Chapter 485: Believe in You

"Yun chu, once everything is over, I'll take you to wander the jianghu freely."

Ning Chengyan neither denied her words nor said what was good about the royal family.

No matter how good it is, if she doesn't like it, then it's not good.

And he also didn't like a restrained life; wherever they roamed or walked, it was indeed a beautiful thing.

"Cough—cough."

Just then, Emperor Ning suddenly started coughing.

Xi Gonggong looked on anxiously, "Your Majesty, could you have caught a chill?"

But Your Majesty hasn't gotten out of bed these days—how could you have caught a chill?

Jiang Yunchu looked at him helplessly, then pressed her lips and said, "Stop pretending—you're just scaring little Xi, do you really think you can scare us?"

Emperor Ning was also helpless, wondering what to do.

This girl is getting sharper and sharper; I used to lose arguments to her alone, and now with two of us, I lose even more.

"Don't you dare run off with my Regent Prince," Emperor Ning finally said.

Jiang Yunchu smiled lightly, inserted a few silver needles into several acupoints, and then began to take his pulse.

If a few acupoints aren't controlled, one can only feel a chaotic pulse and cannot discern the actual pulse.

She listened carefully to the pulse, without answering.

Only after half an hour did she withdraw the needles, then signal Xi Gonggong to release that arm.

"You know, everything has its end; you're just stuck in a rut," Jiang Yunchu said while putting away the needles.

Emperor Ning watched the lively, clever girl; although he often annoyed himself, seeing her always lifted his spirits.

"What do you mean?" Emperor Ning asked doubtfully.

Jiang Yunchu wrapped up the needles, lifted her head, and wore a faint smile.

"When everything is settled, do you still want to be trapped in this palace?"

"It's been over twenty years—aren't you tired?"

Jiang Yunchu's words seemed to open a train of thought.

Emperor Ning suddenly froze, as if over the years he had grown accustomed to being above others, to being confined in this palace, to the daily toil and the people's peace.

You seem trapped in this palace?

Do you want to?

No!

He doesn't want to.

Twenty years ago, what was his wish?

He never imagined sitting in a high hall; he wanted one person, one horse, to wander the jianghu with sword in hand.

But day after day of delay made him become another sort of person.

Such days are truly wonderful; even though he is old, his heart still longs for them.

But…

"Isn't a wish beautiful precisely because it's hard to achieve?"

"Who will support Da Ning? Pin hopes on the Eldest Prince who only eats, drinks, and plays? On the Third Prince of Consort Cao? Forget it!"

Da Ning represents not just a throne, but also the people and their livelihood.

Jiang Yunchu chuckled and shook her head, "Ning Chengyan, look—Your Majesty Uncle is now called self‑cocooned."

"If you promise me something and then fail to fulfill it, I'll leave on my own," she said, not wanting to think too much—Ning Jing, the Regent Prince's Manor, the palace—all were places that confined her.

She wanted to go out.

"Alright, I'll accompany you and fulfill everything I promise," Ning Chengyan answered firmly.

Jiang Yunchu looked at him, then at Emperor Ning, "Your Majesty Uncle, if I don't come back this time, will you hand Da Ning over to the wine‑bag‑and‑rice‑sack Eldest Prince, or to the scheming Third Prince?"

The Fifth and Sixth Princes had died young long ago.

As for the Second Prince, needless to say—he had already been confined ever since being used by the Third Prince.

This is also the best way for him; otherwise, his nature makes him easy to exploit.

The Fourth Prince has always been at Qing feng Academy; he dislikes the royal family's feuds, and his mother's nature is likewise tranquil—her clan is merely a small family with no support, so he has no ambition.

Hearing Jiang Yunchu's words, Emperor Ning's mouth twitched uncontrollably.

There's no need to be so blunt about it.

Xi Gonggong used to be afraid, but now, seeing the Princess Consort, he merely gave a light smile and stepped aside.

Anyway, whatever the Princess Consort says, His Majesty won't get angry.

"Give it to the Seventh Prince," Emperor Ning said without hesitation, looking into Jiang Yunchu's eyes and giving his answer directly.

"Oh? That's strange."

Jiang Yunchu raised her brows—"Isn't that actually reasonable?"

"Strange?"

Emperor Ning pointed at her, shook his head helplessly, and said, "Rather than saying I trust the Seventh Prince, I might as well say I trust you."

"Yun chu, I'm old; this time I've been poisoned, and I can feel that my body is not as good as before."

At his age, few people can stir his emotions.

The number of people he can trust is also dwindling.

In this world, the few who can earn his wholehearted trust are just a handful.

Jiang Yunchu stepped forward, lowered her head to look at his face, her tone serious with a hint of puzzlement, and said, "Your Majesty, do you not trust my medical skills?"

Emperor Ning shook his head.

She continued to say, "Still don't believe the child I taught?"

Ning Emperor continued to shake his head.

If you don't believe, how could there be such an arrangement now?

"That's it."

Jiang Yunchu patted her own hand and gave a light laugh.

"Your Majesty, I cannot guarantee anything else, but the child I taught will surely be more outstanding than you."

As soon as her words were spoken, she felt she could face the raging storm, and Xi Gonggong's expression did not change.

With a "plop", he knelt directly on the ground.

His face had already turned pale, yet he hadn't heard anything at all.

But the Ning Emperor pointed at Jiang Yunchu, then coldly snorted, "Jiang Yunchu, you really aren't afraid I'll deal with you?"

Jiang Yunchu raised her eyebrows, sighed helplessly, "My emperor uncle, I don't have that much time to accompany you in your acting."

The Ning Emperor looked at Ning Chengyan, "Regent Prince, what do you say?"

Ning Chengyan lightly smiled, clasped his hands, then bowed; no fault could be found in his etiquette.

Just...

"What the lady said is correct."

The Ning Emperor looked at this, then looked at that.

"Hahaha——"

The laughter was uncontrollable, shaking his chest.

Xi Gonggong raised his head, looked at the Majesty's face, confirmed it wasn't extreme anger turning into laughter, and his just‑trembling body then stopped trembling.

"You all."

"Everyone says the emperor is a lonely widow, but nowadays few people speak truth to me."

"But your presence makes me know I am not alone."

Jiang Yunchu raised her eyebrows, "You were never alone to begin with."

"The Grand General guards the north, stopping the iron cavalry of the Northern Rong."

"My mother is in Zhongzhou, waiting for us to rescue her."

"Uncle, because you are a benevolent ruler, you govern the world with benevolence and righteousness."

"The people of Xijiang are grateful to you; every household prays for your blessings—are you still lonely?"

"That little mouth goes 'papapa' when angry, but when coaxing it also spares no effort."