Chapter 58
If it was another person, they would think that this person was doing blasphemy, but Duke Ding was an exception. The sutra he copied having ominous energy was not intentional.
Maybe copying the scripture really could lessen his ominous energy.
The Buddha was benevolent, delivering all living creatures from torment.
Seeing the little lady opening the sutra, Duke Ding who was stable as a mountain could not help but look at her beautiful and delicate side face, his heart rose with a sliver of nervousness.
This was an unprecedented matter.
Duke Ding's heart was startled.
Jiang Ningbao closed the <Vajracchedika-sutra> and decided to look at it after she came back. She put it in a casket and smiled beautifully at Duke Ding, "The sutra is very good. I like it very much."
Duke Ding recovered his calmness, as if the previous nervousness was just his imagination, and replied, "Yes."
"I am good at brewing wine and I've brewed a lot the past few years. I will send you a few jars tomorrow. This is my thank you gift, you can't refuse it." Jiang Ningbao smiled as she looked at Duke Ding. She waved the sutra in her hand and spoke with a light and fast tone.
"Alright."
Duke Ding Xie Heng nodded hesitantly.
Jiang Ningbao was happy. She specially used a little scheme. First, she would send some wines, and then she would integrate into his life, making Duke Ding used to her existence.
"Sir duke, do the booklet you write also have ominous energy?" Jiang Ningbao asked in curiosity.
"No, the sutra is an exception."
Duke Ding Xie Heng slowed his steps and answered.
When copying the sutra, he won't suppress his ominous energy. Hence, the sutra would be tainted with it. The <Vajracchedika-sutra> he sent the little lady was written five years ago, so the ominous energy had lessened a lot.
But others still could not get near and read it.
Especially females. They were easy to be attacked by the ominous energy.
"I see. Sir duke, what do you usually do aside from copying sutra?" Jiang Ningbao put the sutra in her sleeve and continued asking about his life and habits with interest.
"Practicing martial arts."
Duke Ding Xie Heng's steps walked forward steadily as he replied.
Jiang Ningbao's eyes lit up. "Can one get internal energy?" During the apocalypse, she who had no ability could only practice the ancient martial arts in various large bases publicized.
It's a pity that after transmigrating, with her parents pampering her and the servants having more than ten, she could not practice martial arts in secret. She could only practice her skill of brewing wine. Don't look that her appearance was weak and soft, seemingly would fall just by being blown by the wind, she actually could defeat seven to eight muscly men with empty hands.
If it weren't for when she was seven years old and her hand was itching, using a whip to fall down a big tree and shocking her parents, her mother won't stare down at her as she learned the etiquette noble ladies should learn.
Jiang Ningbao sobbed in her heart incessantly.
"The ones with excellent natural endowment can."
Duke Ding answered faintly.
Jiang Ningbao silently thought that all of the martial arts officers in the Dayue Dynasty practiced martial arts. But hearing the duke, not everyone could use internal energy. This was different from the ancient martial arts she knew. Going silent for a moment, Jiang Ningbao sounded out, "Sir duke, what do you think of a girl practicing martial arts?"
In ancient times, most men hoped that their wife was chaste, calm, and virtuous while their concubine was gentle and dependent.
But the lioness from the martial families was not few.
Actually, Jiang Ningbao did not want to be one of them who grew up in the house. She preferred to dress in fine clothes and ride on well-groomed horses, living life as she liked it. But Madam Yang who was from a literary family hoped that she would become a gentle, chaste, and virtuous noble lady. After marriage, become the heiress people praised.
Duke Ding halted his steps and calmly stared at her tender and beautiful features.
"You want to practice martial arts?"
Jiang Ningbao's eyes flashed with surprise. She did not think that Duke Ding would think that she wanted to practice martial arts. She struck when the iron was hot, her pink lips moved upward.
"Can I?"
Duke Ding Xie Heng's gaze settled on her tender and beautiful face for a moment and thought to the matter of King Rui Residence's little king blocking her in the streets, then nodded, "You can."
The little lady was born with a beautiful appearance. If she met with danger, she would have the skill to defend herself.
"Sir duke, I will be in your care."
Chapter 59
Jiang Ningbao smiled slyly. She's indeed smart, giving herself a chance to grow feelings.
Duke Ding Xie Heng nodded.
"Sir duke, from when I was little, I have the ability to give wondrous effects to the wines I brew using ordinary methods. You have to keep this a secret for me." Jiang Ningbao lowered her voice and spoke softly.
Today, she sent an earthen jug to Old Madam Xie. She had already prepared to be exposed.
"Okay."
Duke Ding Xie Heng's pupil contracted. A trace of his emotions flashed across the ominous energy in his eyes. His cold and hard face subconsciously softened.
"The flower wines in Jinjiang Teahouse are also brewed by me, but these wines are given more water. It cannot be compared with Upper Cloud Wine Shop's sky high priced wine."
Jiang Ningbao said as she smiled.
"I know." Duke Ding Xie Heng answered faintly.
Jiang Ningbao: "....."
The two walked shoulder to shoulder forward. Maybe it was because of the ominous energy lingering around Duke Ding, only Jiang Ningbao was talking with Duke Ding with a flowery smile.
The servants in Duke Ding Residence looked at Jiang Ningbao with respectful gazes.
No wonder the old madam said that Jiang fourth miss would be the future mistress of the duke residence. Only Jiang fourth miss could get near Duke Ding this easily.
Hence, Jiang fourth miss was special.
Chun Xi carried a delicate casket and followed behind them. She did not dare to get near. Once she was near, she would be like a fish out of water, hard to breathe.
Butler Zhao at the side saw Chun Xi's white face and smiled, "If you're not feeling well, we can be further apart. The duke won't mind."
Chun Xi flushed in embarrassment.
"Thank you, Butler Zhao."
Butler Zhao slowed his steps and pulled the distance from Duke Ding. Chun Xi's face finally turned better.
No matter how long the road was, there would be an end to it. Jiang Ningbao looked at the large gates and sighed in her heart. After she went into the carriage, she could not converse with Duke Ding this close anymore.
Maybe it was because Jiang Ningbao's complaint was too big, when she and Duke Ding Xie Heng stepped out of the gates, Heir Xie who went to Anyuan Marquis Residence coincidentally came back at this time.
She saw the noisy guards, especially the one leading them, the man riding on a horse galloping nearer wearing a set of dark red brocade robes weaved with silver threads.
And the familiar looking carriage on his side.
Jiang Ningbao: "....."
What kind of karma was this? She actually met her ex-fiance and the female lead Yang Shuqing in front of the gates of Duke Ding Residence.
Chapter 60
The sunlight during the afternoon was the most brilliant.
His ex-fiancee who wore light blue white magnolia dress was beautiful and tender, her eyes were bright and her brows carried elegance and intellectual brilliance. She looked frail and beautiful.
At this moment, he was standing next to a handsome man emitting sharp and ominous energy. Under the sunlight, the two of them looked like a pair of jade.
Heir Xie never thought that once he arrived in the residence, he would see the scene of his ex-fiance and his adopted father standing next to each other and looking harmonious.
The bottom of Heir Xie's eyes flashed with shock and bewilderment. His mind recalled the scene where his ex-fiance declared that she would get married to Duke Ding. His heart rose with a disbelieving taste.
A moment later, he slowly got down the horse. He went down on a spot not far from the main gates. He patted his gown lightly and greeted Duke Ding respectfully.
"Greeting father."
Jiang Ningbao heard Heir Xie called Duke Ding 'father' respectfully and her gaze could not help but sweep through the two of them. One had a domineering attitude and was handsome and strong while the other was cool, handsome, and noble.
They were both excellent and were not mundane. They were also young.
Jiang Ningbao's heart unknowingly felt happy.
The two of them were nine years apart. Ancient people matured early, but they also became a father after more than ten years. Seeing this pair of father and son, she really wanted to ask Old Madam Xie why she chose Xie Jingyi to be adopted at that time.
Could she not adopt a two to three years old child?
But once she thought back to the book revealing that Duke Ding died in his prime and the male lead inherited the position of duke, Jiang Ningbao could not help but suspect that there was a secret others did not know about.
The guards by Heir Xie's side did not think that they would see the duke who rarely went back and they all went down their horses and respectfully greeted the duke with loud voices.
"Greeting the duke!"
The male servant who accompanied Heir Xie to the government office saw Jiang Ningbao and waves rose in his heart.
The girl by the duke's side was actually Jiang fourth miss.
Yang Shuqing who was in the carriage heard her fiance calling 'father' and the guards all shouting 'Duke Ding' and her heart was happy. Could it be that Duke Ding specially went back from the Western Suburbs for the engagement of the heir?
It seemed that Duke Ding placed great importance on Heir Xie.
Thinking like this, Yang Shuqing opened the curtain in happiness. Who knew that she would see the elegant and dazzling Jiang Ningbao who was smiling like a flower blooming? Yang Shuqing's eyes flashed with astonishment and the happiness on her face receded and her face sunk. The gaze she used to see Jiang Ningbao carried hostility and coldness.
Jiang fourth miss actually came at Duke Ding Residence.
The news of her and Heir Xie settling their engagement had spread throughout the capital. Now, Heir Xie was her fiance. Jiang fourth miss actually did not give up, coveting her fiance. Yang Shuqing's face went taut and her face went cold a few degrees.
"Jiang Ningbao!"
Yang Shuqing lowered her voice and spoke the name word by word. Her voice was cold and biting, making others' hearts feel cold.
The pressure in the carriage suddenly became cold, making the servants by her side, Qian Rong and Qian Bi, to lower their heads. Their sweat covered their backs.
As the oldest miss' trusted servants, they knew better than anyone how cruel and merciless the oldest miss was and how good her means were. Even Concubine Yan who was favored for nearly twenty years fell in her hand. Not to mention that she ruined the reputation of the concubine born young misses and young masters.
Now that Jiang fourth miss was hated by the oldest miss, Qian Rong and Qian Bi shivered coldly. They could predict Jiang fourth miss's tragic ending.
Once the oldest miss struck, it would be bullseye.
Duke Ding Xie Heng stared at the handsome adopted son of his without saying anything. He thought of the reports from the guards and recalling the white hair of his mother, the ominous energy in his eyes went brutal. The ominous energy on his body moved and a strong oppression, carrying strong and awe-inspiring ominous energy attacked Xie Jingyi.
The bunch of guards on the back saw the duke suddenly making things difficult for them and they thought that the heir had made the duke angry. They all knelt on the ground with white faces as they forcefully resisted the attack of the ominous energy. Beads of sweat fell non-stop and they all shouted with fear.
"Sir duke, spare us!"
Yang Shuqing and her two servant girls who did not go down the carriage were also swept by the sudden explosion of Duke Ding's ominous energy. Yang Shuqing's face became white in an instant and she felt it hard to breathe. She breathed heavily and deeply, fear flashing across her eyes.
Duke Ding was scary.
Only his momentum already made people frightened.
Fortunately, fortunately Duke Ding only had a short of two years left to live. If not, with the existence of such a scary person in Duke Ding Residence, she was afraid that she would lose her life.
Yang Shuqing could not help but shivered coldly.
"Father, may I ask what this son did to make you angry?"
Heir Xie's straight figure swaggered and almost knelt in front of the crowd. His cool and handsome face revealed a trace of paleness and astonishment. He could not help but settle his gaze on his ex-fiancee who was standing next to his adopted father.
This was a strange feeling. Heir Xie felt that the reason his father was this angry had something to do with his ex-fiancee.
Jiang Ningbao's eyes met with Heir Xie's eyes. She understood the meaning in his eyes and she gave him a pretty smile. She used her mouth to silently said: This has nothing to do with me.
Her heart was sighing. As expected of the male lead. He could actually stand straight facing the duke's enormous momentum.
Duke Ding Xie Heng heard his adopted son's question and the ominous energy in his eyes condensed brutally once more, deep and biting. The dignity between his brows seemed to be released and pressured Xie Jingyi. His low and deep voice carried sharpness like a blade.
"Unfilial!"
"Unjust!"
The faces of the guards behind Heir Xie turned white and their foreheads had cold sweat that drenched their backs. The duke's momentum was really scary, but they respected the woman who stood beside the duke calmly even more.
Unfilial.....Unjust.....