Chapter 234: Chapter 234: The 9th Prince, Mo Changli

Shen Ningning was taken aback.

Then, she burst out laughing, clutching her stomach. Her little face was brimming with joy, and she laughed so hard that tears streamed down her cheeks.

Mo Lingwei patted her. "Answer me. Does it look like me?"

Still clutching her stomach, Shen Ningning nodded through her laughter. "It does!"

Mo Lingwei placed the cloth tiger in her arms. "Keep it safe. Carry it with you. No matter where you are, you can think of it as me being by your side."

"The tiger and I will both protect you."

Shen Ningning’s laughter gradually subsided, eventually replaced by a shimmer of tears in her eyes.

She asked in a soft, sweet voice, "Brother, does this mean you’re not mad at me anymore?"

Mo Lingwei’s eyes narrowed, and he turned his head away. "That’s a separate issue. Ask me again in a couple of days."

「At the same time.」

The elder aunt was in her room organizing a list when a faint voice called out from the doorway.

"Elder Aunt, are you in?" Xie Yuanjiu asked, leaning against the doorframe.

The elder aunt turned around. "Miss Xie? Your face is so pale. Are you unwell?"

But Xie Yuanjiu said, "I’m worried. Ningning said she was going to dinner, but she still hasn’t come back to our room. I’m afraid she might be lost."

"Oh, it’s about that," the elder aunt replied in a perfectly composed tone. "The Crown Prince invited her for a meal. She should be back shortly."

Xie Yuanjiu was shocked upon hearing this.

Her expression turned foul. After a long moment, she finally found her voice. "Thank you, Elder Aunt. I’ll go back and wait for her then."

On the way back, Xie Yuanjiu was filled with complex emotions, but above all, hatred.

Shen Ningning clearly didn’t care whether she lived or died.

’She’s only focused on mending her relationship with the Crown Prince, completely forgetting that I’m still sick and starving!’

Xie Yuanjiu gritted her teeth.

When Shen Ningning returned, it was just around 7 p.m.

The moment she entered, she rushed to say, "I’m so sorry, Sister Xie! My brother called me away just now!"

"You must still be hungry. I have some buns here, hurry and eat."

The buns were from her Immortal Realm.

However, when the little girl ran to Xie Yuanjiu’s bedside, she found her lying with her back turned.

Xie Yuanjiu’s sullen voice emerged. "I already ate while you were out."

Shen Ningning looked surprised, her little face flushed from running back.

She said in her soft, sweet voice, "You’ve eaten? But the elder aunt said..."

"That’s enough, Ningning. Can you please be quiet? I want to rest," Xie Yuanjiu said. Her voice was flat, yet it betrayed a hint of impatience.

Shen Ningning pursed her pink lips, her young face a picture of pure innocence.

After a moment’s thought, she said, "Okay... Then you should get some rest."

Truly afraid of disturbing her, the little girl tiptoed back to her own bed.

「The next morning.」

Xie Yuanjiu’s face was ghostly pale, but fortunately, the palace maids had provided rouge and powder in their room.

After applying a little makeup, she started to look a bit better.

Without waking Shen Ningning, Xie Yuanjiu left the room by herself.

When the little girl woke up, the sun was already high in the sky.

She rushed to Jiasitang Hall, where their classes were held, only to see that everyone had already begun reciting the new rules.

Apparently, today’s lesson was on the Ninth Prince’s preferences, and everyone had been given a booklet.

The elder aunt had instructed everyone to memorize it within two hours.

Seeing Shen Ningning arrive late, the elder aunt said sternly, "Commandery Princess, according to the rules, you may not enter if you are late. Please return to your room and rest."

She wouldn’t be able to attend this lesson.

Shen Ningning knew she was at fault. Besides, she had no desire to compete for the position of female official anyway.

So she nodded obediently. "I’m sorry, Elder Aunt. I promise I won’t be late next time."

With that, the little girl turned and left.

Xie Yuanjiu recited the booklet with a blank expression.

Seeing Shen Ningning get punished, her spirits lifted considerably!

Someone poked her from behind.

Xie Yuanjiu turned to see it was Qi Xiuwei.

"Miss Xie Si, you share a room with the Commandery Princess. Why didn’t you wake her?" Qi Xiuwei asked, her tone full of concern.

To her surprise, Xie Yuanjiu replied coolly, "She didn’t want to get up. Was I supposed to force her?"

With that, she turned her head away, her attitude strikingly cold.

Qi Xiuwei pursed her lips, deciding she didn’t want to risk any trouble by talking to her further.

Meanwhile, Shen Ningning didn’t want to go back to her room. She was feeling restless and bored.

So, she set her eyes on the Plum Garden across the lake.

’If I can pick some plum blossoms, I can use the honey from my Immortal Realm to brew some sweet plum blossom tea for my brother.’

’He’ll definitely love it!’

Having made up her mind, Shen Ningning headed straight for the Plum Garden.

The Plum Garden, enveloped in a light, cool mist, was exceptionally beautiful.

Red plum blossoms bloomed in clusters, adorning the branches. Against the white snow, their beauty was even more striking.

Holding a small sachet, Shen Ningning went from one large tree to the next, gathering plum blossoms.

Suddenly, from behind a large rock not far away, she heard a gentle voice—

"Look at you. You ate so much you can barely walk, can’t you?"

’Someone’s here?’

’The elder aunt said the Plum Garden was in a remote, northern corner of the Imperial Palace.’

’Usually, only Palace Attendants live nearby. Who could be here?’

Curious, Shen Ningning walked over and peered around the rock. She saw a young boy squatting with his back to her, stroking a sika deer.

The little girl took two more steps closer.

Hearing the movement behind him, the boy turned around. Upon seeing someone, both he and the sika deer jumped in fright.

Shen Ningning quickly waved her little hands. "Don’t be scared! I’m not a bad person!"

The boy, who looked about seven years old, was fair-skinned, handsome, and refined.

He calmed himself, then stood up and gave a gentle smile. "Oh, it’s you, Princess Funing. We’ve met before."

Shen Ningning tilted her little head, studying him. He did look a little familiar.

The boy pointed to himself. "Don’t you remember? I was at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet. I even spoke with you for a bit."

The little one suddenly remembered.

The Ninth Prince, Mo Changli, son of Consort Rong.

She broke into a sweet smile, her dimples showing. "I remember now! Ninth Prince, what are you doing feeding a deer here?"

’I don’t remember the elder aunt saying there were sika deer in the Plum Garden.’

The Ninth Prince gently stroked the deer’s head, his voice soft. "I was passing by the Imperial Kitchen today when I heard them say they were planning to roast venison."

"This little deer in particular was crying so miserably. I couldn’t bear it, so I secretly brought it out. But I had nowhere else to hide it, so I had to bring it to this remote spot."

Hearing this, Shen Ningning also felt the sika deer was quite pitiful.

She took two steps forward, brought her hands from behind her back to reveal a carrot, and approached tentatively.

"Little deer, here, try it."

Though frightened and wary, the sika deer couldn’t resist the temptation of food and slowly approached Shen Ningning.

Once it began to eat, letting its guard down, the little girl dared to reach out and gently stroke the sika deer.

The Ninth Prince crouched down beside her and asked curiously, "Do you just carry carrots around with you?"

Shen Ningning hummed noncommittally. "I got it from the Waterside Pavilion and Flower Shed."

’As if.’

’A moment ago, with my hands behind my back, I just pulled it out of the Immortal Realm.’

The Ninth Prince was delighted. "That’s wonderful! Could you bring some more food tomorrow?"

"I plan to keep the sika deer in that empty hall nearby, but it’s not convenient for me to bring it food. I’ll have to trouble you."

Shen Ningning didn’t think it was an unreasonable request, so she immediately agreed.

And so, the Ninth Prince and she agreed to meet again at the same spot at the same time the next day.

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