At this moment, Lin Yuxin walked over, handed the prescription to Eunuch Liu, and said:

“If made into pills, just take one. If brewed into a decoction, drink it three times. Remember that!”

Eunuch Liu took the prescription and responded:

“Yes! I will remember!”

“Alright, if there’s nothing else, you all may leave now.”

Hearing the emperor’s words signaling them to leave, Lin Yuxin instantly became happy—finally, she could go home.

“I take my leave.”

“I take my leave as well!”

Lin Yuxin and Li Xiaocheng bowed in unison and exited.

Eunuch Liu watched the two of them leave, hesitated for a moment while holding the prescription, and then asked:

“Your Majesty, should we take this prescription to the Imperial Medical Bureau for the physicians to examine?”

“No need. Since she was able to save me, it proves that she has the skill. Just take it to the physicians and have them prepare the medicine.”

The emperor waved his hand, speaking calmly.

He wasn’t worried that Lin Yuxin would harm him—if she had ill intentions, she wouldn’t have saved so many people earlier.

However, this girl’s abilities needed to be investigated thoroughly.

As Lin Yuxin stepped out of the Imperial Study, she immediately felt the air was much fresher.

[Finally, I can go home!! Wait… which way is home?]

Lin Yuxin’s relaxed mood froze.

She looked around—she had entered the palace with Zhao Hanya, but now that everyone else had left, how was she supposed to find her way out alone???

[Didn’t the emperor say someone would escort me home? Should I go back and ask? Ugh, forget it! I might just end up suffering more losses!]

After thinking it over, Lin Yuxin turned to look at Li Xiaocheng and cautiously asked:

“Um, Your Highness, do you have time? Could you give me a ride? I don’t know the way out of the palace!”

Li Xiaocheng glanced at her sideways, his expression calm as he replied:

“Oh? And why should I?”

“Because… of our previous collaboration?”

Lin Yuxin barely managed to come up with a reason.

“Our collaboration isn’t that close, is it? Besides, men and women should maintain propriety, shouldn’t they?”

Li Xiaocheng cast a sidelong glance at Lin Yuxin and said indifferently.

[Maintain propriety? We’ve hugged, we’ve seen everything, and now you’re talking about propriety? Weren’t you the one who declared in front of the emperor that you liked me and would take responsibility? Typical man—full of lies!!!]

Lin Yuxin gritted her teeth and glared at Li Xiaocheng, wanting to punch him, but she knew she wasn’t strong enough to win.

So, she had to endure!

Taking a deep breath, she tried again:

“Your Highness, you did just request a marriage decree from His Majesty, didn’t you? And His Majesty also said we should spend time together to develop feelings, right? I’m at least half your fiancée now, aren’t I? Sending your fiancée home isn’t too much to ask, is it?”

“Oh! Fiancée, you say? Alright then, let’s go.”

Li Xiaocheng saw that she admitted it and decided not to tease her further. He turned and walked toward the palace gates, a faint smile on his lips as he walked ahead.

Lin Yuxin was stunned when she heard him call her “fiancée.” It took a few steps before she snapped out of it and hurried to catch up.

Walking behind him, she stared at his back in a daze.

[Just like that… I suddenly have a fiancé? Although the emperor didn’t issue an official decree yet, the meaning is clear enough. And my fiancé is none other than the fearsome and dreaded Regent?]

Lin Yuxin found it unbelievable. Was this world some kind of fantasy?!

[But if it’s him, it’s not too bad. The Regent is handsome, has a great figure, and is extremely capable. The only downside is that he’s ten years older than me—an old man! And rumor has it he won’t live long.]

[Still, marrying him wouldn’t be a loss. Once he dies, I’ll inherit everything from the Regent’s estate! Then, I’ll never have to worry about food or money again! Hehehe!]

Lost in her thoughts, Lin Yuxin unconsciously let out a chuckle.

“What is Lin Yuxin thinking about that’s making her so happy?”

Li Xiaocheng ground his teeth slightly as he suddenly stopped and turned to look at the woman laughing to herself.

His voice was cold as he questioned her.

He was furious—she called him an old man?

He was just ten years older!

She expected him to die early?

Wasn’t she the one who swore to protect him before? Now she was just waiting for him to die so she could inherit his estate?

Wishful thinking! I, the Regent, will live longer than you and torment you every day!

“Uh? Nothing! I was just thinking about a joke my second brother told me.”

Lin Yuxin quickly erased her smile and made up an excuse.

If he found out she had been thinking bad things about him, who knew if she’d live to see tomorrow?

Li Xiaocheng snorted coldly and walked away.

“Ah! Your Highness, wait for me!”

Seeing Li Xiaocheng striding away, Lin Yuxin panicked and ran to catch up. If she got lost, she’d never find her way out alone.

Inside Li Xiaocheng’s carriage, the two of them sat in silence. Lin Yuxin felt awkward and decided to start a conversation.

“Your Highness, was the drug that Jun Chenxi used… something you arranged for her to obtain?”

Lin Yuxin thought for a moment before asking.

Li Xiaocheng shot her a sharp look and replied in a deep voice:

“No. I only arranged for the dagger to be planted, but the drug was unexpected. My sources told me that they planned to use a tiger as a distraction at the state banquet to lure me into their trap, control me, and then force a marriage decree.”

“But I avoided their initial trap, and you ended up getting caught in it instead. Since you ruined their plan, they decided to go all in and create chaos. That was my oversight.”

Lin Yuxin was silent for a moment, processing his words.

Was this… an apology?

No way! Lin Yuxin shook her head—impossible!

“Well, these things are unpredictable. There’s no need to dwell on it. No harm was done in the end.”

She casually offered some words of comfort, though she doubted the mighty Regent needed comforting.

Li Xiaocheng said nothing more and closed his eyes to rest.

Seeing that he had nothing more to say, Lin Yuxin leaned back against the carriage and dozed off.

She had no idea that, after she fell asleep, a pair of eyes remained fixed on her the entire time.

After dropping Lin Yuxin off at the Lin residence, Li Xiaocheng left without saying a word.

Lin Yuxin didn’t mind.

As for the so-called marriage decree and relationship-building, she didn’t care much.

Judging by Li Xiaocheng’s cold demeanor earlier, he clearly didn’t mean what he had said in the Imperial Study. He was probably just using her to stall the emperor’s pressure for marriage.

Since the decree hadn’t been officially issued yet, there was still room for negotiation. Lin Yuxin figured Li Xiaocheng himself would find a way to deal with it when the time came.

Yes, that must be it.

With that, Lin Yuxin put the matter out of her mind entirely and didn’t even mention it to Zhao Hanya.

Back at her courtyard, she washed up and went straight to bed. Attending the banquet had been exhausting.

Meanwhile, Li Xiaocheng didn’t return to his estate.

He still had many matters to handle.

Lin Yuxin, however, enjoyed a few peaceful and fulfilling days.

She visited the General’s residence daily to check on their injuries.

Her grandfather’s old wounds had improved significantly, and he could now spar without getting exhausted.

Her second uncle’s leg injury was healing well, and she had even drawn some of his blood to study the poison in his system.

Her third uncle, who had been physically weak since birth, showed noticeable improvement thanks to daily medicinal baths.

Though his condition was difficult to treat, any progress was a good sign.