Chapter 155: Hello Chang’an
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Chapter 155: All About Faces
Everyone turned their gaze.
The young man wore a purple robe, with a sword at his waist that had not been drawn. He walked between the separated seats for men and women, his dark boots embroidered with golden thread, stepping over the scattered hibiscus petals left by the dancers.
Under everyone’s watch, the young man, exuding a cold and unapproachable aura, raised his hand in salute to the Holy Emperor.
“It is indeed General Cui.” The Holy Emperor spoke gently, smiling.
No matter how you looked at him, the weight of the young man’s presence made him impossible to ignore. Even with the previous matter of the Crown Prince seeking a marriage, it had to be temporarily set aside—this was the consensus of everyone present.
Therefore, the Holy Emperor asked, “May I ask what business General Cui has with me?”
The young man stood with his hands at his sides, slightly turning his head to glance at Li Lu, his voice cold and aloof as always: “The matter I seek, is the same as the one Lord Rong seeks.”
Upon meeting his deep, cold eyes, Li Lu was momentarily stunned.
The surrounding crowd also gasped in surprise.
The same matter?
“General Cui… are you also here to ask for a marriage decree?” The Holy Emperor smiled slightly.
“Yes.” Cui Jing said, “I too have someone I fancy, and wish for Your Majesty’s approval.”
The attendant standing beside the Holy Emperor, Ming Luo, suddenly lifted her eyes and looked at Cui Jing.
Surprised whispers filled the air.
General Cui, the Great General, also came to seek a marriage?
What kind of woman could capture his heart?
But… the matter with Li Lu is still unresolved. Everything needs to follow its proper order. Is General Cui acting too domineering?
Or perhaps…
Could it be…?
A bold and shocking guess began to form in the minds of some.
“It seems tonight is indeed lively… looks like this flower banquet wasn’t arranged in vain.” The Holy Emperor looked at Cui Jing: “But I wonder, General Cui, who is the one you fancy?”
“The person I admire is the same as the one Prince Rong's Heir admires.”
The young man’s voice was clear and firm.
The crowd erupted in astonishment.
— They both seek the same thing!
— They both fancy the same person!
The tension in the air was thick enough to cut, it seemed like things were about to get heated!
“Bang!”
Cui Lang, who was seated nearby, swayed in his chair, nearly falling, and his wine flask tipped over and rolled away.
He rubbed his eyes furiously.
It was really his older brother, so he hadn’t seen wrong!
Then he pinched his own thigh hard—
A muffled scream followed.
Cui Lang was even more shocked.
It hurt, so it wasn’t a dream!
His elder brother was truly trying to take his master!
A wave of astonishment swept through the banquet, yet the night remained bright and serene.
The moonlight blended with the lights of the banquet, and a light autumn breeze stirred, causing the shadows from the lamps and the moon to sway and flicker.
Amidst the shifting light, Cui Jing turned his gaze toward the young woman standing there.
The moonlight softly enveloped her, creating a faint glow that seemed to separate her from the surrounding noise.
Their eyes met, and he spoke, “I have admired Miss Chang for a long time, but due to the strict rules of my family, I have not yet spoken of marriage. Upon hearing of the matter at tonight’s banquet, I realize time is not on my side and cannot be delayed any longer—”
Since the age of twelve, Cui Jing had been on the battlefield, and over the years, not only had he never spoken of marriage, but even rumors of relationships had never reached his ears. Now, in front of everyone, he openly confessed such feelings, giving an almost surreal impression.
This made his request for marriage even more shocking than Li Lu earlier request.
Many were too stunned to respond.
Ming Luo gazed at Cui Jing in disbelief.
She had long noticed his different treatment of Chang Suining, but how had it come to this?
He was now openly professing his feelings for Chang Suining in front of everyone. He knew that the Holy Emperor had intended for Chang Suining to become the Crown Prince’s consort, and he was fully aware of Prince’s strong desire for her hand… this was not how he typically behaved.
Yes, he certainly had no reason to fear anyone, but he always avoided trouble and despised getting involved in disputes. He was taciturn and never explained his actions... Yet now, he was doing something completely out of character.
Or perhaps... had she never seen this side of him before?
Was this how he acted when he liked someone?
Could it be that he truly liked her?
Ming Luo stared at Cui Jing, realizing that the way he looked at Chang Suining now was no longer innocent.
Was this an act?
She clung to this slight hope, forcing herself to suppress her discontent and dissatisfaction so as not to show any sign of losing composure.
Li Lu had not expected such a turn of events. For a moment, he seemed unsure how to respond, his hand quietly tightening into a fist inside his sleeve.
On the women's side, the murmurs were endless.
“Is this going to turn into a fight?”
“It's over…” Duan Shi whispered, “There are so many talented men in the capital now...”
Especially General Cui, the Great General, who was in no way inferior to her own son!
Thinking of this, Duan Shi looked at her son again, and felt that it was time to withdraw him from the competition.
Others were working harder and surpassing him, so what place did he have now?
Wei Miaoqing almost couldn’t stop herself from rushing to her quiet brother and shaking him awake, urging him to open his eyes and see clearly.
In the back, Yao Xia was happily munching on sunflower seeds—if they were going to fight, she just hoped Chang Suining wouldn’t get hurt. She loved watching such things when reading novels; they were exciting and enjoyable!
Those who were more interested in the spectacle were few. At this moment, the Holy Emperor looked at the young man and asked, “General Cui… are your words sincere?”
“Every word I speak comes from the heart, with no pretense.” Cui Jing raised his hand again. “I seek nothing else, only this one thing. I hope Your Majesty will grant me this.”
It must be said that although Li Lu had brought up the matter of marriage early, it made his “sudden” request for marriage seem more reasonable, lowering any suspicions the emperor might have.
The officials exchanged looks.
The words of "stealing someone away" sounded... so forceful.
Though, to be fair, he did have the strength to back it up.
If the Holy Emperor had earlier promised Li Lu’s marriage request out of politeness, then this sudden appearance of the Great General Cui made his weight clear—there was no doubt about who was more important.
But even so, for various reasons, the Holy Emperor couldn’t immediately show any favoritism toward Cui Jing.
As the Holy Emperor pondered, several high-ranking officials from the Cui family were on the verge of fainting from frustration.
Li Lu, who had always appeared calm and distant, had spent years with music as his only companion, and yet in the blink of an eye, he was infatuated with Miss Chang!
And the eldest son of the Cui family, who had always appeared aloof and distant, even swearing in the ancestral hall to never marry... but now? What was going on?
In the previous moment, he had sworn never to marry in the ancestral hall, and in the next moment, here he was, asking the Holy Emperor for a marriage!
It turned out that the so-called indifference to women was all because none of those other women had caught his eye. The faces of those women from before simply didn't reach his heart!
To put it bluntly, all of this came down to one thing—they were all obsessed with looks!
That talk of high moral standards and detachment… it was all an act!
"Was that oath of never marrying made for dogs to hear?" One of the Cui family officials gritted his teeth and muttered a vulgar remark in a lowered voice.
A relative by his side reminded him in a complicated tone, "But... that vow was made for us to hear."
The official who spoke first was momentarily speechless, his face growing darker. "…Can someone please say something useful? Are we really going to let this farce go on?"
The Cui family was known for not intermarrying with families outside of the Four Great Families, and while this was common knowledge, they could not act recklessly in front of the emperor—they weren't the heir, and their authority was limited!
Moreover, this was an issue raised by the eldest son himself. Looking at his attitude, it was clear that he intended to use his power to pressure Li Lu into giving up, forcing the emperor to comply with him… Such a man was truly blinded by lust!
"We shouldn’t intervene ourselves; it’s better for the matriarch to speak up and stop this," one of the relatives suggested. "After all, the matriarch is the eldest son’s legitimate mother. Matters of marriage should be handled by her."
Several of them turned their attention to the woman sitting among the ladies, Lu Shi.
Indeed, it made sense. The matriarch speaking up would be both reasonable and expected.
However…
"…Why does the matriarch look so pleased?" A relative frowned deeply.
Others shook their heads in disdain. "Her scheming is so obvious, it's pitifully shallow..."
Lu Shi, as the stepmother, had her own biological son, Cui Lang, and naturally couldn't stand seeing the eldest son and the family in harmony.
Cui Jing’s actions were essentially a challenge to the family rules, and Lu Shi, of course, was delighted to see it.
But with so many people present, even if she were enjoying the spectacle, she could at least hide her malicious stepmother's face a little better, right?
"Her thoughts are her own, but as matriarch, she has a duty to stop the eldest son from making such a ridiculous move..." One of the relatives quietly called for a servant. "Tell the matriarch to persuade the eldest son!"
The servant quickly found one of Lu Shi’s female attendants, who relayed the message.
Lu Shi, who had been in high spirits, was instantly displeased upon hearing it. However, upon catching the pointed glances of the relatives, she put on a show of compliance, nodding with a gentle smile. "Tell the elders that I will certainly speak to him."
The reply quickly reached the Cui officials, and their anxiety eased slightly.
However, before Lu Shi had a chance to speak, they heard the voice of the Holy Emperor.
The Holy Emperor, having thought it over, said, "Cui Jing has served the Da Sheng Empire and its court with great dedication for many years, earning countless military achievements. He has indeed sacrificed much, and I often feel guilty for his delay in marriage."
"Now that he seeks this union, I will grant it," the Holy Emperor said with a somewhat helpless smile, glancing at Li Lu. "However, this matter is in full view of everyone. There is only one Miss Chang, and I do not wish for this happy occasion to turn into a source of conflict..."
"Matters of marriage should not be overly meddled with by me. Since it concerns both families, perhaps we should first listen to General Chang’s and Miss Chang’s thoughts—what does General Cui think?"
Cui Jing answered, "That’s exactly right."
The Holy Emperor then looked at Chang Kuo, waiting for his response.
Chang Kuo sighed inwardly.
When Li Lu had requested the marriage earlier, the Holy Emperor had shown no interest in asking about the thoughts of the Chang family. Now, faced with a dilemma, the emperor was suddenly concerned with the "wishes" of the Chang family.
Regardless of his internal thoughts, Chang Kuo remained calm on the surface. He stood and replied with a bright smile, "…My daughter’s future is her own to decide. As long as she is willing, she may marry whomever she pleases!"
This speech, which lacked depth and refinement, made many of the civil officials secretly laugh.
However, when the same words fell upon the ears of the young women, they felt a sense of envy.
How many women had the privilege of choosing their own marriage?
Thus, at this moment, all eyes were on Chang Suining, including that of Cui Jing.
As he watched the girl, Li Lu couldn’t help but show a trace of self-mockery in his eyes.
The Holy Emperor’s suggestion that Miss Chang should choose for herself sounded fair, but earlier, she had clearly rejected him…
No matter how Miss Chang responded from here on, it no longer concerned him.
Yet, he was still curious—how would she answer?
Chang Suining looked at Cui Jing and said, "Thank you for your kind intentions, General Cui, but I consider you a friend, a family member, and have no other feelings."
This was the answer they had already agreed upon.
A deep silence followed.
As the wind brushed the young man’s robe, it carried with it petals of lotus flowers from the ground, and in that moment, it felt as though the cold words from the girl had blown across, causing the hard-won bloom on the iron tree to fall mercilessly.
So... Cui Jing had been rejected!
To witness such a scene in their lifetime—how could anyone have expected that the great General Cui of the Xuanzhe Army would be turned down?
Some people, overwhelmed by the intensity of the situation, had already begun to worry—after seeing this, would they even have a chance to leave alive?
Inside Ming Luo’s heart, a complex laugh echoed—a mix of absurdity, confusion, and incredulity filled her chest.
Looking at Chang Suining, Ming Luo felt that the whole scene was filled with boundless absurdity.
When it came to marriage, with the Holy Emperor being a female emperor, some might believe that marrying into the Eastern Palace to become the Crown Princess was the most exalted union.
Others might think that marrying into the Ming family, the emperor’s maternal family, to become the heir’s wife, was the best destiny.
But these were merely shallow and ignorant thoughts...
Ming Luo knew better than anyone—if one were to marry, only Cui Jing was truly worthy of the title "best."
He came from the prestigious Cui family, with the finest upbringing and heritage; he led the Xuanzhe Manor Army, holding the most powerful military authority in the empire; and from a young age, he had trained on the battlefield, forging a strength of character and abilities that no one else could match.
To stand beside such a person—only then could one truly claim to be standing at the top.
That such a man would make this move today was already unbelievable, yet at this very moment, Chang Suining, without hesitation, rejected him…
Did she truly understand what she was rejecting?
Ming Luo gazed at the standing girl, and a cold smile bloomed within her heart.
The other party was so oblivious and unappreciative, Ming Luo should have felt fortunate, yet all she could feel was absurdity—this absurdity overshadowed all her emotions.
Not far away, Cui Yuanxiang, who had come here with the General, was almost on the verge of biting his hand.
What had he just heard?
Did General Cui... was this for real?!
Cui Yuanxiang clenched his hand tightly.
That firm and clear friendship from General Cui… how did it turn into something like this?
Well, if it had to change, fine, but why was only General Cui the one who changed?
This was too tragic!
Others who sympathized with Cui Jing’s plight included Lu Shi.
Now, as a mother, she stood up and spoke.
"...Miss Chang treats the eldest son like family. This is very good!" Lu Shi said with a beaming smile. "You must know that among all couples in this world, those who grow old together are those who treat each other like family. This bond of family is the best kind of marriage."
Chang Suining was momentarily stunned and instinctively glanced at Cui Jing.
....
This novel is translated by the Eternal Novel Hits translators. Please read it at https://eternalnovelhits.blogspot.com
....
Was this also part of the plan?
Cui Jing: "…" Clearly, it was not.
Several Cui family members exchanged looks—who allowed her to say such things?
Their Cui family matriarch had truly lost her mind!
End of chapter.
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