Chapter 142 Compensation
On the first day that Wen Ning moved into Prince Chen's Mansion, Xie Jinglan had Xiao Xibao carefully packed up and sent over.
The emperor did not allow him to go to Prince Chen's Mansion, but he did not say that he would not prepare Xibao to go.
He knew very well that Ning'er must have been thinking about Xibao a lot these days.
Naturally, this matter was first discussed with the Prince and Princess Chen.
Xiao Jinyu and Shen Yunshu liked children in the first place. They were used to the quietness of their house and were looking forward to having a little baby to add some liveliness. When they heard that they wanted to bring Xiao Xibao over, they agreed immediately.
Besides, considering their current relationship, Xibao is still their nephew.
Little Xibao, led by Nanny Xue, entered the main hall of the palace in a proper manner and saluted to Prince Chen and his wife in a proper manner. Her little voice was serious, "Xibao pays his respects to Prince Chen and Princess Chen."
He carefully took out a small and exquisite flowerpot from behind him. In it was a lush and vibrant orchid, and the leaves were wiped clean by him until they were shiny.
He raised his little face and said seriously, "This is Xibao's own pet. I gave it to Prince Chen and Princess Chen. It means...it means 'vitality'!"
He remembered this little phrase very clearly.
Seeing this, Xiao Jinyu and Shen Yunshu's hearts melted. They hurriedly took it with a smile and praised Xibao for his thoughtfulness.
When he arrived in front of Wen Ning, the little guy no longer had the reserved look he had just had. A bright smile suddenly appeared on his face, with a little eagerness and pride.
"Just..."
He stood on tiptoe, struck a very cute pose, and tried hard to raise the two gifts in his hands above his head, and then handed them to his mother.
One was a colorful pebble bracelet he made himself. Although it looked quite childish, he polished it bit by bit. "This is what Xibao made for mother."
The other little hand held a small red sandalwood box with a rich color and exquisite carvings. "This is made by the Marquis for mother."
Wen Ning took the gift. She hadn't seen Xi Bao for a long time, and her eyes suddenly became warm.
The little guy jumped into her arms, rubbing against her, and called out "Mommy, Mommy" in his soft and sweet voice filled with longing and grievance.
After watching this, Shen Yunshu was so envious that she wished she could give birth to a child of this size right away.
As the night deepened, the lights in the palace dimmed.
Xiao Xibao played for the entire day, making Prince Chen and his wife laugh constantly. Now his energy was finally exhausted, and he fell into a deep sleep almost as soon as his head touched the pillow.
Wen Ning tucked in the quilt for her son, sat down beside the bed, and then took out the warm rosewood box from her sleeve.
Her slender fingers gently placed on the small and exquisite lock, and with a light "click", the lid of the box opened.
What comes into view is a more lustrous and compact white jade box.
A clear, light sandalwood scent that she was very familiar with, mixed with the extremely elegant scent of plum blossoms, emanated faintly from the jade box and lingered at the tip of her nose.
Open the jade box again——
Inside was... lip balm.
The color is a bright red that is slightly lighter than bright red, like a newly ripe cherry, smooth and delicate. At first glance, you can tell that it is the result of selecting the best petals and spending countless efforts to carefully refine and blend them to create such a texture.
The image involuntarily emerged in my mind... the marquis who was used to wielding a sword and a bow, and reviewing military documents, would put on a cold demeanor, and patiently crush petals, filter juice, and carefully handle these delicate tasks of a girl under the lamp in the dead of night.
When I think about that scene...it feels awkward.
Under the jade box, there was a piece of plain paper.
Wen Ning picked it up and saw two powerful words written on it:
"compensate".
In an instant, the lingering memory of how he couldn't help but suck the lip balm from her lips in the pleasure boat came into his mind very clearly.
Wen Ning's cheeks suddenly flushed with an intoxicating blush.
Isn't he busy on weekdays?
How do you have time to do this?
…
The Crown Prince finally lost the Emperor's favor due to the recent flurry of impeachment memorials.
The important task of receiving envoys from border countries naturally fell on Xiao Jinyu.
Only then did the prince understand that Marquis Anyuan not only did not stand on his side, but seemed to be secretly assisting Xiao Jinyu.
How could he let this matter remain silent?
Taking advantage of the chaotic handover of power, he secretly sent several carefully painted portraits of ladies to the Xidi Prince, who was known for his sensuality. The "Princess Yanning" in the painting was especially beautiful, with an unparalleled appearance that made people fall in love with her at first sight.
Unfortunately, his plan had already been discovered clearly by the spies deployed by Xie Jinglan.
Before the Western Di prince could find an opportunity to propose marriage at the banquet, the northwest border suddenly became "turbulent."
Several tribes that have always been restless suddenly became active, looting caravans and harassing border residents.
Several elite cavalry units guarding the border were dispatched in an instant, with beacon towers and wolf smoke burning day and night, showing a fierce posture ready to attack at any time.
Urgent reports from the border were delivered to the royal court of Xidi overnight. The reports were in strong language, directly accusing Xidi of wanting to break the alliance and start a war again.
The carefree Prince of Xidi received urgent military intelligence from home and was immediately terrified. He no longer cared about the beautiful woman and fled from this dangerous place in a hurry, saying that "the border is in turmoil and I need to return to help defend the country."
The poison arrow that the prince had painstakingly planted had not even left the bowstring when Xie Jinglan, thousands of miles away, easily crushed it into nothingness with his thundering military might.
Xiao Jinyu was given the task at a critical moment this time, and he managed all affairs in an orderly manner. The ceremony was grand and magnificent, fully demonstrating the consideration and care of the Celestial Empire. Not only did it convince the envoys of various countries, but it also pleased the emperor. His weight in the court naturally rose, and he was on the verge of prosperity.
A few months later, news quietly spread that Emperor Chengxuan secretly summoned the Grand Tutor and other important ministers to discuss whether to abolish the crown prince.
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince became even more convinced that since he could not win over Marquis Anyuan, with this person by his side, his position as Crown Prince would be in danger.
Xie Jinglan saw through this clearly. He knew that the only thing missing was the last key.
The prince has now been forced into a desperate situation. As long as that crucial thing happens, he will be almost done with treason.
…
The street market was particularly lively in the afternoon. Wen Ning accompanied Shen Yunshu, whose body was becoming increasingly heavy, and picked out a few pieces of newly arrived brocade at the silk shop.
This was the third time that Princess Chen invited her to stay in the palace.
Just as he was about to leave, Shen Yunshu seemed to suddenly remember something and let out a soft "ah".
She took Wen Ning's hand and said apologetically, "Look at my memory. I forgot about the appointment with Madam Li to go to the Zen temple to copy scriptures this morning. Sister Ning'er, please rent a safe carriage and go back home by yourself, okay?"
Wen Ning didn't doubt him and nodded in response, "Sister Shu'er, go quickly. I can go back by myself without any problem."
After Princess Chen's carriage rumbled away, Wen Ning turned around and was about to look for a place to rent a carriage, but her eyes suddenly froze.
There was a black carriage with unusual specifications, made of sunken wood, parked in front of him. The curtains were drawn, covering the carriage tightly, but the driver was...
It’s Qingfeng.
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