Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Chapter 294 Frightened

Meng Dong enthusiastically took Nian Yao to pick osmanthus flowers and make osmanthus cakes. He cooked the meal himself, took her shopping, and then went to the opera house to listen to a play.

After a lively and non-stop day, they returned at 9 PM. The steward said that the Prince was out entertaining guests and asked the Princess to rest first.

Meng Dong pulled Nian Yao aside and said, "Nian Yao, Xi Zhai is too quiet and not suitable for young people like you. You can stay here when you come to Bianjing. My family has everything we need, except for a daughter to keep me company. Whenever they see me go out, they all run away as fast as they can, as if I'm going to kill them."

No one had ever held her hands like this before, so Nianyao resisted the urge to pull her hands away and mumbled an "Mmm."

Meng Dong raised his hand to cover a yawn: "It's late, I'll take you to rest. The Prince's mansion is quite big, you'll get used to it after you stay here for a while."

Nianyao quickly said, "Auntie, I remember how you took me around the Prince's Mansion during the day. The Camellia Garden is over there. You don't need to lead the way, I can walk by myself. I'm off."

Meng Dong was about to have the steward lead the way when Nian Yao had already leaped a good ten feet away. Meng Dong watched her figure disappear around the corner and gently shook his head.

Butler Feng immediately said, "Does Your Highness find her too rude?"

Meng Dong said, "After all, she's just a bandit's daughter who grew up in the Jianghu (江湖, the martial arts world), not comparable to the refined ladies of Bianjing. I wonder what they have to be wary of?"

Steward Feng said, "It's probably because there are too many well-bred young ladies in Bianjing, and they find the daughters of the Jianghu (江湖, the martial arts world) novel."

I'd talked about her during the day, walked around and looked around, and I was worried she wouldn't be able to find me at night. I really underestimated her. Nianyao bent down slightly and patted her legs, which were a little sore: walking from one end of two streets to the other and then sitting in the theater for an hour was more tiring than fighting all day.

The courtyards in the Prince's Mansion are mostly named after flowers that bloom in autumn and winter. Meng Dong said that from now on, the Camellia Garden would belong exclusively to her, and she could come back and stay whenever she wanted.

Meng Dong wasn't very old, and her gentleness was tempered with determination; she was the epitome of the matriarch Nian Yao had imagined. Unlike Nian Yao on Chongming Island, where she was bossy and domineering all day long.

The Great River Gang is gone; she's no longer the gang leader, Xue. She wasn't cut out to be a good mistress anyway, and now that she's been kicked out, she has no chance. Does she really have to become the eldest daughter of the Prince's mansion?

A maidservant was waiting in the Camellia Garden. She kindly opened the door for Nianyao: "Miss, the wet nurse and young lady are asleep next door. We'll wait outside. Please let us know if you need anything."

Nianyao waved her hand: "No need to wait, I'm not a child anymore, go down."

After dismissing the maids, Nianyao went into her room and muttered, "It seems I won't be able to enjoy the blessings of a wealthy young lady."

Nianyao tossed her coat onto the rack, yawned, and lifted the bed curtains. A gasp escaped her throat, caught in her throat, and she swallowed it back down. She clutched her chest, took a few steps back, and stared wide-eyed at the bed, nearly choking on her own breath.

Xu Sheng sat cross-legged on the bed, his tone relaxed and at ease: "Chief Xue, it's been a long time."

Nianyao looked around, confirming that she was in the Prince's residence. She let out a long sigh of relief, "What are you doing here? What are you doing sitting on my bed? Don't you have any shame?"

Xu Sheng got off the bed, bent down to pick up the coat that was spread on the bed, smoothed out the sheets, bowed and apologized sincerely: "I had no choice but to do this because of the circumstances. This coat is new and I haven't worn it. I put it under me on purpose, so I don't think it got the bed dirty."

Nianyao hadn't seen Xu Sheng for a while and wasn't yet used to his easygoing nature. But since his attitude was appropriate, Nianyao couldn't continue to make a scene: "What are you doing here?"

Xu Sheng said, "I'll go to Xi Zhai..."

Nianyao blurted out, "What did you do to Luo An?"

Xu Sheng went to Bohai but didn't find any birthday invitations, so he chased after him to Bianjing seeking revenge? Given his cunning, Luo An is definitely no match for him.

Xu Sheng's tone was somewhat helpless: "Chief Xue, don't always be so petty. As the elder brother, of course I have to be magnanimous. What could I possibly do to my younger brother?"

Nianyao was skeptical: "You didn't do anything to him? Then how did you know I was here?"

Xu Sheng said, "What a coincidence! I went to Xi Zhai to find you, and I happened to see you two arguing. Young couples usually make up quickly after a fight, so it wasn't appropriate for me to step in and mediate. But your argument was quite unusual; it didn't even escalate to the point of going to bed, and you even ran away from home."

Nianyao was on the verge of collapse: "You, a dignified prince, why do you always like to eavesdrop? Indecent assault... never mind, you wouldn't understand."

Xu Sheng said with admiration, "My sister-in-law really understands me."

Nianyao rubbed her forehead: "Stop talking nonsense. What do you want from me? You didn't come here just to mediate a fight, did you?"

Xu Sheng walked to the table and sat down: "My sister-in-law is smart. I really have something to tell you. Please sit down, let's talk slowly."

Nianyao subconsciously looked towards the window: "I can hear you standing here. Hurry up and say what you need to say, and then get out of here."

There was a man in her room in the middle of the night; if word got out, she wouldn't be able to clear her name even if she jumped into the Yellow River.

Xu Sheng scolded, "You have quite the temper. No wonder Luo An argued with you. This is Bianjing, not your bandit island. If you don't control your bad temper, there are plenty of gentle and tender girls who would want to be with Luo An..."

Nianyao clenched her fist and then loosened it, loosened it and clenched it again, finally letting it go completely: Xu Sheng was right, no, Xu Sheng was absolutely right. If he's right, you have to accept it. Getting angry when he's right only proves that you're petty and can't stand the truth.

Xu Sheng took in her reaction and, feeling a pang of pity, said seriously, "Let's discuss how to save Ninth Brother."

Nianyao said, "Didn't Ninth Brother come out? I plan to go to the Duke's Mansion to see him tomorrow."

Xu Sheng frowned slightly: "Luo An told you he went back to the Duke's mansion?"

Nianyao said, "No, he didn't tell me about Ninth Brother. I guessed."

Xu Sheng asked, "How did you guess that?"

Nianyao hesitated whether to tell Xu Sheng.

Xu Shengqi asked, "What's there to hide from me? Chief Xue, put your hand on your heart and tell me, have I never hurt you or any of you? Why do you always have such a big prejudice against me? Put your hand on your heart, put your hand on it now."

Nianyao subconsciously raised her hand slightly and then lowered it: "It's just what you usually do..."

Xu Sheng pressed on, "Tell me then! How have I always been? We must clear up this misunderstanding today, and you must clear my name."

They've even dragged in innocence; isn't that it?

Nianyao sat down opposite Xu Sheng: "I went to Mobei alone to find An Jingchen, and I only told Ninth Brother about it. Now that Luo An knows, he must have gone to see Ninth Brother. Since he was able to go to the prison to see Ninth Brother, it means that An Liangchen still gave him face."

Ninth Brother hasn't committed any serious offense. An Liangchen has already allowed Luo An to see him; there's no reason not to release him. Even if the Duke's Mansion has a problem with Ninth Brother, they don't know he's their biological son. If Ninth Brother wants to return to Chongming Island, he'll go back to the Duke's Mansion and bring Buzhi back with him.

Xu Sheng nodded slightly: "Every sentence sounds reasonable, and every event seems to make perfect sense."

Nianyao said, "That's how it is."

Xu Sheng feigned profundity: "After more than 20 years of ups and downs in life, I have discovered an eternal truth: what seems too reasonable and logical is often not the truth, but just imagination."

Nianyao said, "You're really amazing. You can discover eternity in just over twenty years of life? Then tell me, what's wrong with it?"