Chapter 23 The Rhinoceros Princess

In an instant, the east courtyard was in chaos as everyone chased after the emerald parrot that was flying around in the yard.

But the more people there were, the more frightened the birds became, and the less willing they were to settle down quietly, which made Huiyi, who was running back with her skirt lifted, very anxious.

After watching the show for a while, Lin Lanting slowly said, "Stop chasing it. The more you chase it, the more counterproductive it will be. Be careful it flies out of the house and gets caught by wild cats outside as food."

Upon hearing this possibility, Huiyi immediately dared not send anyone to pursue them.

Sure enough, without human stimulation, the emerald-green parrot leisurely perched on a willow branch in the yard, chirping softly.

The tree was too tall; even if someone climbed up, they couldn't catch a small parrot and could only watch helplessly.

After watching Huiyi circle around under the tree several times, Lin Lanting, having had his fill of the commotion, slowly approached and said, "I do have an idea, but it's a bit thrilling. I wonder if the princess would be willing to give it a try?"

Huiyi, already frantic with worry, had no other options. She was afraid that if she lingered any longer, her parrot would fly away and she would never be able to find it again.

Upon hearing Lin Lanting say he had a solution, she no longer hesitated and immediately leaned over to grab him, saying, "Try it, hurry up and do it!"

Not only had it not yet fulfilled its intended purpose, but it was also something she earned through her own abilities; losing it would be incredibly painful.

Lin Lanting raised an eyebrow at the woman's soft, white hand gripping his forearm, then nonchalantly curled his lip and said lazily, "I know, Princess, please let go of me first."

Huiyi realized that in her haste she had almost thrown herself at the other person. She snorted and let go, saying, "Hurry up and get it done. There will be a big reward if you do it well!"

Lin Lanting chuckled and muttered, "Who wants your reward?"

Then he said to Changqiu, "Go and bring Zhufeng here."

What is "Chasing the Wind"?

Huiyi listened and wondered if it was some kind of powerful bird-catching tool, so she asked.

Lin Lanting wanted to tell the truth, but when he turned his head and saw the capricious princess's bewildered and innocent face, he had a wicked idea. He half-heartedly said, "The princess will know when the time comes."

Huiyi didn't get the answer, muttered something about why she was being so mysterious, and turned to stare at her parrot.

Fortunately, after no one chased after it, the little parrot stopped flying around and instead perched on a tree preening its feathers.

There was a little mishap along the way.

A baby parrot preening its feathers encountered a pair of magpies that had just landed to rest. Perhaps attracted by the parrot's bright colors, they approached, and then…

The mixed doubles team pecked at the little parrot until it cried out, then moved to another tree to perch.

Not to mention Lin Lanting, who was laughing heartily, even Huiyi couldn't help but twitch her lips a few times.

"What a weak bird! No wonder it was raised by a princess!"

Not only did he laugh, but he also mocked her without any restraint. Huiyi blushed with anger and reached out to scratch him, but he was too agile and dodged like a monkey.

"Don't get cocky, I'll deal with you later!"

Lin Lanting remained noncommittal. In his view, the spoiled princess was someone who was good at talking big, always sharp-tongued, but actually had no real ability.

Look, even if he moves a few times, he can't catch up.

"Waiting for the princess."

Even the whips he used to whip people were weak and limp; he didn't believe this unruly princess could do anything to him.

It was during this back-and-forth banter that Changqiu brought out "Chasing the Wind".

It was clearly a falcon, and its fierce and savage nature was evident from its eyes alone.

Before Huiyi could even speak to stop her, Lin Lanting opened the cage on the tree where the little parrot was.

The falcon swooped out, circled twice in the sky, and then, at Lin Lanting's strange whistle, nimbly turned and flew straight at the trembling little parrot.

Huiyi stared in disbelief, then rushed to Lin Lanting's side and shouted, "Do you know what you're doing? That's a falcon! It'll eat my parrot!"

How could she have believed Lin Er and let him use a falcon to catch her parrot!

Lin Lanting was so shaken he almost lost his balance, so he grabbed Huiyi's hands that were gripping his and said helplessly, "Can't you check the situation first before you fight?"

My hands were practically tied up; I couldn't break free no matter how hard I tried.

Upon hearing this, Huiyi stopped struggling and looked up at the tree.

The falcon shot off like an arrow, and the emerald parrot, which had just spread its wings to escape, was pinned down by the falcon in mid-air.

After a series of incoherent squawks, the emerald-green parrot was captured by a falcon.

It flew towards the two people who were entangled.

Lin Lanting stretched out his free right hand, and the falcon obediently tossed its prey from its claws into its master's palm.

A chubby parrot, nearly scared out of its wits, had its feathers disheveled and its plumage seemed to have withered considerably. It stared with its two shiny black eyes and had stopped singing.

This is the bird's reaction after being greatly frightened.

It was almost upside down.

"See, that's it, not a single hair fell out, are you relieved now?"

Holding the parrot's round, chubby little body, Lin Lanting smiled and handed it over, looking particularly smug.

Upon seeing the healthy little parrot, Huiyi paused for a moment, then waved her hand and said, "Let me go first."

Lin Lanting then remembered this and chuckled awkwardly before letting go of his hand.

Huiyi didn't rush to get the parrot, but first looked at her wrist, which had been pinched by pliers for a long time.

The light red ring on her fair skin became particularly noticeable.

"Your hands are so rough, anyone who didn't know better would think you'd pressed tree bark into your palms."

In broad daylight, and at such a close distance, Lin Lanting naturally saw the red mark. He squinted slightly, completely bewildered.

"Is the princess made of tofu?"

"It's like this from just a light touch. What if I were tied up like I am? Wouldn't I be seriously injured?"

Lin Lanting merely sighed, but to Huiyi, it was a very serious matter.

Could it be that Lin Er is planning to get revenge on her?

Huiyi glanced warily at Lin Lanting, snatched the little parrot that had nearly made her faint from fright, and glared at him fiercely, saying, "Mind your own business, unlike you, a rough rock in a cesspool!"

She dismissed the servants and entered the room.

After a flurry of activity, Huiyi felt quite hot, and seeing the daylight growing increasingly intense, she didn't want to stay any longer.

The first thing Huiyi did upon returning was to put the parrot in her palm back into its cage. After eating a few bites of food and drinking a few sips of water, it was no longer half-dead and was now carefully grooming its feathers, which had been ruffled by the falcon.

Seeing that the little parrot had recovered, Huiyi took the handkerchief offered by Biqing.

Wiping your hot neck with a damp cloth soaked in ice water instantly dissipates the summer heat.

Huiyi sighed comfortably, drank another cup of rose drink that Jinque had prepared in advance, and savored the cool breeze blowing from the fan beside her ear.

A steady, powerful footstep approached, clearly belonging to a man. Huiyi kept her eyes straight ahead, her voice undisguised.

"If you have nothing to do, go out for a walk instead of always hanging around me. It's annoying to look at you."

Spoiled to the point of being unrestrained, only this spoiled princess could be so arrogant in the world.

Lin Lanting muttered to himself, then sat down on the other side with a bright smile and said, "The wedding leave is nine days. On the day of the wedding, His Majesty gave me a lot of instructions, implying that I should spend these few days cultivating my relationship with the princess. How could I dare to run around?"

Huiyi was annoyed and said, "You can listen to whatever my grandfather says. Just go out. If he questions me later, I'll take the blame."

Lin Lanting smiled but remained silent, looking at the woman in front of him as if she were a fool.

The emperor favored him, but he himself was only a son-in-law, not as good as his own daughter.

Just like last time, when Li Huiyi tied him up and humiliated him, the emperor simply turned a blind eye and didn't say a harsh word.

But if he, as the emperor's son-in-law, dared to disrespect the emperor's beloved daughter, he would not be so careless.

If he goes out to wander around during his honeymoon, the emperor will probably find out by the afternoon. Even if the spoiled princess pleads for him, the emperor will remember it.

But the spoiled and willful princess wouldn't have thought of this; pampered by the emperor, she simply followed her whims.

Although Huiyi wasn't exceptionally intelligent, she understood Lin Er's gaze, which made her very unhappy.

"What kind of look is that?!"

Lin Lanting lowered her eyes, stood up and walked away, smiling as she said, "It's nothing, Princess, you misunderstood."

Walking up to the parrot cage, Lin Lanting looked at the little bird inside, which was chirping and twittering.

"Has the princess named this bird yet?"

Huiyi wanted to argue a bit more, but when she heard Lin Lanting ask a question, her attention was diverted.

"The woman in green."

"How about it? Doesn't it suit you perfectly and sound great?"

One moment she was sullen and unhappy, the next she was all smiles. Lin Lanting noticed that although this spoiled princess's anger came quickly, it also went away quickly, which was quite amusing.

Instead of nodding in approval as Huiyi had expected, Lin Lanting frowned and asked, "Does the princess think this name is suitable?"

Huiyi was displeased that her name, which she was extremely satisfied with, was being questioned. She retorted with a stern face, "What, you think it's inappropriate?"

"You'd better be able to say something."

Faced with the princess's imminent accusation, Lin Lanting remained calm and pointed at the parrot with emerald green feathers, laughing loudly: "If I'm not mistaken, this should be a five-colored parrot. Emerald green is the male, and red and blue is the female. Don't you find it funny that you call a male parrot 'Emerald Maiden'?"

"I think he should be called 'Green-Clad Gentleman' instead, hahaha~"

Lin Lanting only remembers the proper roles of ruler and subject when he is putting on an act, and only then does he humbly refer to himself as a subject. At other times, such as when he is experiencing emotional fluctuations like joy or anger, he has long since thrown those rules to the winds.

Now that they are husband and wife again, if Huiyi is to hold a grudge, she will have to argue from morning till night every day.

Huiyi then became lazy.

Seeing Lin Lanting laughing heartily, Huiyi's face flushed red and then turned pale. She decided to play along and said, "I don't care if it's male or female. Whatever I call it, that's what it will be called. Lin Lanting, do you have any objections?"

Seeing that the person was angry again, Lin Lanting tried to suppress her laughter, but some laughter still escaped her lips.

"No, no, no, Your Majesty, I dare not have any objection."

Seeing this, Huiyi was barely satisfied. She was about to say something like, "You know what's good for you," when the maid in green, who was shaking her feathers, interrupted her.

"Lin Lanting, you idiot!"

"Lin Lanting, you idiot!"

"Lin Lanting, you idiot!"

The parrot repeated itself three times in one breath, its clear and distinctive voice resounding in everyone's ears.

Everyone, including Lin Lanting, was taken aback at first, but then their expressions became quite interesting.

Bi Qing and the others wanted to laugh but dared not. Lin Lanting's smile also faded. He looked directly at Huiyi, who was trying hard to keep her eyebrows, eyes, nose and lips from distorting, and said indifferently, "Your speech is so clear. How long has the princess been teaching you?"

Huiyi touched her cheek, dismissing the slight guilt in her heart, and straightened her chest, saying, "It won't be long, just half a day."

"Isn't that amazing? Hahaha~"

After saying a few words, Huiyi couldn't hold back any longer and burst into laughter, collapsing onto the hidden pouch beside her, her body shaking with mirth.

"What are you going to do, Prince Consort?"

Because she was laughing so hard, Huiyi didn't notice what was happening on Lin Lanting's side. When she heard Biqing's words, Huiyi hurriedly looked up, only to find that the person was already in front of her.

His expression was cold, without a trace of a smile, and his eyes were sharp as blades, completely different from his former self.

This is undoubtedly terrifying.

Huiyi had just timidly called out "Protect the Emperor" when Lin Lanting burst out laughing, followed by loud laughter.

It was as if something had made him laugh.

He was clearly amused by her.

"The princess is such a coward."

After saying that, no matter how much Huiyi cursed him from behind, he didn't turn around and stepped out of the house feeling refreshed.

"You scoundrel! You scoundrel!"

For a princess to be frightened by that scoundrel Lin Er is truly pathetic. She was startled, but she couldn't control herself at all.

That scoundrel's threatening face is really scary!

...

Once outside the house, Lin Lanting's smile vanished, and she gave instructions to Changqiu, who was following closely beside her.

“Go to the accounting office and give some money to Granny Yuan. She is old, let her go home and enjoy her retirement.”

Changqiu was taken aback and asked blankly, "Ah, is it to send Granny Yuan home? I thought it was just to send Granny Yuan to work in another courtyard."

Lin Lanting fiddled with the jade-inlaid dagger on her belt and said in a flat tone, "Can't you see it when you're working at the other residence?"

"Go."

Changqiu grinned foolishly and agreed, then ran off in a flash.

Lin Lanting thought that his Xuan Lei must be hungry, and it was time to feed him.

He was skilled in archery and horsemanship and cherished his mount dearly. Therefore, whenever he had free time, he personally took care of Xuan Lei's meals and grooming.

Lin Lanting strode towards the stable specially set up for Xuan Lei, in a good mood, his one step being more than Huiyi's three.

Xuan Lei is a purebred Turkic horse, which he captured when he first went to the battlefield with his uncle and defeated the Turks.

Good horses need to be fed good fodder so that they can grow strong and powerful and run like thunder.

Upon seeing its master arrive, Xuan Lei let out an affectionate hiss, its joy clearly visible to the naked eye.

Lin Lanting leaned closer, stroked Xuan Lei's forehead with his palm, and said with a smile, "Are you hungry? There was a troublesome person in the way today, so I'm a little late. Dinner will be served now."

As he spoke, Lin Lanting poured the millet and black beans into the trough and sprinkled a thin layer of salt on top.

After they had almost finished eating the millet and black beans, Lin Lanting brought over some fresh wild grass from the side and stuffed it in.

Lin Lanting leaned against the fence, casually stroking Xuan Lei's mane. After he finished eating the fresh wild grass, she skillfully handed him an apple.

"Thanks to that troublemaker, I've been able to come over these past few days."

After chuckling, Lin Lanting heard a shout from afar.

"Second Young Master!"

He turned his head and saw that it was Granny Yuan, whom he had just ordered to be sent away.

"Grandma, what brings you here?"

Lin Lanting smiled enigmatically, though he already knew what was going on, he still asked the question as usual.

As soon as she finished speaking, Granny Yuan went to Lin Lanting's side, tears welling up in her old eyes.

"I heard that you, young master, want to expel this old servant from the manor. I don't believe it, so I came to ask you."

Lin Lanting tossed another apple to Xuan Lei, who crunched it loudly as he bit into it. Lin Lanting said lazily, "It was my idea. Changqiu didn't make a mistake. Granny, hurry up and take the money and go home."

There were no harsh words, but these smiling words made Granny Yuan's heart pound even harder.

She immediately abandoned her pride and knelt down to plead, "This old servant has served you for over ten years. I have served you well, even if I have not done anything of merit. How can you be so heartless as to not even give this old servant a place to stay?"

Similarly, Granny Yuan also thought that the young master's words were just to transfer her to another courtyard to serve. She waited anxiously, but this was the result she got.

She was a seventh-rank official serving as the gatekeeper to the prime minister, and also the head maid in the courtyard of the second young master of the Lin family. Over the years, the benefits she received were countless.

If she leaves, where will she find such good fortune again?

Granny Yuan wanted to stay, so she had no choice but to grit her teeth and beg the young master.

Lin Lanting was never one to be soft-hearted. Hearing Granny Yuan's words, which were almost like coercing a favor, he frowned and lost his temper.

He wiped his hands with the handkerchief Changqiu handed him, his smile fading slightly, and his dark eyes fell on Granny Yuan.

The air seemed to freeze.

Granny Yuan was trembling with fear and wanted to say something conciliatory, but she was interrupted by Lin Lanting's quiet words.

"You dare to provoke the princess on your very first day of marriage? You certainly have the courage. But have you ever considered what would happen to your whole family if the Emperor knew that a mere servant like you dared to challenge his precious daughter on your very first day of marriage?"

Granny Yuan's face grew increasingly pale, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably.

"If it's like this on the first day, no one can guarantee what trouble the mother-in-law will cause later."

"I only pleaded for my mother-in-law because of the many years she has served me in my courtyard. If she is not satisfied, then I can only let the princess decide what to do."

Lin Lanting was not entirely unaware of Granny Yuan's character.

Because she had served him since childhood and was the only head maid in charge of the East Courtyard, she had often acted arrogantly and domineeringly behind his back in the East Courtyard over the years, and also tried to squeeze some extra money out of him.

However, the good thing is that she managed the East Courtyard in a good manner and knew her limits, so she didn't touch his important things. Therefore, Lin Lanting was too lazy to care and simply turned a blind eye.

However, after what happened today, Granny Yuan can no longer be allowed to live.

After the host's light, smiling words, Granny Yuan felt completely enlightened.

He didn't even beg to stay. He kowtowed several times and said in a flustered manner, "It was my foolishness. Thank you, young master. I will pack my things and leave the manor now!"

Having said that, Granny Yuan, her legs weak, hurriedly left, not daring to linger any longer.

Seeing that the matter was resolved, Lin Lanting sighed, turned his head and exchanged a glance with Xuan Lei. He heard Xuan Lei let out a heavy sigh and then rub his arm against Lin Lanting's.

This is a case of someone being greedy and begging for an apple.

Lin Lanting, being soft-hearted, gave her another one.

When I returned, the new house had been completely renovated.

The festive red silk was removed, and the bed curtains were replaced with apricot pink, a color favored by young women, adorned with pearl and jade tassels.

The bed curtains swayed gently, and the pearls and jade beads collided and made a crisp sound.

Lin Lanting happened to arrive just in time for the meal to be served. Seeing the delicious dishes being brought to the table by the maids, he skillfully washed his hands, leisurely sat down on another crescent-shaped stool, and began to enjoy the meal without saying a word.

While eating, he praised, "No wonder the princess brought this chef from the palace. The food is so delicious! Look at this stewed mutton, there's not a trace of gamey smell, it's tender, juicy, and fragrant!"

"This fish is very flavorful, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside."

"The cabbage is sour and spicy, and it's incredibly appetizing. The chicken soup is so delicious it'll make your eyebrows fall off!"

Although they were all nice words, Huiyi still didn't let him off the hook.

"This is my lunch, and you've started eating it?"

Before I could even touch my own chopsticks, Lin Lanting across from me had already eaten more than half of the white rice in her bowl. Her eating manners weren't bad, but there was still a sense of wolfing it down.

Despite the serious gazes of the master and servants, Lin Lanting continued to eat leisurely, not forgetting to urge Huiyi on.

"We're husband and wife now, why distinguish between your lunch and mine? Let's eat together."

"Princess, don't just stand around, eat your food quickly, or you'll be unhappy if I eat it all later."

"However, the princess's meals were beyond my expectations. I thought the princess would set up two tables for meals, eating from one and leaving the other table empty."

However, the reality was that there were only four dishes and a soup on the table, which was not much but not much either, completely different from the extravagant style of the spoiled princess in Lin Lanting's memory.

Huiyi was both angry and amused by these words, and retorted, "What nonsense are you talking about? You only eat one table's worth of food before throwing it away. Stop eating!"

In the blink of an eye, Lin Lanting had eaten half of one of the fish-flavored eggplant dishes, and the others were also in imminent danger.

Huiyi immediately perked up and started competing with Lin Lanting.

"You call me a pig? I think you're the pig, eating so much!"

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't keep up with Lin Er's eating speed, and Huiyi got so angry that she started cursing.

Lin Lanting was able to multitask, enjoying his meal while also engaging in a lively discussion with Huiyi.

"Someone like you, eating so little? I'm a military man, if I ate so little, I probably wouldn't even be able to lift a gun, let alone go to the battlefield, I'd just be used as a gun!"

Huiyi retorted, indignantly, "Who said I can't even lift a gun? Stop insulting me!"

"Then you can try it later!"

"Let's give it a try!"

Looking at the two of them, Yu Niang couldn't help but laugh. After laughing, she told someone to go to the kitchen to cook a few more dishes.

A bucket of rice was also delivered.

There was no other way; the prince consort had a big appetite, and it wouldn't be good for him to go hungry.

After a scramble, most of the food was gone, and both of them were so full that they had no energy left to argue.

The leftover food on the table was removed, leaving only the two of them sitting opposite each other.

Although she was full, Huiyi was still resentful about Lin Er taking her food, and was glaring at him angrily.

Lin Lanting felt nothing from such gazes, and even felt in the mood to laugh and chat.

"Didn't the princess say she could handle a gun? Why don't you try it now? It'll also help you digest your food, what do you say?"

These were harsh words she had just uttered, so Huiyi naturally couldn't go back on her word. She stood up, her body heavy from just having eaten.

"Come!"

Lin Lanting laughed loudly, "Great! Come with me!"

After saying that, he strode out of the courtyard, and Huiyi followed slowly, feeling tired after just a few steps.

Seeing that it was just a minor contest between the princess and her husband, Yu Niang and the others didn't say anything more, but instead followed along to watch with great interest.

The two arrived one after the other at the place where Lin Lanting had practiced his spear. Under the scorching sun, Huiyi saw Lin Er nod at her, gesturing for her to take the long spear from the shelf.

Huiyi, naturally, was not intimidated and reached out to shake his hand.

Then he quickly pulled it back and blew on his palm.

"Your gun is burning hot!"

They've been baking in the sun for so long, no wonder they're suffering.

Huiyi muttered a complaint, which greatly surprised Lin Lanting. He reached out and touched her hand, then laughed and said, "It is a bit hot, but isn't the princess being a bit too dramatic?"

Huiyi glared at him and retorted, "Of course you don't notice the calluses on your palms. This princess is not like a rough man like you!"

Being criticized for being rough again, Lin Lanting raised an eyebrow and subconsciously glanced at Huiyi's palm.

It's all soft, tender meat; it's definitely different.

Huiyi did not give up. She took out a handkerchief as a barrier and tried to lift it up with one hand.

Ran's hands trembled so badly that he couldn't lift the long spear forged from fine iron. Huiyi's expression changed from surprise to embarrassment.

He was just making some tough remarks, but he lost face in the first encounter.

This is embarrassing.

He simply took out another handkerchief, used both hands instead, and shakily dragged the gun off the shelf.

"Phew~"

But it was merely pulled out of the shelf, and then landed quickly, the fine iron striking the ground with a clanging sound.

Huiyi blushed, struggling to hold the gun, and said incredulously, "What on earth is this thing? How can it be so heavy!"

Huiyi regretted her words; she wished she hadn't made that boast.

Lin Lanting, having thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle, crossed his arms and jokingly said, "This spear of mine weighs forty jin; the princess can only hold it for three breaths."

Huiyi suddenly felt immense pressure and began to consider retreating.

Unfortunately, that scoundrel Lin Er was watching closely from the side, so Huiyi couldn't back down.

Thinking of this, Huiyi shouted loudly and used all her strength to lift the spear.

She succeeded, but because Huiyi used too much force and the spear was heavy, she leaned backward.

"Princess!"

Yu Niang and Bi Qing exclaimed in surprise, wanting to rush to their aid, but they were too far away to grab him in time.

Fortunately, the prince consort reacted quickly and caught the princess who was leaning back.

Huiyi felt a warmth around her waist, and her swaying body immediately stopped.

Huiyi looked up as the weight in her hand suddenly disappeared.

The sunlight was dazzling, and the boy seemed to radiate a brilliant light all over his body, with a radiant glow adorning the corners of his eyes and brows.

"Will you dare to act recklessly again next time?"

On such a hot day, Lin Lanting uttered such cold words, which infuriated Huiyi.

"I'm not playing anymore!"

Having lost face, Huiyi stopped dwelling on it, brushed aside Lin Lanting, and stormed back to the cool, icy room with a fan and ice.

She must have lost her mind to agree to let that scoundrel Lin Er do such a mess in this sweltering heat!

Knowing that the man was angry and planning to renege on his debt, Lin Lanting didn't stop him. He smiled and put the spear back, then leisurely followed.

As night fell, Lin Lanting slept on the long couch just as he had the night before, without a blanket or quilt.

After taking a bath, Huiyi glanced at the long couch and, at least she kindly spoke up.

"At least cover yourself with a blanket. If you catch a cold in the middle of the night, you'll blame me."

After muttering something under his breath, Lin Lanting remained unmoved and chuckled, "Princess, don't worry. On such a hot day, if it weren't for the presence of Your Highness, I would be sleeping naked."

"Even if we take a step back and say that she really caught a cold, it has nothing to do with the princess."

Having said that, Huiyi had nothing more to say and climbed into bed to sleep.

On the second day of their marriage, fearing that the two would have nothing to do, Madam Guo asked Lin Er to show her around the house.

First, I took a walk around the east courtyard, and then toured the entire house.

Although she was a bit tired, Huiyi also made quite a few discoveries.

For example, there is a fishpond in the southeast corner of the main courtyard. Because Madam Guo loves to eat fish, there are many fat fish in it, which is perfect for fishing.

Huiyi enjoys fishing; the feeling of being able to catch something while being quiet is wonderful.

The downside is that you can't always catch fish, and often you end up empty-handed.

But this did not affect Huiyi's mood; she enjoyed the pleasure of fishing.

However, it's been too hot lately, and Huiyi can't stand the heat, so she's thinking of waiting until it cools down before playing.

And tomorrow is her return to her parents' home, and Huiyi's heart is already filled with thoughts of going home.

On the third day of her marriage, Huiyi left the house with the generous gifts prepared by the Lin family for her return visit, as well as her displeased husband.

At the entrance of the Lin residence, Huiyi and Lin Lanting bid farewell to the two elders of the Lin family and walked towards the Yanzhai carriage, surrounded by servants and guards.

As her gaze wandered, Huiyi suddenly noticed a young woman standing at the entrance of the house next door.

She wore a pink shirt and green skirt, and looked gentle and charming. She seemed to be about to go out, so she stopped in front of the carriage.

What caught Huiyi's attention was that the young woman was staring at them with a look of deep affection.

Noticing Huiyi looking over, the woman in the pink dress panicked and fled into the carriage as if escaping.

Huiyi followed the other person's gaze and saw Lin Lanting standing beside her with a nonchalant expression.

Yo~

"What's wrong? Why is the princess looking at me like that?"

Huiyi did not make a scene in public, but Lin Lanting keenly noticed the meaningful look in the headstrong princess's eyes.

The palace did not allow riding horses, so the two traveled together by carriage, each feeling somewhat reluctant.

Recalling the look in the willful princess's eyes just now, Lin Lanting asked a question.

Huiyi made no attempt to conceal herself, opening the curtain just as the carriage passed by the door next to the Lin family's house. Huiyi coldly snorted and said, "You must have been quite the womanizer before, right?"

"What's the meaning?"

Lin Lanting sat up straight, his expression suddenly becoming serious.

The Lin family has a clean and upright family tradition, and its reputation has been spotless for generations. Suddenly, they were accused of something unjustly, which Lin Lanting refused to accept.

Seeing Lin Er's indignant expression, Huiyi briefly described the pink-clad woman's behavior and said with a smile, "That woman looked at you with such infatuation. Do you have some kind of affair with her?"

Huiyi thought that if she found out that this man had really had any romantic affairs in the past, she would not allow him to enter the house, let alone the couch.

Huiyi had witnessed this in Lingzhou. It was common for men with some wealth to hire prostitutes and concubines, especially the wealthy families in Chang'an.

Not only were they not ashamed of it, but they also considered it a refined and elegant affair.

The Lin family was a prominent clan in Hedong, with generations of officials serving in the government. Lin Lanting, on the other hand, had such an arrogant and unruly temperament, which must have been quite disgraceful.

Why didn't she think of that and let him sleep in the same room with her!

Her gaze immediately turned disdainful, and she shifted her body, distancing herself from him.

Lin Lanting was furious. Seeing that Huiyi was avoiding him, he deliberately went up to her and made Huiyi's face look like she was most terrified.

"You want to rebel!"

The more afraid she was, the fiercer Huiyi became, but in Lin Lanting's eyes, she was still very weak.

It looks like a cat or rabbit with its claws outstretched.

He stared intently for a while, and being as observant as he was, he noticed the spoiled princess's constant attempts to shrink into the corner.

If they had shells, they would probably all have to crawl inside.

Lin Lanting suddenly laughed, then sat back down and sneered, "You're the one having an affair. The Ruan family next door has a bunch of young women. How would I know who you're talking about?"

"Don't ruin my reputation."

Like a chaste and virtuous man, he presented an image of inviolable innocence.

Huiyi was half-believing and half-doubting, and wanted to question him, but she was also unsure because of Lin Er's seemingly genuine yet fake attitude.

"Heh, it actually looks pretty convincing."

After the argument ended, the two looked at each other in silence, and one of them leaned against the side and closed his eyes to rest.

The Lin family's residence was located in Chongrenfang, very close to the palace. It took only a quarter of an hour for the carriage to reach its destination.

But one person was the first to come out of the Zichen Palace.

He wore a brocade robe and a jade belt, and was exceptionally handsome.

Upon seeing Huiyi from afar, the man approached with a smile, affectionately calling out, "Sister Xinu!"

Seeing someone she didn't particularly like, Huiyi's expression turned somewhat cold. Lin Lanting glanced at her and understood immediately.

The heir of the Liang Prince's mansion, no wonder the spoiled princess disliked him.

However, the nickname "Wild Princess"...

“Sister Xinu, what a coincidence to run into you here.”

Li Xuyang smiled warmly, his eyes and brows radiating the intimacy of family, which made Huiyi very impatient.

Who is his family? Putting aside the fact that that annoying Li Xiuyun is his family, this cousin didn't even look down on her when he first came to Chang'an.

Huiyi still remembers the look of amusement in Li Xu's eyes when she first embarrassed herself at a banquet.

Like those people, it was filled with disdain.

Even if she now knows how to flatter and fawn, Huiyi doesn't care.

"Unfortunately, I am returning to my parents' home today."

"Also, just call me Chang Le."

A nickname isn't something Li Xu can just call out casually. When it came out of Li Xu's mouth, Huiyi felt goosebumps rise on her skin.

Upon hearing this, Li Xu paused for a moment, but quickly recovered and continued with a smile, "I'm sorry, I just considered my sister as family, just like Xiu Yun. I apologize for the offense."

Too lazy to argue with Li Xu, Huiyi waved her fan and said coldly, "Cousin, if you have nothing else to say, you may leave. I'm taking the prince consort to meet my parents."

Li Xu then turned his gaze to Lin Lanting, who was watching the commotion from the side, and said with a smile, "I knew of the General's reputation. He is a valiant and outstanding young man, a perfect match for you, sister. However, his temperament must be quite strong. I wonder if you and your husband have gotten along well these days?"

Huiyi felt that Li Xu was becoming increasingly insensible, even inquiring about other people's affairs.

Just as she was about to retort, she noticed Lin Er's hot body leaning closer, his long arms easily encircling her waist.

Huiyi stiffened, and then heard Lin Lanting laugh loudly in her ear: "The young master is indeed concerned about his sister, even asking about other people's affairs."

"But that's a bit unnecessary. Even if my temperament is not pleasing, I am the princess's husband and wife. What could be incompatible between us?"

Although Lin Lanting couldn't immediately figure out what the Prince of Liang was barking about, he knew how to shut him up.

The moment he wrapped his arms around her slender waist, Lin Lanting observed the unruly princess's reaction. Seeing that she only stiffened for a moment and did not slap him to get lost, Lin Lanting felt relieved and then boldly led her closer to him.

As expected, upon seeing the two's attitude, Li Xu was speechless and left with a somber expression.

Huiyi thought that, just as her parents had said, the Liang Prince's Mansion also wanted to win over the Lin family, which was why they were unhappy that Lin Lanting had become their son-in-law.

The annoying guy was gone, but the burning sensation at her waist remained, so Huiyi deliberately freed her hand to slap him.

Snap!

A sharp sound made the servants glance over discreetly, and they realized that the princess had slapped the prince consort's hand. They all chuckled to themselves.

"Let go!"

There was no time to react, and Huiyi also thought the method was good, so she did not stop Lin Ermianzi.

But seeing that Lin Er's arm was still wrapped around her even after everyone had gone far away, Huiyi became impolite.

Lin Lanting hissed and said resentfully, "I just helped the princess drive away the Prince of Liang's son, and he's already turned his back on me so heartlessly."

He was grinning and grimacing, clearly faking it on purpose, but Huiyi wasn't buying it.

With her parents right in front of her, Huiyi had no time to waste on these meaningless words and quickened her pace by lifting her skirt.

Lin Lanting followed, a smile playing on her lips.

At that time, Emperor Yongxi and Empress Du were playing cards in the palace. When they saw their daughter and son-in-law arrive, they immediately ordered the palace servants to take away the cards.

"You've finally arrived! Your mother and I have been waiting so long we've almost withered!"

When Huiyi saw her parents, she immediately clung to them affectionately, like a fledgling bird that had found its parents.

"I haven't seen my grandparents for so long, I miss you so much!"

Empress Du chuckled lightly, "It's only been three days, but Xinu is making it sound like several years have passed."

Upon hearing this, Lin Lanting agreed in his heart.

That's right, they've already come to this conclusion after only three days. What would happen if they were on a military expedition?

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty and Your Majesty."

He greeted the emperor respectfully, but when he looked up, Emperor Yongxi asked him with a stern face, "You're already married, why do you still address me as your subject?"

Lin Lanting was taken aback at first, then smiled knowingly and said, "It was my oversight that I forgot to correct myself. I deserve to be punished."

Originally, it was just meant to scare his son-in-law. Upon hearing this, Emperor Yongxi laughed heartily and said, "Excellent, excellent!"

While they were talking, the Crown Prince, the Third Brother, and the Elder Sister all came over.

It must have been the parents who invited them for a family reunion; the whole family was having a lively time.

However, with Lin Lanting around, Huiyi found him increasingly irritating.

"How have you been getting along with Erlang these past few days? Are you happy?"

When her grandfather suddenly asked, Huiyi rolled her eyes twice and mumbled, "It's alright."

She was indeed alright; Lin Lanting wouldn't dare bully her.

Aside from those ridiculous and absurd things that even I can't bring myself to talk about.

Lin Lanting was quite surprised to see that Huiyi did not file a complaint.

This spoiled princess is very petty; Lin Lanting was mentally prepared to apologize with a thorn on his back when she came today.

I never expected it to pass by so easily.

Okay then, he took back his earlier comment about people being petty.

While talking to his two brothers-in-law, Emperor Yongxi looked at his son-in-law and two sons with great satisfaction.

When Huiyi saw that her elder sister had come alone with her niece again, she said indignantly, "Why didn't Xie Dalang come?"

Li Huaiyu lowered his eyes, his expression wistful, his smile faint.

"It's better if he doesn't come. He's busy with official duties, and besides, his personality isn't very likable. He wouldn't be of much use if he came, unlike my brother-in-law."

The two sisters looked over together and saw Lin Lanting chatting and laughing with the father and his two sons.

He's warm-hearted and loves to laugh; if he wants to, he can utter any sweet words he desires.

In addition, his grandfather already liked him, so this homecoming was like a fish in water.

Even at lunchtime, Grandpa put a piece of food on Lin Er's plate, showing how much he favored him.

Huiyi couldn't stand her grandfather being nice to her, and she snorted several times from the side.

The original intention was to get the grandfather to control things a bit, but it gave Lin Er, that pretentious scoundrel, the opportunity. He smiled and served her a few bites of food, speaking with tenderness and affection, which pleased the parents once again.

I was so angry that I was full after just one meal.

After the meal, Huiyi was pulled to the bedroom by her mother to inquire about the details of her wedding night. Since her elder sister was already married, she was brought along as well.

Huiyi had nothing to hide and openly admitted, "I have nothing, Mother. I don't want to sleep with Lin Er."

"He was hot and smelly, I didn't like him."

Empress Du and her eldest daughter exchanged a helpless smile.

"After all, you've become husband and wife. It's not good if you don't consummate the marriage. Don't act impulsively, Xinu. Wait until the prince consort is more amiable, and things will naturally fall into place."

Young couples are the most innocent and passionate; a single spark can ignite a fierce fire.

Because of her mother's words, Huiyi couldn't help but think of the booklet from her wedding night on her way back, her face turning red and then black.

Unfortunately, Lin Lanting, who was by her side, was restless and kept staring at her, no one knew what he was thinking.

"What are you looking at? Look again and I'll gouge your eyes out and flick them out!"

Huiyi was used to saying such fierce things.

But this had no effect on Lin Lanting. He exaggeratedly clutched his chest, saying in a flamboyant manner, "Your Majesty, I am so frightened! Please spare my life!"

Huiyi felt like throwing up her lunch.

Too lazy to pay attention to him, Huiyi told him to get lost, then turned her head and closed her eyes to rest.

But Lin Lanting didn't stop there, asking, "Why is the princess's childhood name Xinu?"

"Princess Mingming is so petite, her waist is so small."

Huiyi had no choice but to open her eyes, and just then she saw Lin Er gesturing with his hands, showing off her waist.

Huiyi felt it was necessary to tell him, so she said seriously, "What do you know? It's because I was weak and sickly when I was born, and life in Lingzhou was not easy. My parents were afraid that I would die young, so they hoped that I would be as strong as a rhinoceros, which is why I had this nickname."

Lin Lanting, as if struck by a sudden thought, smiled and said with interest, "Then I misspoke earlier. The princess should not be called Lazy Pig Princess, but rather..."

"Princess Rhinoceros?"

Huiyi gasped for breath.

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Author's Note: A super long chapter is coming! [heart emoji]