Chapter 376 - 376: Riding and Archery Competition
Chapter 376: Riding and Archery Competition
On the other side, Xiao Zhonghua also came over to greet them.
Su Cheng sized him up. “Who are you?”
“Third Prince.” Su Xiaoxiao introduced again.
Su Cheng thought for a moment and his expression suddenly became serious. He stretched out a hand and made a stopping gesture. “Don’t come home to play!
His son-in-law would be jealous!
Xiao Zhonghua was speechless.
The victory on the first day could be said to be a good start. Qin Canglan and the Old Marquis were incomparably proud that their Cheng’er had proven his strength in front of everyone. They also felt complicated because Cheng’er’s performance today was different from usual.
It should be said that it was fiercer and more murderous. In terms of the martial arts competition itself, this was not a bad thing. However, when combined with Su Cheng’s situation, it could not help but make people suspect that Su Cheng had suffered another blow.
The Old Marquis gave Qin Canglan a look.
Qin Canglan said seriously, “Cheng’er, I’ll send you back.”
The group left the palace and boarded the carriage back to the medical center.
Su Xiaoxiao and the Old Marquis were in the same carriage, while Qin Canglan and Su Cheng were in the same carriage.
All along the way, Su Cheng was rather silent, and he was like a completely different person from his fierce and domineering appearance in the arena.
Qin Canglan wanted to say something but hesitated.
The carriage swayed along the long street, and the sound of traffic could be heard from time to time.
“Cheng’er…” Qin Canglan finally spoke, “You… have you recalled everything?” Su Cheng lowered his eyes, his body shrouded in a layer of gloom.
“Mm,” he replied softly.
Qin Canglan had guessed it, but hearing him admit it himself still made his heart tighten.
He had imagined the scene of father and son reuniting countless times, but at this moment, he realized that he had a thousand words to say, but he actually had no way to say them.
He lowered his head in shame. “I’m sorry, Cheng’er.”
He was to blame for what happened back then.
He was the one who failed to protect his wife and child, causing his wife to be killed and his son to wander among the commoners.
This separation lasted for thirty years.
His son had grown up, and he was old.
His life had been rushed through decades, but he had missed it.
Su Cheng said, “I want to be alone for a while.”
When Su Xiaoxiao returned to the clinic, Su Cheng had just come out of Su Ergou’s room.
He sat in a corner of the courtyard, holding the right pendant he had worn since he was young.
The setting sun cast a long shadow on him.
Su Xiaoxiao walked over and walked down the bench beside him. “Father.”
Su Cheng raised his hand to wipe the corners of his eyes and said nonchalantly, “My daughter is back. Ergou is fine. I just went to see him.”
“Okay.” Su Xiaoxiao nodded and didn’t say anything. She just accompanied him quietly.
Su Cheng lowered his head and touched the jade pendant in his hand. He casually asked, “Do you still remember what happened when you were young?”
“I remember a little,” Su Xiaoxiao replied.
“Then do you still remember your mother?” Su Cheng asked.
“I remember.” Su Xiaoxiao searched her memory about Madam Chen. “Mother was very beautiful and very capable. She likes to wash my hair and Ergou’s. After washing, half of my hair will be bald.”
Su Cheng was speechless.
He said softly,”Daughter, it’s hard for me to long for her like this…”
Su Xiaoxiao turned to look at him. Her eyes were clear and gentle. “What about
Father’s mother? What was she like?”
“Very fierce.” Su Cheng said, “Always trying to beat me up with a feather duster.”
Su Xiaoxiao: “That’s because you liked to cause trouble when you were young, right?”
Su Xiaoxiao asked, “Did she beat you up?”
“No.” Su Cheng shook his head. “It’s my father’s fault for not teaching me. She beat him up.”
Su Xiaoxiao was dumbfounded.
Su Cheng continued, “My father has always wanted me to be a promising person. She always said that if you want to be successful, you should be successful yourself. My son can just be himself.”
Su Xiaoxiao said, “What an open-minded mother.”
Su Cheng whispered, “I don’t want to forget her anymore.”
The scene of her tragic death pained him.
However, the days they spent together were his most precious memories as
Qin Che.
He wanted to remember her as his son.
The competition on the second day changed.
It was supposed to be martial arts on the first day of the tournament, riding and archery on the second day, and the art of war on the third day.
However, the art of war was temporarily moved to the following morning, where it was jointly supervised by the Ministry of War and the Hanlin Academy.
As the Minister of War, Su Yuan did not participate in the invigilation and subsequent reading of the papers to avoid suspicion.
He did not enter the palace. Instead, he went to the Divine Bow Camp outside the capital.
The written test was Qin Jiang’s forte. He completed the paper very easily.
Su Cheng grabbed the brush in frustration and finished writing bitterly. He also handed the scroll over with a dark expression.
Qin Jiang knew that Su Cheng did not study in the countryside. Even if he had regained his memory, with the superficial knowledge he had learned before he was six years old, it was impossible for him to understand the art of war.
Su Cheng’s defeated expression also confirmed all of this.
In order to ensure the fairness of the competition, the officials of the six departments were invited to review the papers layer by layer. The final results were submitted to the three dukes for review. There had to be no objections among the three dukes before the results of the examination were announced.
But this was already very unfair.
If one could rely on one’s talent to train one’s muscles and bones when practicing martial arts, the art of war was an actual real book of knowledge. One had to know how to read and write!
It was difficult for Su Cheng to fill his stomach in the countryside, so where would he get the spare money to study?
Everyone could tell that Emperor Jing Xuan was biased, but who could say anything?
Emperor Jing Xuan could have directly snatched the military power for Qin Jiang, but he insisted on setting up a competition. He had put in a lot of effort.
In the afternoon, Qin Jiang and Su Cheng continued to compete in riding and archery.
“Why are you in such a hurry? Are you worried that Big Brother and Fifth Brother will arrive at night?” Su Yu muttered.
Today was the Imperial College’s holiday, and Su Qi and Su Yu had also come.
Emperor Jing Xuan did not say it on the surface, but who could not guess that he was worried that something would happen if he delayed? Emperor Jing Xuan’s bias towards Qin Jiang was too obvious!
The Old Marquis and Qin Canglan did not speak.
How could they not see through Emperor Jing Xuan’s thoughts?
Emperor Jing Xuan wanted to take back the Qin family’s military power, but he did not want to bear the infamy of killing a donkey after it was done. Hence, he used Qin Jiang as a raft.
“How are they going to compete in the afternoon?” Su Qi asked.
The Old Marquis pondered for a moment and said, “Logically speaking, riding and shooting are target shooting, but looking at His Majesty’s behavior, I’m afraid there will be developments.”
The Old Marquis had guessed correctly. The riding and archery in the afternoon was actually hunting.
Emperor Jing Xuan asked the guards to release a white-tailed fox into the forest. Whoever caught it would be the winner of this round.
Su Yu was puzzled. “It’s not that simple, right? Qin Jiang is not Uncle’s match. If he really enters the forest, isn’t he afraid that Uncle will beat him up?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Emperor Jing Xuan announced that in order to pre-empt the sudden attack of ferocious beasts in the forest and to prevent any deaths on both sides, there would be imperial guards accompanying them.
Su Yu snorted. “No wonder.”
One of the imperial guards followed Qin Jiang, while the other followed Su Cheng.
The gong sounded and the four of them entered the forest of the Royal Hunting Ground.
Su Qi’s expression suddenly became strange.
“Second Brother, what’s wrong?” Su Yu asked.
On Su Qi’s right was Su Yu, and on his left was Su Xiaoxiao.
Su Xiaoxiao looked at him.
Su Qi looked at the imperial guard beside Qin Jiang and muttered, “That person’s back… looks a little familiar…”