Princess Yi’an’s expression was panicked, as if fierce beasts were chasing behind her.

Lin Hao curiously looked back.

Chasing behind Princess Yi’an was a maidservant she had just seen in the flower essence shop. Further back were people dressed as guards in pursuit.

She couldn’t possibly get involved—she wasn’t someone who meddled in others’ affairs.

What Lin Hao hadn’t expected was that while she didn’t want to meddle, Princess Yi’an charged straight toward her. She instinctively stepped aside and watched helplessly as Princess Yi’an rushed into the flower essence shop.

This turn of events was completely unexpected.

Princess Yi’an’s maidservant followed closely, running past Lin Hao. The pursuing guards were aggressive: “Get out of the way!”

Lin Hao frowned slightly. Just as she was about to stop the guards to ask what was happening, she heard an uproar from the direction of the teahouse: “Murder! Murder!”

Murder?

Lin Hao looked back at the flower essence shop and formed a guess: Could the murderer be Princess Yi’an?

Thinking this, she lifted her feet and walked toward the teahouse.

The teahouse was not far from the flower essence shop. When Lin Hao walked over, the entrance was already surrounded by many people in three layers, discussing heatedly.

“Did you hear someone was killed inside?”

“Yes, they say one princess killed another princess.”

“Gasp—A princess killed a princess? That can’t be right?”

Hearing this, Lin Hao’s heart sank slightly.

Princess Yi’an killed Princess Lingque? If that was the case, this was big trouble.

She pushed forward a bit, and the crying and shouting from inside the teahouse became clearer.

“Make way!” A shout came from behind.

The onlookers, seeing it was official constables, consciously parted to make a path. After a team of constables walked in, they crowded together again.

Lin Hao thought for a moment and left the crowd.

Princess Yi’an was still in her shop!

As soon as Lin Hao stepped into the flower essence shop, she heard an urgent shout: “Don’t touch our princess!”

Princess Yi’an’s maidservant blocked in front of Princess Yi’an, not letting Princess Lingque’s side’s guards approach.

Princess Yi’an’s guards had also pursued them and now drew their long sabers, confronting Princess Lingque’s guards.

Several young girls in the shop looked tense and bewildered, protected behind the shopkeeper and Hu Shi.

Lin Hao walked in and asked calmly: “What happened?”

A guard said impatiently: “Go away, this isn’t something you can interfere with!”

Lin Hao smiled: “I don’t want to interfere, but this is my family’s shop.”

The guard paused, only now examining Lin Hao carefully.

Earlier, when Princess Yi’an and Princess Lingque entered the shop, both had left their guards outside, so the guards from both sides didn’t know Lin Hao’s identity.

Princess Yi’an’s maidservant recognized Lin Hao and desperately sought help: “Second Miss Lin, please help our princess quickly! We can’t let them take the princess away!”

Lin Hao fell silent for a moment.

Honestly, even now she couldn’t understand why Princess Yi’an, having killed someone, would rush headlong into the flower essence shop. Surely she wasn’t treating her as a good friend?

During the silence, official constables walked in: “Is the princess here?”

Princess Yi’an shrank back and said hoarsely: “Don’t come near!”

Although Princess Yi’an was now a murderer in the world’s eyes, the constables’ attitude remained respectful: “Please move, Princess, lest it become unsafe in the confusion.”

Princess Yi’an nodded, then quickly shook her head: “I don’t know you. I’ll wait for people from the palace to come get me!”

In the end, when Princess Yi’an left, it was already over half a shichen later.

Chunni asked Lin Hao quietly with a pale face: “Miss, our shop won’t have trouble, will it?”

“It won’t.” Lin Hao’s tone was certain, though she knew clearly in her heart that if the authorities launched an investigation, it would be inevitable for people from the flower essence shop to be questioned.

Many bailiffs surrounded the teahouse, blocking the people who had yet to disperse.

Lin Hao watched from afar, unable to help feeling emotional.

Not long ago, Princess Lingque had been eating sugar cheese in the flower essence shop, buying flower essences, and engaging in verbal sparring with Princess Yi’an. Who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, she would meet her untimely death?

“A’Hao.”

Someone approached, and the familiar presence brought Lin Hao back to her senses.

“A’Shuo, why did you come?”

“There were many bailiffs rushing this way on the street, so I came to take a look.” Qi Shuo was tall and could see toward the teahouse entrance more easily. “I heard Princess Lingque had an accident.”

Lin Hao nodded: “They say she was killed by Princess Yi’an. However, Princess Lingque’s body hasn’t been seen. Princess Yi’an rushed into the flower essence shop in a panic just now.”

“Killing someone in broad daylight in public…” Qi Shuo murmured, frowning slightly. “Something feels odd.”

Lin Hao’s expression sharpened: “What’s odd? A’Shuo, do you know something?”

Qi Shuo shook his head: “I don’t know anything specific, I just wonder if a princess would really lose emotional control to the point of killing someone in broad daylight?”

“It’s possible though, given it’s the hatred of a stolen husband.” Lin Hao analyzed rationally. Seeing Qi Shuo looking at her with a somewhat strange expression, she quickly said, “If it were me, I definitely wouldn’t do that, don’t worry.”

Qi Shuo: “…”

The news that Princess Lingque had been killed by Princess Yi’an was reported to Emperor Tai’an at the fastest speed.

Emperor Tai’an felt as if a bolt from the blue had struck his head, leaving him dizzy and disoriented. Supporting himself against the dragon desk, he recovered after quite a while before asking through gritted teeth: “Where is Yi’an?”

“The princess just returned.”

“Bring her here!”

After returning to the palace, Princess Yi’an didn’t even bother to change her clothes and rushed straight to the Empress Dowager: “Imperial Grandmother, save me!”

The Empress Dowager didn’t yet know what had happened. Seeing Princess Yi’an crying like a pear blossom in the rain, she patted her back: “What happened? Why is Jiaojiao crying like this?”

Princess Yi’an tightly clutched the Empress Dowager’s sleeve without answering, only sobbing.

The Empress Dowager’s gaze suddenly tightened, falling on Princess Yi’an’s clothing.

That was… bloodstains?

“Did Jiaojiao get injured?” When the Empress Dowager asked this, she had an ominous premonition in her heart.

If she were injured, Yi’an would have already been pulling on her to pour out her grievances, not just crying endlessly like this.

Had she injured someone?

The Empress Dowager’s expression changed, and displeasure appeared in her eyes.

Injuring someone wasn’t a good reputation to have. Even as a princess, she couldn’t ignore it. What was with all this crying and fussing?

At this moment, Liu Chuan arrived: “Empress Dowager, His Majesty requests the princess come over.”

The Empress Dowager didn’t immediately release her, asking in a grave voice: “Eunuch Liu, why does His Majesty want Yi’an to go over?”

Liu Chuan glanced at Princess Yi’an and, after slight hesitation, explained the situation.

Princess Yi’an, as if stimulated, shrank closer to the Empress Dowager and cried out: “Imperial Grandmother, I didn’t kill anyone! I didn’t kill anyone!”

Compared to Princess Yi’an’s agitation, the Empress Dowager was much calmer. She nodded slightly to Liu Chuan: “This Dowager will go along to see.”

“Imperial Grandmother—” Princess Yi’an pleaded, resisting going to see Emperor Tai’an.

The Empress Dowager’s face hardened: “Yi’an, when something happens, you must explain it clearly. Avoiding it will only bring greater trouble.”

Hearing this, Princess Yi’an’s complexion became even worse, her steps heavy and slow as she dragged behind.

Emperor Tai’an hadn’t yet waited for Princess Yi’an to arrive when he first received the grief-stricken Lingque envoy.

“The prince just left, and the princess was killed! Is Great Zhou bullying our princess for having no one to protect her?” The Lingque envoy questioned emotionally.