Over the years, Xie Lin hadn’t changed much, decisively acting once he set his mind on something.
After leaving the Guest Welcoming Inn, he went directly to the Prince’s Palace and visited on his own initiative.
The Commandery Prince was in the Residence, and upon seeing him, he wondered if someone in the Residence had committed a crime. Why would he suddenly show up like this? Could it be that someone from the Prince’s Palace had unknowingly been involved in a case of the Imperial Judicial Office?
He politely invited Xie Lin in, but before he could speak, Xie Lin said bluntly, "I am here to see Li Wan."
The Commandery Prince’s heart skipped a beat, thinking to himself, why hasn’t this issue been resolved yet? It had been two years, and Little Prince Xie was relentless, truly headache-inducing. Could it be that he really agrees with Li Wan’s wish to leave the Capital City? Wouldn’t his wife worry about her every day?
Although Li Wan was not his biological daughter, she was an obedient child. Why did she have the misfortune that day to run into Xie Lin, who had been drugged, and then run away herself? Although he also thought it was right for her to run, the stern officer of the Imperial Judicial Office didn’t think so.
While he was thinking of an excuse to help Li Wan avoid this, Xie Lin spoke again, "I am here to apologize."
"Ah?" The Commandery Prince was stunned, apologize? For what?
Xie Lin felt somewhat awkward, "An apology that’s two years late, for what happened back then. She was right to run."
The Commandery Prince was even more bewildered, "This, this... Little Prince, why suddenly..."
Xie Lin lowered his voice and said more directly, "I want to marry her."
The Commandery Prince’s face changed instantly, "You’re not planning to marry her for revenge, are you?"
Xie Lin’s face darkened immediately, and looking at the Commandery Prince, who stepped back, Xie Lin said with restrained anger, "I am late in realizing, fortunately today Minister Su reminded me, and that’s when it dawned on me that indeed I have feelings for your daughter..."
The Commandery Prince almost fainted, shocked and speechless at Xie Lin, thinking to himself, is this how you show affection? It nearly scared his whole family to death, and scared his stepdaughter into wanting to flee the Capital City. He also suddenly became stern, "Little Prince, this is not something to joke about."
"I’m not joking." Xie Lin stepped forward, "I’m going to see her now and explain everything clearly to her."
The Commandery Prince hurried after him, "You can’t enter the inner court."
Xie Lin stopped, "Are you stopping me?"
Before the Commandery Prince could reply, he continued slowly, "Back then, I couldn’t beat Zhou Gu, but it doesn’t mean that today, I can’t force my way into a Prince’s Palace."
The Commandery Prince almost passed out, angrily said, "Are you looking to form a marriage alliance, or stir up enmity?"
Xie Lin was taken aback, his demeanor faltering for a moment, but still with a stern face, he said, "I must see Li Wan today."
Although he was late in realization after someone pointed it out, he wasn’t foolish. He knew the misunderstanding between him and Li Wan, and if he couldn’t see her today and clear things up, once she heard that he intended to marry her, she might just run away. She might even leave the Capital City overnight, and that couldn’t happen.
The Commandery Prince took several deep breaths, "Give me a moment to think."
"I want to marry her, what is there to think about?" Xie Lin said, continuing on his way inside.
The Commandery Prince could only follow him, "Hey, hey, hey, you, just wait.
Xie Lin strode confidently, knowing exactly where Li Wan lived. The day after he was drugged and went to the Imperial Medical Bureau for the antidote, he had stormed into the Prince’s Palace and interrogated her once.
The Commandery Prince couldn’t stop him, so he could only instruct his servants, "Quickly send a message, tell Sister Wan to tidy up and prepare to meet Little Prince Xie."
Xie Lin couldn’t stop the servant, who dashed off immediately.
Li Wan was reading when she heard someone come to deliver a message; she paused, looked down at herself, and realized there was nothing she needed to prepare. She put down the scroll and walked out of the inner chamber.
Xie Lin arrived quickly, and soon he was at Li Wan’s doorstep. Under the Commandery Prince’s protest, he strode into her courtyard with large steps.
The Commandery Prince glared furiously. Was this how one proposed marriage? His approach was almost like a robbery.
As a member of the Royal Family and an uncherished prince with no real power, he couldn’t stop the high-ranking and high-status Little Prince Xie, who entered the door with him. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞
He thought to himself that Fourth Young Master Zhou had indeed been too lenient on him back then. Now, without Fourth Young Master Zhou in the Royal Capital, Little Prince Xie was truly arrogant. He sat securely in the position of Minor Officer of the Imperial Judicial Office, had been recognized for his achievements recently, and in less than two years, once the High Official of the Imperial Judicial Office retired, he would be the youngest ever.
Apart from the King and his parents, who could stop him?
As Li Wan stepped out of the room, she happened to see Xie Lin coming in; she clenched her hands and curtseyed, "Little Prince Xie."
She wondered, what was he here for again? His aggressive demeanor made it hard not to suspect she had done something wrong. Could he have been drugged again? Heaven knows, she hadn’t left her house recently. If it was the same matter, she would be utterly wronged.
Xie Lin stopped in front of Li Wan and took a deep breath, "I am here to apologize to you."
Li Wan blinked and took an imperceptible step back.
Seeing her action, Xie Lin’s heart skipped a beat, and he blurted out the second sentence, "I want to marry you."
Li Wan: "..."
She looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with shock and uncertainty as she gazed at Xie Lin.
Xie Lin took another deep breath, "It’s my folly, not realizing I liked you, which caused you to misunderstand me every time, thinking I was petty, seeking revenge for that incident. It’s my fault."
Li Wan looked at Xie Lin in shock.
Xie Lin was earnest, "Li Wan, I am sorry. Today, someone reminded me, and I suddenly realized that I have feelings for you. I know it’s rude to come rushing here, but I was afraid you’d misconstrue my intentions further. If I had asked my mother and a matchmaker to visit your home and you refused, I wanted to come directly to you."
Li Wan remained silent for a long while, seeming to be in a daze, overwhelmed by his sudden declaration.
The Commandery Prince couldn’t bear to watch Xie Lin any longer, thinking it was no wonder he hadn’t married Qin Luan back then — with such a direct approach, which girl would like him? Qin Luan was determined, and his stepdaughter, gentle and demure, would likely be even more deterred.
As he was thinking this, he saw Li Wan suddenly smile, lift her head, and look seriously at Xie Lin before lightly saying, "Alright."
The Commandery Prince was shocked, his eyes wide with disbelief. Alright? Alright what? What was good? Did she know what she was saying? Her stepfather was still standing right there! Could she not have mildly said she needed to consider it? Even more, she hadn’t asked her mother for her opinion yet. His usually compliant and gentle stepdaughter, was she really making decisions on her own so abruptly? This was too hasty.
Xie Lin was also startled, a bit dazed, wondering if he had misheard, "What did you just say?"
"I said alright," Li Wan replied. "The Little Prince can return to the residence and ask the Queen to bring a matchmaker for the proposal."
This time, Xie Lin looked at her, filled with doubt, "You wouldn’t be tentatively agreeing just to make fun of me, would you?"
"Do you think I would dare?" Li Wan countered. "Even if I dared to mock you, I wouldn’t dare mock the Queen."
Xie Lin thought about it, and indeed, his mother’s dignity mattered much more.
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