jdhmnovel Chapter 231 Resolving the feud
Chapter 231 Resolving the feud
Sheng Ling Emperor's Tomb——
After getting off the carriage, Jiang Lige saw Ning Yunxiao dressed in white.
Ning Yunxiao today was different from usual. This was the first time Jiang Lige had seen such open sadness in Ning Yunxiao in all the time he had known him.
Jiang Lige didn't know how to comfort Ning Yunxiao, so he simply chose to remain silent, took two steps forward and grabbed Ning Yunxiao's hand.
Ning Yunxiao glanced at her and seemed to come out of his momentary sadness. He nodded gently at her, indicating that he was fine.
Jiang Lige didn't respond and just played the role of a foil.
Ning Yunxiao held Jiang Lige's hand and walked into the imperial mausoleum.
Gu Siwei's tombstone was built in a very grand style, and one could vaguely see that there were a few places that exceeded the princess's regulations. Jiang Lige lowered his eyes, but ultimately said nothing.
Ning Yunxiao and his companions arrived very early, and thought they would be the first group of worshippers to enter the imperial mausoleum. However, they did not expect that when they arrived, the tombstone was already filled with offerings neatly placed in front of it, and there was a bunch of purple irises next to it.
Ning Yunxiao seemed momentarily dazed when he saw the flowers, and then he explained to Jiang Lige, "Every year, there is a bunch of irises like this in front of my mother's tomb, year after year."
"I guess Princess Zhao must have loved irises in the past, right?"
Ning Yunxiao was silent for a moment and shook his head, "I don't know. I don't even know what she looks like, let alone her preferences."
Jiang Lige finally realized that he had said the wrong thing and said hurriedly, "Princess Zhao must be very happy to know that Your Highness came to see her today."
"Yes."
Ning Yunxiao responded softly, pulled Jiang Lige forward, and according to the rules, they respectfully kowtowed to the tombstone, offered tea, and burned incense.
Jiang Lige followed Ning Yunxiao, learning everything he did and going through the whole process carefully.
Finally, Ning Yunxiao pulled Jiang Lige to stand up, reached out to brush away the fallen leaves on the tombstone, his expression gentle and calm.
He said, "Mother, I've brought your future daughter-in-law to see you. Her name is Jiang Lige, Princess Zhaohua of Nanchu. She... is the person who treats me the best in this world, and the one I want to spend my life with."
His fingertips were wrapped in the warm palm, and Ning Yunxiao's oath-like words lingered in his ears. Jiang Lige didn't know what was wrong with him, and he even felt a little jealous.
Then she took a step forward and bowed respectfully towards the tombstone again, and then she said.
"Princess, I'm Jiang Lige. His Highness is just as you wished, a man of both civil and military talents, a man of great ambition, and a man of integrity. Everything is going well for him now, and he will be even better in the future."
Ning Yunxiao couldn't help but laugh when he heard this. He looked at Jiang Lige helplessly and said, "Why don't you introduce yourself to my mother?"
Jiang Lige also laughed, "What can I say? The princess wants to know more about whether His Highness is doing well."
Now that they have not yet gotten married, Jiang Lige's status is somewhat awkward. Ning Yunxiao thought of this and did not force him too much. He chatted with Wang Fei about something else and then had to rush back to handle official business.
The two of them were about to leave the imperial mausoleum when they ran into the Gu family who came to pay their respects.
All the members of the Gu family came, from the old Grand Tutor Gu, the old Madam Gu to the masters of the Gu family and their children, all came together.
"Your Highness, I pay my respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. May Your Highness live a thousand years, a thousand thousand years, a thousand thousand years."
Ning Yunxiao accepted the greeting without dodging or evading, and said slowly, "No need for formalities, I'll live with you forever."
Everyone in the Gu family stood up. Old Master Gu, who was standing at the front, spoke first. The old man, who had been proud all his life, looked at Ning Yunxiao with tears in his eyes and said with emotion, "In the blink of an eye, Your Highness has grown so big now."
Ning Yunxiao had an indifferent expression and bowed as a formality. "Thank you all for coming to pay tribute to my late mother. I have important matters to attend to, so I will not accompany you any longer."
After saying that, Ning Yunxiao took Jiang Lige's hand and was about to leave. At this time, a man in gorgeous clothes behind Old Master Gu actually blocked Ning Yunxiao's way.
Jiang Lige had seen the man in front of him before. He was the Second Master Gu, Gu Yanjie, and also the biological brother of Ning Yunxiao's mother.
"Your Highness, wait a minute. The Gu family has specially brought a gift for Your Highness today."
After Master Gu finished speaking, he held a scroll in both hands and handed it over.
Ning Yunxiao didn't respond or take the thing, and the atmosphere became a little awkward for a moment.
Seeing this, Jiang Lige beside him smiled to ease the atmosphere, then reached out to take the scroll, "Second Master Gu is so thoughtful."
Everyone in the Gu family smiled gratefully at Jiang Lige and explained to Ning Yunxiao, "This is a portrait of your mother. When this painting was drawn, she was not as old as you are now."
After hearing this, Ning Yunxiao was stunned for a moment, and finally took the scroll from Jiang Lige's hand.
Unfolding the scroll, the beautiful smile of the woman in the painting was revealed, and Gu Siwei's own signature was in the lower right corner of the scroll.
This was the first time Jiang Lige saw what Ning Yunxiao's mother looked like. In terms of appearance, Gu Siwei was about 50% similar to Ning Yunxiao. She had noble facial features, no heavy makeup, and was elegant and beautiful. At first glance, she looked like a well-educated and well-mannered lady.
But if you look at their temperaments, the mother and son are not very similar. Ning Yunxiao exudes a cold aura, while Gu Siwei exudes a gentle aura that makes people feel like they are in the spring breeze.
As his slender fingertips slid across the screen, Ning Yunxiao murmured absentmindedly, "So this is what my mother looks like."
Master Gu was also a little lost in thought as he looked at the scene. "Amei is so beautiful. There was no other girl as pretty as her in the whole capital back then."
At this moment, the aura of keeping strangers away from Ning Yunxiao had faded a lot. He raised his head and glanced at Master Gu, and said suddenly, "You two look alike."
Mr. Gu replied, "Amei and I are twins from the same mother."
"I know." Ning Yunxiao replied indifferently.
"Xiao'er, it's our Gu family that has been deceived by villains over the past few years. We're so sorry. Speaking of compensation, perhaps you don't care much about it now. But Xiao'er, your mother wouldn't want to see us become so estranged. Uncle, can you please give the Gu family a chance and let us try to become a family, just as mother hoped."
Ning Yunxiao did not respond, but looked at Mr. Gu with an eagle-like sharp gaze. Mr. Gu also met Ning Yunxiao's gaze without avoiding it. As their eyes met, the two silent people seemed to have reached some tacit understanding.
Then, he withdrew his gaze, put the scroll away again, and responded lightly.
"it is good."
The unexpectedly straightforward answer startled everyone present.
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Gu became even more excited and burst into tears. Just as she was about to step forward to talk to Ning Yunxiao, she saw a guard running over hurriedly and said in panic.
"Your Highness, this is bad! Your Highness Bo Xuan from Nanchu... is missing!"