Chapter 154: Change

Facing the gifts arriving from the palace like a flowing stream, Prince Wei only wanted to roll his eyes.

The reason Father Emperor gave was too ridiculous.

Was it that the Jinlin Guards couldn't investigate it and were fooling Father Emperor, or was Father Emperor fooling him?

Prince Wei’s intuition told him it was the latter.

Father Emperor was so shrewd; if the Jinlin Guards dared to fool him like this, Cheng Maoming’s head would have moved long ago.

But why did Father Emperor do this?

Amidst his frustration, Prince Wei, who had invited the top scholar Yang Zhe for tea, asked, "There is a child who suffered a grievance and went crying to his father to complain. His father promised to seek justice for him, but after an investigation, he just brushed it off. Why do you think that is?"

These words were somewhat obvious; by all rights, they shouldn't have been asked. Since receiving the miraculous weight-loss formula from Yang Zhe, Prince Wei's results had been significant, and their private interactions had increased. He had gradually come to appreciate and trust Yang Zhe more, which was why he no longer held back.

Yang Zhe pinched his teacup and remained silent for a moment before saying softly, "There are two possibilities. One is that letting the child know the truth would cause him even greater harm. The other is that, compared to this child's grievance, there is something even more important that needs to be protected."

"Two possibilities, huh." Prince Wei took a sip of tea.

The purposes of these two possibilities were quite polar opposites.

To be fair, Father Emperor had always been decent to him, but he still felt it was the second possibility.

Something more important to Father Emperor—

Prince Wei stared fixedly at Yang Zhe, and an answer popped into his mind: The Crown Prince?

Yang Zhe lowered his eyes and took a sip of tea.

***

The news that the eldest Miss Lin had been kidnapped, a deed attributed to Zhao Helin, the Deputy Commander of the Jinlin Guards, shocked many people. To the onlookers, there was no answer that was unacceptable. Especially regarding the Jinlin Guards; nothing they did was surprising.

The General's Mansion, however, was full of doubt regarding this outcome.

"It couldn't be, right? Even with that little girl who fell in love at first sight with Prince Wei?" Lady Lin's first reaction was that it was impossible—at least, it was impossible for Prince Wei during the Chrysanthemum Banquet.

"How can you speak like that?" The Old Madam shot Lady Lin a glare, glancing at her eldest granddaughter sitting quietly to the side.

"Then you tell me, was it really that man surnamed Zhao making a foolish move for his daughter's future prosperity and status?"

"It's not necessarily impossible."

Lin Hao suddenly spoke up. "I still have an impression of the scene at the Chrysanthemum Banquet. At that time, that Miss Zhao didn't seem to have any intentions toward Prince Wei."

"Exactly. I think the Jinlin Guards couldn't find the culprit, so they just found someone to take the blame to close the case," Lady Lin said.

Cheng Shu couldn't help but interject, "But the person who ambushed me in the alley was indeed ordered by Zhao Helin."

"Perhaps Zhao Helin was also being ordered by someone else?" Lin Hao's words were startling.

Several people couldn't help but look at her.

"A-Hao, what have you thought of?" the Old Madam asked.

With the clue from the Xuanwu Camp, Lin Hao was almost certain that the one behind this dirty trick was the Crown Prince.

"If Zhao Helin is not the mastermind, then the only person I can think of who could command a Deputy Commander of the Jinlin Guards and whom the Emperor would not investigate further is—" Her gaze swept over her grandmother, mother, brothers, and sister as she voiced her suspicion, "—the Crown Prince."

While bringing the enemy of the Crown Prince into the open would place great pressure on her family, it was better than being completely defenseless.

"The Crown Prince?" Ripples appeared in the Old Madam's eyes, though her face remained relatively calm. "It's a possibility, but it's hard to fathom. For the Crown Prince to do this, at most, it would just be to spite Prince Wei."

Lady Lin clapped her hands. "It must be to spite Prince Wei!"

The others froze, curious about Lady Lin's certainty.

Lady Lin said as if it were obvious, "The Crown Prince was assassinated and lost his wife, while Prince Wei not only got engaged but also slimmed down into a handsome man. How could the Crown Prince, who is used to being supreme, not be jealous and frustrated? A person like that, when jealous, has no rationality; he might do something truly inconceivable."

Lin Hao blinked.

Her mother's perspective actually made a certain amount of sense.

The Old Madam also began to ponder this possibility.

Cheng Shu was dumbfounded. "Just because he can't stand seeing his brother's life go smoothly, he would stir up such a convoluted mess? Isn't that—"

Insane!

"Isn't it insane? That's why they say getting involved with the Imperial Family brings nothing but trouble," Lady Lin added casually.

Cheng Shu rubbed his nose.

His aunt certainly had a way with words.

Lady Lin began to worry for her eldest daughter. "She hasn't even married yet and she's already encountered such an incident. If she marries into that family, who knows how much more trouble there will be. It would be better if this marriage didn't exist."

She was merely complaining casually, but the Old Madam's heart stirred, and she murmured, "If we truly don't want this marriage, this incident might just be an opportunity."

Lady Lin immediately sat up straight. "Mother, what do you mean?"

The Old Madam glanced at Lin Chan and uttered two words: "Feign illness."

Lady Lin was stunned. "Feign illness?"

The Old Madam nodded. "Correct. Since Chan'er encountered such a major incident as being kidnapped, it wouldn't arouse any suspicion at all if she fell ill from shock. If we claim she is 'seriously ill,' we can take the initiative to call off the engagement. This wouldn't be seen as disrespect to the Imperial Family; instead, it would make the General's Mansion look tactful and sensible. We can just let her recover slowly later."

"That's brilliant!" Lady Lin's eyes lit up. "Chan'er, what do you think?"

"I—" Lin Chan's butterfly-like eyelashes trembled, her face showing struggle.

The Old Madam patted her hand, her tone gentle. "Don't rush. Think it over carefully; such a major matter cannot be handled rashly. I am only saying that if you do not want this marriage, this is an opportunity."

The Old Madam actually hoped her granddaughter would give up this marriage.

If Prince Wei were just a leisurely and carefree prince, it would be one thing, but once targeted by the Crown Prince, trouble would be unavoidable, and there might even be life-threatening danger. When that time came, Chan'er, as Prince Wei's wife, would have to bear it alongside him.

She did not want her granddaughter to risk her life for the title of a Princess Consort.

Lin Chan was indeed in turmoil.

Previously, because she had been chosen by the Imperial Family, resisting would have brought disaster to the General's Mansion, so she had no choice but to accept and persuade her family not to worry about her. But in all fairness, she did not long to marry into the Imperial Family. It had nothing to do with Prince Wei's weight or beauty; what she truly wanted was a husband of equal status to live a stable life with.

Now, with such an opportunity before her eyes, should she seize it?

She looked at Lin Hao.

When she was chosen to be Prince Wei's consort, her greatest comfort was that she could prevent the Crown Prince's filthy thoughts toward her sister. But now, just to spite Prince Wei, the Crown Prince could stir up chaos in the General's Mansion with a single move.

When the Heir of Prince Jing had found them that day, he had mentioned that the Crown Prince's left hand was crippled. A Crown Prince with a crippled hand would likely become increasingly wary of the now-slim and handsome Prince Wei, and Prince Wei would inevitably be drawn into the struggle with the Crown Prince.

The struggle for the throne was always accompanied by bloodshed and carnage. When that time came, as Prince Wei's wife, she would likely bring disaster to her family.

That wouldn't be protecting her family; it would be harming them.

"Chan'er, don't rush to decide. Go back and think about it," the Old Madam said warmly.

Lin Chan tightened the handkerchief in her hand and said softly, "Grandmother, I have decided. If it won't cause trouble for the family, then let us claim illness. I never had the confidence to handle the identity of a Princess Consort to begin with."

(End of Chapter)