The prince suddenly became urgent and turned around to grab her arm.

  Lin Xiao turned her head and looked at her captured arm, then glanced at the prince's face, using her eyes to hint that he should let go.

  Xiao Tai looked at him with hopeful eyes, his voice laced with a hint of pleading, and said in a low tone: "Yuanyuan, don't marry the Emperor, you know I...".

  No sooner had the words fallen than a "ding" sound came from the air, and then a jade bangle appeared on the ground. The bangle was already broken, lying in four or five pieces on the ground.

  Lin Daiyu sighed and said, "This was put on me by my grandmother just this morning, but it's already broken like this. It seems that this bracelet is not suitable for me to wear, so it fell off, wasting my grandmother's kind intentions." As she spoke, she raised her head again and looked at the prince, saying, "Oh, what was it that you just said?"

  Xiao Tai knew she was doing it on purpose, but he didn't have the courage to say it again. He looked at her, kept looking at her, but refused to let go. Just like when they were kids and every time she left the Wang Manor to return to the Lin House, he would pester her by holding onto her hand.

  Lin Yan reached out to brush his hand away and said, "The crown prince is the heir apparent and has grown up, he should know what can be done and what cannot be done..."

  "Your Highness, Miss Lin Si, how did you two end up here?" It was the eunuch's sharp voice.

  It was Wan Gonggong who walked over from the other side. He looked at the prince's hand grasped on Lin Ye's arm, and his face showed some confusion.

  The crown prince's face fell, and he finally let go of his hand.

  Lin Yan pulled her wrinkled sleeves, then walked over and slightly bowed to Eunuch Wan, explaining: "I got lost in the palace, accidentally walked here, and happened to meet the Crown Prince, so I wanted the Crown Prince to take me out."

  This is a rough and imperfect explanation, but explanations don't have to be perfect, just useful.

  Wan Gonggong said: "This palace is indeed a bit big, and there are many forks in the road. Fortunately, I met His Highness the Crown Prince." As if he really believed Lin Yu's words.

  The crown prince suddenly said with a smile: "Yes, fortunately I met you, to be honest, I haven't seen my cousin for many years, and as soon as we meet, we talk happily, that's why I stayed here for a while."

  He added emphasis to "delightful conversation". He smiled strangely and continued in a meaningful tone, "Master Wan appeared a bit too early, I still have many things to discuss with my cousin."

  Lin He furrowed her brow.

  Wan Gonggong's expression didn't change, he said: "Miss Lin Si will be the Empress in the future, she is your mother after you, Your Highness. It's a good thing for the imperial family and also for us servants that you get along with Miss Lin Si. But now the Emperor wants to see Miss Lin Si, Your Highness has something to say but wait until after Miss Lin Si marries the Emperor and enters the palace, then it won't be too late."

  A "motherly figure", a "big wedding", made Xiao Tai's entire demeanor drop, and then his face returned to that tearful look again.

  Wan Gonggong bowed to the prince and said, "I'll take Fourth Miss to see the Emperor. The weather is cold, and Your Highness has just recovered from a serious illness, so you should return to the palace and rest early." After finishing speaking, he glanced at Lin Yi and bowed his head, saying, "Fourth Miss, please."

  Wan Gonggong did not take Lin Xiang to see the Emperor, but instead took her directly out of the palace gate. The two had not mentioned a word about what had just happened, but it seemed as if they had reached an unspoken understanding.

  At the gate of the palace, Zhuang Shi, who had been walking back and forth in anxiety, and Lin Ying, who was standing beside the carriage with a serious expression, came up together.

  Zhuang's family pulled Lin Daiyu's hand, and hastily called out: "Yuanyuan." As she spoke, she looked her up and down, fearing that she had suffered injustice in the palace. She then turned to look at Wang Gonggong, who was escorting her out, as if only now believing that it was truly the Emperor who wanted to see her.

  "Miss Lin, I've escorted you this far. May the Fourth Miss and General Lin and his wife have a safe journey." With that, he bowed and turned back to enter the palace.

  Zhuang Shi looked at him leaving, then asked Lin Xiao: "Is it true that the Emperor wants to see you?"

  Lin Dai nodded and smiled, saying "uh-huh".

  Lin Ying looked at the back of Wan Gonggong and then looked at Lin Xiao, but didn't say a word.

  At this time, Li and Qi had also come up, took a look at Master Wan, and felt relieved.

  "Since we're out, let's go back to the manor."

  Although it was confirmed that the emperor wanted to see Lin Yu, Zhuang Shi let out a sigh of relief, but immediately afterwards she was dissatisfied with the emperor's actions again. As she walked with her daughter, she said: "The emperor is really something, after the grand wedding, when can't he see him? Why must it be like this? Although it's the imperial family, courtesy cannot be ignored."

  Lin He smiled slightly and didn't say anything.

  Lin Xiao sat in the carriage, her eyes fixed on the floral pattern on the hand warmer.

  The crown prince told her that she didn't tell anyone in the Lin family, nor was she going to tell anyone in the Lin family. Saying it out loud would only worry the family and couldn't change anything.

  Thinking of the prince, Lin Xiao's heart felt a few more points of loss.

  Time has changed many people and things, and that is no longer the soft and cute little brother she once held hands with as they grew up together.

  His father walked into the imperial palace from the Wang Fu and became the crown prince; while she was engaged to his father, she would marry his father, the emperor, and become his empress dowager.

  She had discovered the crown prince's feelings for her before, but she still thought that he only had a childish crush on her as an older sister figure. She believed that when he grew up and met the girl of his dreams, he would realize that his feelings for her were not romantic. It was like how she used to think she liked her second older cousin who often gave her snacks, thinking that when she grew up, she would marry him so she could have delicious snacks for life.

  Lin Yi was indeed feeling a headache, not knowing what attitude to use to treat him after entering the palace.

  Lin Yan was thinking, when the carriage had already stopped in front of the Wu Guo Gong Fu. The young servant took the footrest, lifted the curtain and helped them down.

  After entering the mansion, Li Shi said to Lin Xiao: "You've had a tiring day, go back to your own courtyard and rest, no need to accompany me." Then she also said to Zhuang Shi who wanted to follow her daughter back: "Don't keep asking the child questions, let the child take a break first."

  Lin Yan indeed felt tired, bid farewell and then left with Li Shi and Zhuang Shi.

  Mu Qing was standing at the gate of her courtyard, waiting for her. When she saw her coming in, she smiled and said: "The slave has already prepared hot water, Miss, take a bath to get rid of your fatigue."

  Being waited for is indeed a happy thing, and Lin Dai also smiled at Mu Qing.

  Lin Yan comfortably lay in the bathtub, smiling and complaining to Mu Qing: "Living in the palace must be a tiring thing."

  Mu Qing smiled and poured water on her shoulders with a ladle, saying: "Where is life not tiring? Even the wealthy families outside the palace have to worry about their fierce mothers-in-law and troublesome younger sisters. Poor people have to worry about making a living. But think about your loved ones outside the palace, Miss. If you have children in the future, think about your own children. If you still care about the Emperor in your heart, think about the Emperor. Thinking about these people you care about, perhaps you won't feel tired."