Chapter 104: 104. You escort me back to the capital (first watch)
Translator: 549690339
The gate opened, the carriage went straight in, and stopped close to the eaves.
Su Liang got off first, while Yan Shiba lazed, waiting to be carried out, with a smug expression.
Su Liang carried Yan Shiba horizontally and took her back to the room.
Su Liang didn’t look back, “Ning Jing, boil water, I want to wash my face.” Yan Shiba: …
Ning Jing drove the carriage to the backyard, tied the horses under the shed, and went to the kitchen to boil water.
Su Liang put Yan Shiba on the bed, pulled back the quilt, and checked her leg.
“There’s feeling, but yesterday I tried to stand up, it hurt like needles jabbing.”
Yan Shiba looked somewhat annoyed, “Like a cripple!”
Su Liang calmly corrected, “Not like, it actually is crippled.”
Yan Shiba grabbed a pillow and threw it at Su Liang, “Is that how you talk to your sister?”
Su Liang didn’t get angry or annoyed, she grabbed the pillow, propped up Yan Shiba, put it behind her waist, and let her sit on the bed.
“That’s more like it.” Yan Shiba was grudgingly satisfied with Su Liang’s attitude, “From now on, you have to listen to me and be good to me, got it?”
Su Liang pinched Yan Shiba’s injured arm, and she gasped, “You’re trying to kill your sister!”
“Not very optimistic, it seems you have to wait at least until the end of this winter.” Su Liang put down her arm.
“Did you listen to the rules I mentioned just now?” Yan Shiba patted the bed with her healthy hand, insisting on a reply.
Su Liang sat down by the bed, “First of all, you taking me as your sister is your own wishful thinking, I didn’t agree to it.”
Yan Shiba’s face changed instantly.
But then Su Liang continued, “Secondly, I can agree to that. The only reason you’re my sister is that you’re older than me. Becoming sisters is something you begged me for, and you need to admit that.”
Yan Shiba gritted her teeth, “I have to beg you to be your sister?”
Su Liang nodded, “Don’t try to get something for nothing with me. You want me as a sister, yet you want me to spoil you, why don’t you just go to heaven? Which eye of yours saw me as a foolish woman? Stop playing games. Even if you don’t beg me, I won’t throw you out. I’ll continue to treat you, and I’ll give you the bill for the diagnosis fee when you leave. If you don’t pay, I’ll close the door and let Ning Jing go. If you beg me, we can be sisters, but you have to listen to me and be good to me.”
“I knew you were a little bastard!” Yan Shiba stared at Su Liang.
Su Liang shrugged, “Your choice. If you don’t like it, find someone else.”
Yan Shiba quickly changed her mind, “Fine, let me suffer a little and become your younger sister, calling you sister, you should listen to me and be good to me, right?”
“Stop with the nonsense.” Su Liang got up and walked away, reaching the doorway in the blink of an eye.
Yan Shiba hit the bed again, “Alright, I won’t argue with you! Let’s do it your way!”
“Which way did I say?” Su Liang looked back and asked.
“I’ll be the older sister, listen to you, and be good to you! Is that okay?” Yan Shiba huffed.
Su Liang shook her head, “No, it’s not. You have to beg me.”
“Xiaoliang, know when to quit!” Yan Shiba snorted, “In my life, I’ve never begged anyone!”
“Suit yourself.” Su Liang was about to turn back.
She heard Yan Shiba’s voice from behind, “I beg you! I beg you! I beg you! Are you satisfied now?”
“It’s alright. Depending on your performance.” Su Liang left the room after speaking.
Yan Shiba slapped her forehead, feeling as if she had lost her mind.
In an instant, Yan Shiba muttered, “Just you wait, when you have feelings for me, I’ll teach you a lesson, you little bastard!”
Su Liang returned to her room, which was still as it was when she left.
While Su Liang was chatting with Yan Shiba, Ning Jing had brought a charcoal basin in, but it hadn’t warmed up yet.
Su Liang changed her clothes and went to the kitchen.
Ning Jing scooped up the hot water, “Wash your face.”
“She begged to be my sister, what do you think?” Su Liang asked Ning Jing’s opinion as she washed.
“Don’t easily trust her.” Ning Jing said.
“I think so too.” Su Liang nodded, “She’s a bit moody. Maybe she’s just interested in me for now. If she loses interest one day, who knows what she’ll do. Let’s keep it that way for now, and wait until she’s recovered to decide.”
Bai Xiaohu and Zhuzi carried a basket of sweet potatoes over, which Old Bai gave them, knowing they liked to eat them.
Su Liang told Ning Jing to cut half of the ribs they bought, put them in the basket, and let the little brothers take them back.
The room was cold, so Su Liang and Ning Jing stayed in the kitchen, one lighting the fire and the other preparing the ingredients, getting ready to stew the rib soup first.
The snow outside grew heavier, and with the kitchen door closed, the fire in the stove was blazing and warm.
“The iron smuggling case, Mai Fei said to keep it a secret, there must be results by now. It couldn’t be Bei Jingwang, right? If you’re not in trouble then Xing Yusheng will be in danger.” Su Liang said.
Ning Jing shook his head, “I don’t know. Even if it’s Bei Jingwang, Xing
Yusheng won’t die.”
Su Liang was puzzled, “Why? If the emperor wants to cut vassal ties and catches Bei Jingwang in such a big scandal, he will surely eradicate them.”
“Qin Family’s ancestor was a founding hero and has a life-saving golden medal that hasn’t been used yet.” Ning Jing said.
Su Liang nodded, “So that’s why. If the Xing family is in trouble, it’s only human for the Qin family’s old man to save the sickly grandson. But in this case, isn’t Xing Yusheng’s grandmother doomed? What can he do about it?”
Ning Jing frowned slightly, “He can give the life-saving golden medal to his grandmother, the emperor won’t object.”
“I believe when it comes to that point, Xing Yusheng would be willing to do that, but how could his grandmother agree? She might leave first, so he wouldn’t be embarrassed.” Su Liang sighed.
“It may not be Bei Jingwang.” Ning Jing said.
“I hope not. After all, Xing Yusheng is our friend, even if he doesn’t have a good relationship with his father, he must care about his grandmother.” Su Liang said.
At this time, snow was also falling in the capital city of Qian Country, which was located in the middle. Although the snow was much lighter than in Bei’an County, the sudden drop in temperature still made people unable to adapt.
Before entering the capital, Xing Yusheng was treated by Su Liang, which had improved his health a lot. He had been pretending to be weak while sitting in a wheelchair since then.
The sudden drop in temperature caused him to cough again.
Recently, there were many rumors in the capital about the iron mining smuggling case, and most of them pointed to Bei Jingwang as the mastermind.
After all, there was only one vassal king in the north. From a positional point of view, Bei Jingwang was indeed the biggest suspect.
Duanmu Chen, the fourth son of the emperor who was in charge of the investigation, had not yet returned to the capital, and nothing had happened in the palace yet.
As Su Liang said, Xing Yusheng was very anxious, and what he worried about was not his estranged father, nor would he care about his hypocritical stepmother and siblings whom he had hardly any affection for. He was just afraid that something would happen to his elderly grandmother.
Yesterday, Xing Yusheng mentioned to Qin Kang that he wanted to send someone to pick up his grandmother to the capital city.
But at that time, Qin Kang only said, “It is true that your grandmother loves you, but she also cares about her other grandchildren and wouldn’t be willing to come.”
Qi Jun had gone to make a herbal concoction for Xing Yusheng, who sat by the window, watching the snowflakes falling outside with a pale face.
“Master!”
Suddenly, hearing a familiar voice, Xing Yusheng looked over and saw Qi Yan enter the courtyard door, braving the snowstorm.
Previously, Xing Yusheng had sent him to protect the Lin family, and he only returned today.
Qi Yan brushed off the snow on his body, standing outside the window, reported to Xing Yusheng.
“All four people of the Lin family have arrived in the capital city safe and sound. Master, please don’t worry.”
After Qi Yan finished recounting what happened, Xing Yusheng asked, “Do they recognize Ning Jing and Su Liang?”
“They say they do. I didn’t ask too much. I suppose it’s just because Ning met them in Pingbei City during that time. At the time I went, Ning and Miss Su had already returned to Bei’an County,” Qi Yan said.
Xing Yusheng shook his head, “They didn’t return to Bei’an County, but went to Xunyang City first.”
Qi Yan was stunned, “How did Master know that?”
“The news has reached the capital city. Ning Jing, slaying his father and brother, has ground the Ning family’s people to dust,” Xing Yusheng said.
Qi Yan looked shocked, “So ruthless?”
“Those people were even more ruthless towards Ning Jing before, just didn’t succeed,” Xing Yusheng said.
He then instructed Qi Yan to inform Qin Yujin of the safe arrival of the Lin family in the capital city.
Qi Jun brought over the prepared herbal concoction, urging Xing Yusheng to drink it while it was still hot, “Master, how about I make a trip to Bei’an County to investigate the situation? In case it’s really the prince… we should make early preparations for saving the old lady.”
Xing Yusheng shook his head, “No need. Tomorrow I will enter the palace to request an audience with the emperor, asking for permission to return home for the new year. It depends on the emperor’s wishes.”
“If the emperor allows it, then Master…” Qi Jun frowned.
“My grandmother is old and can’t come to the capital city. If the emperor allows it, I will go back to see her,” Xing Yusheng’s voice was low.
Qi Jun wanted to say more but stopped, leaving only a sigh.
The news that Qi Yan brought made Qin Yujin very happy, and she ran to find Xing Yusheng.
“Cousin, the emperor has sent General Sun to guard the mine, so that General Nian can return to the capital city with the fourth prince in a few days, right?” Qin Yujin looked hopeful.
Xing Yusheng nodded, “Perhaps.”
He had no interest in Qin Yujin’s girlish affairs at the moment, and she left after sitting for a while.
Unexpectedly, the next day, Mai Fei sent someone early in the morning to find Nian Jincheng, asking him to rush to Su Village before noon.
Nian Jincheng didn’t know what Mai Fei was up to, but now he could openly go to find Ning Jing.
When Nian Jincheng arrived alone at Su Village on horseback, he happened to meet Mai Fei, who was coming in a carriage, so they went to Su Liang’s doorstep together.
The snow had just stopped this morning, and the accumulated snow was thick.
Su Liang took Bai Xiaohu, while Ning Jing took Zhuzi, and they were respectively piling snowmen in the courtyard on both sides.
The two little ones took the initiative to run over and propose to make snowmen together. However, Bai Xiaohu wanted to make a wild boar snowman, while Zhuzi said he wanted a horse. Since they couldn’t agree, they simply worked separately.
Yan Shiba was lying in his room, listening to the laughter and joy outside, pounding the bed, wishing he could immediately recover and kick Ning Jing and Su Liang’s snowmen.
Chang’an knocked on the door, and as it opened, Ning Jing’s line of sight passed by Mai Fei and met with Nian Jincheng’s behind, then immediately separated.
Seeing that the other was safe was enough.
“It’s so lively?” Mai Fei asked with a smile as he entered.
Ning Jing was waiting to close the door, and Nian Jincheng was the last to enter, stepped forward beside him and said with a salute, “Congratulations to Ning for obtaining the highest score in the examination.” “What brings Lord Mai here?” Su Liang asked.
“Can’t I come if there’s nothing going on?” Mai Fei counter-questioned.
“Please feel free,” Su Liang said.
But there were no places to sit in the courtyard, and the doors of the rooms were closed. Mai Fei stood there, snorted lightly, “I won’t bicker with you about your hospitality. There are important matters.”
Su Liang stood up, “Please tell.”
“I can tell you the result of the case, which I believe you care about. But there are conditions,” Mai Fei said.
“Tell me the conditions first. Then I’ll consider whether I care about the outcome of the case,” Su Liang said.
Chang’an’s mouth twitched slightly, and indeed saw that the face of his master was a bit dark.
“It’s not convenient to talk here, ” Mai Fei snorted.
“Please,” Su Liang led the way toward Ning Jing’s room.
Mai Fei ordered that no one else was allowed in, and he wanted to have a private talk with Su Liang.
With the door closed, Ning Jing asked Nian Jincheng, “When will General Nian return to the capital city?”
“At the arrangement, it should be soon,” Nian Jincheng said.
Ning Jing didn’t ask any more questions, pointing to Su Liang’s half-finished snowman and gesturing for Nian Jincheng to continue building it.
Nian Jincheng squatted down beside Bai Xiaohu and asked him, “What’s this?”
Full of grins, Bai Xiaohu replied, “Wild boar!”
Nian Jincheng nodded, “Good.” But his strength was too great. He accidentally collapsed the half-finished snowman with the swipe of his hand.
Just when Nian Jincheng was embarrassed, he heard Bai Xiaohu exclaim, “Uncle, you are so strong! Let’s build this quickly before Sister Su Liang finds out!”
A trace of a smile crossed Nian Jincheng’s eyes, his tone softened a lot,
“Alright.”
In the room, Mai Fei began, “I know you and Xing Yusheng are good friends. Knowing the outcome of the case earlier is very important to him, so I think you care about it too.”
“Conditions,” Su Liang said concisely.
It was apparent that this was a secret, even Nian Jincheng didn’t know about it, and Mai Fei wanted to negotiate a deal with her.
“Someone will try to assassinate me next. The condition is that you escort me back to the capital city,” Mai Fei’s eyes shone..
This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢