Chapter 37: The Princess Who Attempted to Assassinate a High Official

Nie Rou still had to tend to kitchen duties and had no time to apply the rouge, so she left it on her vanity for the time being.

By the time she returned that evening, she was too exhausted. After tidying up a bit, she lay on her bed and quickly fell asleep.

The next morning, Nie Rou had to calculate the kitchen’s supply losses, review the previous day’s account books, and complete the necessary purchases.

After half a month, Nie Rou noticed that more and more people were visiting the rouge shop, all praising its excellent products.

As more people came, some would stop by to dine at Manxuan Pavilion, and even the nearby shops saw an uptick in business.

Nie Rou was busy every day and hadn’t used the rouge at all. After all, the guests at Manxuan Pavilion weren’t going to the kitchen to see if the chefs looked beautiful.

Li Ning’an was somewhat interested in the rouge shop, but she was more focused on staying close to her brother.

She couldn’t afford to let Fu Minglang take advantage of any opportunities again.

As a result, she had been staying in the palace during this time.

Emperor Mingde, concerned for his daughter’s well-being, had stopped her from bringing handmade pastries to the court every day.

Especially because once she started, others followed suit.

With only one mouth to feed, he couldn’t possibly eat all those pastries, and wasting them wouldn’t do. So he asked her to stop.

With nothing to do that morning, Li Ning’an carefully recalled events from her previous life but couldn’t think of anything significant.

In the afternoons, she would visit her mother, chatting, drinking tea, and playing chess, then have dinner with Li Ningzhao when he arrived.

Since Li Ningzhao had the day off, Li Ning’an arrived early today.

Inside Li Ningzhao’s chambers, in the study to the right, the siblings each occupied a corner of the desk.

Li Ningzhao was practicing his calligraphy. The small boy held his brush with great seriousness, writing each stroke carefully.

Li Ning’an, meanwhile, was writing a letter to Yan Ziqi. She hadn’t heard from him, and there had been no military reports from the border either.

She wondered whether Deputy General Ge and his troops had managed to escape, whether General Tong had returned to camp, and whether Tong Linian was causing trouble for Yan Ziqi.

There had been no news from that physician lately. Several people had visited Duke Dingguo’s residence to try treating Shui Mingxi, but none had succeeded.

The Duchess of Dingguo wasn’t disheartened by this and was immensely grateful to Princess Ning’an.

Shui Yuerong, newly married into the Zhongyong Marquis’ household, was enjoying a harmonious life with her husband.

Today, however, was the day when Ling Jibai was set to leave for the border. Li Ning’an paused her writing and called Xinger over.

“Go and ask when Young Lord Ling will be leaving the capital. I have a few letters I’d like him to take to Yan Ziqi.”

Sometimes Li Ning’an would save up several letters and send them all at once through the postal station.

This time, she had seven letters in total.

Xinger nodded and left.

That afternoon, after bidding farewell to his family, Ling Jibai rode in a carriage with Shui Yuerong to the Seven Mile Pavilion.

Although theirs was not a completely arranged marriage, they didn’t know each other well.

Fortunately, over the past few days, they had found a way to get along.

It wasn’t a deep love, but it was enough to make the journey together.

“Husband, take care on the road. I’ll be waiting for your return.”

Shui Yuerong had originally wanted to accompany him, but as a newlywed wife, she had to remain cautious and stay with the elders.

When Ling Jibai returned at the year-end debriefing, they would be reunited.

Ling Jibai nodded. “If anyone at home bullies you, write to me.”

Just as he was about to ride off, Princess Ning’an’s carriage arrived at the Seven Mile Pavilion.

“Lieutenant Ling, wait a moment.”

Li Ning’an’s carriage stopped, and Xinger helped her out.

Ling Jibai noticed that she was holding a small brocade box, not too large—if placed in his pack, it wouldn’t take up much space.

Li Ning’an handed him the brocade box. “I’m worried about Yan Ziqi. Could you help me deliver these letters to him?”

Li Ning’an had deliberately timed her appearance so that Shui Yuerong would be there.

After all, they were now married, and out of consideration for Yuerong, Ling Jibai would surely agree to help.

Shui Yuerong hadn’t expected Li Ning’an to show up, but since the princess wanted her husband to deliver letters to Yan Shizi, she realized how much Li Ning’an cared for Yan Ziqi.

Wanting to help, Shui Yuerong said, “Husband, if it’s not too much trouble, why not help Princess Ning’an deliver the letters?”

Ling Jibai shook his head and said, “If Princess Ning’an doesn’t mind me opening and reading the letters, I can deliver them for you.”

When he returned to the military camp, all items would have to be inspected.

He wasn’t particularly close to Princess Ning’an, so anything he carried on her behalf would need to be checked.

Yan Ziqi and the Tong family didn’t get along well, and although Princess Ning’an probably wasn’t on good terms with them either, one could never be too careful.

Especially when it came to the letter that was sent to the border.

That letter, from Xiangguo Duke’s mansion to Deputy General Ge, stamped with Yan Ziqi’s seal, must have come from someone very close to him.

Although Ling Jibai wasn’t familiar with Princess Ning’an, he had heard the stories about her childhood friendship with Yan Ziqi.

Since there were no secrets in the letters, Li Ning’an agreed without hesitation.

Ling Jibai quickly skimmed through the contents, his expression growing somewhat complicated.

If these letters were ever leaked to the public, they would surely put an end to the rumors that Princess Ning’an still had feelings for Fu Minglang.

“I will ensure Yan Shizi gets these,” Ling Jibai said.

Li Ning’an nodded in satisfaction. She and Shui Yuerong watched him ride off before they climbed into the Zhongyong Marquis’ carriage.

Out of curiosity, Shui Yuerong asked, “I heard you pulled some young gentlemen from the gates of Grand Tutor Wen’s residence and insisted they bathe in the hot springs with you.”

Shui Yuerong half-laughed, clearly unsure whether to believe the wild rumors circulating in the streets.

Li Ning’an shook her head vigorously. “It was Wen Di who insisted on dragging them along.”

As their carriage made its way to Zhongyong Marquis’ mansion, a horseman sped past them, carrying an urgent military report headed for the palace.

Li Ning’an, still fuming, mentally vowed to settle the score with Wen Di soon.

Shui Yuerong gently tried to calm her down, mentioning that Young Master Wen had recently been caught at a gambling den by people from Grand Tutor Wen’s household and dragged home.

“Gambling?” Li Ning’an suddenly recalled Wen Di’s request for her to pretend to like Fu Minglang for a few more days.

Wen Di had gotten himself into trouble. When he saw that rumors about Li Ning’an’s affection for Fu Minglang were still circulating, he went to the gambling den hoping to change his odds.

But before he could act, the people from Grand Tutor Wen’s household showed up and hauled him away.

Coincidentally, today was the settlement day for his bets.

Some had seen Princess Ning’an bid farewell to Lieutenant Ling and guessed that she had given him something to deliver to Yan Shizi.

In short, Wen Di suffered a significant loss.

Li Ning’an had no idea that there were gambling rings betting on her affections. She chatted with Shui Yuerong for a while longer before they parted ways at the Zhongyong Marquis’ mansion.

There was nothing particularly shady going on at the Zhongyong Marquis’ household. Shui Yuerong, apart from missing her parents, was doing quite well.

She also told Li Ning’an about a rouge shop with different, unique scents.

No one knew where the main shop was located, but more than a dozen branches had already opened.

Shui Yuerong hadn’t had the chance to visit yet, so she suggested they go together tomorrow.

Li Ning’an nodded in agreement.

When she returned to the palace, she went straight to her quarters. Hongxiu approached her and said, “Someone is kneeling outside Qiankun Palace, asking to accuse Prince Jing. They’ve been there for half an hour.”

Li Ning’an looked at Hongxiu in confusion. Her royal uncle, an old prince living a reclusive and leisurely life, what could he possibly be accused of?

“Who is it?”

Hongxiu replied, “It’s Imperial Censor Ji Jian.”

Memories flooded Li Ning’an’s mind instantly.

“How could it be him!”

She hurried to Qiankun Palace and saw an elderly man with graying hair kneeling in the courtyard.

Without hesitation, she grabbed a sword from a nearby imperial guard and thrust it toward Ji Jian’s body.