"Does Your Excellency know me?" Ning Yao asked directly.
Following instructions from above, the official replied, "This is also the first time I've met you."
"It's our first meeting, why are you acting like this, sir?"
"I was just following orders from above."
"Up there?" Ning Yao's mind raced for a moment.
Besides the Shen family uncle and nephew, there was no other person she knew who could influence the officials of a city.
"You should know that a batch of exiled criminal slaves were sent from the capital a few days ago, right?"
Ning Yao nodded: "I know, those people are already servants in my household."
The official looked enlightened: "That's right. That group of convicts only went as far as Licheng. Along with them came a secret letter, instructing me to take good care of the young lady."
Ning Yao had her answer in her heart, so she didn't ask any more questions.
"May I ask how I should address you, sir?"
"My surname is Zhou!"
Ning Yao's mind stirred slightly: "Does Your Excellency know a young man named Zhou Yan?"
Lord Zhou was slightly taken aback: "I have a son in my family named Zhou Yan."
"Oh, what a coincidence?"
"Does the young lady know my son?"
Ning Yao nodded: "We've met once before."
Instead of being complacent, Lord Zhou was somewhat apprehensive.
"If my son has failed to provide adequate hospitality, I hope you will forgive him!"
Lord Zhou is now impatient to go back and give his son a thorough and earnest lecture.
Ning Yao said, "It's alright. Your young master is very hospitable and there is nothing wrong with him."
Lord Zhou breathed a sigh of relief, as long as that kid didn't cause any trouble.
"If there's nothing else, I'll take this person with me."
Lord Zhou quickly cupped his hands and said, "Please do as you please, young lady!"
——
The capital city, the Hall of Diligent Governance in the Imperial Palace.
Shen Ce was dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, exuding the majesty of an emperor.
"Moon City is in turmoil. I originally intended to send General Fu there. You said you want to go. Have you thought this through?"
Shen Ci'an nodded, his young eyes clear and cold: "Your subject's mind is made up, and I hope Your Majesty will grant my request!"
"Did the Imperial Uncle agree?"
Shen Ci'an pursed her lips, then shook her head: "I didn't tell him."
Shen Ce chuckled softly: "You plan to act first and report later?"
"You are the only son of the Prince Duan's family. How can anyone feel at ease with your behavior?"
"The battle at Moon City is not critical, and my brother can also gain some experience. Even if Father finds out, he won't say anything."
"Moreover, I also want to earn some merit through my own efforts."
Only then did Shen Ce look up at his younger brother, who was more than ten years younger than him.
"An'er has grown up so much!"
"Alright, since you insist on this, I will let you go. However, since General Fu will be the commander-in-chief, you will have to start as an ordinary soldier. Are you willing?"
Shen Ci'an's gaze was resolute: "Your Majesty, I am willing! I will certainly not disappoint you!"
The matter of setting off for Moon City was thus settled. After a while, Shen Ce realized that he had not left yet.
"Is there something else?"
Shen Ci'an pursed his lips: "Brother, did that group of convicts arrive safely in Licheng?"
Shen Ce suddenly realized: "You mean the letter you sent to Zhou Hongsheng?" He put down his pen, crossed his arms, and looked at Shen Ci'an with curiosity.
"What are you trying to do by sending secret letters to officials outside the capital? If someone with ulterior motives finds out, they might say that the Prince Duan's mansion and the local officials of Licheng are colluding and making some shady deal."
Shen Ci'an replied, "Your subject did not, but only asked Lord Zhou to help look after someone."
Shen Ce chuckled: "Even I wouldn't dare write a letter asking local officials to take care of someone, but you've got guts."
Shen Ci'an knew he wasn't angry, and continued, "Your Majesty may want to write, but someone has to appreciate it first."
Shen Ce had nothing to say, but could only glare at him; what he said was indeed true.
"You little rascal, you're so young and you're not learning good things. Where did you learn all these tricks?"
“This is not a trick; I am serious.”
Shen Ce looked at him seriously for a long time, and finally sighed: "Do as you please, it's none of my business. But I can remind you, the Ning family is not so simple."
"Your sister-in-law has already given birth to a son for me, and look what's happened to her now?"
Shen Ci'an said stubbornly, "My brother's situation is different from yours."
Shen Ce rolled his eyes in a very uncouth manner: "It's different. At least I had a relationship with your sister-in-law, and now we have a child together."
"And you? What do you have? Besides the position of heir apparent, what else do you have? Not to mention that you are younger than her. I have heard that most women do not like men who are younger than themselves. For someone like Ning Yao, it is probably only someone stronger than her who can make her willing."
A hint of melancholy flashed in Shen Ci'an's eyes, but then his expression hardened: "Your Majesty understands all of this, so I will start as a soldier in the army, and in time, I will surely stand shoulder to shoulder with her!"
Shen Ce was stunned for a moment. Shoulder to shoulder?
That's quite unusual!
"Alright, go and train in the army. As for other matters, I can only wish you all the best!"
On the day the army set off, Shen Ci'an, dressed as an ordinary soldier, followed the army.
Outside the main camp on the outskirts of Beijing, he silently prayed towards Licheng, "Sister, wait for me!"
——
Ning Yao brought Chen Jingrong to Pinglan Tower.
This time, however, she didn't go through the front door, but through the back door.
In a room in the backyard of Pinglan Tower, Zhilan was looking at the door while Ning Yao was interrogating Chen Jingrong inside.
"Why did you bring me here? I've said everything I needed to say. That little bitch Chen Xuanrong is so lucky; she managed to find her way to Licheng and even got saved by you!"
Ning Yao sat on the chair with her legs crossed and her hands folded on her knees.
"I don't want to know if Chen Xuanrong is lucky or not, I want to know what you fed Lou Yangyang?"
Chen Jingrong was taken aback, then immediately realized: "What did I give her to eat? She was just hit by me, it's just some minor injuries, is a doctor from a pharmacy worth all this fuss?"
Chen Jingrong felt a pang of sadness. Why did even a junior doctor have someone standing up for her?
Ning Yao stared at her coldly, saying, "You know what I mean by asking. If you pretend to be stupid, I can let you experience what Lou Yangyang feels like—a fate worse than death!"
"I'll ask you one more time, where did you get the drink from?"
Chen Jingrong felt a little flustered. Did Ning Yao know what the master had given her?
"No, it's nothing. She was just giving my grandmother a bowl of water when she was examining her."
Ning Yao sneered, her eyes filled with impatience.
"I see you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin. Since that's the case, then you should try it too!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Ning Yao redirected her spiritual energy, injecting all the turbid energy that had been stripped from Lou Yangyang's meridians into Chen Jingrong's body.
Ning Yao didn't purify that turbid air because she wanted to use it now.
When the turbid energy invaded her meridians, Chen Jingrong instantly felt the pain of her soul being torn apart.
He collapsed to the ground, and within a few breaths, he was drenched in sweat.
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