Chapter 75 - Kid, Are You Still Alive?

Hearing Baili Qingcang’s words, Shen Ninghua was stunned, let alone those officials. She had already thought of a way out for herself. She had asked to go to Jiangnan to relieve the plague and use this credit to ask Baili Qingcang for a favor to allow her to break away from the Shen family. Although it was inevitable that she would be criticized by others as being unfilial, she did not care.

However, she didn’t expect Baili Qingcang to take her as his daughter. Becoming an adopted daughter of the royal family was not an easy thing. Even if Baili Qingcang expressed his intention, he would still have to face counsel from many officials.

Seeing that Shen Ninghua remained silent for a long time, Baili Qingcang asked again, “Ninghua, are you willing?”

Shen Ninghua raised her head and looked at him. “Your Majesty, I am willing.” With this title, she would have nothing to fear in the future.

“Haha, good.” Baili Qingcang was very happy and personally bent down to help Shen Ninghua up. “Tomorrow, I will issue a decree to announce to the world that I have another daughter. Now it’s time for you to call me father.”

Although she did not know the reason, Shen Ninghua could feel sincere affection from him. “Your Majesty, there is no hurry to make an announcement. When I return from Jiangnan alive, I will call you father. It won’t be too late for you to issue a decree then.”

“What?” Baili Qingcang tightened his hand on her shoulder, “Are you still going to Jiangnan?” He had thought that Shen Ninghua was going to Jiangnan just to avoid being involved with the Shen family. He had already given her an excellent reason to leave the Shen family. Why did she still insist on going there?

“Your Majesty, although I’m an ordinary girl, I also understand the interest of the country. If I didn’t know medical skills and were unable to help with disaster relief, I wouldn’t have asked to go to Jiangnan, because I would be only risking my life in vain. But since I know medical skills and Doctor Chen said that the manuscripts of my prescription for the plague were completely correct, I can’t stand by without offering any help. ”

“There are so many imperial doctors in the Palace. Give them the prescription and let them bring it to Jiangnan. You’re just a girl. I’m concerned about your safety.”

Shen Ninghua smiled softly. Her smile was as bright as a flower and her light voice was exceptionally pleasant to the ears in the spacious hall. “I want to go to Jiangnan and be the eyes of Your Majesty. Now that I am your foster daughter, I’m half a princess. The people must be extremely happy to know that the emperor does not give up on them.”

Baili Qingcang still wanted to retort, but looking at her smiling face, he didn’t know what to say. After a while, he finally sighed slightly. “You are as stubborn as your mother. I remember that Xia family’s patriarch was heading to the battlefield at that time, and she insisted on following him. I was worried, so I secretly drugged her and made her oversleep and miss the date of departure. Afterwards, she made a big fuss and was no longer willing to talk to me…Then after something happened to the Xia family, she was even more unwilling to talk to me… ”

Shen Ninghua raised her head in surprise. Baili Qingcang’s eyes were filled with deep nostalgia and sadness. The emotion inside was so complicated that she found it hard to understand. At this moment, she was extremely curious about what kind of a woman her mother was that she could make this emperor now in his sixty remember her for such a long time.

In the end, Baili Qingcang agreed to Shen Ninghua’s request. But he gave her five hundred elite soldiers. He also agreed to Baili Jinchuan’s request and asked him to bring a group of imperial doctors to Jiangnan to relieve the disaster.

There was something wrong with the prescription offered by the Shen family. The people wished they could devour members of the Shen family alive. However, before they could react, news of Shen Ninghua becoming the foster daughter of the emperor and assisting the imperial doctors in developing the real prescription for the plague spread out. Many people did not know for a moment whether they should hate the Shen family or should be grateful.

While they were confused, another decree was issued. Shen Ninghua, who had just been given the title of Prefectural Princess, and the Second Prince, Baili Jinchuan, headed for Jiangnan to relieve the disaster.

The large group headed south from the capital gate. Many people knelt on the ground to send them off, hoping that they could bring back good news.

Baili Qingcang was dressed in casual clothes. He stood on the city wall and looked at the fleeing troops for a long time. It was not until he could no longer see Shen Ninghua and the others that he withdrew his gaze and said with his hands behind his back, “Shen Dong, after so many years, you still don’t understand?”

Shen Dong leaned against the city wall with a pale face. The hat on his head was slightly messy, making him look even older and more dispirited. When he heard Baili Qingcang’s question, he mocked, “Your Majesty has finally fulfilled your wish and taken Ninghua as your daughter. After a while, when the Shen family collapses, will you directly change her name into Baili Ninghua?”

Baili Qingcang pursed his lips and his gaze was filled with cold killing intent. “No wonder you were treated like a toy by Zhao. Have you been thinking for so many years that Shen Ninghua is my daughter?”

“Isn’t that so?” Shen Dong’s eyes widened, and his smile became even more mocking. “Anyway, I’m going to die. I don’t want to cheat you. I didn’t touch Xia Jingyan. How did she get pregnant and even give birth to an ugly girl?”

“Heh, you’re so stupid! You really don’t deserve Jingyan. What kind of a woman do you think she was? You should still remember that before the Xia family was wrongly accused, you pleaded for mercy in vain and got drunk. At that time, Xia Jingyan was taking care of you. Did you forget what happened that night?”

Shen Dong was stunned, and he slowly recalled what happened back then…

‘”For so many years, you have refused to believe that Ninghua is your own daughter. Or rather, you didn’t dare to believe it. After all, you suspected Jingyan and tacitly consented to Zhao’s drugging her that led to her death on the day of delivery. You should be so guilty that you couldn’t fall asleep every day, right?”

“No, I wasn’t guilty.”

Baili Qingcang sneered. “Shen Dong, I will destroy the Shen family, but I will not let you die. Jingyan was such a proud woman. She disdained to explain, and she would rather break than bend. She set her mind for death. She didn’t even eat the antidote when I delivered it to her mouth, so I didn’t save her life. You, the culprit, should be guilty for the rest of your life to atone for your sins! ”

Shen Dong stood there in a daze, as if he was dumbfounded.

Baili Qingcang waved his hand and said, “Take him back to the Heavenly Prison and keep an eye on him. Don’t let anything happen to him. I’ll deal with him when Prefectural Princess Ninghua returns.”

Shen Ninghua did not take the carriage in the southbound troop. Instead, she changed her clothes and rode on horseback just like Baili Jinchuan. The four maids also rode horses closely behind her.

They had been rushing forward for more than four hours. Baili Jinchuan ordered everyone to rest. The team slowly stopped. Baili Jinchuan jumped down from the horse and handed the horse rein to the guard. He walked to Shen Ninghua’s horse and said, “Ninghua, do you need me to help you down?”

Seeing the teasing smile in his eyes, Shen Ninghua raised her eyebrows slightly. “I don’t dare to trouble Your Highness.” After saying that, she quickly dismounted from the horse.

After four hours of exhausting travel, Shen Ninghua’s hair was a little messy and her forehead was covered in sweats. However, her eyes were exceptionally bright. Perhaps because she had left the courtyard, her eyes were exceptionally clear, revealing an aura of freedom and relaxation. They seemed even more spacious and distant and able to drown people’s minds.

Baili Jinchuan was slightly stunned, and immediately restored his senses. “If we keep going fast like this, we can reach Ping City in about four days.”

Shen Ninghua nodded and took a sip of the water handed over by Hong Ling. “Then let’s keep going like this.”

Baili Jinchuan raised his head and said, “Are you able to endure this all the time?” Even those guards and soldiers wouldn’t be able to get up if they reached Jiangnan within four days, let alone Shen Ninghua.

“Your Highness, you really like to look at people through the cracks in the door.”

“I’m not underestimating you. I’m just talking about the facts. You shouldn’t be too brave. I had ordered people to prepare a carriage. If you can’t stand it, take the carriage.”

Shen Ninghua looked back casually and said indifferently. “Well, if I can’t stand it, I’ll take the carriage.”

Baili Jinchuan no longer said anything, but he was somewhat annoyed in his heart. This girl was too stubborn. He intended to make her suffer, so as to save her from being so brave in the future. Therefore, he did not speak anymore. He waited for the team to be organized and directly mounted his horse to move forward.

However, what he didn’t expect was that Shen Ninghua immediately marched ahead with them until they set up camp at night, and didn’t ask to get off her horse to take the carriage.

At night, when the tent was put up, Baili Jinchuan frowned and looked at Shen Ninghua, who was sitting at the side with a calm expression. He sighed slightly, took out a box of jade-muscle ointment from his bosom, and handed it over. “This is a good medicine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. Have your maid apply some for you.”

Shen Ninghua raised her head in surprise. Her black eyes landed on Baili Jinchuan’s hand. “No need, I have prepared some medicine myself. Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Just take it as I said.” Baili Jinchuan directly pulled up her sleeve, stuffed the ointment into her hand, and then quickly left.

Bai Ruo placed the water at Shen Ninghua’s feet and said worriedly, “Miss, you should wash your face.”

Shen Ninghua frowned and looked at the ointment in her hand. She handed it to Bi Zhu beside her and said, “Put it away.”

“Yes, Miss.”

After Shen Ninghua finished washing her face, the tent was already tidied up. Shen Ninghua went into the tent to rest. Bai Ruo helped her massage her legs and hesitantly opened her mouth.

Shen Ninghua noticed her expression and asked, “What’s wrong? Just say it out.”

Bai Ruo smiled and said, “Perhaps I’m wrong. Miss, don’t overreact. I always feel that the Second Prince is too concerned about you.”

Shen Ninghua’s eyes moved as she lowered her eyelids slightly.

Seeing that she didn’t say anything, Bai Ruo was a little nervous. “Perhaps I’m too sensitive. Miss, you don’t need to take it seriously.”

Just when she thought that Shen Ninghua would remain silent, Shen Ninghua suddenly said, “Keep some distance from him in the next few days. When we arrive at Ping City, we will go separate ways.”

“Yes, Miss.” Bai Ruo answered softly and slowly left the tent.

The tent quieted down. Shen Ninghua rolled over and lay on her back. Her eyes were so clear that there was not a trace of sleepiness. “Looks like I need to think of a way to avoid him.”

The night passed quickly. When the day broke, everyone packed up their tents and continued on their way. Unlike the previous day, the guards and soldiers along looked at Shen Ninghua with admiration.

Shen Ninghua, however, did not notice it at all as she mounted her horse to go forward with everyone else.

At this moment, in Ping City, Chu Junyi, who was dressed in moonlight white clothes, was holding a long sword that shone with cold light. Blood dripped down from the sword blade.

A sturdy man sat on the ground, struggling with his legs to retreat. “I don’t dare, I don’t dare any more. Please spare my life.”

Chu Junyi coldly curled his lips, and his undisguised face carried a demonic aura. “Eating man of your own kind, you deserve to die!”

He raised his sword and beheaded the man. The head rolled on the ground. Then, he pulled out a silk handkerchief, carefully wiped the sword and put it back into the sheath. He took two steps to the side and bent down to pick up a thin and weak lad. “Kid, are you still alive?”