Chapter 31: A Meeting of Minds or Just a Thick Skull?

Lin Zhaozhao certainly would not let the Han family take advantage of her.

Meanwhile, Xu Jiaojiao and the other noble ladies who were close to Lin Wanyue initially wanted to comfort her, but they were pulled back by their own mothers, who forbade them from approaching. After all, since Lin Wanyue had done something so shameless, if these ladies continued to associate with her, they would naturally acquire a bad reputation. How would they find good husbands then?

"Zhaozhao! Have you vented your anger yet?" Arolang, seeing that Lin Zhaozhao had stayed behind, hurried forward and said, "I haven’t properly thanked you. If it weren't for you, even if I had been cured, I would still be drooling!"

Lin Zhaozhao smiled subtly and replied, "You are just blessed with good fortune. If you had been an hour later, I would have had to arrange a full funeral package for you!"

She smiled radiantly. At the spring banquet, the young girl was dressed in tender green and lotus-pink, looking fresh and crisp. She did not look like a bumpkin from the wilderness at all, but rather like a pampered young lady raised in the capital.

Lin Wanyue’s palms clenched unconsciously. The stinging pain from her fingernails digging into her skin made her feel incredibly miserable as she watched the attention everyone lavished on Lin Zhaozhao. It was as if she were the darling of the heavens, while she herself was nothing but a maggot in the gutter. Tears fell involuntarily, and she began to sob softly.

This infuriated Xu Jiaojiao, who immediately stood up and said, "What are you being so smug about? It’s still up for debate whether you were the one who saved him! Who knows if you’re just lying here and causing another farce!"

"Exactly! Lin Wanyue claimed credit before, and since these two are sisters, it’s likely they share the same shamelessness!"

"..."

"You talk about being shameless, yet you come right in front of me to gossip about my savior! Do you think I don't know who saved me? With my little benefactor's dashing and heroic bearing, none of you could learn that in a lifetime! I don't need you here blabbering!" Arolang would not stand for anyone speculating about Lin Zhaozhao.

But Lin Zhaozhao took it in stride. "Who doesn't talk about others behind their backs? And who isn't talked about? Let them curse; I won't lose a piece of flesh. Besides, their internal monologues might not be half as filthy as mine!"

Lin Yuanzhi and the Lady Bai were speechless. They could testify that Zhaozhao's internal monologues were indeed very filthy.

"That's fine then. Sister Zhaozhao, if you have nothing else to do, why don't you come to the palace with me now? Let's clarify everything to the Emperor immediately, so no one else can steal your credit again!"

What did he mean by "again"? The surrounding noble ladies burst into laughter. The implication was too strong, and Lin Wanyue’s face turned various shades of green and purple from the mockery.

Fortunately, Lin Yuanzhi was quick-witted; he could not possibly let Arolang take Zhaozhao before the throne. After all, their Marquis Qingyuan estate had already committed the sin of deceiving the Emperor. With Arolang adding fuel to the fire, who knew if the Emperor would fly into a rage and punish both Wanyue and Zhaozhao?

He stepped in and said, "Little Prince, rest assured. Zhaozhao is my own daughter. If she has been wronged, I will certainly seek justice for her. There is no need to trouble you to take her into the palace."

Furthermore, faced with such a domestic scandal, Lin Yuanzhi quickly had his wife usher the guests away.

However, Arolang had taken a great liking to Lin Zhaozhao and left in a state of utter heartbreak, declaring, "Although there is no place for me in this vast Marquis Qingyuan estate, in my heart, no one is more important than you. Sister Zhaozhao, if you are ever bullied again, you must tell me. As the saying goes, a drop of water in need should be repaid with one's own hand—I am willing to marry you with ten miles of red dowry!"

Lin Zhaozhao was speechless. "It's not 'a drop of water should be repaid with one's own hand' (implying marriage); it’s 'a drop of water should be repaid with a gushing spring'! I didn't ask you to repay injustice with more injustice!"

She was so young; as long as she prevented Lin Wanyue from retaliating against the Marquis estate and stop the estate from falling into ruin, couldn't she just live as a pampered parasite here? Why on earth would she want to get married?

Arolang was deeply saddened. "Sister Zhaozhao, do you not like me? But we were once in such intimate contact!"

"That was medical treatment! Who doesn't touch a patient when treating them? Are you being unreasonable?!"

Lin Qingci, standing nearby, felt uneasy as well. From the capital to Northern Rong, it was at least a month's journey; how many women who married far away ever found happiness? Since ancient times, princesses sent for political marriages mostly died in foreign lands, and Northern Rong even had the custom of a father and son sharing a wife. He wasn't necessarily reluctant to see Lin Zhaozhao marry, but... this shameless Arolang was dreaming, wasn't he?

Lin Qingci glared at him and blurted out, "Why are you so insistent on marrying my sister? She’s no virtuous wife or mother; she’s a demoness! If you marry her, can you worship her like a Bodhisattva? If she hits you, can you be like me and not hit back or curse? Stop daydreaming!"

"Qingci!" Lin Yuanzhi scolded, "Is that any way to speak?" Although his tone was stern, the old father felt relieved. He wished his youngest son would say more to prevent this ungrateful wretch from coveting his beautiful daughter.

Arolang expressed his determination: "If I could marry Sister Zhaozhao, I would certainly build a golden house for her, hide her inside, and treat her with the utmost reverence!" Saying this, fearing she wouldn't believe him, he took out his bank notes and shoved them into her hands. "Here are five thousand taels of silver; please take them for now, Sister Zhaozhao!"

"I’ll take the money, but take your heart back!" Lin Zhaozhao took the notes and said, enunciating clearly, "I prefer those who are 'touyuan' (compatible/round-headed), and you are not quite that!"

What? "Round-headed?!" In Northern Rong, they took pride in having flat heads! Did Sister Zhaozhao actually like men with round heads? Arolang felt as if he had been struck by lightning; his beautiful romance had quietly passed away.

He followed his father, heartbroken, and said, "Sister Zhaozhao, although you don't like me, if you are ever unhappy, tell me. I would even risk my father's old life to uphold justice for you!"

Altai: "...You unfilial son!" Why didn't you risk your own life!

But Arolang thought, *If anyone is going to suffer, it shouldn't be me!*

Lin Zhaozhao said, "Don't worry. The Emperor of Dayong is the most fair and just person—he is my most beloved idol. He will surely be impartial and grant me justice!"

Eunuch Jinbao's brow twitched. He had heard that the Fourth Young Lady of the Marquis estate was dull and foolish; who would have thought she was so eloquent! However, remembering the Emperor's instructions, he quickly stepped forward. "Fourth Young Lady, I have a general understanding of your family's situation and will report it truthfully to the Emperor. However, the Emperor sent me here for two reasons: first, to deliver an imperial decree, and second, in the hope that you could transcribe the prescription for the snake venom antidote and send it to the palace."

Over the years, not just in Dayong, but across all nations, no one bitten by such poisonous snakes had ever recovered without lasting side effects. This had long been a burden on the Emperor's heart.

Though Lin Zhaozhao was greedy for money, she understood the compassion of a healer. She nodded and said, "I can give you the prescription. However, different species of snakes require different treatments, and the dosages vary greatly. If it isn't urgent, I will first write down a classification of snake species, and then include the corresponding antidotes."

"Oh, my dear young lady, that would be a great trouble to you!" Eunuch Jinbao beamed with joy.

Lin Zhaozhao took up her brush and ink, carefully writing out the prescription line by line. She then handed it over, saying with sincerity, "It is no trouble at all. If it can help the Emperor, I would even be willing to eat a balanced diet of meat and vegetables every day!"