Chapter 156: 156. Nian Ruting l s Testimony (Second Update)
Translator: 549690339
After the finals of the Military Exam, the formal awards ceremony will be held after the top three in the Civil Examinations are announced.
Mu Ya invited Su Liang to have a drink, but Su Liang declined; she didn’t insist.
Duanmu Yi called Su Liang over and praised her in public before the royals left.
Lian Shun walked away with Duanmu Che, glancing several times towards Su Liang’s location but not catching her attention.
After the common people dispersed, Su Liang chatted with Old Master Qin and Old Madam Xing for a while before going over to her friends who were waiting for her.
Little Zhengzheng, riding on Lu Yu’s neck, waved his little hand, “Aunt! Aunt!”
Su Liang raised her chin slightly with a smile, and asked playfully, “Who is the most amazing?”
With a loud voice, Zhengzheng said, “My aunt!”
Qin Yujin and Lin Xueqing held Su Liang on both sides, even happier than her, praising her nonstop.
Lin Shuzhi and his two sons looked at Su Liang with smiles on their faces.
Lin Bojun, who had just returned to the capital city yesterday, gave a thumbs up, “Xiaoliang is really impressive!”
Wan Hui suggested with a smile, “Let’s all go celebrate for Sister Liang together! ”
As the group walked toward the entrance of the Battle Arena, Lin Bojun occasionally glanced at Qin Yujin.
But Qin Yujin’s attention today was all on Su Liang, and the two hadn’t had a chance to talk yet.
Lin Xueqing brought up Nian Ruxue, who had tried to use her sister as a
substitute, “All her scheming came to nothing! She ended up harming her whole family!”
Qin Yujin sighed softly, “Perhaps it wasn’t Nian Ruxue’s own idea, but a conspiracy of the Nian Family.”
Lin Bojun said seriously, “I can’t vouch for the others in the Nian Family, but I’m sure General Nian was not involved. After he found out Nian Ruxue’s true identity, he no longer protected her.”
Otherwise, Nian Jincheng would have definitely pleaded for Nian Ruxue and the Nian Family members back then.
Lin Xueqing didn’t expect her second brother to be speaking up for his “love rival. ”
As a result, Qin Yujin added, “Those who do wrong should be held responsible; the emperor will decide their punishment according to the law. The Nian Family’s affairs have nothing to do with us.”
Today’s events made Qin Yujin hate the Nian Family even more. Her once vague and fleeting fondness for Nian Jincheng had long since disappeared.
Su Liang felt that no matter what the outcome was for the Nian Family, Nian Jincheng could still survive based on his abilities and even have the opportunity to start over.
At the restaurant, everyone raised their glasses to celebrate Su Liang’s victory as the Martial Arts Champion, as well as her defeating the enemy’s female general for the country’s honor.
Little Zhengzheng struggled to raise his small teacup, bumping it against Su Liang’s, and earnestly said, “When I grow up, I also want to be a Top Scholar!”
Everyone burst into laughter.
After arriving in the capital city with nothing to do, Lin Shuzhi found Zhengzheng intelligent and became very fond of him, so he proposed to educate and teach him how to read.
Wan Hui and Lu Yu were overjoyed and agreed without hesitation.
As the banquet was halfway through, Qi Yan brought news that Nian Ruxue had disappeared from the Nian Family, and no trace of her had been found!
“She was the mastermind and managed to run away?” Xing Yusheng scoffed, “If the other Nian Family members didn’t know, Nian Ruxue could still save her family by taking all the blame herself. With her gone, it is difficult for the Nian Family to clear their names. Ruting, her substitute, can’t bear such a heavy responsibility.”
Nian Ruting wanted to take the blame, but her reasons couldn’t stand up to scrutiny.
There were only two possibilities in this matter.
Either the Nian Family conspired together to have Nian Ruting replace Nian Ruxue in seeking fame in the Military Exam, or Nian Ruxue secretly arranged for Nian Ruting to be her substitute without the rest of the Nian Family knowing.
If it was the former, the Nian Family would be doomed, and their lives might even be in danger.
If it was the latter, at least the Nian Family would have a chance to save their lives.
But with Nian Ruxue’s escape, she was not confessing her guilt, and it would be very difficult for the Nian Family to clear their names.
Lin Xueqing sighed softly, “That Nian Ruting is really foolish. She was willing to do anything for Nian Ruxue and is still protecting her to the end. But Nian Ruxue is nothing but a selfish and shameless person.”
Lin Bojun shook his head, “From the incident of Nian Ruting wounding the Young Master Gao in the Challenge Contest, it’s evident that she isn’t a good person either.”
It wasn’t long before news came that the royal family had sent elite troops to search and arrest Nian Ruxue.
In the afternoon, Su Liang accompanied Qin Yujin to the Qin Mansion, while Ning Jing went alone to Fifth Prince’s Mansion to treat Duanmu Chen with acupuncture.
On the way, Su Liang jokingly asked, “Do you still have any lingering thoughts for Nian Jincheng?”
Qin Yujin was taken aback and shook her head with a smile, “No more. Maybe what General Lin said is true, but I don’t care anymore.”
“What about considering Second Brother Lin?” Su Liang asked half-jokingly,
“He has been looking at you!”
“Ah?” Qin Yujin looked surprised, “Lin… General Lin? With me? Are we…” Her voice trailed off, and her cheeks flushed with two rosy clouds, “Are we suitable?”
“It depends on how you feel.” Su Liang laughed, “He definitely likes you; there’s no doubt about it.
After a long pause, Qin Yujin clenched her fists and lightly hit Su Liang, “You sly girl, are you acting as a matchmaker?”
Su Liang nodded seriously, “Indeed, Second Brother Lin asked me for a favor before the New Year, but there has been no opportunity before. I am the intermediary, and I want to be the matchmaker. It depends on whether you give me a chance or not.”
Qin Yujin glared at Su Liang, “You are not on my side? I’m heartbroken.”
Su Liang’s lips curled slightly, “Is that so? Then, I’ll go on your behalf to ask for your hand in marriage. I’m on your side!”
Qin Yujin pinched Su Liang’s cheek, “I won’t give you that chance!” Her face reddened even more with those words.
Su Liang smiled, “Fate is destined. Whether I become a matchmaker or not doesn’t matter.”
When Su Liang left Qin Mansion and returned home, Ning Jing was already there.
He handed Su Liang an exquisite invitation, sent from the palace, inviting Su
Liang to attend a banquet that night to welcome the envoys from Yin Country.
“Only inviting me?” Su Liang looked at her name only on the invitation, and quickly realized, “Tomorrow is the Palace Exam, and you’re not yet the Top Scholar. Can I not go?”
Ning Jing shook his head, “No, you can’t.” Unless they planned to give up everything and leave the capital, it wasn’t worth it.
“Alright then.” Su Liang reluctantly agreed. “It’s a pity that Man Ya invited Nian Ruting for a sword dance, and I won’t be able to see it. Where do you think Nian Ruxue has fled to?”
“I don’t know.” Ning Jing shook his head.
“Never mind.” Su Liang temporarily put Nian Ruxue out of her mind and picked out a few dresses, asking Ning Jing which one would be appropriate for the banquet tonight.
Since she had to socialize, she didn’t want to stand out too much.
Ning Jing picked a simple and elegant one. Su Liang thought it was not bad. After bathing and changing her clothes, the sun had set, and it was almost time to go to the palace.
“Let’s go.” Ning Jing held a straw hat and Su Liang’s medicine box in his hands.
Su Liang raised an eyebrow, “Are you going to be my carriage driver? I’m getting quite the royal treatment.”
“It’s not like I haven’t done it before.” Ning Jing walked out.
Su Liang followed with a smile, “Next time it’s my turn.” It wasn’t convenient for her to ride a horse in a long dress.
Su Liang got on the carriage, and Ning Jing handed her the medicine box, “Take it with you.”
He put on the straw hat, covering half of his face, and drove the carriage away from the house towards the Imperial Palace.
They didn’t encounter any trouble on their way. When they arrived at the square outside the palace, other palace nobles also arrived one after another.
Su Liang got off the carriage with her medicine box and told Ning Jing to go back first, not to wait for her, “I don’t know how long it will take. I’ll go home by myself when it’s over.”
“Okay.” Ning Jing agreed and left with the carriage.
This was Su Liang’s first visit to the Qian Country’s Imperial Palace.
Under the night, the towering palace walls were dark, giving off an extremely strong oppressive feeling.
The palace maids who greeted Su Liang had fixed angles of their heads when they spoke, their mouths barely moving, their faces like they had been painted with white, with pale complexions and frozen expressions.
It was suffocating everywhere.
Su Liang heard someone calling her and turned to see Xing Ji and his son Xing Yusheng walking towards her.
She let out a sigh of relief. Seeing familiar faces felt much better.
“Marquis.” Su Liang bowed to Xing Ji.
Xing Ji nodded slightly, “You did a good job in today’s contest.”
Su Liang accompanied Xing Ji and his son. It was Xing Yusheng’s first visit to the palace, and he didn’t recognize the various places.
Xing Ji would briefly introduce the areas they passed by to them.
Inside the magnificent palace, there were burning incense that refreshed the heart and mind, and palace maids with delicate makeup and light footsteps.
Su Liang couldn’t find her seat, so she sat in the Marquis Zhong Xin’s seat.
The princes and princesses had arrived. Duanmu Ao appeared as if nothing had happened, accompanied by his pregnant second prince’s wife.
Duanmu Chen’s seat was not far from Marquis Zhong Xin’s, and he smiled warmly at Su Liang.
Duanmu Che arrived, and Lian Shun followed. Their eyes brightened when they saw Su Liang.
Sixth Princess Duanmu Qianqian seemed listless. Su Liang didn’t know if it was because her best friend was in trouble or because her favorite Nian Jincheng was in trouble.
As soon as Man Ya appeared, she brought a burst of fragrance and walked straight towards Su Liang.
After exchanging a few polite greetings with Man Ya, Su Liang watched her sit down at the seat across from Duanmu Cheng.
They were only waiting for Duanmu Yi to arrive now.
They waited and waited, but he didn’t show up. Su Liang drank two cups of tea and finished eating two pieces of fruit from a plate, waiting for the dishes to be served.
Taking the opportunity of passing the fruit in front of him to Su Liang, Duanmu Chen whispered, “Nian Jincheng won’t be able to turn the situation around this time. Nian Ruting testified that Nian Jincheng personally said that he had been in contact with Gu Ling before he left the capital, and he knows where Gu Ling is hiding now..”
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