Chapter 410: Ningning Makes Heaven Obey

Chapter 410: Chapter 410: Ningning Makes Heaven Obey

Upon hearing this, Shen Ningning smiled sweetly, a delicate pink blush gracing her round, tender little face.

"Recommending you to the palace to dine with Uncle Emperor is no problem, but why did you suddenly think of this, Xiao Wei?"

Qi Xiuwei seemed to want to speak but hesitated, continually glancing furtively at the maid beside her. She stammered, unable to think of an explanation.

Seeing this, the maid recalled Mrs. Qi Sr.’s instructions. Taking the opportunity to refill the tea, she cut in before Qi Xiuwei could speak, offering Shen Ningning an apologetic smile.

"Princess, before, when Princess Consort Qi was given the cold shoulder, we sent people to the palace but couldn’t get an audience with her. Because of this, Princess Consort Qi misunderstood, thinking the Qi Mansion didn’t want to care for her anymore."

"So, our Old Madam has been looking for a chance to reconcile with Princess Consort Qi. Unfortunately, the master of our house is a Foreign Minister and cannot send the young miss into the inner palace."

"That’s why we hoped to use this opportunity of dining with the Emperor to have the young miss properly console Princess Consort Qi."

So that was it.

Shen Ningning blinked her large eyes in understanding.

She looked at Qi Xiuwei and saw her biting her lip, her dark brows knitted together as if she were deeply embarrassed.

Shen Ningning assumed she was just shy about asking for a favor, so she said decisively, "No problem, it’s a small matter. I’ll give my chance to you. The dinner is the day after tomorrow. I’ll send someone to let Uncle Emperor know ahead of time."

Qi Xiuwei lowered her head, her voice tinged with sadness. "Thank you... Ningning."

Shen Ningning really disliked Princess Consort Qi, but the little one also understood the Qi Family’s reasoning. After all, Princess Consort Qi was Xiao Wei’s aunt, so Shen Ningning was willing to help her this once.

However, the little one noticed that as Qi Xiuwei was leaving, she looked as if she were about to cry.

「Two days later.」

Ye Shangyi and the others went to the palace. Since Shen Ningning had given her opportunity to Qi Xiuwei, she naturally didn’t go. Instead, she went to the shop to check the accounts.

On a clear, cloudless winter day, the cold wind cut like a knife.

Pedestrians outside were bundled in thick quilted clothes, bustling to and fro.

Shen Ningning stood behind the counter, her small hands flipping through the account book. Beside her, a pot of ginger and black tea prepared by Aunt Yun was bubbling away on a small stove.

Uncle Zhong stood beside Shen Ningning, pointing to several notes in the account book.

"Boss, we’ve already earned back all the silver we lost during the winter disaster. We’re now making a stable profit of 200 taels a month. With a few months combined, you and the second boss can expect a dividend of about one thousand taels by the end of the year."

Shen Ningning’s eyebrows curved with delight. "You’ve worked hard, Uncle Zhong. When the new year festivities arrive, I won’t be stingy with you all either."

The hot spring manor she had invested in with Lu Shaoyuan was also doing good business now.

With the ghost stories gone and her reputation as a blessed girl keeping things in check, the number of noble families visiting to enjoy the hot springs gradually increased.

Lu Shaoyuan was mainly in charge of the business at the manor, and he said he was counting money even in his sleep.

Shen Ningning guessed they would have a prosperous new year.

If she earned a lot of silver, she would buy more Jade to feed to the Immortal Realm.

Just then, a choked, sobbing voice came from the doorway—

"Ningning... are you, are you free right now?"

Shen Ningning looked up to see Qi Xiuwei standing there, leaning on the doorframe with red-rimmed eyes.

Her figure was thin and frail, and even bundled in a heavy cloak, she still looked fragile.

"Xiao Wei!" Shen Ningning hurried over, took her by the hand, and led her inside. "What’s wrong? Weren’t you supposed to go to the palace to dine with Uncle Emperor? Why are you here?"

As she spoke, the little one glanced behind her.

The group of Qi family servants who always followed her closely was gone. At Shen Ningning’s show of concern, Qi Xiuwei could no longer hold back and burst into tears.

"Ningning, I’m sorry. I lied to you."

The customers coming and going cast curious glances their way.

Shen Ningning led her to a heated room in the back courtyard, asking Aunt Yun and Uncle Zhong to watch the front of the shop.

The quick-witted Wuer recognized that Shen Ningning’s friend had arrived and immediately brought in hot tea.

In the warm room, Qi Xiuwei sat in a chair, sorrowfully wiping away her tears.

Shen Ningning patted her on the back and placed the warm tea Wuer had brought into her cold hands.

"Tell me properly what happened."

Wuer brought in two plates of pastries, then tactfully withdrew, not forgetting to add, "Sister Ningning, I’ll be in the front courtyard. Just call me if you need any help."

After he left, Qi Xiuwei finally spoke through her sobs. "Last time, when the maid said I should ask you for that opportunity to mend my relationship with my aunt... that wasn’t the real reason."

"That maid works for my grandmother. My grandmother forced me to ask you for this opportunity. She wanted me... she wanted me to make an appearance before the Emperor, to leave a good impression, so that my father could later ask the Emperor to assign me to Zichen Palace to be a lady-in-waiting to the Crown Prince."

Qi Xiuwei was crying so hard she could barely breathe, her eyes completely red.

"Ningning, believe me, I would never compete with you for the position of lady-in-waiting to the Crown Prince."

The little one, however, just blinked her clear, dark eyes in surprise.

"Xiao Wei, why is your grandmother even scheming against you?"

Qi Xiuwei lowered her tear-laden eyelashes. "At home, Grandmother’s word is law. Even my father listens to her. My mother told me that back when my aunt was still at home, Grandmother forced her to curry favor with the powerful. It seems... it seems that when your mother was staying at the Qi Mansion, my grandmother also tried to force her to win over powerful figures."

Shen Ningning was shocked, a flicker of anger appearing on her little face. "She’s so awful!"

"If she wants to cozy up to the rich and powerful so badly, she should go be my brother’s lady-in-waiting herself! Why is she making things difficult for you? Hmph!"

Hearing her words, Qi Xiuwei wiped her tears.

"I was originally going to brace myself and go to the palace, but... in the end, my aunt really does hate our family. When she was in the Cold Palace, she had nothing, and Grandmother wouldn’t let my parents find a way to help her."

"So when I went to the palace today, I was stopped by a little eunuch. After some questioning, I found out it was my aunt who told the Emperor that I’m in poor health and would likely spread sickness if I entered the palace."

Qi Xiuwei choked up as she spoke. "I heard she recommended Xie Yuanjiu instead. When I was forced to leave the palace, Xie Yuanjiu’s carriage passed right by mine."

Now Shen Ningning was getting truly angry.

"Why is your aunt so mean? You’re her family!"

Qi Xiuwei lowered her head, her voice gloomy. "Sigh. It’s better that I didn’t go to the palace. At least now my grandmother won’t keep forcing me to compete for the position of the Crown Prince’s lady-in-waiting."

"Just now, I jumped out of the carriage and finally shook off those spies. Ningning, can I stay here a little longer? My home is like a cage. I can’t breathe there."

Shen Ningning thought for a moment, then nodded decisively. "No problem!"

"I’ll go make the heavens rain. That way, when you get home, you can tell your grandmother you were late because you were trapped by a downpour, and she won’t blame you."

Qi Xiuwei froze in the middle of wiping her tears.

She was a little stunned.

"Ningning, can... can you really make the heavens obey you?" Immediately, Qi Xiuwei realized what a silly question that was.

Ningning was a true blessed girl! The little fairy who had led everyone through two natural disasters!

Shen Ningning gave her a playful wink.

"I can. If I have a good talk with the heavens, they’ll agree."

With that, the little one pattered over to the window and turned her back to Qi Xiuwei.

While she couldn’t be seen, Shen Ningning’s small hands pulled a few dark clouds that looked like black cotton candy out of the Immortal Realm.

She relaxed her fingers, and the dark clouds immediately floated up into the sky, disappearing into the cloud layer.

Shen Ningning waited with a grin.

’Little dark clouds~ Give me a big one!’