Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: 116. Settled with one word (second revision)

Chapter 116: 116. Settled with one word (second revision)

Translator: 549690339

By the time Ning Jing and Su Liang arrived at the Wan Family after their visit to the Qin Family, it was already late and Zhengzheng was asleep.

Wan Hui was very pleased and said that Zhengzheng had been looking forward to their visit and asked about them every day.

Ning Jing and Su Liang went to see Zhengzheng. The little fellow was sleeping soundly with a rosy face, and there was a small wooden puppet Ning Jing had made for him next to his pillow.

Back in the outer room, Su Liang asked Wan Hui, “Sister Wan, have the Li family been causing trouble for you again?”

She shook her head. “The Li family has business problems, and Li Chen doesn’t have the time to bother us for now.”

And their business troubles were due to a secret alliance against them by the Li family, led by Wan Ning and other families.

“That’s good.” Su Liang nodded, “Let Zhengzheng sleep. We just came to pay a visit and have a look. We will visit again tomorrow.”

Wan Hui then mentioned that she had a large mansion, had prepared a courtyard for Ning Jing and Su Liang, and hoped they would stay.

She had just visited the Ning Family’s tea house the day before and knew that Ning Jing had not yet asked the steward to prepare a house for him.

“Our clothes and other things are over there, let’s go back for tonight.” Su Liang smiled. She had a book that she planned to finish reading that night.

Ning Jing asked, “Can I take Zhengzheng with me?”

Wan Hui was taken aback, then laughed and said, “Sure! What could I possibly worry about with you two? Take him! Don’t rush to bring him back!”

So, Ning Jing went back into the inner room, carefully wrapped Zhengzheng in a small blanket and picked him up.

Zhengzheng unconsciously snuggled in Ning Jing’s arms, never waking up. Wan Hui quickly packed a small bundle for Su Liang and let them take the child

away.

As Lu Yu hugged Wan Hui and returned to their room, he suggested, “How about swearing brotherhood and sisterhood?”

Wan Hui laughed, “Father had mentioned it earlier, but the problem is that Ning Jing and Su Liang are not husband and wife. If Zhengzheng recognized them as his godparents, it would be a bit strange. Let’s leave it for now. But I think they’ll get married sooner or later.”

The night grew deeper.

All the shops on the street were closed, and there were no more pedestrians.

Ning Jing, holding Zhengzheng, and Su Liang walked through the quiet streets back to the small courtyard behind the tea house.

The steward’s subordinate, upon seeing them return, quickly greeted them saying the hot water was ready and asked if there were any other instructions. Zhengzheng slept with Ning Jing and did not wake up when he was placed on the bed.

Su Liang took a hot bath to freshen up, which was quite relaxing. She sat on the bed reading the rest of her book before sleep, and fell asleep quickly after laving down.

On their first day waking up in the capital city, Su Liang heard Zhengzheng laughing in the courtyard as soon as she opened her eyes.

She got ready and stepped outside, and Zhengzheng happily ran over calling out “Auntie”.

As Su Liang crouched down to hug him, the little fellow’s eyes sparkled,

“Auntie, I missed you so much!”

Su Liang smiled brightly, “I missed Zhengzheng too.”

The servants brought breakfast. It wasn’t made by the tea house, but bought from a famous breakfast joint in the city.

Breakfast with two adults and a child was delightful to Su Liang, and she found the food quite tasty.

According to Ning Jing and Su Liang’s plan, they were supposed to visit the Lin Family today. Su Liang had promised Lin Xueqing that she’d visit her after arriving in the capital city.

Yang Yu mentioned in a letter to Su Liang earlier in the year that she would visit the capital city to inspect her shops after the new year. However, Wan Hui said last night that Yang Yu hadn’t arrived yet. Su Liang was already acquainted with her.

The time to give Old Master Qin acupuncture treatment was a little later, so it was enough to visit the Lin Family first and then go to him.

Just after breakfast, Xing Yusheng arrived.

Seeing a little boy sitting next to Ning Jing, Xing Yusheng was taken aback and asked, “This is…” Could it be that Ning Jing had an illegitimate child? Surely not?

“He’s our friend’s child,” Su Liang answered.

Xing Yusheng smiled, “How adorable. What’s his name?”

“My name is Zhengzheng!” Zhengzheng’s voice was clear and crisp. His full name was Wan Zhengmin.

“Zhengzheng, this is Uncle Xing,” Su Liang introduced.

“Hello, Uncle Xing!” Zhengzheng waved to Xing Yusheng.

Xing Yusheng suddenly thought that getting married wouldn’t be so bad. He could have a chubby baby the thought of it made him feel very blissful.

“Crown Prince Xing?” Su Liang noticed that Xing Yusheng was lost in thought and called him a couple of times.

Xing Yusheng blushed slightly, “Sorry. I was actually wondering if you’re free today. We can go and look at the mansion together. If you find anything unsuitable, we can still make changes.”

“We’re not free.” The one who spoke was Ning Jing. Zhengzheng parroted him, “Not free!”

Xing Yusheng felt awkward and looked at Su Liang.

Su Liang smiled, “We are visiting an elder today. Afterwards, I will be giving acupuncture treatment to Old Master Qin. The matter of the mansion can wait.” Xing Yusheng nodded, “Alright, you’re busy. I’ll go and see my grandfather.”

With that, Xing Yusheng took his leave.

Upon stepping onto the carriage, Xing Yusheng heaved a sigh.

Qi Jun asked, “Master, what’s wrong? Did Miss Su give you the cold shoulder?”

Xing Yusheng shook his head, “How could that be? She’s always very polite to me. Initially, I thought aside from Ning Jing, I was the closest person to her in the capital city. But I now realize that I had been overthinking. She has other friends and elders that I didn’t know about.”

“Master, if you want to know more about Miss Su, you can ask her directly. She is not the kind of person who likes to beat around the bush. She will tell you whatever she can,” Qi Jun suggested.

Xing Yusheng sighed, “She saved me first, then my grandfather, and one could even say that she saved my entire Xing Family. I always feel like I owe her.

After some thought, Qi Jun said, “In my opinion, the biggest obstacle is still Ning Jing. With him by Miss Su’s side, others have no chance to get close to her. ”

“That’s obvious,” Xing Yusheng acknowledged, obviously aware of that fact.

“Why don’t the master have a talk with Ning Jing? I think Ning Jing genuinely treats Miss Su like his sister. The master has to pass Ning Jing’s test first,” Qi Jun analyzed.

Xing Yusheng frowned, “Ning Jing has never liked me, he never tried to hide it.’

Qi Jun gave a light cough, “Master, don’t overthink it. Ning Jing has always been aloof, it’s not specifically towards you.”

Xing Yusheng rubbed his forehead, “I’ll think about it.”

Ning Jing and Su Liang took Zhengzheng to visit the Lin Family.

Lin Boyan was working a position at the Ministry of Rites, and Lin Bojun had left the capital city on an official mission. Neither of the brothers was home.

Lin Shuzhi was overjoyed upon hearing the servant’s report that Master Ning was visiting.

“Sister Su!” Lin Xueqing swooped in, her purple dress making her look like a graceful, purple butterfly.

Lin Shuzhi followed closely behind, and upon seeing Ning Jing and Su Liang, his face broke into a wide smile, “Finally, you’re here!”

Zhengzheng peeked out from Ning Jing’s back, curiously observing Lin Shuzhi and Lin Xueqing.

Lin Shuzhi paused, “So this is… the child from the basket that day…”

Ning Jing nodded. Lin Shuzhi and Lin Xueqing had seen Zhengzheng before when Ning Jing had hidden him in the basket.

“Grandpa Lin! Auntie Qing!” Zhengzheng repeated names after Su Liang.

Lin Shuzhi picked him up, cheerfully leading the way, “Now that you’re here, feel at home!”

The earlier secrecy was due to the delicate situation surrounding the Bei Jingwang Mansion. But now that verdicts on the investiture and iron mine smuggling cases were out, Qian Country had no more nobles with a different surname, and Xing Yusheng had become the crown prince of a Marquis’ mansion in the capital city. There was no need for discretion anymore.

Lin Xueqing, her arms linked with Su Liang’s, was all smiles, “I’ve prepared rooms for brother Ning and sister Su! Now that you’re here, don’t think about leaving!”

“Auntie, come to my house!” Zhengzheng noted that his parents had also prepared rooms for Su Liang and Ning Jing, and he had put lots of treasures into it.

Su Liang noticed herself becoming increasingly popular all of a sudden. But the more this happened, the more she had to limit socializing. She had a lot to learn, so it seemed the most suitable to stay at the mansion Duanmu Chen had arranged for her.

The person who voiced the refusal was Ning Jing, he simply said three words, “I prefer quiet.”

Lin Xueqing glared at him, “Brother Ning, do you find me noisy? Then you may leave, I invited Sister Su.”

“She has to cook for me.” Ning Jing didn’t hesitate to imply that he was controlling and exploiting Su Liang.

Lin Shuzhi frowned at these words.

Su Liang laughed lightly, “I need to prepare for the Military Exam, there isn’t much time left. I want to focus on training, hence I need a training ground.”

Lin Xueqing sighed, “Alright, that’s something we don’t have at my house.”

The Lin’s were modestly off. The city mansion they lived in wasn’t spacious, it was just enough for the two brothers. Having Ning Jing and Su Liang stay over would be a bit tight. There was no garden, let alone a large open space for a training ground.

After a while, a thought flashed across Lin Xueqing’s mind, “Then I can stay at sister Su’s house! Although my cooking skills are far inferior to sister Su’s, both my dad and elder brother praised my dishes. I could take care of sister Su, and she would be able to focus on preparing for the Military Exam!” Looking at Lin Xueqing’s sincerity, Su Liang declined gracefully.

So, Lin Xueqing had to give up.

Lin Shuzhi and Ning Jing took up a conversation while Su Liang and Lin Xueqing prepared lunch.

In the meantime, Lin Boyan returned.

As Lin Bojun was mentioned, who had gone to the South, Lin Shuzhi couldn’t hide his worry. But his son had chosen this path. These were inevitable experiences, and all he could do was pray at home for Lin Bojun’s safety and early return.

The atmosphere at lunch was warm and lively because of Zhengzheng.

Lin Xueqing mentioned Qin Yujin, saying they had already become good friends and she liked Qin Yujin very much.

“My second brother said when he left that, upon his return, if he has made accomplishments, he would propose to the Qin family!” Lin Xueqing sighed, “But, I discovered that Yu Jin seems to have someone in her heart.”

Lin Shuzhi and Lin Boyan kept their composure, obviously Lin Xueqing had already informed them about this. Only Lin Bojun, who was out of town, remained unaware.

“You might know him, it’s General Nian Jincheng.” Lin Xueqing said.

Qin Yujin had treated Lin Xueqing as a confidante, and before Lin Xueqing could ask how Qin Yujin felt about her second brother, she found out Qin Yujin might already have someone she liked.

Su Liang was slightly surprised; it seems like she wouldn’t need to play matchmaker for Lin Bojun after all.

“I hope Second Brother won’t be too sad when he comes back. He’s on good terms with General Nian,” Lin Xueqing said.

This was a topic on which Su Liang couldn’t easily voice an opinion. Qin Yujin had feelings for Nian Jincheng, but it was still unclear what Nian Jincheng thought.

In the afternoon, Su Liang and Ning Jing left the Lin Family with Zhengzheng and headed to the Qin Family.

On the way, Su Liang asked Ning Jing, “Do you think there’s a chance for Nian Jincheng and Qin Yujin?”

“They are not suitable,” Ning Jing replied, her expression indifferent.

Surprised, Su Liang had assumed that Ning Jing would say, “I don’t know”. “Why aren’t they suitable?” she asked.

“If Nian Jincheng can’t let go of the Nian Family, he should spare Miss Qin any anguish,” Ning Jing said.

With a light cough, Su Liang replied, “You really are a good brother to him. However, I also feel that Qin Yujin and Second Brother Lin make quite a nice match.”

“Uncle Ning and Auntie are a good match! ” Zhengzheng chimed in, grinning from ear to ear.

Both Su Liang and Ning Jing chose to ignore the comment.

Upon their arrival at the Qin residence, Su Liang first administered acupuncture to Old Master Qin. 1–1is condition had improved somewhat compared to yesterday.

After that, Xing Yusheng mentioned that his uncle, Qin Kang, wanted to speak with Su Liang.

Ning Jing took Zhengzheng to play in the garden of the Qin Mansion, while Su Liang was led by Xing Yusheng to Qin Kang’s study room.

In the study, Qin Kang first expressed his gratitude to Su Liang, then spoke directly. “Miss Su saved Yusheng, and now has saved my father. If there is anything the Qin family can assist you with, please do not hesitate to mention it. We will do our utmost to help.”

Su Liang enjoyed dealing with people like this, who didn’t talk about feelings or make empty promises, and who reciprocated favours with tangible benefits.

Today, Su Liang came prepared. Even if Qin Kang had not asked, she would have brought up her request.

“Since Duke Qin is so decisive, I won’t be shy,” Su Liang said with a smile.

“Miss Su, feel free to state your request, ” Qin Kang replied seriously.

“I would like the Qin family’s Pardon Token,” Su Liang said.

Qin Kang was stunned, as was Xing Yusheng who was seated nearby.

Truth be told, the fact that Su Liang saved Old Master Qin did not merit such a token. Even if Su Liang hadn’t intervened, the old imperial physician could have saved the old man’s life, albeit with differing outcomes. Su Liang was confident that she could get Old Master Qin back to full health.

However, if they include the fact that Su Liang saved Xing Yusheng, it was a different matter altogether.

Although Xing Yusheng had initially compensated her, his rewards could not make up for the timely warning that Su Liang gave, which not only averted a

crisis for the Xing Family but also spared the Qin Family from getting involved.

Su Liang had the option to ask for nothing, but if she did ask for something, it was her rightful due, even if it was a Pardon Token.

If the token had belonged to Xing Yusheng, he would have given it to her without hesitation. But it belonged to the Qin family. It was not his place to say anything at this point.

Many things didn’t need to be explained; Qin Kang understood them instinctively.

After a lengthy contemplation, Qin Kang sighed and nodded, “Agreed. The Qin family’s Pardon Token will be given to Miss Su.”

With a smile, Su Liang responded, “Perhaps neither of us will need it. This matter can remain confidential for now. If the Qin family should need it first, feel free to use it as if I had not made the request today. But if a day comes when I do need it, and the token is still available, I hope the Qin family will remember our agreement today. How does that sound?”

“It’s a deal!” Qin Kang agreed, visibly relaxed..