Chapter 102 Already aware of the conspiracy
The lights flickered on the candlesticks.
Dongzhu stood outside the door, but was afraid to move.
Zong Si glanced at her.
"Dongzhu, you go down first." Ningfu said.
"Your girl and I were just talking in private, don't worry." Zong Si felt somewhat satisfied when he saw that she was still protecting her master.
Dongzhu then reluctantly went out to guard.
There were only two of them left in the room. She felt somewhat uncomfortable meeting in the Bamboo Garden, especially so late at night.
Nymph lowered her eyes and said, "My mother will come to me at night."
"Did you go and ask for the amulet yourself?" Zong Si looked at her and asked.
"Sister Zhang invited me to go to Hanxiang Temple, and I also asked for a peace amulet for the prince." If he was interested, he could easily find out about this, and it would not be a bad thing to sell it well.
"Afu is thoughtful." Zong Si said.
He was always indifferent, but at this moment, the chill of spring that had lasted for many years began to melt in his eyes.
"My lord, have you been safe on your journey?" Ning Fu thought for a moment and asked.
Zong Si walked to the bed and sat down beside her. Ning Fu paused, then suppressed her vigilance and remained motionless.
"Don't be afraid, I won't do anything to you." Zong Si whispered to comfort her, "It's just that I didn't expect you to ask for this amulet for me. I'm still a little surprised and also a little surprised."
Nymph looked at him, and there might be some tenderness in her deep eyes, but there was more than just tenderness.
"Just by the way." She was silent for a moment before saying.
"Even if it was just a coincidence, why didn't you think of others?" Zong Si asked back.
He was actually trying to flatter himself. In fact, Ning Fu didn't just beg him, she also begged Lu Xingzhi, but she didn't tell Zhang He.
Sometimes she would think of Lu Xingzhi. She wondered how he was doing now, but she didn't dare to delve into why she thought of him. But when she thought of him, her heart was always warm.
Zong Si said, "I'll come to Hanxiang Mountain in a few days and teach you some simple swordsmanship, how about that?"
"It's so cold." Nymph bit her lip, which meant rejection.
"Learn some simple sword skills for self-defense. If you are in the mountains and forests like last time, you can protect yourself. And you may encounter danger in the future." Zong Si advised her patiently.
"You also said that it's not that easy to learn." Nymph said, "Besides, if I didn't learn it in a short time, you would be impatient."
"I won't be cold to you."
"The prince has been cold to me many times, both when we were in Meng Yuan's mansion and in Yongzhou." Ning Fu said. If you count carefully, it has been countless times.
Zong Si said seriously: "I will pay attention in the future."
"The previous dynasty's Madam Qi believed a man's lies and ended up with nothing left." Nine out of ten people who believe a man's words will not have a good ending.
Zong Si couldn't help but smile, and said in a deep voice: "Madam Qi's husband never wanted her to live. If you keep Madam Qi by your side, she might be accused of being a favorite in the future. Her husband wanted her dead."
He may not be much better.
If Zong Si really wanted her to learn, Ning Fu would find it difficult to disobey him.
However, Zong Si found a "good master" for Ning Fu. When Ning Fu encountered danger one after another, Madam Ning was happy to see her learn some swordsmanship, and she waved her hand and gave the master a lot of reward silver.
"No, no need to give it to me." Ning Fu felt sorry for the huge amount of money.
"If I can teach you, what will this money mean to you?" Mrs. Ning said without any regret.
If she really wanted to become his disciple, Ning Fu would be willing to do so, but the person who taught her behind the scenes was Zong Si. To Ning Fu, it would be a waste if she gave away the money, but she couldn't tell the truth, so she had to suffer in silence.
Zong Si, however, was merciless and on the first day, he let her run a circle along the road of Hanxiang Mountain.
Speaking of Hanxiang Mountain, the road leading to the temple is crowded with people, but the road from the back of the temple to the small house on the top of the mountain is sparsely populated.
Zong Si walked lightly and did not show any sign of fatigue, but she was exhausted early and stopped several times on the way.
Is this intentional torture for her?
"Don't be lazy." Zong Si said.
"Tired." Nymph looked at him eagerly, really wanting to rest for a while.
"Don't act like a spoiled child." Zong Si paused, choosing not to fall for it.
Ning Fu couldn't help but complain in her heart. She didn't mean to act coquettishly at all, and she didn't know how he could hear it.
Zong Si's decision to teach Ning Fu was not a whim. On his way back to Northern Qi, he met a fleeing woman who was surrounded by men traveling with her. He rescued her, but he also thought that if Ning Fu was in such a situation, it would be difficult for her to escape.
"This kind of exercise is good for the body. It lays a good foundation and makes it easier to practice swordsmanship." Zong Si said.
"Prince, take a rest for a while." Ning Fu said again.
Zong Si had no intention of giving in and wiped his sword.
Ning Fu thought of Zhang He again and could not help but imitate her absentmindedly: "Brother Crown Prince is the best, let me rest for a while."
Zong Si paused slightly and looked up at her.
Although Nymph was flexible, she felt a little embarrassed at this moment. She was no longer a young lady, and it was extremely inappropriate to say this, and it was not playful at all.
"Then take a rest for a cup of tea." Zong Si said.
It seemed that he really liked hearing her call him "Brother Prince".
Ningfu felt a little embarrassed, but fortunately she managed to remain calm and didn't show anything wrong.
During the break, Nymph asked, "How far do you want me to go in swordsmanship, my lord?"
"Just like the Princess of Northern Qi, just learn some self-defense skills." Zong Si said casually.
Ning Fu was cautious, because Zong Si would never normally think of mentioning the Princess of Northern Qi, a stranger whom he hadn't met for a long time. It was a bit strange that Zong Si suddenly mentioned the Princess of Northern Qi.
"The princess has promised to find someone to look after Nuanxiang Pavilion's shop in Northern Qi. It will also be easier for goods to be shipped and cleared through customs in the future. Has the prince sent someone to handle this matter?" Ning Fu asked after calming down.
"The princess doesn't have a lot of money, and she just needs a way to make money. It's not difficult to negotiate this matter." Zong Si said, "The princess will take 50%, and the other 30% is yours. I'll take 20% of it."
Ningfu naturally knew that although the Princess of Northern Qi had some affection for her, she was ultimately willing to help because of the money.
It’s just that Zong Si only took 20%, and Ning Fu didn’t think he was so kind, so she still kept her guard up.
Moreover, when the deal was successfully negotiated, he happened not to be in the capital, which was too much of a coincidence. Although he went to Danzhou on the surface, in fact, he might have gone to Northern Qi as well. After all, there was only a pass between Danzhou and Northern Qi.
If Zong Si went to Northern Qi, it would definitely not be just for the shop matter, but no one knew what his plan was.
However, this time, Zong Si was really willing to give her more benefits. However, there were too many suspicions between the two of them, so how could Ning Fu trust him? This speculation actually happened to be a blessing in disguise.
Ning Fu remembered again that Lu Xingzhi’s old house seemed to be not far from Northern Qi.
The two practiced swordplay before daybreak. Ningfu felt tired on the first two days, but on the third day, she gradually figured out the trick. If she could learn it, it would be better to learn it, as it is always better to have more skills.
The sword that Zong Si found for her was also very handy, as if it was tailor-made for her. It was very easy to use with clever strength. If she felt tired, it was not very tiring. It was still within her tolerable range. Only her wrist hurt a little.
The day Ning Fu went to Hua'an Mansion, her wrist was still a little painful.
The location of Hua'an Mansion is a bit remote in the capital, but the Xuanwang Mansion takes good care of it. It is also considered a good and famous family. There is also a young master in the mansion who was somewhat interested in Ning Fu, but because Ning Zhenyuan was still in Liangzhou, he did not express his feelings at all.
The Prince Xuan's Mansion and the Hua'an Mansion have a very good relationship. In addition to Zong Ning and Zong Si, even the Prince Xuan's wife came.
Zhang He was practicing archery. When he saw Ning Fu coming, he put down his arrow and walked towards her, saying, "Sister Ning, how did you get first place in archery? It's very difficult for me."
Seeing that her knuckles were all red and several layers of skin had been rubbed off, it was obvious that she had practiced a lot, and she said, "You also need to rest well."
Zhang He smiled without saying anything. A strong-willed person cannot bear to lose, and a little hardship and fatigue is nothing.
"Ah He is really hardworking. No wonder he has learned the Six Arts so well." Princess Xuan also praised.
Madam Yan sighed and said, "You are too competitive and want to be better than others in everything. With such a personality, you will definitely suffer in the future."
Zhang He said to Madam Yan in a serious tone, "Mother, if a person cannot endure hardships, how can he stand out from the crowd? When I was young, I saw my elder brother, the prince, learning martial arts in the camp. He got up before dawn. If he had not endured hardships like this, how could he be the third son of the Xuanwang Mansion who is both civil and military?"
Madam Yan tapped her forehead and said, "You are the one who admires your brother the most, but I have never seen you treat your own brother like this."
Zhang He curled his lips, and the meaning was self-evident: my brother is not as capable as the Crown Prince.
Princess Xuan, who always seemed to be very distant, couldn't help but laugh and said, "He Jie'er has been raised by Sanlang since she was a child. What's the difference between Sanlang and her brother?"
When they were in the north, if Zhang Linsheng had official business, Zhang He would sometimes follow Zong Si. He would not cry or make a fuss even if he fell down. But if it was Erlang or Dalang, it would not work.
Princess Xuan thought about the past and couldn't help but laugh again, "Sanlang is not a person who is easy to get along with. There are so many families of soldiers and officers who have taken them to the north, but he is not willing to take anyone with him. It's only because of my sister's cleverness that Sanlang is willing to take her with him."
Mrs. Yan also smiled.
Although Zhang He remembered that the prince brother had taken him out to play, he could not remember anything about the time when he was younger. He asked curiously, "Prince brother only took me out to play before?"
"That's right. Only you and An Ning can go to his study to play." Princess Xuan said.
Zhang He looked at Zong Si, who said calmly, "I can't remember the things from my childhood."
Zhang He was not sad. He still thought about his archery skills and insisted on showing off his skills to Princess Xuan.
With her slender wrist gripping the hilt of the sword, she was clearly extremely calm and composed. Nymph only took one look at her and felt that she was a talented person.
When the arrow was shot, it flew out sharply, but its accuracy was a little off and it was still some distance away from the center of the bull.
Zhang He pouted, feeling a little disappointed due to the failure.
"It's just this once, why do you take it to heart?" Madam Yan coaxed, "Just practice more in the future. You can't become fat in one bite. How much have you practiced so far?"
Ningfu was an expert, but she was shocked. Even though Zhang He's aim was a little lacking, his strength was very strong. Most women's poor archery skills were due to lack of strength. Even Ningfu needed to make up for it with skills, but Zhang He had real strength.
Ning Fu couldn't help but look at Zong Si and saw that there was some surprise and some thoughtfulness in his eyes.
After a moment, he looked towards her.
Nymph paused and looked away.
…
At Zhanghe's banquet, the only female monarchs invited, besides Ning Fu and Zong Ning, were Rong Min.
When the female monarch was young, she felt uncomfortable. Zong Ning was with Zhang He, so Rong Min had no choice but to follow her.
Zhang He had just finished the banquet and was still in high spirits, so he went on to practice swordplay.
"Sister Zhang is really interesting." Rongmin himself couldn't bear this hardship.
Nymph rubbed her aching wrist and said, "It's still admirable."
"She has been begging the prince to teach her recently. It is really pleasing to see a little girl asking for help." If Rongmin were a brother, he would not be able to refuse such a lovely sister.
However, when Zhang He was practicing archery in the backyard, he happened to run into Zong Si who was about to leave.
Zhang He held the arrow in his hand, pleading, as if he was willing to kneel down and beg him: "Brother Prince, please give me some advice."
Seeing that she was talented, Zong Si did not reject her as he did before. Moreover, since they were in Hua'an Mansion today, he had to give her some face, so he gave her some advice.
Zhang He was very smart. After hearing this, he understood half of it. After trying it twice, he improved.
Zong Si looked at her with some appreciation. He felt that Ning Fu had learned some skills well, but her talent was still far behind Zhang He. It would be a pity to waste such talent, so he said, "Study hard."
There are not many female monarchs who can impress Zong Si.
"Brother Prince, the techniques you mentioned are really useful. Can you teach me in the future?" Zhang He said a little too much.
"If I have time later, I can give you some advice." Zong Si said calmly.
Zhang He smiled slightly, his eyes as bright and clear as a spring.
She promised him, "Brother, if I win first place in archery, I will do whatever you ask me to do in the future. I will repay you."
"Practice well." Zong Si nodded slightly. He did not take her words to heart at this moment. He just thought it was a casual word of gratitude from a little lady and did not stay for long.
Not far away, Rong Min smiled and said to Ning Fu, "Now that the prince has taught Sister Zhang, I'm afraid that Sister Zhang's archery performance will surpass yours next year."
"If she were that powerful, I would be happy for her," Nymph said with a smile.
Ningfu sincerely hopes that Zhang and she can reconcile. Competition among female monarchs is not a bad thing, as long as they do not have any bad intentions. It is also good for everyone to make progress together through competition.
The two of them did not disturb Zhang He who was addicted to practicing, and left Hua'an Mansion together.
Zhang He told Ning Fu about this happily in the academy the next day, "Sister Ning, after my unremitting efforts, the prince is finally willing to teach me."
Ning Fu just felt that Zong Si was an energetic person. He taught her swordsmanship on weekdays and could also give Zhang He some advice occasionally.
Zong Ning was surprised and asked, "What method did you use to make Third Brother willing to help you?"
"Brother Prince thinks I have talent, and he certainly doesn't want to bury a talent like me." Zhang He said, "If my archery skills can surpass Sister Ning, I will repay Brother Prince in the future."
Zong Ning smiled and said, "Little girl, how can you repay my third brother in the future? Just don't cause trouble."
Zhang He smiled and said, "One day I will grow up and become a beautiful lady like Sister Ning."
There's always a time to grow up.
Ning Fu felt a pang in her heart because of these words. This was the feeling of the little girl now, but what would happen when she grew up? However, she just smiled and said nothing.
The previous life has passed. Even if Zhang He was the woman from the north, she should not be blamed. If Zong Si had been serious and not interested in women, such a trouble would not have happened.
Because of this incident, Ning Fu gradually began to dislike Zong Si.
"You're in a bad mood," he asked her with a sidelong glance.
"You taught sister Zhang swordsmanship."
Zong Si said, "I saw that she was very talented, so I gave her some pointers. She has been smart since she was young, learns things quickly, and works hard. Her archery skills are likely to be the best among the female rulers since the founding of the Great Yan Dynasty."
Although Ning Fu was happy for Zhang He, she would still feel a little sad if she was surpassed. What's more, she also wanted to marry a talented woman. Originally, she wanted to live her life again, which was her goal.
But if you keep dwelling on this matter, it would seem that you are not open-minded enough. Ning Fu can only feel a sense of tragedy as "If there is Yu, why is there Liang?"
"If Sister Zhanghe can create a new best result in archery, I will naturally be happy for her." Ning Fu said.
The collective honor of the female monarchs eased Nymph's complicated mood a little. It would be a good thing if there could be a female monarch whose archery skills were comparable to those of men.
"If you don't want to, I won't teach her." Zong Si came back to his senses.
This is really petty, Nymph said: "Don't do that."
Anyway, he would not be her husband, so she had no requirements for him.
But it is said that Nymph met a distinguished guest a few days later.
"Afu." In the evening, the curtain of the carriage in front of the Ningguo Mansion was lifted, and the woman in the carriage was wearing a veil that covered her entire face.
Ning Fu knew it was Jingcheng just by listening to the voice.
"Why is my cousin here?" Ning Fu was worried whether something had happened to her grandmother.
Jingcheng lifted a corner of the curtain, and Ningfu saw the rash on her face, and her face changed.
"Someone drugged me. My grandmother wrote a letter to Doctor Mu, and Doctor Mu asked me to come to Beijing for treatment." Jingcheng hadn't been to Beijing for a long time and felt a little uneasy.
Ning Fu wanted to take her back to the mansion, but Jing Cheng shook his head and said, "I came here secretly, so it's not appropriate to make a big fuss. Just pretend you didn't see me. I just wanted to see you."
"Can Doctor Mu see you?" Ning Fu asked.
"I just arrived in the capital, disguised as a tea girl. I will go to Doctor Mu's house soon." Jing Cheng said.
Ning Fu knew that she was definitely not going to Linglong Terrace. After thinking for a while, she was also half-believing and half-doubting Jing Cheng's words. Could she have other purposes for appearing in the capital? After all, Ning Fu had suffered a loss from Princess Kangyang, so she naturally couldn't trust him completely at the moment.
It can be seen how difficult it is to reconcile once the trust between people collapses.
"I'll go with you." Ning Fu said. It just so happened that apart from Linglongtai, she didn't know where to find Muruoheng. It would not be a good idea to continue to be passive.
Jingcheng nodded.
Mu Ruoheng's residence is actually a tea house, so it's no wonder that Jingcheng has to dress up as a tea girl.
The two were welcomed by Song Bo into the teahouse, but Ning Fu saw a familiar figure from afar. Next to the man was a black jade cane with a four-clawed dragon coiled on it. He had his back to them.
It’s Meng Yuan.
Ning Fu looked towards Jingcheng. She was hiding in her hat, so her emotions could not be seen. But at this moment, she was standing quietly, not moving at all.
Ning Fu knew that she recognized him. Jing Cheng liked Meng Yuan, so how could he not recognize him?
"The Third Prince is here to see you for your leg disease." Uncle Song said.
Meng Yuan looked back at the two of them, his eyes not lingering on Jing Cheng, but at Ning Fu, and said in a somewhat cold and aloof tone: "Fourth Miss."
"Third Prince." Ning Fu pulled Jingcheng and saluted him.
Meng Yuan didn't care about other people's affairs at all, and didn't even ask who was around Ning Fu.
Ning Fu had a guess in her mind, how could he not know about Jingcheng's coming? He must have known who was next to her. He met her in the prince's mansion, where there were many people and eyes, but in Mu Ruoheng's place, it seemed like an accidental bump.
Perhaps he had expected that I would come with my cousin Jingcheng, so he was waiting here on purpose.
"Your Highness, do you have something to tell me?" Nymph asked.
"Fourth Miss, please pay attention to the goods in Nuanxiang Pavilion." Meng Yuan said.
Ning Fu already had some doubts in her heart. Zong Si did something in the name of Nuanxiang Pavilion, and now it seemed that he was using the name of goods to transport other things privately.
I'm afraid he was relying on the power of the Princess of Northern Qi. Although this shop was given to him, it was actually for the purpose of using him to write letters to the princess. After all, if he were to write, the enemy might not necessarily keep an eye on the letters he sent, which would be risky.
And since this letter was written by a little princess herself, others would not have so many doubts, and no one would be watching her. In addition, the Princess of Northern Qi could talk to her, which made it even more convenient.
What a good plot! If it were an ordinary lady, she would have been drunk in the arms of love. Although it is not harming herself, it is not sincere to use her like this.
Ningfu had a premonition that it might be related to the danger that King Xuan almost encountered not long after.
But Meng Yuan told himself what the purpose was.
Meng Yuan did not stay any longer and did not even look at Jing Cheng before leaving.
Ning Fu felt a little sorry for Jingcheng.
"Two girls, please go inside and wait. The miracle doctor will be here soon." Uncle Song said.
Jingcheng took off his bamboo hat in the house. Although his eyes were a little sad, he was still smiling, and his face was covered with red rashes.
"He is still so cold." Jingcheng said softly.
Nymph didn't know whether she should tell her that he had calculated his presence here and that he pretended not to recognize her.
After a long while, Mu Ruoheng called out, "Come in."
Ning Fu brought Jingcheng in. Mu Ruoheng glanced at Jingcheng and quickly looked away.
Jing Cheng paused, then sniffed and said with a smile: "Divine Doctor Mu."
Mu Ruoheng raised his eyes and looked at her for a moment, then said, "Come here."
Nymph walked out.
Jingcheng walked up to him, stretched out his hand for him to feel his pulse, and seeing how focused he was, he looked at him for a moment and then gently leaned over.
The man didn't move, and Jingcheng kissed him on the lips lightly.
Mu Ruoheng's expression did not change, and he said: "Miss Jingcheng, don't cross the line."
“I didn’t expect you to be…” Jingcheng shouted in a low voice.
Mu Ruoheng glanced at her and she shut up.
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