Chapter 130:130. True Purpose (One more revision)
Translator: 549690339
Qi Jun was waiting at Su Liang’s house, and when he saw her coming back with Ning Jing, he hurried to the neighboring house to look for Xing Yusheng. Xing Yusheng had alreadv shown Oin Yuiin and Lin Xueainc the house he planned to live in after getting married. It was considerably smaller than Su Liang’s place, but it had everything, many pine trees were planted, and it was quite elegant.
“Xueqing, do you like it?” Qin Yujin asked with a smile.
Lin Xueqing nodded subconsciously, blushing when she realized her response, and seeing Qi Jun appear not far away, she quickly said, “Su sister and Ning senior brother are back, let’s go over there!”
Lin Xueqing ran away, and Qin Yujin gave Xing Yusheng a thumbs up, indicating that the mansion was a great addition.
The fish they brought back was still alive, and Ning Jing was responsible for cleaning it up.
By the time Lin Xueqing and the others came over, Su Liang had already started stewing the fish.
“It smells so good!” Lin Xueqing hugged Su Liang out of habit, “Su sister, tell the truth, did Ning senior brother go to pick you up? Su Liang shook her head, “He didn’t pick me up.”
Lin Xueqing paused, “Is there someone else?”
Su Liang pointed at the fish in the pot, “This one.”
Lin Xueqing held her forehead, “It’s obvious that Ning senior brother is worried about you! Why won’t you both admit it?”
Su Liang smiled, “Is that so? Then you’ll have to ask him about it.”
Lin Xueqing turned her head and saw Ning Jing standing at the door, so she asked him, “Ning senior brother, did you miss Su sister when you went to find
Ning Jing nodded, “Yes.”
Lin Xueqing’s eyes lit up, “Ning senior brother, you admit you like Su sister!”
Su Liang coughed lightly, “He admitted he likes me, like a brother kind of like.” Lin Xueqing: …Why is there no shyness at all? What’s with this openness?
At dusk, Su Liang hosted guests at her home in the capital city for the first time.
The dishes were plentiful, but only the fish was prepared by her personally.
Lin Xueqing was looking forward to it and was about to taste it, but the fish in the middle was replaced by Ning Jing in front of him.
Su Liang was speechless, “Don’t be so stingy.”
“They all say they’re not outsiders.” Ning Jing’s face was plain.
Lin Xueqing laughed secretly, “I get it! Ning senior brother doesn’t want us to eat the dish Su sister made by herself!” Su Liang asked in a faint tone, “Can I eat it then?”
Ning Jing shook his head, “No.”
Qin Yujin couldn’t help but laugh, “I didn’t expect Young Master Ning to be like this when he’s with Sister Liang.” She found it adorable!
Ning Jing only ate that fish.
Xing Yusheng asked Su Liang who she had encountered at the restaurant.
“Someone I knew before, Xiao Muyun from the Prime Minister Mansion, do you know him?” Su Liang asked.
Xing Yusheng and Lin Xueqing shook their heads together. They had only been in the capital city for a short time.
Qin Yujin nodded, “I know, he is the second son of the Xiao family, the brother of the late second prince’s consort. Did he give Sister Liang any trouble?” “No.” Su Liang shook her head, “What else do you know about him?”
Qin Yujin said she only knew that Xiao Muyun was talented, but he had never taken the Imperial examination. He once had a wife who had died in childbirth, leaving behind a daughter.
As the sky darkened, Xing Yusheng, and the other two left.
Su Liang turned around and saw Ning Jing standing there quietly, so she asked
him, “Why did you eat that fish alone?”
Ning Jing was cold but not impolite.
Although Xing Yusheng and the others really didn’t mind, Su Liang found it strange.
“I accidentally broke the fish’s gall bladder.” Ning Jing said.
The fish gallbladder broke, and the taste must be bitter. Su Liang, being a good cook, rarely tasted the food during the cooking process and didn’t notice it.
Su Liang held her forehead, “You could have just told me directly. Why did you eat a bitter fish? I wouldn’t have made it if you had told me earlier.” “I wanted to try it. The taste is quite unique,” said Ning Jing.
“Conserving is a good habit, but don’t do this again next time. It’s not good for your health,” Su Liang said seriously.
When Su Liang returned to the kitchen and tasted a bit of the fish soup left in the pot, her face wrinkled in bitterness.
Regarding Ning Jing’s act of eating a bitter fish without changing her expression, Su Liang had only one comment: “Truly extraordinary.”
That night, Su Liang was thinking about the fifth prince and considering when to look for him.
Chang’an appeared, saying that Duanmu Chen had invited Su Liang to talk about something.
Seeing that there were no lights on in Ning Jing’s room, Su Liang thought she was asleep and didn’t call her, so she went with Chang’an.
Duanmu Chen was having a late-night snack, and he was holding a book in his hand.
“Sit.” He was much calmer tonight than usual.
After Chang’an served tea and withdrew, Duanmu Chen put down the book and chopsticks and looked at Su Liang, “I didn’t expect that you had some history with my cousin.”
Su Liang frowned, “Were you spying on me?”
Duanmu Chen shook his head, “It was for protection. Duanmu Ao will definitely not let you go.”
“I’ve lost my memory,” said Su Liang, “You should know Xiao Muyun better than me. I didn’t expect that you knew nothing about his connection with ‘met.”
Duanmu Chen snorted, “I’m not close with him. He’s an ordinary, law-abiding person.”
The two words accurately described Su Liang’s impression of Xiao Muyun.
Ordinary, meaning incompetent.
Law-abiding, or viewed from another angle, craving for a comfortable life, with no courage to take any risks.
“Regardless of the past, I know you can’t possibly be interested in him anymore. If he keeps pestering you, you can handle it yourself. It’s not appropriate for me to intervene,” said Duanmu Chen, “I presume you’ve already learned that the funeral arrangements for your family were taken care of by my fifth brother.”
Su Liang nodded. She only learned about this today and planned to visit the Su family graves tomorrow.
“Duanmu Che’s mother had been the emperor’s favorite woman, but she passed away several years ago due to illness,” said Duanmu Chen, “Nian Ruxue bears some resemblance to her.”
Su Liang had heard Duanmu Chen mention before that Nian Ruxue caught the emperor’s eye and was supposed to enter the Imperial Harem. So this was the reason behind it.
“Although my fifth brother is weak and sickly, with an introverted temperament, his position in my father’s heart is quite special. That’s why he was able to help the Su family back then, and Duanmu Ao dared not do anything to him,” Duanmu Chen said.
Su Liang nodded, “I understand now. Did the fourth prince find any clues to the death of the second princes wife:
Duanmu Chen shook his head, “With the death of your family and your memory loss, there’s no way to investigate it anymore. If you can recover your memory, it might be much simpler. I suspect that Duanmu Che knows something, but since I don’t have much interaction with him, it’s not appropriate for me to ask him.”
Su Liang understood, “Should I ask him?”
Duanmu Chen nodded, “You’re the most suitable person to do so. Perhaps it was all arranged by Duanmu Che for you to leave the capital city and go to Bei’an County. You can approach him under the guise of treating his illness.” “Alright, I’ll give it a try.” Su Liang had already planned to do this.
“Since we’re cooperating, make sure to inform me of any new information in a timely manner. If I find out anything on my end, I’ll tell you too,” Duanmu
Chen said as he picked up the book again, “That’s all for now. You can go back.”
Su Liang got up and was about to leave when she turned back, “Could the fourth prince remove the spies who are watching me?”
Duanmu Chen snorted, “What are you trying to do behind my back?”
“In that case, if I find any lurking people and kill them when I’m not in a good mood, don’t blame me,” Su Liang said indifferently.
Duanmu Chen frowned, and Su Liang had already left.
“Master, by letting Miss Su approach the fifth prince, what if she ends up working directly with him?” Chang’an expressed his concern.
Duanmu Chen’s eyes were deep, “Do you think that Duanmu Che has the heart of a Bodhisattva? He’s always been secretive, and now Su Liang can help me find out the truth about him.”
Chang’an’s expression changed, “So the true purpose of inviting Miss Su is…?”
Duanmu Chen looked at the book in his hand, “Duanmu Ao is nothing but a waste. I always feel that Duanmu Che will be a threat to me someday. My father has been protecting him well, and he may not necessarily be genuinely ill. Only the orphan of the Su family can get close to him..”