Chapter 585: A Rain of Stars
Chapter 585: Chapter 585: A Rain of Stars
Shen Ningning parted her lips several times, wanting to deny something.
But seeing the concern in her brother’s eyes, she found herself unable to speak. Her bright, beautiful eyes slowly began to well up with tears.
"Brother, how did you know?"
Seeing the grievance she had kept buried in her heart finally surface on her face, Xie Mingxu’s own heart ached and he drew a heavy breath.
"It was our second brother who first noticed something was amiss. He discovered that you had secretly sent Wanchun away, so he asked me to send men to track her down. We finally learned something from her."
"On the day you went to the bamboo garden, the person you met was not the Crown Prince."
Shen Ningning froze.
Wanchun didn’t know exactly who she had met, but once she told Xie Mingxu what happened, it would become clear to everyone that the person who had arrived early that day was not Mo Lingwei at all.
With Xie Mingxu’s resources, investigating who had actually appeared at the bamboo garden that day would have revealed the truth.
If Mo Lingwei had wanted to investigate, he could have found out too.
However, he never suspected that Shen Ningning had suddenly grown distant because she had met the Emperor.
He genuinely thought he had done something wrong to displease her.
Shen Ningning had kept this secret hidden in her heart, where it had festered into overwhelming sorrow.
Now that the secret was out, she no longer tried to hide it. Her reddened eyes gazed out at the shimmering surface of the water in the night.
"I didn’t want to agree, but Uncle Emperor knelt and begged me. What’s more, I completely understand that his painstaking efforts were for your own good, Brother..."
Xie Mingxu frowned, displeased. "Then what about you? If you and the Crown Prince were to the point of discussing marriage, and you didn’t have to consider any of these external factors, would you be willing to marry him?"
Shen Ningning hesitated for a moment, then thought about it carefully.
"I would... but," she quickly added, "if it means I have to share a husband with other women, then I wouldn’t want to. I would rather live my entire life unmarried, under your and Father’s protection, Brother."
Xie Mingxu stood beside Shen Ningning, his hands clasped behind his back. He was like a guardian deity, his immense authority tempered by a steady, doting gaze that promised her safety.
"Then you don’t need to consider the Emperor’s request. All I want is for you to live as your heart desires. Ningning, Father, your second brother, and I—we’ve all worked so hard to make the Xie family’s power unshakeable. It wasn’t just for sport. It was so you could grow up carefree under our wing."
Hearing this heartfelt confession, Shen Ningning felt a sting in her nose, and tears immediately began to fall.
"Brother..." ’Her family doted on her endlessly, always showing her such complete understanding no matter the circumstances.’
Xie Mingxu’s voice was grim. "While I can understand the Emperor’s political calculus, privately, I despise him for it. When he needs the Xie family, he praises us as loyal subjects. When he’s wary of us, he fears our achievements will eclipse his authority. To think he would put a young girl like you in such a difficult position... It makes all the sacrifices the men of the Xie family have made for the court feel like a complete waste!"
From his tone, Shen Ningning could tell he was furious with the Emperor.
Her eldest brother, Xie Mingxu, had always been the epitome of loyalty. For him to speak such words now would have been considered utterly treasonous by his former self.
’He must be absolutely furious this time.’
Shen Ningning tugged on his sleeve. "Actually, Uncle Emperor regretted his decision. He apologized to me and said he hoped I would reconsider... the Crown Prince."
"And what are your thoughts?" Xie Mingxu’s gaze was dark and intense.
’Given his personality and how fickle the Emperor was, he was dead set against his sister marrying into the Royal Family. It might look like a life of unimaginable luxury, but in reality, the endless rules would mean she’d have no freedom whatsoever.’
Shen Ningning lowered her head. "I... to be honest, Brother, I don’t know. My mind is a mess, and I don’t know what I truly want anymore."
’She liked Mo Lingwei, but after everything that had happened, a rift had formed in her heart. She couldn’t accept him so easily anymore.’
’She didn’t want to hurt Lu Shaoyuan, but with what had just happened to him... if she tried to call off the engagement now, wouldn’t he think she was looking down on him in his time of trouble?’
Seeing the conflicted expression on Shen Ningning’s pale face, Xie Mingxu knew. At this very moment, she was surely thinking only of others’ feelings, without a single thought for herself.
He sighed helplessly.
’How he wished his little sister could be more selfish, just this once, and make a choice for herself.’
Just then, he looked up to see several shooting stars streaking across the sky and immediately tapped the back of Shen Ningning’s hand.
"Look, Ningning. Mother once told me, back when she was still with us, that falling stars possess a special energy. If you make a wish on one, it will use all its remaining power to grant it. Don’t think about anything else. Right now, just call out the deepest wish in your heart."
Shen Ningning quickly clasped her hands, her beautiful face a picture of devotion.
"Shooting star, shooting star, I wish..." She closed her eyes. "I wish for Mother to be reunited with us as soon as possible!"
Xie Mingxu froze for a second, then a pleasant laugh escaped his lips.
’He’d thought the thing troubling his sister’s heart would be a matter of romance.’
He never expected that what Shen Ningning cared about most was when their mother would come back.
"That’s good, too," Xie Mingxu said, relieved, as he patted his sister’s head. "Let’s wish together for Mother to return soon. When she’s back, you’ll have someone to give you advice on these romantic matters."
With that, the siblings looked up together, watching as more and more shooting stars streaked across the heavens, trailing long, glittering tails like a shower of rain.
「Meanwhile」
Master Gu, who was lodging at the Princess Mansion, was in the middle of an enjoyable game of chess with Mr. Zhang Liu.
A young servant nearby suddenly pointed at the sky and exclaimed, "A meteor shower!"
Master Gu and Mr. Zhang Liu looked up, both of them shocked.
Mr. Zhang Liu was awestruck. Stroking his beard, he mused, "The shooting stars are like arrows, and so many of them. It’s a shame I don’t understand the constellations. I wonder if this is a good omen or a bad one?"
Master Gu, however, simply stared with wide eyes. He sat frozen in his seat, head tilted back, and remained silent for a long, long time.
’Years ago, during the Moon Landing mission, he and his team had encountered a powerful spacetime magnetic storm. That was how they had ended up in this era.’
’Master Gu remembered it to this day. Just before he’d been knocked unconscious inside the spacecraft, he had looked through a shattered window and seen a sky full of stars falling like rain—exactly like tonight.’
’He suspected that the spacetime magnetic storm had caused a massive meteor shower. Which meant... a similar event was unfolding right now.’
’Then did this mean Captain Shen might have a chance to come here? And that he might have a chance to go home!’
Master Gu’s hands trembled with such excitement that the chess pieces scattered across the floor.
Mr. Zhang Liu had no idea what had gotten into him. As he bent down to pick up the pieces, he chuckled and shouted, "You can’t just pretend to be excited about the meteor shower because you’re about to lose! You’re trying to take back your last move, aren’t you? I remember exactly where you put it!"
Master Gu, however, jumped up happily, grabbed Mr. Zhang Liu, and spun him around in a circle.
"If the Captain has a chance to return, it means I might be able to go home too! This is incredible! It’s been forty years, forty whole years! I finally have hope! Sixth Master, I’m so incredibly happy!"
"Hey, hey, hey! Put me down! You lost that last move, so don’t you try to weasel out of it! Hugging me won’t change a thing!"
「Elsewhere」
Two squads of the imperial guard emerged from the palace gates, marching into the night like a pair of malevolent black dragons.
They were acting under the Crown Prince’s orders to apprehend Meng Wanning and bring her to the palace for an audience.