Free Web NovelChapter 147: Chapter 147: Isn’t It Just Raining?
Qin Fangmei was really dead.
At that moment, Shen Ningning’s heart was calm.
The grievances of the past could finally be laid to rest.
Ren Yu said, "Besides you, she must have offended someone else. My older brother went to the execution grounds to watch. Someone must have secretly bribed the executioner to make the blade very dull."
"They said he had to strike her several times before she died. Her screams were horrifying."
Hearing this, Shen Ningning’s little face turned pale.
"That’s so scary?"
Ren Yu found it a bit terrifying too. She took a sip of sweet water and said sheepishly, "Did I scare you? My brother’s description was so vivid, it was even more frightening!"
"Oh, right, Ningning, it’s already September. The National Academy exams start in another month. Are you ready?"
The mere mention of it made Shen Ningning’s head ache.
Lately, whenever the mad scholar had a spare moment, he would grab her to study.
Every day, it was either memorizing texts or practicing calligraphy.
The little girl clutched her head, her voice soft and listless. "I... I think I’m ready."
’I’ve already worked myself to death!’
Ren Yu quickly stood up. "Then I should hurry back to review my books too. Even if I can’t get into the National Academy, if I work hard, maybe I can get into a private school in the Capital City. At least I’ll be closer to you."
With that, she took a big gulp, finishing the rest of the sweet pear water in her bowl.
Shen Ningning quickly called out to her, "Wait, this is for you!"
The little girl took out a few waterskins. "There are three flavors of sweet water in here. Take them home and share them with your family."
Ren Yu was deeply moved. She rushed over and gave Shen Ningning a big bear hug.
"Ningning, you’re the best! You’re my best friend." After speaking, she took the waterskins, smiled, and said goodbye to the little girl.
After Ren Yu left, Shen Ningning took out a book and sat under the awning to read.
Customers came and went. Jiang Zhi and Chen Ye were busy taking turns, but thankfully, the refugees were there to help.
Wuer was the most diligent. The sores on his body had mostly healed. Shen Ningning had also asked the Shopkeeper to get some medicine for him, which he was slowly brewing and taking.
Jiang Zhi sold the last bowl of iced water just as the line of customers disappeared.
She began to clean the tables, preparing to move everything back onto the carriage.
Just then, a pair of embroidered slippers appeared before her.
Jiang Zhi was wiping underneath a table. She said, "We’re sold out of sweet water. Please come back early tomorrow."
But the other person replied rudely, "Why would I ever drink water from this dump? Get your Shopkeeper out here. I want to buy this tea stall."
Jiang Zhi frowned and stood up.
She saw a young, well-dressed lady, about the same age as Shen Ningning.
Chen Ye had seen Wei Yufu before and recognized her immediately.
He pulled Jiang Zhi aside and whispered, "That’s the young lady of the Wei Family. She doesn’t get along with our Miss. She’s probably here to cause trouble."
Jiang Zhi rolled up her sleeves, gave Wei Yufu an icy glare, and then threw the rag onto the table!
The resulting splash of water nearly dirtied Wei Yufu’s dress.
She scrambled back a step. "You... you waiter! Have you no manners?!"
Jiang Zhi had no love for the Wei Family. She would never forget who was responsible for her father’s death!
Jiang Zhi said, "I don’t. What are you going to do, kill me?"
"You—!" Wei Yufu stomped her foot in anger. "You think I wouldn’t dare? How dare a refugee like you act so insolently toward me."
As they spoke, Shen Ningning had already walked up to Jiang Zhi’s side. She reached out her small hand and tugged on Jiang Zhi’s sleeve.
Only then did Jiang Zhi regain a bit of her composure and move to stand behind Shen Ningning.
The little girl asked coolly, "What are you here for? Today’s sweet water is sold out."
Wei Yufu scoffed. "Who would want to buy your sweet water? It’s filthy, and who knows what diseases it carries. I’m here today to buy your tea stall. Name your price. I’m taking this place."
Shen Ningning blinked her big eyes in surprise. "Buy my tea stall? It’s not for sale. It’s not like I’m short on silver!"
Wei Yufu hadn’t expected her to sound so arrogant.
’A girl from some poor mountain village isn’t short on silver?’
"Five hundred taels," she offered outright.
Shen Ningning furrowed her little brow, looking utterly disgusted. "I wouldn’t sell it for one thousand taels or even three thousand taels. If you cause any more trouble, I’ll have them get rough with you."
Wei Yufu was relentless.
But the group of refugees behind Shen Ningning were all big, burly men with rough expressions.
And Chen Ye and Jiang Zhi stood there like Shen Ningning’s two guardian deities, clearly not people to be trifled with.
Wei Yufu hadn’t brought many servants, and her confidence immediately faltered.
"Shen Ningning, don’t think your tea stall is anything special. If it weren’t for the fact that the Crown Prince likes it, I wouldn’t even think of offering money for it."
"My tea stall *is* good. If it wasn’t, why would you be so desperate to buy it?" Shen Ningning retorted.
She waved her little hand as if shooing away a fly. "Go away. If you want a drink, come back tomorrow and wait in line."
Wei Yufu grew anxious. "You’re really not selling?"
Shen Ningning wasn’t going to waste her breath repeating herself. She had Chen Ye and Jiang Zhi pack everything back onto the carriage.
They had earned over a hundred taels today. It was time to go home.
Seeing Shen Ningning ignore her as if she were thin air, Wei Yufu stomped her foot in fury. "What’s so great about you? You think you’re the only one who can have a plot of land here? If you can open a tea stall, so can I! Just you wait!"
With that, she lifted her skirt and stormed off.
Jiang Zhi watched her leave, her gaze cold. "Is everyone in the Wei Family this obnoxious?"
Chen Ye, who knew a bit about the Capital City’s affairs, replied, "Minister Wei has a bad reputation. It’s rumored among the common folk that he’s a treacherous official."
"When Chancellor Xie was in power, Minister Wei was more restrained. Now that Chancellor Xie is in poor health and practically in seclusion, Minister Wei has become a dominant force in the court."
"He has political enemies, of course, but Minister Wei’s younger sister is Consort Li. Consort Li has the Sixth Prince, and the Emperor dotes on her. And this Wei Yufu also holds the title of ’Rain-Seeking Blessed Girl’."
Shen Ningning was busy handing out silver and food to the refugees. When she heard this, she turned her head. "Rain-Seeking Blessed Girl? Her?"
Chen Ye nodded. "Yes. It’s said that on the day Wei Yufu was born, it rained all night until dawn, giving the long-parched Cangyun Country a moment of respite."
Jiang Zhi scoffed, "That’s so fake. From the way she acts, she doesn’t seem like a blessed girl at all. If anyone’s a blessed girl, it’s Ningning."
Chen Ye looked at Shen Ningning and nodded in agreement.
The little girl smiled, her expression modest. "Of course I’m not!"
’But you can become a blessed girl just by making it rain? Isn’t that a little too easy!’
「The next day.」
Shen Ningning didn’t have to go to her private school, so she took the initiative to go to the palace to play with Mo Lingwei.
Mo Lingwei was incredibly busy, holding meetings in the council hall. Whenever this happened, Shen Ningning would wait obediently in a side hall.
After a short while, Mo Lingwei returned. His Purple Cloud Robe was embroidered with a Coiling Dragon Soaring Clouds.
He had been busy all morning and had even forgotten to drink water. Upon seeing Shen Ningning, he immediately drank all of the iced sweet water she had brought.
The little girl’s pink lips formed an ’o’. "Brother, you drank that too fast! That’s the only pot I brought."
Mo Lingwei wiped a drop of water from the corner of his thin lips with his thumb and smiled. "This is enough. You can play for a little longer. I have one last thing to discuss with them, and I’ll be right back. I won’t make you wait long."
"Brother, what are you discussing? Can I help?"
"We’re talking about the rain. There’s a severe drought in Shu State. My father, the Emperor, wants me to take the State Preceptor there to perform a rain-seeking ritual."
After speaking, Mo Lingwei looked at Shen Ningning. "Do you want to come with me?"
He would be gone to Shu State for ten to fifteen days and didn’t want to be away from the little girl for that long.
Shen Ningning blinked her big eyes. "Brother, I was just about to talk to you about that..."
She had been about to ask Mo Lingwei if a heavy rain would solve his problem.
Suddenly, the Chief Eunuch rushed in from outside. "Your Highness, the Crown Prince! This is terrible! The Emperor has fainted!"
