Chapter 450: Recalling Their First Meeting, Each With Their Own Memories

Chapter 450: Chapter 450: Recalling Their First Meeting, Each With Their Own Memories

Several strong, burly old maids immediately stepped forward, grabbing Qi Xiuwei’s arms from both sides.

Lady Yu cried out in terror, "Mother, don’t hit Wei’er! I’ll kowtow and apologize on her behalf!"

She shielded her daughter, and Qi Xiuwei threw her arms around her mother.

The mother and daughter clung to each other, their sobs echoing through the room.

"Stop!" Just then, Mr. Qi returned. He shoved the door open and, seeing the chaotic scene, frowned and shouted.

Only when the old maids saw him did they back down and retreat.

Mr. Qi didn’t even need to ask; one look at the situation told him what had happened.

"Mother, Wei’er is about to leave for Pingyuan Village. Why resort to violence now? If she has misbehaved in any way, I will discipline her for you when she returns."

"Look at your ’good’ wife and your ’good’ daughter! I’m not even dead yet, and they already dare to curse me out. If I were gone, the Qi Mansion’s entire foundation would be ruined with you alone in charge!"

Mrs. Qi Sr. angrily thumped her cane on the floor twice.

Then, she stood up and had an old maid help her leave.

Mr. Qi bent down and whispered quickly to Qi Xiuwei, "Just listen to me this time and go to Pingyuan Village. It’ll take a few days for your grandmother to cool down. Think of this trip as a way to get some peace and quiet."

With that, Mr. Qi hurried out after Mrs. Qi Sr.

"My poor Wei’er..." Only after they had all left did Lady Yu dare to cry aloud, tightly hugging Qi Xiuwei’s slender shoulders.

Lady Yu blamed herself countless times. ’It’s all because I’m useless.’

She came from a minor family and had been handpicked by Mrs. Qi Sr. to be her daughter-in-law.

She had been chosen for her beauty and good health—which meant she would be fertile—and her humble background made her easy to control.

Only then did Mrs. Qi Sr. allow her to marry into the family.

Unexpectedly, in all these years, she had only given birth to a single daughter. And because of her meek nature, she couldn’t even protect her own child.

Qi Xiuwei raised her hand and wiped the tears from her mother’s cheeks.

"Mother, believe me, sooner or later, I will get you out of this abyss. When that day comes, we’ll have our own little home. I’ll have a husband who loves me, and we’ll take care of you together. We’ll live a peaceful, happy, and content life."

She hugged her mother, picturing her future married life with Pei Yin, using the fantasy to give herself hope.

’But considering Pei Yin’s family background, can I really marry him as I wish?’

’Even if Pei Yin is willing, and I am willing, is it really that easy to break away from the Qi Family?’

Meanwhile, Mr. Qi had escorted Mrs. Qi Sr. back to her room.

"That daughter of yours is completely useless. You might as well take a few more concubines and have more children. They’d be more reliable than your current wife and daughter!" Mrs. Qi Sr. was still fuming, her face ashen with rage.

A dark look flashed in Mr. Qi’s eyes.

He began to massage Mrs. Qi Sr.’s shoulders. "Mother, please calm down. I already have two concubines in my courtyard. But my wife is considerate, and Wei’er is reasonably well-behaved. Besides, this is a critical period for my career."

"My superior, the Minister, is devoted to his wife. As his subordinate, I naturally can’t afford a reputation for being a philanderer. Please don’t be angry, Mother. If we guide Wei’er properly, she will surely become more sensible."

Mrs. Qi Sr. snorted, clearly unconvinced by his words.

She asked, "Last time, I told you to try writing to your sister, Jing Chun. You’ve sent eight or nine letters by now, haven’t you? Has she not replied to a single one?"

Mr. Qi lowered his head and sighed. ℴℴ𝘮

Mrs. Qi Sr.’s eyes turned cold and merciless.

"How can she be so heartless as to abandon her own family? I refuse to believe she can have a better life in the palace all by herself."

"In any case, we still have leverage over her. With King Shu returning to the capital, she must be thrilled, right? Find an opportunity to pressure her, use whatever carrots and sticks you need. Make her understand that we’re all in the same boat. If the Qi Mansion falls, she falls with it!"

Mr. Qi pressed his lips together and cupped his hands. "I understand. I will do as you say, Mother."

*

Shen Ningning and Mo Lingwei, accompanied by a large contingent of guards, arrived at Pingyuan Village.

As soon as she arrived, the little girl was stunned by the overwhelming opulence that greeted her.

The village was built like a small town!

Right at the village entrance, one could see houses that were every bit as grand as the single-courtyard mansions in the capital.

Black tiles, white walls, small bridges over flowing streams... some homes even had doormen and housekeepers peering out from behind their gates.

Not far off were paddy fields where a waterwheel splashed sparkling droplets of water with a great WHOOSH. A young herder guided a water buffalo, letting out a "HUP!" sound.

Mo Lingwei surveyed the scene from one end to the other, his expression growing darker and darker.

Pingyuan Village’s chief, Wang Youfu, came running to greet them, his potbelly bouncing.

Behind him followed several of the village’s influential, wealthy farmers.

"Your Highnesses, the Crown Prince and the Princess! We’ve been waiting for you forever! You’re finally here!" Village Chief Wang was on the verge of tears.

Mo Lingwei ignored him, instead taking out the Emperor’s memorial to study it with Shen Ningning.

"According to the memorial, the local officials reported that after the locust plague, the land in Pingyuan Village became barren. Not only was there a total crop failure, but the fields and fruit trees were stripped bare. The people were destitute, and some villagers were even driven to jump into the river to end their lives."

After speaking, Mo Lingwei looked around, his dark brows knitting together in a heavy frown.

"The fruit trees are laden everywhere. Where is this scene of devastation? The patrolling officials have been filing false reports!"

Shen Ningning nodded in agreement. "They certainly look like they’re rolling in it."

It didn’t look like they had been affected by any locusts at all.

Village Chief Wang’s face went deathly pale. He dropped to his knees, waving his hands frantically.

"Your Highnesses, please calm your anger! The inspecting official was not lying. This is the west side of the village. The locusts came from the east, where most of our crops are planted. All of those have been devoured."

"The reason this area was protected is because we later followed the Princess’s method for getting rid of locusts: burning and roasting them."

After Village Chief Wang finished, Mo Lingwei said coldly, "Lead the way."

The two followed Village Chief Wang through the village to the eastern side.

They went up a slope and looked out. Sure enough, the scene was one of utter devastation!

What should have been a field of unripe wheat was now a barren patch, like a field of weeds. The ground was covered in gray, withered stalks.

Seeing this, Village Chief Wang once again had to fight back tears.

"Your Highnesses, you see? This humble one would not dare lie. These locusts are a deadly plague! They came from the east, so we all suspect that a monster from the eastern mountain is causing trouble."

Shen Ningning blinked her big eyes. "Are there really monsters in this world?"

"Yes! Of course there are!" Village Chief Wang nodded vigorously. "Every three to four days, a sound comes from the mountain. It’s like a beast, but not quite. The sound is deep and muffled. Sometimes it sounds like a cow, but other times, like a dragon."

Mo Lingwei narrowed his eyes. "Wouldn’t we know what it is if we just go in and take a look?"

Village Chief Wang’s expression changed, and he quickly waved his hands. "No, no, no! We wouldn’t dare! Some of our braver villagers tried to follow the sound to see what it was, but they all ended up fainting in the mountain. When they were carried out, they smelled of something burnt!"

Since then, rumors of a monster on East Mountain have spread, and the people of Pingyuan Village no longer dare to enter.

Even the nearby hunters and woodcutters would rather go the long way around the mountain than pass through East Mountain.

Shen Ningning, however, grew excited as she listened.

’A sound like a cow and a dragon... Could it be a tiger? A lion? Or maybe some other, cuter little animal!’

She whispered to Mo Lingwei, "Brother, let’s find some time tomorrow and go take a look together."

Mo Lingwei nodded, his cool eyes filled with youthful bravado.

Even if Shen Ningning hadn’t suggested it, he was determined to go see what was going on.

"Let’s settle in here for now. My father, the Emperor, probably thought that sending me here would make me suffer and build character." As he said this, a mocking, arrogant curve touched Mo Lingwei’s thin lips.

’The Emperor would never have guessed that the living conditions in Pingyuan Village are far better than they imagined.’

Shen Ningning suddenly remembered something and asked Village Chief Wang.

"Village Chief, I heard earlier that someone from your village couldn’t handle the devastation and jumped into the river. Was he rescued?"

At the mention of this, Village Chief Wang looked a little embarrassed.

"That person was me. My apologies, Your Highness. I must clarify this matter. The inspecting official misunderstood. I just accidentally slipped and fell into the river. I wasn’t trying to end my life..."

Shen Ningning froze for a moment, then covered her mouth with her small hand and couldn’t help but let out a few giggles.

Village Chief Wang wore an awkward, apologetic smile.

Seeing Shen Ningning laugh, Mo Lingwei’s expression softened as well.

At noon, Village Chief Wang hosted them for a meal at his home, with the village women who were skilled at cooking in charge of the kitchen.

The first dish to be served, surprisingly, was a bowl of peeled, boiled eggs.

Mo Lingwei stared at the eggs for a long moment before looking at Shen Ningning with a smile. "This reminds me of when we first met. A certain little fool even ate the eggshells."

Shen Ningning casually picked up an egg.

She blinked her beautiful eyes and said with a perfectly straight face, "Now that you mention it, I almost forgot. A certain big villain threatened to kill me the moment he saw me."

Mo Lingwei’s expression instantly froze.