Ning Chen left the palace and went to the Siyi Pavilion first, where he had a closed-door chat with Li Hanru and Shen Min for a while, and then returned to the Supervisory Office. He found Pan Yucheng, Chen Chong, Feng Qizheng, and divided the silver notes. Pan Yucheng would go to the military camp in person, and then distribute the remaining silver notes to the soldiers in the name of Ning Chen. As soon as the few people finished the distribution, a man in red came over and said that Geng Jing wanted Ning Chen to go over. Geng Jing had not shown up in the past few days and had been interrogating Ning Ziming and others. Ning Chen came to Geng Jing's room. "Sit down!" Geng Jing pointed to the chair and made a cup of tea for Ning Chen. Ning Chen looked at him suspiciously, "Master Geng, do you have something to ask me? Except for borrowing money, anything is fine." Geng Jing placed the teacup in front of Ning Chen, walked back to sit down in his seat, hesitated for a moment and said:
"Your father's affairs have been investigated almost completely. I just sent all the charges to the palace." Ning Chen paused for a moment after picking up the teacup, and said nothing. Geng Jing sighed and said, "Most of the crimes committed by the left prime minister were committed by your father." Ning Chen sighed slightly and said, "He is dead, right?" Geng Jing nodded. Not only is he dead, but Ning Ziming deserves to be cut into pieces for the evil he did. "But your second and third brothers are very clean and did not participate in it... But any of the crimes committed by your father will result in the execution of the entire family. As for the final judgment, it depends on the will of His Majesty." Ning Chen did not speak, and he did everything he could. The Ninth Princess had already pleaded for Ning Xing and Ning Mao on his behalf. Whether Emperor Xuan was willing to let them go was not something he could control. "Ning Chen, they don't have much time left. Why don't you go see them when you have time?" "No matter how Lord Ning treated you before, he risked his life to overthrow the Left Prime Minister this time. He is a man." Ning Chen hummed, then stood up and left! ...... The dark and cramped prison. Ning Chen came to Ning Ziming's cell with a food box. He asked the red-clothed guard of the cell to open the door, and Ning Chen walked in. Ning Ziming had lost a lot of weight, and his hair was disheveled and he looked very embarrassed, but he was in good spirits. Ning Chen opened the stone box, took out the things inside, and said casually: "You don't have much time!" Ning Ziming was stunned, then walked over and sat cross-legged opposite Ning Chen, and said softly:
"I know! I am already very satisfied. At least I didn't suffer before leaving. Your colleagues took good care of me for your sake and didn't torture me." Ning Chen poured him a glass of wine. Ning Ziming picked up the wine glass, drank it all, and smiled: "Tianfulou's osmanthus wine?" Ning Chen smiled and nodded. Ning Ziming smiled and tore off a duck leg and handed it to Ning Chen, "Here, you like Tianfulou roast duck the most." Ning Chen's movements froze slightly, "So you know everything?" "I'm your father, how could I not know? It's just that I didn't have the chance to buy it for you before." Ning Chen said in a deep voice: "I can't save you!" "I know that any one of the things I did is enough to kill all three clans!" "I don't want to live, I just want to see your mother as soon as possible...I have been timid and cowardly all my life, looking ahead and behind, and living on thin ice. This is the only time I did it. Man, I'm lucky to have saved you, and I can face your mother now. " Ning Ziming smiled calmly, paused, and continued: "If I had the courage I have now, the courage to reject Zuo Xiang, perhaps there wouldn't be so many tragedies. " "In fact, when I first brought you back to Ning Mansion, I was very disappointed in you, because your character is the same as mine, timid and cowardly, trying to please others everywhere. " "When you stood on the firewood pile covered with tung oil, threw the torch at my feet, and let me burn you to death, do you know how happy I was? " Ning Chen smiled and said, "You can burn me to death if you are happy?" Ning Ziming: "..." Ning Chen changed the subject and said, "You told me last time that there was something wrong with the prince?" Ning Ziming looked at him, "What did you find out?" Ning Chen nodded, "I don't know if it's a psychological effect, but now I feel that the prince is not right." Ning Ziming took a sip of wine and said, "Do you know who your biggest backer is now?" "Your Majesty!" Ning Ziming nodded, "Yes, your biggest backer now is Your Majesty... But having Your Majesty as a backer is not enough." "Your Majesty will eventually grow old and it is impossible for him to protect you for your whole life." "So, you have to climb up as much as possible and build your own power. It is best to earn more military merits... Even if the prince succeeds to the throne, he will not dare to touch you easily." "Your Majesty is in his prime, you have enough time to build your own power... At the same time, you must do your best to protect Your Majesty. Only when Your Majesty is still in that position, you will be safe and have time to do what you want to do." Ning Chen nodded slightly, he knew all this. Ning Chen thought for a moment and said in a deep voice: "Next spring, I will lead the army to attack Nanyue... If I return victorious, His Majesty will make me a marquis." Ning Ziming's movements froze slightly, "Another expedition?" Ning Chen hummed, "Nanyue wants the Great Xuan's Hundred Miles Corridor, so we have to fight."
"Are you sure?" Ning Chen nodded. Ning Ziming smiled, "My Ning family is going to have a marquis, hahaha..." "Don't be too happy too soon, I'm going to change my surname soon, and I'm going to take my mother's surname, so my title of marquis has nothing to do with the Ning family." Ning Ziming's laughter stopped suddenly and he looked at Ning Chen in astonishment. Suddenly, Ning Ziming gave a bitter smile and said, "Okay! No matter what your surname is? You are my son, and you can't change this." Ning Chen smiled and said, "I'm kidding you, I won't change my surname." Ning Ziming looked at him without saying anything, but there were tears in his eyes. "Hello? Isn't it? Do you need to be so excited?" "You stinky boy..." Ning Ziming wiped his tears, took a sip of wine, and murmured: "I will die without regrets, I will die without regrets..." Suddenly, Ning Ziming seemed to remember something? Said: "Besides the prince, you have to be careful about someone else." "Queen?" Ning Ziming nodded, "The queen is not scary, the scary thing is her father." "Master?" Ning Ziming smiled and said, "It seems you were prepared?" Ning Chen smiled and said: "Otherwise, what do you think I am doing to gain military glory?" Ning Ziming's face was full of joy, "You have grown up, you have really grown up... But you still have to be careful. The Grand Master has military power in his hands. You only have military merit, but you are not enough to compete with him." "So, you should move more around General Chen. With his prestige in the army, he can definitely help you at critical times." Ning Chen nodded and said yes. "Is there anything else you want to explain?" Ning Ziming hesitated for a moment and said, "Ning Xing and Ning Mao?" Ning Chen said: "I have tried my best." Ning Ziming nodded, "Just try your best, just try your best!" "By the way, if you have a chance, go to Yunfeng Inn and see the manager. He knows you...I left something for you." Ning Chen asked curiously: "What?" "You'll know when you go there!" Ning Chen nodded, stood up, and prepared to leave. "Chen'er, on the day when my father is beheaded, will you help collect his body?"
Ning Ziming stood up and asked cautiously. Ning Chen's steps stagnated and he looked back at him, "Yes!" Ning Ziming smiled. "If possible, can you bury me and your mother together?" Ning Chen hummed and said, "Okay!" Ning Ziming sat down, poured himself a glass of wine, and drank it in one gulp, "I have no regrets...it was worth it!" Ning Chen's eyes were sore, he sighed deeply, turned and left. At this moment, he suddenly understood Ning Ziming... There are too many things in life that you can't help yourself. Sometimes you can only work hard to save yourself first, and then save others. When Ning Chen walked out of the prison...in the royal study room of the palace, Emperor Xuan also read the charges handed over by Geng Jing. Emperor Xuan's face turned pale. Every piece of evidence here represents the loss of hundreds or thousands of lives. When his eyes fell on the names of Ning Xing and Ning Mao, he paused for a moment. "Quansheng, these Ning Xing and Ning Mao are Ning Chen's two brothers, right?" Eunuch Quan hurriedly said: "Yes!" Emperor Xuan thought for a while, picked up the imperial pen, and drew a circle on the names of Ning Xing and Ning Mao. Immediately, he said: "These two people were not involved, and their crimes will not lead to death...I will be exiled to Beilinguan and build the city wall." Eunuch Quan was moved in his heart. Ning Chen had just returned from Beilinguan in triumph... Now he exiled these two people to Beilinguan. His care for them was obvious. Your Majesty really loves Ning Chen. "Quansheng, go tell Huai'an about this and let her tell Ning Chen." Quan Sheng leaned over and said, "Yes, I'll go right away!" Your Majesty is really worried about Ning Chen and the Ninth Princess! Ning Chen, this heartless person, actually refused His Majesty's proposed marriage over and over again. He failed the Holy Grace and should be dragged down and beaten fifty times. At this time, Ning Chen was in a bad mood and was riding a horse aimlessly on the street. While walking, I accidentally saw the signboard of Yunfeng Inn. But he didn't stop and walked straight past. He wasn't sure if there was a tail behind him? The prince cannot be trusted, and the queen is eyeing him. Maybe someone is secretly watching her. It’s better to find another opportunity and come back in disguise.
Unknowingly, I came to Jiaofangsi. Ning Chen patted Diao Chan on the head with a speechless expression, "You're such a perverted horse, you take me to Jiaofangsi every day... I am Yinyi, the Supervision Department, what's the point of coming to Jiaofangsi every day?" Diao Chan neighed to express his grievance. Ning Chen wandered aimlessly. Diao Chan took this road the most, so he brought Ning Chen here. Ning Chen patted its head and said: "Remember, from now on, take me to the front door at night and take me to the back door during the day... I also want to save face. It's not good for people to see me coming to Jiaofangsi during the day, do you understand? " Diao Chan snorted, not sure if she understood? Ning Chen rode Diao Chan to the back door, knocked on the door, handed the horse to the big teapot, told him to feed him concentrate, and then went upstairs to find Yu Die. "Master Ning?" Xiao Xing was carrying a pot of hot water and was about to go in. When she saw Ning Chen, she hurriedly stopped and saluted. "Is Yudie inside?" Xiaoxing nodded. Ning Chen took the kettle from Xiao Xing's hand and said, "Go and do your work, I'll just take it in!" When Ning Chen walked into the room, he didn't see Yudie... Then he came to the inner room. Yudie was lying on the table with her back to him. I wonder what she was busy with? Ning Chen put down the kettle and walked over gently. It turns out that Yudie is painting. Ning Chen stood behind him and watched quietly. Yudie's painting skills were good. "The painting makes me look very handsome." Ning Chen suddenly spoke, startling Yudie. But she knew it was Ning Chen by the sound of his voice, and turned back and said coquettishly: "How long has Ning Lang been here?" As she asked, she hurriedly tried to hide the painting. "I just arrived... bring it here for me to see!" Yudie was a little embarrassed, but she didn't want to disobey Ning Chen's wishes, so she could only hand over her painting with a red face. Ning Chen took it, looked at it and said with a smile: "I didn't expect your painting skills to be so good?" The painting showed a man and a woman. The man held the handle of the knife with one hand and looked into the distance. The woman leaned against him and looked at him affectionately. "This is me, and this is you?" Yudie blushed and nodded embarrassedly. Ning Chen looked at the painting and chuckled, "A gurgling stream, birds singing, flowers blooming, a small farmyard, you and me... and we lived a life of three meals a day, without shame." "So this is Yudie's ideal life?"
Yudie lowered her head shyly, her earlobes red.
