Chapter 9 The Sixth Princess
“It’s been so long since I’ve hit anyone…” Su Jianqing’s fingers slowly traced the whip, then she suddenly smiled, a smile that was surprisingly bright. “Perfect, it seems someone’s itching for a beating. They’ve forgotten that even if my daughter is hiding for now, it’s not up to others to lay their claws on her.”
Yi Shao's fingers, which were resting on his knees, curled up slightly, and Shen Zhilan looked up.
Ling Wei quickly got up and pressed her father's wrist: "Father, calm down."
"Calm down? My daughter had someone block the palace road and act tough. If I don't go and teach them a lesson, do you think I can't lift a whip?"
“It’s not that I don’t want you to go,” Ling Wei leaned closer and lowered her voice, “it’s just that things are different now. I… don’t have any military merits to back you up now.”
Su Jianqing stopped moving.
Yes.
In the past, when Ling Wei was killing people at the border, he would beat people in the harem. As a result, their ranks fluctuated like a swing. Every time Ling Wei made a contribution, His Majesty would raise his rank; but every time he finished beating someone, His Majesty would lower his rank to show fairness.
That was an unspoken agreement between the father and daughter: one was earning military merits outside, while the other was clearing obstacles inside.
But if he were to lash out with his whip again now, it wouldn't just be a matter of fluctuating rank; it could directly jeopardize his daughter's already difficult situation.
Su Jianqing tightened her grip on the whip, then loosened it again, finally clicking her tongue and flicking her wrist, sending the whip falling back into the drawer.
"It's frustrating." He flicked his sleeve, sat back down in his chair, and turned his face away.
Ling Wei sat down next to him, poured him a cup of tea, and pushed it towards him: "I know you care about me, but right now it's better to avoid trouble. I'll feel at ease when you're safe and sound."
Su Jianqing took the tea and gulped it down before he could catch his breath. He then turned his gaze to Shen Zhilan and Yi Shao, who were sitting quietly to the side, and put on that gentle smile again. His expression changed as quickly as turning the pages of a book: "I'm sorry to have made the two children laugh at me. Don't leave at noon. Have lunch here. I'll cook for you myself and show you my skills."
Ling Wei felt a chill run down her spine and immediately interrupted, "Father, we can go back to eat. Everything is prepared at the manor."
Upon hearing this, the smile on Su Jianqing's lips slowly faded. He lowered his eyes and his voice also softened: "Now that Wei'er has a family, she's not even willing to have a meal with her father...?"
He looked up at Ling Wei, and a thin layer of tears welled up in his eyes, which were remarkably similar to Ling Wei's. "Father is all alone in this palace, waiting day after day..."
Ling Wei: "......" Here we go again.
She raised her hand to her forehead and sighed, "Fine, let's eat, we'll eat here."
Su Jianqing's face instantly lit up, all traces of her grievance vanished, and she turned to instruct the palace servants to prepare.
Then he remembered something and said to Shen and Yi with a smile, "It's still early before dinner. I recently acquired a set of exquisite puzzles, which are perfect for the three of us to play. Let's play them while we wait for our meal."
The Linglong Game is a refined game that has recently become popular in the capital. It involves playing on a jade plaque engraved with constellations and flowers, requiring players to memorize the moves, calculate the steps, and also figure out their opponent's intentions.
Su Jianqing enthusiastically laid out the dishes, but then invited Chen and Yi to sit down, waving her hand at her daughter: "Go play somewhere else, it's no fun playing with you."
Ling Wei: "......" Okay.
She was happy to have some free time, so she wandered around the room twice before returning to the card table to watch.
When Shen Zhilan holds the jade tablet, his back is straight, his fingertips are pressed on the edge of the tablet, and he always pauses for a moment before placing a piece, as if he has mentally rehearsed all the possible changes, and his moves are steady.
Yi Shao, on the other hand, would lightly stroke the cards with his fingers, occasionally glancing at Su Jianqing's expression with his eyes. He would often make seemingly casual mistakes, leading the game towards something more exciting.
Despite their different styles, both of them subtly made Su Jianqing win comfortably.
Su Jianqing smiled broadly as she collected the chess pieces, saying, "Look, this is what I call fun. Unlike some people, who just charge around recklessly when they play with me. It's so boring."
Ling Wei leaned against the window peeling oranges, too lazy to say a word.
Just then, light footsteps came from outside, and the voice preceded the person: "Fifth Sister! Fifth Sister, are you there?"
With a rustling sound, a young girl in a pale yellow brocade robe with arrow-shaped sleeves skipped in.
She has a round face and big eyes, and her skin is a honey color from running around outdoors. Her hair is tied in a high ponytail, and she exudes a carefree and lively energy.
It was none other than the sixth princess, Ling Xi.
She spotted Ling Wei immediately and rushed over, hooking her arm around her neck: "Fifth Sister, what happened yesterday? I was completely drunk."
Ling Wei pulled her arm off: "What could be wrong? If you're lying down, we're done."
"Oh dear, that wine isn't right!" Ling Xi scratched his head, trying to save face. "It's different from what I usually drink. I can drink a whole jar of wine while listening to music at Fanlou. I drank it too fast yesterday."
Ling Wei: "Oh."
Ling Xi wasn't embarrassed at all, and peeked into the inner room mischievously: "Where are the two new people in your courtyard? Let me see them!"
She was the youngest, and usually only enjoyed riding horses and listening to music, never paying any attention to the affairs of the imperial court and aristocratic families.
When Shen Zhilan was at the height of his fame, she was still a teenager. She had only vaguely heard of the elegant title "Young Master Jinghong" and had never paid attention to his appearance. As for Yishao, he was not within her scope of concern. Therefore, at this moment, she was genuinely curious.
Inside, Su Jianqing greeted with a smile, "Sixth Prince, you're here? Come in."
Ling Xi jumped in, and Shen Zhilan and Yi Shao had already stopped their card game.
Shen Zhilan stood up and bowed.
Yi Shao bowed slightly from his wheelchair: "Greetings, Your Highness."
"Get up, get up." Ling Xi waved her hand casually, glancing at the two faces.
Shen Zhilan raised her eyes, her face serene and tranquil like still water and jade.
Yi Shao looked up, her beautiful features like blossoming flowers at dawn.
Two faces collided in her eyes, and Ling Xi gasped, taking three quick steps back to get outside the curtain. She then grabbed Ling Wei.
"Fifth, Fifth Sister..."
"how?"
"My eyes..." Ling Xi covered her eyes, "It feels like something is shining in my eyes... It's so bright."
Ling Wei: "......"
Ling Xi put her hand down and suddenly yelled, "I'm not envious of Second Sister anymore, I'm envious of you! All the girls in Second Sister's courtyard combined aren't as pretty as you two!"
She grabbed Ling Wei and shook her excitedly, "So what if my legs are bad? So what if I'm mute? Isn't this face enough to make up for it! I want to ask Mother for one too, I want a concubine like that too!"
After saying that, she turned around and ran out in a hurry. Ling Wei sighed and watched her figure disappear in a flash.
The sixth princess, Ling Xi, was another towering figure among the spoiled young masters of the capital.
She was neither skilled in literature nor military strategy. She once spent a fortune to make a theatrical troupe famous, simply because she loved listening to the troupe leader sing new songs. She also once won too much at a gambling den and was harassed. She quietly led a group to smash up three of the other party's shops. Afterwards, she could still smile and go to the Emperor to accept the punishment, which was a six-month salary deduction and a period of reflection. After that, she would still go about her usual business as usual.
Not long after Ling Wei returned from the Northern Border, she and Ling Xi hit it off and quickly became the two most outstanding playboys in the capital. One was lazy and self-righteous, while the other was unruly and lawless.
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