Chapter 377

Looking at the smiling Noble Consort Li, Baili Qingcang looked much gentler. Coincidentally, the maid brought Lin Feiran over. After they bowed at him, he said, “Alright, take a seat. It’s raining quite heavily today, so the two of you don’t have to go back. Stay in the palace for the night. Consort, arrange rooms for them and send someone to inform Royal Prince Yi and Lord Lin. ”

Noble Consort Li smiled and served Baili Qingcang dishes. Her movements were full of gentleness and nobility. “Yes, Your Majesty. You are thoughtful as always. I’ll send someone to inform them later.”

Shen Ninghua tightened her grip on her chopsticks. Her pink nails turned slightly white because she used too much force. It was true that something bad often happened on a rainy day. The palace was not a good place to stay. However, Baili Qingcang had already made a decision, so she could not refuse. Moreover, she wanted to see what tricks Noble Consort Li was trying to play!

Lin Feiran, on the other hand, was extremely happy. She looked at Shen Ninghua with longing and worship in her eyes. “Thank you, Your Majesty. I used to think that I was good enough, but after interacting with Princess Zhaohua these days, I realized that there was always someone better than me. Just like Aunt Noble Consort said, if I could learn a thing or two from Her Highness, it would be a great fortune for the rest of my life.”

Hearing this, Baili Qingcang was extremely happy. Shen Ninghua was Xia Jingyan’s child. The more outstanding she was, the better Xia Jingyan was. “Ninghua has always been outstanding.”

Noble Consort Li gently pursed her lips, and a trace of coldness flashed through her eyes as she thought, “She had always been outstanding? Then you’d better take a good look at her. The higher your expectation is of her, the more hateful you are when the matter is exposed. Fear is the heart of love, haha.”

After dinner, Baili Qingcang saw that the rain was too heavy outside, so he simply asked someone to move the reports to Changqiu Palace. He planned to rest here after dealing with the government affairs. Noble Consort Li waited carefully on the side. Shen Ninghua and Lin Feiran tactfully retreated.

Nurse Wei stepped out and brought the two to the side palace. “Princess Zhaohua, Miss Lin, this side palace is divided into east and west wings. Her Grace has already arranged everything. The rooms are carefully cleaned. Incense sticks have been burned and the rooms are heated with fine silver wire charcoal. The two of you can choose a room to rest in.”

Lin Feiran looked at Shen Ninghua. “The east is the superior coordination. Naturally, Princess Zhaohua should live in the east side palace. I’ll sleep in the west side palace.”

Shen Ninghua glanced at the two of them and walked towards the east side palace. “Since that’s the case, then I’ll live in the room in the east. Nurse Wei, I’ll have to trouble you to go back and inform Noble Consort about this.”

“Yes, yes.” After watching Shen Ninghua walk into the east side palace and close the door, Nurse Wei straightened her back and exchanged glances with Lin Feiran. A hint of a smile flashed in their eyes, and then they left.

Qing Que followed Shen Ninghua into the east side palace. She carefully inspected the doors, windows, and various furnishings. She reached out to touch the corner and looked at the dust on her hand. “Master, the things here should have been prepared in advance.”

Shen Ninghua looked at the decorations around her and sat on a chair at the side. “I’m afraid that Consort Li has been waiting for this day for a long time, so of course, she must have made meticulous preparations.”

Qing Que checked the bed and the walls with a serious expression and did not find any problems. “Master, I did not find anything unusual.”

“Well, you can’t find anything unusual on the surface. Do you think Noble Consort Li will risk tarnishing her name to let something happens to me here? Anyone in her position will cherish her life and status more than anyone else.”

Qing Que nodded and took the hand warmer to Shen Ninghua to hold. “Master, it’s very cold today. Be careful not to catch a cold.”

Shen Ninghua nodded. As she listened to the rain outside, a trace of darkness flashed through her bright eyes. “If there’s nothing else, rest early. We should go back early tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, Master.”

Shen Ninghua lay on the bed and listened to the sound of rain falling from the eaves. She felt as if the rain dripped on her heart. In her previous life, her legs were broken, and she was lying in Cold Palace’s bed all by herself. Every time when it rained, she would feel the enormous pain coming from her legs. Since then, she hated rain and snow the most. She couldn’t sleep in such weather, so she recounted all the hatred deep inside her heart and swore that she would avenge herself and go after Baili Jinze and Shen Linghan. Now that the revenge had been successful, she was still unable to fall asleep in the imperial palace.

She lay in a daze. After some time, she heard a slight click sound from the window. She suddenly opened her eyes, and there was no trace of sleepiness in her cold eyes. She silently took out a dagger from under her body. Her breathing was still as light as usual.

Not long after, a light footstep slowly approached her bedside. Shen Ninghua saw the opportunity. The moment the curtain of the bed was lifted, she suddenly sat up and aimed the dagger at the shadow in front of her. Her movements were extremely swift, but the shadow was faster and had dodged backward.

Shen Ninghua’s eyes sank. Her dagger was smeared with poison. As long as it slit the flesh a little, she could kill the person. She had taken the opportunity to attack the person, but she missed the target. “Qing Que!”

She called out, but Qing Que did not come in. Shen Ninghua’s heart became heavier. “This person is up to no good!”

Suddenly, the shadow rushed forward, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her into his embrace. Shen Ninghua was about to apply drug to the person when she smelled a familiar scent and she blushed timidly. “Junyi?”

“Hehe.” A burst of familiar laughter was heard. Baili Junyi pulled down the black cloth on his face and observed Shen Ninghua’s angry face through the light projected from the window. “Not bad, you were quick and decisive just now.”

Shen Ninghua was so angry that her face turned redder. “Can’t you find a better timing to fool around?!”

Seeing that she was really angry, Baili Junyi hurriedly hugged her. “I’m sorry, Ninghua. I scared you.”

Shen Ninghua heaved a sigh of relief without a trace as the worry in her heart dissipated. Although she was confident that she could escape from the palace, she always felt like she was fighting alone in the face of the treacherous atmosphere in the palace. Now that she saw Baili Junyi, she felt her heart settle down. “Why did you come?”

Seeing that Shen Ninghua was no longer angry, Baili Junyi hurriedly went to the outer room, unfroze Qing Que, closed the window, and lay down on the bed with Shen Ninghua. “I’m worried about you. My beautiful wife spends a night outside. Humph, it’ll be bad if a thief marks you as his target, so I have to come and protect you!”

Shen Ninghua reached out and scratched his arm, feeling ridiculous yet warm. “Nonsense.”

“I’m not talking nonsense. My wife is the most beautiful woman in the entire Da’an Kingdom!”

Shen Ninghua chuckled silently. “Alright, it should be almost midnight. Be quiet. I always feel that Noble Consort Li won’t let me stay overnight for no reason.”

Baili Junyi reached out and pulled Shen Ninghua into his arms. The two of them lay in each other’s embrace. Although they did not speak, the atmosphere was exceptionally warm. Shen Ninghua had been nervous and jittery the whole time. Now that she had Baili Junyi, she unconsciously relaxed and eventually fell asleep.

In the middle of the night, the sound of rain outside showed no signs of stopping. Baili Junyi suddenly opened his eyes, and a cold light flashed through his eyes in the darkness. Someone really dared to come over.

Nurse Wei quietly blew the sedative smoke into the room. After waiting for a moment and making sure that there was no movement in the room, she quietly opened the window and climbed in from outside the window. She quietly landed on the ground, turned around, and was about to go to the bedside. Immediately after she turned around, she saw a pair of bright eyes. She was so scared that her heart almost jumped out of her mouth.

Baili Junyi narrowed his eyes slightly. Seeing that she was about to scream, he quickly kicked her to the ground.

Nurse Wei fell to the ground with a thud. She felt that all the bones in her body were about to break. More importantly, she was suddenly kicked when she wanted to scream, so she bit hard on her tongue. She could tell the rustic taste of blood in her mouth.

Shen Ninghua was woken up. When she stood up and saw Nurse Wei, she snorted coldly, “Indeed, you’re after me!”

Baili Junyi lifted Nurse Wei up and threw her in front of Shen Ninghua. Shen Ninghua took out a pill from her sleeve and fed it to her. “Tell me honestly and I will spare your life. If you dare to lie to me, I will kill you!”

Nurse Wei covered her throat and opened her mouth to beg for mercy, but she was kicked down by Baili Junyi again. This time, he kicked her harder, and she felt as if she was going to die.

Shen Ninghua sneered, “Don’t think about calling people over. I think you have already cleared all the people around here since your Master wants to plot against me.”

Nurse Wei’s expression changed, and she quickly begged in a low voice, “Your Highness, please spare my life! Your Highness, please spare my life!”

“Did Noble Consort Li send you here?”

“I… I…”

“You’d better tell me the truth. I’ll spare your life. I can’t control myself if you don’t give me an explanation.”

“Yes, it was Noble Consort who sent me over.” Nurse Wei hesitated for a moment and slowly opened her mouth.

It was indeed her, Noble Consort Li!

Shen Ninghua’s eyes turned cold. “Why did she ask you to come?”

“She asked me to knock Your Highness out with the sedative smoke, open the door from the inside, and a eunuch will carry the Second Prince over.”

Baili Junyi frowned. “Baili Jinchuan?”

Nurse Wei raised her head to look at Baili Junyi, then at Shen Ninghua. She muttered, “Noble Consort knows that Princess Zhaohua and the Second Prince have an affair, so she wants to expose this matter.”

Baili Junyi kicked Nurse Wei again and heavily stepped on her back. “Do you know what crime it is to frame the princess?”

“I am not lying. Noble Consort told me this.”

Baili Junyi sneered, “You are still trying to disrupt our relationship, wicked maid! I think you haven’t learned your lesson! I’ll knock some sense into your head today!”

Seeing that Baili Junyi was angry, Shen Ninghua hurriedly stopped him. “It is not the time to teach her a lesson now. Calm down.”

Baili Junyi withdrew his foot. Nurse Wei lay on the floor and gasped for breath as Baili Junyi almost killed her with his kicks.

Suddenly, there was a slight movement at the door, and a slightly sharp voice of a eunuch came over, “Nurse Wei? Nurse Wei?”

The two of them looked at the door at the same time.