Free Web NovelChapter 173: Chapter 173: 4th Miss of the Xie Family’s 2nd Branch
Shen Ningning was stunned.
’Are these people... worshiping me?’
Even Lu Shaoyuan, standing to the side, watched the crowd in astonishment.
The people formed a circle, kneeling before Shen Ningning again and again.
Some cried, some laughed, and others kowtowed endlessly, offering their thanks.
They knew the heavens had opened up with a downpour all thanks to the blessed girl.
"Please, everyone, don’t kneel. Get up, quickly," Shen Ningning said in her sweet, soft voice, using her small hands to help a few of the elderly people to their feet.
But that wasn’t enough for the crowd. "We’ve wanted to thank the blessed girl for ages, but we didn’t dare go up Wolf Mountain!"
"Just now at the city gate, we heard you denouncing that sinner from the Wei Family and recognized you right away."
"You are the blessed girl, a good omen sent to us by the heavens! Quick, where’s the flower float? Bring it here for the blessed girl to ride!"
’A flower float?!’
Shen Ningning and Lu Shaoyuan were both taken aback.
Before the two could even react, they saw four burly men carrying a hollow, ornate palanquin, rushing over from the end of the street.
The palanquin was covered in fresh blossoms, a vibrant, multicolored profusion of competing beauty.
As it drew near, a sweet fragrance filled the air.
Lu Shaoyuan was aghast. "Flower floats are for immortals to ride in!"
In Cangyun Country, during festivals to worship the gods, small clay statues of immortals were paraded through the streets on flower floats.
It turned out that in the eyes of the people, they had long since seen Shen Ningning as the Blessed Girl, an attendant to the Rain Godess.
Shen Ningning hurriedly waved her little hands, trying to decline. "Uncles and aunties, I can’t ride in this! You... aah!"
The little girl hadn’t even finished her sentence before the enthusiastic crowd lifted her into the air.
Lu Shaoyuan cried out in alarm, "Shen Ningning!"
He tried to weave through the throng, but the little girl was passed from one pair of hands to the next, carried forward by the crowd until she was placed on the flower float, seated securely amidst the blossoms.
The overwhelming fragrance of the flowers made Shen Ningning’s little head spin.
She quickly said to one of the men carrying the float, "Sir, I’m not an immortal! I can’t ride in this."
But the man just laughed heartily. "Everyone, listen to this! The real blessed girl is so humble. How could that fake one from the Wei Family ever compare?"
The crowd erupted in a thunderous wave of praise. They gazed up at Shen Ningning on the float, their eyes filled with fervent adoration, as if they were looking at the Heavenly God who had saved them.
Before Shen Ningning could object, someone shouted, "Lift the float! The parade begins! The blessed girl passes through, all mortals make way!"
"Hey!" the little girl cried out. Before she could get a steady grip, the float began to sway, and her tiny figure tumbled back onto a cushion.
Lu Shaoyuan rushed to catch up, but he was repeatedly pushed back by the dense crowd.
People lined both sides of the street, kneeling and cheering for the blessed girl. For a moment, Shen Ningning was lost in a daze.
The autumn sun was warm in the vast sky, its light gentle and not the least bit glaring.
The swaying of the float carried with it a refreshing, heart-soothing fragrance.
Everywhere she looked, she saw the faces of the devout.
The Cloud Tree in the Immortal Realm was bare. Shen Ningning had checked on it several times. Ever since she had plucked it clean, the new batch of little dark clouds had been growing very slowly.
’She had felt a pang of regret before. If only she’d known, she would have only picked half.’
But now, seeing how happy everyone was, the little girl suddenly felt that picking all the clouds had been worth it!
’At least it really solved their problem.’
Suddenly, a lavish carriage came speeding down the street from the opposite direction.
East Street was quite wide, and though many people had come to celebrate the blessed girl, they had all conscientiously moved to the sides, leaving the middle of the road clear for the flower float.
But now, the float and the carriage met face-to-face on the now-narrowed path. One of them would have to back away.
One of the large men carrying the float called out, "The blessed girl is on parade! All others should yield the way."
’During a normal festival parade for the gods, who would dare try to crowd the same road as an immortal?’
The townspeople looked at the luxurious carriage, their expressions filled with displeasure.
Shen Ningning quickly said in her sweet voice, "It’s okay. We can let them go first."
The people, however, wouldn’t have it.
Even as the driver of the opposing carriage cracked his whip repeatedly, the four burly men carrying the flower float refused to budge.
With no other choice, the curtain of the opposing carriage was lifted, and a little girl of about seven or eight stepped out.
She had a round face, willow-leaf brows, and a pair of phoenix eyes. Her skin was fair and delicate, and she wore an elegant, embroidered silk skirt, her posture as straight as a ruler.
One glance was all it took to see she was the daughter of a great house.
Accompanied by her maid, she walked slowly to the front of the float and gave Shen Ningning a slight bow.
Her tone, however, was somber. "The blessed girl summoned the rain and saved our Cangyun Country from disaster. I should respectfully yield."
"However, my father is gravely ill. This carriage is transporting a Divine Doctor who has difficulty walking, and we are rushing him to my father’s side to save his life. I ask that the blessed girl not make things difficult. Make way for me."
The last four words were spoken with crisp decisiveness.
’In her eyes, Shen Ningning was petite and delicate. Even with her pretty, refined features, she was, in the end, just a child.’
Therefore, the girl lifted her chin and repeated, "Since you are the blessed girl and carry a name of fortune, you must know that you should yield when a life is on the line."
A look of surprise crossed Shen Ningning’s round, rosy-cheeked face.
"Don’t worry, of course I’ll let you pass! Treating your father is what’s important." She waved her little hand. "Sirs, let’s make way!"
One of the men carrying the float turned back. "But, Blessed Girl, she..."
Shen Ningning shook her little head, cutting him off. "It’s okay. A life is at stake, we can’t be careless. Let her pass."
Since the blessed girl herself had spoken, they could only obey.
Once the flower float had backed away, the eight-year-old girl turned, boarded her carriage, and departed in a hurry.
After she was gone, the crowd began to murmur in discontent—
"Whose daughter was that? She looked so proper, but she was incredibly rude. She didn’t even say thank you to the blessed girl."
"She looked like she was from the Xie family."
Shen Ningning’s ears immediately perked up.
’The Xie family? Could that be Brother’s sister?’
When the flower float reached the end of the street, the enthusiastic crowd finally allowed Shen Ningning to get down.
Before they let her go, they each presented her with gifts of gratitude.
There were vegetables still glistening with dew, melons and other fruits, and even gifts of clothing and bolts of cloth.
Someone, in the midst of the chaos, had even strapped a basket to Shen Ningning’s back, inside which were two live hens.
By the time Lu Shaoyuan was finally able to squeeze his way to the little girl’s side, she was buried in a mountain of thank-you gifts from the people.
"Pfft," Lu Shaoyuan couldn’t help but burst out laughing. "I can see everyone really, truly wanted to thank you."
The little girl’s sweet voice was filled with exasperation. "Just now, someone even tried to give me their son to be my servant boy! If I hadn’t desperately refused, I’d be stuck with a little brother right now!"
Lu Shaoyuan laughed even harder, clutching his stomach for a long moment.
Fortunately, one of his family’s servants was nearby. He brought the Lu family carriage over, and they loaded all the gifts onto it.
Lu Shaoyuan said, "I’ll take you back to Wolf Mountain in a bit and have all this delivered to your house."
Shen Ningning, however, was still staring in the direction the other carriage had gone.
Lu Shaoyuan followed her gaze. "That girl just now was the legitimate daughter of the Xie family’s second branch, Miss Xie Si, Xie Yuanjiu."
"Her father is the younger brother of the current Prime Minister. Years ago, he fainted during a fit of rage and woke up almost half-paralyzed. He’s needed treatment from famous doctors ever since."
Shen Ningning blinked her round eyes. ’The Xie family’s second branch... so that was Brother’s sister.’
"No wonder she was in such a hurry. I hope her father gets well soon." The little girl didn’t blame Miss Xie Si in the slightest.
Lu Shaoyuan gave her a gentle look.
’Shen Ningning was always so considerate of others.’
Just then, a young servant from the Lu family said to him, "Second Young Master, look, isn’t that the Eldest Young Master?"
Lu Shaoyuan looked up and saw his older brother, Commander Lu, approaching in the distance. He was leading a contingent of the Imperial Guard, all of them looking imposing and solemn as they rode their horses.
He broke into a smile and waved. "Brother!"
Commander Lu reined his horse to a stop before them. After dismounting, he walked straight over to Shen Ningning.
He shot Lu Shaoyuan a stern glance before turning his gaze to Shen Ningning.
"Miss Shen, the Crown Prince has been poisoned. The Emperor has ordered me to bring you to the palace to assist with the investigation."
