She did not continue the previous topic.
The hall fell into a brief silence, with no one speaking further.
The oppressive atmosphere made it somewhat hard to breathe.
“I heard your archery skills are quite impressive. Who taught you?”
After several breaths of silence, Huo Yuchen asked again.
Lin Pianran lowered her head without speaking, pretending not to hear, her expression clearly indicating her displeasure.
Seeing her like this, Huo Yuchen felt not the slightest annoyance but instead wanted to chuckle.
This young lady truly has quite the temper!
Before him, the esteemed Crown Prince, she showed no restraint, daring to display her willfulness without sparing any face.
Admirable courage!
Considering her youth, he decided not to hold it against her.
“I heard you single-handedly killed ten wolves. You certainly deserve a reward. What would Miss Lin the Sixth like?”
“Gold or silver,” Lin Pianran answered eagerly, her eyes sparkling with dazzling starlight, brilliant and radiant.
“Weren’t you refusing to speak?”
“Silver is more important. This must be made clear.”
“What? Are you short of silver in the Lin family?”
“Short, very short, extremely short.”
“The Lin family only knows how to incessantly exploit my silver, taking all the fruits of my labor for themselves. That’s why I’m very short of silver now! The more silver rewarded to me, the better!”
“Does the Lin family treat you poorly?” Huo Yuchen probed.
“Poorly, very poorly! The Lin family is despicable and shameless, completely without moral boundaries. Sooner or later, I will part ways with them!”
As she said this, her small face puffed up with anger.
Seizing this excellent opportunity to tarnish the Lin family’s reputation before the second most powerful figure in the Da Qin Dynasty, Lin Pianran immediately took advantage.
She was determined to make the Lin family notorious and regret ever coming into this world.
“Yet you still earn so much silver for them to spend, leaving yourself penniless. How noble of you!”
“Wasn’t that because I was young and easily deceived, trying to repay that ridiculous debt of upbringing?”
“But not anymore.”
“From now on, I will make the Lin family return what they took a hundredfold!”
As she spoke, Lin Pianran made no attempt to conceal the murderous intent on her face.
“Does this humble one need my help?”
“No! No! This humble lady can handle it herself!”
Why use a butcher’s knife to kill a chicken?
In her previous life, she once fell seriously ill and was sent by Princess Jing to live at Zhuangzi for over a year.
When she encountered assassins, Huo Yuchen saved her life, giving them a brief period of interaction.
At that time, she was gravely ill, nearly at death’s door.
Not only did Huo Yuchen order his men to kill the assassins, but he also commanded the accompanying imperial physician to treat her, allowing her to escape death’s grasp.
Huo Yuchen’s situation at that time was also precarious—his position as Crown Prince was shaky, and with his hair completely silvered, he had lost all his former vigor and brilliance.
Yet when he saw someone vulnerable, he still extended a helping hand.
In Lin Pianran’s heart, Huo Yuchen was perfect, kind, and her savior.
She would definitely repay him, ensuring he wouldn’t repeat past mistakes and suffer the same fate as in her previous life.
This was also why she dared to reveal her true feelings, speak boldly, and even act somewhat recklessly before Huo Yuchen today.
She, too, was probing him.
Wanting to understand him better.
Huo Yuchen’s smile deepened, eagerly anticipating the moment this little girl would bare her sharp claws—a future where an ant could shake an elephant.
It seemed the Lin family was about to become a lively spectacle.
He looked forward immensely to witnessing her performance.
To watching her stir up chaos in the Lin household, turning everything upside down.
“I heard you’ll be competing with the Eldest Princess in archery at the shooting range in a couple of days?”
“Yes! Besides the Eldest Princess, there’s also Feng Pan, Lu Xueyan, and Xue Yunci, and there are prizes too!”
“In that case, I’ll add another prize. Whoever takes first place will receive a generous reward from me!”
“This humble subject will strive to claim the top honor!”
“Then I shall wait with great anticipation! I look forward to your good news!”
Huo Yuchen summoned his personal guard, Jing Feng. “Fetch five thousand taels in silver notes! As my reward for Miss Lin’s lifesaving efforts!”
Upon hearing about the silver, Lin Pianran was overjoyed, her earlier minor grievances completely vanishing.
She repeatedly praised, “Your Highness is truly as beautiful in appearance as kind in heart, understanding this humble subject’s hardships and promptly relieving my urgent needs!”
Hearing Lin Pianran’s description of him as “beautiful in appearance and kind in heart,” given his usual temperament, would have surely darkened his expression.
As a man, he took no pride in excessively striking looks.
Moreover, he was the current Crown Prince.
But facing the girl’s innocent and guileless demeanor, he knew she meant no harm and suppressed his displeasure.
Forget it, she’s just a young girl—no point arguing with her.
Seeing the vividly radiant young woman before him, Huo Yuchen’s expression cleared.
He thought to himself: So easily pleased!
He had essentially found the key to handling Lin Pianran: luring her with mundane treasures like gold and silver.
After leaving the palace, Lin Pianran happily hugged the box of silver notes and, with a sweep of her sleeve, stored it away in her Space.
Returning to her chamber, she casually ate some dinner.
Lin Pianran called her two personal maids and patiently instructed them, “Tonight, we must stay alert.”
“I won’t be sleeping in my own chamber. I’ll squeeze into your room with you.”
“Someone might try to ambush us tonight, so don’t change out of your clothes. Sleep fully dressed and be ready to face any enemy at any moment!”
“Also, take turns keeping watch. I’ll rest for a while first; there are things to do later tonight.”
After discussing, the two maids decided that Huanxue would take the first watch and Tianzhu the second.
Lin Pianran slipped into Huanxue’s bed and quickly fell asleep.
In the middle of the night, Huanxue’s soft call reached Lin Pianran’s ears, “Miss, a guard has sneaked into your chamber.”
Lin Pianran opened her eyes, instantly more awake.
“Miss, just as you predicted, that guard is masked, carrying a fairly large sack, and crept quietly into your room. Who knows what he’s planning?”
This was Tianzhu’s excited voice; it seemed she had been awake for some time.
Hearing her maids’ reports, Lin Pianran emerged from the blankets, splashed her face with cool water to fully awaken, and led the two maids quietly toward the empty chamber.
The guard was sneakily exiting the room, cautiously peering around.
Then he slipped out of the courtyard and headed outside.
Lin Pianran instructed her maids to follow him and find out who had sent this “little rat.”
Alone, she opened the chamber door, pulled a flashlight from her Space, and shone it inside.
Instantly, her scalp tingled with dread.
Her bed and the entire room were crawling with densely packed snakes—vibrantly colored and many of species she had never seen before.
There were dozens of them.
It seemed her opponent had truly gone all out!
Fortunately, she had planned ahead and hadn’t slept in this room, otherwise…
At the thought, Lin Pianran’s eyes filled with a thick, murderous intent.