The Night Before the Divorce, She Was Reborn to Before Her Marriage - Chapter 63

At that moment, Ning Fu was seated at her desk, penning a reply to Madam Ning. Hearing the remark, she looked up at Jingcheng and smiled. “Whether or not one is favored by men is truly no great matter.”

To be scrambled over by men—what good was that? In the end, one could only choose a single person, and that person might not even be a good man. Unlike men, who could simply remarry if they wed the wrong primary wife, the cost of trial and error for a woman was far higher.

Furthermore, men were pragmatic creatures. Given that her father was currently “relegated” to Liangzhou, most would likely avoid her like the plague.

Jingcheng watched her write. Though Ning Fu possessed a delicate and beautiful countenance, her calligraphy carried a hint of sharp decisiveness. Looking further up, Jingcheng saw half of her slender, pale wrist, white as a scallion.

“What did Aunt say in her letter?” Jingcheng changed the subject.

The smile in Ning Fu’s eyes grew more genuine. “She shared wonderful news.”

Her elder brother, who had been stationed beyond the border pass, had finally returned to the capital.

“Cousin Zheng is back!” Seeing the joy in Ning Fu’s expression, Jingcheng guessed the truth and bit her lip. “No wonder you insist on returning; you won’t stay a moment longer.”

Ning Fu had originally planned to return earlier to welcome her brother, but illness had delayed her. Now, it was her brother who waited for her.

“If you wish, you can come to the capital to visit,” Ning Fu suggested, seeing her cousin’s reluctance to part.

“I cannot leave Grandmother,” Jingcheng replied. Though her eyes were filled with envy, she remained rational. “My elder brother and second uncle are always busy away from home, and Grandmother is getting older. Someone must remain by her side. If the opportunity arises in the future, I will find you.”

Ning Fu had seen many noble ladies; some were competitive, some were envious, and many were as playful as Jingcheng. Yet, she had never seen one who disregarded her familial duties.

“Very well,” Ning Fu smiled. “I shall wait for you to come find me in the capital.”

Parting Words with Princess Kangyang

After sending her letter via the courier station, Ning Fu returned to the manor and crossed paths with Princess Kangyang.

“The Xie Manor sent over some Longjing tea today. Shall we sit and share a cup?” Kangyang asked upon seeing her.

Ning Fu thought for a moment before nodding. “As you wish.”

Since her arrival in Yongzhou, Ning Fu had only prepared tea for Kangyang once before. Watching her now as she arranged the tea set and lit the stove—methodical, elegant, and poised—Kangyang couldn’t help but sigh. “Even all these young lords of Yongzhou could not keep you here.”

“If a man could so easily keep me, Grandmother would have reason to worry,” Ning Fu teased softly. However, the smile never quite reached the depths of her eyes.

Kangyang’s expression softened. she had always looked down upon women who lived or died for men. “Your father has spent the last month dealing with those factions in Liangzhou. That was the Prince Xuan Manor’s territory. Your father’s ‘looting while the house is on fire’ may well earn him the Prince Xuan Manor’s grudge.”

Ning Fu countered, “Only one power remains in Liangzhou now. It is not only my father who can form a deep bond with them; the Prince Xuan Manor can do so as well. This power’s loyalty to my father and the Prince Xuan Manor are not mutually exclusive. As long as they remain useful to the Prince Xuan Manor, the loss is not significant.”

Kangyang stole a glance at her, pondering for a moment. “Are you intentionally targeting Zong Si?”

“I am merely considering the interests of the Duke’s Manor,” Ning Fu said, lowering her gaze.

They sat for a long while. Beneath the pavilion, the flowers and grass had already withered; another season had slipped away. “It feels as though you only just arrived, yet now you must leave,” Kangyang remarked. “Without you, this Princess Manor will become dreadfully dull again.”

“Thank you for your care during this time, Grandmother,” Ning Fu said after a silence.

Kangyang did not reply. She had thought about the Li Fang matter; if the Prince of Jin hadn’t provided a safety net, would she still have used Ning Fu as a pawn if she knew her granddaughter disliked Zong Si? She couldn’t give an answer. Human hearts are treacherous; no one knows what they might do when cornered. For Ning Fu, that would have been betrayal—and how many can easily forgive a betrayal?

Kangyang closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, her gaze was clear. She did not explain her difficulties, only asking, “When do you plan to leave?”

“Mother has already urged me to return as soon as possible. I will depart the day after tomorrow.”

Kangyang froze for a moment, then went silent. Finally, she said, “So be it. Your mother must miss you dearly. I will have the horses and carriage prepared.”

“Mother misses you too, Grandmother,” Ning Fu added.

Thinking of her daughter, a trace of a smile appeared in Kangyang’s eyes. “You have matured; you look exactly like your mother.” Indeed, the student had surpassed the master.

On the day of her departure, only Kangyang and Jingcheng came to see her off. Kangyang had dismissed everyone else from the various manors in Yongzhou, unwilling to watch those young lords gawk at her granddaughter.

Jingcheng’s eyes were red, tears shimmering like a discarded little fox. Kangyang maintained her usual haughty composure, ordering her servants to pack the carriage full of rare treasures.

“It is late; you should begin your journey. Write to me when you reach the capital,” Kangyang commanded.

“Grandmother, please take care of yourself,” Ning Fu couldn’t help but say. Kangyang only smiled and waved for her to board the carriage.

As the carriage pulled away, Ning Fu watched the figures in the distance grow smaller. A touch of sorrow finally bloomed in her heart.

“Miss, Young Master Zheng must have missed you terribly. You will finally see him,” the maid Dong Zhu said excitedly.

At the mention of Ning Zheng, Ning Fu’s heart filled with anticipation. The last time she had seen her brother, he was a cold corpse. She still remembered that bone-deep pain. In two lifetimes, nothing had broken her heart more. Now, finally, she would see him again.

The Capital and the Palace

Half a month later, in the Imperial Palace.

As Ning Zheng was reporting his duties to Emperor Jingwen, Eunuch Zhang announced, “Your Majesty, the Heir Apparent requests an audience.”

“Let him in,” the Emperor said calmly.

Ning Zheng couldn’t help but look back. Zong Si entered, dressed in a dark-patterned silk robe of deep black. He wore a rare, exquisite jade hairpin in his crown. His features were refined, yet his composed aura carried a distinct chill.

Sensing his gaze, Zong Si glanced at him—just a single, cold look that seemed to hold him in no regard at all.

Ning Zheng retracted his gaze, equally dismissive. He had always disliked Zong Si, finding his aloofness to be an act. Even as children, they could never get along, once even coming to blows over a kite for Ning Fu.

“My sister wants it; I hope the Heir Apparent will part with it,” a young Ning Zheng had said politely back then, wanting the sparrow kite for his sister. Beside him, the four-year-old Ning Fu had looked at Zong Si with wide, expectant eyes.

“What does your sister’s desire have to do with me?” Zong Si had replied coldly. “If you have the ability, take it back yourself.”

Ning Zheng hadn’t won it, and the kite ended up with Xie Ruyi, leaving Ning Fu green with envy. Remembering that Zong Si had recently incurred the Emperor’s wrath because of the Princess Kangyang affair, Ning Zheng felt a surge of satisfaction. Serves him right.

“Your Majesty,” Zong Si bowed.

“I punished you for three months, and your aunt (Consort Zong) has been angry with me ever since,” the Emperor said amiably. “Now that the three months have passed, go visit her and say a few kind words for me.”

“I obey,” Zong Si replied.

The Emperor continued with concern, “Your mother mentioned your marriage to your aunt when you returned from Yongzhou, but it was delayed by your punishment. It is time to put this on the agenda. Do you have a young lady in mind?”

“The noble ladies of the capital are all elegant and refined,” Zong Si said, “but I currently have no one I admire.”

Hypocrite, Ning Zheng cursed inwardly. He knew Zong Si just didn’t want the Emperor to know his thoughts.

The Emperor laughed. “Your standards are too high. I thought the Xie girl was a match, but you two didn’t see eye to eye. I wonder who could possibly satisfy you.”

The Emperor then turned to Ning Zheng. “Zheng-er, has your marriage been settled yet?”

“I have my own plans,” Ning Zheng answered honestly. “Your Majesty, I have a request. May I be dismissed early today?”

“Is there something urgent?” the Emperor asked curiously.

“My sister, A-Fu, returns to the capital today. We haven’t met in two years, and I wish to welcome her home,” Ning Zheng said.

Zong Si looked at him.

The Emperor mused, “A-Fu… she has reached the age of her Ji Li (Coming-of-Age), hasn’t she? The Empress mentioned her several times after the New Year’s banquet last year, saying she was a charming girl.”

The words were heavy with meaning. Since the Emperor could not currently touch the Princess Kangyang Manor, he might use a marriage alliance to appease them. While he didn’t trust Kangyang’s biological granddaughter, a granddaughter-in-law once removed was different—especially since the Duke’s Manor held no military power.

Ning Zheng feigned ignorance and made his exit, bumping into Meng Ze outside.

“Leaving so early?” Meng Ze was polite; the Duke’s Manor was a useful ally to court.

“My sister returns today; I must get home,” Ning Zheng replied coolly.

“I raised a parrot for the Fourth Miss,” Meng Ze remembered. “It is stable now; I should return it to her.”

The two arrived at the Duke’s Manor just as a carriage pulled up. A slender, jade-white hand lifted the curtain. When the woman stepped down, Meng Ze’s breath hitched. Ning Fu was already a beauty, but she now possessed an alluring, womanly grace that could stir any man’s desire.

“Brother!” Ning Fu cried out with a smile the moment she saw Ning Zheng, though her eyes were instantly rimmed with red.