Seeing Rong Yue's tense expression and the gravity on her face, Tang Ning suddenly leaned closer. "Aunt."
"Hm?"
"When are you going to give Uncle Gu a proper title?"
Rong Yue froze, her mind going blank. Facing her niece's sparkling eyes, her gaze wavered, completely forgetting about the palace banquet. She forced down her flushed cheeks and glared at Tang Ning. "What nonsense are you talking about... what, what title..."
Her words stumbled, and she reached out to push Tang Ning's face away. "You're just a kid, stop talking nonsense."
Tang Ning dodged with a cheeky grin. "Don't try to fool me. I saw it all. That day in the courtyard, Uncle was holding you, and you two... mmph mmph mmph..."
Her mouth was instantly covered, cutting off her words.
Rong Yue's face turned bright red, her eyes glaring with embarrassed frustration. As expected, someone had seen them, it was all that scoundrel Gu Helian's fault!
Tang Ning pulled at the hand covering her mouth. Seeing her aunt blushing with shy annoyance, clearly fond of Gu Helian despite her apparent anger, she leaned closer and said, "I can tell Uncle is completely smitten with you. He looks like he'd pack up his belongings and move in with you if he could. When will you take pity on him and give him a proper title? It’d save him from looking so pitiful every time he sees me, like he’s dying to say something but holding back."
She spoke half-jokingly but with sincerity. "You and Uncle missed so many years together, and he’s been waiting for you all this time. The gossip outside doesn’t matter compared to your happiness. Besides, I’ve got thick skin, what nasty words haven’t I heard? I don’t care what others say. If you find me a god of wealth as an uncle, I’d wake up laughing from my dreams."
Rong Yue poked her forehead. "Are you short on money?"
As if she didn’t know how profitable Xiao Yan’s businesses were. When he left the capital, he entrusted them to Tang Ning, and even after returning, he didn’t take them back. Plus, the wealth left by the Rong family and her sister was more than enough for Tang Ning to spend freely without worrying about money.
She knew Tang Ning was trying to ease her mind. Looking at the girl’s mischievous grin, Rong Yue stood up and pushed her toward the door. "You little rascal, mind your own business. Aren’t you going out? Hurry up and get to it."
Tang Ning turned her head. "But what about Uncle’s title..."
"What did he bribe you with to make you speak up for him? Go already!"
Tang Ning quickly added, "Aunt, I haven’t tried the mooncakes yet."
Rong Yue turned back, grabbed the box of mooncakes, shoved it into Tang Ning’s arms, and pushed her out the door.
When Tang Ning opened her mouth to speak again, Rong Yue stuffed a mooncake into it, her face red as she snapped, "I’ve got things to do, don’t bother me."
The door slammed shut with a bang. Tang Ning took the mooncake out of her mouth, hugged the box, and burst into giggles.
Behind the door, Rong Yue’s face was burning. She rubbed her cheeks. "Little imp!"
Then she let out a soft sigh. She didn’t know how dangerous the palace banquet would be, but Tang Ning was comforting her in this way. As for Gu Helian...
Rong Yue huffed. That shameless man, throwing away his pride for a title!
Meanwhile, Gu Helian, who was handling matters for his cheap niece’s husband regarding the upheaval in the capital on the Mid-Autumn Festival, suddenly sneezed, startling Mu Feng beside him.
"Master, caught a cold?" Mu Feng asked with concern.
Gu Helian shot him a look. "You wouldn’t understand."
Mu Feng: "?"
"One thought, two scolds, someone’s thinking of me."
Mu Feng: "..."
Forcing a strained smile, before he could speak, Gu Helian boasted, "They say a day apart feels like three autumns. I just left the Tang residence, and Zhizhi’s already missing me. Hurry up and finish this, I need to buy Zhizhi her favorite walnut pastries."
Mu Feng barely restrained himself from throwing something at Gu Helian’s face. "Master, I have a wife."
Gu Helian: "??"
Mu Feng gave a fake smile. "My wife thinks of me every day, yet I don’t sneeze. Perhaps it’s because you stood too long outside Lady Rong’s door last night and caught a cold." That night wind must’ve scrambled his brain too!
Gu Helian’s smug expression twisted, his face turning as colorful as a dye shop. He grabbed something and threw it at Mu Feng. "Get lost!!"
Mu Feng deftly caught the small piece of gold thrown at him, his irritated heart instantly soothed.
No matter. The master was rich and generous, just a bit talkative and annoying. But in this world, there was no better... er, no better master than him.
Mu Feng mentally reindoctrinated himself, suddenly finding his master much more tolerable. He tucked the gold into his pocket and respectfully rolled out.
Gu Helian was livid, turning to another attendant nearby. "What was that look he gave me?! Huh, what did that look mean?!"
The attendant, standing nearby, thought enviously: *t’s the look of someone gazing at a god of wealth.
"Master, you’re wise and valiant. Guard Mu was admiring you."
"Do you take me for a fool?!" Gu Helian glared.
The attendant gave an awkward smile, inwardly disappointed.
Why couldn’t he fool the master? His skills were truly inferior to Guard Mu’s.
…
When Tang Ning followed Xiao Yan to visit the Cao residence, the sky had completely darkened.
A nearly full moon hung high in the sky, its light spilling down. Someone was already waiting at the side gate.
"Cong An greets Lord Xiao. My master is waiting inside. Please, both of you, come in."
Tang Ning paused, glancing at Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan lightly squeezed her hand before speaking. "Please lead the way."
After entering the Cao residence, they noticed it seemed prearranged, there was no one else around. Cong An led them directly to a place called "Yanling Residence" and announced from outside, "Master, Lord Xiao and Princess Xiangning have arrived."
"Let them in."
Cao Dejiang’s voice came from inside, and Cong An stepped aside, bowing respectfully.
Xiao Yan’s lips tightened, and he stood for a moment before leading Tang Ning into Yanling Residence.
The room was brightly lit, the wooden floor creaking softly with each step. A rich tea fragrance filled the air.
When Xiao Yan and Tang Ning saw Cao Dejiang, he was wearing a thin long robe, sitting by a brazier. On a rack above the brazier were some chestnuts with cracked shells, and beside it, a pot of boiling tea. Next to him sat a white-haired man.
The man was dressed warmly, holding tongs to turn the roasted chestnuts on the rack, his expression deeply focused. Despite his white hair, his face didn’t look old.
Hearing footsteps, he glanced over briefly before looking back down.
"Surnamed Cao, you win."
Cao Dejiang let out a hearty laugh, swiftly pulling a few roasted chestnuts to his side before waving to Xiao Yan and Tang Ning.
"You’re just in time. These chestnuts are freshly roasted, sweet and fragrant. Come, have some."
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You can read ahead to chapterr 470 (100+ extra chapters) here
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