Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Shen Ningning, I Have Been Looking for You
Mo Lingwei’s gaze was unsettlingly dark.
He carried a blood-drenched longsword, its tip grinding across the stone slabs with a low SCRAPE.
As his heavy footsteps rounded a corner, the first thing he saw was a small figure lying prone in a prison cell.
Shen Ningning was on the ground, seemingly unconscious.
Not far from her, Aunt Qin looked deranged. She was grabbing a barely breathing prison guard and viciously slamming his head against the wall!
Once,
Twice,
A dagger was embedded in the prison guard’s chest. He reached out with a bloody hand, desperately clutching Aunt Qin’s arm.
"You’re mistaken... I’m... not Shen Ningning..."
Aunt Qin’s eyes were wide with fury, and her smile was savage. "Still trying to trick me? You must be a demon trying to kill me! You think I’m an easy target?"
As she spoke, she put more force into her hands.
And with one final push, she bashed the prison guard’s head open.
Fresh blood splattered everywhere.
CLANG—
Mo Lingwei kicked the cell door open.
He strode over to Shen Ningning and bent down to lift her into his arms.
The ends of the little one’s dark hair brushed against his cheek, revealing her fair, beautiful face.
She had no injuries, but her limpid eyes were shut tight. Something was wrong.
Mo Lingwei immediately carried her out.
But Aunt Qin suddenly let go of the prison guard and lunged forward, grabbing onto Mo Lingwei’s black boots.
"Who are you! Are you with Shen Ningning? I’ll kill you all!" Her expression was crazed, her eyes devoid of reason.
Mo Lingwei kicked her squarely in the chest, sending Aunt Qin flying into a nearby wall, where she coughed up a mouthful of blood.
The Imperial Guard, who had been catching up, now rushed into the cell.
"Crown Prince! Are you alright?"
"Take this madwoman into custody and put her to the question," Mo Lingwei ordered coldly. Then, still holding Shen Ningning, he quickly left the government office.
He took her straight back to the Imperial Palace.
In Zichen Palace, everyone witnessed the Crown Prince return with a little girl in his arms.
Mo Lingwei placed Shen Ningning directly on his bed.
A eunuch followed him in, his face a mask of astonishment. "Your Highness, this is..."
"Go summon an Imperial Physician. No more questions," Mo Lingwei urged in a cold voice.
The eunuch scrambled to leave. "Yes..."
"Wait," Mo Lingwei stopped him. "And bring two female physicians as well."
"As you command." The eunuch ran out.
Mo Lingwei glanced at Shen Ningning’s fair, tender little face.
He pressed his thin lips together. "I’m only doing this to help you, not to take advantage. When you wake up, don’t blame me."
With that, he reached out and lifted her small skirt.
Mo Lingwei tried to look away, using only his peripheral vision.
Just as he expected, Shen Ningning was the same as always: the Ruyi that was so crucial to her was tied around her waist.
The female physicians would be coming in to examine her soon, so Mo Lingwei tucked her Ruyi away for safekeeping beforehand.
Just then, two Imperial Physicians and the female physicians arrived.
Mo Lingwei immediately withdrew to the outer chamber and ordered the female physicians to perform a full-body examination for any injuries.
After a careful inspection, one of the female physicians reported, "Your Highness, the young lady has no external injuries."
Mo Lingwei stood behind a screen, his hands clasped behind his back. He knit his dark, cold brows.
"Then why won’t she wake up? Imperial Physicians, you go take a look."
"Yes."
The two Imperial Physicians went in. After taking her pulse, they came to a conclusion.
"She must have suffered a fright, which is accompanied by a fever. We shall prescribe some calming medicine to soothe her nerves."
Mo Lingwei gave a slight nod of approval, and only then did the Imperial Physicians withdraw.
Just then, Shen Ningning began to mutter deliriously on the bed—
"Auntie... don’t bully me..."
Mo Lingwei walked to the bedside. She seemed to be having a nightmare about something terrifying.
From beneath her tightly shut eyes, with their long, curled lashes, teardrops slowly began to well up.
Her fever had flushed her cheeks crimson, making the pitiful expression on her small face all the more apparent.
Mo Lingwei sat down and said in a low voice, "I’ll have someone cripple her hands. She will never dare to hit you again."
Whether his words had an effect or not, Shen Ningning stopped muttering.
She clutched the blanket, her cute brows furrowed in unease.
The eunuch spoke cautiously from the doorway. "Crown Prince, a messenger just arrived from the Emperor. He asks you to return to the Heavenly Temple, saying the sacrificial rite isn’t over yet..."
Mo Lingwei glanced sideways, his eyes cold. "Tell my Imperial Father that I am not going back."
The eunuch was struck speechless. Knowing the Crown Prince’s temper, he didn’t dare try to persuade him.
Meanwhile, back at the Heavenly Temple, the Wizard was shaking his bells and dancing until his voice was hoarse.
Many of the ministers, dizzy from the scorching sun, had already collapsed.
The Emperor was still kneeling at the Heavenly Temple.
He prayed sincerely for rain, hoping the heavens would grant a sweet downpour and cure his son’s strange illness as soon as possible.
The State Preceptor chanted scriptures repeatedly. "Oh, divine beings above..."
In a daze, Shen Ningning vaguely heard many people talking in her dream.
At first, she couldn’t hear them clearly, only their rustling whispers.
Soon, she heard countless people saying the same three words—
Pray for rain.
The little one’s eyelids were heavy; she couldn’t open her eyes. Her thoughts began to drift along with the chanting crowd.
’The weather is so hot, and the earth is cracked and dry. It would be so nice if it rained.’
The strange sound of ringing bells, the urgent buzzing of cicadas, and the countless voices praying for rain all merged into one.
Shen Ningning was deeply moved.
In her soft, sweet voice, she couldn’t help but say aloud, "Let it rain..."
Mo Lingwei, who was keeping watch by her bed, heard the sound. He put down the book in his hands and leaned close to her lips to listen. "What?"
Shen Ningning murmured, "Rain... it would be good if it rained..."
Mo Lingwei raised an eyebrow slightly.
’I just gave her the calming medicine. Why is she still talking nonsense?’
Just as he reached out his palm to gently touch her forehead and check her temperature, the light outside the window suddenly dimmed.
Before Mo Lingwei could react, a PITTER-PATTER sound followed!
The Palace Attendants outside the hall were ecstatic, shouting one after another—
"It’s raining! It’s really raining!"
Mo Lingwei froze.
He shot to his feet and walked to the window.
He saw a torrential downpour, as if a great river from the heavens was being poured onto the mortal world!
’It’s really raining?’
His sharp, cool dark eyes filled with astonishment.
Mo Lingwei even turned back to look at the small, unconscious figure on the bed.
But Shen Ningning didn’t speak again.
「At the Heavenly Temple.」
The Emperor raised his hands to the sky, practically crying out as he knelt to thank the heavens.
"Thank you, heavens, for your mercy! Heaven blesses Cangyun! The drought will surely be broken!"
The ministers were overjoyed.
After celebrating wildly, the common folk quickly brought out pots, pans, and basins to collect the water.
The rain fell for a full hour!
By evening, the rain had stopped.
Mo Lingwei was bent over, studying Shen Ningning, who was sleeping soundly on the bed.
"Why isn’t she awake yet?"
Just as he said this, the little one’s long lashes stirred, fluttering twice like a butterfly’s wings.
A moment later, she opened a pair of hazy, watery, sleepy eyes.
Mo Lingwei immediately sat up straight and cleared his throat. "You’re... awake?"
Shen Ningning blinked, first looking around the room.
Finally, her gaze landed on Mo Lingwei, who was beside the bed.
"Why am I seeing you, Brother?" the little one’s voice was soft and laced with confusion. "Am I still dreaming?"
Mo Lingwei saw her eyes gleaming with clarity.
He couldn’t help but let out a soft scoff.
"You’re not dreaming, Shen Ningning. I’ve been looking for you."
