Chapter 632: The Cold-Hearted Ning Guo
The Cold-Hearted Ning Guo
Recently in the capital, on a certain level, comparatively speaking, was very lively, because Grand Elder Princes Ning Guo has reached marriageable age.
This means that she can officially start selecting a fuma, although the official wedding will probably be pushed back a few years.
Ning Guo’s fuma candidates originally had six, but the people that wanted to participate in this competition absolutely weren’t just these. Of the initial six, there were two that withdrew midway. And the other batch of important members were just the study companions of the fourth qinwang and fifth qinwang, that is the little six and little seven that Ning Guo spoke of.
To be able to become the study companion of an imperial prince, if not being enough outstanding on one’s own, then it was just having a pretty good background. And among them, there was this one guy, how to put it, seemingly lacking in both literature and martial arts, from top to bottom, seemingly just having a pretty decent face, yet this guy also wanted to be Grand Elder Princess Ning Guo’s fuma. His friends as well as the fourth and fifth qinwang, all felt that he was ‘a toad coveting swan meat’. Just someone like him, what did he have to compete with others?
However, this guy wasn’t the least bit ashamed, even lifting his head and puffing his chest, very bold and confident, “This young master indeed can’t do anything, but precisely because of this, if this young master were to marry the Grand Elder Princess in the future, then certainly will listen to the Grand Elder Princess for everything, can others do this?”
Just this one line had many people angered to the point of wanting to vomit blood. This guy really was too shameless, clearly wanting to be a pretty face living off a woman, but in a certain sense, it was indeed a big advantage. After all, Grand Elder Princess Ning Guo didn’t lack anything. Whether her husband was outstanding or not actually wasn’t that important. Just being good to her was enough. In any case, it also won’t affect her children either.
The others all itched to beat him up, and afterwards, this guy sure enough got beaten up, but even if getting beaten by a crowd, this guy’s face just became even thicker, not shrinking back in the slightest. In any case, they won’t really be that ruthless towards him, so he merely just suffered some scratches. At worst, it was just hiding at home, while the others all got internal injuries from anger.
And Ning Guo? A blossoming youth of fifteen, slender and elegant, her bearing natural and magnanimous, majority of the times all carrying a smile on her face. However, because she’d always been raised cupped in the palm, sometimes, she was also delicate and soft. In addition to her appearance leaning towards Li Hong Yuan’s, and also sufficiently outstanding herself, such a girl really made one love to the bones. Even though because of her status, after marrying back, as the mother-in-law, one certainly can’t put on the airs of a mother-in-law in front of her, but there were still many families that wanted to have her married back to worship.
Originally, Jing Wan prepared to have this matter fully given to Ning Guo to decide on her own, but Jing Wan in the end still could only sigh.
Ning Guo knew that a fuma for her was just like what her imperial father was for her imperial mother, someone that will accompany by her side for a lifetime, someone very very important. But, unknown as to whether or not it was because Ning Guo had gotten sheltered too well, even if she had more opportunities to come in contact with boys, spending more time with them compared to ordinary upper class young ladies, they, in her eyes, seemingly have always been viewed equally. From the looks of it, it was completely not having her first awakening of love. Her good feelings towards the opposite gender completely were just treating as a friend, or even brother, not the least bit related to romance.
That’s why, she just let her imperial mother and sister-in-law help pick.
That’s why, one can’t blame Jing Wan for feeling helpless. Just this way, pick what fuma?
Originally, Jing Wan even discussed with a certain man that wanted to have his daughter married off early, whether or not they can postpone for a few years.
But the final answer clearly was no.
Jing Wan gave birth to Ning Guo at fifty-two. Now, she was sixty-seven, and a certain old man was already seventy-five. All say, the older one got, the more one regressed, but for this man, he seemingly completely settled down, leisurely raising flowers with Jing Wan, practicing calligraphy, painting, playing the qin, and occasionally playing go. His days couldn’t be more carefree. But, in Jing Wan’s eyes, he was increasingly willful and stubborn. On normal days, it was still fine, but once there was something that required him to make a statement, either it was still not caring and not questioning, or once he got involved, then it was just completely denying, won’t do, not allowed, and no. If you dare to argue a single word, then he will just coldly sweep a glance over. Really, after several decades, it was absolutely even more terrifying than that outward aggressiveness in his youth.
Although for a long period of time afterwards, he all didn’t handle governmental affairs, but that might, even Li Tian Lin, in front of him, can only just pull back.
What can Jing Wan do? She has been helpless towards this man for several decades, compromised for several decades, yet also got spoiled by this man for several decades.
TN: All
Even for Ning Guo, she actually wasn’t that clingy towards her, from birth to now, never having once slept in her palace before, so why still insist on having her married off this early?
But Li Hong Yuan saying no, that was just no, not needing a reason.
Fortunately, on this matter, Ning Guo also didn’t have any complaints. Getting disdained by her own imperial father, it was also just acting cute for a while, and afterwards, it would just pass. In any case, in her eyes, as long as she wanted to enter the palace, she can all enter at any time. She was the Grand Elder Princess. Even if in her husband’s family, there also won’t be that many rules. Besides, her imperial father and imperial mother right now were all elderly in age. Even if still appearing much younger than those of the same age, their age was still an indisputable fact. Even if she were to enter the palace everyday, who can stop her?
When really setting aside Ning Guo’s own thoughts, the candidate for fuma, everyone for the most part actually already had an understanding inside. After all, throughout these years, they’ve already gained a very thorough grasp of them.
However, in the end, Jing Wan still asked Ning Guo, even if not having a specific choice, towards her own future husband, what requirements did she have? Is it wanting for him to have even more time to spend with her, or hoping that he can become famous and successful?
Ning Guo looked to her own imperial mother, a bit confused, “Although in the beginning, it was under the premise of selecting a fuma for this daughter, but imperial brother and them still gave their all to cultivate them. As such, they naturally should serve the country, so as to not let down this efforts.”
Jing Wan understood. It was obvious that it was still this daughter of hers that hadn’t come to realization. Clearly, on normal days, she was very smart, yet how come on this matter, she was just like naturally missing a tendon? “Not just them, Ning Guo, the other talented young men are all included as well.”
Ning Guo was a bit surprised. It was obvious, in her eyes, it will certainly just be one of her study companions, but now, how come the range just expanded this much?
Ning Guo’s expression on the surface couldn’t be more obvious. Jing Wan was somewhat between laughter and tears, observing a moment of silence for the others that had tried to think of every means possible to appear before her. They had long gotten ‘ruled out’ by Ning Guo. Of course, this can also mean that none of them particularly drew in Ning Guo’s attention.
“Ning Guo’s meaning is to just pick one from the four of them?”
Ning Guo nodded, “This way will work.”
“Since it’s picking one from four, then is there not one your heart leans towards?”
Ning Guo seemingly even quite solemnly contemplated, and afterwards, shook her head.
Jing Wan lightly sighed inside. This daughter of hers, in a certain sense, was actually quite cold-hearted. It appeared as if viewing everyone equally, but in reality, it also meant that none were genuinely placed in her heart. As her husband, it might be a bit arduous, especially in the very beginning. And the more deeply they loved her, the deeper the degree of torment. And to want to move her heart, it also wasn’t that easy. Even if wholeheartedly treating her well, it all may not necessarily have an effect. After all, just materialistically speaking, what good things have she not used before? By the time she marries, it will certainly be even more plentiful. As for the other aspects, she has been meticulously taken care of since childhood, so naturally having all sides attended to. That’s why, pampering her, in her eyes, that was just something very normal, and when switching to someone else to come do, perhaps they might not even be as meticulous as her servants.
Jing Wan increasingly felt that there was something wrong. When she was young, she didn’t believe in love, and didn’t believe that a man can be wholehearted and faithful, yet she still get very quickly won over by her man, because everything he did, she all took in and could feel, understanding his intentions. But, the same method, placed on her daughter, completely won’t work!
However, prior to marrying and after marrying certainly will be different, perhaps she will suddenly just become enlightened?
Jing Wan could only console herself as such.
And this person of choice must be carefully selected. Was it selecting one that had deep feelings towards her, or one whose feelings were a little lighter? In any case, it was impossible for any of them to betray her.
Jing Wan later just ‘grumbled’ to her man, but in exchange, received the other party’s mockery, “Ning Guo being this way now, you all are responsible for having her raised like this. That’s why, regardless of the outcome, you all naturally all need to shoulder yourselves. However, it’s not like there aren’t any benefits. At least, without feelings, others won’t be able to hurt her. The men of the world, not all can be like me, able to remain unswerving from beginning to end. Just like that eldest di grandson of yours, in the first few years, it was also just having one person, but later on, didn’t he precisely all have liangdi and liangyuans[1]. Your son merely just didn’t feel that strongly in this aspect, and in addition to respecting you, this kind of situation thus didn’t happen.
On this matter, Jing Wan didn’t want to comment too much. Truthfully speaking, even if her son’s imperial harem was packed full, she at most would just be disappointed, but won’t actually do anything to interfere, because there was no meaning, let alone her grandsons. In any case, because of this man, her feelings towards others really wasn’t particularly deep.
“Didn’t you say, even if you die, you can still let your son-in-law cup your daughter in the palm for a lifetime?” Jing Wan retorted.
“Wan Wan, shackling a person’s body is very easy, but what about the heart? Even this husband believes that one doesn’t have that ability.”
That’s why, if even the heart isn’t with you, then what use is there in shackling a person for a lifetime?
“The descendants have their own fortunes. Once the things that you should do are done, then it’s just done, so what are you worrying that much for?”
[1] Liangdi and Liangyuan are all titles for the crown prince’s concubines.
T/N: The will be the final chapter of TWBW.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel