Chapter 390: Love at First Sight

Chapter 390: Loving One After Another

Bei Jingchu withdrew her hand and averted her gaze, unsure of how to proceed.

This was way out of her league.

She responded awkwardly to the previous question: "If you want to participate in the selection, go ahead. In the past, women chosen as consorts had no official roles and were from official families, so they were brought to live in the palace."

"Nowadays, many young men hold positions, making it inconvenient for them to stay long in the Eastern Palace."

"Even if you participate in the selection, it won't interfere with your duties."

However, the person squatting, though seemingly in a lower position, pressed forward step by step, unafraid of provoking anger that could get him kicked out.

He replied obediently, "Your subject wishes to know his chances of success."

"After all, the sole judge of this grand event is you..."

He accused, "After all, you love one after another. If you see a dazzling array of young men, your subject might no longer catch your eye."

Bei Jingchu blurted out, "No, you are the one I love the most among all those I fall for."

Longshou: ...

The flirtatious atmosphere vanished instantly.

......

Bei Jingchu met Jiang Longshou again outside of official duties, not because of the selection, but because he had injured a young man from the Cao family.

He was detained, and the Eastern Palace was being asked for an explanation.

Bei Jingchu's first thought was that this was fake news.

That guy wasn't impulsive; there must be more to the story.

The person beaten was the eldest son of Cao Nong, the Attendant in the Palace Secretariat. As the party at fault, Bei Jingchu was invited to the Cao residence.

It felt strange, somewhat like children fighting and calling for their parents.

Bei Jingchu shook off the odd thoughts and helped the bowing Attendant Cao to his feet.

"Rise, no need for formalities."

The young man left behind, upon seeing her arrival, stood beside her like a loyal dog finding its owner.

Bei Jingchu chuckled, "Standing here blocks my light. Go find a seat."

Jiang Longshou was somewhat worried. Although he hadn't acted recklessly and believed Bei Jingchu would seize the opportunity he presented, he still felt a twinge of unease.

Seeing her gentle demeanor, his heart settled somewhat.

Attendant Cao's expression was grim, but he said nothing, signaling his son to explain the situation.

Cao Dalang, beaten black and blue, began to complain, "Your Highness, your Commander Jiang sent a visiting card to the Cao family, and we welcomed him warmly, treating him as an honored guest."

Cao Dalang snorted coldly, pointing at Jiang Longshou, "But Commander Jiang directly struck my face!"

"We have no grievances between us, yet he rushed up and beat me. Your Highness, is this how the officials of the Eastern Palace act lawlessly?"

Although Bei Jingchu didn’t know what had happened, she couldn’t afford to lose her composure.

She asked casually, "Jiang Longshou and the Cao family have never had any dealings before. Why did you let him in when he showed up unannounced?"

Cao Dalang hesitated, not knowing how to explain.

Bei Jingchu didn’t even need to point out their intentions; she guessed it was just an attempt to recruit officials from the Eastern Palace as spies.

Cao Dalang explained stiffly, "Because the Cao family is known for our hospitality and treat all guests with courtesy."

"To put it simply, this man entered my home and then attacked me."

He said formally, "Today, I only ask that Your Highness provide an explanation."

"Otherwise, I won’t stop or plead for leniency if the censors impeach him."

His serious tone, combined with his matching black-and-blue panda eyes and the swollen cheeks that looked like they had been stung by bees, made Bei Jingchu struggle to keep from laughing.

She suppressed her laughter and said, "Longshou, tell me, why did you attack him?"

Jiang Longshou, like a guilty schoolboy waiting to be scolded, kept his head down, showing only his hair crown to her.

Now that he heard her call, he raised his head and cleared his throat.

It seemed he was about to start making his case.

Bei Jingchu immediately realized there was something fishy here.

Jiang Longshou stared at Cao Dalang and hinted, "The Cao family has a young lady who is very interested in medicine. This young lady is Cao Dalang's daughter."

"The Cao family is a renowned and prestigious clan, and their daughter naturally receives instruction from esteemed masters. When it comes to top-notch medical expertise, no one beats the imperial physicians."

At this point, Cao Dalang suddenly shouted, "Enough!"

"We're talking about why Commander Jiang went after me. Why bring my daughter into it?"

"Your Highness, please be fair and don't play favorites just because he's your man!"

Bei Jingchu smiled and argued with Cao Zhong, "Cao Zhong, your son's being way too bossy."

"Even in the trials at the Dali Temple (the highest judicial court), the accused gets a chance to defend themselves, right?"

"To act so rudely in front of me, it seems the Cao family's discipline isn't all that strict."