Chapter 235: The Sweetness of the Syrup Reaches the Heart

In the afternoon, the weather was gloomy and heavy clouds fell.

The north wind howled, tearing the branches in the waterside flower garden, making them look fierce.

Before dusk, heavy snow fell from the sky.

The eldest aunt dismissed the ladies early, and everyone gathered in the warm room with a blazing charcoal fire to keep warm.

Seeing that Shen Ningning was not there, I don’t know who started it first.

“The princess hasn’t had class for a whole day. Isn’t she afraid that she won’t be selected as a female official?”

Someone immediately laughed and said, “Do you really not know or are you pretending not to know? The princess is not here to select a female official.”

“Yes,” other ladies echoed, “His Royal Highness the Crown Prince personally invited her to the palace. Do you think she would want to be the ninth prince’s companion?”

Ye Shangyi crossed her arms and said, “The position of female official is for us to fight for. People don’t look down on it.”

Qi Xiuwei silently raised her head from the book.

Her voice was gentle, but with a tone of authority: "You are talking about the princess behind her back, isn't it too bad?"

"Didn't the aunt just teach us today that the Ninth Prince dislikes people with bad behavior the most? Have you all forgotten?"

The ladies looked at each other, and their eyes changed slightly when they looked at Qi Xiuwei.

Who is she, dare to scold them?

Because of Qi Xiuwei's family background, the ladies were angry, but they held back.

Only Ye Shangyi teased in a yin-yang tone: "Miss Qi, don't pretend, everyone knows that you are a relative of Concubine Rong."

"Why do you call the Ninth Prince so distant? Don't you usually call him cousin?"

Qi Xiuwei's cheeks turned red, a little embarrassed.

She stood up and walked away with the book in her arms, saying, "I'm kindly reminding you, but if you don't appreciate it, forget it."

After Qi Xiuwei left, Ye Shangyi snorted arrogantly, "Why are you pretending?"

"If Concubine Rong doesn't feel satisfied with the selection of female officials this time, she will definitely choose her niece. Qi Xiuwei is just being ungrateful."

Everyone followed in a low voice.

Only Xie Yuanjiu remained silent from beginning to end, and her cold eyes swept out of the window.

She looked at Qi Xiuwei's back, thinking.

The reason why Shen Ningning didn't go to class in the afternoon was because she went to the kitchen and asked the cooks to help her make a bowl of plum blossom syrup.

After that, the little guy slept comfortably in the room for a whole night, and didn't get up until dinner time in the evening.

She still remembered to have dinner with Mo Lingwei.

The snowflakes were fluttering and the cold wind was biting.

Shen Ningning's little face was always round and rosy.

As she walked along the corridor to the front yard, she saw Wu Fang standing under the corridor, talking to her aunt.

The little guy jumped over and said with a smile: "Brother Wu Fang, let's go!"

Wu Fang turned around with an embarrassed look: "Princess, my aunt has something to tell you."

The aunt bent down and explained to Shen Ningning in a gentle tone: "Princess, it's snowing too hard now. The Waterside Flower Garden is located in the north of the side courtyard of the imperial palace, far away from the Purple Palace."

"I'm worried that something might happen this time. How about we go to see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince another day?"

Her aunt was worried about her safety, and Wu Fang couldn't make the decision.

The person His Royal Highness wanted to see could only be seen by Shen Ningning herself unless she said she didn't want to go.

Otherwise, disobeying the Crown Prince would be a crime of insubordination.

Shen Ningning hesitated when she heard her aunt's words.

She looked at the snowflakes falling in the courtyard, just like rain, fast and dense.

Wu Fang and his men came all the way here, and the sedan chair was covered with white snow.

The eldest aunt's worry was not unreasonable. If they came back later, the long bridge of the Waterside Flower Garden would be frozen.

Shen Ningning thought about it and raised the food box in her hand.

She looked up at her watery black eyes and said softly: "Brother Wu Fang, please help me bring this bowl of plum blossom sweet water to my brother. I will definitely go to dinner with him tomorrow!"

Wu Fang didn't say anything after hearing what Shen Ningning said.

He took the food box, bowed and said yes, and hurriedly left.

When Wu Fang returned to Zichen Palace in the wind and snow, Mo Lingwei had been standing at the window for a long time because of worry.

From the moment Wu Fang set out, he regretted it.

In such a heavy snow, he shouldn't pick up Shen Ningning, but go over.

The Waterside Flower Garden is surrounded by cold lake water, and the long bridge is slippery.

When he saw Wu Fang coming back, Mo Lingwei's frown finally relaxed.

He immediately walked to the door, only to see that Wu Fang came back alone.

"Where's Shen Ningning?" Mo Lingwei stared.

Wu Fang bowed and explained the reason, and presented the food box with both hands: "Although the princess can't come, she still thinks of His Highness, so I asked you to bring her homemade sweet soup."

Mo Lingwei pursed his thin lips.

He opened the lid and took a look. The light pink soup was placed in a small white porcelain cup, still warm.

"Did she have anything else to ask you to bring it to me?" Mo Lingwei asked, and his voice could not tell whether he was happy or angry.

Wu Fang lowered his head: "The princess said she would come to have dinner with you tomorrow."

Mo Lingwei snorted, turned and sat at the table, and did not take the soup.

Just when Wu Fang was at a loss, Mo Lingwei gently patted the table.

The young prince frowned: "Why don't you bring it over?"

Wu Fang then reacted: "Should I ask someone to heat it up for His Royal Highness?"

"No need, bring it here." Mo Lingwei said, and Wu Fang hurriedly did as he was told.

A spoonful of sweet soup went down his throat, and the sweetness of the plum blossoms seemed to be stained with snow water, refreshing in the mouth.

Mo Ling nodded without any trace of danger.

The anger caused by Shen Ningning's choice to protect Dai Yuheng seemed to be diluted by sweet water at this moment.

It's pointless to keep worrying about it.

Mo Lingwei was thinking in his mind that he should take the initiative to see the little guy tomorrow.

The next day.

Shen Ningning deliberately got up late, and Xie Yuanjiu certainly didn't call her.

The little guy knew that he couldn't go to class to listen to the palace rules, so he took a small bag of carrots and ran quietly towards the long bridge.

It snowed all night yesterday, and the icy areas on the bridge have been shoveled away by the palace staff.

But Shen Ningning still almost skidded, but luckily there was no danger.

When they arrived at the Plum Blossom Forest, they saw that the Ninth Prince had taken the sika deer out for a walk after being kept for a night.

The weather was cold. He was wearing a blue cloak and showed a gentle smile to Shen Ningning.

"I was just wondering whether the princess would be a little late. After all, I only heard when I went back yesterday that you have to attend morning classes every day."

Shen Ningning walked over with little feet, took out carrots from the bag, and started feeding the sika deer.

Her appearance is sweet and childish, and her tone is open and generous, without any embarrassment.

"There are indeed morning classes, but I didn't want to go."

"Why?"

"That's for people who want to be the female officer of His Highness Ninth Prince. I don't want to be one, so of course I don't want to hear it."

After the little guy finished speaking, the Ninth Prince did not speak.

Shen Ningning suddenly felt that what she said was too straightforward.

She quickly waved her little hand: "Your Majesty Ninth Prince, don't get me wrong. What I mean is that I can't be a female official because I'm too young."

She even has to drag a cart to pull her own books, so how can she help the female official polish ink and serve others?

The Ninth Prince chuckled: "Don't worry, I didn't think too much about it, because I also know that even if you want to be a female official, you will still belong to the Crown Prince."

After feeding the sika deer, Shen Ningning was leaving.

She handed the small bag filled with carrots to the Ninth Prince.

"In two days, our study of palace rules will be over. I will definitely go home. This little sika deer will be handed over to His Highness the Ninth Prince!"

She's given enough carrots, it should last a few days.

During the past few days of living in the palace, the little guy already missed Wolf Wolf a little.

I wish I could go home now.

The Ninth Prince smiled: "We will meet again if we are destined. Maybe we will meet the princess next time. This sika deer has grown up."

However, in the afternoon, Concubine Rong and the Ninth Prince actually arrived at Shuixiehuawu together.