Lin Feilu knelt down beside him. She didn't complain about the filth even though his vomit was practically all over her. She hurriedly asked Meng Fuji, "Is he fine now? Is everything okay?"
Meng Fuji shook his head calmly and continued to puncture the Eldest Imperial Prince's acupoints with silver needles. Lin Feilu stared at him, not daring to let out a sound within the silent atmosphere. The servant quickly brought hot water and salt water in as Meng Fuji added some medicine to the water. Then, he poured it into Lin Ting's mouth again and forced him to vomit.
Lin Feilu watched it for a long time and thought that this was probably the ancient version of gastric lavage.
Lin Ting vomited approximately five times. Finally, Meng Fuji asked Lin Feilu to help him lie down. They untied his shirt and the imperial doctor once again stabbed silver needles all over his acupuncture points.
At this time, the servants in the residence finally knew what happened. Such a thing had happened to His Highness King Qi under their care, so everyone was so frightened to the point where their faces turned pale. After Meng Fuji finished piercing the silver needle into his final acupuncture point, he walked over to the table and wrote down a prescription, explaining that they would immediately have to prepare the medicine.
Lin Feilu sat beside the bed. Every few seconds, she stretched out her fingers to check on Lin Ting's breathing.
Although it was weak, it was still there. Only then did she feel like she could breathe normally. Meng Fuji came over to change the needles and said to her, "Princess, go and change your clothes. His Highness King Qi is fine for the time being."
Lin Feilu asked expectantly, "Is he all right? Will he wake up?"
Meng Fuji shook his head, "I can't say— the Fengli grass is too poisonous. If we were even a moment later, we might not have been able to save His Highness King Qi. All I can do now is keep his pulse steady. The poison has penetrated into the body, but this humble doctor does not know if His Highness will be able to wake up."
Lin Feilu looked at the pale boy on the bed. Thinking of the relieved smile that was plastered on his mouth when she had rushed in just now, her heart felt uncomfortable as if a needle was piercing her heart.
After that unbearable heartbreak was anger.
She got up and walked out the door as the servants outside the hospital knelt on the ground. Lin Feilu said to the steward with a blank face, "Send someone into the palace to tell Father Emperor and Noble Consort Ruan about this."
The steward responded quickly.
She followed a maid to change her clothes before she went back to the bed to guard her brother.
After half an hour, there were loud voices coming from the courtyard's exterior. It was Emperor Lin who came with Noble Consort Ruan and a group of imperial doctors.
As soon as she entered the room and saw Lin Ting on the bed, Noble Consort Ruan screamed and rushed over, holding her son's hand as she sobbed.
Emperor Lin's face was also very unsightly. The servants who entered the Emperor's palace had already reported the whole matter truthfully, so he naturally knew what had transpired. He walked over and looked at the unconscious Lin Ting before he turned and asked Meng Fuji, "Is King Qi's poison cleared?"
Meng Fuji gave the Emperor the same answer he gave Lin Feilu.
The imperial doctors who came along heard that it was caused by Fengli grass and they all discussed it. After seeing the prescription prescribed by Meng Fuji, they added a few more herbs and gathered them together to study the detoxification methods.
Emperor Lin sighed and patted Lin Feilu's hand, "Today, he's fine thanks to the Little Fifth Princess."
Lin Feilu shook her head silently.
Irked by the fact that Noble Consort Ruan was sobbing hysterically on the sidelines, the veins on the back of Emperor Lin's hand felt like they were going to burst out. He suddenly turned around, raised his hand and slapped her face with a significant force as he said angrily, "Now you decide to cry?! What sort of mother were you before this happened?"
Noble Consort Ruan was stunned by the slap that she temporarily forgot that she was crying. She continued to stare blankly at Emperor Lin with a shocked expression.
Lin Feilu spoke suddenly and asked Meng Fuji, who was beside her, quietly, "Doctor Meng, is it depression?"
Meng Fuji replied, "It is recorded in the medical books that the disease in the body can be cured by medicine, but the disease in the heart is something that even doctors cannot cure. Depression stems from the heart and the constant negative thoughts would cloud one's mind with troubles and mess up their mental states, eventually leading them to seek a way out to find respite."
Emperor Lin frowned and said, "What do you mean? Little Fifth Princess, do you mean that King Qi suffers from depression?"
Lin Feilu's voice was a little hoarse, "Yes. If it weren't for him having depression, why would he ingest poison and try to kill himself?"
She had long known that Lin Ting was in a worrying state.
He showed too many telltale signs of having depression, something that she had seen one too many times in the modern world.
She should have thought long ago that such a gentle and kind person was prone to be subjected to mental illness when faced with the endless persecution from their mother's family. The kinder someone was, the more likely they were to get hurt.
Noble Consort Ruan was stunned and she muttered for a long time, "How…how could…"
Lin Feilu looked at her coldly, "Is Noble Consort Ruan truly unaware of the cause of the Eldest Imperial Brother's depression?"
Noble Consort Ruan shuddered, but she was speechless for a while.
The little servant who went to obtain the medicine finally came back at this time as he hurriedly brought in the boiled medicine. Meng Fuji and several imperial doctors gave Lin Ting the medicine together. He was in a coma, so he only managed to drink half of the medicine whereas the other half was sprinkled all over his collar, dripping from his mouth.
Noble Consort Ruan cried again when she saw this scene unfold. However, this time, she didn't dare to cry out loud any longer. She merely covered her face with a handkerchief and sobbed softly.
Several imperial doctors developed new antidote prescriptions and immediately went to make more of them after reporting it to the Emperor. Emperor Lin stayed in King Qi's Residence until late at night before returning to his palace. Lin Feilu wanted to stay here whereas Noble Consort Ruan was unwilling to leave. Meng Fuji, too, had to stay behind to observe the Eldest Imperial Prince's condition.
The entire King Qi Residence was dyed with a thick layer of gloom.
As soon as Emperor Lin left, Noble Consort Ruan took Lin Ting's hand and cried for a while. She desperately asked Meng Fuji, who was standing beside her, as if she was grabbing a life-saving straw, "Will my Ting Er wake up?"
At this time, she finally seemed to resemble the look of a mother.
Meng Fuji said sternly, "This humble one will try his best to detoxify the poison, but his heart disease is difficult to cure. His Highness King Qi was determined to seek death, so whether he can wake up or not depends on his own wishes. If you allow this humble doctor to say something inappropriate, I can say that even if he wakes up successfully for now, there is no guarantee that he wouldn't try to kill himself in the future."
Noble Consort Ruan's face was pale and aghast. Looking at the young man lying on the bed, her mind flashed back to how he looked when he was a child.
He was such a small and well-behaved child. When he picked up any small animal, he would bring it back to her and call her 'mother' softly.
At that time, he was smiling so happily.
Noble Consort Ruan suddenly remembered that she hadn't seen Lin Ting's smile for a long time.
The older he got, the more silent he became.
She sat beside the bed and held Lin Ting's hand, feeling stunned for a long time.
Lin Feilu gave Meng Fuji a look and he excused himself without further ado. With only the two of them left in the room, Lin Feilu walked over to Noble Consort Ruan and said softly, "Noble Consort."
Noble Consort Ruan was startled and turned around.
She stared at the girl beside her.
This was the person she had always hated and even wanted to kill. But in a twisted turn of fate, she was the one who saved her own son, which also meant that she saved the entire Ruan family.
Noble Consort Ruan didn't know how to face her for a while.
She was very well aware that Lin Feilu didn't like her, so she was expecting harsh comments and criticisms or sneers from the child. However, she thought that she was just going to accept whatever impudent words that were going to be thrown in her way.
Who would have thought that Lin Feilu merely looked at her and accentuated her every word, "Has Noble Consort Ruan ever loved this child of yours?"
Noble Consort Ruan moved her lips. She wanted to say that naturally, she did love him. After all, it was presumptuous for a mother to not love her own son. But when she was about to utter those words, she thought about her and her family's actions throughout these past few years. She remembered the glimmering light in Lin Ting's eyes slowly dimming until they were no more. Clutching that memory, she was unable to say a single word.
Lin Feilu's voice was very shallow as she spoke without any emotion, but her words were like a knife, cutting into the mother's heart, "This child was conceived in your womb, he was made from your flesh and blood and he's practically a part of you. Did you carry him for ten months painfully and carefully, while risking the dangers it posed on your life while delivering him, just to make him a pawn for power?"
Noble Consort Ruan shuddered.
Lin Feilu looked into her eyes before her tone was as light as a sigh, "As long as Noble Consort Ruan has even a trace of motherly love for the Eldest Imperial Prince, then it is time to let go."
It's time to let go.
Over the years, Lin Ting had said to her countless times, "Mother, just let it go."
Whenever he said this, he would be rebuked and be taught a lesson. Every time he was reprimanded, the light in his eyes dimmed a little. Now, it was completely dark.
He no longer pestered her to let go as he used his own methods to end everything that troubled him.
She killed her own child with her own hands.
Noble Consort Ruan couldn't remember how many times she cried today. This time, however, her cries were full of nothing but remorse. She cried while holding Lin Ting's cold and weak hand, "But it's too late…"
Lin Feilu sneered, "Do you know why Noble Consort got the slap from the Father Emperor tonight?"
Noble Consort Ruan was stunned and looked at the girl with tears streaming down her face.
Lin Feilu spoke with sarcasm, "Does Noble Consort Ruan really think that Father Emperor knows nothing about what the Ruan family has done over the years?" She did not wait for her to answer as she said coldly, "The Emperor has always been the most jealous and most afraid of foreign relatives. Yet, the Ruan family has been in control of the government for a long time over these years, staying at the peak of power for quite a while. Even though the Ruan family knew that Father Emperor was getting paranoid of the power your family held, they weren't going to step down, were they?"
Noble Consort Ruan's face turned pale and she hurriedly retorted, "No…"
Lin Feilu interrupted her ruthlessly, "Noble Consort, why don't you think about it— what sort of stand did Father Emperor have while your two factions were fighting for the throne? Just because he didn't stop you outwardly, does that mean that he acquiesced to your Ruan clan to fight for the crown? If so, why was the Ruan family getting involved in even more confrontations over the years?"
Noble Consort Ruan's face became paler.
In this six-year-long struggle for succession, Emperor Lin wasn't completely unaware of what was going on. However, he was just watching from the sidelines, trying to use the Crown Prince's faction to suppress the Ruan family.
Ruan Shi's support towards Emperor Lin's ascension to the throne all those years ago was reused by him. As expected, it indeed made a great contribution to the court. The Ruan family's children and even Prime Minister Ruan's disciples were spread all over the court, becoming a force that even Emperor Lin could not easily suppress.
It was impossible for Emperor Lin to leave such a hidden danger to his future heirs.
The surname in this world was destined to be Lin, not Ruan.
Lin Ting was doomed from the beginning to never be able to become the heir to the throne. Emperor Lin's cultivation and value towards Lin Ting was merely to feed the Ruan family's wishful thinking.
When the Ruan family began to set foot on the road of winning the rights to heirloom, they fell into the trap that was already laid out by Emperor Lin. He didn't have to deal with the Ruan clan by himself at all. He only needed to acquiesce to the fight between the two factions and indulge the Crown Prince's bite on the Ruan clan. Then, he could remove the Ruan family's wings one by one.
Just like the collapse of the Imperial Ancestral Hall back then.
Emperor Lin knew that there was something strange going on and he was angry that the Crown Prince's faction dared to do something like this to the Imperial Ancestral Hall. However, he did not show any mercy when dealing with the Minister of the Imperial Engineering Sector and the officials from Prime Minister Ruan's faction.
Lin Feilu looked at Lin Ting who was still unconscious on the bed, and for the first time, she felt that the royal family was truly ruthless.
Didn't Emperor Lin know how helpless and powerless his son had been all these years? He must have known. Otherwise, he would not have slapped Noble Consort Ruan and said something like that. However, he didn't interfere. He only watched the struggle between the two factions and Lin Ting's growing despair.
Sometimes, family love really couldn't compare to the desire for power.
Lin Feilu thought it was ridiculous and even his tone was much more sarcastic, "Think about it, Noble Consort, is it the Crown Prince who wants to annihilate the Ruan family? Does the Crown Prince have the final say as to what goes on in the Great Lin Empire today? With the Crown Prince's faction alone, how were they able to shake your Ruan family, a tree that had sprawled its roots into the soil for many years?"
These truths were something that Noble Consort Ruan was aware of. Otherwise, how could she be willing to agree to such Marquis Wu'an's unreasonable request?
It's just that no one had ever pointed it out to her in such a straightforward manner.
Thanks to the incident in the Imperial Ancestral Hall, Prime Minister Ruan's faction suffered a huge loss. As many of their trusted officials were imprisoned because of this incident, the Crown Prince took advantage of the vacant spots to be replaced by his men. That day, the request was immediately approved by the Emperor, so it didn't give the Ruan family any time to react at all.
The Marquis of Wu'an also rejected the proposal of marriage between the Ruan family because of this matter. Before the Snow Poetry Banquet began, he had already sent his daughter Wei Luochun out of the capital overnight to return to her hometown in Yuanzhou. Obviously, he was worried that the Ruan family might pull some strings to get the two together.
It wasn't that she should let go, but she had no other choice but to let go.
Noble Consort Ruan was sitting on the edge of the bed, and after an unknown amount of time, she suddenly knelt down in front of Lin Feilu.
Lin Feilu tried to run away, but Noble Consort Ruan jumped up and grabbed the hems of her skirt, crying bitterly, "Fifth Princess! Little Fifth Princess, I know that you have a good relationship with my Ting Er. Please save him, save my Ting Er…"
The woman in front of her was no longer the arrogant and noble woman she used to be. The struggle for succession over the years would undoubtably also be a form of torture to her. But now, Lin Ting's suicide had finally become the last straw thatmade her break down.
"Even if I let go now, even if the Ruan family lets go, the Crown Prince will not let him go. The Ruan family can retire and the Prime Minister can return home to his hometown, but Ting Er has nowhere to go. He is King Qi and is also the Eldest Imperial Prince of the Emperor. There is going to be a day where the Crown Prince would feel threatened by his position and wouldn't bother to leave a speck of mercy for him…"
The rivalry between the two factions was more than a life-and-death feud.
Lin Ting knew that his death was the only way to stop this battle for succession, which meant that the Crown Prince was not unaware of that conclusion either.
As long as one was around, the other would not ever stop scheming against each other.
Lin Feilu wondered if there was still a trace of friendship for his Eldest Imperial Brother in Lin Qing's heart today.
But…
She pulled her skirt back from Noble Consort Ruan's hand and looked at Lin Ting on the bed. She was answering her, but it was also a promise to herself, "As long as I'm here, I will never let my Eldest Imperial Brother face any troubles."
There was no news stating that Lin Ting committed suicide by taking poison. Instead, it was only said that he was seriously ill. Previously, the Ruan Prime Minister's faction was already sluggish. It became even worse after hearing this news as some people secretly joined the Crown Prince's faction.
Lin Feilu didn't return to the palace as she stayed in the King Qi residence.
The first person who came to visit was Lin Nianzhi, as she lived outside the palace. She arrived early the next day and happened to have a face-to-face encounter with Noble Consort Ruan. With the state of the Noble Consort, who had a messed up appearance when it came to her makeup and hair, Lin Nianzhi couldn't recognize her upon the first look.
In the afternoon, Lin Jingyuan and Lin Jiwen also came. Seeing the serious look on the imperial doctor's face, the two didn't try to bother them. They only glanced from a distance outside the doors and sat silently in the courtyard.
In the afternoon, Lin Jingyuan and Lin Jiwen also came. Seeing the serious look on the imperial doctor's face, the two didn't try to bother them. They only glanced from a distance outside the doors and sat silently in the courtyard.
Lin Jingyuan said sullenly, "I came to King Qi's mansion to find eldest brother the day before yesterday. At that time, he was fine. How can he be sick?"
Lin Jiwen scratched his head, "Eldest brother doesn't seem to be in good shape since he left the palace. Is it because the food outside the palace is not as good as the ones in the palace?"
Lin Jingyuan, "…"
When the other palaces heard that King Qi was seriously ill, they all sent their representatives to visit him. The Eastern Palace also sent someone to deliver a two hundred-year-old blood ginseng, but Lin Qing never came even once.
With the daily consultations of the imperial doctors, Lin Ting's body was finally cleared of the Fengli grass poison bit by bit. Nevertheless, he was still in a coma. He relied on some water and liquid food as supplements every day, so his already thin stature became even weaker and frailer.
Lin Feilu was so anxious, but she couldn't wake him up no matter what she did. After thinking about it, she planned to try the modern method of 'speech therapy'.
She didn't do anything else every day as she sat by the bed and told Lin Ting a bunch of stories.
At the beginning, she talked about the story, 'One Thousand and One Nights'. Then, she talked about fairy tales, and finally, she spoke about the martial arts drama she had once watched.
One day, the seven masters, who were conversing about Guo Jing, did not allow him to be with Huang Rong. Instead, they insisted on pairing him with Mu Nianci(1).
(T/N: It's actually a real show called Legend of the Condor Heroes. If you like martial arts and ancient eras, it's a good drama to watch)
(Editor's Note: Jing Yong's works, together with 3 others are basically considered to be the forerunner to a lot of modern wuxia and xianxia, or catapulted wuxia and xianxia into mainstream. They have been adapted into tv screens, mangas, manhua multiple times too)
Lin Feilu sat cross-legged on the stool, holding a storytelling wood(2) in her hand. When she talked about the highlights, she hit the wood on the bed, "Then, Guo Jing said no because he only likes his Huang Rong. The seven masters said, "You bastard! Dongxie Huang Yaoshi is a madman who kills without blinking an eye. From now on, I will not allow you to see this little demon girl again!" Guo Jing hurriedly insisted that Huang Rong was not a little demon girl, but was a very, very nice lady."
(T/N: A block of wood that storytellers would hold and wave around, hit it etc. to accentuate certain parts of their stories)
She sighed and couldn't help but prop up her head and began to fantasise. If she were to have transmigrated into a world of martial arts at the beginning, maybe she would have her own Guo Jing by now?
A weak voice suddenly came from the bed, "Then, did Guo Jing and Huang Rong get together in the end?"
Lin Feilu didn't react for a moment.
But after realising who was the one talking, she jumped up from her seat.
Lin Ting opened his eyes and looked at her with a smile.
Lin Feilu turned her head and ran out, "Meng Fuji! Meng Fuji! The eldest Imperial brother is awake!"
All the imperial doctors who were waiting at King Qi's mansion ran in, and after another round of inquiries, they finally confirmed that Lin Ting was indeed alright. The residual poison in his body had been cleared, and as long as he paid attention to taking care of his body in the future, there would be no more problems.
All the imperial doctors who were waiting at King Qi's mansion ran in, and after another round of inquiries, they finally confirmed that Lin Ting was indeed alright. The residual poison in his body had been cleared, and as long as he paid attention to taking care of his body in the future, there would be no more problems.
The imperial doctors prescribed a new prescription for him, and when he finished drinking the medicine, the kitchen also served some light white porridge.
Lin Feilu looked at his gradually recovering face, wanting to cry and laugh a little. When everyone in the room left, Lin Ting was half lying on the bed as he reached out and touched her head, "I'm sorry, I made Little Lu worry."
She shook her head, trying to say something, but found herself unable to say a word.
Lin Ting seemed to feel something and smiled weakly, "What about after that? How did Guo Jing convince his seven masters to stay with Huang Rong?"
Lin Feilu sniffed, holding back the sourness in her eyes, and briefly recounted the rest of the plot, "Afterwards, they gave birth to two daughters— one named Guo Xiang and one named Guo Fu. This would lead to another two stories, but I'll tell you about it later!"
His eyes curled, "Okay."
Lin Feilu looked at him for a while before slowly stretching out her fingers to hook his little finger. She then said in a husky voice, "Brother, we have made an agreement, so don't hurt yourself in the future, okay?"
The smile on Lin Ting's face gradually faded.
He lowered his eyes, making his long eyelashes drape over his eyelids as it casted a deep shadow.
After a while, Lin Feilu heard his hoarse voice and said, "Little Lu, too many people have died."
The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the half-opened window, coincidentally in a spot enveloping him. However, that warm light could no longer illuminate his eyes.
It was not the first time that Lin Feilu saw Lin Ting cry.
When they first met, he hugged the rabbit as he hid in the grass and cried.
In fact, he had always loved to cry. His heart was so tender, so it was easy for him to cry for this world.
But at this moment, tears flowed from his eyes without making a sound. They slid down his pale cheeks and fell drop by drop on the back of his hand, that was covered with thin veins.
He said softly, "So many people died because of me; how innocent they all were. I should have ended all this long ago. I know that I will bear this sin in hell even if I die."
Lin Feilu's eyes were red, and she held his trembling fingers tightly, "It's not your fault. It has nothing to do with you."
He looked up and smiled in despair, "I can never forgive myself for taking so many lives."
How painful it must have been to see so many people die because of him, especially as a person who couldn't even bear to hurt smaller animals. He was trapped in a depressed pit and the guilt he felt only deepened until he was engulfed by darkness.
Lin Feilu held his hand as if trying to give him warmth and strength. But in a soft tone, she asked him, "Eldest Imperial brother, do you think so many people wouldn't have died without you?"
Lin Ting was still in tears, looking at her with wet eyelashes.
Lin Feilu said, "Even without you, there will be someone else. There will always be someone who will stand in your current position and become the most important pawn in this power struggle. On the contrary, because the one who is standing in this position now is you, you prevented many things from happening and many innocent people from being implicated."
Lin Ting stared at her blankly.
Lin Feilu said earnestly, "If it were any other person, even me, no one would be able to be as kind as you. I will not hurt myself for others, but for self-protection and for a better life. Many of us would do something that we don't want to. However, you haven't, Brother Ting. You have kept your inner principles and kindness up to now. Because of your existence, many people in this battle for succession have avoided death and calamity."
No one died because of you. Instead, because of your existence, many people were saved.
Lin Feilu's remarks actually stole some modern philosopher's concepts, but she was also telling the truth.
If any other person was placed in his position, they might have stood on a united front with the Ruan family and fought for the position. The fiercer the fight for the throne and the wider it spreads, eventually more people will die.
And all of this was controlled to a minimum because of Lin Ting's silent resistance and blocking.
Lin Feilu reached out her hand and gently wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes.
Her fingers were still the same as when she was a child— soft and warm, just like her voice at the moment, "You can feel sorry for those who died, but you don't have to feel guilty for it. Because guilt can't change a single thing and it can't make everything change for the better. Even if you want to atone for your sins, you have to live to atone, right?"
Lin Ting looked at her beautiful and gentle eyes. Suddenly, it was as if he had returned to his childhood days.
Every time he was forced by his Mother Consort and didn't know what to do, while he was so anxious to the point that he only knew how to wipe his tears, Little Lu would always help him find a solution wisely.
She had been so omnipotent since she was a child. He not only doted on her but also trusted her.
After what she said, he didn't seem to be that uncomfortable anymore. It was as if a ray of light had pierced through the darkness, allowing him to breathe.
There was a rush of footsteps outside the courtyard as those inside could hear a frantic voice getting louder as it approached them, "My Ting Er is awake? Ting Er!"
Immediately after, the door was pushed open as Noble Consort Ruan hurried in. As soon as she entered the room and saw Lin Ting sitting on the bed, she rushed towards him, crying and embracing him into her arms.
Lin Ting had not been hugged like this by his Mother Consort for a long time, so he was stunned for a while.
Noble Consort Ruan said while crying, "Ting Er, it's Mother Consort who is sorry. I shouldn't have forced you to do this. I won't ever force you to do anything from now on. No matter what you want to do, Mother Consort will no longer object to it anymore. My Ting Er, my child…"
Lin Ting was at a loss as he looked at Lin Feilu beside him, seemingly asking for help.
Lin Feilu had no choice but to say, "Noble Consort, eldest Imperial brother has just woken up, and his body is still weak."
After hearing this, Noble Consort Ruan quickly released him. Still, she held his hand and wept. It wasn't until Emperor Lin arrived that she forced herself to suppress her tears.
When Lin Ting saw his Father Emperor coming in, he wanted to stand up and give his greetings, but the Emperor stopped him. He looked at his eldest son with conflicted eyes. After asking about his body and health, Emperor Lin sighed in pain, "Why do you do this to yourself? Ordinary people know that living is better than dying. So as a dignified Imperial Prince of the Great Lin Empire, what is it exactly that could only be solved with your death?"
Lin Ting lowered his eyes and said nothing.
The imperial doctor came in to report on Lin Ting's illness. Hearing that he was safe, both the Emperor and Noble Consort Ruan left the residence after entrusting the imperial doctors with a few words of concern.
When Lin Ting learned that Littly Lu had been by his side the entire time that he was in a coma, he was both moved and guilty for a while. He said to her, "You should also go back to the palace."
Lin Feilu crossed her hips and thundered, "I won't! I'm going to watch you here! What if you drink that… that whatever grass again? Oh right, where did you get that thing? I'm going to beat the person who gave you that poison with a stick to the point where they'll get cramps!"
Lin Ting couldn't help but laugh.
When he smiled, she laughed too.
The two looked at each other and laughed for a while. Then, Lin Feilu suddenly asked him, "Eldest Imperial brother, now that Noble Consort Ruan is not forcing you now, you can live your own life. Is there anything that you want to do?"
Lin Ting was stunned momentarily as he thought about it seriously, but finally, he just shook his head, "I don't know, it seems that I don't have anything that I want to do."
Even though Lin Ting didn't feel as guilty as before because of the enlightenment of Lin Feilu's concept, his depression was not something that could be resolved with a few words.
After so many years of persecution and torture, the darkness had already entangled his heart like a woven mess of spider silk, making him feel depressed and lethargic all the time. Unless those spider silks were completely uprooted, he would never revert back to the former Lin Ting.
Lin Feilu had a friend who suffered from depression back in her world.
The night before the incident, they still danced happily in the bar. The girl laughed louder than anyone else and danced more happily than anyone else that night. The next morning, Lin Feilu received news that she committed suicide by jumping off the building.
Those emotions were so pervasive that even if you were laughing at one moment, you could find yourself crying the next.
And then, it desired to kill you in the dead of night.
Lin Feilu's fingers under her sleeves were clenched into fists so tightly that she could feel her own pulse.
She pursed her lower lip and curled her eyes,"Eldest Imperial brother, you heard me tell you the story of Guo Jing and Huang Rong today, do you think it sounds good?"
Lin Ting nodded, "It was nice."
Lin Feilu asked, "Then do you want to experience the life of the world of swords, lights, and shadows? To live the life of a martial artist traveling the world filled with both happiness and grudges?"
Lin Ting was stunned, "Huh?"
Lin Feilu squinted her eyes, made a long-sighted expression, and her tone suddenly became deep, "Sigh, you don't know, but in fact, my biggest dream was to be a chivalrous and brave warrior, which is why I have followed Noble Consort Xi since I was a child. Didn't Noble Consort Xi hone her martial arts skills even in thunder and rain and didn't give up practising to be able to raise a sword against the skies of the unknown?"
Lin Ting followed her words and asked, "So?"
Lin Feilu took his hand very happily, "So, do you want to stroll around the unknown with me, eldest Imperial brother?"
Lin Ting didn't speak for a long time.
Lin Feilu has already begun to imagine beautifully: "We can choose our stage names; we'll be No-Brains and Unhappy! When injustice happens, we draw our blades to help— rob the rich and help the poor, punish the evildoers and promote the ones with good deeds! From the capital to Jiangnan, then from Jiangnan to Saibei; we'll overlook all over the great rivers and mountains, journeying through the yellow sand and turquoise water. When we are thirsty, we will drink and feast; when we are sleepy, we will use the ground as our seats and the sky as our quilt! Accompanying each other, we can gallop our horses and share the prosperity of the world(1)!"
(T/N: Not entirely, but most of the things she said here were taken from an existing song)
Crap, I nearly sang it out.
Lin Feilu shut up in time.
But her eyes were still sparkling brighter than the stars in the sky. Looking at Lin Ting with anticipation and enthusiasm, she waited for his reply.
After a long time, Lin Ting finally burst out laughing and said, "I agree with everything else, but why No-Brains and Unhappy?"
Lin Feilu, "Sigh, if you don't like it, I have something else," She blinked her eyes and asked very seriously, "How about Ultraman and the Little Monster?"
She always liked to say things that others didn't understand, but her words were always fascinating to him.
His 5th sister was the most beautiful, kindest, and the most interesting girl in the world.
Lin Feilu also laughed along before she stretched out her little finger and shook it, "Then it's a deal, okay? Pinky promise!"
Lin Ting lowered his eyes, and after a long while, he slowly stretched out his finger. He hooked his little finger with hers seriously and said softly, "Mm, we've agreed."
…
The day was not too late. After Lin Ting woke up, Lin Feilu stayed in the King Qi Residence for two more days. After watching him take his medicine and eat well, his complexion improved slightly. With that, she finally returned to the palace with confidence. After returning to the palace, she went straight to the Yangxin Palace.
Emperor Lin just woke up after taking a nap and sat lazily on the soft cushions to read the memorial. When he saw her running in, he sat up straight with a smile and patted the seat next to him, "Sit here."
He also ordered Peng Man to fetch Lin Feilu's favourite snacks and butter tea.
It was always said that the Little Fifth Princess was the little lucky star of the palace, but it seemed to be really true. She onced saved the Crown Prince before, and now, she saved King Qi. The more he looked at her, the more he liked her. He then said, "After spring comes, I plan to give you a title."
According to The Great Lin Empire's rules, only a Princess with great merit could be conferred a title. Otherwise it would be given based on ranking, starting from the eldest Princess, the 3rd Princess and then the 5th Princess.
In Lin Feilu's generation, perhaps even in the previous generation, no Princess had ever been conferred a title, which was considered a great honour. Although Lin Feilu had not gained any merits, but because she had saved the lives of the two Princes at the moments of their life and death, it should be considered a great merit. It was not a violation of the ancestral system either.
However, Lin Feilu didn't know much about this and thought that giving her a title was a very common thing, so she nodded, "Okay, what title does the Father Emperor want to give me?"
Emperor Lin pondered, "You have always loved flowers. I saw that you have especially loved planting camellias in the past two years. The green camellia grows best in your flower field, so how about giving you the title 'Green Tea'?"
Lin Feilu, "?"
Emperor Lin pondered alone, "Princess Green Tea, this name is also very charming. It seems to have the fragrance of tea, even."
Lin Feilu,"…"
I suspect that you are connoting me.