Facing the stream of gifts being sent from the palace, Prince Wei only wanted to roll his eyes.

The reason Father Emperor gave was too laughable.

Had the Jinlin Guard been unable to investigate and deceived Father Emperor, or was Father Emperor deceiving him?

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

Father Emperor was so shrewd—if the Jinlin Guard dared deceive him like this, Cheng Maoming’s head would have rolled long ago.

But why would Father Emperor do this?

Feeling distressed, Prince Wei invited the top scholar Yang Zhe for tea and asked him: “Suppose a child suffered a grievance and went crying to his father to complain. His father promised to handle it for him, but after an investigation, brushed it aside. What do you think the reason could be?”

These words were rather obvious and shouldn’t have been spoken aloud. After Prince Wei obtained a miraculous weight loss formula from Yang Zhe with remarkable results, their private interactions gradually increased. He slowly came to appreciate and trust Yang Zhe more and more, which was why he spoke without reservation.

Yang Zhe held his teacup in silence for a moment, then said softly: “There are two possibilities. One is that letting the child know the truth would harm him even more. The other is that compared to this child’s grievance, there’s something even more important that needs to be protected.”

“Two possibilities.” Prince Wei took a sip of tea.

The purposes of these two possibilities were quite contradictory.

In good conscience, Father Emperor had always treated him reasonably well, but he still felt it was the second possibility.

What was more important to Father Emperor—

Prince Wei stared at Yang Zhe for a moment, an answer surfacing in his mind: the Crown Prince?

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

The news that Miss Lin’s abduction was the handiwork of Jinlin Guard Assistant Regional Commander Zhao Helin shocked quite a few people. For the onlookers, there was no answer they couldn’t accept. Especially regarding the Jinlin Guard—nothing they did would be surprising.

The General’s Manor, however, was full of doubts about this result.

“That can’t be right—there was actually a young lady who fell in love with Prince Wei at first sight?” Lin Shi’s first reaction was disbelief, at least not for Prince Wei as he was during the chrysanthemum viewing banquet.

“What kind of talk is that?” Glancing at her eldest granddaughter sitting quietly to the side, the Old Madam shot Lin Shi a look.

“Then what do you say—was it really that man surnamed Zhao who pulled this desperate stunt for his daughter’s prospects and wealth?”

“That possibility can’t be ruled out entirely.”

Lin Hao suddenly spoke: “I still have an impression of the chrysanthemum viewing banquet. That Miss Zhao didn’t seem interested in Prince Wei at the time.”

“Exactly. I think the Jinlin Guard couldn’t investigate it properly and just randomly found someone to take the blame so they could close the case.” Lin Shi said.

Cheng Shu couldn’t help but add: “But the person who ambushed me in the alley was indeed instructed by Zhao Helin.”

“Perhaps Zhao Helin was also being instructed by someone else?” Lin Hao’s words were shocking.

The others couldn’t help but look at her.

“Ah Hao, what have you thought of?” the Old Madam asked.

With the clue about the Xuanwu Battalion, Lin Hao was almost certain that the one behind this attack was the Crown Prince.

“If Zhao Helin isn’t the true mastermind, then the person who could manipulate the Jinlin Guard’s Assistant Regional Commander and whom His Majesty won’t investigate further—I can only think of one person.” Her gaze swept over her grandmother, mother, elder brother, and older sister as she voiced her suspicion: “The Crown Prince.”

Bringing the Crown Prince as an enemy out into the open would certainly place great pressure on her family, but it was still better than being completely unprepared.

“The Crown Prince?” Ripples appeared in the Old Madam’s eyes, though her face remained relatively calm. “There is that possibility, but it’s hard to understand. At most, the Crown Prince doing this would only create some trouble for Prince Wei.”

Lin Shi clapped her hands: “It must be to create trouble for Prince Wei!”

The others paused, curious about Lin Shi’s certainty.

Lin Shi said matter-of-factly: “The Crown Prince was assassinated and his wife died, while Prince Wei not only got engaged but also slimmed down into a handsome man. The Crown Prince, accustomed to being the sole supreme one, how could he not be jealous and bothered? This kind of person loses all reason when jealous—who knows what incredible things he might do.”

Lin Hao blinked.

The angle Mother considered actually made quite a bit of sense.

The Old Madam also pondered this possibility.

Cheng Shu was dumbfounded: “Just because he can’t stand seeing his brother doing well, he’d create such a convoluted scheme? Isn’t that—”

Sick!

“Of course it’s sick—which is why I say nothing good comes from getting involved with the imperial family.” Lin Shi smoothly continued.

Cheng Shu touched his nose.

Aunt really dared to speak.

Lin Shi grew worried for her eldest daughter: “This happened even before the marriage—if she marries in, who knows how much trouble there will be. It would be better if this match never happened.”

She was just complaining offhandedly, but the Old Madam’s heart stirred as she murmured: “If we truly don’t want this match, this incident might actually be an opportunity.”

Lin Shi immediately sat up straight: “Mother, what do you mean?”

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

Lin Shi was stunned: “Feign illness?”

The Old Madam nodded: “Exactly. Chan’er encountering such a major incident as an abduction and falling ill from fright wouldn’t arouse any suspicion. If she’s ‘seriously ill,’ we could proactively propose breaking the engagement. This wouldn’t be disrespectful to the imperial family—rather, it would show the General’s Manor knows propriety and tact. Afterward, she could slowly recover.”

“That’s excellent!” Lin Shi’s eyes brightened. “Chan’er, what do you think?”

“I—” Lin Chan’s butterfly-wing lashes trembled as her face showed struggle.

The Old Madam patted her hand, her tone gentle: “Don’t rush, think it over carefully. Such a major matter can’t be decided rashly. I’m just saying that if you don’t want this match, this is an opportunity.”

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

If Prince Wei were just a carefree, idle prince, that would be one thing. But being targeted by the Crown Prince meant trouble would be endless, even life-threatening danger. When that time came, Chan’er as Prince Wei’s wife would have to bear it together with him.

She certainly didn’t want her granddaughter to face mortal danger for the sake of a Princess Consort title.

Lin Chan’s heart was truly in turmoil.

Previously, being chosen by the imperial family meant that resistance would bring disaster to the General’s Manor. She had no choice but to accept and persuade her family not to worry for her. But speaking from the heart, she didn’t look forward to marrying into the imperial family. Regardless of whether Prince Wei was fat or thin, beautiful or ugly, what she truly wanted was a husband of suitable family background with whom she could live peacefully and steadily.

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

She looked toward Lin Hao.

When she was selected as Prince Wei’s consort, her greatest consolation was that it could prevent the Crown Prince’s vile designs on her younger sister. But now, just to create trouble for Prince Wei, the Crown Prince could casually make a move that would throw the General’s Manor into chaos.

That day when Heir Apparent Jing found them, he had said the Crown Prince’s left hand was crippled. A Crown Prince with one crippled hand facing Prince Wei who had become handsome after losing weight would grow increasingly fearful, wouldn’t he? Then Prince Wei would inevitably be drawn into the struggle with the Crown Prince.

Succession struggles were always accompanied by bloodshed and carnage. When that time came, she as Prince Wei’s consort might very well bring disaster to her family.

That wouldn’t be protecting her family—it would be harming them.

“Chan’er, there’s no need to decide right away. Go back and think it over before saying anything.” The Old Madam said gently.

Lin Chan tightened her grip on the handkerchief in her hand and said softly: “Granddaughter has thought it through. If it won’t cause trouble for the family, then let’s claim illness. I didn’t have confidence I could handle the Princess Consort position to begin with.”