Lian Rong contemplated, "But that’s the reality."
Xu Yin glanced at him, "Anything else?"
Lian Rong handed over the morandum in his hand, "The morandum submitted last ti has already been approved by the Crown Prince."
Xu Yin took it, looked it over, "Letting Consort Li attend? Isn’t this nonsense? His Majesty and Her Majesty were both born from humble beginnings and long established a rule that won from official households cannot be made Empress.
"The concubines attending this ti, if things go as planned, will be made the consort of the heir. Consort Li’s brother is a local magistrate, how can she attend such a grand ceremony? It would be surprising if the Emperor and Empress were pleased with this morandum!"
"Who is in Master’s room?"
A soft voice ca from the entrance.
Lian Rong glanced outside, then looked at Xu Yin, "The Commandery Princess is here."
Xu Yin showed no extra reaction, only after the footsteps were already audible did he close the morandum he had finished reading and put it away, "Submit another morandum suggesting Consort Yu instead."
After saying this, he added, "When you have ti, discreetly investigate that Miss Fu without making too much noise. Let’s not provoke any of Pei Zhan’s group for now, and focus our attention inside the court."
Lian Rong acknowledged, took the morandum out, and greeted at the door, "Commandery Princess."
Yongping entered the room, looked at the figure browsing the bookshelf with his back to the door, took a breath, and said, "I noticed you didn’t eat much this morning, so please drink this soup."
She placed the tray on the kang table, then walked behind Xu Yin, suppressing the flutter in her heart, and gently arranged his hair.
They had been married for almost five years; even though he was truly her husband, every ti she saw him, Yongping couldn’t help blushing and her heart racing.
Heaven knows how she couldn’t take her eyes off this Tanhua Lang when the results were released back then. She thought, "What a perfect pair this would be on earth."
Later, she heard he was Liang Ning’s betrothed, and how resentful and unwilling she was!
That wild girl Liang Ning, lacking manners and knowledge, even a face that was once passable was ruined. How could she deserve such a man?
Fortunately, her wish was granted. The heavens had indeed opened their eyes, and after twists and turns, he ultimately beca her husband!
Xu Yin turned slightly, his face and eyes already calm. He swept her hair back and lifted her chin as she lowered her head.
"Why didn’t you go back to accompany your mother today?"
His breath was soft, paired with a lazy tone, it was truly alluring.
Yongping blushed, gently turning her face away, chiding lightly, "Can’t I go every day? Since you are on leave at the manor today, I naturally can’t go out."
Saying this, she turned, picked up the soup, and handed it to him with both hands.
Xu Yin took the soup in one hand, wrapped the other around her waist, took a sip of the soup, then leaned over to feed it to her through a kiss.
Yongping’s body visibly softened.
She, embarrassed, tried to fend off his hand, "It’s broad daylight, why..."
Xu Yin pulled her onto the couch with one fluid motion, yet not very gently.
He had learned so martial arts at the Liang family before, though naturally not on par with the generals of the Liang family, he maintained the habit of practicing when ti allowed, so despite being a civil servant, his physique wasn’t weak.
He leaned closer, "Your mother instructed to treat you well, how dare I disobey? But I am foolish, not knowing how to please the dignified Commandery Princess. After much thought, perhaps I can only exert my ager strength on the bed!"
The windows were still wide open, the doors also ajar.
He didn’t care one bit.
Yongping was at a loss.
She felt a bit humiliated.
But as her gaze fell on the battle helt with peeling paint hanging on the wall, that bit of humiliation was replaced by an inexplicable satisfaction and pride.
The man she already had was once Liang Ning’s betrothed!
...
"Ugh!"
Fu Zhen vomited all over the floor in the room.
The maids were gathered around, Ziyan handing her a cloth, Bixi holding tea, all extrely anxious, "Still on dication, the doctor advised against alcohol, how could you forget? Ru Yi too, how could she let you do this?"
The little maid beside trembled in fear.
Fu Zhen, once her breath cald, rinsed her mouth and sat upright, "How could I have known it was this potent? I only had a bowl of rice wine dumplings last night, didn’t drink alcohol, yet it turned out like this!
"Don’t bla her, she didn’t know either!"
"Miss, you’re always making excuses! Just think, you’ve been ill for over ten years, how can your body withstand it?—Quickly, have so porridge to settle your stomach, then change clothes. Weren’t we scheduled to et soone at our shop to discuss matters? It’s getting late."
Ziyan took the comb to brush her hair while instructing Bixi to prepare her clothes.
The sky had already reached noon.
These days, Cheng Chili had been openly coming and going at the Ning Family, but since the Ning Family had no adult males, his frequent visits inevitably drew attention, and it could only be a temporary asure; a proper solution should be devised.
Fortunately, Mrs. Ning didn’t object; whenever Cheng Chili visited, she would even personally instruct the kitchen on how to prepare the dishes.
The topic once interrupted between mother and daughter had never been resud, but Mrs. Ning seed to have forgotten about it, her mood in the mornings during breakfast as usual.
The issue of Fu Zhen changing her surna had yet to be resolved.
Last night, Fu Zhen and Su Xinger secretly t, and Su Xinger suggested finding a proper reason to allow for open contact between the Ning and Liang families.
Fu Zhen spent most of the night thinking but could not co up with a good solution, instead revealing her intolerance to alcohol by asking the night maid to make a bowl of rice wine dumplings for a midnight snack.
Today’s appointnt was with Liang Chen and Liang Zhi, to et at Mrs. Ning’s jewelry shop as agreed.
Because last night Su Xinger ntioned that Pei Zhan had discovered a lead about the dagger, Liang Chen was preparing to visit the two historians of the previous dynasty, but Fu Zhen wanted to et Liang Chen first.
Since the uncle and niece had learned the details, they hadn’t officially t.
As she was getting ready for the eting, Pei Zhan arrived at the Liang household.
The two brothers opened the door to find him standing at the entrance and were simultaneously stunned, "What a coincidence?"
Pei Zhan said, "Are you going to see her?"
The brothers, having guilty consciences, beca alert, "Which ’her’ are you referring to?"
Pei Zhan gave a sidelong glance, "Miss Fu. Fu Zhen. Unless, there is soone else?"
Liang Zhi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, "Yes, yes, yes! We were indeed going to see Miss Fu!
"But why do you have such dark circles and why is your voice so hoarse?...
"And, why do you seem to have lost so weight? What have you been up to these days?"
Pei Zhan withdrew his eyes to look at the end of the street, "Are you leaving or not?"
Fu Zhen did not invite him today, and in this situation, she certainly couldn’t invite a clueless Pei Zhan, but now that he was proposing to go, there seed no reason to refuse either.
Since this case was initially handled by Liang Chen and Pei Zhan together.
"Let’s go!"
Liang Chen said no more, patted Liang Zhi on the shoulder, and mounted the horse.
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