Chapter 32: Baili Zhou's Interrogation

  Yu Dai heard this and could only sigh with a bitter smile: "You two are just teasing me! Just because I have some slight understanding of music, it's not worth spreading everywhere. Let me ask you, haven't you two ever studied before?"

  Xiao Cheng smiled and pulled Ling Yu Xuan: "The way of sound, I also understand. However, if you say that you are good at playing the flute and only hear it for others' sake, then it's far from being worthy. What about you, tenth sister?"

  Ling Yuexuan nodded repeatedly and smiled: "What Xiao Jie said is exactly what I was thinking in my heart!"

  Yuandai couldn't help but glance at the two of them, but also didn't intend to continue arguing. On one side, Mrs. Ning gazed at the three people chatting and laughing, and her lips involuntarily curled up into a faint smile. The crowd walked a few more steps, and then Mrs. Ning smiled and pointed: "That's where the Shengmeng Building is!"

  The three women looked up to see a small lake in front of them, with strange rocks and wisteria-like plants climbing on the artificial hills. Although it was winter, the wisteria remained green and luxuriant, with clusters of deep purple fruit hanging down from above, giving off an air of vitality.

  Behind the artificial hill, a corner of the eaves flies up, although it is only one corner, but it has its own cleverness.

  The three of them couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. As they walked around the artificial hill, everyone finally saw the true face of this silent tower. This small building has two floors up and down, with corridors connecting upstairs and downstairs, black tiles and red corridors, exquisite and simple beauty.

  Smiling and looking up at the small building, Madame Ning said slowly: "Those who have stayed in the palace for a long time always like to live higher." Although she spoke calmly, her autumnal eyes revealed a hint of melancholy and desolation.

  Among the three, Ling Yuexuan was the most inexperienced. At this moment, she suddenly heard these words and almost blurted out to ask what it meant. However, with a flicker of her eyes, she saw that Xiao Chengxian was calm and quiet, while Yuan Dai's mind was wandering elsewhere, neither showing any intention of speaking up. She could only blink her eyes and forcibly swallow the words that had reached the tip of her tongue.

  After a faint word, Mrs. Ning seemed to have lost interest in talking more. She raised her hand and gestured for the three of them to follow her upstairs. The house where Mrs. Ning lived was not the main house of this silent building, but a slightly western-style wing room. Although the decoration of this wing room was also elegant, it had no luxurious atmosphere at all, only giving people a simple and clean feeling after washing away the dust.

  Madam Ning invited the three to sit down and ordered someone to bring tea and snacks. At this moment, she seemed to have changed into a completely different person. With a faint smile, she slowly talked with the three women about some interesting news from the palace, such as food and snacks. Having been in the palace for a long time, she was familiar with these things, but when she mentioned them now, Ling Yuexian's eyes widened in surprise, occasionally asking curious questions.

  Xiao Chengxian often walked in the palace, but there were some things that she had never heard of. At this moment, listening to them also seemed interesting, and from time to time, she would interject a few sentences. Yuandai sat on one side with a hint of a smile, her eyes focused intently, as if she was also deeply absorbed in the conversation.

  After having some tea and snacks, everyone chatted for a while until the sky turned dark. Then, Mrs. Ning smiled and stood up, saying: "It's about time! If we don't go now, Prince Wang and the others will probably get impatient!"

  Three women suddenly heard this and were all stunned. Ling Yuexuan even exclaimed in surprise: "We eat with them together?" Mrs. Ning smiled and nodded, indicating that she was right. After blinking her bright almond eyes for a long time, Ling Yuexuan hesitantly asked: "Will this be against etiquette?"

  Mrs. Ning smiled and said, "You families are related by marriage anyway, what's the big deal about having a meal together? Let's go!" She obviously didn't intend to say any more. Then she stood up and walked out of the room slowly.

  Ling Yuexuan stared at her in shock, then turned his head to glance at Yuan Dai. Yuan Dai responded with a faint smile and said, "Let's go!" Without further explanation, she stood up and followed Mrs. Ning out the door.

  Xiao Chengxian saw that Yuan Dai had already left, but she couldn't help but smile. She pulled Ling Yuexuan and said, "Let's go! Think back to the time in the Wenxuan Hall, you were caught on the spot once, and he didn't say anything. What are you still worried about now?"

  Ling Yuexuan's face didn't flush red after being spoken to like that, and she quietly followed Xiao Chengxin out.

  As they went out, they saw in front of them Madam Ning walking slowly with Yu Daiyan, one ahead and the other behind, half a step apart.

  Ling Yuexuan was about to quicken her pace and catch up with the two, but was gently pulled back by Xiao Chengyan. When she turned around in confusion, Xiao Chengyan had already slightly shaken his head at her and said in a low voice, "Let them have a few words alone for now! As it happens, Mrs. Ning has been back in the countryside for several years, and suddenly returning to Beijing today is probably all because of Ninth Sister." Ling Yuexuan suddenly understood and nodded hastily.

  Mrs. Ning walked slowly ahead, but she hadn't spoken for a long time. She didn't open her mouth, and Yuandai also quietly followed, not saying a word. The two of them walked out of the Songming Building in silence, before Mrs. Ning suddenly spoke up and asked: "Does Ninth Miss know why I appeared here?"

  Yan Dai smiled and said, "Madam, you must be here for the prince, right?" Although she had not known about Ning's existence before, after Xiao Xian told her about Ning's identity, she was very clear about Ning's intentions.

  Mrs. Ning indeed came for Bailing Zhao, to be specific, she came for the marriage between Bailing Zhao and her. So, she can even say without any exaggeration that Mrs. Ning's true purpose of coming is actually her.

  With a deep gaze, Madame Ning raised the corner of her lips and revealed a faint smile: "The Ninth Miss is an intelligent person. As the saying goes, one should not speak in riddles before wise people; how can beating around the bush compare to straightforwardness?"

  Madam's words are extremely right!

  "To be honest, when I first heard that the prince wanted to marry you as his official wife, I was quite skeptical!" After a moment of silence, Mrs. Ning finally spoke up: "I rushed back to the capital this time, originally intending to advise the prince and make him think thrice before acting."

  Her expression unchanged, Yu Dai's warm voice asked: "I wonder if madam has moved the prince yet?"

  Ning's wife couldn't help but smile: "I saw the king, and before I could even speak, he smiled and said that I must be tired from traveling, and told me to rest for a few days first. He will give me an explanation himself!"

  With a thoughtful nod, Yuan Dai said: "So it was actually the prince's intention to make amends with his wife that he invited us over today?"

  Madam Ning smiled and asked herself: "I wonder what Ninth Miss thinks of this explanation?"

  For a moment, she was taken aback. Far Dai said: "I didn't expect the prince to have such confidence in me!" As she spoke, her expression remained calm and unruffled. However, although she appeared serene on the surface, her heart was not as tranquil.

  Mrs. Ning is an old-timer in the palace, able to retire from the imperial court with a first-class title and honors, although it's not possible to say that there was no one before or after her, but it can be said that this is rare in history. To reach this point, there must be some luck involved, but her own ability is also undeniable. Under Mrs. Ning's questioning, Bai Li's actions undoubtedly showed his trust in Yuandai. He believed that Yuandai could persuade Mrs. Ning, or it could be said that he believed that after meeting Yuandai, Mrs. Ning would understand that his choice was not wrong. This trust has far exceeded the transaction between them.

  Mrs. Ning smiled faintly: "Don't be deceived, Miss, I had already inquired about your past experiences before returning to the capital!"

  After a moment of silence, Yuandai said calmly: "I understand what you mean! All I can say to you is that everything in the past is already over for me, and I can also assure you that nothing in the past will interfere with my future life!"

  Mrs. Ning heard this and fell silent for a moment, after a while, she sighed softly: "After seeing the young lady, I had already made up my mind to investigate her past! But somehow, at this moment, I suddenly decided to give up my previous plan!"

  She slowly exhaled and said softly: "I dare guarantee that you will not regret today's decision, madam!"

  Madam Ning smiled and suddenly stopped in her tracks, pointing ahead and saying, "We've arrived!"

  She had spoken in a very low voice before, barely audible to Yuandai, but this sentence was intentionally amplified, and it was clear that this sentence was not just for Yuandai's ears. Xiang Chengyan, who was about twenty steps behind the two, heard this sentence and quickly pulled Ling Yuanshan, hurrying up in three strides, saying with a smile: "Finally arrived!"

  She said with her mouth, but her eyes swept across Yuandai and Mrs. Ning's faces, feeling that the two of them were calm and composed, without a hint of stiffness, and Yuandai even gave her a reassuring glance. Xiao Chengyan's heart relaxed, and her smile became even more charming.

  Mrs. Ning wouldn't miss the brief exchange of glances between the two, and with a smile, she said: "It's rare for you three to get along so well!" Although her words mentioned "you three", both Fang Dai and Xiao Chengyan understood that Mrs. Ning was actually referring to the two of them, but because Ling Yuanshan was standing beside them at the moment, if she had said "two people", Ling Yuanshan might have felt a little uncomfortable hearing it.

  She pursed her lips and smiled slyly: "I think Ninth Sister is quite compatible with the mistress too!"

  Madam Ning smiled and shook her head, looking at the three of them and saying: "You three are all rare talents, I look at you and feel like I've become much younger myself! I'll be staying here for quite some time, but when you have a chance, do come visit me often!"

  Three people heard the sound, and they nodded to each other. At this time, Baili Yi had already walked quickly over there, smiling at Mrs. Ning: "Mrs. Ning, you're a bit late, we've been waiting for a long time!" Looking at his expression, he was extremely respectful to Mrs. Ning.

  Mrs. Ning smiled and said, "I got along quite well with the three of them, and in the excitement, I chatted a bit more, forgetting about the time, and ended up keeping you waiting!" As she spoke, she took one hand of Xiao Chengyan and the other of Ling Yuanshuang, and walked forward.

  Yuandai didn't think much of it and just followed closely behind.

  On a winter day, the sun sets early, and by around 4 pm, the sky is already completely dark. In the east, the bright moon has just risen, its light shining brightly, making the stars appear even more dim. (Thank you for your support, it's my greatest motivation.)