Song Jingyang muttered, "Why hasn't the Prince returned yet today?"
If the prince doesn't return, this show can't continue.
The Prince of Jin has gone to the Qiao Residence; we don't know how things are going.
However, judging from yesterday's events, the truth is almost certain.
"Let's wait a little longer." Huaishang's voice was sorrowful, as if she were visiting a grave.
--After these few days, he'll have to play the bad guy again.
Let him cherish these last moments as a good person.
Two grown men can't just stare at each other when they're bored, especially now that Song Jingyang is always showing off his affection. Huaishang is particularly unwilling to talk to him.
For example, right now, Song Jingyang is talking to him about giving money as a gift at a wedding.
"Huaishang, do you think you should give me my gift money in advance?"
Huaishang: "What's with all this talk of gifts and money? I'm getting married too. What's the point of me giving you money and you giving it back? I don't want that kind of thing."
Song Jingyang: "Give me some face, and I'll give you face in return."
"I won't do it."
Do you feel like you won't be able to find a wife?
"Even those who marry can run away!" Huaishang rolled her eyes at him, not wanting to talk to him anymore, and looked at the two little children playing not far away, saying, "I'll go check on Yanran."
After saying that, he walked away as if fleeing.
Song Jingyang followed, shaking his head, and said, "You always play dumb when it comes to money."
Yanran and Cui Xiaoqiu were playing chess at a stone table under a tree.
She had already told Cui Xiaoqiu, with a heavy heart, about not being able to go to the Great Xiangguo Temple.
She felt a little embarrassed now because she had promised beforehand that she would go.
But Cui Xiaoqiu was very understanding. He said it was alright and even comforted Yanran, making Yanran feel very embarrassed.
Yanran knew that Cui Xiaoqiu liked playing chess, so she offered to play chess with him to ease her guilt.
However, she had always disliked playing chess, and after thinking for a long time, she finally decided to play Chinese chess.
--At least there aren't as many pieces as in Go, so it doesn't give me as much of a headache.
It hurts quite a bit, though.
Moreover, the fact that it involved military campaigns somewhat mitigated her dislike for chess.
Cui Xiaoqiu never refused her suggestions. He would have someone go home to fetch a chess set and patiently play chess with Yanran.
Provoked by Song Jingyang, Huaishang came over to watch the chess game.
As he watched, he realized something was wrong.
Are these two kids playing house?
I know absolutely nothing about chess, I'm just playing blindly!
Huaishang was a chess master; how could he resist giving him pointers?
"Yanran, something's not right! How could your troops retreat?"
Yanran looked bewildered at Cui Xiaoqiu: "Can't my troops retreat?"
Cui Xiaoqiu said, "You can return it."
Huaishang: "We can't back down from anyone! And elephants walk on fields, right? They can't cross the river either..."
Yanran was even more confused. "Can't it?"
With a smile on her face, Cui Xiaoqiu said confidently, "Yes!"
Huaishang was getting anxious. Did he even know the answer? Even if he didn't, he couldn't just spout nonsense and mislead the students, could he?
He was about to defend himself when Song Jingyang pulled him back.
Song Jingyang: "Do you know why you can't find a wife?"
"Are you trying to say I'm stingy again?"
"Now I realize, you're not only stingy, you're also brainless." Song Jingyang said with utter disdain.
--As long as the wife speaks up, let alone crossing the river, even if the elephant wants to fly to the sky, it can immediately turn into a little elephant!
Huaishang: "..."
Why don't you just fly to the sky!
He couldn't understand it; he couldn't understand it at all.
Song Jingyang whispered in his ear again, "Look at Young Master Cui, did he make a wrong move?"
You need some skill to win over a wife!
Besides, we're all men, regardless of age, so we shouldn't undermine each other.
Huaishang said, "It seems there really isn't; Cui Xiaoqiu didn't go the wrong way."
It was only because he didn't correct Yanran that she misunderstood him as not understanding either.
Yanran asked Cui Xiaoqiu, "Is what Huaishang said correct?"
Cui Xiaoqiu nodded. "However, the game is just between the two of us; it's enough that we both enjoy ourselves."
Huaishang: "..."
Why do I feel like I'm being accused of meddling?
Yanran said excitedly, "That's right, you don't know how either, do you?"
Cui Xiaoqiu hummed in agreement.
Yanran was even happier. "Hey, you should have said so earlier! I was so nervous all day. Since you don't know how, just listen to me!"
Watching the two continue playing with great enthusiasm, Huaishang felt that his entire worldview had been turned upside down.
Will he ever be able to get married?
Now that things have gotten this complicated, does finding a wife really require such advanced skills?
Just then, the Prince of Jin returned on horseback.
He and Song Jingyang went forward to greet the Prince of Jin, and only then did they temporarily put aside this matter.
Yanran continued playing chess with Cui Xiaoqiu with great interest.
"Cui Xiaoqiu, I've discovered," she said, "That watching my father and brother play chess is really boring, and I don't enjoy it myself. But playing chess with you, I find I quite like it, and I'm actually pretty good at it."
Cui Xiaoqiu just smiled and remained silent.
Yanran, beaming with pride, brought up the trip to the Great Xiangguo Temple again. "When I go, I'll definitely remember to get you a good luck charm; your frail health is really a problem."
"Okay, I'll wait."
After a while, Yanran suddenly raised her head and looked around. "Why do I have a feeling that someone is lurking around, trying to get close to us?"
Cui Xiaoqiu pointed behind her. "The person is over there; they've been loitering for fifteen minutes."
Yanran turned around to look, then suddenly jumped up. "What are you doing here!"
Is that Qiao Qiao?
Although she didn't know the whole story, she learned from Xiu'er and Tang Zhuyun's conversation that Qiao Qiao wanted to steal her father, but fortunately, her father stood firm and didn't fall for it.
Yanran naturally didn't give Qiao Qiao a friendly look.
But as the others walked forward, she realized that their demeanor seemed somewhat different.
Not Qiao Qiao?
"Are you Qiao Jiao?" Yanran asked again.
Qiao Jiao nodded with a complicated expression.
Now that she had been discovered, she stepped forward.
"What are you doing?" Yanran remained vigilant.
"I wish to request an audience with Her Highness the Princess." Qiao Jiao somewhat nervous and guilty.
She was always proud and rarely showed such an expression.
Yanran said, "Then you should just tell the gatekeeper to announce it openly. If you're sneaking around like this, and someone mistakes you for an assassin and slashes you, who will be responsible?"
Qiao Jiao remained silent.
Yanran asked the gatekeeper to go in and announce her arrival.
A moment later, Xiu'er came out.
However, Xiu'er's eye was clearly sharper than Yanran's; she immediately recognized that the person was Qiao Jiao, not the identical-looking Qiao Qiao.
She stood on the steps with her arms crossed, her eyelids slightly raised. "Take turns climbing into the bed, and don't go to the wrong door. That's the Prince's Mansion over there, this is the Tang Family's."
That's a very harsh thing to say.
Qiao Jiao felt like she was about to explode, and she gripped the handkerchief tightly with both hands.
However, she dared not.
She has come today to plead for mercy.
She took a deep breath and slowly said, "Miss Xiu'er, you know, my relationship with my sister isn't good either. She even sold all my dowry..."
"Selling gold during the day and silver at night is your business, sisters. You don't need to tell anyone else," Xiu'er said with a sneer.