Chapter 200: Chapter 200: Chancellor Xie Comes to Pick Up Ningning
Mr. Han stared at Cai Ying, his expression severe. "That’s not what you told me a moment ago."
"You said the Commandery Princess didn’t want me to offend Mr. Liao, so she took the fruit on my behalf to plead and curry favor. You, a mere maid, dare to spout such nonsense?"
Facing Mr. Han’s glaring, tiger-like eyes felt like being crushed by a mountain of impending doom.
Cai Ying frantically kowtowed, begging for mercy. "I misunderstood the Commandery Princess’s intentions! I didn’t mean to say the wrong thing."
With these words, she subtly shifted the blame back onto Shen Ningning.
The little girl pursed her pink lips and looked at Mr. Han, her voice soft and sweet. "Teacher, please don’t blame her. She’s Fourth Sister Xie’s maid, and it’s only her first day with me."
As soon as she finished speaking, the other students began to whisper amongst themselves—
"So she’s Xie Yuanjiu’s maid. Tsk, tsk. For her to twist things like that... it feels a little malicious."
"If she were the princess’s own maid, she would have rushed to cover for her. But this Cai Ying acts like she can’t wait for the Commandery Princess to be punished, telling Mr. Han every little thing."
They were all young masters and ladies from prominent noble families, and they hated nothing more than treacherous servants.
In an instant, all the speculation about Cai Ying naturally turned toward Xie Yuanjiu.
The words from behind her felt like sharp blades stabbing into Cai Ying.
’If my lady finds out I caused this mess, who knows how she’ll punish me.’
Cai Ying burst into tears, so terrified that she knelt and clung to Shen Ningning’s little feet. "Commandery Princess, I truly know I was wrong! I was only trying to help you!"
Shen Ningning frowned.
"Stop crying. What if you disturb everyone? Didn’t you tell me that on my first day, I should be ordinary and not stand out, so that people wouldn’t dislike me?"
"Cai Ying, wipe your tears and come grind the ink for me." With that, the little girl pulled her foot back and calmly walked back to her seat.
Mr. Han’s dark, heavy gaze remained fixed on Cai Ying.
Cai Ying knew she had shot herself in the foot this time.
Not daring to disobey Shen Ningning’s command, she obediently went to her side and knelt to serve her.
Once the review session was over, it was time for school to be dismissed.
The National Academy was different from private schools; students attended classes one day and had the next day off. Thus, Shen Ningning prepared to return to Wolf Mountain.
But just as she stepped out of Huangzi Class, she saw Mr. Guo and several of his colleagues gathered around Prime Minister Xie Suzhi, speaking to him with the utmost respect.
Mr. Guo’s flattery was incessant, but Xie Suzhi merely maintained a cool, detached smile. His gaze was as distant as snow, revealing his inattentive and dismissive air.
That is, until a soft, sweet, and happy voice called out, "Godfather!"
Only then did Xie Suzhi look up, his handsome and dignified face instantly breaking into a warm smile.
"Ningning, Godfather is here to take you home for dinner." He strode toward the little girl.
He wanted to reach out and pick her up, but he worried that being too effusive might make Shen Ningning uncomfortable.
So, Xie Suzhi carefully held out his hand. "Will you hold Godfather’s hand?"
Shen Ningning immediately placed her chubby little hand in his palm, her eyes crinkling as she beamed. "Okay!"
Seeing his chance, Mr. Guo immediately stepped forward with more flattery. "Prime Minister, you and the Commandery Princess must share a special bond. You both have such a spirited look about you."
A colleague beside him nodded in agreement. "They could almost pass for a real father and daughter."
Xie Suzhi’s smile faltered slightly, but Shen Ningning didn’t notice, simply blinking her big eyes in delight.
"It’s getting late. I must be taking Ningning home now. Teachers, I bid you farewell." When he spoke, the others dared not object and quickly escorted them respectfully to the gate.
Just as Xie Suzhi was about to lift Shen Ningning into the carriage, a pleasant voice called out from behind them, "Uncle, Commandery Princess."
Shen Ningning glanced back to see Xie Yuanjiu approaching with her maid. Cai Ying followed behind her, her head bowed low.
Xie Suzhi’s smile was faint. "Yuan Jiu, why haven’t you gone home yet?"
"I was waiting for the Commandery Princess to accompany her home." Xie Yuanjiu smiled at Shen Ningning before asking, "Commandery Princess, did Cai Ying serve you well today?"
Cai Ying lowered her head even further.
Shen Ningning blinked her bright black eyes. "Didn’t Cai Ying tell you, Fourth Sister Xie? She took a scolding from the teacher in my place."
Xie Suzhi’s expression instantly turned cold as ice. "Which teacher scolded you?"
Xie Yuanjiu frowned in suspicion.
She had rushed over, eager to take credit and show her uncle how well she was taking care of Shen Ningning.
However, she hadn’t had a chance to ask Cai Ying what had happened, or why Shen Ningning had suddenly gone to give a teacher fruit.
Now, when Xie Yuanjiu looked back, she saw that Cai Ying didn’t dare to look up at all. In fact, her body was trembling in fear at Chancellor Xie’s words.
’It’s over.’
Xie Yuanjiu’s heart sank. She hated herself for being so impulsive.
Shen Ningning was about to say more, but she rubbed her little tummy and stuck out her tongue playfully.
"Godfather, I’m hungry! Can we go home and eat now?" ’She hadn’t eaten enough all day!’
Xie Suzhi immediately lifted her into the carriage. "Alright, let’s head home right now."
He looked back at Xie Yuanjiu. "Yuan Jiu, would you like to join us?"
Xie Yuanjiu snapped back to reality and forced a smile. "No thank you, Uncle. I still have a few questions for my teacher. You and the Commandery Princess should go on ahead."
Xie Suzhi nodded. "Don’t be too late. I’m holding a family banquet for Ningning tonight and I’ve invited your parents, so you must be there as well."
After Xie Yuanjiu acknowledged, the carriage finally rumbled away.
In that instant, her heart turned to ice.
She turned and looked coldly at Cai Ying. "Get in my carriage. I want you to tell me exactly what happened, from beginning to end!"
Cai Ying was so frightened her voice was already choked with sobs. "Yes..."
Inside the carriage, Cai Ying recounted everything that had happened that day to Xie Yuanjiu. Without a word, Xie Yuanjiu raised her hand—SLAP!—and struck her hard across the face.
"Ah..." Cai Ying fell, then scrambled back up to kneel properly, her face streaked with tears. "My lady, please quell your anger."
Xie Yuanjiu hated the girl for her stupidity, for implicating her in this mess.
"If you’re going to target Shen Ningning, fine, but at least do it subtly! Why use such a stupid method? Were you afraid people *wouldn’t* see what you were up to?"
"My lady, what do we do now? The Commandery Princess will surely tell the Prime Minister everything. I don’t want to be thrown out of the manor! The last time Tan Xiang was thrown out by the Eldest Young Master, she was sold to a brothel and died soon after!"
For maids like them in great noble families, without the protection of a master, being sold to a human trafficker meant a fate worse than death.
Usually, because they were fair-skinned and somewhat literate, they would end up as courtesans in a brothel, or as some man’s umpteenth concubine.
Xie Yuanjiu stared out the window at the carriages coming and going, ferrying students to and from the academy. Her heart felt as if it had sunk to the bottom of a lake.
Chilling and ice-cold.
But she quickly composed herself. After a moment of thought, she said, "You said Shen Ningning was playing dumb, just waiting for the right moment to expose you. I think you’re overthinking it."
"She’s just a child, barely five years old. She can’t be that cunning."
"Even if she does tattle, we can use her kindness to our advantage. We’ll make it so she can’t bear to blame you, and might even plead your case to my uncle. So, there’s no need to be afraid."
Hearing Xie Yuanjiu’s words, Cai Ying felt much more at ease.
’Her lady was a master of manipulation. She had to be right this time!’
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