Her Entire Court Reborn with Her in the Modern World

Chapter 54: Chapter 53: Her Qingyuan, Advancing Pei Xuan

"..."

The dining table fell silent for a moment.

The smile on Xu Zhao Yu’s face faltered. "Shuangqiao, you saw Changying last night? Why didn’t you come back with her?"

"It was too late, so I just went back to my apartment first." Xu Shuangqiao recounted her ordeal from the night before, sighing heavily. "I was really unlucky yesterday. I got mugged right after arriving back in Jianghuai."

"That’s absolutely outrageous! Bullying a young woman like that. If your Second Uncle had run into them, I would’ve made them pay dearly!" Xu Yunfan’s voice turned cold. "And what’s this about someone stepping in to help?"

"It was Changying! She descended from the heavens like a knight in shining armor and completely beat up those guys who were bullying me!" Xu Shuangqiao beamed with excitement. "She’s my ultimate hero. It was so cool!"

Xu Zhao Yu’s jaw dropped in disbelief. "Shuangqiao, are you sure you didn’t see things?"

"How could that be?" Xu Shuangqiao retorted, clearly unhappy. "I may be a directing major with a rich imagination, but I’m not blind!"

"Good! That’s wonderful!" Xu Yunfan perked up, offering a rare word of praise. "Stepping up to fight injustice—Changying truly has a strong sense of justice!"

Xu Zhao Yu closed her eyes, completely losing her appetite for breakfast.

"Oh, right. Second Uncle, Auntie, I haven’t asked you yet." Xu Shuangqiao frowned. "Since you brought Changying back, why didn’t you send a driver for her? When I ran into her yesterday, she was planning to take the bus."

Xu Yunfan was taken aback. "The family didn’t send a driver for her?"

"Second Brother, Mom and Dad were probably just in a hurry and forgot." Xu Zhao Yu pursed her lips and said, "I’ll go pick Changying up today."

"You have a heart condition, why are you getting involved?" Xu Yunfan waved a hand. "I’ll go pick her up today. She saved Shuangqiao, so we definitely need to praise her properly."

Xu Yunfan was a man of his word.

At ten o’clock that night, he parked at the school gates to wait for Shi Changying. Xu Shuangqiao had tagged along as well.

When Shi Changying saw Xu Yunfan, she didn’t intend to get into his car until Xu Shuangqiao, sitting in the backseat, waved at her excitedly. "Changying! Changying!"

Shi Changying paused her steps and ultimately got in.

"Here, eat up," Xu Shuangqiao said, shoving several boxes of high-end pastries into her hands. "If it’s not enough, we can eat more when we get home."

Shi Changying glanced at her and began to savor the treats.

By the time the three of them returned to the Xu Family’s home, Ming Chengli had also just arrived.

"Hello, Fourth Uncle." Xu Shuangqiao stepped forward and took out a gift she had prepared in advance. "I know you’re passionate about history. These are some out-of-print books I found in bookstores abroad."

Ming Chengli was a little flattered. "You’re too kind."

"Fourth Uncle, you’ve suffered so much all these years." Xu Shuangqiao couldn’t help but wipe her tears as she recalled how Shi Changying had looked yesterday, as if she had never had a full meal in her life. "Dad couldn’t make it back in time, so I have to show our affection on his behalf."

Ming Chengli’s expression grew solemn. "I heard that Oldest Brother is with Doctors Without Borders. That is truly admirable."

"Doctors Without Borders?" Shi Changying had never heard of this term before.

Ming Chengli explained, "Your eldest uncle travels all year round to various war zones to treat the wounded. The world today isn’t entirely peaceful; it’s Jiuzhou that is at peace."

Shi Changying nodded in understanding. "Impressive."

"Fourth Brother, Changying, our Shuangqiao is also very impressive," Xu Yunfan said with a laugh. "She’s a big-shot director."

"Don’t even mention it. What ’big-shot director’? You’re just embarrassing me." Xu Shuangqiao looked depressed. "My dad didn’t want me to enter the entertainment industry in the first place. He said if I did, I shouldn’t expect any help from him. Plus, the industry is incredibly cutthroat right now, and I’ve been hitting dead ends everywhere."

Xu Yunfan asked casually, "Did you come back to Jianghuai this time because you got a job?"

"No." Xu Shuangqiao ruffled her hair in frustration. "I’m just chasing a pipe dream. I want to invite Lu Qingyuan to star in my project. Isn’t she coming to Jianghuai to shoot a movie soon? That’s why I came back."

Xu Yunfan choked on his words. "Then you really are chasing a pipe dream."

Seeing that neither Ming Chengli nor Shi Changying reacted, Xu Shuangqiao paused. "Fourth Uncle, Changying, do you not know who Lu Qingyuan is?"

Ming Chengli shook his head, as his knowledge was strictly limited to historical figures. Shi Changying also shook her head, for she was a historical figure herself.

"Let me tell you, she’s amazing!" Xu Shuangqiao’s excitement skyrocketed at the mere mention of Lu Qingyuan. "Not only is her acting incredible, but she can sing traditional opera and is a fantastic dancer, too!"

Shi Changying’s eyes flickered slightly. Her Qingyuan also had a beautiful voice. When she danced, she looked like a phoenix spreading its wings to take flight. Was this the cyclical nature of history?

"Alright, Shuangqiao, stop daydreaming. If you were doing a smaller project, the family might be able to help you out, but Lu Qingyuan?" Xu Yunfan shook his head and glanced at his watch. "It’s getting late. Let’s all go get some rest."

On the way back to their bedrooms, Shi Changying suddenly asked, "Dad, you study Xuan History. Have you ever heard the name Qingyuan?"

"Qingyuan?" Ming Chengli looked puzzled. "Are those the same characters as the actress your cousin just mentioned?"

Shi Changying gave a hum of confirmation. "The exact same characters."

Ming Chengli thought about it carefully before ultimately shaking his head. "There is no such name in the history of the Xuan Dynasty."

Shi Changying’s expression shifted slightly.

"Daughter, our Jiuzhou has five thousand years of history. That’s a lot of people." Ming Chengli patted her shoulder consolingly. "To leave a name in the annals of history means they were an extraordinary figure. History books are only so thick; how could they possibly record the lives of billions of people?"

Shi Changying lowered her head, her voice soft. "She was different." Her Qingyuan had been a successor of opera, an embodiment of Huaxia’s classical culture.

"Oh, right, Changying, next week we’re going to attend Old Madam Meng’s birthday banquet." Ming Chengli looked a bit nervous. "You must mind your words and actions. We’re just there to make up the numbers, so all you need to do is eat."

Shi Changying zeroed in on what mattered to her. "Will there be good food?"

Ming Chengli sounded uncertain. "There should be? Your dad has never been to this kind of birthday banquet either, but it definitely won’t be as good as a state banquet."

Shi Changying agreed, "I shall go." Wherever there was good food, she would be there.

***

Meanwhile, at the Pei Family’s old house, Housekeeper Pei sneaked up to the study door with an invitation in hand. "Young Master."

Pei Xuan had noticed Housekeeper Pei long ago. He raised his voice, "What are you doing? Scurrying around like a mouse."

"It’s Old Madam Meng’s birthday," Housekeeper Pei said respectfully. "They sent over an invitation, hoping the Pei Family would do them the honor of sending someone to attend."

"Oh?" Pei Xuan asked lazily. "How old is this old lady turning?"

Housekeeper Pei replied uncertainly, "Her eightieth birthday, I believe?"

"Mm, no wonder it’s such a grand affair." Pei Xuan sounded entirely dismissive and didn’t even bother looking up. Clearly, this banquet wasn’t significant enough to catch his eye.

"Sigh, they only sent this invitation because Elder Meng did our Old Master a favor when they were young." Housekeeper Pei offered a bit of gossip. "Actually, it barely even counts as a favor, and our Old Master probably doesn’t even remember them anymore, but the Meng Family has always used it as a talking point. I’ll just throw the invitation away."

Pei Xuan closed his book and lifted his gaze. "Alright, hand it over."

Housekeeper Pei had no idea why he had suddenly changed his mind, but he passed the invitation over anyway.

"Then I’ll reluctantly attend this Meng Family banquet," Pei Xuan said flatly. "That way, they can stop using this incident to call in favors and finally keep their mouths shut in the future."