Chapter 53

"Last time, for this Shen Ningning, we almost turned the area around the capital upside down."

Are they really just bound by a lifesaving grace?

Why does the Crown Prince seem so fixated on Shen Ningning?

Mo Lingwei simply said: "I have my ways. Let's go handle our business first. When we return, I'll go find her."

Chen Shaobei dared not object, so he just nodded.

As the carriage curtain fluttered, Chen Shaobei thought he saw the figure of that page from before.

However, when he lifted the curtain to take a closer look.

The street was bustling with people coming and going, but there was no sign of the page.

He couldn't help but mock himself inwardly.

Almost like the Crown Prince, always seeing things.

  ……

Shen Ningning indeed did not go to the private school.

Because that morning, just as she was about to leave, she found that both Master Huang and Master Zheng were waiting at the foot of Wolf Mountain.

"Master~" the little one greeted, running over with the wolves.

This was the first time the two masters had seen a wolf pack, scaring them into falling onto their backsides.

Master Huang, though still calm, was trembling at the lips, unable to move his feet.

They had learned from the county magistrate that Shen Ningning kept a pack of wolves.

They had mentally prepared themselves, but when the pack of wolves, with their shiny black fur and strong builds comparable to bears, appeared, they were still terrified deep down!

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid!" Shen Ningning waved her hand: "The wolves won't harm anyone."

She stepped forward and helped Master Zheng up.

The Black Wolf King led the pack and stood behind the youngster, staring at them from within the forest.

Fear was evident on the round, plump face of Master Zheng.

"Shen student, do you... do you usually live with the wolves?"

"Yes, the wolves have always been taking care of me. Masters, have you come for a reason?"

Master Huang wiped the sweat from his forehead.

He took out a letter of accusation from his sleeve.

"This is from the Lan family. After the death of the Lan family's clerk, the matter was clarified. The book boy admitted that he took bribes from Lan Qian to frame you."

The sacred statue was also secretly placed by Lan Qian when Shen Ningning was not in her room.

Master Huang continued, "After the deaths of the Lan family's clerk and Lan Qian, the patriarch of the Lan family also executed and sold off Lan Qian's aunt."

"They are very sorry and have written this letter of apology, asking for Shen student's forgiveness."

"We all know that you, Shen student, were wrongfully accused."

In plain terms, the Lan family just didn't want to be implicated by Lan Qian's actions.

After all, with the Crown Prince intervening in Shen Ningning's case, it's clear she's not someone to be trifled with.

The youngster glanced at the letter of accusation but didn't take it.

She softly said, "Since Lan Qian is dead, let's put this matter behind us. I won't pursue it any further."

The two masters exchanged glances and silently nodded in agreement.

"Shen student, the weather is getting hotter, so the private school has decided to close for half a month. During this time, please review the books you've studied at home."

Shen Ningning obediently responded, "Masters, you should also take care to stay cool."

The weather was too hot, unbearable even in the mountains during the day.

The scorching heat of the earth was unbearable even for the wolves.

The youngster thought for a moment and called out to the two masters preparing to leave.

"Masters, may I accompany you in your carriage? I need to go into the city."

Two incense sticks later.

The two masters took her all the way to the capital.

At the city gate, the destitute disaster victims were still huddled.

Each one was gaunt and emaciated. The capital had recently distributed porridge for disaster relief, but it was too little for too many.

As the death toll in the capital city rose, the guards were significantly reinforced.

After parting with her masters, Shen Ningning made her familiar way to the herbal shop.

She brought along a small amount of wolfsbane, roughly two kilograms.

Planning to sell this batch and then take a half-month break due to the sweltering weather, she intended to stay comfortably at home.

However, upon reaching the shop, she learned that the shopkeeper had gone to the palace.

Shen Ningning left the wolfsbane there, asking the assistant to pass on a message.

"Please ask the shopkeeper to settle this account with me next time; I won't be able to come for half a month."

After leaving the herbal shop, she headed straight to the restaurant.

Just like the last time, she generously spent thirty taels of silver to book a private room and ordered a feast of delicious dishes.

While waiting for the dishes, she noticed a new cooling device in the room.

It had seven fans, arranged in a miniature landscape basin, turning slowly as water cascaded down, creating a gentle, cooling breeze.

Shen Ningning stood near the seven-bladed fan for a while, feeling much cooler.

"Having a few of these at home would surely be refreshing!" she thought.

When the waiter came to serve the dishes, she curiously asked, "Where can I buy one of these?"

"You can find them at any carpenter's shop. If the young miss likes it, she could take a look."

Shen Ningning noted this and began to eat heartily, feeling full after a while.

There were still seven or eight dishes untouched.

She stored all of them in her magical realm for later.

As the weather grew hotter, she couldn't bear to see her grandmother toiling in the kitchen anymore.

She decided to just pack the ready-made dishes.

Thinking this, Shen Ningning called the waiter again and ordered an additional seven or eight dishes.

The waiter was shocked, his eyes widening as he glanced at Shen Ningning's rounded belly.

"Young miss, can you really eat all that?"

"I can, just serve the dishes, I have the money!" she said, patting her purse.

Another purse of silver was placed on the table.

The waiter hurriedly accepted it.

Soon, the dishes arrived, and Shen Ningning transferred them into her mystical realm as usual.

Only a pile of empty plates remained on the table.

Finally, she left the restaurant, walking with small, cheerful steps.

The meal cost a total of seventy taels, more than usual due to the large number of dishes she ordered.

She had about three hundred taels left in savings.

Without hesitation, she went straight to the carpenter's shop.

Spending one hundred and fifty taels, she bought two seven-bladed fans.

Afterwards, she visited a bedding store and bought several cool mats.

After storing all these in her mystical realm, Shen Ningning's eyes sparkled with satisfaction.

This dry, scorching summer, she and her grandmother could now have a more comfortable time!

But when the youngster passed by a silk shop, her eyes caught the sight of blue ice silk, and she was instantly tempted.

"How wonderfully cool it would be to have it draped over me!"

But the price tag read two hundred taels per bolt – quite steep!

Short on silver, Shen Ningning had no choice but to give up the idea.

She was already quite content with her day.

She hired a carriage and headed straight home.

Upon reaching the entrance of Xiangyun Village, she got off and paid the driver.

But as she turned around, she saw Liu Dajie running towards her, shouting, "Ningning, you're back just in time! Something terrible has happened, you must go see your grandmother right away!"

Her previously joyful mood vanished in an instant.

Alarmed, she asked, "What's wrong with Grandma?"

Liu Dajie explained, "Your grandma thought you were in the village and came looking for you, but she ran into that beastly uncle of yours and got entangled with him!"

Shen Ningning dashed back to the village like the wind.

At the village entrance, she saw Uncle Qin kneeling on the ground, clinging to Grandma Qin's legs, crying his heart out.

"Mother! You can't ignore me! I've suffered a lot out there, and I realize my mistakes now!"

"It was always Wang Guihong forcing me to do those things. I promise to be dutiful to you from now on. Mother, please let me live with you and Ningning!"

He had barely finished speaking.

When Grandma Qin unhesitatingly raised her hand.

With a resounding "smack," she slapped him fiercely.