Chapter 225: Hello Chang’an
Chapter 225: Princess Xuan’an
He was about to meet that rumored Princess Xuan’an and her daughter…
Although Yaojin had already promised him she would not offer him up to the ladies of the Princess’s residence, in the quiet hours of the night Chang Sui’an would still recall Yaojin’s first words: “The young master of the Chang General’s Residence is strikingly handsome yet strong and robust — exactly the kind of man the ladies would fancy.”
Because of this, Chang Sui’an could never fully set aside his guard.
“Young Master, look — although Xuanzhou is not as bustling as the capital, it is still prosperous and lively, and its local customs have their own charm.” Jiantong lifted the carriage curtain, trying to ease his young master’s tension.
Hearing this, Chang Sui’an also lifted his eyes to look, just in time to see a middle-aged man clutching his head and running past in panic. Behind him, a woman brandishing a feather duster was chasing him furiously.
Chang Sui’an’s cheek twitched.
So this was Xuanzhou’s local custom?
“…” Jiantong hurriedly let the curtain fall back down. Seeing his young master growing even more tense, he could only sigh silently: sinful, sinful.
While Chang Sui’an sat full of nerves, hoping the carriage might slow down, inside Princess Xuan’an’s residence someone was equally anxious with anticipation.
“Where are they? Why have they not yet arrived?” A girl of eighteen or nineteen paced back and forth in the hall, constantly glancing outside, unable to calm down even for a moment.
The woman seated in the main seat was richly dressed, her bearing noble and composed, her features open and stately. At that moment, she held a Persian cat in her arms and sighed helplessly: “Li Tong, sit down. What are you pacing for?”
This was none other than the mistress of this residence — the famed Princess Xuan’an.
The girl she called Li Tong still craned her neck to peer outside. “Mother, look, it’s nearly noon and they still haven’t arrived. Could it be they changed their mind halfway and are not coming after all?”
Princess Xuan’an replied calmly, “Since they’ve already entered Xuanzhou City, a cooked duck—”
The maidservant standing nearby coughed lightly.
Princess Xuan’an’s hand stroking the cat froze for a moment, then she smiled and amended: “Now that the honored guests are already outside our gates, could they possibly fly away?”
Saying this, she ordered her daughter Li Tong to sit back down.
Li Tong had no choice but to obey, though she could not help but marvel at how her mother could remain so composed.
Princess Xuan’an indeed looked calm and serene as ever. Yet if one looked closely, the cat in her arms was showing something strange.
Its normally fluffy fur was now slicked flat against its head, glistening faintly with moisture.
Partly it was from being stroked for too long, partly because Princess Xuan’an’s palms — anointed with scented balm — had been sweating profusely.
The cat wanted to escape but could not. Its meows were filled with bewilderment: No basin, no water, and you still managed to bathe me like this?
“Look at how anxious she is. Chuan Zhu, send someone to check again,” Princess Xuan’an glanced at her daughter and gave orders to the maid by her side.
The maid knew full well who was most anxious here, but cooperated and complied.
By this time, several carriages were already rolling into the Princess’s residence.
“Entering through the side gate rather than being greeted at the main entrance is only for prudence’s sake. I beg Miss Chang’s pardon.” Sitting in the carriage, Yaojin apologized to Chang Suining.
Chang Suining replied without concern, “It should be so.”
It was impossible for Xuanzhou City to be free of court informants. Since she and her brother had come here privately, naturally they could not be welcomed with great fanfare.
Princess Xuan’an’s residence was lavishly built. The carriages passed smoothly through the side gate and soon slowed before a moon gate.
It was the twelfth lunar month, and the banana plants just beyond the gate had long since withered. At that moment, two men in their thirties, both dressed exquisitely, were quarreling.
“…When will you return the jar of osmanthus oil you stole from me last month?”
“And you still dare ask me for osmanthus oil? Earlier you tampered with my face cream, causing me to break out in rashes. I couldn’t dare appear before Her Highness for a whole month. That account I haven’t yet settled with you!”
“Don’t slander me! Do you think I don’t know? You deliberately ate crab even knowing it gave you hives, just to stage a bitter trick and drive a wedge between me and His Highness. You only wanted Her Highness to loathe me! Always pretending to be innocent in front of him — your scheming is denser than the stars on a summer night!”
“Say one more word and I’ll tear that lying mouth of yours!”
The two were about to fight when they heard carriage wheels and stopped, turning curiously to look.
Carriages were not permitted here unless for the masters. Since both Her Highness and the young lady were in the front hall, who could this guest be?
Realizing it was something unusual, the two male favorites quickly hid behind a rockery to watch.
First, they saw a tanned youth being helped through the moon gate. His movements seemed somewhat unsteady, but his heroic bearing and striking features could not be concealed.
“…So this is why Yaojin has been gone lately — fetching new talent for Her Highness?”
“Doesn’t seem so, he looks lame…”
“What if he’s a fiery, unyielding type who refused to submit and had his legs broken before being brought back?”
Their eyes narrowed with vigilance.
Just then, another “youth” entered — shorter, more slender, but with features even finer than the first. Graceful and composed, at a glance he stole all attention.
The two exchanged glances, eyes widening — this face was like a divine blow to their rice bowls!
“This I must confront Yaojin about!” one seethed.
Bringing back such a beautiful youth was pure trouble!
But wait — so young…
Her Highness did love beauty, but as she grew older, she would not touch anyone under twenty. These two looked so young — could they be meant for the young lady instead?
Speak of the devil.
A crowd of maidservants rushed up, led by Li Tong herself.
“At last you’re here!”
Her face bloomed with joy, as fiery as the balsam blossoms embroidered on her dress.
“This must be… the young master of the Chang family!” Li Tong’s eyes locked instantly onto Chang Sui’an.
Startled by her unwavering gaze, Chang Sui’an stiffened and nodded, “I am.”
Yaojin smiled and introduced, “This is the young lady of the residence.”
“At last I’ve waited you out!” Li Tong’s eyes never left Chang Sui’an. She urged eagerly, “Come with me to the front hall! My mother has been waiting so long!”
Surrounded by servants, she led him forward, peppering him with questions: “How much has your injury healed?”
“Was the journey tiring?”
“You must be thirsty and weary, aren’t you?”
Yaojin tugged lightly at her lady’s sleeve, trying to rein her in.
Li Tong glanced back knowingly — she was already restraining herself as best as she could!
Still…
Looking around, she suddenly asked, “Why don’t I see the young lady of the Chang family? Did she come separately?”
At last Yaojin found a chance to continue introductions. “Lady, this is the young miss of the Chang family.”
Following her gaze, Li Tong saw a handsome youth smiling politely at her.
Li Tong was stunned. “You—”
“I am Chang Suining.” The “youth” raised a hand in greeting, her voice clear with unmistakable feminine tones.
Li Tong’s eyes widened, then she laughed in surprise and regret: “I truly was blind! I thought you were your brother’s attendant. I was just thinking to ask him to gift you to me!”
Yaojin nearly covered her face.
She had watched her lady’s eyes stuck on Chang Sui’an the whole time, yet she still had spare thoughts for another.
“But since you’re a younger sister, that’s even better!”
Men could only amuse for a while, but a sister could last forever.
Li Tong immediately linked arms with Chang Suining. “Chang Mei-mei, I’ve long heard of your name! Now that you’re living here, no need to be distant — just call me Ah Jie!”
So much virtue accumulated, to gain such a beautiful sister for free — surely my due reward, she thought.
Chang Suining hesitated. “…Elder Sister Li.”
In truth, she was the elder, but things had changed, and there was no ground to argue.
Li Tong still found it not close enough. “Next time, call me Tongtong Ah Jie!”
Then she turned back to Chang Sui’an. “I heard you have trouble walking. Mother has prepared a sedan chair. Please, take it!”
Seeing the sedan set before him, Chang Sui’an instinctively backed away. “It’s fine, I can walk slowly…”
“Why trouble yourself when you’re injured?” the maid laughed, lifting the curtain without asking further.
Chang Sui’an hesitated, but recalling his sister’s counsel — that they must thank Princess Xuan’an and cultivate goodwill — he finally steeled himself and sat inside.
As the sedan lifted, he felt more than ever like a princess sent abroad for marriage, burdened with state ties.
Walking beside him, Jiantong could read his master’s thoughts. If Young Master was the marriage princess, then he was surely the dowry maid.
Influenced by his master’s unease, his own thoughts drifted. He remembered Li Tong’s earlier remark about mistaking Suining for a follower and wanting to ask for her. As a true follower himself, Jiantong felt a sudden sense of danger.
His face was plain, neither handsome nor ugly — but precisely because he was so common, he was like a hundred others. Keeping him was like keeping a hundred at once — cost-effective.
But then again, if one was rich enough to keep male favorites, who would care for cost-effectiveness?
Relieved, Jiantong let it go.
Li Tong chatted cheerfully with Suining, while Ah Dian watched curiously but stayed quiet — His Highness had taught him well that in new places, he must not chatter.
Soon they reached the front hall.
Hearing the report, Princess Xuan’an brightened and hastily wiped her sweaty palms on the poor cat.
The cat was finally freed, shook its fur angrily, and stalked off.
Princess Xuan’an rose instinctively, only to be reminded by her nursemaid’s glance to sit back down.
Li Tong soon led the Chang siblings in to bow.
After so many years, Chang Suining finally saw Princess Xuan’an again.
To her surprise, though the Princess was already past fifty, she looked little changed — with glossy black hair and smooth skin, younger than her years.
So this was the benefit of keeping male favorites? Suining wondered.
“…I thought there were two young masters. So it is Miss Chang. Come, sit and talk.” Princess Xuan’an smiled at Suining, but her gaze soon returned to Sui’an.
That tall youth with bold brows, piercing eyes, straight nose and square chin…
The Princess’s eyes softened. Compared to cold portraits, having him alive before her was incomparably better.
“The young master of the Chang family is the very image of General Chang in his youth!” her maid exclaimed.
“Yes…” Princess Xuan’an nodded. In everything else it was good, only in this one thing not.
Sui’an did not forget his duty. He bowed to thank her for saving them.
“Child, why thank me…” The Princess’s eyes grew tender. “Your father and I were closest friends. You and your sister will stay here with ease. Treat this as your own home.”
Sui’an blinked at her.
Though she looked youthful, her kindness stirred a strange warmth in him.
Meeting his clear, bright eyes, Princess Xuan’an suddenly felt a wrenching pain, a surge of emotion rising unbidden to her eyes.
Her maid quickly broke the moment, laughing: “The Chang siblings must be hungry after their journey. Your Highness, why not take them to dine first? There will be time to talk later.”
The Princess suppressed her tears and nodded.
Yes — they were here now. They could not run.
Her sorrow turned swiftly to joy. She rose and led the siblings toward the dining hall.
Meanwhile, Chuan Zhu assigned servants to help the Chang household unload luggage and deliver it to their prepared quarters.
After unloading the chests, Ah Zhi dragged down a large sack.
A sharp-eyed servant rushed to help. “Heavens, this sack is heavy!”
Before Ah Zhi could refuse, the man noticed movement inside. “Is something alive in here…? It seems to be moving—”
Ah Zhi struck it swiftly. “Not moving now. Let’s go.”
Servant: “???”
Was the point whether it moved or not?!
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