Chapter 378: First Young Master Ning and Second Young Master Ning
News of Lou Zigui heading towards Fengzhou spread, eventually making its way to the southwest half a month later. Second Young Master of the Duke of Yue, Ning Xiaoxiao, glanced once at the messenger bearing this news. The messenger trembled under his stare, feeling as though he had done something wrong.
“Go and seize your rewards.” Second Young Master Ning waved dismissively. The messenger hurriedly retreated from the hall. He did not dare to stop to get any rewards. In all of the nine states of the southwest, nobody dared to take Second Young Master Ning‘s rewards!
Second Young Master Ning left the army camp that night. Given his terrible demonic reputation, none of his guards dared to ask him where they were going. It was only when they stopped in front of the Duke of Yue’s estate did they confirm that their Second Young Master Ning was indeed going home. (Author: That’s enough, guys...)
When the guards at the main gate saw their demonic master, they subconsciously straightened their backs and nearly stopped breathing. Second Young Master Ning entered through the gates and headed straight to the back of the residence.
“Little Taosu, Third Uncle will bring you to buy sweets. Are you happy?” Ning Xiaoluo placed Ning Taosu on his shoulders as he cooed little miss chubby and walked towards the main door.
“Ya!” Ning Taosu clapped her hands.
“Yay, we will go and have candies, we will....” The smile on Third Young Master Ning’s face froze when he saw his second brother standing near him.
Actually, Second Young Master Ning looked similar to First Young Master Ning. The only difference was that First Young Master Ning gave people a feeling of graciousness and gentleness, whereas Second Young Master was considered a scary villain. He would not even smile at his own parents.
“S-second brother...” Third Young Master Ning straightened his back and stuttered, “W-why are you back?”
Second Young Master Ning walked towards Third Young Master Ning, ignoring him completely as he stared at little miss chubby. “Eee ya!” Ning Taosu beamed happily.
“Still remember me?” Second Young Master Ning grunted.
“Second brother ah!” Third Young Master Ning could not hold back any longer. “Don’t scare our little niece. You always sound so icy. Don’t...” Third Young Master Ning swallowed the rest of his words as Second Young Master Ning lowered his head.
“Oh! “Ning Taosu lifted her hands towards Second Young Master Ning. Second Young Master Ning directly reached over to Ning Taosu and picked her up from Ning Xiaoluo’s shoulder. “So you do remember me.”
Previously, when Ning Xiaoyao had returned home, Duke of Yue had hosted a banquet for her. That day, Second Young Master Ning rushed home from the Fengzhou’s army camp and met his sister Ning Xiaoyao and niece Ning Taosu. Second Young Master Ning did not expect that Ning Taosu would remember him from that one encounter.
“Ya!” Ning Taosu was extremely enthusiastic. She tightly gripped her little hands on Second Young Master Ning’s collar as she stretched her neck to plant a kiss on his face.
Second Young Master Ning and his wife née Qiu had two sons together. Yet he had never carried both of his sons before. Whenever his sons saw him, they reacted as though they had seen a ghost. They acted as if they wanted him to disappear or for themselves to disappear. Getting a kiss from a soft and cute baby was definitely a once in a lifetime experience for him.
Ning Taosu gurgled with laughter. Seeing that Second Young Master Ning had no reaction, she gave him several more kisses. I have kissed you, please give me something to eat ah~!
Second Young Master Ning laughed and kissed Ning Taosu. He walked off with little miss chubby.
Ning Xiaoluo remained rooted on the ground in shock. Was he hearing things? The legendary devil who didn’t even cry during his own birth and had never laughed his entire life actually laughed just now?
Ning Taosu did not get the food she wanted but she was a good tempered little baby. Although Second Young Master Ning did not feed her, she was not angry and continued to laughingly stick her little face against her second uncle’s face. She was little miss chubby, someone who naturally knew how to make people happy.
Second Young Master Ning carried Ning Taosu into the study. The guards at the courtyard and the boy servant outside the study room saw him coming but did not dare to say anything. They didn’t dare to stop him either, let alone report his arrival to the occupants in the study room.
“Oh!” Ning Taosu called out as they entered the study room.
The Duke of Yue immediately interpret this as: My little fatty granddaughter is calling me grandpa!
First Young Master Ning interpreted this as: My little fatty niece is calling me eldest uncle!
“Why are you back?” Duke of Yue stood up, intending to carry Ning Taosu. However his second son gave him a bow and carried the little fatty girl away as he sat down on a chair at the side. Duke of Yue’s hands came up empty.
“Lou Zigui is on his way here.” Second Young Master Ning got straight to the point. Duke of Yue’s face immediately darkened. “Is Lou Zigui bringing his troops over here?”
“He’s only coming with Lou Jing. They are not bringing any soldiers.” Second Young Master Ning said as he pinched Ning Taosu’s plump face. The news that First Young Master Lou was still alive had spread throughout the entire country. Although Ning Xiaoyao and the rest did not mention it, they all found out regardless.
“Just the two of them?” Duke of Yue asked. “Perhaps they are coming with a few bodyguards and some servants?” Second Young Master Ning muttered, “I heard that Lou Jing’s health is not good.”
“What does Lou Zigui want to do?” Duke of Yue could not fathom his intentions. Second Young Master Ning did not care about this. “How about I bring some people and slaughter him halfway?”
Duke of Yue’s eyes and mouth started to twitch. Besides killing off people, what else could this son of his possibly do for the rest of his life?
“Eldest bro?” Second Young Master Ning looked at First Young Master Ning. First Young Master Ning did not speak right away.
Duke of Yue thought to himself, what is the best spot to make a move on Lou Zigui? (Author: Hey, don’t be like this ah!)
“Lately, Xiaoyao has been saying that she wants to go into the mountain to talk about life with the witch doctor.” First Young Master Ning thought for a moment and smiled, “Tomorrow, I will ask Dongfu to accompany Xiaoyao into the mountains.”
Duke of Yue spoke up, “Third sister-in-law is pregnant. Can Dongfu leave at this time?”
“Third sister-in-law and Elder Ji, as well as Ji Ze will go into the mountains together.” First Young Master Ning replied, “The Ji Clan is on friendly terms with the Lou Clan. Although Elder Ji left Anyuan partly because he was unsatisfied with Lou Zigui, I believe we would put them in an uncomfortable position if they feel like they have to choose between us.”
“Can née Ji can go into the mountains while she’s pregnant?” Duke of Yue could not feel assured. “Ji Ze’s eyes were blinded but he eventually recovered due to Xiaoyao’s medical skills. Father, you seriously think Xiaoyao would not be able to take care of third sister-in-law?” First Young Master Ning laughed. “Let them go play in the mountain. Bring Taosu along.”
Second Young Master Ning questioned, “You intend for Lou Zigui to arrive here and then kill him off?”
“Can you stop talking about assassinating people while you’re carrying Taosu?” Duke of Yue felt a headache coming on. “Ya!” Ning Taosu called out to Second Young Master Ning.
“This is my Ning Clan’s baby.” Second Young Master Ning hugged Ning Taosu and pecked her cheek. Then, he icily stated, “I am killing off the one with the surname Lou. What has it got to do with Taosu?”
Although her second uncle wanted to kill off her own father, Ning Taosu continued to smile and kiss Second Young Master Ning from time to time. Give me something to eat!
“You like Second Uncle, don’t you?” Second Young Master Ning was in a great mood. In this world, there was finally a little child that was no longer afraid of him. More importantly, this little child was his niece! “Second Uncle likes you too!” Second Young Master informed Ning Taosu. Ning Taosu beamed.
Second Young Master saw a plate of corn strips and handed one to Ning Taosu. Ning Taosu finally got what she wanted. She excitedly hugged her second uncle and kissed him twice before revealing a single tooth to gnaw at the corn strip.
Duke of Yue patted Ning Taosu’s head and praised, “She is just like her mom, so easy to raise!” Second Young Master lifted his head to stare at his own father.
Duke of Yue thought, did I say something wrong?
“What are your plans?” Second Young Master asked his brother, “If you have no plans, then I will follow my own plans.”
First Young Master Ning countered, “If we kill Lou Zigui, wouldn’t his subordinates avenge him?”
“Then let’s start a war.” Second Young Master Ning crisply replied. “But we are unprepared.” First Young Master Ning spoke in a low voice. “Also, Lou Zigui is not coming with troops. He is trying to tell us that he doesn’t want to start a war.”
“So just because he doesn’t want a war, we can’t start one?” Second Young Master replied coldly, “Is this a matter he can decide on?”
“He is here for Xiaoyao.” First Young Master Ning murmured. “So what?” Second Young Master Ning snarled, “Do we let Xiaoyao leave with him?”
“Of course not!” Duke of Yue burst out angrily, “Eldest son, don’t speak nonsense. Second son, go back and prepare for war. The Black Frost Cavalry is indeed amazing but our Ning Clan’s Destruction Prisoner’s Army should not be taken lightly.”
Second Young Master Ning carried Ning Taosu and prepared to stand. First Young Master Ning pressed him down and asked, “What about Lou Jing? What do you intend to do with him?”
Second Young Master Ning sneered coldly, “What has Lou Zigui’s big brother got to do with me? If he wishes to live, he can live. If he wishes to die, I won’t stop him.”
Duke of Yue was hesitant. “Lou Jing is not a bad person. Ningmu had met him before. When I thought he died in battle with his father, I was quite sad.”
“Who is more important? Lou Jing or Xiaoyao?” Second Young Master Ning asked his father menacingly.
Of course his own daughter is more important! Duke of Yue commented, “I was only just saying...”
“It’s unnecessary for us to go to war.” First Young Master Ning interrupted them. “We do not have enough money nor grains to sustain a prolonged war, hence it is unwise to fight against Lou Zigui.”
Second Young Master Ning coldly asked, “Are you afraid?”
“I’m not afraid. I just think this war is unnecessary. As long as Lou Zigui doesn’t see Xiaoyao, then he has to go back. He doesn't have time to play with us. We just have to deny that Xiaoyao is the person he’s looking for. What can he do then?”
Second Young Master Ning asked, “You want to act like a shameless person?”
“Kingdom and beauty,” First Young Master Ning laughed, “He got his kingdom. If his beauty is still alive in this world, Lou Zigui must think that the heavens are treating him well.”
“F**k!” Duke of Yue cursed, “He can dream on!”
“If Xiaoyao scolds him or hit him, he will be more than willing to accept the punishment. The only thing that he cannot accept would be Xiaoyao treating him like a stranger. Father, Second Brother, believe me. This is the way to make Lou Zigui to feel worse than death.”
Duke of Yue:...So it turns out that his eldest son is more vicious than the second one. After his second son kills, the matter would be over. But his eldest son would not be satisfied until the person feels worse than death.
“What makes you so sure he would feel like this?”Second Young Master Ning asked, “He was able to let Xiaoyao die.”
“Whether he will or not, we will know soon. “First Young Master Ning countered, “Whatever he feels, it is of no loss to us.”
“Sure, this is no loss to us,” Second Young Master Ning said grudgingly, “But why must we watch this show? I do not want to watch.” Duke of Yue looked at his second son, and then at his eldest son. Indeed, nobody wants to watch this show. So what are you going to do?
“Speak the truth. Don’t speak in circles.” Second Young Master snapped.
“You don’t wish to watch, but I wish to torture him. Are you satisfied with this answer?” First Young Master Ning replied. Second Young Master Ning stayed silent. His big brother has nothing better to do?