time he saw you?"
"You know that?" Ah Dian asked in surprise. "Then do you know how many people His Highness picked me out from?"
Chang Suining played along and shook her head. "That, I haven’t heard."
Ah Dian immediately spread his hands wide, his ten fingers splayed, and his bright, innocent eyes opened even wider. "Ten people!"
Chang Suining gave a soft “Wow.” "That many?"
"Yes!" Ah Dian nodded enthusiastically. "I was the tallest! The strongest!"
But the other boys his age weren’t intimidated by his height. They kept their distance and threw stones and mud at him, calling him a useless fool.
Thinking of this, Ah Dian’s brows drooped sadly for a moment, but soon his expression cleared, as though sunshine broke through the clouds.
After all, His Highness had said he was a smart, capable, and diligent boy!
That day, His Highness said he could only take one person.
Ah Dian hadn’t thought he’d be chosen but kept his eyes fixed on the armored youth holding the reins of a warhorse. That armor was so cool! If I had armor like that, those stones wouldn’t hurt me anymore!
The youth’s selection method was unique. He didn’t ask any questions. Instead, he pointed at each of them in turn, chanting slowly:
"Soldiers lined up, ready for war, who’ll be chosen, come along with me. If you won’t go, then you’re a little dog."
When the final word landed, the youth’s finger pointed directly at him.
"I’m not a little dog!" Ah Dian had hurriedly declared.
The youth’s eyes held a smile as he replied, "Then come with me, and you won’t be a little dog."
Ah Dian had dashed over immediately.
He often thought his memory wasn’t very good, as he tended to forget many things. But anything related to His Highness always stayed vividly clear in his mind.
He often couldn’t tell one year from another, nor whether spring came before winter or after summer. But he always remembered that moment when His Highness pointed at him. The sun had been especially warm, and the wildflowers blooming by the muddy road seemed unusually lively.
That’s why he thought of His Highness as both the sun and the flowers.
If he could clearly express his inner feelings, he would surely call that day the first time in his life he was blessed by fortune.
On the road, the prince asked him his name.
He thought for a moment—Fool.
Everyone said his mother was also a fool, though they didn’t know where he came from.
As for his father… there were many men in the village, and he didn’t know which one his father was, nor did anyone else.
He had tried asking everyone in the village—"Are you my father?" But every time, he was chased away, beaten, or scolded.
So no one gave him a name.
His mother was taken by the river god, as an old kind woman in the village told him. That old woman raised him, but later, when the woman passed away, he ate others’ leftovers, scavenged for scraps, caught field mice, and stole food from pigs and dogs.
He also knew stealing was wrong, but he was so hungry, nearly starving to death. Every time he stole, he would wipe away his tears and bow to apologize.
As a result, the taunts calling him a fool became even more frequent.
But the prince said he could have a new name. The prince thought for a moment—pointing soldiers, appointing generals… starting as a small soldier, then becoming a great general. How about calling him Ah Dian?
After the prince said this, Uncle Chang, who was on another horse, laughed loudly, saying that the prince's naming skills hadn’t improved.
But he loved this name so much. It was the first thing in the world that truly belonged to him.
Later, such things that belonged to him grew more and more, all given to him by the prince, like the bamboo dragonfly.
"Quick, go back and sleep. You need to sleep more to grow taller," Chang Suining said to Ah Dian.
"Mm!" Ah Dian obediently agreed, then suddenly asked, "Xiao Ah Li, if we do this, will we really be able to bring Little Sui’an back?"
Chang Suining nodded. "We definitely can."
Ah Dian then went back to sleep in peace.
"General Ah Dian and the lady are together, and he really seems like a well-behaved child," Xi'er said. "I heard before that General Ah Dian had a very stubborn temper and wouldn't listen to anyone. He kept insisting on going to find the late crown prince… that’s why he was kept in Xuanzhe Manor by Grand General Cui."
"But with the lady, he seems really well-behaved," Xi'er sighed.
"I guess it's because Ah Dian and I are fated," Chang Suining said, glancing at the sky, which was about to break into dawn.
The wedding sedan sent by the Ming family should already be heading to the Feng family.
But this bride was destined not to be received, and the wedding couldn’t be completed.
The marriage of the Ying Marquis’s household was not to be taken lightly. Although it was for a secondary wife to bring good luck, the ceremony was still grand—this was mainly the Marquis’s decision, as he feared that if it was too hasty, heaven wouldn’t see it, and the Ming family’s disaster wouldn’t be dispelled.
There were many onlookers.
Some came purely for fun, others to see the joke—Madam Jie had always been self-important, thinking she was superior. How could it not be a joke that, in the end, her granddaughter was sent off to be married to bring luck to someone else?
At this moment, these people hadn’t yet realized that this joke was actually a two-for-one deal.
As the sun rose higher, the crowd, seeing that the bride had not yet emerged, began to gossip.
Inside the Feng residence, Madam Jie’s face was livid.
Nanny Liao’s expression was also grim. "…The wedding sedan has arrived, but the person has run away. How should I report this to Madam Jie?"
Madam Jie coldly said, "Whether Min’er left on her own or if there is another story, we can’t say for sure yet."
"The Feng daughter left late at night with her bundle, and it was seen by a servant of the family. Does Madam Jie still want to shirk responsibility?"
"We will report this to the authorities!" Madam Jie said as she immediately ordered someone to go to the government office.
Seeing that Nanny Liao didn’t stop her, Madam Jie’s heart sank. Was it not the Ming family’s doing?
She spoke harshly, but her heart was filled with anxiety and unease.
If this marriage failed, her son’s official position would be at risk, and they would offend the Ming family for good!
That troublemaker should have escaped earlier or later, but why did they choose the night before the wedding to run away? The wedding sedan was still outside. How could she make a proper ending of this?
"The Feng family should report it to the authorities," Nanny Liao sneered. "Otherwise, if she gets lost and causes trouble, we’ll be left to clean up the mess."
It was an outright threat.
Madam Jie bit her pale lips, enduring it as she asked, "The person might not be found for a while. The most urgent thing is to come up with a solution to explain this to the outside world."
"Why not let a maid take Min’er’s place in the sedan?" Master Feng urgently suggested. "Afterward, we’ll find Min’er and send her to your residence immediately!"
They still had to finish the wedding first!
The crying Madam Feng looked at her husband upon hearing this—how could he think of such an idea? Their daughter had run away, clearly unwilling to marry, and yet he was planning to drag her back to the Marquis's residence!
He just wanted to climb onto the Ming family’s bandwagon…
Why not just take scissors, cut off the troublesome thing below, dress up, and get into the sedan himself!
Though this idea was absurd, what was even more absurd was that, if it could indeed work, she believed her husband wouldn’t hesitate for a second in order to attach himself to the Ming family.
Faced with such a troublesome husband, Madam Feng cried even louder.
Nanny Liao sneered repeatedly. "The Feng family has big plans, but if the person isn’t found, does the Marquis Ying’s family really have to support a maid as a lifelong secondary wife? What if later, the Feng family forgets and comes looking for someone again? How can we explain that?"
As she spoke, she ignored the Feng family’s words and said in a low voice to the matchmaker, "Let’s go!"
So, the wedding procession returned to the Ming family as it had come, the sedan empty both ways.
Before long, the news of this incident spread throughout the city.
The Marquis Ying nearly fainted from rage. The Ming family’s Ming Jin, who had reluctantly agreed to wear the wedding clothes, went mad, smashing the wedding hall.
Chang Shi, no longer paying attention to her son’s tantrum, anxiously walked out of the wedding hall. As she descended the stone steps, she nearly tripped and fell.
A slender, fair hand caught her.
Chang Shi looked up at the person who had come to her aid.
(End of this chapter)
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