The landscape and pavilions are shrouded in mist, and an orange-red sunrise hangs in the sky between the carved and jade pavilions. The entire Chu Palace is shrouded in mist. There is an old woman sweeping fallen leaves on the stone path, and a team of
The maid came from the corridor carrying a basket and box, and saw Zhang Ning hurriedly bending down to avoid it. Zhang Ning, who was pacing slowly, had to speed up and pass first, because according to etiquette, these maids did not dare to let Zhang Ning pass.
Give way.
He was not in a hurry to see Yao Ji, nor did he want to meet with the ministers immediately. He already knew the cabinet's resolution, and he should make a decision when he met, instead of making hesitations and weighings in front of people. Life is often like acting.
, you show yourself differently when facing different people, that’s all. To really think, one should calm down and think carefully. This is probably why Zhang Ning likes to stay in the house when thinking about problems.
Walking in the corridor of the palace was not very quiet, there were often people coming and going, so he decided to go back to his residence for some quiet time.
Walking into the yard, she suddenly saw a girl squatting on the ground. She raised her head when she felt someone, and it turned out to be Zhu Nanping. How could Zhu Nanping be here? Only then did Zhang Ning remember that there was a ceremony held in the palace two days ago.
During the banquet, he brought Zhu Nanping back and asked Zhou Niang to dress up. Later, she seemed to live here.
"What are you doing?" Zhang Ning walked over and asked casually.
She saw some little figures painted on the ground with stones. She immediately wiped the flowers with her shoes, and did not answer Zhang Ning's questions. She just looked at him with her hands behind her back. In the quiet yard, there were no relatives or followers, as if there was only one thing in the world.
Zhu Nanping was spending time here alone in boredom.
Zhang Ning remembered the reason why she was taken to the Beigong. It seemed that Yao Ji intended to further harm and retaliate through Queen Ma's only granddaughter. Zhang Ning could easily imagine that the little niece in front of him was actually in danger at any time.
, and her appearance was not pleasing to the eye, and it would not be easy in Beigong anyway. He felt sympathy in his heart, because he never felt that Zhu Nanping was a threat... Even though she was a relative of the emperor, she regarded him as an enemy.
, but what abilities and threats can a little girl have?
Perhaps it would be better for Zhu Nanping to stay with Emperor Jianwen of Nangong. After all, Zhu Yunwen was her grandfather, and the old ministers of Nangong had no hostility towards her.
"Nan Ping, please pack your things in a moment, and I will personally take you to Nangong in the afternoon." Zhang Ning said. He still has the final say in this matter, and does not have to follow Yao Ji's wishes.
Still didn't hear a response, she just lowered her head silently. She seemed to dislike talking, but sometimes she would still speak when she was happy, such as when they first met. But when she lowered her head now, there was something different
The sideburns fell to the front, successfully covering most of her face, and the hair seemed like a turtle shell.
Zhang Ning didn't want to explain her kindness or show off how kind she was. She just did it. If she didn't understand, she didn't have to worry.
Since he didn't speak, he didn't bother to force it. He turned around and was about to leave, but suddenly felt something strange. The moment he turned around, in his peripheral vision, he vaguely saw Zhu Nanping suddenly raise his head, and then looked away again, his hair falling down again.
Holding back the expression on her face, she tightly grasped her left arm with her right hand, as if pinching the flesh of her arm. Such entanglement made Zhang Ning feel nervous.
He stood still, walked back, bent down and tried to look up at her face: "What's wrong?"
After a moment of silence, Zhu Nanping suddenly raised his head, his face full of tears, and choked with sobs: "I have been waiting for you...I heard a palace maid say you were back this morning, so I kept watching at the door..."
In an instant, Zhang Ning felt something rush into his mind, and all the thoughts about Zhu Nanping in his mind were overturned. For a moment, the new logic had not been established, but the vague feeling made him suddenly understand the most critical point.
He saw that the fog at the entrance of the courtyard behind Zhu Nanping was lighter than when he first entered, as if the sun's rays suddenly rose, dispelling all the haze. The human soul was rising, spinning into the air, looking at the two people on the ground like an outsider.
Face each other for a long time.
Not knowing what kind of mood he was in, he put his hand on Zhu Nanping's shoulder to try to comfort her. As soon as he touched it, Zhu Nanping leaned on his chest and started crying happily. Her thin shoulders were twitching and shaking.
, was so sad that Zhang Ning unconsciously kneaded her arms with his palms and said kindly: "It's okay, it's okay."
There was no need to explain or ask, he gradually understood all the logical relationships about Zhu Nanping. Just like the sun dispelled the fog and the rain washed away the dust, her tears had washed away the hatred and grudges.
This girl, who had been without a mother since she was a child, grew up in that isolated Taoist temple. She could not even see her father for a long time, and was forced to be shrouded in the shadow of the huge failure of the previous generation. Suddenly someone was kinder and gentler to her, and she ignored her.
Make it a treasure.
Zhang Ning let her cry in his arms, but his face was cold. The combination of guilt and pleasure of plunder filled his heart with evil. They killed the girl's biological father and imprisoned her grandmother, and now he
He ruthlessly robbed the little girl of the position that originally belonged to Prince Wenkui. Is this world really full of cruelty and robbery? Whether it is material status or emotional status, only the winner is king?
With her soft and slender body in her arms, Zhang Ning smelled the scent of a girl from the blue hair on her head. In the morning, he struggled with the little girl in the Shahu Bamboo Forest Villa but did not solve the problem, which made him very sensitive, and he suddenly had an embarrassing moment.
Reaction. This is definitely not your intention. The body's reaction does not represent consciousness... Fortunately, this little girl should not understand this, otherwise wouldn't it be embarrassing?
He gently pushed her shoulders away and said, "Let's go inside first."
Zhu Nanping choked and said: "Are you still driving me away?"
"No, I apologize for what I just said." Zhang Ning said nicely. After saying that, he took Zhu Nanping's little hand and walked towards the house with her in a cordial manner.
Zhang Ning sat down on a chair, looked up into Zhu Nanping's eyes, took out a handkerchief from his sleeve pocket and handed it over. Zhu Nanping took it silently, then turned away with a blushing face.
"Have you heard any rumors about the prince?" Zhang Ning asked.
Zhu Nanping nodded: "When my grandmother was not arrested, she often said in front of me that it was you who killed my father."
"Then you don't hate us?" Zhang Ning asked carefully. In his opinion, a girl whose worldview has not yet been formed should be easily brainwashed by the remarks repeatedly emphasized in her ears.
Unexpectedly, Zhu Nanping shook his head: "I can't even remember what my parents look like now. I haven't seen them a few times."
Zhang Ning said hurriedly: "I am your uncle. No matter what, I will always be the prince's brother. From now on, you will treat me as your father. I will take care of you."
Zhu Nanping wiped away his tears, turned to look at Zhang Ning, and responded with a "hmm". Zhang Ning pointed to this spacious room and said: "This is my and your aunt's bedroom. I will tell the maid later that you can come in at any time."
There are bookshelves over there, as well as chess records and so on. If you are bored, you can come over and play. Your aunt will be back in a few days."
"Don't you live here?" she asked again timidly.
Zhang Ning didn't know how to answer for a while. In addition to showing his love for Zhou Niang, he also had to find opportunities to accompany Xu Wenjun and Gu Chunhan. In the past, they were just fighting outside. When he returned to Wuchang, he couldn't neglect them too much. Women need someone to accompany them.
He observed Zhu Nanping's face again, but for a moment he didn't fully understand the little girl's psychology. Even if her parents were not close to her, after all, the family relationship was obvious, and they shouldn't just ignore their grudges.
But he didn't see anything. Zhu Nanping seemed a little shy at this time and deliberately avoided his eyes.
Zhang Ning remembered that he had something else to do, so he temporarily put aside these subtle feelings, went to the desk to get pen and paper, and settled down to think. His unique way of thinking listed various factors and used lines to outline the relationships between various people and things.
relationships, making inferences and weighing pros and cons in detail.
Living together in silence like this is a bit lonely. In fact, even if people are in a high position, they cannot always be in the excitement of singing and laughing, and they are often lonely. But if you have the conditions to be so quiet, isn't it also a kind of enjoyment? Isn't it all?
Everyone has the resources to own such a big house and such a quiet environment without being disturbed by worldly affairs.
It wasn't until noon that Zhang Ning got up and threw a few scrawled pieces of paper into the charcoal basin, and blue flames suddenly appeared.
He went to the door and called Lianxiang, Zhou Niang's close attendant, and ordered: "From now on, in this courtyard, you can't be the princess of Nanluocheng. When the princess is not here, you have to prepare lunch for the princess and find someone to wash her clothes. Understand this.
Yet?"
Lianxiang hurriedly bent her knees and responded: "I understand what the prince said."
Zhang Ning turned to Zhu Nanping and said, "I have something to leave now, so I'll say goodbye."
He went straight out of the yard and walked all the way from the corridor to Fengyi Building where Yao Ji lived. When he arrived, he found that Yao Ji was about to have lunch, so he could eat with her. Yao Ji asked the maid to get a pair of
After the dishes and chopsticks were brought out, the maid came over and whispered something unknown.
Yao Ji looked at him with a half-smile, making him feel a little uncomfortable. In fact, he didn't like eating here very much. Yao Ji's diet was too light, and he liked strong and spicy food.
After a while, the maid added a pair of exquisite bowls and chopsticks, as well as a thin-necked ceramic wine bottle. Only then did Zhang Ning realize that what Yao Ji had whispered just now should have been asking the maid to serve wine.
The maid came forward to pour two glasses of wine, and Yao Ji waved her hand for them to leave.
"The Cabinet Office is looking for you everywhere. It seems that you are not in a hurry." Yao Ji said softly. She must have known that Zhang Ning had returned to the palace long ago.
Zhang Ning said: "I have to think about it before I see them."
Yao Ji nodded and picked up the wine glass. Zhang Ning also reached out and picked it up: "I respect you."