Chapter 31: Chapter 31: She Wants to Find a Way to Make the Whole Mountain Come Alive

The next day.

Shen Ningning was woken up early in the morning by the little book boy for morning lessons.

Lan Qian had likely cried all night. There were dark circles under her eyes, and her face filled with resentment the moment she saw Shen Ningning.

The little one naturally ignored her. Holding her book, she held her head high, the hem of her skirt fluttering as she swept past Lan Qian.

Perhaps because the copying assignment Mr. Huang had given was too arduous, Lan Qian had no time to bother Shen Ningning all day.

And so, the little one studied diligently until dusk.

After two days of classes, it was time to go home!

Shen Ningning happily waved goodbye to her classmates.

As soon as she stepped out of the private school’s gate, she saw the County Magistrate’s carriage waiting outside.

A guard saw her and immediately stepped forward. "Miss Shen, the master instructed us to take you home."

Shen Ningning was a little surprised and quickly said, "Thank you, Grandpa County Magistrate."

And so, under the surprised, speculative, and envious gazes of her classmates, she boarded the carriage and departed.

The carriage took the little one directly to the foot of Wolf Mountain.

While sitting in the carriage, Shen Ningning took advantage of the privacy to enter the Immortal Realm and pick five or six sweet oranges.

After she got out of the carriage, she first handed one to the guard.

"Thank you for escorting me, Brother Guard. This is for you."

As she spoke, she handed over the satchel she used for her books.

"There are a few more oranges in here. Could you please give them to Grandpa County Magistrate for me, Brother Guard? Please thank him for taking such good care of me. I’ve benefited greatly from the private school and will treasure this opportunity to study!"

The guard seemed a little flattered and overwhelmed.

"You’re too kind, Miss Shen. Our master says you are kind-hearted, diligent, and eager to learn, and that you will surely have a bright future."

After bidding the guard farewell, Shen Ningning shouldered her small satchel and skipped happily up the mountain.

’Time to see Grandma and hug Langlang!’

「Meanwhile.」

Inside the Crown Prince’s Zichen Palace.

Chen Shaobei had been summoned. Just as he entered the main hall, he saw a guard get kicked and land at his feet.

"COUGH..." The guard instantly vomited a mouthful of fresh blood.

Chen Shaobei lowered his gaze, recognizing him as one of the Sixth Prince’s personal guards.

Mo Lingwei, dressed in a purple robe and a golden crown, paced over slowly, his eyes sharp.

With a stomp of his black boot, he directly crushed the guard’s ribs.

Looking at the guard whose veins were popping from the pain, Mo Lingwei sneered, "Go back and tell Mo Changgong that if he dares to send anyone to Zichen Palace to furtively eavesdrop again, next time I’ll do more than just sever the tendons in his hands and feet."

After speaking, he barked coldly, "Get out!"

The guard endured the pain, scrambling to his feet with his hands and knees, and practically tumbled and crawled his way out.

Chen Shaobei watched coldly as the guard fled into the distance.

He said, "Your Highness’s temper has improved. In the past, whenever you discovered someone eavesdropping in Zichen Palace, you would have had them all killed immediately."

Mo Lingwei had already sat back down in his chair.

He leaned back lazily, his cold, dark eyes downcast as he toyed with the string of Buddha Beads with an air of noble detachment.

"What’s the fun in killing them at once? I want to keep them alive and torture them slowly."

"A swift blade only inspires a moment of fear. But if that blade is always hanging over their heads, they will live in constant unease."

"I want Mo Changgong to fear me. I want him to be so afraid that he wishes he were dead, but unable to die."

Chen Shaobei knew that the relationship between the Sixth Prince, Mo Changgong, and Mo Lingwei was terrible.

It was said that the death of Mo Lingwei’s mother, the Empress, was related to the Sixth Prince’s mother, Consort Li.

Mo Lingwei put down the Buddha Beads. "Tomorrow, you will accompany me to take care of something."

Chen Shaobei snapped back to his senses and asked subconsciously, "Could it be that you have news of Miss Shen?"

Mo Lingwei raised an eyebrow. "A very good guess. Someone found that she fell off a cliff and died, but the matter is suspicious. So tomorrow, I will go to Xiangyun Village to see for myself."

He had interrogated the guard and learned that Shen Ningning was from Xiangyun Village.

But when Mo Lingwei asked for specific details, the guard had stammered and couldn’t answer.

It turned out that when the guard heard Shen Ningning was dead, his only thought was that things had gone terribly wrong and he had to hurry back to report it.

He had forgotten to ask the other villagers to confirm whether the news was true.

Fortunately, at least they knew she was from Xiangyun Village.

Chen Shaobei nodded and agreed at once.

The next morning, Shen Ningning woke up bright and early.

She stretched languidly in her wide, soft bed.

The little one opened her glistening eyes and glanced to her right.

The Black Wolf King was sleeping guard by her bedside.

Looking further out, Wolf Three, Lang Si, and the other six wolves were sprawled all over the room, each sleeping with their limbs askew.

Shen Ningning had been at her lessons for two days, and both Grandma Qin and Langlang had missed her terribly.

So, from the moment the little one returned last night until now, the wolf pack hadn’t left her side.

The moment Shen Ningning lifted her quilt, the Black Wolf King’s eyes opened and he immediately stood up.

"Good morning, Langlang!" She reached out her small hand and rubbed the Black Wolf King’s big, furry head.

The Black Wolf King nuzzled the little one with his head, even sticking out his tongue, trying to lick her messy bedhead smooth.

Shen Ningning giggled, her laughter as crisp and clear as the ringing of a silver bell.

As soon as she opened her door, she smelled a fragrant aroma.

’Grandma must be making something delicious!’

Shen Ningning ran to the front yard with the wolf pack in tow.

There, she saw Grandma Qin sitting in the cool shade of a large tree, making meat-filled pies.

Seeing the little one was awake, Grandma Qin called out happily, "Ningning, go wash up and come have breakfast."

Lang Si sidled up to Grandma Qin, letting out soft AWOO sounds.

It was as if he were trying to act cute.

Lang Si was different from the other wolves; he was the quickest to get fat.

This was all because he was an expert at acting cute and loved to wheedle Grandma Qin.

Grandma Qin laughed. "Are you hungry? Grandma will get you a pie to eat first."

However, when Grandma Qin turned her head, she saw that the basket she had placed beside her to cool the pies was completely empty!

"Huh?! Where are the pies?!"

She had just cooked three or four of them! How could they all be gone?

Shen Ningning was also perplexed.

’The wolves would never steal food.’

’They only eat food that the Black Wolf King distributes to them.’

Just then, the Black Wolf King looked around, sniffed the air, and suddenly tilted his head up.

He saw a monkey sitting in the large tree!

The little monkey was clutching a pie in each hand, gobbling it down ravenously.

’How dare it steal food?!’

The Black Wolf King let out an angry roar.

The wolf pack burst into an uproar, their howls fierce.

The little monkey had probably never seen such a spectacle. It trembled in fear, and the remaining half of the pie in its hand fell to the ground.

The Black Wolf King took a step back, then charged forward and leaped violently into the air!

His body was massive, his aura fierce and imposing!

He nearly bit the little monkey’s tail!

Seeing the wolf’s jaws so close, the little monkey was so terrified its limbs went weak, and it fell from the tree.

It landed right in the middle of the pack of wolves!

Just as the wolves were about to rush forward and eat the little monkey...

Shen Ningning quickly shouted, "Don’t bite!"

The wolves formed a circle, and the little monkey could not escape, no matter if it turned left or right!

It collapsed completely on the ground, squeaking erratically.

Shen Ningning walked into the circle, and only then did the wolves part to make a path for her.

"You’re hungry, aren’t you? Here, take it and eat." With her small hand, she held out the half-eaten pie the monkey had dropped.

The little monkey was terrified and didn’t dare to move.

Grandma Qin walked over, took one look, and sighed. "It must be starving. There’s no food left on the mountain."

The kitchen was too hot, so she had moved her pie-making spot to under the tree in the yard.

The weather was dry, and the animals on the mountain hadn’t had a full meal in a long time.

So this monkey must have been drawn by the fragrant smell.

Seeing the little monkey frozen in place, Shen Ningning took the initiative and pushed the pie into its paw.

"Langlang, all of you, move aside and let it go!"

The Black Wolf King let out an AWOO, and the pack retreated.

The little monkey remained motionless, stunned, until the Black Wolf King let out a ferocious roar. Only then did it seem to snap back to its senses, bolting out the gate and disappearing in a flash, like lightning.

The Black Wolf King let out a snort from its nose.

Shen Ningning smiled and rubbed his head. "Good boy, Langlang!"

’He still deserves praise when praise is due.’

The monkey’s visit served as a reminder for Shen Ningning.

Most animals in the mountains had a keen sense of smell. This time it was a monkey; next time, there was no telling what it might be.

’If other fierce beasts came, wouldn’t they harm the wolf pack and Grandma?’

The Black Wolf King’s pack had over a hundred wolves, and thanks to her care, every one of them had a sleek, lustrous coat and a large build. They wouldn’t necessarily lose a fight.

But Shen Ningning didn’t want to see a single wolf get hurt.

’Fights between animals are often very cruel.’

The little one’s dark eyes shimmered as she fell into deep thought.

’She had to find a way to bring the entire mountain back to life.’

At that moment, Crown Prince Mo Lingwei’s convoy had already left the Imperial Palace and was heading toward Xiangyun Village.