Boldness

"Of course, it's the man I want to marry."

Lin Yunwan was determined to choose a suitable husband for herself.

She's going to get married eventually anyway, so rather than waiting for that wolfish couple, Lin Huabin and Zheng Shi, to choose for her, she might as well choose for herself.

Xiruo was somewhat surprised.

Of course, she had also considered that the girl would get married anyway once she arrived in Jiangqian.

But...

What kind of husband does the young lady want to marry?

Xiruo asked in a low voice, afraid that Nanny Zhao outside would hear her.

Lin Yunwan stared blankly at the Eternal Light Lamp. This was her second life, given to her by Miss Lin.

"Xiruo, you probably already know about my situation."

"The man I marry must be shrewd and responsible."

But what kind of shrewdness and sense of responsibility do ordinary men possess?

Lin Yunwan sighed and said, "This person's background can't be too bad."

In short, it's not easy to find.

Xiruo paused, then asked doubtfully, "Isn't Your Prince just what the young lady desires?"

Lin Yunwan was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled and said, "... Your Prince won't do."

Xiruo didn't understand. "Why can't the Prince do it?"

She felt that the Prince was taking very good care of the girl!

Lin Yunwan to leave, saying softly, "... The Prince will cover for me, so it won't matter who I marry or whose family finds out."

Xiruo understood this.

If the Prince ascends the throne, he will be the next emperor. Who would dare to stir up trouble now that the emperor has interfered?

Then Lin Yunwan continued, "If I marry into the royal family, the Emperor and Empress will not be able to accept it."

Xiruo lowered her head.

The royal family values honor. Even if Prince Huan Consort is a bit spoiled, it doesn't matter. But if she is a second wife and faked her death to escape to Jiangqian, the emperor and empress will unleash their fury if they find out!

"Xiruo, you come from the royal family. You understand the principle of 'the ruler and his subjects come before the father and son' better than I do."

Lin Yunwan pursed her lips and finally said, "The Prince has been kind to me, and I cannot repay that kindness, much less harm him."

Xiruo lowered her head and remained silent.

When Nanny Zhao saw the two of them come out, she instructed someone to lead the way and reminded Lin Yunwan, "Miss, quickly put on your veil; it wouldn't be good if someone saw you."

Lin Yunwan put on a veil and left Ci'en Temple with the servants of the Lin Residence.

Walking along the Covered Walkway, I saw other pilgrims coming to offer incense and heard them talking about the origins of Ci'en Temple: "... When Emperor Taizu was conquering the country, he first established his power in Jiangqian, and later Jiangqian Ci'en Temple there. It has been renovated more than ten times since then, and it is no longer the same Ci'en Temple it was back then."

He speaks eloquently and knowledgeably; you can tell he's a scholar.

"Brother Xia, why aren't you leaving again?"

Xia Jin stood there, looking at the girl surrounded by a group of servants... Was that the Di Daughter of the Lin clan?

That figure is so similar!

Nanny Zhao blocked their way, glared at the group of scholars, and said to Xia Jin, "Rude!"

Xia Jin stepped back, bowed his head, and dared not look at him again.

Nanny Zhao, along with her entourage, quickly led Lin Yunwan and Xiruo away.

Once she was in the carriage, Lin Yunwan removed her veil, her expression turning somewhat grave.

"How could it be him...?"

What a coincidence!

Xiruo asked, "Does the young lady recognize that man from earlier?"

Lin Yunwan nodded. Jiangqian Jin, the youngest son of the Xia family, was from Xia Jin. The Green Gull Academy in Jiangqian was very famous. The Lin Clan spent a lot of money every year to maintain the Academy. There were scholars from West Lin and East Lin Residence who taught at the Academy and were very good at teaching students to write the eight-legged essay.

Next August is the time for the next Imperial Examination Provincial Examinations, Xia Jin should be coming to the Green Gull Academy to study.

"I never expected to run into an old friend so far away in Jiangqian..."

Xiruo Ruoke didn't recognize Xia Jin, and she asked worriedly, "Should we tell the Prince, Miss?"

Lin Yunwan shook her head.

She knew a little about the Xia family.

"He won't talk nonsense outside."

"Even if he's making things up, there's no evidence. He's studying away from home, and I'm staying at Inner Residence; we're completely unrelated. It's fine."

Xiruo still frowned.

Lin Yunwan added, "... I'll have to return to the Capital sooner or later, and there will always be people who question me. Whether it's in Jiangqian or the Capital, it's all about how I handle it."

That's true.

Xiruo wasn't in a hurry, but she still made up her mind to tell the Prince.

She was sent by the Prince to protect the young lady, and she would do her best to prevent the young lady from being in any danger whatsoever.

We returned to the Bixi Hall.

Xiruo asked Lin Yunwan, "Miss, what do we do now?"

"Wait."

Lin Yunwan, "Didn't Shuangshuang say she would come to see me?"

She lowered her head and smiled, the nature of which was unreadable. "... Madam must be starting to get anxious too."

Xiruo quickly understood why Zheng Shi was in such a hurry.

They're probably just trying to marry the girl off quickly.

The girl's marriage was not up to Zheng Shi's discretion; all her efforts had been in vain!

That evening, Lin Yunwan practiced calligraphy in her room. Nanny Fan had taught her and Lin Yunjiao to write, but it was just a few simple characters with no particular style. She was afraid of being recognized, so she usually wrote in cursive script.

Xiruo ground the ink, but not recognizing cursive script, she asked, "Miss, what are you painting?"

Lin Yunwan said, "This is the 'The Calligraphy of the Eminent Monks'."

It wasn't drawing.

Xiruo stared intently for a long time, then looked into Lin Yunwan's eyes and said, "It looks like a Daoist priest drawing talismans."

Lin Yunwan smiled, then wrote a final letter, sealed it with wax, and said to Xiruo, "It's been a while since I've had any contact with Prince. Go and let him know I'm safe and sound tomorrow."

Xiruo's eyes lit up.

She'd wanted to go for ages!

Lin Yunwan instructed her, "Just say that you and I are safe and sound, don't say anything else."

Xiruo asked, "Miss, don't you want the Prince to get involved in Madam Dong's matter either?"

She stated her thoughts directly. "You can handle matters within the Inner Residence however you want, but Madam Dong's husband's affairs are no longer matters within the Inner Residence. Since you want to help her, why not go all the way?"

"Miss, please forgive my bluntness, but for the Prince, these matters are merely a matter of lifting a finger."

Lin Yunwan remained silent for a moment before softly saying, "Xiruo, I can't ask the Prince for everything."

Xiruo asked, puzzled, "But the Prince is willing to help you."

"Xiruo, men and women are different."

The Prince sent her to Jiangqian, settled her in, and helped her resolve Lingxiang's matter. He has already helped her far too much... One could say that the Prince did all this because of her father.

What kind of image would it be to trouble Your Prince any further?

She couldn't pretend to be ignorant when she knew the truth.

Lin Yunwan said no more.

Xiruo also sensed Lin Yunwan's dislike, so she didn't say anything more.

When Qi Lingheng, she reported that she was safe and sound. As before, she hesitated to speak, and remained unusually silent.

A Fu even teased her, "Xiruo, you've become more mature by following the young lady."

Xiruo is actually very composed, but she has a straightforward personality and says what she thinks.

Now that she has something to say but doesn't tell the Prince, A Fu's comment that she's "steady" is clearly a sarcastic remark.

Xiruo lowered her head and said, "Miss, you forbade me to speak."

Having followed Lin Yunwan for so long, she had figured out the girl's personality. The girl had her own principles and would never touch anything that was forbidden.

"I am your maid, young lady, so of course I must obey you."

A Fu burst into laughter, pointing at Xiruo and saying, "You little rascal!"

Qi Lingheng smiled and said, "It was the right decision of me to take you there."

Xiruo what they said, Xiruo reported that she was safe and sound, and then said, "It's not easy for me to go out like this. If Your Prince has no further instructions, I will return."

Qi Lingheng put down his teacup and looked at Xiruo.

His expression was calm, and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

A Fu, however, had figured things out. He stepped forward and said to Xiruo, "The Prince sent you to take care of the young lady, but you didn't tell Prince anything about her. How will the Prince know if you're taking good care of her?"

Qi Lingheng's eyes brightened slightly.

Xiruo glanced at A Fu, then boldly said to Qi Lingheng, "Your Prince, please forgive this servant for being presumptuous—"

She has something to say!

Qi Lingheng said calmly, "Speak."

Xiruo said, "I am not qualified to comment on what kind of person you are, Miss... but having served you for so long, I still want to say that you come from a distinguished family, are very well-mannered, grateful, and afraid of causing trouble for others."

"If Your Prince wants to know whether the young lady is well or not, asking only this servant will be of no use."

A Fu was dumbfounded.

"Xiruo... you, how dare you!"

"You've only been with the young lady for a short time, yet you dare to speak to the Prince like that!"

Qi Lingheng glanced at A Fu and said, "Step back."

"... yes."

A Fu was very nervous and listened intently.

Qi Lingheng said calmly, "Xiruo, your young lady is not an ignorant girl. She is a very decisive person."

"This king..."

Qi Lingheng said calmly, "Even if it were me..."

We shouldn't be rash in front of her either.

Xiruo hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your Prince, you know that the young lady is very decisive; this is it."

"This servant takes her leave."

They just left.

A Fu glared at her. What was this girl's skill that made Xiruo so sympathetic to her?

He Qi Lingheng's expression again... This was bad!