Free Web NovelChapter 150: Chapter 150: Vying for the Title of the Blessed Girl
Shen Ningning mumbled, unable to meet his eyes as she lied.
She lowered her head and said, "I have classes at school during the day, so I can only come see you at night. But... I have to go now!"
With that, the little one turned her head, stood on her tiptoes, and peered eagerly through the window.
"I’ll come see you again tomorrow, brother." ’And I’ll bring you food!’
Shen Ningning then said goodbye to Commander Lu and scurried away in a flash.
Chen Shaobei left with her.
After Shen Ningning left, Commander Lu glanced at the spot where she had been standing and saw two small, dried shrimp on the ground.
He furrowed his brow slightly. ’So the smell of food in the air... I wasn’t imagining it after all.’
"Go and patrol the nearby area. I have a few words for the Crown Prince," he said, dismissing the other imperial guards.
Once he was alone, Commander Lu looked through the window. The Crown Prince had returned to his spot before the divine statues. He adjusted his sleeves and began reviewing memorials with a blank expression.
"Your Highness," Commander Lu said in a low voice, "forgive my forwardness, but if one is to sincerely pray to the gods, one should follow the rules and abstain from food. If Princess Funing comes to deliver food again, you ought to stop her, lest you incur the gods’ displeasure."
He finished speaking, but for a long time, there was no response from Mo Lingwei.
Commander Lu began to wonder if Mo Lingwei had even heard him speak.
Just as he was about to repeat himself, he heard an almost inaudible scoff from inside.
Mo Lingwei’s chilling voice followed. "In Sunlight Tower, before all the gods of heaven, I am capable of murder. Why would I ever fear this crowd of clay idols?"
"The only reason I am willing to pray in this tower is not to beg the gods, but because I pity my father for his painstaking efforts."
Commander Lu was shaken to the core.
’So that’s the reason. No wonder it was rumored that the Crown Prince had never believed in the gods, yet was willing to suffer in Sunlight Tower for the sake of the drought in Shu State.’
’He doesn’t believe for a second that the gods would take pity on the masses and grant them rain.’
’The one he truly pities is his own father.’
Commander Lu pressed his lips together, bowed with his hands clasped, and said gravely, "I have overstepped. I will go to receive a punishment of thirty strokes."
Mo Lingwei did not object, merely giving a quiet order. "If Shen Ningning comes tomorrow, do not make things difficult for her. And do not stress the rules to her. I am indulging her. No one else is permitted to cause her trouble."
Commander Lu bowed his head. "I understand."
"Leave." The single word was filled with immense authority.
"Yes, Your Highness." Commander Lu bowed respectfully and took his leave.
「The next day.」
Shen Ningning went to her classes as usual.
The previous night, she had begged Mr. Huang for a long time before being allowed to leave the school and rush to the palace to visit Mo Lingwei.
She had planned to deliver food to the palace again after her classes today.
But unexpectedly, just as she was leaving the school at dusk, Jiang Zhi ran up to her, drenched in sweat.
"Ningning, there’s trouble at the tea stall!"
"What’s wrong?"
Jiang Zhi hurriedly explained what had happened over the past two days.
It turned out that Shen Ningning had been so busy visiting Mo Lingwei lately that she hadn’t spent much time at the tea stall.
And that Wei Yufu had actually opened a new tea shop right across from her stall.
Not only were the prices lower, but she also offered all sorts of different teas for customers to choose from.
It was swarmed with customers at first.
However, as the weather was hot, customers gradually found Wei Yufu’s tea to be too scalding, and still felt that Shen Ningning’s chilled sweet water was more thirst-quenching.
And so, after only one day, Wei Yufu’s tea stall was gradually deserted.
Watching the customers flock back to Shen Ningning’s side, Wei Yufu was naturally indignant.
"This morning, she deliberately brought her family servants to our tea stall to cause trouble. The whole group of them just sat in the seats, scaring away any other customers who came by."
"When I went back to the village to get something, Wuer got into an argument with Wei Yufu. She had her servants hold him down and beat him. By the time I hurried back, our tea stall had been almost completely smashed."
It wasn’t just Wuer who was hurt; the other refugees, who are usually so docile, were also injured in the process of resisting.
As for Wei Yufu and her group, they had swaggered off long after committing their foul deeds.
Shen Ningning was shocked to hear this and quickly asked, "Is everyone badly hurt?"
Jiang Zhi sighed. "The others are fine, but Wuer is the most seriously injured. One of his ribs was broken when they stomped on him. Thankfully, we got him to the apothecary in time. The Shopkeeper said Wuer is incredibly lucky—the rib didn’t puncture his spleen, or else he would have died!"
"Still, an injury like this needs to be properly nursed. It probably won’t heal for at least half a year!"
Shen Ningning immediately called to her driver, Chen Ye, "Let’s go! We’re going to the apothecary to see Wuer."
She hurried away with Jiang Zhi. Lu Shaoyuan had just chased her to the entrance when he saw their carriage kicking up dust as it sped away.
"Hey—!" Lu Shaoyuan took a couple of steps after them but couldn’t catch up. He frowned. ’She’s so fast. I guess I’ll have to tell her about that thing next time.’
At the apothecary, the Shopkeeper, who knew Shen Ningning well and understood that Wuer was one of her people, had him resting in the backyard.
A pot of medicinal brew bubbled on a nearby stove.
Wuer lay on a wicker chair, his body bound with wooden splints to keep him still, groaning ceaselessly in pain.
"Wuer," Shen Ningning’s voice drifted over, and the boy immediately stopped groaning.
Though young, he knew better than to make others worry.
"Sister Ning." Wuer struggled to sit up, but Shen Ningning quickly held him down.
"Just lie down and rest, okay? I just asked Grandpa Shopkeeper, and he said this is a critical time for your recovery. You mustn’t move around."
As soon as she finished speaking, Wuer’s tears started to fall, splashing down.
"Why are you crying? Does it hurt a lot?"
"No... *sob*. Sister Ning, I’m sorry. Our tea stall was destroyed. The building we spent so much time on... they tore it down." Wuer wiped at his tears, looking utterly heartbroken.
He had watched that stall being built, piece by piece.
The Wei Family’s servants had shown no mercy during their rampage.
What they had destroyed was more than just a tea stall; it was a home to Wuer and all the other refugees!
Shen Ningning used her small hand to wipe away his tears. "Don’t cry, don’t cry. We’ll rebuild the stall. As long as everyone is alright, that’s the most important thing!"
Wuer nodded furiously, sniffled, and said, "I’ll be better in half a month! When the time comes, I’ll help you rebuild it, Sister Ning."
His injuries were too severe for that, so Shen Ningning didn’t agree immediately, simply offering him a smiling nod.
She also had Chen Ye bring over the roast chicken they had bought on the way.
Wuer’s eyes lit up. He took the chicken with his small hands, tore off a drumstick, and offered it to Shen Ningning first.
"You eat it, Sister."
Shen Ningning gave him a sweet smile. "I already ate on the way. You haven’t had dinner yet, so you must be hungry. Go on, eat!"
Wuer no longer stood on ceremony and began to wolf it down.
Shen Ningning handed him a waterskin. "There’s no need to rush. The whole thing is yours."
Wuer swallowed the mouthful of chicken and asked indistinctly, "Do the other uncles at the stall get some too?"
He was still thinking about the other refugees!
Shen Ningning nodded, took out thirty taels of silver, and gave it to Jiang Zhi.
"Go buy some. Make sure everyone gets some. It doesn’t matter that the building was destroyed. Tell them that as long as we’re all still here, we can rebuild!"
Jiang Zhi readily agreed.
Shen Ningning was the backbone of that group of refugees. As long as she gave the word, they would not be discouraged.
After leaving the apothecary, however, the little girl became unusually silent.
Jiang Zhi asked her, "Are you worried about Wuer’s injury? It will take a while to heal. Don’t be anxious, Ningning."
Shen Ningning shook her little head.
Her glistening black eyes were deep and lightless. "I’m going to fight Wei Yufu for the title of ’blessed girl’."
They had smashed her tea stall. She refused to be humiliated like this; she could not swallow this insult.
’I know how much the Wei Family cares about the ’blessed girl’ title.’
Shen Ningning had just made up her mind. ’I’ll make everyone see who the real rain-summoning blessed girl is!’
