Chapter 501: Who’s Outside?
Chapter 501: Chapter 501: Who’s Outside?
「Two days later.」
Lady Shu sent out invitations to all the prominent families, announcing that she was hosting a banquet to clear the air. Her adopted daughter, Su Zhirou, was to apologize for the incident involving Vice General Zhang and his wife.
For a time, the Capital was abuzz with gossip.
Jiang Zhi was deeply unsettled. She felt she had implicated everyone and blown the matter out of proportion.
She made a point to wait for Shen Ningning on her way to the National Academy.
Once inside the young girl’s carriage, Jiang Zhi asked, "Ningning, should I go and apologize to Lady Shu as well? I should explain to her that the person Su Zhirou saw that day might have been me..."
Before she could finish, Shen Ningning cut her off.
"Sister Jiang, what does this have to do with you? It’s clear that Su Zhirou failed in her attempt to frame someone. She’s reaping what she sowed, so of course she should be the one to apologize."
"But... I was the one she saw."
"So what? What she saw was you, who she *thought* was having an illicit affair. Su Zhirou had malicious intentions from the start. Why would you step forward?"
As they spoke, the carriage arrived at the entrance of the National Academy.
After Shen Ningning’s brief explanation, Jiang Zhi understood.
She scratched the tip of her nose, embarrassed.
"Vice General Zhang has been looking grim around the barracks these past two days. I’ve seen him a few times and wanted to explain, but you’re right. What does it have to do with me?"
Shen Ningning nodded with a smile. "That’s the right way to think about it. I’ve already promised Lady Shu that I’ll attend her banquet with my brother. As long as he’s there to keep things in order, nothing too outrageous will happen."
"Why don’t you come with me then? You can watch Su Zhirou reap what she sows."
Jiang Zhi thought for a moment. "If I have to train my martial arts that day, I won’t be able to make it. I’ll see how things go."
Shen Ningning gave a quick assent. She was in a hurry to get to class, so she had Wanchun quickly pull out her little cart.
Just then, Qi Xiuwei’s gentle laughter came from outside the carriage curtain.
"Ningning, I’ve been waiting for ages! Why haven’t you gotten out of the carriage?"
As she spoke, Qi Xiuwei subconsciously lifted the curtain, only to see Jiang Zhi with Shen Ningning.
She froze for a moment before realizing. "My apologies, Ningning. I didn’t know you were with a guest."
Qi Xiuwei quickly lowered the hanging curtain.
Shen Ningning hopped out of the carriage the next second, saying with a smile, "It’s fine. Xiao Wei, you’ve met her before. She’s my friend."
Jiang Zhi lifted the curtain from the window to peek outside, just as Qi Xiuwei looked up, their eyes meeting.
They both nodded to each other.
Shen Ningning had the driver take Jiang Zhi back to the vicinity of the army barracks.
On the way into the National Academy, Qi Xiuwei asked in a low voice, "Ningning, that good friend of yours... she’s a woman, right?"
Shen Ningning was surprised. "How could you tell?"
Qi Xiuwei gave an embarrassed smile.
"When I lifted the curtain just now, the first thing I saw was a pair of small feet. A man’s feet wouldn’t be that small..."
Realization dawned on Shen Ningning.
She lowered her voice. "Xiao Wei, you have to keep this a secret for me."
Qi Xiuwei nodded repeatedly. "Of course. I won’t mention it to anyone."
The two then brought up the banquet the Su Family was hosting and agreed to go together, bringing Ye Shangyi and Lu Shaoyuan with them on the day.
Shen Ningning was about to head to her classroom when Liang Yici blocked her path.
Seeing Liang Yici’s stern expression, a nervous Qi Xiuwei protectively stepped in front of Shen Ningning.
"Wh-what do you want?" Liang Yici knew martial arts.
Liang Yici’s gaze was fixed on Shen Ningning as she took two steps forward.
Then she said, "As a princess of Cangyun Country, how can you fool around with that group from Changliu Country?"
Shen Ningning retorted, "What have I done?"
Liang Yici said angrily, "Don’t play dumb! That group with Xiuxiu was trying to buy young girls’ blood at an inn for a mere tael of broken silver. It’s utterly horrifying! Not only did you fail to stop them, I heard you even joined in!"
Qi Xiuwei weakly tried to explain on Shen Ningning’s behalf.
"It’s not what you think."
She had just started speaking when Shen Ningning pressed the back of her hand.
The young girl lifted her pretty eyes to look at Liang Yici, her gaze filled with the candor of a clear conscience.
"Liang Yici, I think you shouldn’t assume the worst of people. You should go and properly investigate. That whole affair was stopped long ago."
"Besides, do you think the common people are fools? They were all willing participants, doing it for the silver. Who do you think is really getting the short end of the stick?"
"Instead of questioning me, you should go and do some more digging."
With that, Shen Ningning pulled Qi Xiuwei’s wrist. "I’m going to class. You should hurry along, too."
Watching her walk away so calmly, Liang Yici secretly frowned.
*
「On the day of the Su Mansion’s banquet.」
Shen Ningning and Mo Lingwei arrived first. A short while later, Ye Shangyi came with Qi Xiuwei.
Mo Lingwei pulled Shen Ningning along to see Lady Shu.
"Why host this banquet? Since Su Zhirou is the one who did wrong, you should let her face the consequences herself. Why go to the trouble of getting involved personally?"
Lady Shu smiled. "I am her adoptive mother. Now that she’s caused this kind of trouble, how could I just sit by and do nothing?"
As she spoke, she had a maid bring out a brocade box and hand it to Shen Ningning.
"This is a precious jade I brought back from Shu State. I know Ningning likes to collect jade, so I brought it back for you. Ningning, see if you like it."
Shen Ningning opened it and saw a precious jade that was a translucent pink, looking more like ice glass.
The young girl’s face broke into a smile. "You’ve always doted on me, My Lady, bringing me gifts every time you return from a trip."
Lady Shu took her hand and patted it twice with a smile. "How could I not dote on you?"
She gave Mo Lingwei a meaningful look. "In the future, perhaps we’ll become an even closer family."
Shen Ningning didn’t understand the implication, but Mo Lingwei pursed his lips, suppressing the faint delight in his eyes.
"But we’re already family," Shen Ningning said, her eyes curving into crescents. Her generous and pretty features were quite endearing.
Mo Lingwei stood up and took her by the wrist.
"Shen Ningning and I will head to the front courtyard. There are many guests today. If any of them are here just to watch the spectacle, I’ll teach them a lesson for you."
Lady Shu waved her hand. "No one would be that tactless. Don’t worry."
Meanwhile, Chen Shaobei had also arrived. He immediately spotted Jiang Zhi in the front courtyard of the Su Mansion, looking around everywhere.
His gaze turned cold. He strode forward, grabbed Jiang Zhi’s wrist, and pulled her into a flower-viewing pavilion behind the rockery.
The doors and windows were shut tight. Sunlight filtered through the latticed panes, casting just two gentle beams of light.
"Why are you here? Didn’t I give you leave?" Chen Shaobei frowned.
He hadn’t wanted Jiang Zhi to show up because of this matter.
But Jiang Zhi didn’t seem to understand his concern.
She simply said, "Ningning told me to come."
Chen Shaobei’s eyes darkened. Though he didn’t know what Shen Ningning was thinking, he felt that Su Zhirou already had her sights on Jiang Zhi, and it was inappropriate for her to be here.
Therefore, he said, "You should leave. Today’s banquet is for Su Zhirou to apologize to Vice General Zhang. If she sees you, I’m afraid she won’t let you go easily."
Besides, with so many people at the Su Mansion today, if everyone found out Jiang Zhi was a woman, she would no longer be able to stay in the Chen Family Army’s barracks.
Just as Jiang Zhi was about to speak, Chen Shaobei’s sharp senses detected a figure outside the window.
He suddenly raised his voice. "Who’s out there?"
A clear female voice was heard. "Miss Qi, why are you running? Wait for me!"
Chen Shaobei quickly pulled the door open, but he didn’t see who had passed by. He only caught sight of a figure in a goose-yellow dress disappearing around the corner of a nearby ornamental gate.
He frowned, a bad feeling creeping over him.
’The ’Miss Qi’ that person just mentioned... could it be Qi Xiuwei?’