Leaving behind an ambiguous remark, Nan Shiying pulled Xiao Man away from the private school.
Nan Chaoyin's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. Beneath the阴鸷 cold light that permeated his eyes, a hint of contemplation surfaced. What did her last sentence mean? Could she possibly suspect him?
Without needing to look, Nan Shiying could already picture Nan Chaoyin's current expression. When it came to provoking people, a hundred Nan Chaoyins were no match for her.
Pulling Xiao Man into the carriage, they headed straight for the prince's manor.
The carriage was rather quiet. Nan Shiying leaned against the carriage wall, closing her eyes to rest. Xiao Man placed her hands on her lap, head slightly bowed. After hesitating for a long time, she finally looked up and said, "Xuan Wu has always been by my side."
Nan Shiying opened her eyes and looked at her, saying softly, "I saw him!"
Xiao Man pursed her lips and continued, "In the manor, everyone treats me like a child. Aunt Ji in the courtyard always gives me candy."
Nan Shiying remained silent, letting her continue.
"I was simply too bored, so I begged the Lord to arrange some tasks for me."
Nan Shiying's gaze finally shifted. She asked her, "Isn't it good to be a child?"
"No!"
Xiao Man shook her head, her gaze stubborn and firm as she looked at Nan Shiying. "Miss, I know you care about me, but I want to avenge my grandmother personally."
Her hands trembled slightly. If she had known that Nan Chaoyin was the one who came to the private school today, she wouldn't have brought such non-lethal poison. The substance she'd sprinkled on Nan Chaoyin earlier would no longer have been just dirt!
Nan Shiying was silent for a moment, then suddenly sighed. She sat beside Xiao Man and pulled her into her embrace.
It was her mistake.
Ji Jinmo was right!
She had naively assumed that Xiao Man would prefer a common person's life, that she'd want to be an ordinary child.
"Stay by my side," Nan Shiying said. "I'll teach you!"
"Okay!"
Xiao Man nodded.
...
After Nan Shiying saw Xiao Man back to Qingyuan Pavilion, she went to the study.
"Don't arrange any more tasks for Xiao Man," she said plainly upon entering. "I'll teach her myself."
Ji Jinmo looked up. His hand, hanging by his sleeve, fiddled with a strand of coral beads. He had already instructed the small kitchen to prepare a late-night meal before Nan Shiying arrived, intending to visit Qingyuan Pavilion later. He hadn't expected her to come first.
A smile bloomed on Ji Jinmo's lips, his entire face beaming with joy.
"Good!"
Ji Jinmo nodded, stood up, and walked to Nan Shiying's side, taking her hand. "I just had the small kitchen prepare a late-night meal. Let's eat at your place."
Nan Shiying looked at him.
Ji Jinmo said with a straight face, "Xiao Man is probably hungry too."
"Qingyuan Pavilion has..."
"The matter of dinner has spread throughout the entire manor."
Ji Jinmo's implication was that they needed to quell the gossip. Nan Shiying, however, knitted her brows, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes. "Who gave them the courage?"
Ji Jinmo: "..."
This was just... Ji Jinmo cleared his throat and said no more, directly pulling Nan Shiying out. "You haven't been here for these days, and the back courtyard has been neglected. The servants have become a bit lax."
Thirteen, overhearing this, couldn't help but curl his lip.
Which servant in the prince's manor would dare to gossip so freely? The servants in Qingyuan Pavilion even less so. And spreading throughout the manor? Apart from the servants in Qingyuan Pavilion, no other servant knew anything about the dinner!
How tight-lipped they were!
Thirteen thought to himself, *You want to go to Qingyuan Pavilion, you want to stay in Qingyuan Pavilion, why are you making up excuses and pretexts! Look at you!*
As they walked towards Qingyuan Pavilion, the servants looked shocked.
*Could it be that it's too dark and they're seeing things? How is the Lord holding Feng Luan's hand so intimately? Could it be...* The servants dared not think further, fearing that if they did, the Prince's majesty would be compromised.
The two people walking ahead didn't notice the servants' expressions at all. Thirteen, walking behind, saw everyone's reactions clearly. He felt a slight confusion, then a sudden realization, causing his eyelids to twitch.
"Lord!" Thirteen whispered a reminder. "With the Empress's current appearance, it's not appropriate for you two..." Thirteen dared not say the rest, fearing that the Lord, who was perhaps unsatisfied, might not think clearly and would slap him away.
Ji Jinmo was stunned. He turned his head to look at Nan Shiying.
Nan Shiying lowered her head and looked at herself.
Then, they both looked at Xuan Shisan. Thirteen felt a chill crawl up his spine as he was looked at. "Lord, Empress, she is Feng Luan right now!"
Indeed, love makes people stupid.
Ji Jinmo and Nan Shiying finally understood what thirteen was trying to convey.
Nan Shiying pursed her lips, finding it somewhat amusing. Ji Jinmo didn't care about the servants' gazes. However, although the spies from Miao territory had been purged from the manor, whether there were any spies from Xiliang remained unknown. Therefore, the fact that Feng Luan was the Princess Consort was not yet to be revealed to too many people.
And if it couldn't be known that Feng Luan was the Princess Consort, it would inevitably cause public opinion. Even if the people in the manor dared not speak much, they might think that the Princess Consort was merely a shield because of this matter, thus looking down on her in their hearts!
Thinking this, he let go of her hand.
Nan Shiying, on the other hand, felt indifferent. Yet, at the moment his warm large hand released hers, she felt a strange sense of loss.
This was rather bizarre!
They walked side-by-side towards Qingyuan Pavilion.
Thirteen had already detoured midway to the small kitchen. The small kitchen had prepared two large food boxes of late-night snacks, giving the impression that the Lord and Princess Consort were being fattened like pigs.
Of course, Thirteen only dared to think this in his heart, not even daring to show it on his face.
The servants of Qingyuan Pavilion did not expect that although the Lord and Princess Consort had a disagreement during dinner, he would come to Qingyuan Pavilion at this hour, with Lord Shisan carrying food boxes. This must be an attempt to reconcile with the Princess Consort!
The servants of Qingyuan Pavilion covered their mouths and giggled. Their worried hearts finally settled. After kneeling to pay their respects, they hurried back to their tasks.
As Nan Shiying neared Qingyuan Pavilion, she detoured to the back wall of Qingyuan Pavilion and climbed over. At this hour, Feng Luan, as an outsider male, could not accompany Ji Jinmo to Qingyuan Pavilion.
Stealthily entering the room, before Nan Shiying could even change her clothes, Ji Jinmo pushed the door open and entered.
After arranging the dishes, Lu Wan beckoned to Xiao Man.
"Xiao Man, stay," Nan Shiying said.
Xiao Man, who had already taken a step out, retracted it and turned back inside.
"Greetings to the Lord," she said, bowing to Ji Jinmo.
Ji Jinmo nodded, gesturing for her to sit down and talk. Xiao Man pulled out a stool and sat beside Nan Shiying.
Nan Shiying picked up some food and placed it in the bowl in front of Xiao Man.
"Eat!"
Xiao Man rubbed her belly, which was full of nuts, and looked up at Nan Shiying.
Nan Shiying: "..."
"Go to sleep!"
Xiao Man chirped an "Ai" and scurried out.
Only Nan Shiying and Ji Jinmo remained in the room. Nan Shiying picked up food and placed it in Ji Jinmo's bowl, gesturing for him not to just stare but to eat quickly!
Eat and then get lost quickly!!!