Free Web NovelChapter 171: Chapter 171: On My Behalf, Give Her a Few Slaps
Shen Ningning took a sniff. The scent was somewhat familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it.
The little girl asked, "Brother, what kind of medicine is this?"
As the eunuch drew closer with the dark brown broth, the pungent odor grew stronger.
Mo Lingwei said, "It’s a medicine to suppress an old illness and keep it from flaring up so often."
Shen Ningning watched him take the bowl and drink it down in one gulp without a change in expression, as if it were just water.
The little girl’s eyes went wide.
She couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration, "You’re a warrior!"
’To drink such bitter medicine without even hesitating or frowning...’
’Brother is so incredible!’
Amused by her reaction, Mo Lingwei took the white cloth a eunuch handed him to wipe his mouth. "I drink it so often that I’m used to it. It’s as tasteless as plain water now."
Shen Ningning’s eyes lit up with understanding.
"Then you have to eat more sweets to make up for it." The little girl reasoned, popping another piece of red bean cake into Mo Lingwei’s mouth.
After noon, Shen Ningning not only had a meal at Mo Lingwei’s residence but also accidentally fell asleep.
By the time she woke up, Mo Lingwei had been called away by his trusted ministers to discuss matters of state.
A little eunuch was standing guard respectfully at the door. He said to Shen Ningning, "The Crown Prince left instructions. There is an osmanthus milk pudding on the table for the Commandery Princess to have before you leave."
Shen Ningning turned and walked to the table.
The sweet milk carried the delicate fragrance of osmanthus, and a pure, sweet flavor bloomed on her tongue.
’It’s so good!’
As she prepared to leave the palace for home, Mo Lingwei had his personal sedan chair made ready for her.
Four eunuchs carried the sedan chair. With her small hand, Shen Ningning lifted the curtain, contentedly admiring the palace scenery.
Autumn had finally arrived. Amid the palace’s red walls and golden tiles, a branch of golden autumn leaves could occasionally be seen, playfully peeking over a wall and swaying in the wind.
Suddenly, the sedan chair came to a halt.
The eunuch outside said, "Commandery Princess, a senior palace maid has arrived. She appears to be one of Consort Rong’s attendants."
Shen Ningning immediately lifted the front curtain, her bright, dark eyes peering outside.
The senior palace maid, accompanied by two other palace maids, walked to the sedan chair and curtsied. "Is Princess Funing seated within? I have come on behalf of Consort Rong to deliver a greeting gift to the Commandery Princess."
Shen Ningning stepped out of the sedan chair. Her tiny figure was dressed in a goose-yellow outfit, and she exuded a sweet, milky scent.
"Auntie, what does Her Highness wish to give me?"
The senior palace maid smiled and presented a brocade box. "Her Highness said that after meeting the Commandery Princess briefly in the palace today, she felt an immediate connection with you."
"Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time to speak with you properly. She hopes that next time you are free, you will visit her at Guanyu Palace for a nice chat."
Shen Ningning gave a sweet, polite smile, her dimples appearing faintly. Her clear eyes were bright and glistening.
"Thank you, Consort Rong, for the gift. When I have the chance, I will be sure to pay a visit."
The senior palace maid then curtsied and stepped aside. Shen Ningning returned to the sedan chair, which the eunuchs then carried out of the palace.
The little girl was very curious about the gift Consort Rong had sent.
So, she opened the box right away.
Her dark eyes flew wide the moment she looked inside, and her entire small body went rigid.
"This is..." She carefully placed the box on her lap and took out the object inside. "A Ruyi scepter."
The Ruyi scepter in the little girl’s hand was crafted from pure silver and engraved with a lotus pattern.
Shen Ningning looked at it again and again, then hastily lifted her robes and pulled out her own Ruyi scepter for comparison.
Upon close inspection, she saw it was identical. Even the smallest details of the engraving were a perfect match.
The only difference was that the Ruyi scepter from Consort Rong didn’t have the name "Shen Ningning" on the back.
The little girl quickly lifted the curtain and looked behind her.
The senior palace maid and her attendants had already vanished at the end of the palace road.
The autumn wind lifted Shen Ningning’s dark hair, brushing against her pale, delicate face and transforming her confused expression into one of startling conjecture.
She sat back down in the sedan chair, holding the two Ruyi scepters and studying them.
’Why is the gift from Consort Rong identical to the Ruyi scepter my parents left me?’
’Could it be just a coincidence?’
The little girl wondered, troubled.
But no matter what, when she thought of Consort Rong’s smile, she found her to be kind and gentle.
It was like the warmth of the sun on her skin. She had dreamt of her own mother once, and it had felt just as gentle.
In that moment, Shen Ningning’s heart filled with warmth toward Consort Rong.
Only four days remained until Shen Ningning’s investiture as a Commandery Princess.
It was also her last day of classes at the private academy.
After today, only one month of review remained before the entrance examination for the National Academy.
Therefore, Mr. Huang had everyone review the material one last time today.
When class at the private academy was dismissed, Shen Ningning shared all the treats she had brought with everyone.
She had brought an especially large variety of fruits today.
"These past three months with all of you have been the happiest and most fulfilling days of my life. No matter where we all end up, I will never forget any of you."
the little girl said sweetly, her smile radiant and her cheeks as red as little apples.
Her eyes crinkled as she smiled. "And you’re all welcome to come visit me in Xiangyun Village!"
Ren Yu clutched her hand, unwilling to let go. "Ningning, I’m really going to come! You have to protect me, though. I’m scared of wolves."
The little girl burst out laughing. "Okay! You can count on me."
Xiang Qian took out a calligraphy brush and gave it to Shen Ningning. "Last time at Jingshan, it was all thanks to your encouragement that I was able to take that crucial, brave step."
"So, Ningning, I’m giving this Calligraphy Brush to you. You absolutely can’t forget me, okay? Come over to my house and play whenever you’re free."
Shen Ningning promised each of them she would. As everyone came up to say their goodbyes, only Lu Shaoyuan remained standing a short distance away.
After the others had left one by one, the little girl looked over at Lu Shaoyuan.
"I only have some snow pears left. You can have them all."
Lu Shaoyuan took them without ceremony. "All right, they’re all gone now," he said. "I want to take you to see something. It’s my gift to you."
Shen Ningning blinked her long lashes. "What is it?"
"You’ll know when you see it. It’s in the Capital City, so you can ride in my family’s carriage." As he spoke, Lu Shaoyuan reached for her wrist.
But he thought better of it. Instead, he tucked a corner of his own robe into Shen Ningning’s little hand for her to hold.
The carriage rode to the gates of the Capital City. The refugees were no longer gathered here, so the gates were wide open, and the guards weren’t on high alert as they had been before.
Suddenly, Lu Shaoyuan glanced out of the carriage and said to the driver, "Stop here."
Curious, Shen Ningning lifted the curtain.
She saw lines of soldiers and constables escorting a group of men and women out of the city.
The person in the middle was none other than Wei Yufu!
Her face was filthy and she wore a white prison uniform, but her expression remained defiant.
The Wei Family had committed a grave offense. The Emperor had ordered their assets seized and the family exiled. It turned out today was their day of departure from the Capital City.
As Wei Yufu struggled, she caught sight of Shen Ningning out of the corner of her eye. Her eyes widened with fury as she shrieked, "Shen Ningning! How dare you come here to gloat at my misfortune!"
"Do you think you’ve won just because you’ve ruined me? A person as wicked as you will come to a bad end!"
Her words were so venomous that a constable struck her hard with a rod, but she continued to shout curses.
Lu Shaoyuan knocked on the carriage wall and signaled to an attendant outside. "Go, on my behalf, and give her a few slaps."
Just then, the little girl beside him stood up.
Shen Ningning’s round, fair face was calm, her inner strength apparent.
Her voice was soft but steady as she said, "There’s no need for that. I’ll go talk to her and clear things up."
With that, she stepped down from the carriage, and Lu Shaoyuan quickly followed behind her.
