Just as Lin Luoluo reached the doorway, Aunt Zhong came over carrying Ziyu in her arms.
“Aunt Zhong, what brings you here? I was just about to go see Ziyu at your place!” Lin Luoluo said as she took little Lin Ziyu from her arms and playfully teased him.
“I heard from Lin Yi and the others that you’ve recovered, so I came to see for myself.”
“Good, good! If Master and Madam were still alive and saw that you’re well again, who knows how happy they’d be…” As she spoke, Aunt Zhong covered her mouth and began to cry.
“You silly woman, today is such a happy day—why are you crying?” Uncle Zhong walked over and gently wiped away her tears.
Caught off guard by the sudden display of affection, Lin Luoluo quickly changed the subject.
“Aunt Zhong, where’s Huzi? Why haven’t I seen him?”
“That boy heard Eldest Miss was coming home today. He rushed to the kitchen first thing this morning to help prepare food. I need to go check and have them cook more of your favorite dishes.” With that, she hurried off in a whirlwind.
“Uncle Zhong, put the estates and shops up for sale through the brokers.”
“Yes.”
After receiving the order, Lin Zhong immediately left.
That afternoon, Lin Luoluo sent Chun Tao away and returned to the courtyard she used to live in. Beneath the peach tree, she dug up a large box and stored it inside her space.
Inside were all sorts of things she had secretly taken from her parents back in the day—valuable jewelry, jade pendants, paintings, antiques… and also worthless little trinkets like scraps of paper, bamboo balls, bamboo dragonflies, woven grasshoppers, and more.
Among them were the items Chu Chenyu wanted.
Back then, Lin Luoluo had sneaked into the study when no one was paying attention and accidentally discovered a hidden compartment. Seeing treasures inside, she had taken them out to play.
Later, her father searched everywhere but couldn’t find them. Thinking they had been stolen, everyone gave up looking. Afraid of being punished if her father discovered the truth, she packed everything into a box and buried it.
Even Chu Chenyu’s men had searched the entire General Manor without finding anything.
After retrieving the items, Lin Luoluo returned to the Prince’s Manor with Chun Tao under the reluctant gazes of the two little ones.
That night, after waiting a long time without seeing any sign of Chu Chenyu, Lin Luoluo asked the guards and learned he was in the study. So she went to find him.
After asking around, she finally reached the study entrance. Seeing no one guarding the door, she knocked.
No response.
So she pushed the door open and walked inside.
What she saw behind the folding screen made Lin Luoluo immediately cover her eyes with both hands—only to secretly part her fingers a little to peek.
Inside, two people were tangled together, their robes half removed, locked in heated passion.
The moment Lin Luoluo recognized the man’s face, a sharp pain pierced her chest.
Just as she was about to endure the discomfort and quietly leave, she accidentally knocked over the folding screen.
Bang!
The entire room froze.
“Uh… um… I-I came to—”
“Get out!”
Before she could finish speaking, his furious roar cut her off.
“I’ll leave right away!”
She turned to go.
“Wait.”
Then, turning coldly toward the woman beside him, Chu Chenyu shoved her aside.
“Get out.”
The woman hurriedly adjusted her clothes and left, remembering to shut the door behind her.
“Um… I came to give this to you.” Lin Luoluo lowered her eyes. “Sorry for interrupting your… moment.”
“Bring it here.”
Chu Chenyu extended his hand toward her.
Lin Luoluo slowly walked over and placed the token and a map into his hand before stating her condition.
“I’ve returned what you wanted. The Da Mo delegation will arrive in the capital soon. Before they get here, I hope you’ll let us leave the capital.”
Chu Chenyu’s hand paused for a brief moment before he casually unfolded the map as if nothing had happened.
This piece perfectly matched the map General Lin had previously handed over.
The Emperor had one piece.
Chu Chenyu had another.
There were four pieces in total.
Only one remained missing.
“Have you ever seen another map like this?” Chu Chenyu asked lazily as he tucked the map away and looked at her.
Lin Luoluo shook her head.
“No.”
“You still haven’t answered my request.” Lin Luoluo stared at him stubbornly.
“You want to leave that badly?” His face darkened instantly.
“Yes.”
Her answer came without the slightest hesitation.
In the next second, Chu Chenyu abruptly pulled her into his arms and bit down hard on her lips, punishing her.
Thinking about what she had just witnessed, Lin Luoluo felt utterly disgusted. But the difference in strength between them was too great—she had no choice but to let him do as he pleased.
Still, she made sure to leave a few marks of resistance on him.
When Lin Luoluo woke the next morning, another bowl of contraceptive soup awaited her.
She drank it in one go.
Ignoring the ache throughout her body, she endured the discomfort and left the study.
Back in her room, she instructed Chun Tao not to let anyone disturb her before entering her space.
After drinking a cup of spiritual spring water, she moved a bath barrel inside, filled it with water, and submerged herself completely.
Only after the bruises and marks on her body had healed did Lin Luoluo leave the space, change clothes, and head out to the General Manor with Chun Tao.
“What is the Princess Consort doing right now?” Chu Chenyu asked in the study as he summoned Liuyun.
“Replying to My Lord, the Princess Consort has gone to the General Manor.”
“Mhm. Understood.”
He waved Liuyun away.
Yesterday, Qingxue had returned.
She had asked him why he married someone else.
Later, after getting drunk, Qingxue tried to offer herself to him.
Without question, Chu Chenyu liked her.
But when they embraced and kissed, all he could think about was Lin Luoluo.
In the end, he tapped Qingxue’s sleeping acupoint and came to the study, summoning a maidservant instead.
He wanted to verify whether it was truly only Lin Luoluo he wanted to touch.
The answer was obvious.
And it left him strangely frustrated.
He had no idea how he was supposed to face Qingxue from now on.
When Lin Luoluo arrived at the General Manor, she gathered everyone together and handed each person a Marrow Cleansing Pill along with a cup of spiritual spring water.
Of course, Lin Ziyu was excluded.
Seeing there was nothing else to do, she entered her space to practice qinggong (lightness skill).
For the entire day, a foul stench filled the whole General Manor.
That evening, she instructed Lin Zhong to begin purchasing supplies in batches the next day—grain, seeds, every kind of vegetable seed imaginable, medicinal herb seeds, fruit saplings, chickens, ducks, and more.
Afterward, she left Chun Tao behind and returned to the Prince’s Manor alone.
That night, Chu Chenyu did not come looking for Lin Luoluo.
To her relief, this gave her more time to practice qinggong and study medical books.
The next day, Lin Luoluo visited the General Manor again. She handed over a qinggong cultivation manual to everyone, then went to the treasury and stored all the imperial rewards inside her space.
That afternoon, she also stored everything Lin Zhong had purchased.
Lin Luoluo made no effort to hide her abilities from them.
And they asked no questions.
Ever since taking the Marrow Cleansing Pill, Lin Luoluo had become something akin to a divine being in their eyes.
The days passed, and Lin Luoluo still didn’t see Chu Chenyu again.
Just like that, half a month went by.
Early one morning, Lin Luoluo arrived at the General Manor with Chun Tao.
Everyone was already prepared for departure.
Standing before the convoy outside the city, Lin Luoluo handed a bundle to Lin Zhong.
“Uncle Zhong, there are healing and antidote pills inside—life-saving medicines. Especially the medicinal liquid in the water pouch. As long as someone still has a breath left, it can bring them back from death. We’ll meet in Yancheng according to the plan. I’ll leave Zirui and the others in your care.”
“Eldest Miss, rest assured. As long as I, Lin Zhong, still draw breath, I will protect Young Master and the young misses with my life.”
He pounded his chest in solemn promise.
“Big Sister!”
“Big Sister!”
Lin Zirui and Lin Wanwan threw themselves into Lin Luoluo’s arms unwillingly.
“Big Sister, don’t forget about us,” Lin Wanwan said tearfully.
“Big Sister, come find us soon!” Lin Zirui added.
“You both have to be good and listen to Uncle Zhong. Protect yourselves and Ziyu. Big Sister will come find you very soon.”
Lin Luoluo rubbed their heads, her eyes reddening.
Holding little Ziyu close, she kissed him gently before placing him back into Chun Tao’s arms.
“Chun Tao, take good care of them for me.”
“Mhm! Miss, you have to protect yourself too—and come find us soon.” Chun Tao nodded through tears.
“Set off,” Lin Luoluo ordered.
“Yes! Move out!” Lin Zhong commanded, and the convoy slowly began to roll forward.
“Big Sister, Zirui will miss you!”
“Wanwan will miss you too!”
The two children leaned out the carriage window and shouted loudly.
Lin Luoluo waved at them as the convoy traveled farther and farther away.
Only after they completely disappeared from sight did she finally lose control, tears streaming down her face.
During this time together, Lin Luoluo had long since come to see them as the dearest family she had ever had.