A few seconds later, Zhou Sheng softly knocked on his door and asked, "Elder Brother, are you asleep?" 

Ning Fu replied with a casual hum. He wanted to see if the other person would try to act spoiled. After all, he had never before entered the courtyard of his own violation. 

But contrary to his wishes, Zhou Sheng mentioned, "How come you are replying if you are already asleep?" 

Ning Fu didn't know whether to laugh or cry at those words. It looked like the other person didn't even know how to joke.

Sighing to himself, he decided to forgo trying to communicate with the younger boy and finally, came out of the room. 

As soon as Zhou Sheng saw him, they gave each other their salutations and then he questioned, "Are you free tonight, big brother?" 

Ning Fu didn't know why he was being asked about his whereabouts, but still replied, "Yes," and then since he couldn't keep his curiosity in check, he asked, "Why?" 

"Big Brother, come along with me. I want to show you something." 

Ning Fu furrowed his brows at those words. He sharply questioned, "What time is it right now? You want to go out of the manor and play in the middle of the night?" 

Hearing Ning Fu's words, Zhou Sheng realised that both of them were on completely different wavelengths. 

It was too difficult for him to properly and succinctly communicate with these ancient people because they always came up with their own reasons before he could explain himself.

Moreover, if he tried to clarify the misunderstanding, it would be taken as him trying to cover up his bases. 

Feeling frustrated, he didn't know how to make the other man understand the importance of things.

Now that his name had already entered the genealogy book of the Ning Clan, wouldn't he become the fish on the chopping block if this family of foolish but honest people were embroiled in some conspiracy hatched by other people? 

It was really true what Princess had said about this military man. 

He was really lacking in the brains department and loved to jump to conclusions. 

Thinking about it a bit further, for once, he decided to act like a child his age because otherwise, he didn't know how to make Ning Fu go along with his plan and not let others hear about it. 

Someone might ask the question: What did the great business tyc.o.o.n of modern times do to make an ancient man go along with his plans?

The answer would be: In his infinite wisdom, he decided to act cute. 

Zhou Sheng gave his signature 'I'm an innocent crup' smile to Ning Fu and then started to sway to and fro on his footfalls while holding Ning Fu's hand and wheedling, "Brother, just come along with me, na. Just for this once. Just listen to me this one time or I will go and complain about you to mother." 

Ning Fu almost shuddered at the drastic change in the other boy's temperament and communication skills. 

Aima Aima.

It was akin to how those brain-addled girls had acted in front of His Majesty.

Is that from where his younger brother picked up this bad habit?

Ah! 

He couldn't allow his brother to act in such a cra.s.s manner or all the face his clan had gained for the last nine generations would be thrown away. 

Ning Fu resolved to himself that if Zhou Sheng still acted the same way ever again, he would teach him a painful lesson and turn his backside red. 

Ah!

How embarra.s.sing was it for a man who had already registered in the army to act in such a manner?

If this was seen by outsiders, wouldn't they laugh at the Ning clan? 

However, before he could voice his thoughts and admonish the younger man, he was pulled along by Zhou Sheng outside of his courtyard. 

Soon enough, they left the Ning Manor behind and just as he was about to ask Zhou Sheng as to where they were going, the boy stopped at a dark corner of a side-alley. Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.

Looking at his suspicious and sneaky behaviour, Ning Fu wondered if the boy had come across some trouble he couldn't counter and was thus, acting in such a different manner to his usual poise. 

Since he already had the heart to get close to Zhou Sheng, he tried to probe, "Why are you acting so sneakily? Are you in some trouble?" 

Zhou Sheng gawked at the words coming out of Ning Fu's mouth.

For a second, he had the irrational urge to ask the other person as to why was he always cursing him with bad luck. 

But looking at the genuine expression on the fool's face, he tried to suppress his irritation.

 Before Ning Fu could pelt him with more inane questions, Zhou Sheng made a shus.h.i.+ng motion and bending his body, he brought Ning Fu to squat down in a dark corner of the street. 

The atmosphere also affected Ning Fu and he whispered, "Why are we doing all this?" 

Instead of answering him, Zhou Sheng asked, "Do you still have that dagger that you had sent flying at me and the monarch that day?" 

Ning Fu flushed in embarra.s.sment as he was reminded of that incident and replied in the positive with a nod. 

A quarter of an hour later, Ning Fu watched as someone who was dressed in all black - even covering his face, came from the same direction as they had arrived and whistled. 

The whistle seemed to be some sort of signal because the next moment there was some sort of rustling noise and the masked person s.h.i.+fted a single paved tile on the floor and inserted a paper slip under it. 

Afterwards, the person left. 

By this point, Ning Fu had realised something. The figure of the man who had hidden that sc.r.a.p of paper looked familiar. 

In fact, extremely familiar and Ning Fu would bet his military tally that this person was one of his father's subordinate's son. 

He had seen this man a few times around the manor and the barracks and his name was Xie Chu. 

Xie Chu's father had been the Second-in-command of the army under Ning Fu's father and he had died protecting Old Master Ning on his last campaign.

Old Master Ning was thankful towards his subordinate.

Therefore, even though he had pa.s.sed away and his son didn't seem to have the same military talent as his father, the son had been allowed to stay in the Ning Manor as an Outer Courtyard attendant. 

Before Ning Fu could think further on it, he saw another masked man come out of another side alleyway and try to pick up the paved tile.

Ning Fu didn't need Zhou Sheng's reminder to know what to do. 

He pulled his dagger out from his boots and sent it flying at the masked man and a loud thud was heard in the otherwise silent street.