Chapter 99 (2/2)

After saying this, he glanced at the stool before turning around and leaving.

Ji Man was scared out of her wits by these words. Gripping the mop, she was at a complete loss for a long time. She didn't know what kind of reaction she should have.

A while later, she heard Ning Mingjie's voice from the courtyard's entrance, ”Everyone knows that the crown prince's words are the most untrustworthy. You can just act as if you didn't hear anything.”

Ji Man raised her head and looked at the courtyard's entrance, but she didn't see Ning Mingjie. Why was he outside the courtyard? Did he hear all of the crown prince's words?

After running out to look for him, she saw that Ning Mingjie had already walked far away. She didn't know when he had come by. Perhaps, he was just pa.s.sing by and happened to overhear?

Ji Man's apprehensive heart calmed down after these words. Although the crown prince's words were alarming, when she thought about it carefully, Ning Mingjie's words were logical. Knowing what type of man the crown prince was, why should she take his words seriously?

---

At noon, Ji Man decided that she would personally cook. It wasn't because she wanted to show off. It was because the court ladies and eunuchs had all been sent away. The only people left were the emperor's relatives. Not a single one of them knew how to cook.

With a blus.h.i.+ng face, Ning Errong followed her into the kitchen and said, ”I'll act as your a.s.sistant.”

”Sure, I'll teach you how to cook a few dishes for my older brother,” Ji Man said as she washed the potatoes.

The princess consort and n.o.ble Consort Nie were in the main courtyard talking with the emperor. The remaining women either said they were afraid of the cold or didn't want to do any work. Ji Man and Errong were the only two people in the kitchen. Fortunately, there were sufficient ingredients. Ji Man counted; there was enough to make twenty dishes.

---

Ning Yuxuan was with the third prince. They were studying calligraphy together. They weren't far away from the kitchen and would frequently smell the tasty aromas that drifted over from the kitchen.

”I frequently hear that you're unsatisfied with Sangyu.” The third prince lightly smiled as he glanced at Ning Yuxuan. ”From what I see now, my cousin doesn't seem lacking when compared to anyone else, ah.”

In terms of familial relations.h.i.+p, third prince was Nie Sangyu's older cousin. However, they weren't close. The third prince usually spent his time outside of the capital. Once he reached adulthood, it was even rarer for him to see Sangyu. He had only occasionally heard news about her from n.o.ble Consort Nie. The young girl that used to not be sensible had grown up now, ah.

Ning Yuxuan slightly frowned and said, ”Third Young Master, you only have partial information. When she's good, she's truly very good. But when she does something upsetting, it's enough to make a person be angered to death.”

The third prince raised his eyes and looked at him for a long time, ”Yuxuan, haven't you noticed this? There are very few people that can make your emotions swing back and forth so dramatically. When I came back last year and saw you, there was always a smile on your face. But now, you show anger and annoyance. You seem more like a person now.”

Ning Yuxuan was stunned. His expression was slightly ugly. ”It's not like that…”

”You don't need to say anything else.” Third prince raised his hand to stop him from speaking. ”I'll just remind you of one thing. If you heart likes someone, don't let your mouth be stubborn. There are some things where if you don't tightly hold onto them, they might slip away from you. Do you understand?”