The Ninth Princess Reigns Supreme [Transmigration] - Chapter 8
The days of studying at the Imperial Academy passed quickly, and it was now nearly May, with deep spring and lush vegetation.
Liu Li completely took off her thick coat and cloak, and put on newly tailored spring clothes. The material was bestowed by the emperor, and made by the palace’s tailor according to her measurements, making her figure exquisite and graceful.
During this period, she had lunch with Ning Zisheng every day, studying while improving her favorability.
The 10 points on the first day rose very easily, and also successfully brought Liu Li’s luck value back to positive numbers.
But since then, Ning Zisheng has been very stingy, and her favorability has only increased by 1 point or even 0.5 points at a time. So Liu Li has been working on it for almost a month, and her current favorability is only 15 points.
But overall it is still going upwards, and she has no complaints.
However, Liu Li was living comfortably, and naturally some people could not see it. They were planning how to deal with her.
Since the last incident, the Eighth Princess Ning Zichun had harbored a grudge against Liu Ruyun, and she coaxed her for a long time before her attitude improved.
It was also fortunate that the Eighth Princess was simple-minded and did not tell her mother, Concubine Li, about this matter, otherwise Liu Ruyun would be in big trouble.
Liu Li, it’s all Liu Li’s fault!
Liu Ruyun gritted her teeth with hatred, and at the same time resented Ning Zisheng beside her.
In Liu Ruyun’s view, Liu Li and Ning Zisheng’s close relationship was deliberately slapping her in the face. After all, even the Ninth Princess had to curry favor with Liu Li, while she could only revolve around the Eighth Princess, looking at people’s faces!
The legitimate and concubine daughters were natural enemies, and the relationship between them did not need much instigation, and was already on the verge of breaking out.
Under Liu Ruyun’s jealousy and resentment, some unspeakable schemes were taking root and sprouting in secret.
••••
In the gazebo, Ning Zisheng casually turned a page of the *Book of Rites*: “Ascending without ceasing will surely lead to hardship, therefore it is followed by hardship.”
Liu Li thought for a moment, and answered fluently: “Those who are troubled above will surely return below, therefore it is followed by the well.”
“Mm.” Ning Zisheng put down the book, her tone faint. “You have memorized them all.”
“Of course, after all, it was what Your Highness ordered.” Liu Li’s eyes curved with a smile.
“Could it be that you were pretending in the past?” Ning Zisheng glanced at her, hiding some not obvious probing. “It doesn’t look like you have never read a book.”
Liu Li naturally couldn’t admit it, and scratched her head like a fool: “Your Highness has praised me too much. What can I pretend at my level? It’s not enough to be seen in front of Your Highness.”
Ning Zisheng’s slender fingers flipped through the papers of Liu Li’s book copying, glanced at it, and her brows twitched slightly. Although the memorization was not bad, the handwriting was crooked and unsightly, and it was not as good as that of a five or six-year-old child.
Ning Zisheng admitted that she couldn’t write like this even with her left hand. It seemed that Liu Li really hadn’t practiced calligraphy much.
“Your Highness, teach me how to write, okay?” Liu Li naturally didn’t miss the fleeting disgust in Ning Zisheng’s eyes, and had a sudden idea.
“Have you seen my handwriting?”
“Calligraphy reflects one’s character, or would Your Highness show me?”
After spending some time with Ning Zisheng, observing the fluctuations in her favorability every day, Liu Li also roughly knew Ning Zisheng’s preferences.
She likes straightforward, intelligent people and dislikes those who are hesitant and foolish.
Liu Li originally planned to be as gentle and tactful as possible, but seeing Ning Zisheng like this, she gave up her disguise.
Ning Zisheng took out a small notebook bound with bamboo rope from her book bag and handed it over.
Opening it, the handwriting was delicate and beautiful, an extremely beautiful hand of small regular script, but it was too soft and lacked any strength.
Liu Li glanced at it and then looked up at Ning Zisheng: “This doesn’t look like Your Highness’s handwriting.”
“Oh? How is it different?”
Liu Li thought to herself, ‘Because I clearly remember that your handwriting in the original story is running script.’ In the blink of an eye, she thought of a wording: “I just feel that this handwriting is too gentle and smooth. The feeling Your Highness gives me is more angular. Writing this small regular script must be very tiring.”
Ning Zisheng’s face showed no emotion, and she only said: “Is that so?”
But her heart was a little turbulent.
At the beginning, Ning Zisheng thought that Liu Li was a complete and utter fool. Later, she found that she had some small cleverness. Although she overturned her previous thoughts, she still didn’t pay much attention to her.
The other princesses who attended the lectures at the Imperial Academy all wrote in small regular script. Although Ning Zisheng preferred the flowing and unrestrained running script, in order to restrain her sharpness and blend in with the crowd, she naturally had to pretend a bit.
But she didn’t know that Liu Li was so wise and foolish, so insightful that she could see at a glance that this small regular script was deliberately practiced by her.
[Ning Zisheng favorability towards you +10. Current favorability: 25 (strangers).]
Seeing the good, Liu Li stopped the topic: “I brought new pastries today, would Your Highness like to try them?”
“Did you come up with them yourself again?”
Liu Li honestly said: “No, but they are also very delicious. Your Highness will know after trying them.”
This basket of snacks was specially requested by Liu Li from the Imperial Kitchen, so it must be delicious.
After the two shared the snacks, Liu Li was about to take out her handkerchief to wipe her lips, but she felt empty. It seems… she forgot to bring her handkerchief.
She remembered that she got up late today, fearing that she would miss the lecture, so she hurriedly went out and forgot it in Yanluo Palace.
Liu Li had some pastry crumbs on her lips, and she was too embarrassed to wipe them with her hands in front of Ning Zisheng. After thinking about it, she asked: “Your Highness, how many handkerchiefs did you bring?”
Ning Zisheng was startled: “What?”
Liu Li said softly: “If you have more, lend me one to wipe my mouth.”
Ning Zisheng pursed her lips and said nothing. She had a calm personality and prepared everything carefully, so naturally she brought two handkerchiefs.
In the palm of her hand, the white handkerchief was simple and soft, with something embroidered on one corner, not knowing whether it was a pattern or a word.
“You want my handkerchief?” Ning Zisheng asked.
“Mm.” Liu Li was a little ashamed. Ning Zisheng didn’t get any on her face while eating snacks, in contrast, her eating manners were really quite ungraceful. “Is it okay?”
At that moment, Liu Li was surprised to find that Ning Zisheng’s favorability actually began to fluctuate rapidly, jumping back and forth. Within a few short seconds, it went up to 100 and down to -100.
Only the system prompts that she could see were overwhelming, and finally settled on a number.
[Ning Zisheng favorability towards you + 25
Current favorability: 50 (a gentleman’s friendship).]
…There is actually such a good thing? It took so long to brush 25 points, but as a result, asking Ning Zisheng for a handkerchief to wipe her mouth directly doubled her favorability.
As expected of you, Ning Zisheng, you are really an unfathomable woman.
Ning Zisheng silently stretched out her hand to her, allowing Liu Li to take the extra handkerchief.
The wide sleeves slid down slightly, revealing Ning Zisheng’s fair but overly slender wrist. Liu Li glanced at it and said: “Your Highness is too thin. The pastries I brought, Your Highness can just eat them.”
She originally thought that these words would not have any effect on Ning Zisheng, but she saw Ning Zisheng’s cheeks suddenly flushed, and she coughed lightly, turning her head away to cover it up.
Is she shy? Liu Li was puzzled and could only attribute it to the fact that although Ning Zisheng was mature for her age, she was only 12 years old after all, and she was still at an age where she needed to make friends.
Perhaps she had never experienced friendship with her peers, which is why she reacted like this.
After wiping her mouth as gracefully as possible, Liu Li folded the handkerchief and put it in her arms: “Thank you, Your Highness.”
Naturally, the dirty handkerchief could not be returned to Ning Zisheng like this. She would wash it clean when she went back and then return it to its owner.
Ning Zisheng didn’t speak, and suddenly became even more unable to see through the girl in front of her.
How could she be so presumptuous to ask her for a handkerchief?
In Great Ning Dynasty, handkerchiefs are extremely important items, and must never be given to others easily. If someone is ashamed to express their feelings to their beloved, but cannot bear to miss this opportunity, they will implicitly ask their beloved for a handkerchief.
If not given, it means rejection; if given, it means that both hearts are in love.
In some places, giving a handkerchief is even considered to have settled on a lifelong relationship.
Ning Zisheng came back to her senses, only regretting that she didn’t know what was going on just now. Perhaps it was because Liu Li asked for the handkerchief too naturally that she was stunned for a moment and subconsciously gave it out.
Liu Li had already put it into her arms, and it was naturally too late for Ning Zisheng to ask for it back now.
“You…”
Liu Li didn’t notice Ning Zisheng’s hesitation, but seeing that it was almost time, she should also return to the palace to do her homework: “Then Your Highness, I will take my leave first.”
She smiled happily, and a shallow dimple on her face was faintly visible, making Ning Zisheng swallow back the words she wanted to say, and once again put on her usual expression.
“Mm.”
Ning Zisheng watched Liu Li’s departing back, her left hand unconsciously touching a string of prayer beads on her wrist.
That was what Concubine Chu had put on her hand when she was born. She had been wearing it for twelve years. Whenever Ning Zisheng’s mood was unstable, as long as she touched these beads, she would quickly calm down and become peaceful.
But this time, Ning Zisheng sat alone in the gazebo for two incense sticks, and the prayer beads went around her wrist again and again, but her thoughts were still in chaos.
What kept swirling in her mind was the name of County Princess Chun Ning.
– Liu Li.
••••
Liu Li was completely unaware of Ning Zisheng’s various thoughts.
It’s no wonder she doesn’t know. There’s no romance in the original story, so she has no idea that the handkerchief has this other meaning.
After all, in ancient times there were “handkerchief friendships” between daughters of noble families, so it’s probably similar here.
After Liu Li returned to Yanluo Palace, she handed the handkerchief to Yan’er: “Good Yan’er, wash this clean.”
“Isn’t this the County Princess’s handkerchief?”
Yan’er took the unfamiliar handkerchief, surprised and suspicious. She glanced at the lower right corner of the handkerchief, where a “nine” character was embroidered.
“Mm.” Liu Li changed her clothes and lay down on the couch with her eyes closed, preparing to take a nap. “It belongs to the Ninth Princess. Be careful not to wash it badly.”
Yan’er was shocked: “The Ninth Princess’s handkerchief, how did the County Princess get it back?”
“I asked her for it.” Liu Li said casually, “Okay, I’ll sleep for a while, don’t disturb me.”
Yan’er obediently went to wash the handkerchief, while digesting what Liu Li had just said.
She naturally knew what it meant to ask for a handkerchief and to give one.
In Great Ning Dynasty, regardless of gender, one can marry. Although same-s3x love and marriage have always been a minority, they are also tolerated and accepted by the world.
She didn’t expect that her own County Princess would be so direct in asking the Ninth Princess for a handkerchief. The key was that the Ninth Princess actually gave it?!
Yan’er thought with a complicated expression, could this be considered that her own County Princess and the Ninth Princess have privately decided on their lifelong relationship?