Chapter 267: I Plead Guilty, I Stole the Wood
Chapter 267: Chapter 267: I Plead Guilty, I Stole the Wood
Ba Deshun and Wang Qiao’er were still clamoring as they were hustled into the woodshed’s courtyard.
"In broad daylight, you dare to barge into a private home! Believe it or not, I’ll report you to the government!"
However, when Ba Deshun saw Shen Ningning’s face clearly, his voice died abruptly, and a trace of guilt flashed in his eyes.
"Commandery Princess? Why is it you? What brings you to my humble home?"
Ba Deshun’s expression changed in a flash, and he smiled fawningly at Shen Ningning and Xie Mingxu.
Shen Ningning didn’t waste any words, pointing at the wide-open woodshed door.
"All that wood inside is mine."
"You and Wang Qiao’er conspired to steal my things. Naturally, I’m here to arrest you and turn you over to the government."
Ba Deshun feigned surprise. "How could that be? Commandery Princess, there must be some misunderstanding."
"No matter how much of a scoundrel I am, I would never dare to steal from you."
"We gathered all this wood ourselves. Wang Qiao’er is my concubine; she can vouch for me."
Wang Qiao’er quickly chimed in, "That’s right! We bought this ourselves."
Uncle Deng took a step forward. "Wang Qiao’er, you’re still lying!"
"That wood in the woodshed is what you moved out of my house."
Wang Qiao’er stiffened her neck and said contemptuously, "You must be confused. I didn’t take a single thing when I left your house."
Shen Ningning understood.
Ba Deshun and Wang Qiao’er were banking on the fact that wood can’t talk.
They planned to shamelessly deny everything and keep it for themselves.
The little one’s voice was stern. "I entrusted the Deng Family to look after the wood for me, but you two took it away."
"Since you both so vehemently deny it, let’s go and hear what the wood has to say."
Ba Deshun and Wang Qiao’er exchanged a look.
Suspicion rose in both their eyes.
’We’ve only ever heard that Shen Ningning can speak wolf language. Don’t tell me she can communicate with wood, too?’
Shen Ningning hopped down from Xie Mingxu’s arms.
She trotted on her little feet, circling Ba Deshun and Wang Qiao’er once.
Her voice was soft and sweet, her expression adorable.
"Before I left this batch of wood in their care, I was afraid it would get mixed up, so I put a mark on every single piece."
"With just one glance, I can confirm if it’s the batch I lost."
"If I identify it, no matter how much you two argue or lie, I won’t believe another word."
"And at that point, it won’t be as simple as just handing you over to the government. I’ll also have my Uncle Emperor step in and give you a severe punishment!"
When Shen Ningning finished speaking, Ba Deshun trembled all over, his face turning pale.
A layer of cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
Watching Shen Ningning patter into the woodshed,
He completely panicked.
Ba Deshun’s accusing gaze stabbed at Wang Qiao’er like a knife.
Wang Qiao’er looked innocent, but her expression was mixed with anxiety.
’I never expected it either! To think Shen Ningning left marks on so many pieces of wood!’
Shen Ningning came out of the woodshed.
Her little face wore an even more solemn expression.
’It’s over!’
Ba Deshun’s heart sank.
’Judging by her expression, she must have found out.’
Suddenly, a hurried voice called out, "Little Wolf Sister, I confess! I stole the wood. It has nothing to do with my mom or Dad Ba!"
Wang Qiao’er was stunned. Seeing Deng Fugui run over, she said, "Why did you come out? Go back!"
But Deng Fugui didn’t listen. Before he could even get close to Shen Ningning, he was stopped by Xie Mingxu’s men.
Shen Ningning’s round eyes were dark. "Fugui, think carefully before you speak. This time, I intend to punish the crime of theft severely. Are you sure you were the one who stole it?"
In truth, she hadn’t marked the wood at all.
She had simply banked on Wang Qiao’er and the others having a guilty conscience and was trying to bluff them.
But the little one hadn’t expected Deng Fugui to come forward and take the blame.
At this moment, Deng Fugui clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and nodded. "It was me. It has nothing to do with my mom."
Uncle Deng looked at him with a complicated expression.
Even though he knew Wang Qiao’er was in the wrong, Deng Fugui was still willing to protect her.
Shen Ningning pursed her pink lips, her perfectly sculpted little face serious.
The little one normally wouldn’t have deigned to waste her breath on someone like Wang Qiao’er.
However, for Deng Fugui’s sake, Shen Ningning offered a final reminder.
"Fugui, why did you steal this wood?"
"Don’t you know that this is the wood your grandpa and your dad set aside for emergencies?"
"Thieves struck the Deng Family today and took more than half of their firewood. Now you’ve stolen their emergency supply too. If another heavy snow falls, what are your grandfather and father supposed to do?"
"Just stand by and watch them freeze to death?"
Deng Fugui gritted his teeth, turning his head to glance at the stunned Ba Deshun and the incessantly shouting Wang Qiao’er.
He lowered his head. "It’s all my fault!"
"My grandpa and my dad have Little Wolf Sister to help them. Only my mom has nothing."
"So I wanted to steal the wood to help her live a good life at the Ba Family’s home. Little Wolf Sister, if you’re going to arrest someone and turn them over to the government, then take me!"
Shen Ningning’s soft, tender little face gradually grew cold.
That porcelain-like face was purer than snow.
She looked at Xie Mingxu. "Brother, since that’s what he’s saying, then let’s arrest him and hand him over to the government."
’If Deng Fugui insists on taking responsibility, then I’ll let him.’
Xie Mingxu gave a cold nod and gestured to his guards. Someone immediately stepped forward and seized Deng Fugui’s arms.
Wang Qiao’er regretted it now and lunged forward hysterically.
"Don’t take my son! I admit it, I stole the wood! It wasn’t Fugui’s fault."
"I was the one who sent word to Ba Deshun that we were moving the Commandery Princess’s things! If you’re going to punish someone, punish me! It has nothing to do with my child!"
Ba Deshun grew anxious. "You crazy woman, what nonsense are you spouting? I never stole any wood with you!"
"It was clearly... clearly you who insisted on moving it here yourself."
Watching them turn on each other, Shen Ningning turned her little back, not bothering to listen any longer.
Her voice was crisp and clear. "In that case, all three of you are guilty."
"The punishment, then, will be to be paraded through the streets for public humiliation, and then you’ll be handed over to the government!"
Shen Ningning hadn’t forgotten her purpose: to let everyone know that stealing her things would only lead to a bad end.
She had originally only intended to punish Ba Deshun and Wang Qiao’er.
But since Deng Fugui had thrown himself into the mix, she wouldn’t show him any mercy either.
’Blind filial piety only harms oneself and others.’
Wang Qiao’er cried and begged for mercy, pleading with Shen Ningning to let Deng Fugui go.
"If he’s paraded through the streets, he’ll be utterly disgraced! How will he ever find a wife when he grows up?"
Shen Ningning was unmoved.
She looked at Deng Fugui and saw that he kept his head lowered.
As they passed Uncle Deng, he couldn’t help but ask, "Fugui, don’t you have anything to say to your father?"
Deng Fugui paused for a moment, then shook his head. "No."
Uncle Deng’s expression froze, and he stared blankly as Deng Fugui was led away with the others.
’His own son, and he couldn’t even offer a single word of apology?’
Shen Ningning blinked and said, "Uncle Deng, I hope that next time, you won’t waste your compassion on the wrong people."
With that, the little one reached out and hugged her brother’s arm.
"Brother, let’s go. Let’s give Uncle Deng some time alone."
Xie Mingxu picked up Shen Ningning and walked away with a smile. "In a little while, Brother will go visit Grandma Qin."
The little one’s happy voice drifted back. "Okay! Oh, right, Brother, when you have a moment, could you find someone to help me clear a path up the mountain..."
The brother and sister walked off into the distance, discussing their plans.
Uncle Deng snapped back to his senses and, as if possessed, ran outside.
He wanted to see if Deng Fugui would really rather be shamed and paraded through the streets than have him for a father!