Making you a son-in-law is not about making you conquer the world.

"Nonsense! I'll immediately revoke your position in the Embroidered Uniform Guard," the king replied displeasedly, forcibly suppressing his inner rage.

Xia Linglong was a princess of noble status. If she hadn't proposed to hone her skills a few years ago, the king would never have allowed her to join the high-risk Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard).

Of course, the king generally does not allow her to carry out any missions, except for the last time she went to Jiangcheng.

In the king's eyes, going to Jiangcheng was just a formality with little danger. Little did he know that Xia Linglong would encounter so many twists and turns, and even the girl's heart would be with her there.

The king was not only afraid that Xia Linglong would encounter danger while carrying out her mission, but also that she would run away and go to find that unreliable son-in-law.

In fact, Xia Linglong's freedom was not restricted. She knew that her appearance would bring Lin Ping to his death, so she waited anxiously inside the palace.

"I have been doing my duty diligently, and you cannot dismiss me from my post at will," Xia Linglong said stubbornly, still kneeling on the ground.

"This world belongs to me, what's wrong with removing you from your post?" the king said with a hint of anger. He disliked others negotiating with him and was even more afraid of his imperial authority being questioned.

“That’s right. You are the emperor and can dismiss a mere captain, but you cannot stop the many Imperial Guards from rebelling. In that case, no one will be able to catch the lecherous thief, which will affect Brother Ye Ran’s career. I’m afraid this will also be detrimental to you.” Xia Linglong calmly analyzed the current situation.

The position of captain is not insignificant within the Embroidered Uniform Guard. If Xia Linglong is forcibly dismissed, it could cause a huge uproar, leading to demoralization and rendering the National Army's sword ineffective.

For a moment, the king fell into deep thought. He was on the edge of a precipice and could not afford to make a single wrong move. If he could not get Xia Yeran into the court, his power might be gradually stripped away.

Therefore, the king was more anxious than anyone else about the case of the flower thief, and it was not a bad thing that his daughter wanted to help him solve his problems.

"Remember, safety comes first. All the Imperial Guards are at your disposal," the king said with concern, finally yielding to Xia Linglong for once.

This also demonstrates the monarch's deep cunning; this compromise means there will be no compromise next time, and the next time will concern Xia Linglong's lifelong happiness.

Xia Linglong didn't say much, nor did she even bow in thanks. She pushed open the palace door and left in a hurry. She was truly heartbroken by this father.

To be honest, Xia Linglong knew the king's predicament. If she had the choice, she would not hesitate to sacrifice her own happiness for the stability of the country.

However, she was just a young girl in the prime of her life, how could she not wish for a love story that was both beautiful and moving?

So, it's okay for me to follow your wishes, but it's difficult for me to be free of hatred.

"Alas... it is your father who has wronged you." Looking at Xia Linglong's lonely and desolate figure, the king couldn't help but sigh.

He may be a good ruler, but he is by no means a good father, even sacrificing his daughter's happiness.

There was no other way; this was the king's predicament. The six powerful feudal lords were no longer under his control, and the court officials were scheming against each other. He didn't even have any real military power and was on the verge of becoming a puppet. To completely change this situation, the current order had to be broken.

Inside Xuanji Hall, Lin Ping lay listlessly on his bed, gazing at the bright moon high in the sky through the small window. His heart was filled with a profound sense of melancholy and sorrow. He had been in Yingtian Prefecture for some time now, and although he had made a name for himself, he couldn't afford to be too complacent.

After all, apart from the salt official Qi Tianzhang, he had not yet made connections with any truly powerful or influential people.

Moreover, there was the unaware Diao Mao, and Wu Xin who could appear at any moment, plus this flower thief of unknown origin. A cloud of doubt involuntarily rose in Lin Ping's mind.

Suddenly, a cold wind blew up behind Lin Ping, and he vaguely sensed a murderous aura. He quickly activated his right eye.

"Holy crap, I'm here!" Without saying a word, Lin Ping rolled off the bed, forgetting to even put on his shoes.

Before this series of actions was finished, the door was ruthlessly pushed open, revealing a hideous face under the moonlight.

"No way, although Master Ping is handsome, he exudes masculinity. Does this flower thief also have this kind of taste?" Lin Ping, under the bed, held his breath, constantly trying to figure out the flower thief's intentions. Judging from this setup, it doesn't seem like he's here to pick chrysanthemums. That gleaming dagger is the best proof.

"You brat, you've ruined my plans time and time again, die!" The flower thief's face grew even more ferocious as he mercilessly stabbed his silver dagger into the quilt.

The flower thief expected the knife to draw blood, or at least make a "plop" sound. But that wasn't the case at all; the knife struck cotton.

"Empty?" The flower thief pulled the dagger out of the bed board and carefully looked around.

Lin Ping didn't dare to breathe. He had already nocked his crossbow. He had two choices: First, shoot the flower thief through the calf and jump out to fight him head-on. Second, continue to lie low until the other party left.

Lin Ping had already ruled out the first option. Even if he managed to cripple the opponent, let alone wound their calf, he might not have a chance of winning. Lin Ping was quite confident in this regard.

"Shoes?" The flower thief suddenly noticed the shoes on the ground. The strong smell indicated that they had just been taken off, which meant that Lin Ping was nearby.

Hearing this, Lin Ping's heart skipped a beat. He wished he could find a crack in the ground to hide in. Survival was the most important thing; dignity was nothing but bullshit.

"Haha, don't even think about escaping!" The flower thief laughed loudly, the silver light of his dagger already shining on Lin Ping's face.

"Damn it, we've been discovered!" Lin Ping regretted not striking earlier; now he didn't even have a chance to fight back.

Just as Lin Ping's heart was about to jump out of his throat, the flower thief broke out of the window. That's right, he thought Lin Ping had slipped away through the window.

"This is terrifying!" Lin Ping kept rubbing his chest with both hands, trying to calm himself down. If the flower thief hadn't left early, he probably would have jumped out and died. Hiding under the bed like this was really frightening.

"Master Ping, are you getting up to pee?" In the courtyard, Zhao Ritian rubbed his sleepy eyes and swayed as he walked towards Lin Ping's room, thinking that he needed a chamber pot.

"Idiot! Run!" Lin Ping cursed inwardly, involuntarily starting to worry about Zhao Ritian's safety. This flower thief didn't care who Zhao Ritian was; he was unlucky to have met him today. The gleaming dagger immediately shifted its target.