"Does Your Highness find me familiar?" He Yu asked in return.
Lingxi paused again thinking deeply, "you feel rather familiar. Do you think we have met before?" she asked him again.
"Probably", He Yu answered.
He didn't accept nor deny.
She stood up, "I'm full. Let's head back", she said and walked away.
He Yu dropped the money for the noodles and followed behind her.
"Your highness, what do you think of His majesty?" Lingxi asked.
They were walking down a quiet road.
"His majesty rules the realm wisely", He Yu made a casual statement.
"Those are just flattering words from others. What is your personal opinion of him? Do you deem him good or bad?" Lingxi asked clearly.
"No one is ever purely good or evil, even the emperor", he answered.
"Then, as his uncle, how do you judge is ruling?"
He Yu paused, "the night is bustling and lively - that is evidence of good ruling, right?"
"Can you rule better?" she asked almost immediately.
He Yu stopped on his tracks. He faced Lingxi but she showed no fear of having said something equivalent to treason.
He Yu leaned closer to her, his face peering into hers and Lingxi was almost uncomfortable with his gaze but she did not shift back and maintained her fearless composure, "If I can, would you help me?"
"Yes", she was a straightforward person.
He Yu stood up straight, "Your highness shouldn't speak without thinking", he said and went back to walking as though nothing had happened.
Lingxi did not give up but continued talking, "being uncle to the emperor is such a generational gap. Even the blind can see it's not normal"
"That's why they lose their eyes and may also lose their tongue if they speak of it", he answered.
Lingxi thought for a while,"Does your highness know my real name?"
"Your original family's name was 'Sang'. Was it Sang Lingxi?" he asked.
"No. It was Sang zhi. Zhi as in innocence", she answered.
"Why did you change your name then?" he asked.
"Back then, when my biological parent's properties were confiscated, alongside them, my parents keepsake for me were confiscated. They refused to give it back. After I got adopted by Mo Qinshan, I went back to ask for it but they refused to give it to me"
"Then, what did you do? Did you get it back?"
Lingxi smiled, "do you expect me to let go? One night, I snuck into the imperial guard office to get it back but I got caught. Although I was let go because of my father, I didn't escape a thrashing", she joked.
"Minister Mo is known for being doting towards you. There is no way he could have disciplined you", He Yu said.
Lingxi laughed, "you're right. I was just joking", she paused before continuing, "I then realized I couldn't get it back myself so I made someone else do it"
"Who?" He Yu asked although he had guessed the answer, "it couldn't have been Minister Mo"
"That old man is a stickler for rules. He said I should gain it by her own ability"
"That is expected"
"So, I had my brother do it. On the day he became the Imperial Guard Commander, he brought it back for me. That was nine years later but I claimed back what belonged to me in the end and I also got rid of those that obstructed me back then", she paused and turned to face him, "does Your Highness understand what I mean?" she asked.
He Yu smiled. He understood but pretended not to. After getting married, it was rare to see her calm and serious side.
"I don't quite understand, actually", he said.
"I mean it doesn't matter how long it takes to get what belongs to you, you must get it. Isn't that what you taught me?" she asked.
"I taught you?"
He Yu did not quite remember. "The day we played the weiqi, don't you remember?"
[Flashback]
"What about you, your highness? What do you think?" Lingxi asked.
"I wouldn't lose anything. I would rather wait"
"Wait? How long are you willing to wait then?"
"As long as it takes because no matter what, I'll achieve my goal", He Yu answered.
[End of flashback]
He Yu recalled his words, "in that case, you are a fast learner", he said with a smile.
"I'm assuming you are still waiting and taking good care of your pieces. As your wife, I also have useful pieces. Would you like me to join you in your game?" Lingxi asked.
"Why? Do you want to avenge your parents?"
"That's a waste of time. Not all killers are guilty and not all killed are exactly innocent"
He Yu studied her, "then what does Your Highness want?"
"Nothing, I love Your Highness very much. Also, we are tied now, bound together for eternity. If you don't succeed, it won't turn out well for me either", she said as they walked on and suddenly, she had a bizarre idea.
"If I come to think of it, it's not much of a bad idea", she smiled brightly as she looked up at the sky, "if you succeed, I'll become the empress. You are sickly so you probably won't live long. If you die, which I hope not, I'll become the empress dowager. I'll probably have a son by then. When he comes of age, I will take all your wealth and run off", she said sounding quite playful in contrast to her serious mode a while ago.
She looked at him and held his arm, "Isn't that a good idea?" she asked.
He Yu found her cute, "that is a pretty good idea"
After her dreaming had eased a bit he asked, "then will you be able to lend me Qin Yan"
"Qin Yan?" Lingxi thought for a while, "Sure"
They walked on for a while and Lingxi commented, "Your Highness has been sick for a few days now. Isn't it high time you got better?"
He Yu could not help but smile a bit brightly. She had long seen through his façade.
[The Next Day]
He Yu was already dressed for court. He was wearing his exquisite dark robes with red designs truly befitting of a grand prince.
Lingxi had woken up late. She stretched as she sat up and gave a satisfying sigh. She went straight to the bathroom to shower. She had no plans of going out so her outfit was casual and comely.
He Yu had already left by the time she was ready. She wasn't in the mood for breakfast as she felt the noodles of the previous night still in her stomach. She went on to practice her archery. She was getting better at it and was close to hitting the bull's eye.
"Qin Yan, what do you think of my skills?" she asked.
"I don't know", Qin Yan responded.
"You don't know? What kind of answer is that? Do you think I'm getting better or not?"
"I don't know", Qin Yan didn't change his response making Lingxi sigh.
She couldn't be bothered with him. She set her bow down and went on to sit down in the pavilion.
Qin Yan followed but leaned on the pillars instead.
"My third step is completed", she started, "now we have to wait till He Rui catches Li Changsheng before moving on to the next target"
"How about the real mastermind?" Qin Yan asked. They stared at each other for a while before Lingxi poured herself some tea.
"Catching this mastermind is neither easy nor fun. It would be rather interesting if he sees his people die, right?"