Chapter 73 (1/2)

Chapter 73

Chapter: 073 out of 513 – A hidden disaster (2)

“Cousin?” Ning Errong curiously turned around to look at him. “Why did you come here?”

Ning Yuxuan lightly smiled. He didn’t waste words and straightforwardly said, “I just returned from Luoyan PaG.o.da. I saw Mingjie’s wonderful calligraphy there, so I came over here.”

Ning Mingjie’s heart slightly jumped. Although he hadn’t done anything to wrong Marquis Moyu, he was worried that Ning Yuxuan would dislike Nie Sangyu even more after he found out. For a man and a woman to write a poem together, it gave off a sense of picturesque charm.

Thinking of Nie Sangyu’s deathly pale face, Ning Mingjie found himself in a difficult position. Should he pretend that he wrote the poem? But, he wouldn’t be able to write out the second half.

As he was thinking about what to do, he forgot that he had a carefree younger sister standing next to him.

Hearing Marquis Moyu mentioned this topic, she hurriedly said with the intention of helping Sangyu. “My older brother isn’t that broad-minded. He only wrote it out on Sangyu’s behalf. She’s the one that compose the poem, cousin.”

After these words were said, the room became silent for a long time.

Ning Yuxuan’s smile didn’t change, but his gaze gradually became cold. “Sangyu was the one that compose the poem?”

“Yeah, it happened on the day that Old Madame allowed us to leave the residence. Sangyu and my older brother went to the fifth floor and there was a poetry compet.i.tion. So, Sangyu went up and displayed her skills!” Ning Errong didn’t think there was anything wrong at all with

what happened. “Sangyu showed that she was truly from a family with a famous literary reputation. Cousin, Sangyu is a very talented and cultured person. Why do you always possess prejudice towards her?”

Above the poem that had people clicking their tongues in admiration, there was a conspicuous ink blob*. As he listened to people discussing the origins of the ink blob, he heard a nearby scholar joke, “That was from a woman’s heart and her rosy and soft hands. How can you possibly know what a beauty is feeling?”

* (T/N: After Ji Man’s failed attempt at writing the t.i.tle of the poem in chapter 64, she immediately crumpled up the paper, so the ink didn’t have time to dry and probably smeared together to make an ink blob.)

At the time, he was pondering over the second half of the poem with the crown prince in a private room and didn’t pay special attention to these words. But now, he realized that Sangyu had probably drawn that ink blob. Why did she insist on having Ning Mingjie write the poem on her behalf instead of writing the poem herself? Was she afraid that he would recognize her handwriting? There was no need for her to do something so superfluous. He didn’t care if showed her face in the public. Anyways, Nie Sangyu had done plenty of embarra.s.sing things in the past and there were many people in the capital that recognized her.

Although his mind thought logically, his heart still inevitably felt uncomfortable.

By the time Ning Yuxuan went to Feiwan Courtyard, Ji Man was already inside and drinking thin congee. Seeing

Seeing him come into the room, she almost chocked.

“Why are you here again?”

Listen to these words. Had his two days of care been a waste of effort? And to think, he had been feeling guilty and had decided that he would treat her better from now on. But, here she was, hoping that he wouldn’t come visit her.

There was fire in his heart, but there was also a faint amount of concern. Marquis Moyu’s expression wasn’t good. He left after standing at the doorway for a short period of time.

He came and he went. It seemed like she had angered him. Ji Man stuck out her tongue. She really couldn’t be blamed. Only a moment of not controlling herself and she had said inappropriate words.

It was true that Ning Yuxuan had truly treated her very well during the past two days. She had let go of most of the grievances in her heart. As long as he wasn’t so bias against her in the future, there was still a chance that they could get along well.

Shortly after Marquis Moyu left, his personal servant, Guibai, came back and said, “The marquis requests that Mistress Sang write out the second half of the poem.”

Ji Man’s heart jumped. How did he find out? But, she immediately patted her chest. He hadn’t shown any extreme reaction towards her or asked her any difficult questions. This meant that he wasn’t particularly offended and this wasn't a big deal. She didn’t have a place in Ning Yuxuan’s heart, so that matter probably wouldn’t make him feel displeased.

At the very least, she was increasing his reputation.

Ji

his reputation.

Ji Man had Muxu bring over a brush and ink, but her handwriting was still a problem. She didn’t know if anyone had seen Nie Sangyu’s writing before. Anyways, her handwriting was crooked and sloppy. It didn’t look like a n.o.ble lady’s writing from any angle.