Prince Lin hadn’t even gotten a clear look at the person when a sweet, refreshing scent of jasmine wafted toward him. Unlike the heavy, powdery fragrance worn by other women, this light, sweet aroma was intoxicating.
Her body felt light and soft, and his large hand settled around her waist, finding it slender enough to hold in his palm.
“Let’s rest.”
Prince Lin’s cool voice sounded from above her head. She felt the arm around her waist tighten, and in an instant, she was pulled toward the bed.
How pitiful the women in the rear courtyard were—it seemed their only purpose in life was to bear children, serve their master, and nothing more!
Soon, something even more pitiful happened.
Shen Lingshu thought things were about to proceed as expected, but suddenly, her face was grabbed and lifted. Looking up, she met Prince Lin’s eyes, which were filled with anger.
This wasn’t good.
Prince Lin’s hand rubbed roughly against her face, as if trying to wipe away the makeup she wore. The force was so intense it felt as though he wanted to scrape off a layer of her skin.
The pain brought tears to Shen Lingshu’s eyes, leaving her unable to speak.
“Get out!”
Prince Lin mercilessly threw Shen Lingshu off the bed.
Stripped bare, Shen Lingshu was thrown to the floor, completely stunned. It wasn’t until the dark, ink-colored silhouette of his robe disappeared from sight that she snapped back to reality.
“Mistress, are you all right? The Prince is terrifying.” Zhuxin hurried into the room and quickly helped Shen Lingshu put on her clothes.
Was it her fault she had been born with such a similar face?
Shen Lingshu was in so much pain she wanted to curse. Once dressed, she immediately chased after him!
If she earned Prince Lin’s disdain, she would find it impossible to move freely within Lin Prince’s Mansion.
The evening breeze blew, clearing Shen Lingshu’s mind even further. In the script, Shen Lingshu had relied on repeatedly becoming pregnant to secure her footing in the mansion.
She didn’t want to follow the same path as the Shen Lingshu in the script. If she, Shen Lingshu, was going to do something, she would do it to the best of her ability. Even if Prince Lin was a tough nut to crack, she, Shen Lingshu, would still manage to take a bite out of him!
Chasing him all the way to the lakeside, Shen Lingshu spotted the dark, ink-colored figure by the water and hurried over. Before the Prince could speak, she rushed to say, “I know the Prince is angry because my face resembles that of the late Princess Consort Lin!”
Having run all the way here, Shen Lingshu was out of breath, her chest heaving heavily. Her intense gaze fixed on Prince Lin as she continued, “I know the Prince suspects I might be a spy sent by the Crown Prince or the Third Prince, but I’m not!”
The words “I’m not” were spoken with unwavering determination. She went on, “I know the Prince doesn’t believe me, but you can investigate. My elder sister wishes for my early death, and my father only wants me to climb the social ladder to bring him benefits.”
“If I had a choice, I wouldn’t have entered Lin Prince’s Mansion either!”
Shen Lingshu’s rapid-fire words not only stunned Prince Lin but also shocked Qingwu, who was standing nearby. Was this concubine really so bold?
Qingwu wisely stepped farther away. Some things were better left unheard if he wanted to live a long life!
“Better to be the wife of a poor man than the concubine of a rich one.”
Shen Lingshu straightened her back, a trace of sorrow in her expression. “If it weren’t for the mandatory selection of consorts, I had already planned to marry an ordinary man and become his proper wife. But…”
“One cannot choose their birth, nor can they choose their own path.”
At this point, the tears that had been welling up in Shen Lingshu’s eyes finally trembled and fell, a sight that stirred pity in anyone who saw her.
Under the bright moonlight, the evening breeze made her figure appear even more frail. Prince Lin remained silent, turned, and walked away.
“If Your Highness does not believe me, I am willing to prove my innocence with my death!”
Shen Lingshu gritted her teeth and leaped forward, plunging directly into the lake.
The icy water rushed in from all sides, but she did not struggle, allowing it to engulf her.
She was gambling—gambling that in the heart of the future Emperor Lin’an, aside from the late White Moonlight, Princess Consort Lin, there was only the common people of the world.
Not far away, Qingwu was stunned by the sight!
Prince Lin’s eyes darkened as he watched the ripples spreading in circles across the lake. The woman in the water showed no sign of struggle, and his mind filled with the sorrowful expression Shen Lingshu had worn in her final moments.
With a splash, Prince Lin dove into the water.
“Your Highness!”
Qingwu immediately rushed over, summoning guards to help rescue the prince and the choking Shen Lingshu.
As soon as she emerged from the water, Shen Lingshu clung tightly to Prince Lin and said with an innocent expression, “Your Highness, I truly am innocent. I never wished to have such a face either.”
Soaked to the bone, water droplets dripped from her hair. Her damp eyelashes trembled, and her reddened eyes made her look like a startled fawn, pitiful and endearing.
Prince Lin stared at her without a word.
Shen Lingshu curled herself into his embrace, innocent and uneasy.
“Who taught you to jump into the lake?” Prince Lin’s cool voice broke the silence.
“I… I panicked…”
Shen Lingshu stammered, facing Prince Lin’s icy expression. Instead of feeling afraid, she felt a wave of relief.
She buried her head directly in Prince Lin’s chest. “Could Your Highness please not be angry with me?”
Her muffled words came from his embrace. Prince Lin punished her with a light pat on her bottom and carried her all the way to Secluded Orchid Courtyard.
“This servant will go prepare hot water immediately.”
Seeing the prince and her mistress drenched, Zhuxin quickly arranged for hot water to be prepared.
Originally, the hot water had been prepared for afterward, and now it was put to good use.
When Prince Lin entered the bathtub and saw Shen Lingshu wrapped in a cloak, dripping wet, he raised an eyebrow. “Come here.”
“Does Your Highness need his back scrubbed?”
Shen Lingshu took hesitant steps, cautiously inquiring.
“Hah.”
Prince Lin laughed in exasperation. With one swift motion, he pulled the slow-moving Shen Lingshu into the bathtub, causing water to overflow instantly.
“Ah…”
Shen Lingshu was startled, clutching Prince Lin in panic.
“Weren’t you quite brave just now?”
Prince Lin looked at her frightened expression, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips. So timid now, yet when she jumped into the lake, she had been resolute, without a hint of hesitation.
“Wasn’t I just afraid Your Highness would ignore me?”
Shen Lingshu blushed shyly. The rising steam enveloped her delicate face, tinged with the colors of sunset.
Her loosely tied clothes, soaked through, clung to her body, half-concealed and half-revealed, inviting imagination…
Prince Lin’s gaze deepened as he tore away the troublesome garment.
Good, the crisis over her face had finally passed.
Shen Lingshu boldly responded, unaware of Prince Lin’s displeasure. She grew even bolder—after all, the pleasures of the bedchamber shouldn’t be enjoyed by men alone; they should be shared.
The room filled with a scene of tender intimacy, as even the moonlight quietly hid behind the clouds.
A long time later…
“Prepare water.”
Prince Lin’s cool voice carried a hint of satisfaction. Since he had first known intimacy, she was the boldest of them all.
Prince Lin went to the washroom, while Nanny Hua entered with a pillow, and Zhuxin lit the candles.
“Thank you for your hard work, Nanny.”
Shen Lingshu watched as she skillfully placed a pillow under her hips. After glancing at the quilt, she said, “I’ve already asked Zhuxin to prepare some snacks for you, Nanny.”
Having received the grace of rain and dew, Shen Lingshu’s cheeks were flushed with a natural charm, and her smiling eyes made people feel close to her.
“This old servant thanks the concubine for the reward.”
Nanny Hua bowed as she spoke. When enough time had passed, Nanny Hua took the pillow and left, along with a bowl of taro pastries Shen Lingshu had prepared for her.
Nanny Hua picked up a piece of taro pastry and took a small bite. The rich aroma of taro seemed to carry her back to her distant hometown.