Chapter 42 Beautiful Bride
Ning Ran frowned and said, "The prince has someone in his heart. With Second Miss Xie around, he doesn't care about anyone else."
Wei Xiao disagreed. He thought that the second Miss Xie was dignified, virtuous, tactful and generous, suitable to be a wife and to manage the backyard well. As for romance, Ning Fu was much more interesting.
"That may not be the case. There is no man who is not lustful." Wei Xiao said.
"You think everyone is like you." Ning Ran said coldly.
The two had just reconciled, but these words cooled their relationship. Seeing her protecting Zong Si, Wei Xiao chuckled and said, "Just wait and see, will there be fewer women in his courtyard in the future? Second Miss Xie can't control him."
"I think it's you who thinks my fourth sister is pretty, right?" Ning Ran said.
Wei Xiao coaxed, "Why are you jealous of her? Apart from her beauty, how can she compare to you, the legitimate daughter of Duke Ningguo?"
Ning Ran's mood eased a little. She changed her mind and realized that Wei Xiao, who listened to her, had more than one person around him. Zong Si was so powerful, handsome and brave that there were countless people around him who wanted to get close to him. Among all the beauties, there was always one he liked.
If Zong Si wanted to marry her, Xie Ruyi would definitely not be able to resist him. She would have to grit her teeth and welcome her into the house with a smile to show her magnanimity as the principal wife.
"If Afu can follow Zongduo, it would actually be a good choice. He is a man who responds to soft words and not to hard ones. He has a straightforward personality and is easy to coax. Afu just needs to act coquettishly and her life will not be difficult." Ning Ran said again.
Wei Xiao said absentmindedly: "Unless the matter is settled, it will be difficult to accomplish."
Ning Ran didn't say anything, and no one knew what she was thinking. After a moment, she said firmly, "Although I think Afu's marriage will be beneficial to me, I will never use her chastity to plot against her. There are no girls in the Ningguo Mansion who fight among themselves."
Wei Xiao replied: "I meant to describe how difficult this matter is, not to ask you to plot against Fourth Sister."
Over at Prince Xuan's Palace, Zong Si and Zong Duo said little, as the decision that had already been made could not be changed just by a single encounter.
But Zongduo suffered from insomnia at night. He tossed and turned for several times and finally got up.
At this month, even at night, it is no longer so cold. Under the moonlight, the lake is sparkling and the insects' chirping can still be heard. After practicing sword for a while, I felt a lot calmer.
When I looked up again, I saw Zong Si drinking alone in the pavilion by the lake.
My third brother was there in the middle of the night!
"Why are you up in the middle of the night?" Zongduo walked over.
Zong Si poured him a glass of wine and said calmly, "We just finished talking outside."
When Zongduo approached him, he could smell the scent of powder on his body, and knew who he had gone out to meet. He said no more and sat down to drink with him. The wine was sweet and fragrant, not spicy.
"Yue Niang has been with you for a long time. When your marriage is settled, you must take her into your house." Although Zong Duo had only seen Yue Niang a few times, he knew that she was a poor person. It was very difficult for her to survive in the desolate and cold land of the north. She did not fight or compete, and was law-abiding in managing Hongxiu Pavilion for Zong Si.
It goes without saying what kind of feelings she has for Zong Si, her savior.
When Zong Si saw her for the first time, he was just an adult. It is unknown whether he had any thoughts when he met such a beauty.
Zongduo didn't know much about matters between men and women, so naturally he didn't know what he was thinking.
Zong Si said, "Since Yue Niang is working for me, I shouldn't have any affair with her. Acting on emotion will only hurt others and not benefit myself."
He just remembered something, his face turned a little colder, and he said no more.
If you really think about it, he wanted to take Nymph as his concubine because of his responsibility and the relationship in his previous life, which was also a bit emotional.
Zong Si's heart also turned a little cold.
Zong Duo actually didn't care about Zong Si, but just mentioned it in passing. Then he thought of Ning Fu and couldn't help but pick up the wine and drink it in one gulp. After the wine went down his throat, he felt refreshed.
He felt a little regretful. It would have been better if he had met Ning Fu before Lu Xingzhi returned to Beijing.
Then maybe they would have been married long ago, and might even have had children!
Although this wine is not strong, it can still make people feel dazed if they drink too much.
"If the fourth lady and I were to have a child, he would surely be an outstanding horseman and archer." Zongduo said. He would definitely teach the child well and the child would definitely be a first-rate young master!
Moreover, he and Nymph both know how to use slingshots. If they have children, the children will surely have a very happy childhood.
Zong Si also thought about the child.
Zongduo was just imagining it, but he and Nymph might really have a child.
Nymph was so gentle and considerate to Wei Lin, perhaps because of Wei Lin and she was thinking of her own child.
Zong Si couldn't help but wonder if the child was the same age as Wei Lin.
He came back to his senses and poured cold water on her, "Fourth Miss Ning, I will not have a child with you."
Zongduo wondered: "Why are you so unhappy?"
Zong Si paused and said nothing.
"If I didn't know you well, I would have thought that the fourth lady was your wife," Zongduo said.
In the previous life, it was true.
But he shouldn't have reacted like this.
Zong Si said calmly: "Both the Duke's Mansion and the Wei Mansion hope that she will marry well, and they are counting on her husband to help the men in the family. Don't act like a young boy thinking about love when you see her."
Moreover, Ning Fu cares a lot about the Ningguo Mansion. Even if she gets married, the Mansion will still be the first in her heart, not her husband's family.
But he couldn't help but have a headache. It seemed particularly unbelievable why he married her in his previous life.
And she didn't want to mention her previous life at all.
Even Zong Si couldn't help but suspect that the reason she didn't recognize him in this life might be because she didn't get any benefits from him in her previous life, and didn't make any money for the Duke's Mansion in Prince Xuan's Mansion.
That's why in this life, I am so disgusted with being his concubine.
Thinking of this, Zong Si couldn't help but sneer in his heart, and even felt a little unhappy for no reason.
Zongduo sat in the wind for a while, gradually calmed down, wiped his face, and thought about what he had said. He felt ashamed. How could this be worthy of Lu Xingzhi!
He said with guilt: "I was inappropriate about what happened today. I shouldn't have mentioned her. Xingzhi and her...are actually a good match."
The couple is talented and beautiful, and their future will be secure after they return to Beijing. Moreover, they have a mutual understanding of each other.
"You have to go to the palace tomorrow, so go back and rest early." Zong Si did not stay long and said without any emotion.
Zongduo was a little puzzled.
Why are you so impatient?
It’s really hard to guess what my third brother is thinking!
A few days later, when I saw Wei Xiao again, I heard him ask tentatively: "Does the prince have any good men around him?"
Zong Si glanced at him and said, "It depends on what the standard is."
"My uncle-in-law has been demoted to Liangzhou. It may not be easy for my wife's sister to get married. My wife is quite worried about this. Thinking that there is no shortage of outstanding young men around the prince, she asked me to ask." Compared with Zong Duo, Wei Xiao cares more about Zong Si's attitude.
"The fourth young lady hasn't even reached marriage age yet, so she will definitely be able to choose a good husband." Zong Si said politely without much concern.
But on that day, Zong Si took the initiative to teach Wei Lin how to practice slingshot, and it was also because of the fact that Ning Fu and he might have a child. Because of that "child", he showed some warmth to her, and it was not because he wanted to attract Ning Fu's attention.
"Your Highness is right. There is no need to rush this matter." Seeing him like this, Wei Xiao knew that he had made a wrong calculation, so he could only smile.
As for Zongduo, his face was cold and hard, and he said nothing.
After Ning Fu returned from the Self-Defense Forces House, she stayed in the Ningguo Mansion ever since. Except for going to school, she never went out again.
Prince Xuan's palace sent two people over to inquire about her injuries and sent a lot of medicine.
In fact, the injury was not serious and the swelling subsided in two days. Even Mrs. Ning, who was always reluctant to see her nymph get bumped or bruised, did not say much this time.
With only five months left, Nymph will be coming of age, and Mrs. Ning's mind is now focused on arranging a coming-of-age banquet for her.
"I wonder how much taller you can grow in the past six months." Madam Ning was afraid that the new dress would be too small, and she had to start making an appointment for the best embroiderer right away.
Nymph thought for a moment and said, "It should be able to grow taller. It won't make much of a difference."
"Mother is worried that your chest won't fit." Madam Ning glanced at her perky little breasts. This is the time when a woman changes the most.
Ningfu couldn't help blushing. Her mother was too straightforward.
"Mother has made an appointment with the embroiderer today. You can go with her to measure the size." Mrs. Ning said.
Most of the wealthy families who wanted to have custom-made dresses went to Hongxiu Pavilion. Ning Fu had been here with Fu Jiahui last time, and the manager kept his eyes on her for a moment, probably because he recognized her.
"Madam Ning, Fourth Miss, please come in." The steward said politely.
The further you go into Hongxiu Pavilion, the more magnificent it becomes. There are countless embroiderers there, all of whom are famous embroiderers in the whole Dayan. Ning Fu estimated the revenue and couldn't help but sigh that war is really a waste of money.
When she reached the innermost room, Nymph saw a woman sitting upright. Her eyebrows were like crescent moons, her lips were like cherries, her skin was like cream, and her eyes were like clear springs. Just by looking at her face, one could feel that she was a beauty. Her slender waist was even more amazing.
Even Madam Ning had a look of admiration in her eyes.
The woman bowed slightly, and when she spoke, her voice was even sweeter, "Fourth Miss, please come to me so I can measure your size."
As Ningfu approached her, she smelled the faint scent of osmanthus.
"How did Madam know about me?" She started chatting with Madam Ning.
"Mrs. Lin told me that there is an embroiderer named Yue Niang in Hongxiu Pavilion, and she is hard to find. This is the first time I have heard of your name." Mrs. Ning said.
"I have only been in the capital for a few years. I was not in good health in the past few years, so I did not take on many jobs." Yue Niang said with a faint smile.
"Where are you from, young lady?" asked Mrs. Ning.
"I am from the north. I was captured by the barbarians. After I escaped, I was rescued by a nobleman. Later, I came to Hongxiu Pavilion." Yue Niang said.
Yue Niang couldn't help but think of what happened that year.
At that time, she had suffered countless hardships. She had just escaped from the Hu people's camp with the crowd. She had been hungry for a long time, her clothes were tattered, and she was in the most miserable state possible.
Then they happened to run into the army of Dayan returning to the capital.
But that noble man was like a god, sitting in the carriage and looking at her with a calm expression, which made people feel respect.
"Drive her away! Don't delay our journey." the deputy general next to him shouted.
Yue Niang knew that this was a rare opportunity, and she also knew that although she was in a dishevel, she was still beautiful.
So she knelt before him and cried softly, "Please take me in, sir."
She raised her head, knowing that her helpless appearance at the moment would easily attract sympathy, and bit her lip and said, "I am innocent, sir, take me back, I am willing to serve you."
The nobleman raised the corner of his mouth, his expression was cold and indifferent, as if he was pondering or thinking, but he did not express his opinion.
However, the deputy general beside him took her with him before leaving, which was the noble man's intention.
After Yue Niang came to Beijing, she found out that this noble man was the prince of Prince Xuan's mansion, Zong Si.
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