Chapter 157: Green Tea Prince (2)
Although Zong Si had no experience in love, he knew that Ning Fu was soft-hearted. Moreover, when a man really liked a woman wholeheartedly, he would naturally learn how to court a woman.
If he threatens her, she will just distance herself from him; if he bribes her, she will only focus on the benefits. But if she is weak, pitiful and helpless, she is very kind and will not ignore herself.
He frowned, sat upright and said nothing. Although he had a strong appearance with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, he still showed a bit of fragility at this moment.
If Zong Ning was here, she would probably be confused as to why her third brother felt uncomfortable in front of her. He was clearly having a very pleasant conversation with her.
This Zong Sanlang has completely lost his shame in order to win some favor from Miss Ning Si.
Ning Fu really said: "You haven't completely let go of your grudges yet, that's why you came to the Duke's Mansion."
"What happened to me can only be told to you. It is not convenient for outsiders to know. I have nowhere to go except to find you." Zong Si looked at her and said.
He was born too good-looking and was good at manipulating people's hearts. For example, he had talked about the matter of Ning Yu and Ning Zheng before and gave them enough benefits. As the saying goes, one who takes favors from others will be grateful, and one who eats from others will be soft-hearted. Even though Ning Fu guessed that what he said might not be true, she could not say anything cold and harsh.
As the saying goes, only by giving others an inch can you gain something. To put it more bluntly, it means that it is good for both of us, and only when everyone makes things convenient for each other can we benefit together.
"If the prince really wants to come to the Duke's Mansion, that's fine, but——"
Before Nymph finished her words, she heard him say, "I will be careful about what I do. If anyone finds out, all the blame can be put on me. I will take the responsibility."
"Your Highness, please stay for a while today. It's time to leave." Ning Fu said to him.
Although Zong Si was reluctant, he knew that if he wanted to sit in front of her for a moment in the future, he would have to listen to her.
"Your pastries have a unique flavor." Zong Si tasted the plate in front of her.
Ning Fu frowned, slapped his hand away and said, "This is Master Ye from the small kitchen, who left it for my mother." Master Ye only comes to the Duke's Mansion once a month for three days each time. If you want to eat next time, you have to wait a month.
Zong Si withdrew his hand. No wonder Fu Jiahui said that Master Ye had not been in the restaurant recently and the business had been slow. It turned out that he was invited by the Duke's Mansion.
"Then let Master Ye stay in the Duke's Mansion for a few more days." Zong Si said.
Ning Fu was about to say that Master Ye was not so easy to invite, but then she thought, the boss behind the restaurant is Zong Si, right? So she handed him the cake and said, "My aunt's birthday is coming in a few days, can you please leave Master Ye to me?"
"Why do you need to discuss this with me? Just make your own decision. As long as she is mine, you can use her as you like." Even if she treated him as his home, he would not interfere.
The indulgence in his tone made Nymph feel a little uncomfortable.
She knew that he was easy to talk to in this life, but was he a little too easy to talk to?
If a man is always so generous, it will be difficult for the lady not to be moved. Who doesn't like a man who is generous and can handle all matters behind the scenes?
Ning Fu's mood was inevitably complicated. What she hoped for in her previous life was actually a husband like this. In this life, she didn't like him that much, but she met her ideal Zong Si.
When Dongzhu saw Zong Si off, she also noticed that the prince treated her with courtesy: "Miss Dongzhu, if your daughter encounters any difficulties, you can come to the palace to find me."
Dongzhu was naturally a little flattered, but she was a maid in the Duke's Mansion and was not the type to fawn in front of outsiders. She knelt down and saluted, saying, "Don't worry, my dear, I will take good care of my girl."
An ordinary maid would not be worthy of Zong Si's treatment, but Ningfu's maid was a little different. Ningfu treated her as a half-sister, and being polite to her would always be a good idea.
And in the future, if he quarrels with Afu, he must ask Dongzhu to speak well of him.
As for the rest, perhaps Dongzhu had seen the prince sneaking in to see her daughter before, so she was not surprised by his instructions.
A few days later, two good things happened to the Duke's Mansion.
First, Ning Yu was recruited by Xu Zhidong. Lord Xu has always been close to the Sixth Prince and Prince Xuan's Mansion. This means that the first wife has taken advantage of Prince Xuan's Mansion, which is naturally a great thing.
Secondly, the title of female talent fell on Nymph.
Wei was overjoyed. At first, she thought that her son had a promising future and his talent was finally not buried and was appreciated. She became much more proud.
Ning Zhenxiu had a clearer understanding of his own son. If he was really talented, how could he not be recruited by various forces? Although he did not think that this was Zong Si's move to please Ning Fu, he also guessed it: "Tomorrow in broad daylight, you bring a few expensive gifts to thank the second house."
"What does this have to do with the Second House?"
"Master Xu, the person behind this is the prince. If it wasn't for Afu, why do you think the prince would recruit Ayu?" Ning Zhenxiu said, "Some time ago, the prince came to the Duke's Mansion to express his gratitude. Now the prince is repaying the fourth lady for saving his life."
Wei thought to herself, "If that's the case, I have to thank the Second House very much."
Ning Zhenxiu was even more grateful. If the second wife had not taken over the household expenses and managed the business well, the Duke's Mansion would not be as efficient as it is today, and he and his son would not have been so strapped for money when managing the expenses.
His sister-in-law was a capable woman, but the woman he married, Wei, couldn't even tolerate having several concubines.
Now Zhang is still imprisoned in the courtyard. Ning Zhenxiu still has some feelings for her, but the rules of the Duke's Mansion are here. Zhang hurt the heir of the Duke's Mansion and has no intention of repenting, so he cannot break the rules.
"Go to the second room tomorrow and give Ah He two sets of underwear." Ning Zhenxiu said.
Wei couldn't help but pause, knowing that he was thinking about that slutty woman Zhang, but her son's future was settled, so Wei didn't care about it anymore: "Since the master has ordered, I will naturally do it. Ah He is a well-behaved child."
Wei saw that she mostly followed Liu, the wife of the second wife, but Liu really treated her as her own child, scolding her when necessary and pampering her when necessary.
Sometimes, the two of them would hold hands and digest food together, just like real mother and daughter.
In this matter, Wei admitted that Liu was more generous than her, and she could not do the same to other people's children.
But the next day, when Wei came to the second house with a gift to express her gratitude, Ning Fu and Ning He were already on their way to the school.
Nymph no longer studies in the academy. This time, she is just receiving the reward from the academy for the female ruler who is recognized as a female talent.
Many young ladies came to the school, about ten years old. When they saw Nymph, there was a hint of confusion in their eyes. In such an unfamiliar mansion, they could not recognize a lady of this age.
Nymph couldn't help but recall that when she was their age, she was just like them, staring blankly at the older female monarchs leaving the academy.
Until now, she still doesn't know who those female rulers are, and perhaps her children are already grown up.
Life is passed down like this, generation after generation. In the same days, some people worry about their studies, some are busy with intrigues in the backyard, and some are taking care of their husbands and children.
Soon Ningfu saw Zhang He.
Now she plays the role she once played, and all the young ladies in the school listen to her opinions.
Zhang He also noticed her gaze, raised his head and looked at her from a distance.
At first, her whole body was stiff, but she soon remembered that Ning Fu and Lu Xingzhi were already engaged, so she relaxed and smiled at her.
Zhang He likes Zong Si.
Especially when she learned of his death, she was certain of her love for him. She loved him so much that she risked her life to go to the north, which she had always hated, and she loved him so much that she rejected a very good marriage proposal.
It’s just that although the prince was very nice to her, he was not warm.
When he had nothing to do, he always liked to stroke a tattered purse, as if he was missing the people related to the purse through the purse.
Zhang He couldn't help but ask him about the origin of the purse and why he didn't get a new one.
The prince stared at her for a long time, but did not hide anything, and said: "This was embroidered by A-Fu."
Zhang He felt very sad. She knew that he told her so frankly because he didn't like her and he was also reminding her.
From then on, the Crown Prince became more distant from her. Even though he cared about her, that kind of care was definitely not that between a man and a woman.
Later, news came from the capital that Sister Ning and Mr. Lu were engaged.
She was somewhat happy and felt a sense of relief. Sister Ning was married, and the Crown Prince would also get married sooner or later. Compared with others, she had some advantages. Hua'an Mansion and her father were both close relatives that the Crown Prince could trust.
"Sister Ning, congratulations on winning the honor of a female talent." Zhang He was really happy for Ning Fu and was not jealous of her for receiving this honor.
Sister Ning had taken good care of me before. Moreover, in terms of academics, I had real talent and knowledge without any extraneous knowledge. Whoever was good at it was really good.
Furthermore, female talents are evaluated every two years, so she still has opportunities in the future.
Ning Fu smiled at her and said, "Sister Zhang, you will have another chance in the future."
"Sister Ning, don't worry about me. I am not lost, nor do I regret my choice." Zhang He said.
Ning Fu was also clear about the choice she would not regret, and that was to go to the north to find Zong Si at all costs.
In this life, Zong Si's attitude towards her seemed a little cold, but how did he treat her in the previous life?
Ning He also heard some deep meaning. Zhang He mentioned her choice at this time, perhaps with some meaning of declaring sovereignty. Although it was not tit-for-tat, no one could be rational in terms of emotions. Zhang He wanted to win over his fourth sister.
"What choice did Sister Zhang make?" Ning He pretended that she had not heard any rumors and said, "Sister Zhang doesn't regret it. I think she got the reward she wanted."
She clearly knew that Zhang He had not received any reward. The prince had appeared frequently in the Duke's Mansion recently, and Ning He had run into him several times.
Ningfu looked at her fifth sister in surprise, but she didn't know when she learned to be so "evil-minded". However, since she was defending herself, she couldn't help but curl her lips.
Such an Ah He would satisfy her more than the Ah He who was easy to bully. It was not a good thing for the lady to be too honest and easy to talk to.
Zhang He felt a little embarrassed, but then he smiled and said to Ning Fu: "Sister Ning has decided on a marriage, but I haven't had the chance to congratulate her yet. Mr. Lu and Sister Ning are a perfect match. When I heard about it in the North, I was sincerely happy for Sister Ning."
Ning Fu smiled and exchanged a few words with her, then took Ning He to see the teacher.
"Sister Zhang seems to have developed a possessiveness towards the prince, and is somewhat hostile towards others." Ning He said to Ning Fu. She knew that her sister was naturally feeling a little unhappy.
"When my lady is younger, it is easier for her to develop such feelings," said Nymph.
"But not all female rulers are knowledgeable about propriety and morality. There are also female rulers in the capital who have committed adultery before," said Ning He.
Ning Fu recalled a dream she had once had. It was about her own funeral, and Zhang He was brought back by Zong Si. She was speechless for a while.
When the Master saw Nymph, he smiled with satisfaction and said, "The Fourth Miss has made me proud now."
It is the same in any dynasty, teachers all like students who are good at academics.
Ning Fu smiled and said: "Master's lessons are interesting, so I study hard."
"Yesterday, the prince came to visit my house and praised the fourth young lady for her cleverness, courage, and talent. However, I rarely see him praise others like this." The teacher said. Seeing that he recognized his student so much, the teacher naturally felt even happier.
Ning Fu now couldn't tell whether he was really praising her or just inflating her own status. After all, he was a famous talent in the capital. Naturally, others would look at him with admiration when they received his praise.
In fact, Zong Si has both.
He truly felt that Nymph was intelligent and courageous, but of course his subjective consciousness was also present.
As for raising her status, she will marry him in the future, and raising the status of his wife's wife is a good deal.
"The prince was very patient when he talked to me about you, and he has always admired you very much." The master was unaware of the twists and turns.
Ning He thought to herself: The prince is probably just interested in Sister Ning. Knowing what's happening with Sister Ning, he will naturally be patient. After all, if the eldest brother talks about Sister Ning, the prince will be willing to sit for a while.
Wei's birthday party soon arrived.
The mansion was busy. Ning He and Wei Shi were welcoming guests from various mansions, while Ning Fu was giving orders for the arrangements in the small kitchen.
Now that the Duke's Mansion is thriving, those who are slightly familiar with it will naturally come.
However, no one expected that even at Prince Xuan's mansion, the Crown Prince, Prince Xuan and his wife, and Zong Ning would come together.
This shows that Prince Xuan's Mansion attaches great importance to the Duke's Mansion.
Wei was of course very happy to receive this honor. She was extremely concerned about the appearance of a great event. Although she was the wife of a duke, she had never had such a lively birthday before.
This also made her realize that she and the second wife had a relationship in which they would prosper together and suffer together.
She also benefited from the second wife's good fortune.
As a result, she began to like Liu more and more. Although her sister-in-law was sometimes arrogant, she was never shabby when it came to doing things.
When Meng Ze saw Zong Si, he did not look embarrassed at all, but acted as if nothing had happened. He smiled and said, "I didn't expect that my cousin would come in person today."
Zong Si glanced at him and ignored him.
Meng Ze's smile froze. Now he had to rely on him. Although he was unhappy, he didn't care.
Zong Si, however, talked with Meng Yuan.
Not far away, Meng Che smiled in a good mood. Lao Liu had previously wanted to replace Zong Si's political legacy, so naturally there would be a gap between them now.
Zong Si glanced at the maid that Meng Yuan brought with him. He thought that Yaoyao wanted to see her aunt, so Meng Yuan brought her here during Wei's birthday party.
Zong Si just chatted with him for a while and then went to the small kitchen.
Master Ye was preparing the pastries outside, and Ning Fu was the only one tasting the pastries in the inner room.
When the nymph saw him, she casually handed a piece to his mouth, and the man opened his mouth cooperatively.
She did this so that she could ignore him and let him talk less.
“Can this dish be served?”
Zong Si said: "I can't judge."
Nymph gave him a confused look.
"Of course I think everything you feed me tastes good." Zong Si looked at her and said.
However, Ning Fu felt that his words were a bit slick and ignored him. Little did she know that sometimes one could not help but feel emotional and these corny words came from the heart.
"Yaoyao is here today." Zong Si said to her.
Ning Fu's eyes showed some joy, and she ordered: "Tell Dongzhu to bring her over."
Zong Si's eyes flickered and he stood there for a while without moving.
"Dongzhu is outside. Prince, go out and turn left, and you will see her."
Her words were naturally like ordering her husband to do something.
The intimacy that was revealed unintentionally showed that she was not wary of him at all, as if they were still husband and wife in the previous life.
"Okay." Zong Si said slowly.
Nymph looked at him in confusion. Why was he in such an inexplicably good mood?
After just a moment, he turned back.
"What is there in this small kitchen that attracts the prince?" Ning Fu did not expect that he would come back.
Zong Si glanced at her.
Then he helped her and said, "I am tired from socializing with them, so I came to hide here for a while."
Ning Fu thought of Meng Ze and Meng Che who were coming today, so she didn't say anything more.
When Yaoyao arrived, she saw Zong Si busying around Ning Fu. She rolled her eyes and suddenly had an idea: "Fourth Miss, when I came here, Master Lu also arrived."
Zong Si glanced at her indifferently.
"Mu Ruoheng said that the prince is jealous, and it turns out to be true." Yaoyao said with a smile.
Zong Si said casually: "If I remember correctly, Doctor Mu is also a jealous person. Otherwise, how could he go to Yongzhou under a pseudonym? I'm afraid... he saw many young masters trying to curry favor with you."
Yaoyao couldn't laugh anymore.
Ning Fu patted Zong Si to stop him and said to Yao Yao: "Dr. Mu must know your true feelings and will not pay attention to him."
When Ning Fu saw Yaoyao, there was no place for Zong Si in this small kitchen.
He no longer disturbed the sisters' reunions.
But when he saw that the Duke's Mansion treated Lu Xingzhi the same way it treated its son-in-law, he sneered in his heart.
But he has to enjoy his life for the time being.
Meng Ze was not happy, and he was not long-sighted. He said with a half-smile: "This Duke's Mansion really loves this son-in-law. But he is from a small family. His future depends on the promotion of big people. How can he compare with me?"
In fact, Lu Xing had a good future, but for Prince Meng Ze, it was not good enough.
Zong Si said calmly: "It is still uncertain who the son-in-law will be until the end."
"You're right." Meng Ze said, "Thank you for your comfort, cousin." In this matter, Zong Si still stood on his side.
"You might as well think about what I mean again." Zong Si said slowly.
Before Meng Ze could react, he heard a crisp voice saying, "Brother Prince."
If not Zhang He, then who else
Zhang He was quite excited as she hadn't seen him for a long time.
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