When Ning Hong returned home, it was already dark.
Ning Zixi was sitting in the hall, holding her child, waiting for him.
"Why don't you go and rest? You're making the child suffer too." Ning Hong reached out to take the child, but then sniffed herself. "It's better to stay away from me. Don't get too close."
His clothes smell of alcohol; it wouldn't be good if it affected the child.
“Brother, I’ve been waiting for you to come back.” Ning Zixi handed the child in her arms to the servant beside her. “They said you went out drinking with Su Yuan.”
"That's true." Ning Hong nodded.
"Brother, do you—still like Su Yuan?"
Ning Zixi asked hesitantly.
She felt a little anxious.
If her brother still really likes Su Yuan—
"What are you thinking? How could I still like her?" Ning Hong looked completely bewildered.
"But you went drinking with her."
Ning Zixi frowned even more. Why should someone she doesn't like accompany her for drinks? Isn't that contradictory?
"You'll find out when the time comes."
Before long, Ning Zixi understood her brother's intention.
Su Yuan and the Seventh Prince broke up.
The reason was that the Seventh Prince had taken action against Su Yuan, suspecting that Su Yuan was having an affair.
The two people got into a fight.
They were evenly matched.
However, because it was at the Seventh Prince's residence, Su Yuan was somewhat at a disadvantage, and her face turned quite pale.
Upon hearing the news, Ning Zixi hurriedly went to find her brother, only to find him whistling and happily watering the flowers in the garden.
"Brother, haven't you heard?"
Ning Zixi asked cautiously.
"What?"
"So, Su Yuan got beaten up?"
"I've heard about it."
"Then why didn't you react at all?"
Didn't her brother really like Su Yuan? Now that Su Yuan has been beaten up, her brother should be panicking. Now is the perfect time to curry favor with her.
What kind of reaction do I need?
Ning Hong touched the withered branches and fallen leaves. The weather was getting colder and colder, and the water would freeze as soon as it was poured on.
It's quite fun.
These yellowed, withered leaves, encased in ice, possess a unique kind of beauty.
It's a pity, though. As the temperature rises later, these ice blocks will gradually melt and completely disappear into the world. It makes one feel inexplicably melancholy.
Ning Zixi's doubts deepened.
If her brother likes Su Yuan, why was he still able to laugh when he heard that she had been beaten?
etc--
Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind, "Brother, you didn't do this on purpose, did you?"
Ning Zixi suddenly realized.
If her brother did it on purpose, then everything can be explained.
Her brother deliberately got close to Su Yuan in order to cause the Seventh Prince to misunderstand and further widen the gap between the two. The Seventh Prince was a member of the royal family and was arrogant. Su Yuan had an inexplicable sense of arrogance, and no one knew where it came from.
She was too proud. Sometimes, she would refuse to explain things that could be clarified in a sentence or two, which only deepened the misunderstanding between them.
Ning Hong remained silent, smiling and nodding.
"Brother, isn't this a bit inappropriate?"
"Why is it not good?" Ning Hong looked up at Ning Zixi.
"In short, it's not good to take advantage of emotions."
“Zixi, in this life, there are indeed many things that cannot be done as one pleases. There are too many boundaries in this world. There are things to do and things not to do. In my opinion, it is best not to repay evil with kindness.”
"It's not that I'm repaying evil with kindness, it's just—"
She had once given her whole heart to the Seventh Prince, but when that heart was trampled on, it hurt terribly, making her want to roll on the ground in agony.
Therefore, she did not want her brother to become that kind of person.
"Sis, do you think Su Yuan is interested in me?"
"There should be."
Otherwise, she wouldn't have repeatedly asked her brother to go drinking with her.
"I think there are probably some, but it's not just me. There are many people around her. Her sincerity is too cheap—"
Ning Zixi fell silent.
"Tell me, how did you feel when you heard she was beaten?"
"·····"
"It's okay, I'm just telling my brother, I won't tell anyone else."
"Brother, you're so annoying." Ning Zixi's eyes curved into a smile, clearly indicating that she was in a fairly good mood.
"You've always liked to put on airs since you were little."
Ning Hong then reached out and flicked Ning Zixi's forehead.
"But I heard that the Emperor took her to the palace." Speaking of which, Su Yuan is truly an enigmatic figure, always able to drive men crazy. "Brother, aren't you worried about Changxi?"
“If it were before, I might have been worried, but now—” He shook his head. Changxi had now evolved into Niu Gulu Changxi, and he wasn’t worried at all.
Changxi was raised by the original owner of this body.
The original owner of this body was able to control the court single-handedly and even nurture Song Zhuo, so her talent is beyond doubt.
Ning Changxi was certainly not stupid.
However, the Ning family has a fatal weakness: they are too sentimental and loyal.
Both Ning Hongze and Ning Changxi placed too much importance on Song Zhuo.
That's what leads to utter defeat.
However, things are different now. Although Changxi still has some feelings for Song Zhuo, his heart has grown cold and it is not easy to warm it up again.
Just as Ning Hongze had predicted, Ning Changxi merely raised an eyebrow upon hearing that Song Zhuo had brought Su Yuan into the palace, without much emotional reaction.
"Sister, do you think this is a good idea?"
One of the concubines said anxiously.
Which woman in the palace doesn't understand the Emperor's thoughts?
Wasn't the reason the Empress was banished to the Cold Palace because of Su Yuan?
Now, the Emperor has openly and legitimately brought people into the palace—
In this harem, where is there any place for people like them?
"Sister, you don't seem to be in a hurry at all."
He Su looked Ning Changxi up and down.
Ning Changxi's face showed little emotion; he remained calm.
It was as if they didn't care about this matter at all.
The Empress clearly disliked Su Yuan a lot back then.
"What's the use of being anxious? Even if I'm anxious, what can I do? You know, I just came out of the Cold Palace. I'm scared."
Ning Changxi opened the rouge He Su had sent, sniffed it carefully, and then closed the rouge again.
"Your Majesty?"
He Su was even more puzzled. "Is there something wrong with this rouge?"
"Hmm." Ning Changxi nodded. "Actually, I don't mind, but if you still want to have children, it's best not to use it."
The rouge contained safflower, but it was masked with fragrance.
"elder sister--"
He Su was taken aback; she hadn't expected the Empress to be so blunt.
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