Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 412 - 391: First Update

Chapter 412: Chapter 391: First Update

Zheng Nianru looked up at Zheng Congyuan before her, aboveboard? It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Zheng Congyuan, but if there had been such a good solution in her last life, why did Zheng Congyuan meet such an end in the end?

"Do you want the Empress Dowager to accept me? Or your mother?" Zheng Nianru wasn’t trying to discourage Zheng Congyuan, she just felt there was no such possibility, even less likely than the possibility of her rebelling.

As soon as Zheng Nianru finished speaking, she regretted it. After all, they were Zheng Congyuan’s closest kin; their fates in the last life weren’t pleasant either. Although she hadn’t harmed them, just that Zheng Congyuan lost his throne, and they were moved out of the Imperial Palace, refusing to acknowledge Zheng Nianru’s identity and status.

Seeing that Zheng Congyuan didn’t respond, Zheng Nianru wrapped her arms around his, burying her head in his shoulder, feeling the pulse of the man’s heartbeat.

"Do you think there’s a possibility?" At least he was trying, wasn’t he? At least in this lifetime, Zheng Congyuan had come to understand and was willing to give it a try, wasn’t he?

Zheng Congyuan slowly clasped the hand that Zheng Nianru had placed on his chest. He knew it was difficult, but not hopeless, was it? Moreover, he wasn’t foolish enough to go directly to Empress Dowager Yan Ping and his mother and talk about this matter.

Zheng Congyuan knew they wouldn’t accept it, the only way was to present something even more unacceptable to them in front of Nianru. Then there might be hope for her case.

"Don’t worry—" Zheng Congyuan patted the soft and innocent hand, his heart softened in an instant, he couldn’t bear to have her worried.

Zheng Nianru didn’t speak. Was Zheng Congyuan really going to do this openly?

To directly bring her before Empress Dowager Yan Ping and the Empress, Zheng Nianru thought she didn’t mind, but whether the Empress or Empress Dowager Yan Ping could withstand it was debatable. If something were to happen, it shouldn’t be blamed on her.

Zheng Nianru felt that between her and Zheng Congyuan, besides the ancestral family teachings that loomed over their heads, it was mostly about Empress Dowager Yan Ping and Empress Xiao. Zheng Nianru had thought, if her mother had truly been the Princess of Nanmen State, perhaps there might have been a chance.

But the truth was a slap in the face; the moment she assumed that position, her identity was laughably exposed. Zheng Nianru naturally knew who was behind it.

Therefore, no matter who her mother was, or what her status was, Empress Dowager Yan Ping and Empress Xiao already hated her to the bone, the hatred for causing the downfall of their two sons, and for being the enemy that might soon bring disaster to their only hope.

Zheng Nianru felt that to get Empress Dowager Yan Ping and Empress Xiao to accept her, it would be more straightforward to just kill them,

"Mhm—" Zheng Nianru said softly, although she felt that this method didn’t hold much hope, it was still better than none.

...

Ju Nanyi couldn’t find any interactions with Zheng Nianru, all the social circles he lived in gave him no opportunity to meet her openly and honestly. After several days of frustration, Ju Nanyi calmed down slowly.

Once calm, Ju Nanyi thought carefully about what was different now; the biggest difference was Zheng Nianru’s attitude. She hadn’t noticed him, was it because he had not been proactive enough, not making her notice?

Ju Nanyi didn’t think so, he had deliberately appeared before her, intentionally trying to draw her attention, but it seemed that he was unluckier than he remembered, she never noticed him.

Ju Nanyi was somewhat panicked, not knowing where the problem lay. He even felt that in this life, he had put more thought into it than in his last, but if he didn’t make more of an effort...

Zheng Nianru was not fond of listening to music, and her musical cultivation was not profound; she could not appreciate the elegance of "High Mountains and Flowing Waters," and very few music pieces could move her.

Therefore, even though Riverfood Restaurant raised its standards to distinguish itself from other eateries by offering popular music performances, these were not the same kind of pervasive string and bamboo music filling the air in the Art House. Instead, the refined melodies were intermittent, like the gentle flow of a stream during a meal, which could easily go unnoticed, especially if one was in a separate private room.

Zheng Nianru certainly did not enjoy such things, having developed an inclination for more direct sensual pleasures. Her understanding of music was even more limited. Her visit to Riverfood Restaurant was motivated by the launch of their new full-course puffer fish feast.

The music from outside the private room initially failed to reach Zheng Nianru’s ears. It was only after she had eaten half of the puffer fish, its novelty giving way to familiarity and its freshness moving from her mouth to her stomach, that she began to hear it.

The one or two lines of music that reached her suddenly gripped Zheng Nianru’s heart because it was something she had heard before—so long ago that she wondered if there was something wrong with her ears.

Although the music was soft, Zheng Nianru remembered it very clearly. It was played by Ju Nanyi, and it was the only song she found pleasing to the ear.

However, it was impossible for that music to be here. Even if she had heard it, it would have been many years later. When her first child ascended the throne and she was pregnant again with a child that kicked fiercely, Ju Nanyi would play the qin to help her sleep at night.

Now it seemed that this piece of music was not a creation of Ju Nanyi after all.

Thinking this, Zheng Nianru heard a familiar voice and frowned, looking outside the private room.

The waiter delivering dishes came out from the opposite private room and casually closed the door, muting the sound of the music inside. However, Zheng Nianru was certain that it was Ju Nanyi’s voice.

"Commandery Princess, what’s wrong?" Fu Dong noticed something amiss with Zheng Nianru and served a piece of fish for her mistress. Glancing outside the private room where a slim crack in the door allowed a glimpse of the bustling outside, she heard nothing out of the ordinary.

"Commandery Princess, do you wish to listen to the music?" Xing Yu approached curiously. She too had heard the music, and it was rare to hear a man sing so well in such a setting.

Zheng Nianru glanced at Xing Yu and shook her head. So what if she did? She had no intention of having any contact with Ju Nanyi in this lifetime. What difference did it make if he was here?

However, Zheng Nianru was not only puzzled. She knew little of Ju Nanyi’s past life and had never cared to know. Now an official of the imperial court, Ju Nanyi would not be in a place like this unless his family was impoverished.

Fu Dong shook her head at Xing Yu, signaling to stop making trouble since the Commandery Princess was not pleased.

Soon, the door of the opposite private room opened and the music had ended. Zheng Nianru couldn’t help but glance over, but among the figures walking out, there seemed to be no trace of Ju Nanyi. So, was he not there to sing with friends to enhance the mood?

"Commandery Princess, shall we leave?" asked Fu Dong cautiously, sensing that her Commandery Princess was somewhat distracted. Hadn’t her mistress been quite happy these past days?

"Let’s go—" Zheng Nianru stood up with the help of Xing Yu, her eyes sweeping past the area of the private room she had just noticed. She must have misheard. If it was not a guest, then the likelihood of Ju Nanyi being here was incredibly slim.

Zheng Nianru was about to laugh at herself, thinking that even in her past life, it had been many years ago, and mishearing was common. However, in the next moment, the door of the private room suddenly swung open and Ju Nanyi, hurriedly clutching his qin, bumped into Zheng Nianru and her entourage as they were leaving.

"Lord Ju?" Xing Yu could hardly believe her own eyes, and she was the first to recognize him.

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