Two more days passed in the blink of an eye.
Lin Qinghe sat on a soft couch, chin propped in her hand, a thoughtful expression on her delicate little face.
The imperial decree of a bestowed marriage had been tossed out of the manor by You Rong. He went to the palace, and no one knew what he said to the emperor, but within a few days, the Prime Minister's manor was raided, and the matter was dropped.
The following days were peaceful and warm, but with the progress bar still a significant distance from completion, Lin Qinghe couldn't help but feel a little anxious.
Before Lin Qinghe could think of a suitable method to increase the progress bar, the door creaked open, and You Rong strode in, a smile on his face as he called out, "Qinghe, have you had dinner?"
Lin Qinghe snapped back to attention, temporarily putting aside her thoughts, and smiled faintly, "I have. Did His Majesty summon the Prince for anything important?"
You Rong sat down beside Lin Qinghe and naturally took her hand. "Yes, but it's nothing important. Envoys from the Western Regions have arrived, and a banquet will be held in the palace tomorrow evening to entertain them. My father, the Emperor, is unwell, so he has asked me to host the envoys. Therefore, I may not return to the manor until very late tomorrow night."
Lin Qinghe simply said "Oh" and didn't give it much thought.
In the palace, at the Palace of Heavenly Purity.
The Emperor stood with his hands behind his back, gazing out the window. A dark figure appeared behind him and bowed respectfully, "Your subordinate greets His Majesty."
The Emperor said, "Mm. Prince Rong will not be in the manor tomorrow night. Remember to handle the matter I entrusted to you properly. Be clean and efficient, leaving no trace."
"Yes, please rest assured, Your Majesty. Your subordinate will not fail in this mission!"
The Emperor waved his hand, signaling the secret guard to withdraw. The guard took a few steps back, his figure flickered, and he disappeared into the darkness as if he had never been there.
The Emperor turned around, his eyes narrowing slightly, his gaze cold.
He would never allow You Rong, the future emperor of Northern Yan, to be swayed by matters of the heart!
The next day at noon, after lunch, You Rong had to go to the palace to host the envoys on behalf of the Emperor. He held Lin Qinghe's hand and instructed, "I may not return to the manor until very late. You should rest early and don't wait for me."
"I know. You've told me so many times, my ears are about to grow calluses from your nagging... Hurry and leave, or you'll be late for the banquet."
Although You Rong was reluctant, he didn't forget the important matters at the palace. He nodded slightly, "Mm, I'm leaving. If you're bored this afternoon, you can ask Steward Fu to arrange for guards to take you to Misty Rain Pavilion to play chess with Divine Physician Feng."
"I know. Hurry and go, or you'll really be late."
"Mm... I'm leaving."
Watching You Rong's hesitant steps and his repeated glances back, Lin Qinghe showed a slightly helpless smile, a sly glint flashing in her eyes. As You Rong stepped out of the room, she suddenly called out, "Your Highness, wait!"
You Rong stopped in his tracks and turned back, about to ask what else it was, when he saw Lin Qinghe run towards him. Without a word, she grabbed his collar, stood on tiptoe, and gave him a deep kiss on the lips.
You Rong's pupils contracted. Before he could react, Lin Qinghe had already pulled away from his soft lips, leaving behind a "Come back early tonight," before quickly slipping back into the room.
Gazing at Lin Qinghe's retreating back, You Rong raised his hand to touch his lips, his brow filled with tenderness.
He would definitely return early today.
Back in her room, Lin Qinghe sat down and heard the system's prompt: "Progress bar increased by two percent. Total progress bar is thirty percent."
Lin Qinghe smiled, thinking that she needed to steal a few more kisses. That would solve the remaining progress bar.
After You Rong entered the palace, he initially thought he would return to the manor quickly after hosting the envoys. However, the banquet also included singing and dancing performances, making it difficult for him to leave.
Prince Rong's Manor.
Lin Qinghe had expected You Rong to return soon. However, the sky had been dark for a long time, and You Rong had still not returned. Steward Xu walked in and asked, "Your Highness Consort, would you like to rest now? His Highness instructed you to rest early and not wait for him. Moreover, His Highness is hosting the envoys on behalf of His Majesty today, and perhaps the envoys will drink too much. His Highness might have to escort them back to their inn. This back and forth... it will likely delay his return until very late."
Lin Qinghe wasn't necessarily waiting for You Rong; she just wasn't sleepy yet. So she said to Steward Xu, "There's no need for anyone to stay up to guard tonight. You can all go and rest. When I feel sleepy, I will naturally go to bed."
"Yes, Your Highness Consort. This servant will take her leave now."
After Steward Xu and the others withdrew, Lin Qinghe sat and read for a while. Feeling her eyes a little tired, she blew out the candle and lay down on the bed. Perhaps it was the habit of You Rong's presence beside her, but she tossed and turned on the bed, completely unable to sleep.
Just then, faint footsteps outside caught Lin Qinghe's attention.
She immediately became vigilant, listening to the movements outside. In the moonlight, she saw a bamboo tube inserted from outside. She quickly covered her mouth and nose. As expected, the next moment, she saw the person outside blowing smoke through the bamboo tube.
Lin Qinghe held her breath, her hand stealthily reaching for the dagger You Rong had hidden under the pillow. She prepared to strike first if anyone dared to enter.
Unexpectedly, the person left without entering the room!
Lin Qinghe was filled with confusion.
Who was that person? What were their intentions? Was it just a common thief who wanted to drug her and steal things?
But the fact that they didn't enter the room made no sense.
Lin Qinghe pondered, then quietly got up, holding the dagger, and walked towards the door to investigate.
Before she reached the door, she heard a "swoosh" sound. It was the sound of arrows being shot at the door and the roof.
Lin Qinghe's heart leaped. She swiftly dodged behind the bookshelf to hide, but she soon realized that the opponent wasn't trying to kill her with arrows. The arrows were tied with lamp oil and fire. The room was instantly engulfed in flames.
Were they trying to incapacitate her with the smoke and then burn her alive inside the room?!
Lin Qinghe had no time to think. The fire spread too quickly, and smoke billowed within the room. Her face felt scorching hot, and the thick smoke made her cough uncontrollably.
Lin Qinghe grabbed a handkerchief, poured some tea on it, and wet it. Covering her nose, she rushed towards the exit. However, the door wouldn't open at all. Not only had the person used smoke, but they had also locked the door from the outside.
The surrounding fire was ferocious. Lin Qinghe looked around, then decisively grabbed a wooden chair and smashed it heavily against the wooden window, breaking it. Looking at the raging flames in front of her, she took a deep breath, retreated a few steps, and then suddenly charged forward, leaping through the broken window and out of the sea of flames.
Lin Qinghe fell onto the ground outside, rolling several times before she stopped. Parts of her clothes were burned, her little face was blackened, and her hair was disheveled. She looked very disheveled.
Lin Qinghe stood up and looked at the raging fire. Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, and the corners of her lips curled upwards.
This was precisely the opportunity she needed to increase the progress bar.
When the servants in the manor discovered the fire in Lin Qinghe's courtyard, they cried out in alarm. Lin Qinghe, taking advantage of the chaos, slipped away and hid behind the rockery in the courtyard. Su Dan Novel Network.
In the palace.
You Rong frowned, listening with slight impatience as the envoys flattered him. Just as he was about to mention that it was getting late and arrange for the envoys to be sent back to their inn, a small eunuch ran in, anxiously reporting, "Your Highness Prince Rong, something has happened! A guard just reported that from a distance, Prince Rong's manor appears to be on fire! The flames can be seen even from the palace walls!"
Lin Qinghe's image flashed in You Rong's mind. His heart clenched. Without a word, he walked out. Upon reaching the palace gate, he mounted his horse and galloped towards Prince Rong's manor.
Along the way, You Rong was filled with anxiety, praying repeatedly.
Qinghe, you must be alright. You must be alright...