In the afternoon, the weather became gloomy with heavy clouds.
The north wind howled, tearing at the branches in the waterside flower dock, making them look like they were showing their claws.
Before evening, heavy snow fell from the sky.
The eldest aunt finished class early for the ladies, and everyone gathered in the hothouse with a strong charcoal fire to keep warm.
Seeing that Shen Ningning was not there, I don't know who started it first.
"The princess hasn't had any classes for a day. Isn't she afraid that she
won't be able to choose a female official?" Someone immediately joked: "Are you really not aware or are you pretending not to know? The princess is not here to choose a female official at all."
"Yes. ," other ladies agreed: "His Royal Highness personally invited her to the palace, do you think she will want to be the ninth prince's companion?"
Ye Changyi crossed her arms and said: "This position of female official is for us. People don't like it if you steal it."
Qi Xiuwei looked up from the book silently.
Her voice was gentle but with a commanding tone: "Isn't it so unpleasant for you to talk about the princess behind her back?"
"Didn't aunt just teach us today that the Ninth Prince dislikes people with bad conduct? Don't you all?" Forgot?"
The ladies looked at each other, and there was a slight change in Qi Xiuwei's eyes.
Who is she, daring to reprimand them?
Due to Qi Xiuwei's family background, the ladies were angry but couldn't bear it.
Only Ye Changyi teased in a weird way: "Miss Qi, stop pretending, everyone knows that you are a relative of Concubine Rong."
"Why do you call the Ninth Prince so raw? Don't you usually call him cousin? "?"
Qi Xiuwei's cheeks turned red, feeling a little embarrassed.
She stood up, hugged the book, and left, saying, "I kindly remind you, forget it if you don't appreciate it." After
Qi Xiuwei left, Ye Changyi snorted arrogantly: "What are you pretending to be?"
"This time we are selecting female officers. If Concubine Rong feels unsatisfied, she will definitely choose her niece. Qi Xiuwei is getting an advantage and acting like a good girl."
Everyone whispered in agreement.
Only Xie Yuanjiu remained silent from beginning to end, and his cold eyes glanced outside the window.
She looked at Qi Xiuwei's back, thoughtfully.
The reason why Shen Ningning didn't go to class in the afternoon was because she went to the kitchen and asked the cooks to help her make a bowl of plum blossom syrup.
After that, the little guy slept comfortably in the room for a whole night, and didn't get up until it was almost time for dinner.
She still remembered going to have dinner with Mo Lingwei.
The snowflakes are swaying and the wind is biting.
Shen Ningning's little face was always round and rosy.
As soon as she walked along the corridor to the front yard, she saw Wu Fang's figure standing on the corridor, talking to her eldest aunt.
The little guy jumped over and said with a smile: "Brother Wu Fang, let's go!"
Wu Fang turned around with a troubled expression: "Princess, my eldest aunt has something to tell you."
The eldest aunt bent down and said, He explained to Shen Ningning in a gentle tone: "Princess, it's snowing too much now. Shuixiehuawu is located to the north of the palace courtyard, far away from Zichen Palace."
"This time, I am worried that something will happen. , How about meeting His Royal Highness another day? "
The eldest aunt is worried about her safety, and Wu Fang can't make the decision.
The person His Royal Highness wants to see is only if Shen Ningning refuses to go.
Otherwise, if you disobey the prince, you will be committing the following crime.
After hearing what her eldest aunt said, Shen Ningning's face suddenly looked hesitant.
She looked at the falling snowflakes in the courtyard, like rain, coming thick and fast.
Wu Fang and his people came all the way, and the soft sedan was covered with snow.
My eldest aunt's worry is not unreasonable. If I come back later, the long bridge in Shuixiehuawu will be frozen.
Shen Ningning thought for a moment and raised the food box in her hand.
She raised her watery black eyes and said, "Brother Wu Fang, please help me bring this bowl of plum blossom sweet water to my brother. I will definitely go and have dinner with him tomorrow!"
Wu Fang heard Shen Ningning say this. Yes, no more words.
After taking the food box, he said yes and hurriedly left.
When Wu Fang braved the wind and snow to return to Zichen Palace, Mo Lingwei had already stood at the window for a long time because of worry.
From the moment Wu Fang set out, he regretted it.
With such heavy snow, Shen Ningning should not be picked up, but him. Shuixiehuawu is surrounded by cold lake water, and the bridge is long and slippery.
When he saw Wu Fang's returning figure, Mo Lingwei's frown finally relaxed.
He immediately walked to the door and saw that Wu Fang came back alone.
"Where is Shen Ningning?" Mo Lingwei stared.
Wu Fang explained the reason with his hands raised, and presented the food box with both hands: "Although the princess can't come, she is still thinking of Your Highness, and asked me to bring the sugar water she made by herself."
Mo Lingwei pursed her thin lips.
He opened the lid and took a look. The pale pink soup was still warm in a small white porcelain cup.
"Didn't she have anything else for you to bring to me?" Mo Lingwei said, but there was no emotion or anger in his voice.
Wu Fang lowered his head: "The princess said she would come to have dinner with you tomorrow."
Mo Lingwei snorted and sat down at the table without taking the soup.
Just when Wu Fang was at a loss, Mo Lingwei patted the table lightly.
The young prince frowned and said, "Why don't you bring it here?"
Wu Fang finally realized: "I'm humble enough to find someone to warm up your highness, right?"
"No need, bring it here." After Mo Lingwei said that, Wu Fang Fang Bian quickly followed suit.
A spoonful of the sweet soup goes into the throat. The sweetness of the plum blossoms seems to be stained with snow water, which is refreshing in the mouth.
Mo Ling nodded without any trace of danger.
The anger caused by Shen Ningning's choice to protect Dai Yuheng seemed to be diluted by sweet water at this moment.
It's pointless to keep worrying about it.
Mo Lingwei was thinking in his mind that he should take the initiative to see the little guy tomorrow.
The next day.
Shen Ningning deliberately got up late, and Xie Yuanjiu certainly didn't call her.
The little guy knew that he couldn't go to class to listen to the palace rules, so he took a small bag of carrots and ran quietly towards the long bridge.
It snowed all night yesterday, and the icy areas on the bridge have been shoveled away by the palace staff.
But Shen Ningning still almost skidded, but luckily there was no danger.
When they arrived at the Plum Blossom Forest, they saw that the Ninth Prince had taken the sika deer out for a walk after being kept for a night.
The weather was cold. He wore a blue cloak and showed a gentle smile to Shen Ningning.
"I was just wondering whether the princess would be a little late. After all, I only heard when I went back yesterday that you have to have morning classes every day."
Shen Ningning walked over with little feet, took out a carrot from the bag, and Start feeding the sika deer.
Her appearance is sweet and childish, and her tone is open and generous, without any embarrassment.
"There are indeed morning classes, but I don't want to go."
"Why?"
"That's for people who want to be the female officers of His Highness the Ninth Prince. I don't want to do it, so of course I don't want to hear it."
After the little guy said, The Ninth Prince did not answer.
Shen Ningning suddenly felt that what she said was too straightforward.
She quickly waved her little hand: "Your Majesty Ninth Prince, don't get me wrong. What I mean is that I can't be a female official because I'm too young."
She even has to drag her own books on a trolley, so how can she help being a female official? How about grinding ink and serving people?
The Ninth Prince chuckled: "Don't worry, I didn't think too much about it, because I also know that even if you want to be a female official, it belongs to the Crown Prince."
After feeding the sika deer, Shen Ningning was about to leave.
She handed the small bag filled with carrots to the Ninth Prince.
"In two days, our study of palace rules will be over, and I will definitely go home. This little sika deer will be handed over to His Highness the Ninth Prince!"
She has given enough carrots, and it should last for a few days.
During the past few days of living in the palace, the little guy already missed Wolf Wolf a little.
I wish I could go home now.
The Ninth Prince smiled and said, "We will meet again if we are destined. Maybe we will meet the princess next time. This sika deer has grown up."
However, in the afternoon, Concubine Rong and the Ninth Prince actually arrived at Shuixiehuawu together.