The walk through the palace was long, yet Ling Yu’s stride did not falter. Her mind was already working, weaving together threads of diplomacy and strategy. She was not rely shielding a prince. She was shaping the future.
The Eastern lands that were once fractured, unstable, and barren were now brimming with life thanks to her effort, and now the dogs who were hungry for money wanted to take over the ownership imdiately.
But what they didn’t know was that Ling Yu had prepared a trap that they were trying to step into willingly.
With Nie Ziyu under her protection and the compensation she was about to receive, she now held a piece of the ga that none would expect.
When she entered Emperor Jiang’s office, the air thick with incense and the weight of authority, she did not bow in subservience. Instead, she t his gaze with a calm, unyielding poise.
"I’m here, Your Majesty." She declared, "to finalize the contract for the Eastern lands. And to claim guardianship of Prince Nie Ziyu under my authority."
The emperor’s eyes narrowed, as if trying to read through her intentions.
"You are really giving up the ownership of that land? What are you scheming this ti?" Emperor Jiang asked her with a rigid voice as if he were interrogating a criminal.
Compared to that, Ling Yu only lifted her chin higher as she gave off a brazen smile that startled Aide Huang. "What are you talking about, Your Majesty. I genuinely wish to go through this contract process. I suddenly don’t feel like playing a landlord anymore. I’m bored and I want to try doing sothing new, so I was planning to leave Eastern lands for a few months anyway. Since you are compensating with a generous amount of money, I’m fine with it."
Ling Yu was certain about one thing as she confronted the man before her: that in this life, she would not let the heavens dictate her fate. She would seize it herself, for her people, she would carve out a destiny that not even the Jiang Empire had dared to dream.
As for the ingredients she would need to live the life according to her plans, well, it won’t hurt to drain the people who betrayed and hurt her a bit, right?
Her intentions were obviously unknown to others, with Emperor Jiang staring at her with doubtful eyes, she signed the contract peacefully.
"Here you go, this is the guardianship certificate. I’ve transferred his papers, so from now on, you’ll be his patron and support him financially."
"I got it. Then, if there’s nothing else, I’ll leave with him." Ling Yu felt the office was too stuffy and wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.
Just as she wanted, Ling Yu grinned in satisfaction after seeing the bank check. It’s indeed the sa amount as she asked for; there is no problem with the check.
Now, she will go and take out the money as soon as possible, then use it to her advantage.
After getting out of the Palace, Nie Ziyu was curious as to where she wanted to take him. Ling Yu seed to ponder for a while before making a decision as she dragged him back with her to the Eastern Estate.
"What is this ’thing’ you bought back this ti, Master?" Song seed to be quite expressionless and calm while insulting Nie Ziyu as he asked Ling Yu.
"Who is this mannerless guy you are raising? Don’t you have any standards?" Nie Ziyu snapped at Song’s ridicule, only to get hit on his head without any warning.
"Mind what you say to Song. If I didn’t have standards, I wouldn’t have gone through so many troubles and brought you back ho." Ling Yu warned the guy before clapping her hands, pretending to clear the dust off her hands as she grinned at Song.
"Song, I missed you so much!" She almost jumped over him to hug, but he restrained her from doing so, putting her back in place by pressing on both shoulders.
"Master, mind your manners even if you are at ho."
"Co on, Song! You are no fun! You know how pleasing it is when I get to annoy you!" Ling Yu was grinning broadly, unlike before when she was in the palace; her face now was full of life.
Nie Ziyu was stunned to see her personality flip 180 degrees after facing Song, with whom she was most comfortable and got along freely.
’Is this her real personality? Then the way she acted in the palace...’
After bantering with Song and failing to tease him for the nth ti, Ling Yu gave up getting further as she pointed towards Nie Ziyu and said, "Look over there, I ca over today to see if the preparation has been going well. Also, I bought back another baby for you to take care of."
"This is?" Song asked without any hint of curiosity, accepting the task without question.
"Let introduce both of you. He is the youngest prince of the Nie Empire, Nie Ziyu. And Ziyu, this is my butler and my closest person, Song. You may call him Butler Song during your stay here and ask him for anything you need. Don’t disrespect him and listen to his every order when I’m not here, get along with my subordinate Ye Qingxue when you et her later." Ling Yu seed to be in a hurry as she introduced them, then asked Song about so important works.
"Song, did you do the work as I told you to?" She said as she looked at the guy, of course, he picked up the aning behind her words quickly, as he assured her.
"I’ve already done as you told to, Master."
"Good, then take this credit card too. Do the sa thing with this money as I told you before, transform all of it without leaving anything behind." Ling Yu tossed the credit card she bought back from the Palace just now, and Song took it without any question and put it inside his pocket.
"How is Qingxue doing these days? Did you take good care of her while I was gone?" Ling Yu said as she seed to be looking for sothing in her pocket, but Song replied without hurrying.
"She has improved greatly, I believe. If she keeps up the pace, she can surpass the power limit you set before the ti limit ends."
Of course, Ling Yu knew how capable Song was when it ca to fighting. It’s no wonder Ye Qingxue could improve greatly under his guidance. It seems she didn’t make any mistake when she entrusted that girl to Song.
"I don’t see her anywhere? Is she still sulking about that ti?" Ling Yu wondered if Ye Qingxue was upset; she hadn’t seen her shadow ever since they returned from the training, almost dead.
"She said she wants to beco stronger and reliable before she sees you again, Master. The defeat from that day hasn’t been forgotten for a second." Song replied in a rather calm voice that seed to be weighing.
"Well, look after her properly and don’t let her restrain her body too much. Rember what I told you before? When you see sothing strange floating before you or sothing strange with Ye Qingxue, imdiately leave the estate." Ling Yu reminded him with urgency as she looked at him.
"I rember, Master. Don’t worry, the things you entrusted to , I’ll protect them even at the cost of my life." Song was about to say sothing more, but he was stopped by Ling Yu imdiately.
"Ehh! Stop right away! Don’t say those cringeworthy things like in dramas! You know what I ant when I told you to be careful; I didn’t an only to protect my things. You also have to take care of yourself!"
"You see, if you aren’t well, then who’ll take care of ?! Those little brats are all unreliable. I only need you to take care of !"
Ling Yu acted spoiled as she looked at him with teary eyes.
’Of course I need you, don’t you see that?! If you aren’t here, who’ll babysit those brats and take care of ?’ Even if it was subconscious, Ling Yu realised that she depended on Song more than she thought.
She was also worried they would get caught up in the dungeon vortex that appeared in the Eastern Estate after the Gates opened.
She really didn’t want to lose any of them; everything she had prepared and the people she had were equally important to her.
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