Consort Xian frowned. "A stranger who is new to the palace and has unsubstantiated qualifications is unacceptable. Go to the Imperial Physician's residence and submit a request for Imperial Physician Chen to visit Mingyue Palace. Let him thoroughly examine the Fifth Princess."
Imperial Physician Chen's medical knowledge was trustworthy as he was one of the most senior Imperial Physicians; he was also often consulted by Consort Xian as well.
Receiving her lady's order, Suiyu hurriedly left. Imperial Physician Chen —upon receiving Consort Xian's request— carried his medical box and left for Mingyue Palace without delay. Xiao Lan had been decocting medicine for Lin Feilu when Imperial Physician Chen told her to put the medicine aside. After taking Lin Feilu's pulse, he prescribed a new medicinal concoction for her and left.
In truth, Lin Feilu was not very sick. The way she saw it, it was just a common cold and fever. Once she woke from her disorientating slumber, Xiao Lan approached her bedside and fed her the bowl of medicine. While she was drinking, Qingyan —who had been guarding outside— flew into a panic as she clamored, "This slave humbly greets the Eldest Prince!"
Xiao Lan's hands shuddered and nearly dropped the medicine bowl onto Lin Feilu's face.
T-t-this…
Noble Consort Ruan never had any connections with her. So why did the Eldest Prince come to visit her?!
A young boy's clear voice was heard from outside the room, "You may rise. Is Fifth Imperial Sister inside?"
Qingyan replied, "To answer Your Highness, the Fifth Imperial Princess has fallen ill and is currently resting inside."
Lin Ting instantly turned anxious as he asked, "She's sick? Is it serious? Has the imperial physician visited her?"
Qingyan replied, "Imperial Physician Chen has already visited."
While they were exchanging answers and questions outside, Xiao Lan helped put an outer coat on Lin Feilu. As Qingyan led Lin Ting inside, Lin Feilu had finished drinking her medicine and was seated upright in her bed. Her eyes lit up when she saw Lin Ting; her cheeks flushed as she spoke in bewilderment, "It's you! You were my Eldest Imperial Brother?"
At that time, Lin Ting did not reveal who he truly was to her. But now that she had recognized him, he was smiling shyly. Not long after, his smile turned to a look of concern as he asked, "How did you become sick?"
Lin Feilu tilted her head and smiled. "I just caught a bit of a cold, don't worry about it."
Xiao Lan was still in a daze. She had no idea what kind of connection her daughter had with the Eldest Imperial Prince. However, seeing that the two children were having a good time, she understood they were on good terms, and exited the room together with Qingyan.
Seeing Xiao Lan and Qingyan had left, Lin Feilu asked, "Eldest Imperial Brother, did you come here to see the little rabbit? My brother has been taking good care of it. Since it's cold during the winter, he moved the rabbit to his room. I can take you to see them."
She was about to lift up the quilt and get up from her bed, when Lin Ting promptly reached out to place his hand on her little head. Gently caressing her soft hair, he then withdrew his hand as he lowered his eyes and said, "There's no hurry. I am relieved to know that the little rabbit is with you. You are sick. You should be lying down and resting, lest you catch another cold."
Lin Feilu obediently laid back down, then she lowered her voice to ask, "After you went back last time, did Noble Consort Ruan believe you?"
Lin Ting looked a little embarrassed, as he smiled and said, "I followed what you told me to say to Royal Mother. She really believed it and has never asked about it again."
Lin Feilu was filled with glee as she shared some interesting stories with the Eldest Prince about Lin Zhanyuan and the rabbits. After he finished listening, Lin Ting expressed with sincerity, "Although Sixth Brother is a little out of the ordinary, his heart is very kind. As I can no longer bring the rabbit back to Yunxi Palace, I will give it to him instead."
As he was talking, the door cracked open. Lin Zhanyuan sneakily poked his little head inside. Lin Feilu waved and beckoned, "Brother, come here."
Lin Zhanyuan pouted. He insisted on standing outside as he shook his head, "Sister is sick again, so I must not make trouble for my sister."
Lin Feilu beamed, "I'm already feeling better. Look, I'm sitting up."
Only then did Lin Zhanyuan listen and happily dashed inside until he realised there was actually another person in the room. He slowed his steps and shrunk his body as he carefully approached his sister's bed, looking at the stranger timidly.
Lin Feilu consoled him as she spoke, "This is our Eldest Imperial Brother. He was the one who gave you the little white rabbit."
Upon hearing her say 'little white rabbit', Lin Zhanyuan's expression instantly relaxed, as he clapped his hands and said, "Little white rabbit; very, very white! Carrots, carrots; super duper cute!"
Lin Ting blurted a "Pfft-" as he was amused.
Lin Feilu, attempting to coax him, pleaded, "Brother, can you take Eldest Brother to see the little white rabbit? Pretty please?"
Lin Zhanyuan nodded in all seriousness as he answered, "Okay!"
Immediately after that, he happily took hold of Lin Ting's hand and called out, "Let's go!"
Lin Ting was momentarily stunned as he looked at the little hand that was holding his. Finally, he broke into a gentle smile, then returned the gesture by firmly holding onto his little brother's hand. He nodded. "Alright. Let's go."
The little rabbit had gained more weight than when it was living in Yunxi Palace. It naturally recognized its owner, when Lin Ting attempted to feed the rabbit some leafy greens, it hopped over and brushed against his fingertips.
Although Lin Ting felt a little awkward, he also felt happy at the same time. As he was in a daze, Lin Zhanyuan, who was beside him, suddenly reached out with his hand and patted his head. Using the same comforting tone as Lin Feilu, he attempted to cheer up the older boy, "Don't be sad!"
Lin Ting lowered his eyes as a tinge of redness dabbed its corners. Then, he raised his head and smiled, "Mm, I'm not sad. Thank you, Sixth Brother."
Lin Zhanyuan beamed as he wore a dopey smile on his face.
Once they were done with the rabbit, Lin Ting returned to Lin Feilu to have a few words with her before he left again. As he was walking, he stopped and had a thought, then took a detour and headed towards the Imperial Physicians' Court.
Every imperial physician present was shocked by the presence of the Eldest Imperial Prince who came to visit in person. Lin Ting came here to look for the most trusted imperial physician of his palace. When he found him, Lin Ting cordially asked, "Imperial Physician Luo, could I trouble you to visit Mingyue Palace and take a look at the Fifth Princess' illness? Her body is frail and has a weak constitution. Asides from catching a cold, she may need more supplements and medications. I will be grateful for your efforts and care."
Naturally, Imperial Physician Luo did not dare to disobey an request from the Eldest Imperial Prince, so he picked up his medical box and left for Mingyue Palace.
Seeing that there was another visit from another imperial physician, Xiao Lan was feeling very grateful when she learned he was sent by the Eldest Prince to treat the Fifth Princess. The previous imperial physician had already prescribed treatment for her cold, hence this time Imperial Physician Luo only prescribed body supplements. He explained to Xiao Lan about the details of Lin Feilu's daily diet plan, then he left.
The same illness that Lin Feilu had was also caught by the Eldest Princess Lin Nianzhi. She had been sick in bed as soon as she returned to her palace.
Even though she was suffering from the same cold, she did not have a fever, however, she was constantly sneezing and tearing up. This was enough to make Consort Hui anxious, thus she sent a maid to ask for an imperial physician.
Imperial Physician Feng took a look at Lin Nianzhi's illness and said, "The recent weather has taken a sharp turn down; it is a season of harsh colds and severe illnesses. The Eldest Princess must be clothed warmly, and stay indoors as much as possible. Today, several palaces have also sent for people to request for imperial physicians. It seems the prevalence of this illness is not to be underestimated this time."
Lin Nianzhi asked offhandedly, "Which other palaces have also gotten sick?"
Imperial Physician Feng replied, "Orders were received from Changming Palace and Yunxi Palace, oh also, there was Mingyue Palace as well."
Lin Nianzhi was taken aback. "Mingyue Palace?"
Thinking she was uninformed, Imperial Physician Feng explained, "It is the residence of the Fifth Imperial Princess. I heard from my colleagues that she has a fever and is sick in bed. A young child with a weak constitution is highly susceptible to cold, harsh winds. Eldest Princess should also pay heed and take precaution."
Lin Nianzhi was confused.
She was still in good health just now at noon, so how did she get a fever?
Suddenly she turned her gaze to the small hand stove that was resting off to the side.
She thought to herself, She couldn't have… Could it be, that because she gave the hand stove to me, she came down with a cold and became sick?
At that thought, Lin Nianzhi's heart felt a little uneasy.
Considering the standing of Mingyue Palace, she felt that even if they managed to get an imperial doctor to visit, it was very likely for the latter party to not regard them very highly. They would treat their patients indifferently and carelessly prescribe treatments. But as her physician had said, t'is a season of severe illnesses that should not be treated lightly.
As Imperial Physician Feng was packing up his medicine box and was about to leave, Lin Nianzhi, who had been dawdling all the while, finally called out to him, "Wait!"
Imperial Physician Feng asked, "Does the Eldest Princess have any other further instructions?"
Lin Nianzhi replied, "Go visit Mingyue Palace and have a look at the Fifth Princess. See if she is seriously ill, and write two prescriptions for her if necessary." After a pause, she raised her voice while retaining an air of prestige, "Look after her carefully, and don't you dare be inattentive!"
Imperial Physician Feng hurriedly bowed and said, "Understood, this official will now leave and carry out your order."
As he finished, he carried his medicine box and braved the cold winds all the way towards Mingyue Palace.
As the other imperial physician left, yet another one came in. Xiao Lan was perplexed and hesitantly said, "There was an imperial physician who came to visit just now. He has already taken a look at the patient, and the patient has already taken the medicine."
Imperial Physician Feng replied, "This official knows, but the Eldest Princess is concerned for the Fifth Princess' wellbeing, thus has specifically instructed this official to come and check again."
Xiao Lan: "?"
Even the Eldest Princess has gotten involved?
What on earth did this daughter of mine do?!
Xiao Lan recalled all of the recent changes that occurred within and around Mingyue Palace. She did not realise how strange it was for their status to change from being trampled on to being highly favored — until now. It was apparent all these changes were all directly related to her daughter.
At first, there was the Fourth Imperial Prince; then, there was Consort Xian; now, it was the Eldest Imperial Prince and the Eldest Imperial Princess. She would have never dared to even think about these high-profiled figures, yet suddenly all of them were crossing paths with her and gradually changing her life.
Was this all a mere coincidence? Or perhaps… did Lu'er manage to deliberately influence them and thus lead to these changes?
Xiao Lan had mixed feelings about this.
For a long time, she had not wanted for anything. In fact, she wanted to stop worrying as she was feeling sluggish from thinking about the matter too much. She waited for Imperial Physician Feng to leave after finishing his consultation, then sat alone in the room for a long time. Finally she remembered Lu'er's behaviour started to change from the time she fell into the pond at Linxing Pavilion.
She did not pay much attention at first because the changes were subtle, but now after thinking through the situation thoroughly, they were still different.
An impossible theory gradually emerged in her thoughts — so impossible that she herself denied its possibility.
Such delusions are absolutely impossible, I must be thinking too much!
However, suspicion had already settled in; it stayed submerged within her thoughts and would not go away no matter how hard she tried. Later that night, as Xiao Lan went to feed Lin Feilu her medicine, she noticed something was wrong.
She was constantly appraising herself; yet sometimes she seemed to be preoccupied with her thoughts. The expression within her eyes were always changing: sometimes they were sad, sometimes they were in a daze, sometimes they looked confused. Looking at her, it was as if she was seeing an entirely different person.
Finishing her medicine, Lin Feilu asked softly, "Mother Consort, what are you thinking about?"
Xiao Lan was taken aback. She forced a smile to her face. "Nothing, I'm just feeling a little lightheaded." Stretching out her hand, she fiddled with the quilt then leaned over and kissed her daughter's forehead. "Lu'er, be good and sleep early."
As Xiao Lan got up, Lin Feilu grabbed her wrist.
Xiao Lan turned to look at her. Her eyes were fearful and confused. As if she were afraid of what her daughter was about to say, her body began to tremble.
Lin Feilu originally wanted to tell her the whole truth, but suddenly she just could not bring herself to do so.
Since childhood, she had never received a loving mother's attention. Her original family was so broken that it affected her personal growth and personality. As a child, she would observe her classmates' interactions with their mothers, only to feel extremely envious of them.
Once, she read somewhere in a book, that in this world there were no parents who did not love their children.
At that time, she shook her head in disbelief.
She whispered in her heart: No, that's not true. They do exist, and there are many of them.
It's just that some people were just unworthy of becoming parents.
Her own parents had never kissed her, never hugged her; when she came home, happily holding a certificate of honor for a perfect test score, they were not even proud of her, nor had they bothered to compliment her.
The only thing they ever gave her was money.
But Lin Feilu did not despise them. People were ultimately meant to be self-reliant, thus they had no obligation to treat her nicely. Having said that, she did not love them either. Any feeling of love she could have had, long since disappeared with every apathetic response she received from them.
It was only when she arrived here that she had, for the very first time, felt the warmth of a home.
This utterly unfamiliar Great Lin Empire, this harem life where food and clothing were not ensured, where one's life could be endangered at any time, this little side palace — Mingyue Palace — that had nothing at all.
Her brother loved her, her mother Xiao Lan also loved her.
Despite their shortcomings — one was a fool, the other was a milquetoast — but they poured out all of their love for her unconditionally.
Even though the one they truly loved was the original Lin Feilu, the person in this body now was her, and the person who tangibly felt this love was also herself.
All that she had accomplished so far, she did for her own survival.
Although it was not too far of a stretch to say it was also for their sakes.
Xiao Lan loved her own children so much. If she knew the truth, wouldn't she be upset?
Looking into Xiao Lan's fearful eyes, she pursed her lips and whispered, "Mother Consort, there was something that I did not tell you before."
Xiao Lan trembled, her face paled as she urged her to speak, "What is it?"
Lin Feilu looked at her. "That time at the Linxing Pavilion, I did not lose my footing when I fell into the water — I was pushed in by the Third Princess."
Xiao Lan's eyes widened in shock.
Lin Feilu lowered her eyes and continued, "When she pushed me into the water, everyone just stood beside her and watched. None of them tried to save me. If I hadn't grabbed onto the fallen branches by the lakeshore, I would have lost my life."
Tears streamed down Xiao Lan's face. She wept as she came closer to hug her, trembling as she cried out, "Lu'er…"
Lin Feilu hugged her back with her tiny arms and buried her face in Xiao Lan's embrace, "It was clearly their fault, yet afterwards they wanted me to kowtow and plead for forgiveness. Mother Consort, I don't want to be bullied like this anymore."
Word by word, she said, "I want to protect myself, and I also want to protect you and Brother. I'm all grown-up now, Mother Consort."
Xiao Lan's voice choked as she was sobbing too much to even say anything in response.
Lin Feilu raised her head and wiped Xiao Lan's tears with her soft fingers. She kissed her forehead and said, "Mother Consort, don't cry. From now on, no one will bully us anymore."
That night, the doubts in Xiao Lan's heart had completely dissipated.
What had dissipated along with her doubts was her cowardice, which she once thought was the only way she could keep her family safe from the in-fighting within the harem.
Her own daughter was deliberately schemed against and had almost died to their efforts, yet she was only finding out about it now. She should have understood that life in the harem was never ensured. Had she not been drugged during her pregnancy, she would not have had a premature delivery, causing Lin Zhanyuan to become a fool, and she would not have fallen out of favour.
She had always backed down when others would take advantage of her.
Even now, she was relying on her daughter to protect them. What an unreliable mother she was.
That night, Xiao Lan slept restlessly. However, when she woke up the next day, something in her had changed.
She had already settled into her weak-willed nature over the years, thus she was not eager to chase after prestige. However, she no longer did needlework with Yunyou and Qingyan in the courtyard, instead she took out some dusty books to read.
Lin Feilu was not very sick. When she woke up the next morning, her fever had subsided. Xiao Lan held her in her embrace as she read her books for a while.
However, remaining mindful of the orders they received from their masters yesterday, a handful of imperial physicians readied themselves to revisit Mingyue Palace as soon as they started their shifts.
The four imperial physicians carried their medicine boxes and departed together, smiling and chatting amongst themselves, "My good sirs, you are all working hard. Which palace are you heading to this early in the morning?"
The youngest of them said, "Good morning, my good sirs. This official is going to Mingyue Palace to give the Fifth Princess a follow-up consultation."
Imperial Physician Chen: "…I'm also going to Mingyue Palace."
Imperial Physician Luo: "Me too…"
Imperial Physician Feng: "I, as well…"
The four imperial physicians: "…"
All present were baffled.
After a momentary confusion and indecision, the four imperial physicians unanimously decided to have the most senior imperial physician be their representative to give the Fifth Princess a follow-up consultation. This way, even if their respective masters inquired, they would have a reasonable explanation to answer.
Sure enough, Consort Xian sent someone to the Imperial Physician's Court after lunch to ask about the matter. Imperial Physician Chen answered, "Imperial Physician Luo has performed the follow-up: The Fifth Princess' fever has broken and has suffered no other complications."
Suiyu returned to convey this message, to which Consort Xian found it strange. "On the Eldest Imperial Prince's orders? How did Little Lu get involved with the Eldest Prince?"
This Eldest Imperial Prince had a respectable reputation within the palace. Although his mother, Noble Consort Ruan, was famous for her arrogance and pomposity; the son she had given birth to had the exact opposite character. By contrast, the Eldest Prince was kind-hearted, courteous, and a peace-maker. When a servant made a mistake, they would reach out to him. He would definitely placate Noble Consort Ruan on their behalf and plead for clemency.
This harem life was already full of strife, and besides, Consort Xian had no overt grievances with Noble Consort Ruan. After some pondering, she finally said, "Fine, leave this matter be. By the way, didn't the Imperial Household Department deliver some snow ginseng over just the other day? Go pick some to send over to Mingyue Palace. Little Lu's constitution is weak, she would easily succumb to the cold winds. Tell Honorable Lady Lan to feed her more supplements."
Lin Jingyuan had just returned from his Imperial School studies, when he happened to hear his Little Sister Lu had fallen sick. His heart was in a frenzy as he was gnawing with impatience. As Suiyu carried the snow ginseng in a box and was about to depart, he ran into her and snatched the box. "I have something to tell the Fifth Imperial Sister, so I'll bring this along with me instead!"
He ran like the wind until he reached Mingyue Palace. As soon as he entered, he could hear rolls of laughter coming from inside.
Pushing the doors open, it turned out to be Lin Zhanyuan and Lin Feilu. They were both squatting down and playing with the rabbit in the warm room. Lin Jingyuan took a few glances at the rabbit and felt that it somehow looked familiar.
Wasn't this Eldest Imperial Brother's favourite rabbit?
Recently, his studies had been more strict as he was being monitored very closely. Since that time when he was able to successfully recite "The Analects of Confucius", Emperor Lin felt he had scholarly potential, thus his study sessions became more stringent. As a result, he did not have time to hang out and play with Lin Feilu any more.
Moreover, as the weather turned cold, Lin Feilu also rarely went outside to look to play with him. The two had not seen each other for a very long time.
So you've found a different toy to play with now!
All of a sudden, Lin Jingyuan's face turned sour.
As she was returning from outside, it was Qingyan who first realised he was present, so she quickly saluted, "Greetings to Fourth Imperial Prince. When did Your Highness arrive? Does Your Highness wish to enter?"
Lin Feilu heard the commotion and raised her head to look up. Seeing Lin Jingyuan's sour face, instantly her little face made a pleasantly surprised expression as she smiled sweetly. She stood up and ran towards him.
Running up to him, she hugged his arm with her two little hands. She raised her little face up and spoke tenderly, "Brother Jingyuan, I miss you so much!"
Lin Jingyuan: I'm not angry anymore.
He handed over the snow ginseng to Qingyan who had followed inside and conveyed Consort Xian's message. Asserting his dignity as her imperial brother, he put on a stern face as he touched Lin Feilu's forehead, "Has your fever broken?"
Lin Feilu obediently answered, "It has. I must've worried you, Brother Jingyuan." Without waiting for Lin Jingyuan to respond, she quickly tugged his hand and pulled him further inside, pointing to the little rabbit and happily exclaimed, "Brother Jingyuan, look here! A little rabbit!"
Lin Jingyuan pretended not to recognize it. "Where did this rabbit come from?"
Lin Feilu replied, "Eldest Imperial Brother gifted it to my brother!"
So it was a gift for Lin Zhanyuan.
Since the sore point was cleared up, Lin Jingyuan happily sat down beside them. Once Lin Feilu was done appeasing him, now it was her turn to be on the offense — she lamented in a grieving tone, "Brother Jingyuan, you haven't come to see me as of late."
Green Tea Princess Technique: Turn the tide quickly with a counterattack!
Sure enough, Lin Jingyuan's eyes were full of guilt as he explained, "Recently my studies have been very strenuous. Everyday I have to study at the Imperial School."
Lin Feilu asked, "What is an Imperial School?"
Lin Jingyuan answered, "It's where the children of royals and nobles study."
Lin Feilu: Got it, it's a large NPC assembly point.
She began to show interest.
She pretended to be oblivious while retaining a curious expression as she innocently asked, "Then can I go there too?"
Lin Jingyuan's expression froze.
The Imperial School was not a place where ordinary people could simply enter. Although it was technically a place where children of royals and nobles gathered to study, in truth, only those who were granted permission by Emperor Lin were qualified to attend. It was a symbol of status and a manifestation of the Emperor's favor. Thus, an unfavored princess like Lin Feilu would not be qualified to enter the Imperial School.
Lin Jingyuan naturally understood this, but to tell her the truth would be the same as hurting her. He felt sorry for Little Sister Lu. Wearing a remorseful expression, he exclaimed, "There's nothing good about that shabby place, why bother?! It's not even a fun place at all!"
Lin Feilu did not prod any further; she smiled wistfully and submissively uttered an "Oh."
This made Lin Jingyuan feel even more ill inside him.
After staying in Mingyue Palace for over two hours, Consort Xian had sent someone over to fetch him to return home and practice his calligraphy. Lin Jingyuan was left with no choice but to reluctantly leave. Wrapping herself in a little cloak, Lin Feilu personally escorted him all the way to the palace gates. With enthusiasm, she waved him goodbye, "See you again, Brother Jingyuan."
She looked at him pitifully. As though she was afraid the eunuch beside him could hear her, she whispered, "Come over more often and play with me, okay?"
Gritting his teeth, Lin Jingyuan stomped his foot and made up his mind. He spoke aloud, "I will pick you up tomorrow morning; you can come to school together with me!"
Lin Feilu's eyes lit up, "Can I go?"
Lin Jingyuan replied, "Of course you can! After all, just because you can't go inside, it doesn't mean you're not allowed to roam the outer perimeter!"
Thus, when the next morning came, Lin Feilu was neatly dressed and wrapped in a small white cloak that was fastened with a cute little ribbon. Setting her sights on a new path forward, she followed Lin Jingyuan who came to pick her up.
Truth be told, she had been poking around the harem for some time now. This royal palace was so vast that it had to be divided into several different domains. She knew how to conduct herself properly with restraint and behaved appropriately, as such, she would never go beyond her boundaries unless she was absolutely confident about the risks and chances.
Of course, Lin Feilu knew she was not qualified to enter the Imperial School. However, as Lin Jingyuan had mentioned: even if she was not allowed inside the hall, couldn't she just roam around outside? Furthermore, Emperor Lin seldom visited this place; even if he did, he would only come by every fortnight to check on the princes' progress.
Different from the previous dynasty, this Imperial School was not a place of scholarly debate. There were no ministers; instead there were only instructors who taught the princes, princesses and the children of royals and nobility.
Lin Feilu now had two patrons to back her up: the Eldest Imperial Prince and the Fourth Imperial Prince. If she were to be presumptuous, she would also consider the Eldest Imperial Princess as one of them as well. With three mighty backers, it was more than enough for her to be allowed to stroll around the school compound.
After passing through the main entrance, there was a wide, open courtyard. There were some people walking in the courtyard: they were all masters who had brought along either a young servant or an attendant. Located at the rear were several buildings that looked grand and austere. A plaque entitled "Imperial School" was hung above the threshold of the main hall. There were also some smaller buildings in the surroundings which were places for rest.
This place did not have the same exquisite qualities of the harem palace, instead it had an air of academic atmosphere that resembled a high school. As a student who had graduated from the country's top university, Lin Feilu thought this place was quite accommodating in contrast.
Lin Feilu's presence did not cause much stir, since there were many students who were accompanied by their attendants. For example, the Third Imperial Princess Lin Xi was also accompanied by a young girl, who was the daughter of Imperial Concubine Jing's brother. According to the rules, this young girl was not qualified to enter the Imperial School; but as Lin Xi's attendant, this was made possible.
Everyone thought this girl next to the Fourth Imperial Prince was just another new attendant. Because they were all afraid of Lin Jingyuan, they did not dare to stare too long nor observe too closely. They only cast a few glances then scurried away after they saluted him.
Lin Feilu had not met anyone she knew yet. Lin Jingyuan took her to the side hall and gave her instructions, "Except for the three halls above those steps; you are free to roam around everywhere else. When you're tired, you can come here and rest. I'll come pick you up once I'm done with my studies."
Lin Feilu obediently answered him.
Knowing she was an obedient child, he was not worried about her. Still, he ordered Kang An, "Take good care of the Fifth Princess."
Kang An nodded repeatedly in response.
Lin Jingyuan walked towards the study hall; every few steps he took, he turned around to look back at them before he finally left. Not long after, there was a dull and heavy sound of a bell ringing in the distance. Lin Feilu was amused, they even have a class bell in this time period.
As soon as the bell tolled, no one was to be seen outside and it became quiet. She stood by the door and looked at it for a while. Suddenly she called out to Kang An, "Come with me, I want to go for a walk."
Kang An swiftly complied.
In truth, this place was not a very interesting place to explore. It was vast and desolate; the only plants they have here were a few perfectly straight cypress trees. However, she loved this feeling of familiarity. She felt as if she was walking on the grounds of her alma mater university campus. The happiest memory she ever experienced were probably the years she spent in college.
She had always been down on her luck, but the few roommates she had in university were considerably nice. They got along very happily, and they kept in touch even after graduation.
Lin Feilu suddenly had a thought. Judging her parents' characters; now that she was dead, her funeral ceremony should have been quite grand.
Many of her friends would come to send her off with her favorite yellow roses. One of her university roommates was quite the crybaby; she wondered how hard she would cry this time.
Lin Feilu was so deep in her thoughts that she did not notice how far she had wandered off to. She didn't even notice there was someone walking towards her direction.
A boy that looked to be around 12-13 years old; he wore a black robe and brisked leisurely with his hands behind his back. His attendant was beside him as he said with a tearful face, "Young Master, I beg you to walk faster. We are already late. Look around, there is not another person who dares to walk as leisurely as you do at this hour of the day!"
The boy was indifferent to his attendant's pleas. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a figure in the distance; when his vision adjusted, he saw the figure of a little girl and pointed at her, "Is that not a person?"
He raised his eyebrows and smiled, "I like people who are just as unruly as I am. Ah Luo, let's go make us some friends."
Lin Feilu was still in a daze; even when the boy had stopped in front of her, she was slow to react. Kang An was quick on his feet as immediately bowed and said, "This humble servant greets the Viscount."
The boy's eyebrows were raised; his sharp gaze further accentuated the unruliness of his brows. He looked at Kang An and asked, "Aren't you a follower of the Fourth Imperial Prince?"
Kang An cordially replied, "Indeed. My Lord is correct."
The boy gave him a slight nod. Standing before him was a little girl with little buns on her head. She piqued his interest, so he asked, "Who is this little bean? Why is she still roaming outside when it's time for school?"
Lin Feilu: "?"
Kang An replied, "My Lord, I present to you the Fifth Imperial Princess. Her Royal Highness is not required to attend the Imperial School. As the Fourth Imperial Prince is currently attending classes, this humble servant has been ordered to accompany the Fifth Princess as she strolls the school grounds."
"The Fifth Imperial Princess? Why have I never met her before?" The boy lowered his head and sized her up — her height had only reached up to his thighs. He felt it would be tiresome to speak to this little bean from up high, so he knelt down in front of her. He raised his hand and ruffled the buns on her head. Gleefully, he said, "Nice to meet you, little princess."
Lin Feilu: "…"
This NPC was perhaps the most irritating NPC she had ever met so far.
A viscount? So, he was not one of her brothers; but the son of some noble family.
Of kings, princes, and nobility… Seeing how he had the audacity to act so arrogantly within the palace, it was clear that his background was of high standing.
It doesn't matter who he is, let's capture him first.
Lin Feilu promptly activated her skills.
With her little hands, she clutched her tiny head and pedaled backwards. She huffed words of complaint in an infantile manner, "You messed up my little bun-buns!"
The boy: "Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! What can you do about it, hmm? Bite me?"
Lin Feilu: "?"
What an annoying loudmouth.
The boy also stepped forwards and closed the distance between them. Thinking this little bean's childish rebuke was absolutely adorable, he grinned and asked, "Little bean, what's your name?"
Lin Feilu ignored him.
The boy stretched out a friendly hand, "The name's Xi Xingjiang. Let's be friends."
His last name is Xi?
Instantly, Lin Feilu immediately recognized who he was.
In this palace, there were two noble consorts: Noble Consort Ruan and Noble Consort Xi. The older brother of Noble Consort Xi was a general of Zhenbei. Just a few years ago, Emperor Lin appointed him as the Marquess of Zhenbei, thus he was a figure of substantial rank and authority within the Dalin Dynasty. This young viscount who shared the same last name should be the son of said general, making him the nephew of Noble Consort Xi.
No wonder why he's behaving with such arrogance.
The few patrons Lin Feilu had collected so far all seemed to be very powerful; but after thinking it through, their base stats were unreliable at their current levels. After all, they were still children. No matter how prestigious they were, they were still subjected to their elders' wishes. For example: regarding the First Imperial Prince and the Fourth Imperial Prince, in event Noble Consort Ruan and Consort Xian forbade them from interacting with herself, they would be out of play.
In this palace, every imperial consort was out for themselves and had formed their own factions. Based on the information she had collected from her daily walks; Noble Consort Xi was the only one among the imperial consorts who was proud and aloof, as she was not fond of interacting with others. Moreover, her status was not shackled by a child as she had none. This was a significant point which made her an easier target to tackle.
Before this, she agonized over the fact that she had no opportunities to make contact with Noble Consort Xi. But now, opportunity came knocking right on her door!
Indeed, large-scale NPC conventions were the best. It was just the first day and she had already been given such a huge surprise.
This little viscount hailed from a noble bloodline with military prowess; thus, his demeanor was arrogant and his behavior was unruly. To show weakness against such headstrong people was a counterproductive strategy. The weaker you were perceived, the more they would feel you were just another commonplace plebeian. If there was no challenge, they would soon lose interest.
It was very easy to capture your targets once you fully understood their characters.
Lin Feilu caught a glimpse of him; she saw that he had the calloused hands of a young boy who had been practicing martial combat at a tender age. After some quick thinking, she pouted her lips and said, "I don't make friends with bad guys!"
Xi Xingjiang burst into laughter, "How am I a bad guy? I am the best-est good guy you'll ever meet in this entire world. It's only your loss if you don't befriend me."
When his little bean heard his words, she sneakily turned her eyes towards him. Seeing that he was grinning from ear to ear, she uttered a 'hmph' and turned away her head.
Dammit, that's super cute.
Without saying a word, Xi Xingjiang took hold of her small hand which was obscured behind her sleeve. He shook it in a seemingly earnest manner, and said, "Whether you like it or not, I am a friend you must befriend. Now that we've shaken hands, we are now sworn friends for life. If I ever get myself into trouble in the future, you must save me even if it costs you your life. Understood?"
Lin Feilu: "?"
As if I'd believe in your b̲u̲l̲l̲s̲h̲i̲t̲.
Angrily, she forcefully pulled out her little hand and ran to hide behind Kang An. As if she had suffered a great injustice; she wrapped her little head with Kang An's cloak like a hood, then glared at him with eyes as bitter as a grumpy baby.
The attendant standing beside Xi Xingjiang could not stand looking at them anymore as he tearfully urged, "Young Master, let's go now, we must not delay any further! If the Imperial Teacher reports your tardiness to the general, you'll get caned as punishment again."
Xi Xingjiang fervently waved his hand, motioning for his attendant to shut up. He raised his eyebrows as he looked at Lin Feilu and said, "Till we meet again next time, Little Bean."
Lin Feilu: "Hmph."
Xi Xingjiang had a few hearty laughs, then he left them and walked headed towards the Imperial School.
As soon as he left, Kang An wearily wiped his sweat and spoke to Lin Feilu in a lowered voice, "Fifth Princess, this little viscount of the Zhenbei Marquessate has always been known as the Little Devil Prince. Aside from attending the Imperial School, he rarely enters the palace, so you don't have to worry about him."
Lin Feilu nodded in acknowledgement.