Chapter 65: 065. Unexpected Outcome (Revision 2)
Translator: 549690339
“Young Master, the medicine is ready, drink it while it’s hot.” Nian Ye brought a bowl of dark medicine, the rising steam smelling bitter.
Nian Jincheng picked up the bowl and drank it all.
“Is there something wrong, Young Master?” Nian Ye had attended Nian Jincheng for many years and noticed his bad mood, although it didn’t show on his face.
Nian Jincheng shook his head and went to change his clothes.
Nian Ye took the bowl out and saw Chang’an coming.
“My master asked me to accompany General Nian to Su Family Village and wait for his orders.” Chang’an stood outside the door and said.
Nian Jincheng’s face darkened inside the house!
He knew that Mai Fei had sent Chang’an to watch him.
It was not because he suspected any relationship between Nian Jincheng and Ning Jing.
But to see if Nian Jincheng would try his best to complete the tasks Mai Fei had assigned.
If he said anything wrong, and the outcome was not as Mai Fei wished, he would be reported.
Chang’an didn’t hear an answer from Nian Jincheng and asked again, “General Nian, are you ready to leave?”
Nian Jincheng fastened his belt, took his waist sword, and opened the door to come out, still with his usual cold appearance, “Let’s go, thank you for showing me the way.”
“It’s my duty.” Chang’an nodded.
Nian Ye did not know what Nian Jincheng was going to do and wanted to follow him but was left behind. Nian Jincheng asked him to rest in the county government as he was injured as well.
The carriage was prepared, and after helping Nian Jincheng get on, Chang’an drove away from the county town, heading towards Feiyan Town.
Through the carriage curtain, Nian Jincheng asked Chang’an, “The crown prince said that he once designed a test to probe Su Liang’s sworn brother Ning Jing. What happened?”
Chang’an laughed, “That’s all in the past.”
About Bei’an County’s Court Examination fraud case, actually, Su Liang and
Ning Jing knew nothing about one of the masterminds behind the curtain Mai Fei. Authorities taking bribes to frame Ning Jing had been bought at a high price by the Ning Family from Xunyang before receiving Mai Fei’s orders.
Chang’an didn’t want to say more, and Nian Jincheng didn’t ask further. He just asked Chang’an to tell him what he knew about Su Liang, to better understand the situation and make it easier for the upcoming task.
Chang’an didn’t suspect anything, so he started talking about Su Liang.
When Mai Fei first arrived in Bei’an County, he asked Chang’an to secretly investigate Ning Jing and Su Liang, so he also knew some of the things that had happened before.
For example, Su Liang was locked up by Su Daqiang’s family to embroider for money. She cooperated with high-interest loan lender Hu Er to send Su Daqiang’s family to the mine. She went to the county government to sue the rich girl Huang Wanwan of the former County Magistrate, etc.
Chang’an said, “But then again, she was just a teenage girl who had lost her family and came to an unfamiliar place. She thought those relatives could be relied upon, but it turned out to be a trap. No one in the village had ever seen her leave the house. We guessed that for most of that time, her hands and feet had been chained and she was treated like a slave, earning money for them. What use was her martial arts?”
Nian Jincheng’s eyes narrowed, recalling Su Liang’s appearance when they first met – her heavy makeup failing to hide her thinness and frailty.
“In order to make money, that family planned to marry Miss Su to Young Master Ning. It’s said that they choked her unconscious and sent her into the bridal sedan, thinking she was dead. They planned to go to Young Master Ning the next day to demand all his money with her as a threat.” Chang’an said with a deep sigh, “Fortunately, Miss Su’s life was spared. Otherwise, she would have really been killed by that family’s evil plan.”
Nian Jincheng thought of the faint red mark on Su Liang’s neck that he had seen that night; he hadn’t paid attention to it before, but now it coincided with what Chang’an was saying.
“Young Master Ning and Miss Su are both poor orphans with no family. After a fake marriage, they became sworn siblings to have someone to rely on,” Chang’an continued.
Only then did Nian Jincheng understand how the wedding he had witnessed came about. There were many things behind the scenes that he didn’t know, and they were unimaginable to him.
“Although what the master has asked is difficult for Miss Su and may be dangerous, I hope General Nian will consider the overall situation and explain the pros and cons of it to her,” Chang’an sighed.
He was a subordinate of Mai Fei, and his words and actions represented Mai Fei’s will. Compassion for Su Liang was not fake, but he wouldn’t abandon the ongoing plan because of it.
Nian Jincheng didn’t say anything more.
Chang’an sped up towards Su Family Village.
After coming back from the county town with shopping, Ning Jing killed and cleaned the rabbit in the backyard.
Last time, Su Liang asked Ning Jing to find the blacksmith in town to make a charcoal grill. She placed it in the ventilated area of the courtyard and added red-hot charcoal.
The rabbit was skewered, brushed with oil, and placed on the grill.
Thin slices of pork belly were cut and skewered as well.
In addition, all the vegetables in the house were washed, cut, and skewered, placed in a bamboo basket, and taken out for grilling.
The rabbit gradually turned golden brown, and the aroma filled the air.
Ning Jing brushed the sauce prepared by Su Liang onto the rabbit, turned it over, and continued grilling.
Su Liang grilled other ingredients at the side.
Rib and radish soup simmered on the kitchen stove.
The rabbit was almost done, and the other skewers Su Liang had grilled were ready to eat soon. She laughed, “If Mai Fei came now and we had to share this meal with him, how much would we charge?”
Ning Jing turned the rabbit over and calmly said, “Let him get lost.”
Su Liang chuckled, and in the next moment, she heard a knock on the door followed by a familiar male voice, “Miss Su!”
Who else could it be but Chang’an, who always visited them?
Su Liang thought Mai Fei might have come as well, so she pretended not to hear.
Meanwhile, Ning Jing was focused on grilling the perfect rabbit, not showing any intention to open the door.
As the aroma of grilled meat wafted outside the courtyard, Chang’an took a deep breath, “They must be at home. Maybe they think my master is here and don’t want to invite him to dinner, so they’re ignoring us?”
Nian Jincheng had heard from Chang’an about the exorbitant price of the meal Su Liang had sold to Mai Fei. It was clear that Su Liang and Mai Fei were not friends and didn’t want to be friends.
“Miss Su, my master is not here!” Chang’an said loudly.
Su Liang heard but still didn’t respond. If Mai Fei was not here, Chang’an could wait outside if he had any business. Who would invite someone to their house without prior notice in the middle of the day?
Then Chang’an said, ‘General Nian is here too! He has important business with
Miss Su! Please open the door!”
Ning Jing divided the grilled rabbit into two halves, and Su Liang was about to check on the rib and radish soup in the kitchen.
“Nian Jincheng is here.” Su Liang looked at Ning Jing.
Ning Jing’s expression was indifferent. “We should eat the meat while it’s hot.” They could talk about other things later.
Su Liang went to the kitchen to get the soup, and they began to eat. Their staple was the roasted tender buns.
The sun was shining, and the two sat under the tree, eating delicious roasted rabbit meat and sipping rib soup, feeling comfortable and content.
Chang’an said he and Nian Jincheng would wait outside, so he didn’t knock on the door again.
He sat on a stone outside the door, inhaling the aroma coming from the house, and his empty stomach growled. He sighed and muttered to himself, “They won’t even let us in, so it seems that there’s no chance for that matter…”
Nian Jincheng walked to the edge of the stream. It was not his first time here, but it was his first time appreciating the scenery of this small rural village.
The hare wasn’t big, but the meat was very tender.
After finishing the meal and taking a sip of the hot soup, Su Liang felt extremely comfortable.
“Nian Jincheng’s attendant just sent the silver bills this morning, what is he doing here again?” Su Liang was somewhat puzzled.
Ning Jing was eating the meat earnestly, not interested in discussing the matter with her.
Su Liang had long been accustomed to Ning Jing’s reticence and didn’t care. She stirred the soup in the bowl thoughtfully, “Whatever it is, Nian Jincheng and Chang’an coming together probably has something to do with Duanmu Chen’s intentions.”
Su Liang thought that Nian Jincheng questioned her that day at Wu’s abandoned house because he was unfamiliar with the situation and cared too much about Ning Jing.
However, Su Liang had clearly warned Nian Jincheng to stay away from them. Mai Fei was always watching, and it was easy to arouse suspicion.
Later, Nian Jincheng cautiously kept his distance from Su Liang, so he couldn’t have come to see her in broad daylight, especially when he was with Chang’an, which was equivalent to being watched by Mai Fei’s spies in every move.
“I wonder what it could be…” Su Liang couldn’t think of it, but she felt that nothing good could come of it.
If it were a good thing, Mai Fei would definitely come in person with his temperament.
Thinking of this, although she didn’t know the purpose of Nian Jincheng’s visit,
Su Liang already had some clues in her heart. She asked Ning Jing solemnly, “If
Nian Jincheng wants me to help him with something, should I agree?”
Ning Jing was putting away the bowls and dishes, his expression indifferent, “It’s your matter, you decide.” With those words, he went into the kitchen to clean up.
Su Liang got up to open the door.
Seeing the door open, Chang’an hurried to his feet, just as Nian Jincheng returned from the creek side.
“I didn’t expect that we would have visitors at this time. I thought I heard it wrong.” Su Liang smiled.
Chang’an’s mouth twitched, “It’s our fault for barging in uninvited.” Nian Jincheng saluted, “Miss Su, we apologize for the intrusion.”
“Please come in.” Su Liang turned around, “Have you two had lunch yet?” Chang’an blurted out, “Not yet!”
“Well, that’s unfortunate. We just finished eating.” Su Liang said with a smile.
Chang’an: … He thought Su Liang was going to invite them to eat, he was overthinking!
“Please have a seat.” Su Liang pointed to the spots under the tree.
The table Ning Jing had wiped was very clean.
Nian Jincheng heard movement in the kitchen but couldn’t see what Ning Jing was doing.
Su Liang brought the tea and poured it for them. While doing so, she asked, “Are you two here for me to treat an ailment or does the Fourth Prince have any orders?”
Chang’an’s expression turned serious, “General Nian has something to ask of
Miss Su, and our Master asked me to accompany him.”
Deliberately leaving Mai Fei out, Su Liang felt even more certain that it must not be a good thing.
“General Nian, please have some tea.” Su Liang placed a cup of hot tea in front of Nian Jincheng, “Please speak directly if there’s a matter.”
“Thank you.” Nian Jincheng held the tea cup with both hands, but the actual heat made him lose his composure for a moment, not knowing how to start speaking.
Chang’an reminded Nian Jincheng, “General Nian, Miss Su is always busy. Let’s get to the point.”
Nian Jincheng nodded subconsciously, his hesitation lasted only a moment before he spoke, “I came here today because there is a matter in which I seek Miss Su’s help.”
Su Liang nodded, “Please elaborate.”
“Miss Su should know that Wu Yun and Wu Huai’an father and son are suspected of smuggling iron mines. When they were caught, it was Miss Su’s credit.” Nian Jincheng lowered his gaze and chose his words carefully.
“Yes, the Fourth Prince mentioned it before.” Su Liang said.
“The case has been at a standstill, and the Emperor has sent me to guard the mine and assist the Fourth Prince in the investigation.” Nian Jincheng said, “Now we have a plan to send our own people to ‘rescue’ Wu Yun and Wu
Huai’an. As long as we can gain their trust, we can break through the deadlock.”
Chang’an was relieved to hear that Nian Jincheng had referred to the plan as “ours,” thinking he was quite clever. If Nian Jincheng had attributed everything to Mai Fei and left himself out, even if it were true, Mai Fei would not let him get away with it afterwards.
And Chang’an was here to relay every word Nian Jincheng said to Mai Fei.
Regardless of whether Nian Jincheng belonged to the Crown Prince’s faction or not, now that he had arrived in Bei’an County, his future and fate were held in Mai Fei’s hands. One misstep and Mai Fei could easily ruin him.
Su Liang nodded and simply said, “Brilliant.”
However, she knew that such a plan was not easy to succeed, and the most difficult part was gaining Wu Yun and Wu Huai’an’s trust.
At this moment, Su Liang had already guessed why Nian Jincheng had come to her.
Mai Fei had mentioned before that during the interrogation, the Wu father and son had repeatedly demanded that Mai Fei capture Su Liang.
To some extent, they were brought down by Su Liang and must hate her deeply, especially Wu Huai’an.
What Nian Jincheng said next confirmed Su Liang’s suspicions, “Wu Yun and
Wu Huai’an have been ‘rescued’ by our people, but Wu Huai’an asks to have
Miss Su captured before he can trust that they are his allies.”
Having said that, Nian Jincheng sighed and laid out Mai Fei’s plan for Su Liang, but he kept referring to it as “our plan.”
Nian Jincheng knew very well that this would cause Su Liang’s resentment, but it wasn’t just for his own career.
As a loyal military commander to Qian Country, Nian Jincheng’s priority should indeed be the greater good. But he knew very well that he had ulterior motives in this matter, and that he couldn’t afford to let Mai Fei see these intentions.
After finishing, Nian Jincheng looked at Su Liang, “Please consider it carefully, as the matter is of great importance.”
Chang’an was surprised, thinking that Nian Jincheng wasn’t as rigid as he had imagined and cared about his career.
However, he didn’t think Su Liang would agree.
Unexpectedly, Su Liang did not simply refuse, but asked, “If I agree to help and take such a big risk, what’s in it for me?”
Nian Jincheng was stunned, “Miss Su, are you willing to help? This is not a simple matter. You may be seriously injured…”
It was his instinctive reaction, and for a moment, he forgot that Chang’an was watching him closely.
Su Liang snorted coldly, interrupting Nian Jincheng’s words, “General Nian, since you’re here, you don’t need to pretend to care about my safety!”
Nian Jincheng’s face stiffened, and he didn’t want to deal with Su Liang anymore. He turned his head to look at Chang’an, “There is room for negotiation in this matter. I think the Fourth Prince would be the one to make the decision, and I want to see his sincerity first.”
Chang’an’s expression brightened and he said hurriedly, “Miss Su, if you have any requests, just mention them. I will report back to the Master!”
At some point, Ning Jing had come out of the kitchen and was standing not far away, watching them.
Nian Jincheng noticed it, glanced back, and immediately turned his attention back to his tea.
“I have a lot of things I need.” Ning Jing spoke up.
Su Liang rubbed her forehead.
Chang’an showed a meaningful smile, “As long as Miss Su is willing to help, once the matter is settled, everything can be negotiated for Young Master
Ning!”
That Su Liang agreed was unexpected.
When Chang’an heard Ning Jing speak up, he foresaw that Mai Fei was going to be swindled again….
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