Chapter 565: Living with the Crown Prince
Chapter 565: Chapter 565: Living with the Crown Prince
Shen Ningning silently glanced at him a couple of times before slowly shuffling over to sit beside him.
There was enough space between them for another person—even Wu Fang—to sit.
Mo Lingwei’s brows furrowed, but he didn’t say anything.
He didn’t want to push her too hard. He knew that Shen Ningning agreeing to enter the palace to pray for blessings was already a concession on her part.
"The paper kites I had people fly on the Shangsi Festival—did you see them?"
Shen Ningning paused. "I saw them."
Mo Lingwei shot her a sideways glance. "Don’t you have anything to say?"
Shen Ningning lowered her fair face slightly. "I already said everything I wanted to say that day at the National Academy. But since Your Highness refuses to listen, anything more I say would be in vain. I might as well just let Your Highness do as you please."
The implication was clear: she would no longer try to stop him from doing whatever he wanted. But she didn’t care, either.
Beneath his sharp brows, Mo Lingwei’s cold eyes darkened.
He sneered, "Of course I won’t listen. And I can tell you plainly—your marriage to Lu Shaoyuan won’t be so easy. Not unless I’m dead."
Shen Ningning’s head snapped up. She wanted to tell him not to speak so recklessly, but when she thought about her current relationship with Mo Lingwei, she couldn’t bring herself to say the words of caution.
Neither of them spoke again as the carriage made its way into the Imperial Palace.
Once inside, Mo Lingwei was the first to alight from the carriage at the Outer Palace Gate.
"I have state affairs to attend to. You go ahead and get settled. Someone from the Astronomical Bureau will come to tell you how to conduct the prayers."
Mo Lingwei stood below the carriage, holding the door curtain aside with one hand, his cold eyes fixed on Shen Ningning inside.
The young woman gave him a slight nod, and only then did Mo Lingwei let the curtain fall.
’He was actually in a good mood. It seems he’s found a way to coexist peacefully with Shen Ningning. That is, by forcing her to do things she’s unwilling to do, but without being so aggressive about it. Then she won’t resist so fiercely. Last time, when she bit him so hard, it was only because she’d been driven to fury.’
Thinking of how she had acted like a little red-eyed rabbit, Mo Lingwei couldn’t help but let out a low chuckle.
After Shen Ningning stepped out of the carriage, she realized she had been brought to Zichen Palace.
Mo Lingwei had arranged for a Chief Palace Maid named Qing Yuan to attend to Shen Ningning. She watched as Qing Yuan led her toward the rear courtyard of Zichen Palace.
Shen Ningning suddenly stopped in her tracks. "Where are my quarters?"
Qing Yuan turned back with a somewhat puzzled smile. "Does the Princess not know? His Highness instructed that you are to reside in Zichen Palace for the convenience of the prayers."
’Zichen Palace is the Crown Prince’s private residence. How could living here possibly be convenient? Besides, the rear courtyard is where the Crown Prince’s wives and concubines are supposed to live.’
"The Crown Prince and I are both of age. It is improper for us to live together before we are married. Please take me to different quarters."
Qing Yuan looked troubled. "Princess, this servant is only following orders. If you find this improper, perhaps you could discuss it with His Highness personally when he returns?"
Shen Ningning pressed her pink lips together tightly.
The Chief Palace Maid clearly did not dare to defy Mo Lingwei’s wishes.
"Very well. I’ll speak to him myself when he gets back," Shen Ningning agreed.
She followed Qing Yuan to the rear courtyard. Just as she had expected, Kunling Hall—the residence meant for the Crown Princess Consort—had already been tidied up by the palace maids.
Shen Ningning stood at the entrance, hesitating to go inside.
Qing Yuan saw her hesitation and said, "Princess, even if you do not plan to stay here, you should still come in and rest your feet. The officials from the Astronomical Bureau will be here shortly to discuss the prayer arrangements with you."
Hearing this, Shen Ningning had no choice but to enter.
She didn’t go into the inner chambers, sitting only on a chair in the outer hall. Qing Yuan methodically directed the palace maids as they filed in one after another.
They brought clothes and jewelry, as well as an assortment of pastries and fruits.
Before long, just as Qing Yuan had said, two supervisors from the Astronomical Bureau arrived.
"We ministers pay our respects to the Princess." Both officials had graying hair and beards.
Shen Ningning quickly bade them rise and offered them seats. "I came to the palace for the sake of Uncle Emperor’s health. You two supervisors may dispense with the formalities. Please, tell me how exactly I am to pray for blessings."
One of the supervisors quickly took a folded memorial from his sleeve and presented it to her.
"The Crown Prince has already determined the procedure. We invite the Princess to look it over."
Shen Ningning took it and read it, her shapely brows gradually knitting in confusion.
The memorial described not so much a procedure for prayer, but rather a list of things she was required to do each day.
In the morning, after waking, she was to go to the main hall of Zichen Palace and grind ink for Mo Lingwei.
At noon, she was to accompany Mo Lingwei for lunch. After their meal, the two of them were to visit the Emperor.
In the afternoon, Shen Ningning was to accompany Mo Lingwei to Sunlight Tower, where they would copy Buddhist Scriptures for the Emperor together.
In the evening, only after they had dinner together would she have time to rest.
After reading it all, Shen Ningning put down the memorial. "You two supervisors are highly respected, and I trust your words. So tell me plainly: will doing all this truly help pray for Uncle Emperor’s well-being?"
’Why does it seem like the main point of my coming to the palace is just to keep Mo Lingwei company? I have to accompany him while he reads memorials, eat all three meals with him, and even go with him to copy scriptures.’
Although Shen Ningning had anticipated before entering the palace that Mo Lingwei hadn’t invited her simply to pray for blessings, who could have imagined he wouldn’t even bother to put on an act?
The two supervisors exchanged a glance, both breaking out in a nervous sweat.
"Princess, as a blessed girl, as long as you sincerely pray for the Emperor’s health and well-being, it is more effective than any formal ritual."
"Indeed, Princess. Besides, the Crown Prince is the reincarnation of a true dragon. With him by your side, the effects of the prayers will surely be all the more effective."
Shen Ningning pressed her pink lips together and looked at the two of them.
’These two supervisors have clearly been instructed by Mo Lingwei beforehand.’
She sighed. "I understand. You may leave."
In the afternoon, Mo Lingwei concluded his state affairs as quickly as possible and hurried back to Zichen Palace.
However, he did not see any sign of Shen Ningning.
He asked a Palace Attendant, only to learn that she had already gone ahead to Sunlight Tower to copy Buddhist Scriptures and pray for the Emperor.
Mo Lingwei went to Sunlight Tower, where, just as he’d expected, Qing Yuan was standing guard outside the door.
Seeing the Crown Prince arrive, Qing Yuan curtsied and said, "Your Highness, this servant tried to persuade the Princess that the prayers don’t officially begin until tomorrow, but the Princess insisted on coming today..."
Mo Lingwei nodded. "I know. You may leave."
Qing Yuan bowed and departed. Mo Lingwei then entered Sunlight Tower.
Amidst the hall full of gods and buddhas, the young woman he had longed for day and night was sitting right in the center, her head bowed as she copied the scriptures.
It looked as if she had been copying for a long time. Sunlight streamed through the window, falling upon her, and the faint, scholarly scent of old scriptures filled the hall.
Shen Ningning, sitting there, was like beauty itself.
It made all the anxiety and restlessness Mo Lingwei had felt these past days completely disappear.
’He couldn’t even bear to get any closer, afraid he might ruin such a beautiful scene.’
Mo Lingwei leaned against the doorframe, watching her. In moments of such peace, the urge to keep Shen Ningning by his side grew even stronger.
’He refused to believe that she truly felt nothing for him.’
Shen Ningning copied the scriptures with intense focus. In her heart, she actually wanted the Emperor to make a full recovery more than anyone.
’If his life is no longer in danger, then perhaps I won’t have to be so cautious. I could boldly tell Mo Lingwei that I’m actually being forced into my marriage.’
The more she thought about it, the more earnestly she copied.
Suddenly, a hand touched her ear. Shen Ningning let out a startled cry, and the tip of her brush fell onto the scripture, smearing a large patch of it.
Mo Lingwei’s hand, which had been about to tuck away a stray strand of her hair, froze in mid-air.