“The Lu family is powerful, but the Ling family is far inferior. Moreover, I am just a weak woman who can’t even tie a chicken. It is extremely difficult for me to avoid Lu An and to seek revenge. After much thought, I finally made up my mind to come to the capital.”

“I didn’t expect to encounter bandits while on the boat. I didn’t expect to be rescued by His Highness. His Highness saved my life and later gave me a name card so that my brother and I could see Doctor Wei as soon as possible. I will never forget these favors in my life.”

Ling Jingshu looked up at the Imperial Grandson, her eyes slightly red, but her gaze had returned to calm: “Your Highness, this is my biggest secret, and also the greatest humiliation and pain of my life. Whether Your Highness is willing to help me or not, please keep it a secret for me.”

The Imperial Grandson let out a long breath, his face as cold as an ice sculpture, emitting a breathtaking chill: “Don’t worry, I will keep my mouth shut.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Ling Jingshu bowed properly to express her gratitude and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The first step had been taken. She still had a lot to do next.

“It won’t take much effort for me to help you deal with the Lu family.” The Imperial Grandson had recovered from his shock and regained his usual calmness and sharpness: “But why should I help you?”

The Imperial Grandson stared at Ling Jingshu closely and asked slowly, “In other words, what price can you pay for revenge?”

It didn’t matter that she didn’t like him now.

As long as she agreed to marry him, he would avenge her and completely eradicate the Lu family. He would give her all his love and let her live a life of luxury and wealth.

There would be plenty of time in the future for her to slowly fall in love with him.

The Imperial Grandson’s eyes were scorching, like an eagle staring at its prey.

His eyes were so explicit, revealing clearly what he was thinking.

Ling Jingshu’s heart sank slightly.

Fortunately, she had never underestimated the shrewdness of His Royal Highness the Imperial Grandson. She had anticipated such a situation, so she was not panicked at this moment.

Ling Jingshu did not avoid the Imperial Grandson’s gaze. She looked back and spoke clearly into his ears, “As long as Your Highness is willing to help me get revenge, from now on, my life belongs to Your Highness. No matter what Your Highness orders me to do, I will obey. I am willing to go through fire and water for Your Highness, no matter what it takes.”

The Imperial Grandson’s expression was a little stiff and he frowned.

He had heard countless expressions of sincere surrender like this.

Ling Jingshu’s expression was firm and her words were resolute, and it was obvious that she meant what she said.

However, this was not the answer he wanted at all.

What he wanted was her body and heart, not her life and loyalty.

“The Crown Prince’s Mansion has a thousand guards, and I have five hundred personal guards. They are all very skilled, obey my orders, and are loyal to me. Many secret guards outside the Prince’s Mansion have hidden their identities. They secretly work as spies everywhere to gather information and carry out missions for me.”

There was a subtle hint of anger in the Imperial Grandson’s voice, and his words sounded harsh and harsh: “As for the officials who are privately loyal to the Crown Prince’s Mansion, there are countless of them. They hold different official positions and serve in various departments. When I give an order, someone will submit a memorial to me and do my job.”

“You are just a weak woman who can’t do anything. I don’t know what use your surrender will be to me in the future.”

“You just surrendered and want me to help you deal with the entire Lu family. This wishful thinking is too much! What gives you such confidence that you think I will agree to such a ridiculous request?”

As he spoke, his tone became almost sarcastic.

Despite being so ruthlessly humiliated and despised, Ling Jingshu did not get angry, nor did she cover her face and cry and run away.

“Your Highness’s concerns are not without reason.” Ling Jingshu’s voice was very calm: “There is no such thing as getting something for nothing in this world. No matter how shameless I am, I dare not expect it. I am indeed just a weak woman, not as good as the guards and those secret guards, let alone those officials. However, I also have my advantages.”

“Oh? What’s the advantage?”

The embarrassment of being rejected before, mixed with the resentment in his heart, made the Imperial Grandson’s tone even colder and more harsh: “Are you trying to say that your beauty can seduce others, such as the Sixth Uncle?”

As soon as the words came out, a trace of regret flashed in the Imperial Grandson’s eyes.

Such words are undoubtedly a great humiliation for an unmarried girl. He just said such angry words because he was angry for a moment.

What was more… King Yan was really interested in her. What if he rejected her surrender and she turned to King Yan out of disappointment? No matter how powerful the Lu family was, it was just a family. For the high and mighty Imperial Prince and Imperial Grandson, it was not difficult to get rid of the Lu family.

Given King Yan’s temperament, he would be quicker and more ruthless than him to please the beauty.

Unfortunately, once words were spoken, they were like spilled water, and it was impossible to take them back.

Ling Jingshu raised her eyes, looked at the gloomy-looking Imperial Grandson, and said softly: “Your Highness has misunderstood. I never intended to surrender to King Yan. From the beginning, the person I wanted to surrender to was Your Highness.”

The Imperial Grandson’s expression remained unchanged, but his eyes lit up and the corners of his lips lifted slightly.

“To be honest with you, Your Highness, Lu Pin has already secretly surrendered to King Yan, and the Lu family can be considered as the King of Yan’s followers. I want revenge and want to deal with the Lu family, so I will never go to the King of Yan.”

Ling Jingshu continued, “The King of Yan will not attack his own people for a woman he doesn’t know. Once this matter gets out, it will lose the support of the people. The King of Yan is ambitious and shrewd, and he will not do such a stupid thing that will destroy his reputation. If the King of Yan tells Lu Pin about it, not only will I not be able to take revenge, but I will also alert the enemy.”

“So, I have always kept my distance from the King of Yan. I have never thought of joining him.”

The corners of the Imperial Grandson’s lips twitched a few times, and he snorted barely perceptibly: “You are very thoughtful.”

She didn’t know whether it was sarcasm or praise, or both.

Ling Jingshu restrained her expression and replied calmly, “I am a weak woman, without any help or background. But I am unwilling to be humiliated. If I want revenge, I must exhaust all my energy and think carefully.”

“You are too modest.”

The Imperial Grandson suddenly laughed, thinking of something: “If you were a weak woman, you would probably never find a woman with a strong mind in this world.”

How could Ling Jingshu, who stood upright in the rain of arrows and killed the bandit with the sharp blade in her hand when the bandit was injured, be a weak woman?

Ninth Miss Ling, who never bowed to the powerful and was smart and calm, was no match for those famous ladies who recited poems and painted all day long.

(End of this chapter)