Chapter 107

Chapter 107: Blind and Deaf

When Sheng Zhi Wan entered the palace, An Zhi and Ting Lan were left outside. Now Sheng Zhi Wan walked out alone.

As Sheng Zhi Wan neared the palace gates, a familiar voice called from behind. “Nanny Xiu?”

Sheng Zhi Wan paused in surprise.

“Princess, the Empress Dowager has words she ordered this servant to pass to you,” Nanny Xiu said.

“Please speak,” Sheng Zhi Wan replied, lips pressed.

“The Empress Dowager said that when you were three and did something wrong, thirty strikes on the hands could settle it. But if the same thing happens now and you make that mistake again, even the Empress Dowager won’t be able to protect you.”

Nanny Xiu’s eyes turned tender with pain. “The Empress Dowager also said you must remember what she told you that day.”

After saying that, Nanny Xiu only looked at Sheng Zhi Wan with pity, bowed, and turned away.

Sheng Zhi Wan stood where she was and watched Nanny Xiu’s back.

When Sheng Zhi Wan had been three, it was her first time entering the Sacred Academy. With her then was Third Imperial Brother Sheng Yuan Hao, half a year older than her.

It was also the first time she discovered she had a photographic memory.

Books Sheng Yuan Hao could not learn, she learned after reading once. Meanings Sheng Yuan Hao could not explain, she grasped after hearing once.

Sheng Zhi Wan had proudly shown off to Grandmother, but what she got was a harsh punishment of thirty strikes on the hands.

She cried until she nearly tore her throat, yet Grandmother showed no mercy. It was the first time her beloved Grandmother had been so ruthless.

Afterward, her hands were swollen red. She could not hold a brush, and she could not hold chopsticks.

She had refused to accept it. She had demanded to know why Grandmother hit her.

Grandmother had applied medicine while warning her, “You are only a Princess. Remember this from now on. Always be behind. Do not stand out. Otherwise, Grandmother will never see you again.”

Back then, she had been terrified.

Since she was born, Grandmother had been the person closest to her. She could live without praise, but she could not bear being separated from Grandmother.

So she began to hide her talent.

Day after day, year after year.

Until later, when she grew up, she asked countless times, only to be brushed aside by Grandmother.

Grandmother had always been like that. Anything Grandmother did not want to say, Grandmother would never reveal even a little.

Sheng Zhi Wan was not stupid. She had not understood before. Later, she simply did not dare to understand.

This time, Grandmother likely learned something, which was why Grandmother sent Nanny Xiu to remind her after she was scolded.

Sheng Zhi Wan gave a bitter smile and closed her eyes. When Sheng Zhi Wan opened them again, only determination remained.

Grandmother did this for her. Sheng Zhi Wan understood that.

But she had retreated again and again, until there was nowhere left to retreat. That person would never stop just because Sheng Zhi Wan stepped back.

In her past life, she had yielded and endured, and that was why she ended up in a pit with no escape.

[So in this life, I would not retreat. If someone provoked me, I would pay them back a thousandfold. Imperial Father wanted to suppress me, so I would make it impossible for him to suppress me. That seat… since Sheng Yuan Hao could sit on it, then every Prince could fight for it. Why couldn’t I, a Princess?]

Sheng Zhi Wan took a deep breath and did not look back.

The moment Sheng Zhi Wan stepped out of the palace gates, An Zhi and Ting Lan hurried to her with worried faces.

“Princess, I just saw Meng Yang and Heir Apparent come out together!” Ting Lan said anxiously. “Did His Majesty really not stand up for you?”

Sheng Zhi Wan briefly explained what happened inside the palace.

“How could it be like this?” Ting Lan blurted. “His Majesty didn’t punish Meng Yang and instead punished you? His Majesty is truly-”

“Ting Lan!” An Zhi cut her off sharply, and Ting Lan fell silent.

When the carriage reached Duke Manor, Sheng Zhi Wan had not even stepped down yet when she heard a soft, sweet female voice outside.

“I only never expected Brother Zhang Da would misunderstand my meaning,” Meng Yang said, full of bitterness. “To be honest, that night when I learned the Princess was in trouble, I wanted to go rescue her with Heir Apparent. But because I was pregnant, I feared I would only slow the trip, so I didn’t speak up…”

In the crowd, Su Qi Nian immediately nodded again and again. “Exactly, exactly. That’s how it should be. I already guessed it. A kind and righteous woman like Miss Meng would never have such a vicious heart.”

“It must be that Zhang Da Hu knew his crime was unforgivable, so he tried to drag Miss Meng down with him!”

Meng Yang shook her head bitterly. “No. Scholar Su is wrong. Brother Zhang Da was loyal and devoted. He made a great mistake only to repay kindness. As for the Princess being robbed, it was not my intention, but it was still connected to me.”

As Meng Yang spoke, Meng Yang suddenly saw Sheng Zhi Wan step out of the carriage. Meng Yang bit her lip and hurried forward.

Ignoring her pregnant belly, Meng Yang dropped to her knees with a stiff thud. “Princess, please believe this concubine. This concubine could never do something like colluding with Mountain Bandits to harm you. This concubine can swear to heaven!”

“If this oath is broken, may lightning strike me and I die!”

Meng Yang paused. When Sheng Zhi Wan did not respond, Meng Yang’s eyes flickered. Meng Yang lowered her forehead and slammed it to the ground with a loud bang.

Blood immediately bloomed across her pale, carefully kept skin.

“Miss Meng!” Su Qi Nian frowned at once. “Miss Meng truly didn’t do it on purpose. Princess Qing Ning, have you never complained to your elders before?”

“What Zhang Da Hu did, how can it be blamed on Miss Meng?!”

Sheng Zhi Wan turned her eyes to him.

Su Qi Nian immediately saluted and waited for Sheng Zhi Wan’s reply.

But in the next moment, Sheng Zhi Wan withdrew her gaze and walked past Meng Yang without stopping.

Su Qi Nian froze.

Su Qi Nian was one of the hottest Examinee candidates for taking the laurel this year. Su Qi Nian had looks and talent.

Yet Princess Qing Ning did not even want to spare him a second glance.

Was it because Su Qi Nian came from a poor background?

A sudden resentment rose in Su Qi Nian’s chest. Su Qi Nian clenched his fist and called out, “Princess Qing Ning, why be so aggressive? His Majesty didn’t pursue this matter, which shows it truly had nothing to do with Miss Meng!”

“If Princess caused Miss Meng to miscarry, could Princess live with it on your conscience?!”

Sheng Zhi Wan’s step paused right before entering the manor.

But Sheng Zhi Wan did not turn her head. Only a calm, mocking voice drifted back. “If she was willing to kneel, it was because she felt she should kneel. Scholar Su is young and blind and deaf. If Scholar Su truly became an official who judged cases, who knows how many wrongful convictions Scholar Su would create?”

Su Qi Nian stood stiffly, speechless.

Su Qi Nian wanted to argue, but Sheng Zhi Wan had already entered the manor and vanished from sight.

“Scholar Su!” Meng Yang felt pleased inside.

Sheng Zhi Wan did not even know how to win people’s hearts, while Scholar Su was someone Third Prince valued. Yet Sheng Zhi Wan offended him so easily.

Meng Yang looked at Su Qi Nian with full apology. “Scholar Su, it’s all my fault for dragging you into this.”

Su Qi Nian finally came back to himself and shook his head. “It’s fine.”

His talent and learning were real. He would never truly be buried just because of a woman’s words.

Meng Yang sighed helplessly. “I only hope the Princess won’t implicate Scholar Su because of this matter.”

Meng Yang slowly rose and faced the crowd. “There is also one more thing. Today when I entered the palace, His Majesty scolded me for being too eager to save people and not knowing to seek help from a Military Physician, which caused a few Soldiers to miss the proper time to detoxify. I feel deeply ashamed, and I wish I could repay it with my life.”