EBE Chapter 164 East Out West Gate
Chapter 164 East Out West Gate
The golden luster almost dazzled Shen Qing, who exclaimed in surprise, "Wan'er, you're so rich!"
Li Wan laughed and said, "Hey~ This is all from the last Imperial Guard competition. My cousin's odds of winning were 1 to 10, so I bet 100 gold coins on her to win."
Shen Qing's pupils dilated slightly. He had been careless! As a transmigrator, he had actually forgotten this shortcut to wealth!
“I should have gone too,” Lin Chisu said somewhat embarrassedly, taking out a scroll. “My gift isn’t that valuable, please don’t mind.”
Shen Qing took the painting and unfolded it. It depicted the scene on the day of the competition when he flew up the city wall and shot down a rain of arrows.
"Everyone's brushwork is exquisite! Wenying, hang it up!"
Lin Chisu was amused by Shen Qing's exaggerated manner.
"Hey~" Ding Min pouted, "You guys make me look really stupid~"
Upon learning that Shen Qing would be departing the next day, Li Wan and her entourage went to Shen Qing's home to bid him farewell. Ding Min very simply delivered a cart of military supplies and medicines, while Qiu Yinong was busy embroidering her dowry at home and could not go out.
"It will be useful, it will definitely be useful!" Shen Qing patted Ding Min. Even if he didn't use her, the soldiers below would. He thought to himself, "Although she's a little arrogant, she's a good girl."
"I wonder when we'll meet again after this parting?" Li Wan said with some sadness. "If there's a war, it could last for seven or eight years."
"We will meet again someday."
"Indeed, we are only fifteen years old, still very young."
These words reminded Shen Qing of time capsules, and on a whim, she said, "Let's play a game. We each write down a goal or expectation, then put it in a box. In a few years, we'll dig it out and see if it's been achieved."
"That's interesting."
Everyone agreed, and each found a corner to write down their hopes on silk, carefully stuffing them into their purses to avoid being seen.
"All done." The last purse was placed into the wooden box.
"Let's set a start date, how about five years?"
"No, no, it's too early."
"What about those ten years?"
"Hmm... Twenty-five is old enough, isn't it?"
In the end, everyone agreed on a ten-year period, and then they went to the yard together in high spirits to bury the wooden box under the tree.
"I'll keep the key."
Everyone agrees that Lin Chisu is an honest person.
When seeing everyone off, Shen Qing made an excuse to keep Ding Min behind alone. He felt it was necessary to give her a few pointers about Song Yuan, but Ding Min's response was unexpected.
"Hey~ What's wrong with that? The essence of a marriage alliance is mutual benefit. Yi Nong married into the Qi family and you married into the Lu family, weren't you both trying to gain military power? Why can't Song Yuan do the same?"
"...There is still a difference. Song Yuan has someone he likes. If he gains power, he might want to divorce you."
How do you know he has someone he likes?
"Uh... As you know, the Shen and Song families have been friends for generations. I know a little bit of the inside story, but it's not convenient to reveal the specifics. I only said a few words because I was afraid you would suffer a loss."
Ding Min nodded knowingly, while Shen Qing had no idea what she was imagining.
"The fact that she's called Xinmi means this woman is not fit to enter the Song family. So what do I have to fear? As for divorce, what do you take this marriage alliance for? It's not that easy."
Shen Qing suddenly realized that he had misunderstood. In his previous life, Song Yuan could easily get a divorce because the original owner did not want to force it. But Ding Min obviously did not care whether a forced marriage was sweet or not; she only cared whether the marriage was hers.
Ding Min squeezed Shen Qing's hand. "Good sister, you can tell me this because you really care about me. But most couples in this world are forced together. Mutual love is too rare. Even if I marry someone else, they may not like me. But I like Song Yuan. So, he's the one who suffers, and I'm the one who enjoys happiness."
"..." Shen Qing was speechless for a moment. He suddenly felt that even if they got married, Song Yuan might not be able to control Ding Min.
The next day, the day of departure was also the day of the three-day homecoming ceremony. Shen Qing rode alone on a detour to return to the Shen residence first to bid farewell to Li Su.
Li Su looked reluctant to part with him, and her words of advice were endless, which Shen Qing readily agreed to.
"Mother, it's getting late, I should get going. There's one more thing I need your help with."
"What's the matter?"
Shen Qing then explained Lu Zhen's request. He felt that the tutor hired by the Marquis's mansion was not up to par and hoped that Lu Yuan could enter the Li Family Girls' School. Ideally, Li Su could also teach her when she had time.
Lu Zhen believed that Li Su herself must be very capable to have taught Shen Qing, and he did not want Lu Yuan to develop a weak personality like her mother.
“But I get very bored when you’re not here, so let her come often.”
After bidding farewell to Li Su, Shen Qing spurred his horse and caught up with the main force just before leaving the city gate, returning to the head of the column.
At this moment, a patrol team came from the opposite direction. Shen Qing immediately saw Jiang Se, who was leading the team on horseback, and was taken aback.
Jiang Se's attire was so eye-catching that it was impossible not to notice her. It must have been a specially made court robe bestowed by Emperor Yongxi. Shen Che was not exaggerating at all; the colorful robes were dazzling.
That's not the point. The point is that Jiang Se himself has delicate features, and he probably put on makeup to match the outfit!
The traditional Chinese painting has been transformed into an oil painting, creating something in a different sense that is almost too beautiful to look at directly.
Shen Qing's heart skipped a beat. It wasn't that she was captivated by Jiang Se's beauty, but rather that her exceptional hearing allowed her to hear the whispers around her. While some praised Jiang Se, most of the conversation was filled with ridicule and criticism.
Thinking of Jiang Se's current position as the commander of the Imperial City Guard, he seemed to understand that Emperor Yongxi was helping a lone minister into the court, and the court robes he wore were both a sign of imperial favor and a shackle.
Looking at Jiang Se again, his gaze was calm and unwavering, unmoved by any gossip. Before he could take a closer look, the two teams passed each other by.
As Shen Qing left the city gate, he looked back at Xuandu with a deep gaze. Undercurrents surged within him. He hoped that when he returned, his old friends would still be there.