Chapter 351: Xie Ming’an Is Certain: She Is His Sister
Chapter 351: Chapter 351: Xie Ming’an Is Certain: She Is His Sister
At these words, Xie Ming’an looked up at the surrounding villagers, who were covered in wounds.
Shen Ningning had aimed the cannon at Dong Aniu.
Dong Aniu’s body was long gone, but about five or six of the villagers near him had died.
The rest were injured and crying out in pain.
Xie Ming’an withdrew his gaze, his expression unchanging.
"So what if you used gunpowder to blow up a few scoundrels?"
"If you hadn’t been ruthless today, they would have driven you to a dead end sooner or later."
These people knew Shen Ningning cared about Wu Zuchang, so they dug up his grave to threaten her.
Even if they were left alone, they would have probably coerced Grandma Qin and bullied Shen Ningning one day.
Shen Ningning never expected him to answer like this.
She thought he was going to reprimand her again.
Just then, Xie Ming’an asked calmly, "However, that cannon was quite long. I didn’t see you carrying it just now. Where did you hide it?"
A shadow flickered in the depths of Shen Ningning’s eyes. She lowered her head. "In my sleeve."
The little one was a terrible liar, her small hand clutching her sleeve tightly.
Xie Ming’an’s expression grew even more complicated.
Before coming here, he’d had many questions he wanted to ask her.
But after seeing Shen Ningning pull a cannon out of thin air, all those questions vanished.
Because he was now almost certain that Shen Ningning was his biological sister!
She was the lost younger daughter of his mother, Shen Siyi!
Xie Ming’an was the only one who had ever seen Shen Siyi retrieve objects from nothing.
Shen Siyi had made him swear to secrecy, saying that this ability would one day be passed down to his younger sister.
And Shen Ningning was that sister.
The realization sent an irrepressible surge of emotion through Xie Ming’an.
Like a thousand crashing waves, it lifted his joy to its absolute peak.
Shen Ningning’s little hands were busy placing the bones back into the grave.
"This is Brother Zuchang’s head, this is his shoulder, and his hand..." As she spoke, she began to cry again.
The perfectly fine remains had been scattered all over by Dong Ermu.
Xie Ming’an watched her from the side.
Fat tears rolled down the little one’s pale, rosy cheeks.
Xie Ming’an reached out, wanting to wipe away her tears and brush the white snow from the tips of her dark hair.
But just then, the little one sat on the ground, disheartened.
She wailed, "I don’t know how to put him back together! Why are Brother Zuchang’s two hands different sizes?"
Xie Ming’an lowered his eyes and glanced into the grave.
He pressed his thin lips together, then jumped directly into the pit.
"Let me arrange them for you. You put his foot bone where his hand bone should be, and the hip bone on top of his head."
Shen Ningning quickly nodded.
She knew Xie Ming’an was an expert when it came to examining corpses.
So, the little one watched as he carefully placed Wu Zuchang’s remains back in their proper positions.
As he worked, Xie Ming’an asked, "He wasn’t your real brother, and I heard he was simple-minded when he was alive. Why do you care about him so much?"
Shen Ningning’s long lashes drooped like folded butterfly wings, still glistening with tears.
She sniffled. "Because he was good to me. Better than a real brother."
"Brother Zuchang wasn’t a fool. He was the best brother. If being his little sister could bring him back to life, I’d even be his servant girl."
In the cold wind, Shen Ningning once again recalled the clumsy yet careful way Wu Zuchang had protected her.
He would just smile foolishly, stubbornly call her "lass," and give her the best of everything he could find.
’That was the kind of older brother she had always longed for.’
Xie Ming’an said no more, thinking back on how he had treated Shen Ningning before.
His jaw tightened.
By the time Chen Ye arrived with the soldiers, Xie Ming’an had already helped Shen Ningning refill Wu Zuchang’s grave.
They had even finished setting up the headstone.
The soldiers had heard that Princess Funing had used an explosive to blow up a group of villagers.
At first, they couldn’t believe it.
But when they arrived and saw the wounded people all around, as well as the large, blackened crater in the ground, they were stunned.
"Commandery Princess... perhaps you could come with us?" the soldier asked with the utmost respect.
They didn’t dare to simply step forward and arrest her.
Shen Ningning took a small step forward, but before she could speak, Xie Ming’an had already pulled her behind him.
His tall figure completely shielded the little one.
Only Xie Ming’an’s deep, cold voice could be heard. "The Ministry of Justice will take this case."
"You don’t need to arrest anyone. I will take charge of the investigation. Shen Ningning will stay with me."
The soldier was astonished. "But..."
Xie Ming’an’s tone was severe. "Whatever the matter, I will take full responsibility."
The soldiers knew they couldn’t afford to offend him, so they had no choice but to take all the surviving villagers from Xitai Village back for medical treatment.
Xie Ming’an turned back and found Shen Ningning looking up at him with her bright, dark eyes.
The little one was unusually calm.
"Let’s go." Xie Ming’an wanted to take her small hand but was afraid she would refuse.
Shen Ningning asked, "Are you taking me back to the Ministry of Justice?"
A light flickered in Xie Ming’an’s deep, dark eyes.
Suddenly, his thin lips curved into a faint, helpless smile.
"No. I’m taking you home."
Shen Ningning was a little surprised.
Soon, the news that she had used gunpowder to practically wipe out half a village’s population spread throughout the court and the country.
But Shen Ningning was hidden away in the Xie family estate by Xie Suzhi, well protected.
Led by Mo Lingwei, the Xie family, the Lu family, and the Ye Family all did their utmost to protect Shen Ningning.
They insisted that the little one had been forced into it.
However, some of the old ministers, led by the Qi Family, felt that Shen Ningning was vicious and cruel for her young age!
No matter what those villagers had done, she should not have used gunpowder to kill people.
In the Imperial Court, Mo Lingwei’s eyes were dark as he slammed his hand on the table and roared—
"From what I know alone, the Dong Family has harassed Shen Ningning no less than three times."
"How much longer was she supposed to endure it?"
Xie Ming’an added coldly in the Imperial Court, "Furthermore, this subject has conducted inquiries and has testimony from multiple villagers of Xiangyun Village that the people of Xitai Village were making exorbitant demands."
"They forced Shen Ningning to give them silver coins and bedding. The reason they dug up Wu Zuchang’s remains was precisely because they knew she cared about him."
With that, Xie Ming’an flung his sleeve, his sharp, handsome eyes glaring at everyone in the Imperial Court.
"Tell me, how is that any different from being malicious ruffians?"
"They knew what Shen Ningning cared about, so they attacked the very thing she held dear."
"The Wu family had three sets of remains already laid to rest, and they dug them all up. If it were any of you, would you not feel hatred? Could you let it go?"
The ministers silently lowered their heads.
They probably imagined themselves in her shoes and all clenched their fists in anger.
The Emperor was even angrier. "To think such evil exists."
Grand Tutor Ye stepped forward, his voice steady. "Emperor, as this old subject knows, this ’blessed girl’ title has brought Princess Funing more trouble than good."
"My granddaughter once said that at the National Academy, everyone knew she was a ’blessed girl,’ so they forced Shen Ningning to be yielding, even thinking it was only natural, just because she was a ’blessed girl’."
"But is this not a form of bullying? Princess Funing is young, yet she has already donated goods and grain for natural disasters multiple times. Even now, some of the ministers present have not done as much as she has!"
As Grand Tutor Ye spoke, his sharp gaze cut toward the brother of the Abandoned Princess Consort Qi, Mr. Qi.
While the Imperial Court was in a heated uproar, Shen Ningning was sitting by the window, her chin in her hands, staring blankly at the gloomy sky.
Wanchun, who was standing guard nearby, smiled and said, "Is the Commandery Princess feeling bored?"
"The Master and the Second Young Master have gone to the palace. I’m sure this matter will be resolved soon. Please don’t be sad, Commandery Princess. Everything will be alright."
"Besides, this servant has heard that many common folk in the city have gathered in groups on their own, wanting to seek justice for you."
"Everyone can see clearly. They know you were wronged and pushed to your limit."
Shen Ningning nodded obediently. "I know."
In truth, she was thinking that as of today, she had already collected ninety golden pearls.
No matter what Uncle Emperor decided, she would make the winter disaster disappear completely tomorrow.
Wanchun put down her needlework. "This servant will go to the kitchen and bring some pastries for the Commandery Princess. You can eat while you wait."
Not long after she left, a sneaky figure came running quietly down the corridor.
Shen Ningning frowned.
She watched as Second Madam Xie came rushing toward her.
"Ningning... no, no, Commandery Princess," Second Madam Xie called out cautiously.
She was out of breath from running all the way.
Her eyes kept darting into the distance, as if afraid Wanchun would suddenly return.
"Second Madam Xie, is there something you need?"
Second Madam Xie lowered her voice. "I have an important discovery that I want to tell the Commandery Princess."