Chapter 246: Chapter 246
After the two little girls tidied up, they went out together.
But just as they stepped out, they encountered the little beggar again.
In this scorching weather, the little beggar had been waiting by Jun Ning’s carriage outside, completely drenched in sweat, her hair wet, with a faint smell emanating from her body.
Even she found it unpleasant and hard to accept.
So, when she saw Jun Ning and Jing Shu coming out, she approached them but kept a distance from Jun Ning, afraid of making her uncomfortable.
"Miss, won’t you take me in?" she said to Jun Ning from afar.
Why hasn’t she left yet?
"I won’t take you in." Jun Ning said and then got into the carriage with Jing Shu. Under the protection of a group of guards, they headed to East Street to buy pastries.
As soon as Jing Shu got into the carriage, she began gossiping, "Auntie, why does that little beggar want you to take her in? Do you want to take her in? Are you planning to take her in?"
Jun Ning replied, "No, I won’t take her in."
Jing Shu asked, "Why don’t you want to?"
Jun Ning shrugged, "No reason."
Jing Shu widened her big eyes, "How can there be no reason?"
Didn’t feel like talking anymore.
Is this girl going to keep asking until she gets an answer?
"Auntie, please tell Jing Shu, why not?" Jing Shu hugged Jun Ning’s arm, acting spoiled, shaking and shaking...
Jun Ning never knew Jing Shu had such strength, she was almost dizzy from the shaking.
"Jing Shu, stop shaking me for a moment."
"Okay." Jing Shu let go, "Then tell me why?"
Jun Ning held her forehead and said, "Even if I wanted to take her in, do you think Father Emperor and Mother Consort would let me bring someone into the palace? Naturally, they would not."
Whether she understood or not, Jing Shu stopped asking after getting an answer.
The carriage quickly arrived at Liu’s pastry shop on East Street, where Jing Shu bought a lot of pastries for the Crown Princess Consort. But when it came time to pay, she didn’t have a single coin.
She blinked at Jun Ning, who was waiting nearby, and said innocently, "Auntie, I have no money."
"........." Jun Ning looked at the bags and bags of pastries Jing Shu was holding and confirmed the vendor’s entire stock had been taken by Jing Shu. Jun Ning’s mouth twitched, "You bought so much without money?"
"I don’t have any, but you do!" Jing Shu said, not the least bit shy.
Jun Ning chuckled, "Alright then! What else can I do, being your aunt!"
Jun Ning paid for it and said nothing more.
Jing Shu has no money on her because the Crown Princess Consort is strict with her; there is nothing to fuss about. Besides, with so much money, it makes sense to spend it now when she has no use for it in the palace.
Let her spend it then.
Jun Ning didn’t mind at all.
Jing Shu generously spent Jun Ning’s money on her own mother consort, but was reluctant to let Jun Ning spend money on herself. Who knows what she was thinking?
She put the pastries into the carriage and strolled around with Jun Ning nearby.
She fancied a toy dragonfly. The dragonfly was made of folded stiff leaves, crafted exquisitely, very beautiful.
She held it in her hand for a long time, reluctant to part with it.
The stall owner, seeing the quality of her clothes and the guards behind her, guessed she was extraordinary and said flatteringly, "Miss, this dragonfly suits you well. If you like it, why not buy one?"
Jing Shu shook her head, put down the dragonfly, and pulled Jun Ning to leave.
"You like it, don’t you?" Jun Ning asked.
Jing Shu shook her head, "I don’t like it."
She said "I don’t like it" without looking into Jun Ning’s eyes, speaking sullenly with her head down.
"Seems like you do like it." Jun Ning always understood the duplicity of women and girls.
When they said they liked something, it might not be true. But when they said they didn’t like something, they absolutely liked it.
Jun Ning bought the dragonfly that Jing Shu had her eyes on and handed it to her.
Jing Shu played with it while chatting with Jun Ning.
Half an hour later, they returned to the National Guardian General Mansion.
Along the way, the little beggar had been following them. Wherever Jun Ning’s carriage went, she followed, very persistent.
Jun Ning acted as if she didn’t see her and just went about her business.
But she didn’t expect that this little beggar was truly persistent.
She waited at the gate of the National Guardian General Mansion for five days. Even after Jing Shu got bored playing at the mansion and returned to the palace, she was still there.
Day and night, she guarded that small spot and refused to leave, determined to be taken in by Jun Ning.
Jun Ning thought it might be because she had someone delivering meals and water to the little beggar every day that gave her hope, hence why she wouldn’t leave.
To get the little beggar to leave quickly, Jun Ning informed the servants who had been bringing food and water not to do so anymore.
Once she was hungry and thirsty and found no hope in staying, she would naturally leave.
But, the situation did not unfold as Jun Ning had anticipated.
Even though she told people to stop bringing the little beggar food and water, the little beggar still didn’t leave and continued to wait at the National Guardian General Mansion for Jun Ning to take her in.
On windless and rainless days, the little beggar could still endure and wait for Jun Ning’s approval. After all, it was summer, and even at night, a person wouldn’t freeze. But on windy and rainy days, it was a bit tough for her.
On the eighth day at the National Guardian General Mansion, it rained.
The rain was so heavy, as if there was a hole in the sky, water continually poured down, flooding the courtyard of the National Guardian General’s house.
When people stepped outside, their lower legs were submerged in rainwater.
For the men, it didn’t matter; they could walk freely through the rain without being affected, getting on with their duties. But for the women, it was different. Once outside, their skirts would be soaked with rainwater, making it very unseemly.
As a result, the ladies could not go out and had to stay in their rooms.
This could not go on.
Once the rain stopped, the National Guardian General personally led the household soldiers and house servants to clear the rainwater outside.
Bucket after bucket of rainwater was poured out of the General Mansion.
Yet nobody noticed a little child curled up in a corner. The area around her was flooded, and her body was nearly submerged in water.
Not only was the child unseen, but the people from the National Guardian General Mansion also splashed her with the rainwater they cleared from the mansion.
Even when doused with water, the child sat against the wall, unmoving. Thɪs chapter is updated by 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵•𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒•𝙣𝙚𝙩
She didn’t speak or make a sound, just like she was...