Chapter 62: The Emperor's Feelings

  One more time for pink!

  Lin Zhaoyan was not fearless, but she knew that being afraid was useless. She steeled herself and stood in front of Zhou Wanyu, calmly replying: "In response to Your Majesty's words, every word the humble girl spoke is true."

  "It's better that way, if I find out you're lying, the consequences won't be something you can afford."

  Lin Zhaoyan thought back carefully and recalled the experience of the Seventh Prince. When she heard the shouting and rushed to see Zhou Wanyu, there was no one in front of her. Presumably, Zhou Wanyu had not been discovered either, otherwise he would not have been able to stay here safely.

  She calmed her mind and replied: "I have never spoken a single lie."

  The emperor rarely saw a woman who could remain so calm under his intense pressure, and upon closer inspection, she was just a 12 or 13-year-old little girl. Even some men couldn't match her composure, and he couldn't help but feel a spark of interest.

  "Which family's young lady are you? Lift up your head and let me take a look."

  The empress dowager heard the emperor's sudden softening of tone and was slightly startled. She looked at him again, and her heart skipped a beat.

  Those eyes clearly showed that Lin Zhao had moved his heart!

  "She is the fourth young lady of the third house of Jian'an Marquis Manor, Lin Chen's eldest daughter!" The empress dowager tried to calm herself down, but her voice still trembled as she spoke.

  She was too scared.

  Although there were also 15 or 16 year old noble ladies in this palace, Lin Zhao Yan was...

  The emperor's face also changed suddenly, "Lin Chen..."

  The man's daughter.

  He lost all interest in Lin Zhaoyan's words.

  Lin Zhaoyan lowered her head and couldn't see the expressions of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, but only heard their suddenly changed voices. She was secretly puzzled.

  Lin Chen is a scholar who has never entered the imperial court or retired. How can it be that the Empress Dowager and the Emperor seem to know him so well?

  The sudden appearance of "Lin Chen's daughter" made the emperor lose his interest. He waved his hand and said, "You can go down now!"

  Lin Zhaoyan let out a sigh of relief, gathered his thoughts and led Zhou Wanyu to bow and withdraw.

  The Empress Dowager said: "She is the third daughter of Liu's family in Yanling."

  This marriage was actually arranged by her.

  His Majesty showed no interest and didn't want to mention it, "The matter of Rui'er falling into the water will be investigated again by others. Empress Dowager, you should return to Cining Palace first, I also need to go see Rui'er."

  The emperor went to the Huan Yue Pavilion where Wan Fei lived.

  He dismissed the palace maids who were serving in the hall and did not allow them to report, and went straight into the bedroom.

  Yuan Fei was sitting on the bed, looking at the sleeping Seventh Prince.

  The red silk curtains are warm. A gentle breeze stirs, and a faint scent of incense wafts through the air.

  Her expression was calm and gentle, but her lips were tinged with a hint of bitter smile.

  This made the Emperor even more heartbroken for her.

  In fact, Wanfei was not beautiful. She was not as elegant and majestic as the Empress and Duan Guifei, nor as stunning and charming as Jingfei, and even less so than those young palace ladies who shone brightly. She just had a unique temperament.

  This temperament made the emperor unable to extricate himself from his infatuation with her at first sight.

  His Majesty couldn't help but recall the scene of his first encounter with Consort Wan over a decade ago.

  She picked up his fallen wallet and handed it over with a smile.

  In that instant, her gentle and warm smile, with eyes that seemed to hold a sprinkle of stardust, could melt even the snow and ice on the snowy mountains.

  Wait for him to come back to his senses. But she had already disappeared without a trace.

  Afterwards he inquired about her everywhere and when they met again, she had already married another man...

  The emperor sighed and withdrew his thoughts.

  Memories buried in my heart for over a decade were unexpectedly dug up again today because of that Fourth Miss Lin.

  Lin Zhao's words flashed through his mind, and he felt an unexpected connection with Consort Wan from over a decade ago.

  She also has that kind of temperament, no wonder he just became interested.

  "Your Majesty." Wanfei had already spotted him. She stood up and curtsied in greeting.

  The emperor hastily helped her up and softly asked: "Rui'er, are you alright?"

  The Empress smiled lightly, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. Rui'er took the medicine and fell asleep. The imperial physician said it's nothing serious."

  "That's good." The emperor nodded and supported her body, "You also need to pay attention to rest, don't worry about getting sick, Rui'er has the imperial physician taking care of him, and I will help you catch the murderer."

  The Empress's body trembled slightly, and then she lowered her eyes, smiling bitterly: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

  She is always so polite to him.

  For over a decade, nothing has changed.

  She was like a piece of ice, and he couldn't warm her up no matter what he did.

  Thinking of Lin Chen, the Emperor suddenly became angry and coldly said: "Guess who I met today?"

  A sentence without a head or tail, Consort Wan was taken aback, "Your servant does not know."

  The emperor sneered and raised the chin of Queen Wan, as if to appreciate the changes in her facial expression, saying word by word: "Lin Chen's daughter."

  Wanfei's body shook violently when she heard the first two words, and after the emperor finished speaking, she closed her eyes and said sorrowfully: "The Empress Dowager invites foreign noblewomen, as a lady of the Jian'an Marquis Manor, it is only natural for her to come, nothing unusual."

  "She was like you when she was young," the Emperor said, almost cruelly. "I'm thinking of summoning her to the palace and making her a concubine. I suppose you'll like her, and it will alleviate your boredom in the palace..."

  "Your Majesty!" Wanfei's face suddenly changed, and she exclaimed: "You can't!"

  If so, Lin Chen would definitely hate the royal family and her to death!

  His Majesty pinched her chin tightly and gritted his teeth: "You really still care about him, for over a decade, you've never forgotten him!"

  "Mei didn't..." Wanfei's eyes welled up with tears as she bit back her pain.

  What's the use even if she has it? What can be done about it anyway?

  Fourteen years ago, from the moment the Emperor intervened in her life, her life was ruined, completely ruined.

  She couldn't, she couldn't let her daughter follow in her footsteps.

  "In fact, you have always hated me, hated that I snatched you away, hated that I killed your daughter..."

  "I don't have it." Wanfei closed her eyes, her body trembling uncontrollably like autumn leaves in the cold wind.

  "Is that so?!" The emperor pulled Wanfei into his arms, his ambiguous tone filled with resentment as he whispered in her ear, "Fine! Then prove it to me, whether you really don't!"

  The emperor carried her into the inner palace.

  A teardrop quietly fell from the corner of Consort Wan's eye.

  Lin Zhaoyan and Zhou Wanyu were harmonious on this side, tacitly understanding each other about what had just happened.

  "Zhaoyan sister, I really admire you! From now on, can I often go to the Hou Mansion to play with you?"

  Lin Zhaoyan smiled and said, "Good!"

  Zhou Wan Yu then hooked her arm, with a big smile on her face, laughing with a bright and sincere expression.

  "If I had half of your sister Zhao Yan's stability and wisdom, I'm afraid my mother would laugh out loud even in her dreams!"

  Lin Zhaoyan tilted her head. Furrowing her brow and eyes, "If I had half your sweet and warm words, my mother would be so delighted that she wouldn't be able to sleep."

  Zhou Wan-yu rubbed her nose awkwardly.

  "Everyone has their own unique personality, and it's not necessarily that one is better than the other, it's just that everyone likes different things."

  "You're absolutely right!" Zhou Wan-yu nodded repeatedly, a flush rising to her cheeks, "There are people who say they like my lively personality!"

  Lin Zhaoyan knew what "someone" meant just by looking at her eyes.

  She felt a little sentimental, Zhou Wanrou was only eleven years old, and Lin Ruoyan was just twelve. These two had already fallen in love.

  Unlike her, in his past life of over twenty years, he had never liked anyone.

  This life is already over, let alone anything else.

  "Lin Si, wait a minute." Someone behind her called out softly.

  Lin Zhaoyan's thoughts were in disarray as she turned her head back, only to see a figure in white walking straight towards her.

  She was a palace maid who served Empress Dowager closely, seemingly named Green Pearl.

  "Green Pearl sister." As she approached, Lin Zhaoyan smiled and asked how she was doing.

  Lu Zhu couldn't help but take a glance at Lin Zhao Yan, and a feeling of fondness arose in her heart.

  She had never spoken a word with this Lin Siu Nang, yet she could clearly remember her name, showing that she was meticulous.

  Looking at her calm and composed expression again, she didn't show any surprise or unease due to her sudden shout, proving that her mental quality is extremely strong.

  There are so many beautiful and elegant ladies from noble families. The empress dowager surprisingly favors this simple and refined Lin Si, treating her differently.

  It's not just because he saved the Empress Dowager's life.

  But I wonder if this Lin Si will have fate to stay in the palace?

  "The Empress Dowager said she would return with the young ladies." Green Pearl replied respectfully.

  It turned out they were waiting for the empress dowager.

  To be honest, Lin Zhao Yan was not pleased. When interacting with someone who can control life and death, every word and action must be carefully considered. Caution is required.

  I'm exhausted.

  But the palace was not her home, and she couldn't follow her own preferences. She could only nod in agreement.

  The empress dowager arrived soon after, and saw Lin Shuang standing quietly with her head bowed. The warm sunlight of the afternoon gently sprinkled on her, casting a faint golden glow over her.

  Everything is so serene and beautiful.

  The empress dowager was somewhat moved, but more of it was relief.

  Fortunately, the choice I made back then was not wrong.

  The empress dowager summoned Lin Zhao and Zhou Wanrou to walk with her, and they started chatting sporadically.

  It's necessary to mention what just happened in the main hall.

  "Just now in front of the Emperor, you were neither arrogant nor humble, and not even a hint of nervousness was seen. I truly admire you to the extreme. You should know that in this world, facing the Emperor with such strong pressure and still being able to remain calm is something that only a few people can do."

  Lin Zhaoyan lowered her eyes and said calmly: "Because what the little girl said is all true, since she didn't lie, why should she be afraid?"

  The Empress Dowager smiled and agreed.

  Zhou Wanyu, who was standing beside her, couldn't help but giggle secretly.

  "What's 'every word is true' about? All I can say is that Sister Zhao Yan's mental strength is too powerful!"

  As they spoke, several people had already fallen into the side hall.

  The Empress Dowager's smile had not yet been withdrawn when a palace maid rushed up from afar, anxiously saying: "Your Majesty, something has happened!"

  The empress dowager's face stiffened, thinking that Princess Qianqiu was trying to avoid punishment and had caused some kind of trouble.

  Who would have thought that the palace maid said: "Miss Lin Wu somehow provoked Ah Bi, and her face was scratched. Ah Bi was frightened and didn't know where to hide."

  Abi is the Persian cat raised by the Empress Dowager.

  The empress dowager was startled and hastily asked: "Is there any great harm?"

  Lin Zhaoyan was also shocked, but quickly calmed down.

  It seems that Lin Xingyan's efficiency is quite fast, she has only been gone for two quarters of an hour and she has already succeeded.

  The palace maid replied: "Her Majesty the Empress has already summoned the imperial physician, and he is currently examining her in the warm pavilion. It's unclear just how serious it is."

  The empress dowager's eyebrows were shrouded in a thick layer of gloom.

  This Lin Wu is also too frivolous!

  Everyone is guessing whether Lin Zhao Yan belongs to Lin Chen or the Emperor.

  Thanks for the rewards from Qiulian, Abeem and Muhong ~(......)