Chapter 122 Li Nanke, I don't like you!

In her dream, she agreed to be Shen Cong's mole, infiltrating Shen Xu's side to gather information for him.

She wanted to seek justice for her father and avenge her mother and grandmother.

Shen Cong needed her to go to the royal family to find out what kind of poison he had been poisoned with. At that time, he did not know that he was under a blood curse.

At that time, His Majesty's health was becoming increasingly weak, and Shen Xu was appointed Crown Prince to oversee the country on His Majesty's behalf.

Shen Cong arranged for her to live in the countryside for a period of time as a peasant girl, and then arranged for someone to assassinate Shen Xu.

She saved Shen Xu and took care of him for a period of time, and naturally, she was brought into the East Palace by Shen Xu.

Princess Zhaoning was just fourteen years old at the time. One day, she rushed into the East Palace with a whip in her hand and barged into her room.

"Are you the peasant girl that my brother brought back?"

She was embroidering an outer garment for Shen Xu when she looked up and saw Princess Zhaoning's disdainful gaze.

She immediately knelt down to pay her respects.

"This humble woman pays her respects to the princess."

Zhao Ning chuckled, walked to the embroidery frame with her hands behind her back, and glanced at the clothes on the frame.

Picking up the scissors beside her, she cut the new clothes she had been embroidering for half a month into strips of fabric.

"A lowly country bumpkin, whose mud splatters are barely clean, dares to embroider clothes for my imperial brother?"

The shredded fabric fell to the ground one by one, and she couldn't help but get up to pick it up, her face pale.

Princess Zhaoning lashed her arm with her whip.

The barbed whip lashed her hand hard, tearing her sleeve in two instantly. The barbs on the whip dug into her flesh and were pulled out.

His entire arm was covered in blood.

She was in so much pain that she knelt down, cold sweat streaming down her face.

Princess Zhaoning used a whip to press against her chin, forcing her to raise her head.

"You think you can charm my royal brother just because you have a pretty face? Ha, you're just a lowly country bumpkin with no parents."

"Don't even mention being a concubine or a high-ranking lady for my elder brother; you're not even qualified to warm his bed."

The barbs on the whip dug into her chin, causing her face to turn deathly pale and her body to tremble uncontrollably. She could only grit her teeth and endure the pain.

"Tsk, you've got some backbone. Why are you looking at me like that? This princess isn't the kind of man who'd show mercy to a woman."

Princess Zhaoning pulled out her whip and slapped her twice hard.

He then ordered the palace maids, "Go, take her to kneel in the sun, and keep her kneeling until I am pleased."

Princess Zhaoning's two maids forced her to kneel in the sun for two whole hours, while Princess Zhaoning lay on the veranda, eating fresh fruit and enjoying her disheveled appearance.

She fainted when Shen Xu returned to the palace.

"Ke'er, why is your face so pale? Are you nervous?"

Song Yi's anxious shouts pulled Li Nanke back from his memories.

It turned out that they had already arrived outside Ninghui Palace.

Song Yi held her hand, her face full of worry.

Li Nanke clearly felt her hand trembling as she held his, and instinctively gripped it back.

He looked up and smiled at Song Yi.

"Mom, I'm not nervous, so you shouldn't be nervous either."

Seeing her daughter's smile eased Song Yi's tension somewhat.

The mother and daughter bowed their heads as they entered the hall, kneeling and kowtowing respectfully.

"Your Majesty, I, Song, pay my respects to Your Majesty and Your Majesty the Empress."

Li Nanke imitated Song Yi and said in a clear voice, "This humble woman, Li Nanke, greets Your Majesty and Your Majesty the Empress."

"Get up."

A gentle voice came from the head of the table.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Li Nanke stood up with Song Yi and looked up to see the person sitting at the head of the table.

The current emperor is over forty years old, with a neatly trimmed short beard, and sits on a golden dragon chair. His figure is somewhat thin under his bright yellow dragon robe.

There was also a thick, dark figure in the distance, leaning slightly back in his chair, observing them with a relaxed posture.

Sitting next to her was Empress Xue. Although she was also over forty, she was well-maintained and looked noble and elegant in a crimson pheasant robe embroidered with gold thread.

But a hint of gloom could not be concealed in his eyes.

In contrast, the little girl in Empress Xue's arms looked much more cheerful.

She was dressed in a pink palace-style dress, her almond-shaped eyes scrutinizing Li Nanke, a hint of curiosity gleaming in her dark pupils.

"You're Li Nanke?"

Li Nanke remembered what happened in her dream, her little face puffed up, and she held back her anger.

They bowed politely.

"Li Nanke pays his respects to the princess."

Princess Zhaoning jumped off Empress Xue, put her hands behind her back, and circled around Li Nanke.

Then he looked up at the emperor with a grin.

"Father, Mother, may I take her to the side hall to play for a while?"

The emperor and empress exchanged a glance and nodded with smiles.

Empress Xue said, "Go ahead, it's a good opportunity for you all to get to know each other."

Princess Zhaoning grabbed Li Nanke's hand and said excitedly, "Let's go play in the side hall."

Li Nanke nodded to Song Yi, indicating that she shouldn't worry.

Then, feigning happiness, she skipped and hopped away with Princess Zhaoning.

The emperor looked at his daughter's happy face and shook his head with a smile.

"Zhao Ning is usually a well-behaved girl, it's rare to see her so happy. It seems she really likes this little girl from the Li family."

Empress Xue smiled gently.

"Your Majesty has a good eye. I think that child is sensible, well-behaved, and knows the rules. Making her one of Zhao Ning's study companions is a good idea."

Song Yi's heart was pounding in her chest.

If Princess Zhaoning really likes Ke'er, then Ke'er becoming her study companion is a sure thing.

Just as she was feeling uneasy, she heard the emperor ask her about the previous rainstorm warning and the emergency harvesting of grain.

She and Ke'er had already discussed these things at home.

Song Yi replied to each line according to the words she had memorized beforehand, but her heart was pounding and her mind was already wandering to the side hall.

In the side hall.

Princess Zhaoning forcefully shook off Li Nanke's hand as soon as she entered.

Fortunately, she was prepared and was not thrown to the ground.

Princess Zhaoning stood with one hand on her hip and the other pointing at her, glaring at her with her chin raised. In stark contrast to her obedient demeanor in Ninghui Palace, she appeared spoiled and arrogant.

"Li Nanke, my father has chosen you to be my study companion. Let me tell you, being my study companion is not an easy job. You must meet three conditions."

Li Nanke wore an expression of trepidation.

What are the three conditions?

"It's very simple. First, you must listen to me. If I tell you to go east, you have to go east; if I tell you to go west, you have to go west."

Li Nanke said "Oh," and then asked, "What about the second one?"

"Secondly, you must complete all my homework, and your homework cannot be better than mine."

"Article Three..."

Princess Zhaoning glared at Li Nanke with a displeased expression.

"You are not allowed to dress prettier or cuter than me, the princess. And you are not allowed to wear this outfit again!"

Li Nanke blinked, her little face showing a troubled expression.

"The first two are easy, but I really can't do the third one."

Princess Zhaoning's face darkened.

"Why?"

Li Nanke spread her hands, deliberately making a dazed look.

"I'm naturally cute, what can I do about it?"

Princess Zhaoning's eyes widened.

"How could you... how could you say that? Who would voluntarily say they're cute?"

"But it's the truth, Princess, don't you think I'm cute?"

"you!"

Princess Zhaoning was furious and shouted with her hands on her hips.

"Li Nanke, I don't like you! I hate you!"

Li Nanke spoke with conviction.

"This is a problem the princess needs to solve. It's not that I'm not cute or unlovable. The princess should think about why she doesn't like me!"

Princess Zhaoning.....