Chapter 147: 147decision
Chapter 147 147 Decision
Knowing her sister Mo Ruomei, Shen Wan keenly noticed that Shen's expression suddenly faded.
In the past, Shen Wan knew how much her sister loved Chu Qianhuang, her biological daughter. She also knew that there had been some discord between mother and daughter recently, but there was no overnight feud between mother and daughter.
Shen Wan smiled slightly and simply acted as a peacemaker, proactively suggesting: "Let Sister Huang come in."
Mrs. Shen didn't look down on her sister, she just smiled and accepted.
After a while, Chu Qianhuang came over. She was wearing a fiery red Aquarius Peony Pattern Coif, a double bun, and a South Pearl Hoop. Her round South Pearls shone in the sun. With a radiant luster.
Every move she made was so decent, calm, and generous, with the demeanor of a noble lady.
Chu Qianhuang first greeted Mrs. Shen, who was in charge, and then greeted Shen Wan and Gu Zhiyan with a smile: "Third Aunt, Qiniang."
Chu Qianhuang looked as good as ever.
In the past, Mrs. Shen looked at this eldest daughter with smiles in her heart and eyes, but I don't know since when, she looked at her with only a kind of tiredness left in her body, and she didn't want to say anything.
Mrs. Shen simply picked up the tea cup and drank tea.
Shen Wan looked back and forth at the mother and daughter, feeling more and more sad in her heart. She wanted to warm up the atmosphere and asked: "Sister Huang, how are you used to living in the palace? Those palace people are only waiting for people to serve food. If you If you feel wronged, tell me and your aunt, don’t bear it.”
Chu Qianhuang smiled sweetly and said, "Auntie, don't worry, the Third Princess is very kind to me."
"Originally, I wasn't supposed to come back until tomorrow, but the third princess asked me to come back a day earlier and asked me to stay at home for one more day."
In fact, from Shen Wan's point of view, why did Chu Qianhuang go to the palace to be a companion and restrained? But since the niece likes it, she, as an aunt, is not suitable to comment.
"The rules in this palace are strict, thank you for your hard work, Sister Huang." Shen Wan sighed and said, "Sister, I see she has lost weight. I have good blood swallows there. I will give them to you later. Send some over."
Shen Wan was full of good intentions, but Shen did not offend her sister and said calmly: "Sister Huang, I still haven't thanked your aunt."
The maids in the main courtyard were all lamenting: Madam was angry with the eldest girl before and refused to see her. It made them, servants, feel uncomfortable watching her. This time, Princess Jing stepped in as the peacemaker. It seemed that the mother and daughter could finally put an end to their past feud.
Only Nanny Chen tightened her handkerchief and remembered the scene when she saw Chu Qianhuang waiting in the corridor that day.
Grandma Chen felt her heart heavy as she kept looking at Chu Qianhuang blankly, completely oblivious to what they said next.
After lunch, Shen Wan once again proposed to take Gu Zhiyan back to the palace.
Gu Zhiyan, who was originally well-behaved, immediately made a gesture of resistance, grabbed Chu Qianchen's skirt, and reluctantly let go.
Aunt Rong, Wet Nurse and the people in the main courtyard were all accustomed to this.
Gu Zhiyan's whole body was almost pressed against Chu Qianchen's body, and she murmured: "Sister, Yueyue."
The little black cat who was still eating the dried fish stopped, licked its mouth and the tip of its nose, gave Gu Zhiyan a look, and then resumed eating.
Shen Wan couldn't help but take another look at Chu Qianchen. It was like this last time at Duke Mu's Mansion. Her daughter hugged Chu Qianchen's waist and refused to let her go. She couldn't help her daughter, so she agreed to let her come to the Hou Mansion to stay.
Chu Qianchen rubbed the top of Gu Zhiyan's hair and said, "Good boy, it's time for you to go home."
She stuffed a pumpkin-shaped sachet for Gu Zhiyan. The sachet contained spices specially prepared for Gu Zhiyan. On it was a black cat flapping butterflies embroidered by Amber herself. The nimble and elegant little black cat had white hooves. It was clearly embroidered in the shape of the moon shadow.
Gu Zhiyan held the sachet tightly in her hand and smiled, her eyebrows curved like a crescent moon, and her dark pupils shone with a joyful smile.
Seeing her daughter's cute and sweet look made Shen Wan's heart melt.
She saw that her daughter was reluctant to let go of Chu Qianchen and the little black cat, so she said softly: "Qiniang, I promise, I will take you to see my cousin and Yueyue in two days, okay?"
Gu Zhiyan pointed two fingers, meaning, two days!
Shen Wan also gestured with **** with his right hand and extended his left hand to Gu Zhiyan.
Gu Zhiyan looked up at Chu Qianchen, who gave her an encouraging smile. She finally let go of the hand holding Chu Qianchen's skirt and held Shen Wan's hand.
Shen Wan was even more excited. She kept smiling slightly and moving gently, for fear of scaring her daughter.
Shen Wan glanced at Chu Qianchen a few more times, her eyes moving around her face, especially her beautiful and clear phoenix eyes, which seemed more and more familiar to her.
Who does it look like?
Chu Qianchen noticed Shen Wan's scrutinizing gaze and smiled generously.
She wasn't worried about whether Shen Wan would recognize her. Under the current circumstances, even if Shen Wan recognized her, she wouldn't say anything.
On the contrary, Mrs. Shen looked at Shen Wan with a thoughtful expression, and was a little worried that she would recognize Chu Qianchen as the miracle doctor from Jishi Hall, so she diverted Shen Wan's attention: "Third sister, since you agreed to Qi Shitang, Damn it, you can’t keep your word.”
Sure enough, Shen Wan looked away from Chu Qianchen's face and said with a smile: "Sister, I promised Qiniang, of course I keep my word."
She didn't want Qiniang to have a grudge against her over such a trivial matter.
Gu Zhiyan didn't know whether he understood it or not, his eyes drooped and he only looked at the little black cat eating happily.
Chu Qianchen glanced at Hu Hu, who picked up the greedy cat and said with a smile: "County Master, I will send you off with Yue Ying."
So, Gu Zhiyan finally followed Shen Wan away.
Mrs. Shen also sent Chu Qianchen away: "Sister Chen, you should also go back and rest."
Chu Qianchen stood up and resigned.
Chu Qianhuang's eyes flickered, and he still sat there elegantly, his body slightly stiff.
As soon as Chu Qianchen went out and Xiang Fei's curtain was lowered, she heard Shen's lukewarm voice from the other side of the curtain:
"Kneel down."
Apart from Mrs. Shen, there were only Chu Qianhuang and Nanny Chen in the room. These two words were definitely not meant for Nanny Chen.
Chu Qianchen's eyelashes, as long as a comb, trembled slightly, and his eyes moved.
She only stayed for a moment, then continued walking forward, leaving without looking back.
Inside the door curtain, Chu Qianhuang looked at Shen's cold eyes and was shocked.
She stood up slowly, and then knelt obediently on the smooth, mirror-like ground.
Grandma Chen's eyelids trembled, and she hurriedly retreated, dismissed all the little maids who were waiting in the main room outside, and asked the eldest maid Dongmei to guard the door, and then returned to the second room.
Chu Qianhuang looked at Mr. Shen blankly, with a hint of grievance in his expression.
Shen asked straight to the point: "On the 27th of last month, the day you last returned from the palace, did you hear what Nanny Chen and I were talking about?!"
Shen seemed to be asking, but her expression and tone were very determined. She asked Chu Qianhuang "did you hear it", but in fact it was more like questioning.
Nanny Chen, who returned to the house at this time, also heard it. She naturally knew that Mrs. Shen was just deceiving the eldest girl.
Chu Qianhuang was still confused and shook her head, "Mom, when I came back that day, I talked to Ruoxiang in the corridor."
"If you don't believe it, just ask Ruoxiang to ask questions."
Chu Qianhuang raised her chin and stared at Mr. Shen, her expression a bit aggrieved and sad.
"Mom, you deliberately avoided me no matter what you said to Grandma Chen, and now you still doubt me..."
As she spoke, she bit her lower lip with her jade teeth, causing her lips to turn slightly white.
She turned her face to one side, as stubborn as a rose in full bloom under the sun, and as fierce as fire.
Mrs. Shen stared at Chu Qianhuang closely, expressionless.
She had already asked Nanny Chen to ask the maids in the yard. Both Ruoxiang who was talking to Chu Qianhuang and the few maids who were sweeping the yard at that time said that after Chu Qianhuang entered the yard that day, he Waiting on the porch but not entering the house.
The maids also knew that Mrs. Shen and Nanny Chen had something to say, so they didn't dare to let anyone in casually.
But even after Grandma Chen asked her again and again, there was still a thorn in Shen's heart.
This thorn has been in her heart these past few days, pricking her from time to time, making her unable to help but think about Mei'er's words.
Even if Chu Qianhuang kneels in front of her like this now, this thorn cannot be removed.
"Sister Huang." Shen called out in a hoarse voice.
Only then did Chu Qianhuang look at her again. There was a trace of hurt that he tried to suppress on the girl's proud face.
Shen's heart became heavier. She never thought of questioning her daughter like this, but what her daughter had done in the past few months had really disappointed her.
She took a deep breath and made her long-thought-out decision: "I will resign your position as the Third Princess's companion to the Empress for you. After your second sister gets married, you will go to Shangde Academy to attend classes."
What? ! Chu Qianhuang's eyes widened for a moment, almost to the extreme, and she couldn't believe her ears.
Of course she knew where Shang De Academy was.
The girls who will be admitted to Shangde Academy do not have a good reputation. They are often girls who are not favored or disliked in various houses, as well as girls whose reputations are flawed.
Mrs. Shen rubbed the center of her brow feebly and said in a deep voice, "Sister Huang, it's time for you to break off your temper."
"..." Chu Qianhuang felt as if she had been stabbed again, and her eyes became bottomless.
Her lips moved and she was silent.
Chu Qianhuang didn't speak, and neither did Shen.
The mother and son looked at each other quietly, and seemed to be silently fighting and fighting.
This silence contains an indescribable depression, which makes people feel heavy and breathless.
Nanny Chen was anxious and looked back and forth between Shen and Chu Qianhuang.
During these days, she watched the mother and daughter go in opposite directions and drift away from each other, which made her extremely uncomfortable.
Of course she knew that the person who felt more uncomfortable was Shen. Chu Qianhuang's performance hurt Shen more than Chu Lingxiao. After all, Shen had high hopes for Chu Qianhuang, her biological daughter.
Nanny Chen took two steps forward and walked to Chu Qianhuang's side, trying to persuade her not to be so stubborn.
Just when Nanny Chen opened her lips, Chu Qianhuang spoke first: "Okay."
After a pause, she continued: "Mom, I promise you, I will not enter the palace after my second sister gets married."
She sighed lowly and admitted her mistake with a sincere expression: "Mom, I have missed some things these days."
"After my grandfather passed away, I watched the Hou family decline day by day, so I thought that as the daughter of the Chu family, and with everything the Chu family had given me, I should do something for the family, so I wanted to enter the palace and be a companion to the third princess. To please the queen."
"I'm too utilitarian."
"It's my father's intention to be the princess's companion. I think father and you..."
She pursed her lips hesitantly, as if she felt that as a daughter she shouldn't gossip about her parents, her expression was gloomy.
She paused again, and her voice became softer, "I want to please my father, and I hope you and your father can resolve their differences."
“…”
"I was wrong, mother."
Thousands of thoughts turned into the last four words, and her eyes gradually became moist.
Nanny Chen also sighed in her heart and advised: "Madam, the eldest lady has realized her mistake." "Mom, I will listen to you in the future." Chu Qianhuang looked at Mrs. Shen without blinking.
Mrs. Shen stared at Chu Qianhuang who was kneeling on the ground, his gaze fixed without any wavering.
The girl in front of her is her biological daughter, and the child born in ten months' gestation is a part of her.
She dotes on her, teaches her, raises her, and watches her grow up little by little. She hopes that she will live a glorious life with a clear conscience, like a phoenix in the sky, soaring with its wings.
She named her daughter this name because it was her best hope for her daughter.
It wasn't until these few months that she gradually realized that her daughter was not what she once thought...
The daughter was wrong, and so was she.
It is the mother's fault to raise but not teach.
No one can make mistakes without being a sage. Shen told herself in her heart.
Although the thorn in her heart was still there, she finally relaxed: "Mother Chen, help her up."
Nanny Chen quickly helped Chu Qianhuang up. She had been kneeling for a while, and her knees were a little numb, so her movements were stiff and slow.
Grandma Chen was so distressed that she personally knelt down and stroked Chu Qianhuang's skirt, brushed off the dust on it, and helped her sit down.
Mrs. Shen took a sip of tea and said, "It's only a few days until your second sister's wedding to His Highness King Chen. After you enter the palace this time, you should come back early."
Chu Qianhuang responded meekly.
Aunt Chen brought her tea. Chu Qianhuang thanked Aunt Chen. When she took the tea cup, her fingers holding the saucer used a little force, causing her fingertips to turn a little white.
She lowered her eyes and took two sips of tea, and her mood gradually calmed down.
When Chu Qianhuang looked at Mrs. Shen again, there was a faint smile on her lips, "Mom, I want to go to Wanyan Courtyard to find my second sister. My third aunt and Qiniang were just now, and I was busy talking to them. I even forgot to tell my second sister that the third princess gave me some pearl flowers, specifically saying that she wanted to give them to my second sister.”
"Her Royal Highness the Third Princess has liked her very much since she met her second sister by chance at Yunting Pavilion. She always mentioned her to me. When I returned to the mansion today, she almost came with me, but the Queen Mother persuaded her."
She had a bright smile and a brisk voice, obviously intending to liven up the atmosphere.
Shen just said: "Go ahead."
Chu Qianhuang left after packing his luggage.
After Xiang Fei's curtain fell, she stood still after a slight sway.
Mrs. Shen stared blankly at the Xiang Fei curtain, her expression had long since changed, and she was no longer as graceful and gentle as before.
Only weakness and exhaustion remained on her face.
The sky outside turned gloomy at some point, the sun was blocked by thick clouds, and the room also darkened, making Shen's face look even more ugly.
Nanny Chen's heart skipped a beat and she asked in a low voice: "Madam, is there anything wrong with what the eldest lady said?"
Shen shook his head.
The explanation Chu Qianhuang gave just now was reasonable and her attitude was very sincere.
But just because of this, Mrs. Shen felt that it was against the law and felt uncomfortable. It was an indescribable feeling.
Grandma Chen also thought about it again and said comfortingly: "Madam, are you thinking too much? The eldest girl understands that you are doing it for her own good."
"I hope so." Mrs. Shen rubbed her eyebrows again and sighed, "Maybe I'm really not a good mother."
Mother and daughter are connected. She should have noticed that her daughter's temper was wrong a few years ago. A few years ago, she could have carried her close to her, stared at her, and broken her temper little by little. Now her daughter is almost fourteen years old, and her My thoughts are too heavy and I can't control them anymore.
Shen's eyes looked out the window again.
The clouds in the sky seemed to be thicker and layer upon layer, as if they were about to fall down at any time.
At this moment, Chu Qianhuang had already walked outside the courtyard.
She turned back and glanced at the main courtyard, then continued walking forward, going to Wanyan Courtyard just as she and Shen had said.
She didn't stay long in Wanyan Courtyard. After handing over the box of pearl flowers given by the third princess, she left.
It doesn't even take enough time to get in and out of a cup of tea.
Chu Qianchen ordered Hu Huo to see off the guests, and he leaned lazily on the Grand Master's chair. He casually picked up a red gold filigree beaded bracelet from the box and played with it casually.
Ever since she and Chu Qianhuang broke up on the way to the palace on Wanshou Festival, Chu Qianhuang had never come to see her alone again. When they met occasionally, they only had ordinary sisters' greetings and mutual affection. Don't offend the river.
She put down the bracelet, went to the inner room to change into jade-colored clothes, and then took Amber out the door.
Today is another day for "re-examination" at Prince Chen's Mansion every three days.
In other words, it was just a pretense. Even the medicine box that Amber took out was actually empty. He just thought that the girl was visiting the Prince Chen's Mansion.
Every time, the steward of the palace would take Chu Qianchen to a hall and prepare tea, cakes, fruits, books, chessboards, etc. for her. She would respond to her requests, almost worshiping her like a Bodhisattva.
Originally, today was no exception.
Chu Qianchen planned to drink a cup of Longjing tea and then leave, but there were already people waiting for her in the hall today.
Su Mu was wearing a sky-blue t-shirt with dark stripes and was reading a book in the hall, looking elegant and elegant.
However, no one who knows him will be deceived by his appearance. After all, he is the leader of the Wanshou Festival martial arts test, and his skills are among the best among the military generals in the capital.
Chu Qianchen had known him for two lifetimes, so his understanding was naturally deeper than others, and he guessed that he would go to the Three Treasures Hall for nothing.
There must be a reason why he's here.
Chu Qianchen motioned to Hu Huai to wait under the eaves, then he crossed the threshold and entered the hall.
"Commander Su." Chu Qianchen nodded slightly to Su Mubai as a greeting.
"Miss Chu Er, please sit down." Su Mubai put down the book in his hand and extended his hand to make a gesture of invitation.
Chu Qianchen sat down calmly.
"This morning we received a letter from the flying pigeon sent from the northwest. It is a letter personally written by the prince." Su Mubai said while observing the change in Chu Qianchen's expression, and immediately noticed that her eyes outside the veil were obviously bright. After a moment, it shone brightly like a gem.
Su Mubai's eyes flashed, thinking there was something interesting.
Before the appointment from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Chu Qianchen did not fall out because Tang Yuchu could not find the prince. He felt that the marriage was going to be a success, and his original certainty of only 50% to 60% increased to 70% to 80%.
It is up to man to plan things, but it is up to Heaven to make things happen.
"Commander Su, when will the prince come back?" After hearing Gu Jue's letter, Chu Qianchen breathed a sigh of relief and thought: Since there is news from the prince, the people of Lin State must have solved the problem.
When she was relieved, she felt that Xue Fengyan was indeed unreliable. The prince had received a letter in the morning, but he didn't tell her earlier!
Outside the hall, Xue Fengyan, who was lazily leaning on a branch, felt the tip of his nose was a little itchy and sneezed.
The corners of Su Mubai's lips raised even higher, feeling that it was up to him whether his prince would be alone for the rest of his life.
He could see that Chu Qianchen had respect for the prince but no love between men and women, so she was willing to risk her reputation for the prince.
She had no intention of actually marrying the prince, so she had been asking for news from the prince these days.
However, in his opinion, Chu Qianchen cared about the prince, and the prince also cared about her.
That's enough.
This match couldn't be more suitable.
Su Mubai sighed softly and looked worried.
Chu Qianchen's heart became relieved again, and he asked hurriedly: "What's wrong?"
Has the war situation changed? Impossible, how could a mere Linguo be the prince’s opponent!
Su Mubai stopped talking and sighed: "As soon as the prince defeated the Lin army, he set out from the northwest overnight. However, it is a long way from the northwest to the capital. Even if we work hard, it will take seven or eight days to reach the capital."
"You also know the prince's body..."
"Didn't Qin Xiguang stop the prince?!" Chu Qianchen frowned.
Although she gave the prince her specially made pills before leaving, the prince's body was riddled with holes and he was most afraid of fatigue.
"Can he stop the prince?" Su Mubai asked.
He took out a piece of tissue paper from his sleeve and placed it on the coffee table between the two of them, "This is a letter from the prince. The prince asked 'us' to try to postpone the wedding date for another three days, and he will come back as soon as possible. "
Su Mubai deliberately said "we" and included Chu Qianchen, just saying that they were on the same front.
Chu Qianchen took the letter and opened it quickly.
What comes into focus is Gu Jue's familiar handwriting, with sharp strokes and a wandering pen.
She read the letter at a glance. In fact, there were only a few words in the letter. It was probably what Su Mubai meant. The last sentence said that after arriving in the capital, he would meet the saint in person and leave everything to him.
Leave everything to him.
Chu Qianchen stared at the last line of words with mixed emotions.
The prince is always like this, carrying everything on his back and protecting these people under his wings. It was like this in the past life, and it will still be like this in this life.
"Are there more people staring at Prince Chen's Mansion on the street today?" Chu Qianchen asked suddenly, staring at the piece of paper.
The corners of Su Mubai's lips curled up, and he thought to himself: As he expected, this Miss Chu Er is really sharp!
"It should be someone from Jinyiwei." Su Mubai stood up, walked to the window, and looked out the window with his back to Chu Qianchen, "That day, people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs came to inform us of the wedding date, but we ignored it. From the next day, There are twice as many people outside, so the emperor is probably really concerned about the prince's 'condition'."
Chu Qianchen's brows furrowed even more tightly.
Since the emperor can forcefully break into Prince Chen's palace once, he can do it a second time.
As long as the emperor has not seen the prince in person, I am afraid that he will always have some doubts about whether the prince is really seriously ill. With the emperor's paranoia, once these doubts accumulate to a certain level, they may explode.
Chu Qianchen thought for a while, put down the tissue paper, and said, "The best way is to stop with silence."
Su Mubai's lips curled up even higher, and he sighed in his heart: It seems that Chu Qianchen cares about the prince more than he thought!
Otherwise, this plan would never have gone so smoothly.
Xue Fengyan, who was standing on the big tree outside the window, happened to see Su Mubai's foxy smile, and he suddenly got goosebumps all over his body.
When Su Mubai turned around to face Chu Qianchen, his expression had returned to normal and his expression was solemn, "What do you mean, Miss Chu?"
Facing Su Mubai's deep and wise eyes, Chu Qianchen felt that familiar feeling in his heart.
In two lifetimes combined, she had known Su Mubai for more than ten years.
This man is an old fox with nine tails. He always has a lot of ambitions. When he tries to trick people, he usually digs a hole for them to jump into.
Just like now, he dug a hole for himself.
(End of chapter)