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

Lin Ping was ashamed; this man had switched sides far too quickly. Although the two were already married, he couldn't immediately settle accounts with his father.

That's right, that's how women think.

However, is Zhou Xiyin the kind of woman who loves money? Obviously not.

Moreover, her marriage with Lin Ping was unstable and could end at any time, or even be divorced. Sending money to her family was the smart thing to do.

She did this because she didn't want to owe Lin Ping too much. He did lie to her about the marriage, but his help to the Zhou family was undeniable.

If Lin Ping hadn't appeared in time, Zhou Xiyin would have married the son of the prefect long ago, and where would her happiness have come from?

Although she can't be considered happy now, at least Lin Ping's big hands are warm and can protect her.

“This child…” Zhou Yecheng smiled awkwardly, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

He hoped to see Zhou Xiyin and Lin Ping in a loving relationship, but he didn't want her to sever ties with the Zhou family too early.

She has indeed risen to a high social status, but she must not forget her father who raised her with great hardship.

"Father-in-law, from now on, all our money will belong to her..." Lin Ping said, trying to play the victim and smooth things over.

As Zhou Xiyin's personal maid, Wan'er accompanied her to the dowry and temporarily shared a room with Xiao Shuang.

This couple, who were pretending to be affectionate, also had to sleep in the same room. In the middle of the night, Lin Ping consciously made a makeshift bed on the floor.

He seemed quite adept at the matter of sharing a room but not a bed.

Jiang Yunying was like this, and so was Zhou Xiyin. It remains to be seen whether his future female confidantes will treat him the same way.

Lin Ping slept soundly, finally feeling relieved.

Although Xia Linglong's meddling caused Zhou Xiyin to get hurt, it also successfully prevented her from going through the wedding ceremony with him. In a true sense, the two of them cannot be considered husband and wife. Even if they divorce in the future, the harm to Zhou Xiyin will be less.

Clearly, Lin Ping possesses all the characteristics of a straight man, even his self-righteous thoughts are exactly the same.

Zhou Xiyin was also tired, but Lin Ping's deafening snoring kept her from sleeping. She suddenly regretted coming to Xuanji Hall. Wouldn't it be better to sleep in a big bed by herself?

At this moment, inside the palace, Xia Linglong sat by the window with lifeless eyes, not moving for a whole day. She had returned physically, but her soul was gone.

"Your Highness, the King has arrived." An old nanny rushed in to announce the arrival, naturally not wanting the King to see her in such a distraught state.

She didn't react at all, still staring out the window without even blinking. If she weren't still able to sit alone, she would really be mistaken for a dead person.

"Hahaha, that's great, really great! That kid Ye Ran did a good job, not only killing the flower thief but also eliminating one of his accomplices." The king walked in laughing, sweeping away the previous gloomy atmosphere, as if he had become ten years younger.

People are in high spirits when they have good news. The case of the flower thief had been weighing on his mind and making him feel suffocated. Now that the case has been solved, how could he not be happy?

Although the flower thief was blown to pieces, with the Embroidered Uniform Guard as witnesses and the emperor's personal assistance, the ministers in the court were speechless.

Since the evidence has already been destroyed, they don't want to risk getting humiliated and having their identities exposed, which would be a greater loss than gain.

The Minister of Personnel had no choice but to give Xia Yeran a warning; barring any unforeseen circumstances, he would be promoted by the end of the year.

"Father heard that you also contributed to this." The king was a man who clearly distinguished between rewards and punishments, and all the credit for the Embroidered Uniform Guard was attributed to Xia Linglong. As for the details, he was not very clear.

These words were like a stone thrown into the ocean; they didn't make a sound even after a long time.

"Your father is speaking to you!" The king's smiling face suddenly darkened, replaced by a powerful and authoritative expression.

He is the king, the supreme monarch, and even in front of his children, he must maintain sufficient authority.

How dare you not reply to him? That seems a bit excessive.

Xia Linglong shifted her empty gaze and said blankly, "That's good."

"Very well? Is this how you speak to your father?" The king showed a hint of anger, his emotions about to explode, but he forcibly suppressed them.

Xia Linglong lowered her head and remained silent, her blank gaze still fixed on the window, as if the monarch did not exist.

"This is outrageous! Absolutely outrageous! In that case, she might as well marry the General's son as soon as possible!" the king said angrily. If it weren't for Xia Linglong's feelings, he probably would have slapped her already.

The general he mentioned was Lu Zhan, the Left Commander of the Central Army, who controlled half of the military power of the Wu Kingdom and was considered a neutral party. As long as this person could be controlled, the Wu Kingdom's territory could be controlled.

Therefore, what the king said was not an angry outburst, but something he had prepared beforehand, and it was also his main purpose in coming to find Xia Linglong. He just happened to use this excuse to say it, so it felt perfectly natural.

"I won't marry him!" Xia Linglong replied without hesitation.

She was originally opposed to this marriage, not wanting to become a pawn in consolidating imperial power.

She eventually compromised because of Xia Linglong's threat that Lin Ping would die if she didn't marry him.

The reason she resisted again was because Lin Ping had reappeared in front of her, and her emotions, which she thought she could control, suddenly erupted like a torrent.

She never imagined she would care so much about a man; this is probably what it feels like to like someone.

Even though Lin Ping misunderstood her, she didn't want to give up this opportunity.

"It's not up to you. Guards, lock the princess up. No one is to let her out without my order," the king said coldly, showing no regard for their father-daughter relationship.

He desperately wanted Lu Zhan's help so that he could eliminate all the disobedient ministers and thus consolidate his imperial power.

As for Xia Linglong's happiness... he decides. After all, he's the father, and he's the ruler.

"I...I..." Xia Linglong trembled with anger, her heart suddenly tightened, and she spat out a mouthful of black blood mist.

She had already suffered injustice at Lin Ping's hands, and now she had to suffer injustice at her father's hands as well. Even with her strong will, Xia Linglong could not withstand such a blow.

That shattered heart will eventually break down.

"Summon the imperial physician!" the king said calmly, then turned and walked away without looking back.

puff……

Xia Linglong spat out another mouthful of blood, her paper-thin body floating lightly to the ground, her face devoid of color.

"Your Highness, why are you doing this?" The old nanny hurried to Xia Linglong's side, her withered hands wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, tears streaming down her face.

She was Xia Linglong's wet nurse, having watched her grow up from a young age and given her more than a mother's love. Seeing her like this now, she was truly heartbroken.

The eunuch outside the door ran to fetch the imperial physician, not daring to delay the princess's treatment.

"Don't worry about me, let me die. Maybe it will bring someone to feel guilty." Xia Linglong's consciousness was a little hazy, and she actually said these heartbreaking words.