Chapter 213: Chapter 213

He... he just offended the legendary princess?

The old man looked at the ragged Jun Ning in front of him, somewhat incredulous.

He believed Jun Ning was the daughter of the gang leader, no doubt. But saying Jun Ning was the daughter of the current Emperor, a dignified princess, he really couldn’t believe it.

But who was Nanny Zhang, she served the Empress Dowager for many years, and suddenly turned to follow this little girl. Aside from the Empress Dowager’s permission, the old man couldn’t think of any other reason.

And the fact that the Empress Dowager allowed her own nanny to accompany a little girl, surely meant the little girl had an extraordinary identity.

Plus, Nanny Zhang kept calling her princess.

Thinking about it, this ragged girl in front of him must be the heavily favored Princess Anle from legend.

It’s no exaggeration to call Princess Anle the noblest of blood.

There’s a legend among the people that Princess Anle’s bowls for eating and drinking are made of gold, and when the Emperor first recognized her, he generously gave away several thousand taels of gold just to hear her call him father.

She truly received the Emperor’s utmost affection.

It’s said that the Crown Prince also values her highly.

With such great support, who in the entire Imperial City would dare offend her?

That’s why these people holding him heard him mention Nanny Zhang’s name, yet were entirely unmoved, ignoring it completely. They even said to catch him and not care who he was.

Thinking of this, the old man’s legs went weak.

He spoke so many foul words to the Emperor’s favorite princess and even attempted to offend her...

If sent to the capital governor, he would undoubtedly face death.

In his panic, the old man’s gaze settled on Nanny Zhang, who looked at Jun Ning with a face full of concern.

Looking at the interaction between Nanny Zhang and the princess, their relationship wasn’t bad, even very good.

To get out, there’s just one way now.

And that is to ask Nanny Zhang for help.

As long as Nanny Zhang was willing to help him, the little princess was just a child, easily swayed, with emotions changing quickly. Nanny Zhang could definitely persuade her to let him go and not hold this against him.

Thinking of this, the old man desperately broke free from the household soldiers dragging him, and ran towards Nanny Zhang.

"Qiao Qiao, can you save me? Please?"

"Just save me this time, and I’ll listen to anything you say in the future. I promise I won’t gamble anymore, won’t visit brothels, and won’t bully the children. If you tell me to go east, I definitely won’t go west. Your words are like the Imperial Decree, I’ll obey them all."

"Moreover, I’ll marry you again. Didn’t you always want a grand wedding back then? As long as you save me, I can make that happen."

The old man always had a sweet tongue.

When Nanny Zhang was young, she fell for his sweet talk, easily captured her sincere heart, then regardless of right or wrong, not seeking her parents’ permission, eloped with him to his home, simply worshiped in front of two ancestral tablets, held a wedding ceremony, and became his wife.

Then she bore him a son and managed the household. Every day revolved around him and their son.

Because they eloped, she couldn’t return to her family or meet her old best friends, losing everything she had once had, with no money to spend.

She lived with hardship every day.

But Nanny Zhang was willing.

Because the old man would often speak sweet words to coax her, and occasionally buy her snacks, and when popular fabrics appeared in the market, he would try to earn money to buy them for her.

At first glance, he seemed like a good man.

But gradually, he changed, frequently visiting brothels and gambling, even beating and cursing her over money, calling her a worthless burden with no dowry, unable to gain backing from her family, blaming her for his poverty and inability to gamble.

To have money for gambling, he sold her to a wealthy family as a servant, entirely disregarding her as his wife.

After being sold, she became discouraged, jumped into a river, fortunately encountered the princess consort residing in the Prince Mansion, the Empress Dowager who could accompany her husband to go out.

The Empress Dowager was merciful, after hearing her plight, helped redeem her freedom, and gave her some silver coin to take her child and leave the old man, to live well on her own.

But when Nanny Zhang took the silver coin to divorce the old man and tried to leave with their son, the old man broke her leg, snatched her money and her son, wrote a divorce letter, and told her to leave with the letter.

He told her never to show her ugly face to him again.

The old man’s face when he stole her money and drove her away was so vile, so hateful.

Nanny Zhang remembers it forever.

Because she remembers, she would never forgive, nor believe his sweet talk again.

Nanny Zhang closed her eyes, and told the household soldiers: "Take this person to the capital governor. He has no relation to me."

The old man protested, "Qiao Qiao, do you know what you’re saying? Have you forgotten what you said when you married me? You said that no matter rich or poor, you would spend a lifetime with me, and you would never betray me."

The household soldiers returned to his side, grabbed his arms, and started dragging him away.

The old man struggled, continuing to speak: "Qiao Qiao, does it really mean nothing? Are you really going to send me to die? Do you know, if you ignore me, I will definitely die this time."

"If I die, who will care for you, who will love you?"

"Qiao Qiao, please save me. If you save me, when you’re old and unable to work, no longer serving in the palace, I’ll care for you, give you a good life."

The old man’s sweet words were still so pleasant to hear.

If he were to turn back the years, go back to the time of elopement, Nanny Zhang could be sure she’d still fall for his sweet talk, still elope with him.

But now, having spent so many years in the palace, Nanny Zhang wasn’t deceived easily.

She could distinguish between truth and lies.

"Zhao... Zhao something."

Nanny Zhang couldn’t even remember the old man’s name.

She thought for a long time and couldn’t recall, simply said: "You arrogant man, do you know what you’re saying? As the close servant of the princess, you dare treat the princess and try to tempt me with sweet talk to disregard her danger and save you?"

Nanny Zhang snorted coldly, her face icy, "What a pipe dream."

Seeing Nanny Zhang had become much smarter over the years, unmoved by his sweet talk.

The old man thought again and said, "Our son was sent by me to Xianggu Hall, if I don’t go there within three days, he’ll face the fate of serving guests. If you want to save him, you need to save me first, otherwise..."