Chapter 269: You Want It for Free?
Chapter 269: Chapter 269: You Want It for Free?
Shen Ningning didn’t know what they were discussing, nor did she care.
The little one followed Lu Shaoyuan into the garden with Mo Lingwei.
Seeing the Crown Prince appear, the young masters and ladies were all surprised, and they hurried to greet him with bows.
Mo Lingwei held Shen Ningning’s small hand, his expression calm and detached.
He spoke up. "I am accompanying Shen Ningning to the banquet today. All of you may enjoy yourselves. There is no need for excessive ceremony, nor do you need to be concerned about my presence."
With his words, everyone instantly felt less restrained.
Mo Lingwei had originally intended to keep Shen Ningning by his side the entire time.
However, at Lu Shaoyuan’s birthday banquet, the seating for male and female guests was unexpectedly separated, divided by two festooned gates.
The banquet was about to begin, so Shen Ningning proactively let go of his hand.
"Brother, you eat and drink well, okay? I’m going over there to play!"
After she spoke, the little one was like a bird freed into the forest, pattering off toward her familiar classmates.
Mo Lingwei pressed his thin lips together. The warmth of her chubby little hand still lingered on his fingertips.
Lu Shaoyuan said from beside him, "Crown Prince, please have a seat with me over here."
Mo Lingwei glanced at him, his tone inexplicably carrying a hint of blame.
"It’s a perfectly good birthday banquet. How is it supposed to be lively with everyone seated separately?"
With that, he lifted his robes, raised his boots, and entered the men’s seating area with a cool gaze.
Lu Shaoyuan was left stunned in place by his words.
He was confused. "These are the rules. My mother made the arrangements, so it’s not my fault."
Meanwhile, on Shen Ningning’s side, just as she had settled down with a few female classmates she got along with, Ye Shangyi approached with a group of young ladies.
"Princess Funing, there are a few things we’d like to say to you. Is it convenient to talk?"
Ye Shangyi crossed her arms, her arrogant eyes and brows raised, her tone confrontational.
But Shen Ningning’s expression remained neutral as she glanced at her. "If you have something to say, you can say it right here."
Ye Shangyi then shot a cold glare at the female classmates beside Shen Ningning.
The girls next to Shen Ningning didn’t dare to provoke the Ye Family, so they silently stood up and gave their seat to Ye Shangyi.
Only Ye Shangyi dared to sit as Shen Ningning’s equal.
As soon as she sat down, she said bluntly, "Commandery Princess, in that case, I’ll be direct."
"The cold disaster is harsh, and none of us are having an easy time. Our families are all short on winter clothing."
"You should have plenty, and you’re known as the ’blessed girl.’ Therefore, as a representative for everyone, I hope you can lend a hand to your classmates and donate some."
Shen Ningning blinked her big eyes, looking at Ye Shangyi and then at the young ladies who had come with her.
Ye Shangyi stressed, "This is what everyone is thinking. You wouldn’t be that stingy, would you?"
A cold wind blew past. The clothes they wore were thick and heavy, their colors drab.
It seemed they had put on every piece of warm clothing their families owned.
Only Shen Ningning’s attire was bright and beautiful. She wore a fox-fur cloak, and her dress was a delicate orange-yellow.
Her long lashes fluttered as she looked at the crowd. "Oh~ I get it. You’re here to freeload."
The expressions on Ye Shangyi and the other young ladies changed.
Before they could react, Shen Ningning hit them with another soft, sweet laugh. "You want me to just give them away for free?"
The young ladies were all thin-skinned.
Having their intentions exposed so suddenly, they felt a bit embarrassed.
"You can’t put it like that. We’re discussing it with you."
"That’s right. Besides, how can you have the gall not to donate?"
"A kind-hearted young lady in Jiangnan has already donated a great deal. Since you are the ’blessed girl,’ you should set an even better example."
A broad smile appeared on Shen Ningning’s fair, rosy little face.
Her tone was decisive. "I’m not donating. And I have plenty of gall."
Ye Shangyi never expected Shen Ningning to be so difficult.
Her expression tightened. "So you’re this kind of selfish person."
"Doesn’t your stipend as a Commandery Princess come from the offerings of the common people?"
"When you’re truly needed, all you know is how to hoard your own things. Aren’t you ashamed?!"
Shen Ningning turned her head to look at her, her lively, jet-black eyes glinting with a frosty light.
The sight made Ye Shangyi’s heart tremble, and she couldn’t help but sit up straighter.
"I’ve warned you all before. Even immortals don’t save the damned. What’s the use of trying to force me?"
The little one stood up, pointed at the group of young ladies, and began to address them one by one.
"If I recall correctly, your family was the first to throw clothes out onto the street, right?"
The young lady’s face flushed red and pale as she lowered her head, fidgeting with her fingers.
Shen Ningning then pointed to another girl. "And I heard your younger brother led the others at the National Academy in cursing me, calling me a fake blessed girl and a real scourge."
The girl who was called out grew anxious and quickly explained, "He’s just immature. That’s why he spoke so recklessly."
"Later, I’ll drag him over to apologize to you, Commandery Princess. Please don’t be angry with me. It’s all my brother’s fault."
Shen Ningning sat back down, crossed her little arms, and snorted coldly.
A young lady who hadn’t been singled out hurried forward to personally pour tea for the little one.
They all murmured, "Please calm down, Commandery Princess."
Seeing their attitudes begin to shift, Ye Shangyi was instantly displeased.
She slammed her hand on the table and demanded sternly of Shen Ningning, "So, are you donating or not?"
"I’m not." Shen Ningning sipped her tea, refusing flatly. "What were you doing before? It’s not like I didn’t warn you."
Ye Shangyi was furious. "You... Then what do you want?"
"It was our fault for not believing you before, but lives are at stake. Are you really going to just stand by and watch?"
Shen Ningning set down her teacup, her dark, clever eyes giving her a sidelong glance.
"It’s not that I’ll do nothing at all," she said softly.
Ye Shangyi and the other young ladies’ eyes all lit up.
’Has Shen Ningning finally decided to yield?’
Unexpectedly, the next second, the little one said, "But I’m not donating. If you want them, you’ll have to buy them from me."
Everyone was stunned.
"Buy them? The market price is so high right now. That’s not appropriate."
Shen Ningning’s round eyes glistened. "You can choose not to buy them. In any case, I’ve made my position clear."
"I don’t have any spare firewood, but I can sell thirty quilted clothes. If you want them, it’s four hundred taels of silver a piece."
Ye Shangyi shot up in anger. "You’re taking advantage of the disaster to profit! This is price gouging!"
"Don’t listen to her! We can’t feed her arrogance. Let’s go and think of another way."
However, Ye Shangyi led the way from the elegant booth, but when she looked back, she found the other young ladies hesitating, not a single one following her.
Shen Ningning propped her chin on her hand, her smile sweet and lovely.
She blinked, looking like a clever little fox.
"Think about it carefully. Four hundred taels is just the amount of silver you’d normally spend on silks and satins."
One of the young ladies couldn’t hold back any longer. "I’ll buy two."
"If we don’t buy now, we won’t be able to find any outside. It’s a mere four hundred taels. I’ll take one too," another young lady chimed in.
Shen Ningning agreed with a beaming smile. "Alright. Tell me your names."
The people Ye Shangyi had brought all crowded around the little one, afraid she would forget their names.
Shen Ningning glanced at the dumbfounded Ye Shangyi standing opposite her.
She shook her head with a little sway and reminded them, "There are only three left. Does anyone else want them?"
Before anyone else could speak, Ye Shangyi strode back over.
"I’ll buy them. I’ll take them all! I’ll give you the silver right now."
A young lady expressed her mild dissatisfaction, "Miss Ye, why are you competing with us?"
"Exactly. The Ye Family is so large and influential, you can buy them anywhere," the others complained.
Ye Shangyi glared. "Don’t forget that I’m the one who brought you here!"
With that, she slapped three silver notes down in front of Shen Ningning.
The little one glanced at them but shook her head. "If I’m selling to you, I can’t just take silver."
Ye Shangyi froze. Her expression turned ugly, and she suppressed her rage. "Don’t push your luck. What, do you want to humiliate me too?"