Marriage of the Di Daughter

Chapter 74 Part 4: Riding and Archery

Hello~~ I cannot believe it’s December already! I woke up on December 1st and got the shock of my life. I wondered, what have I done this year? Why is it December already? How about you? Do you also feel time flew so fast and in a blink of an eye it’s already the end of the year?

This is supposed to be yesterday’s release, I apologize for the delay.

“Why are you laughing?” Jiang Jing Rui said, feeling weird. “Was what I said very laughable? Did you actually listen to what I said just now? Jiang Li, I kindly came and reminded you because we are related. You are being obstinate like this, when the time comes, don’t come crying to me.”

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“Don’t worry, I definitely won’t look for you,” said Jiang Li.

“You!” Jiang Jing Rui swung his sleeve in anger, “I can’t get through to you, just up to you!” He stood up furiously and walked out. He stopped halfway and said: “My equestrian master is in the residence. Wait for a moment, if you want to look for him, just go directly. I’ve already informed him before. At least you could mount the horse and won’t be thrown off, okay?” After he finished explaining all these, Jiang Jing Rui truly left.

“Miss,” Tong’er anxiously asked: “Is equestrian archery really that dangerous? Or else, just no need to go.” Jiang Li and she were at the nunnery for eight years, she naturally knew Jiang Li had never learned riding and archery before. Although Jiang Li also had never learned to play guqin, calligraphy, calculation and etiquette, those were not dangerous. If competing, then compete, but in any case, Tong’er didn’t feel relieved if there’s anything dangerous. 

“It’s fine.” Jiang Li said: “I have my own thoughts.” She faintly guessed why Ji Shuran was so out of character towards her in the afternoon. Since knives and arrows had no eyes in the examination field, danger could happen at any time. At the time when danger occured, it would only be treated as an accident.  

“Accident” could happen anytime. 

But she wasn’t afraid of accidents, because she could handle them well. 

This was precisely “confidence”.

    ……

In the west part of Yanjing, it was quiet inside Duke Su’s residence at the moment.  

Duke Su liked gorgeous and intricate things, thus, his official residence was winding and complicated. The decoration was extremely elaborate and extravagant. The An Ding River was right in front of the door. There were countless magnificent buildings at the bank of the river, but none of these small buildings with flying eaves1 were as good as that conspicuous, large, vermillion mansion. 

Today, there wasn’t the familiar sound of play coming through from the residence. The peace was somewhat weird. 

The old general —— Duke Su, Ji Heng’s paternal grandfather, Ji Da Chuan, was practicing sword inside the courtyard. The courtyard was very spacious, fragrant flowers and plants were arranged disorderly all around, of which many were precious breeds. However, with the wind from Ji Da Chuan’s sword going “whoosh whoosh whoosh”, many were cut off. Falling on the ground, the frail look made people give birth to grief. 

Several bodyguards who were hiding on the eaves immediately complained. This batch of Persian chrysanthemum was an imported good bought from the hand of the sea merchant at a high price. It was raised meticulously for a few months before finally bearing several flower buds, but it was abused by the old general like this. When Duke Su saw this, he would look at them and properly “appreciate” them. 

Truly too frightful.

Ji Da Chuan was now in his sixties, but his body was still strong. He had a baby face, it could vaguely be seen that he was a handsome man in his younger years. So even though he had aged, he still remained as a handsome older male. There were wrinkles on his face but his pair of eyes were bright and expressive. It was summer and he was bare from his waist up with a piece of red brocade bound around his waist. Each of his hands held a sword and he was in the middle of practicing double swords. 

If this continued, this batch of Persian chrysanthemums would surely die in battle. An imperial bodyguard that looked honest couldn’t bear it anymore and finally stood up to put a stop to Ji Da Chuan’s action. He said: “General, it’s already late, please have your meal first.”

Ji Da Chuan stopped after he heard the bodyguard and with a brush, he retracted both the blades in his hands. He asked: “How about that bastard Ji Heng?” 

The imperial bodyguard said: “……. Master has just returned.”

“Didn’t he go to listen to people playing qin? Which one plays well?” Ji Da Chuan’s voice was loud and clear, but when he said these it was as if Ji Heng went to visit the brothel to listen to songs today. Returning home as if to tell which lady sang well and which one looked beautiful. 

The imperial bodyguard restrained himself: “The chief assistant’s second miss got first place.”

“Second miss?” Ji Da Chuan walked out while draping clothes on his shoulder and said: “Don’t know her, it’s the chief assistant’s residence, tortoise Jiang oh…….”

The imperial bodyguard looked at the destroyed flowers on the ground and sighed helplessly. 

Inside the room, Ji Heng was leaning on a recliner2, playing absent-mindedly with a fan.

Footnotes:

1:  Flying eaves, the edges of the roof rise up 1.
2:  recliner 2.