Chapter 1411
Jin Yue 12
Chapter 1411 Jin Yue 12
The request to appoint a crown prince was naturally not going smoothly, because Cheng Sui was too young, and Cheng Qian was now in his prime. With the crown prince position changing hands, Cheng Qian's position was somewhat awkward.
Tan You manipulated Cheng Qian into submitting another memorial, but after it was rejected again, she stopped and allowed Cheng Qian to recuperate peacefully in the Duke's mansion.
He was injured in the last battle on the frontier, and after a long and arduous journey, he was hit hard by Tan You upon his return. Now, Cheng Qian is like a sickly person, and it is perfectly legitimate for him to recuperate quietly in his residence.
Gu Yu brought a hand warmer to Tan You: "Miss, I thought you would keep asking the young master to write a letter to request that Sui Ge'er be granted the title of young master."
Cheng Sui, holding the book, said upon hearing this, "I'm too young. If I were ten years old this year, perhaps I could really succeed."
Gu Yu couldn't understand: "That girl kept asking the prince to submit a memorial."
Tan You didn't speak, but just looked at Cheng Sui. Cheng Sui put down his book and said in a serious tone, "That's for outsiders to see. We need to let the outside world know that even though I'm just an unfavored legitimate son, a legitimate son is still a legitimate son, and I have the right to inherit the title of heir."
Tan You slammed down a piece: "He's just as clever as your son, just like his mother."
Cheng Qian, who was recuperating from his injuries and studying military strategy books nearby, said angrily, "He's my son, why don't you say he takes after me?"
To prevent Cheng Qian from causing trouble, he would be carried to the main room during the day. After all, having him under their watchful eyes was the most reassuring thing.
Tan You chuckled: "You don't have any good qualities either. You're lustful, bully the weak and fear the strong, heartless, cold-hearted and selfish. It would be terrible if you were like me."
Cheng Sui smiled, got off the soft couch by the window, and ran to Tan You's side: "Mother, tomorrow is the first day of the eleventh lunar month, shall we go to Baima Temple to offer incense?"
"It's time to go offer incense," Tan You suddenly remembered the task she had assigned to Wei Shi: "Gu Yu, go check on Wei Shi. Has she finished copying the scriptures I asked her to copy?"
Cheng Sui suddenly laughed: "I went to see her yesterday, and she only wrote half a page."
Tan You raised an eyebrow: "So little?"
Gu Yu knew more: "This servant has also checked, and it is true that only half a page was copied."
Cheng Qian was surprised: "My mother is literate, how could she have only copied half a page of the scripture in so long?"
Tan You continued playing chess: "That's none of your business."
"I'm not playing anymore, Guyu, bring me the brush and ink." Tan You pushed the chessboard aside, and Guyu quickly brought over the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. However, the paper and ink were a bit strange. The paper was a piece of silk that was neither paper nor cloth, and the texture felt very peculiar. The ink, in particular, had a faint golden sheen.
Cheng Qian was a connoisseur; he leaned closer to smell it and was struck by its unique fragrance.
"What kind of ink is this?"
Tan You ignored him, simply dipped her brush in ink, and after a moment's thought, wrote a neat line of slender gold script on the silk. A strange phenomenon occurred: as soon as she finished writing a character, the character emitted a faint golden light and then adhered firmly to the silk.
Tan You quickly finished writing a page, and Gu Yu carefully arranged the silk: "Miss, why does this writing have a golden glow?"
Tan You explained to her, "You all say that sincerity brings results, and this is sincerity."
Gu Yu: "Young lady, didn't you not believe in these things?"
Tan You tapped Gu Yu's forehead: "I am indeed not religious, I believe in myself the most. But I will show respect, even if I don't believe, I will still maintain the most basic respect, the so-called respect... but keep a distance."
Cheng Sui didn't understand: "Then why do we have to go to the White Horse Temple to burn incense? Doesn't Mother not believe in these things?"
Tan You chuckled: "We're going to pray for your mother, to enshrine this Buddhist scripture at the White Horse Temple, and to light an ever-burning lamp for her to ward off misfortune and pray that everything goes smoothly for her."
Cheng Sui watched Tan You continue copying the scriptures and suddenly suggested, "Mother, I also want to copy scriptures for my mother." Tan You finally looked up and said, "You are too young and can't even hold a pen properly. If you are sincere, then go to the White Horse Temple tomorrow and kowtow a few more times for your mother."
Cheng Sui leaned over the table and said, "Mother, I will definitely pray more tomorrow, to pray for you and to pray for you too."
Tan You accepted Cheng Sui's filial piety: "Good, Brother Sui's pure heart is appreciated by your mother."
Cheng Qian couldn't stand seeing this "mother and son" who had become nuns later in life, yet had such a good relationship, so he started to stir things up: "Sui-ge'er, she's not your biological mother."
Cheng Sui grinned and said, "My mother said that affection is based on self-interest. She is good to me, protects me, and teaches me. It is only right that I admire her."
Tan You ignored Cheng Qian's impotent rage, "Judging by the time, Cheng Kun should be back by now."
She gave Cheng Qian a playful look: "If you and Wei don't perform this act well, I don't mind letting Cheng Kun try my methods too."
Cheng Qian shut up, and the world finally became quiet.
Cheng Sui glanced at Cheng Qian and suddenly knew what to do. But he wasn't his mother; how could he control Cheng Qian and Madam Wei?
Cheng Sui was racking his brains at this moment; it seemed that children had a lot of worries.
After thinking it over and over, Cheng Sui finally had an idea: "Mother, please teach me how to make those medicines."
Tan You paused, then put the pen down after writing two characters. "Why did you suddenly decide to learn these things?"
Cheng Sui rested his chubby chin on his hands: "I'm too young now, I've only just started learning martial arts. If we're talking about fighting skills, I'm definitely not as good as the adults."
"I struggle to protect myself, let alone control others."
"But if I can make medicine myself, even if someone tries to harm me, I can kill them. If someone disobeys, I can use that to control them."
Tan You lowered her head and continued writing: "Okay, if you want to learn, I'll teach you."
Cheng Sui happily agreed: "Thank you, Mother. I will definitely study hard and never harm anyone on my own initiative."
Cheng Qian felt a chill run down his spine: "These are minor skills after all. You don't want to train him to be a quack doctor, do you?"
Tan You: "He wants to protect himself and survive, how can that be considered a trivial matter? Sui-ge'er, I'm glad you think this way. It's a good thing that you want to be independent and self-reliant without relying on others, it proves that Sui-ge'er is working hard to become someone who wants to control power."
"Learning medicine to save others and yourself is better than being a hypocrite who spouts empty words of benevolence and morality."
She didn't name names, but Cheng Qian felt that she was indirectly criticizing him.
This is unbearable.
-
Baima Temple is the largest Buddhist temple in the suburbs of Beijing, and countless people come to burn incense and pray for blessings every day. Tan You lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, looking at the devout men and women coming and going, and then at Wei Shi, who was sitting uneasily opposite her.
Wei was panicking. The little monster had assigned her twenty scriptures, but she had only copied half a page. It was strange; why were these scriptures so difficult to copy?
She forced a smile: "Girl, I only copied half a page..."