Chapter 853: Chapter 850: Capability

The outbreak of war with Nanliang was something that Daqi anticipated.

Ever since Nanliang borrowed troops to the Beimo Cheng King, Daqi was aware of Nanliang’s ambitions.

The disappearance of the Beimo Cheng King, Nanliang’s forces at the city gates, pressing Daqi to first find the Beimo Cheng King, then to hand over the murderer.

Step by step, escalating the pressure, until the Eldest Princess Jiuling fell off a cliff, only then did Nanliang abandon their idea of taking her hostage.

Having delayed for so long, Nanliang’s patience must have been worn thin.

One hundred thousand troops stationed at the border doing nothing, even just the daily grain was a considerable expense.

With preparations in place, the court wasn’t too panicked when Nanliang attacked the city.

The Old Prince, Marquis Yangnan, and Marquis Jibei had already arrived at the border.

They were seasoned veterans.

Marquis Dongxiang didn’t want to go to war, yet returning to the battlefield with the Flying Tiger Army to once again clash with Nanliang was something he had wished for sixteen years.

But the escape of Duke Chong from prison, his whereabouts still unknown, as if he vanished into thin air, was a thorn in Marquis Dongxiang’s heart.

He was conflicted.

He hoped Duke Chong was dead, but he also hoped he wasn’t.

As a son, for poisoning his own father, he felt he deserved to die.

Back then, the destruction of the Flying Tiger Army was inextricably linked to Duke Chong, Marquis Dongxiang wanted to use him to restore the Flying Tiger Army’s honor.

But Duke Chong was meticulous, cautious, and the incident took place fifteen years ago, evidence was never found.

This time, with the war against Nanliang, Marquis Dongxiang felt that the truth about the past might surface.

He was eager to head to the border.

However, with the Old Prince and others at the border, he wasn’t in a hurry; the affairs in the Capital also needed to be properly arranged.

After discussing with the Emperor, Marquis Dongxiang decided to depart for the border in ten days.

Marquis Dongxiang was to take the Flying Tiger Army, and since Su Chong was a Lieutenant General of the Flying Tiger Army, he too was surely going.

With Su Chong leaving, Prince NanAn and the others who followed Su Chong clamored to go as well.

Prince NanAn wanted to go, but Princess NanAn couldn’t bear it, while Prince NanAn thought it would be good to send him to the military camp for training, and a year later, he could come back and marry Nie Yao.

The Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo Mansion had just married Zhou Jingyi, and they were in the midst of a loving, harmonious period, but a true man should have aspirations beyond indulgence in the comforts of love.

Zhou Jingyi couldn’t bear for him to leave but knew she couldn’t stop him, so she prepared his luggage.

After the Eldest Young Master decided to go to the border, the Heir of Marquis Beining also made up his mind.

But as for Chu Shun…

Whenever he mentioned the matter, the Marchioness Jingguo would shut him down, “The steward went all the way to the Southern Border to bring back Miss Qin for you; the bridal sedan chair is at the door, yet you’re on the battlefield, leaving the girl without status at the Marquis Mansion?”

“Before you get married, don’t even think about going anywhere.”

Chu Shun felt wronged.

The steward had been in the Southern Border with no news back.

What did this imply?

It suggested that he couldn’t find her at all.

If they hadn’t given him the correct address, how could they expect him to find her?

Seeing his mother’s eagerness for a daughter-in-law, Chu Shun tried several times to confess, but each time, the words got stuck in his throat —

He feared being beaten to death.

At the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

Chu Shun was having a meal with Prince NanAn and the others.

Yes.

Prince NanAn and the others were eating, while he was drinking sullenly.

Watching Prince NanAn and the Heir of Marquis Beining fight over the last meatball, using even side dishes as an excuse to compete, he reached out with his chopsticks, picked up the meatball and said, “Can you think of a plan for me, even a bad one would do.”

Prince NanAn, “….”

The Heir of Marquis Beining, “….”

This guy really asked for it.

Asking them for advice without even saying something nice, assuming it would be a bad plan before they even helped.

Prince NanAn looked at him and said, “Why don’t you just tell your mother the truth?”

“Take a beating now, recover in seven or eight days, and join us in the campaign.”

“…!!!”

Chu Shun almost choked on a mouthful of old blood.

Don’t hold him back; let him bang his head against the wall and die.

How did he end up with such a group of awful friends?

At critical moments, they offer no help, only sarcastic remarks.

Chu Shun glared at Prince NanAn with both eyes.

After glaring at Prince NanAn, he glared at the Heir of Marquis Beining and the Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo Mansion, sparing no one.

The Heir of Marquis Beining coughed lightly and said, “What the Prince said may not sound pleasing, but there’s really no other way.”

The Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo Mansion looked at Chu Shun and said, “Paper can’t contain fire, you might hide it for a moment, but can you hide it forever?”

To conclude, he added, “The sooner you get hit, the sooner you recover.”

Chu Shun, “…!!!”

On this matter, Prince NanAn and the others really couldn’t help; the Marchioness Jingguo wanted Qin Hanhan as her daughter-in-law, and they couldn’t conjure someone for her.

Prince NanAn, after some thought, said, “Either confess to your mother at the right time, maybe you won’t get beaten; or act first, report later, and leave a letter before joining me at the border?”

The Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo Mansion said, “I personally suggest confessing now because if Marquis Jingguo sends grain and grass to the border one day, he might beat you in front of all the soldiers.”

Still, the sooner you die, the sooner you’re reincarnated.

After all, you can’t escape; it’s better to grit your teeth and face it.

They said a lot, but not a single useful word.

Chu Shun drank one cup of wine after another.

The Marchioness Jingguo didn’t know why her son was drinking; she assumed it was because he was anxious to get married but also wanted to go to the border, stuck between a rock and a hard place.

The Marchioness Jingguo sent people to the Southern Border direction to make contact; not assured, she personally went to the Great Buddha Temple to offer incense and pray for blessings.

Chu Shun wanted to tell the Marchioness Jingguo the truth but didn’t dare, dragging it day by day.

And like that, only three days were left.

On this day, while having breakfast, hearing the Marchioness Jingguo complain to Marquis Jingguo about the steward’s inefficiency, even the Marquis said that when the steward returned, he would have to be seriously dealt with.

No matter how the task was done, at least send someone to inform them, not let them keep waiting.

Chu Shun watched his parents and decided to come clean, “Father, Mother, it’s not the steward’s fault, it’s because I….”

No sooner had he started, a loud voice interrupted his confession:

“Marquis, Madam, Housekeeper Zhou sent someone back, saying they are already ten miles away, and if they hurry, they can arrive by this evening and asked you to select an auspicious day.”

The Marchioness Jingguo’s face lit up with a smile.

She stopped eating and returned to her room to flip through the old almanac.

Not trusting herself, she called the Marquis to go with her, planning to get the Astronomical Bureau’s advice.

Chu Shun sat there, dumbfounded.

Why was his heart trembling so much?

He put down his chopsticks and quickly ran out of the residence to find Prince NanAn and the others for advice.

Prince NanAn and the others were equally shocked upon hearing the news.

“Your Housekeeper Zhou is quite capable, being able to bring back Miss Qin without even knowing her exact location,” Prince NanAn admired.

Chu Shun trembled with fear, “Who knows what kind of person he brought back.”

“I can’t get away, you guys go and take a look for me.”

The Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo Mansion had a face full of black lines, “When the bride is sent directly from the Southern Border, she directly enters Marquis Jingguo Mansion for the wedding, not needing to marry out from Dongxiang Marquis Mansion.”

“With the bride’s head covered, and you, the groom, not uncovering it first, asking us to uncover it?”

This was a favor they absolutely couldn’t do.

Chu Shun countered, “She can’t have the headcover on all the time; she’ll need to eat sometime.”

Prince NanAn and the Heir of Marquis Beining looked at each other, nonplussed.

Chu Shun pleaded with one after another, but none agreed.

Yet eventually, they consented.

The auspicious day the Marchioness Jingguo picked was the next day; otherwise, the next auspicious date was ten days later.

Letting Qin Hanhan stay at the post station for ten days was less favorable than being a bit rushed now; at least Chu Shun could head to the battlefield with Prince NanAn and the others, if he was willing.

Once the date was set, the Marquis Jingguo Mansion sent out invitations, and the kitchen went to purchase items with an already drafted list…

When Chu Shun returned to the mansion, the front was already adorned with red silk ribbons.

Chu Shun, “….”

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