The Night Before the Divorce, She Was Reborn to Before Her Marriage - Chapter 49

Ning Fu had no intention of discussing marriage right now. She smiled and said, “Even Maternal Grandmother wants to marry me off?”

Princess Kang Yang was susceptible to this kind of playful flattery, and her heart softened considerably.

She said, “If you don’t want to, Maternal Grandmother won’t force you. Not getting married is no great matter. Just find a few men to pass the time with; Yongzhou has no shortage of handsome men.”

Mother would probably never allow her back to the Duke Manor if she did that, so Ning Fu didn’t dare to reply.

“Never mind. Go and rest first. You’ll have plenty of chances to admire the scenery of the Princess’s Manor and Yongzhou City,” Princess Kang Yang said.

After leaving the West Courtyard, Princess Kang Yang couldn’t help but comment, “Chéng Yīn raised this daughter to be a bit too conventional. That temperament is easy to take advantage of.”

Nanny Zhuang, who was beside her, smiled and said, “Princess, if young ladies in the capital were not like this, they would be gossiped about. Moreover, the Fourth Miss has good scores in archery and riding. The Young Mistress raised the Fourth Miss well. Besides, if there are any shortcomings, you can teach her more.”

Princess Kang Yang’s expression softened, but she worried, “The Prince Xuan’s residence has been monitoring me closely recently, forcing me to handle the Li Fang matter meticulously. Otherwise, I could properly accompany Ah Fu and take her out to have fun.”

She truly wanted to bond with this granddaughter whom she had never met before.

“With Prince Jin still present, the Prince Xuan’s residence must be cautious in this matter, Princess, so you need not worry,” Nanny Zhuang soothed her.

Ning Fu slept for a full two hours. When she woke up, Dong Zhu was locked in a staring contest with another maid.

“Fourth Miss is awake.” The maid curved her eyes and approached with clothes in hand.

“I will serve the mistress,” Dong Zhu said, unwilling to trust an outsider.

The maid smiled again, bowed, and retreated.

“Mistress, this Princess’s Manor is so lavish,” Dong Zhu whispered cautiously. “The luxury makes me uneasy.”

Even Dong Zhu thought so. Ning Fu sighed inwardly. If her maternal grandmother did not tread carefully, she would become prey in the mouths of others someday.

Jing Zhe and Jing Cheng had returned to the manor early because Ning Fu arrived in Yongzhou today.

Princess Royal Kang Yang had two sons and one daughter. Her deceased son (Ning Fu’s uncle) left behind only his son, Jing Zhe, and daughter, Jing Cheng. Her second son (Ning Fu’s other uncle) currently served under Prince Jin.

Since there were few people in the manor, Ning Fu naturally knew who the people before her were. She said, “Cousin Jing Zhe, Cousin Jing Cheng.”

Jing Zhe was already married and was a steady person. He merely nodded, acknowledging her, and expressed a few words of concern.

Jing Cheng, however, enthusiastically pulled her closer, asking after her well-being and inquiring about interesting events in the capital.

“I heard there is a woman in the capital named Yue Niang, and recently, the Heir Apparent of the Prince Xuan’s residence severely injured General Yelü for her sake. Do you know this Yue Niang?” Jing Cheng asked her.

Ning Fu was startled, having been traveling and unaware of the news.

Jing Cheng asked, “Is that Yue Niang truly as beautiful as the rumors claim?”

Ning Fu regained her composure and smiled faintly. “Yue Niang is indeed a rare beauty. The first time I saw her, I couldn’t take my eyes off her.”

Princess Kang Yang detested hearing about the Prince Xuan’s residence most. She frowned and said coldly, “Why are you concerning yourself with the affairs of the Prince Xuan’s residence?”

Jing Cheng stuck out her tongue and mouthed to Ning Fu: We’ll talk later.

Ning Fu found it amusing, but she understood Jing Cheng. The capital had more young gentlemen and ladies, and was generally more interesting. People always yearned for excitement.

Jing Cheng was naturally outgoing and went to Ning Fu’s room to sleep with her that night.

Perhaps because of their blood ties, Ning Fu didn’t reject her. Moreover, the West Courtyard was too large and felt a bit desolate to live in alone.

“Who is your beloved in the capital?” Jing Cheng lay facing her. After looking at her for a moment, she suddenly looked up at her face and asked with interest.

Ning Fu looked at her in confusion.

Jing Cheng reached out and gently touched the area above her collarbone, her eyes shimmering. “He kissed you here. Such a red mark. He really likes you.”

Ning Fu hadn’t even noticed it herself.

Ning Fu’s face instantly flushed crimson, then suddenly turned deathly pale. Fortunately, during this month, she had handled all her washing and dressing herself. If someone else had discovered this, her reputation would have been ruined.

“Did you take off your clothes with him?” Jing Cheng asked softly.

Ning Fu understood what Jing Cheng meant and shook her head.

Jing Cheng leaned closer, their breaths mingling. “To kiss you like this and yet not take off your clothes, then he loves you.”

The two meanings of ‘like/love’ were different. The former was liking her body; the latter referred to loving her as a person.

Ning Fu said, “There is no private affection between us.” She told Jing Cheng about that day. She should have kept the secret to herself and told no one, but perhaps wanting someone to confide in, she recounted the events of that day, though she did not reveal the man was Zong Si.

“Was it the Heir Apparent?” Jing Cheng guessed when she heard the mention of Fuluo Meng.

Ning Fu lowered her eyes and said nothing.

Jing Cheng felt a hint of regret. She stroked Ning Fu’s face and said, “Forget about what happened in the capital. Here in Yongzhou, no one would dare to dislike you.”

Ning Fu was slightly worried that her maternal grandmother’s absolute power might not be a good thing. The reason she agreed to her mother’s suggestion to recuperate in Yongzhou was precisely because of the Li Fang incident, which her maternal grandmother mishandled, leading to her eventual downfall.

Although Yongzhou was remote, the scenery was exceptionally beautiful, with continuous, majestic mountains and pleasant natural waters.

Furthermore, Yongzhou was Princess Royal Kang Yang’s territory. Unlike the capital, the young ladies from various manors were not strictly constrained and overly cautious. Here, the freedom to leave the manor whenever one wished was a rarity.

Jing Cheng took her sightseeing for the first few days, but then had Xie Heng accompany her, allowing Ning Fu to venture out and explore on her own.

Princess Royal Kang Yang had originally wanted to host a banquet to introduce her, but Ning Fu refused. She had only come here to live a more relaxed life and truly didn’t want to memorize strangers’ names.

“If that’s the case, I will respect your wish,” Princess Royal Kang Yang was not overly concerned about the matter. It was good for her to get familiar with the place first.

Jing Cheng did scout for information for others. “They’re all asking which manor’s young gentleman you will meet first, and they gave me a lot of silver. We can split it later.”

Ning Fu didn’t want to meet anyone, nor did she want to offend anyone. Besides, she was here for an important reason.

Jing Cheng chuckled. “I knew you couldn’t decide, so I told them whoever had the best martial arts should meet you first.”

“Did you just send someone out to post a letter?” Ning Fu asked.

Jing Cheng’s smile became even brighter. She hummed in affirmation. “Do you want to know the contents of the letter?”

She had no interest in other people’s private matters, so she shook her head.

Ning Fu’s secretive behavior only drove the young gentlemen of Yongzhou crazy. They had only heard that she was a rare beauty and were curious about her. There were many instances of them losing their temper and fighting on the horse track just to see her, with some even ending up bruised and bloody.

It made her appear like a woman who caused disaster.

Ning Fu knew perfectly well that their frenzy was due to their masculine pride and inherent competitiveness, not genuine passion for her.

This news eventually reached Ning Zhenyuan, causing him great worry. He only hoped the news wouldn’t travel back to the capital, although that was likely impossible; news traveled faster to the capital than to Liangzhou.

Ning Zhenyuan planned to visit his daughter in Yongzhou. It was only a two-hour journey, and he could spare the time.

Ning Fu had received a letter from her father saying he was coming to see her and stayed inside the manor that day.

She didn’t expect her father to arrive with Lu Xingzhi.

The man had tanned slightly after six months of experience, but his features were even more defined and handsome. His waist was narrow and his legs long, exuding the characteristic resilience of a military general.

“Master Lu,” Ning Fu curtsied.

Lu Xingzhi’s gaze briefly swept over Xie Heng before settling on Ning Fu. “Fourth Miss looks a bit thinner.”

Princess Kang Yang observed Lu Xingzhi. With such an unassuming yet commanding presence, he was clearly not a simple person. Upon closer inspection, he had a subtle aura reminiscent of Prince Xuan. Though she disliked Prince Xuan, she still respected his power.

“And this gentleman is…”

“I am Lu Xingzhi.”

Princess Kang Yang’s gaze became more meaningful. Anyone Ning Zhenyuan, the old conservative, would bring along must be important, and at the very least, endorsed by his daughter (Ning Fu’s mother).

“Ah Fu, since Master Lu is a guest, why don’t you take him on a tour?” Princess Kang Yang was too perceptive to be intrusive.

Jing Cheng couldn’t help but sigh. She had thought the man from the capital was the main interest and had even tried to write a letter to the Heir Apparent of the Prince Xuan’s residence, mimicking Ning Fu’s handwriting and tone.

Her purpose was simply to test Zong Si’s attitude: would he truly remain indifferent? Jing Cheng didn’t think so; why would he have saved her if he were truly indifferent?

But if the gentleman favored by the Ning State Duke Manor was Lu Xingzhi, then Zong Si’s attitude ceased to matter.

Right now, Zong Si had probably already received her letter.