Free Web NovelChapter 145: Chapter 145: Watching Festival Lanterns with Uncle Prime Minister
The Prime Minister smiled and walked over to her.
"Your little face is all smudged. Weren’t you scared when such a big fire broke out?"
Looking at the refined and gentle man before her, Shen Ningning felt a sense of closeness.
She shook her little head. "I wasn’t scared! Big Brother is very good to me, so of course I had to save him. Besides, I have Langlang with me!"
The Black Wolf King at her side lifted its head, pride glinting in its yellow, wolfish eyes.
The Prime Minister glanced at it with a smile.
Then, he took a handkerchief from his robes, dipped it in a bit of clean water, and asked, "County Lord, may I help you wipe your face clean? Is that okay?"
Shen Ningning blinked her big eyes. "Is my face very dirty?"
She looked at Chen Shaobei, who silently nodded.
The little one obediently tilted her head up. "No wonder Langlang said I have a sooty-egg face. Then I’ll have to trouble you, Uncle Prime Minister!"
Only after getting her permission did the Prime Minister take a step forward and gently wipe the dark soot from her cheeks.
During this, Shen Ningning felt his hand trembling slightly.
"Uncle Prime Minister, are you not feeling well? Why are you shaking?"
"I’m fine. I’m just afraid of hurting you."
"You won’t! I’m tough and not afraid of pain. Back then, when Aunt Qin hit me, she even broke the stick, but I was so stubborn I didn’t cry even once!"
When she recounted her past suffering with a smile as if it were an amusing story, the Prime Minister’s heart tightened unconsciously.
It was as if a giant hand had squeezed it, leaving him breathless and filling him with a murderous rage.
’If Shen Ningning really is my daughter, I’ve let her suffer so much out in the world.’
’I will definitely find Aunt Qin and her children and have them sliced into a thousand pieces!’
"County Lord, you’ve suffered in the past. Now, thanks to the Crown Prince’s great favor, your hardships will surely give way to better days," he comforted in a low voice.
Shen Ningning’s face bloomed into a smile. "Grandma says that too."
Finally, all the soot was wiped from her face.
The Prime Minister stared blankly at her features. He felt as if a hammer had struck his chest with a dull THUD.
Even his breathing became exceedingly careful!
’So similar. She’s so, so similar!’
’Her eyes and brows... they look just like my wife’s!’
"Uncle Prime Minister? Uncle Prime Minister?" Shen Ningning called out, tilting her small head.
Chen Shaobei also furrowed his brow. "Prime Minister, are you all right?"
The Prime Minister’s expression was a mixture of astonishment and wild joy, an inexpressible ecstasy shining in the depths of his eyes.
"I’m fine... I’m fine," the Prime Minister let out a breath. "County Lord... Ningning, you may not believe this, but you bear a striking resemblance to an old acquaintance of mine."
"An old acquaintance?"
"Yes. That’s why I felt such delight upon seeing you. I wonder, when is your birthday?"
"I don’t know when my birthday is. Grandma said she found me in the twelfth month of winter. I was just a little baby wrapped in a cloth pouch back then!"
Hearing this, the Prime Minister’s eyes suddenly widened.
"Where did your grandmother find you?"
"On Wolf Mountain!"
The Prime Minister’s eyes suddenly reddened. He stared intently at Shen Ningning, unwilling to even blink.
"Uncle Prime Minister, why do you look like you’re about to cry? Is it because you’re thinking of that old acquaintance?"
He suddenly let out a bitter laugh and nodded repeatedly, his voice hoarse. "Yes, Uncle thought of her."
Shen Ningning quickly took out a mooncake she had made last night from her small pouch.
It was the only one, and it was misshapen. She had originally planned to eat it herself.
But seeing the Prime Minister was unhappy, she generously took it out.
"This one has red bean paste filling. It’s very sweet. After you eat it, you can forget a lot of sad things. Uncle Prime Minister, please don’t be sad."
The Prime Minister accepted it as if it were a priceless treasure, holding it in his palm. "Thank you, Ningning. By the way, there are Mid-Autumn lanterns in the market over there. If you’re not in a hurry to go back, how about Uncle takes you to see them?"
Lanterns!
Shen Ningning’s big, round eyes lit up.
Then, she looked at Chen Shaobei.
Chen Shaobei had a helpless expression on his face. "His Highness ordered me to make sure I see you home."
The Prime Minister stood up, his smile warm. "Young General, you need not worry. I will see Princess Funing home safely."
It wasn’t that Chen Shaobei distrusted the Prime Minister’s character, but he had to carry out the task Mo Lingwei had personally assigned him.
He glanced over and saw Shen Ningning looking at him with anticipation. Chen Shaobei could only say, "I’ll go with you then. We can look around for a bit, but don’t stay out too late."
Shen Ningning immediately cheered with delight. "Okay!"
The Prime Minister took her small hand, called for the Black Wolf King to accompany them, and they walked toward the market, which was as bright as day with lanterns.
Along the way, the Prime Minister waited in line to buy her a "monkey fishing for the moon" sugar figure.
Shen Ningning’s eyes sparkled as she ate. "Uncle Prime Minister, aren’t you having any?"
"Uncle isn’t hungry," he said with a gentle smile. Then he went to wait in another line and bought the little one a bag of sugar cakes as soft as clouds.
The outside was crisp and translucent, and one bite revealed a sweet bean-flavored filling.
The market was bustling with people coming and going, but everyone consciously avoided the Prime Minister and his group.
It was because the Prime Minister was leading a little girl by the hand, with a massive black wolf walking beside them!
Behind them followed numerous guards and soldiers, their imposing aura daring anyone to act recklessly.
The Prime Minister was so thoughtful that even the Black Wolf King got a chicken leg, which it devoured in just a few bites.
They walked to the south of the city, where fireworks were being set off not far away.
Shen Ningning tilted her little head back to watch, but being so short, her view was soon blocked by the tall crowd in front of her.
"Come, sit on Uncle’s shoulders to watch," the Prime Minister said, then bent down and lifted the little one straight up.
He then actually had Shen Ningning sit astride his shoulders, just like a father carrying his daughter, allowing her to clearly see the fireworks filling the sky.
"Wow! So this is how far you can see when you’re tall!" The little one’s soft, pale face was full of delight.
Chen Shaobei, standing to the side, was rather astonished.
’The Prime Minister’s personality has always been unapproachable and extremely cold.’
’How could he be so warm toward a little girl he just met?’
"Uncle, you must be tired. You can put me down now, I’ve seen enough!" The little one didn’t forget to be considerate of others.
"I’m not tired. Ningning, look over there. Those fireworks are purple, they’re especially unusual."
Shen Ningning watched the fireworks for a while, her giggles like the chiming of silver bells. A look of contentment appeared in the Prime Minister’s eyes.
’After his daughter was born, he had fantasized countless times about how he would dote on her.’
’He would present her with all the best things in the world.’
’He would make her the happiest girl in all of Cangyun Country!’
Just then.
The Prime Minister’s Hidden Guard appeared, his expression solemn, as if he had an urgent matter to report.
He saw him out of the corner of his eye and had no choice but to put Shen Ningning down first.
"Young General Chen, take Ningning over there for a bowl of wontons first, so she doesn’t get hungry." After speaking, the Prime Minister watched as Chen Shaobei led Shen Ningning away.
Only then did he turn back. "What is it?"
With Shen Ningning no longer by his side, he once again became that ruthless Prime Minister with the cold, stern face.
"Your Excellency, we have found the maidservant who took the young miss away all those years ago. She is currently in Shu State, under our men’s control. Should Your Excellency proceed to Shu State immediately?"
A jolt went through the Prime Minister’s heart.
’News about my real daughter... how could I possibly not go?’
But...
He turned his head and looked at Shen Ningning, who was sitting at a nearby wonton stall.
The little one was enthusiastically taking out several silver ingots. "I’m treating you all! When Uncle gets here, save the biggest bowl for him."
