Chapter 176: A Bit Hasty

The next day, long before dawn, the streets were already filled with carriages of ministers heading towards the palace gate one after another.

Chu Tiankuo, on the other hand, was riding in a carriage out of the palace gate, heading towards Star Garden.

Songbai, driving the carriage, sighed worriedly, “Alas! Time flies so fast, Miss Xingnong is going back soon. Did Master say anything to Miss Xingnong yesterday?”

Chu Tiankuo lifted the carriage curtain, looked at the dark sky outside, and said lightly, “Say what?”

Yes, she’s going back!

For a long time to come, he wouldn’t be able to see her every day.

He wouldn’t be able to see her gentle smile.

He wouldn’t be able to see her focused formation setting.

He wouldn’t be able to see her concentrating on practicing calligraphy.

He wouldn’t be able to see her frowning and angrily rebuking people.

He wouldn’t be able to see her unrestrained and flamboyant manner.

He wouldn’t be able to see…

Before they even parted, he already wanted to leave with her.

Songbai: “…”

Master, this blockhead! He really wanted to crack open his skull and see what was inside!

With their separation imminent, of course, he should secure her first!

He had been wishful thinking for so long, yet he didn’t even know how to seize the opportunity to confess and turn his one-sided love into a mutual one?

Didn’t he think that from now on, Miss Xingnong would return to Futai County, he would have to train troops and attack Zhao Kingdom, and he and Miss Xingnong would have to wait at least several months or even a year and a half to see each other again?

A girl of marriageable age, how many years and a half can she afford to delay?

Moreover, Miss Xingnong was already seventeen, and in two or three months she would be eighteen, a proper old maid!

It was not uncommon for women of this age to be unmarried in wealthy families in the capital, as women from wealthy families would usually stay for two or three more years, but it was rare for them to marry after nineteen.

And in the villages, most women started discussing marriage and getting married at fifteen or sixteen. And Miss Xingnong was going back to Futai County, back to the village!

Besides, who was there in Futai County?

There was Gu Zesen, the son of the gentle scholar village chief, there was the particularly generous Zhang Zheng, and there was Shen Hanyu, who was no less beautiful than the young master…

Thinking of this, Songbai became even more anxious. The master and Miss Xingnong had been together in the capital for so long, yet they were not in love, not soulmates, and had not made a secret engagement. The master was really too incompetent!

Did he still want to marry a wife?

If he didn’t act now, would he be waiting to return from the expedition and then send a gift for Miss Xingnong’s child’s third-day celebration?

No, to prevent such a smart and capable Miss Xingnong from being stuck with a useless man, since the master was a blockhead, he had to remind him. Otherwise, if the master didn’t get married, when would he be able to get married?!

He would freeze to death sleeping alone in the winter!

Songbai felt the need to stimulate his master, “Miss Xingqing was almost sent to marry into Zhao this time. When Aunt Gu finds out, she will probably arrange an engagement for Miss Xingnong and Miss Xingqing soon, right? Speaking of which, Miss Xingnong will be eighteen soon, right? She’s already an old maid! If she doesn’t get married, she’ll be ridiculed. Master, do you think by the time you return victorious, Miss Xingnong might already have children?”

What the hell, having children already!

Chu Tiankuo frowned and warned coldly, “She’s not old! There are also many girls in the capital who are not married at eighteen, so how can she be called an old maid? She’s not even engaged? What children? Besides, I’ll cut off your tongue!”

Songbai rolled his eyes at his words, “Of course Miss Xingnong is not old, but in the village, eighteen is considered an old maid! The girls in the capital who are not married at eighteen are already engaged, aren’t they?”

Most Chu women were petite and delicate, and they only married at eighteen when their bodies were fully developed, so that they could get married and have children.

Women in Zhao and Jin were mostly tall, so they wouldn’t marry so late. Most women got married at fifteen or sixteen.

It was said that women went through a gate of hell when they were pregnant and gave birth. An imperial physician in the previous dynasty said that if women gave birth after they were eighteen, the probability of dystocia was lower. Therefore, in recent decades, women from wealthy families in the capital married later. Decades ago, women in Chu got married at fifteen or sixteen! If they were not married at eighteen, they were called old maids!

Chu Tiankuo’s eyes darkened when he heard this, “Shut up.”

~

Xingnong got dressed, put on her makeup, and opened the door. She saw Chu Tiankuo standing under the eaves in a black robe, looking up at the vast night sky. His back looked inexplicably lonely?

Xingnong was stunned for a moment, “Senior Brother, so early?”

Hearing the sound of the door opening, Chu Tiankuo turned his head, and a handsome young man in white clothes appeared in his eyes.

He frowned when he saw her thin figure, “Why are you wearing so little?”

There was a cold wave last night, and when they got up today, the weather was even colder.

Xingnong walked out, and the cold wind hit her face. She couldn’t help but sneeze.

Chu Tiankuo frowned, strode forward, took the cloak from the maid beside her, and put it on her, “The weather will get colder and colder. You should wear more clothes before going out in the future.”

Xingnong shook her head, “I’m not cold. I’m worried that if I wear too much, my hands and feet won’t be flexible.”

✿✿✿

She was about to go on a long journey, and Xingnong didn’t dare to wear too much. After all, the Second Prince and the Zhao Kingdom Heir Apparent probably already suspected her identity. She was worried that if she encountered any accidents on the road, wearing too much clothing would make her hands and feet inflexible and inconvenient to move.

Especially since the martial arts masters in this world all had internal energy. Although she already had one-third of Chu Tiankuo’s internal energy, and Songbai said that her internal energy was now stronger than that of many imperial guards, but in a battle between masters, it only took a split second to take a life. She didn’t dare to wear too much and restrict her movements.

Chu Tiankuo understood her worries, but he couldn’t follow her to protect her along the way, “Then wear the cloak.”

Thinking about it, he added, “Don’t worry, I’ve arranged everything.”

He had sent ten secret guards to protect her, and there were also Embroidered Uniform Guards in the dark.

“I’m not worried. It’s getting late, let’s go!” Xingnong would first go to the security bureau, then she would disguise herself as someone from the security bureau, and then go to the Princess’s Residence to pick up Xingqing and go back together.

She had already made an appointment with Xingqing yesterday, asking her to tell Shen Ruolan and the others that she had found a security bureau to escort her back.

It just so happened that the security bureau was escorting a merchant caravan back to Futai County.

The security bureau was Chu Tiankuo’s, and the merchant caravan was also Chu Tiankuo’s, but he didn’t use people from the security bureau, he used all his own secret guards.

The two walked together towards another courtyard.

Because there were Prime Minister Liang’s people secretly watching outside the residence, Chu Tiankuo and Xingnong left through a secret passage in another unused guest room. The secret passage led to a house on another street.

The two came out of the secret passage, walked out of the house, and then got into a simple carriage and headed towards the security bureau.

In the carriage, Chu Tiankuo thought of Songbai’s words. There were some things he had originally planned to tell her after dealing with Zhao Kingdom and the Liang family.

But now he couldn’t help but worry that if he said it too late, what if she was really engaged by the time he came back?

After all, there was Gu Zesen in the village, Zhang Zheng in Futai County, and Shen Hanyu was also a big problem!

It was better to strike first.

Although it was a bit hasty, he hadn’t made any arrangements, the carriage was too simple, and it was a bit disrespectful to express his feelings like this!

He had fantasized about many scenarios of expressing his feelings. If it was fast, if he could make it back before New Year’s Eve, he would take her to the plum blossom forest on the top of the mountain on her birthday and express his feelings under the witness of heaven and earth.

If he couldn’t make it back before New Year’s Eve, it would be spring when he came back. He would take her horseback riding and let the green grass and gurgling streams witness his feelings.

If it was summer when he came back, he would take her to the neighboring county of Futai County, where there was a vast beach. He would take her out to sea and let the blue sea witness his vow of eternal love.

It wouldn’t be that late until autumn!

But now he found that even her birthday was too late!

There was no other way!

Hasty it was! He would make it up to her later.

Fortunately, he had prepared a token of love long ago.

In the dim light, Chu Tiankuo glanced at the woman beside him, and with a thought, a hairpin appeared in his hand.

He clenched the hairpin in his hand, his palm was a little hot, and he called softly, “Junior Sister.”

Thinking about it, he felt that it was inappropriate to call her Junior Sister, so he said again, “Xingnong~.”

His deep voice carried a hint of affection, and it sounded especially pleasant when he called her name.

“Hmm?” Xingnong felt a feather brush against her heart. She turned her head and looked at the person beside her in surprise.

Songbai’s ears twitched. Hearing the name Xingnong, he knew that the master had finally made his move!

How could such a tense and important moment be without his help?

Songbai pulled the reins hard, and the carriage suddenly made a big turn and another turn.