“W-why not?” The Sixth Princess was startled by Liu Yin’s serious expression. Wasn’t this a good thing?

Liu Yin furrowed her brows, adopting a scholarly tone as she began her analysis. “Think about it. If you tell Aunt, she’ll assume that Cousin has started seeing me in a different light. But in reality, he won’t even spare me a few extra words. Wouldn’t that just make Aunt happy for nothing?”

The princess pondered for a moment. “But…”

“No buts. I said don’t say anything, and that means you don’t say anything.” Liu Yin’s eyes narrowed threateningly. “If you dare spill the secret, I’ll tell everyone about you sneaking off to read those forbidden storybooks.”

In an instant, the Sixth Princess’s face turned bright red. She clamped a hand over Liu Yin’s mouth, flustered and fuming. “Fine! I won’t say a word! You’re always bullying me, Cousin!”

Clearly upset, she stomped her foot and stormed out, her face still flushed. Meanwhile, Xiyun, who had been quietly observing, couldn’t help but giggle. Liu Yin shot her a glare, and the maid quickly busied herself packing their things.

The Empress had been quite generous with her gifts—two whole chests full of treasures. Liu Yin usually found handling such things troublesome, but when it came to valuable goods, she was more than happy to bring them all home.

Upon returning to the Liu Manor, she was welcomed with a grand feast. Her parents had specifically instructed the kitchen to prepare all her favorite dishes for dinner.

Compared to the strict rules of the palace, home was a paradise of freedom. But of course, consequences still awaited her. Because she had sneaked out the previous day, the next morning at the academy, Grand Tutor Shen gave her a harsh scolding and punished her by making her memorize an entire essay before she could leave.

Liu Yin, who could barely recognize half the characters, had no choice but to struggle through it. Stumbling over the words, it wasn’t until the late afternoon that she was finally allowed to leave.

Perhaps impressed by her newfound “dedication to learning,” her father had several scrolls of literature and paintings sent to her. Liu Yin, however, could only laugh and cry at the same time. Being able to recognize all the characters was already the peak of her ambition—who had time to appreciate high-class calligraphy and poetry?

In the end, she figured they’d be better used as gifts. When she presented them to Grand Tutor Shen, he initially refused, but after a few moments, he accepted a couple of paintings—clearly quite fond of them.

“Since you’re so eager to improve, I’ll make sure to teach you even more strictly from now on,” he said with a smile.

Liu Yin: …What have I done?

Not sure if this counted as shooting herself in the foot, but with the academy finally giving them a day off, Liu Yin dragged the Sixth Princess out for a stroll. Given how rarely she left the palace, the princess was brimming with excitement, and before long, their group had bought a ridiculous number of things.

“But what if Mother looks for me and can’t find me?” The Sixth Princess still seemed a little uneasy.

The room was filled with the rich aroma of tea, and the table was laden with all sorts of dishes. Liu Yin took a sip of her rice wine, then absentmindedly picked up some food and stuffed it into her mouth. “What are you so worried about? Hong’er knows you left the palace, doesn’t she? If Aunt can’t find you, she’ll ask her first.”

As she spoke, she poured a small cup of wine for the princess. “You overthink everything. You’re the only legitimate princess, you don’t have to marry off for a political alliance, and one day, you’ll just pick a husband you actually like and live your best life. If I were you, I’d be laughing in my sleep from sheer happiness. But look at you—constantly worrying about this and that. Aren’t you exhausted?”

Liu Yin wasn’t just talking nonsense—she was speaking straight facts. Unlike her, who carried the weight of the Liu family’s future on her shoulders, the Sixth Princess had far more freedom. No matter who Liu Yin married, it was bound to be complicated, but the princess? She could pick a handsome, talented young man, make him her prince consort, and best of all—he wouldn’t even be allowed to take concubines. What kind of dream life was that?

“Cousin…” The Sixth Princess shot her a glare, half-annoyed, half-embarrassed.

Liu Yin only grinned, setting down her chopsticks and leaning in mischievously. “What’s there to be shy about? Come on, tell me—what kind of man do you like? I’ll have my mother keep an eye out for you. There are too many heartless scoundrels out there, so I have to make sure you don’t end up with the wrong one.”

The more she spoke, the more outrageous she got. The Sixth Princess, thoroughly flustered, turned away and refused to continue the conversation, while Xiyun covered her mouth, stifling a giggle.

Liu Yin knew her cousin was easily embarrassed, so she sighed and let the topic drop. Popping a grape into her mouth, she wandered over to the window and pushed it open. The streets below bustled with life—merchants shouting out their wares, people weaving through the crowds, an endless stream of noise and movement. She wondered if other cities were as lively as the capital.

If only she could travel. Nothing was more frustrating than having money but nowhere to spend it. It was enough to make her heart ache.

As she absentmindedly chewed her grape, something in the crowd caught her eye. Two figures, dressed in fine clothing, stood out among the throng. One of them, a woman, wore a veiled hat that obscured her face, but Liu Yin instantly recognized that proud, arrogant stride.

“Come here, quick!” She waved the others over excitedly.

Curious, the Sixth Princess stepped closer. Liu Yin pointed toward the figures in the crowd. “Tell me that’s not Zhuang Mingyue and He Xin.”

The princess narrowed her eyes, and her expression darkened. “That’s definitely He Xin.”

Which meant the woman beside her had to be Zhuang Mingyue. Just the thought of how the girl had played the victim after causing trouble made Liu Yin seethe. She glanced down at the grapes in her hand, narrowed her eyes, and—without hesitation—flicked one straight out the window.

“Cousin!” The Sixth Princess grabbed her arm in alarm.

Somehow—whether by sheer luck or a stroke of skill—the grape landed squarely on the veiled woman’s head. The woman froze, clearly sensing something off, and glanced around in confusion. Beside her, He Xin seemed to catch on much quicker. Her gaze shot up toward their window.

Liu Yin, utterly unfazed, leaned lazily against the sill, biting into another grape while raising a playful, taunting eyebrow at them. For a brief moment, the veiled woman turned her head in their direction. Even with the fabric hiding her face, Liu Yin could practically feel the fury radiating from her glare.

Unbothered, she let out a slow, satisfied sigh and shut the window with an air of finality, shutting them out—both sight and stare.

“Cousin, wasn’t that a bit… much?” The Sixth Princess looked genuinely worried.

Liu Yin returned to her seat, calmly nibbling on her side dishes, her expression completely indifferent. “Just wait. She dared to twist the truth before—I’ll pay her back sooner or later. You can’t be too softhearted in this world, or people will start walking all over you.”

“But… He Xin knows martial arts. What if she tries to throw some strange powder at you again?”

That gave Liu Yin pause. She blinked, then slowly lifted her gaze to meet the princess’s eyes. “Right. We didn’t bring any guards with us today… We should probably head back first.”

The Sixth Princess nodded hastily, and the two of them made a swift exit. As they walked, Liu Yin couldn’t resist grumbling, “Zhuang Mingyue had the nerve to call me unreserved, but look at He Xin—always ‘Crown Prince gege this’ and ‘Crown Prince gege that.’ And she dares to lecture me about propriety?”

As soon as they stepped out of the private room, Liu Yin motioned for Xiyun to go settle the bill. But just as they reached the staircase, a group of people ascended from below, walking straight into them. The moment their eyes met, the atmosphere turned razor-sharp.

“Liu Yin! How dare you attack me?!”

The voice, seething with fury, unmistakably belonged to Princess Mingyue. The veiled woman trembled with rage, while He Xin, standing beside her, casually rolled a plump, glistening grape between her fingers—clearly the very same one Liu Yin had tossed earlier.

Liu Yin hadn’t expected them to catch up so quickly. But the Sixth Princess wasn’t one to back down. She met Mingyue’s glare head-on. “And who, exactly, saw my cousin do anything? Also, Mingyue, have you forgotten your manners? You see this princess, and you don’t even bother with a proper greeting? Is this what my royal aunt taught you about respect and rank?”

As the empire’s sole legitimate princess, the Sixth Princess carried herself with unshakable authority in public. Mingyue’s face twisted with fury, her grip tightening so hard Liu Yin thought she might actually shatter a tooth in sheer frustration.

A nearby waiter, recognizing the infamous Liu family troublemaker, paled visibly. This was far above his pay grade. Without a sound, he shrank into the shadows, wisely avoiding any involvement in these highborn disputes.

“It was merely an oversight on our part. I hope the Sixth Princess won’t take offense.” Princess Qiyang, ever composed, dipped her head in a show of measured politeness.

Liu Yin had no interest in pointless chatter. She shot the Sixth Princess a knowing look, and the two turned to leave. But just as they passed by their so-called acquaintances, Liu Yin suddenly stopped. A strange numbness crept up her arm.

Her expression darkened. She pressed her fingers against her forearm and turned sharply toward He Xin. “What did you do?”

He Xin took a slow step forward, hands clasped behind her back, eyes glinting with amusement. “What did I do? Liu Yin, if you want to accuse someone, you’d best have proof.”

“Miss, she struck your Liu Hui acupoint.” Xiyun leaned in and whispered urgently.

The Sixth Princess furrowed her brows, her gaze flicking between Liu Yin and the other two.

Liu Yin’s arm was still tingling with numbness, but instead of anger, a slow smile curled her lips. “Alright then. I suppose I’ll just have to ask Prince of Zhennan for justice. You know me—I do love making a big deal out of things.”

At her words, He Xin’s expression subtly shifted. Just as she was about to speak, footsteps echoed from below. Her eyes lit up in an instant.

“Crown Prince!”

Liu Yin turned as well, following He Xin’s gaze.

A group of men had appeared at the foot of the stairs, among them the First Prince and the heir of Prince Zhennan. But the one leading them caught Liu Yin’s attention first—a tall figure clad in dark robes, his deep black eyes fathomless.

Face flushed, He Xin slowly extended a hand toward him. Yet before her fingers could so much as brush his sleeve, the man shifted, effortlessly avoiding her touch.

Her smile stiffened, but she quickly withdrew her hand, keeping up appearances.

“Xin’er, what nonsense are you up to now?” He Ji’s brows drew together in clear disapproval.

Seeing this, Liu Yin immediately pointed at her limp arm and started complaining.

“Your Highness, you really need to discipline your sister properly! She actually used a needle to stab me—now my arm won’t even move! I may be generous, but even my patience has its limits!”

At her words, the First Prince and the others exchanged glances, speechless.

These girls were simply born to be at odds. The moment they were near each other, trouble followed. And now they’d even caused a scene outside the palace.

If they had heard correctly just now, Liu Yin was actually planning to take this straight to Prince of Zhennan?

“I did no such thing!” He Xin immediately stole a glance at Qin Yan, her voice anxious as she pleaded, “Crown Prince gege, you have to believe me!”

Watching this self-proclaimed tyrant of a girl suddenly put on an innocent act, Liu Yin nearly laughed out of sheer frustration. But before she could say anything, the prince suddenly stepped forward, took hold of her arm, and pressed down on a few spots.

In an instant, the numbness and soreness vanished.

Seeing this, Princess Mingyue clenched her palms tightly. Beneath the veil, her eyes burned with resentment.

“I will see to it that my sister is properly disciplined once we return home,” He Ji said, releasing Liu Yin’s slender wrist.

Liu Yin flexed her arm experimentally before flashing the prince a bright smile. “Now, that’s what I call reasonable, Your Highness.”

So what if that woman knew martial arts? She was taking things too far! Fine—if that was the game they were playing, she’d just find herself a martial arts master of her own. Let’s see how arrogant that county princess could be then.

From the side, Qin Yan watched the two standing so close together, his brows drawing into a slight frown. His voice was low, commanding—

“Come here.”

=^_^=