Su Rong, having slept enough, woke up just in time for lunch.
The supplies stored in the secret chamber were enough to last for more than ten days, so everyone wasn’t worried about running out of food and water.
After lunch, since there was nothing else to do, Su Rong continued to teach Zhou Gu how to play chess, with Fen Ling, Ziye, and others watching their game.
Even though people say that it’s best to be silent when watching chess, Fen Ling and Ziye were not the silent types. However, their conversations were hardly related to the game of chess being played.
Ziye remarked, "My master is very good at everything, except chess."
Fen Ling agreed that Zhou Gu’s chess skills were lacking and said, "Really? Does my brother-in-law know how to cook?"
Ziye scratched his head in embarrassment.
Zhou Gu turned to Fen Ling and said, "I can’t cook. I heard you can. Can you teach me someday?"
Fen Ling blinked, "Brother-in-law, do you want to learn to cook? I can cook for you if you’re hungry. Besides, a gentleman should stay away from the kitchen. That way, you won’t smell like smoke and oil."
What he wanted to say was that he was afraid his sister would be put off by the smell of smoke and oil. After all, they were sharing a bed now, often hugging and cuddling. Who would have thought of this, considering the rift between them just a few months ago?
Zhou Gu seemed to consider Fen Ling’s words, "The smell of smoke and oil is not very pleasant."
He looked at Su Rong, "Can you cook?"
"Not really."
Zhou Gu pondered, "Then should I learn?"
He didn’t know if Ye Guixue could cook, but since Su Rong had chosen him, he couldn’t let himself be inferior.
Su Rong had no idea what Zhou Gu was thinking and shrugged, "Why bother? Isn’t Fen Ling here?"
She doubted that his cooking could surpass Fen Ling’s considering his passion for culinary exploration. Moreover, if he disliked the smell of smoke and oil, there was no need for him to learn.
Suddenly, Zhou Gu remembered, "My elder brother Su knows how to cook."
He had accidentally learned about it during his visit to the Xie Residence and was surprised at the time.
"Indeed, my elder brother can cook."
"Then I want to learn as well." Zhou Gu turned to Fen Ling, "Will you teach me?"
Fen Ling blinked, "Sure!"
If he wasn’t bothered by the smell of oil smoke, he would teach him.
"Focus on the game." Su Rong tapped on the chessboard.
Zhou Gu nodded and quickly concentrated on the game.
Ziye whispered to Fen Ling, "If my master is learning to cook, do I have to learn too?" 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎
"It seems like you should." It wouldn’t make sense for the master to put in the effort to learn while his servants just watch and wait to eat.
Regretting his conversation with Fen Ling, Ziye shut his mouth and decided to truly observe the game of chess in silence.
Since Su Rong was still recovering, they ended the game after that round. Zhou Gu ordered the chessboard to be removed to allow her to rest
Even though Su Rong wasn’t tired, she complied and laid back down on the couch. But having slept a lot, she wasn’t tired at all and was somewhat bored.
Fen Ling knew Su Rong well and he took out a picture book, "Sister, would you like to look at this picture book?"
Seeing it as a good way to kill time, Su Rong accepted it.
The secret chamber was lit by a bright night pearl, making it easy to look at the picture book without straining their eyes.
Zhou Gu saw Su Rong occupied with the picture book, took it from her, laid down beside her and said, "I’ll help you turn the pages."
Su Rong nodded.
So, they huddled together, looking at the same picture book.
Fen Ling and Ziye looked at each other. Both saw the words ’so clingy and considerate’ mirrored in each other’s eyes. Even just a while ago, they wouldn’t have dared think that this was possible.
Even as time dragged on in the secret chamber, time felt agonizingly slow in Nanping City.
In the Eastern Palace of the capital, Crown Prince Yan Huisheng, after secretly buying military rations, felt that Yan Lin couldn’t be left alone.
For example, with the rebellion at Pingxi General’s Residence in Jibei, he dared not leak the news immediately and solve it through the court because he didn’t trust Yan Lin. He did not believe that Yan Lin, for Daliang’s territory and prosperity, would give up his ambitions and personal interests. If Yan Lin used this to collude with Zhang Ping and stir things up, the court would be even more dangerous than now.
He had people monitoring the movements of the Second Prince’s Residence while he dispatched people to retrieve Zhang Yu, whose testimony was crucial, on their way to the capital. Nothing could go wrong with these arrangements.
In the Second Prince’s Residence, Yan Lin waited several days and still did not hear the news of Zhang Yu’s capture. Instead, he received news that Zhang Yu had been secretly captured and was being brought to the capital. His face instantly changed, "This Zhang Yu, so inept at carrying out his tasks."
He paced back and forth in the Imperial Study Room, his face an unhealthy shade of gray. "If he’s peacefully taken to the capital, it’s the end for me."
He knew very well that Crown Prince Yan Huisheng was probably using the evidence that Ning Yao had against him from over the years. But even if those evidences emerge, he wouldn’t be sentenced to death. Because he was always extremely careful for years, he tried to make the Second Prince Yan Li take responsibility for things, while he himself enjoyed the benefits behind Yan Li’s back. His father had already punished Yan Li, and he could just put the blame on him. It wouldn’t affect him too much. However, the current situation with Zhang Yu was different; he had used soldiers from Heyun County to eliminate Su Rong and the Ning siblings, illegally persuaded court officials to act. Such an act was a serious crime.
He gritted his teeth, "Since Yan Huisheng has arranged a secret escort for Zhang Yu, it’s difficult for me to snatch him."
He asked his advisors, "What should I do?"
The advisors were as baffled as he was. One by one, their faces turned pale. Once if the major crime that the Second Prince was plotting leaks out, them not spared means the end. It could implicate their family members as well, this was a very serious matter.
One of the advisors said resolutely, "We must do everything in our power to stop Zhang Yu from being taken to the capital, otherwise, it’s the end for all of us."
The other advisors nodded in agreement, "Indeed, the prince can’t just do nothing."
Yan Lin looked at the advisors, "Of course we must act, but because we sent people to kill Su Rong and the Ning siblings, half of our manpower is already gone. If we send the rest as well, we’ll be left with nothing. If we succeed, great, if we don’t, are we just supposed to gamble on kidnapping a person? Can we just watch Yan Huisheng use Zhang Yu to list all of my major crimes and then end up like my elder brother, without a chance to fight back?"
The advisors shook their heads, "That’s indeed not a good plan."
"In my opinion, we should prepare two strategies. One, send people to kidnap Zhang Yu and silence him. Two, create trouble for the Crown Prince in the capital as soon as possible. Only then will we have a chance to survive."
Yan Lin squinted, "Cause trouble for the Crown Prince? How?"
The advisor said, "These past few days, I’ve noticed that there seems to be some activity in the Eastern Palace. It might be related to the Duke Residence."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
