The Emperor was puzzled. "What quarrel do you have with her?"

Shen Ningning’s expression didn’t falter, her round little face resolute.

"Uncle Emperor, you know about the tea stall I opened to shelter the homeless."

The Emperor nodded.

"But not long after the stall was built, Miss Wei came to me, demanding that I sell it to her. When I refused, she hurled insults at me."

"A few days ago, while I was away, she brought her family’s servants, destroyed my tea stall, and injured people. A three-year-old boy named Wuer had a rib broken by her servants."

As soon as she said this, the entire court was in an uproar.

The ministers pointed and whispered amongst themselves—

"Is that what the Wei family’s daughter is really like?"

"She always seemed like such a well-behaved girl. How could she have such poor manners?"

Mo Lingwei’s expression grew even more frigid.

’During the five days he was locked in the Sunlight Tower, Shen Ningning had come to visit him almost every day.’

’She had suffered such an injustice, yet she never mentioned a word of it to him.’

’He hadn’t known about the wrong she had endured.’

Wei Yufu saw the faces of both the Emperor and the Crown Prince darken.

Her mind in turmoil, she cried out, "It’s not like that! Shen Ningning disrespected me first!"

Mo Lingwei’s thin lips curled into a cold sneer. "And what status do you possess that requires her respect? Shen Ningning is the royally invested Princess Funing. If we’re talking about respect, you are the one who should be deferring to her."

The Emperor clasped his hands behind his back and said with displeasure, "You can’t even summon rain, yet your father kept lying to me, claiming you were a blessed girl. In my view, the Wei Family’s character is a serious problem!"

The sentence struck Wei Yufu like a sledgehammer.

Her face went white, and her lips trembled.

’Shen Ningning has ruined me!’

Just then, several ministers came down from the viewing platform, bowed before the Emperor, and began speaking over one another.

"Your Majesty, the matter of the Wei Family should be set aside for now. The most urgent task is to summon the rain."

"Indeed. Princess Funing claims she can summon rain, but that can hardly be taken seriously. She’s only a five-year-old child. If she could really do it, she would have done so already."

"In my opinion, it’s just childish prattle. Princess Funing probably doesn’t even understand what summoning rain means."

"Perhaps Princess Funing is only saying such things out of resentment for Miss Wei. It’s quite a shameless boast."

Wei Yufu’s deception had made the ministers more skeptical.

’Where in the world could one find a real blessed girl? It was all just rumors!’

The Emperor remained silent, his expression grim.

Mo Lingwei drew a nearby guard’s sword and pressed it directly to one of the minister’s necks. The man was so frightened his legs trembled, and he cried out, "Your Highness, did I say something wrong?"

"Shen Ningning is not like Wei Yufu. She never lies for fame or fortune. You have offended her, and I am most displeased. Apologize to her."

But Shen Ningning spoke in her soft, gentle voice, "Brother, it’s okay. He only says that because he doesn’t know I can really summon rain."

’The minister might actually apologize to her under Mo Lingwei’s pressure.’

’But the little girl understood clearly that it would be useless. In their hearts, they would still be convinced she couldn’t summon rain.’

’But her goal was to seize the title of "blessed girl" and make Wei Yufu, who had thoroughly infuriated her, regret everything!’

Shen Ningning looked up at the Emperor. "Uncle Emperor, do you agree to my terms? If I summon the rain, I want Wei Yufu to receive the punishment she deserves."

Seeing things were taking a bad turn, Consort Li, who had just walked over and heard this, scolded, "Princess Funing, do not be unreasonable."

The Emperor raised a hand, silencing everyone.

He looked at Shen Ningning, his gaze profound. "Very well, I grant your request. However, if you also fail to summon rain, I will strip you of your title as County Lord. Shen Ningning, are you sure you wish to proceed?"

"I’m sure!" The little girl nodded with firm confidence.

With a wave of his hand, the Emperor signaled for everyone to return to the viewing platforms.

Consort Li supported the nearly limp Wei Yufu as they returned to the concubines’ seating area.

Xie Mingxu gazed intently at Shen Ningning’s small figure under the scorching sun.

’Can this little girl really summon a downpour?’

Everyone returned to their places. Only Mo Lingwei remained.

He stood before Shen Ningning, his sharp eyes filled with concern. He said in a low voice, "If you can’t do it, don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you."

Shen Ningning smiled, tilting her head back to look up at him with her large, bright, dewy eyes. Her voice was soft and lovely. "Brother, all you need to do is get an umbrella ready so you don’t get drenched!"

With that, she turned and walked toward the Heavenly Temple’s altar.

The Wizards began to drum again, and the State Preceptor burned a Yellow Talisman. As flames produced billows of ashen smoke, Shen Ningning closed her eyes.

’My little dark clouds in my sleeves, you have to come through for me!’

’I picked the entire Cloud Tree bare for this!’

Shen Ningning exhaled and her beautifully shaped eyes snapped open. Her dark, curled lashes made her fair, rosy cheeks stand out even more.

The little girl suddenly crossed her hands, undid a silk ribbon, and flung her sleeves toward the sky.

The crowd heard the crisp tinkling of a bell. When they focused their eyes, they saw that Shen Ningning was wearing a silver bell on each of her small wrists.

With her movements, the sound was enchanting. Amidst the Wizards’ drumming, it was like an ancient, sacred chant, carrying a strange, divine quality.

Mo Lingwei was the closest. He saw with his own eyes wisps of grayish-black smoke, like small clouds, emerging from her sleeves.

Before he could get a closer look, these dark clouds floated into the sky one after another and vanished into the heavens.

However, after a few moments passed, the sky remained unchanged.

On the viewing platform, Consort Li breathed a sigh of relief. Beside her, Wei Yufu crossed her arms and scoffed, "See? How could Shen Ningning possibly summon rain? She’s just a pathetic wretch, still telling lies at a time like this!"

The moment her words faded, a tremendous thunderclap suddenly echoed from the sky! CRACK!

The earth itself seemed to tremble. The thunder was so loud that some of the more timid officials instantly dove under their chairs!

Everyone looked up at the sky. The impossible was happening.

With Shen Ningning as the epicenter, dark clouds spread like spilled ink, radiating outwards in all directions at incredible speed until they covered the entire sky above the Capital City!

As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but a mass of oppressive, dark clouds. It was as if night had suddenly fallen. Fierce winds whipped up out of nowhere, and the rumbling thunder was enough to make one’s heart race with fear.

Everyone, including the Emperor, was utterly dumbfounded.

Shen Ningning stretched out a small hand, her voice sweet and childlike. "Let it rain."

The moment she spoke, fat drops of rain began to fall from the heavens, pelting down so hard they stung on impact!

The Chief Eunuch immediately opened the Jade Bone Umbrella for the Emperor, only for Mo Lingwei to snatch it away.

In the end, the umbrella was held over Shen Ningning’s head, shielding her from every single drop.

The Emperor no longer cared for an umbrella. He spread his arms wide, walking down from the altar in disbelief. Once he was certain it was a true downpour, he burst into loud laughter.

"Excellent! Excellent! Our Cangyun Country is saved!"

On the viewing platform, the faces of everyone in the Wei Family were ashen.

’How could it actually be raining?’

One after another, guards on horseback galloped through the rain, bringing a stream of joyous reports—

"Report! Heavy rain in Guangyang County!"

"Heavy rain in Yu’an County!"

"It’s also raining in the Three Cities and Eight Villages!"

"Your Majesty! The Red River is filling with water!"

"Report! A torrential downpour across the Capital and its environs!"

It wasn’t just pouring in the Capital City; even the surrounding suburbs were being drenched.

The ministers who had just been mocking Shen Ningning were left speechless, their faces drained of color.

’So, Shen Ningning... is the real blessed girl?!’