The reason why the old lady was shocked was because she knew very well that the black sheep raised by Miss Mo Yu was arrogant and indifferent, and she loved cleanliness very much, and even became a kind of eccentricity, only a rare unicorn in the world. to be similar to it. Not to mention the wild grass by the lake, even if it is the food carefully prepared by the children of the royal family in Kyoto, it will not even take a look at it, but at this moment, it actually took the grass from the young man who just met, Actually eating it!
The next scene surprised the old woman even more, because the black sheep did not leave after eating the few grasses, but put its head on the boy's palm and gently rubbed it, looking extremely intimate, with an expression of intimacy. It is also very enjoyable, as if he likes to be in contact with that boy.
What exactly is this for? The old woman frowned slightly, and walked slowly towards the lakeside with a boxwood stick in her hand. Looking at the boy squatting in front of the black sheep, she noticed the natural kindness in his usual eyebrows and eyes. Extremely uneasy, people like her who can relax their minds to this point must be vigilant.
Chen Changsheng stood up, looked at the old woman and asked, "Mother-in-law, is this your sheep?"
The old woman narrowed her eyes slightly and said, "Do you know who I am?"
Chen Changsheng was slightly surprised, and said, "I don't know."
The old woman said indifferently: "Then why do you call me mother-in-law?"
Chen Changsheng didn't understand. He thought to himself, what would a woman of your age be called if she wasn't mother-in-law? The woman in the carriage of the Divine General's Mansion is the mother-in-law, the one who washes the dishes in the inn is the mother-in-law, and the one who cooks on the boat on the way is the mother-in-law. There are many mother-in-laws in the world. Is there any difference
Seeing his blank expression, the old woman realized that she was thinking too much, and that she was a little superfluous in being wary of the boy. She couldn't help frowning slightly, feeling more and more inappropriate, because she knew very well that the wariness she showed in these few sentences , It all comes from the love for this boy.
This young man is so ordinary, but it is easy for people to feel that they want to be close, no matter the black sheep or himself, this is the case. Why is this
The old woman looked at the dilapidated building, thinking about the grand scene here, thinking about those bloody and gloomy stories, and thinking about the specialness of this young man, the uneasiness in her heart became more and more intense, and she decided not to waste any more time, and said directly : "You can call me Granny Ning."
Chen Changsheng bowed and said, "Grandma Ning is good."
Granny Ning said: "If you know that I am the one who won't let you enter the Academy for the Stars, would you still think of me?"
The early spring is still cold, the lake breeze is blowing, the dense weeds are slightly lowered, and it is quiet.
Chen Changsheng straightened up and looked at the old woman in surprise. Yesterday Tang Thirty-Six said in the inn that the East Imperial General's Mansion could not affect the Academy of Reaching the Stars. It should be the meaning of a certain important person in the palace. According to this Granny Ning... Could it be that she is that important person
"With that marriage contract, you still dare to walk around the capital. I really don't know whether you are stupid or bold." Granny Ning said expressionlessly.
Chen Changsheng was silent for a while, and said, "No one will pay attention to me except the God General's Mansion."
Granny Ning said: "If people find out that you are Fenghuang'er's fiancé, countless people will come to kill you."
Chen Changsheng said: "I'm still alive, which proves that Shenjiangfu doesn't want others to know about this engagement even more than I do."
Granny Ning glanced at him, and asked, "What if the Divine General's Mansion wants to kill you?"
After a moment of silence, Chen Changsheng said: "When the Holy Empress is in power, one must always take care of the overall situation."
Granny Ning raised her eyebrows slightly, as if she hadn't thought that this fourteen-year-old boy could understand the real reason why the Divine General's Mansion acted so embarrassingly in this matter: "The longer the time drags on, the greater the pressure will be. One day, The Divine General's Mansion will not be willing to endure it any longer."
"Then I will try to resist." Chen Changsheng said while clenching the hilt of the sword at his waist.
Granny Ning looked at the ordinary dagger at his waist, and said slightly sarcastically: "You don't know how to practice, and you want to use a dagger to fight against the strong man in the East Imperial General's Mansion? Do you think your What is a dagger? A legendary artifact? Comparable to the frosty spear used by Emperor Taizong, or the Nilin of the Qiushan family?"
Chen Changsheng didn't speak.
"Even if you don't hand over the marriage certificate, you can still live."
Granny Ning said: "But you must not tell anyone about the marriage contract, otherwise, even if the devil comes in person, you will not be able to save your life."
There is no threatening tone in this sentence, because it is not a threat, it is just telling an irrefutable truth - even the devil can't save your life, and no one in the whole world can save your life, because Granny Ning represents the Great Zhou Palace. will.
Chen Changsheng had to admit that although not having the ability to choose was somewhat unpleasant, what Granny Ning said was a good thing for him. He just didn't understand why the other party would cruelly crush his future when he was taking the exam for the Star Academy the day before yesterday, but now he changed his mind.
"Someone wants you to live and not to be disturbed, but my girl doesn't like to see the so-called variables, so she doesn't like that you have a future and a possibility. This is a very troublesome thing..."
Granny Ning looked at the deserted and dilapidated building of the Orthodox Academy, suddenly smiled, and said, "I didn't expect you to jump into this dry well by yourself, and you solved this trouble for me."
Chen Changsheng was absorbed by the content behind this passage, so he missed the first six words.
future? possible? dry well? trouble
He suddenly felt strongly uneasy, and deduced from the words of this Granny Ning that he might have made a huge mistake when he entered the Orthodox Academy.
He said without hesitation: "I haven't decided to enter the Orthodox Academy yet."
Granny Ning looked at him and said, "You must enter the Orthodox Academy."
"Why?"
"You came here on your own, so it's your own choice."
"I suddenly changed my mind."
"Sorry, I'm not Mrs. Xu."
Granny Ning looked at him expressionlessly and said, "I don't mind killing you."
Chen Changsheng was silent for a long time. He knew he couldn't refuse, but he was still a little dissatisfied.
"I haven't taken the exam yet, and I haven't even received an admission letter."
"The Orthodox Academy has no dean, not even a teacher, so naturally there will be no exams, but students can be recruited."
Granny Ning took out a thin piece of paper from her sleeve, handed it to him, and said, "This is a letter of recommendation written by the Pope himself. You can enter all colleges."
Without waiting for Chen Changsheng to say anything, she said expressionlessly, "But you can only enter the Orthodox Academy."
Chen Changsheng took the paper, looked at the scribbled signature on it, and the extremely complicated and gorgeous big seal stamped on the signature, not knowing what to say.
He didn't expect that he would have the opportunity to see the handwriting of His Majesty the Pope with his own eyes in this life. He seemed to be excited, but the current scene really made him unable to get excited. Judging by the color of the signature and the ink pad, it should not be signed recently, but the name of the school in the recommendation letter has just been filled out, and it should be the handwriting of this Granny Ning.
"One, you can't tell others about the marriage contract. Two, you will live. Three, no one will block your future."
Granny Ning looked at him expressionlessly and said, "Deal."
After saying these words, she turned around and walked outside the Orthodox Academy. No matter how deep the weeds were by the lake, they could not wrap around her plain skirt.
In her capacity, coming to talk to a fourteen-year-old boy in person is really incredible and extremely boring.
What she said earlier was the truth. As long as the person is dead, what is the importance of the marriage certificate? Although she thinks that young man is good, how many good young men die every year in Kyoto? If it wasn't for the letter last night, maybe he would really have died today. If he's a smart man, he should be able to guess who kept him alive, and he should know what to do.
It's the best option for everyone, it's just that it may or may not be for him, but who cares
Thinking like this, Granny Ning drifted away.
The black sheep followed her, and before entering the gallery wall, it turned to look at Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng stood by the lake, holding the piece of paper in his hand, and remained silent for a long time.
Until now, he didn't know who that Granny Ning was, but he had already been forced to accept a deal.
He doesn't know the truth behind the transaction, but he vaguely understands that if he accepts it, it will be good for everyone—he even understands better than everyone else that in the eyes of those people, this choice may only be bad for him, but the fact The benefits he wanted had already been obtained the moment he got the piece of paper.
So he wasn't angry, just slightly sour.
The purpose of his coming to the capital was not a marriage contract, nor was it the woman named Xu Yourong, and it had nothing to do with the Divine General's Mansion, the Imperial Palace, or those names that used to seem far away in the sky, and he didn't want to have any connection with these places. He just wants to study, practice, and then take part in the imperial examination and get the first place.
Before the Dazhao Examination, there is a preparatory examination, which will be held next month. He doesn't know how to practice, and he didn't even succeed in washing his marrow. He definitely couldn't pass the test. He didn't even have the qualifications to take part in the imperial examination. How could he get the first place? For this, he must be admitted to any one of the six colleges on the list.
Those six colleges are the oldest and best colleges in Kyoto, and there are many ivy growing outside the gates, so they are often called the Sixth Academy of the Ivy League—only the students of the Sixth Academy of the Ivy League are eligible not to take the preparatory course Examination, directly participate in the Dazhao Examination.
Now, he has finally become a student of one of the Six Ivy Courts, and he seems to have gotten his wish, but...there are too many Ivy students at the entrance of this academy.
This is the road that his master and brothers helped him design before leaving Xining Town.
But obviously, they didn't expect that the Orthodox Academy, which had written countless magnificent chapters in history, had now fallen to such an extent.
Standing by the lakeside, Chen Changsheng looked at the academy that was still as deserted and as cold as a cemetery under the bright sunshine, and couldn't help doubting his future.
After a long time, he woke up in the spring breeze, took five extremely deep and long breaths, expelled the last discomfort and soreness in his chest and abdomen, folded the thin paper and put it in his arms , followed the faintly visible old road in the weeds by the lake, and walked to the depths of the college.