Chapter 101: Just Keep Calling Me Sister

What revenge? What stirring up the court?
The very first and foremost duty of a person is to survive!
When life is on the line, what use is there in talking about anything else?
Whether it’s the things just told to Princess Taiping or the words used earlier to calm down Uncle Gu, Wu Ning truly had his own thoughts—ones he had pondered through the night.
Right now, all hatred and grudges must be cast aside. The most urgent matter is—
To live!
Unfortunately, Princess Taiping noticed.
...
To put it bluntly, the greatest mistake Helan Minzhi—Wu Ning’s foolish uncle—made was involving Princess Taiping.
If he hadn’t dragged Taiping into this, hadn’t complicated matters with all those twists and turns about “being qualified” to confront Wu Ning, and had simply told the truth when Wu Ning asked about his origins one night, things would have been much simpler.
Putting aside everything else, even if Wu Ning had never met his mother, Helan Minyue, and even if he was too cunning to seek revenge for her,
after all these years with Helan Minzhi, depending on each other and sharing a bond of upbringing, could Wu Ning really ignore his uncle’s suffering?
He would have taken on that grudge, helped clear his uncle’s name, and avenged the injustice.
Such a simple truth, yet Helan Minzhi failed to grasp it and made the situation unnecessarily complicated and grave.
Now, with Princess Taiping—a ticking bomb—entering the scene, what was once simple has become unbearably complex, even life-threatening.
Tell me, whose side is Taiping on?
Helan Minzhi was blindly grasping at straws, thinking the innocent and carefree Princess Taiping wouldn’t harm him, and might even help at times.
Innocent?
Grand Dowager Wu is her own mother!
Even if Taiping were willing to help, who could guarantee she wouldn’t turn against you the moment you threatened her own mother?
That uncertainty is deadly.
No wonder when Taiping first came home, after Wu Ning returned from Wuxian Temple, he faintly heard Elder Xiao shouting, “He’s looking for death!”
Isn’t that exactly what it was?
Therefore, Wu Ning’s first task was not to investigate the truth or seek revenge, but to stabilize Helan Minzhi—to prevent the madman blinded by hatred from doing something fatal.
Then, he would confront Princess Taiping and settle their deal.
This would, on one hand, free Taiping from the torment of moral hesitation; on the other, it would ease Wu Ning’s worries about her loose lips.
He certainly didn’t want a peaceful day to suddenly be shattered by some heavenly troops descending upon their home.
...
As for Taiping seeing through his little scheme...
Heh, it didn’t matter.
This deal was mutually beneficial. Wu Ning had nothing to hide, so he laid his heart bare before Taiping, leaving nothing unsaid.
...
“That’s basically it,” Wu Ning said with an expression of utter indifference, as if nothing could faze him.
“Your Highness should be satisfied now, right?”
“...”
Unexpectedly, Princess Taiping remained silent.
...
Taiping realized she had once again underestimated Wu Ning’s capabilities.
If it were anyone else facing such a situation, they would either be consumed by vengeance, terrified enough to vanish from the world, or utterly clueless about what to do.
But him? Calm in the face of crisis, flawless.
Just in one night!
What had others been doing that night?
Helan Minzhi was lost in wild thoughts; she herself was at a loss.
But Wu Ning?
Not only did he not let hatred cloud his mind, not only did he not shrink back, but he also unraveled matters that Helan Minzhi hadn’t been able to for over a decade.
He considered the current political landscape and his own situation down to the smallest detail.
He even clearly knew what should and shouldn’t be done next.
...
At this moment, Taiping unconsciously had a strange thought:
If...
If Wu Ning hadn’t fallen into common life, if the Empress and Helan’s eldest brother had no past, if Wu Ning were also eligible to covet that throne, then with his cunning and intelligence—
Who would be his match? Li Xian? Li Xian? Li Dan? Wu Sansi? Wu Chengsi?
Which one could gain the upper hand against him?
Which of the powerful generals or scholarly clans in the court could benefit from crossing him?
“Ninth Brother!” Princess Taiping spoke softly.
“You make me a little afraid.”
“Don’t say that!” Wu Ning grinned. “My princess, you know me. I might be a bit clever, but I don’t use it for evil, nor do I have grand ambitions. I’m only good for you, never harmful.”
Wu Ning’s words were clear: “You know what kind of person I am. Anyway, I will help you, so what’s there to fear?”
“Heh.”
Taiping smiled, sitting on the edge of the kang (heated platform), leaning against the wall opposite Wu Ning.
“Will you really help me?”
Wu Ning hesitated, then said, “Yes.”
Then, somewhat randomly, he mumbled, “After all, no one wants to see you become someone else.”
“Hehe.” Taiping laughed again, “Then just call me sister, not Your Highness.”
Sleep-deprived and relieved, exhaustion washed over her like a tide, and she closed her eyes, relaxing.
“Just call me sister, because... because having such a powerful younger brother... protecting me...”
“I can... feel more... at ease...”
Her words trailed off as she drifted off to sleep.
“Hey...”
“Hey, hey, hey!!”
Wu Ning lost his composure. The sun was already up, and the cook’s breakfast was nearly ready. Why was she lying down?
“I said, Your Highness, if you want to sleep, go sleep elsewhere. What’s this about sleeping here!?”
Unexpectedly, not only did Taiping not respond, she rolled over and lay on the kang.
Without lifting her eyelids, she said, “You’re my brother; what’s wrong with sleeping here?”
“No way!” Wu Ning protested.
Outsiders didn’t know they were siblings, okay?
Early in the morning, the princess in my room—what would people think if they saw?
Besides, Miaoniang would be coming soon. How was he supposed to explain that?
...
You know, sometimes people just can’t help but nag.
As Wu Ning thought this, he suddenly heard that damned Wu Laoba’s loud voice outside the door.
“Ninth Brother, get up for breakfast!”
Bang!
Not only did the guy shout, he kicked the door open.
Seeing Taiping inside, the fool was stunned for a moment, then glared, “Uh... am I coming at a bad time?”
“Get lost!!”
Wu Ning shouted angrily. How annoying!
Wu Laoba was quite disappointed, thinking, I’m just calling you to eat.
He turned to leave, then looked back...
“Huh?”
“Qin family’s girl is up so early? Ninth Brother’s still not up?”
“I’m not up!” Wu Ning rushed out from the inner room in a flash.
He didn’t even put on his shoes before bounding out.
Once outside, he made sure to close the door behind him.
“Miaoniang, don’t listen to his nonsense. I’m up early!”
But as she appeared, “Wu Laoba! I’ll kill you!”
Where was the shadow of Qin Miaoniang?
That wretch!
...