usatvline Chapter 174 A Joyful and Harmonious Moment
Chapter 174 A Joyful and Harmonious Moment
"Daddy!" Ning Xiaoxi put down the pastry in her hand, ran forward quickly, and looked up at Ning Shi with a big smile.
Ning Shi looked at his little girl, his eyes crinkling into slits with laughter, and placed the basket on the table. "Little girl, did you sleep well?"
"Mmm, I slept well, but woke up hungry."
"Haha, my wife, quick, our little girl is hungry." He said, wiping the crumbs of pastry that were stuck to Ning Xiaoxi's lips.
"Father, Mother, Little Sister, I'm back." Ning Ziqing opened the door and walked in, carrying an oil paper package in her hand.
“Brother!” Ning Xiaoxi’s eyes sparkled.
“You fell asleep as soon as you got back yesterday. I was worried you’d go hungry.” Ning Ziqing put the oil paper package on the table. “This is crispy duck from Zhenxiufang. I just got here with Dad.”
Ming Luoying took two plates from the cupboard, first opened Ning Ziqing's oil paper package, took out the crispy duck inside and put it on the plate. Then she looked at the basket Ning Shi had brought back, turned around and replaced the plates with a large bowl, pouring the braised pork ribs from the basket into the bowl.
Ning Ziqing went to check on the soup simmering in the earthenware pot on the stove. "Mother, is the soup ready?"
Ning Xiaoxi took out four soup bowls from the cupboard and handed a spoon to Ning Ziqing.
"Alright, alright, I've been stewing this all afternoon, just waiting for you to come back." Ming Luoying held a small wine pot in her hand. "I'm so happy today, this pot of Sangluo wine was brought from the capital by your second cousin, who couldn't bear to drink it."
Ning Xiaoxi took the soup from Ning Ziqing and placed it on the table one bowl at a time. "Mom, can I drink some too?"
Ming Luoying poured a small cup and placed it in front of Ning Xiaoxi, "Drink it all, drink it all today."
Ning Ziqing brought over the last bowl of soup.
Ning Shi sat in the north position, with Ning Ziqing on his left and Ming Luoying on his right. Ning Xiaoxi sat in the south position at the square table.
Ning Shi picked up the wine glass in front of him. "Our family has traveled from Zhongzhou to Youzhou, from the capital to Fufang, and after three months, we have finally settled here." He glanced at his son on the left, then at his wife on the right, and then at his little girl across from him. "No matter how difficult it was, my little Xi has contributed the most to our ability to sit here as ordinary people. This glass is to my little Celestial Master."
Ning Xiaoxi held a small wine glass, which looked like it wasn't even enough for a small sip.
Ning Shi, Ming Luoying, and Ning Ziqing all clinked their cups against hers.
Ning Xiaoxi took a small sip of the wine. It had a faint mulberry and chrysanthemum flavor, not spicy, but light and quite delicious.
Ming Luoying filled all the wine glasses, but said, "Xiao Xi, drink some soup first to warm your stomach, don't just drink wine."
Ning Xiaoxi obediently took a sip of chicken soup, "Mmm, Mommy, this soup is delicious!"
"Drink more if you like it!" Ming Luoying smiled and put a duck leg on Ning Xiaoxi's plate. "My Xiaoxi has lost weight, she needs to eat more to make up for it!"
Ning Ziqing raised his glass and clinked it against Ning Xiaoxi's glass, "You can't eat too little when you're growing."
Ning Xiaoxi also raised her glass and clinked it against Ning Ziqing's, saying, "Brother, if you don't mention our height, we're still like siblings."
"What? Does mentioning it mean we're no longer family?" Ning Ziqing said jokingly.
Ning Xiaoxi pursed her lips and swallowed the whole thing in one gulp, "I'll still grow taller!"
Ning Ziqing laughed and downed her drink in one gulp. "My sister is still too thin. People in the north prefer tall and strong figures who can withstand the cold."
"Does my brother want to find me a burly sister-in-law?" Ning Xiaoxi teased, looking her brother up and down. "But with your build, a burly sister-in-law might not even be interested!"
"Hmph, a man with both literary and martial talents like my brother is very popular!"
Ning Shi and Ming Luoying clinked their glasses together, looking at the brother and sister with delight.
Ning Xiaoxi ate the duck leg and drank a bowl of soup, finally feeling that she had the energy again.
“Brother, Lord Tianji has made arrangements with Lord Dikui. You can go to the garrison to help out first, and when Lord Dikui leaves next year, you can be transferred with him.”
"I'll do whatever my sister decides."
“What I mean is to go to the base and follow Lord Di Kui first. Next year is still a long way off, we’ll see how things go then. My brother’s identity as a Celestial Master is already a fact, and having an official title will make things easier. It’s just that the spiritual energy here is still insufficient. I’ll give my brother some spirit crystals later. No matter what, even if his rank doesn’t rise, it can’t fall.”
"it is good."
"Father, do you know anything about what's happening in Youdu?"
Ning Shi put down his wine cup. "Youdu is the Youzhou Prefecture City established by the King of Youzhou after he drove out the Banhuo. It replaced Beixiao, but its scale is not comparable to Beixiao for the time being. It is currently guarded by the King of Youzhou himself."
"I heard that the Third Prince was exiled to Youdu."
Ning Shi glanced at Ning Xiaoxi and said, "The Third Prince's mother is the eldest daughter of the Fang family of Bingzhou, and his maternal grandmother is the aunt of the King of Youzhou."
"So, he's my cousin!" Ning Xiaoxi said, somewhat puzzled. "Then why was the Third Prince exiled here? Could it be..." Ning Xiaoxi looked up at her father.
"Royal affairs, royal affairs!" Ning Shi picked up the soup bowl and took a sip of soup.
Ning Ziqing placed a piece of braised pork bone into Ning Xiaoxi's bowl. "His Majesty is getting older. The eldest prince's maternal clan is weak, but he is highly regarded by His Majesty and has been assisting him in handling state affairs for many years. The second prince was demoted to a commoner in his early years. The third prince was exiled. The fourth prince is the queen's son, the first to be enfeoffed as a prince, and also the first to request permission to go to his fiefdom and leave the royal city. The fifth prince is still young. Of those remaining in the royal city, only the eldest prince is capable of shouldering heavy responsibilities."
"So it seems that being exiled here was to save your life." Ning Xiaoxi elegantly removed the meat from the large bone, the stewed meat being easily peeled off. "It's just that you've lost your royal status, which is better than losing your life."
"With the protection of the King of Youzhou, he will naturally not be easily harmed again."
"But some people say he's not a peaceful person. What if he wants to cause trouble?"
Ning Shi paused for a moment, holding the cup. "That depends on the attitude of the King of Youzhou."
Ning Xiaoxi's mouth was covered in oil from eating, so Ming Luoying took a handkerchief to wipe it for her and poured her a cup of tea. Ning Xiaoxi gave her a big smile.
“Our Fufang is two hundred miles from Youdu, just a small border town. With the threat from Banhuo, it won’t easily involve us.” Ning Ziqing felt that those things wouldn’t affect them for the time being.
Ning Xiaoxi felt a little guilty when she thought of her little nest in her cave, but she figured that at least no one would notice anything unusual about it for the next few years.
Ning Shi looked at his little daughter and his heart stirred. He only knew that his daughter had gone out of the city again, because she had gone out to scout once before and brought back news of the attack. This time she went out after the attack ended. He thought that his daughter was just going to check if there was any danger. Now it seems that this is not the case.
After finishing the big bone, Ning Xiaoxi drank a cup of tea, patted her stomach, and felt a little full.