The Ninth Princess Reigns Supreme [Transmigration] - Chapter 9
The next day, before Liu Li went to the Imperial Academy, she went to visit Princess Bao’an as usual.
Although Princess Bao’an was sleepy due to her poor health, she woke up early, so she was not afraid of being disturbed by her.
Seeing that she had been more diligent and hardworking recently, she was very gratified and in a good mood.
Liu Li took the medicine from the servant’s hand and asked: “Mother, does your head still hurt these days?”
Princess Bao’an hesitated for a moment, originally wanting to report good news instead of bad, but seeing Liu Li’s serious expression, she had to downplay it: “It’s okay, it’s an old problem, it doesn’t matter.”
Liu Li now has a good grasp of the system panel’s controls, being able to turn it on and off as she pleases. To avoid obstructing her vision, she would turn off the panel when she didn’t need it.
When she first came to Bao’an’s place, she was dazzled by the many servants in the hall, and she couldn’t see the information clearly. So after that, she had always kept it closed.
Just now, Liu Li tried to turn on the panel, but was surprised to find that a string of numbers that no one else had appeared above Bao’an’s head.
–30/100, which is obviously a health bar.
This thing only appeared in modern games, and it was not difficult for Liu Li to understand. Needless to say, it represents the character’s health and life value.
Liu Li raised her eyes and looked around. Among so many servants in Penglai Palace, none of them had a health bar.
She thought, is it because these servants are all unimportant supporting characters? But this reason is simply untenable, because even on Ning Zisheng, Liu Li had never seen this thing.
The only explanation is that people whose health value is at full value will not show a health bar, and only those who are not at full health will show it.
Princess Bao’an had always been in poor health, but it was a bit too little that her health value was only 30% left. She was only in her thirties, and had been recuperating in the palace for more than a month. How come there was no improvement at all?
Liu Li was puzzled, blew on the medicine in her hand, and fed it to Princess Bao’an: “Be careful, it’s hot.”
Princess Bao’an was obviously numb to the bitter taste of the medicine. She frowned slightly and drank it.
Just as she swallowed the medicinal juice, the health bar above her head shook, and actually changed from 30/100 to 29.9/100!
Liu Li was shocked, and suddenly understood something. Her eyes turned, and she directly threw the whole bowl of medicine on the ground.
With a “clang” sound, the porcelain bowl and spoon shattered into several pieces upon collision, and the unpleasant-smelling medicinal juice spilled all over the ground.
“Are you okay?” Princess Bao’an was also startled, and hurriedly cared if Liu Li had cut her hand.
Liu Li quickly calmed down and shook her head reassuringly.
The servants were quick-witted, and had already started to clean up without a word. Liu Li made way for them, stood beside Bao’an, and said: “The medicine was too hot, I shook my hand, and scared mother.”
“Mm.” Bao’an said, “It’s okay if it spilled, just have them boil another bowl. Did you get burned?”
“It’s okay.” Liu Li held her hand comfortingly, and asked seemingly casually, “This medicine smells so bitter, how long have you been taking it, mother?”
Bao’an thought for a while: “I’ve been taking it since I entered the palace, and it’s been almost two months now.”
Hearing this, Liu Li’s heart was full of remorse. Why didn’t she realize that there was a problem with this medicine earlier?
It’s all her fault that she’s been preoccupied with Ning Zisheng’s affairs recently, and subconsciously felt that Princess Bao’an, a character who didn’t even appear in the original story, wouldn’t have any problems, so she didn’t pay attention at all.
She didn’t expect that Princess Bao’an, who was not involved in worldly affairs and was confined to her sickbed, would actually have someone tampering with her medicine!
Liu Li looked at the time, and it was almost time for her to go to the Imperial Academy. She was anxious.
This matter cannot be rushed. Apart from the system cheat, she has no evidence to prove that this medicine is actually harmful to Bao’an. If she speaks rashly, she will only alert the enemy.
Liu Li had an idea, leaned to Princess Bao’an’s ear, and whispered: “Mother, listen to me, don’t drink the medicine after it’s boiled again. Find a way to keep a bowl of it, don’t let anyone see it, and I’ll explain it to you after I come back from the Imperial Academy. Don’t ask why, just do as I say, okay?”
Bao’an didn’t understand, her eyes were full of confusion. Liu Li then took two steps back, waved to her, and emphasized her tone: “Mother, I’ll go to the Imperial Academy first, and I’ll come to accompany you after school.”
Princess Bao’an hesitated for a few seconds, but finally nodded: “Mm, mother will wait for you.”
Bao’an had always been soft-hearted and doted on her daughter, otherwise she would not have spoiled the original owner to be so lawless. Since Liu Li had said so, thinking that she should not disobey her words, she left with peace of mind.
••••
All morning, Liu Li was absent-minded, and it was rare that she did not compete with the fifteenth prince and the others to answer the Grand Tutor’s questions, making those little ones overjoyed.
“Princess Sister.”
After class, the Fifteenth Prince saw that Liu Li was sullen and seemed to have something on her mind, so he poked her elbow: “Why are you unhappy?”
During this time, these kind-hearted five- or six-year-old children have had a good relationship with Liu Li, their older classmate. Seeing that she didn’t look well, they came over to care for her.
“It’s nothing.” Liu Li came back to her senses and smiled, sharing the peach blossom cakes she brought with them, one piece for each person.
Liu Li had new snacks every day, and the little ones were naturally very greedy, eating them with great relish.
The Fifteenth Prince even widened his small eyes, excitedly getting his face covered with crumbs.
Seeing this eating appearance, quite like her own style back then, Liu Li found it very amusing, so she took out her handkerchief and wanted to wipe the Fifteenth Prince’s face.
But she was afraid that the child’s skin was too delicate, and that she would hurt him if she wasn’t careful: “Here, you take it and wipe it yourself.”
The other two little ones were eating happily and didn’t notice the movement here at all. The Fifteenth Prince was suddenly stunned. Smelling the fragrance of the handkerchief close at hand, he suddenly blushed: “Sister, you…”
Why did Princess Sister suddenly give him a handkerchief? Could it be…
“Wipe your face.” Liu Li was puzzled. “Look at you, you look like a little cat.”
The Fifteenth Prince suddenly became silent, and quickly wiped away the crumbs. His little fleshy hands grabbed the handkerchief, not knowing what to do.
“Remember to wash it clean and return it to me.” Liu Li instructed, completely unaware of what he was thinking.
After yesterday’s experience, she brought several handkerchiefs today, and now they came in handy. The Fifteenth Prince’s favorability increased quite a bit.
“O-okay.” The Fifteenth Prince shyly agreed, thinking that he must tell his mother about this when he returns to the palace later.
Since childhood, his mother had told him that handkerchiefs could only be given to sweethearts. Just now, Princess Sister handed him a handkerchief. Could it be… No, no, it’s so embarrassing.
Outside the window, Ning Zisheng, as usual, was waiting for Liu Li to have lunch, but she took in this scene, her eyes flashing with coldness.
She unconsciously frowned, like a pebble thrown into a lake, only stirring up a moment of ripples, and soon returned to calm.
Liu Li turned her head and saw her. Just as she was about to call out “Ninth Princess,” she saw Ning Zisheng didn’t even look at her, and walked straight towards the pavilion.
If she wasn’t mistaken, Ning Zisheng’s favorability started to fluctuate again, sometimes high and sometimes low.
Liu Li’s eyelids almost jumped with it. She said goodbye to the little ones and ran out with her book bag and food box.
“Ninth Princess! Ninth Princess!”
Ning Zisheng walked very fast, and Liu Li gave up after chasing for a while. When she arrived at the gazebo, Ning Zisheng had already sat down and started reading a book.
It seemed that she didn’t intend to pay attention to her.
Liu Li didn’t know where she had offended her, and said softly, “Your Highness, why are you ignoring me?”
Ning Zisheng just said “hm?” and then lowered her head to continue reading.
Liu Li opened the food box, and the fragrant peach blossom cakes made people’s appetites increase greatly: “Your Highness, would you like some snacks?”
“Not hungry.” Ning Zisheng didn’t even lift her eyelids.
“Eat some.” Liu Li personally picked up a piece for her and brought it to her mouth, her eyes full of anticipation.
The fair fingers and green bamboo chopsticks formed a sharp contrast, and the front end was a brightly colored cake. Ning Zisheng was indeed not hungry, but looking at this scene, she suddenly had an appetite.
She silently bit the peach blossom cake in her mouth, chewed it several times carefully, and then swallowed it.
This peach blossom cake was good in every way, but it shed a bit of crumbs. Liu Li quickly took out her handkerchief: “Yesterday I used Your Highness’s handkerchief, and today Your Highness can use mine.”
The handkerchief embroidered with the character “nine” was washed by Yan’er and had not yet dried, so she couldn’t return it to Ning Zisheng.
Ning Zisheng’s eyes moved slightly, her expression unclear: “You brought quite a few handkerchiefs.”
Liu Li immediately realized that she might have been seen by her when she gave it to the Fifteenth Prince just now. Could it be because of this that her favorability started to fluctuate again?
But she didn’t understand where Ning Zisheng’s awkwardness was.
“Whether it’s bringing snacks or bringing handkerchiefs, it’s all for sharing with Your Highness. The others are just incidental.” Liu Li had to pick a few nice words to say.
But this remark obviously failed to move Ning Zisheng. She just said “hmm” and then fell silent again.
“Really.” Liu Li thought that this little girl was really quite tsundere, her smile was bright, and she explained again, “In my heart, naturally, my friendship with Your Highness is the deepest.”
These words, when heard in Ning Zisheng’s ears, had another meaning.
Exchanging handkerchiefs originally had the meaning of expressing love, and at this time Liu Li mentioned the “friendship” between the two of them, making the thoughts in Ning Zisheng’s heart clearer.
This County Princess Chun Ning, really has such thoughts about her!
The flustered reaction when the servant pushed her into the water, coming to visit late at night, asking her to teach her homework, and bringing her snacks every day…
These things can all be explained.
Ning Zisheng opened her mouth, feeling a little unnatural, and had to pretend to be calm: “Why?”
Even if she was calm, she was only a teenage girl after all, and had never experienced love affairs. She didn’t know how to deal with it for a while.
“Mm? Oh.” Liu Li said, “Before, I didn’t discipline the servants strictly, and accidentally pushed Your Highness into the water. Not only did Your Highness not hold it against me, but you were also willing to teach me to read. Your Highness is so good to me, and I am naturally extremely grateful to Your Highness.”
The girl’s eyes were full of autumn water and rippling waves, her smile was shy, and she gently gazed at Ning Zisheng.
“Mm.” Ning Zisheng’s gaze was focused on the book in her hand, and it seemed that she was not listening carefully.
However, Liu Li was already accustomed to her tsundere nature. After all, the system’s prompts would not deceive people.
[Ning Zisheng favorability towards you: +10. Current favorability: 60 (a gentleman’s friendship).]