Holding her hand? That worked for her.
Lu Zhaoling worked hard to replenish herself.
"It won't harm the Emperor," Lu Zhaoling explained. "It isn't a malicious talisman. If it were, the power of the scriptures would have neutralized the sigil immediately, and it never would have made it past the palace gates."
The Imperial Palace was watched over by the Heavenly Dao, and the Emperor himself was shielded by the National Fortune. Ordinary talismans and spells couldn't get anywhere near him. Harming an Emperor through such means was far from a simple task.
That was precisely why she had drawn the talisman beneath the scriptures. Even if someone spotted it, the accompanying holy text served as proof that the talisman held no ill intent.
Prince Jin frowned, listening to her talk in such a cryptic, mystical manner. "So, what kind of talisman is it?"
"It's just a Heart-Purifying Delusion-Removing Talisman," Lu Zhaoling said. "Basically, it allows the Emperor to recall people or events buried deep in the recesses of his memory. By the way, did he think of anything?"
"When Imperial Brother saw the scriptures, he mentioned that your father once had a first wife. That would mean your mother was only a successor."
Prince Jin watched her eyes, searching for any sign of panic or shock. Was her talisman meant to make the Emperor remember that specific person? What did she stand to gain from it?
Lu Zhaoling rolled her eyes in a most unladylike fashion.
"You've investigated me, haven't you? Even you couldn't find out that I'm the daughter of that first wife?"
If even Prince Jin hadn't discovered the truth, what exactly had happened back then? Had all traces of a woman who held the status of a first wife been scrubbed away? How could so many people in the Capital be completely unaware?
Prince Jin was genuinely surprised. "But you are a year younger than the Eldest Miss Lu."
"That's because she stole my identity as the eldest legitimate daughter. I was born several months before her." Lu Zhaoling didn't seem particularly eager to let go of his hand.
Prince Jin, however, finally realized he was still gripping her hand. He let go immediately and reached out to push her a little further away.
"Sit up straight."
She had no sense of posture, practically leaning her entire weight against him. How could someone be so thick-skinned?
Having siphoned a significant amount of Fortune this time, Lu Zhaoling sat back with a satisfied expression.
"Why would Lu Ming do such a thing?" Prince Jin asked, puzzled.
Both were legitimate daughters; why go through the trouble of swapping their positions?
"There are clearly problems involved, but I'm in no hurry. I'll investigate slowly. However, I need the Emperor to remember my mother first. When the time is right, I'll take back my status as the eldest legitimate daughter, and I'll have the Emperor's support to do it."
For some reason, Prince Jin felt a twinge of discomfort in his chest. "Is this such a small matter that I cannot help you with it?"
Did she really have to go through such a convoluted path just to get the Emperor's help?
Lu Zhaoling looked at him suspiciously. "Why would you bother with such a trivial task? I happened to be copying scriptures anyway, so it was just a convenient addition."
Besides, back then, Prince Jin had been a mere child of a few years. Could he possibly know more than the Emperor? Ten years ago, the Emperor had been the Crown Prince, and it was said he often roamed the Capital. The chances of him having met her biological mother were quite high.
She had taken such a long, winding road that Prince Jin assumed this was a matter of life and death to her. He hadn't expected her to treat it as something she did "just because it was convenient."
"Then tell me," he said, "what are these 'major affairs' I should be focusing on?"
"You probably don't know yet that the Liu Family sent three lanterns to your manor, do you?" Lu Zhaoling asked. "Someone wants your life. Naturally, you should investigate that first. Protecting your life is the priority."
She looked at him as if he were a fool.
Prince Jin was so exasperated that he almost laughed. He truly hadn't known about it yet, though his butler had sent word that there was urgent news to report once he returned to the manor. He hadn't realized this matter was connected to her.
"Your legs and your illness require rare medicinal herbs. I'll write a list for you. You need to send your men to search for them. That is the first major affair."
Lu Zhaoling held up two fingers. "The second major affair: to cure you, I need to nurse my own body back to health. I'm lacking the necessary supplements, so you must do your best to gather them for me. In addition to supplements, I need suitable magical artifacts. You have plenty of manpower, so help me find those as well."
She certainly wasn't being polite. He was expected to find her food and her tools?
Yet, the words that left his mouth were: "What kind of magical artifacts?"
"Anything works. I don't know what will feel right until I try it, so bring back a variety for me to choose from. For example, top-tier wolf-hair brushes, high-quality cinnabar, premium jade, compasses, seals, gourds, bells anything like that."
Prince Jin nearly laughed again. Those things sounded utterly unreliable. Could they really be used as magical artifacts?
"Actually, rare or famous musical instruments would work too," Lu Zhaoling added.
With just a few words from her, he was going to be busy enough to break his legs, and his subordinates would be running until they were out of breath. Yet, he found himself unable to refuse.
"The third major affair," she continued, "is that you must stay alive. At the very least, you can't die within the next six months."
Otherwise, where was she going to find another person to siphon from? Was she supposed to go into the palace and drain the Emperor? The Emperor had a harem full of women; his Fortune was surely clouded and impure. He couldn't compare to the Chaste Man sitting right in front of her.
Prince Jin felt her gaze turn strange again. "There's something dirty about your eyes," he said expressionlessly.
"You're seeing things." Lu Zhaoling retracted her gaze.
Just then, Qingyin entered with tea. When she saw the two of them squeezed together on a single soft couch, her hand trembled, nearly spilling the tea.
"Please have some tea, Your Highness."
After talking for so long, Prince Jin felt thirsty. He took the cup and had a sip. It was an exceptionally rare, high-quality tea.
"This tea..."
"I heard you can't buy it in the Capital. Madam Lin gave it to me," Lu Zhaoling said generously. "You're in luck. Drink up."
This tea was produced in the region where Lin Rong had previously served. The yield was extremely low and precious; outsiders almost never had the chance to taste it because the few pounds produced each year were always bought out by the local wealthy gentry. After she had saved Lin Yanran, Lin Rong had gifted her the only two pounds he had.
"Madam Lin? You mean Lin Rong's wife?"
"That's the one."
Prince Jin was startled. Lin Rong had only just returned to the Capital; how had she already established a connection with his family? This girl's networking skills were impressive.
"Finish your tea and head back. Look into the matter of the lanterns properly, and let me know when you have news." Lu Zhaoling began to usher him out. Now that she had replenished her Fortune for the day, she wanted to draw some talismans.
Prince Jin hadn't expected to be kicked out so unceremoniously.
"I sent your scriptures to the Ancestral Temple," he added. "The Retired Emperor's spirit tablet fell over the moment it saw them. What was that about?"
Lu Zhaoling looked surprised. "He actually dared to throw a tantrum?"
Prince Jin remained silent. He didn't understand it either.
"Take me there to see it some other day. A spirit tablet shouldn't be so arrogant..." Lu Zhaoling muttered, waving him off.
Prince Jin gritted his teeth, letting out a frustrated laugh. He always felt that her attitude toward him was a bit... cheeky.
Once Prince Jin left, Lu Zhaoling immediately got up to draw talismans.
Meanwhile, Madam Lin, Lady Wu, was out shopping when she happened to overhear some people spitefully discussing a certain young lady's embarrassment.
"It's confirmed! That 'Miss Pupu' mentioned in the Capital News is definitely Lord Lu's second daughter! I heard she's just an ugly village girl who was raised in the countryside!"
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