9
How to Avoid Such an Outcome?
Lin Qingran felt slightly relieved. It seemed Xiao Heng didn’t actually intend for her to provide constant close care—perhaps he had agreed merely to fulfill some obligation.
“Yes, Crown Prince gege, rest well. I’ll visit you again tomorrow,” Lin Qingran said with a slight curtsy.
Xiao Heng nodded, closed his eyes, and said nothing more.
Lin Qingran slowly exited Lizheng Hall. The bright sun overhead seemed to dispel much of the chill within her. Since Xiao Heng hadn’t died, would everything continue to follow the original plot?
How could she avoid that outcome?
Upon returning to the Grand Tutor’s Mansion, Lin Qingran was immediately summoned by a servant to Grand Tutor Lin’s study.
As she walked, she understood why Grand Tutor Lin wanted to see her—likely because he had learned the Crown Prince had survived.
Only three or four days had passed since Lin Qingran transmigrated, and she hadn’t seen Grand Tutor Lin during this time, as he had been recuperating in his courtyard after catching a chill.
Today, it seemed he had recovered and, concerned about his granddaughter, had requested her presence.
Lin Qingran wasn’t skilled at interacting with elders. In her previous life, she grew up in a single-parent household. Her mother fell ill and passed away when Lin Qingran was fourteen, and with no support from grandparents on either side, she essentially grew up relying on the charity of villagers and funded her education through loans.
Yet Lin Qingran never wallowed in self-pity. She remained positive and cheerful every day, even if her familial bonds were thin.
When she first transmigrated, Lin Qingran envied the original host, who had such a loving family. The doting of her parents and grandfather had fostered a willful temperament, but it also reflected their deep affection for her.
After all, she had taken over the original host’s body. Considering the tragic fate that later befell the Lin family—unable to remain neutral between the major antagonist and the male lead—she felt compelled to change this outcome and protect the original host’s family.
Besides, there was only one Lin Qingran now, and these were her relatives too.
Fortunately, having inherited the original host’s memories, she understood how to interact with the family and felt less nervous.
Lost in thought, Lin Qingran arrived at the door of Grand Tutor Lin’s study.
“Grandfather, I’m here,” Lin Qingran said with a smile.
The study was elegantly furnished. Grand Tutor Lin disliked extravagance, so his study had minimal decorations—at most a few paintings, all his own work.
As the emperor’s teacher during his time as Crown Prince, Grand Tutor Lin’s talent was beyond doubt.
Behind the desk, Grand Tutor Lin sat in a rosewood chair, smiling at Lin Qingran.
Though not yet sixty, Grand Tutor Lin’s hair had already turned mostly white. Yet, his features suggested he had been quite handsome in his youth, and Lin Qingran bore a slight resemblance to him.
“Ranran, you’re here. Come closer,” Grand Tutor Lin beckoned.
Lin Qingran approached with a smile. “Is Grandfather feeling better? Since you wouldn’t let me visit these past few days, I didn’t know how you were doing.”
Grand Tutor Lin smiled even more cheerfully, “Child, your grandfather knows you’ve always been filial, but falling ill is no good thing. I naturally don’t wish for you to fall sick either. When I heard the news of the Crown Prince’s demise, my greatest worry was for you. Fortunately, it turned out to be nothing but a farce.”
Originally, Lin Qingran hadn’t felt particularly emotional, but facing Grand Tutor Lin directly and hearing his gentle tone, she couldn’t help but feel a lump form in her throat.
In the book, the original host had died in the Eastern Palace not long after marrying Xiao Heng. The official report claimed it was an accidental death, but Grand Tutor Lin didn’t believe it and personally went to the Eastern Palace to demand an explanation from Xiao Heng.
Xiao Heng wasn’t the murderer, but his lack of affection for the original host had led the servants to treat her with disregard.
A Crown Princess, no less, was only discovered dead half a day after she had been killed.
Perhaps even Xiao Heng hadn’t expected a perfectly healthy person to die just like that. He was furious at the time, but what’s done cannot be undone.
Xiao Heng might not have loved the original host, but he couldn’t allow her to die in his palace—it would undoubtedly hand his opponents a weapon.
Although Xiao Heng later found the real culprit and handed them over to Grand Tutor Lin, the rift between the Lin family and the Eastern Palace had already formed. Grand Tutor Lin withdrew his support for Xiao Heng and shifted his allegiance to Xiao Che’s faction.
A significant reason the main antagonist met his downfall was the loss of Grand Tutor Lin’s support.
Though Grand Tutor Lin now appeared detached from court affairs, his influence was deeply entrenched and complex. To move against him would be to pull one thread and unravel the whole tapestry—the entire court would be thrown into instability.
Of course, this wasn’t due to any secret factionalism or misconduct on Grand Tutor Lin’s part, but rather because his conduct was beyond reproach, and he had numerous disciples.
Moreover, Grand Tutor Lin maintained impeccable integrity. After his wife passed away, he neither remarried nor took concubines, nor did he keep any maidservants for personal service. He had only one son, Lin Lang—Lin Qingran’s father—and she had an elder brother, Lin Yu. Thus, the Lin family was remarkably uncomplicated.
Grand Tutor Lin’s only flaw might have been his excessive doting on Lin Qingran. Even though he knew the Crown Prince didn’t favor her, he still didn’t refuse the imperial marriage arrangement.
Hearing Grand Tutor Lin’s words now, Lin Qingran felt an even stronger ache in her throat. She had never experienced such care from an elder before.
“Grandfather, I’m sorry for worrying you. I was immature before, always making you think on my behalf. Having gone through the experience of Crown Prince gege’s death, I’ve come to understand many things and realized that family is what matters most. Grandfather, rest assured, from now on I will restrain myself and prioritize the Lin family,” Lin Qingran said, her voice choked with emotion.
Grand Tutor Lin was taken aback, then smiled gently, his expression filled with emotion.
“I never thought our Ranran would grow up too. Your grandfather’s feelings are quite mixed—some happiness, some loss,” Grand Tutor Lin said, beckoning for Lin Qingran to come sit beside him. “I had hoped Ranran would remain carefree forever, that even if the sky fell, her grandfather would hold it up for her. Now it seems you don’t need your grandfather anymore.”
“How could that be? Whether I’ve grown up or not, I’ll always be a child in Grandfather’s eyes, always needing you,” Lin Qingran cooed.
Perhaps because the original host had deeply loved Grand Tutor Lin, Lin Qingran found it remarkably easy to step into her role.
After grandfather and granddaughter chatted for a while, Grand Tutor Lin finally remembered the matter at hand.
“By the way, Ranran, your parents and eldest brother have also returned and will enter the capital tomorrow. Coincidentally, there’s a birthday banquet in three days that you should attend together with your parents.” Grand Tutor Lin sighed. “After the New Year, you’ll be getting married. With just over three months left, life will be different once you reside in the Eastern Palace. It’s appropriate for you to start socializing now.”
Lin Qingran obediently agreed and kept Grand Tutor Lin company during dinner before returning to her courtyard to rest.
Lying in bed, Lin Qingran’s thoughts wandered.
Fortunately, the Lin family wasn’t complicated, otherwise she wouldn’t know how to handle it.
It was a pity that many details about the Lin family were only briefly mentioned in the original work, which was written from the female protagonist’s perspective. For now, she could only take things one step at a time.
However, the impending marriage to Xiao Heng was somewhat troublesome.