Rong Ning didn't say much. Just as he said, he was a grown man and there were many things he could do. Even if she wasn't in Kangye City, she wouldn't be bullied.
When she was not around, there were usually only Xie Chongren and a few servants in the mansion, but the courtyard was kept tidy and looked quite proper.
Rong Ning was exhausted. She had hot water prepared for her to take a bath, ate something lightly, and then went to sleep.
He slept until noon the next day.
The weather wasn't very good; it was gloomy and chilly.
Rong Ning finished getting ready and went out, only to find A Ying and You Jiang in her courtyard, making a charcoal fire and brewing tea, enjoying themselves immensely.
Seeing her come out, he quickly waved, "Your Highness, come quickly, the chestnuts are just roasted."
Rong Ning walked over and asked, "Why didn't you two wake me up?"
Aying poured her a cup of hot tea and said with a smile, "It's rare for Your Highness to get a good night's sleep, how can we disturb you? I've already asked them to prepare some food. Your Highness, please have some hot tea to warm yourself up before eating."
Ah Ying is truly thoughtful, having been with her since childhood.
He plopped down, took a sip of tea, and asked, "Where's Xie Chong?"
“Oh...the Prince Consort…” A-Ying raised her chin. “Today is the 28th of the twelfth lunar month. The New Year is just two days away. The Prince Consort went out early this morning with the Prefect to deliver some New Year’s supplies to the Minsheng Hall.”
I see...
Minsheng Hall was a place that sheltered women, children, and the elderly.
"Is he very familiar with Lord Chu? Logically speaking, the Chu family played a significant role in the downfall of the Xie family, so it's truly unexpected that the two of them would end up together."
“That’s what I thought too, but maybe the Prince Consort is more easygoing and didn’t bring the grudges from Nanyang City here…” A-Ying gave half of the roasted chestnuts to Rong Ning and the other half to You Jiang. “However, I went for a walk in the street this morning and met some familiar aunties and uncles. They all praised the Prince Consort to the skies, saying that he is like Your Highness, close to them, and often helps them with chores. They can’t read, so the Prince Consort helps them write letters to their sons in the army, and he doesn’t even accept money!”
As You Jiang listened, she laughed. "Your Highness... you were worried that the Prince Consort wouldn't be doing well here, but it seems he's doing quite well, like a fish in water. However, I remember Xie Chong used to be quite arrogant, the kind of person who would look down on people with his chin. In the past, he wouldn't even bother to glance at ordinary people!"
Few ordinary people are literate, and it would cost money to have scholars write for them on the street. Since it's not easy for ordinary people to earn money, most of them are reluctant to spend it. So, what they usually bring to the children in the army are clothes.
Xie Chong is a member of the Xie family. When the Xie family was still in power, he was ambitious and would never do such things.
Now that his identity and environment have changed, he's more agreeable to me than before.
Rong Ning shared the peeled chestnuts with A Ying and You Jiang, and popped a few into her own mouth as well, chewing them with relish; they were incredibly sweet.
He dusted off his hands and said lazily, "He's suited to living here now. That's good, I can do my own thing and don't have to spend energy paying attention to him."
Looking at the furnishings of the mansion, it was clear that Xie Chong was living a good life.
Why...
Sixteen years had passed, and this was probably the first time Xie Chong had personally done these things, and also the first time he had spent the New Year in a quiet and desolate place outside of Nanyang City.
Rong Ning tilted her head and thought for a moment, then looked at You Jiang and asked, "You've been away from Nanyang City for almost a year now, do you want to go back?"
"Go back? What for?"
"Go back and visit some old friends."
Upon hearing this, You Jiang knew what it meant. She glanced at Rong Ning and said indifferently, "I have no old friends in Nanyang City."
Her feelings for the Crown Prince gradually faded away in the daily grind of her busy life.
I have no hope left!
Seeing her like this, Rong Ning didn't say anything more.
With the New Year just around the corner, Rong Ning took You Jiang and A Ying to buy New Year's goods. They could buy whatever they wanted, since she had plenty of money. She also bought some for Xie Chong.
Two days passed leisurely, and then it was New Year's Eve. There weren't many people in the mansion, not even twenty including the servants, so Rong Ning simply gathered everyone together for a New Year's Eve dinner.
This Lunar New Year's Eve was neither particularly lively nor particularly quiet; it was certainly different from any other New Year's Eve.
During the first month of the lunar calendar, officials from the three prefectures came to visit Rong Ning's residence one after another. Apart from receiving guests, Rong Ning spent most of her time relaxing and recuperating.
Leisurely days always fly by. After the Lantern Festival, Rong Ning began to devote herself wholeheartedly to three things: training troops, leading troops to reclaim land, and establishing a military horse farm.
She always remembered the need to forge an invincible cavalry force, and right now, what the Southern Dynasty lacked was high-quality warhorses.
She wants to build a military horse farm and cultivate them slowly.
With various matters piling up, Rong Ning rarely returned to the manor. She left a few trusted confidants for Xie Chong to use, instructing them that as long as Xie Chong didn't do anything that crossed the line, they didn't need to interfere, just help him.
These trusted confidants both helped Xie Chong and kept an eye on him.
Ultimately, Rong Ning still didn't trust Xie Chong.
At the end of March, Rong Ning sent a message to the Crown Prince, telling him that in May, she would definitely go north to Dajing with the Southern Dynasty's envoy delegation, and asked him to find a way to do so.
Giving Rong Ning command of the Northern Border military was already a big step forward, so it wasn't so hard to accept that she would go to Da Jing with the envoy delegation. Although some minor problems were encountered, they were minor and the Crown Prince could handle them. In late April, Rong Ning received her father's decree, allowing her to travel north to Da Jing with the Southern Dynasty envoys.
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