Chapter 82: Chapter 82: The Crown Prince Came for Shen Ningning
Mr. Huang hurriedly instructed everyone, "Quick, go back and pack your bags. We’re preparing to descend the mountain!"
The students dispersed one after another.
Ren Yu and Shen Ningning also started walking back.
"Ningning, that Qin Fangmei is so annoying! If her uncle is the one who came, she’ll be able to pull some strings again!"
Shen Ningning blinked her round eyes at her, her voice soft and sweet. "You dislike Qin Fangmei that much?"
"Yeah. I think she’s always lying. She’s not as magnanimous as you."
Ren Yu said, pulling her small hand, "Besides, I’ve heard about the bad blood between you and her. You’re so good to me, so of course, I dislike her even more."
Shen Ningning knew that Ren Yu was a kind, straightforward girl.
She gave a sweet smile. "Then let’s hurry up and pack! It doesn’t matter who came, as long as we can get down the mountain, that’s what matters."
"You’re right!"
Shen Ningning didn’t have much to pack; she simply put the few fruits she had back into her bundle and slung it over her shoulder.
She also remembered to tighten the Ruyi charm at her waist.
Worried she might fall behind, Lu Shaoyuan came over specifically to walk with her.
He had just gone to check on the broken bridge.
A group of guards on the opposite cliff were trying to figure something out.
Seeing him, the little one asked, "Did Landlord Du really come looking for us?"
Lu Shaoyuan shook his head. "It doesn’t look like it. A mere Landlord wouldn’t have Bright Sword Guards."
Shen Ningning followed him and Ren Yu down the slope.
Sure enough, a large crowd had gathered on the opposite cliff.
Many students were already chattering amongst themselves nearby.
Mr. Huang and the other teachers were maintaining order. "Stay away from the broken bridge! It’s dangerous!"
Shen Ningning took a closer look at the broken bridge.
The bridge’s two main ropes were each as thick as a baby’s arm and should have been very sturdy.
Unfortunately, because the cliff face on their side had fractured, the right rope had snapped clean through.
It was barely holding on by the left rope, and it didn’t look like that would last much longer either.
Some of the wooden planks on the broken bridge had already fallen away, leaving the surface dangerously uneven. There was a constant risk of falling into the valley below.
It wasn’t just Shen Ningning; upon seeing the state of the bridge, some students couldn’t help but start crying with worry.
"How long will it take to repair this?"
Suddenly, a call came from the other side.
"Shen Ningning—!"
The little one froze, looking left and right.
’Who’s calling me?’
"Shen Ningning!" The familiar voice called out again.
The students around her heard it too.
They gasped and whispered—
"Am I seeing things? That person is wearing robes with soaring dragon embroidery..."
"It’s the Crown Prince! Heavens, why is the Crown Prince here?"
"Why else would he be here? He must have come to rescue Shen Xuezhi!"
The little one quickly looked up.
There on the opposite cliff stood Mo Lingwei, dressed in a brilliant red robe embroidered with a soaring dragon.
He waved, the golden crown on his head dazzlingly bright.
A joyful expression instantly lit up Shen Ningning’s little face.
"Brother!" she cried, running out from the crowd and jumping as she waved her little hands at him.
Mo Lingwei saw that she was all right. In fact, the fair and delicate Shen Ningning stood out conspicuously among the crowd of sun-scorched, listless students.
He breathed a sigh of relief.
Mo Lingwei raised his voice. "Stand back and don’t move! I’ll have my men get you across!"
He then urged the guards to hurry.
That morning, Mo Lingwei and Chen Shaobei had taken a carriage to the private academy to pick up Shen Ningning.
But when they heard the students still hadn’t returned, they were surprised.
Sensing something was amiss, Mo Lingwei had come directly to Jingshan.
He was now thankful he had come; otherwise, he would never have known the bridge had broken.
’Shen Ningning must have been trapped for several days.’
’Considering the situation on Jingshan, things were likely grim. I can’t imagine how hungry she must be! But when I just saw Shen Ningning, she seemed fine.’
She alone looked fair and vibrant, standing out starkly from the underfed students.
Supported by an Attendant Student, Qin Fangmei staggered over.
She asked everyone around her, "Is that my uncle, Landlord Du? Is it?"
No one paid her any mind. Everyone was looking at the Crown Prince.
They rarely had a chance to see princes or nobles, and the Crown Prince was on a level far above them. Just to catch a glimpse of him felt like a once-in-a-lifetime blessing.
Only Ren Yu shot a mocking glance at Qin Fangmei. "Landlord Du? Open your eyes and take a good look. That’s the Crown Prince, and he’s here for Ningning!"
What?!
Qin Fangmei was in disbelief.
’Didn’t my uncle say he was coming to get me? How could it be the Crown Prince?!’
She pushed her way to the front to get a better look and, sure enough, saw the troop of Bright Sword Guards on the other side.
That was the uniform of the Crown Prince’s personal guard.
Qin Fangmei wanted to move even closer.
But a student in front of her, overly excited by the sight of the Crown Prince, accidentally took a step back and came down hard on her injured foot.
"Ah!" Qin Fangmei cried out, grimacing in pain.
The other student just tossed a quick, "Sorry," over their shoulder and paid her no more mind.
Gritting her teeth in frustration, Qin Fangmei could only hobble over to a large nearby rock to sit and rest.
The scorching sun beat down, and the heat was unbearable.
The students waited anxiously by the cliff’s edge, eager to cross the very moment the bridge was repaired.
However, the broken bridge was proving difficult to repair. The guards worked cautiously, afraid the cliff face might fracture again, which would be even more dangerous.
Chen Shaobei saw the anxiety in Mo Lingwei’s eyes and pitched in to help.
But the new rope they had just secured was too unstable; the bridge deck swayed violently!
"Your Highness, this isn’t working," Chen Shaobei reported. "We’ll have to get men from the Ministry of Industry to drive in support stakes. Otherwise, we’ll never get the ropes secured."
Mo Lingwei’s brow furrowed.
He looked across at Shen Ningning’s small figure. She was still standing directly under the scorching sun, waiting for him.
Everyone else had taken shelter in the shade of nearby trees, but she remained in the same spot, afraid he might lose sight of her.
’Silly girl, why doesn’t she find some shade?’
"Fetching the Ministry of Industry, dispatching more men, and hauling lumber would take two hours. Shen Ningning and the others can’t wait that long," Mo Lingwei said decisively.
Chen Shaobei knew this as well, but there were no other options.
Mo Lingwei’s gaze was steady, his dark eyes filled with sharp resolve.
Suddenly, he turned his head. "Bring me a bow!"
Without asking why, Chen Shaobei immediately handed over his own bow and arrow.
Mo Lingwei tied one end of a rope to the arrow’s shaft.
Chen Shaobei instantly understood his plan.
Mo Lingwei nocked the arrow. With his powerful arms, he drew the bowstring back until the bow formed the shape of a full moon.
A bead of sweat trickled down his stern brow and into his eye.
But Mo Lingwei didn’t so much as blink, his dark eyes fixed resolutely on the other side.
The arrowhead was aimed at an empty patch of ground to Shen Ningning’s left.
"SWOOSH—"
The sharp arrow sliced through the air, soaring across the empty valley and embedding itself deep in the earth on the opposite side.
Chen Shaobei waved his arm and shouted, "Teachers! Secure that rope!"
Pulling the rope taut from both sides at once would be much faster than trying to secure it from just one!
Mr. Huang understood at once. He quickly called over the Mountain Villa Steward, and they began to secure the rope at the cliff’s edge.
Soon, a taut rope temporarily spanned the gap of the broken bridge.
To ensure it was safe, a guard tied a safety rope around his waist and began to carefully test his footing on the bridge.
He moved slowly, the broken bridge swaying constantly beneath him.
Shen Ningning and the other students watched, their hearts in their throats.
The little one’s hands were clenched into tight fists.
After about the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, the guard finally made it across.
Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. Some even began to cheer, crying tears of joy.
"We’re saved!"
As soon as the guard reached Shen Ningning’s side, he untied the rope from his own waist and moved to secure it around hers.
"Miss Shen, I’ll take you across first!" The Crown Prince was worried about the little girl, so her safety was, of course, the top priority.
