Princess Luo Ning, the ninth princess, had grown up in the imperial palace since childhood, so she was quite familiar with the imperial garden. She led Shen Li and her two servants on a winding path and soon arrived at a tall pavilion.
"Look, this is the Royal Viewing Pavilion!" Princess Luo Ning explained to Shen Li with a smile. "You can see the entire imperial garden from up there!"
With that, she lifted her foot and climbed the stairs.
Even in her previous life, Shen Li had never been to this Royal Viewing Pavilion.
Previously, she couldn't enter the palace often. Later, when Xiao Hanzhi ascended the throne, he listed this place as a restricted area. Only he could enter, and guards were stationed there all year round!
Shen Li took a look. The Royal Viewing Pavilion was built on a high point in the imperial garden. Coupled with its rare three - story structure, it had become a unique scenic spot in the imperial garden.
As soon as Shen Li stepped onto the Royal Viewing Pavilion, she found that, just as the ninth princess had said, she could not only take in the entire view of the imperial garden but also see the scenery inside many palaces.
Standing on the Royal Viewing Pavilion and looking out into the distance, Shen Li felt that her state of mind was different from before!
The world was so vast. Fortunately, she had a chance to come back in this life. After avenging her grievances, she wanted to travel around and enjoy the beauty of mountains, rivers, and the four seasons!
"Whew! This princess didn't lie to you, did she? This place is wonderful!" Princess Luo Ning leaned on the railing in front of her, took a deep breath, and said to Shen Li beside her, "Every time I'm unhappy, I'll run to this place. They can never find me!"
Then, she winked at Shen Li, leaned close to her, and whispered, "I'm only telling this secret to you. You mustn't tell anyone else!"
Shen Li immediately promised not to tell: "This secret is only known to the princess and me. There will never be a third person who knows!"
"Humph! I'm not afraid even if you tell!"
Then, Princess Luo Ning suddenly pulled a long face, glanced at Shen Li's slender and fair neck with her eyes, and deliberately threatened, "Because this princess will kill you!"
Seeing Princess Luo Ning like this, Shen Li didn't feel scared. Instead, she thought the deliberately serious face was chubby, soft, and so cute that she couldn't help but want to pinch and knead it! Thinking so, she actually did it!
Princess Luo Ning originally thought that Shen Li would kneel down in panic and beg for mercy. Unexpectedly, she suddenly felt a gentle pinch on her cheek.
By the time Shen Li came to her senses, it was already too late. There was a red mark on Princess Luo Ning's chubby and tender face.
Princess Luo Ning was also stunned by Shen Li's action. When she came to her senses, she immediately jumped back a step, hid out of Shen Li's reach, and said with a crying voice, "You... You, how dare you! How dare you pinch this princess's face!"
According to Princess Luo Ning's order just now, the four servants, including Jiao Yue, were ordered to wait at the corner of the stairs on the second floor, far away from the two of them.
They were so far away that they couldn't see or hear clearly what was going on here.
Princess Luo Ning still seemed angry. She kept pacing back and forth on the spot and stamped her feet angrily from time to time, repeating the same sentence over and over again: "How dare you pinch this princess's face! Humph! How dare you pinch this princess's face!"
Shen Li glanced at her own hand angrily. How could she lay hands on the face of a dignified princess? Look, the originally fair and tender face had been pinched red by her!
Seeing Shen Li showing a remorseful look, Princess Luo Ning suddenly rolled her eyes, stopped walking, and came up with a brilliant idea!
"What's your name? Shen Li? Where does your family live?"
Shen Li quickly told her the location of the Shen Mansion.
"Then this princess asks you, do you know where there are fun places in the capital?" Luo Ning blinked her big eyes and tried to get information.
Looking at Princess Luo Ning's extremely bright eyes, Shen Li didn't know what she was up to, but she still nodded.
"Good! You just pinched this princess's face! Now this princess is going to punish you! You're punished to take this princess out of the palace to play!"
Seeing that Luo Ning finally revealed her intention, Shen Li frowned and sighed. The ninth princess was young and lively. Staying in the palace all day, she would inevitably feel bored. It was natural for her to be interested in the outside world.
But taking a princess out of the palace without permission... Not to mention the emperor, the queen would probably be the first to cut off her head!
Shen Li touched her own neck and felt that her life was really in danger.
Seeing that Shen Li didn't agree, Princess Luo Ning continued to threaten, "Well? Have you thought it through? Disrespecting the princess is a capital crime! If you dare not agree, this princess will call the guards up right now and convict you!"
Princess Luo Ning was very proud of herself. She thought she had come up with a great idea just now. She was sure that Shen Li would be scared, and then she could sneak out to play.
However, she didn't expect that Shen Li was even more cunning. "Your servant has been standing here enjoying the scenery all the time and hasn't done anything. But the princess says that your servant pinched your face? Is there anyone who saw it? Heard it? Is there any witness or evidence?"
"You! You!" Princess Luo Ning was still young after all, and she didn't expect that Shen Li would flatly deny it. She was so angry that her face turned red.
"This princess says you pinched! So you did! Moreover, there's still a mark on my face from your pinch!"
"Oh? But your servant sees that the princess's face is as fair and tender as a peeled egg. Where is there any mark?" Shen Li also blinked her eyes, looking innocent.
Just now, Shen Li thought Princess Luo Ning was cute and innocent, so she couldn't help pinching her little face. She had used very little strength, and now that some time had passed, the red mark had already disappeared.
Princess Luo Ning didn't believe it. She touched her own face and found that it was really smooth.
Immediately, she puckered her lips. On the verge of crying, she looked at Shen Li aggrievedly. "Anyway, you just bullied me!"
Princess Luo Ning looked so pitiful that she didn't look like a princess at all. Shen Li felt ashamed. She was going to make this little girl cry today.
"Then, how about letting you pinch me back now?"
Shen Li voluntarily lowered her head and offered her face.
Princess Luo Ning was overjoyed. She thought her chance for revenge had come. She originally wanted to pinch Shen Li hard to punish her severely.
But when she looked at that flawless, fair - skinned face, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She only tapped Shen Li's face lightly.
"All right!"
Shen Li, who didn't feel anything, looked up in confusion. Was that all?
Shen Li thought they were too far away from the others and that the others might not be able to find them.
But Princess Luo Ning's words "When the lunch banquet starts, they'll be able to see us from here" dispelled her worries.
After that, the two of them just stood on the Royal Viewing Pavilion and enjoyed the scenery.
Then, Princess Luo Ning exclaimed, "Isn't that the sister from just now? What is she going to the lotus pond for?"