Huo Jincheng had been pondering the situation since leaving the palace. The more he thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was. These past few days, his mind was revolving like a revolving lantern, with various scenes between Jian Ning and Ma Fuquan constantly revolving.
From the moment he first met Jian Ning and she told him that Ma Fuquan was not dead, to the moment the two of them cooperated tacitly while holding the same hidden weapon in the villa outside the city, to the moment that night when Ma Fuquan came out of the flower hall and naturally sat next to Jian Ning, he always felt that the relationship between the two of them...how to put it?
Yes, just like comrades who have fought together against the enemy countless times, if they did not have years of experience in fighting together, it would be impossible for them to cooperate so skillfully.
He thought again, could it be that the master that Jian Ning mentioned, the reclusive master, was Nanyangzi?
That's not right. The kind of tacit understanding between her and Ma Fuquan would be impossible without actual combat experience.
He was filled with doubts. Jian Ning's abilities were truly too great. She had even created the Jian family's anti-epidemic pill, which made him feel a bit uncomfortable. He couldn't help but think, if Jian Ning had become his wife... well, that wouldn't have been okay. If she had, she might not have had the luck she has today.
If she hadn't been lost, she wouldn't have ended up in Dingxian Village. Where would he go to find Nanyangzi?
When you think about it, everything is fate and we have no control over it.
After returning to the mansion, he didn't even have time to change his clothes and went straight to the other courtyard. Seeing him coming, Ding Youtian immediately invited him to the flower hall and said straight to the point: "Have you heard that the top three students this year will all be admitted to the Hanlin Academy? Is it possible?"
"Why, do you want to stay in the capital?"
"No, if the news is indeed true, can we still change the will of the Holy Spirit?"
Huo Jincheng was somewhat surprised to hear this. Ding Youtian's desire to be exiled coincided with the Crown Prince's. He had been struggling with how to persuade Ding Youtian, but he hadn't expected Ding Youtian to bring it up himself.
The Crown Prince was suggesting that Ding Youtian and Jian Ning were both on his side. One was the Princess Anning, personally appointed by the Emperor, while the other was the newly crowned top scholar. Furthermore, they were the daughter and son-in-law of the Prince of Pingnan. They would be too conspicuous to remain in the capital. It would be better to send them out for a few years. The capital would likely be a completely different place in a few years. While the Emperor's health remained healthy on the surface, his inner strength depended entirely on elixirs.
He raised his eyebrows and said, "It's not that difficult. If you're willing to go out, I'll take care of it. Just listen to my instructions."
Huo Jincheng felt relieved now that the matter was settled. He glanced outside and then lowered his voice, "There's another matter I'd like to hear from Brother Ding. Let me be clear, I didn't do what he thought, and I definitely didn't have any other intentions. It's just that Brother Ding really didn't notice Captain Ma and your wife at all. I can't really describe that feeling, but it's like these two have been fighting the enemy together for years."
"Hi." Ding Youtian smiled brightly. "We've only known each other for a day or two. Don't you know who I am, Ding, even if others don't? The three of us grew up together, often going up the mountain to collect firewood. One year, we saved a man in the mountains. Naturally, it was my wife who treated him. The man was poisoned, and after my wife cured him, she offered to teach us martial arts to repay us. I wasn't interested, so she taught my wife and Brother Ma for the better part of six months."
"As you know, my wife was mentally handicapped in her early years and was a slow learner. Since then, Big Brother Ma has taught her whenever he's free, and I've been there every time. It was the time you asked Big Brother Ma to help you. Originally, Big Brother Ma was on his day off and agreed to help us renovate the roof, but who would have thought he'd almost lost his life later!"
Ding Youtian was a quick-witted liar. Jian Ning often complained about his bad habits, which were shaped by the environment he grew up in. With parents like Old Ding and Mrs. Meng, how could he not be influenced in the slightest? If it weren't for Blind Liu's secluded residence in Dingxian Village, and if he hadn't loved listening to Blind Liu's stories since childhood, and if Blind Liu hadn't even attended school for a few years, Ding Youtian would very likely be the next Hou Balai.
Huo Jincheng was skeptical, but when he thought about it carefully, Ding Youtian would always get upset whenever he and Jian Ning talked for a while. Moreover, with Ding Youtian's intelligence, how could he not be suspicious when even he could notice something was wrong?
There is only one possibility without any doubt, that is, everything he said is true.
After thinking about it this way, Huo Jincheng finally dispelled his doubts.
The day before Yang Jinyu's wedding, Ding Youtian was decreed to be exiled to Danyang County in the north. Danyang was an extremely cold and harsh place, and Prince Yong had orchestrated his transfer. Jian Ning's invention of the Jian family's anti-epidemic pill had ruined his plans, and the court officials who had previously supported him had all fallen silent. How could he not be furious?
"You are extremely afraid of the cold. Do you regret being sent there now?" Jian Ning asked as she sorted the books he brought with him. Ding Youtian chuckled, "As long as I am with you, it is spring all year round."
Jian Ning glared at him. This man could talk about love without even having to write down his thoughts. However, he had been staying at home honestly these days, politely declining all the banquets and entertainment offered by the officialdom. He had been behaving quite well. Although he had been exiled to a cold and harsh land, with the Prince of Pingnan around, officials at court, both high and low, believed that his return to the capital was inevitable, and thus the daily invitations kept coming.
In the yard, a group of children were excitedly discussing the arrangements for picking up the bride tomorrow morning. Erniu, Sanniu and the Ma brothers all had experience as flower girls when the sixth brother married Tian Xiaoyu. The mothers in the Taifu Mansion had specially taught them various etiquette rules, and several children were discussing and rehearsing them.
"Dabao and I are in a group." Ah Man jumped to Dabao's side. "We'll be in a group. I'll be the virgin and you'll be the virgin. Then the fur ball will belong to both of us. Is that okay?"
There was no expression on Dabao's face. He glanced at the ball of fur at his feet. The ball of fur had grown into a handsome male fox with shiny black fur without a single stray hair.
He nodded his chin towards Maoqiu, "Then you have to ask Maoqiu. If he's willing, I have no objection."
"As long as you don't do anything bad, it will definitely be happy." Ah Man clapped her hands towards the fur ball, "Fur ball, here I come." As she said that, she pounced on the fur ball, and the fur ball flicked its tail and jumped up quickly.
Ah Man had been clamoring for a few days that if she could make her father a vest out of Maoqiu's fur, it would be incredibly warm and impressive. Maoqiu, who understood human language, wouldn't be willing to get close to her. She was so angry that she chased Maoqiu around the yard, screaming, "Stinky Maoqiu, wicked Maoqiu, stop right there!"
Dabao saw her chasing the ball of fur like a colorful butterfly, and the corners of his mouth inadvertently curled up slightly. He was about to shout to stop the ball of fur when he heard Erniu scream.
He turned to look and saw Ma Xiaodou and Erniu each pulling Sanniu's arms. "You're annoying! Yaoyao and I are in a group. Let go. If you don't, I'll hit you. Am I really going to hit you?"
"Second sister!" Dabao walked over, frowned and yelled at Erniu to let go, "Xiaodouzi and Third sister are in one group, and you and Ma Xiaomi are in one group."
Erniu didn't dare disobey Dabao, but after letting go, she saw Ma Xiaodou and Sanniu jumping and dancing hand in hand. She was about to cry again, "Why, brother, why can't my sister be in the same group with me?"
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