Chapter 124: Small Matters Also Need Careful Consideration

In the brightly lit study, Ning Yunzhao put down the scroll in his hand and rubbed his eyes.

All was quiet in the summer night.

Since coming back from his uncle's house and burying himself in reading, he had finally made sense of this section of the classic.

He wanted to stand up and stretch but then thought of something and took out the calendar, flipping to the twenty-eighth day of June.

Xiaoding, who had slept for a while and just woken up, rubbed his eyes and peeked in to see his young master still engrossed in reading.

"Young Master, it's getting late; you should sleep," he reminded.

Though the young master was diligent, he was usually disciplined. By all logic, he should be preparing for bed by now.

What could be so captivating?

Xiaoding walked over, rubbing his eyes.

"Xiaoding."

The absorbed Ning Yunzhao suddenly spoke.

Xiaoding, approaching, was startled.

"What do you think is a good gift for a new shop opening?" Ning Yunzhao asked.

Only then did Xiaoding notice that Ning Yunzhao was holding a calendar.

The young master was up late thinking about this?

"There's nothing much to think about; people usually send money, or calligraphy and paintings," he said.

Ning Yunzhao shook his head.

"That's too commonplace," he said.

Commonplace? But that was how it had always been done.

"Young Master, it doesn't matter if it's commonplace or not, an opening is all about the buzz, and for that, you need to be 'commonplace'," Xiaoding said.

Right, the hurried opening, though De Sheng Chang was a renowned money business, what she was starting wasn't a money business but a medical clinic; what she needed most was popularity.

Ning Yunzhao nodded.

"Then we'll prepare more gift boxes, and still send the usual, wrap them festively, make it lively…" he said.

Xiaoding was about to agree when he saw Ning Yunzhao stop talking and frown.

"Festive and lively might not be good either," he murmured after a moment, tapping on the table.

Why wouldn't festive and lively be good for a shop opening?

Confused, Xiaoding watched as Ning Yunzhao pulled out several letters from the desk.

Those were letters sent from Yangcheng, but why look at them now? Xiaoding watched, puzzled.

Ning Yunzhao skimmed through a few, pausing at one spot, his finger gliding over it, his brow slightly furrowed.

"This is really too much of a coincidence," he muttered to himself.

"Young Master, it's getting late…" Xiaoding gently reminded again, "We can talk about it tomorrow."

Ning Yunzhao closed the letters in his hand and also stood up.

"Right, we'll talk tomorrow," he said and went off to wash up.

The sharpness of the movement took Xiaoding by surprise—since when did the young master so readily listen to him?

He stayed frozen for a moment before hurriedly extinguishing the lamp on the desk, and the night returned to silence.

............….

When dawn was just breaking, there was a knock on the door.

Liu'er walked out upon hearing the shop assistant report it and looked surprised to see Ning Yunzhao standing in the courtyard.

"You again?" she said.

"I have something to discuss with Miss Jun," Ning Yunzhao said.

"Didn't you just see her yesterday?" Liu'er said, her words coming out feeling a bit strange.

Was she actually trying to prevent Tenth Noble Son Ning from finding Miss Jun?

Was she truly impatient with Tenth Noble Son Ning for seeking out Miss Jun?

It was something she had never even considered.

But it was alright. Whoever Miss Jun liked, she would naturally like; whoever Miss Jun disliked and rejected, she would naturally dislike as well.

"I have something to say to her," Ning Yunzhao said.

Liu'er responded with an "oh."

"You sure have a lot of issues. Why didn't you just finish talking yesterday?" Although Liu'er said this, she turned around.

Miss Jun had said that no one should make decisions for others, especially not to arrange things for them under the guise of good intentions. If someone came looking for Miss Jun, whether to see them or not, before Miss Jun spoke, she was not to prevent them.

"Please wait a moment, Tenth Noble Son," she said.

Ning Yunzhao did not have to wait long, as he expected, Miss Jun came out swiftly.

"Have you eaten?" she said with a smile, "Would you care to join us?"

A great opening line.

He hadn't even thought of that.

Ning Yunzhao smiled.

"There's a place just down the street that sells really good deep-fried tofu." he said, "But they only sell it in the mornings."

"Granny Wang's place?" Miss Jun asked.

Ning Yunzhao nodded with a smile.

"It seems to be quite famous, have you tried it?" he asked.

Miss Jun gave a slight smile.

She had heard of it, but had not tried it yet. It was during the return visit when Jiurong said she wanted to eat it, but the taste was not good when someone bought it back. Lu Yunqi said it only tasted good when eaten on the spot.

These words silenced the three siblings.

Because they could not step out of the Prince Mansion, especially Jiurong, who would never be able to in her lifetime.

"I haven't yet." she shook her head. "I've heard about it but haven't been there."

Ning Yunzhao gestured invitingly, and Miss Jun stepped forward.

"I was thinking about something." Ning Yunzhao spoke as they walked, "Is your family's clinic called Jiuling Hall?"

Miss Jun glanced at him and hummed a response, a flash of complexity and surprise in her eyes.

She had guessed what he was probably going to say, but felt he shouldn't be bringing it up.

"The name could be a bit inappropriate," Ning Yunzhao said. "It shares the name with the dynasty's Princess Jiuli, the daughter of the late former Crown Prince."

Just as she thought.

Miss Jun looked at him.

"You know about Princess Jiuli?" Instead of answering, she questioned, her eyes full of curiosity.

Also?

So, she knew too?

Of course, she knew. When girls were together, they inevitably talked about other girls in the world, and the high-born, esteemed princesses were naturally the envy of every girl.

Only, not all of them were enviable, even if they were of noble birth.

Ning Yunzhao smiled slightly.

"Of course." he said.

Yes, of course. The two of them would eventually become princesses because of their father, but the two types of princesses meant entirely different things.

Everyone knew that.

"There are many shared names with the princess." Miss Jun said. "Speaking of which, my Jiuling Hall was established first. The princess's taboo does not need to be avoided, and I don't think the feudal authority or dynasty would punish me for that."

The young lady spoke with a touch of defiance.

Ning Yunzhao smiled.

But this was the proud and confident spirit that young people should have.

"Yes, I know," he said in a softer tone. "What worries me is not that."

Miss Jun looked at him, her eyes, round and large, shining brightly, looking quite adorable when she was serious.

Ning Yunzhao averted his gaze.

"You also know that Princess Jiuli was the former wife of Thousand-Man Commander Lu," he said.

"And what of it?" Miss Jun said.

"Thousand-Man Commander Lu is a very strange man, unpredictable," Ning Yunzhao said, looking at her, calm and sincere. "I'm afraid he might cause trouble out of nothing."

"Do you think he would take notice of my Jiuling Hall?" Miss Jun asked.

Although it sounded frightening, she was definitely not the kind of girl to be easily scared.

Ning Yunzhao nodded.

"He might," he said.

Maybe it was a bit of an overreaction, but Lu Yunqi was not someone to provoke lightly, and she was just a young lady. Moreover, the Fang Family had produced an imperial decree.

Imperial decrees were both good and bad things. Certainly, the Jinyiwei were already keeping an eye on the Fang Family.

At this point, he hoped that everything she did would be safe and secure to avoid unnecessary misfortune. So, even the slightest, seemingly unconnected matters were of concern to him, thought over again and again.

He looked at the young lady, who was not frightened but smiled.

"That would be good too, my Jiuling Hall will become famous," she said.

He knew she was not one to be easily scared. Otherwise, she wouldn't have that fierce and imposing way of playing chess. The pride, confidence, and stubbornness deep in her bones.

Ning Yunzhao smiled helplessly.

"Don't be so stubborn," he said.

Though it sounded disapproving or admonishing, his tone carried a gentleness he didn't even notice.

Xiaoding, who was following behind, couldn't help but glance at him.

The young master was as gracious as jade, giving everybody a feeling of spring, especially courteous to women and protective towards his sisters.

But there was one thing the young master never did: cajole. He simply spoke amiably, and whether you listened or acted was none of his concern, and he didn't mind.

Was the young master coaxing Miss Jun now?

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Happy Monday, everyone! It's back to work and school, so let's all be energized ↖(^ω^)↗