The seductive princess is no longer being pursued; the aloof prime minister is facing a crematorium.

Chapter 175 Someone outside the manor wants to see you~
Smoke curled from the stove.

Si Ning sat downwind, completely untouched by dust.

Jiang Jinshuang sniffed.

"It smells so good." She smacked her lips.

Si Ning, dressed in white with hair as black as ink, took two steps toward Jiang Jinshuang and smiled disapprovingly.

"Your Highness, please go and put on some more clothes. Yan Jue will be here soon."

Jiang Jinshuang glanced longingly at the sizzling meat on the stove and nodded: "Okay."

After running back to her bedchamber to wash and change, Jiang Jinshuang came out to find Si Ning already waiting for her with the grilled meat on the side.

Jiang Jinshuang stepped forward without any hesitation, sat down in the armchair next to her, took the plate of roast meat, and ate it with relish.

Si Ning looked at Jiang Jinshuang with a gentle smile on her lips: "I heard yesterday that Your Highness woke up, so today I sent someone to buy some meat to nourish Your Highness."

Jiang Jinshuang nodded with great satisfaction and gave Si Ning a thumbs up: "This meat is really delicious!"

Si Ning smiled and said, "It's goat meat transported from the east. I'm glad Your Highness likes it."

As Jiang Jinshuang ate, she exclaimed, "Si Ning, you really know how to eat. It reminds me of when I was in Baiyujing, when the mountains were blocked by heavy snow, it was hard to even find a wild rabbit."

"If Your Highness likes it, please eat more."

Jiang Jinshuang looked at the freshly roasted meat on the grill and smiled, "Wait for Yanjue a while, he loves meat more than I do."

Si Ning nodded.

Not long after, Yan Jue arrived carrying two jars of wine.

Jiang Jinshuang glanced at it, her eyes shining: "Thank you so much, Master Yanjue! You are such a kind person!"

Yan Jue pursed his lips slightly, suppressing the smile at the corner of his mouth.

He walked up to Jiang Jinshuang, intending to hand her the wine jar he was carrying.

Jiang Jinshuang reached out to take it, but Si Ningqing said from the side, "Your Highness, your injuries have not yet healed, so it is not advisable for you to drink alcohol."

Jiang Jinshuang ignored him completely, grabbed the wine jar, opened the seal, and took a big gulp.

He then raised an eyebrow at Si Ning: "This little bit of wine won't affect your injuries."

She has a high alcohol tolerance, so a little bit won't bother her.

Upon hearing this, Si Ning smiled helplessly and let her go.

Fortunately, the wine wasn't too strong, so I drank it.

The three of them gathered together, chatting and enjoying the hot pot.

"Your Highness should have heard that the Grand Secretary has returned to Wenshan Pavilion and resumed his official duties."

Jiang Jinshuang nodded: "You've been dealing with trivial matters in the court these past few days. Haven't you heard what Pei Du asked for?"

She was curious.

Si Ning shook his head: "His Majesty dismissed everyone from his conversation with Lord Pei, so even Eunuch Kang probably doesn't know much about it."

Jiang Jinshuang frowned with some regret.

But then Si Ning spoke again: "However, Your Highness should know in a few days."

Since the reward was requested, it should be given in a few days.

Jiang Jinshuang disagreed and retorted, "How can they be the same?"

Of course, curiosity arises before the rewards are announced!

If that happens, wouldn't it be common knowledge?
That's so boring.

Si Ning fully understood Jiang Jinshuang's strong curiosity and shook her head with a smile.

Yan Jue didn't understand these things very well, but after listening to the conversation between the two, he said in a deep voice, "I will go to the Mountain Pavilion tonight to ask for you."

Jiang Jinshuang blinked: "How do you plan to ask?"

Yan Jue said seriously, "If he doesn't talk, I'll kill him." Jiang Jinshuang: "..."

Upon hearing this, Si Ning smiled and then brought up another matter: "By the way, Your Highness, Father is going back to Jiangnan."

Jiang Jinshuang looked up: "Uncle Si is leaving?"

Si Ning nodded: "Father's trip to the capital was ordered by His Majesty to guard against the Prince of Changping."

"Now that the matter is resolved, it is inconvenient for Father to stay in the capital for long."

Jiang Jinshuang was actually aware of Si Ning's concerns.

Si Beihuan's abilities and status are too outstanding. If he were to stay in the capital for a long time, the imperial family would definitely give him an official position.

If he tries to extricate himself from officialdom and the imperial court at that time, it will be even more troublesome.

Si Beihuan is now quite old, and Si Ning, as the eldest son in the family, only hopes that his father will have a peaceful and smooth life in his later years. He doesn't want his father to be involved in the other trivial matters.

"Did Uncle Si say when he left?"

Si Ning: "Three days later."

After a pause, Si Ning smiled and said, "His Highness had been unconscious for a while, and people from Jiangnan came to urge Father to return, but Father turned them all away, saying that he insisted on waiting for His Highness to wake up before leaving."

"Now that His Highness is alright, Father can rest assured."

Jiang Jinshuang felt a warmth in her heart and smiled slightly, "Then I will see Uncle Si off when he leaves."

"Then I thank Your Highness on behalf of my father."

Jiang Jinshuang picked up another piece of meat.

Suddenly remembering something, Jiang Jinshuang looked up at Si Ning: "His Majesty asked you to handle official business, is it because he wants to recruit you into his service?"

Si Ning didn't speak, but just smiled and looked at her.

Upon seeing this, Jiang Jinshuang knew that she had guessed correctly.

"And you, Si Ning, do you want to enter officialdom?"

In fact, after thinking about it, Jiang Jinshuang realized that if Si Ning wanted to enter officialdom, it would be a good opportunity.

Si Ning spoke gently: "Your Highness, I am stupid and dull. If I were to enter officialdom, I would be devoured by those civil and military officials until there is nothing left but bones."

He knew perfectly well that Si Ning was joking.

But the tone he spoke was so earnest and innocent, his dark eyes gentle and pitiful, as if he really couldn't handle it.

“I really don’t have the mind and skills of the Grand Secretary, and I probably wouldn’t be able to gain a foothold in the court,” Si Ning explained with a smile. “Besides, I’ve been pampered at home. It’s fine for me to help His Majesty with some official business occasionally, but my body can’t take it in the long run.”

It's explained clearly and in detail.

Jiang Jinshuang nodded in agreement: "Your health is not good, and your heart condition has not yet healed, so you really shouldn't overwork yourself."

After a pause, Jiang Jinshuang frowned and added, "But Si Ning, you don't need to underestimate yourself. Who said you're not as capable as Pei Du?"

Si Ning smiled, his eyes gentle and refined: "Thank you for your comfort, Your Highness."

Yan Jue wasn't a big drinker, so he didn't drink much wine, but instead sipped a few mouthfuls of tea.

Seeing Yan Jue frown slightly as he drank his tea, Jiang Jinshuang asked in confusion, "Yan Jue, what's wrong? Is the tea not good?"

Yan Jue pursed her lips: "Green tea flavor."
-
Wenshan Pavilion, study.

Jingmo stood outside the study with the medicine in his hand, not daring to knock on the door.

His master developed a high fever after returning home, and now that the fever has subsided a little, he has come to the study to handle official business.

—Even a body made of iron wouldn't be enough to withstand this!

The master seems eager to finish his official business as soon as possible; he's been sitting in his study for half a day already!
Jingmo, carrying the medicine, hesitated whether to go in.

In the distance, a maidservant saw Jingmo and stepped forward to report, "Lord Jingmo, someone outside the manor wishes to see you."

Thinking it was just another courtier trying to curry favor, Jingmo frowned and said, "Tell them the lord is unwell and send them away."

“She wasn’t from the court; she was a woman dressed as a maid, and she claimed to be… a servant from the princess’s residence.”