Chapter 75 Self-examination
Ning Fu had never thought that Murong would say the word "missing", and for a moment she didn't know what he meant.
"Do you know what missing someone means?" she thought for a moment and asked.
Murong stood still, and was silent for another while. Thinking about this answer carefully, he found it a little unbelievable. After a long time, he said calmly: "I know."
Missing someone means liking them and it means falling in love with them.
However, he did not answer her question specifically. Instead, he looked at her. From his unfathomable eyes, one could vaguely see that his emotions were somewhat complicated. It was unknown what he was thinking about.
Ningfu did not ask any more questions. She thought about him/her and hated him/her all the time. If she was always thinking about someone, she would probably like him/her a little bit.
"Are you missing my person or my money?" She interrupted the ambiguous atmosphere with a smile, wondering his purpose in her heart.
Murong looked at her for a while, not feeling embarrassed by her accusation of greed, and said frankly: "Maybe, it may not be that I really miss you."
Maybe he was just attracted by her beauty. It was hard to remain calm with a beautiful woman in his arms, not to mention that she was his first woman.
Nymph said nothing.
She naturally didn't believe that a man who was doing well in Linglong Taichung would be sincere. But now she believed that his identity was not simple, and he might be a spy planted in Linglong Taichung by others.
And judging from Meng Ze's attitude towards him, the person behind him could probably be considered Meng Ze's own person.
Ning Fu couldn't help but think carefully. It was impossible for Murong not to recognize that she was a woman just now. And when he went to see Meng Ze, he must have heard something from him. He might be able to guess that Meng Ze was looking for her.
Now he is willing to conceal it for her. Only Zong Si shares the same interests with her in this regard.
"Your patron is from Prince Xuan's Palace?" Ning Fu asked tentatively.
Murong did not answer but asked: "Why do you think so?"
"As agreed before, this is one thousand taels of silver." Ning Fu did not explain to him, but put the silver on the shelf beside the bed. Since the job was done, she would not treat him unfairly.
Murong walked to her side, picked up the banknote and took a look at it, then folded it up and stuffed it back into her sleeve, saying, "When you come to me in the future, you don't need to give me money. Keep the banknote for your own business."
Nymph paused.
"However, you are not allowed to use it to support others." Murong said again.
The tone was somewhat calm, and the familiarity in it made Ning Fu's heart sink. She smiled and said, "But he is handsome, can please others, and maybe he holds a high position. How can you compare with him?"
This teasing was almost deliberately poking at people's self-esteem, just like those people who despise the poor and love the rich, but Ningfu did this to test his identity.
"So you really have been bewitched." Murong looked at her and said.
Nymph was outmaneuvered by him and lost her momentum for a moment.
Murong sat beside her bed and added, "As for being in a high position, if I fight for it, I may not be inferior to others."
"You are a young master from Linglongtai, do you think you can become a high-ranking official?" Ning Fu said.
Murong Ze said calmly, "Even before the late emperor founded the country, he was an ordinary citizen. Your father's generation was also the first to lay the foundation. If you have talent and knowledge, you will have no worries in your official career."
He was so frank. Although he only valued talent and not background, it was clearly from the perspective of an outsider, and more like the standard used by superiors to select good generals. She became more certain of her guess about his identity.
Ning Fu thought for a moment, with a smile on her lips and a moving look in her eyes: "But no matter how hard you try, you can never be better than the Sixth Prince. You will always be a subject, but the Sixth Prince..."
Murong said calmly: "Shall I go and call him for you?"
Even though Ning Fu didn't understand men at all, she knew that he must be a little unhappy at the moment, so she smiled even more: "If you are willing, it's not a bad idea. But since you are working for the Xuanwang Mansion, I'm afraid you won't be willing to hand me over. However, I'm afraid you are not just working for the Xuanwang Mansion."
This last sentence may be a test, but it may also be a clear statement.
"Change your clothes." Murong found the woman's clothes from somewhere.
Before she could speak, he turned away and stopped looking at her.
Ning Fu did not hesitate, and there was a gauze curtain on the bed. She changed her clothes in no time and said, "Okay."
Murong did not speak again, but instead gave her one of his cloaks.
This is the plan to take her away.
Ningfu was just about to get off the ground, but the next moment, she was picked up by him. The man held her steadily, told her to hide, and walked out the door.
The nymph had no choice but to hide her head in her cloak.
Meng Ze watched Zong Si coming towards him. The woman in his arms looked extremely petite. She was hidden under a cloak, so he couldn't see anything. He could only see her hands, which were hugging Zong Si's neck to keep balance.
The hands were white and slender, and one could faintly see how stunningly beautiful the girl was. The light teeth marks and red marks on the arms told of the intensity of what had just happened.
And the look on her face was as if she had lost all her strength after that incident, and Zong Si was the only person in the world she could rely on. She only wished to have his protection, and fell asleep peacefully in his arms.
The beauty brought about by such dependence makes one feel hot in the lower abdomen.
However, the Nymph under the cloak was not as Meng Ze thought. Not only was she not asleep, she also did not seem at ease. She was just deep in thought. If this Murong was really Zong Si, then he was really repressed to have flirted with her secretly in the past.
And if he often came to this Linglong Terrace, how much would he know? He might also know something about Meng Yuan's affairs. Even if Meng Yuan acted like he had no desires, he would always need someone to help him. This way, he could find some clues.
Zong Si is different from himself. He is in the middle of this situation and knows inside information that is beyond his reach.
"The woman in Mr. Murong's arms is truly stunning." Meng Ze said with some concern, "I wonder where she was found from."
If the time hadn't matched, he would have guessed that this was Ning Fu. When he entered the room, Zong Si and the woman had obviously been doing it for a while, so it couldn't be the fourth Miss Ning.
If it's acting, it's impossible to leave teeth marks on the wrist. This is clearly a real kiss, and the scratches on Zong Si's neck are also real.
What's more, his cousin would not sacrifice his marriage for some selfish desires.
"The newcomer has just been sent here." Murong said.
"The beauties around you are really better than each other." Meng Ze thought of Yue Niang. Although there were many beauties around him, in terms of quality, they were completely inferior to him.
"Sixth Prince, you are joking. There is no woman around me." Murong said as he glanced at the person in his arms.
Ning Fu just thought it was an excuse. If there were really no women around him, Meng Ze would not have said this. It seemed that there were even quite a few women, but they were hidden very well. Whether in the previous life or this life, she actually did not notice how many women were around him.
"Didn't the Sixth Prince find anyone?" Murong asked again.
Meng Ze smiled coldly, with a grudge that could not be vented, "Of course I found the person. It turned out that I was seeing things. If I really look closer, there is no resemblance at all."
When he found the person, Meng Ze almost suspected that he had seen it wrong. Although the man was petite, he did not look like a woman.
Murong said: "The forces in Linglongtai are complicated, so Sixth Prince should not delay too long."
After saying that, he carried the person away.
When Meng Ze saw him walk to the door, he pulled his cloak higher, unwilling to let anyone see it at all, as if he was showing great love for him.
He couldn't help but smile. There is no such thing as a handsome and elegant man. He just has high standards. When he meets a beautiful woman, it is impossible for him not to react. However, Zong Si maintains his personality well when he is outside, so everyone thinks he is serious.
Nymph was wearing only thin clothes at the moment, and even her cloak was not very thick. When she went outside, she shivered in the cool breeze.
Murong hugged her tighter.
"Young Master." After an incense stick of time, Ning Fu heard someone calling him.
When Qu Yang saw Zong Si holding Ning Fu, he said, "Sir, you are a distinguished guest. Thank you for your hard work."
Murong didn't feel that holding the person was difficult at all, and he carried the person steadily onto the carriage.
Qu Yang's expression became a little strange and inquiring.
After getting on the carriage, Nymph smelled the light scent of sandalwood, which made her feel a little more relaxed, and the burning small heater made her coldness disappear. Seeing that he didn't speak, she didn't dare to stick her head out of her cloak for a while.
It was not until Murong lifted a corner of the cloak and looked down at her that her face was flushed inside the cloak. Because she was not prepared, there was a bit of panic in her eyes at the first moment, but she soon calmed down.
Nymph looked at his python-patterned mask.
Then, he stretched out his hand towards the mask, but when he touched the cold mask, he seemed to calm down a little. His hand stayed on the mask, and he was reluctant to pull it off.
Murong didn't move, as if letting her make the decision.
"Zong Si." Ning Fu tentatively said softly. This was one of the few times she called him by his name. Usually, she would politely and courteously call him Prince.
"You've got the wrong person." The man said calmly.
"Not necessarily." Nymph said. In fact, if she thought about it carefully, no matter how much he disguised his temperament, it would still reveal itself inadvertently. It's just that she didn't connect them together normally. But once she connected them together, she felt that they were very similar.
"Miss, how do you judge whether you think he will be happy to sleep with you and act out this drama with you, or whether he will definitely help you when you face such a dangerous situation?" Murong stared at her and asked slowly.
Nymph's heart was beating very fast and she looked at him with forced calmness.
"If you take off my mask, you will know whether I am him or not," Murong said in a low voice, as if to encourage her.
Ning Fu thought quickly in her heart. If it was confirmed that it was Zong Si, what could she do? Breaking this window paper would do her no good, but would implicate her everywhere.
It would be better if he was Murong.
Ning Fu took back the hand that was pressing on his mask, lowered her eyes and said, "I misunderstood Master Murong. The prince has always abided by the rules and would never disgrace the Xuanwang Mansion by dressing up as a prostitute."
She seemed to be praising Zong Si. If it was Zong Si, she would be threatening him with the matter of the young prostitute. Although he was doing it for the right thing, if this got out, others would probably talk about it with great relish for several months.
Zong Si was naturally not afraid of her threats, but since the two of them had interests involved, he would respect her decision. Ning Fu was expressing her own attitude. To her, no matter who Murong was, he was just Murong.
Murong looked at her for a moment, his eyes turned a little colder, and he said nothing more.
Ningfu quietly put on her makeup and returned home after a while, so as not to let anyone notice anything unusual.
I don’t know how Sister Wei is doing now.
Murong didn't say anything else, and Ning Fu didn't know what to say either. People felt uneasy in the carriage.
Until the carriage stopped at the Ningguo Mansion.
Ning Fu was thinking about how to deal with her mother, but Murong came over and helped her adjust her headdress. She lowered her head and said, "Thank you."
"I have no intention of forcing you, and I respect your decision. I will wait for you to come to me in person." Murong said calmly, "Go back and take a shower and rest early. Your sister Wei has been sent back to the Ningguo Mansion by the people from the Xuanwang Mansion, so don't worry."
Ningfu's heart sank, and she became more certain about his identity.
Now we have to be on guard against his threats and inducements.
Nymph got off the carriage with something on her mind.
Back at the Bamboo Garden, Wei Ziyi and Madam Ning were drinking tea. When he saw her, Wei Ziyi stood up with red eyes, but under Madam Ning's disapproving gaze, he endured it.
"You're finally back." Wei Ziyi said.
"Sister Fu asked me to stay for a while longer." Ning Fu said with a smile, "We had some private conversation, so we had to let Sister Wei go back first."
"It's good that you're back." Wei Ziyi finally felt relieved and said, "But I was a little worried about leaving you alone outside."
Madam Ning couldn't help but ask, "You and the girl from the Fu family have been in contact too frequently. What lady would stay with the daughter of a merchant all day long?"
It's not that she looks down on merchants, but it's generally the case in the aristocratic families of Dayan. If her daughter gets too close to the lady of a merchant family, she will easily be gossiped about.
Ning Fu was somewhat worried. If her brother and Sister Fu got together, how would she persuade her mother to accept it?
"Mother, a lot of the military pay in the north comes from the Fu family. Even the emperor has to give the Fu family some face. Although it may not sound good to marry into the Fu family, it is actually not a disadvantage at all." Ning Fu said that the Fu family could also help a lot with her brother's supplies outside the Great Wall, and more importantly, her brother likes them.
The two of them are in love with each other and are willing to die for each other. Such deep love is priceless.
"A man from the Fu family looks like that, could it be possible that you are attracted to him?" Madam Ning said with some concern. Her daughter often met with Fu Jiahui, so it might be that she was in love with him. She frowned and said, "What do you dislike about Mr. Lu? Don't meet Miss Fu again today."
Madam Ning had to be vigilant.
"Mr. Lu may have someone else in his heart. Besides, Sister Fu is going to invite me to Jingshan Restaurant to taste the dishes in a few days. If I refuse her, won't I offend someone?" Ning Fu thought for a moment and said.
"Just say you are busy and ask your brother to go for you." Mrs. Ning said.
Nymph smiled and pretended to be embarrassed and said, "Okay then."
After Ning Zheng learned about this, he hesitated and said, "I'm still not going."
"If you're not going, are you going to let your sister go?" Madam Ning said without allowing any refusal.
Ning Zheng had no choice but to ask Ye Sheng to go with him.
Fu Jiahui was busy in the store. When she heard he was coming, she went forward to greet him in person.
When Ye Sheng saw Fu Jiahui, he felt that this woman was good-looking and very capable. She was wearing a tight-sleeved dress. He smiled and said, "What would you two gentlemen like to eat?"
Ye Sheng went to look at Ning Zheng, but saw that his ears were red and he said stiffly, "You watch."
"I'll go ahead and do whatever I want." Fu Jiahui said with a half-smile, "May I ask, Master Ning, can you do anything?"
This is blatant teasing. What else do you want? Do you want to sleep with him?
Ning Zheng hated the fact that she treated him like a queen the most, so he just kept a straight face and ordered a few dishes.
After Fu Jiahui gave instructions backstage, she sat down opposite them.
"Miss Fu, we should keep some distance." Ning Zheng said. It's not that he doesn't like her, but her mother and the Duke's Mansion may not accept her, and he can't guarantee that he won't let her suffer any grievances, so he simply doesn't delay her.
If the two of them were together, it would be extremely difficult for her to cross the gap between them. Even if he accompanied her step by step, she would still suffer a lot. It would be better for her to find someone who would not let her suffer.
Fu Jiahui laughed heartily and said, "Master Ning, did you misunderstand me? I am just treating guests like this as a business. Do you think I am trying to get close to you?"
Ning Zheng pursed his lips and said nothing.
At this time, the steward whispered something into her ear, and Fu Jiahui stood up and said, "Since we have a distinguished guest, I will not accompany you any longer."
After just a moment, Ning Zheng saw Zong Si walk in.
After that, Fu Jiahui served by his side all the time, smiling all the time, even happier and more enthusiastic than when she saw herself.
Ning Zheng felt sad, but didn't know how to start the conversation. He could only gulp down a glass of strong liquor and glanced coldly at Zong Si. If he had any feelings for Fu Jiahui, his intentions were definitely not pure. He was probably after her money.
Zong Si glanced at him and then looked away.
When paying the bill, Ning Zheng took the initiative to tell her, "The people in Prince Xuan's palace are all good at calculating. Even if he wants to take you as a concubine, what he wants may not be you as a person, but the benefits that your Fu family can bring to Prince Xuan."
Fu Jiahui was stunned at first, then she smiled and said meaningfully: "Of course, what he wants is not me. But you can't stand him, and it's not a conflict. You will become like this sooner or later."
After thinking for a while, he said lightly, "Mr. Ning, please go back."
Ning Zheng felt so jealous of her treating him like this that he stood there for a long time without moving.
Fu Jiahui looked at him, feeling more confident, and deliberately said, "If I become the prince's concubine, I will not forget to send you a wedding invitation. People always strive for higher positions, and compared with the prince, you are still..."
She smiled meaningfully, without saying it clearly, but it was clear enough for people to understand that she was saying that he was not as good as Zong Si.
…
Ning Fu stayed in Yongzhou for too long and missed the summer in the capital. In the blink of an eye, it was already late autumn.
The mathematics and arts assessment will also be held soon.
Ningfu was average in mathematics and arts, but this was not something that could be improved through tutoring; it depended more on talent. However, Ningfu firmly believed that hard work could make up for lack of talent, and she spent much longer in school than before.
"Sister Ning, I heard that there is no follow-up to the matter between your brother and Miss Mu Liu?" The academy is not short of well-informed people, so the girl from the Lin family asked.
Zong Ning glanced at Ning Fu who was not far away and said perfunctorily, "Sixth Miss Mu, you have someone you love, so you rejected my third brother."
No matter how good it is, can it be better than Prince Xuan's Mansion? Miss Lin couldn't help but feel sorry for Mu Liu.
"Who knows who will take advantage of the prince in the end." Rongmin couldn't help but sigh.
Zong Ning said nothing, remembering that his third brother was coming to pick him up today, so he walked to Ning Fu and said, "Sister Ning, do you know how to do this question?"
Ning Fu took the question and at first glance it didn't seem difficult, but when she calculated carefully, she found that they were always wrong. She couldn't help but work harder to solve the questions. It was a different kind of fun to calculate the questions.
Zong Ning looked outside the door several times before finally seeing the figure of his third brother.
The appearance of Zong Si naturally made the female monarchs blush. Even Rong Min, who liked Lu Xingzhi, felt a little embarrassed. If she were asked to choose between the two, she might not necessarily choose Lu Xingzhi.
In the past six months, the prince has become more and more upright, and has the temperament of a more mature gentleman. He has become much more reserved and has hidden his edge, but that tension makes people blush.
"Third brother." Zong Ning said.
Ning Fu raised her eyes and met the man's gaze. It seemed that he had just returned from a mission today. He was still wearing his official uniform, which made him look much more abstinent than usual.
I didn't take off Murong's mask that day. Although I guessed that Murong was him, I haven't verified it. Now I don't have the real feeling of being close to him not long ago.
"Let's go." Zong Si took his gaze away from Ning Fu and said.
"Third brother, Sister Ning doesn't know how to solve a problem. Can you help me?" Zong Ning naturally had his own little thoughts.
Zong Si walked over, sat down next to Ning Fu, took the wolf-hair brush from her hand, and started counting.
"The prince just came back from the palace?" Ning Fu asked politely with a smile.
"Yes." Zong Si said calmly, "There will be a polo match in the palace in a few days. Your brother will probably participate, but he is not on the same team as me. Who do you want to see win, Miss?"
Nymph smiled politely and said, "It's just a competition. Whether the prince wins or my brother wins, I am happy to see it happen."
Zong Si looked at her and naturally didn't believe it.
After finishing the questions, he started to analyze them with her. They were very close to each other, and their faint breaths blended together. She couldn't help but hold her breath and look at his profile. Zong Si was extremely blessed by God, and even when they were so close, she could not see any flaws on his face.
"Do you understand?" Zong Si looked at her.
Ning Fu didn't listen. After thinking for a while, she said politely, "Thank you for your help, my lord. But this question is not easy. I will go back and find someone to help me."
Zong Si thought of Lu Xingzhi, his expression faded a little, and he said, "I'll tell you again."
Now that we were in front of everyone, if I refused, it would seem like I had no tact, so I did not refuse.
When had Zong Ning ever seen his brother be so patient? When he taught him, he didn't repeat it over and over again, and he wasn't angry at all.
"I also have many questions that I don't understand. Prince, please explain them to me." However, some people did not want to miss this opportunity.
Zong Si glanced at Ning Fu, as if to see her attitude. Seeing that she didn't respond, he refused and said, "I should go back home."
"Your Highness, please go and teach her. I will consider it myself." Nymph said.
Zong Si pondered for a moment, then took over the question from the lady, but did not change his position.
It wasn’t just Zong Si who came to pick up my sister today.
When Ning Zheng saw Zong Si, his eyes flashed with displeasure, but the latter took the initiative to greet him, "Master Ning."
"So it's the prince." Ning Zheng said with a wry smile. Thinking of Fu Jiahui, it was impossible for him not to have hostility in his heart.
Zong Si frowned almost inaudibly.
Ning Fu naturally noticed it. Although she was puzzled, she was still afraid of accidents, so she stood up and said, "Sir, Sister Ning, I will go back first."
Ning Zheng was standing at this moment. They were almost the same height, but he could easily see the ambiguous scratches on Zong Si's neck. Although only a little bit was exposed, he had already guessed how they came about.
He felt sorry for Fu Jiahui.
A man like Zong Si has sold many women to count the money for him, and he must have no shortage of beautiful women around him.
Ning Zheng was not afraid of Zong Si and threw a punch at him.
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