ASTRP -Chapter 169 Sparring with a Few Little Brats

The four little ones—apart from Chu Ning—were all, like Qing Shan, turned into little “flower cats.”

Chu Ning seemed to still be in a standoff with Ning An.

Xu Shu, Xiao Yu, and Jin Anhao stood side by side, all looking dejected.

Hearing the door open, the three of them turned toward the sound.

The moment they saw Feng Jingge and Xiao Jinghan, their eyes instantly lit up.

It was as if they had seen their saviors.

Xu Shu spoke first. “Prince, Princess Consort, help!”

Xiao Yu followed right after. “Imperial Aunt, Yu’er is asking for help. Please help Yu’er!”

The last one to enter the courtyard, Qing Shan, saw the three “little brats” looking like that.

He froze for a moment, then quickly came back to his senses and laughed mischievously.

“Oh wow, oh wow!”

“So even you three have today!”

“Weren’t you all quite impressive when you teamed up to bully me just now?”

“Now you’ve been dealt with by Ning An, huh?”

“Hahaha!”

Qing Shan stood there, hands on his hips, laughing loudly at the sky.

He had finally gotten his revenge.

Xu Shu immediately retorted, “Guard Qing Shan, what do you mean we bullied you?”

“You’re an adult who couldn’t even beat us kids, and now you’re saying we teamed up to bully you?”

“Aren’t you afraid people will laugh their heads off if they hear that?!”

Qing Shan wasn’t bothered at all and shot back, “Hmph, the way you all look right now is what would actually make people laugh their heads off.”

Xu Shu sneered. “You’re just inferior in skill, and you still have the nerve to say we bullied you!”

Qing Shan opened his mouth, ready to argue back again, when Feng Jingge spoke.

“Aren’t you also inferior in skill right now?”

The three brats: “???”

All three turned to look at Feng Jingge. Just as they were about to ask why even the Princess Consort was saying that, she continued.

“If you’re inferior in skill, then you should admit defeat properly.”

“What do you mean ‘save me’?”

“What do you mean ‘help me’?”

“A man should be decisive—able to take things up and put them down. Losing is losing.”

“Only by losing can you understand where your weaknesses are.”

“That’s how you improve.”

Feng Jingge stopped speaking, and Xiao Jinghan naturally followed up.

“What the Princess Consort said—did you all understand?”

The three brats answered in unison, “Yes, Prince!”

“Imperial Uncle, Yu’er understands.”

“Yes, understood!”

At that moment, Chu Ning and Ning An’s duel also reached its conclusion.

Ning An took the initiative to admit defeat. “Young Master Chu, I lost.”

Chu Ning said bluntly, “Ning An, were you holding back?”

Ning An remained calm and replied lightly, “Young Master Chu is skilled. I am inferior.”

Chu Ning stared at him intently, lips pressed together.

After a moment, he slowly spoke again. “Your skills are above mine. If you don’t agree with me, let’s have another match.”

“If there’s a chance in the future, I will definitely accompany Young Master Chu.”

Ning An seemed unwilling to be entangled further and quickly left after saying that.

By the time Chu Ning reacted, Ning An was already gone.

Helpless, he had no choice but to drop the matter.

Feng Jingge turned her gaze to Chu Ning and was about to speak when Xiao Jinghan said from the side.

“Chu Ning, don’t tell this Prince you’re the same as those three.”

“Still unwilling to accept defeat?”

Chu Ning bowed slightly. “Replying to Your Highness, I am not unwilling to accept defeat.”

“It’s not that I refuse to accept losing—it’s that I refuse to accept winning.”

“He deliberately held back to let me win. To me, that feels like he’s looking down on me.”

Xiao Jinghan didn’t agree. “You’re overthinking it.”

“Ning An has always had a cold personality and doesn’t like interacting with others. For him to play with you all for so long today is already extremely rare.”

“…Oh.”

Chu Ning lowered his eyes and responded softly.

Xiao Jinghan glanced at the sky and said, “It’s getting late. Xiao Yu, return to the palace. The three of you head back home.”

All four little ones answered together, “Yes.”

Xiao Jinghan personally escorted Xiao Yu back to the palace.

As for Xu Shu, Chu Ning, and Jin Anhao, they were escorted home by Qing Shan and Ning An.

After Xiao Jinghan left with Xiao Yu, Feng Jingge returned to her room to sleep.

When she woke up again, it was already the next day.

After dressing, she went to the outer hall, planning to see whether Xiao Jinghan had returned from escorting Xiao Yu.

Just as she entered the hall, she ran into Qing Shan.

Qing Shan was carrying food. Seeing her, he immediately said, “Princess Consort, you’re awake?”

“This is the black chicken porridge His Highness specially instructed the kitchen to prepare for you.”

Feng Jingge glanced at it and asked, “Where is your Prince?”

“Replying to Princess Consort, after His Highness sent the Emperor back to the palace yesterday, he still had some unfinished matters, so he rested in the palace.”

“Yesterday?”

Feng Jingge froze. “So it’s already the second day?”

Qing Shan nodded. “Yes.”

“His Highness sent word back. This subordinate originally wanted to inform you, but seeing that you were resting, I decided to wait until you woke up.”

“Who knew the Princess Consort would sleep straight through to the next day.”

Feng Jingge: “……”

“Put the breakfast down and go out.”

Qing Shan obeyed.

After placing the food on the table and arranging everything, he left after respectfully excusing himself.

After breakfast, Feng Jingge felt idle and decided to loosen up in the courtyard.

She went out, and just as she was about to set her horse stance, Qing Shan arrived again—this time with the steward.

The two of them froze when they saw her stance, then quickly turned their backs.

Seeing this, Feng Jingge rolled her eyes.

Wasn’t she just doing a horse stance? What was there to be so ashamed of?

She straightened up. “I’m done. You can turn around now.”

Qing Shan and the steward replied in unison, “Yes.”

Although they turned around, both kept their heads lowered, almost burying them in their chests.

Feng Jingge: “……”

Was she the one who couldn’t be seen? Or were they the ones who couldn’t be seen?

She opened her mouth, about to tell them to raise their heads.

But after thinking it over, she decided it would probably just turn into another argument.

In the end, she let it be.

“What is it? Speak.”

The steward immediately replied, “Reporting to Princess Consort, Prince Yu has arrived.”

“Prince Yu?”

Feng Jingge frowned. “What is he here for?”

“Just tell him the Prince is not in the residence.”

“This old servant has already told him,” the steward answered. “But Prince Yu doesn’t seem to believe it. He said he didn’t come to see His Highness—he came to see you.”

“He said he has something to ask of you.”

Something he wants from her?

Feng Jingge frowned even deeper. “Did he say what it is?”

The steward shook his head. “I asked, but Prince Yu said you’ll know once you go.”

Feng Jingge responded with an “Mm” and headed toward the main hall.

It took about half a cup of tea to walk from the courtyard residence to the main hall.

As soon as Feng Jingge entered, she saw Prince Yu sitting inside, holding a teacup and examining it carefully.