Jiang Yuwei only heard their conversation after she entered the courtyard.
“Wang Ma, look at me, my old man and I helped raise the eldest young master of the Wang family. We may not have done anything great, but we have certainly put in a lot of hard work. Please take us with you to the capital.”
Chen Guixiang held Wang Ma's hand and pleaded.
Upon hearing this, Wang Ma looked troubled. After all, she was just a servant. It was only right for her to take the young master back to the mansion, but she dared not make a decision on whether or not to take the old couple back.
At this moment, Chen Guixiang also noticed that Wang Ma's expression was off, so she quickly reached out and pushed Old Man Ning, scolding him:
"Say something! Look at you standing there like a wooden stake. You were born into the Jing Prince's household, so it's only right that you come back to the manor with the young master."
Upon hearing this, Old Man Ning silently turned his head to the side, refusing to look at Chen Guixiang, and simply lowered his head to smoke.
Seeing this, Ning Chunlin coughed a few times and said:
"Ahem, that Wang Ma, my parents aren't here. It's that old woman Chen who's used to serving me. I won't be used to being served by someone else when I get to the Prince's Mansion. Why don't we bring them both with us to the Prince's Mansion?"
Seeing that Ning Chunlin had spoken, Wang Ma stopped worrying. She figured if the prince and princess ever asked, she could use him as a shield. After all, a servant couldn't disobey her master's orders. Thinking this, Wang Ma smiled and spoke:
"Alright, since the young master is taking the two of you with him, hurry back and pack your things. We'll set off in the next few days."
Upon hearing this, Chen Guixiang nodded repeatedly in gratitude, then pulled Old Man Ning along with Ning Chunlin as they walked out. As they passed Jiang Yuwei, she couldn't help but give her a disdainful look.
Seeing this, Jiang Yuwei sighed helplessly. It seemed that even going to the capital wouldn't help her escape the annoying Chen Guixiang.
Jiang Yuwei thought that escaping Ningjia Village was the priority right now, and she would deal with the rest later. So she called Ning Huaizhi and Ning Zhao to go to town to buy things together when Ning Qiu rushed over from outside.
As soon as Ning Qiu entered the courtyard, she grabbed Jiang Yuwei's arm and laughed:
"Sister Yuwei, I'm sorry you had to laugh at me just now. I was just in a hurry and didn't know how to express myself. I just got back from my parents' home and came straight to the courtyard to find you. Ningwu and I have decided that we will go to the capital with you."
Seeing Ning Qiu's current state, Jiang Yuwei figured Ning Wu had probably appeased her. Since the young couple had made their decision, she didn't want to say anything more, so she nodded and said:
"Alright, if you've made up your minds, then it's fine. We're going to town today to buy some things for the road. Why don't you come along? We're leaving in a few days anyway, and if we delay any longer, we might not be able to buy them. It'll be good if we go together so we can look after each other."
Ning Qiu nodded quickly upon hearing this and said:
"Okay, Sister Yuwei, I'll do whatever you say. I'll go home now and have Ningwu drive the oxcart."
Just then, Granny Wang came out of the side room to pour water. Hearing that Jiang Yuwei was going to town to buy things, she quickly put down the basin of water and looked at Jiang Yuwei, saying:
"Yuwei, can you give me and Yunqing a ride? We need to go to town today to buy some carriages and food for our journey."
Jiang Yuwei nodded and smiled:
"Okay, come out when you're ready."
Wang Ma hurriedly called to Yun Qing to quickly go back to the house to pack up, and then she ran out with the silver and got on the oxcart.
Ning Zixuan, hearing that they were going to town, became somewhat uneasy, fearing they might encounter bandits on the way. He came out of the house as well, and coldly said to Jiang Yuwei:
"I'm going to town too."
Seeing that the young master had spoken, Jiang Yuwei had no reason to disagree, so she quickly nodded in agreement.
After everyone was seated on the oxcart, Ning Huaizhi drove the ox towards the town.
As soon as they entered Ping'an Town, they took Yun Qing, Ning Zixuan, and the other two to the market and let them choose their own horses.
After all, Jiang Yuwei didn't know anything about choosing horses and couldn't help at all. Although Ning Huaizhi knew how to choose horses, he didn't need to help, since Ning Zixuan had been used to riding in carriages since he was a child and was the one who knew how to choose the best.
Wang Ma followed Jiang Yuwei's oxcart, as she needed to buy some dry food and a change of clothes for the journey.
She had originally planned to bring food for Ning Chunlin's family of three, but today that old woman Chen Guixiang came to discuss with her about going to the capital with them, so now she also wanted to bring their food along.
Jiang Yuwei looked at Wang Ma and said:
“Wang Ma, you can buy some flour to take back and make some food to take with you. Anyway, we have enough pots and wood in our courtyard. You should prepare more food. Right now, it’s not just Chen Guixiang’s family who will be going with you. I’m afraid you will also have to take Ning Chunlin’s concubine with you.”
Upon hearing this, Wang Ma's eyes widened in surprise.
"Ah, when did the young master take a concubine? Didn't they say that Granny Chen's family didn't have much money? How come they have spare money to help the young master take a concubine?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuwei exchanged a glance with Ning Qiu and then burst out laughing.
"Haha, Aunt Wang, you don't know this, your young master is quite capable. He didn't spend a single penny to marry this concubine. She just followed him wholeheartedly after hearing about Ning Chunlin's identity."
Upon hearing this, Wang Ma frowned deeply. As a servant from a wealthy and powerful family, she knew exactly what these women were thinking.
Wang Ma was already having a headache because Ning Chunlin had married a rural woman named Sun. Before she could even go to the Wang Mansion to acknowledge her as a relative, she had gained another concubine. Wang Ma was now regretting that she hadn't been patient enough to acknowledge Ning Chunlin earlier.
Thinking this through, Wang Ma looked at Jiang Yuwei and asked:
"Yuwei, whose daughter is this concubine?"
Hearing this, Ning Qiu, who was sitting to the side, finally couldn't help but laugh out loud.
“Wang Ma, she’s not a girl. She’s a widow who brought death to her husband’s entire family. Her husband’s family is all dead. She lost all hope in her husband’s family and came back to our Ningjia Village. Now she’s entangled with Ning Chunlin again.”
Upon hearing this, Wang Ma felt a tightness in her chest and kept patting her chest to catch her breath. In Wang Ma's eyes, a man taking a concubine was not a big deal.
But this concubine is not only not innocent, but she is also a jinx to her husband and his family. If such a woman were brought to the palace, the princess would probably be so angry that she would die on the spot.
As Wang Ma was mentally calculating, she was determined not to let Ning Chunlin make a rash decision and bring this concubine back to the capital, when she heard Jiang Yuwei laugh:
"Speak of the devil and he appears! Wang Ma, look! Isn't that Ning Chunlin and his concubine?"
Following the direction Jiang Yuwei pointed, Wang Ma saw Ning Chunlin leading a woman in pink out of a restaurant. The woman seemed to be drunk, leaning limply against Ning Chunlin's chest.
Wang Ma was shocked to see this. How could such a woman be allowed into Prince Jing's residence!
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