Chapter 262: Truly Not Easy
In the following few days, the formation masters who received guidance from Chu Tiankuo all stayed in their rooms to study formations.
Chu Tiankuo also didn’t leave his room for a single step, and no one knew what he was doing inside!
Every time Zhang Ruohua tried to get close, Bai Hua stopped her.
Therefore, she didn’t see Chu Tiankuo until they disembarked from the ship!
After disembarking, Chu Tiankuo rode away alone, letting the large group continue forward.
Zhang Ruohua was so angry!
~
After disembarking, Chu Tiankuo went directly to Futai County to meet with Xingnong. He also took the opportunity to examine Madam Gu’s leg and found that she was recovering well. Then, he and Xingnong escorted Madam Gu back to Peach Blossom Village, picked up Old Master Tang, and the group hurried to the dock to board a ship to the Jin Kingdom.
Five magnificent ships were docked at the pier today. Three were filled with betrothal gifts and soldiers escorting them, one was specifically for the formation master team going to the competition, and the other was the Jin Kingdom Emperor’s ship.
Old Master Xu went to the ship carrying the Chu Kingdom’s formation master team, while Chu Tiankuo boarded the Jin Kingdom Emperor’s ship with Xingnong.
He was using the banner of fulfilling his duties as a host, using the excuse of sending the Jin Kingdom Emperor and his entourage off from the Chu Kingdom, but in reality, he wanted to be on the same ship as Xingnong.
Inside the comfortable and luxurious cabin, there were singing girls dancing.
The Jin Kingdom Emperor and Shen Ruoxi were sitting on one side, watching the song and dance performance.
Chu Tiankuo and Xingnong were sitting on the other side, playing chess, not watching the performance.
The chess they were playing was not ordinary chess, but a competition of formations through the chess game, specifically Xingnong’s newly researched formation.
Shen Hanyu watched for a long time but couldn’t understand it at all, feeling a bit frustrated. He simply stopped watching, then felt resentful towards Chu Tiankuo. Was he deliberately playing this kind of chess to show off his erudition and talent?
Both Shen Hanyu and the Jin Kingdom Emperor were dissatisfied with Chu Tiankuo.
However, the Jin Kingdom Emperor had Shen Ruoxi to keep him in check. If he showed a cold face to Chu Tiankuo, Shen Ruoxi would dare to glare at him. Therefore, the Jin Kingdom Emperor simply ignored Chu Tiankuo.
If it weren’t for Chu Tiankuo saying he could alleviate seasickness with acupuncture, without the need for medication, the Jin Kingdom Emperor wouldn’t have wanted him on board.
You see, the journey to the Jin Kingdom required a stretch of sea travel.
The waves of the sea were much more turbulent than those of a river. Shen Ruoxi already got seasick on river boats; she would be even more seasick at sea.
There was no other way, the Jin Kingdom Emperor could only let him on board, in case Shen Ruoxi got seasick.
Shen Hanyu was different; Shen Ruoxi couldn’t control him.
At this moment, seeing the two of them happily playing chess, completely monopolizing his Imperial Sister, and thinking about how the tyrant always said he was inferior to Chu Tiankuo, Shen Hanyu felt aggrieved and couldn’t help but say, “Is the Chu Kingdom Crown Prince not returning to his own ship and boarding our Jin Kingdom’s ship because he’s worried that the Chu Kingdom’s ships are too shoddy and will be capsized by the wind and waves at sea?”
Chu Tiankuo glanced at him indifferently and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, “The Chu Kingdom’s ships are very good, but since the Jin Emperor and the Third Prince have come from afar, it is natural for me, as the host, to accompany them. This is the way of hospitality.”
Then, he placed his black chess piece down without hesitation.
Shen Hanyu continued, “The Crown Prince is indeed courteous! However, the level of your Chu Kingdom’s formation masters is so poor, shouldn’t you take this opportunity to properly guide them while traveling?”
Upon hearing this, Chu Tiankuo looked at Xingnong: “One Xingnong is enough for the Chu Kingdom’s formation masters.”
A good formation master can be worth ten ordinary ones.
Xingnong frowned, holding a white chess piece, ignoring the two of them; she was trapped!
Shen Hanyu: “. . .”
Chu Tiankuo always knew how to hit the nail on the head. This statement both complimented his Crown Princess and struck a nerve with Shen Hanyu.
Shen Hanyu’s face darkened, he was furious!
Xingnong was clearly their Jin Kingdom’s princess, yet she had to represent the Chu Kingdom in the Youth Formation Master Competition.
But they were helpless!
Wait, he was the one who was going to marry his Imperial Sister, shouldn’t he be submissive to him?
How dare he be arrogant in front of him?
Did he still want to marry his Imperial Sister?
Shen Hanyu wanted to say something more, but Shen Ruoxi felt sorry for her son-in-law being bullied, so she spoke up at this time, “Hanyu, I was the one who asked the Crown Prince to board the ship. I get seasick, and he knows a little bit of medicine.”
✿✿✿
After saying this, Shen Ruoxi immediately felt her stomach start to churn. Her face paled, and she quickly said, “Crown Prince, I feel a little dizzy and want to vomit.”
The Jin Kingdom Emperor’s expression changed, so soon? The ship had just started moving. He quickly held her in his arms and said to Chu Tiankuo, “Didn’t you say you could press acupuncture points?”
Chu Tiankuo quickly stood up and went over to help.
Xingnong also looked over.
Shen Hanyu couldn’t say anything now.
Anyway, he would have to endure Chu Tiankuo for this entire journey!
No, he would have to endure him for his entire life!
Who made him his future brother-in-law?
Chu Tiankuo squatted down and started applying acupuncture to Shen Ruoxi.
The Jin Kingdom Emperor took the opportunity to glare at Shen Hanyu!
Shen Hanyu: “. . .”
What did this have to do with him?
The tyrant’s temper could flare up at any moment!
But could this Chu Tiankuo’s medical skills really work? Hadn’t he already given the tyrant an antidote pill?
Why was the tyrant’s temper still so fiery after taking the antidote pill?
Shen Hanyu just wanted to return to the Jin Kingdom quickly!
Thinking of this, Shen Hanyu became excited again. He wondered how the women in the harem would react when they knew the tyrant had brought back an empress?
It would definitely be a good show!
His own mother was indifferent to worldly matters, so Shen Hanyu wasn’t afraid that she would be jealous.
But Noble Consort Liang might not be the same! And what about the other consorts who were accustomed to not having to compete for favor?
They would suddenly realize that the emperor wasn’t treating every consort fairly, how would they react?
Shen Hanyu, who wasn’t afraid of making a big deal out of things, was secretly looking forward to it.
After all, life for the consorts in the harem was really too boring!
~
Jin Kingdom.
Crown Prince Shen Hancheng of the Jin Kingdom received a letter from the Jin Kingdom Emperor, stating that they were returning to the country and instructing him to prepare for welcoming the Empress and Imperial Sister back to the country.
Shen Hancheng then summoned several of his adult younger brothers to discuss how to handle the welcoming ceremony.
Shen Hancheng handed the letter to his brothers to take turns reading, then said, “Father will return with Imperial Sister in mid-April, what do you think is a good way to welcome Imperial Sister?”
The Second Prince perked up upon hearing this, the emperor was finally returning to the palace!
Thank heavens, ever since he was tricked by his eldest brother at the end of last year, who claimed they had an Imperial Sister, he had been so excited that he rushed back at breakneck speed to see his Imperial Sister.
Only to be deceived!
The emperor hadn’t even returned from picking up their Imperial Sister!
Then he was “confined” to the imperial capital by his eldest brother, assisting him with state affairs every day.
He hadn’t been back to his blacksmith shop for months, his peerless divine weapon was about to be neglected!
When the emperor returned, the Crown Prince would no longer need to act as regent, and he would be free!
He immediately said, “The ceremony to welcome Mother and Imperial Sister cannot be simple. To show our deep respect and welcome to Imperial Sister and Mother, I suggest that Elder Brother personally lead all civil and military officials, as well as the consorts of the harem, to Ten-Mile Slope outside the city to welcome them!”
Generally speaking, leading all civil and military officials and the harem consorts to welcome them at the palace gate was already considered grand, but he even suggested welcoming them at Ten-Mile Slope outside the city.
This was something that had never happened in the Jin Kingdom’s history of over a hundred years.
Shen Hancheng felt that welcoming them at Ten-Mile Slope indeed demonstrated their regard for their Mother and Imperial Sister, but it was a bit of a grand gesture. However, it didn’t matter, how many chances were there in a lifetime to welcome an Imperial Sister?
Having an Imperial Sister was truly not easy!
Ten-Mile Slope it was.
