Chapter Ninety-One: The Black Shadow

Lin Miaomiao said nothing, and no one else spoke either. In the palace, only the Princess of Linan’s voice remained, clamoring her grievance.

Emperor Yongchang narrowed his eyes and slammed his hand down hard on the table. “How insolent! What do you take this place for? You dare behave so outrageously here?”

Looking at the Consort of Virtue and the Consort of Grace who stood behind him, Emperor Yongchang said coldly, “The Duke of Pei has truly raised a fine daughter. Even my princess would not dare be so lacking in manners.”

He glanced at the Princess of Linan and said coldly, “From this day forth, the Princess of Linan is stripped of her title and dragged out to receive thirty strokes.”

“Take her away.” After Emperor Yongchang gave the order in a frigid voice, the eunuchs in the palace immediately dragged the Princess of Linan out.

Lin Miaomiao saw that the Consort of Virtue looked extremely displeased, while the Consort of Grace beside her watched the whole affair with icy composure.

The Consort of Grace walked up to Lin Miaomiao with a smile as gentle and lovely as spring light, and when Lin Miaomiao saw her approaching, she could not help shivering.

Lin Miaomiao looked up at the Consort of Grace with wide eyes and said, “You’re really beautiful. Are you a noble lady?”

When the Consort of Grace heard this, she did not merely smile; she said warmly to Lin Miaomiao, “Ah Ping, I’m sorry to have frightened you.”

Hearing this, Lin Miaomiao immediately flashed a carefree grin and said to Emperor Yongchang, the Imperial Noble Consort Wenrou, the Consort of Grace, and the Consort of Virtue, “It wasn’t really that frightening.”

“I only just arrived in the capital, so there are many things I don’t understand. I also don’t want to make enemies, and I never expected the Princess of Linan to be so angry today.”

After speaking, Lin Miaomiao looked apologetically at Emperor Yongchang and said, “Actually, it was only a matter of me apologizing to her, but I don’t know why she wouldn’t accept it.”

Lin Miaomiao was young, and the words she spoke were crisp and pleasant to the ear. Tilting her head, she looked at Emperor Yongchang as she said it.

Emperor Yongchang heard her and waved a hand. “Most likely because the Duke of Pei failed to teach his daughter properly.”

Lin Miaomiao nodded when she heard this and did not continue. That evening, Emperor Yongchang kept Lin Miaomiao and Li Yanhe for dinner.

Before the palace gates were locked, the two of them departed the imperial palace. After Lin Miaomiao left, Emperor Yongchang said to Bai Qiu, who followed at his side, “That little girl is quite clever.”

After he spoke, Bai Qiu knelt and smiled at Emperor Yongchang. “Your Majesty, a girl who can manage such a vast business naturally would not be timid.”

At Bai Qiu’s words, Emperor Yongchang suddenly remembered what Li Zheng had once said to him: “He said he did not belong here.”

Emperor Yongchang let out a sigh. Bai Qiu moved to support him, but Emperor Yongchang waved him away, signaling for him to step back.

Crown Prince Li Hanwen was reclining on a couch when he listened to a servant recounting the events of the day. A beautiful smile curved his lips as he said, “Father Emperor is, in a roundabout way, acknowledging that Lin Miaomiao is Eldest Brother’s betrothed.”

After speaking, Crown Prince Li Hanwen instructed the servant behind him, “Tell the Crown Princess that I will be in her chambers tonight.”

Once those words were spoken, the servants withdrew. In the Fourth Prince’s manor, Li Deren also learned of everything that had happened that day.

Standing in the candlelight, Fourth Prince Li Deren wore a bitter smile and thought quietly, “As expected, I am not suited to her.”

After saying this, Li Deren glanced at the bouquet of flowers in his study, already withered and dry, and then hurled it to the floor.

At the Fifth Prince’s manor, Li Anping had also heard of everything that had occurred that day. Sitting beside a table and staring at the chessboard before him, a mocking smile touched his lips.

He picked up a piece and, following the diagram of the game manual, placed it down one move at a time. The servant attending him did not know why the Fifth Highness was doing this.

Only the Fifth Prince’s confidant understood: his master was merely one of the pieces on the emperor’s chessboard. He could not even defy his own fate, so how could he save anyone else?

That night, all those in high places began taking an interest in this newly titled princess.

Lin Miaomiao still had no idea that, without realizing it, she had become a matter of interest to many.

When Lin Miaomiao and Li Yanhe returned to the residence, Li Yanhe saw that she was somewhat downcast. He let out a sigh and said to her, “Miaomiao, I’m sorry. I dragged you into this.”

Lin Miaomiao turned back to look at him.

She gave Li Yanhe a sweet smile and said, “It’s all right.”

Under the moonlight, Li Yanhe looked at the little girl smiling at him, and for some reason, his heart began to pound wildly.

Lin Miaomiao said to him, “In life, one is bound to encounter people who look down on you or dislike you. But because of you, everyone took my side. That’s really quite nice.”

Hearing her words, Li Yanhe lifted his head in surprise.

Lin Miaomiao smiled and said, “Mr. Li, in the years to come, please take good care of me.”

After saying that, Lin Miaomiao skipped back to her room, while Li Yanhe stood quietly in the garden, watching her departing figure.

“The years to come, please take good care of me,” Li Yanhe murmured, repeating her words.

A lovely curve appeared at the corner of his mouth, and at that moment, a thought arose in him: he wanted his little girl to grow up quickly.

When Lin Miaomiao ran back inside, a beautiful smile played on her lips.

She crouched on the ground and began pulling at the grass, muttering as she did so, “Like me, don’t like me.”

“Lin Miaomiao, listen to yourself. If you keep dragging this out, all the good men will be snatched away.”

“Next time, Lin Miaomiao, don’t be timid. Just pounce on Li Yanhe, then do the thing with him, and after that he’ll be your man.”

As she spoke, she suddenly realized that her body was that of a little girl, not even eighteen yet.

Lin Miaomiao abruptly felt that she was far too young. Pressing her lips together, she stood up and shouted at the sky, “Damn it, Heaven, are you messing with me?”

No sooner had she spoken than she saw a black figure vanish swiftly across the sky above the residence.

Lin Miaomiao raised her brows, staring after the dark silhouette as she thought, “Could that be an assassin?”

Watching the direction the figure had gone, she realized it seemed to be heading toward Li Yanhe’s study. At once, she remembered how in the dramas she watched, people of high rank and power were often easy targets for assassination.

In that instant, Lin Miaomiao broke into a run toward Li Yanhe’s room.