Elder Crown Princess Consort

ECPC Chapter 13: Speaking Too Much Leads to Death

Ji Weiming looked at Ruan Tangling innocently. The punch woke him up from his dream where he was still drawing in his book. When he woke up, his arm felt like it wasn't his own.

Ruan Tangling squeezed her fist and slammed the paper onto the table, angrily asking, "What is this? You better explain yourself!"

The fierce appearance of this woman really startled Ji Weiming, who took the fan on the table and kindly fanned Ruan Tangling.

Ruan Tangling glanced at his actions and thought about what he had just said. Suddenly, she felt that this action was meaningful as if he was trying to ignite a spark.

"Tang Tang, you have enough money to let your dad take over the flour shop, do you still lack a little money to buy books?" The words were urgent, as if Ji Weiming was a poor man.

Ruan Tangling secretly counted her own small treasury, then looked at him with disdain and said, "You, a second-generation prince, what are you pretending to be pure and honest for?"

Ji Weiming shook his sleeve, revealing a piece of the arm, and smiled, "You see, I only have two empty sleeves."

Ruan Tangling was immediately defeated by his shameless appearance. She slapped the paper and walked a few steps towards the door, "Tomorrow, tell my father to make a dish of fried noodles with pork. It must be delicious!" She said angrily and life while cursing him as a stingy person.

After Ruan Tangling had left, Ji Weiming rubbed his forehead and continued writing with his brush. What was this kind of persistence for? He wasn't sure. Perhaps it was just to express his gratitude for the secret assistance provided by the Ruan family.

Ji Weiming spent the night in the study room. The next morning, he quietly went back to sleep. Qin Fuyu woke up early and went to the study room, but no one was there. There were scattered papers and a strong ink fragrance on the table. She picked up one and found that it was a drawing version of "The Chronicles of the Great Ji".

Are these to be given to Ruan Tangling?

Qin Fuyu put it down without any expression, and the answer to why Ji Weiming copied Lu Xunfeng's painting book was self-evident.

After tidying up the waste paper on the table, Qin Fuyu stayed alone for a while. Lu Xunfeng's penmanship was taken away by Ji Weiming. A meaningful smile drew a splendid arc. A black shadow flashed at the door, and Qin Fuyu immediately put away the smile and walked out expressionlessly.

"Is there nothing in the study room?" This person was arranged by Ji Xiao to be a maid accompanying Qin Fuyu's dowry, but in fact, it was just a killer who obeyed Ji Xiao's orders.

"No, there isn't." Qin Fuyu calmly replied, "How could Ji Weiming possibly keep such an important thing in the study?"

"What were you just looking at?" The assassins trained by Ji Xiao are relatively independent and do not follow anyone's rules. They are masters and servants in front of others but equals behind the scenes, so they are never polite when talking privately.

Qin Fuyu raised her head coldly and replied, "Changyi. If someone saw you questioning me like this in broad daylight, what would happen?"

"You just need to answer my question." Changyi is not afraid of Qin Fuyu's slightly threatening questioning. "What was Ji Weiming doing in the study room all night yesterday?"

"He was drawing a picture book for Ruan Tangling. As for what he was drawing, you might as well ask Ruan Tangling in a couple of days." Qin Fuyu brushed her sleeves and left, but she didn't tell Changyi that Ji Weiming was drawing from Lu Xunfeng's picture book.

Just the name Lu Xunfeng holds too much meaning.

Changyi looked suspiciously at Qin Fuyu's figure, feeling like she was hiding something.

……

Ji Weiming was still resting, and after Ruan Tangling got up, she went straight to Ruan's house in Luming Lane. On the way, she met Qin Fuyu and found that she was wandering on the road with a pale face. She seemed aimless and a little lost.

Completely different from the elegance that can only be admired from afar on ordinary days, Ruan Tangling stopped in a lane not far from Luming Lane, and Qin Fuyu turned around when she saw Ruan Tangling. She disappeared without a trace before Ruan Tangling could ask her anything.

Very strange. Ruan Tangling looked around but didn't see anyone following behind Qin Fuyu. Why was she hesitating here alone?

Several alleys connected to Luming Lane were inhabited by poor families. Although Qin Fuyu was a killer, she was still the adopted daughter of Wang Xuan in name, enjoying a luxurious life. Why was she here in this poor alley?

With a belly full of doubts, she walked towards Luming Lane. Ruan Dazhuang, who was squatting on the roof studying hard, immediately threw a tile down and shouted, "Boss, Tangling is back!"

Ruan Su, who was rolling noodles, looked up and threw the tile back, saying, "You little brat, you're not watching the flour shop again, you're squatting on the roof!"

Ruan Dazhuang immediately jumped down and ran quickly to the flour shop.

"Father!" Ruan Tangling and Ruan Dazhuang came face to face and saw him dart like a rabbit to the flour shop. She sighed in amazement at his agile body, which truly showed his great skill. Once again, Ruan Su was humming a tune and rolling noodles in the courtyard. She thought to herself that Ruan Su, as the owner of the flour shop, had an easy job.

"Why are you back?" Ruan Su didn't even look up. "Did Ji Weiming mistreat you?"

Ruan Tangling was suddenly speechless: "No, I just came to ask you, am I your daughter?"

"Yes," Ruan Su answered, "you are my real daughter, and your husband is also family."

Receiving a jar of wine for my relative by marriage, what a profitable business!

"Dad, I'm not joking with you. I came to ask you if Lu Xunfeng is an enemy or a friend?"

Ruan Su had already known that Lu Xunfeng's identity was not ordinary, and had sent people to investigate. The news wasn't that fast, and Ruan Su shook his head and said, "I've been in the world for decades, and I've never heard of a guy like Lu Xunfeng. If he's going after Ji Weiming, he's probably an enemy."

"But it seems like Qin Fuyu doesn't really see him as one of her own," Ruan Tangling sat down and watched Ruan Su make noodles. "By the way, I just met Qin Fuyu, and she was a bit... strange."

Ruan Su raised his eyelids and rolled the small dough in his hand into a pancake. "She is indeed very strange, but don't take it lightly. After all, she is someone from Ji Xiao's side."

Ruan Tangling followed his father's disdainful gaze toward his own daughter. Didn't he understand what kind of person she was?

There were several jars of wine piled up in the yard, each jar exquisitely brewed. Ruan Tangling squatted down and looked up, asking, "Has Ji Weiming already sent the jade carved moon over?"

"This kid is pretty good. I'm telling you, you've hit the jackpot." Ruan Su put down his rolling pin and picked up a jar of wine. After opening it and taking a whiff, he wrinkled his brow and said, "Why does this Jade Carved Moon taste like this?"

Ruan Tangling didn't pay attention and boiled some water to cook noodles. "I don't know what Jade Carved Moon tastes like, but as for the wine that Wang Xuan and Qin Fuyu brought, if there's any poison, curse, or medicine in it, then it's you who will suffer the consequences."

As Ruan Su placed the bowl down, he said, "Hey, do you talk to your old man like this?" But his gaze remained on the jade-carved moon, and his eyebrows furrowed together. At first glance, it looked funny, and he continuously stroked his beard, indicating he was deep in thought.

Ruan Tangling didn't dare to disturb him and set the noodles on the table by herself. The luxurious dishes couldn't compare to the noodles rolled out by Ruan Su in her own humble home.

"Don't bother looking." Ruan Tangling sucked on a noodle. "If you have the time, send someone to investigate Lu Xunfeng. I want firsthand information. If Dazhuang doesn't have time to go to the Crown Prince's mansion, then have someone deliver a message to them and I'll come out myself. Now, Ji Xiao's men are still investigating the Peach Blossom troupe. Don't you want them to return to Dongyi?"

Ruan Su shook his head. Ji Xiao was investigating the Peach Blossom Troupe, and Wang Ruyan had been running the show for several days. Although Ji Xiao did not reveal his identity that day, many people who came to watch the play saw him. The effect was better than any publicity. For a while, people who came to visit were flocking to the Peach Blossom Troupe, which was short of one person to perform a play.

It's better to take the opportunity to make some money and use it to pave the gravel road for Ji Xiao.

Then the Peach Blossom Troupe posted an advertisement: "Solo singing performances on weekends, advanced booking required at least five days in advance, backdoor entry invalid."

It was overwhelming for Ji Xiao to have a long list of officials' names in his hand, from different parties and different positions, including the families of the concubines in the palace, the princes' mansions, and various officials' residences. It was as if not knowing the Peach Blossom Opera was to be out of touch with the current trend in the capital.

The Peach Blossom Troupe has suddenly become a remedy to save the cultural and entertainment taste of the backward officials in the Capital city of Great Ji.

Ruan Su and Ruan Tang Ling ate noodles together. He handed over a package of freshly made hot pancakes to Ruan Tangling, saying, “Give this to Ji Weiming. I see that he admires my skills.” After finishing speaking, he stroked his beard and looked proud.

Ruan Su's sense of accomplishment comes from others' praise of his skills, and Ruan Tangling reluctantly took it over: "I'm leaving, you remember to investigate it clearly!"

With a wave of his hand, Ruan Su seemed as if he wanted to drive Ruan Tangling away, and Ruan Tangling quickly disappeared.

Alone, gazing at the jade-carved moon, Ruan Su felt that the taste was not as authentic as the real jade-carved moon...

When Ji Weiming was writing alone in his study room during the season of slight brightness, he was distracted by the scent of cakes. Ruan Tangling had already descended from the sky holding a bag of cakes, standing in front of him like a statue.

Ji Weiming looked up at Ruan Tangling and asked, "Did you go to burn incense?"

Ruan Tangling: "..."

"That must be going to have my fortune told."

Ruan Tangling: "..."

"Otherwise, it's to have my palm read."

Ruan Tangling: "..."

"Or maybe you bumped into a charlatan!"

"What do you mean, Ji Weiming? You better explain it clearly to me!" Ruan Tangling couldn't hold back anymore.

Ji Weiming calmly glanced at Ruan Tangling, who was holding a bag, and imitated her actions while sitting in his chair. Then he kindly said, "Don't you think it's just missing a couple of willow branches in that bag?"

Ruan Tangling: "......"

Without any hesitation, Ji Weiming reached out and took the pastry from Ruan Tangling's hand. When he smelled the aroma, he knew for sure that Ruan Tangling had returned home.

"Tang Tang," Ji Weiming said while eating a pastry and drawing a picture, "I mean, did your father-in-law ask you to bring this to me just to monitor me from a distance?"

“Kindness is taken for granted!” Ruan Tangling gave him a disdainful look. Ruan Su is not a floating ghost, how can he monitor? If it really comes to monitoring, it's up to Ruan Tangling to do it herself.

Ji Weiming casually replied, "Isn't that what you said? Can't your father-in-law smell the scent of flour from a hundred miles away?"

"Yes, he can even smell the Rong Jinlan flower." Ruan Tangling was just teasing him. Ruan Su really had this skill. If there was a war, throwing a few bags of flour into the enemy's camp would be more effective than being a spy!

Ji Weiming heard this reply and seemed to be pondering something. "Tang Tang, if you like me, just say so. You don't have to let your father-in-law monitor whether I have an affair with Qin Fuyu," he said as if there was really only Qin Fuyu at the Crown Prince's Mansion who used Rong Jinlan flowers.

Ren Tangling almost didn't pick up the inkstone and smashed it on his forehead.

"Hey, Ji Weiming," Ren Tangling looked at him drawing small figures fluently, even more vividly than Lu Xunfeng's. "There are so many people in the Crown Prince's mansion. If you really feel guilty about snatching my book, just find someone else to draw it. I just use it for fun."

Ji Weiming raised his head and replied seriously, "Drawing it personally shows sincerity."

Ruan Tangling never thought that Ji Weiming did things with any sincerity, but seeing him stay up all night drawing the picture book, even the provoking words on the paper became forgivable.

She leaned against the desk and stole a glance, suddenly feeling that if Ji Weiming hadn't forcibly taken her to the temple from the road that day, she might have thought that this man was the perfect dream lover when she met him by chance. But after seeing his rascal personality, she just wanted to drag him back to Xihuai and see the real Ji Weiming.

While painting, Ji Weiming looked up and saw the wandering Ruan Tangling. He smiled slightly, shook his head and continued painting. With a shake of his hand, he drew a thick ink mark on the paper.

Ruan Tangling looked down and saw that it looked like a lying centipede. Ji Weiming wanted to crumple the paper and start over, but Ruan Tangling spoke up: "It's fine. I can understand it."

"Although I just accidentally shook my hand a bit," Ji Weiming hung up the paper, and there were faint signs of ink staining the surroundings before it dried, "but you really don't have to feel sorry for me."

Ruan Tangling looked at him from left to right and didn't look tired at all. She gritted her teeth and grabbed the paper, crumpling it into a ball and throwing it on the ground. "Trembling is a disease, it must be treated!"

Ji Weiming stared in shock as the paper ball rolled on the ground, demonstrating the consequences of speaking too much.

Ruan Tangling patted his shoulder solemnly. "Come on, you can do it!" Then she happily bounced out of the study room, like a deer that had been practicing for a thousand years.

Coincidentally, Ji Dong arrived at the study just as a gust of wind blew by. He saw Ji Weiming's bitter expression and a ball of paper that had been blown away by the wind, desolate like the last autumn leaf...