Chapter 214 - Chapter 214: 214. No need, thank you

Chapter 214: 214. No need, thank you

Translator: 549690339

On the day of the funeral, both the Wan and Yang families sent representatives.

The ones who came from the Wan family were Wan Hui’s husband, Lu Yu, and her younger brother, the fifth son of the Wan family, Wan Li.

Su Liang had met Wan Li before when she and Gu Ling, who was disguised as Ning Jing, went to Qingyang City to visit Zhengzheng.

“Miss Su, please accept my condolences,” said Wan Li as he offered the funeral gift.

Su Liang bowed slightly in return.

She turned to Lu Yu, asking, “How are Sister Wan and Zhengzheng?”

Lu Yu took a deep sigh, “We haven’t told Zhengzheng about Ning Jing’s death yet. He only thinks about when he can see you again.”

“We will visit in a few days,” Su Liang said.

The person who came from Yang family was Yang Yu’s attendant, Ya Yan, whose real identity was Nian Jincheng.

Yang Yu had wanted to come to see Su Liang but was persuaded otherwise by Nian Jincheng.

Nian Jincheng said that there was important information from Yang Yu for Su Liang, so the two of them went into a room alone to talk.

“It’s not him, is it?” Nian Jincheng asked, getting straight to the point.

He no longer being a general, he had lost some weight, and the appearance he was disguised as was the one that Su Liang had seen before. His fake voice was also very practiced.

Apart from his height, from head to toe, it was already quite hard to see any trace of the stern and strict Nian Jincheng that he had been before.

Even though he had already guessed, it wasn’t until Su Liang nodded that Nian Jincheng finally breathed a sigh of relief, “I knew he wouldn’t be in any danger.” After that, Nian Jincheng asked about what had happened.

After Su Liang gave a brief explanation, Nian Jincheng frowned, “I didn’t expect Uncle Liang to be unreliable. But it’s better this way, as he can’t live with that identity forever. Where is he now? What are his plans for the future?”

“He’s here, but I don’t know where at the moment. Maybe you’ll meet him soon,” Su Liang said. “As for the future, you should ask him. How is Yang Yu?”

“She’s doing well. She was very worried about you when she heard the terrible news and cried for a while. She originally wanted to come in person, but I finally managed to persuade her otherwise. She also said that she would accompany you if you return to the capital city,” said Nian Jincheng with a slight sigh.

He knew the real Ning Jing was already dead, and throughout Yang Yu’s acquaintance with “Ning Jing,” it had been a false character. Now, that identity was supposed to vanish, as if there had been no actual death.

But these things absolutely must not be said.

“Tell her I’m fine,” Su Liang shook her head. “What about you? How are you adjusting to your current situation?”

Nian Jincheng nodded, “I’m doing well.” After hesitating for a moment, he began, “Yang Yu and I want to get married this year. You probably don’t have any objections, right?”

Su Liang was a little surprised, but she soon laughed, “I’m a bit surprised, but it is still not entirely unexpected. It’s perfectly normal for an attractive couple to fall in love over time.”

The next moment, she heard Nian Jincheng counter with, “And what about you and that certain someone?”

With a calm tone, Su Liang replied, “Oh, it’s just that he is not normal.”

Nian Jincheng felt quite emotional, “I never thought that there would be a person who could be so compatible with me, always wanting to be by her side, and thinking about her every day when we’re apart, until I met Xiaoyu.”

With a deep and emotional voice, Su Liang said, “And I thought you and that certain someone were soulmates. Does he still have a place in your heart now?” Nian Jincheng decisively shook his head, “He belongs to you now.”

Su Liang: … Very good, this was exactly the Nian Jincheng she had hoped for. Life is short, and it’s not only a waste of time but also self-inflicted misery to give one’s heart and soul to someone who isn’t worth it.

At that time in the capital city, Su Liang had noticed that there was something going on between Yang Yu and Nian Jincheng, both of them being unfortunate souls who lacked love and yearned for family. With their compatible personalities and being by each other’s side day and night, it was only natural for feelings to develop over time without any obstruction.

They didn’t talk for very long, as they needed to go out for the funeral procession.

As the funeral was over, it began to rain heavily in Xunyang City.

Ning Jing’s spirit tablet was placed back in the ancestral hall, alongside his mother and maternal grandfather.

The guests who had traveled from afar had not yet left, and because of the bad weather, Su Liang asked them to stay at the mansion and told the servants to take care of them. She also instructed the steward to prepare some high-quality tea leaves as gifts for the Wan and Yang families.

Later in the afternoon, Su Liang wrote two letters, one to Wan Hui and one to Yang Yu, telling them that she was fine and they didn’t need to be worried. At dinner, Su Liang personally received Lu Yu and Wan Li but did not invite Nian Jincheng, choosing instead to send some food and wine to the place where he was staying.

Lu Yu was a very quiet person, and although Wan Li was young and originally quite talkative, he didn’t dare to say much at such a time. Thus, the meal was consumed in silence. Su Liang, however, took the initiative to ask about the health of the head of the Wan family and inquire about their business. After they put down their chopsticks, Su Liang handed the letter she wrote for

Wan Hui to Lu Yu.

“We will return early tomorrow morning, as Hui’er is still waiting at home,” Lu Yu said.

Su Liang nodded, “Alright. I expect to return to the capital city later in July at the latest.”

Watching Su Liang leave, Wan Li sighed, “She is truly so strong.”

Lu Yu nodded, “Yes, she and Ning Jing, though not married, had a relationship like that of close siblings and best friends. They had very close feelings, and the pain must have been hidden deep in her heart.”

Su Liang knew that Gu Ling was with Nian Jincheng, so she didn’t go to see him and went straight back to her living quarters.

“You want to be recognized by the Liang family?” Nian Jincheng was surprised.

Gu Ling reached out and took away the only bowl of soup in front of Nian

Jincheng, then took out his own chopsticks and spoon and began to taste it. Nian Jincheng: .

It was only after Gu Ling had finished half a bowl of hot soup that he nodded slightly, ‘Yes.”

Nian Jincheng was speechless, “You’re still the same, huh? Talking to you is exhausting. Even if King Yuezhen does ask the Royal Family of Qian Kingdom to forgive you, you still won’t be able to reach out to Su Liang publicly, right?”

There was a difference between the Royal Family announcing that they would no longer pursue Gu Ling and them wholeheartedly accepting him as a person.

Even if Gu Ling could go wherever he wanted in the future, he and Su Liang, in the eyes of the world, would have no interaction.

If he suddenly appeared and wanted to marry Su Liang or be friends with her, people would certainly feel that there was something fishy going on.

“You don’t have to worry about it,” Gu Ling said indifferently.

Nian Jincheng snorted, “Right, my brain isn’t enough to handle this, so I can only take care of my own affairs and not add trouble to you guys. Now that you have Su Liang looking after you, there’s nothing for me to worry about.”

Gu Ling quietly sipped his soup, not disputing the claim that Su Liang was

“taking care of him.”

Once his doubts had been addressed, Nian Jincheng spoke again with a hint of laughter barely hidden at the corner of his mouth, “Let me tell you some good news.”

Gu Ling glanced at Nian Jincheng, “You’re marrying into the Yang family?” Nian Jincheng was taken aback, “How did you know?”

“Besides that, there isn’t any other good news worth mentioning,” Gu Ling said.

Nian Jincheng’s mouth twitched slightly, even though it was the truth, it still made him want to punch Gu Ling…

However, Nian Jincheng really wanted to share his happiness with his best friend, “Xiaoyu is an upright and kindhearted person. Although she appears fragile, she is much stronger, smarter, and more capable than me.” He sincerely praised Xiaoyu and then changed the subject, “But she admires me a lot because I have great martial arts skills, and she thinks I’m impressive.”

Gu Ling looked at Nian Jincheng, whose eyes and eyebrows were brimming with joy, and did not sarcastically retort. Instead, he simply said, “Protect her well.”

Nian Jincheng nodded with a serious expression, “I will.”

He shared some common experiences with Yang Yu, understanding and appreciating each other, and he cherished this hard-won happiness. “And what about you and Su Liang?” Nian Jincheng asked Gu Ling.

Gu Ling shook his head, “Don’t worry about it.”

Nian Jincheng sighed, “Never mind. Both of you are capable and determined, I shouldn’t meddle. We plan to get married before Mid-Autumn Festival, so make sure you come to our wedding.”

“Alright.” Gu Ling nodded.

The night deepened, and the rain continued to fall.

As soon as Su Liang closed a book, a dark figure moved past the window, and Gu Ling sat across the room.

Su Liang had a study room next to her bedroom. She claimed it was to rest when she tired from reading, but it was actually for Gu Ling to stay there.

At that moment, the two sat in the study room. Su Liang mentioned Nian

Jincheng and Yang Yu’s upcoming marriage and jokingly said,

“Congratulations, you’ve successfully sold off your brother.”

Gu Ling nodded, “He has nothing, it’s a relief that Yang Yu doesn’t despise him.

Su Liang agreed, “It’s all about fate.”

They then talked about the Ning Family’s business.

Su Liang planned to study it thoroughly before deciding how to manage it. Gu Ling claimed no interest and left Su Liang to it. He wished that Su Liang would have more time to teach him medical skills and tell him stories.

The rain stopped in the middle of the night.

Early the next morning, after bidding farewell to her guests, Su Liang went to the front hall to meet the Ning Family’s stewards and listen to their business reports.

With no shortage of money, Su Liang was not particularly interested in expanding the business and making more money, but she did have some interest in tea. She planned to study the tea business thoroughly and visit the Ning Family’s tea mountains later on, picking and drying the tea to experience it all firsthand.

Due to “Ning Jing’”s funeral, all the major stewards from other places had gathered in Xunyang City to pay their respects. The reports were not yet finished by the time it was approaching noon.

Su Liang listened and took note of the names, features, and businesses of each person without providing any opinions.

The housekeeper appeared in the hall with an anxious expression, “Miss, someone is here from the Governor’s Mansion!”

Su Liang wasn’t sure what was going on, so she had the person let in.

As she was not only the new Ning Family head but also a military commander, the visitor came in and knelt down to kowtow, “General Su, my mistress is experiencing a difficult childbirth, please save her life!”

Su Liang was taken aback, not expecting it to be a request for medical help.

Without asking any further questions, she grabbed her medicine box, mounted a horse, and hurried to the Governor’s Mansion.

The old housekeeper stood at the door, watching Su Liang leave with admiration, ‘Miss not only has great skills but is also so kind-hearted.”

An older steward asked the housekeeper, “My son has been suffering from a strange illness and hasn’t recovered in more than half a year. Can we ask the family head to help…?”

The old housekeeper nodded, “Sure, when Miss comes back, I’ll ask her.”

It took Su Liang four hours to return from outside. She looked exhausted and told the old housekeeper that she would deal with the other stewards the next day.

“How did it go at the Governor’s Mansion…?” the old housekeeper asked. “The mother and child are safe and sound.” Su Liang handed the reins to a servant and carried her medicine box inside. Seeing the old housekeeper still following her, she stopped and asked if there was anything else.

The old housekeeper brought up the older steward’s son who had been suffering from a mysterious illness and had not recovered. He asked if Su Liang could help.

“Is the child in the city?” Su Liang asked.

The old housekeeper hesitated, then hastily replied, “Yes! Yes, he is!”

“Bring him here tomorrow. If it’s urgent, you can bring him today.” Su Liang said, “If it’s not convenient, I can come over.”

“Miss doesn’t need to go there, we can have him bring his son here.” The old housekeeper expressed his gratitude, “Thank you, Miss! ”

“No need for thanks.” As Su Liang finished speaking, she strode forward.

At night time, the old steward’s child was brought before Su Liang.

After taking his pulse, Su Liang asked, “How many children do you have?”

The old steward thought that Su Liang meant his son was beyond help and that he should give up. His face turned pale, and he collapsed on the floor.

The old housekeeper sighed as someone helped the old steward up. He only had that one son, born to him late in life.

“Don’t panic, there’s still hope,” Su Liang said calmly. “Someone has been poisoning him all this time. If it continues, he will truly be beyond saving. I can save him, but you need to think carefully about who in your family would want to harm him.”

The old steward was overjoyed upon hearing Su Liang say there was still hope. After listening to her words, his eyes widened, and he trembled with rage, his face turning ashen.

Su Liang first applied acupuncture to expel the poison, then fed the patient an antidote she had made. She prescribed a course of treatment and told the old steward to take his son home and return the next day. Continuous acupuncture would help him recover faster.

The old steward kowtowed in gratitude, and Su Liang couldn’t dissuade him.

Once the people were finally sent away, she changed her clothes, washed up, and had dinner served in her study.

The table in the study was further inside, so people outside wouldn’t see their silhouettes reflected on the window.

Su Liang heard the door close, and Gu Ling was already seated in his usual spot.

Without speaking, the two shared their dinner. Halfway through, Gu Ling asked about the two people Su Liang had saved that day.

“It was actually three people,” Su Liang said. The childbirth was very dangerous, and it almost took both the mother and child’s lives.

Gu Ling wanted to hear how Su Liang saved them, but he had no opportunity to witness childbirth firsthand.

“If you don’t mind the psychological impact, you can watch your wife give birth in the future.” Su Liang then went on to talk about the strange disease affecting the old steward’s son.

“He only has this one child, so it’s possible that his nephews want to seize his property and poison his only son.” Su Liang guessed this because of her acquaintance with the veteran General Peng Wei in Xuanbei City.

She had promised Peng Wei to treat his son, and it might not be long before Peng’s family sent him to her.

After dinner, they didn’t need to wash the dishes themselves. Gu Ling collected them and Su Liang left them under the eaves for the servants to pick up.

As the night deepened, Su Liang told Gu Ling two more stories from the Water Margin. As she spoke, Gu Ling sketched and wrote.

When she finished, yawning and preparing to sleep, Gu Ling handed her a piece of paper.

Su Liang took a look, nodding repeatedly, “Incredible, you have such great skill, your drawing of Lu Zhishen uprooting the willows is so lively. If you have time someday, could you paint a portrait of me?”

Feeling that her appearance was different in the mirror and on paper, Su Liang was curious about what it would look like when painted. Gu Ling agreed, “Fine, but I need to charge.”

Su Liang coughed lightly, “How much for a painting?”

Gu Ling’s lips barely moved, “One purse.”

Su Liang nodded, “Deal, I’ll buy one for you tomorrow.”

Gu Ling shook his head, “Make it yourself.”

Su Liang stood up to leave, “In that case, I don’t want it. Thank you.” She didn’t like embroidery and wasn’t skilled at it. Her own purses were gifts from Yang Yu and she didn’t want to make them herself..