Chapter 224: The Crown Prince Cares About Princess Funing
Chapter 224: Chapter 224: The Crown Prince Cares About Princess Funing
"Langlang," Shen Ningning whispered, "there are too many people today. I originally wanted to bring you along to cheer on Sister Jiang Zhi, but with so many people here, I’m afraid if you showed up, no one would be in the mood for the matches anymore."
The Black Wolf King snorted in dissatisfaction, but ultimately listened to Shen Ningning and lay back down in the carriage.
Shen Ningning smiled sweetly, leaving some soup bones, fresh water, and fruit for it and Wolf Three.
Then she said to Chen Ye, "Brother Chen, please take the carriage somewhere else. Jiang Zhi and I are heading in first."
Chen Ye nodded and took up the reins. "Go on ahead, Commandery Princess. You can leave everything here to me."
At the entrance to the Horse Racing Field, two stern-looking squads from the Zhenbei Army were taking registrations.
There was one on the left and one on the right. Those competing in the matches went to the left to register their identity with a jade slip.
Spectators like Shen Ningning, who were there to watch the tournament, went to the right and had to pay an additional five taels of silver.
All the money collected would ultimately be used to buy military provisions.
"Ningning, you go on ahead to the stands. I have to go over there to check in and get in line," Jiang Zhi said, holding a red string just given to her by the Zhenbei Army.
The little girl immediately nodded. "You go on! I’ll be fine!"
She toddled off on her little feet, following the signs along the path and passing one stable after another.
The Horse Racing Field was huge, and the viewing stands were still some distance from the tournament stage.
As she walked, Shen Ningning began to feel she had gone the wrong way.
’Why is it getting more and more secluded? I can’t even see the stables anymore, only rows of small cabins for people to rest in.’
She scratched her little cheek, her watery eyes filled with confusion. "Hmm, I should probably go back..."
However, she had only taken a few steps when three or four young rakes suddenly appeared ahead of her. They weren’t very old, around twelve or thirteen.
"Well, well, I thought my eyes were deceiving me. It really is you, Princess Funing," said the leading rake, a smirk on his face just begging to be slapped.
Shen Ningning had seen him a few times at the National Academy. She knew his name was Hu Tingyang, and he was the most incorrigible scoundrel there.
Previously, when word got out that her teacher was Dai Yuheng, it was Hu Tingyang who had been spreading rumors all over the National Academy.
He said that Shen Ningning had offended the Crown Prince and was about to be stripped of her title as a Commandery Princess.
He was caught once by Mr. Han, who gave him a harsh caning on the hands. Since then, Hu Tingyang had held a grudge against Shen Ningning.
Seeing him, the little girl wasn’t afraid. Her delicate, doughy-soft face was cold and impassive.
She lifted her skirt, planning to walk past him, but with a smug "Heh," Hu Tingyang spread his arms and blocked her way.
Not only that, but the gang of lackeys he had brought with him also copied him, forming a line and completely blocking Shen Ningning’s path.
"What do you think you’re doing!" the little girl fumed, her soft voice laced with displeasure.
Hu Tingyang tut-tutted. "Oh, look everyone, the Commandery Princess is angry. My, I’m so scared."
Shen Ningning frowned deeply at his sarcastic, passive-aggressive tone.
Hu Tingyang snorted. "You think you’re still that ’blessed girl’ from before? After offending the Crown Prince, it’s doubtful you’ll even get to keep being a Commandery Princess!"
"I think you’re tired of living. You actually took someone from the Dai Family as your teacher behind the Crown Prince’s back, deceiving him like he’s an idiot. You ask what I’m doing? I’m here to teach you a lesson, of course!"
He raised his fist, about to bring it down on Shen Ningning.
His friend’s expression changed, and he quickly grabbed his arm.
"Brother Tingyang, we can’t do this, can we? Didn’t you just say you were going to scare her? If we actually lay a hand on her, we’ll be in deep trouble."
Hu Tingyang shook off his hand and glared, scolding, "You coward! Can’t you see the Crown Prince doesn’t care about her anymore?"
"So what if I hit her today? No one from the Xie family is around to protect her. We can just deny it to our dying day, can’t we?"
With that, Hu Tingyang reached out to grab Shen Ningning by the collar.
But the little girl struck first, biting down hard with a surprising, childish fierceness!
"AH! My hand! You crazy girl, let go!" Hu Tingyang shrieked.
Shen Ningning dug her little hands into his face, and no matter how hard Hu Tingyang tugged at her arms, he couldn’t pull her off.
Hu Tingyang’s shrieks were incessant, and the gang of lackeys beside him could only stare, dumbfounded.
Shen Ningning seized the opportunity to let go, then stomped hard on the top of his foot.
"I’ll stomp you to death, you big bully! I won’t let you push me around," the little girl said huffily, spitting out a mouthful of bloody saliva.
That’s right. In her ruthlessness, she had bitten through the skin on Hu Tingyang’s hand, leaving behind two bluish-purple, crescent-shaped teeth marks.
"You little bitch, die!" He grabbed Shen Ningning’s shoulders and gave her a violent shove.
The little girl was still far too small and delicate compared to him.
She lost her balance instantly and stumbled sideways, her head about to crash into the wall of a nearby cabin.
Suddenly, a long, slender hand reached out from the side. Shen Ningning’s head landed on it, and the person used the momentum to steady her.
In that split second, no one had time to react.
Hu Tingyang saw that pampered hand—the knuckles distinct, a swinging string of 108 Buddha beads hanging from the wrist.
This was...
Hu Tingyang found himself staring into a pair of cold, slender eyes brimming with killing intent.
A tall, imposing figure stood at the intersection, backlit, his face sinister and deadly pale.
"The Crown Prince!" His companions were the first to react, dropping to their knees.
"Brother~" Shen Ningning’s soft voice called out with delight.
Mo Lingwei pulled his gaze away from Shen Ningning’s soft, pale little face.
He also let go of the hand that had steadied her.
Fear rose in Hu Tingyang’s eyes, and he immediately said, "Crown Prince, this Princess Funing was just speaking ill of you! I was just about to teach her a lesson on your behalf!"
He looked at Hu Tingyang coldly. "On my behalf? Who do you think you are to be worthy of that?"
As soon as the words fell, his personal guard, Wu Fang, stepped forward with a cold expression and seized Hu Tingyang.
"Drag them out and beat them," Mo Lingwei ordered coldly. The Crown Prince’s personal guard immediately moved forward, dragging Hu Tingyang and his gang of lackeys out.
A chorus of howls and pleas for mercy rose and fell, but soon, all went silent.
Mo Lingwei lowered his gaze, looking at Shen Ningning once more.
The little girl nervously twisted the corner of her clothes with her small hands. She bit her pink lips again and again, but her big, watery eyes shone with delight.
’She wanted to talk to him, but she didn’t dare, afraid she would make him angry.’
Mo Lingwei asked in a cold voice, "Didn’t you come with Chen Ye and the Black Wolf King? Where are they?"
Shen Ningning answered obediently, "There are too many people here, so I was afraid Langlang would scare everyone. I had Brother Chen stay outside with him to wait."
"Huh? Brother, how did you know I brought Langlang? Did you see me outside just now?"
A flicker of something unnatural crossed Mo Lingwei’s eyes. He turned his head away. "I didn’t."
He deliberately put some distance between them and said to Shen Ningning, "If you’re also going to the viewing stands, then follow me. If you get lost here again, you won’t even realize it when Jiang Zhi is done with her match."
With that, Mo Lingwei started walking forward, and the little girl hurried to keep up.
’She was a little curious. How did Brother know she was lost?’
’Brother is so amazing! He knows everything!’
Shen Ningning skipped along, her heart as light and cheerful as a little bird on a branch.
When they reached the viewing stands, quite a few people were already seated. But when the crowd saw the Crown Prince’s retinue appear, they instantly fell silent and rose to their feet.
When they then noticed Shen Ningning following behind the Crown Prince, they were all astonished.
The smarter ones among them already understood what was going on deep down.
Although rumors were flying all over the Capital City that Princess Funing had thoroughly angered the Crown Prince and no longer had his backing...
...the Crown Prince’s actions today had shattered those rumors with a single punch.
His concern for Princess Funing had not diminished in the slightest; if anything, it had grown.