Chapter 365: Li Yuyi
Chapter 365: Chapter 365: Li Yuyi
The carriage stopped in front of the mountain villa.
Inside the villa were ten servants arranged by Xie Suzhi.
They had also just arrived at the villa not long ago.
After leading Shen Ningning and the others into the villa, the housekeeper had to pause for a moment at every fork in the road, needing to think before knowing which way to go.
"This old servant’s surname is Wu, and I am the housekeeper that the master assigned to the villa. The rooms have been made ready for the Commandery Princess and the Crown Prince."
To ease the awkwardness, Housekeeper Wu spoke as he led them to a quiet, classical courtyard.
The courtyard was divided into four smaller ones: east, west, south, and north.
Each had a different view.
The best one, the East Courtyard, was reserved for Mo Lingwei.
But Mo Lingwei let Shen Ningning choose first.
The little one thought for a moment. She felt the North Courtyard was too cold, and thus unsuitable for anyone.
So she said, "Changyi can stay with me in the South Courtyard. Big Brother, you can still have the East Courtyard, and Lu Shaoyuan can take the West Courtyard, how does that sound?"
Naturally, no one had any objections.
Only Ye Shangyi couldn’t suppress the smile at the corners of her mouth.
She had to pretend to be calm as she said, "Ah? Are you inviting me? Well, alright then, I’ll listen to you."
With that, she eagerly had her maid follow her and ran ahead.
She didn’t forget to turn back and urge Shen Ningning, "Hurry up! Why are you walking so slowly?"
Shen Ningning chuckled.
She made an arrangement with Mo Lingwei and Lu Shaoyuan: "Let’s rest for a while. At noon, we’ll have Housekeeper Wu take us to the warm hall for our meal."
Lu Shaoyuan nodded. "I could really use a good rest."
Watching him leave while rubbing his shoulders, Shen Ningning’s watery eyes turned to Mo Lingwei.
She noticed, however, that from the moment he had gotten out of the carriage until now, a coldness seemed to be perpetually fixed between his brows.
’He seems to be in a bad mood.’
"Big Brother, is something on your mind?" the little one asked in her soft voice.
Looking into Shen Ningning’s dark eyes, full of concern, Mo Lingwei ultimately shook his head.
His thin lips curved into a faint, detached smile. "It’s nothing. I’m going to rest. See you in a bit."
By the time Shen Ningning went to the South Courtyard, Ye Shangyi had already eagerly made the bed for her.
"I laid out three soft mattresses, so it’ll be super soft to sleep on," Ye Shangyi said, eagerly walking over to the little one to take credit.
However, Shen Ningning rested her small hand on her chin, seemingly lost in thought.
Ye Shangyi tapped her. "What are you thinking about now?"
Shen Ningning mumbled, "Nothing. I just feel like Big Brother is a little unhappy. He’s seemed a bit distracted this whole trip."
Hearing this, Ye Shangyi let out a knowing scoff.
"Of course he’s unhappy. My grandfather said he’s been arguing with the Emperor every day."
As she spoke, Ye Shangyi noticed that the cold wind had turned Shen Ningning’s little face pink.
She took the little one’s hand. "Come on, let’s talk inside. Otherwise, you’ll freeze, and I’m no good at taking care of people."
Once inside, Ye Shangyi proactively poured a cup of hot tea for Shen Ningning.
Then, the two girls sat on a low couch beneath the window.
Outside, the snowy landscape was exquisite, the pines and cypresses standing stark and cold.
They sat by the window, and on the table before them sat a tea stove, gurgling as it bubbled.
"You’ve surely heard of the daughter of the South State Prefect, right?" Ye Shangyi asked with an intriguing expression.
Shen Ningning cupped the teacup in her small hands. On her milky-white face, her eyes were large and black.
She looked like a little white cat warming itself.
She blinked curiously. "The daughter of the Prefect? I don’t know her."
"Tsk!" Ye Shangyi frowned. "Li Yuyi! You’ve never heard of her?"
Looking at Shen Ningning’s clueless little face, Ye Shangyi was certain that she had never paid any attention to this person at all.
She explained patiently, "She’s the Miss Li who set up congee kitchens in Nanzhou with Xie Yuanjiu and also happened to help put out a fire."
"She’s eight years old this year. There have always been rumors in Nanzhou that on the day she was born, purple clouds drifted across the sky, which was called an auspicious sign. But I guess it’s probably fake."
At this point, Ye Shangyi, who clearly didn’t believe it, pursed her lips, somewhat disdainful of people who fabricate such things.
Shen Ningning took a sip of tea and blinked her long, thick lashes.
"But you still haven’t said what this has to do with Big Brother arguing with Uncle Emperor."
Ye Shangyi tapped the table lightly. "I’m not finished yet."
"This Li Yuyi also took the lead in donating many things during the drought and the deep freeze, especially recently."
"She heard that the border was still at war, so she contacted her aunt, who married far away in Outer Mongolia, bought fifty strong and sturdy Red Horses, and donated them to the court."
"My grandfather said the Emperor was greatly pleased. He praised the Li Family for being benevolent and considerate of the common people."
"It just so happened that Li Yuyi’s father, Prefect Li, has had an excellent administrative record in Nanzhou over the years. So, the Emperor ordered him to be transferred back to the capital for a new post, appointing him as a Second-rank Minister!"
Shen Ningning listened with great interest, as if she were listening to a story.
She reached out her small hand and picked up a piece of date paste cake from the table.
She took a bite and asked indistinctly, "And then?"
Ye Shangyi continued her vivid account, "And then? Then comes the part that made the Crown Prince angry."
"I heard the Emperor has nothing but praise for Li Yuyi, calling her brave and resourceful. He plans to wait until Mr. Li arrives in the capital after the spring of next year, and then he’ll appoint Li Yuyi as the Princess’s Lady-in-waiting."
"Do you think the Crown Prince wouldn’t be angry? You’re the only one on his mind. How could he possibly accept Li Yuyi?"
Shen Ningning swallowed the date paste cake in her mouth, her large, bright eyes widening.
"Wow~" she exclaimed in amazement.
Ye Shangyi saw that Shen Ningning was neither nervous nor angry.
She scooted closer, squeezing in to sit next to the little one.
"Don’t you care? If this Li Yuyi comes to the capital, she’ll definitely steal your spotlight."
"I think you should make a move right now and show her who’s boss."
"She donated horses, right? So you should donate... army rations! That’ll make her back down."
Shen Ningning picked up a honey-preserved green plum from the side and started eating it.
Her two pink cheeks puffed out.
Her soft voice was full of childlike innocence. "But I’ve already donated a lot."
"I’ll donate again next time there’s a need. I’m not going to waste my supplies just to compete with her."
Hearing this, Ye Shangyi shook her head repeatedly.
"You’re really doing whatever you want, just because you have the Crown Prince’s favor."
"But then again, you’re a blessed girl, protected by a Heavenly God. On what grounds could she ever compete with you?"
"Then I won’t pay her any mind either. Anyway, my grandfather said the Li Family is just new money, wealthy for only two generations. My own great-grandfather was the Prime Minister, you know!"
With that said, Ye Shangyi pulled Shen Ningning’s small hand.
"Stop eating! Come on, let’s go see how soft those three layers of bedding I laid out for you are!"
At noon, after the four of them finished lunch together, they began discussing where to go play.
Shen Ningning excitedly suggested, "Housekeeper Wu just said there’s a large grove of wild plum blossoms on the back mountain, with both red and green ones. Should we go take a look?"
Mo Lingwei nodded at her.
Only Lu Shaoyuan hesitated for a moment. "If we go, how many people should we bring?"
Ye Shangyi let out a snort of laughter. She raised a finely shaped, dark brow. "What? Are you scared?"
Out of the corner of his eye, Lu Shaoyuan saw Shen Ningning’s round, dark eyes also looking at him.
He immediately puffed out his chest. "Who’s scared? The Crown Prince and Shen Ningning have noble statuses. Bringing more people is for their protection."
Toward the end, he lost his own confidence.
He added as a warning, "But are we really going?"
"I just heard about something strange. If I tell you, I’m afraid none of you will dare to go."
He lowered his voice mysteriously. "Do you know what’s behind this villa?"