Chapter 218: Chapter 218

Jun Ning scratched her head and said embarrassedly, "Mother, I don’t have anything I’ve worn for over a year."

Madam Qi paused for a moment, somewhat disbelieving, and said again, "Yi Yi, think carefully again, have you forgotten something?"

Everyone should have something they’ve worn for over a year, how could Yi Yi not have any?

"But after thinking carefully, I really don’t." Jun Ning replied honestly.

Madam Qi sighed in disappointment, then thought of the unfortunate experiences Jun Ning and Princess Consort Hua had in the Cold Palace.

In such circumstances, even having enough to eat and drink to survive was challenging, who had the time to think about dressing up? So, not having anything worn for over a year was understandable.

She was anxious to find a ’magic tool’ to make the child happy, but her concern had clouded her judgment.

Madam Qi took a deep breath to calm herself, but after a moment, she eagerly asked, "Yi Yi, if you don’t have anything worn for over a year, then even clothes worn for over a year will do."

As long as it has been with the little girl for over a year, it doesn’t matter what it is.

Jun Ning thought carefully, "It seems I don’t have anything like that either."

Back when she was in the Cold Palace, she relied on old quilts to get through the winter and just wore a couple of random clothes in summer — as long as nothing was exposed, it was fine.

The undergarments and underwear that everyone else would wear year-round, she didn’t have any.

Hearing Jun Ning’s hopeless answer, Madam Qi’s face quickly showed visible disappointment.

"But..." Jun Ning suddenly remembered something she’d worn for over a year.

"But what?" Madam Qi hurriedly asked, "Yi Yi, did you think of something?"

"Yes." Jun Ning nodded, but...

Recalling the item that had been with her for over a year, she felt a bit embarrassed.

Seeing the little girl’s cheeks slightly redden, Madam Qi chuckled softly, pinching Jun Ning’s cheek with curiosity, "Quickly tell Mother, what did you think of that got you blushing?"

"Don’t be embarrassed in front of Mother," Madam Qi added.

Jun Ning paused for a moment and said, "I have a pair of shoes, extremely worn out, but I’ve worn them for over a year, maybe they could be used for Qi Xiao. But Mother, would you dislike them?"

The shoes were so worn out that her toes were sticking out.

The fabric was shabby and ugly from being worn too much, the original pattern and color long indistinguishable.

Even ordinary palace maids or eunuchs would likely find them unacceptable, let alone the wife of the National Guardian General.

Jun Ning feared Madam Qi would be particular and not want her worn-out shoes.

But Madam Qi was indifferent, "It’s okay, Yi Yi, Mother wants them." Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩⚫𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢⚫𝔫𝔢𝔱

"Having something is already good; what else could Mother be picky about?"

Madam Qi had been tormented by Qi Xiao, had no temper left, and was hanging on by a thread.

Now all she wanted was to get something personal from Jun Ning, whatever it might be, as long as it could help her, so she could sleep well in the future.

"Besides, Yi Yi, you are young, and your health isn’t good, you must take care of yourself well. You mustn’t be like Mother, looking after a child day and night."

This was Madam Qi’s heartfelt advice.

These days, Jun Ning had been helping her with the child. Although she tried to send Jun Ning to bed earlier, whenever Qi Xiao cried, Jun Ning refused to sleep until she had soothed Qi Xiao to sleep.

If this continued, it really wouldn’t work, Jun Ning would wear herself out sooner or later.

"Alright then, Mother, I’ll go back to the palace to find that pair of worn-out shoes I’ve had for over a year."

"You could let the Palace Attendant find them as well," Madam Qi said, "Yi Yi, you don’t have to go personally. Besides, the half-month deadline hasn’t been reached yet." Before Jun Ning returned to the palace completely, Madam Qi wanted to keep her a few more days.

Because after this, the days Jun Ning could spend at the National Guardian General Mansion wouldn’t be as many.

However, Jun Ning said, "When Mother and I moved out of the Cold Palace, I feared the Palace Attendants might throw them away, so I hid that pair of shoes. Now, except myself, no one knows where they are or can find them."

As for why Jun Ning had hidden that pair of shoes?

It was because those shoes were made by Qiong Hua herself for Jun Ning. During the making, Qiong Hua pricked her hands with the needle many times and spent much effort to complete them.

So Jun Ning couldn’t bear to throw them away.

Hearing this, Madam Qi couldn’t say much more and had to agree to let Jun Ning return to the palace.

But they needed to go home first before returning to the palace.

Understandably, their group was currently at the West City Temple.

Early the next morning.

Madam Qi handed Qi Xiao to the wet nurse who had recovered from her illness, and personally, with the maid from the mansion, cooked porridge and began distributing it.

Jun Ning and Nanny Zhang drank the first bowl of porridge prepared by Madam Qi.

After drinking, the two of them, escorted by a group of the National Guardian General Mansion’s household soldiers, returned to the palace.

The guards at the palace gate, seeing it was Jun Ning, did not stop her; after saluting and asking after her health, they very straightforwardly allowed Jun Ning to enter. Their attitude this time was completely different from when the plague was rampant, when seeing Jun Ning was like seeing a ghost, doing everything to stop her.

Jun Ning took a deep breath, said nothing more, and entered the palace.

The distance from the palace gate to the inner palace was quite a ways, but the palace rules didn’t allow riding horses or sitting in carriages inside. Jun Ning and Nanny Zhang had to walk slowly forward.

Midway, Jun Ning suddenly encountered a little girl.

The little girl had somewhat dark skin, was chubby, and wore a narrow-sleeved pink dress. She looked older than Jun Ning, roughly estimated to be two or three years older.

Jun Ning was walking forward properly when this little girl suddenly stepped up, arms open, chin raised, and blocked her arrogantly.

Jun Ning, eager to move forward, asked impatiently, "Who are you? Why are you stopping me?"

"Who am I?" The little girl suddenly got angry, her voice rising high, "I am Jun Yang, the legitimate daughter of Prince Xiao Yao. Everyone in the palace knows me, and you... you don’t know who I am?"

"What crime should this be?"

"You... kneel down and admit your mistake to this Commandery Princess while slapping your cheeks?"

Jun Yang’s demeanor was extremely arrogant.

Speaking of this legitimate daughter of Prince Xiao Yao, both Jun Ning and Nanny Zhang felt a bit of a headache.

Before Jun Ning, the Jun Family and Imperial Family, whether the Emperor or various Princes, gave birth to son after son, but not a single daughter, as if cursed.

Though Prince Xiao Yao was not the Empress Dowager’s biological son but her adopted one, he was fortunate enough to have a son first, then a daughter, achieving the enviable feat of having both son and daughter, to the envy of the entire Imperial Family.

Especially Emperor Yongning, who, despite being the Emperor, envied Prince Xiao Yao the most.