Princess Mansion!
When he set foot here again, Lin Jiangnian felt complicated.
I don't really want to come, but I have to.
The princess had been hiding from him for four days, and now she had finally appeared. Lin Jiangnian had to confront her properly, both emotionally and logically!
"Your Highness, please relax..."
Jinxiu, who was leading the way, couldn't help but whisper, "If others saw you like this, it would be as if my princess had done something to you..."
Jinxiu couldn't help laughing when she saw Lin Jiangnian, who had a bad face all the way.
She naturally knew some of the reasons.
Prince Lin has been looking for his own princess for four consecutive days, but has returned empty-handed every time. Who wouldn't be upset?
Especially, it is very likely that his own princess is deliberately avoiding him... No wonder His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is so resentful.
Lin Jiangnian glanced at her and said, "Your princess didn't do anything to me, but I still have to settle this account with her!"
"What is your Highness going to settle with my princess?"
"What do you think?"
Facing Lin Jiangnian's question, Jinxiu smiled and said, "I know that Your Highness has resentment in his heart, but I still advise Your Highness to look at it more positively!"
Having said that, Jinxiu winked at Lin Jiangnian with a charming look in her eyes and whispered, "After all, Your Highness, you can't beat my princess...right?"
Lin Jiangnian glanced at her, expressionless: "Who said I was going to hit your princess?"
Jinxiu continued blinking: "Your Highness can't even beat my princess, how can you settle the score with my princess?"
"Of course, use your brain!"
Lin Jiangnian spoke lightly.
Of course you can’t win by fighting!
The eldest princess's martial arts skills are said to be extremely profound and terrifying, so Lin Jiangnian naturally would not seek trouble for himself.
However, if you want to settle the score with her, you don't necessarily have to use force.
Although the eldest princess is very powerful, her brain is not necessarily that good... After several encounters with her in the past, Lin Jiangnian has the confidence to crush her with his IQ.
Jinxiu was stunned for a moment, as if realizing something, and then suddenly smiled, "How about I teach you a method?"
Lin Jiangnian glanced at her: "You?"
"Yes!"
Jinxiu's eyes danced with joy. She leaned slightly closer to Lin Jiangnian and chuckled softly, "Your Highness, why don't you just go ahead and marry my princess? Then, lock her up in your Prince Lin's mansion every day and force her to give birth to a dozen children for you... That way, Your Highness can finally vent his anger, right?"
Hearing this, Lin Jiangnian's expression froze slightly. He looked at Jinxiu seriously for a few seconds and asked suspiciously, "Are you really your princess's maid?"
"You're the only one who comes up with such a bad idea?"
"Isn't this for His Highness's sake?"
Jinxiu blinked, her eyes were lively, a little mischievous, and she smiled sweetly.
"As expected, this maid likes to stick her elbows outwards. This prince likes her!"
Lin Jiangnian couldn't help but sigh, and looked at the sweetly smiling face in front of him: "Come, let this prince rub it for you!"
"No way!"
Jinxiu blushed and immediately stepped back to avoid it.
She gave Lin Jiangnian a sweet smile, winked mischievously, her beautiful eyes moving brightly, then she turned around and trotted away.
Lin Jiangnian stood where he was.
Okay, okay, you're going to seduce him like this, right?
Xiao Jinxiu, I will definitely punish you when I get back!
Feeling emotional and thoughtful, Lin Jiangnian followed the familiar path and stepped into the inner courtyard of the princess's mansion again.
The inner courtyard is cold and quiet.
There seemed to be an indescribable chill in the courtyard. When Lin Jiangnian stepped in, the air around him suddenly dropped a lot.
I don’t know if the temperature has really dropped or it’s just an illusion in my subconscious!
Lin Jiangnian raised his eyes and looked not far ahead. In the pavilion not far away in the courtyard, there was already a figure in white!
The hem of her clothes danced lightly in the wind, revealing a transcendental temperament.
Long flowing hair and white clothes are whiter than snow!
She stood quietly in the pavilion, her figure looking increasingly lonely and proud, like a solitary plum blossom blooming in the winter.
And right next to him, Jinxiu was standing next to the eldest princess, whispering something.
As she spoke, she turned back from time to time to look at Lin Jiangnian who had just walked into the yard, her beautiful eyes bright and meaningful.
The eldest princess in the pavilion remained expressionless and nodded calmly.
Jinxiu then walked away. After she left, the courtyard quickly became deserted again.
Only two people left!
They looked at each other quietly without saying a word!
In the pavilion, the eldest princess's eyes fell on Lin Jiangnian. A chill lingered in her fluffy white hair, and her long white dress fluttered like willow branches in the wind. Elegant and noble.
His eyes were sharp, and even without saying a word, he still gave people an indescribable aura of loneliness and coldness.
After the two of them stared at each other for a moment, Lin Jiangnian took the lead and walked into the pavilion, sharing the space with the eldest princess in front of him.
The weather is nice today. The warm spring sun shines into the yard, all things come back to life, and the air is filled with the fragrance of spring.
Lin Jiang sat down at the stone table in the pavilion with familiarity, and poured himself a cup of tea. He picked up the cup and savored the tea carefully.
The tea in the Princess's mansion was naturally not an ordinary commodity. Although Lin Jiangnian didn't know much about tea, it didn't stop him from wasting good things.
In the pavilion, the eldest princess stood quietly by, expressionless, watching Lin Jiang pour tea and taste it with familiarity. A hint of satisfaction crossed her face, as if she was enjoying herself.
Her expression remained calm and she remained silent.
Lin Jiangnian didn't say anything until he slowly sipped a few cups of tea, put down the cup in his hand, and then looked up at the figure in white in front of him.
She is so patient!
From beginning to end, he seemed to have no intention of speaking first.
"Oh!"
Lin Jiangnian sneered in his heart. Will she always be so high and mighty, with an aloof look that doesn't bother the world?
He suddenly felt a little skeptical and wanted to find an opportunity to tear off the princess's cold exterior. To see if she was really so indifferent in private...
Lin Jiangnian squinted his eyes and pondered, and the evil light in his eyes naturally did not escape the attention of the eldest princess.
There was still no emotion on her face.
"Your Highness, shouldn't you explain this to this prince?"
After a long period of silent confrontation, Lin Jiangnian finally broke the silence and stopped playing the childish game of "statue" with her!
The eldest princess said calmly, "What do you want to explain?"
"Princess, are you going to explain why you've been hiding from me these past few days?"
Lin Jiangnian stared into her eyes and asked.
Li Piaomiao's eyes were calm as she glanced at him calmly: "Why should I explain to you?"
Lin Jiangnian: “?”
Okay, okay, you put it on his face, right?
Lin Jiangnian sneered: "The princess has been avoiding me for the past few days. Is she plotting something?"
"Or, has the princess done something to offend this prince?"
"Feeling guilty, you dare not see me?"
Lin Jiangnian questioned, staring at her face.
But his plan still failed. The eldest princess in front of him had no reaction on her face and no emotion could be seen from her.
Listening to Lin Jiangnian's provocative tone, she remained calm and said, "Since you already know the answer, why are you still asking?"
"Because...this prince is very unhappy!"
Lin Jiangnian spoke, staring at her: "Is this reason enough?"
He came for four days and was turned away all four days. It would be strange if he felt comfortable.
But the princess seemed to ignore Lin Jiangnian's provocation and didn't take it to heart. She said calmly, "You came to me simply because you hoped I could help you save the Xu family. Why are you beating around the bush like that?"
The sneer on Lin Jiangnian's face gradually disappeared. He stared at her quietly for a moment and said, "You really did it on purpose!"
If it was just a guess before, then when the princess revealed Lin Jiangnian's purpose in looking for her, Lin Jiangnian realized that the princess had really been avoiding him on purpose when she came to the palace these days!
"Was this your idea, or that of the Crown Prince?"
Lin Jiangnian asked with narrowed eyes.
The princess didn't answer his question, but glanced at him and asked, "Why did you save them?"
"Do you need a reason to save someone?"
Lin Jiangnian asked back.
Li Piaomiao was silent and frowned slightly, as if this question touched upon her blind spot in knowledge.
"Don't you need it?"
She asked again.
"Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. This prince is kind-hearted and has made good connections early on. I will definitely be even richer in my next life..."
Lin Jiangnian was talking nonsense, but soon realized something.
Reincarnation in the next life?
In this life, he is already considered a wealthy man. If he can make further progress in the next life... what identity can be richer and more powerful than that of the Prince of Lin?
That must be...
I dare not think about it, I dare not think about it!
Obviously, Li Piaomiao didn't believe Lin Jiangnian's nonsense. She stared at him and asked, "Since the Xu family betrayed the Lin family, why did you still save them?"
Lin Jiangnian said, "Didn't I say it before? This prince is kind-hearted..."
"Is it because of that girl named Xu Lan?"
Li Piaomiao interrupted him suddenly.
Lin Jiangnian raised his eyes and saw Li Piaomiao staring at him coldly, asking casually.
"Are you investigating this prince?"
Li Piaomiao said, "This palace does not need to investigate."
"Then how do you know Xu Lan?"
Lin Jiangnian stared at her and asked, "How could you think that this prince was like this because of her?"
He and Xu Lan had a good relationship, but that was only when they were still in Linzhou. After arriving in the capital, the two of them did not interact much, and few people knew about this except for the Jiang family.
How could this eldest princess in front of me know this for no reason?
Didn't she investigate this secretly?
"You are not really secretly in love with this prince, are you?"
Lin Jiangnian stared at her suspiciously.
Li Piaomiao ignored Lin Jiangnian's deliberate teasing and glanced at him calmly: "For a woman, is it worth it?"
"What you said..."
Lin Jiangnian shook his head and said calmly: "This has nothing to do with whether she is a woman or not..."
"I have known her for such a long time and have a very good relationship with her. Now that her family is in trouble, I, the prince, naturally cannot sit idly by."
"Even if the Xu family does harbor ulterior motives towards the Lin family, if this account needs to be settled, it should be done by our Lin family personally."
At this point, Lin Jiangnian smiled at her and said, "After all, this prince has always been very protective of his shortcomings and will only help his relatives and not his relatives."
Li Piaomiao remained silent, as if she had not expected Lin Jiangnian to say such a thing.
This notorious Prince Lin in the capital is actually a man of affection and righteousness?
This vague feeling caused Li Piaomiao to gradually feel a split in her previous impression of him...
She stared at Lin Jiangnian for a long time and remained silent for a long time.
Until, Li Piaomiao's eyes seemed to have thought of something, and suddenly asked: "What if she is a man?"
"What does this have to do with her being a man?"
Li Piaomiao stared at him: "If Xu Lan was a man, would you still help her like this?"
"Won't."
Lin Jiangnian answered straightforwardly. He grinned and looked at Li Piaomiao with sincerity.
Li Piaomiao: "..."
“…”
Li Piaomiao obviously asked a nonsense question!
If Xu Lan were a man, it wouldn't be a question of whether Lin Jiangnian would help her or not. Rather, she might not be qualified to approach Lin Jiangnian at all.
The reason why Xu Lan can appear next to Lin Jiangnian and the two of them have such a good relationship is, firstly, because the Xu and Lin families are old friends, and secondly, because Miss Xu has a good impression of Lin Jiangnian and likes to run to him whenever she has nothing to do.
After a few interactions, the two gradually became familiar with each other.
But if Xu Lan was a man, Lin Jiangnian would never have paid much attention to her from the beginning, and their relationship would not be what it is now.
So, the answer is obvious.
Li Piaomiao was silent for a while, not dwelling on this question any further: "How do you plan to save them?"
"Now that I've come to you, what do you think?"
Lin Jiang sighed: "Your Highness, why is the Princess keeping us in suspense?"
Li Piaomiao glanced at him and asked, "Why should I help you?"
"Because you will definitely help me."
Lin Jiangnian said some nonsense and squinted at her: "Since you were willing to see me, didn't you already have a plan?"
Li Piaomiao also narrowed his eyes: "You are being too clever!"
"This prince has been smart since he was young!"
Lin Jiangnian gave her a harmless smile: "Your Highness, what conditions did I propose to you?"
"Tell me about it?"
Li Piaomiao was silent.
It seemed that he had underestimated Lin Jiangnian. After a while, he began to look at him again.
Lin Jiangnian was well aware of this; the princess and the crown prince were clearly in cahoots. Her appearance today to see Lin Jiangnian was most likely the crown prince's directive.
As for the purpose...
Maybe you can get a glimpse and guess a little bit!
After sizing him up for a moment, Li Piaomiao slowly withdrew his gaze and said calmly, "The Xu family was not involved in the Third Prince's rebellion. Their crime is not punishable by death, and the Crown Prince will not kill them!"
This result was within Lin Jiangnian's expectations.
"but……"
Li Piaomiao's tone changed again, and he said lightly: "Xu Yan and Li Yuan have exchanged letters and have also had secret contact. Although he did not directly participate in the rebellion, it cannot be ruled out that he may have secretly assisted the tyrant..."
"You can escape the death penalty, but you can't avoid the living crime, right?"
Lin Jiang laughed young, his eyes full of amusement. "Your Highness, what terms do you want to negotiate with me?"
Li Piaomiao glanced at him and said calmly, "Old Minister Xu, please step down!"
"That's fine."
Lin Jiangnian nodded. Even if Li Piaomiao didn't say it, Lin Jiangnian could guess it.
The situation in the capital has changed. Now that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is in power, he naturally wants to eliminate the dissidents in the court and build up his own power.
The six ministries are of utmost importance.
Although Mr. Xu's position as Minister of Rites wasn't considered a very powerful position within the court, it was still a position of minister after all. Naturally, the Crown Prince wouldn't let go of this position!
No matter what the situation is this time, the Xu family, which is involved with the third prince, will no longer be trusted by the court, and the prince will naturally never let him continue to sit in that position.
A new emperor appoints new ministers!
Of course, the prince's conditions are far more than that.
Besides Old Master Xu, many other members of the Xu family also held positions within the court. For example, Old Master Xu's eldest grandson had made significant contributions in the military. Other branches of the Xu family also held important positions within the court or elsewhere.
But this time, they will all be wiped out!
However, compared to losing their lives, this result is already the best outcome for the Xu family.
but……
Lin Jiangnian looked at the lonely, cold figure in white before him and asked, "Is this all the Crown Prince's conditions?"
Li Piaomiao said calmly, "No one from the Xu family is allowed to leave the capital without permission!"
Hearing this, Lin Jiangnian finally realized something: "You, want to imprison and monitor the Xu family?"
Li Piaomiao said, "The Xu family's actions in the capital will not be affected. As long as they stay in the capital, everything will be fine."
"But the Xu family's roots are in Linzhou, and their hometown is also in Linzhou!"
Lin Jiangnian stared at her. "After Mr. Xu retired and returned to his hometown, the Xu family had no power or influence in the capital, and no one to rely on... What good could happen to them if they stayed in the capital?"
Li Piaomiao didn't say anything and just looked at him quietly.
At this moment, Lin Jiangnian suddenly realized something.
"Okay, so this is what you guys were thinking!"
A sneer quickly appeared on Lin Jiangnian's face: "You want to use the Xu family as hostages to threaten this prince, right?"
The Xu family was left in the capital, helpless and without protection from other forces. If they were not protected by other forces, they would soon be wiped out by other forces and enemies in the capital.
In this way, the Lin family would have to leave a backup plan in the capital to protect the Xu family. However, this backup plan would inevitably be exposed under the eyes of the imperial court.
On the other hand, even if no other forces took action, the Xu family's stay in the capital would become a handle for the court to control the Lin family!
Many people knew that the old man of the Xu family had saved Lin Hengzhong's life. If one day in the future, the imperial court and the Lin family really fell out, and the imperial court used the Xu family as a threat, what would the Lin family do?
Rescue, just fell into the trap of the court!
If you don't save him, you will get a reputation of being heartless and ungrateful!
Neither way is good for the Lin family!
The imperial court didn't have to do anything to seduce the Lin family and disgust them...
I have to say that the prince was indeed thoughtful.
Realizing this, Lin Jiangnian stared at Li Piaomiao and said, "So, you've been avoiding me these past few days just to test my opinion of the Xu family's status in my heart, right?"
If Lin Jiangnian is determined to save the Xu family, it is enough to show how important the Xu family is to him. In this way, the court can make better use of the Xu family!
Li Piaomiao did not deny this.
"Your Highness, are you so worried that our Lin family will rebel?"
Lin Jiangnian looked at her cold face and sneered playfully, "Isn't he afraid of pushing the Lin family into a corner?"
Li Piaomiao looked at him quietly: "Your Lin family poses too great a threat to the imperial court. We must be on guard against it!"
Lin Jiangnian said: "Our Lin family is loyal to the emperor and patriotic, and we are loyal to the court!"
Li Piaomiao looked at him expressionlessly.
Obviously, she didn't believe this.
"Your Lin family occupies the three states and eighteen counties in the southern part of the dynasty, commanding hundreds of thousands of troops. Your sphere of influence encompasses half of the dynasty... If it were you, wouldn't you be afraid?"
Faced with Li Piaomiao's questioning, Lin Jiangnian thought for a while and fell silent.
After a while, he sighed softly.
"Afraid!"
You know what, if it were him, he would be afraid too!
If he were the prince in the court, he would probably be too worried to sleep at this time.
What is the concept of three states and eighteen counties?
Although the Lin family's actual fiefdom only includes Linzhou, the prefectures and counties bordering Linzhou have long been infiltrated by the Lin family's influence.
If the Lin family really had the intention of rebelling, they only needed to march their troops northwards and within two months they would be able to reach the outskirts of the capital... Which king would not be afraid of such a terrifying deterrent?
Putting himself in the other's shoes, Lin Jiangnian couldn't help but sigh that if he were in his place, he would definitely try his best to reduce the power of the vassal king... With such an uncontrollable vassal king under his nose, he would definitely not be able to sleep.
But fortunately... he is the prince of a vassal state!
That's okay!
…
Li Piaomiao glanced at him and said calmly, "Reducing the power of the vassal states and handing over military power is the best option for the Lin family."
Hearing this, Lin Jiangnian sneered: "If it were you, would you do the same?"
Li Piaomiao was silent and didn't say anything.
Obviously, she knew it too.
If Lin Jiangnian were the crown prince, he would definitely try every possible means to reduce the power of the vassal states. And if the princess were in Lin Jiangnian's shoes, she would definitely not watch the court reduce the power of the vassal states and confiscate their military power!
This is not about justice and evil at all, but a question of stance!
Li Ci Ning needs to be responsible for the Da Ning Dynasty and the safety of the people of the dynasty, so he has to reduce the power of the princes and ensure the rule of the dynasty!
Lin Jiangnian, on the other hand, has to be responsible for the people of Linzhou, for the soldiers who have followed the Lin Palace in battle for many years, and for the hundreds of thousands of troops!
If the imperial court really reduced the power of the feudal lords, it would be like opening the door and letting others slaughter you with empty hands! Putting your life in the hands of others to decide is undoubtedly the most foolish act!
Lin Jiangnian would never do such a thing!
silence!
The pavilion suddenly became quiet, and the conversation was over!
There is nothing more to say.
Neither of them spoke again, weighing the pros and cons against each other.
Obviously, neither of them could convince the other, so the only outcome was a bitter breakup.
"For the Xu family's matter, thank your brother the Emperor for me later!"
After a while, Lin Jiangnian spoke again: "Just say that this 'big gift' will be remembered by this prince. I will give him a bigger one when I have time!"
Li Qining wanted to use the Xu family as leverage to trick Lin Jiangnian. However, it was of no use to Lin Jiangnian. He didn't care about the Xu family's fate, and was only willing to help them this time out of consideration for Xu Lan's sake.
After this incident, the life and death of the Xu family was no longer important to Lin Jiangnian, and the Xu family left in Beijing could not pose any threat to Lin Jiangnian.
But after being so disgusted by that Crown Prince, I naturally can’t just let it go!
When they met, he called him his brother-in-law enthusiastically, but secretly he was betraying his own brother-in-law... There is still a long way to go to settle this!
"Now that we've discussed the Xu family's affairs, it's time to talk about our affairs, right?"
Lin Jiangnian changed the subject and stared at the eldest princess in front of him.
"Where is His Majesty? When can I see His Majesty?"
Facing Lin Jiangnian's sudden question, Li Piaomiao calmly said, "Father is in seclusion!"
"So, Your Majesty doesn't plan to summon this prince?"
Lin Jiangnian stared at her.
The emperor is still in seclusion at this time?
Really, just a simple retreat?
Or...
As if sensing Lin Jiangnian's suspicion, Li Piaomiao glanced at him.
"Wait two more days!"
“…”
"OK!"
Lin Jiangnian stared at her for a while, then suddenly smiled and said, "I will wait for two more days, but..."
"This time, this prince also has a condition!"
Seeing Li Piaomiao's gaze, Lin Jiangnian grinned at her: "Every time, it's always me who comes to visit in person. Next time, it should be your turn, right?"
Li Piaomiao frowned slightly, and after a moment, he realized the meaning of Lin Jiangnian's words...
"When His Majesty has news, Princess, please come and inform this prince!"
Lin Jiangnian slowly stood up, glanced at her, turned around and walked out of the yard.
"I hope that it won't be Jinxiu who comes, but the princess herself who will come to invite me!"
Hearing this, Li Piaomiao frowned inadvertently.
When Lin Jiangnian was about to walk out of the yard, he stopped at the gate, paused, and looked back at the cold figure in white still standing in the pavilion not far away.
"If the princess doesn't come in person next time, then I'll have to reconsider what she said about going to Ruyi Tower last time!"
After saying that, Lin Jiangnian did not stay any longer and left the yard directly.
The eldest princess was left in the pavilion, standing there, staring at the direction of Lin Jiangnian's departing back, her expression growing colder.
Expressionless!
But the temperature in the courtyard seemed to have dropped a lot.
After a long time, everything returned to calm.
The dust has settled!
The eldest princess's face still showed no joy or sadness, as if she was not affected by the outside world at all.
…
After showing his displeasure to the eldest princess, Lin Jiangnian prepared to leave with satisfaction.
As for whether the eldest princess would be obedient and come to his house next time, Lin Jiangnian was not sure and did not take it to heart.
If she wants to come, she can come. If she doesn’t want to come, Lin Jiangnian is too lazy to serve her!
This time, whether it is to meet the emperor or to bring her into Ruyi Tower, the initiative is in Lin Jiangnian's hands.
There aren't many choices left for the princess!
When leaving the inner courtyard and preparing to leave the Princess Mansion, as he passed by the pavilion in the front yard, a voice suddenly called out to Lin Jiangnian.
"Wait, wait a minute..."
A low, slightly cold and nervous voice suddenly came from the side.
Lin Jiangnian paused slightly and turned back subconsciously.
I saw a cold young girl's figure appear under the eaves not far away.
The girl was wearing a simple white dress, which was elegant and graceful. There was a light and ethereal air in her eyes. She was standing under the eaves, looking at him a little timidly.
"peaceful?"
Lin Jiangnian quickly recognized the little girl.
Although she looks exactly like Jinxiu, her dress and her gentle and cold temperament are completely different from Jinxiu.
Seeing this little girl suddenly call him, Lin Jiangnian was a little surprised: "Is there something wrong?"
Seeing Lin Jiangnian's gaze falling on her, the girl under the eaves tightened her face and tried hard to look cold and indifferent.
But one can still see a bit of uneasiness in his mood.
She approached slowly, very slowly and carefully.
Finally, she suddenly stopped when she was about ten feet away from Lin Jiangnian.
"You, clothes..."
Her voice was still soft and a little nervous. She lowered her head uneasily, not meeting Lin Jiangnian's eyes.
Lin Jiangnian then noticed that the little girl was holding a small package in her hand.
And inside...
Lin Jiangnian quickly remembered that the last time the little girl fell into the water, he took off his clothes and gave them to her.
So she's here to return the clothes?
Lin Jiangnian looked at the little girl in front of him who seemed a little embarrassed and wary, then looked at the package in her hand, was stunned for a moment, and took two steps forward.
These two steps made the little girl in front of him even more nervous, and her whole body was tense.
However, this time he didn't retreat in fear like last time. But he still lowered his head, not daring to look up.
His whole body seemed to be full of vigilance.
Is he that scary?
How could this little girl be scared like this?
Lin Jiangnian was amused, but he didn't continue to bully her. He took the package from her and glanced down. Inside was indeed his clothes from last time, neatly folded, and there seemed to be a fragrant scent lingering around, as if they had been washed.
After returning the clothes, An Ning breathed a sigh of relief. She raised her head slightly and glanced at Lin Jiangnian. Seeing Lin Jiangnian's eyes fixed on the package, he seemed to think of something, and an unnatural shyness appeared on his face.
"I, I... it, it's dirty... I, I..."
An Ning's tone was a little nervous, and she stuttered as she tried to explain. But the more she tried to explain, the less she knew how to describe it. In the end, her voice gradually faded, her face flushed again, and she lowered her head nervously.
"My clothes got dirty, so you washed them for me?"
Lin Jiangnian asked.
"Um……"
An Ning lowered her head and hummed softly.
A little overwhelmed.
"Okay, thank you!"
Seeing her like this, Lin Jiangnian also understood what was going on.
This little girl looks cold, but she is obviously much more reliable and considerate than Jinxiu.
After wearing his clothes, she not only washed them but also brought them back to him.
Just when Lin Jiangnian wanted to say something, An Ning in front of him suddenly turned around and walked away without saying a word.
He walked very quickly and disappeared before Lin Jiangnian could speak.
Lin Jiangnian was left standing there, looking at his hands that had been washed clean and the clothes that exuded a faint fragrance, as well as the direction of the girl's back as she walked away quickly.
“Interesting!”
Lin Jiangnian seemed to be thinking about something, with a smile on his face.
Then he turned around, walked out of the front yard, and was about to leave.
Not far ahead outside the courtyard, another smiling figure appeared.
beautiful.
Jinxiu, dressed in a pale yellow palace gown, was standing there, seemingly waiting for a long time. Seeing Lin Jiangnian appear, she wore a faint, mischievous smile, sweet yet tinged with a hint of playfulness, as she stepped forward.
"Your Highness..."
Just as she was about to speak, Jinxiu noticed the package in Lin Jiangnian's hand.
"This is?"
Jinxiu took a closer look and found that he looked a little familiar.
"clothing."
Lin Jiangnian spoke.
"clothing?"
Jinxiu was startled, then looked at the clothes in the package that seemed familiar. Then, as if she thought of something, the smile on her face froze.
"Last time...the one you gave to An Ning?"
"Yes." Lin Jiangnian nodded.
"I gave it back to you..."
Jinxiu suddenly realized something: "Did An Ning look for you just now?"
"That's right."
"She came all the way here to return your clothes?" The smile on Jinxiu's face disappeared, and her expression became increasingly solemn.
Seeing Jinxiu's expression change, Lin Jiangnian smiled and said, "Yes, she came all the way here to return the clothes to me?"
As he spoke, Lin Jiangnian couldn't help but admire: "An Ning not only helped me wash my clothes, but also folded them neatly... I didn't expect her to be so well-behaved and sensible. She's really thoughtful..."
"She truly has the qualities of a good wife and loving mother. I'd be so lucky if I could marry her..."
Hearing Lin Jiangnian's praise, Jinxiu's face changed completely!
An Ning, that girl An Ning, she actually, actually...
Doing this behind my back?!
"Your Highness, I have something else to tell you first..."
Jinxiu's face changed slightly, and she didn't bother to say anything more to Lin Jiangnian. She turned around and left in a hurry.
Lin Jiangnian was left standing there, watching Jinxiu leave in a hurry, with a smile on his face that became even wider.
She was anxious!
…
The other side.
Jinxiu rushed into the yard aggressively.
"An Ning, come out!"
Jinxiu rushed into the room with a cold face and a menacing look.
In the cold room, An Ning stood by the window with an expressionless face, looking at her coldly.
"What did you just do?"
Jinxiu walked forward and asked angrily, "Did you go to deliver clothes to Prince Lin?"
"You kept his clothes? And you even washed them for him?!"
"You're still a good wife and mother?!"
Jinxiu was so angry!
The last time she saw An Ning fall into the water, Jinxiu noticed that she was wearing Lin Jiangnian's clothes. An Ning explained it at the time, but Jinxiu still had doubts in her heart.
However, at that time, she was so concerned about whether there was something fishy going on between An Ning and Lin Jiangnian that she ignored the fact that Lin Jiangnian's clothes were still with An Ning.
Unexpectedly, this girl actually secretly helped Prince Lin wash his clothes without her knowledge, and then secretly returned them without her knowledge...
What kind of behavior is this?!
Did she think of herself as the maidservant of Prince Lin?
Jinxiu didn't know why she was so angry, but An Ning's secretive behavior made her feel betrayed!
Listening to Jinxiu's questioning and seeing her angry look, An Ning remained very calm.
She said expressionlessly, "No?"
"Of course not!" Jinxiu said angrily.
"Why not?"
“Because… because…”
Jinxiu was speechless for a moment, but quickly said, "I told you, Prince Lin is a pervert... He will have bad intentions towards you..."
"If you fall into his hands, your life will be over!"
"I told you to stay away from him, but you actually took the initiative... Aren't you afraid that he'll get horny and strip you naked and then... bully you?"
Faced with Jinxiu's serious description, An Ning still had a cold face and looked at her expressionlessly.
In the past, after listening to Jinxiu's description, she was indeed instinctively afraid of the Prince Lin.
But, since what happened last time, she doesn't seem to be so afraid anymore!
Moreover, she always felt that... Jinxiu was lying to her!
The Prince of Lin is not as...lewd as she said!
Jinxiu described the threat fiercely, but there was no change on An Ning's face.
Her heart skipped a beat and she suddenly had an ominous premonition.
Could it be that my silly sister was really seduced away by Prince Lin?
"peaceful?!"
Jinxiu stared at her seriously: "Are you in love with him?!"
An Ning seemed stunned when these words came out, with a slight bewilderment in her eyes. Seeing Jinxiu staring at her with a burning gaze, she didn't know why, her expression suddenly became a little unnatural.
She looked away and denied coldly: "No."
"Really?"
Jinxiu naturally didn't believe it, and said, "Look into my eyes and tell me again, is there one?!"
“I don’t want to see it!”
An Ning refused and said coldly, "No."
"An Ning, I'm telling you, you absolutely cannot fall in love with him... He's the princess's fiancé. There's no possibility for you two. He'll only covet your body and want to play with your young flesh... Once he tires of it, he'll ignore you and leave you alone in your empty room, where you'll die a lonely death..."
Jinxiu was still saying bad things about Lin Jiangnian, but An Ning couldn't stand it anymore.
"You're so annoying!"
She spoke expressionlessly, then walked out of the room, ignoring Jinxiu's continued chatter.
Jinxiu was left standing there. For some reason, the ominous premonition in her heart became stronger and stronger.
This girl, could it be true... that she also has feelings for Prince Lin?
Thinking of this thought, Jinxiu's face changed completely.
broken!
Does he...really intend to let no one go?
Jinxiu became worried.
…
After leaving the princess's mansion, Lin Jiangnian returned to the Jiang Mansion.
After meeting the eldest princess today, it also means that the Xu family’s affairs have come to a conclusion.
The eldest princess, acting as a messenger, conveyed the prince's intentions. He was willing to let the Xu family go, but at the same time, he would use the Xu family as a bargaining chip and restrict them to the capital.
Used to check and balance the Lin family!
For Lin Jiangnian, it was not a check and balance at all, it was just a disgusting thing.
Lin Jiangnian also always felt that there was something strange about this matter.
When he met the Crown Prince before, he did not show any malice towards Lin Jiangnian, and even enthusiastically called Lin Jiangnian "brother-in-law".
Such enthusiasm, regardless of whether it was genuine or fake, at least the surface work was done well. It was also obvious that the prince did not want to have an antagonistic relationship with Lin Jiangnian.
But this time, the Crown Prince's behavior was tantamount to deliberately disgusting Lin Jiangnian. Why did he do this?
Are you planning to break up with him, or... do you have to do this?
Lin Jiangnian couldn't figure it out, and didn't think about it any further. Anyway, he'd just keep this account in mind for now, there would always be a chance to pay it back.
As for the Xu family, being able to save their lives was already great news. Lin Jiangnian also had to hurry back to tell Xu Lan the news.
Miss Xu had lost her appetite for the past few days because of this incident and had lost a lot of weight. This also made her, who was already ordinary, even more...ordinary!
"Your Highness!"
Outside the Jiang Mansion, Lin Qingqing went forward to greet Lin Jiangnian as usual, took the package from His Highness, and reported on the situation in the capital.
However, Lin Qingqing soon discovered that the package in her hand... seemed to contain clothes?
Why does it look familiar?!
Lin Qingqing took a closer look and soon figured out something.
Wait, didn’t His Highness say last time that this coat was soiled and lost?
Why are you back now?
It seems to have been washed clean?
Why is there a faint fragrance on it, like that of a woman?
Lin Qingqing was stunned for a moment, then looked up at the prince next to her with a little suspicion: "Your Highness, this dress..."
Lin Jiangnian saw the question in Lin Qingqing's eyes, but remained calm: "I thought this dress was pretty good, so I picked it up again!"
"Any questions?"
Pick it up...
Lin Qingqing was silent, looking at the clothes in the package, and then at the calm expression of her prince.
Obviously, as an excellent subordinate, she quickly realized something.
“No problem!”
Lin Qingqing's face was calm, and her words were firm: "Your Highness said..."
“That makes perfect sense!”
“…”
