The Emperor clapped his hands together, realizing he had misspoken: “What I mean is—shall I bestow a marriage decree upon you two?”
“Your Majesty,” Lin Shuying took a deep breath, “matters of marriage are to be decided by one’s parents. I… dare not speak recklessly.”
Her answer was clever—neither refusing nor accepting, and deflecting the decision to her parents.
The Emperor laughed heartily: “You little fox!”
He walked to the window and gazed out at the rain, his voice softening: “The Seventh Son has been clever since childhood, but he’s always been aloof and not one to get close to others. Yet with you… he’s truly attentive.”
He turned to look at her: “I’m not forcing you. I simply think that the two of you—one skilled in agriculture, the other in statecraft—would complement each other well. But you’re still young—no rush. Take your time to think it over.”
Lin Shuying felt relieved and bowed: “Thank you for your understanding, Your Majesty.”
As she stepped out of the Imperial Study, the rain had stopped.
A rainbow appeared on the horizon, casting shimmering colors across the glazed tiles of the palace walls.
Lin Shuying stood under the corridor, looking at the rainbow, her thoughts in disarray.
The Emperor’s meaning was clear—he approved of her and Xiao Shengrui.
“Done?”
A familiar voice came from behind.
Lin Shuying turned. Xiao Shengrui stood beside a pillar, dressed in plain bamboo-green robes, his features clean and handsome.
“Your Highness.”
“What did Father say to you?” Xiao Shengrui walked over, his tone casual but his eyes probing.
Lin Shuying hesitated, then told him honestly: “His Majesty read the essay and wanted to appoint me to an official post—I declined. Then… he asked if I would be willing to accept a marriage decree between us…”
Xiao Shengrui paused mid-step.
“What did you say?”
“I said… matters of marriage are to be decided by one’s parents.”
Xiao Shengrui fell silent.
The two walked side by side along the palace road.
The air was fresh after the rain, and the flowers in the imperial garden were beaded with droplets.
“Shuying,” Xiao Shengrui suddenly spoke, “if I were to ask Father for a marriage decree, would you be upset?”
Lin Shuying’s heart skipped a beat.
She turned to look at him—the young man’s profile was especially clear in the sunlight after the rain, tiny water droplets still clinging to his lashes.
“I…” she opened her mouth, not knowing what to say.
Upset?
No.
Willing?
She didn’t know.
“Your Highness,” she said softly, “I haven’t decided yet.”
Xiao Shengrui nodded and didn’t press further.
“Then take your time,” he said. “I told you—I can wait.”
He paused, then added: “Wait for you to grow up, wait for you to make up your mind, wait for you… to be willing.”
Lin Shuying didn’t respond.
“Come on, I’ll walk you out of the palace.”
The two walked side by side, their shadows stretching long across the damp bluestone.
As they approached the palace gate, Xiao Shengrui suddenly remembered something: “Oh, did Father give you any rewards?”
Lin Shuying was taken aback: “No.”
“He will.” Xiao Shengrui said with certainty. “He was so pleased with your essay—there’s no way he won’t reward you. Just wait—at the latest tomorrow, the rewards will arrive.”
No sooner had he spoken than a young eunuch came running over.
“Country Lady, wait! His Majesty has a reward!”
Speak of the devil. The rewards were generous: a hundred taels of gold, ten bolts of brocade, and a set of scholar’s stationery—said to have been used by a great Confucian scholar of the previous dynasty. Most special of all was a jade plaque, engraved with the characters “Jiahe.”
“His Majesty says,” the eunuch conveyed the message, “with this jade plaque, you may freely enter the imperial estates and inspect agricultural conditions across various regions. If needed, you may use it to request assistance from local officials.”
This was real authority.
Lin Shuying accepted it solemnly: “I thank His Majesty for his boundless grace.”
After seeing the eunuch off, she held the warm jade plaque in her hands, her heart flooded with emotion.
The Emperor had given her an even bigger stage.
“Satisfied now?” Xiao Shengrui smiled.
“Satisfied.” Lin Shuying nodded, her eyes bright. “With this plaque, promoting agricultural techniques will be so much easier!”
“Come on,” he said, “I’ll take you back to the estate.”
The two left the palace gates and boarded the carriage.
The carriage rolled through the bustling Vermilion Bird Street, heading north toward the city outskirts.
Inside the carriage, Lin Shuying toyed with the jade plaque, then suddenly remembered something: “Your Highness, His Majesty said… I’m to attend the spring hunt as well.”
“I know.” Xiao Shengrui nodded. “Mother specifically arranged it. She said you should get to know more people.” He paused, his tone meaningfully pointed, “Especially the noblewomen of the imperial clan.”
Lin Shuying’s heart tightened.
“Nervous?” Xiao Shengrui noticed her unease.
“A little.” Lin Shuying admitted honestly. “Those noble ladies… I’m afraid I won’t know how to handle them.”
“You don’t need to handle them.” Xiao Shengrui said. “Just be yourself. Grow your melons, talk about your farming—those who like you will like you, and those who don’t, you needn’t worry about.”
Lin Shuying gripped the jade plaque tightly, steeling herself.
“I’ll do well.”
Xiao Shengrui smiled: “I know.”
The carriage passed through the city gates and onto the official road.
In the distance, the outline of Little Lin Manor gradually came into view.
The second batch of watermelons had already been harvested, and the newly planted autumn vegetables were sprouting tender shoots.
Smoke rose from the canteen kitchen, and A-Gua was feeding the horses at the gate. When he saw the carriage approaching, he waved excitedly.
Everything looked just as it should.
Lin Shuying looked at it all, warmth flooding her heart.
This was her home, her enterprise, her roots.
The carriage stopped, and Lin Shuying jumped down.
Xiao Shengrui followed and naturally took the bundle from her hands.
A Li ran out of the courtyard: “Miss! You’re back!”
Lin Shuying smiled: “I received rewards!” She showed A Li the jade plaque, and A Li’s eyes went wide.
“Given by His Majesty—from now on, things will be much easier for us.”
A Li clapped her hands in delight.
Wei Fuyu and Zhao Di’er also came from the back courtyard. The two had been sparring and were drenched in sweat.
“Shuying’s back!” Wei Fuyu ran over. “What did the palace say? They’re not sending you off anywhere, are they?”
“No.” Lin Shuying briefly told them about her audience with the Emperor, omitting the part about the marriage proposal.
Wei Fuyu marveled: “His Majesty actually lets you freely enter the imperial estates?”
Lin Zhaoye also came out of the house.
Seeing his younger sister back, he looked a bit embarrassed: “Little Sister, that essay… didn’t cause you any trouble, did it?”
“No.” Lin Shuying patted his shoulder. “Third Brother, thank you. His Majesty really liked that essay.”
“Really?” Lin Zhaoye’s eyes lit up.
“Really. He said it was well-written and insightful.”
Lin Zhaoye straightened his back—though he hadn’t written the essay, though he hadn’t been the one to present it, he and Eldest Brother had been the ones to suggest it. By a generous rounding, that counted as his contribution too.
Xiao Shengrui watched the lively, bustling courtyard full of people, and an unconscious smile tugged at his lips.
“Your Highness,” Lin Shuying turned to him, “won’t you stay for dinner? Auntie Liu has stewed chicken soup, and she made your favorite steamed fish.”
“Alright.”
Dinner was sumptuous.
Two large tables were set up in the courtyard, with over thirty people from the estate eating together, chatting and laughing.
Lin Shuying sat at the head of the table, with Xiao Shengrui on her left and Lin Zhaoye on her right.
Wei Fuyu and Zhao Di’er were engaged in a drinking contest across the table; Lin Jingshen tried to intervene but was silenced with a glare from Zhao Di’er.
A Li was doing accounts while eating, and A-Gua was wolfing down his food.
Nurse Lin served soup to everyone, her face crinkling with smiles.
These were her “family” outside the Lin household.
Lin Shuying looked at the scene, her heart full.
“What are you thinking about?” Xiao Shengrui asked quietly.
“Thinking about the future.” Lin Shuying smiled. “In the future, I want to establish agricultural schools, spread good seeds across the country, and make sure more people have enough to eat…”
Xiao Shengrui looked at her, his gaze gentle. “I’ll help you.”
“Good.” Lin Shuying smiled, raising her teacup. “It’s settled, then.”
“Settled.”
Their teacups clinked with a clear, crisp sound.
The sky was filled with sunset colors, and the courtyard echoed with laughter.
In the distant fields, the newly planted autumn vegetables swayed gently in the evening breeze.
And the spring hunt—postponed because of the Jiangnan floods—was only three days away.
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