Days passed in boredom. This day was swelteringly hot, making people wish they could stay indoors all day.
Such was the case with a certain princess.
Chu Qing thought seriously for a long time, weighing her options over and over again.
Finally, she decided that she still wanted to learn martial arts.
Since she was physically weak, she would take it step by step.
In her previous life, the senior tutor had taught her that a girl must be gentle and elegant. He even blew his beard and glared at her in an attempt to stop her from learning martial arts, changing his previous calm and steady demeanor.
Thinking of the Shangguan Tutor's family, Chu Qing's eyes grew a bit red.
The past events were vivid in her mind.
In her past life, she owed nothing to anyone except her natal family.
Shaking her head to stop thinking about it, after learning that Wei Ying was in the study, Chu Qing took some snacks and went to find him.
This time, she must persuade Wei Ying to agree to her decision by appealing to his emotions and reasoning!
...
"Your Highness, there's still no news from the north. But from the west, the people of the Tu tribe sent a message saying they've found some traces. Do you... want to continue...?"
"Keep them under surveillance. I mustn't miss this chance this time," Wei Ying said in a terribly low voice.
His voice was like an endless abyss, filled with thick darkness that refused to disperse and seemed to devour one's mind.
Until the door of the study was knocked. The shadow beside Wei Ying leaped and disappeared.
"Your Highness?" Chu Qing knocked on the door.
"Come in," Wei Ying said. The darkness in his eyes receded, and his eyes regained their former star - like brilliance.
Hearing this, Chu Qing pushed the door open and walked in.
It seemed to be her first time in this study. There were few things in the study, but all of them showed the owner's status.
Chu Qing put the snacks in her hand on the carved wooden table and said with a beaming smile, "Your Highness, would you like some snacks? I specially picked some with a mild taste, not too sweet."
"Just say what you want. There's no need to be so..." obsequious...
Wei Ying looked at Chu Qing's embarrassed look with great interest and directly exposed her intention.
Chu Qing couldn't remember how many times she had been mercilessly exposed by Wei Ying. She felt a bit annoyed in her heart. Maybe she was becoming more and more like herself.
Seeing the other's somewhat dejected look, Wei Ying casually picked up a small pastry brought by Chu Qing and threw it into his mouth. The taste was really good, soft, delicate, and mild.
After eating this, he really felt a bit hungry.
So he ordered the servants to prepare food and asked Chu Qing to stay in the study and have dinner with him.
Chu Qing nodded in surprise and agreed.
When she saw that there were several spicy dishes among the dishes served, Chu Qing looked at Wei Ying in great delight.
The light in her eyes directly shone into Wei Ying's heart.
"In the past, although you also liked spicy food, you never looked so overjoyed as you do now. Really, can you be won over by just a bit of food?" Wei Ying motioned for Chu Qing to start eating. Then, thinking of the past, he couldn't help but speak.
Chu Qing stuffed a large piece of boiled beef into her mouth and couldn't say a word clearly. She could only narrow her eyes into crescent moons to show her smile.
However, this look was a bit silly.
Chu Qing herself didn't realize it. If someone told her how silly she looked now, she would surely beat her chest and stamp her feet, scolding herself for losing all her dignity and propriety at the Empress Dowager's tomb.
After a full meal, Chu Qing drank a cup of chrysanthemum tea and then remembered the purpose of her visit today.
"Your Highness, I still want to learn martial arts," Chu Qing said seriously, putting away her smiling face.
Wei Ying raised his eyebrows and looked at Chu Qing without saying a word.
This woman still wanted to learn martial arts recently?
It wasn't just a passing fancy?
Seeing that Wei Ying didn't answer or question her, Chu Qing took a deep breath and continued, "Your Highness, look, last time when we were attacked, I was useless and hid beside you! I was so scared and couldn't help at all! I not only embarrassed you but also easily became a burden to you. However, if I knew martial arts, although I might not be able to help you much, at least I wouldn't make you think I'm a burden, right?"
... She did hide beside him.
But...
Wei Ying remembered that incident. During the fight, he accidentally caught a glimpse of her:
Even though she was squatting beside the wall in a dark red formal dress, she didn't look vulgar or indecent. Her pair of black eyes stared fixedly at their side, and her whole body seemed to be on high alert. Maybe there was a bit of helplessness, but there was no sign of timidity.
Actually, she didn't really become much of a burden to him.
It was just that someone had described herself a bit too badly.
Wei Ying rubbed the space between his eyebrows. Suddenly, he didn't know how to persuade the other to give up this idea.
"Your Highness? Dear Highness~" Seeing that Wei Ying seemed to be wavering, Chu Qing couldn't help but reach out and tug at his sleeve. Her voice softened.
Hearing the almost coquettish words, Wei Ying felt his face heat up. Suppressing the strange feeling, he deftly pulled out the clothes that Chu Qing was holding and said helplessly, "Well, I'm going to be away for nearly a month these days. I'll give you a task. If you can complete it, I'll agree to let you learn martial arts."
Chu Qing pouted but still nodded.
"What's the task?"
"During this month, straighten out the rules of the mansion and make everyone in the mansion truly convinced of you. Your position as the princess should be well - deserved, right?" Wei Ying hooked the corner of his mouth, wanting to see what expression Chu Qing would have.
As a result...
"Eh? That's all?"
"???"
The smile on Wei Ying's face froze, and the words on the tip of his tongue were forcefully swallowed back.
Chu Qing thought Wei Ying was going to give her a really difficult task. She never expected it was just to win the hearts of the people in the mansion.
This wasn't easy for her, but she was always good at using people. So, she didn't think it was a big deal.
"Does your Chu family teach daughters how to manage household affairs?"
"Um..."
For a noble family, it was natural to teach daughters how to manage affairs. As for her, who came from a merchant family, she really didn't know if she had learned it.
After thinking for a while, Chu Qing could only look helpless and say, "I've only learned the basics. But for the sake of learning martial arts, I'll surely do my best! Moreover, it's something I'll have to do sooner or later. I can't keep avoiding it. If it gets out that the Princess of Ning is incompetent and can't even manage the affairs in the mansion well, it will surely disgrace you, right?"
Seeing Chu Qing talk so much, Wei Ying didn't know what else to say.
So they made an agreement that after a month, if Chu Qing could manage the mansion in an orderly manner and make everyone convinced of her as the princess, he would allow her to learn martial arts.
...
Sure enough, early the next morning, the prince was already not in the mansion.
Looking at her calm - looking mistress, Lvluo remembered that her mistress had said yesterday that she was going to start managing the mansion. She couldn't help but feel anxious.
"Mistress, although the madam had told you how to be a house - managing mistress before, you weren't really interested in listening! Now..."
You've taken on a hot potato!
Ignoring Lvluo's panic, Chu Qing still leaned lazily on the couch with her eyes closed, pretending to be asleep.
"Mistress?" Seeing that Chu Qing still didn't move, Lvluo's tone became even more urgent.
"How's the thing I asked you to do before?"
Annoyed by Lvluo's voice, Chu Qing asked.
"They almost finish their work around Shenshi every day and then go to the small pavilion in the garden to gossip."
"They're really idle," Chu Qing smiled and then slowly sat up.
"It's getting late now. Tomorrow, I'll take you to see what rules are."