Chapter Ninety: I Just Like Seeing You Angry
Lin Miaomiao suddenly recalled what the Princess of Lin'an had said about her earlier. She lifted her head and asked Li Yanhe, “Does that mean my title as princess is not recognized by the royal family either?”
Li Yanhe was momentarily taken aback by her question, then nodded and replied, “Yes, that's right.”
Hearing this, Lin Miaomiao pouted in silence. Li Yanhe could not fathom why she was unhappy.
After returning to the prince's residence with Lin Miaomiao, she looked up at Li Yanhe and remarked, “Your military achievements are so valuable, yet His Majesty is so stingy.”
Li Yanhe chuckled, gently ruffling her hair, “You’re not wrong; indeed, His Majesty is stingy.”
After saying this, he glanced at the indignant Lin Miaomiao and spoke softly, “Perhaps I haven't worked hard enough.”
“Otherwise, why would His Majesty's rewards be so meager? Next time, I’ll slay a few more enemies on the battlefield so that your rewards will increase.”
Lin Miaomiao was instantly soothed by this cold man, and with a smile, she nodded, “Very well, you must strive hard.”
Such rebellious words might have shocked others, but Madam Zhao and the few servants accompanying them lowered their heads, pretending not to hear a thing.
It was Lin Miaomiao’s first time shopping in the capital, and the experience left her ever more disenchanted with the city.
After lunch, Madam Zhao entered and addressed Li Yanhe, “Your Highness, the Imperial Consort requests that you bring the Princess of Anping to the palace.”
Li Yanhe waved his hand, and soon he and Lin Miaomiao were riding in a carriage toward the imperial palace. As Lin Miaomiao stepped into the palace of Imperial Noble Consort Yuan Chuxia, she heard a familiar voice weeping nearby.
She and Li Yanhe entered and immediately recognized the person—an old acquaintance.
Lin Miaomiao watched as the Princess of Lin'an cried pitifully, and she felt she should not have come at all—what a favor to this woman.
Approaching, Lin Miaomiao saw the Princess of Lin'an sobbing, while Imperial Noble Consort Yuan Chuxia sat high above, icy and indifferent, watching her.
The Princess of Lin'an, seeing the Imperial Consort unmoved and the Princess of Anping offering no apology, could barely maintain her composure.
But remembering her mother’s instructions, the Princess of Lin'an knelt before Yuan Chuxia and pleaded, “Your Highness, please spare me! I beg you to intercede with Prince Zheng—have mercy on me!”
Lin Miaomiao rolled her eyes and said bluntly, “Are you out of your mind?”
“Li Zheng reprimanded you, yet instead of seeking him out, you come here to beg the consort? Is your brain waterlogged, or was it never very useful to begin with?”
Li Yanhe, hearing Lin Miaomiao’s words, could not help but laugh out loud, and Yuan Chuxia’s lips curled in a mocking smile.
Lin Miaomiao had no interest in the Princess of Lin'an’s convoluted schemes; regardless of who she was, as a fellow princess, Lin Miaomiao felt free to challenge her.
The Princess of Lin'an, hearing Lin Miaomiao, turned her tearful gaze to Yuan Chuxia, “Your Highness, I truly meant no harm. Please, let the Princess of Anping be magnanimous and forgive me.”
Lin Miaomiao rolled her eyes dramatically and retorted, “Princess, what exactly did I ever do to you? Why are you begging my forgiveness?”
“In my view, there’s neither recent nor past enmity between us. What is there to forgive?”
With those words, Lin Miaomiao ignored the others and walked straight to the Princess of Lin'an, intending to help her to her feet.
Seeing Lin Miaomiao approach, the Princess of Lin'an realized she was about to lose out, and her temper, usually held in check, was on the verge of snapping.
Unable to restrain herself any longer, she shoved Lin Miaomiao to the ground. Lin Miaomiao, pushed down, immediately began to feign pitifulness.
“Your Highness, I truly only wished for my sister’s forgiveness, yet she dislikes me so much that she pushed me to the ground.”
“I don’t want to make a scene—this is but a minor matter. Why does my sister refuse to forgive me?”
“I am still young and ignorant, lacking proper decorum; if my sister truly dislikes me, she can simply say so.”
“Sister, if you think I have acted inappropriately, please tell me, and Miaomiao will mend her ways.”
Lin Miaomiao wept with affecting innocence, inwardly railing, “Let’s see who can play the innocent better—me or you?”
“You must have someone on the inside; surely you’ll summon the emperor soon. When the time comes, it’s just a matter of who cries hardest—who cares about anything else?”
Sitting on the ground, Lin Miaomiao maintained her pitiful pose, and her persistent tears began to wear on the Princess of Lin'an’s nerves.
Eventually, the Princess of Lin'an snapped impatiently, “Can you stop crying? I only pushed you to the ground—why pretend to be so miserable?”
Lin Miaomiao looked at her in disbelief, “So, sister, you admit you pushed me?”
“I always thought it was unintentional. Miaomiao truly doesn’t know what upset you, but I apologize and beg you not to be angry, nor to blame Brother Yanhe.”
Maintaining her act, Lin Miaomiao’s large eyes gazed plaintively at the Princess of Lin'an, and just as she was playing the part, a familiar voice rang out.
“His Majesty arrives!”
Hearing this, Lin Miaomiao rejoiced inwardly, “Yes, this is exactly what I wanted. Little girls trying to outwit their elders? You’re still too inexperienced.”
She kept her thoughts to herself, but outwardly glanced at Emperor Yongchang with a look of pitiable sorrow.
Emperor Yongchang entered, immediately noticing Lin Miaomiao, pushed and crying on the floor.
The Princess of Lin'an pointed at Lin Miaomiao, but the emperor cast her a look of distaste, “Lin'an, have your manners and etiquette all been internalized?”
He glanced at Li Yanhe, “Why haven’t you helped Miaomiao up?”
After this, he looked again at Lin'an, “Explain what happened.”
The Princess of Lin'an, thoroughly aggrieved, launched into accusations against Lin Miaomiao, who sat quietly, looking wronged and saying nothing.