Chapter 73: Is Old Master Ning really possessed by a ghost?

The Young Master's strength has been great lately; if he doesn't ice it a bit, Young Master Zhang San's forehead will be swollen and red for a while.

This peach blossom pastry was made by my mother; there are only four plates in the whole mansion: Yue Yue gets one, I get one, Ningguang and everyone get one, and the remaining plate was sent to Kang Fu.

It's not that I'm stingy; if it weren't for you coming today just to let you try it, I wouldn't bring it out for anyone who comes.

Ning Hanmo explained, saying that just now he had used too much force when playing with Kang Wen and Kang Wu, never holding back, and hadn't noticed.

Seeing the bump on Zhang Cunwen's forehead, he felt a bit uneasy.

Zhang Xiaosan, who had been happily eating, suddenly froze, then looked at the pastries on the plate and gave an appeasing smile.

The ignorant are blameless; I didn't know...

Wait, what did I miss?" Jia Chuan's eyes instantly turned to Ning Hanmo, "What did you just call the Princess Consort?"

If he remembers correctly, Ning the Old Master used to call her 'stupid woman', but later he always called her by name, Jiang Yun Chu.

He had never called her 'mother consort', let alone 'mother'.

This...

Just now, what did he hear? He felt like he had misheard, so he deliberately dug at his ears.

Ning Hanmo smiled, wearing a proud expression, 'My mother is Jiang Yun Chu.'

When he said these words, he showed no embarrassment nor any excitement.

What does this indicate?

That means the matter is huge!

He genuinely believes this from the heart; it's not a joke, nor is he being pressured by others.

The peach blossom pastry in Zhang Xiaosan's mouth no longer smelled fragrant; swallowing it was impossible, spitting it out was impossible, and he felt almost suffocated.

Isn't he just greedy?

Why punish himself so severely?

"Young Master, the Han household sent a letter." The gatekeeper delivered it to Shunzi's hands; Shunzi hurried inside, still holding a tray, which held a bag of ice.

"Han Xiaosi can't come." After reading the letter, Ning Hanmo thought Han Xiaosi's handwriting was ugly, but by looking and guessing, he still managed to discern a bit of meaning.

"He's probably tied up by the women's army."

Zhang Xiaosan shook his head, "This carefree life, he can't enjoy it."

"At this time, the youngest hasn't come; I doubt he'll make it." Jia Chuan glanced at the sun outside; at this hour, if the youngest could come, he surely would.

His schedule is the most unfixed; his days in the Palace are dire, anyone could step on him, yet they can do little to help him.

"First ice the forehead, then we'll wait a bit." Ning Hanmo placed the ice pack on Zhang Xiaosan's forehead; this time he knew he needed to control his strength.

The three brothers here, long unseen, chatted intermittently.

Rhyme Courtyard.

"Zi Su, take this letter to the Palace, along with the jade pendant." Jiang Yun Chu had been waiting for news from Hanmo Studio, and also waiting for the departure time.

"Yes!" Zi Su gathered the letter and jade pendant, prepared the carriage, and left.

Bai Zhi didn't quite understand, "Why must the Eighth Prince go together?"

Just now, when the Princess Consort wrote the letter, she didn't let the two go out; whatever the content, they both knew it.

The Princess Consort wrote a letter to His Majesty, requesting that the Eighth Prince and Ning Hanmo be allowed to meet.

Jiang Yun Chu smiled, "He only has a two-day holiday; I naturally want him to be free of distractions."

The Young Master of the Han family won't be in danger at home; it's just that this time he can't come, so Ning Hanmo will be disappointed but not worried.

But the Eighth Prince is different; in the Palace he faces constant danger, and even with his princely status, his life is no better than that of a palace maid or eunuch.

Flattering the high and stepping on the low is the norm in the Palace; what more of Ning Qiancheng's awkward existence?

Ning Hanmo may not say it, but how could he not worry in his heart?

"Yun chu! Shall we go?" Yue Yue ran over from afar, her face full of anticipation; she hadn't left the mansion in a long time.

Jiang Yun Chu bent down, hugging her to her chest, and tapped her little nose; the little girl wrinkled her nose but didn't pull away, merely giggling, and the whole room filled with the sound of bells and her silver‑bell‑like laughter.

"We're setting off!" Jiang Yun Chu held Yue Yue and didn't put her down.

"Bai Zhi, notify Hanmo Studio, we're departing."

"Yes!" Bai Zhi flashed away and left.

The manor was neither near nor far; a one‑and‑a‑half‑hour carriage ride took us out of prosperous Ning Jing and onto a shaded lane.

"Yun chu, the trees outside are so tall!"

"Yun chu, the flowers outside are so beautiful!"

"Yun chu, there are bird calls here."

"Yun chu, the scent here is wonderful to smell."

Yue Yue chattered all the way, showing no sign of fatigue.

Jiang Yun Chu merely smiled and nodded in agreement, setting her book aside; with the little girl beside her, she couldn't read a word.

On the other carriage, Ning Hanmo watched everything outside, feeling the tenant farmers' labor and seeing people busy for survival.

"Good heavens, what was your mother thinking, running all the way to the manor to eat porridge and vegetables?" Zhang San didn't dare say too much; after all, times have changed—formerly he had to go along with it, but now Old Master Ning is closely guarded.

Ning Hanmo lowered the carriage curtain, "We must go out and have a look."

Jia Chuan and Zhang Xiaosan exchanged a glance, wondering, "Could Old Master Ning really be possessed by a ghost?"

Before, he would only say, "I want to go!"

Now……

In comparison, the more one thinks about it, the more terrifying it becomes.

"Princess Consort, everything you need is ready."

Jiang Yun Chu's carriage had just arrived when the manor's steward stepped forward and promptly reported.

Three days ago, the Wang Fu sent word that the masters would come today for an outing, and they also had us prepare quite a few things.

He had seen the Princess Consort before; she had been coming over often these past days, otherwise he would be even more nervous.

Jiang Yun Chu carried Yue Yue down from the carriage, then said to the steward, 'Thank you for your hard work.'

'No, no, no, not at all,' the steward hurriedly waved his hands.

Then he looked at the people nearby and said, 'That Young Master is in the main courtyard.'

Half an hour ago, a carriage brought a Young Master, who told him to wait for the Princess Consort's arrival and then simply report to her.

Jiang Yun Chu watched the three boys jump down from the carriage and said, 'Go rest in that courtyard for a while; in an hour we'll start work.'

'Work?' Ning Hanmo asked.

'Yes, work with your own hands to be well-fed; the more work you do, the more you eat. Today I won't let anyone serve you.' Her way of hospitality was to let them eat something they had never eaten before.

But…… it requires personal labor.

These few kids just grew up in a special environment, picking up a few habits.

But in terms of disposition, they live more genuinely, more self‑centered, and have a stronger sense of self.