Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Waiting for Her
A slight commotion stirred at the entrance to the garden.
Mo Lingwei immediately looked over, only to see Minister Wei approaching, surrounded by several officials.
He looked away, bored.
Minister Wei walked all the way to the round table on Mo Lingwei’s right.
Three high-ranking officials were already seated there: General Zhen Nan, the Prime Minister, and the old Imperial Tutor.
They were all powerful and influential pillars of the court.
Naturally, Minister Wei’s seat had also been assigned to this table.
He beamed as he bowed and greeted the three men. While the Prime Minister paid him little mind, the other two returned the courtesy.
The old Imperial Tutor asked curiously, "Mr. Wei, I heard the Emperor invited your daughter to attend the palace banquet. Why do we not see this Miss Fu Nü?"
A look of regret crossed Minister Wei’s face. "My daughter went to Xitai Village a few days ago to distribute congee and fell ill with a summer fever upon her return."
"Is that so." The old Imperial Tutor slowly shook his head. "Then it is my misfortune not to be able to witness your daughter summon rain in person."
Minister Wei gave a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "You jest, Imperial Tutor."
General Zhen Nan was a man of upright character who disliked socializing. He was also the only military general at the table.
Listening to their verbal sparring, he simply drank his tea in silence, cup after cup.
Minister Wei turned to look at the Prime Minister, who was sitting to the side in equal silence.
The Prime Minister was over thirty. Today, he wore a robe adorned with blue cranes. His features were handsome and elegant, but there was no warmth in them. The occasional glance he cast upward was always sharp.
Minister Wei asked with concern, "Prime Minister, I heard you have been ill for many days. Are you feeling any better recently?"
The Prime Minister’s expression was indifferent. His long, slender fingers held a closed folding fan, adding to his air of refined elegance.
"I am not," he said, his voice cold and his reply blunt.
Clearly, the Prime Minister had no intention of engaging in pleasantries with Minister Wei.
A lump formed in Minister Wei’s throat, and he forgot whatever he had been about to say.
He then turned to General Zhen Nan, but before Minister Wei could offer a greeting, the general announced, "The Emperor has arrived."
The Emperor approached, surrounded by his retinue, with the graceful and noble Consort Li by his side.
Everyone quickly rose to bow. The Emperor chuckled and raised a hand. "Today is Ling Wei’s birthday. With everyone gathered here, it is like a family feast, so there is no need for such formalities."
With that, he led Consort Li to a seat on Mo Lingwei’s left.
The Emperor smiled at Mo Lingwei. "Let the banquet begin. I am here now."
But Mo Lingwei frowned. "Wait a little longer. Someone isn’t here yet."
The Emperor was taken aback.
’And here I thought the boy was waiting for me!’
Consort Li tried to smooth things over, her voice gentle. "Ling Wei, the Emperor knows it is your birthday and specifically postponed his state affairs to rush over. He probably won’t be able to stay for long. See? Everyone has arrived. Why don’t we begin?"
Mo Lingwei shot her a cold glance. "It’s my birthday. You have no right to speak. Shut your mouth, or get out."
In front of so many people, the Crown Prince showed Consort Li no courtesy whatsoever!
Consort Li’s expression froze, her embarrassment plain to see.
The Emperor’s face grew stern. "Ling Wei! How could you speak like that? Consort Li is your elder, after all."
"I am waiting for Shen Ningning. Chen Shaobei has already gone to get her." Mo Lingwei’s tone was indisputable.
Upon hearing her name—Shen Ningning—the Emperor’s expression softened. "Then we shall wait," he said. "Everyone will wait together."
The Chief Eunuch had the palace maids serve fruits and pastries, and refill the tea.
The officials resumed their lively conversations with those around them, just as before.
During this time, Minister Wei approached the Emperor and, full of apology, explained why his daughter could not attend the banquet.
Consort Li echoed his sentiments, showing great concern.
"What? Is Fu’er all right?"
"She took her medicine, but she was still drowsy this morning, so she was unable to come."
The Emperor wore a faint, unreadable smile as he toyed with the Buddha Beads in his hand—the same kind of beads that were on Mo Lingwei’s wrist.
He said slowly, "If one is ill, one must rest well. But this rain... it must fall. Don’t you agree, Minister Wei?"
Cold sweat trickled down Minister Wei’s back, but he had to maintain a normal expression.
He bowed and scraped. "The Emperor is right."
Minister Wei scurried back to his seat.
’Did the Emperor’s words just now mean he completely doubts my daughter Wei Yufu’s status as a blessed girl?’
The usually composed and aloof Prime Minister suddenly spoke, asking General Zhen Nan beside him, "A moment ago, the Crown Prince said he was waiting for someone. From the name, it sounded like it had ’Ning’ in it?"
As it happened, General Zhen Nan had heard of Shen Ningning.
His son, Chen Shaobei, who served the Crown Prince, had mentioned countless times how important Shen Ningning was to him.
He replied in his deep, gruff voice, "She is a young girl who once saved the Crown Prince’s life."
"A young girl?" The Prime Minister tightened his grip on his folding fan. "How old?"
General Zhen Nan hesitated for a moment. "Six or seven, perhaps?"
A trace of disappointment flickered in the Prime Minister’s dark, piercing eyes. "That old? What is her surname?"
"Her surname is Shen."
"Shen..." Upon hearing this, the Prime Minister’s tone grew even more somber.
It seemed he had not received the answer he was hoping for.
General Zhen Nan nodded. "If you are curious, Prime Minister, you will be able to see her when she arrives."
Before the Prime Minister could speak, the old Imperial Tutor beside them stroked his beard, fixed his gaze on Minister Wei, and said with a smile, "Mr. Wei, you don’t look too well. Are you worried about your daughter at home?"
Minister Wei cursed the old fool in his heart. ’He’s always looking for an opportunity to cause me trouble.’
Outwardly, he had to go along with the old Imperial Tutor’s words. "Yes, my daughter is quite ill, and the Emperor is also concerned about her summoning the rain."
"Tsk!" The old Imperial Tutor shook his head. "This so-called summoning of clouds and rain... if we really had to rely on a little child for it, then what use are all the immortals in the heavens?"
"In my view, what the State Preceptor said back then was also false. The heavens are merciless; it is only the Emperor’s benevolence that leads him to place his hopes in such things. But as for whether your daughter can truly summon the clouds and rain, you, Mr. Wei, as her father, should know better than anyone."
Minister Wei’s eyes darkened. "Imperial Tutor, what is the meaning of this?"
But the old Imperial Tutor simply stroked his beard with a grin and ignored him.
The Prime Minister, sitting to the side, now spoke coldly, "The Imperial Tutor has a point."
"If you truly dote on your daughter, Mr. Wei, you would do best to clear up these rumors about her being a ’blessed girl.’ Otherwise, if the day comes when she cannot summon the rain, won’t she become a laughingstock?"
General Zhen Nan also nodded silently. "That makes sense."
The title of "blessed girl" sounded nice, but from the looks of it, Minister Wei’s daughter’s ability was hit-or-miss, and she had certainly received her share of criticism from the Emperor because of it.
If he truly loved his daughter, he would have kept it a secret, choosing to let her grow up in peace rather than have her compete for the title of "blessed girl."
The Prime Minister’s expression grew distant, his gaze turning melancholic as if lost in thought.
He coughed lightly a few times, and the young attendant behind him immediately stepped forward. "My lord..."
The Prime Minister had vomited blood several times before; his health was severely depleted, and it was time for him to go back and take his medicine.
"It’s nothing. It is the Crown Prince’s birthday. I will sit a while longer," the Prime Minister said faintly.
’I have to wait and see what this little girl with the surname Shen looks like.’
Meanwhile, Minister Wei was so angry he was speechless.
There wasn’t a single person at this table whose words he wanted to hear.
Two rounds of tea had been served, yet Chen Shaobei had still not returned to the palace with Shen Ningning.
The Emperor looked at Mo Lingwei. "We have already been waiting for half an hour, Ling Wei. Shall we wait longer?"
Mo Lingwei’s gaze was dark and heavy. "We wait. She will definitely come."
Shen Ningning had promised him. She wouldn’t forget.
Just then, Chen Shaobei’s figure finally appeared at the garden entrance.
A faint smile at last touched Mo Lingwei’s deep, opaque eyes.
