Chapter 238: Imperial Guard Colonel, Pei Yin
Chapter 238: Chapter 238: Imperial Guard Colonel, Pei Yin
Shen Ningning quickly turned around, only to see a smiling Qi Xiuwei.
"Xiao Wei, oh, it’s you." The little one sounded a little disappointed.
Qi Xiuwei blinked. "Huh? Why the long face? Were you waiting for someone else?"
Shen Ningning’s little head drooped. "Yeah, I was waiting for Crown Prince Brother."
Qi Xiuwei sat down beside her, and the two little girls looked up at the vast, cold night sky together.
"That’s true. Usually by now, the Crown Prince would have sent someone to pick you up. Since he hasn’t come by this late, I don’t think he’s coming today!"
"Ningning, you should stop waiting. It’s so cold out here. Why don’t you go back and rest?" Qi Xiuwei said.
Shen Ningning also figured he probably wasn’t coming today.
’I’ll just have to find another chance to see him.’
The little one nodded silently, then suddenly thought to ask, "Xiao Wei, why are you still awake too?"
A faint blush suddenly appeared on Qi Xiuwei’s demure, pretty face. "I... I’m waiting for someone too..."
Shen Ningning blinked her big, uncomprehending eyes. The little one decided to keep her company for a while.
Suddenly, Qi Xiuwei tugged on her sleeve and pointed outside the Waterside Pavilion and Flower Shed. "Quick, look! They’re here!"
Shen Ningning quickly looked over and saw a squad of stern-faced Imperial Guardsmen walking past with lanterns beyond the long bridge.
The little one was completely baffled. "Why are we looking at the imperial guard?"
Qi Xiuwei pointed at the one in the lead. "Do you recognize him? That’s Pei Yin, the only one in the Imperial Guard who just turned fifteen."
"He was an orphan and was taken in by the City Bureau. They raised him and taught him martial arts. Later, he passed the Military Examination with such high marks that he joined the imperial guard. Now he’s already a captain of his own squad."
Shen Ningning blinked her big, bewildered eyes.
’She didn’t know this Pei Yin, but had Qi Xiuwei been waiting out here in the cold all this time just to see him?’
’They must be good friends, then!’
With this thought, the little one suddenly stood up and waved her arms toward the other side of the long bridge.
She called out in a loud voice, "Captain Pei! Over here! Xiao Wei is watching you!"
Qi Xiuwei was so mortified she nearly jumped out of her skin.
She scrambled to cover Shen Ningning’s mouth. "Shh, shh! Don’t shout! He doesn’t know me!"
"Mmph, mmph!" The little one’s chubby cheeks puffed out as her mouth was covered.
However, the group of imperial guards across the way suddenly stopped.
From such a distance, Shen Ningning couldn’t clearly make out the face of the man in the lead.
But she could see that his figure was ramrod straight and lean, and the lantern in his hand swayed gently in the wind.
Qi Xiuwei saw Pei Yin glance in their direction for a moment. After confirming there was no threat, he offered a brief salute by cupping his hands, then turned and led his men away.
Only then did Shen Ningning manage to struggle free from Qi Xiuwei’s grasp.
Her little face was flushed, her bright, dark eyes sparkling. "Xiao Wei, why were you hiding? Weren’t you waiting for him?"
Qi Xiuwei covered her face with both hands, looking utterly mortified.
"Oh, dear! He doesn’t even know me. If he found out I sit here every night just to watch him pass by, it would be so embarrassing."
She added much more in a flurry of whispers.
Shen Ningning finally understood. It turned out that Qi Xiuwei had entered the selection for female officials just so she could stay in the palace.
That way, she would have more opportunities to see Pei Yin.
They had met at a palace banquet last year. According to Qi Xiuwei, she had spotted the tall, upright young man in the crowd at first glance.
Among all the imperial guards, he was the only one with such refined features. In his brown robe with a sword at his side, he was just so handsome!
Watching the adoration that filled Qi Xiuwei’s eyes as she spoke, Shen Ningning tilted her little head, looking on in confusion.
She was still too young to understand what it meant to like someone.
Even though Qi Xiuwei was only seven or eight, she already seemed to have an understanding of matters of the heart.
Shen Ningning said, "If you want to be his friend, you should just go and talk to him."
But Qi Xiuwei replied, "There’s no rush. When it comes to romance, proximity is key to making things happen."
This only made Shen Ningning more puzzled.
’What does that mean? Does she have to live in a place called ’Near Water’?’
Seeing the confusion all over her chubby, round face, Qi Xiuwei giggled. "Alright, I’m very content for tonight. Thank you, Ningning."
Before, whenever Pei Yin passed by, he never even glanced in this direction.
With that, Qi Xiuwei urged her to go rest. "It’s getting late. We should both get to sleep early."
"And I’ll let you in on a secret: my aunt might summon both of us to visit her tomorrow morning."
However, early the next morning, before anyone from Consort Rong arrived, Mo Lingwei’s men came instead.
Wu Fang had brought over the sika deer that Shen Ningning and the Ninth Prince had been raising together.
The young ladies gathered around to look, all quite amazed.
Sika deer are timid by nature. This one huddled by Shen Ningning’s side, trembling with fear.
Wu Fang cupped his hands and smiled. "The Crown Prince said that since the deer is for you to play with, Your Highness, you should raise it here at the Waterside Pavilion and Flower Shed."
After Mo Lingwei’s declaration yesterday, he now had to follow through with this action to substantiate it.
Otherwise, people would certainly continue to suspect Shen Ningning.
The little one stroked the sika deer’s ear and quickly asked, "Brother Wu Fang, when can I go chat with my brother?"
Wu Fang said with a smile, "Heavy snow has blocked the roads in Chongzhou. The Crown Prince worked through the night yesterday handling the matter, so he’s tied up for the moment."
"Once he’s finished, he will naturally have me come and bring you over, Your Highness."
Upon hearing this, Shen Ningning nodded obediently. "Okay, I’ll wait for him then."
After Wu Fang left, the young ladies joyfully surrounded the sika deer and stroked it.
They all chattered at once. "Commandery Princess, the Crown Prince is so good to you! He’s even letting you raise a fawn in the palace."
"This fawn is so sweet! I knew there was no way you could have cheated, Your Highness. It was all just a misunderstanding."
Ye Shangyi, who was standing nearby, overheard this and felt the comment was directed at her.
She snorted in annoyance. "A bunch of fair-weather sycophants, swaying whichever way the wind blows!"
The Elder Aunt came out at just the right moment to stop the argument.
"Young ladies, compose yourselves. In a moment, I will be taking you to walk the route from the East Fourth Palace to the Prince’s Palace one more time."
This was the final assessment. The results of the selection for female officials would be announced tomorrow morning.
The group assented, and Shen Ningning quickly led the sika deer into her room.
Xie Yuanjiu was still recuperating. Lying on her daybed, she saw the deer and asked, "The Crown Prince sent that to you?"
Shen Ningning hummed in agreement, her voice soft and sweet. "Sister Xie, I’ll tie the fawn on my side of the room so it won’t disturb your rest."
A flash of disgust flickered in Xie Yuanjiu’s eyes, but her face was still smiling. "Don’t be so formal with me. Just make sure it doesn’t run wild."
Of course, Shen Ningning knew to do that. She even left out fresh water and a carrot for the sika deer.
Just as she was about to join the others and follow the Elder Aunt to the East Fourth Palace, Consort Rong’s Chief Palace Maid arrived.
"Her Ladyship invites Princess Funing and Miss Qi to her palace for a visit." Consort Rong had only invited Shen Ningning and Qi Xiuwei.
The way everyone looked at them changed in an instant.
Ye Shangyi crossed her arms and sneered. "See? I told you. Why are we even bothering with this selection? Consort Rong has clearly already decided who she’s going to pick."
One is her own niece, and the other is the renowned blessed girl.
Even if Shen Ningning isn’t chosen, Qi Xiuwei definitely will be.
The Elder Aunt soothed the others. "Do not idly speculate on Her Ladyship’s intentions. That is a great taboo. That being the case, Your Highness, Miss Qi, you two should hurry along."
On the way to Consort Rong’s palace, Shen Ningning clutched the round wooden token carved with a deer’s head.
She secretly resolved that no matter what Consort Rong said, she was going to give this thing back to her.
What’s more, she would tell her outright that she was not capable of being, nor did she want to be, the Ninth Prince’s female official.