Chapter 229: Hello Chang’an
Chapter 229: Which Kind of Liking?
When the box was opened, what appeared before her eyes was an object neatly folded.
Chang Suining curiously took it out, unfolded it with both hands—and realized it was a suit of armor.
But ordinary armor could never be folded this way. This piece was light and soft yet unusually dense. Fixing her gaze upon it, Chang Suining’s eyes brightened. The craftsmanship was extraordinary; both the material and the weaving technique were unlike anything she had ever seen.
She studied it for a while longer, growing increasingly fond of it. After some time, she finally sat down, set the armor aside, and opened the letter inside.
It was written in Cui Jing’s familiar hand. Both his handwriting and his words were like the man himself—precise and restrained. The content was concise, no more than half a page.
He first summarized the events in Bingzhou in two sentences, then stated that once he finished handling affairs there, he would head to the northern front.
He asked after Chang Sui’an’s recovery.
Then he thanked her, saying it was fortunate she had sent her letter of warning.
After that, he explained that the armor was impervious to ordinary blades, spears, or arrows, yet remained lightweight and could be worn under clothing to guard against mortal danger.
Finally, he mentioned that an additional list was enclosed—names of those he knew and trusted within the Yangzhou expeditionary army. Chang Kuo was aware of them too, but to be safe, he had written out the list for her reference.
The short letter ended there. Checking the envelope, Chang Suining did indeed find the list inside.
As she read it, Ah Dian entered from outside, followed by several cats that had come with Xi’er to beg for water.
Xi’er teased him with a laugh. “Seems those little kittens aren’t so easy to train after all—they’ve worn our good sir out completely.”
She passed him a cup of tea. “General Dian, drink slowly, or you’ll choke.”
Ah Dian thanked her and gulped down the tea in one go.
When he set the cup down, he noticed the armor and exclaimed, “Eh? Isn’t that the Wild Goose Feather Chainmail? How did it end up here?”
Chang Suining looked up. “You recognize it?”
“Of course! That’s Xiao Jing’s Goose Feather Armor,” Ah Dian said, picking it up. “I heard an extraordinary craftsman made it—he killed five hundred wild geese to strip their toughest feathers, then slaughtered two oxen to draw out their strongest sinews before finally completing this one suit!”
Chang Suining was taken aback.
It sounded cruel indeed.
But—morally questionable as it might be—it truly was the armor of her dreams.
Ah Dian continued, “I wanted one myself, but the craftsman’s long dead, and no one else’s skill matches his. This armor is the only one of its kind in the world!”
Chang Suining was surprised. Only one of its kind?
Indeed, the material was unique, interlocked with copper and iron clasps—each piece finely made and feather-light. Without the maker’s technique, it would be nearly impossible to replicate.
Ah Dian held the armor up against himself and frowned. “But… doesn’t it look rather small?”
With his tall frame, the armor hanging before him looked like a baby’s bib on a burly man.
At that, Chang Suining immediately understood.
Ah Dian too caught on, his eyes widening in realization. “Oh! I see—it’s been resized for you! Xiao Jing must’ve had it altered and gifted it to you, right?”
His eyes gleamed. “Xiao Ah Li! Xiao Jing must really like you! He even gave you his Goose Feather Armor!”
The word “like” was so simple, so innocent—yet it made Chang Suining freeze.
This armor was one of a kind, yet he had given it to her, resized in advance so she couldn’t even think of returning it.
“Quick, try it on! Let’s see how mighty you look!”
While she was still dazed, Ah Dian had already helped her into the armor, pulling her up and turning her around excitedly.
“Magnificent!” Ah Dian’s eyes sparkled. “Xiao Ah Li, wearing this Goose Feather Armor, you might just become a Grand General yourself!”
Instinctively, Chang Suining looked toward the bronze mirror atop her dressing table.
In the mirror, the young woman’s hair was pinned with pearls, her dress elegant—yet now covered by a silver-and-copper suit of armor. The sight was mismatched, less awe-inspiring than absurd.
The girl in the mirror smiled faintly at herself.
Chang Suining placed a hand on the cool armor, glancing down at the list in her other hand.
He hadn’t asked or said much, but he had understood her heart and knew what she intended to do next.
“Miss, there are more letters in this box!”
Xi’er’s voice called from behind. Chang Suining turned around.
“More letters?”
Xi’er lifted a stack of papers from beneath the armor and handed them to her mistress.
Chang Suining had been so captivated by the armor she hadn’t noticed the papers hidden below.
Now seeing them, she found them peculiar. The sheets were creased and flattened, as though once crumpled into balls and later smoothed out.
Strangest of all—the handwriting was also Cui Jing’s, and every page was addressed to her, with nearly identical openings.
Puzzled, she sat down, still wearing the armor, and began to read.
It soon became clear: none of these letters were complete. Each one broke off halfway, abandoned midway through.
So—these were all drafts Cui Jing had discarded?
Over ten sheets, all of them?
The first detailed the causes of the Bingzhou rebellion and his doubts about Xiao Chuan’s claims.
The second asked if she was adjusting well in Xuanzhou, whether her arm had healed, if the journey was tiring, if she traveled more by boat or carriage, and whether Senior Ah Dian was behaving himself.
The third mentioned the armor—that though he had worn it, Steward Yuanxiang had washed it clean, and he had personally altered it overnight to fit her.
The fourth, fifth…
The tenth apologized for the delay—saying the war had just ended and previous letters were intercepted by Xiao Chuan’s men.
Upon reading that, Chang Suining realized—so he had lied!
Didn’t his “official” letter claim he was thankful for her warning? Yet he’d only received her letter after the battle was already over!
Who thanked someone for a warning they’d never actually received in time?
Finally, she reached the last page.
This one was slightly different: not only unfinished, but with two closing lines crossed out in ink—as if he’d thought them improper.
Yet the crossed lines were still legible:
“Soon I will depart for the northern frontier. The distance between north and south grows ever greater; may our next meeting not be far away.
Winter has come—keep warm, eat hot meals, I wish you peace through the season. May your brows always be untroubled.”
Reading them silently, Chang Suining blinked slowly.
That was… actually quite nice. Why strike it out?
“Grand General Cui sent so many letters to you, Miss?” Xi’er exclaimed in awe.
Having read for half an hour, Chang Suining instinctively looked at the very first one.
Yes, all were written by him—but he hadn’t meant for them all to be sent.
She had thought him overly concise—now she understood that his brevity had been dearly bought.
Concise?
Yes—bought with ten discarded drafts.
Tapping the letters lightly with her finger, Chang Suining mused aloud, “Does Grand General Cui usually write this many drafts when he sends a letter?”
Ah Dian, busy brushing the cats, lifted his head and thought for a moment before shaking it. “Never seen him do that!”
Chang Suining agreed—it wasn’t his style. If he agonized this much over every letter, he’d never get any real work done.
He’d probably spent more time rewriting these than devising his stratagem in Bingzhou.
Then Ah Dian said cheerfully, “Of course! Xiao Jing wrote all these because he likes you!”
Chang Suining’s hand paused above the papers.
If he wrote so many because he liked her, but then threw them away instead of sending them—did that mean he didn’t want her to know he liked her?
Or… was it because he’d learned she was Li Shang, and didn’t know how to face her now?
And “liking” had so many forms.
Many people liked her—she herself quite liked herself—but what kind of liking was his?
Resting her chin on her hand, Chang Suining pondered.
“Was it the kind of liking between kindred comrades-in-arms, who’d die for each other?”
“The kind forged through battle and shared blood, the mutual admiration of warriors?”
“Or… the kind where Cui Jing the brat seeks to disrupt my grand ambitions?”
She dared entertain that last thought but didn’t conclude, lest she make a fool of herself.
The human heart was hard to read—only the writer himself knew the truth. She stopped overthinking, gathered the letters, and placed them back in the box.
“Ning Ning, I heard Grand General Cui’s letter arrived?”
Chang Sui’an’s voice came from beyond the bamboo curtain.
Hearing her reply, Jian Tong pushed his wheelchair inside.
“Ning Ning, what did Grand General Cui write?”
Chang Suining glanced at the small box—if she were to recount everything, they’d be here till dusk.
So she told him only the contents of the first, concise letter.
“Grand General Cui remembered my injury, even in his busy schedule…” Chang Sui’an sighed. “They’re saying all over about the Bingzhou campaign… If only I could have gone with Xuanzhe’s army.”
“If Brother can recover his strength, there will be many chances ahead.”
“I’m following the physician’s orders as strictly as military command!” he said proudly.
“But, Ning Ning… what are you wearing?” He peered closer. “Armor?”
Before Chang Suining could answer, Chang Ren’s voice came from outside. “My lady, Old Kang has arrived!”
Her expression sharpened. “Show him in.”
The “Old Kang” he referred to was one of the Chang family’s veteran soldiers—the leader of the group delivering rations to the army.
Though nearly sixty, Old Kang still walked briskly. Entering, he saluted. “My lady, young master!”
“Uncle Kang, why have you come here yourself?” Chang Suining asked at once. “Has something happened to Father?”
She had arranged that once they met Chang Kuo, they would send word—but no message had come, and now he was here himself.
“Yes,” Old Kang said grimly. “We did not meet the Grand General.”
“What?” Chang Sui’an rose from his wheeled chair. “What happened to Father?”
“We brought the Ministry’s document and escorted the rations to camp, asking to see the Grand General. But they refused, saying he’s recovering from wounds and cannot be disturbed!”
They had argued, but the camp officers were firm—even threatening them with military law. Not wanting to cause trouble, they retreated and asked them at least to deliver a message.
The officers promised carelessly, but whether they’d actually pass it on was doubtful. Realizing something was wrong, Old Kang left men behind to watch while he rode to Xuanzhou to report.
Chang Suining frowned. “What about Uncle Chu and the others? They didn’t see him either?”
Old Chang had sent Chu Xing and a hundred men—surely not all of them were “recovering.”
Old Kang replied, “We secretly found a familiar captain. He said Commander Chu and his men were ordered to suppress the Xu rebellion near Sizhou and haven’t yet returned.”
“Did he know Father’s true condition?”
She remembered Li Yi mentioning that Father was wounded by an arrow during the battle of Mount Duliang, but not seriously—how then could he now refuse all visitors?
“He said he hasn’t seen the Grand General in days. Only Li Yi’s men guard his tent, saying no one may disturb him. Only the physician and food bearers go in or out daily.”
Chang Suining’s brow furrowed deeply. “Li Yi must be using ‘recuperation’ as an excuse to keep Father under guard…”
And that was the best possibility.
“Li Yi is commander, Father is deputy—why would he do that?” Chang Sui’an was aghast. “Is it because they disagreed—or because Father once stopped him from returning to Prince Huainan’s residence?”
Some of that, she had indeed told him during their journey to Xuanzhou.
Chang Suining didn’t waste time speculating. She rose, removing the armor as she spoke. “Uncle Ren, prepare horses and rations. Once I take leave of Her Highness the Grand Princess, we ride for Shouzhou immediately.”
Shouzhou lay on the Huai River—it was where the expeditionary army was now camped.
“Ning Ning…!” Chang Sui’an called after her anxiously.
Hearing that Chang Suining had come to bid farewell, behind the pearl curtain, Grand Princess Xuan’an dropped her salted plum with a sharp clack.
Her little plan to make the girl “forget the outside world” had failed this quickly?
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