Chapter 293: Tricks and Trouble
During the twelfth lunar month, every household is busy preparing for the New Year.
Staying in the small courtyard, Yang Si Niang could hear the hawking of small vendors outside, the noise of children playing with firecrackers, and occasionally the sound of women chatting with each other about New Year's goods. Only the small courtyard where she lived lacked any New Year atmosphere.
She sighed heavily and was about to turn around and go back into the room. Mrs. Pu, who was taking care of her, came back from outside. When she saw her in the corridor, she quickly raised the food basket in her hand and asked happily, "Look what I bought?"
A basket of New Year's goods, including chicken, duck, fish, meat, as well as cakes, candies and incense for worshiping gods, it was very complete.
With the atmosphere of the New Year, Yang Si Niang smiled a little, "Thank you for your hard work, Mom."
"Hey, young master, as long as you are happy, that's all." Mrs. Pu smiled with wrinkles on her face and walked up the steps. "There are only two of us in this yard. It looks lonely. I was afraid that you would be sad, so I bought a lot of delicious food. I will go and make meat for you later."
Speaking of cooking, Yang Si Niang sighed again and thought to herself, if it were A Jin, she would definitely be able to turn the ingredients in the basket into delicious food. Unfortunately, she can't cook. Now she feels really regretful. If she had known this would happen, she should have learned more cooking skills from A Jin when she was a neighbor. Maybe she could cook delicious meals now.
Mrs. Pu saw the young lady was sometimes happy and sometimes sad, but she kept smiling. She thought to herself, I don’t know what happened to her, but now she has become the concubine of a rich and powerful man. If the young master of the Ning family treats her better, her life will be easy. If he treats her badly...
Bah, it’s New Year’s Day, what is she thinking about? Even if Young Master Ning treats her badly, she has to find a way to make her keep Young Master Ning Qi’s heart and let her give birth to a son or daughter for him. Not only will she have no worries about food and clothing in her next life, but she will also be able to benefit from it and eat and drink the best food and drink in her next life.
"My dear, it's cold outside. Go back to your room first. I'll bring the meal to your room as soon as it's ready. Don't worry."
Mrs. Pu happily went to the kitchen with a basket full of New Year's ingredients to prepare dinner.
Yang Si Niang nodded, "Thank you, mother."
After saying that, she gathered her cloak, turned around and went back to her room. She had not taken two steps when she heard a knock on the door. She stopped and looked at Mrs. Pu, only to find that she was happily humming a little tune on her way to the kitchen and did not hear the knock on the door.
Mrs. Pu was going to cook dinner. She thought for a moment, went down the stairs, walked across the patio, went to the door, and listened to the noise outside.
Ah Zhu knocked a few times but no one answered, so she called out impatiently, "Mother Pu, open the door."
As if she knew Mrs. Pu, Yang Si Niang let down her guard and continued to wait outside the door.
As if she knew what the person inside the courtyard was thinking, Ah Zhu actually reminded, "The young master is here, open the door quickly."
The one who saved her? Yang Si Niang no longer hesitated, reached out to take the bolt and opened one.
Ah Zhu saw the door move and pushed open another door.
The gate to the courtyard was wide open.
People inside and outside the door are facing each other.
They both saw each other's appearance clearly.
Yang Si Niang was stunned. It turned out to be the noble young man from Xiangguo Temple. It turned out that he was the one who saved her.
Ning Qilang's eyebrows twitched.
The dirty little beggar turned into a beautiful and pretty young lady.
She has an oval face, willow-shaped eyebrows, big almond eyes, soft facial features, and slightly wide-set eyes. She looks a little childish. Standing in the afternoon sun, she is somewhat like the straightforward Eighth Sister, but a little more gentle than her.
No wonder Zhao Lan wanted to save her. She is really different from the young ladies in Beijing.
Ning Qillang walked in with his hands behind his back, smiling with understanding.
Yang Si Niang quickly moved to the side.
Ah Zhu was also shocked by the little beggar. He didn't expect that she was really a pretty young lady. But why was she being followed and followed? What was her identity and background? He followed his master into the wing room while wondering.
Yang Si Niang wanted to close the door, but there were several guards behind the young man, some closing the door and some standing guard, so she didn't need to do anything at all. Judging from the situation, the person who saved her was of a high status, and she didn't know who he was.
Because her maternal grandfather's family was the Duke of Zheng's Mansion, which was a powerful place in the capital, Yang Si Niang had met many people, but she was sure that she had never seen this young man.
Yang Si Niang followed him into the side room.
Ah Zhu asked the young guard to go to the kitchen to get hot water, and quickly made tea for the young master. There was a charcoal fire in the room, and it was as warm as spring.
After Yang Si Niang took off her coat, her figure became even more graceful.
Ning Qilang lowered his eyes and drank tea.
Ah Zhu asked on behalf of the master, "Are you used to living here?"
"Thank you for saving my life, Arong is living well."
It turns out her name is Rong.
"What's the lady's last name?"
When Madam Yang changed her surname to Wu when she hid her real name, why did she choose Wu? It was because there would be no Zheng Yang and no Yang Jingzi in this world from now on.
"My surname is Wu, and everyone calls me Wu Arong."
"Miss Wu, where are you from and where are you going?"
"I..." Yang Si Niang had already made up her own life story, but for some reason, facing the handsome and majestic young man, she couldn't open her mouth. She pursed her lips, lowered her head, and looked at her toes.
Ah Zhu glanced at her master.
The master remained calm.
He continued, "Mrs. Wu, if you don't tell me where you're going and show me your identity, I'll hand you over to the government."
When she heard that she was going to be sent to the government, Yang Si Niang panicked and could only make up a half-truthful story about her life. "I am from Jin. My father died in his early years, and my mother raised us brothers and sisters. Some time ago, my mother missed her family and became ill. For my mother, I ran away secretly to find my grandparents' home. I didn't expect that the maid and I got separated on the way, and my money was stolen, so I wandered all the way to the capital."
"Your maternal family is in the capital?"
"Yeah." Yang Si Niang replied guiltily.
The voice was so soft that Ning Qilang and his long-time attendant Azhu looked at each other, fearing that he was lying.
Ah Zhu continued to ask, "Then where is your grandfather? I will take you there."
How could Yang Si Niang dare to go to Zheng Guo Mansion to recognize her relatives, because her father was a favorite of the previous emperor. After the previous emperor passed away, he was also killed. Her mother said that in order not to implicate Zheng Guo Mansion, she had no maternal grandfather from then on.
Until now, Yang Si Niang still knows that her real father was killed by her fake father long before she married her mother. Her mother actually married a fake Yang Jingzi. Only the relevant personnel know about this. No one in the Yang family knows about it except Mrs. Yang.
Mrs. Yang told her children that Yang Jingzi was the late emperor's man, and after the late emperor died, he naturally became a discarded pawn. In order to avoid being implicated, she and her children lived in hiding and like ordinary people.
If Yang Si Niang hadn't run back to Beijing to see her cousin, she would have probably disappeared from everyone's sight.
Madam Yang Si knew nothing about all this.
How could Ning Qilang believe a young lady who was visiting her maternal grandparents' home being followed by Zhao Lan's men?
Originally, he wanted to trick the young lady, but he didn't expect that the young lady was as cunning as Zhao Lan, and he didn't get anything out of her.
His face didn't look very good. He put down his teacup and left without interest.
Mrs. Pu thought that Young Master Ning Qi would stay tonight, but she didn't expect him to leave after just a cup of tea. Could it be that the young lady didn't please Young Master Ning Qi well?
What should she do? Mrs. Pu didn't even have the mood to cook dinner. She ran to the wing room and asked her why she didn't keep the man.
Yang Si Niang didn't understand at first, but as she listened, she opened her mouth and asked, "Mom, what did you say?"
"What can I say?" Mrs. Pu looked disappointed. "I just hope you can get the young master's favor and give birth to a boy as soon as possible, so that our land can be consolidated."
Madam Yang Si opened her eyes wide and saved her to be a concubine?
These days, Su Ruojin was in the Prince Consort's Mansion. Su Yanzu left the court on time every day. After dinner, she forced Su Ruojin to walk with the princess and massage her legs. It was visibly that the princess's panting was not as severe when she sat up.
"It's only been three days, Jin, and I'm not out of breath anymore. Is walking really that magical?"
Su Ruojin nodded, "Your Highness, from morning to night, I let you get up and walk a few steps whenever I get a chance. This little bit of accumulation will add up to a lot of steps in a day."
“It’s true.”
In the Prince Consort's Mansion, the Prince Consort would go to work on time every day, and would come to sit and see Her Royal Highness the Princess when he came back, but he acted like he was on errand, and after asking a few questions he would say he was going back to the study to do his work.
If it was an ordinary lady in the inner house, she could really be fooled, but who is Her Royal Highness the Princess and how much work a position generally involves, she knows it very well.
After all, he was a person who was snatched away. The person was snatched away, and perhaps three-quarters of his heart was snatched away, but what about the other seven?
Every day, if there was any movement in Weizhou County, the prince consort would become very silent and sit in the study until most of the night. He would not go back to his room to rest, saying that he was afraid of disturbing Her Royal Highness the Princess if it was too late, so he would rest in the study, and then he could rest in the study for several days.
Su Ruojin didn't know this. If she knew, she would definitely sigh and say that even though she was a princess, she couldn't do anything about feelings. It turned out that everyone was equal in love.
Princess Yuehua clearly felt that since Su Ruojin had been in the princess's mansion, Su Yanzu not only came back early, but also rarely went to the study. Instead, he drank tea and chatted with his niece. From this situation, it was obvious that the uncle and niece had a good relationship.
Even she benefited from it.
For a moment, Yuehua didn't know whether to be angry or laugh.
But she was a princess, so no matter what she was thinking, she always looked gentle, virtuous, dignified and generous, and she blended in well with the uncle and nephew. Normally, no one dared to ask her to move, but once Su Ruojin reminded her, she was willing to get up and move, and she didn't feel tired.
It's really amazing.
Su Ruojin not only asked Princess Yuehua to move more, but also controlled her diet. Basically, she did not add any extra nutritious food and made some whole grains for her so that she would not gain weight. The fiber in whole grains is good for constipation and keeps the stomach and intestines smooth, which would be relatively easier for Princess Yuehua who might give birth at any time.
Today's walk was almost over, and the princess was arranged to have a night meal. Su Ruojin yawned and said, "Your Highness, my uncle is taking a day off tomorrow, so let him accompany you. I want to go home."
"Is there anything going on at home?" Yuehua asked, "If it's New Year's goods, don't prepare it. I'll have someone take care of it."
"My brother will also have a day off tomorrow, and I want to go back to see him."
"Take Dalang here." Princess Yuehua was reluctant to let Su Ruojin leave.
But she didn't want to do that. She wanted to go back and cook something delicious for her brother. If she were in the princess's mansion, she would definitely give the delicious food to the princess. However, the princess had to control her diet, so how could she dare let her see it?
She grinned with a sly look in her eyes, approached the princess, and whispered, "Your Highness, when I'm not here, you can instruct my uncle to let this grown man experience the difficulty of a woman giving birth. But don't think that he has to take the blame, so be virtuous and don't bother him. I tell you, men are hypocritical animals. If you don't do it, they will take your understanding for granted, and in the end, it's us women who will suffer."
"Did you just say 'do'?"
"Yes, no matter what, he would say this hurts, that hurts, this doesn't taste good, I want to eat that, to torment him."
Princess Yuehua seemed to be thinking about something, but still couldn't help saying, "He is your uncle, and I think he treats you very well. Is it okay for you to..." humph him?
Su Ruojin giggled, “If you think so, Your Highness, then I am…” meddling in other people’s business.
"Not really." The princess smiled. "Thanks for the reminder, Jin. I'll do it tomorrow."
Su Ruojin gave a thumbs up and almost said "This kid is teachable", but she didn't say it in the end.
Su Ruojin happily went back to the guest room to rest and met Su Yanzu in the corridor, "So happy?" He looked towards the princess's room. He didn't know what the two of them had done, but he always felt it was related to him.
What a joke! How could Su Yanzu know about this?
Su Ruojin denied it flatly, "No, I don't have to do anything in the princess's house, and I eat and live for free, so I feel happy."
Su Yanzu didn't believe it and looked at her suspiciously.
Su Ruojin disappeared before his sight humming a little tune.
This kid must be a bit of a jerk.
Su Yanzu returned to the bedroom, and the princess was sitting beside the bed. "My dear, Ah Jin just told me that I should change several sleeping positions more often, which is conducive to childbirth."
"Yes." Su Yanzu nodded, "Let Madam help..."
"No, I want you to help me, my husband." Yuehua held her huge belly with great effort and tried to find something to lean on to sit down.
Su Yanli came over subconsciously to let her hold on.
Just a small action actually made him come over to help him.
So that counts as being a spoiled child, right?
I didn't expect that Ajin's method was so effective. I didn't expect that the wish that I couldn't achieve with the princess's majesty could be easily resolved by a young lady.
Princess Yuehua suddenly realized that as long as Su Yanzu was by her side, the princess's face didn't matter.
It turns out that women still have to act.
Her Royal Highness the Princess seemed to have opened the door to a new world.
After leaving the villa, Ning Qilang asked someone to inquire about the young lady's hometown and family situation as she had just mentioned.
"The New Year is coming soon, hurry up."
Ah Zhu seemed to understand what the Master meant, "You mean, if what she said is not true, you are going to throw her out of the villa?"
"Um."
Hiss, he really guessed it, "What about Prince Zhao?"
"Just throw it to him."
Ah Zhu: ...
So this is what 'throw' means.
The festive atmosphere is getting stronger and stronger.
Su Dalang was very happy to see his sister at home, "Ajin, I heard you were at your uncle's place, why are you back?"
"I miss you."
But it was really not reserved at all. Su Dalang smiled brightly and really wanted to reach out and touch his sister's head like he did when they were children, but he held back.
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