Chapter 462 – Pengxin (1)
Before heading east, Ning Yuxuan had finished making the proper arrangements in the imperial court for when he was gone. This trip wasn’t just for sightseeing. It was because someone had already secretly returned to the capital and brought a message requesting for him to go over there to provide support.
However, thinking about how Ji Man hadn’t experienced many days of leisurely and relaxing days of sightseeing since she had come here excluding the exception of the Southern Trip, Ning Yuxuan decide to bring her along. Besides, he wouldn’t feel at ease leaving her alone in the capital.
—
This was already the fifth month of Ji Man’s pregnancy, so her condition had stabilized. The doctor had told her that the fetus was in good position, and she would definitely have an easy childbirth when the time came. In light of her painful experience in giving birth to Haohao after that same guarantee had been told last time, Ji Man decided to ignored the doctor’s words and accept whatever would happen during the childbirth. She was in ancient times, where the hygienic standards were low, and there were even cases when mothers lost their lives during childbirth. As long as she could safely give birth, she wouldn’t ask for anything else.
Some of Ning Yuxuan’s subordinates were also on this boat. In addition to Guibai, the other people were unmarried officials in the Six Ministries. Every day, they would witness the marquis and Ji Man behaving like an old married couple. In the middle of the night, instead of sleeping, they would lie on the deck and watch the stars.
Today, they were whimsical sitting on the boat and fishing.
“Why haven’t I caught any fish?” Ning Yuxuan checked the hook on the fishing rod for the nth time and looked at the empty hook. He was puzzled. He hooked another piece of bait.
Ji Man was sitting next to him. She calmly explained, “Because the boat is moving forward faster than the speed that fishes can swim. It’s only natural that you won’t be able to catch any fish.”
Ning Yuxuan raised an eyebrow. “Why are we trying to catch fish then?”
Ji Man turned her head to the side and smiled at him. “I want to see. Would a boring activity not feel boring if I was doing it with my lord?”
The officials, who were behind them and peeping, thought; this really was very boring.
To their surprise, Marquis Moyu smiled in response. He tossed the fishing line back into the water and continued to idly sit next to her. He silently watched the sun gradually setting in the distant horizon.
Ji Man rested her head on his shoulder. She half-closed her eyes as she looked at the multicolor light from the setting sun. As it turned out, you really wouldn’t feel bored with any activity as long as the person you liked was by your side. She used to laugh at the idiotic behavior of happy couples. But, as it turned out, no one was exempt from becoming fools when they were in love.
—
When the boat stopped at a bustling city, Ji Man dragged Ning Yuxuan along to look around the market. There were a lot of people in the marketplace, so Ning Yuxuan held her hand. Although their steps were slow and unhurried, the rest of crowd was hurriedly walking past them. It was only the two of them that were leisurely walking like a pair of people coming out for a stroll after eating a meal. Some people couldn’t resist stopping for a moment to look at them with envy.
These two attractive people looked liked an ideal couple that were well matched.
Ning Yuxuan’s subordinates were following behind them.
Guibai felt that he had to remind his lord something this evening. Although it was fine to have such a large group of people following him on a long outing, and it wasn’t unusual to forbid them from bringing along their own family members, it was truly cruelly inappropriate to act so lovey-dovey with his wife in front of single men!
This was leading him astray with thoughts of marriage. Guibai bleakly picked up a mirror from a nearby stall and looked at himself. He was already twenty-two years old. It really was time for him to get married. His lord already had multiple children, but he was all alone. Sigh.
Ji Man wanted everything that she saw, but she had self-restraint. She had only brought thirty silver taels, so she would only buy twenty or so silver taels of trinkets to bring back to the boat to slowly play with. Although it was entirely justified for a woman to use her man’s money in ancient times, since she had requested Ning Yuxuan to meet her modern-day standards, it was only right for her to uphold a modern-day woman’s standard of being strong and independent.
However, Ning Yuxuan was a bit unhappy. His expression was black during the entire walk. After they boarded the boat, she went to put away her purchases. He sat down in front of her and brought out a bronze peacock hairpin. “Didn’t you really like this when you saw it today? Why wouldn’t you let me buy it for you?”
He had seen that she had only brought thirty silver taels off the boat. This single hairpin cost fifteen silver taels. After touching it a few seconds, she pretended to not like it and put it back on the stand. However, he had been standing right next to her, ah. Why had she treated him like he didn’t exist?
The feeling of being unneeded felt quite awful.
Ji Man awkwardly laughed. She took the hairpin from him and inserted it into her hair. “Does it look good?”
Ning Yuxuan snorted and turned his head away. He sulked for a bit before answering, “Looks good.”
She turned his face back to face her and kissed him once. Ji Man smiled. “Great, that’s good enough. I’m really happy that you paid attention and noticed the stuff that I like. Thank you, my lord.”
Ning Yuxuan’s anger slightly faded. He still harrumphed as he touched the bronze peacock. Pursuing his lips, he said, “I hope to become someone that you can rely on. You don’t have to tire yourself from working so hard.”
Ji Man lowered her head and contemplated. There were areas where she was lacking. All men had hero complexes. It was easy for a woman that was too independent to lose her man. She had to let this person feel as if she needed him too.
Well, they would both slowly change for the better together.
Right after Guibai entered the room to remind the marquis that he should be more considerate of the other officials’ feelings, he saw his master kissing madam’s forehead.
Startled, he immediately took his foot back. He considered for a moment before taking out the mirror that he had purchased at the market and looking at himself in the mirror. He sighed and left.
—
After the boat had travelled a long distance, it docked at a riverbank. A black-robed person that was wearing a black hat boarded the boat and entered the cabin.
Ning Yuxuan said with a smile, “Mingjie, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you.”
Ning Mingjie took off his hat. His face had softened a lot since their last meeting. “I’m surprised that Zhao Zhe would allow you to leave the capital.”
“He didn’t have a choice.” Ning Yuxuan smiled. “He wants me to the leave the capital so that he can take back his power. Unfortunately for him, it’s impossible for him to turn things around now. How’s the situation in Yuzhen?”