Su Rong sat up, her illness and two months of being busy had left her losing quite a few pounds. No matter how Nurse Zhao instructed the imperial kitchen to concoct nourishing soups for her, nothing could slow her weight loss. She herself felt her wrists had become thinner.
She looked down at herself and nodded, "What the Queen said is correct. However, the busiest time in Nanchu was probably just this year after the rebellion and the war. For the next nine years, as long as everything is on track, orderly, I don’t see it being too busy."
Nangong Xin neither agreed nor disagreed, found a chair, and sat down, "You lie down! I’ll stay here to keep an eye on you."
Su Rong had not touched any files or reports for the past three days, just lying obediently in bed to recuperate. Seeing that Nangong Xin still insisted on her laying down, how could she stay put? Looking at Nangong Xin, Su Rong suggested, "Lying around meaninglessly doesn’t appeal to me. Since the queen came to take care of me, why don’t you join me for a game of chess?"
Nangong Xin raised an eyebrow, "Do you have the strength to play chess?"
"Yes, I can’t just keep lying down while sick. It would slow my recovery."
Feeling that Su Rong’s reasoning made sense, Nangong Xin nodded, "Alright!"
So, Nurse Zhao set up the chessboard herself, and Su Rong, dressed, descended from the bed to sit opposite Nangong Xin. The two of them began to play chess. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂
When the Nanchu King finished his morning session, he came to Feng Hall and saw Nangong Xin and Su Rong facing each other, playing chess. He froze for a moment then turned around and left.
Nangong Xin noticed and frowned, "Such an old man, acting as if we’re desperate to see him."
Su Rong also saw the Nanchu King, she played with her chess piece and said: "Don’t pay him any mind."
Nangong Xin paused before she asked her, "Whose side are you on? He is your biological father, after all."
"Of course, I’m on his side. After all, he is my real father. However, I feel that you can raise a consort. What do you think?" Su Rong asked.
Nangong Xin nearly dropped her chess piece, "What would I need that for? What gibberish are you talking about?"
Su Rong sighed, "It’s crucial to have an open mind in life. It doesn’t matter if a man is blind; it’s only an issue if you can’t see through your own thoughts and let his blindness hinder you for a lifetime. You are still so young."
Nangong Xin was speechless, "Are you implying that if I agree, you’ll let me keep a consort in the palace? But you gave me the Phoenix Seal, didn’t you demand that I become queen?"
"One year later. You just have to help me in the palace for one year. After that year, I will give you the empty house in the Nangong family, and release you from the palace; then, you can raise a consort, or if you are willing, you can find a husband to live with you - either is fine."
Nangong Xin raised an eyebrow, "What is your intention?"
"Nothing, just that as a woman, I cannot bear to see you waste your life on a man, even if that man is my father, and have no man left when you die," Su Rong bluntly said.
Nangong Xin looked annoyed, "Look at what you’re saying, you don’t even look like a princess! If this gets out, aren’t you afraid of being humiliated and choked on by the officials?"
"Whatever." Su Rong, not yet fully recovered from her illness and somewhat dishevelled, shrugged, "The entire Nanchu is in my hands, if any officer impeaches me, let him take over this position."
Nangong Xin laughed out of anger, "Are you serious?"
"Yes."
"Then one year later, when I leave the palace, who will manage here?" Nangong Xin asked.
"My senior sister. She is almost due now, by then her child will be one year old. She has been living in the Imperial Palace of Daliang for more than ten years, I asked her previously, she had suffered heartbreak from an ordinary man, later she killed that man by herself, she doesn’t want to get married anymore," said Su Rong: "Of course, if you are willing, you can leave the palace, and let her enter; if you are unwilling, then she can just help me manage business outside the palace."
Nangong Xin stared at the chessboard, dropped a piece, and after a long time, lightly said, "Fine, with my father’s character, if I waste my life on him, I would indeed be at a great loss. Thanks to your warning, I should go and live my own life. As long as you are not afraid of strong opposition from the courtiers."
"I am not afraid, I have something to shut their mouths," Su Rong said.
Nangong Xin nodded, "Okay, I can’t choose a man, can you help me select one? Not a consort, that sounds too harsh, just take an in-law."
"Agreed." Su Rong nodded.
It’s not that Su Rong is particularly kind-hearted, but over this period, she has seen clearly that Nangong Xin has been helping her manage the royal palace sincerely and meticulously, without causing any blunders or unnecessary disturbances. Which has indeed helped stabilize her rear, especially for those young concubines, they have privately agreed to be sent off from the imperial palace. Some got married after leaving the palace, some stood on their own feet, and some were accepted by their families to retire at home. All of these were for her, Su Rong is not ungrateful.
Moreover, she felt that her father really didn’t deserve someone sacrificing their entire life for him. Did she have to stay in this royal palace and let her father keep hiding? She felt tired just watching.
In the evening, Zhou Gu came back early. Only when Nangong Xin saw Zhou Gu did she get up and say goodbye.
Zhou Gu greeted her and then watched as Nangong Xin left. He then turned to Su Rong, surprised, and said, "Did the queen actually stay with you the whole day?"
"Yes, she personally said she would take care of me, she had to do it," Su Rong reached out to hug Zhou Gu.
Zhou judged, "The queen is quite nice, doesn’t seem like someone from the Nangong family."
Su Rong smiled, "With her character, she must have been a likable girl in her youth. It’s just a pity that she met my mother, otherwise, the relationship between my father and her might not have ended up like this."
Zhou Gu didn’t interact much with Nangong Xin, so he didn’t comment on this, he just said, "You should rest for another day tomorrow."
"Do I have to?" Su Rong drooped, "I am so bored staying inside the room that I think I’m growing hair."
"Are you so eager to go out and work?" Zhou Gu looked at her.
"Not really, it’s just that there’s so much to do, and no one else can replace me, it’s still going to be me doing it," Su Rong sighed, "Anyway, I’m already much better."
Zhou Gu admitted to this, her position is irreplaceable by anyone else. Even though he is her consort, there are still some things he can’t do on her behalf. He nodded, "Okay, then you will only work half a day tomorrow, and rest for the remaining."
Su Rong was happy, "No problem."
Zhou Gu took a letter from his pocket and handed it to Su Rong, "A letter from the Eastern Palace."
Su Rong reached over to take it, casually asking, "What did it say?"
"The Crown Prince has chosen Duanhua as the Crown Princess." Zhou Gu’s face was odd, murmuring "Does the Crown Prince have no one else to choose from? Can Duanhua fulfill her duty as the Crown Princess? I checked the letter three times, if it wasn’t the Crown Prince’s handwriting, I would have thought it was a mistake."
Su Rong was also surprised, "Really?"
She quickly opened the letter. Since it was a Hawk Messenger, the letter was brief. After Su Rong quickly finished reading, she also felt that this was quite a novelty, "The letter didn’t explain why. It only said that they will be married in a year."
In fact, the letter just mentioned one point, he was marrying Duanhua as the Crown Princess, the rest was news about the court.
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