Ch. 426..430: The Princess of Northern Land Chapter 426-430

Chapter 426: Chapter 426 Threat (3)_1

At this moment, he was determined to meet Ma Erlang no matter what.

In his bones, Ma Zhicai didn’t respect Ma Erlang at all; he was single-minded in his desire to pass the imperial examination and become an official. He had no intention of associating with someone like Ma Erlang, who acted like a ruffian. If not for the potential of a good recommendation, he would have severed ties with the Ma Erlang’s house long ago.

But harsh reality struck Ma Zhicai hard, he stubbornly believed that with the Lin Family in power, even if he were of exceptional talent, it would be impossible to pass the exam in this lifetime. Having lost the potential path of the scholar, Ma Zhicai was lost and unsure of where to go next, and Ma Erlang’s appearance seemed to offer him a glimmer of hope.

Didn’t the Lin Family receive favour from Prince Ling because they knew how to make money? If he, Ma Zhicai, could make a fortune in business, wouldn’t overthrowing the Lin Family be an easy task in the future. Besides, no matter how powerful the Lin Family was, could they really be more powerful than him, Ma Zhicai?

At this moment, Ma Zhicai fundamentally considered himself a scholar, and believed the most intelligent people in the world were scholars like him.

Even though he hadn’t done business before, Ma Zhicai learned from his father that doing business required capital and connections. As for capital, there wouldn’t be much silver in the Ma family’s hands, as they’d already spent a considerable amount on his education. As for connections, perhaps his father, Ma Da, had accumulated some over the many years. However, as long as they remained in Feng City, Prince Ling’s domain, he, Ma Zhicai, would never stand a chance against the Lin Family.

The people around Ma Erlang were out-of-town businessmen who were generous. This information made Ma Zhicai realize the path he should take.

With a plan in mind, the waiting became particularly agonizing.

To not miss Ma Erlang’s return, all of Ma Zhicai’s lunch and dinner were delivered to his room by the server.

While he was impatiently waiting, Ma Erlang seemed to have disappeared. Not until the lamps were lit in the inn, did he return.

Ma Zhicai was restless in his room, unclear why he was so eagerly anticipating Ma Erlang’s arrival.

"The servant has made preparations for the food delivery." Just as Ma Zhicai was considering whether to step out and have a look, the familiar voice of Ma Erlang, coated in flattery, finally came from outside.

"Order more braised meat and roast duck." The outside conversation reached clearly into Ma Zhicai’s ears. The person seemed to be approaching his door.

Ma Zhicai straightened his ears and listened, taking the opportunity to swing the door open.

"Uncle Erlang?" The low voice seemed to carry a hint of surprise.

Standing outside were five or six burly men. At this moment, all of their eyes were locked on Ma Zhicai, their expressions alert and fierce, their chatter came to a sudden stop.

When Ma Erlang heard the familiar voice, he immediately turned around. Seeing Ma Zhicai, his eyes lit up with surprise, followed by embarrassment and panic. "What are you doing here?"

He asked in a low voice, his eyes filled with confusion.

"I had some business in the city, which delayed me, and I missed the gate closing time." Ma Zhicai would never disclose the truth that he had been waiting in the inn for Ma Erlang all day, instead, he casually made an excuse to placate Ma Erlang.

"I have something to do and will chat with you later. You wait in the house, I will go first." Seeing his companions’ dark expressions, Ma Erlang seemed very flustered.

As though he hadn’t noticed the displeased expressions of the few men, Ma Zhicai watched Ma Erlang with a smile, "Uncle Erlang, these are your friends, right? As friends, it’s not right to leave them standing outside. How about they come into the house and we can chat."

Chapter 427: Chapter 427 Threat (4)_1

"No need, we just came back from outside. We’ve been busy all afternoon and haven’t even had the chance to eat dinner. We don’t want to bother you." Ma Erlang seemed reluctant to interact with Ma Zhicai and the men accompanying him.

Ma Zhicai was annoyed and cursed Ma Erlang in his heart. He imagined that Ma Erlang must be afraid that he would steal his job, deliberately obstructing him. Thus, he became even more eager to engage with these men. "That’s perfect, I haven’t had dinner either. How about I treat you to a meal?"

Upon hearing this, an urgent look spread across Ma Erlang’s face. As the men were distracted, he kept signalling Ma Zhicai, urging him to go inside the house.

Ma Zhicai was focused on the accompanying men, ignoring him completely.

Ma Erlang was left flustered and helpless as he watched from the side.

"Go to the main house," one of the men suddenly instructed.

"That works, my own place is rather humble," Ma Zhicai tried to demonstrate his genteel demeanor. He noticed from their accents that they did not seem to be local merchants. They were all dressed splendidly, making it obvious that Ma Erlang had hitched his wagon to wealthy patrons.

"Let’s go." The men’s faces hardened at Ma Erlang’s apparent reluctance. Ma Erlang shrunk back in fear, sighed, and chose not to speak anymore.

Meanwhile, Ma Zhicai confidently strode alongside the men towards the main house.

The main house was remarkable, with lavish decorations. Ma Zhicai admired the grandeur as he walked in, envy glittering in his eyes.

The men exchanged a glance. As soon as Ma Erlang entered, they immediately shut the door.

"You--" Before Ma Zhicai could fully take in his surroundings and sit down, a sharp dagger was placed against his neck.

Ma Zhicai acted like a scholar in the presence of villagers, but in reality, he was even more timid than a rabbit. The sudden presence of the sharp dagger at his throat petrified him. He prided himself on his intelligence and knew that the person holding the dagger wasn’t joking.

The dagger’s blade must have been sharp, since Ma Zhicai could feel its chilling presence pressing onto his forehead.

"Friends, don’t-- don’t do this, let’s talk things over," his voice trembled out of fright, "I don’t know anything, I beg you, let me go? Uncle, tell them something."

Seeing that his pleadings had no effect on the men, a trembling Ma Zhicai turned to beg Ma Erlang.

Ma Erlang would have preferred to kick Ma Zhicai out, or leave him to his fate. He thought back to how many hints he had given him earlier, which the latter chose to ignore, rushing into the main house. And now, he was calling out for his Uncle’s help.

"Uncle, say something." Ma Zhicai’s plea for a reply went unanswered. Fear had him on the brink of collapsing. However, due to the dagger at his throat, he managed to stay on his feet.

"Master, he is my nephew, my own blood relative. He wouldn’t betray you." Although Ma Erlang desired to abandon Ma Zhicai, he couldn’t disregard their familial bond entirely.

"He’s seen your face and our relationship. We can’t let him leave." One man immobilized Ma Zhicai with a pressure point strike before withdrawing his dagger, rejecting Ma Erlang’s plea for mercy.

Ma Zhicai couldn’t move or speak. Hearing the man’s words, he was so panicked he almost wet himself.

"You should know what’s important. If you mess up our plans, you won’t be able to escape either." Another man glared at Ma Erlang threateningly.

 

Chapter 428: Chapter 428 Threat (5)_1

"Yes, I understand. I definitely won’t mess up Prince’s dealings. However, I think it’s not convenient for me and the masters to appear frequently in Feng City. If he acted as an informant, it should be a lot more convenient." In his sudden desperate need for a plan, Ma Erlang thought of an excuse to protect Ma Zhicai.

The few men looked at each other in silence.

"Gentlemen." Suddenly, the voice of the inn’s server came from outside the door.

The few men quickly placed Ma Zhicai on the bed, put down the bed screen, and then calmly opened the door.

Two servers came in from outside the door, carrying plates with steaming dishes on them.

"All the food you asked for is here, and this roast duck is specially bought from Linji by us." The server bragged with a smile.

"Here’s a tip for you two. There’s no need to come back if nothing is needed, you can clean up the dishes tomorrow, we’re tired after a day’s worth of running around." One man instructed coldly.

Happily seeing the generous tip from the guests, the servers nodded in agreement, smiling as they left, thoughtfully closing the door behind them.

From the moment the servers came in, Ma Zhicai had been trying to struggle and make some noise, hoping the servers would rescue him, but his body was not cooperating, and he did not expect the servers to be dismissed so easily by the men. All of a sudden, he broke out in a cold sweat.

"Don’t you dare try any tricks." After the servers left, one of the men grabbed Ma Zhicai from the bed, another man pried open Ma Zhicai’s mouth and stuffed a pill in it.

Ma Zhicai did not know what they were feeding him, he didn’t want to swallow it, but a smack on his back by one of the men made him swallow it down his throat right away.

"This is poison. If you dare to shout or make a fuss, it will instantly take your life." A man glared at him threateningly.

Ma Zhicai blinked rapidly, indicating that he would not cause trouble.

Only then did the men unlock his pressure points.

"Uncle Er." As soon as his body could move, Ma Zhicai rolled and crawled to hide behind Ma Erlang.

Ma Erlang let out a deep sigh, then turned his head to look at him: "As long as you obey these gentlemen, Uncle Er guarantees nothing will happen to you..."

Ever since Chu Suifeng left the Lin Family in a huff that day, he had indeed not appeared at the Lin Family for over ten days, nor had he sent any gifts.

The rest of the Lin Family did not notice anything unusual, but Lin Changshu who was present that day felt slightly uneasy. After all, no matter how powerful the Lin Family may be, they still lived on the land governed by Chu Suifeng. Would the Prince be displeased with the Lin Family because Ziyin had not given him face that day?

He wanted to discuss this with Ziyin, but Ziyin had been staying in the backyard all day long since that day, even eating his meals there, so he had no chance to discuss it with Ziyin.

"What happened?" Being family, the old man left Lin Changshu alone after the meal.

Lin Changshu knew he couldn’t hide worries from the old man for long, and he really needed to discuss this with someone, so he recounted the events in full detail. "Grandfather, do you think the Prince will hold a grudge against Ziyin?"

"Since the Prince did not lose his temper on the spot, he will not vent his anger on our Lin Family afterwards. He might not want to come by just because he can’t swallow his pride. Don’t worry too much about this, just do what you should be doing and don’t mention it to your daughter-in-law and Zige to avoid causing them unnecessary worry."

Chapter 429: Chapter 429 Threat (6)_1

"Ah, I understand." Lin Changshu replied respectfully.

"Ziyin is preoccupied with important matters. She can’t divide her attention to manage household affairs. As her older brother, you must shoulder more responsibilities. Instead of being preoccupied with some imaginary issues all day long, it’s better to think about how to manage our household affairs." The old patriarch glanced at his furrowed brow, understanding there were still worries within Lin Changshu’s heart.

The old patriarch sighed secretly. His eldest grandson was good in every way, but he was too naïve and honest. He couldn’t compare to Ziyin’s foresight, nor Zige’s boldness. This naivety was fine most of the time, but when it came to critical situations... At this thought, the old patriarch shook his head. He felt his past decisions were correct.

Even if all the Lin Family’s wealth had been earned by Ziyin, and even if the property was inherited from their ancestors, he would not let Changshu shouldered it alone. Indecisive and softhearted people were not fit for great things, and Lin Changshu clearly belonged to this category.

After Lin Changshu left to attend his duties, the old patriarch stood up, his hands clasped behind his back, and for the first time set foot in the backyard.

"Master, the young lady is in the room." The gatekeeper, Jue Hui, accorded the utmost respect to the old patriarch and did not dare to slack off.

"I’ll go in and have a look," the old Patriarch said as he headed inside.

Inside the room, Lin Ziyin was intently working with her tools, oblivious to the old Patriarch’s arrival.

"Take a break," the patriarch spoke.

"Grandfather." Hearing the voice, Lin Ziyin turned her head to see the old patriarch and her solemn face immediately broke into a smile.

"Go get some fresh air," suggested Ziyin. Qiaoqiao, who was assisting her, sensed that the two had something to discuss. She politely excused herself with a smile.

"Is this a crossbow?" the old patriarch asked, picking up a finished crossbow, an expression of astonishment on his face.

"Yes," Lin Ziyin nodded, "It can fire five bolts consecutively."

"Good, good, good," the old patriarch commended excitedly, repeating it thrice, "We are people of the Northern Land and it’s our responsibility to defend our home. You are doing well!"

"Does grandfather have something to tell me?" Ziyin, being astute, guessed that the old patriarch hadn’t come to find her for no reason.

"You’re really unwilling to enter the Wang residence?" The patriarch didn’t beat around the bush.

Lin Ziyin nodded, "What I want is a lifelong companion, a price the prince cannot afford."

The old patriarch nodded, "Handle your own affairs yourself. You are not alone. Whatever decision you make, we, the Lin Family, will not oppose."

No one knew how complicated the old patriarch’s feelings were as he said these words. Perhaps, if he hadn’t come in and heard Ziyin’s heartfelt words, he wouldn’t feel such bitterness. But after seeing the consecutive-firing crossbow, his heart trembled.

Being an intelligent and experienced elder, he could foresee that every person in power would not let Ziyin go after seeing her talent.

Perhaps, refusing the prince could cost the entire Lin family, but the old patriarch didn’t regret it and would not allow any other family member to regret it either. He was a righteous and shrewd elder, and also held an air of arrogance. In his view, if the Lin descendants benefited from the wealth Ziyin accumulated, they should bear the corresponding risks when she faced trouble.

"Prince," outside came the voices of Jue Hui and others suddenly.

"Where’s the young lady?" Chu Suifeng’s voice carried a trace of fatigue.

Chapter 430: Chapter 430 Threat (7)_1

"The young lady is in the room." Jue Hui replied with a bow and a folded fist. "Your Highness, please hold back. The young lady has words to say. Without her speaking, nobody is allowed to enter."

"Tell her that this prince is here." Chu Suifeng looked coldly at Jue Hui.

Congyi and the others were very vexed by the disregard shown by Jue Hui and his group. However, they could not vent their anger in this special place - the Lin Family residence. The last time the prince returned to the city angrily from the Lin residence, his mood remained foul in his own residence. The soldiers in the city and those hidden almost died from his scolding, nearly losing half their lives.

If the prince had calmed down and his mood had improved, it would have been fine. In fact, the prince trained the soldiers during the day and sat alone in the study for most of the night. His appetite diminished, eating very little at every meal.

As the personal guards of Prince Ling, Congyi and the others naturally knew the resentment in Chu Suifeng’s heart. It was one thing for everyone to know where Prince Ling’s ailment lay, but persuading him was another matter. Conger once dared to persuade the prince, but was ordered to be severely trained in the private army until half-dead. He has not returned to this day.

The third son and Luo son, who could speak in front of the prince, were not in the city these days. Seeing Chu Suifeng tormenting himself day and night, they were all driven to the brink of madness. They had long blamed Lin Ziyin to death in private.

Fortunately, the prince was willing to revisit the Lin Family today. Congyi and the others were all praying in their hearts, hoping that Lin Ziyin wouldn’t lose her temper and inflict more damage on the prince who was already lacking in familial affection.

Lin Ziyin and the old master in the room naturally heard the conversation outside.

"Speak nicely." The old master got up and said.

"Yes, grandfather, please take your time." Seeing the old master walk out with his hands behind his back, Lin Ziyin quickly got up as well.

The grandfather and grandson stepped out the door and saw Chu Suifeng and several guards standing outside looking into the yard.

Lin Ziyin was surprised to find that Chu Suifeng had become thinner and darker, even his eyes had red bloodshot, could it be that something had happened on the border?

"The commoner has seen Your Highness." The old master saw Chu Suifeng and bowed respectfully.

Chu Suifeng slightly moved his body to the side, seemingly unwilling to accept the old master’s salute, "This prince is in the Lin Family, and there is no need for excessive ceremonies in the future." As he spoke, his eyes were fixed on Lin Ziyin.

"Your Highness is too kind. The commoner doesn’t deserve it. Courtesy should not be discarded." The old master responded respectfully.

Lin Ziyin stood quietly beside the old master, deeply moved. The old master not only supported her decision in words but truly demonstrated it with actions.

In the face of the old master’s insistence, Chu Suifeng’s face darkened even more, and a hint of anger began to flash in his eyes as he looked at Lin Ziyin.

Lin Ziyin slightly lowered her eyelids, without meeting his eyes. His indifference exacerbated the gloom in Chu Suifeng’s heart.

"Your Highness, a few items have been made. Please inspect them." She murmured in a respectful tone that carried a distinct sense of aloofness.

"Hmm." Chu Suifeng faintly responded, his feet stepping into the yard.

The old master sighed lightly to see the way they interacted. Sometimes things don’t go smoothly. His granddaughter’s thoughts? Thinking of the potential consequences, he shook his head slightly.

In the room, Chu Suifeng was inspecting a crossbow in his hand, while Congyi and the others watched excitedly. The occasional glances they cast at Lin Ziyin were heated. No wonder the prince couldn’t forget Miss Lin, she’s really remarkable, being able to design such a powerful crossbow.

"The range can reach about eighty meters, I can’t help anything beyond that." Lin Ziyin explained softly.

"The range is sufficient." Chu Suifeng casually replied, then ordered Congyi to "bring the things."

"Yes, Your Highness." Congyi responded and left. Moments later, he returned with a long box in his hand. He opened it to reveal a bright weapon before Lin Ziyin’s eyes.

Lin Ziyin went over to try and pick up the weapon, but it took her quite a while to barely lift it. She took a somewhat embarrassed look at Chu Suifeng and put down the weapon in her hand, "Has Your Highness tried it?"

"I have tried it." Chu Suifeng’s face carried a slight smile, "It’s very sharp. It can not only cut through a cow’s hoof but can also be used as a spear."

Lin Ziyin showed a smile upon hearing the words, "Well then, congratulations, Your Highness."

"What happened to your hand?" Chu Suifeng suddenly stared at Lin Ziyin’s hand and asked.

Lin Ziyin didn’t want to worry the old master, so she kept her hands behind her back. Only after the old master had left did she return to her natural state. But she didn’t expect that Chu Suifeng would notice such a small detail.

"Bring the ointment." Chu Suifeng coldly glanced at Hong Ying and Lun Luo. Even Qiaoqiao did not escape his icy gaze.

"Yes, Your Highness." This time Qiaoqiao didn’t cross him, she obediently presented the ointment at the first instant.

Chu Suifeng pulled off the lid of the ointment, then picked out some with his finger. He grabbed Lin Ziyin’s small and delicate hand, and began to carefully apply the medicine.

"Your Highness..." Seeing this, Qiaoqiao immediately offered to take over his task. Chu Suifeng threw her a cold glance and froze the words she was about to say.

"I can do it myself." Lin Ziyin’s hand was held by him. The cool ointment on her hand felt comfortable, but her heart was searing, and even a blush crept onto her face.