Forcing me to become a concubine? Remarrying the Ninth Prince, she'll be pregnant all over the

"Dear sisters, please don't be shy here."

Lin Qinglian smiled and gently fanned herself with a light blue silk fan: "This courtyard of mine is just a place I tend to with flowers and plants to relieve my boredom. The chrysanthemum garden in front is in full bloom; why don't you all go and take a look?"

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in praise and moved forward.

Lin Wantang wanted to follow the others, but Lin Qinglian gripped her wrist tightly and said with a smile, "Sister, don't be in a hurry. I've already said that we sisters need to have some private conversations."

Are you still thinking about this?

Lin Wantang was puzzled, and a cold glint appeared in her eyes, but she said humbly, "Your Majesty is too kind. How could I possibly address Your Majesty as a sister? I will listen to whatever Your Majesty instructs me."

These humble and submissive words pleased Lin Qinglian greatly.

Her face was obscured, but the smile on her lips was more radiant: "What are you saying, sister? Look at that black chrysanthemum..."

Lin Qinglian pulled Lin Wantang toward a few black chrysanthemums by the lake and gently tended to them: "Little sister, do you still remember that I loved black chrysanthemums since I was little? So Father asked someone to find the best gardener to tend to the flowers and plants in my yard."

"Father's favoritism has always been something my younger sister longed for. I thought that in this life I could only be like the leaves of this black chrysanthemum, unknown and unnoticed, just to support and highlight my older sister. Who would have thought that this marriage would lead to this..."

Lin Qinglian spoke as if feeling sorry for herself, but as she drew out her words, she smiled brightly: "On the contrary, it has done my sister a favor."

A few light words spilled from her crimson lips, like the forked tongue of a scorpion. Lin Qinglian's hand, which had been playing with the flowers and plants, suddenly reversed, pushing Lin Wantang's body straight toward the lake!

The force was immense, clearly indicating that it was premeditated.

If it were anyone else, she would have pushed them into the pond.

But Lin Wantang was already on guard against her. The moment Lin Qinglian's hands touched his shoulders, he suddenly turned to the side and reached out to gently pull her.

Lin Qinglian was surprised that Lin Wantang had noticed, and even more surprised that she would fight back!

In her panic, Lin Qinglian disregarded everything else. Losing her balance, she staggered and screamed as she fell uncontrollably to the side. With a splash, she was completely submerged in the icy pool.

"Ah...help..."

Lin Qinglian was terrified and struggled desperately, her words already broken and incoherent, "I can't... I can't swim... Save me..."

She struggled desperately, trying to grab onto something, her pleading eyes fixed on Lin Wantang, who was still standing on the shore, only to see his cold and indifferent face.

Not only did he not offer any help, but his lips curled into a cold smile as he watched the show from the sidelines.

"You! Lin Wantang! You... gurgle gurgle... how dare you..."

The excruciating pain and suffocation from choking on water rendered Lin Qinglian almost speechless. She could only weakly spit out waves of water as she was submerged in the icy pool water, gradually sinking to the bottom.

"This is what they call 'trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead,' my dear sister."

A sneer escaped Lin Wantang's lips, her slightly upturned mouth exuding an irresistible, wicked arrogance.

In the perfect light and the interplay of shifting tree shadows, her fair and beautiful face appeared as if she were a demon carrying the deep hatred of a past life, cruel and unaware of her own folly.

"Oh dear! What happened?"

The people admiring the flowers in the distance heard a strange noise, and a maidservant ran over.

Lin Wantang quickly snapped back to reality, her legs instantly giving way, and she collapsed onto the stone steps by the pond, clutching her wrist, which Lin Qinglian had just grabbed, in a daze: "The Crown Princess... she slipped and fell into the water!"

"what!"

The maidservant, disregarding etiquette, turned pale with panic and ran away, shouting, "It's terrible! Her Highness the Crown Princess has fallen into the water! Someone, come quick!"

"What? How could Her Majesty have fallen into the water out of nowhere?"

Everyone was shocked, and the bustling crowd was thrown into chaos.

The guards quickly responded to the call and rushed to the pond. When they arrived, they saw Lin Wantang had already jumped into the pond and was struggling to wade through the water. Her outstretched hands were reaching towards the direction where Lin Qinglian was drowning.

"Qinglian! Sister...you can't be hurt, hold on..."

"Miss Lin, please stop moving!"

The commander of the guards immediately sensed the danger; the pond, though seemingly clear and shallow, was actually a hidden paradise.

He hurriedly called out, and was about to use his light-footed skill to leap across the ground, stepping on the artificial rockery and plunging into the pond, when he was stopped by a voice that scolded him.

"stop!"

It was Eunuch Cui, Cui Fuhai, who rushed over in a panic.

He was an old servant in the palace, the chief eunuch of the Eastern Palace, and a trusted confidant who had cared for and accompanied Shen Huai'an since childhood.

"How dare you! Her Majesty and..." Cui Fuhai paused in his haste, glancing at Lin Wantang standing helplessly in the pond, and said helplessly, "Men and women should not touch! You audacious dog servant, do you want to ruin Her Majesty's reputation?!"

The commander stopped awkwardly, realizing his oversight in etiquette, and clasped his hands in apology: "I was in a moment of panic, but the Empress and Miss Lin have both fallen into the water, this..."

"Get out of the way! This humble servant is here!" Cui Fuhai shoved the commander aside, rolled up his wide sleeves, and was about to rush towards the pool when he suddenly heard a rapid sound of fabric rubbing against each other.

Looking up again, everyone only saw a dark shadow rush past. In the blink of an eye, Lin Wantang was carried ashore, followed by Lin Qinglian.

Before the crowd could even feel relieved, they heard Cui Fuhai cheering and quickly came to their senses, bowing and saying, "Greetings, Your Highness."

Shen Huai'an was dressed in a bright yellow brocade robe, with exquisitely embroidered python and dragon patterns that looked lifelike in the light, which also reflected his tired and worried expression, making him look terrifying and chilling.

He held Lin Qinglian, soaking wet and unconscious from choking on water, in his arms, glanced around at everyone, and finally looked at Cui Fuhai: "What are you all standing there for? Quickly summon the imperial physician!"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Cui Fuhai responded and left. The maids rushed to Lin Wantang. Her clothes were mostly soaked, and the cold made her already pale face even more cold and her once lustrous lips lose their color.

"This servant will help Miss Lin to change her clothes and wash up."

Lin Wantang was about to respond when Shen Huai'an said, "No need, come with me."

As Shen Huai'an spoke, he handed Lin Qinglian, whom he was holding, to the maid, stood up and strode toward Lin Wantang. Seeing that her clothes were wet, he subconsciously reached out to pick her up as he had done in his youth, but Lin Wantang not only dodged but also took a half step back.

She bowed respectfully: "Your Highness, I am but a lowly woman of humble birth, and my life is of little importance. Your Highness should come first."

After the ceremony, Lin Wantang turned to a maid and said, "Please lead the way so I can change my clothes."

The maidservant responded with a curtsy, bowed, and led Lin Wantang through the stunned crowd before quickly disappearing from sight.

Shen Huai'an's outstretched hand remained suspended in mid-air. After a long while, he moved his fingertips, as if he had lost sight of something, and his heart suddenly ached.