The Fifth Prince glanced at the large entourage by his side, then at the solitary girl opposite him, and his confidence swelled severalfold. With a slick, mocking tone, he said, "If it isn’t the future bride of our peerlessly heroic and divinely gifted Lord Ling?! Oh, Cheng Niangzi, why are you wandering alone today?"
As Zhai Nanny had rightly observed, the Fifth Prince wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. Had he not mentioned Shao Shang’s identity, the young noblemen behind him might have continued leering at her with vulgar amusement, assuming she was just another plump girl like the one the Fifth Prince had been intimate with—someone from an official family but of little consequence. But the moment he revealed she was Ling Buyi’s betrothed, their expressions and gazes shifted in unison.
Some whispered gossip—
"So this is the girl Ling Buyi is marrying? Not bad-looking."
"I disagree. She’s still underdeveloped."
"How crude. She’ll grow. What matters is her face."
"Says the one who’s been staring at her figure."
Others stirred with mischief—
"Perfect. Today’s entertainment is set."
"That Ling fellow always acts so high and mighty. Hmph, let’s see him swallow this."
"Exactly. The Fifth Prince will take the blame. We’ll just enjoy the show."
The more cautious sensed trouble—
"If the Fifth Prince harasses her, we should step in."
"Right. Let’s not let things escalate. We’ll suffer too."
"If Zisheng loses his temper, we might get dragged into it."
The timid were already inching away—
"We shouldn’t get involved. Ling Buyi isn’t someone to provoke."
"But the Fifth Prince—"
"Between Ling Buyi and the Fifth Prince, who would you rather cross?"
"Let’s slip away before anyone notices."
Shao Shang noticed the varied reactions among the young men, but the Fifth Prince, with his back turned, remained oblivious. He continued with his oily charm:
"There was a beauty I once saw, unforgettable at first glance;
A day without her, and I’m lost in longing’s trance;
Alas, the fair one dwells not by my eastern wall;
When will she grace me, and end this torment’s thrall?"
Frowning, Shao Shang cut in, "Isn’t this Teacher Sima’s fu ? Did Your Highness skip a couple of lines? After ‘lost in longing’s trance,’ shouldn’t it be ‘the phoenix soars in flight’ ?"
A few stifled chuckles rose from behind, and even those about to flee paused.
The Fifth Prince flushed red. "What do you know? This is borrowed recitation , borrowed recitation!"—This time, it wasn’t that he’d misquoted; it was indeed a fashionable rhetorical device. Unfortunately, he’d encountered a half-literate who didn’t recognize it.
"I see," Shao Shang lowered her voice. "This humble one lacks learning. Please continue, Your Highness."
Disrupted, the Fifth Prince couldn’t regain his rhythm. Instead, he mustered a smirk and said, "Cheng Niangzi, it’s been too long. Months apart, and you’ve grown even lovelier..."
"Months apart? Didn’t we meet just yesterday?" Shao Shang 'helpfully' interrupted again. "Has Your Highness forgotten? At the Everlasting Autumn Palace, when you were being..." dragged in like a dead dog for questioning.
"Enough!" the Fifth Prince snapped, humiliated and furious, startling the clueless young men behind him who had no idea what had provoked such a reaction.Shao Shang lowered her delicate head, her expression meek and innocent. "This humble one has spoken out of turn. My plain appearance is unworthy of Your Highness's undeserved praise earlier. Please continue with your... compliments—oh no, I mean, please continue speaking."
The Fifth Prince took several deep breaths, feeling his liver tremble with anger, yet he had no outlet for his rage. After calming himself slightly, he gave a cold laugh. "Originally, your family background was insignificant, merely the daughter of a petty official. But ever since you latched onto Ling Buyi, you've been strutting around arrogantly, not giving me a second glance. Never thought you'd run into me today, did you?" As he spoke, he let out a few sinister chuckles to amplify his intimidating aura.
The group of young noblemen behind him all thought to themselves: So what if she ran into you? At most, you’d flirt with her verbally—you wouldn’t actually dare plant a green hat on Ling Buyi’s head, would you?! Though, if you really did, brother, we’d respect you as a true man... and then burn a few sticks of incense for you during festivals, just to honor our bond of shared revelry.
Shao Shang didn’t retort, only appearing increasingly dejected and melancholy. "...What comes must go, every cause has its effect. The joy of yesterday is the suffering of today. The heavens never let you gain something for nothing."
Seeing her like this, the Fifth Prince couldn’t help softening his tone. "With Ling Buyi backing you, who could possibly bully you? Who are you putting on this act for?"
Shao Shang remained silent, casting him a pitiful glance before lowering her long lashes without a word.
The Fifth Prince hesitated, his tone inexplicably gentler. "Uh, well... someone really has bullied you? Why not tell Ling Buyi? He’d surely avenge you. Or... you could tell this prince..."
Still, Shao Shang said nothing, only giving him an even more sorrowful look.
A sudden realization struck the Fifth Prince. "Ah... could it be... could it be that the one bullying you is Ling Buyi himself...?" As he said this, he noticed that Cheng Shaoshang looked much thinner than she had months ago, her demeanor far more haggard than yesterday.
In the face of a fragile and helpless beautiful girl, most men tend to let their imaginations run wild—and the Fifth Prince was no exception. Even though the girl had a notorious reputation for defiance, even though he had witnessed her sharp tongue firsthand, at this moment, his thoughts smoothly veered in the direction he desired—
Premise One: Ling Buyi is cold-faced and cold-hearted, indifferent and cruel to others.
Premise Two: The girl is all bark and no bite, utterly defenseless against Ling Buyi’s mistreatment.
Conclusion: Ling Buyi has been bullying Cheng Shaoshang.
Shao Shang slowly raised her head, her eyes glistening as if with unshed tears—appearing both heartless and full of emotion (though in truth, it was merely someone’s wishful thinking).
The Fifth Prince swallowed hard. "If there’s... something troubling you, you might as well tell this prince..."
Shao Shang tilted her head slightly, casting an almost imperceptible glance toward the group of young noblemen behind him. Others missed it, but the Fifth Prince, standing directly opposite her, saw it clearly. At this point, not only were his bones softened, they practically melted—crispy as if deep-fried. He had never gotten along with Ling Buyi to begin with, and besides, Cheng Shaoshang’s appearance was exactly his type.
So he immediately turned and dismissed his companions, declaring righteously that he had matters to discuss with Miss Cheng.
The group of young noblemen exchanged glances, their expressions varied. Some were eager to leave, others were itching to stay and witness the drama, while a few looked uneasy, worried that things might escalate into something unsavory.However, Ling Buyi's fearsome reputation preceded him, and with the Fifth Prince taking the initiative to dismiss them, effectively shouldering all responsibility, the crowd hesitated only briefly before quickly dispersing—after all, those who would associate with the Fifth Prince, who had neither favor nor power, were hardly responsible or upright individuals, mostly idle scions or spoiled youngest sons from noble families.
Seeing the area now deserted, the Fifth Prince immediately stepped forward to grab the girl's hand. Shao Shang took the opportunity to turn lightly and glide toward the lakeshore ahead. The Fifth Prince followed like a foolish donkey chasing a carrot dangling before its forehead.
As he walked, he prattled on: "Did Ling Buyi bully you? I always knew his usual virtuous demeanor was just an act! Hmph, yet he’s fooled Father, the Empress, and all the ministers! But he can’t deceive me! I’ve suffered under his bullying before—I know exactly what kind of man he is... treacherous, vindictive, malicious, and unscrupulous! Tell me how he wronged you! Did he insult you? Does he have secret scandals? Did... did he strike you...?"
The thought that Ling Buyi might be a beast in human guise, preying on vulnerable girls, sent the Fifth Prince into a fervor. His forehead gleamed with excitement, his chest burned with righteous indignation, and he yearned to play the hero who vanquished the strong to protect the weak. Yet the girl remained silent, her head bowed in melancholy as she wandered deeper into the shaded grove.
The lakeshore was lined with slender, nameless bamboos, their leaves like willow catkins drifting in the breeze. As the sun dipped below the horizon and dusk settled, the bamboo shadows swayed by the water’s edge, the gentle lapping of waves accompanying the jade-like beauty of the girl. Even the Fifth Prince, a youth utterly devoid of poetic sensibility, found himself unconsciously adopting a refined and restrained demeanor.
"How exactly did Ling Buyi treat you?" the Fifth Prince asked softly.
Shao Shang’s gaze was distant, fixed on the shimmering lake where a pale golden pavilion stood at its center.
Her voice was ethereal: "Your Highness, do you see that pavilion? When I first saw it, I thought it was dazzlingly splendid, a sight to behold. But later, the Empress told me that from its roof to its pillars, the pavilion is riddled with rot. It looks fine from afar, but in truth, it’s on the verge of collapse. Her Majesty warned me never to enter, lest it crumble and crush me. His Majesty, frugal as he is, has been debating whether to tear it down or summon master craftsmen to restore it..."
The Fifth Prince listened intently, rapidly mobilizing his full mental faculties to decipher her words. His mind raced through metaphors, allegories, and personifications before he suddenly understood. With fervent empathy, he exclaimed, "Cheng Niangzi, you... you’ve suffered..."
The girl seemed moved. She slowly approached the lakeshore, where the lapping waves covered several smooth boulders at the water’s edge. She stood upon them, and the Fifth Prince, unable to resist, followed and stood beside her.
Shao Shang kept her head lowered. "Your Highness, your magnanimity in comforting me today despite past grievances shows your noble heart. I was young and foolish before, unable to distinguish good from bad. Please do not hold my past disrespect against me..."
The Fifth Prince’s blood burned with passion, and he felt himself grow taller with righteousness. "A true man stands firm in this world with a heart as vast as mountains and seas! A few petty quarrels with you mean nothing!" he declared loudly."Your Highness is a magnanimous and noble man, and I am deeply moved. However, I sometimes let my thoughts wander—if something were to happen between us today, would my betrothal to Lord Ling fall through?"
The Fifth Prince's smile stiffened as he suddenly noticed the girl's gaze had completely changed. Gone was any trace of vulnerability, replaced instead by sharp, cold calculation—as if she were observing prey caught in a trap.
An inexplicable unease rose within him, and he instinctively clutched at his collar, forcing a dry laugh. "Y-you mustn't think such things! Calm yourself, calm yourself. Your marriage was arranged by Father Emperor himself..." Meanwhile, he cursed inwardly—why should he fear a mere slip of a girl, shorter and weaker than him?
Her eyes seemed to soften slightly. "Then perhaps I should speak to His Majesty myself. If Your Highness would only bear witness and repeat what you just said—about Lord Ling being treacherous and cunning..."
"No, no, no!" The Fifth Prince gasped in horror, waving his hands frantically as he stumbled back two steps onto a protruding rock. He'd only meant to trip Ling Buyi up and cause him some trouble—if he actually ruined Ling Buyi's marriage, Father Emperor would skin him alive!
"Think carefully! Ling Buyi is actually quite admirable! Handsome, powerful, far superior to a powerless prince like me! Young lady, don't act rashly and regret it later!"
Shao Shang stepped forward, covering her face with her hands as she sobbed dramatically. "I knew no one would help me! Even Your Highness fears being implicated!"
The Fifth Prince stood awkwardly, uncertain whether to advance or retreat. As he reached out to console her with empty platitudes, he suddenly felt a sharp pain behind his knees—a powerful kick sent him staggering. The girl seized his outstretched arms, yanked him forward, then swiftly crouched and shoved his back with all her strength. With a loud splash, the Fifth Prince tumbled into the lake with a cry.
In the blink of an eye, Shao Shang snatched up a twenty-foot bamboo pole from the ground and thrust it at the floundering prince's shoulder just as his hand was about to grasp the shore, pushing him back into deeper water.
Soaked through his fine robes and half-terrified, the prince could neither reach the bank nor swim, clinging desperately to the pole while spewing curses—"You wicked little shrew! Have you gone mad? I can't swim! You're attempting to murder a prince!"—but Shao Shang paid him no mind.
Spotting a beast-shaped stone lantern onshore, she deftly wedged the pole into its carved crevice, gripping one end while the other kept the prince at bay in the water. Watching his struggles, she felt a surge of triumphant exhilaration—her old self shining through once more.
Clutching his end of the pole as he floated helplessly, the Fifth Prince looked around and cursed his own stupidity.
Cheng Shaoshang had walked this way earlier—she must have scouted the terrain and noted the long bamboo pole before luring him here. He considered shouting for help, but the dense woods were deserted, his attendants long gone. Heaven wouldn't answer his cries, nor earth heed his pleas!
With one last shred of hope, he forced a smile and coaxed, "M-Miss Cheng, if Ling Buyi has wronged you and you truly don't wish to marry him, just say the word! Leave this matter to me, I promise...""Hahahaha, Your Highness, what a strange thing to say. When did I ever say Lord Ling bullied me, or that I didn’t want to marry him?" Shao Shang felt utterly carefree at this moment, laughing so heartily it eased her chest.
"You, you... Didn’t you just say—" The Fifth Prince couldn’t finish. Ah, this little wretch hadn’t actually said anything.
"What did I say? I only mentioned that every cause has its effect, and that the pavilion was hollowed out by termites." Shao Shang curved her bright, large eyes. "But Your Highness said quite a few bad things about Lord Ling—how he’s sinister, cunning, and so on. Anyway, I see His Majesty every few days. I’ll be sure to recount your words to him in detail."
The Fifth Prince’s mind buzzed with fury. He hissed through gritted teeth, "You... you little wretch! How dare you toy with me? I’ll kill you! Guards! Guards! I’ll feed you to the dogs, to the wolves—glug, glug—"
Shao Shang lifted the bamboo pole in her hand. By the principle of leverage, the other end pressed down, dunking the Fifth Prince into the water for a few gulps before she slowly relaxed the pole, letting him bob back up like a buoy.
Clutching the pole and coughing up water with difficulty, the Fifth Prince spat, "You... you little—" He bit back the word 'wretch.' "You’ve got nerve! Aren’t you afraid I’ll report this to Father and Mother later and have you punished?!"
Shao Shang nodded slightly. "Your Highness is right. In that case, I might as well go all the way and make sure you never get the chance to report anything." She made as if to lift the pole again.
The Fifth Prince panicked. "No, no, no! Let’s talk this over! I won’t report it, alright? Really, I swear I won’t! A true man doesn’t stoop to quarreling with a little girl!"
Shao Shang arched an eyebrow and smiled. "Your Highness needn’t try to deceive me. First, you’re not skilled enough to fool me, and second, I’m not afraid of you reporting me. When the time comes, I’ll say Your Highness tried to take liberties with me. Today, we happened to meet, and you wouldn’t leave me alone. In the ensuing chase and scuffle, you accidentally fell into the water. The more you flailed, the farther you drifted, and it was I who painstakingly pulled you ashore with this bamboo pole. Tell me, Your Highness, who do you think people will believe?"
"You’re spouting nonsense!" The Fifth Prince’s eyes reddened with rage. "I’m a prince, destined for a first-rank title! What are you? A little wretch putting on airs because of Ling Buyi! Who would believe you over me?!"
Without another word, Shao Shang lifted the pole again, treating the Fifth Prince to another round of gulps. Once he resurfaced, she said calmly, "Let’s tally it up. Lord Ling spent just over five years in the palace, and you wasted no time framing him six times. The first two years, it was just breaking valuable artifacts or shoving a visiting Teacher during a fight. The next two years, it escalated to harassing Palace Maids and assaulting young princes... roughly once a year. Your Highness’s dedication is truly commendable."
She laughed mockingly. "What a shame—every time, His Majesty saw through it, and you were caught red-handed. Lord Ling emerged unscathed, while you were either kneeling in the ancestral hall or recovering from a beating for half a year. Fifth Prince, tell me, who do you think His Majesty will believe more this time?"
The Fifth Prince, originally pale from the cold lake water, flushed red again. "Ling Buyi’s mouth sure moves fast! I was just teasing him! Besides, has he ever let me off? Every time Father punished me, he’d come afterward to give me another thrashing..."Shao Shang smiled, silently thanking Zhai Nanny for kindly providing these amusing old anecdotes.
The Fifth Prince seemed to harbor deep resentment toward Ling Buyi. Despite struggling to breathe while submerged in water, he made every effort to curse Ling Buyi thoroughly—from being pinned into mud during fights to being made to look like an idiot in studies, his grievances were too numerous to inscribe on bamboo scrolls. After finishing his tirade, he gasped for breath and said, "Why don't you ask why I’ve disliked Ling Buyi from the very beginning!"
Shao Shang chuckled lightly. "What’s there to ask? Your Highness is neither the eldest nor the youngest, neither born of the Empress nor Consort Yue. You’ve achieved nothing in either literature or martial arts, and even your mischief lacks originality. If you didn’t stir up trouble now and then, His Majesty might forget you exist."
Her words were undeniably harsh. The Fifth Prince’s face turned purple with rage as he shouted, "You—you and Ling Buyi are a perfect match, cold-hearted and sharp-tongued enough to kill with words! I may not compare to my elder brothers, but who does Ling Buyi think he is? Father personally taught him literature and martial arts, yet he can’t even spare me a glance..."
"Would Your Highness be willing to have both parents perish and all relatives wiped out in exchange for His Majesty’s favor?" Shao Shang interjected abruptly.
The Fifth Prince choked, muttering indignantly after a pause, "He didn’t lose both parents." Even if his parents might as well not exist, they weren’t actually dead.
Shao Shang continued, "In truth, Your Highness knows very well that whether Lord Ling exists or not, His Majesty’s treatment of you wouldn’t change. But this... isn’t something a child can comment on." This traced back to the circumstances of Consort Xu’s pregnancy.
The Fifth Prince fell silent.
"...Why did you lure me here?" Feeling his limbs grow colder, the prince decided to set aside old grudges for now—survival was more urgent.
Shao Shang smiled faintly. "Your Highness grew up alongside Lord Ling, yet today it seems you know far less about him than he does about you. Consort Xu dotes on you, shielding you from many experiences. Thus, you’ve never learned to swim, never hunted in the woods, and mastered only a few clumsy moves—even my meager self-defense skills could challenge you. See how well Lord Ling understands you?"
Exposed, the Fifth Prince nearly cried from fury, roaring, "Ling Buyi goes too far! Just because he’s good at everything, he goes around exposing my weaknesses! I—I—"
"Don’t fret, Your Highness. Lord Ling didn’t only speak of shortcomings," Shao Shang said with a smile. "He also mentioned that though you’re physically idle, your studies are quite commendable, often yielding unique insights. You dislike Confucian classics, preferring tales of foreign lands and ancient deities. Pity your timidity keeps you from venturing into those wild frontiers, leaving you to dig through old bamboo scrolls and pottery fragments for stories—or waiting for another hero like the Marquis of Bowang to bring back wondrous tales from distant travels."
The prince’s face cycled between green and red—whether from cold, anger, or touched emotions was unclear. He’d always assumed Ling Buyi looked down on him, thinking him a failure. Yet...
"These things I love—they can’t govern a country or establish scholarly works. Father scorns them utterly. What use are they?" he mumbled.
Shao Shang said loudly, "Fifth Prince, your words are not quite right. In my opinion, the joy of reading lies in the pleasure it brings, without concern for gain or loss, purely from the heart. If it's merely a stepping stone for career advancement, no matter how skilled one is at reading, it's just a means to an end. Fifth Prince, you know full well that what you love is neither useful in court nor favored by Your Majesty, yet you persist tirelessly—this is what I call a true heart of innocence. What does it matter if others praise you or not, if they know or don’t know? As long as you enjoy reading, you’d forge ahead even if thousands oppose you." Who couldn’t serve up some motivational soup? If her class monitor were here to stir emotions, she’d probably become sworn siblings with Fifth Prince by the end of the day. Besides, as a prince, he wouldn’t starve to death. The more his brothers behaved like this, the happier the Crown Prince might be when he ascended the throne.
Fifth Prince had never heard anyone speak to him like this in his life. For a moment, his heart swelled with emotion, nearly forgetting that he was currently in the freezing lake—pushed in by this cunning and ruthless girl right before his eyes.
He exhaled a heavy breath and shouted, "For the sake of what you’ve said today, I won’t hold it against you. Just pull me up, and I promise not to report you!"
"Not yet," Shao Shang replied.
Fifth Prince, aggrieved, yelled, "Then what else do you want?!" Being a prince reduced to this state was downright humiliating—pushed into cold water, forced to promise not to retaliate, and she still wouldn’t let it go?!
Shao Shang smiled sweetly. "I merely wish to befriend Your Highness."
Fifth Prince’s eyes widened in disbelief, his teeth bared. "You—you pushed me into the water and dare to say it’s to befriend me?! What kind of friendship rules are you following?!"
Shao Shang straightened her expression. "Indeed, I truly wish to befriend Fifth Prince. But this matter is a long story—"
"I’m still in the water! Make it short!" Fifth Prince felt that if he died today, it wouldn’t be from cold or drowning, but from sheer rage.
Shao Shang pressed the bamboo pole in her hand slightly, making it easier for Fifth Prince to float on the other end, before continuing, "Actually, these past few days, I’ve quarreled with Lord Ling… Just a minor matter. We’ll reconcile in a few days, so don’t gape like that… After our argument, Lord Ling refused to let me leave the palace."
"What I mean is, it seems Lord Ling and I will likely quarrel again in the future. What if he pulls this trick once more? Besides, Your Majesty hasn’t said a word about letting me go home, so it looks like I’ll be staying in the palace for a long time. Under these circumstances, I need a friend or two—someone to turn to when I step out of Everlasting Autumn Palace, instead of being left in the dark, knowing no one and having nowhere to seek help."
Like today, after shaking off Chuntiao, she wandered around without recognizing a single person. The passing guards, palace maids, and eunuchs—she couldn’t trust any of them. Fifth Prince might not be able to help with much, but at least he grew up in the palace, making him somewhat of a local. Even if he were just a minor deity to rely on, it was better than nothing.
Fifth Prince seemed to understand somewhat, but his sharp tongue was hard to tame. "Hmph! I am a noble scion of the imperial family, a prince of the highest rank. Who do you think you are, daring to call me your friend?!"
Shao Shang asked, "Your Highness, how often do you see Your Majesty?"
Fifth Prince: "…"Shao Shang smiled faintly. "Excluding palace banquets where everyone gathers together, Your Highness is only summoned by His Majesty once every two or three months, and even then it's alongside the other younger princes."
The Fifth Prince's face turned the color of moldy pickles, a sickly greenish hue.
"This humble consort is granted an imperial audience almost every other day. I dare not claim to brave dangers for Your Highness or turn peril into safety, but avoiding misfortune is hardly difficult. Considering all this, doesn't Your Highness think I'm quite a valuable friend to have?"
The Fifth Prince was greatly tempted, his expression shifting through a range of emotions before he finally declared loudly: "Fine! I accept your offer! All past grievances between us are hereby settled, and I shall never mention them again!"
Shao Shang smiled in satisfaction. Just then, the distant sound of the Feast Bell could be heard faintly, signaling the imminent start of the banquet. She looked up at the sky, where a pale moon had quietly risen among the branches. Hurriedly, she helped the Fifth Prince up and suggested they first go to Everlasting Autumn Palace to bathe, change clothes, and drink some ginger soup.
The Fifth Prince, weakened from soaking in the water, didn't even have the strength to pinch this wretched girl. He could only protest indignantly: "Why go to Everlasting Autumn Palace? As if I haven't been humiliated enough! I want to return to my mother first!"
Shao Shang cheerfully supported him, even wringing out his dripping robes as she did so: "Reputation and face are but fleeting clouds, mere passing shadows. Good health is what truly matters. Everlasting Autumn Palace is only half an incense stick's journey away, while returning to Consort Xu would take over an hour. Walking all that way in the cold wind—does Your Highness value your life or not?"
The Fifth Prince found the girl's familiar tone utterly baffling: "Have you forgotten who got me into this mess in the first place?"
"Has Your Highness forgotten your promise to let bygones be bygones and never mention it again?"
Fifth Prince: ...
"Besides, regardless of memory, Everlasting Autumn Palace is still closer. Your Highness must prioritize your health."
"..." The Fifth Prince heaved a long sigh. "Very well, to Everlasting Autumn Palace it is."
As he sighed, he suddenly felt today had been particularly trying, as if he'd lived through centuries in a single day, witnessing the vicissitudes of life. Even his beloved pastime of quarreling held no appeal now. Exhausted, he sat on a stone ledge, poured water out of his short boots, then limped unevenly toward Everlasting Autumn Palace with Shao Shang's support, punctuating their journey with occasional sneezes.
"You're truly ruthless, leaving me soaking in the water for so long. If anything happens to me, even with Ling Buyi backing you, His Majesty won't let you off easily!"
"Lord Ling mentioned that while Your Highness appears delicate, you're actually quite robust—it's just that Consort Xu worries too much. Once, when several princes were riding across a mountain stream, a gust of wind blew them all into the water. You were the only one who didn't catch a cold afterward."
"...How does Ling Buyi remember everything so well? Hmph, does he know about this side of you?"
"Which side of me?"
"Never mind, forget I asked. If he doesn't know your true nature, then you're the unfortunate one, because you'll have to keep up the act forever. If he does know your true nature, then he's the unfortunate one, because he'll have to endure it forever!"
"Your Highness."
"What now! Did I say something wrong?"
"After soaking in the lake, Your Highness's mind has become much clearer. Perhaps you should take more lake baths in the future."
"...I get the feeling bullying people comes very naturally to you. The way you alternate between threats and deception so smoothly—you must have done this often before."
"Nothing of the sort. I was kept under strict supervision since childhood and have always been most obedient."——This time the fellow finally guessed right, but alas, her former brilliance vanished without a trace the moment she encountered Ling Buyi.
Author's Note:
Does updating at this hour still count as an every-other-day update? Thanks to the little angels who voted for me or nourished me with nutrient solutions~
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