Wolf-Raised Cub with a Space: Surviving the Disaster Years
Chapter 160: The Wei Family, Done For Overnight?
The downpour lasted for a full six hours before it finally stopped.
The common people went from cheering with joy to weeping in each other’s arms.
They firmly believed that the drought was over and that their many years of suffering had finally come to an end.
That evening, Shen Ningning was treated as the guest of honor!
The Emperor personally welcomed her, escorting her carriage into the Imperial City—an act of supreme honor.
In the magnificent, resplendent grand hall, all the civil and military officials were gathered, their tables laden with fine wine and delicacies.
Shen Ningning was granted the honor of sitting directly between the Emperor and the Crown Prince, making her the envy of all the other ladies.
When the Emperor asked the little girl what reward she desired, Shen Ningning put down her soup spoon.
She blinked her big eyes obediently. "Uncle Emperor, can you bring my grandma and Langlang and the other wolves into the palace? My grandma has never seen what the Imperial Palace looks like."
During the last Mid-Autumn Festival, the little girl had planned to bring her family into the palace.
Unfortunately, due to an unexpected incident, Grandma Qin never made it inside.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor immediately waved his hand grandly and ordered Lord Lu, the head of the Imperial Guards.
"Minister Lu, lead your men and go personally. You must be sure to bring Mrs. Qin Sr. to Us."
The Imperial Tutor quickly asked, "Princess Funing, your wolves won’t bite people, will they?"
Shen Ningning let out a laugh like tinkling silver bells. "No, they won’t. As long as I’m here, they won’t hurt anyone."
Commander Lu accepted the decree and immediately left the palace to retrieve them.
Just then, the Chief Eunuch entered with an awkward expression, knelt on the floor, and announced, "Your Majesty, Lady Li Fei requests an audience."
The Emperor was in the middle of ordering someone to bring Shen Ningning some fine, sweet milk.
Upon hearing this, his expression instantly turned cold. "Did We not order her to reflect on her misdeeds in the palace? What is she doing here, spoiling the mood!"
The Emperor not only knew that Wei Yufu had pretended to be the blessed girl, but he also knew that Minister Wei had bribed a so-called master, intending for him to fake a miracle at the rain-praying ceremony!
Fortunately, the heavens were watching; the man Minister Wei found was just a common charlatan, not a master at all!
The Emperor could not tolerate this. The Wei Family had been monopolizing the title of "blessed girl" simply because Wei Yufu had been born on a rainy night four years ago.
Yet she had never once summoned a single drop of rain!
Therefore, he had docked three years of Minister Wei’s salary to aid the poor.
He also ordered Wei Yufu and Consort Li to reflect on their transgressions, and further decreed that Mo Changgong would be given to the ever-gentle Consort Rong to be raised by her.
Hearing that Consort Li was requesting an audience, the Emperor’s disgust was undisguised.
The Chief Eunuch’s voice was full of helplessness. "This servant tried to persuade her, saying Your Majesty was busy, but Lady Li Fei refuses to leave and is kneeling outside."
"Not only that, the Sixth Prince also rushed over and is insisting on kneeling with Lady Li Fei to admit his fault."
The Emperor could certainly be ruthless toward Consort Li.
But the moment he heard that the crippled Mo Changgong was also kneeling outside, he could no longer sit still.
He shot to his feet, his brow furrowed. "What?!"
The Emperor’s furious shout silenced the officials, who had been busy toasting one another.
"Go and tell Chang Gong to return to his quarters! This has nothing to do with him!" the Emperor said, flicking his sleeve in irritation.
He had always felt that he owed Mo Changgong a great debt.
This was because his favorite son, Mo Lingwei, had severed the tendons in Mo Changgong’s limbs, turning him into a cripple.
But the Emperor couldn’t bear to punish Mo Lingwei, so he had naturally persuaded Mo Changgong to endure the grievance.
Mo Changgong had been obedient and had not resisted, and precisely because of this, the Emperor felt even more guilty.
The Chief Eunuch was in a difficult position. "This servant told him, Your Majesty, but the Sixth Prince refuses to leave!"
Hearing this, Mo Lingwei raised his teacup, his thin lips curling into a cold sneer.
Shen Ningning turned to look at him, blinking her big eyes. Mo Lingwei passed her a few more of the fried sweet dumplings she liked.
He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Just watch the show. He’s probably going to play the victim again to win Father Emperor’s sympathy. But you’re the star today. If you find him too noisy later, tell me, and I’ll make him get lost."
Mo Lingwei’s words were crisp and decisive, his tone autocratic and domineering.
Shen Ningning couldn’t help but sneak a little smile. She shared a yellow millet cake with him.
"Just let him put on his show. Here, Big Brother, you eat this. It’s super sweet and yummy."
Mo Lingwei’s expression faltered. He frowned, his gaze falling to the millet cake on his plate.
’How could he tell the little girl that he didn’t like sweets at all?’
But, since it was a gift from Shen Ningning, Mo Lingwei ate it in the end.
Meeting her expectant gaze, he didn’t hesitate to give his two-word review: "Not bad."
While the two of them were talking, the Emperor’s heart had already softened, and he allowed Consort Li to enter with Mo Changgong.
Sure enough, as soon as Consort Li entered, she looked pale and haggard, her eyes red and puffy, clearly having cried a great deal.
She knelt on the floor, tears streaming down her face. "Your Majesty, I truly knew nothing of what my brother did. Punish him however you see fit, but please, for the sake of the many years I have served you, do not take Chang Gong away from me."
"He is my only child. If you send him away, aren’t you essentially taking my life?"
Consort Li’s cries were mournful and moving, and as she prostrated on the floor, everyone could see the heartbreak of a mother.
Mo Changgong, beside her, also wore a sorrowful expression. "Father Emperor, Mother Consort has always been dutiful. This time, she was entirely implicated by her brother. Living deep within the harem, how could she have known of Uncle’s arrangements? I beg Father Emperor to see the truth!"
The words of the mother and son were enough to move any bystander. The Emperor remained silent, his brows knitted, not speaking for a moment.
Mo Lingwei knew. ’He’s probably going to soften again.’
He scoffed coldly, propping his head on his hand. "How boring," he drawled languidly.
’Mo Lingwei is so pitiful,’ Shen Ningning thought.
’This probably isn’t the first time the Emperor has gone soft. Big Brother doesn’t have a mother to protect him like Mo Changgong does.’
The little girl immediately whispered, "Exactly. He’s so boring. Big Brother, I’m on your side!"
’Whoever Mo Lingwei hates, I’ll dislike them too!’
Meanwhile, Xie Mingxu’s calm gaze had been fixed on Shen Ningning’s expression.
He noticed the little girl’s indignant expression, as if she disliked Consort Li and Mo Changgong.
Xie Mingxu recalled their adventure together at Fashan Temple and simply thought the little girl was adorable and full of life.
’Since she dislikes the Wei Family, then I won’t hold back either.’
Xie Mingxu stood up and cupped his hands in a salute. "Your Majesty, regarding Minister Wei, this general has one more matter to report."
Consort Li’s crying came to an abrupt halt. She turned to look at Xie Mingxu, her eyes filled with suspicion.
’The one speaking is the Prime Minister’s eldest son,’ she thought. ’But as far as I know, the Wei and Xie families have always kept to themselves, like well water and river water.’
The Emperor’s face was grim. "Speak."
Xie Mingxu then recounted the incident at Fashan Temple where they encountered mountain bandits disguised as monks, who were ultimately subdued.
He added that their identities were not simple; they were part of the same group of roving bandits that had been captured a while ago.
Xie Mingxu deliberately avoided mentioning Shen Ningning’s name, fearing she would face retaliation from the Wei Family.
Instead, he himself said in a measured tone, "Those bandits mentioned that the reason they had information from the court was that Third Master Wei was colluding with them, providing them with the court’s deployments and arrangements."
Consort Li’s face went pale with shock. "Impossible!" she blurted out.
’The bandits are clearly all dead, and Landlord Du, who was supposed to take the fall, is long since a corpse.’
’How could this case possibly be dredged up for investigation again?!’
The Emperor’s face turned ashen. "Is this true? Where are the men you captured now?"
"The matter is of grave importance, so this general has temporarily locked them in the dungeons of the Ministry of Justice."
The Emperor immediately rose to his feet. "Bring them to a side hall! We will interrogate them personally!"
With that, he turned to face Shen Ningning, his expression softening into a smile. "Uncle Emperor has to go deal with some official business now. Little Ningning, you keep eating. If there’s anything you need, just have a palace maid bring you more."
Shen Ningning nodded obediently. "I understand, Uncle!"
Only then did the Emperor depart with a grim expression, not even glancing at Consort Li as he passed by her.
All the officials could do was look at each other in dismay, a shared sense of unease hanging in the air.
’At this rate,’ they thought, ’could the entire Wei Family be executed overnight?’