Chapter 169: Wishing to Marry You

Chapter 169: Wishing to Marry You

"Miss, everything is settled over there now."

Xiruo commented.

Lin Yunwan saw for herself and nodded, "Let's go."

The mistress and servant descended from the pavilion together.

Qi Lingheng returned as well, and they met in front of the Xiao Xiang Pavilion.

Lin Yunwan felt there was no need for the prince to rush over; it was really too polite of him.

"Your Highness."

She curtsied.

Qi Lingheng nodded, glanced at A-Fu and Xi Ruo, and said, "I have something to discuss with you."

Both of them left, closing the door of the Xiao Xiang Pavilion behind them.

Lin Yunwan couldn't guess what the prince wanted to discuss. Was it about Ling Xiang? She didn’t need to be told; she had already guessed. What she could think of, the prince surely had as well, and he wouldn’t speak of matters that served no purpose.

So, it wasn't about Ling Xiang.

"Your Highness, what do you wish to discuss with me?"

Lin Yunwan decided to ask him directly.

Qi Lingheng stepped closer, looking into her eyes, "Did you see everything just now?"

Lin Yunwan paused for a moment, then nodded.

From a distance, the prince's eyes seemed indifferent, but up close, they were profoundly dark.

Lost in thought for a while, she then realized what the prince meant. She had witnessed from the attic how he dealt with the fighting scholars. The incident at the Qishan Society would surely spread... enhancing his reputation in Jiangqian.

"So, do you understand now?"

Qi Lingheng asked her.

Lin Yunwan shook her head, puzzled, "Understand what?"

She felt that what the prince wanted to say was not the same as what was currently on her mind.

Qi Lingheng sighed softly.

Seeing her expression, he realized she still didn't understand.

So, he spoke plainly, "Lin Yunwan—"

"Yes?"

Lin Yunwan slightly furrowed her brow.

Qi Lingheng’s voice was gentle, "No matter how good Yan Jingzong and the others are, in the end, only I can wield the authority here." He lowered his voice, "Do you understand now?"

This only confused her more!

Lin Yunwan paused, then asked, "…Your Highness, what do you mean?"

Qi Lingheng smiled helplessly, "Do I really fall short in comparison to them?"

"Wha—"

Lin Yunwan couldn't finish her sentence; her heart thumped rapidly, and she struggled to contain her expression.

Is the prince suggesting... he wants to marry her?

What a joke!

"Your Highness, please reconsider your words."

Lin Yunwan frowned, feeling that the prince's words were too presumptuous.

She had always been grateful to the prince!

Yet, Qi Lingheng hummed in affirmation, saying, "I have thought it over thrice."

Worried she wouldn't believe him, he earnestly added, "To be precise, I have pondered over it five, seven, even nine times."

"I—wish to marry you."

Lin Yunwan stood dumbstruck.

Seeing that she seemed to be on a different page, and apparently never harboring such thoughts, Qi Lingheng felt helpless and said, "Scared you? I'm terribly sorry. You don’t have to rush to answer me."

Lin Yunwan suddenly didn’t know how to face him.

She owed him a great debt of gratitude; morally and emotionally, she couldn’t just dismiss him, and the prince wasn’t a frivolous person... He didn’t seem to be joking!

"Your Highness. I take my leave."

Lin Yunwan bowed her head, curtsied, and hurried away.

"Miss, why are you leaving so quickly?"

Xi Ruo hurried to catch up, only to realize that Miss Lin's strides were so large she could barely keep up.

Lin Yunwan was single-mindedly heading towards the floral hall, her mind in turmoil.

If the prince had pointed out any flaws in her plans today, she wouldn’t be as nervous as she is now... How could the prince think of marrying her!

"Yunwan, you’re back?"

Dong Shuangshuang came over and whispered to her, "No one from the Lin family came looking for you." She added, "They are playing chess over there; do you want to go and watch?"

Lin Yunwan had no interest in watching chess at the moment.

"What’s wrong with you?"

Dong Shuangshuang, holding Lin Yunwan's hand, felt it was very cold, which was strange considering the weather. How could it be so cold?

Her hand was covered in cold sweat.

She took out a handkerchief to wipe Lin Yunwan’s hands, worriedly asking, "Why are you sweating so much?"

Lin Yunwan quickly regained her composure, accepting Dong Shuangshuang’s handkerchief and slowly wiping her hands. She said, "I’m fine. I was just worried something might have happened here in the hall, so I walked fast."

Dong Shuangshuang, linking arms with her, leaned in and whispered, "Did you see anything at the Xiao Xiang Pavilion?"

"…I did."

She had seen too much! The prince had played along with her from start to finish.

She wondered what he must be thinking of her now.

She also didn’t understand what the prince was thinking! If he intended to marry her, why did he still play along with her in the attic, scrutinizing those scholars… It all seemed like a farce.

Lin Yunwan rubbed her temples.

Her head was aching terribly.

She had never felt as awkward as she did now in her entire life.

Dong Shuangshuang, unaware of the situation, excitedly asked, "Yunwan, did you find someone you liked?"

Lin Yunwan gave a vague response.

She had originally thought Yan Jingzong was a good choice, but now her mind was filled with Qi Lingheng's image and his words... he said he wanted to marry her.

The image of Yan Jingzong was starting to blur in her mind.

Dong Shuangshuang, sensing something was off with Lin Yunwan, was very worried.

Not wanting to discuss Qi Lingheng anymore, Lin Yunwan asked Dong Shuangshuang, "How did you discover the secret of the Xiao Xiang Pavilion?"

That place offered a view of the Qishan Society’s scholars; surely someone else had done the same thing before.

Dong Shuangshuang, worried about being overheard, led Lin Yunwan away before saying, "It was Miss Lu from the Lu family, quite daring... she sneaked there to watch the scholars, and got reprimanded by her elders. I heard about it by accident."

Lin Yunwan smiled faintly, "Young girls are naturally curious about such things."

Everyone wants to marry a good husband and wishes to choose their own spouse.

Sadly, marriages are often arranged by parents, and women only realize whether they've married a man or a monster after the wedding. This is unfair, as men can have multiple wives and concubines, while women are bound for life with no way out.

"Shuangshuang, I'm tired. Let's go back and rest."

Dong Shuangshuang, noticing Lin Yunwan’s pale complexion, accompanied her back to the floral hall and found a quiet place to sit.

The ladies of the Xi Lin Mansion took good care of Lin Yunwan. The other young ladies were eager to talk to her, but she was not in the mood to make friends. Claiming to feel unwell, she left early with Madam Zheng.

"Hmph! You said it was the prince's uncle's garden, but we didn’t find out anything. We didn’t even see a shadow of the prince!"

Lin Yunjiao lost her restraint as soon as she returned home.

Madam Zheng, having no way to handle her, had dealt with her tantrums for many days. Finally, when things seemed a bit calmer, she dared not provoke her daughter.

"How can it not be the prince's uncle's garden? Didn’t you see how grand it was? Even your uncle’s garden can't compare."

This was indeed true.

Lin Yunjiao pouted, "What does it matter to me? I can’t marry the prince anyway."

She was raised without proper discipline. Speaking so freely about marrying and getting married was a big taboo for unmarried girls, but she was fearless.

Madam Zheng now feared her daughter’s lack of tact, worrying that her husband would get angry if he heard.

But she couldn't bring herself to be harsh.

In the end, she sighed and said nothing.

Lin Yunjiao felt this trip was utterly pointless. She was simply tricked into leaving the house by her mother.

She was still very bothered by her mother’s past actions that almost prevented her birth. Her mother, to this day, is evasive and unwilling to tell her the truth.

Lin Yunjiao threw a tantrum, "I don’t want to go out anymore! I don’t want to meet anyone!"

Madam Zheng became anxious, "At your blooming age, how can you not meet people?"

She was still thinking about when her daughter could meet the prince.

However, unsure of the right timing, she dared not make promises carelessly.

Frustrated, Lin Yunjiao pushed Madam Zheng away, blurting out in a moment of anger, "Unless you can arrange for me to meet the prince, don’t even think of tricking me out of the house again!"

She ran back to her room.

Zheng Shi hurriedly followed, having just managed to calm her daughter, only to see her upset again.

"Madam really is..."

Xiruo shook her head as she watched.

Lin Yunwan also felt that Zheng Shi was too indulgent with Lin Yunjiao, commenting lightly, "Madam loves the second miss, but doesn't seem to know the right way to express it."

Xiruo said, "She'll spoil her to the point of causing trouble sooner or later."

Lin Yunwan did not deny this.

Back in Bi Xi Hall, she felt much calmer.

As night fell, Xiruo urged her not to practice calligraphy anymore, adding, "You've written enough for today."

Lin Yunwan put down her brush and asked Xiruo, "Any news about the Wen family mother and son?"

The Wen family mother and son also went to Qi Shan Garden. They wouldn't return empty-handed, would they?

The next day, Lin Yunwan heard news about Wen Hai.

While paying respects to Zheng Shi, she overheard Lin Huabin discussing Wen Hai with his wife: "He got along well with the scholars at Qi Shan Society. I heard they even exchanged writings yesterday."

Zheng Shi wasn't interested in literature, but since her husband mentioned it, she eagerly asked, "Did the Qi Shan Society scholars praise his writing?"

"...They did not."

Lin Huabin had called Wen Hai over the previous night for questioning. Without needing to ask much, Wen Hai's dejected appearance revealed he had faced a setback at Qi Shan Society.

With so many talented individuals there, how could Wen Hai, a mere scholar from a small county, fit in?

They then mentioned a fight that broke out among the scholars at Qi Shan Society yesterday.

Zheng Shi was alarmed, "A brawl? How can scholars get involved in a brawl?"

Lin Huabin was unconcerned, "Young people are bound to have their impulsive moments."

"Master, Madam."

After listening for a few moments, Lin Yunwan entered to pay her respects.

Lin Huabin had something to discuss with her, standing up and saying warmly, "Yunwan, come with me to the study."

Madam Zheng huffed and, after they left, slammed the table, "What matters must be discussed away from me!"

It was obviously about Lin Yunwan’s marriage.

Lin Huabin knew Wen Hai was just an ordinary scholar, yet in front of Lin Yunwan, he extolled Wen Hai's virtues.

Lin Yunwan didn’t rush to interrupt him.