Zhulan didn't see Changlian, "Is Changlian still sleeping?"
Mrs. Dong nodded. "He is still sleeping. I didn't have the heart to wake him up. I'll ask the kitchen to heat up some food for him to eat when he wakes up."
Zhulan put her granddaughter down and said, "Then leave them alone. Let's eat first."
Dong: "Yeah."
The next morning, Zhulan saw Chang Lian and the others who had rested well. The three of them had not woken up and slept until dawn. "Have you guys recovered your energy?"
Chang Lian felt refreshed, "Mom, my son's mind is very clear now."
Just as Zhulan was about to speak, Mrs. Song came in with a letter in her hand, "Madam, this is a letter from the Ning Marquis's Mansion, inviting the Third Young Master and Young Master Rongchuan."
Zhulan felt like she had finally arrived, so she took the post and looked at it. There were a lot of words written on it, revealing her sincerity without any condescending attitude.
Chang Lian had met Lord Ning several times, and was very surprised to be invited today. "I thought the Lord had forgotten about me!"
You know, after Lord Ning regained his status, he was not only the emperor's uncle, but also the most popular person around the emperor. So many powerful people tried to curry favor with him. It was really unexpected that he and Rongchuan were invited.
Zhulan looked at her excited son and thought to herself, you are just here for the sake of convenience, "You guys should pack up and go, don't keep the Marquis waiting for too long."
Chang Lian held the note happily and said, "Mom, I'll go change my clothes now."
Rongchuan remembered Lord Ning. He had suppressed all his suspicions these days for the palace examination. Now they came back to him. He didn't want to go, and his jaw was set. But since he had been invited, he had to go. "Aunt, I'll go back and change my clothes too."
Seeing that Rongchuan was resisting, Zhulan didn't know what to say to comfort him. She felt depressed. It was because Zhou Fu was just a small fourth-rank official. Without the emperor's trust, he was nothing. She had no chance to interfere with Rongchuan's life experience!
Shi Qing waited for Rong Chuan to leave, then said, "Aunt, I'm sorry for disturbing you these past two days. I should go back home."
"Ah good."
At Ning Hou Mansion, Ning Xu had been waiting eagerly. He had already made his way clear in front of the Emperor, so he did not have too many concerns. After all, Rong Chuan was good-looking. Even if he paid attention to Rong Chuan, he would only think that Rong Chuan was destined to be with Ning Mansion.
Since my eldest brother died before the establishment of the dynasty, not many people knew him. Except for his family members and a few acquaintances, many people have almost forgotten him even after seeing him.
The eldest brother and the second brother look like their father, but not exactly, which makes Rongchuan feel more secure.
Even if the emperor had set up a plan, Rongchuan's appearance was safe. This kid was very lucky, as he grew up safely despite many disasters!
Soon, the housekeeper brought people in. Ning Xu's eyes were all on Rong Chuan. Last time he only saw his face, this time he looked at the whole person. He was not short, only half a head shorter than him, and he could still grow taller. Now looking at him from a closer distance, he looked so much like his elder brother. If he changed his armor and said that his elder brother was alive, people would believe it.
Rong Chuan felt a little uncomfortable being stared at, and took two steps back. Chang Lian also felt it, frowned, stepped forward to block his gaze, and greeted, "My Lord."
Ning Xu retracted his gaze and smiled heartily, "Young people are born with talent. You two are both young and elegant. Good, good."
Chang Lian came to his senses. Lord Ning had been ignoring him. His target was Rong Chuan. "We are young and cannot bear the praise. Lord Ning is the real hero."
Ning Xu was satisfied as he watched Zhou Changlian blocking Rongchuan. Yes, the people in Zhou's house were very protective of Rongchuan and were even more friendly to Changlian. "Sit down, everyone, don't be polite. I have been out there for many years and there are not so many rules. Please feel free to do as you please."
Chang Lian did not dare to be careless, but became more cautious, "The Marquis invited us two here today, but do you have anything to ask us?"
Ning Xu praised Zhou Changlian for his insight, "I just think this young master looks kind, so I want to meet him."
Chang Lian remembered Rong Chuan's background. Rong Chuan was born in the capital. Seeing that Lord Ning was always kind and had no ill intentions, he breathed a sigh of relief. "We all look alike. It's an honor for my brother-in-law to be able to make the Lord feel familiar with us."
Ning Xu smiled. What he meant was that there are so many people who look alike, so don't think too much about it.
Rong Chuan felt warm in his heart. His third brother had been blocking and protecting him. He secretly pulled his third brother's sleeve and said, "My Lord, you must have investigated. You invited the two of us here, not just to meet you, right?"
The more Ning Xu looked at Rong Chuan, the more he liked him. This liking for him exceeded his liking for the Crown Prince. There was nothing he could do. The Crown Prince was raised in such a complicated way by the Emperor that even his uncle couldn't see through him. He had to carefully figure out every word the Crown Prince said. Rong Chuan was still the best. Even though he had some scheming thoughts, he was still approachable. "Today, we are just meeting each other."
Rongchuan was not satisfied with this reply, but since Lord Ning did not answer, he had no choice. He was also a bachelor, and since he did not ask, he could only take what he wanted. He could not resist at this level.
Ning Xu became more interested. This child was very stable. Most people would have asked about the news long ago. It also showed that the child had a good character and would not lose himself for power. Thinking of the child's childhood experiences and the days in Zhou Mansion, this child probably didn't want to leave the Mansion and was afraid of breaking his current happiness.
Thinking of this, Ning Xu felt even worse and angrier. He was happy that the Zhang family had saved Rongchuan, but he was also angry that they had abused Rongchuan.
Chang Lian's heart tensed up. Lord Ning's eyes were sharp just now. Although they were retracted quickly, he had been paying attention to Lord Ning and noticed it. Cold sweat ran down his back. He always remembered what his father said, that Lord Ning had been a spy for many years, and the thing he had the most was a mask. Being bold and frank was just a mask.
Ning Xu saw that Zhou Changlian was wary of him, so he thought, well, he had messed up today's meeting. If they stayed together a little longer, who knows what he would be thinking of him!
Ning Xu was about to send the people away when he saw the prince walk in.
Ning Xu stood up and said, "Greetings to the Crown Prince. Why did the Crown Prince come to my house today?"
The prince personally helped his uncle up, "Uncle, there is no need to perform formalities in private. We are all family."
Ning Xu just listened, he didn't take it seriously. At this time, he was afraid that he would become arrogant and it would be bad if he formed a habit. "Rules are rules, they can't be violated."
The prince changed the subject, "My third uncle invited someone here today. Apparently, I didn't bother him."
Ning Xu replied, "No, please come in, Your Highness. Today I have invited Zhou Changlian, and Your Highness knows that I have met Zhou Changlian a few times."
The prince naturally knew this, and after Zhou Changlian and the other young master had greeted each other, he said, "Don't be so reserved, sit down."
Zhou Changlian was nervous, he really didn't expect to meet the prince today. He seemed to have met the fifth prince, yes, and the prince's tutor. He had met the prince during the palace examination, but he had never looked at his face directly. Today was the first time he saw the prince at such a close distance.