After much persuasion to settle Song Ru’er and her child, Lin Tangtang returned to the imperial temporary residence.
An ornate and luxurious carriage stood parked at the entrance.
Yang Chen, dressed in white, stood beside the carriage with his hands clasped behind his back.
“Young Lord, Miss Lin has returned,” his attendant Shuang Rui announced upon seeing Lin Tangtang approach, gesturing toward the direction behind Yang Chen.
Yang Chen turned, half-backlit by the sun. The sunlight swept across his tall, straight figure, casting a long shadow that fell before Lin Tangtang.
As the familiar silhouette came into view, Lin Tangtang’s eyes reddened instantly, her hand tightening around the soft whip at her waist.
Memories of past grievances surfaced vividly in her mind.
“Where have you been?”
Yang Chen’s voice was muffled and displeased. “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”
There was no joy or concern in their reunion—only questioning.
“If you find the wait too long, Young Lord, you needn’t have waited,” Lin Tangtang replied coldly, standing her ground.
Despite the deep-seated hatred and unresolved anger in her heart, her expression remained unreadable.
Only by maintaining composure and self-control could she seize the opportunity to turn the tables.
Yang Chen was taken aback for a moment.
The Lin Tangtang of the past had always been obedient to him and never questioned him.
“Are you throwing a tantrum? I know you resent me for not coming to fetch you earlier, but I was occupied with official duties and could only send Mama ahead,” Yang Chen stated, his tone leaving no room for refusal. “I’m aware of what happened in the Northern Border. Since you’re already in the capital, come back to the Marquis Estate with me. I can still offer you some protection.”
Protection? Lin Tangtang sneered inwardly.
He was the executioner himself.
Yet he insisted on pretending to be compassionate and righteous.
In her previous life, after entering the Jingbei Hou Mansion, she had been suffocated by its numerous rules, faced constant harassment from its members, and endured day-and-night surveillance by Wang Momo.
What protection? It was nothing but a gilded cage.
“What? You’re unwilling?” Noticing Lin Tangtang’s stony silence, a flicker of impatience crossed Yang Chen’s brow.
“Sister, you’re all alone in the capital with no one to rely on. Now that the Young Lord has come personally, why not return to the Marquis Estate and spare yourself further hardship?” At that moment, Lin Jiaojiao emerged from the courtyard, feigning concern.
Having eavesdropped from inside and grown anxious at Lin Tangtang’s reluctance to agree, she decided to step out and fuel the situation.
Hearing this, Yang Chen turned his gaze to Lin Jiaojiao.
Dressed in a pink gown with a huadian adorning her forehead, she appeared even more delicate and charming.
The last time he had seen her was during last year’s Lantern Festival, when General Beiwei Lin Yulang returned to the capital to report on his duties, and she had followed behind Lin Tangtang.
Lin Tangtang glanced discreetly at the two of them.
“I can go to the Marquis Estate, but you must agree to one condition,” Lin Tangtang stated, her tone brooking no argument.
“A condition?” Yang Chen frowned. His fiancée was far too willful.
He had come in person to fetch her, yet she still insisted on putting on airs here.
If not for her remaining value…
“Let’s hear it,” he said, suppressing his irritation.
“Once I enter the estate, the Marquis Estate shall not restrict my freedom for any reason, nor force me to do anything against my will.”
“I agree,” Yang Chen replied, his eyes flickering briefly as he gave a perfunctory response. “It’s getting late. May we return to the Marquis Estate now?”
“If the Young Lord is in such a hurry, then I’ll trouble my cousin to pack her belongings,” Lin Tangtang said.
“Sister… I—I don’t need to pack today,” Lin Jiaojiao murmured, lowering her eyes.
“Why not?”
Lin Jiaojiao glanced at her ankle, a pained expression in her eyes. “I sprained my foot today and am unfit to enter the Marquis Estate. I must remain here at the temporary residence to recuperate.”
“Oh?” Lin Tangtang raised an eyebrow. “The paths in the imperial temporary residence are smooth. I haven’t seen anyone sprain their ankle, and I didn’t notice anything wrong with your walking just now.”
“I accidentally twisted it and was just enduring the pain while walking over,” Lin Jiaojiao said, tears already welling in her eyes.
“Cousin can ride in the carriage without affecting the journey,” Lin Tangtang advised.
“But I haven’t recovered from my cold yet, and I get motion sickness in carriages too,” she added, coughing a few times for effect.
Her tone was subdued and pleading. “Sister, it’s my fault for making you worry. Can I go to the Marquis Estate after I recover? That way I won’t delay you and the Young Lord from returning to the estate.”
She appeared fragile and timid, looking utterly pitiful.
“Her complexion is so pale, don’t make things difficult for her. Let her stay in the imperial temporary residence to recover first.”
Before Lin Tangtang could respond, Yang Chen spoke up.
“Make things difficult for her?”
How familiar those words sounded.
He showed no concern for the obvious injury on her head, yet he noticed the mere paleness of Lin Jiaojiao’s powdered face.
It was the same in her previous life – Lin Jiaojiao loved playing the weakling in front of Yang Chen, and he always fell for it.
He had even blamed her because of Lin Jiaojiao before.
Back then, she had been heartbroken and tormented herself for a long time, thinking she was truly at fault.
But not anymore.
Yang Chen wasn’t worth it.
“Young Lord, you’re saying this to the wrong person. This is the imperial temporary residence, His Highness’s territory. How long she can stay here is not up to me,” Lin Tangtang scoffed.
Yang Chen’s expression stiffened.
“I’ve received His Highness’s grace and must bid farewell before departure. I’ll have to trouble the Young Lord to wait for me a while longer.”
With that, she glanced at Lin Jiaojiao, taking in her exquisite makeup with clear understanding.
The status of a Marquis Estate’s Young Lord couldn’t compare to that of the Crown Prince.
With the Crown Prince being the superior choice, Lin Jiaojiao wasn’t that interested in Yang Chen yet.
Lin Jiaojiao wanted to stay alone in the imperial temporary residence merely to seduce the Crown Prince given the opportunity.
Having lived two lives, Lin Jiaojiao’s ambitions had only grown more inflated.
Inside the hall.
Qin Mo’an quietly watched the woman kneeling before him.
“If you say the Marquis Estate is a tiger’s den, why are you still going?” Qin Mo’an asked while reviewing memorials.
“Your Highness, how can one catch tiger cubs without entering the tiger’s lair? This subject’s visit to the Marquis Estate is both to seize Yang Chen’s military authority and to keep watch on the estate’s movements for Your Highness, to share your burdens.”
Lin Tangtang knew the Crown Prince and Second Prince were like fire and water, having clashed multiple times.
Both Yang Chen and Bingbu Shangshu Wu Xiong were the Second Prince’s right-hand men.
In her previous life, Yang Chen’s ability to annihilate eighty thousand Beiwei Army troops was largely due to the Second Prince and Wu Xiong’s behind-the-scenes operations.
She was entering the Marquis Estate alone to better collect evidence of their crimes.
Qin Mo’an studied Lin Tangtang for a long time.
“What do you need from me?”
“This subject needs personnel – careful and capable people,” Lin Tangtang lifted her head and stated the purpose of her visit.
Qin Mo’an set down the memorial in his hand. “Granny Li will accompany you to the Marquis Estate. Discuss the specific personnel with her.”
After receiving the Crown Prince’s agreement, Lin Tangtang breathed a sigh of relief.
Besides gathering evidence and seizing Yang Chen’s military authority, she would also reclaim all the benefits Yang Chen had gained through the General’s Mansion, making him fall from grace step by step until he lost his position as Young Lord!
She would completely destroy the conspiracies of the Marquis Estate and those behind it, allowing her father, brother, and the eighty thousand Beiwei Army soldiers to rightfully deserve the title of “heroes.”
And to avenge the unborn child in her womb.
“Thank you, Your Highness. There is one more matter—today I found a carrier pigeon with a note attached.” Lin Tangtang recounted the morning’s events in detail.
Qin Mo’an took the note, his expression darkening.
“Well done. Remember to report your progress to me daily from now on.” Qin Mo’an took a sip of tea, lost in deep thought.
After gathering her belongings, Lin Tangtang boarded the carriage with Granny Li and her maid Chunxue.
The driver’s “Giddy-up…” was cut short.
An urgent voice called out.
“Young Lord! Sister! Wait for me!”
Lin Tangtang lifted the carriage curtain and saw Lin Jiaojiao rushing toward them, breathless, followed by Eunuch Wu who served in the main hall.
Lin Tangtang frowned.
They were about to return to the Marquis Estate—what trouble was Lin Jiaojiao trying to cause now?
If Lin Jiaojiao kept bouncing around like this, she wouldn’t mind teaching her another lesson.
She clenched her fist.