In the dining hall of the Residence of the Princess Who Guards the Nation.
The red-hot pot was billowing with steam. As the paper-thin rabbit meat was being swished around in the boiling broth, it looked like billowing rosy clouds, quite a sight.
Seeing Jiang Ning enjoying her meal with gusto and seemingly not bothering about him at all, Jiang Ye took the initiative to speak, "Your Highness the Princess managed to slap Scholar Xu in the face and win people's hearts today. It's a complete victory. Congratulations, Your Highness."
Jiang Ning glanced at him, "It seems that the Young Master Jiang has been quite idle lately. This isn't the first time you've been lurking outside the Princess's residence, is it?"
Jiang Ye let out a soft laugh, "Sure enough, nothing that happens outside the Princess's residence can escape Your Highness's sharp eyes."
"You have such a silver tongue, Young Master Jiang," Jiang Ning remained unfazed, "Why are you so interested in the affairs of the Princess's residence?"
"Your Highness need not worry. I've received a great deal of kindness from His Highness the Crown Prince. Now that the Crown Prince is away from the capital, the one thing he's most concerned about is Your Highness. Naturally, I should do my part to relieve him of his worries."
After he said this, Jiang Ning stopped eating and just stared at him.
Jiang Ning recalled that in her dream, this Young Master Jiang seemed to have been completely unaffected by the so-called plot.
He neither fawned over Chu Yu nor caused her any trouble. It was as if he was always on the periphery of the plot.
Jiang Ning also vaguely remembered that this Young Master Jiang had helped her a few times.
But she hadn't seen him since then.
Since that was the case, Jiang Ye might be of some help to her.
So Jiang Ning said, "This hot pot dish was specially developed by our chef. It's not as spicy as the ones outside, and the rabbit meat is the freshest. Young Master Jiang, do give it a try."
Jiang Ye didn't think much of it. After thanking her, he picked up his chopsticks.
The rabbit meat was tender, and the spiciness was just right. It was obvious that the chef had put a great deal of effort into getting the spiciness just right.
"If you like it, Young Master Jiang, you're welcome to visit us more often in the future," Jiang Ning said with a beaming smile.
Jiang Ye looked at Jiang Ning and didn't say a word for a long time. There were complex emotions in his eyes, and no one knew what was going on in his mind.
It was only after a long while that he nodded and said, "If Your Highness doesn't find me a nuisance, I'll visit often."
"Not at all. Not at all."
Jiang Ning's smile was utterly sincere.
Jiang Ye averted his gaze. Under his long eyelashes, no one noticed the fleeting glint of darkness in his eyes.
By the time the meal was over, the rain outside had stopped. When Jiang Ning saw Jiang Ye off, she unexpectedly ran into De Shan at the door.
De Shan was the emperor's personal eunuch and the chief eunuch in the palace. He rarely left the emperor's side. Now he had brought a whole cartload of things with him, which made Jiang Ning even more curious.
"Oh, Your Highness the Princess!" De Shan stepped forward a couple of steps and bowed to Jiang Ning with a beaming smile, "His Majesty heard that Your Highness had rewarded people with your own silver. So he sent me over with some things for Your Highness. We can't let Your Highness be wronged, can we?"
The emperor had heard about what had happened in front of the Residence of the Princess Who Guards the Nation and was so delighted that he slapped his thigh. He immediately ordered someone to prepare a whole cartload of things.
Jiang Ning looked at the things and couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth.
She had only given out a few ingots of silver, but the value of these things was probably a hundred times more.
But since it was a gift from the emperor, there was no way Jiang Ning could refuse. She immediately ordered someone to register and store the things.
Only then did De Shan turn to Jiang Ye and say, "This is strange. Why is the Young Master Jiang here?"
Jiang Ye bowed to De Shan and said, "Before His Highness the Crown Prince left the capital, he had entrusted me to take care of Your Highness the Princess. Just now, I saw Scholar Xu coming, and I was worried that Your Highness might not be able to handle him alone, so I came along."
Hearing his words, De Shan nodded repeatedly, "The Young Master Jiang is really thoughtful!"
De Shan still had to return to the palace to report to the emperor. Without even having a cup of tea, he turned around and left in a hurry. Jiang Ye didn't stay either. So, after seeing off the guests, Jiang Ning couldn't contain her curiosity any longer and turned to look at the gifts the emperor had given her.
As for Xu Linchuan and Chu Yu?
She simply forgot about them.
—
On the other side, Chu Yu had someone send Xu Linchuan back to his own home. After that, she didn't leave. Instead, she sat by the bed with a bowl of ginger soup in her hands, waiting for Xu Linchuan to wake up.
The pill was exchanged by Chu Yu from the system. Its effect only lasted for two quarters of an hour, which was about half an hour.
It wasn't long before Xu Linchuan woke up.
Xu Linchuan rubbed his aching temples, trying to recall what had happened just now.
But he couldn't remember anything.
Just then, a bowl of ginger soup was held out in front of him. Chu Yu's voice rang in his ear, "Brother Linchuan, you fainted from the cold. Have some ginger soup to warm up first."
Xu Linchuan sat up with some difficulty, took the ginger soup, and thanked her.
Seeing that he had drunk the ginger soup, Chu Yu continued, "I checked and you don't have a fever, so I didn't call a doctor. Brother Linchuan, if you're feeling unwell, I'll go and call one now."
"No need," Xu Linchuan shook his head, "Yu'er, what exactly happened just now? How did I get back here?"
Chu Yu let out a sigh, "After you fainted, thanks to a few kind-hearted people who stood up for you, the Princess finally came out. But she didn't show the slightest bit of concern for you. She even said a lot of unpleasant things in front of outsiders..."
Xu Linchuan's face grew darker and darker.
He had come today to let Jiang Ning vent her anger, but he never expected that she would be so insolent. Didn't she fear that he would really turn against her?
"Brother Linchuan, perhaps... we should just let it go?" Chu Yu held his hand, "I don't mind. Although I'm living in the servants' quarters, and although the people in the residence aren't as close to me as they used to be because of the Princess, life goes on, doesn't it?"
Although Chu Yu said that she didn't mind, her eyes were already red and filled with tears, making her look extremely pitiful.
Meeting such a gaze, Xu Linchuan quickly said, "Yu'er, we've made an agreement. I won't let you be wronged again. As for Jiang Ning... perhaps I was too harsh on her before. She must be holding a grudge against me. Once she vents her anger, she'll surely go back to being the way she used to be."
Seeing that Xu Linchuan was so determined and didn't show the slightest bit of hesitation, Chu Yu secretly heaved a sigh of relief, "But Brother Linchuan, it's really unfair to you."
"If it weren't for you, I would have died a long time ago. So don't say such things," Xu Linchuan held her hand tightly, "Since I know that Jiang Ning just wants to vent her anger, I won't take this to heart. You don't have to worry about me."
He regarded this as enduring humiliation and biding his time for Chu Yu's sake.
With Xu Linchuan's promise, Chu Yu finally left with peace of mind.
Just as she was about to leave the courtyard, the system's voice rang out again—
【This is a reminder. There are only fifteen days left until the deadline for the mission. Since this is a self-defined mission, if the mission fails, the host will have to accept punishment. Please plan your actions accordingly.】
Chu Yu gritted her teeth. Her steps became unusually heavy.
In the shadows where no one could see, a figure slipped away silently.