Li Dashan was a man who kept his word. As soon as he finished discussing the matter with Jiang Wanyue, he immediately called over Liu Dazhu.
“Dazhu, go remove the shackles and chains from the Lin family’s eldest branch.”
“Yes, Boss!”
Liu Dazhu was a simple, straightforward man who always did as Li Dashan instructed.
After all, Li Dashan was the smartest among all the guards.
As he unlocked their restraints, he grinned at Jiang Wanyue.
“Hehe, Miss Lin, your cooking is unbelievably delicious. I’ve never eaten food this good in my life. If I could eat your cooking every day, I’d die a happy man.”
Jiang Wanyue smiled.
“Then, Officer, you’re in luck. From now on, you’ll be eating my cooking every day.”
“That’s wonderful!”
Lin Jingyuan had assumed Liu Dazhu had come to put the shackles back on them, so he had already stretched out his hands.
To his surprise, Liu Dazhu waved him off and even removed the iron shackles from his ankles.
“The boss said you don’t have to wear these for the time being.”
The moment the shackles and chains came off, they all felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted.
They knew it was all thanks to Jiang Wanyue.
They were deeply moved.
Especially Second Brother, Lin Chengyu, who was so excited that he almost rushed over to hug Jiang Wanyue, only to be stopped by Lin Jingyuan before he could.
Even so, he couldn’t hide his excitement.
“Little Sister, you’re amazing! From now on, you’re my idol!”
Jiang Wanyue laughed.
“Don’t celebrate too soon. From now on, all of you are going to help me cook.”
Although none of them really knew how to cook…
They could always learn.
Lin Chengyu nodded repeatedly.
“We’ll definitely help.”
When the members of the Lin family’s second and third branches saw that the eldest branch had their shackles removed, they hurried over as well.
“Officer! Officer! We’re Lin family members too! Remove ours as well!”
“That’s right! I’m Lin Jingyuan’s second younger brother!”
“And I’m his third younger brother!”
Lin Jingxing and Lin Jingzhou had been spoiled by Old Madam Lin ever since they were children.
If Lin Jingyuan and his brothers were suffering, then these two were suffering even more.
Their wrists and ankles had already been rubbed raw by the heavy restraints, leaving them utterly miserable.
Even eating and using the toilet required help from their wives.
What might have seemed intimate in the privacy of a bedroom had now become a humiliating necessity in the open wilderness.
Every time their wives had to help them relieve themselves, they wished they could disappear into a hole in the ground.
Li Dashan answered them by cracking his whip once at each of them.
“I never said anything about removing yours! Get back in line, or I’ll give you another taste of the whip.”
“Ahhh… Officer! We’re Lin family members too!”
The whip left them screaming in pain, hopping around like monkeys in a ridiculous spectacle.
Li Dashan was courteous toward Jiang Wanyue, but he had no patience for anyone else.
“Hmph! Don’t try using the Lin family to pressure me. If you’ve got complaints, take them to your eldest branch. It has nothing to do with me. Keep whining in front of me, and you’ll find out how unpleasant I can be.”
The two brothers turned to Lin Jingyuan for help, but he drove them away without hesitation.
They had always relied on Old Madam Lin’s favor to bully the weak, but now Lin Jingyuan clearly wanted nothing to do with them.
Left with no choice, they dejectedly returned to the second and third branches.
Naturally, they immediately ran to Old Madam Lin to complain.
Old Madam Lin had only recently been publicly whipped and was still fuming.
She had no interest in helping them.
When she herself had been whipped earlier, neither of these sons had spoken a single word on her behalf.
They had hidden like cowards.
When it was time to depart that afternoon, the entire group resumed their journey.
Meanwhile, Lin Yurou, who had been taken away by the eunuch, was brought to a secluded courtyard.
It had already been more than a day since the confiscation of the Lin family’s property.
She had waited so long that she was becoming impatient.
Unable to hold back, she asked the maid standing beside her,
“Do you know when His Highness the Crown Prince is coming to fetch me?”
“This servant doesn’t know.”
She wanted to lose her temper, but she didn’t dare.
After all, these people all belonged to the Crown Prince.
She was still waiting for him to bring her into the Crown Prince’s residence as his Crown Princess.
Just as she was sighing in frustration, another maid entered.
“Miss Lin, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived.”
Lin Yurou’s face lit up with delight.
“The Crown Prince is here?”
She quickly stood up and saw the Crown Prince walking up the stone steps toward her.
Suppressing the joy in her heart, she immediately bowed.
“This commoner greets Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“You may rise.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“There’s no need to be so formal with me. I haven’t yet had the chance to properly thank you for saving my mother’s life.”
“It was only my duty.”
“However, Miss Lin… how did you happen to appear in that mountain forest?”
There was a trace of suspicion in Shen Mojin’s eyes as he studied her.
Maintaining a respectful expression, Lin Yurou replied,
“This commoner had gone to a nearby temple to offer incense. It was simply by chance that I encountered Her Highness.”
Seeing no obvious sign that she was lying, Shen Mojin continued,
“That day, my mother suddenly fell ill while outside the capital. Then a heavy rainstorm struck, and the carriage became trapped in the mud, unable to move.
Fortunately, you were familiar with the mountain terrain and led everyone out of danger.
You are indeed a courageous young woman.”
Listening to Shen Mojin’s praise, Lin Yurou’s heart pounded wildly.
Her future of wealth and glory was finally within reach.
She curled her lips into a gentle smile, deliberately revealing the most graceful curve of her neck.
“Your Highness flatters me. I merely did what anyone should have done. Who could have known that the person I happened to save would be Your Highness’s mother?”
“What reward do you seek?”
Here it comes…
It’s finally here.
With a thud, Lin Yurou dropped to her knees.
“This commoner… this commoner doesn’t need any reward.”
“It seems my mother was right. You truly have a pure and untainted heart.”
“In that case, I shall grant you one wish.”
“Your Highness, you’ve already been far too kind to Rou’er.”
“I don’t need any special favor. I only wish to remain by Your Highness’s side.”
“To be honest… I’ve admired Your Highness for a very long time. As long as I can stay by your side, I’m willing to do anything.”
“You say you’ve admired me for a long time?”
A barely audible chuckle escaped Shen Mojin’s lips.
For some reason, Lin Yurou suddenly felt a chill run down her spine, as though she had been targeted by an exceptionally cold and venomous serpent.
The Crown Prince appeared refined and gentle.
How could he possibly give off such a feeling?
She had to be imagining it.
She lowered her head shyly, blushing like a young maiden confessing her feelings for the man she loved.
Lin Yurou had a delicate, graceful appearance, but her figure was exceptionally attractive.
When she knelt, she had even deliberately straightened her posture to accentuate the feature she was most proud of.
A dark glint flashed across Shen Mojin’s eyes.
Her figure really is impressive.
I wonder what she’d be like to play with…
Though she’d need to be properly trained before she could be of any use.
He reached out and pinched her chin, his thumb gently stroking it as though teasing a pet.
“Rou’er truly is a beautiful woman.”
“Your Highness…”
Lin Yurou lowered her eyes bashfully.
“Oh, I’ve also heard that you were the daughter mistakenly switched at birth in the Marquis’s household. Your parents and grandmother have all been exiled by now, haven’t they?”
Lin Yurou wiped away imaginary tears, pretending to be heartbroken.
“Yes… I don’t even know how my parents and elder brothers are doing now.”
“They left in such a hurry yesterday that I never even got the chance to see them off.”
“Thinking about it makes me feel terribly guilty.”
“Rou’er truly is kind-hearted.”
“If you wish to see your parents and grandmother off, I can arrange a carriage for you.”
“But you mustn’t reveal my identity. Can you do that?”
Lin Yurou nodded obediently.
“I understand, Your Highness. I cannot thank you enough.”
“There’s no need to thank me.”
“Once this matter is over, I’ll give you a gift.”
A gift?
Could it be…
His promise to make her the Crown Princess?
Lin Yurou was overjoyed.
The Crown Prince truly was a refined and noble gentleman.
He was even willing to arrange for her to see the Lin family one last time.
She clearly remembered her previous life.
Not long after the exile began, her shoes had worn through, and her feet had become covered in blisters, sliced open by jagged rocks until they were a bloody mess.
The only food they were given was hard black steamed buns that were almost impossible to swallow.
They slept outdoors, exposed to the wind and rain.
She had nearly gone mad from the suffering at the very beginning of the journey.
But this lifetime…
Jiang Wanyue was the one enduring all of that instead.
Every bit of suffering she had experienced in her previous life now belonged to Jiang Wanyue.
Jiang Wanyue must be miserable beyond words at this very moment.
Lin Yurou couldn’t wait to witness her downfall with her own eyes.