Ch. 806..810: The Princess of Northern Land Chapter 806-810

Chapter 806: Chapter 806 Unusual Thoughts (5)

The Emperor, upon hearing this, felt somewhat relieved at last. Although the State Preceptor was arrogant and impolite, he still harbored some feelings for the North Country and had not allowed his personal affairs to endanger its people.

"What does the State Preceptor suggest then?" The Emperor asked, looking at him puzzled.

"Since Princess Ziyin is endowed with unique skills, it would be somewhat wasteful to have her stay idly at the Second Prince’s residence. Why not compel her to resolve our Northern Land’s planting issues when spring arrives?" The State Preceptor proposed viciously, "Or perhaps, have Princess Ziyin stay permanently in our North Country."

"Stay permanently in the North Country?" The Emperor was startled.

"Yes." A calculating look appeared in the State Preceptor’s eyes.

"Royal Mother, this is Princess Ziyin from the Northern Land." As expected, Alhatu led Lin Ziyin to the harem. Their first stop was his own Royal Mother’s palace.

"She is my Royal Mother, Imperial Concubine Du Lengcang. You can address her as Lady Du Lengcang," Alhatu guided with dedication.

Lin Ziyin, during her time in the Northern Land, had read articles about the customs and culture of the North Country. The surname Du Lengcang was not unfamiliar to her.

"Lady," she greeted, with a slight bow.

"There’s no need for such formality, Princess Ziyin." Perhaps because she was brought by Alhatu, Lady Du Lengcang was very cordial. "Come sit with me. I’ve long heard that the Princess Ziyin from the Northern Land is virtuous and gentle, and seeing you today, indeed, your reputation is well-deserved. The women of the Northern Land have such fine skin, truly different from our women in the North Country."

"Your skin is also very good," Lin Ziyin replied with a smile. It wasn’t flattery; Lady Du Lengcang’s skin was genuinely exceptional, not at all typical of someone from the North Country.

"My skin is much poorer in comparison to yours. But you are young, and it seems laughable for someone of my age to compare with a young lady like you," Lady Du Lengcang said with a laugh, without any pretensions.

"Lady, you look very young; standing next to the Second Prince, one could mistake you for siblings," Lin Ziyin replied with a light smile.

Women love to be complimented, and immediately Lady Du Lengcang’s face brightened even more with her smile.

"What sweet words you have. But speaking of skincare, I would, in fact, like to learn some tips from you, as I have always been using skincare products produced by the Lin Family," Lady Du Lengcang said with a hint of pride.

Unlike other women in the palace who, for the sake of appearing virtuous, persisted in using skincare unique to the North Country. It wasn’t unpatriotic, but honestly, despite some of the local products being good, they simply couldn’t compare with the products from the Lin Family.

Now, many women in the palace followed her lead and began using skincare products from the Northern Land. But how could these newcomers surpass her, the pioneer?

"Coincidentally, I’ve also heard that the royal court of the North Country has its distinctive skincare products, which I’ve been eager to experience," Lin Ziyin responded with a smile.

"That’s easy, I have some ready here, handed out by the Internal Affairs Bureau, but never used. If you’re interested, I can give them to you later," Lady Du Lengcang generously promised.

The two women hit it off immediately, finding endless topics to discuss, leaving Alhatu somewhat out of the loop.

"Royal Mother." At the peak of their engaging conversation, they saw the Sixth Princess arrive with a palace maid.

Upon entering and noticing Alhatu and Lin Ziyin, her expression paused for a moment, then she approached with a smile, "I didn’t expect to see Alhatu and Princess Ziyin here as well."

"Princess," Lin Ziyin answered flatly.

"This girl once came over without permission and caused you trouble, but Alhatu has already reprimanded her. Don’t hold it against her; the child is just prone to comparing herself with others," Lady Du Lengcang said, seeking pardon for her daughter with a smile.

 

Chapter 807: Chapter 807 Unusual Thoughts (6)

"Hehehe, don’t be angry, I was wrong last time. How about this, tomorrow I’ll take you to eat at Kashen’s, as an apology." The Sixth Princess was able to let go of grievances easily, without any fuss.

"Perfect!" Alhatu also wanted to help out his only sister, "Miss Lin has been wanting to go out and about, but I’ve been tied up with important matters and couldn’t be distracted. With my sister accompanying her, I’d be much more at ease."

"Princess Consort of Ling, you wouldn’t bear a grudge and refuse, would you? That’s the one thing that’s not so great about you folks from the Northern Land, making a mountain out of a molehill."

The Sixth Princess, fearing Lin Ziyin’s refusal, directly pointed it out.

Duchess Du Lengcang shook her head as she looked at Lin Ziyin, "Look at her, with this personality, how could I be at ease?"

"The Princess has a straightforward nature; I think it’s quite good," Lin Ziyin said with a light smile. No matter what the Sixth Princess was like, in front of her family members, she couldn’t very well speak ill of her, could she? It was better to be tactful and join in the praise; after all, she wouldn’t lose anything by doing so. Moreover, she truly needed someone to accompany her for outings.

The Sixth Princess was indeed a good candidate.

"So you’re saying that you agree," the Sixth Princess said delightedly as she looked at Lin Ziyin, her gaze becoming much more playful.

Based on the Sixth Princess’s previous performance when she barged into Alhatu Residence, Lin Ziyin would not truly treat her as a naive girl unconcerned with worldly affairs. However, she would not show this assumption on her face.

It could be said that everyone present was putting on an act; it was just a matter of who had the better acting skills.

Undeniably, Duchess Du Lengcang was a master among them. Under her arrangement, Lin Ziyin ended up staying for lunch and spent a delightful afternoon with their family of three.

By the time Lin Ziyin and Alhatu left the Imperial Palace, the sky was completely dark. However, having met the State Preceptor in the Palace, Lin Ziyin was not worried about encountering any unfortunate incidents on her way.

"Thank you for everything today," Alhatu sincerely thanked Lin Ziyin upon returning to the Residence.

"I’ve said before, I am first and foremost a businesswoman," Lin Ziyin answered with a light smile.

Alhatu’s expression faltered, unsure of how to respond.

"Regardless, I still have to thank you. Have a good time tomorrow with Princess Qiqige, I won’t be accompanying you. By the way, Bayan and Tana have recovered well from their injuries; in the future, they can also stay by your side," Alhatu said seriously.

Both of them had healed so quickly? Lin Ziyin was somewhat surprised; it seemed that there were indeed skilled healers in the North Country. To be honest, Bayan’s injuries were not light. It made sense for Tana’s foot to be better since it was just a sprain, and after resting for over half a month, she should be mostly healed.

After all, she was a captive in the North Country and was bound to have escorts. Having two familiar faces around would be more comfortable than strangers.

Seeing that she didn’t object, Alhatu breathed a slight sigh of relief.

The next day, as expected, the Sixth Princess came early, and Alhatu was well-prepared, instructing the butler to equip Lin Ziyin with plenty of silver notes to bring along.

Out of respect for Lin Ziyin, he delivered the silver notes directly to her hands.

Lin Ziyin did not stand on ceremony with him and, after politely thanking him, she tucked the silver notes into her bosom.

Riding in a carriage with a Princess was naturally a fine experience. Sitting inside the carriage and holding a hot water bottle, Lin Ziyin’s mood had greatly improved.

"You seem particularly susceptible to the cold?" the Sixth Princess asked curiously, looking at her.

"My constitution is on the cold side; come winter, I feel the cold more than most," Lin Ziyin didn’t hide the fact.

Chapter 808: Chapter 808 Unusual Thoughts (7)

"So that’s how it is," the Sixth Princess understandingly looked at her. No wonder Alhatu was willing to give the Fire Fox cloak to Lin Ziyin, recalling that she and Maya had long coveted it, Alhatu never budged.

When they arrived at the market, the Sixth Princess and Lin Ziyin dismounted from the carriage and walked. Fortunately, the weather was nice and the red sun hung in the sky, even the wind was bearable against the cold.

The North Country’s products weren’t particularly abundant, but there were also not a few types. There were few vegetables for sale on the streets, and those available were often dried. Even so, these items became popular goods.

Lin Ziyin and the Sixth Princess walked and talked, getting along fairly well. Both were quite interested and bought many small trinkets along the way.

Lin Ziyin showed a keen interest in the products of the North Country.

The most sold on the street were beef and mutton, there was also fresh milk, and even what seemed like rudimentary milk tofu.

Curious, Lin Ziyin had Yi Lian buy some for her.

"Do you also like this milk cake, our favorite food in the North Country?" the Sixth Princess asked with a smile.

"The taste is a bit strange, a little too fishy," Lin Ziyin replied after tasting a small piece.

"If it didn’t have the milky fishiness, how could it be counted as a real milk cake?" the Sixth Princess responded nonchalantly.

"People from the North Country might like this fishy taste, but it definitely wouldn’t work for export," Lin Ziyin replied.

This reasoning somewhat surprised the Sixth Princess; she hadn’t expected Lin Ziyin to start paying attention to the North Country’s goods so quickly. It seemed that the Consort Lin indeed had plans to collaborate with the North Country.

Thus, along the way, the Sixth Princess no longer urged her to hurry. Instead, whenever Lin Ziyin paused at a small goods stall, she would curiously pick up the goods to examine, and then humbly ask Lin Ziyin for her advice.

In this regard, Lin Ziyin had no intent to conceal anything; she informed the Sixth Princess everything that was asked.

By the time they reached the tavern in the center of the street, the Sixth Princess’s attitude toward Lin Ziyin had fundamentally changed. Initially, if the Sixth Princess was willing to lower her stance and accompany Lin Ziyin for a stroll, it was entirely because she wanted to win over Lin Ziyin to assist Alhatu. But now, she realized that the unremarkable Consort Lin had a truly terrifying amount of knowledge.

The suggestions that came from Lin Ziyin’s mouth were not only things she had never realized but had also never heard of. Yet those suggestions were often the most sensible.

Moreover, some small goods that seemed most useless and cheap to the Sixth Princess, in Consort Lin’s eyes, could turn trash into treasure.

It’s only a pity that some things Lin Ziyin explained, being always in a high position, the Sixth Princess didn’t quite understand. However, after coming all this way, she fully understood why Emperor and Alhatu had regarded Lin Ziyin differently.

Consort Lin indeed had the capability to change the quality of life for the people of the North Country.

People from the North Country had always respected the greatly virtuous, in the eyes of the Sixth Princess, Lin Ziyin could also be considered a capable hero.

Unruffled and with a smile, Lin Ziyin stood beside the Sixth Princess. She spoke with elegant humor, and even the maids beside the Sixth Princess couldn’t help but be amused by her.

Bayan’s injuries were not yet fully healed, but they were mostly better. He stood alert not far away, always keeping not too far from Lin Ziyin and the Sixth Princess. Yi Lian and Tana stood on either side of Lin Ziyin, diligently acting as bodyguards.

"Sixth Princess," just as the Sixth Princess was leading Lin Ziyin towards the tavern, an unexpected figure appeared before them.

"Maya," the smile on the Sixth Princess’s face faded slightly. At this moment, she didn’t want to see Maya; she was afraid the jealous Maya would spoil things and make the relationship she and Lin Ziyin had cautiously built fade.

"Maya, since you’re here, come in and sit with us." She couldn’t completely offend Maya, so the Sixth Princess started to play the balancing act.

"Are you Consort Lin?" Maya looked at Lin Ziyin with a complex expression.

"Yes," Lin Ziyin replied with a light smile, "So you can rest assured, I won’t be your romantic rival."

This statement somewhat moved Maya, who nodded slightly and then turned to the Sixth Princess, "You haven’t come to see me for days."

It was a small complaint.

The Sixth Princess understood how intense Maya’s jealousy could be. At the moment, her complaining to herself was simply because she saw that she was getting closer to Consort Lin.

"The governess has been stricter, and I haven’t finished my tasks; how could I freely leave the palace. Today’s outing is also thanks to the blessing of Consort Lin," the Sixth Princess replied half-jokingly and half-seriously.

Upon hearing this, Maya immediately backed down.

She had also learned from her father about how the Emperor and Alhatu treated Consort Lin. It was said that Consort Lin was now a troublesome figure, and her father had even specifically warned her not to provoke Lin Ziyin.

But what should she do when she feels like targeting Lin Ziyin upon seeing her? Looking at the Fire Fox cloak on Lin Ziyin’s body and the Northern Country Beads around her neck, Maya’s heart felt as though it was being scorched by fire.

Chapter 809: Chapter 809: Connection (1)

The fur of the Fire Fox was quite rare; the cloak on Lin Ziyin’s body alone took twenty fox furs to make, purportedly prepared by Alhatu as a betrothal gift for the future princess. The string of pearls hanging around Lin Ziyin’s neck wasn’t a common ornament either; these pearls had been worn by Empress Dowager Du Lengcang for many years, reportedly gifted to her by the previous Empress Dowager.

The simultaneous appearance of these two items on the body of Princess Ling signified what? Princess Ling herself might not know, but Maya had a vague idea.

"Maya, let’s talk later, I am starving, let’s hurry and go eat," Princess number six raised her voice upon seeing the complexity in Maya’s eyes.

Maya snapped back to reality.

The current situation was already beyond Maya’s control. Yesterday afternoon, Princess Ling had been granted an audience with the Empress Dowager and even dined with her. It could be said that Princess Ling’s reputation was at its peak. Princess number six had intentionally raised her voice as a warning to her.

After weighing the situation several times, Maya decided to back off from stirring trouble for now.

"Great, I am here to eat too, I will host today," Maya’s beautiful face lifted into a smile.

Something was off; as her best friend, Princess number six knew Maya well. Maya’s gaze had just been fierce, and suddenly she had let it go, which was very abnormal. Princess number six secretly became more alert!

Kashen was the name of the restaurant, which was quite unique. However, Lin Ziyin didn’t mind, thinking that perhaps the customs of the North Country were just that unusual.

"Princess Ling, you are the guest, you order first." Once inside the restaurant’s private room, Maya immediately put on the host face.

Quite polite! Princess number six was fairly satisfied with her behavior and smilingly chimed in, "Kashen is the most famous restaurant locally. They often introduce delicious dishes because the owner gathers the best of various traditions. Any dish mentioned by the merchants who come and go is something they strive to craft, so the guests here need to reserve their spots in advance."

"Oh?" Lin Ziyin got interested. It was rare, indeed, for an ancient person to know about integrating the best from various sources. She never arrogantly thought that the restaurant opened by the Lin Family was the best.

A restaurant that gathers the best of various schools could be said to be the most promising, and even without ordering yet, she had already taken a liking to the shopkeeper.

"Could you recommend a signature dish?" Lin Ziyin asked the attendant.

"My dear guest, you’ve asked the right person. Our restaurant has just developed new dishes these past two days, ready to launch today. Would you like to try them?" The attendant served with a big smile, very attentive.

"Oh? There are new dishes?" Princess number six asked excitedly, clearly a regular customer by the sound of it.

"Yes, just finalized and planned to be introduced today," the attendant responded proudly, nodding.

"What are they?" Princess number six was intrigued.

"One is deep-fried ice cream, and the other is ’Birds Returning to the Nest,’" the attendant quickly reported the dishes.

"Those names are quite unique, serve them," Maya urged impatiently, her mood sour, not really caring about the food.

Hearing the names of the dishes, Lin Ziyin was moved, yet her face showed no hint of it, "Princess number six, you order the rest of the dishes since this is my first time here and I’m not familiar with this place."

"Sure." Princess number six smiled and agreed before listing a long string of dish names, "Today, my treat."

"Princess number six, we had agreed that I would treat," Maya said unhappily. She also came from an aristocratic background and was not short of silver. Even though dining at Kashen was quite expensive, she could afford several meals.

 

Chapter 810: Chapter 810: Connect(2)

In Maya’s view, the Six Princess not allowing her to entertain the consort in front of her was a complete slap in her face.

"Let’s save it for next time," the Six Princess smiled as she declined, "when we go out, we had already agreed that I would take care of the bill today."

Maya could tell that the Six Princess was prickly today, her attitude towards her completely different from normal days. It was all Lin Ziyin’s fault, Maya resented her once again.

The dishes were served quickly, and in no time the table was full of an assortment of exquisite plates.

"Is this the ’Birds Returning to the Nest’?" the Six Princess asked, looking at the dish in the plate.

"To answer the honored guest, yes," the waiter excitedly responded.

"Hmph," Maya glanced disdainfully at the plate of food; it looked pleasant, but was nothing impressive.

Lin Ziyin was seriously examining the plate of food, appearing to be very interested.

The ingredients in the plate were not particularly precious, a "bird’s nest" made of shredded greens with a few crystal-clear quail eggs in the middle, surrounded by plump bush sparrows and a light drizzle of chicken broth at the bottom, simulating a gently flowing stream of water, presenting a poetic and picturesque charm.

"It does have a unique presentation," remarked the Six Princess with a smile after inspecting it. "Even the shredded greens used for this bird’s nest must have taken a fair bit of effort."

"The guest is right, these greens are only available at the Hot Springs Villa belonging to the second prince. The shopkeeper put in quite some effort just for these greens," the waiter explained with a grin, proud of himself.

Maya’s mood finally improved a bit at the mention of Alhatu.

"So this is the deep-fried ice cream. It looks like just an ordinary dessert," Maya said dismissively, pointing to the neatly arranged treats on the plate.

"I was just about to introduce this dessert to the guests. It may look hot from the outside, but there’s a surprise inside. The honored guests might want to give it a try," the waiter enthusiastically promoted, undeterred by Maya’s scorn.

"I’ll give it a try," Lin Ziyin picked up her chopsticks and grabbed one of the desserts, and the Six Princess followed suit, biting into one immediately.

Lin Ziyin knew the secret of this dessert, but the Six Princess was completely unaware.

"Cold? With a hint of milk?" she exclaimed, looking up at the waiter in surprise.

"Inside, it’s like ice cream, but the outside is fried with hot oil, creating a mix of contrasting flavors that’s truly a unique concept," the waiter beamed with pride at their astonished expressions.

Hearing this, Maya also slowly picked up one and began to eat. Indeed, the blend of the two flavors was quite distinctive. She could no longer utter words of disdain.

"Who came up with this dish?" the Six Princess asked curiously.

"This dish was conceived by the proprietor of this establishment. He came up with this idea thanks to the second prince’s Hot Springs Villa," the waiter was chatty, spilling all the details before they could even ask.

"How does it relate to the second prince again?" Maya’s mood always improved at the mention of Alhatu. The waiter’s words had piqued her curiosity, prompting her to inquire further.

"Not just anyone can enter the prince’s villa. The shopkeeper managed to connect with the second prince last time through some contacts, thus he was able to enter the villa to deliver vegetables. Witnessing the steam rising from the pools amidst the snowy landscape, he was inspired right then and there. However, this dessert is the opposite of the Hot Springs Villa. There, it’s cold on the outside but hot within, whereas the dessert is hot on the outside but cold inside." Having said that, the waiter grinned proudly on the side.