Chapter 48

Mo Lingwei's eyes were an arresting black.

Holding his blood-dripping sword, the blade scraped against the stone floor with a rasping sound.

It was only when his steady footsteps rounded the corner.

The first thing he saw was the small figure lying in the cell.

Shen Ningning was on the ground, as if she had fainted.

Nearby, Aunt Qin, looking deranged, was violently smashing the barely alive jailer's head against the wall!

Once,

Twice,

A dagger was plunged into the jailer's chest, his bloodied hand desperately clutching Aunt Qin's arm.

"You're mistaken, I... I'm not Shen Ningning..."

Aunt Qin's eyes were wild with fury, her laughter hideous, "Still trying to deceive me? You must be a demon, out to take my life, thinking I'm easy to bully?"

As she spoke, she increased the force of her blows.

She smashed the jailer's head to a pulp.

Blood splattered everywhere.

With a loud "clang,"

Mo Lingwei kicked open the cell door.

He swiftly walked towards Shen Ningning and bent down to pick her up.

The young girl's black hair brushed across her cheek, revealing a pale and pretty face.

She was unharmed, but her eyes were tightly shut, her condition unknown.

Mo Lingwei immediately carried her out.

But Aunt Qin suddenly released the jailer, lunging forward to grab onto Mo Lingwei's black boots.

"Who are you! Are you in league with Shen Ningning? I'll kill you all!" she screamed crazily, her eyes devoid of sanity.

Mo Lingwei kicked her squarely in the chest, sending Aunt Qin flying against the wall, causing her to cough up blood.

The imperial guards rushed into the cell at this moment.

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince! Are you alright?"

"Imprison this madwoman and subject her to severe punishment," Mo Lingwei ordered coldly, then quickly left the government office with Shen Ningning in his arms.

He took her straight to the imperial palace.

In the Zichen Palace, everyone witnessed the Crown Prince returning with a young girl in his arms.

Mo Lingwei laid Shen Ningning down on his bed.

A eunuch followed closely, a look of astonishment on his face, "Your Highness, this is..."

"Summon the imperial physician immediately, no more questions," Mo Lingwei demanded sharply.

The eunuch hurried towards the door, "Yes, Your Highness."

"Wait," Mo Lingwei called after him, "Call for two female physicians as well."

"As you command," the eunuch ran off to carry out the orders.

Mo Lingwei glanced at Shen Ningning's fair and delicate face.

He pursed his thin lips: "I'm helping you, this isn't taking advantage of you. Don't blame me when you wake up."

Having said that, he reached out and lifted up Shen Ningning's skirt.

Mo Lingwei turned his head aside as much as possible, using his peripheral vision to identify.

Sure enough, Shen Ningning was still her usual self, with her crucial Ruyi tied around her waist.

Anticipating the entry of the female physician for her examination, Mo Lingwei took care to secure her Ruyi in advance.

At that moment, two imperial physicians and a female physician arrived.

Mo Lingwei immediately stepped out of the inner chamber, instructing the female physician to check Shen Ningning for any injuries.

After a thorough examination, the female physician reported, "Your Highness, the young lady has no external injuries."

Mo Lingwei stood behind the screen with his hands behind his back, his dark eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"Then why hasn't she woken up yet? Imperial physicians, go and see."

"Yes."

The two imperial physicians entered and, after taking her pulse, finally came to a conclusion.

"It appears she was frightened and is also showing symptoms of fever. We will prescribe some medicine to calm her nerves and alleviate her shock."

Mo Lingwei nodded slightly, and only then did the imperial physicians leave.

At this moment, Shen Ningning began to mutter restlessly on the bed.

"Auntie... don't bully me..."

Mo Lingwei approached the bed, seeing her as if she were trapped in a frightening dream.

Her tightly closed eyes, with long, curled lashes, slowly began to shed tears.

Her fevered face flushed, making her small face appear even more pitiable.

Mo Lingwei sat down, speaking firmly, "I'll have her hands crippled, she won't dare to hit you again."

Perhaps it was these words that had an effect, as Shen Ningning stopped muttering nonsense.

She clutched the blanket tightly, her adorable brows furrowed in unease.

A eunuch at the door cautiously said, "Your Highness, the Emperor has sent a message asking you to return to the Altar of Heaven, the ceremony hasn't concluded..."

Mo Lingwei coldly glanced sideways, "Tell my father, I'm not going back."

The eunuch fell silent, not daring to persuade him further due to the Crown Prince's temperament.

Back at the Altar of Heaven, the shamans were shaking bells and dancing until their voices were hoarse.

Many ministers, overwhelmed by the heat, began to collapse.

The Emperor remained kneeling on the Altar of Heaven.

He prayed sincerely for rain, hoping fervently that the heavens would bestow gentle rains to cure his son's peculiar illness.

The National Preceptor continually recited scriptures, "May the divine spirits above..."

In a daze,

Shen Ningning, in her dream, vaguely heard many voices talking around her.

At first, she couldn't make out the words, only sensing their whispering murmurs.

Soon, she heard countless people uttering the same two words—

"Pray for rain."

The young girl's eyelids were heavy; she couldn't open her eyes, her thoughts drifting with the chanting crowd.

The weather was scorching, the land parched; how wonderful it would be if it rained.

The strange ringing of bells, the cicadas' urgent buzzing, and the countless voices praying for rain merged into one.

This stirred something in Shen Ningning's heart.

Her voice was soft as she involuntarily murmured, "Let it rain..."

Mo Lingwei, watching by her bedside, heard the sound and set down his scroll, leaning in to listen, "What?"

Shen Ningning murmured, "Rain... it would be good if it rained..."

Mo Lingwei raised his eyebrows slightly.

He had just given Shen Ningning medicine to calm her nerves; why was she still talking incoherently?

Just as he extended his hand to gently touch her forehead to check her temperature, the light outside the window suddenly dimmed.

Before Mo Lingwei could react, the sound of pattering rain followed swiftly!

The palace attendants outside the hall erupted in ecstatic shouts—

"It's raining! It's really raining!"

Mo Lingwei was startled.

He swiftly rose and walked to the window.

He saw a torrential downpour, like rivers of water pouring from the sky, drenching the mortal world!

Was it really raining?

His normally cool and indifferent black eyes were filled with astonishment.

Even Mo Lingwei turned back to look at the unconscious little figure on the bed.

But Shen Ningning didn't speak again.

At the Altar of Heaven,

The Emperor raised his hands, almost crying as he knelt in gratitude to the heavens.

"Thank you, heavenly mercy, bless Cangyun, the drought will surely end!"

The ministers were jubilant.

After the celebrations, families hurriedly brought out pots and pans to collect water.

This rain lasted a full hour!

By evening, the rain had tapered off.

Mo Lingwei bent over, observing Shen Ningning, who was sleeping soundly on the bed.

"Why hasn't she woken up yet?"

Just as he finished speaking, the young girl's long lashes fluttered like butterfly wings.

Soon after, she opened her drowsy, moist eyes.

Mo Lingwei immediately sat up straight, coughing lightly, "You're awake?"

Shen Ningning blinked and looked around.

Finally, her gaze settled on Mo Lingwei sitting beside the bed.

"Why do I see Brother?" she said softly, her voice confused, "Am I still dreaming?"

Mo Lingwei noticed her eyes shimmering like calm waters.

He couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"You're not dreaming, Shen Ningning. I've been searching for you."