TN | The Malicious Empress

Chapter 74: Variations (Part 1 & 2)

Jennie closed her eyes satisfyingly. The people had returned and the chess match could begin. Shen Qing was a small solder, Prince Yu of the First Rank was a chariot and Ming Qi's Imperial family was like the white pieces. Whenever the carriage would be swallowed, chaos would descend into the match. Everything was up to the will of Heavens.

This time, it would be her that was controlling the will of Heavens.

Marquis of Lin An residence

Even it was currently in the middle of the frigid winter, there were still a lot of flowers in the entire Marquis of Lin An residence. When the previous Marquis Furen, Princess Yu Qing, was alive, she loved flora and fauna. When she was married to the Marquis of Lin An, there was great tenderness and conjugal bliss between lovers. Xie Ding loved Princess Yu Qing and renovated the entire Marquis residence to the likes of the Princess' courtyard in the Palace where she lived. At that time it was a sensation as it was somewhat amusing to see a General to renovate his residence to that beautiful.

Later when Princess Yu Qing passed on, Xie Ding still retained all the scenery when Princess Yu Qing was alive and gotten people to guard and maintain it. Thus even after so many years, even during winter, this would not make one feel depressed.

Even though the scenery was flourishing but desolateness was caused by people. With regards to the saying that things remained the same but people had changed, this was a problem that one would not be able to prevent in the road of life. Even if one forced to maintain things at surface level, things would after all not return to the past.

Chang Wu and Chang Chao were practicing their spear in the courtyard. Ever since the matter in the academy examinations, both of them seldom left the residence. First was because they felt that on that day when Taehyung challenged the both of them alone, they had no more face left so they did not dare to leave the house. Second reason was that their injuries had not fully recovered and they were unable to do any physical stuff. Speaking of which, Taehyung's actions that day looked light but they were in fact heavy. It takes hundred days for the bones to knit and tendons to heal. Even though they had rested for a few months, they still felt somewhat pain. Madam Fang was extremely distressed but dared not say anything more to Xie Ding. Even so, Xie Ding still gave them a round of serious scolding.

Thinking about this, both brothers felt so much hatred that their teeth itched. Chang Chao swung his arms. That day he was stepped on the shoulders by Taehyung and now there seemed to be still a faintly aching. He said, "Second Elder Brother, heard that the Shen Xin couple entered the Palace today. Now that they had military accomplishments, one is afraid that His Majesty will reward Shen Xin."

The two families, Shen and Xie, had always been deeply in disagreement. Chang Wu and Chang Chao did not view Shen Qiu as an enemy because of the opposing position the Shen and Xie family had, but in actual fact, they view every talented youth in the capital as their opponents and Shen Qiu was undoubtedly the most outstanding talent of them all. Even though Taehyung was also outstanding but he had no official position, and moreover with Xie Ding's protection, they were helpless with their plans. But Shen Qiu was different. If Chang Wu and Chang Chao had official positions, they were afraid that everyone will compare both brothers with the Di son of First household of the Shen family.

And what Chang Wu and Chang Chao most hated was that they were not as good as someone else.