son, don't mess around

Winter arrived overnight.

When I woke up, the capital city was covered in snow.

The heavy snow of early winter came fiercely and fell all night. It only gradually stopped at dawn.

The cold wind still howled between heaven and earth.

Overnight, the streets of the capital were covered with a thick blanket of snow. At a glance, the entire city looked as if it were draped in a thick snow coat.

For the upper echelons of the capital, this heavy snowfall was naturally a special sight. On snowy days, people would enjoy the scenery, drink wine, and compose poetry, creating an atmosphere of refined elegance that permeated the city's high society.

But for ordinary people at the bottom of society, this sudden heavy snow was nothing short of a disaster.

Overnight, I heard that the heavy snow had collapsed many houses in and around the capital, and that many people had frozen to death last night.

Inside and outside the capital, the elegant sounds of reciting poetry could not drown out the cries of the common people.

Since ancient times, a cold winter has been tantamount to a brush with death for the poor. And a winter with heavy snowfall is an even greater disaster.

Upon learning of the disaster, the government immediately dispatched personnel to handle the situation and reassure the residents, but this was ultimately just a drop in the ocean.

Winter had barely begun, and a single heavy snowfall had already caused such severe consequences. This winter seemed even colder than usual, and the war in the north had led to a gradual shortage of supplies in the capital, emptying the national treasury and leaving the court with little surplus grain for disaster relief.

If this situation continues, leading to an increase in the number of displaced people, the situation will become extremely uncontrollable.

In recent days, more and more displaced people have gathered outside the capital, and the situation has become increasingly chaotic. Even though the government has tried its best to maintain order, it is ultimately not manpower enough, and the situation is clearly out of control.

The common people didn't care who the emperor was, nor whether the rebellion in the north would actually reach the capital. Now that they couldn't survive, they naturally had to rebel!
Rumors quickly spread among the refugees.

There were criticisms of the imperial court, doubts about the new emperor, and even many displaced people began to hope that the third prince would enter the capital, overthrow the tyrannical rule of the court, and enable the people to have enough to eat and live a good life.

Such rumors continued to circulate among the people, and even the imperial court's best efforts to suppress them were futile. Once some rumors spread, they are very difficult to control. Even if the imperial court had all the power and influence, it could not silence the voices of the people.

It was at this critical juncture that the news of Li Piaomiao's appearance at the front lines could no longer be kept secret.

Several months have passed since Li Piaomiao left the capital for the front lines. During these months, Li Piaomiao has kept a low profile. At the front lines, under Li Cining's instructions and assistance, she has been secretly eliminating dissidents within the army and seizing real power.

Although military news had been kept under wraps, secrets can't stay hidden forever. News of the Princess personally leading the imperial army to quell the rebellion quickly reached the capital, causing a huge uproar.

Numerous officials submitted memorials requesting His Majesty to rescind his decree.

In their memorials, these officials bluntly stated that there has never been a tradition of women leading troops. If this got out, wouldn't the whole world laugh at the court for its incompetence in sending women to quell a rebellion?

Furthermore, the eldest princess is of noble birth; if anything were to happen to her on the front lines, the consequences would be unimaginable.

The memorials submitted contained a variety of reasons, but without exception, they all requested His Majesty to rescind his decree and recall the Princess.

The officials in the court had different thoughts and intentions, and only they knew what they were really planning. But without exception, all of these memorials were rejected.

The ministers in the court were dissatisfied, but they were helpless.

No one expected the Princess to pull this stunt of acting first and informing later. By the time they realized what was happening, it was too late. Now that Li Piaomiao had established herself in the army, she had clearly escaped their control.

The news quickly caused a great stir among the troops at the front. In the previous months, the imperial army had suffered repeated defeats at the hands of the rebels, and morale was wavering. Furthermore, the fact that the rebels included the Third Prince as their leader caused many imperial soldiers to waver in their resolve.

After all, the person on the other side is His Highness the Third Prince!

The court says the third prince is plotting a rebellion, but what if there's some misunderstanding?

This is all the Emperor's family matter. If these people were to injure His Highness the Third Prince, they would be the ones to suffer. And what if, in the worst-case scenario, the Third Prince were to succeed in his rebellion?

They're the ones who suffer.

It was under these circumstances that the imperial army's combat effectiveness was extremely poor, and the repeated defeats further led to the collapse of morale.

It was at this moment that news of the Princess's appearance at the front lines spread rapidly. In an instant, the previously crumbling morale of the army was restored!
That’s the eldest princess!
The eldest princess already enjoyed considerable prestige among the common people and the military. Having grown up practicing swordsmanship since childhood, she was hailed as the number one swordsman from a young age. In the years that followed, she remained unrivaled among her peers in the capital.

Coupled with her aloof temperament and stunning beauty, she had many admirers among the common people. In addition, her legitimate status as the eldest princess also made her extremely admired by many soldiers.

Compared to the Third Prince, they were clearly more familiar with the Eldest Princess. Therefore, the Eldest Princess's personal presence at the front lines to lead the army naturally boosted the morale of the soldiers.

The appearance of the eldest princess was like a powerful calming agent, giving hope to all the soldiers on the front lines. Even if the eldest princess didn't have to do anything, just standing there, she was the backbone of everyone.

The eldest princess represented the imperial court, so the people opposite her were naturally the rebels.

In an instant, the morale of the imperial army, which had been in a state of collapse, was immediately rekindled.

This high morale even influenced the rebel army of Prince Xu's residence. Many people were somewhat bewildered when they learned that the Eldest Princess had suddenly appeared at the front lines.

They were sent south by order of the Third Prince, together with Prince Xu, to quell the rebellion, purge the court of treacherous officials, clear the Third Prince's name, and restore order to the world.

Now that even the eldest princess has been mobilized, many of the rebels from the Prince's Mansion have begun to waver... No, are we going to turn against the eldest princess?
……

Meanwhile, in the capital, after the heavy snowfall at the beginning of winter, news spread in the palace that His Majesty had caught a cold and needed to rest, so he canceled the court sessions and stopped receiving any officials.

Apart from a few officials in the Six Ministries, it became very difficult for the other ministers to see the emperor.

This has led to much speculation among the court officials.

Naturally, many with ulterior motives guessed what was going on, having heard rumors of changes in the palace a few days prior. Now, with news that His Majesty had caught a cold and was no longer meeting with his ministers, many were filled with anxiety and apprehension, connecting the dots to His Majesty's health.

Could something serious have happened?
His Majesty has suddenly fallen ill with a cold at this critical juncture. If something were to happen, the consequences would be unimaginable.

In a short time, many ministers flocked to the homes of those ministers in the Six Ministries who still had a chance to meet the Emperor. In particular, the threshold of the residence of Chancellor Zhao was almost worn down in recent days.

As for these officials who came to visit, Prime Minister Zhao changed his usual practice of refusing guests and received them all. He also brought news that His Majesty had only caught a slight cold, and after being examined by the imperial physician, there was nothing serious. He only needed to rest for a while and there was no need to worry.

Only after receiving a satisfactory answer did the officials leave.

No sooner had the officials left than Prime Minister Zhao hurriedly departed for the palace.

Inside the Zhao residence.

The heavy snow in the capital lasted for several days, and the weather was bitterly cold. The snow covered the entire mansion, and the eaves were covered with a thick layer of snow.

Taking advantage of the brief respite from the heavy snowfall today, the servants in the manor are clearing away the accumulated snow.

Inside the courtyard, Zhao Xi, wrapped in a red and white mink coat, breathed out a light breath and rubbed her hands together.

She sat leaning against the eaves, gazing at the snow scene in the courtyard, but seemed somewhat bored. A hint of melancholy lingered in her expression.

The courtyard was covered in snow, a vast expanse of white, and the swing in the courtyard was covered with frost and snow, creating a very picturesque scene.

But despite the beautiful snow scenery, she was now like a bird trapped in the snow, unable to move.

Thinking of this, Zhao Xi sighed softly again.

Ever since her father found out about her affair with that guy, they had a falling out. Her father forbade her from going out or having any contact with him anymore.

These days, Zhao Xi can only stay in her small courtyard and can't go anywhere.

Thinking of this, Zhao Xi became extremely angry.

Her father is completely unreasonable.

But thinking of this, Zhao Xi's heart sank slightly. She naturally knew that what her father had done was not wrong, but the problem was...

Zhao Xi's eyes were somewhat unfocused, and her delicate face showed a hint of loneliness. Reason told her that her father hadn't done anything wrong, but... what about her emotions?

Zhao Xi sighed softly again. Just then, she suddenly heard a noise coming from the courtyard, as if some sound was coming from outside.

Then she heard the sound of footsteps on the roof tiles, mixed with the sound of snow, coming closer and closer.

Zhao Xi subconsciously looked up and saw a familiar figure approaching from the eaves of the house next to her. With a leap, the figure jumped from the roof into the courtyard.

She was nimble and agile. In the blink of an eye, she effortlessly vaulted under the eaves.

"How did you come?!"

Zhao Xi was taken aback at first, then her face lit up with surprise and delight as she stood up and stepped forward.

The familiar figure that appeared before her eyes was none other than the scoundrel she had been thinking about day and night.
"What, can't I come?"

Under the eaves, Lin Jiangnian came to Zhao Xi's side, looked at the familiar figure he hadn't seen for several days, and said with a grin.

"no……"

Zhao Xi seemed to realize something and glanced behind him: "Aren't there guards outside? How did you get in?"

To prevent her from running around, her father arranged for guards to stand watch outside the door.

"Hey, who do you think you are?"

Lin Jiangnian chuckled, "How could your father's guards possibly stop this young master?"

“My father also secretly arranged for guards…”

"You mean those two guys hiding in the shadows?"

Lin Jiangnian said with a smile, "I discovered it a long time ago and knocked them unconscious. They won't wake up for a while."

Hearing this, Zhao Xi breathed a sigh of relief, but then rolled her eyes and said, "Look at you, so capable."

"When they wake up, I will definitely report to my father."

Lin Jiangnian said nonchalantly, "It's alright. By the time they wake up and go to report to your father, I'll already be gone!"

"Besides, your father isn't at home right now; he's gone to the palace. That's why I came to see you while he's away."

"How about it? Aren't you moved?!"

Listening to this guy spouting nonsense, Zhao Xi said irritably, "The way you're talking makes it sound like you're having an affair!"

"Aren't we having an affair right now?"

"you……"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xi reached out and pinched him: "Who's having an affair with you?"

Lin Jiangnian, still smiling, looked at the still exquisitely beautiful face before him and asked with concern, "How have you been these past few days? Has your father given you any trouble?"

"No."

Zhao Xi pouted; of course, her father wouldn't make things difficult for her. But then, a hint of annoyance flashed in her eyes as she thought of something: "My father won't let me go out!"

"I see it."

Lin Jiangnian remarked, "Your mansion's guards are quite strict?"

"But this won't stop me, will it?"

Zhao Xi rolled her eyes at him, annoyed: "How could my father have imagined that you, the heir of the Prince of Lin, would be able to scale walls and leap across rooftops?"

The guards outside the courtyard were indeed there to keep an eye on Lin Jiangnian, but her father certainly couldn't have imagined that the Prince of Lin's martial arts would be so unfathomable that ordinary guards couldn't even find his whereabouts.

"It's alright, don't worry."

Lin Jiangnian waved his hand: "Your father did go a bit too far, deliberately trying to break us up. But it's alright, give me some time, I'll deal with your father later..."

Before Lin Jiangnian could finish speaking, Zhao Xi pinched him hard again and warned, "You're not allowed to hurt my father!"

"Look at what you're saying! How could I possibly dare to harm the Prime Minister of the current dynasty!"

"Ha, others may not have it, but you definitely do."

Zhao Xi saw right through this guy. There was nothing in the world he wouldn't dare to do.

"Anyway, you're not allowed to hurt my dad. If anything happens to him, I'll never forgive you."

Zhao Xi gave him a light glare.

"Whose side are you on anyway?"

Lin Jiangnian said unhappily, "Shouldn't you be on my side now?"

"But he's my father!"

"Row."

Lin Jiangnian nodded: "I definitely won't hurt him... but what if your father wants to harm me?"

“My dad would never do that.”

Zhao Xi said irritably, "You are the heir apparent of the Prince of Lin, and my father would never harm you under any circumstances."

As she spoke, Zhao Xi paused, glanced at Lin Jiangnian, and then asked, "You certainly wouldn't agree to the conditions my father proposed last time, would you?"

"Your father told you?" Lin Jiangnian asked in surprise.

Zhao Xi didn't speak, but nodded.

After Lin Jiangnian left last time, she went to question her father, and Zhao Xiang told her about what happened between him and Lin Jiangnian.

Zhao Xi was very angry when she learned about this.

While angry, I didn't know how to respond.

She couldn't even muster the thought of condemning her father... From her father's perspective, everything he did was perfectly justifiable.

But the problem is...

Lin Jiangnian glanced at Zhao Xi and tentatively asked, "Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?"

Zhao Xi gritted her teeth: "You still want to lie to me?"

"Isn't it because I'm afraid you'll get angry if I tell you the truth?"

"You don't need to say anything more, I'm already getting angry!"

"Hey, are you even being reasonable?"

"I won't talk!"

"..." (End of this chapter)