Marrying Gold and Jade

Pingyao acted decisively and Lin Yu did not expect that she would really run away in just two days.

He left a letter in the bedroom, declaring that he would rather be thrown into the battlefield than suffocate to death in the house.

The birthday banquet immediately turned into chaos, with the queen muttering "this is outrageous, absolutely outrageous", while the emperor occasionally offered a few words of advice.

In the end, he said: "Pingyao is indeed my daughter."

When the queen heard this, a look of surprise appeared on her no longer young face.

The banquet ended early that day. When Lin Yu was about to leave with Ming Yuan, a familiar-looking eunuch blocked his way.

Lin Yu remembered him. On the day Xu Jinxuan returned to the palace, it was he and Grand Tutor Shen who brought the ceremonial guards to the ferry to meet him.

Li Quan had a kind look in his eyes and said with a smile, "Miss Lin, His Majesty invites you."

After looking at Ming Yuan who was still pretending to be mute, Lin Yu nodded. There was no room for refusal, so he could only lower his head and follow.

The empress seemed to have gone to her bedroom in Pingyao, while Emperor Xianzhen moved to the side hall. Lin Yu entered and knelt down to pay his respects. He did not make things difficult for her and immediately called her up and gave her a seat.

It was only after Lin Yu sat down that she realized that there was not only the emperor in the side hall, but also Grand Tutor Shen, who was sitting at the first seat in the row of armchairs opposite her.

"You were the one who instigated Pingyao to escape?"

Lin Yu had just nodded to someone, but upon hearing this, he knelt down again.

"Folk girls don't dare."

"How dare you quibble? That night, Pingyao came to look for me in the middle of the night, wearing your cloak. If it wasn't you, who else could it be?"

After all, this palace is the emperor's palace. Lin Yu didn't find it strange that he could find out what Pingyao did that night.

She knelt on the ground and said, "I have met the princess, but I never encouraged her to do anything. The princess was upset that night, so I just told her that you can..."

"Can what?"

"You can go find your father and tell him what's on your mind."

There were only the two of them in the courtyard that night, and Lin Yu was absolutely sure that as long as Pingyao didn't sell herself out, no one would know what the two of them had said.

Now that she was on the road, how could Lin Yu admit that she had really encouraged Pingyao to escape?

The emperor was silent after hearing this, but suddenly changed the subject and asked, "I remember that you have a sworn brother who was chosen by me as the top scholar this year."

Lin Yu did not expect that the emperor would suddenly think of Lin Ji, so he lowered his head and replied, "Yes, my brother Lin Ji, I am grateful to your majesty for your kindness."

The emperor, who was originally dignified and majestic, suddenly turned his head away and made a very inappropriate "tsk" sound.

"He begged me to transfer him back to Songjiang for your sake, and now you are here again."

Lin Yu lay on the ground and did not dare to look up, but when these words entered her ears, it was like a thunderclap, and she almost fell off her knees.

No wonder, no wonder, others always talk about how this number one scholar is out of favor, and instead of studying in the Hanlin Academy, he is sent out to be a prefect.

Lin Yu had never heard anyone explain anything until today, when the emperor said it himself.

It turns out that Lin Ji returned to Songjiang for himself?

Then he...

Lin Yu's tense waist relaxed, and half of his body sat on his heels.

Then how early should he have thought of me?

Even though Lin Yu knew nothing about political affairs and official promotion, he knew that it was better to stay in Beijing and stay with the emperor than to return to Songjiang.

But Lin Ji, he actually begged the emperor to let him go back?

"Look at you, you don't know anything at all?"

The emperor on top of the head is in a relaxed posture, holding the chicken-glazed cup in his hand, and looks leisurely as if he is watching a play.

Lin Yu raised her eyes to look at the person for the first time, then immediately lowered her eyes and said, "I don't know."

"He never told you?"

"My brother..." Lin Yu just opened his mouth and couldn't continue.

Everyone knew what Lin Ji was thinking about him, and if he continued to call him brother, it would only make things worse.

She then explained, "Master Lin is my father's adopted son. Although he grew up in the same mansion as me, he is usually busy studying. I never knew that he had such thoughts."

This is just an excuse for others.

Emperor Xianzhen only found it interesting, and exchanged a glance with Grand Tutor Shen beside him, then continued: "Then you should know that my three sons who remain in the palace are all waiting to marry you."

After waiting for a while, this time the little girl knelt there quietly and didn't say a word for a long time.

"Deaf?"

When Lin Yu heard these two words, she pursed her pink lips and thought that Xu Jinxuan had a sharp tongue, and he must be like his father.

"Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, and the other princes are your descendants. I dare not interfere in the affairs of the royal family."

Even the Crown Princess came to look for him, but Lin Yu knew very well that to these people, he was very small and could only let them fight for him. It didn't matter what he thought.

This time even Emperor Xianzhen secretly thought that her answer was perfect. He didn't expect that although she looked so delicate and weak, she was actually quite smart when she spoke.

This was also the first time that Lin Yu had a conversation with the emperor. It didn't take long before he asked her to go back after a few words.

Just a few short words about Lin Ji really set off a storm in her heart.

It has been two months since we parted ways on the fleet. Now I recall all the things from our youth, and how he was studying at his desk in Qihe Hall and never looked up at me.

Thinking that he rarely came home from studying in Yingtian Prefecture, and would not say a word to me during the days he was at home.

But it just so happens that this is the kind of person who, once he ascends the throne, is willing to give up his future for himself just to come back to him.

Ridiculous?

In Lin Yu's opinion, this was simply ridiculous.

She couldn't help wondering if Lin Ji had some other unspeakable reasons for returning to Songjiang? Perhaps she was just making an excuse, a harmless excuse for a man and a woman, a little love.

It was not until he walked out of the palace and saw a familiar young man at the intersection that Lin Yu forced himself to come back to his senses.

"You're still waiting for me."

When they were walking outside, Mingyuan would not speak to her, but her absent-minded look just now did not escape Mingyuan's eyes.

He raised his hand, tapped Lin Yu, and stroked the side of his head with his fingertips.

Lin Yu understood it immediately and asked himself what he was thinking just now.

But now I still feel it is ridiculous. Lin Yu just wants to ask Lin Ji in person, so he just said: "Just now in the palace, His Majesty said that the three princes all want to marry me."

As expected, after these words were spoken, Ming Yuan's expression darkened and he stopped communicating with her with his hands outside.

It took half an hour to walk back to Moon Viewing Pavilion. After closing the door, Ming Yuan finally asked what he had been holding back all the way: "What did you say?"

Lin Yu also recalled it carefully.

"I just said, I dare not say it."

Perhaps he still had expectations for her answer. Even though Mingyuan knew that this was the best answer, he couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.