With a solemn face, Rong Sui came to the elegant private room on the third floor of the Shuyu Pavilion together with Yin Taiping.
As there was quite a commotion in the private room, there were several young men peeping around at the door. Their faces were all tinged with a bit of excitement. However, the maid Yingtao standing in front of the private - room door looked delicate and charming. She held a pair of chopsticks in her hand. From time to time, she would fling out one chopstick, which flew like a flying knife and nailed itself to the railing in front.
Even if those peeping men were still interested, they only dared to look on discontentedly and didn't dare to step forward.
It was a young and inexperienced waiter who looked at the damaged railing with a worried face. He kept bowing and said, "Miss, please stop. If you're scared, I'll go and call some people to guard the door of the private room and prevent anyone from getting close. How about that?"
Yingtao had a cold face and didn't even glance at him. "Men are trash. Get lost!"
The waiter shivered and continued to look on with a worried face.
Seeing this situation, Yin Taiping couldn't help bursting out laughing.
The shopkeeper came very quickly. With a mournful face, he bowed to Rong Sui. "Third Master Rong, please help us. That kung - fu - skilled maid upstairs is already a headache. And with the guards of the Rong and Tang families blocking the way downstairs, no customers dare to come into our Shuyu Pavilion today."
Rong Sui glanced at him. "In that case, close the pavilion for the day."
The shopkeeper looked at Rong Sui in disbelief. Seeing his cold and serious face without any sign of joking, he couldn't help feeling dejected. He led the waiters and went to apologize to the customers in the adjacent private rooms one by one.
Lu'er rushed over anxiously. "Third Master is finally here. The young ladies got drunk and drove all of us out..."
Rong Sui pushed open the door of the private room and happened to embrace the young girl in front of him. He barely managed to hold her steady.
The young girl had drunk some wine, and an unnatural flush appeared on her face. The way she rubbed her eyes was just like a two - month - old kitten. When she dimly recognized him in her hazy state, she even bared her teeth at him, looking extremely cute when she was fierce.
Rong Sui curled his lips and softened his voice. "Why did you drink so much?"
The young girl glared at him with her beautiful eyes and punched him on the body. "Heartless man! Coward! Is this all you're capable of, Rong Sui?"
Rong Sui frowned and grabbed her wrist. "What did you say?"
The young girl's eyes and eyebrows were stained with tears, looking red and pitiful. "Dare to love but not to take responsibility! You're really a coward. Are your family and brothers more important than your lover in your heart? If you really love someone, you should bravely pursue them! Look at you. You've made her so sad! So sad!"
Another young girl at the wine table was lying limply on the table. She half - opened her eyes, and her cheeks were wet. It was hard to tell whether it was tears or wine.
Rong Sui asked, "Do you think I like her?"
Shi Ning'an couldn't stand steadily and collapsed limply.
Rong Sui quickly helped her to the table and let her sit down properly. "Ning'an?"
Shi Ning'an opened her eyes and reached out to grab Rong Sui's lapel. She murmured softly, "If you like her... just be a bit braver... I... I'll be okay."
Rong Sui was slightly stunned and then asked again, "What did you say?"
Tears rolled down Shi Ning'an's face. She sniffled. "Lovers should be together. You two like each other... Rong Sui, just be a bit braver, okay? Don't... don't miss this chance again, okay..."
Rong Sui's gaze shifted from Shi Ning'an to Tang Chutong and then back to Shi Ning'an. He reached out to wipe the tears from her face and nodded gently. "Okay."
Shi Ning'an let go of her hand and covered her face, crying even more bitterly.
Rong Sui patted her on the back. "Let's go home."
There was a great stir in the Rong Mansion. Princess Zhaoming got the news that Shi Ning'an was dead drunk and was carried back by Rong Sui.
Princess Zhaoming stroked her chest and asked Mrs. Xia, "Is Father - in - law not at home?"
Mrs. Xia replied, "Feichi said that they went out for a military review today."
Princess Zhaoming let out a sigh of relief. "That's good, that's good. Quick, what are you all standing there for? Go and prepare the sobering soup quickly."
After everything was settled, Princess Zhaoming and Mrs. Xia rushed to the drooping - flower gate and happened to see the scene of Rong Sui carrying Shi Ning'an in.
The tall and handsome young man, and the girl was like a kitten. Maybe she was uncomfortable, and she even nuzzled in his chest. It actually... looked quite harmonious?
Princess Zhaoming and Mrs. Xia exchanged a look.
Rong Sui was as calm as usual. He carried Shi Ning'an back to the courtyard and laid her down. Then he explained what had happened today to the two women.
"It's my fault. I didn't expect that the two of them would leave the teahouse and go to the tavern. It took quite a while to find them... By the time we found them, both of them were already drunk like this."
Mrs. Xia reached out to feel Shi Ning'an's forehead and found it a bit hot. She asked repeatedly, "This... Why is she so hot? Has she been crying?"
Rong Sui nodded. "It should be."
Mrs. Xia frowned. "Weren't they supposed to accompany each other? Why did she cry like this?"
Rong Sui said indifferently, "Maybe she thought of something sad."
Mrs. Xia closed her mouth. She thought that although Ning'an seemed to be in the limelight in public, she had left home after all. She had lost her mother since childhood and was not loved by her father or grandmother. At the end of last year, she even left her original family. No matter how strong she seemed on the surface, she was still a delicate young girl.
Rong Sui got up to go out. Princess Zhaoming quickly grabbed him and stammered, "Then... that... What about Miss Tang? Did you...?"
"What does she have to do with me?"
Princess Zhaoming was stunned.
After Mrs. Xia took care of Shi Ning'an until she fell asleep soundly, she walked out of the room and saw her elder sister - in - law standing in a daze in the courtyard. She asked curiously, "Elder sister - in - law? What are you daydreaming about?"
Princess Zhaoming pulled her mysteriously. "Don't you think Sui'er is acting strange?"
Mrs. Xia was confused. "What's strange about Sui'er?"
Princess Zhaoming said, "We sent them out today to persuade Miss Tang. But look, Sui'er brought Ning'an back and didn't even care about Miss Tang."
Mrs. Xia thought it was quite normal. "Didn't you say that Sui'er has always been cold to girls? Maybe it's Miss Tang from the Tang family who has taken a fancy to Sui'er, but Sui'er has no feelings for her. This is a normal thing. Although Sui'er has a cold personality, with his good looks, there will surely be many girls who like him. Moreover, judging from Sui'er's personality, if he really liked Miss Tang, he might not be willing to give her up. The fact that he ignores her shows that he really doesn't care. It's already difficult for us to ask him to accompany them actively. How can we expect him to send Miss Tang back in person?"
Princess Zhaoming shook her head and pulled on her sleeve. "You're missing the point. Am I talking about Miss Tang? I'm talking about our Ning'an! I've watched Sui'er grow up. When have I ever seen him being enthusiastic about any girl? I didn't pay attention before, but now it seems that Sui'er treats Ning'an differently."
Mrs. Xia opened her mouth in surprise. "They're... siblings..."
Princess Zhaoming was a bit proud. "Siblings? They're not blood - related siblings. Oh, the more I think about it, the more I think it's a good idea. Isn't Father - in - law worried that Ning'an will marry into a bad family? If she marries into our family, there's no need to worry!"
She was happy on her own. When she looked up again, she saw that her younger sister - in - law was frowning and didn't seem to agree.
Princess Zhaoming's heart skipped a beat. She asked, "You're not happy about it?"
Mrs. Xia quickly shook her head. "How could I not be happy? But I always wonder if Sui'er really likes Ning'an. Could it be a mistake? What if Sui'er only regards Ning'an as a younger sister? Wouldn't we be making a wrong match?"
When Rong Jian came back at night and heard what his two daughters - in - law said, he flatly refused.
Rong Feichi didn't understand. "Father, in terms of family background, our Rong family has been a noble family for a hundred years. In terms of character, Sui'er is both good - looking and has good qualities. There are hardly anyone in the whole capital or even the Great Zhou who can compare with him. What are you worried about?"
Rong Jian looked unhappy. "With Sui'er's personality, even if all the men in the world were dead, I still wouldn't approve of him! Ning'an marrying him? Having to face a cold face like an iceberg all day long would surely make her feel suffocated. If there were disputes between the two of them in the future, Sui'er wouldn't even know how to comfort her. If Xuan'er were a few years younger and not yet married, I might consider it. But there's no need to think about Rong Sui."
Rong Feichi gave up the idea.
Princess Zhaoming wasn't willing to give up. "Sui'er is just not enlightened yet. Maybe he'll change in a few years."
Rong Jian glanced at her. "Do you mean to let Ning'an take the risk? If Sui'er's personality doesn't change in a few years, will you take care of their divorce?"
Princess Zhaoming was stunned and didn't dare to say anything more.
Mrs. Xia quickly said, "Father - in - law, elder sister - in - law doesn't mean that. It's just that Sui'er has never been nice to any woman since childhood, but he treats Ning'an differently. My idea is to first ask Sui'er's opinion. If he's willing..."
"Even if he's willing, I still won't agree!" Rong Jian frowned. "Sui'er doesn't even have a maid by his side. He focuses all his attention on the court. How could he understand the feelings between men and women? Moreover, he's always been filial and regards Ning'an as his own younger sister. If we ask him to marry Ning'an, he will surely agree. But sibling affection can't be compared with husband - wife affection. Ning'an must marry a man who knows how to care for her."
Princess Zhaoming had no choice but to give up.
Mrs. Xia wasn't very willing to give up either. She asked, "Then... Father - in - law, what about Heng'er?"
Rong Jian looked up at her. "Heng'er? Didn't you already have your eye on your niece from your natal family?"
Mrs. Xia smiled. "Father - in - law, Heng'er himself doesn't seem very willing. I only mentioned it casually."
Rong Jian looked stern. "No. Ning'an is not like you. She can't wield a sword or kill the enemy, and she can't go to the battlefield with Feichi. If Ning'an marries Heng'er, even if she follows him to Wuyun in the future, she'll probably have to stay in the inner courtyard waiting for her husband to return for most of the time. I don't agree."
Mrs. Xia took a deep breath. She finally understood why her elder sister - in - law was so anxious about Ning'an's marriage. With Father - in - law being so picky, even if a fairy from the sky came down, he might still think she wasn't good enough for Ning'an.
After all, both Rong Sui and Rong Heng were his own sons. Hearing his father being so picky, Rong Feichi murmured, "Father being like this, isn't it going to make it impossible for Ning'an to find a husband in her whole life?"
These words really angered Rong Jian. He exploded on the spot. "If you and your elder brother had been more useful back then and helped to take care of your sister more, how could your sister have been deceived by a cunning villain like Shi Yongtang who only had good looks? She died at the age of only twenty - one! Ning'an is the only remaining bloodline of your sister's daughter. Do you think she should be married off carelessly? I'm telling you, if we can't find a suitable match, it's only right for the Rong family to support Ning'an for the rest of her life!"
Rong Feichi and Princess Zhaoming did their best and finally managed to calm Rong Jian down a bit. They didn't dare to mention this matter again.