Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

Little did she know that Lingyan was already fully aware of her feelings.

However, she is not the type to back down in the face of a challenge, and this time she will accept the invitation and go.

Knowing that the other party intended to kill her, why not go with the flow?

Otherwise, if we don't go this time, who knows what other tricks she might have up her sleeve?

You can only commit a thief in a thousand days, but there is no way to guard against a thief in a thousand days.

She didn't want to waste her time on the Fifth Princess either.

It would be best to resolve this in one go.

Since it was a lake excursion, there were only three possibilities: pushing her into the lake to drown, poisoning her, or having an assassin ambush her underwater.

She can handle poisoning herself.

She can swim too.

Then all she needs to do is bring someone with high martial arts skills to protect her.

Therefore, she explained the situation to Xiao Muyao and borrowed two female bodyguards from him as her personal maids.

Xiao Muyao strongly disagreed with her risking her life. He had plenty of ways to deal with the Fifth Princess, and he didn't want her to be in any danger.

Ling Yan shook her head, a slight smile playing on her lips, and said, "I know you can help me solve this, but I'm not a useless person. Do I need you to do everything for me? I don't want to rely on you for everything."

She thought she could live her life like a parasitic plant, not having to worry about anything and just enjoying herself every day.

For the fifteen years before she married him, she had always thought this way.

But it wasn't until today that she realized she was still a strong woman at heart.

She remains as independent and self-reliant as she was in her previous life, and doesn't want to rely on anyone, especially men.

Indeed, in her previous life she was an only child, and her parents had always been dedicated to raising her to become the company's heir.

Therefore, she has succeeded in gaining her parents' approval, the approval of everyone in the company, and the fear of her competitors through her own hard work and abilities.

In her previous life, she was so independent that she never relied on anyone or bowed her head to anyone until she died at the age of thirty.

But why did she think she would rely on someone else for the rest of her life in this life?

Is it because this is ancient times?

Are women not given the opportunity to shine?

But at this moment, she finally understood that no matter when or where she was, that persistence and pursuit of herself could never be taken away.

While Ling Yan was still deep in thought, Xiao Muyao heard her words and was deeply moved.

He had never met a woman who didn't want to rely on her husband.

Although he was shocked and somewhat admiring, he still felt that if it were her, it wouldn't have surprised him so much.

After all, he never truly understood her.

She is like a mystery.

Although he has only solved a small part of the mystery, he can't help but believe in her.

I believe she is indeed that amazing.

I believe she will be alright.

He was just too worried to think straight.

So he said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Yan'er. I was just worried and confused. I will never do that again."

Ling Yan replied with a smile, "It's alright, I know you're just worried about me."

She was actually very surprised and delighted that he could accept and understand so quickly.

She felt very lucky and happy that her husband was so understanding, reasonable, and accommodating.

Xiao Muyao then found two female bodyguards for her, who were said to be the two most powerful female bodyguards.

The two were named Ying Shuang and Ying Die.

The two were dressed in black, their movements as light as swallows, their eyes as sharp as eagles, revealing courage and determination.

His face was cold and sharp, gleaming with a stern light. His black hair was tied back, neat and tidy.

Lingyan nodded, indicating that she was very satisfied.

After tidying up, they headed to Mirror Lake outside the city at the agreed time.

She did not bring Yunmeng this time, mainly because Yunmeng had no martial arts skills and she was afraid of her safety, so it was better for her to stay in the mansion.

Ying Shuang and Ying Die no longer dressed as bodyguards as usual, but instead changed into maid outfits and became her personal maids.

The two of them naturally concealed their aura and sharpness, remaining as quiet and inconspicuous as ordinary maids.

Besides the two of them openly following, there were also many hidden guards protecting them.

When she arrived at Mirror Lake, she saw a magnificent ship quietly moored on the shore, like a masterpiece of art.

The ship is large yet agile, and the wood is polished to a mirror-like smoothness, reflecting a warm glow.

On the deck, rows of pillars carved with intricate patterns stand in neat rows, supporting the magnificent canopy. Strings of bells hang from the edge of the canopy, making a crisp and melodious sound when a breeze blows.

When Lingyan entered the cabin, she saw that the walls were decorated with gorgeous silk curtains embroidered with elegant patterns.

The tables and chairs are all made of the finest wood, with intricate carvings and gemstone inlays, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship and luxury in every detail.

The windows are inlaid with colored glass, and the light that shines through is colorful. The ceiling is painted with exquisite murals, which are vivid and lifelike, making people feel as if they are in a fantasy world.

As expected of a royal princess, the silver spent on this ship alone must have amounted to several million taels!

That's really a small amount!

When the group saw her arrive, they immediately stood up and bowed to her as they were chatting.

Lingyan looked closely and saw that, in addition to the noble ladies from the capital, several princesses she had met before were also there.

Once everyone had arrived, the boat slowly began to move.

At that moment, the seventh, eighth, and ninth princesses surrounded her, chattering excitedly.

The Eighth Princess asked with concern, "How is your health, sister-in-law? Is the prescription from the imperial physician effective?"

Lingyan smiled and replied, "It's helpful, I'm much better now."

The Ninth Princess said unhappily, "My sister-in-law promised to come and play with us, but she's nowhere to be seen. She broke her promise!"

Lingyan smiled and comforted her, "You know I'm not in good health and can't go out often."

Well, being unwell is such a convenient excuse.

Upon hearing this, the Ninth Princess beamed with joy and began to inquire about her health.

The Seventh Princess also found an opportunity to speak and asked with concern, "Sister-in-law, are you prepared for today?"

Really smart.

She must have guessed the Fifth Princess's intentions.

Lingyan smiled reassuringly and said, "Don't worry, I'm ready."

The Seventh Princess nodded in relief.

The eighth and ninth princesses standing beside them looked puzzled.

What are they talking about?

Perhaps they were too well protected; although they grew up in the palace, they had never seen the darkness.

Naturally, they don't understand that some people can take someone's life simply out of jealousy.

The Seventh Princess, on the other hand, although her mother, Consort Min, was of noble birth, she was not favored. She must have been accustomed to too much intrigue and scheming from a young age, which is why she was so precocious.

At this moment, several noble ladies came over to greet and chat with them.

Lingyan and the princesses chatted happily with them.

Just then, the Fifth Princess and the Sixth Princess also gathered around them.

The Fifth Princess smiled radiantly and said, "The midday sun is so strong, why don't we all move inside and talk some more?"

Lingyan remained noncommittal and led the way into the cabin with the princesses.

The remaining noble ladies followed them inside.