Chapter 317 (2/2)

(T/N: These are lines that Nie Sangyu says before she dies in the original novel. In this second attempt/cycle, Ning Yuxuan wouldn't have heard these words before.)

Ning Yuxuan was startled awake from his dream. Opening his eyes, he was greeted with pitch-black darkness as he sat up and gasped for breath.

”Guibai.”

The doors creaked as they were opened. Guibai quietly responded, ”My lord?”

After wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, Ning Yuxuan furrowed his brow and asked, ”How are things going in Jing Province?”

”General Ning went back home, and he brought Kangyuan Junzhu with him,” Guibai answered, ”Madam's business is doing well. Sir Liu has been helping her from the beginning, so everything should be going smoothly.”

”She's not willing to return to the capital?” Marquis Moyu asked.

Guibai pursed his lips, ”Sir Liu says he's doing his best to persuade her.”

She was still under his purview, and he could know what she was doing. This was good too. Ning Yuxuan let out a long sigh and placed his hand on the empty pillow next to his. ”Once I have free time, I want to go over there and see her.”

Guibai slightly furrowed his brow and said, ”My lord, you probably won't be able to leave here anytime soon.”

”I know.”

He draped an outer robe over himself and stood up. Somewhat irritably waving his hand, he said, ”You can withdraw.”

Guibai made a sound of a.s.sent, and Ning Yuxuan was left standing alone by the window to watch the moon.

He really missed her a lot. Now that the limelight had slowly stopped s.h.i.+nning on him, he could bring her back, right? It would be fine if she changed her name, and it wouldn't be a big deal if another person was added to his estate. There probably wouldn't be a problem as long as he hid her well.

Nostalgically recollecting their last night together before they were separated, Ning Yuxuan felt a slight heat in his solar plexus. He hadn't seen her in so long. He really wished that he could see her right now with his own eyes. He had only been able to hear and read about how she was doing from other people. He couldn't even send a short message to her. What an awful feeling.

Ning Mingjie was luckier than him. He had an excuse to go Jing Province. In contrast, he was under Zhao Li's control right now and couldn't even take one wrong step.

He hadn't been wrong. The second prince really was a more terrifying existence than the third prince. After Zhao Li had ascended the throne, he was tyrannical in the way he handled politics. Perhaps, it was because the second prince had grown up being bullied and humiliated. While working under Zhao Li, he almost didn't have the energy to think about then messy feelings between a man and woman.

How long would it be until he could see Sangyu again?

---

Taking advantage of the night, Ji Man packed up her stuff. She tucked the token and travel expenses that Kangyuan Junzhu had given to her into her clothes. After taking one last look at Marquis Jingwen's estate, she boarded the carriage.

---

During a moment when she was alone, she quietly slipped away and disappeared on the way to Yong'an County.

Translator Ramblings: I really like that Kangyuan Junzhu doesn't act like a typical c-novel villainess that blame Ji Man for a man's behavior. It was nice to see that they could have a calm discussion of how to resolve the problem that Ning Mingjie was causing.