Chapter 47: Almost Lost My Head

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Seeing the two palace maids’ eyes wide with terror, Shen Ningyuan finally realized that the rumors about Xie Wanzhou’s tendency to slash at anyone he met were not false. The person she had just faced was truly a madman who could lose control at any moment.

At that moment, a chill ran down Shen Ningyuan’s spine, and a wave of fear surged in her heart. She had nearly lost her head.

Swallowing hard, she asked the two palace maids, “After you deliver the wine, can you take me away?”

Hearing this, the two young maids glanced cautiously at Xie Wanzhou and nodded timidly, “It should… be possible.”

Xie Wanzhou seemed relatively normal today.

“Cough, cough!”

Suddenly, from inside the room, Xie Wanzhou coughed heavily twice.

The two palace maids shrank their necks fearfully and prostrated themselves on the ground, pressing their foreheads tightly to the floor.

Curious, Shen Ningyuan asked, “Why do you like to kneel like this? I thought there wasn’t such a custom in the palace.”

This time, neither maid looked up.

One of them whispered, “Miss, you don’t know. Since His Highness began using the wheelchair, he doesn’t like to look up when speaking. When his neck gets tired, he loses control and might raise his blade to chop someone’s head off. So over time, the maids who come to His Highness’s chamber have gotten used to kneeling or crawling like this.”

Shen Ningyuan was speechless.

Hearing this, a cold shiver ran down her neck again. She instinctively touched her own neck.

She had just been standing and talking to Xie Wanzhou.

In other words, her head had nearly been severed…

Thinking of this, a chill ran through her body once more.

She crouched down quickly, scooped up the two jars of wine from the ground, and whispered, “Wait here for me. I’ll give the wine to that madman and then go with you.”

The round-faced palace maid replied softly, “Okay… but Miss, you must hurry. The longer we wait here, the more dangerous our heads become.”

“Mm,” Shen Ningyuan nodded solemnly. “Swear to me you won’t leave me behind!”

Neither of the two palace maids responded.

Without time to ask further, Shen Ningyuan hugged the two jars and ran off.

After delivering the wine to Xie Wanzhou, she followed the two maids immediately, determined to keep as far away from Lin’an Hall as possible.

Xie Wanzhou sat in his wheelchair, watching Shen Ningyuan clutch the two wine jars under her arms and dash toward him like she was fleeing for her life.

He immediately controlled the wheelchair to roll back a little.

He had a premonition that if he didn’t back away, he would be the one to suffer.

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Sure enough, as Xie Wanzhou moved back slightly, Shen Ningyuan just stepped onto the stair.

She ran too hastily, caught her skirt, and pitched forward, falling heavily to the ground.

With a loud crash, the two jars smashed, wine spilling everywhere.

The spilled wine landed right where Xie Wanzhou had just been sitting.

In an instant, the air filled with the rich scent of wine.

Struggling, Shen Ningyuan lifted her head and looked painfully at Xie Wanzhou.

“Your Highness, I’ll compensate you with two more jars. Can you please calm down?”

Xie Wanzhou snorted coldly through his nose. “What do you think?”

That meant no negotiation.

Swallowing hard, she forced herself to stammer, “I think that’s acceptable.”

Xie Wanzhou remained silent, lowering his gaze to watch her quietly.

His look of pity seemed to warn her: It’s alright, just be more careful next time.

Her heart raced faster at this thought.

Indeed, the Empress had never intended to let her leave Lin’an Hall alive!

Outside the hall, the two palace maids heard the sound of breaking jars and immediately looked up in fright.

Seeing the spilled wine, their faces turned pale.

They stumbled to their feet and ran out, shouting, “Your Highness, the wine has been delivered. We’ll be going now!”

Shen Ningyuan’s eyes widened as she turned to see the two maids abandon her so casually and flee.

She opened her mouth to call them back, but her throat tightened so much she couldn’t make a sound.

She could only watch the backs of the two palace maids grow smaller and smaller until they disappeared.

Weren’t they supposed to stay with her?

Now, she was left to rely on herself.

Her heart pounding, Shen Ningyuan turned back to Xie Wanzhou and tried to reason with him.

“Your Highness, my father likes to drink. You know that, right?”

“General Shen’s bravery is renowned, and his talent for drinking three hundred cups is known to me,” Xie Wanzhou raised an eyebrow and asked, “But what does that have to do with you breaking my wine?”

Shen Ningyuan stood up awkwardly and said, “My father has buried many jars of fine wine in his courtyard, all aged over ten years. Some jars of Nu’erhong are even older than I am. If you don’t hold today’s mishap against me, I can dig up some of that fine wine to compensate you.”

She counted off two fingers.

Xie Wanzhou raised an eyebrow but said nothing, merely looking at her with a half-smile.

When he didn’t reply, Shen Ningyuan thought he wasn’t satisfied with that amount.

She added two more fingers, “Four jars. Four jars, no more!”

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Seeing her trembling four fingers, Xie Wanzhou remained silent.

But the amusement in his eyes deepened.

To Shen Ningyuan, that smile meant dissatisfaction.

After a moment’s thought, she steeled herself and took a bold step.

“Ten jars!” she gritted her teeth. “No more than that!”

The playful glint in Xie Wanzhou’s eyes grew even stronger.

When he still said nothing, Shen Ningyuan grew desperate.

She wondered if Xie Wanzhou’s current state was a sign he was about to lose control again.

Her heart tightened as she secretly pondered how to survive this ordeal.

Then, unexpectedly, Xie Wanzhou finally spoke.

“Fine.”

Startled, Shen Ningyuan thought she had misheard. “What did you say?”

“I said, fine,” Xie Wanzhou answered patiently, “If you deliver ten jars of General Shen’s fine wine to me, I won’t hold today’s incident against you.”

“Hmm?” Shen Ningyuan hesitated. “Then… will you still lose control?”

Xie Wanzhou looked up at her and said without reason, “I have always been perfectly sane.”

Not understanding his deeper meaning, Shen Ningyuan muttered quietly, “Crazy people always think they’re sane.”

“What did you say?” Xie Wanzhou’s expression darkened.

Quickly waving her hand, Shen Ningyuan said, “I meant I also believe Your Highness is perfectly sane and not mad at all.”

Seeing her change her words, Xie Wanzhou didn’t argue further. He controlled his wheelchair and turned to go inside.

Before leaving, he tossed over his shoulder faintly, “Clean this place up before you go.”

Standing outside the door, Shen Ningyuan watched his retreating figure and called out, “Should I bring those ten jars of fine wine to you?”

Without turning back, Xie Wanzhou replied, “No need to bring them. I will come to collect them myself.”

Shen Ningyuan wanted to ask more, but his figure had already vanished behind the curtains.

“Your Highness?” she tried again.

No response.

“Xie Wanzhou?” gathering her courage, she called once more.

Still no reply.

Only silence filled the chamber.