Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Arresting people
Lin Lanting was a very peculiar person. Just when Huiyi thought she understood him well enough and could withstand his moves, he would once again open her eyes to a whole new world.
Princess Rhinoceros.
Is it really that nice to listen to?
"You foul mouth of yours, can't you speak without being a jerk?!"
Along with the curses came two slammed punches from Huiyi.
But Lin Lanting was thick-skinned and tough; letting her hit him with his body exposed was like tickling him.
Huiyi's hand was hurt by the sharp object.
"Could it be that I am mistaken? Isn't the princess's childhood name Rhinoceros?"
What's wrong with calling her Princess Rhinoceros?
Seeing that Huiyi couldn't do anything to him, Lin Lanting became even more arrogant, continuing to spout nonsense and tease her with a grin.
Huiyi was furious and, in a moment of madness, shouted, "Watch me tear your mouth apart!" and then pounced on him with bared teeth and claws.
Lin Lanting was a martial artist, so his reaction was quick. He immediately grabbed Huiyi's hands and pinned her against the carriage wall.
Summer clothes are light and thin, and Huiyi's outer garment today is made of cloud gauze. When she raises her arms, the light gauze piles up and slides down like cumulus clouds, revealing a pair of slender, jade-like white arms.
However, Huiyi had no time to care about that at the moment; the feeling of powerlessness from being imprisoned terrified her.
Meeting Lin Er's smug gaze, she steeled herself and headbutted him.
"Good heavens!"
Although Huiyi's forehead was buzzing with pain from the shock, she was glad that she had achieved her goal.
That impact made Lin Lanting hiss several times, and he released the axle from her.
"Well, now you know how powerful this princess is, right?"
Despite the buzzing in her head, Huiyi said smugly.
Lin Lanting rubbed his aching forehead and looked at Huiyi with a complicated expression, as if she were a madman.
His forehead was completely red, yet he could still swagger around arrogantly—what a genius!
"Princess, you should take care of yourself first, otherwise people will think that I hit you."
Upon hearing this, Huiyi immediately picked up a palm-sized bronze mirror from the dressing table inside the car and began to look. Sure enough, there was a red mark on her forehead, which was too conspicuous and glaring.
After giving Lin Er a quick glare, Huiyi stopped arguing and took out the ointment from the box to apply.
These were all specially made medicines from the Imperial Pharmacy for her; once applied, they provided an immediate cooling sensation and reduced the pain by more than half.
"You scoundrel!"
Looking in the mirror, Huiyi was still not satisfied and turned to curse Lin Lanting again.
Lin Lanting felt that he had never suffered as much as the spoiled princess in his entire life.
It was his destiny to suffer this calamity.
With a sigh, Lin Lanting leaned against the corner, striking a pose as if he had been bullied, which made Huiyi itchy to retaliate.
After returning and freshening up, as dusk fell, Huiyi and Lin Lanting went to the main courtyard again to bring over the gifts that her parents had given to her parents-in-law, before finally resting in the east courtyard.
The brocade curtains were drawn tightly, and Huiyi lay inside, completely naked, letting Jindie and Yindie's soft hands apply pearl and hibiscus cream to her body.
She vividly remembers the gossip she received because of her dark complexion and thinness, and has never slacked off in the past five years.
Besides, what woman doesn't love beauty? Huiyi was no exception.
For the past five years, she has been applying whitening and moisturizing balms specially formulated for her by Shangyao Pharmacy every day, with the Pearl Hibiscus Balm being the most effective.
After applying the pearl hibiscus cream, apply a layer of peach blossom powder to keep your body dry.
Although she knew that Lin Er wouldn't dare to do anything reckless, Huiyi still had Biqing keep watch outside the tent, just in case.
Faced with such obvious defensiveness, Lin Lanting could only roll her eyes.
"I have already said that I would never offend the princess, so why the need for such precautions?"
Lying on the long couch, Lin Lanting rested his head on his arms, speaking softly.
These words reached the ears of the drowsy Huiyi. Even through the brocade curtain, Huiyi's words sounded dull and languid.
"Who knows? What if you suddenly lose your mind?"
Lin Lanting turned around, propped his head up with his hand, and revealed a wicked smile, saying, "Does the princess think that if such a thing really happened, you, a mere maid, could possibly stop me?"
Her smiling words carried a subtle threat, which sent a chill down Huiyi's spine, who was still dazed from being kneaded, and her face turned serious.
Turning her head to face that scoundrel Lin Er across the brocade curtain, she adopted a fierce posture and said coldly, "If you dare to do this, I will have my parents punish your parents instead!"
Even the most patient person has a weakness, and the arrogant and unrestrained Lin Er was no exception.
Sure enough, after saying this, the other party remained silent for a few moments before replying.
"You're ruthless."
Huiyi then let out a satisfied hum, rested her neck on the cloud-like soft pillow, and continued to hum and enjoy the application and massage of the golden and silver butterflies.
The tent was dimly lit, so a maid brought in a small table to hold incense, face powder, and an oil lamp for lighting.
This resulted in the figures of the people inside being projected onto the curtain by the candlelight, including the limp, sprawling woman.
It seemed like it was fiddling with something in its hands, and its two toes were also restless, occasionally sticking up, thoroughly enjoying itself.
Lin Lanting stared blankly for a while, a strange expression appearing on his face.
Especially after finishing his business inside the tent, with the figures of people scattered around, his gaze was naturally drawn to the slender figure slowly getting up.
Without the cover of her dress, her waist appeared even more supple and slender, and her long hair cascaded down to her fullest length, revealing her curves in the interplay of light and shadow.
Having probably been lying down for too long, when I sat up, I first stretched my body, and then picked up a thin piece of clothing and put it on.
Lin Lanting guessed it was her silk dress, which was frighteningly thin; he could tear it to shreds with just a little force.
Then, the brocade curtain was lifted by the maid, and Lin Lanting casually looked away, his eyes closed, appearing completely at ease as if he were sleeping.
His movements were so stealthy, and he dodged so quickly, that Biqing didn't even notice.
When the princess came out, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Just as the prince consort said, if he really came to see their princess with such a reckless attitude, her small frame really wouldn't be able to stop him.
After being pressed for a while, Huiyi felt languid, her whole body exuding the warm fragrance of pearl hibiscus cream.
After drinking a cup of lychee sweet soup handed to her by Biqing, Huiyi's gaze fell on Lin Lanting, who was lying upright not far away.
Thinking he was fairly well-behaved, her attitude softened considerably, and she smiled, "Since you're honest, you can go out and have fun from now on."
"You're just an eyesore in front of me. Don't worry, you don't need to worry about the elders asking. I'll speak for you."
His voice was so loud, and he was talking about something he liked. Lin Lanting could no longer pretend to be asleep and opened his eyes with a smile.
"Is the princess truly telling the truth?"
"nature."
Huiyi spoke clearly, and when she met Lin Er's smiling eyes, she unconsciously looked away for a moment.
She wasn't used to Lin Er's gaze.
It's a little hot.
The sound of cicadas blended into the night, and for the first time, the two of them fell asleep peacefully.
In the following days, as Huiyi had instructed, Lin Lanting would go out for some fresh air every few days.
Fearing that Lin Lanting might do something embarrassing for her outside, Huiyi even sent someone to keep an eye on what he was doing.
She didn't believe that Lin Er was an honest fellow. Not to mention his womanizing ways, he was a troublemaker even before marriage. She heard that he was even more mischievous when he was a child, and Lin Zhongshu had broken countless rattan canes with him.
Don't cause trouble outside and embarrass her too.
Fortunately, the returning guards said that Lin Er was just riding horses, hunting, or playing polo and cuju with his friends.
I didn't do anything reckless or rotten.
Huiyi breathed a sigh of relief and spent the last few days frequently visiting the main courtyard.
It's very simple, Huiyi likes people who are good to her.
Her mother-in-law, Guo, and Lin's sister-in-law did not avoid her like the plague because of her reputation.
That smile clearly showed he genuinely liked her!
Her mother-in-law, Guo, came from a military family. She was straightforward and enjoyed taking her to play games like archery and pitch-pot.
Moreover, her mother-in-law was an excellent cook. When Huiyi first tasted the dishes her mother-in-law had cooked herself, she was amazed.
She then showered her mother-in-law with compliments, which made her very happy, and the mother-in-law even made her some pastries to take back with her.
Sister-in-law Lu came from a scholarly family. She was gentle and seemed never to get angry. She would listen to Huiyi with a smile and would also arrange flowers and paint with her. As fellow women, they could also discuss the fashionable clothes, jewelry and makeup in Chang'an.
Even without mentioning Lin Er, judging from the mother-in-law and sisters-in-law, this marriage was of the highest quality.
On the eighth day of the sixth lunar month, Huiyi had just returned from the main courtyard, still wearing the pair of gold-inlaid jade bracelets that her mother-in-law had given her that day, her face beaming with smiles.
The sun wasn't too strong today, and Huiyi planned to go fishing at dusk, as she also wanted to have fish soup today.
No sooner had she returned to the East Courtyard than Qiu Shuang, who was in charge of reporting Lin Er's whereabouts to her, stepped forward and said, "Princess, the Prince Consort went to Xinfeng Tower today. Not only were there musicians entertaining him, but he also invited many ladies from Pingkang Ward to accompany him!"
"What!"
Upon hearing this, Huiyi didn't even bother to change her clothes and headed straight for Xinfenglou.
What a joke! How dare a prince consort indulge in pleasure right under the princess's nose?
The women of Pingkangfang are well-known, not only among the people of Chang'an, but also among those from other places outside Chang'an.
That was a notorious brothel, a den of iniquity, producing courtesans of unparalleled renown.
Is she dead?
Not for feelings, but for saving face.
Xinfenglou is located in Guangfufang on the east side of Zhuque Street, some distance from Chongrenfang where the Lin family lived.
Two blocks later, Huiyi had concealed her anger, but her anger was building up inside.
Biqing was still trying to calm her princess down, and for the first time, she spoke well of her husband.
"Princess, please calm down. Perhaps you have made a mistake, or perhaps the prince consort had no other choice."
As far as Biqing was concerned, they still hoped that the princess and her husband could have a harmonious marriage, so that there would be fewer quarrels and a more peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.
Hopefully, the prince consort truly has his reasons.
Huiyi snorted coldly and said in a sinister tone, "He had better be like that."
Yan Zhai arrived at Guangfufang at the fastest speed he had ever traveled and stopped in front of Xinfenglou.
The procession, with its servants and attendants, attracted the attention of passersby.
Huiyi stepped out of the carriage, her jade-like face icy cold, and the long whip at her waist was even more chilling.
Some of the officials' sons and their families recognized the arrogant and domineering Princess Chang Le at first glance. They all shrank back, but couldn't suppress their desire to watch the spectacle, causing them to stretch and shrink their necks back and forth.
"Walk!"
Huiyi didn't care what others thought, and stepped into Xinfenglou with her whip in hand.
Meanwhile, in a private room on the third floor of Xinfenglou, there was a lively and bustling atmosphere.
In the center of the private room, a group of fair-skinned, alluring dancers were gracefully performing the most fashionable Hu Xuan dance, which originated from the Hu women of the Western Regions.
On both sides, beautiful women holding musical instruments played music for the banquet.
Seated at the head of the table was a handsome young man in a yellow brocade robe. He was beaming as he offered drinks. When it came to Lin Lanting, who was sitting right next to him, he chuckled and said, "Cousin, I know your family has strict rules, and your uncle is very strict with you. So, for your birthday celebration this year, I didn't hold it in Pingkang Lane. I specially chose Xinfeng Restaurant instead. How about that? Pretty generous, right?"
My gaze shifted to Lin Lanting, who was kneeling before the table, holding a cup of wine in his hand, accompanied by two exquisitely dressed and beautiful women from Pingkangfang, their expressions strange.
The strong smell of perfume made Lin Lanting want to dodge, but with people on both his left and right, he was inevitably at a disadvantage.
"Then what do you mean by this? You didn't go to Pingkang Lane, but you summoned the ladies there to keep you company while you drank. What's the difference between that and going there?"
"You even made those two accompany me? Do you know what kind of person my bride is, what kind of personality she has?"
In an environment she disliked, Lin Lanting's smile vanished, and her dark eyes, coupled with her words, became exceptionally intimidating.
Not only did Guo Xiao's expression falter slightly, but the two beautiful women kneeling beside Lin Lanting also looked terrified.
If they had known beforehand that they were here to accompany Princess Chang Le's husband, they would never have come.
It's too late to back out now. I can only beg Lin Erlang to be merciful and not do anything rash, lest they slip through the princess's fingers.
Nowadays, everyone in Chang'an knows that the second son of the Lin family married Princess Chang Le, who was the most favored and also the most spoiled and domineering.
While still on his honeymoon, Guo Xiao wouldn't have dared to seduce Princess Chang Le's husband into having fun, but there were reasons for it, and he had no choice.
Thinking of this, Guo Xiao smiled apologetically and said, "Cousin, please forgive me. I didn't mean to summon your wives, but Zheng Liulang, who was supposed to come, had a sick mother and couldn't keep his promise out of filial piety, so I left these two wives behind."
"Look, everyone here is full except for the seat next to my cousin. I only have two arms, I can't possibly hug all four beauties!"
Lin Lanting smiled faintly, poured the wine into his mouth, and slowly said, "Then can I have one in my left hand and one in my right hand?"
Not to mention that unruly princess, she would be punished if her parents found out.
In his grandfather's words, the Lin family had produced a wicked child.
Guo Xiao continued to smile, half-coaxing and half-persuading, "It doesn't have to be that complicated, cousin. You don't need to bother. Just let them pour you wine and fan you."
To be honest, Guo Xiao didn't dare to mess around with his cousin before, and he's even less likely to now.
Upon hearing this, Lin Lanting smiled brightly and said, "Even so, the princess has no idea what I did or didn't do. If I suffer trouble when I return, you, cousin, will probably not be able to escape either!"
Guo Xiao's expression fluctuated, and he laughed loudly as if to embolden himself: "What are you afraid of? The princess doesn't know the situation today. Xinfenglou is not Pingkangfang. It's not that serious."
Lin Lanting smiled but remained silent, though inwardly he thought: Perhaps it really is that serious.
As perceptive as he is, he has noticed the tail following him every time he goes out these past few days. Although it is well concealed, those subtle traces can never escape his keen eyes.
I immediately guessed that it was sent by the unruly princess.
If he hadn't known that the spoiled princess disliked him, Lin Lanting would have thought that she loved him dearly and wanted to control him at all times.
So today's events will most likely have to be reported back.
It looks like things won't be peaceful tonight.
At that time, how could the willful princess let go of her cousin, the culprit who "tempted" her?
With a compassionate gaze, I offered a cup of wine to the birthday celebrant as a tribute.
The music and dancing were lively, but Lin Lanting's nose was itchy from the incense on the two women, so he said to them, "Sit further away."
The two women immediately obeyed and moved away a little.
Wealth and status are dazzling, but one must also consider whether there are thorns in this nest of wealth.
Clearly, Lin Erlang's luxurious home was full of thorns.
The sound of the pipa suddenly turned urgent, like pearls falling onto a plate, or like the clash of swords and the thunder of horses.
Just as everyone was engrossed in the seductive music, the door was kicked open with a loud bang.
The singing and dancing ended, and suddenly there was silence.
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Author's Note: Update complete! [heart emoji]
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