Chapter 38 Banquet

Ning Yuan's chopsticks shook, and the sweet-scented osmanthus lotus root she had just picked up fell into the porcelain plate with a "click".

She looked sideways at Duke Ning, then moved her gaze to the calm man in front of her, and put down her chopsticks, trying to smooth things over in this slightly strange atmosphere: "...Why did Lord Shen bring up the old things for no reason? Let's eat, or the food will get cold."

Shen Yan retracted his gaze and looked at her: "Because it's an old story, it has been on my mind for a long time."

"Miss Ning, now that you and I are of the same age, it's time to bring it up."

Ning Yuan wanted to stuff the food into his mouth.

She glanced at Duke Ning again and said in a low voice, "Why didn't you tell me beforehand if you wanted to talk to my father about this?"

He also lowered his voice and said, "I did want to tell Miss Ning, but she was chatting with someone else and wasted a lot of time, so I didn't have time to speak."

Didn't have time?

He had time to hold her wrist and feel jealous, but didn't have time to tell her about this?

She gritted her teeth and said, "...I think you are afraid that I will stop you?" Seeing

the two of them whispering, Duke Ning simply responded, "Mr. Shen is right."

Ning Ze, who was standing beside him, suddenly raised his head and interrupted with courage, "...No!"

Duke Ning frowned and looked at Ning Ze as if warning, "What do you have to do with it?"

Duke Ning had long wanted to promote this marriage.

In his eyes, Shen Yan was the best among the young generation, while Ning Yuan was mediocre.

She was neither virtuous nor good at playing the piano, chess, calligraphy, or painting. She was neither good

at managing her husband's affairs nor good at pleasing her husband. This book is exclusively compiled by the LK team. She was born as his daughter and was engaged to Shen Yan because of her mother. He couldn't understand why she was worthy of Shen Yan.

She didn't want to marry him before, and the Shen family never mentioned it, so he didn't say much. But Shen Yan didn't know when he fell in love with this quiet and introverted daughter and took good care of her.

It was her blessing that Shen Yan was willing to take the initiative to ask for her.

Ning Ze was a little afraid of him, but he still withstood this rather oppressive gaze and spoke for Ning Yuan: "No means no... Dad, why don't you ask my sister if she is willing?"

Ning Yuan raised her head, her heart beating inexplicably faster, waiting for her father to ask her.

She didn't know how to answer.

She thought Shen Yan was a good man, but not so good that she would pledge herself to him. However, she also promised not to embarrass him in front of everyone...

It was so difficult.

Unfortunately, she was wrong. Duke Ning did not even think about asking her opinion. Instead, he said domineeringly, "She is unwilling to do this and that. Does she think she is still young? Can she act so recklessly?"

Ning Yuan lowered her eyes, feeling a little aggrieved.

When had she ever been really reckless?

"She is just a girl. She will get married eventually. Look around Shengjing. How many young men can compare to Lord Shen?" Duke Ning continued to chatter.

"Xiao Ze..."

Ning Yuan glanced at him lightly.

He should stop arguing with his father for himself. This book is exclusively compiled by LK team for you. Although she is grateful that her brother would think of her, now it is at the dinner table.

She knows her father too well.

Even if she tries to make peace in private later, it is better than Ning Ze offending her father in front of so many people.

But Ning Ze is still thinking about what he heard today.

Although he is the youngest in the family, he can understand Ning Yuan's situation the best.

If he doesn't take the lead for her, then no one in this family will care about her.

"Lord Shen has made great achievements in politics, but my sister is not a piece of newspaper! He is good at government affairs, but he may not always put her first!"

Ning Ze looked at Pei Zixing who was holding a wine glass on the side.

"If we talk about outstanding men in the capital, I think General Pei is not bad."

Pei Zixing paused, and the originally calm face of the wine shook slightly, and then he felt the gaze from Shen Yan.

...Why did it involve him again?

In order to avoid further confusion, he had to say to Ning Ze: "Your sister and I are just friends."

Shen Yan lowered his eyes.

He treated her as a friend, but she herself might not be.

"You are still young, what do you know?" Ning Guogong said impatiently, "A man should make achievements outside. What kind of future is it to stay with the women in the back house all day long?" "

If your sister can share the worries of your husband, it's fine. Since she can't share the worries and needs your husband to comfort and take care of her, then Lord Shen doesn't have to ask to marry her."

Shen Yan didn't agree with this.

Although it is said that a country comes before a family, if a man does not even care about his family after his death, how can we expect him to care for the people?

Such achievements are only built on the desire for power, which is nothing but a castle in the air.

He was about to refute, but heard the girl beside him say lightly: "Dad is right."

... She actually agreed with such a statement?

Shen Yan cast a puzzled look at her.

She lowered her eyes and said, "If father knew that Xiao was guarding the backyard, our house would have been desolate long ago."

"Xiao Ze, you should thank him for his dedication to his career, which will bring prosperity to our house in the future."

Duke Ning's expression eased a little: "Your sister is the one who sees things clearly.

" Ning Ze paused: "Sister, you..."

"Yes, father, of course I see all of this, remember it in my heart, and will never forget it."

She paused for each word, with some contempt between her brows.

Duke Ning's face, which had just eased a little, immediately sank. He realized belatedly that Ning Yuan was slightly wrong.

She exhaled softly.

"If father had not ignored mother and let her life and death go, how could he have successfully married stepmother into the house, and Xiao Ze would not have been born."

"Xiao Ze is intelligent and hardworking. If daddy had cared more about my mother who can no longer have children, there would be no one to inherit the title of our family. Wouldn't it be lonely?"

"You...you are so outrageous!"

Duke Ning never expected that she would mention this matter in front of outsiders. He slammed the table so hard that the porcelain plate jumped on the table.

Ning Yuan raised her eyes and looked at him calmly.

She felt that she had already seen through her father's true face.

But after hearing him say these words in such a high-sounding way, she still felt angry and unwilling.

I don't know if it was for her or for her mother who was alone on the sickbed at the end of her life.

He made a big mistake, but instead of reflecting on it, he was complacent and said such words in front of others without hesitation.

"Daddy, don't be angry." Ning Li hurriedly stood up and walked to the side of Duke Ning to calm him down, whispering, "There are so many people here."

She immediately raised her eyes and looked at Ning Yuan: "Sister, you should apologize to Daddy."

Ning Yuan took a deep breath and said nothing.

Ning Li saw that Duke Ning had already clenched his hands, and veins were faintly popping out, and hurriedly said: "Sister, can't you give in a little bit..."

"Give in?" She sneered softly.

"What do you mean by giving in? Haven't I given in enough in the past?"

"Dad, mother is very good at giving in. She has given herself in to the tablet in the mourning hall for many years. You know what price she paid, and I don't want to repeat her mistakes."

Duke Ning scolded: "I see that not only do you not know how to give in, but now you don't even know what is humble and filial!"

"Your mother complained to me before, saying that you were a traitor. I never argued with you because you were not competitive. Now it seems that you are really two-faced!"

"My mother?" She chuckled, "Did she come to you in your dream?"

Duke Ning was obviously stunned.

Ning Yuan held back her tears and said firmly, "Dad, you need to understand clearly that my mother has passed away."

"Mrs. Ning is only your wife now, not my mother!"

"You!"

Duke Ning stood up suddenly and raised his hand to hit her face.

The wind from his palm whizzed past her cheek and lifted the hair by her ears.

Ning Yuan closed her eyes resignedly.

But the expected slap did not fall.

She narrowed her eyes slightly and saw Shen Yan and Pei Zixing holding her father's arms from the left and right.

Duke Ning struggled angrily, but at his age, he was no match for two strong young men.

"What does it have to do with you if I discipline my own daughter?"

"My Lord, that's not what I mean."

Shen Yan glanced at her indifferently.

"As you said before, a woman should obey her husband after marriage. Although she and I have not yet married, the engagement is still there."

"She is also half a member of the Shen family, don't you think?"

Duke Ning looked at him contemptuously: "Sir Shen, are you planning to let me let her go for your sake?"

"You are joking, Duke." He pouted a faint smile at the corner of his lips, "I don't have any face in front of my elders."

"Since she is half a member of the Shen family, you just need to discipline her other half."

Shen Yan looked at her, frowned and said: "A woman will always get married. Whether she serves her husband or takes charge of the family, her appearance and brain are very important. She can't be hurt or touched."

"How about this--"

"Her upper body belongs to the Shen family, and her lower body will be temporarily disciplined by the Duke."

After saying this, he loosened his hand, took a step back, and reminded Pei Zixing: "Zixing, don't interfere in the Duke's family affairs." Pei Zixing

looked at Ning Yuan, who was silent and bowed her head, with worry, and loosened the hand that was shackled by the Duke of Ning. Unexpectedly,

the Duke of Ning did not intend to continue to teach her. He just snorted coldly, sat back on the sandalwood chair, and said in a sinister tone: "Ning Yuan used to be very docile and well-behaved. I think she is getting more and more unbridled now. Most likely, she has someone to support her outside."

Shen Yan did not say anything else, but just accepted the sarcasm of the Duke of Ning.

His purpose was to save Ning Yuan from the slap. As for the harsh words from an old man who was too concerned about his reputation, he didn't care.

Ning Li looked at him gratefully.

Is this Mr. Shen?

With just a few words, he could resolve a conflict.

My father is a very traditional man, but Mr. Shen deliberately applied his idea that women should obey their husbands after marriage, so that he couldn't refute it.

He also took a step back and deliberately asked his father to discipline his sister's lower body.

But a woman's body from feet to buttocks is private and can only be touched by her husband. How could a man who cares about his reputation like his father really touch these places?

If she could marry a smart man like Mr. Shen in this life, even if she was a concubine, her life would be worthwhile.

Thinking of this, her heart beat fast, and she smiled timidly, but she saw Shen Yan looking at her inadvertently.

Their eyes met, and her breathing suddenly stagnated.

However, Shen Yan's gaze did not linger on her for long, and only for a moment, then it was swept away coldly.

The wind blowing in from outside the house shook the bright candlelight in the house, and cast his shadow on the ancient painting on the wall, dragging a long line.

Dust-free and quiet.

Shen Yan really didn't want to pay attention to anything else.

He just stared at Ning Yuan silently.

She clearly didn't think of anything in her heart now, but for some reason, he always felt that she had added some inexplicable sadness to his mind.

In addition, a strange feeling surged in his heart.

It had nothing to do with love or desire, but heartache and regret.

After dinner, he walked out of the main gate of Ning Mansion and went around Ning Yuan's courtyard wall. After thinking for a while, he made a decision that violated etiquette.

Climb over the wall.

Ning Yuan returned to the courtyard dejectedly and walked towards the room without raising her head. She passed by Shen Yan who was sitting at the stone table waiting for her and did not notice his presence.

"Miss Ning."

He called softly as the light gauze with a sweet fragrance brushed past her face.

Ning Yuan stopped, a little stunned, and looked back to see Shen Yan who had left long ago.

He stood up and walked in front of her.

The tall shadow wrapped her up little by little.

"It's my fault."

Ning Yuan raised her head in confusion.

... Did she hear it right?

He would actually apologize to her?

After a moment of silence, the man's tone was slightly deep: "In the past, I didn't know why you always avoided my proposal to you, and I just thought you were playing hard to get."

"I understand now."

"Today I was reckless."

...??? She was playing hard to get?

Ning Yuan pursed her lips, too lazy to talk to him.

At this moment, a melodious flute sound suddenly rang out from outside the wall.

This book is exclusively organized by LK team for you. Ning Yuan listened to the song carefully, and her depressed mood was slightly relieved.

"I haven't heard such beautiful music for a long time..." She said softly.

She has always been a person who clearly distinguishes between love and hate.

"Forget it, you don't know what kind of person my father is, why should I be angry with you?"

"This flute music... did you ask someone to play it for me to cheer me up?"

Shen Yan looked at the white wall full of green bamboo.

He was very familiar with the flute sound behind the wall, it was Pei Zixing.

I think he saw that she was in a bad mood, so he wanted to comfort her with music.

But Shen Yan rarely had some selfish thoughts and did not answer her question immediately.

Two villains, one black and one white, were ready to move in his heart.

One of them waved a black cross and shouted: "She has always liked Pei Zixing, you must not tell her!" Another

one held a book and said gently: "A gentleman is open and honest. If it is yes, it is yes, and if it is no, it is no. It is better to tell the truth and compete fairly."

... Wait, compete?

Why would he want to compete with Pei Zixing for her?

Obviously, the result of the competition is to be with her.

Could it be that he really has feelings for her for no reason?

Ning Yuan saw him frowning in thought, and said a little sadly: "Is the question I asked so difficult to answer? Shen Yan, why don't you say anything?"