“Young Lord, I left the Northern Territory when the war broke out. I only know the fighting was brutal, but not the specific details. As for the territorial map, my head injury hasn’t fully healed yet, and I can’t recall many details clearly. I need time to slowly remember.”
Lin Tangtang tried hard to keep her voice sounding calm.
“Can’t recall?” Yang Chen examined her suspiciously, noticing the bandage wrapped around her forehead, half-convinced yet doubtful.
“If Young Lord doesn’t believe me, you can ask His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. I was severely injured at the time, saved by His Highness, and remained unconscious for three days and three nights.” Lin Tangtang’s expression remained natural, without any evasion.
Yang Chen paced slowly; this matched the content of Lin Jiaojiao’s letter.
“By the way, Young Lord, when you came to the Imperial temporary residence to fetch me yesterday, how did you learn of my whereabouts?” Lin Tangtang asked.
“Naturally, I heard the news at court.” Yang Chen hadn’t expected Lin Tangtang to suddenly ask this and paused for a moment.
From his slightly curled fingers, she had already guessed the general situation.
“Young Lord, the Imperial Physician said my memory will only recover somewhat after my wounds have healed.” Lin Tangtang yawned, looking weary. “Just talking for a while has made me feel exhausted.”
This was a clear dismissal.
Yang Chen stared at her for a while but couldn’t detect anything amiss, so he left the West Garden.
Xiangxue squeezed the crushed medicinal juice into a bowl and couldn’t help but complain, “The Young Lord is really something. He didn’t even ask about Miss Lin’s injuries but inquired about everything else.”
Xiangxue, who had trained in martial arts outside, was straightforward and spoke bluntly.
“Just a dog barking, don’t take it to heart.”
Lin Tangtang walked to the desk, and her expression suddenly changed.
“Did Yang Chen approach the desk today or take anything from my room?”
“No, I’ve been in the West Garden the whole time. When the Young Lord came, he only stood in the courtyard for a while.”
Chunxue, seeing Lin Tangtang’s grim expression, quickly asked, “Miss, did you lose something?”
“A drawing I made is missing.” Lin Tangtang frowned deeply. “Has anyone else been in my room?”
“A drawing? Now that I think of it, when you went out to buy medicine earlier, the other Miss Lin came by. She said she had something to discuss with you and waited in this room for a while before leaving in a hurry.”
Xiangxue said, “At the time, she asked me to step out to brew a fresh pot of tea. Could it have been her?”
She immediately realized her mistake and knelt on the ground, pressing her forehead to the floor. “It was my negligence. Please punish me, Miss!”
Lin Tangtang remained silent.
After a long while.
“Then I’ll punish you by having you guard the West Garden. From now on, no one is allowed into my room without my permission.” The drawing was already lost, and Lin Tangtang now had to act quickly to mitigate the damage.
In her previous life, Lin Tangtang had given Yang Chen a scroll of drawings before he led the troops, which had brought him great fame.
This time…
Lin Tangtang sat at the desk, took a small sip of tea, and pondered her next move.
Her gaze inadvertently fell on something that seemed to have dropped on the floor near the door.
Chunxue picked it up—it was a seal stamped with the characters “Yang Chen.”
“Chunxue, after feeding the pigeon, deliver this to him,” Lin Tangtang said.
“Yes.”
Chunxue acknowledged.
Meanwhile, when Yang Chen returned to the East Garden, he caught sight of a graceful figure.
“Miss Lin, has your leg injury healed?” he asked.
“Young Lord, I applied the medicinal ointment your mother gave me, and it’s much better now. Your mother and you are truly the kindest people in the world. I’m overwhelmed by your generosity.” As she spoke, tears of gratitude shimmered in her eyes.
These words warmed Yang Chen’s heart.
She was much more sensible than Lin Tangtang—grateful, well-dressed, and skilled at pleasing others.
“Having traveled so far to the capital, how could the Marquis Estate treat you poorly?” he said in high spirits. “What matter brings you to me, Miss Lin?”
“I have something to present to the Young Lord, but…” she glanced around cautiously.
Yang Chen dismissed his attendants.
Lin Jiaojiao entered the room and handed him a drawing.
It was an improved arrow design unlike anything he had ever seen!
The arrowhead was ingeniously crafted, with a clever mechanism at the firing point—its exceptional quality was immediately apparent.
Once produced, it could become one of the Great Feng Country’s finest weapons!
A flicker of delight crossed Yang Chen’s eyes. “Where did this design come from?”
“I drew it myself,” Lin Jiaojiao replied meekly, bowing her head. “Does it meet your approval, Young Lord?”
“Excellent, truly innovative.” Yang Chen’s smile widened. If he presented this to Wu Xiong, his command over the Northern Territory would be secured beyond doubt!
“I’m glad it pleases you.” Lin Jiaojiao’s brows lifted in relief.
“You’ve offered such a valuable design—what reward would you like?” Yang Chen tucked the drawing close to his chest and studied her.
“I ask for nothing. My sister and I are merely guests at the Marquis Estate with no means to repay your kindness. Now, I’ve finally done something worthwhile for the estate.”
Her tone grew somber. “My sister has been deeply troubled lately and may have offended you. I beg your forgiveness, Young Lord.”
“You…” Yang Chen was taken aback.
He had assumed her gift was self-serving, never expecting it was for Lin Tangtang’s sake.
Despite Lin Tangtang’s cold treatment, she held no grudge—such kindness and magnanimity elevated her in his eyes.
Her humility, despite contributing to the estate, stirred something within him.
A seed long planted seemed ready to sprout in his heart…
Lin Jiaojiao did not linger after delivering the drawing. She curtseyed and left the room, appearing detached from fame and fortune.
But once she turned away, her face bloomed with triumph.
Retreating to advance—this strategy worked best on men.
She lacked Lin Tangtang’s privileged background; all her parents had given her was beauty.
Yet the Marquis Estate had no shortage of beauties, and Yang Chen was no ordinary noble obsessed with appearances.
What he valued was power and greater achievements.
She would tie her worth to his accomplishments.
This design was merely her first step.
As she reached the East Garden gate, Xiangxue approached.
Lin Jiaojiao’s expression stiffened.
“Miss Lin, what brings you here?” Xiangxue asked suspiciously.
“I… I was just passing by…” Lin Jiaojiao averted her eyes, invented an excuse, and hurried away.
“But this is the opposite direction from the West Garden…”
Xiangxue pondered thoughtfully.
When she returned the seal, Yang Chen was already donning his cloak, preparing to leave.
Xiangxue rushed back to the West Garden.
She reported what she had seen to Lin Tangtang.
“Miss, she seemed flustered—perhaps…” Xiangxue’s voice trailed off.
“I understand.” Lin Tangtang’s mind raced.
Lin Jiaojiao must have delivered the design.
Yang Chen had likely gone to report it to the Ministry of War.
“Xiangxue, prepare ink swiftly,” she ordered.
She wrote a note and fastened it to a carrier pigeon’s leg.
She had to inform the Crown Prince before Yang Chen’s report.
The arrows in that design had been a key weapon Yang Chen used to betray the Beiwei Army in their past life.
They could not be allowed to reach the Ministry of War first.
I wonder if the Crown Prince will have time to read this note? Will he be able to intercept it in time?
Lin Tangtang’s heart raced, filled with tension and anxiety…