Guan Shui asked, "Yes, Aunt, please give me any tasks you may have, and I will do my best to carry them out."
"Teach me and Xiang Ning martial arts."
Liu Xiangning, who was standing to the side, was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed—she could also learn martial arts? Was she dreaming?
Guan Shui thought it was some difficult task, but when he heard that it was to teach Aunt Chen and Xiang Ning martial arts, he immediately agreed.
After all, when he stayed behind, the heir had instructed him that whatever his concubine asked for, he must do it; if he couldn't, he should seek help from his wife.
The crown prince has given a death order, how dare he disobey?
Moreover, this wasn't the first time the concubine had learned martial arts. Not only had the young master and the lady seen her learn martial arts, but even the marquis had seen her learn it, and everyone had tacitly approved of it.
Liu Xiangning's voice trembled with surprise, "Master...Master, is Young Master Guanshui willing to teach me martial arts? Is he really willing?"
Chen Mianmian chuckled, "Of course it's true! Didn't you just hear it?"
Liu Xiangning's pretty face was almost contorted with excitement. "Is it... the kind of martial arts that this servant understands? Like the kind of martial arts that Master used to beat me up on the stage at the Princess's residence last time?"
Guan Shui saw that the girl, who was as beautiful as an angel just a moment ago, had her cheeks twitching the next moment, and unconsciously took half a step back.
Only after he finished leaving did he realize that he should have protected Aunt Shen.
But Aunt Shen remained calm, seemingly unsurprised by Liu Xiangning's reaction. "Yes, it's that kind of martial art. Do you want to learn it?"
"Yes! This servant will go and kowtow to Young Master Guanshui right now!" With that, she rushed forward.
Shen Mianmian, both amused and exasperated, grabbed her arm. "Wait, do you have to get so worked up? This is too much."
“No exaggeration!” Liu Xiangning said seriously, “After I was beaten by my master that day, I felt particularly down. It wasn’t because I was beaten, but because I realized that I would never learn something so good in my life. I thought to myself, if someone was willing to teach me martial arts, I would be willing to give up my life.”
Guan Shui was stunned, but Chen Mianmian could understand Liu Xiangning's thoughts—Xiangning had been displaced and in great danger since she could remember. Before her safety was guaranteed, all her thoughts were on survival.
This includes learning the art of "skinny horse" from her.
Martial arts are the most life-saving skill, so Xiang Ning was naturally eager to learn them.
Looking at the overly excited Xiang Ning, Chen Mianmian wondered what she could do for this poor girl.
Believe it or not, I actually thought of that!
"Guan Shui, have you had lunch?" Chen Mianmian asked.
"Your Highness, I have already had lunch."
In the Southern Chu Kingdom, servants eat half an hour earlier than their masters in order to prepare and serve them.
Chen Mianmian stood up. "Then let's go to the training ground."
Guan Shui was taken aback. "Start teaching now?"
Chen Mianmian chuckled, "Do we need to choose an auspicious day to learn martial arts? Of course, we learn whenever we have time. Wait a minute, I'll take Xiang Ning to change her clothes."
"Yes, Aunt."
Afterwards, Chen Mianmian took Xiang Ning back to her room.
Because she had practiced and learned martial arts with the prince before, Shen Mianmian had prepared a lot of women's martial arts outfits that were convenient for practicing martial arts. Since she and Xiang Ning were similar in build, she could also take them out for Xiang Ning to wear.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
The group had already arrived at the Marquis's training ground.
Chen Mianmian took the stick and said to Guan Shuidao, "I'll practice by myself first. You teach Xiang Ning. When Xiang Ning and I are at a similar level, we'll learn together."
"Yes, Aunt."
Guan Shui didn't hesitate and immediately began to diligently teach Liu Xiangning martial arts.
Chen Mianmian took a stick and walked to a corner of the training ground. From an angle where no one could see her, she made a face with a long face—Oh my god, after a whole night of trouble, she still has to practice martial arts the next day?
...
Five days passed in the blink of an eye.
Liu Xiangning gets up earlier than the chickens and goes to bed later than the dogs every day. She tries her best to serve her master while practicing martial arts like crazy. She practices whenever she can find the time, and she also uses sweet words to coax Guan Shui to spar with her.
Even the sleepiest of them are starting to feel threatened.
She was afraid that if things continued like this, that girl might surpass her.
Chen Mianmian even considered whether she should go to the princess's residence again for some grueling training.
Just then, a maid from the main courtyard announced that the princess had invited the madam, the young mistress, and Concubine Shen to the princess's residence, and had even sent a carriage to pick them up.
Mianmian guessed that the princess must have found out the results of her investigation.
After all, this is the routine for catching criminals throughout history and across the world—first, don't let any news out to avoid alerting them, and then make a surprise arrest.
Chen Mianmian redid her makeup and changed her clothes before taking Liu Xiangning and Guanshui to the main courtyard.
After meeting up with the madam and young mistress in the main courtyard, the group boarded the princess's carriage.
...
Princess's Residence.
When the carriage stopped in front of the mansion, everyone was surprised to find that there were already many carriages parked outside the princess's mansion, including carriages from the princess's mansion and carriages from the post station that had been specially hired.
Why was Shen Mianmian so certain that this was a post station carriage specially hired by the Princess's residence?
Because the postal carriages in the Southern Chu Kingdom were like modern taxis, they would drop people off at their destination and then drive away, rarely leaving any trace.
Even if you book the entire day, only the coachman will be waiting, instead of each carriage being assigned a guard from the princess's residence.
That's right, they were guards, or more accurately, escorts of prisoners.
Chen Mianmian frowned as she looked at the long line of carriages—tsk tsk! A princess is a princess; she can do whatever she wants openly and honestly.
Internal strife? Forget about it; they smashed the house to pieces with a single slap.
Palace intrigue? It doesn't exist. He doesn't even enter the palace, so he doesn't have to compete for favor with the concubines.
Compared to Princess Rui'an, even the female lead Jiang Yinjin seems petty.
Chen Mianmian sighed and shook her head.
Standing to the side, Madam Ding asked timidly in a very low voice, "Mianmian, what do you think the princess wanted to see us about?"
Chen Mianmian gave Jiang Yinjin a look, and Ding Shi suddenly realized what was going on.
At this moment, Jiang Yinjin did not notice the conversation between the two. Her face was pale, her brows were furrowed, and she stared intently at the long row of carriages in front of the princess's mansion, her teeth clenched inward.
Ying Gu came out and saw Ding Shi. "Madam, you've arrived? Please come in. Everyone is here, we were just waiting for you."
"Sleepless—it seems something really big is going to happen today. Even NPC Ying Gu isn't saying her usual lines and is going straight to the point."
Ding asked nervously, "Everyone? Who else?"
Ying Gu glanced quickly at Jiang Yin Jin, "You'll know when we arrive."
The group followed Ying Gu into the princess's residence. Instead of going to the inner courtyard, they went to the outer courtyard, where guests were formally received.
As soon as Chen Mianmian reached the door, she saw that the spacious hall was already full of people!
There was Marquis Xuanping and his wife, Huo Rang and Lady Zhou, the younger sister of the wife of Marquis Anning, Lady Ding and Zheng Ruier, and another middle-aged man, who I guess is Lady Ding's husband and Zheng Ruier's father.
There's also Jiang Yinjin's mother—Chen Mianmian had met her before at the banquet hosted by the Minister's wife.
The man beside Jiang Yinjin's mother is most likely Jiang Yinjin's father, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites.
Furthermore, and most importantly, there was even the Marquis of Anning!
That's right, it's the Marquis of Anning who should have been outside the capital!
Princess Rui'an has even brought back Marquis Anning; is she preparing to completely overturn the table today?!
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