Nine out of ten gamblers lose; I've run into a jerk!

Chapter 121: The Cycle of Destiny

Those who understand the times are wise. Apart from being in charge, Shen Qing is usually very calm and composed.

The conversation in the study seemed to have left no ripples, and the matter of going abroad was never mentioned again. It must be said that Li Su was very strict in managing the household; even with Shen Qing's keen hearing, he didn't hear anyone gossiping in the mansion.

This caused Shen Qing's plan to punish the unruly servant to fail in the first place. She secretly complained that she had watched too many melodramatic family dramas. In this era, no servant would risk their life to gossip, because they really could die.

The entire mansion was in harmony, and Shen Qing returned to the daily life of a noble lady. However, as a "disabled" girl, Shen Qing could only learn to manage a household from Li Su every day.

Overwhelmed with pain, Shen Qing lay on the table, her hand gripping the ledger trembling slightly, her eyes devoid of light.

"The New Year is next month, so please check the gift list." Seeing Shen Qing's lazy appearance, Li Su added some more work to her schedule.

"Oh~" Shen Qing numbly accepted it.

This pair allowed Shen Qingcai to directly perceive the prosperity of the Shen family.

The family had nine branches in their grandfather's generation alone. After Old Master Shen passed away, Shen Shi, as the eldest son of the eldest branch, succeeded as the clan head. Shen Qingxi's second uncle took the whole family to serve as the governor of Liangzhou, her third uncle managed the family business outside, and her fourth aunt...

Leaving aside other in-laws, there are several hundred members of the Shen clan alone. Fortunately, it is not the peak of the imperial power being one family, otherwise, a game of eliminating nine generations of relatives could easily happen.

Shen Qing was almost sick of reading through the punctuation marks and rambling entries when Wen Ying entered the room with small, quick steps, presenting a note with both hands.

"Young lady, this is an invitation from Princess Le'an, inviting you to her coming-of-age ceremony."

Princess? Shen Qing paused, his brush in disbelief. Yes, the Prince of Xiangnan was promoted to Prince for his meritorious service in fighting the epidemic, and Le'an naturally followed suit and was also promoted to Princess.

"Go! Go! Go!"

Shen Qing excitedly reached out and took the invitation. He was willing to go to any tea party as long as it could get him out of these incredibly boring chores!

Li Su, who was keeping an eye on Shen Qing, shook her head helplessly when she saw his beaming face. He was still a child at heart.

Alright, she's been feeling down for days, let her relax a bit. Speaking of which, Qingxi will be of marriageable age in two months, it's time to start looking for a partner.

Thinking about it this way, we can't be too lax.

"Sit down first. The coming-of-age ceremony will be in three days."

Shen Qing's smile froze instantly. Reluctantly, she sat down, picked up the ledger, and looked at it absentmindedly, thinking to herself, "Is this what it's like to be an office worker?"

Young Master Shen lived a carefree life, but he never expected that after transmigrating, he would experience the hardships of working people. He wanted to run away from home but had no money. At least he could get some New Year's money first... Shen Qing's thoughts wandered off to who knows where.

Three days passed in a flash. Shen Qing went out feeling refreshed and, after a long time, boarded the carriage driven by Hei Zi. The wheels whirred and soon they arrived at their destination.

The Prince's mansion was bustling with activity today, with many carriages parked at the gate. With Wen Ying's help, Shen Qing gracefully stepped out of the carriage, her elegance etched into her very being.

"cousin!"

After taking only a few steps, he heard a familiar voice calling him. He turned around and saw that it was indeed Li Wan.

Li Wan quickly walked to Shen Qing's side, took his hand, and said with a bright smile, "Cousin, you look radiant! Have you recovered completely?"

Yes, he still has the persona of being frail and sickly. His illness was cured as soon as the delegation returned, which inevitably led people to make connections. Therefore, Li Su did not announce to the public that Shen Qing had returned from "Nanzhuang". Le'an sending the invitation was purely a matter of etiquette and did not expect that the person would actually come.

"Shen Qingxi".

Shen Qing was holding Li Wan's small hand and talking when she saw a golden figure walking briskly towards her.

Ding Min remained as bright and flamboyant as ever.

That's great, the old friends are still here, which means they're all doing well.

Li Wan and Ding Min had never gotten along. They exchanged a glance and both curled their lips in disgust.

Shen Qing quickly stepped in to smooth things over, "Let's not stand here blocking the way, let's go inside."

Prince Zhao, Quede, as the host, stood on the eastern steps to greet the guests, while a maidservant with a tray stood at the foot of the western steps. Shen Qing and the other guests stood outside the venue waiting.

After taking a bath, Le'an changed into her colorful clothes and shoes and sat comfortably in the east room, where court musicians began to play in the main hall to create an atmosphere.

Immediately afterward, the blessed and long-lived Madam Song arrived as the principal guest. The Princess Consort had arrived earlier, so only Prince Zhao came forward to greet her. After exchanging formal greetings, they entered the venue.

Madam Song took her seat in the host's seat, while Shen Qing and the others sat in the audience seats. Li Wan and Ding Min were on either side of her. After taking their seats, Ding Min looked at Madam Song in the host's seat, turned her head and whispered to Shen Qing.

“My coming-of-age ceremony will be next March, and I have invited Madam Song as the chief guest.”

Seeing Ding Min's bright eyes, which couldn't hide her joy, and her frequent glances at the male guests' seats before quickly looking away, her cheeks flushed.

Shen Qing's mind raced, and following Ding Min's gaze, she looked towards the men's section. Song Yuan... it seemed the rumors were true.

Logically speaking, male guests should not be invited to a girl's coming-of-age ceremony except for relatives. However, firstly, the royal family has always been open-minded about this, and secondly, Le'an secretly wanted to invite Jiang Se to attend the ceremony. Therefore, Que De invited everyone from the palace school to come as classmates.

Shen Qing had a good impression of Ding Min. Although she was arrogant and domineering, she was not a bad person and had no ulterior motives. This personality was also closely related to her family background.

Ding Min never complained, but Shen Haiwang understood his daughter's heart so well that he had already analyzed her emotional journey.

Ding Min's biological mother died early, and the current matriarch of the Ding family is a second wife. Although she is not mean, it is difficult to be a stepmother. She has always let Ding Min do as she pleases. Her father and stepmother have new children and are often at the border. Ding Min inevitably feels like a superfluous person at home.

In Shen Qing's eyes, Ding Min was just a loud and prickly little hedgehog. Her arrogance was just a disguise for self-protection, and perhaps there was also an element of wanting to gain attention. Since no one pampered her, she would pamper herself.

Children who lack love are easily hurt by relationships. Although Shen Qing was a shrew, she couldn't stand Song Yuan's behavior. In this era, it was not easy for a woman to be divorced, so she looked at Song Yuan with hostility.

Song Yuan felt a pang of emotion, looked up at the women's section, and his mind was in turmoil. "My beloved..."

That's right, he intended to form a marriage alliance with the Ding family. Although he didn't like Ding Min, he couldn't get past his parents and elders' objections if he didn't marry her. Since he had to get married eventually, he might as well choose the one that would be most beneficial to him.

His past failures made him realize the importance of military power. Ding Min was the eldest daughter of the legitimate wife, and her status was undeniable. General Ding had to take her seriously.

Ding Min is foolish and easy to manipulate; this stepping stone is perfect, after all, Ling Yue is only nine years old now.

But... Qingxi, why are you looking at me like that? Do you still have feelings for me?

"Today, my daughter Le'an is celebrating her coming-of-age ceremony. Thank you all for coming! Now, the ceremony will officially begin!"

Just as Song Yuan was in a state of confusion, Que De announced the commencement of the ceremony.

Immediately afterwards, Le'an, dressed in formal attire, entered to greet the guests. The attendant was Su Xueshi's wife, who came out first to wash her hands before taking her place on the west steps.

Le'an walked to the center of the venue, faced south, bowed to the guests, and then knelt on the mat facing west.

From the moment Le An appeared, Jiang Se's eyes lit up as she moved.

Watching Madam Su comb Le'an's hair, he couldn't help but imagine their future life together as a harmonious couple, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

Madam Song rose first, followed by Que De, who then washed his hands at the foot of the east steps. After drying them, they bowed to each other and returned to their seats.

Le'an turned to sit facing east. A maid presented her with a handkerchief and a hairpin. Old Madam Song walked up to Le'an and loudly recited a blessing:

"On the auspicious day of the month, you will start to add Yuanfu. Abandon your young ambitions, follow you and become virtuous. The test of longevity is only Qi, and you will be blessed."

Madam Song knelt down to comb Le'an's hair and put on her hairpin, then stood up and returned to her original position.

Madam Su stepped forward to perform the hairpin ceremony for Le'an. Afterwards, Le'an stood up, and Shen Qing withdrew his gaze and joined the guests in bowing to Le'an to offer their congratulations.

Afterwards, Le'an returned to the east room. Madam Su took the clothes from the maid and went into the room to help Le'an change into a plain dress that matched the hairpin on her head.

A short while later, Le'an came out of the room wearing a ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), faced Que De, and bowed.

This is the first time I've bowed; this time it's to express my gratitude to my parents for raising me.

Le'an sat facing east. Madam Song washed her hands again and returned to her seat. A maid presented her with a hairpin, which Madam Song took. She walked to Le'an and loudly recited a blessing:

"On this auspicious month and day, you shall wear your finery. Respect your dignity and cultivate your virtue. May you live a long and healthy life, and forever enjoy blessings from the gods."

Madam Su removed Le'an's hairpin, and Old Madam Song knelt down to put the hairpin in Le'an's hair before getting up and returning to her original position.

Next, Madam Su helped Le'an straighten her hairpins, and Shen Qing and the guests bowed to Le'an again.

Then Le'an returned to the east room, where Madam Su helped her change into a flowing robe that matched the hairpins on her head.

After a while, Le'an came out wearing a deep robe, faced Madam Song, and bowed.

This is the second time I've bowed; this time it's to show respect to my teachers and seniors.

Le'an sat facing east. Madam Song washed her hands again and returned to her seat. A maid presented her with a hairpin and crown, which Madam Song accepted. She walked to Le'an and loudly recited a blessing:

"In the proper time of the year, in accordance with the order of the month, all are dressed in their finest clothes. All brothers are present, thus fulfilling their virtues. May they live to a ripe old age and receive the blessings of Heaven."

Madam Su removed the hairpin from Le'an's hair, and Old Madam Song knelt down to put the hairpin back on Le'an's headdress before getting up and returning it to its original position.

Madam Su helped the girl straighten her hairpin, and all the guests bowed to Le'an. Le'an returned to the east room, and Madam Su helped her change into a long-sleeved dress that matched the hairpin on her head.

After Le'an came out of the room dressed in a long-sleeved ceremonial robe and a hairpin crown, she showed it to the guests and performed a bow. This was her third bow.

The maids removed the decorations for the coming-of-age ceremony and set up a feast of wine on the west steps. Madam Song bowed and invited Le'an to take her seat.

Madam Song faced west, Madam Su offered wine, and Le'an turned north. Madam Song accepted the wine, walked to Le'an's table, and recited a blessing to her:

"Sweet and fragrant wine, auspicious offerings. We bow and receive this sacrifice to ensure your good fortune. May you receive the blessings of Heaven and live a long and prosperous life."

Le'an bowed and accepted the sweet wine. Old Madam Song returned the bow.

Le'an took his seat, knelt down and sprinkled some wine on the ground as a libation, then symbolically touched his lips with the wine before placing it on the table. A maidservant served him rice, which Le'an accepted and symbolically ate a little.

Le'an bowed to Madam Song, who returned the bow. Le'an then rose from her seat and stood on the east side of the west steps, facing south.

Madam Song got up and faced east, while Que De got up and faced west.

The next step is to bestow a name upon the recipient.

Madam Song read the blessing: "With the rites complete, on this auspicious day of this month, we hereby announce your name. Your name is Kongjia, suitable for a distinguished scholar. May it be blessed forever, and may you be called Jiahefu."

Le'an replied, "Although Jiahe is not clever, how could I not serve you diligently day and night?"

Then he bowed to Madam Song, who returned the bow and returned to her seat.

Le'an knelt before Que De, listening attentively to his teachings, and then replied, "Though I am not clever, I dare not disobey!"

After another bow, Le'an bowed to all the participants present to express his gratitude.

Good heavens! This tedious ceremony is finally over. Shen Qing rose and bowed along with all the guests, her mind only focused on starting the banquet.

While Prince Hui's mansion was filled with joy and Xuandu City was still a scene of prosperity and peace, Yucheng, far to the southeast, had almost completed its post-war reconstruction.

"Cough cough cough~" Lu Zhen coughed a few times while covering his chest.

"My lord, why don't we rest for a couple of days before setting off?"

Lu Zhen waved his hand, "It's just an old injury, nothing serious."

Which soldier hasn't been injured? Lu Zhen's advice to Shen Qing to be careful of hidden injuries wasn't unfounded; it was all based on experience. It's just that when it came to himself, he didn't pay as much attention.

Now that the danger at Pingshan Pass has been resolved, and it is time to return to Xuandu to report on my duties, is it reasonable to delay my journey because of some old, hidden injury?

The army doctor, however, was still somewhat worried and instructed, "My lord, you must take your medicine on time and avoid extreme joy, anger, sorrow, or grief..."

"I know, I know, Lao Liu, you're so long-winded. We've weathered so many storms, do you think I'd capsize in a ditch?"

"Giddy up!" Lu Zhen cracked his whip and rode off.

"Cough cough~" This time it was the army doctor coughing.

Wiping away the dust that had risen in the air, and watching his commander lead his troops away into the distance, Doctor Liu was filled with helplessness. Couldn't they just obediently ride in the carriage? Did they still think they were young?

Meanwhile, a lone rider galloped out from Jiayong Pass in the north, with a small flag stuck in his back.

"Urgent dispatch!"

"Urgent dispatch!"

Meanwhile, to the west, the Northern Desert delegation strolled leisurely, gradually approaching Xuandu.

"Your Highness, we will arrive in five more days."

"Five days... May the God of Longevity grant me some good luck."

------------

------------

People are always concerned about the protagonist's combat strength. Actually, as mentioned before, the martial arts skills in the high-level martial arts world sound impressive, but in reality, what the system gave Shen Qing were free, common items, which are like demonic horns updated at midnight.

At this point, some people might say that the author's understanding of high-level martial arts is flawed. Good heavens, these are all created by people, there is no unified standard. If you insist on thinking there is a flaw, then just consider it the author's personal interpretation.

The author didn't give the protagonist this power-up so she could follow the path of a single person destroying a city or a country; it was simply to prevent her from dying easily on the battlefield.

Alright, I'm laying it all out. The author has no intention of making the protagonist's life too easy. If you can't stand seeing the protagonist group suffer, you can leave now.

There are reasons why I haven't updated for so long, but after thinking it over, I've decided to follow my heart and be true to myself!