Chapter 177: Hello Chang’an
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**Chapter 177: Did She Save Your Life?**
Cui Jing experienced a brief moment of blankness in his mind. It wasn’t until he noticed that Chang Suining had simply leaned toward his shoulder, seemingly sniffing the air, that he came back to himself.
After a moment, Chang Suining shifted her gaze from his shoulder and looked up at him.
They were very close. As she looked at him, Cui Jing felt uneasy, his voice faltering, “...What is it?”
Chang Suining slightly moved the corner of her mouth, mindful of the possibility of eavesdropping, and didn’t speak out loud.
Instead, she reached out and grabbed one of his hands.
Cui Jing froze again but allowed her to hold his hand.
In the dim shadows, the girl’s hand, held through his sleeve, grasped his wrist, while her other hand subtly traced something on his palm with her finger.
Due to her martial arts training, her fingertips had developed light calluses, which lightly brushed against his palm that was already covered in more calluses with each motion.
In the end, she looked at him, her eyes full of questioning.
Cui Jing stared at her blankly, clearly confused, as though asking, *What did you write?*
Chang Suining didn’t answer immediately.
In the past, she and Chang Kuo were very skilled at using their hands to communicate in secret, and she had assumed Cui Jing was just as adept at feeling it out.
But Cui Jing wasn’t sure how to explain himself. He was usually very good at this.
Perhaps… he could try writing it again?
He looked at her, silently suggesting with his eyes.
Chang Suining, however, gave up and released his hand, her gaze returning to his shoulder. She had written three words on his palm—*Injured?*
She had faintly sensed the smell of blood and medicine on him.
The scent wasn’t strong, but since they were so close and the air was clear, without any other odors to mask it, and because she was always sensitive to these smells, she had noticed it.
Cui Jing certainly knew what she was asking.
When she had leaned in close to his shoulder earlier, he had already realized what she had sensed.
He hadn’t had time to feel what she had written, but there was no need for her to write it out. He could already understand her meaning.
He wasn’t a fool.
It was just that, in front of her, he felt strangely dull.
Now, facing her questioning look—one that was more of a confirmation than a question—Cui Jing could only nod slightly in acknowledgment.
At that moment, Chang Suining finally understood. The sound she had heard earlier, when she was in the secret passage, the sudden halt of the mechanism—Cui Jing must have been the one to destroy the array’s core, acting discreetly while everyone else, including Ming Hou, was unaware.
She hadn’t seen or known of it at the time.
He hadn’t intended to tell her either, not with his current appearance.
But now she knew.
So, he must have known who she was—long before she had figured it out.
In the stillness of the night, their eyes met in silence.
After a moment, Chang Suining spoke, “Thank you.”
Out of caution, she made up an excuse for her gratitude, “Thank you for coming to see me today.”
She wasn’t just referring to the current moment; she meant more than that.
Cui Jing’s eyes showed a faint smile. “There’s no need for us to thank each other for such small matters.”
Hearing this, a smile appeared in Chang Suining’s eyes.
She had once feared she would lose a very dear friend.
Now, it seemed that the friend was still there.
Her friend hadn’t disappeared just because of the trouble with Li Shang.
“Besides, I’m also happy to see you.” The youth spoke slowly and seriously. Looking into her dark eyes under the night sky, he said, “I’m happy to see you again.”
—Happy to see you again.
—Happy to see you again, Your Highness.
Cui Jing repeated those words in his heart countless times.
Yet, even after repeating them a thousand times, they still couldn’t describe a fraction of his feelings.
These words were so simple, and any other words would inevitably be shallow. Perhaps no words in the world could truly express his emotions.
Chang Suining, too, was no fool. She understood what Cui Jing meant. But... did the word “again” imply that “she” had seen him before?
She had also felt that she had seen him somewhere before, but she had never been able to recall where.
However, this was not the time to ask such questions—right now, they were simply exchanging scattered, inconsequential words, lacking direction, interest, or meaning. Even a mouse passing by would have yawned after listening for a while.
But they could only continue with their scattered conversation: "I still have to thank you, but General Cui will be traveling soon. Both Bingzhou and the northern border need General Cui. When you return to the capital, I will certainly host a banquet in your honor."
"Will you be preparing wine?" Cui Jing asked.
"Of course," Chang Suining replied seriously, "but I drink tea."
A smile appeared on Cui Jing’s face, his dark eyebrows arching in amusement. "At the Xuanzhe Mansion, there's a rule: those who don’t drink wine must sit with Ah Dian."
Even though Chang Suining had once been known for her heroic ability to drink countless cups without stumbling, she could only compromise with reality now. "…Then I'll sit with Ah Dian."
Cui Jing's smile deepened, and thinking of her fondness for chestnuts when drinking wine on the roof of Xuanzhe Mansion, he subconsciously raised the hand holding a chestnut to show it to her. "Speaking of thanks, haven’t you already given me a gift?"
It was just breaking an array, and one chestnut was enough as a token of gratitude to him.
In truth, he hadn’t expected her to thank him. He had simply done what he wanted to do. If anything, it was less about helping her and more about following his own heart.
No one, after doing what they truly wanted, should expect thanks from others.
Chang Suining glanced at the chestnut in his hand—the same one she had thrown earlier—finally realizing that this chestnut might be one of the clues that revealed her identity.
At that moment, Cui Jing’s voice broke the silence again. "If you need anything from me in the future, just give me a chestnut. One chestnut for one favor."
Chang Suining looked at him, smiling. "So, with just one chestnut, I can request your help, General Cui?"
Her words carried a joking tone, clearly not taken too seriously, but the young man before her was exceptionally serious as he nodded in agreement. "No matter when, where, or what it is."
Seeing him so serious, Chang Suining became more earnest, nodding with a smile after a moment. "Alright, it’s a deal."
However, since he had promised her one chestnut in exchange for a favor, she would offer him one in return.
When faced with sincerity, she too could act with proper manners.
"If, in the future, you need me to do something, just let me know," Chang Suining added, "No need for a chestnut, just speak, and I will help."
Cui Jing chuckled. "You’re much more generous than I am."
It was well-known that the former general of Xuanzhe Army was proud and disliked losing to others. His reputation was certainly not unwarranted.
"Fair enough," Chang Suining replied. "You were generous first, so it’s only right that I return the favor."
She wasn’t inherently generous, but he deserved it.
Cui Jing looked at her, his expression puzzled. "…Why does it sound like you and I are arguing?"
Chang Suining pondered for a moment and agreed. "It does sound like it, but it doesn’t matter. It’s the same principle."
Hostility for hostility, sincerity for sincerity—many things in this world probably followed the same rule.
Cui Jing seemed to be convinced by her reasoning and nodded. "Hmm, the same principle."
Chang Suining then said, "Let me give it a try."
Cui Jing didn’t understand. *What is she going to try?*
The next moment, she reached down and took something from the pouch tied at her waist, handing it to him.
Another chestnut.
Cui Jing was taken aback but reached out to accept it, asking seriously, "What do you need me to do?"
Chang Suining answered, "Go back and get a good night’s sleep."
Hearing this request, Cui Jing looked at her. "Why not try a more practical favor?"
Chang Suining stared at the chestnut in his hand without answering, only asking, "Is it not useful?"
Cui Jing nodded. "It’s useful."
Since it was useful, then he should leave.
He gave a final reminder: "If you need anything when you return to the capital, no matter how big or small, you can go to Xuanzhe Mansion with the copper token."
He continued, "If anything happens in the temple over the next couple of days, go find Master Wu Jue."
At Wu Jue’s place, she would find all the answers she needed.
Chang Suining understood the implication of his words and nodded. "Got it."
Then, she watched as Cui Jing left.
His journey carried great responsibility, whether it was dealing with the Bingzhou’s Prefect Magistrate suspected connection with Xu Zhengye or preparing troops at the northern border to deter the Northern Di. All of this was crucial to the safety of the Great Sheng empire, and it rested on his shoulders alone—there could be no mistakes.
Although she had never fought alongside Cui Jing, she too had once been in his position. Their hearts shared a similar understanding.
Sensing the gaze following him silently from behind, Cui Jing did not turn around. Out of respect, he pretended not to notice, not wanting to disturb the lingering gaze.
He walked slowly, though not too slowly.
He had received many parting glances before, but this time, it felt different.
Looking at the two chestnuts in his hand, Cui Jing smiled faintly. His journey had been fruitful.
At a short distance ahead, Cui Yuanxiang approached and fell into step beside him, lowering his voice. "General, you're finally out. I thought you'd stay in there for the whole night. I was about to go in and look for you!"
The general had been injured today, and it was time to change the dressing. When he had waited so long for the general to come out, he had been nearly frantic.
"Hmm, she told me to go back and get a good night's rest," Cui Jing said in a warm tone.
Cui Yuanxiang: "?"
*She?*
Miss Chang?
Oh, so General Cui was sent out by Miss Chang.
If it weren’t for Miss Chang, the general might still be inside.
Cui Yuanxiang wanted to sigh, but his gaze was drawn to the items in the general's hand, and he couldn’t help but ask, "General... where did these come from?"
For some reason, as soon as he asked, Cui Yuanxiang had a feeling that the general had been waiting for him to ask this very question.
Cui Jing answered, "She gave them to me."
Cui Yuanxiang: "…"
As expected.
But being his subordinate, Cui Yuanxiang had to show some support. "Why did Miss Chang give you chestnuts?"
“One is a token of gratitude,” Cui Jing explained in detail. “One is to make sure I go back and rest.”
"…" Cui Yuanxiang's expression turned strange.
A token of gratitude?
Was it for the dangerous act the general had performed today?
Though Cui Yuanxiang didn’t know the full story, he was aware that the general and Master Wu Jue had been working together, so he understood the general’s actions and whom they were for.
But when the general came out, covered in blood, what did he get in return? A chestnut?
Moreover, the general seemed to treasure it and was even showing it off.
Cui Yuanxiang couldn’t help but feel a little bitter. So, this was what happened when someone liked a woman. He’d seen others in the same situation, but somehow, the general had become so downcast.
After holding his frustration in for a while, he finally sighed, "I sometimes really want to ask you... Did Miss Chang save your life?"
Cui Jing: "Yes."
Cui Yuanxiang froze. "When was this? Why didn’t I know about it?"
In the quiet night, the youth’s serious voice echoed, "In the previous life."
Cui Yuanxiang: "…?!"
Speechless, Cui Yuanxiang could only walk away in shock.
After Cui Jing left, taking care of the necessary matters and returning to the Tower as per the emperor’s decree, she heard from a monk that Cui Jing had indeed come by earlier.
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*Cui Jing (thoughts): "She's so wonderful. If I don't fall in love, who will?"*
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This chapter has about 3,000 words. Tomorrow's schedule is tight, so I likely won’t be able to update. I’ll be back home the day after tomorrow (づ￣3￣)づ Good night!
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