"Long Tianhao, I'm warning you not to be funny!"

Lin Mengya was going crazy with rage, her expression looked as if she was going to eat him up.

Long Tianhao was not looking any better.

She had indicated that she was thinking of climbing over the wall. How dare she behave so arrogantly before him?

Did this woman even aware of how she should behave, being a princess?

"You're my wife, what do you mean by me trying to be funny?"

However, he was not interested in any woman now. Moreover, this woman before his eyes was so ferocious that she even refused to let him get close to her.

However, he thought he should communicate with his wife after all.

"I... I'm not your wife, I'm just a guise. I'm your accomplice, a dagger in your hand, but definitely not our wife!"

Lin Mengya said, biting the bullet without considering the consequences.

She should have drawn a clear line between Long Tianhao and her long ago.

She would not fall in love with Long Tianhao and the neither would Long Tianhao fall in love with her.

It would be better to clarify everything now so that they could go along without feeling any awkwardness.

Lin Mengya's words made Long Tianhao froze instantly.

It seemed that Lin Mengya really liked Qinghu.

Otherwise, why would she readily give up the prominent status of being the princess?

Nevertheless, he was unable to shake off that bitter feeling troubling his heart

"You are right."

Lin Mengya was a talent hard to come by. Long Tianhao and always agree to this point.

He respected and value real talents, so if she truly did not wish to be the princess, he would not force it on her.

"Rest assured, I will grant you freedom when a suitable opportunity arises."

In this way, Lin Mengya would achieve what she wanted, and at the same time remain by his side forever, to help him and work for him.

That's right, this was the best option and arrangement. However, why was he finding it so difficult to make this decision?

"That'll be the best. Rest assured, as long as I'm still your wife, I will not bring shame to the prince's household. Actually, I said those words just now in the fit of anger."

Finally, she had Long Tianhao's word.

Lin Mengya had worked long and hard for this promise. However, why was she feeling a slight heartache when she heard Long Tianhao said he would set her free?

"I will take my leave if there is nothing else."

With much effort, she pushed herself up from the simple wooden army bunk bed, gave the prince a bow and in hurried steps, she exited from Long Tianhao's study.

This was the first time his study felt so empty.

Listening to the fading sound of footsteps as Lin Mengya disappeared through the door, Long Tianhao who stood still all this time started pacing around the study.

Why did the study, which usually felt so cram, feel so empty all of a sudden?

He shook his head in an attempt to shake off this laughable thought from his mind. Long Tianhao took out the accumulated stack of documents over the last few days and began going through them absent-mindedly.

"Did you just had an argument with sister-in-law, Third Elder Brother?"

A clear, light voice sounded abruptly followed by Long Qinghan entering the study.

He was toying with a fan with patterns of flowers in his hand with smiling eyes, looking as if he had just witnessed some interesting show.

"Did you try to eavesdrop again?" Long Tianhao frowned. It seemed that he should destroy Qinghan's martial art skills lest he overheard from time to time the things he should not know.

"I did not! I wouldn't dare do that! It's just that I heard the Third Sister-in-law mumbling curses under her breath when she was leaving. It seemed that she spotted a little pebble on the floor and was trying to pick it up to vent her frustrations. However, the peddle seemed to be stuck on the ground, so she bent down, held on to her legs and was crying while sitting on the ground."

Before Long Qinghan could finish his sentence, Long Tianhao had disappeared from the study.

Seeing how fast his Third Elder Brother had dashed out of the study, Long Qinghan could not help but started laughing to himself.

It appeared that his Third Elder Brother, who was as unfeeling as an iceberg was meant to be melted by Third Sister-in-law, the sun.

"Sob, sob. Even little peddle bullied me! I'm surely going to throw every one of these pebbles out into the furnace to be burnt!"

Lin Mengya held on to her legs and pouted her lips as she sobbed.

The pain in her toes shot up her body! In just a moment, she burst out in tears spontaneously.

Her toes must have become swollen!

Why did she vent her anger on the pebble?

She rubbed her toes and was about to get up when she was folded into a firm embrace.

She lifted her head and saw Long Tianhao's handsome but tense face. She struggled to break free from his embrace but he hugged her even more tightly.

"Stop struggling, let me bring you back and apply some ointment on your leg."

His voice still sounded crisp but not as cold as a moment ago.

Lin Mengya paused for a moment, but finally eased into Long Tianhao's arms. After all, this was considered a work-related injury and her boss had to be responsible.

Long Tianhao carried Lin Mengya all the way from Qinwu Courtyard to Liuxi Courtyard, while many people saw this unlikely scene along the way.

How did the impassionate Prince carry the princess personally back to his room? Did the rumor not say that he had just fallen in love with a woman from the western foreign land?

Now it seemed like he was still most fond of the princess, otherwise, why would he lower himself to carry the princess in his arms?

"Your Highness, is our mistress alright?"

Three maidservants came forward when the gates of Liuxin Courtyard opened. They were shocked to learn that their mistress had been carried back here in the Prince's arms. Was this not a piece of strange news?

"Go get the ointment for soothing the wound, she's injured."

It was rare for Long Tianhao to be speaking to the servants in Liuxin Courtyard, so Baizhi immediately went off to fetch the medication.

Long Tianhao continued to carry Lin Mengya into her bedroom and finally put her down gently on her bed. Where had all that uncouth mannerism of his gone?

"Here's the ointment. Where exactly did you get hurt?"

Baizhi had a pained expression as she looked at her mistress, who had been injured here and there ever since she married into the Prince's household.

However, Long Tianhao quickly took over the bottle of ointment.

He was even bending over to removed Lin Mengya's socks and shoes, and his action had stunned all the people in the room.

Were they seeing things? The Prince had personally taken off the princess's socks and shoes!

Baiji was the oldest among the maidservants and she was mature enough to understand the implication of the Prince's actions and she blushed from the thought of it, and quietly instructed everyone to leave.

Lin Mengya was dazed by Long Tianhao's actions of taking off her shoes and then her socks with such gentleness and caution, to expose a foot as fair as jade.

"Your Highness, I guess this gesture is called playing the thug."

Lin Mengya blurted out these words so abruptly that even she did not know what had gone wrong with her.

Nevertheless, Long Tianhao poured out some alcohol from a small bottle and started applying it onto her slightly swollen foot with a bit of strength.

"Then you should report me to the officials. Now, all the officials in the capital city are my subordinates, just so that you know."

Lin Mengya was struck dumb at that instant. So what if he was a high ranking official?

"Your Highness, does it mean that you can play the thug just because you're older?"

Oops, had she gone crazy? This was the first time that Lin Mengya hated herself for slipping her tongue.

"I'm indeed older than you, being born in the eighth year of Yuanqing."

Goodness! What an awkward conversation that was between the two. Lin Mengya was too ashamed to question the heavens why exactly happened to her!

"Alright, just take a rest today, and it'll recover on its own. In a few days, it will be the feast we throw for King Ming and his princes will be attending the feast too. You'll have to accompany me to the feast."

Long Tianhao let go of her snow-white foot as he realized how smooth her skin was.

The skin along her entire leg was smooth as a baby's skin. For the first time in his life, Long Tianhao knew what 'skin as white as snow' meant from looking at Lin Mengya.

"How should I prepare myself then?" asked Lin Mengya as she retracted her foot, blushing. She did not think it was inappropriate to show her feet to man.

However, she felt uneasy when Long Tianhao took too long to stare at her foot a moment ago.

"There is nothing you have to prepare. I've instructed Qinghan to do all the necessary preparation. You just have to be present for the feast."

By this time, Long Tianhao's sense of smell was totally filled with the subtle fragrance diffusing from Lin Mengya's body.

He wondered what kind of perfume she was using because she smelt especially pleasant today.

"Alright, I know what to do."

She looked down. Was it not too late for her to behave in a coquettish way towards him now?

"I should get going, rest well."

He stood up before casting a longing glance at Lin Mengya, who had her head bowed low. He could almost feel an electric shock in his heart.

"Eh... Your Highness, please inform me the next time you want to play the thug."

What was with her? Was she not thinking to thank Long Tianhao for sending her back and apply the ointment on her wound?

"Alright."

Unexpectedly but interestingly, Long Tianhao and given a positive answer to her request.

Sob, sob. Lin Mengya wished she could wrap herself up with the blanket at that moment. Their conversation would leave normal people speechless!

The dark clouds hovering over the Prince's Mansion had started to disperse because of Long Tianhao and Lin Mengya's interaction and communication.

Initially, Concubine De was planning to question her, but because of the injury in her foot, Concubine De turned her interrogation into a comforting session.

Perhaps the Princess's manifestation of her jealousy resulted in Long Tianhao developing a sweet and warm feeling inside him.

As a mother, Concubine De did not wish to dabble with the matter between the couple.

Perhaps she had brought to her mind the trivial things that happened between the Emperor and herself, and she decided to go easy with the things concerning Lin Mengya.

Soon, the day arrived for the feast they prepared for King Ming.

It seemed that autumn had arrived early this year.

Autumn had just arrived but once night fell, the temperature dropped significantly.

Fortunately, the maidservants in Liuxin Courtyard had prepared the flame early. It was rumored the underground in the courtyards, there was buried a Chinese herb called Dilong. Once the weather turned chilly, they would set fire to the Dilong and keep it burning to provide warmth.

Then the courtyard would feel as warm as if it were spring time.

"Once our princess put on this dress made of Qingluan gold silk, she would charm everyone at the feast."

Baizhi ran her finger over the pomegranate-colored coat. Baiji had done the embroidery on the exquisite silk fabric needle by needle.

"Wow! Big sister Baiji is so skillful in embroidery work!"