Chapter 229: Fire in the Backyard

“Who is she?”

The Old Man’s counter-question was natural and casual; neither his tone nor his gaze betrayed anything unusual.

Ding Suian added, “She is the Princess Consort of Lanyang, the daughter of Lord Lin.”

“Oh~”

The Old Man drew out his tone, looking as if he had finally remembered. “I’ve heard of her.”

Ding Suian looked at the Old Man, slowing his speech, “The year before last, I served at the Prince Lanyangs Estate, and through that, I became acquainted with Lord Lin.”

“Oh? You have such a connection with the Lin family?”

.

That night.

Ding Suian and Zhao Ning stayed overnight at the Estate.

Outside the window, the sound of water gurgled, and the summer heat vanished completely.

These wealthy old folks certainly knew how to enjoy themselves; waterwheels pumped fresh water to the roof, creating a water curtain that slid down the blue tiles.

It not only enveloped the entire pavilion in coolness but also created the imagery of a drizzling night rain.

“Yi Yiyis childhood nickname~”

“Hmm.”

“When you were in Southern Zhao, had you ever heard about the Old Man’s past?”

The Old Man had once called himself a man of a fallen nation, and his words often defended the late Emperor Li of Ning. At the time, Ding Suian had simply assumed he was a descendant of a former dynasty’s official, but today, upon learning that he and Lin Dafu were also old acquaintances, and combining this with Lin Dafu’s family background as a former imperial merchant, Ding Suian couldn’t help but form a bold conjecture.

Zhao Ning responded in a low voice, “No. My Imperial Father and Esteemed Teacher seem to know the Old Man’s origins, but whenever I asked, they were never willing to talk much about it.”

“Yi Yiyis childhood nickname, do you think the Old Man could be of the former dynasty’s royal Bloodline?”

.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ning seemed to tense up. In the darkness, the small hand interlocked with Ding Suian’s fingers tightened unconsciously. After a moment, she said, “I do not know, but if it is truly as my husband says, wouldn’t the Old Man be in great danger, being deep within the heart of Great Wu?”

“I’m only guessing. Besides, even if it were true, as long as we don’t speak of it to outsiders, no one else will know.”

Ding Suian gently patted Zhao Ning’s slender, smooth back to comfort her, and she gradually relaxed.

It was a rare meeting, so he decided to stop bringing up serious matters. “Yi Yiyis childhood nickname, what do you want to do tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow? It’s shameful to say, but husband, don’t look at how I’ve lived in Central Heaven for over ten years; in truth, I’m not very familiar with it.”

Zhao Ning turned on her side, hugging Ding Suian’s upper arm, and said in a tone of faint anticipation, “If you aren’t busy tomorrow, could you take me around for a stroll?”

“Alright.”

Ding Suian thought for a moment, “Tomorrow morning, I’ll handle some official business, and in the afternoon, I’ll come to the Estate to take you out.”

“Hmm~”

The next day.

May 12th.

Ding Suian rushed back into the city early in the morning, arranged some tasks at the Patrol Inspection Office, and then headed to the Princesss Residence.

Today, Zhao Yan and the others’ confinement ended, and as their “guardian,” he needed to personally visit to retrieve them.

Inside Wangqiu Hall, Lin Fuyao and her son Jiang Xuan were already waiting there.

A meeting in such a setting was a bit strange, yet also a bit novel.

Lin Fuyao sat in a chair and whispered a few words to Jiang Xuan, who nodded and took the initiative to walk up to Ding Suian.

“Brother, this time, thanks to little Sister-in-law’s righteous intervention, my sister didn’t suffer, but it also implicated little Sister-in-law in the confinement. In a few days, I will host a banquet at home; I request that you and little Sister-in-law please do me the honor of attending.”

“That’s easy to arrange.”

Ding Suian remembered the incident where he confronted Yu Bowen at the Linping Commandery Princes Residence and couldn’t help but ask, “That cheap cousin of yours, he hasn’t been giving you any trouble lately, has he?”

“No.”

Jiang Xuan leaned forward a step and lowered his voice, “Brother, I have received news that the Heir Apparent will be arriving in the next few days.”

“Who is the Heir Apparent?”

“He is my father’s son, older than me.”

.

Ding Suian was confused for a moment before he realized, “Isn’t that your brother?”

Jiang Xuan curled his lips and whispered, “He treats me like a bastard and has never treated me as a brother, so naturally, I don’t treat him as one.” After saying this, he wore a fawning smile, “In my eyes, only the Duke of Chu County of Great Wu is my brother.”

“Don’t you dare look at me with that sickening gaze!”

“Hey! Brother, how can you call it sickening? My eyes are filled with nothing but admiration, reverence, and devotion.”

While the two were whispering, Ruan Guofan and his wife arrived.

“Greetings, Uncle, greetings, Aunt.”

Ding Suian went up to greet them.

Ruan Guofan stood with his hands behind his back and gave a grunt in response.

However, Madam Ruan, Zhao Wan, was much more polite; she placed her hands at her waist, returned a half-bow, and smiled gently, “Greetings, Duke of Chu County~”

“Aunt, you shame this youngster.”

Ding Suian returned the greeting even more respectfully.

To put it bluntly, he could put on airs in front of Ruan Guofan, but he could never do so in front of Zhao Wan.

After all, she had the grace of having nursed him.

Seeing him like this, the smile on Zhao Wan’s face deepened, but she quietly tugged on Ruan Guofan’s sleeve, as if there was something she wanted him to say.

“Ahem~”

Ruan Guofan cleared his throat before saying somewhat uncomfortably, “Ding Suians courtesy name, what has your father been busy with lately? I’ve been to Chilao Alley twice and haven’t been able to find him.”

His search for Old Ding was naturally due to Zhao Wan’s urging.

In just over a year, Ding Suians courtesy name had risen step by step, and she saw it in her eyes and felt anxious in her heart.

She just wanted her husband to find Ding Lie quickly and settle the matter between the two children early to avoid any complications.

However, Ruan Guofan was particularly awkward about this matter. Every time Zhao Wan mentioned it, he would be vague, as if he lacked confidence.

Now, seeing that Ding Suian remained respectful to her, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of reassurance, thinking, “The child I picked out is indeed the right one.”

On the side, Ding Suian smiled helplessly, “Uncle, let alone you, even I haven’t been able to see my father these days, and I don’t know what he’s busy with.”

Just then, Lin Hansu led Zhao Yan, Ruan Ruan, and Jiang Yuan from the side door of Wangqiu Hall into the hall.

“Husband! Haha~”

As soon as Zhao Yan saw Ding Suian, her long, narrow fox eyes lit up. She lifted her skirt and flew towards him like a bird released from a cage.

Running up close, she leaped, her legs skillfully wrapping around his waist, and her arms tightly circling his neck, “Husband, husband, Nunu missed you to death~”

Zhao Wan and Lin Fuyao, seeing this method of greeting for the first time, were stunned and dumbfounded.

Over there, Jiang Yuan had already walked properly up to Lin Fuyao, lowered her head, and bowed, her voice soft and compliant, “Daughter was reckless and caused Mother to worry.”

“Father, Mother~”

Ruan Ruan also walked up to her parents, but while greeting them, she couldn’t help but glance towards Zhao Yan.

She felt a bit envious of Zhao Yan’s boldness in expressing intimacy in front of everyone.

The parents on both sides saw that their respective daughters were still lively and clearly hadn’t been wronged, and only then did they feel completely at ease.

After having Lin Hansu convey their gratitude to Your Highness, they left Wangqiu Hall one after another.

At the gate, while parting, the three young ladies held hands and whispered, and Ruan Ruan even had red eyes.

Having spent ten days together day and night, they had developed a bond similar to that of “cellmates” in adversity.

The bewitching Zhao Yan whispered something into Ruan Ruan’s ear. The latter hesitated for a moment, then walked up to her parents, her tone carrying a hint of pleading, “Father, Mother, Zhao Yan said she wants me to go to Suimian Street; she’ll teach me needlework~”

Zhao Yan teaching her needlework?

That crazy girl?

It didn’t sound true at all.

Ruan Guofan frowned and was about to say something, but Zhao Wan stepped in first, “Go ahead.”

Zhao Wan exchanged a glance with Ruan Guofan, signaling him not to speak. Then she took Ruan Ruan’s hand herself and said softly, “Your brother Ding Suians courtesy name is busy with official business. Don’t just focus on playing; help him tidy up the house. You are grown up now and can’t be like when you were little, letting him do everything for you. You must support each other, do you understand?”

“Mm-hmm~”

Hearing her mother agree, Ruan Ruan jumped and ran back to Zhao Yan’s side, linked arms with her, and they giggled at each other.

A little further away, a flicker of very faint envy crossed Jiang Yuan’s calm eyes, but she would never be able to make such an outrageous request to her mother like Ruan Ruan.

She lowered her eyes slightly to suppress that ripple of emotion, and when she raised them again, she was back to her usual gentle and compliant self. She walked lightly to Lin Fuyao’s side and said softly, “Mother, let’s go home.”

Noon.

The three of them returned home. Following the procedures arranged by Make Do, Zhao Yan and Ruan Ruan stepped over a brazier and brushed themselves with cypress branches, a whole flurry of activity.

After lunch, Ding Suian used the excuse of “official business” to head west out of the city.

Ruan Ruan, still remembering her mother’s words about “supporting each other,” pulled Zhao Yan to Ding Suian’s bedroom.

“Ruan Ruan, Husband isn’t even here; who are you putting on this show of diligence for~”

Ruan Ruan knelt on the bed, folding the messy quilt and smoothing out the sheets.

Zhao Yan stood not far away; not only did she not help, but she also secretly accused Ruan Ruan of putting on an act. Tsk, tsk, tsk, she was a little “green tea” herself, so she saw everyone else as “green tea.”

“Hmph~ For a woman as willful and lazy as you, you should be burning incense of gratitude that you found a man who wants you! It’s only because Brother Ding Suians courtesy name is soft-hearted and saw that you were alone and helpless that he took you in.”

Ruan Ruan didn’t even turn her head, focusing on her work.

Zhao Yan pursed her lips, thinking to herself: Although I’m not diligent, I have many tricks up my sleeve!

Just then, she saw Ruan Ruan pinching her thumb and index finger together, bringing them up to her head to inspect closely, asking in confusion, “Zhao Yan, did you sneak into Husband’s bed?”

Zhao Yan stepped forward upon hearing this and saw that what was pinched in her hand was actually a strand of black hair over a foot long. She immediately leaned in to sniff it, and then the two little ones looked at each other. Ruan Ruan detected something in Zhao Yan’s eyes, and her expression couldn’t help but become serious. “This hair, isn’t it yours?”

Zhao Yan was also very serious, shaking her little head like a rattle, “It’s not mine! And it’s not…”

“Hmm? And not whose?”

.

Zhao Yan was quick-mouthed for a moment and almost let slip the words “and it’s not the Princess Consort of Lanyang’s either,” but she quickly corrected herself, “And it’s not Make Do’s either!”

“Duh! I also know it’s not AZhi’s!”

“Ruan Ruan! Husband took advantage of us being confined and cheated on us!”