Chapter 410: Why am I the one getting beaten up? [Thanks! Bow again! Owed update]

You hour (after 5:00 PM)

"Hee-hee-hee~"

"Woo-hoo~ The horse is running!"

The boy's imitation of a horse's neighing and speaking sounded inside the palace.

"Haha~ Ah~ Hahahaha~"

The cute laughter of a young girl also came through.

On the thick carpet was spread a layer of brocade quilt.

Zhao Fang, having taken off his shoes, was crawling on the brocade quilt on all fours.

On his back was a little girl, carved from pink jade and polished, laughing loudly.

"Ouch, the horse is tired."

"Imperial Brother, you should rest quickly."

The little girl on Zhao Fang's back hurriedly used her sleeve to wipe the sweat from Zhao Fang's forehead, shouting in a milky voice.

Being wiped of sweat and pitied by his own younger sister,

Zhao Fang felt his heart was about to melt. He lifted his body slightly, let out another neigh imitating a horse, and crawled rapidly on the brocade quilt.

During this, he even mischievously stopped suddenly or shook his buttocks.

Under such mischief,

The little girl on his back would always hug his neck and scream incessantly.

Beside the great hall,

The Emperor watched his only son on the brocade quilt and pursed his lips, tugging at his beard with some disdain.

Looking up, he saw the Empress looking at him from the side.

The Emperor hurriedly smiled: "Hehe, Fang'er really loves his younger sister."

The Empress smiled.

The Chief Eunuch bowed slightly and walked over with a memorial held in his hands: "Your Majesty, the memorial just submitted by Lord Gu."

"Hmm."

The Emperor reached out, took it, unfolded it, and began to read.

After finishing the memorial, the Emperor looked at Zhao Fang, who was still playing, with a slight smile; his smile was much more sincere than just now.

After smiling, the Emperor took the memorial and walked to a desk not far away to write a few strokes.

After the sky turned dark,

Food was set on the table in the palace.

The Emperor sat beside the table, glanced at Zhao Fang, who was eating, and then looked at the Empress before smiling.

"What's wrong, Your Majesty?"

The Empress touched the corner of her mouth and asked.

"Nothing, I just remembered the memorial Gu family's Gu Dalang gave me."

"Oh! Did he say anything interesting?"

The Emperor nodded: "Gu Gu Dalang requested to go to Xingzhou."

"Xingzhou? Gu Gu Dalang's qualifications are still shallow; how can he go to a major city like Xingzhou?" the Empress said.

The Emperor waved his hand: "Eh! Although Xingzhou is a major city, it has just experienced an earthquake and is now waiting for everything to be rebuilt. Going to Xingzhou is not a good job!"

The Empress nodded: "Listening to your meaning, Your Majesty, are you going to grant this request?"

The Emperor shook his head and said: "I intend to let him go to Dingzhou (present-day Mount Shizui)."

"Gu Gu Dalang's shoulders are still a bit tender; I intend to let him gain more experience! In the future, he will have the opportunity to take on the burden of the twenty-two prefectures of the former Bai Gao two routes."

"Actually, that's not the most interesting part."

The Empress looked over: "Ah?"

The Emperor nodded affirmatively: "This memorial also says that, entrusted by his father-in-law, he is reporting to me that the merits of Xu family's Fifth Young Master in the north should not be counted for now."

The Empress was stunned. After a moment of thought, she looked at Zhao Fang, who was looking up.

After looking at Zhao Fang, the Empress exchanged a glance with the Emperor.

Seeing the thoughtful expression in the Empress's eyes, the Emperor nodded lightly in affirmation.

"But won't this make Jing-ge'er feel bad? Your Majesty also said that Jing-ge'er was risking his life in those mountains."

The Emperor nodded and said: "Gu Gu Dalang's memorial says he asked that Xu family lad! The Xu family lad said, merits or no merits, he wants to put his heart into the imperial examinations!"

The Empress sighed: "Silly child!"

The Emperor pursed his lips: "If he were silly, there would be no smart ones left."

Zhao Fang nodded: "Father is right; Jing-ge'er is not silly at all."

The Empress glared at her son: "Eat!"

The next day,

Morning,

The sky was clear for ten thousand li.

Chai family,

Autumn Sound Garden,

At the moon gate,

Madam Chai, wearing new autumn clothes, walked in with nannies and maidservants.

Looking at the fallen leaves on the courtyard ground, Madam Chai stopped and frowned: "How is this Miss Yun Mu doing things? The maidservants in the courtyard actually dare to be so lazy? They didn't even sweep the ground?"

A nanny behind Madam Chai said with an unpleasant expression: "This servant will go ask right away."

Madam Chai, waving her hand while walking, said: "No need! I'll ask myself."

Saying this, she walked toward the main room of the courtyard.

"Madam is here!"

The little maid at the door hurriedly announced and lifted the cloth curtain.

Entering the main room,

Miss Yun Mu and Fuyi, standing at the partition door, hurriedly bowed: "Greetings, Madam."

Madam Chai asked with an unkind expression: "Where is your young lady?"

"Replying to Madam, the young lady is painting in the inner room. She said she wanted to paint an autumn scene in the courtyard, so she didn't even let the servants sweep the ground."

Madam Chai took a deep breath, walked into the inner room with a much better expression, and saw her daughter standing by the window, occasionally tracing a few strokes on the painting paper with a brush.

Sitting on a chair to the side, holding the tea soup offered by Miss Yun Mu, Madam Chai looked at Chai Zhengzheng and said: "Zheng'er, in this season of falling leaves and withered flowers, what is there to paint?"

Chai Zhengzheng tilted her head and smiled sweetly at her mother, then turned back to look at the walls and tiles in the courtyard and the distant sky: "Mother, you are wrong! The 'Poet Hero' once said, 'Since ancient times, autumn has been lamented as lonely and desolate; I say the autumn day surpasses the spring morning!'"

"Daughter thinks that this autumn day indeed surpasses the spring morning!"

Madam Chai blew on her tea soup and said: "Winter has already passed, and you're still talking about autumn days? Hmph! If that person doesn't return to the capital, let's see if you still think it surpasses the spring morning."

Chai Zhengzheng's movements paused; she pursed her lips and continued to add a few strokes to the painting paper with a smile.

"When I went to pray for blessings at the Daoist Temple in the north of the city this morning, I ran into the Countess of Xuanmen."

Chai Zhengzheng nodded while listening to her mother's words.

"When we were having vegetarian food together, I heard the Countess of Xuanmen say that someone is inquiring about the Shoushan Earl's family."

"Mother, how does this Countess know?"

"Because her sister-in-law is from the Huang family, the Earl of Shoushan." Madam Chai said.

Chai Zhengzheng, who had stopped her brush, said "Oh."

"I heard it was entrusted by the old madam of the Duke of Lian's family!"

"Mother, is the Lu family going to arrange a marriage for their family's children?" Chai Zhengzheng looked over with a smile.

There was a hint of a smile in the depths of Madam Chai's eyes, but she still kept a straight face and shook her head: "They said it was entrusted by Marquis Xu's wife. Doesn't the Huang family have a little daughter, called..."

Chai Zhengzheng froze: "Meng-jie'er."

"Right!"

"Xu family's lad and Lu family's little duke are righteous brothers; naturally, they can entrust it."

"Madam, stop teasing our young lady!"

The nanny standing behind Madam Chai said.

Hearing this, Chai Zhengzheng looked over in surprise.

Madam Chai put down her teacup and glared at the nanny who had grown up with her: "I won't tease you anymore. I heard it was to inquire for your good sister, Gu family's Third Young Lady."

"Tingyi sister?"

Madam Chai nodded.

"But Mother, I haven't heard that Gu family's Second Young Master's marriage contract has been decided! Since Gu Second Young Master's marriage contract hasn't been decided, how could they discuss marriage for Tingyi sister?"

"Zheng'er, it's just inquiring a little for now; we don't know if the engagement papers will be exchanged yet!"

"Mother, do you think this matter will succeed?"

"Hard to say! I heard from the Countess of Xuanmen that the son of the Shoushan Earl's family had previously been engaged, but unfortunately, after that incident in the Zhongqin Earl's family, it..."

Madam Chai shook her head.

Chai Zhengzheng pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows; she had heard rumors about what happened to the Yuan family when she was in Cangzhou.

After arriving in Bianjing, with so many noble young lady friends, she knew even more clearly.

"Mother, daughter actually heard people say that the biological mother of that Duke's family young lady was a favored concubine, and she wasn't very happy with the Huang family when the engagement was made! It just so happened that the Yuan family had that incident, so she used it as an excuse."

"It seems she later got engaged to a descendant of the Duke of An's family!"

Madam Chai smiled: "You've heard of this too? It seems you have quite a few young lady friends you associate with!"

Chai Zhengzheng smiled.

She had also watched the competition between Jin warriors and Bianjing youths on the polo field from the Wu Tower before, and when chatting with young ladies from other noble families, she would naturally talk about some things.

"Mother, what do you think about this?"

Madam Chai looked at her beautiful young daughter and said earnestly:

"In the peaceful days of the past, naturally, the future of civil officials was more promising!"

"But, His Majesty has now pacified the Bai Gao country! The situation in Northern Liao and the Jin country looks more like two clams fighting, each holding the other."

"In the future, His Majesty might conquer those two countries; noble military officials have a way out!"

"Especially since that Huang family son is serving under the Duke of England and is highly valued by Zhang family's Gu Dalang! With a title and a future, I think it's a good marriage."

Chai Zhengzheng nodded with some relief upon hearing this.

"Zheng'er, what about you?"

Chai Zhengzheng was stunned, then looked at Madam Chai with some helplessness.

"Do you really want to keep waiting?"

"Mother, are you in such a hurry to marry me off?"

Madam Chai shook her head: "Not in a hurry! Even if I raise you until you're twenty, with our Chai family's status, Mother can still find you a good marriage! Even raising you for a lifetime is fine!"

Chai Zhengzheng walked to Madam Chai's side, moved, and placed her cheek on her mother's lap.

Madam Chai stroked Chai Zhengzheng's black, soft hair and said in a low voice: "The nanny beside me has checked."

Chai Zhengzheng said muffledly: "Mother, checked what?"

"The maidservants beside him, whether it's that girl Qingcao or the twins sent by the Marquis of Xiangyang, are all virgins."

Chai Zhengzheng raised her head suddenly, her cheeks visibly turning red.

She stood up, looked shyly at the nanny behind Madam Chai, then looked at Madam Chai, stamped her foot, and lowered her head: "Mother, you, I, ouch! Why are you telling me this?"

Saying this, she was about to get up and leave.

Madam Chai grabbed Chai Zhengzheng's hand, pulled her back, and said: "Zhengzheng, Mother is telling you this because I want to tell you that your eye for people is very good!"

Chai Zhengzheng lowered her head and didn't speak.

"However, the mistresses and madams in Bianjing are not blind either."

Chai Zhengzheng moved her head, and the jewelry on her hair bun jingled.

"If he gets engaged, I will give up my thoughts and let my parents decide."

Jiying Lane

Outside the main gate of the Sheng family,

Zaizhang and Qi Heng were riding horses not far ahead.

Gu Tingye and Xu Zaijing were riding side by side.

Xu Zaijing looked at the depressed and angry Gu Tingye and said: "Ye-ge'er, what's wrong? Who provoked you? You want to drag me to beat someone up."

"It seems this grudge is very deep!"

Gu Tingye nodded somewhat irritably.

"Which family's son? Is it the Tan family of the Duke of An that Feng-ge'er mentioned?"

Looking at Xu Zaijing's inquiring gaze, Gu Tingye shook his head, gritted his teeth, and said hatefully: "The Huang family, the Earl of Shoushan!"

Xu Zaijing thought for a moment: "Tsk, Huang family... don't they only have one son and one daughter? Huang family's Gu Dalang seems to have returned to the capital with me."

Gu Tingye nodded: "It's this engaged thief bird, eight out of ten he's going to marry into my family."

Xu Zaijing looked at Gu Tingye's appearance and said hesitantly: "Is it Yi-jie'er?"

Gu Tingye nodded with annoyance.

Subsequently, Gu Tingye tilted his head to look at the desolate trees by the roadside and exhaled irritably.

Suddenly,

Gu Tingye turned his head again, scanned Xu Zaijing up and down, and muttered to himself: "Hmph, you aren't worthy either!"

Xu Zaijing: "I, no, Second Young Master, what are you saying? What do you mean I'm not worthy?"

Gu Tingye replied irritably: "Nothing!"

Xu Zaijing: "Oh!"

Xu Zaijing's 'oh' didn't know how it stimulated Gu Tingye. Gu Tingye breathed heavily and looked at Xu Zaijing:

"Jing-ge'er, we grew up together as childhood friends, and Third Young Lady was even held by Aunt Sun when she was little. You, you, how could you! Sigh!"

Xu Zaijing was stunned and said innocently: "Second Young Master, what's wrong with me?"

"Couldn't you have tried harder? Go, go..."

Xu Zaijing: "Uh... go do what?"

Looking at Gu Tingye's shifty eyes, Xu Zaijing was stunned, then glared at Gu Tingye with a sharp gaze: "No, Gu Tingye, you don't mean you want me to marry Tingyi, do you?"

"Why? Can't I?! Where is my sister not worthy of you!"

Just as Gu Tingye finished speaking, before he could react to what was happening, he felt his neck tighten; he was already leaning on the horse's back, being dragged into Xu Zaijing's arms by his neck.

Feeling the strength around his neck, Gu Tingye stuck out his tongue slightly, while using both hands to try to push away Xu Zaijing's arm with great effort.

Above his head, Xu Zaijing's hateful voice came:

"Gu Tingye, you filthy monkey! When Tingyi was still in swaddling clothes, I was already watching over her! Aunt Bai treats me like her own son! Tingyi is my own sister, you thief bird..."

Feeling the arm tightening, Gu Tingye felt black before his eyes, patted Xu Zaijing's arm, and squeezed out a few words from his throat:

"Cough cough cough, Jing-ge'er, I was wrong, I was wrong, let... let go..."

"Hoo hoo hoo..."

As his neck loosened, feeling the comfort of air returning to his lungs, Gu Tingye looked at Xu Zaijing and rubbed his neck:

"Jing-ge'er, since you treat Third Young Lady as your own sister, then shall we go beat up that Shoushan Earl family lad?"

Xu Zaijing looked at Gu Tingye with annoyance: "What did he do to you that you want to beat him up? Looking at your appearance, it seems like the matter is already decided..."

Gu Tingye: "He..."

Xu Zaijing shook his head: "Your marriage hasn't even begun! No matter what, we have to wait until your marriage is settled before Tingyi's marriage can be put on the table."

"If you go beat someone up for no reason at this time, isn't that making an enemy?"

Gu Tingye rubbed his neck and said: "I just felt that the guy was an eyesore after hearing about this!"

Xu Zaijing looked at Gu Tingye: "What if he's a good match like Eldest Brother Yu?"

Gu Tingye: "I..."

Xu Zaijing sighed: "With the relationship between our families in Bianjing, what can't we find out? And there's Aunt Wu here; do you really think our mothers are just for show?"

"Then we can't just do nothing, right?" Gu Tingye replied.

Xu Zaijing smiled: "We can be friends with Huang family's son!"

Gu Tingye nodded with bright eyes: "That's right! That way we can get him drunk..."

"And see if he's a good person!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 411 =====