The seductive princess is no longer being pursued; the aloof prime minister is facing a crematorium.

Chapter 226 What a coincidence!
Jiang Jinshuang wasn't stupid; she could naturally see that Lin Qingyan was backing her up and silencing those people.

Since he was willing to do it himself, Jiang Jinshuang would naturally do her best to fulfill his wish.

After glancing at Lin Qingyan, the two exchanged a smile and walked side by side toward Fu Ri Lake, without looking back at the people behind them.

On the way to Fu Ri Lake, Jiang Jinshuang could roughly guess that after today, the news that she, Princess Zhaoming, was having an affair with the newly appointed top scholar would spread throughout the capital.

A good thing.

Upon arriving at Fu Ri Lake, one finds numerous boatmen moored along the shore, waiting to solicit passengers.

Jiang Jinshuang chose the largest one.

It looks luxurious and beautiful.

Lin Qingyan had no objection to this. He walked up to the boatman and politely asked, "Boatman, can this boat take us on a boat tour of the lake?"

The boatman glanced at Lin Qingyan and waved his hand somewhat embarrassedly: "Oh, young master, it's really unfortunate. My boat was reserved by a young master yesterday. Why don't you take a look at some others?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Qingyan glanced at Jiang Jinshuang behind him, seeking her opinion.

Jiang Jinshuang wasn't one to force people, so when she heard what the boatman said, she thought about changing to another boat.

They switched to a larger ship.

Upon further inquiry, it was discovered that the decision had already been made by someone else.

Lin Qingyan asked about several more boats, and the answer was always the same: they had been booked by a young master yesterday.

Jiang Jinshuang chuckled lightly, her tone tinged with doubt: "It's not a holiday or festival, so who is so rich as to charter so many large boats on this lake?"

Are you planning to go boating on the lake or out to sea?

Lin Qingyan smiled helplessly: "It was my oversight; I should have made the decision earlier yesterday."

Jiang Jinshuang waved her hand: "It has nothing to do with you. Who would have thought that on a day like this, the entire ship would be reserved by someone else?"

His gaze swept over the boats moored along the lake.

Jiang Jinshuang yawned and said casually, "A small boat is fine too, I'm not picky."

Lin Qingyan understood, and then went to ask the boatmen of several small boats.

But to everyone's surprise, the boatmen on those small boats looked completely bewildered and said that the boats had been booked out the day before.

Now, Jiang Jinshuang sensed that something was amiss.

She chuckled softly, crossed her arms, and casually asked a boatman, "Boatman, could you tell us where the young master who chartered these boats is? We'd like to... have a chat with him."

The boatman seemed embarrassed and stammered, unable to say anything for a long time.

Jiang Jinshuang looked at the boatman until finally, a familiar voice came from behind her.

"Is Your Highness looking for me?"

Upon hearing the voice, Jiang Jinshuang raised an eyebrow and smiled knowingly.

Turning around, she saw Si Ning, dressed in a dark blue robe, standing not far from her by the lake, smiling gently.

With gritted teeth, Jiang Jinshuang's eyebrows arched, her voice filled with resentment: "Mr. Si, what a coincidence! So the young master who chartered the boat today is you~"

His tone was somewhat sarcastic.

Si Ning seemed not to have noticed, her beautiful eyelashes fluttered a few times, and a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes: "Yes, I was thinking that I haven't been boating on Fu Ri Lake since I came to the capital. Yesterday I got interested and asked Qian Yao to book a few boats."

"How many?" Jiang Jinshuang asked with a smile. "What does Mr. Si Ning mean by 'how many'?"

Si Ning blinked innocently: "What's wrong, Your Highness? Yesterday I only informed Qian Yao, and I don't know the specific number of ships ordered."

As she spoke, Si Ning even turned to the side with a serious expression and looked at Qian Yao, who was staring wide-eyed and in shock: "Qian Yao, how many ships did you order yesterday?"

"Huh?" Qian Yao's mouth dropped open, his jaw almost falling to the ground. Meeting his master's smiling eyes, Qian Yao swallowed hard and chuckled dryly, "Th-that, I must have misheard. I thought you were going to host a banquet for guests and had booked all the boats on Floating Sun Lake yesterday... right?"

After speaking, Qian Yao carefully observed his master's expression, afraid that he might have said something wrong.

Seemingly quite satisfied with Qian Yao's answer, Si Ning smiled and turned to look at Jiang Jinshuang again, with an innocent expression: "What a coincidence, it seems to be Qian Yao's fault that Your Highness has no boat to ride."

Jiang Jinshuang isn't stupid!

Si Ning is clearly secretly angry!
When Si Ning gets angry, he won't tell her directly, but rather he'll use a series of veiled tactics, hiding a knife behind his smile.

fox!

Demonic fox!

Jiang Jinshuang cursed Si Ning a hundred times in her heart, but on the surface she showed a considerate and gentle expression: "Since Mr. Si Ning can't use so many ships, how about we give one to me and Lord Lin? I will give Mr. Si Ning three times the price, how about that?"

Si Ning raised an eyebrow slightly, a barely perceptible emotion flashing in her eyes.

It flashed by.

"Your Highness went to such lengths to meet with Lord Lin?"

Jiang Jinshuang felt somewhat embarrassed by the slow, deliberate tone.

—Hmm, she could roughly guess what Si Ning was angry about.

Although she had made a plan to propose to Lin Qingyan, it was ultimately a spur-of-the-moment idea she came up with at Qingbo's birthday banquet.

—I didn’t discuss it with Si Ning.

The little fox got angry.

They need to be coaxed.

Before Jiang Jinshuang could speak again, Lin Qingyan respectfully cupped his hands and bowed slightly: "I am Lin Qingyan, greetings to Mr. Si Ning."

Si Ning's gaze remained fixed on Jiang Jinshuang.

Upon hearing Lin Qingyan's greeting, Si's expression remained unchanged: "Young Master Lin is now a newly appointed top scholar and will soon be granted an official position. Logically speaking, it is I who should pay my respects to Young Master Lin."

Lin Qingyan said respectfully, "I heard about Mr. Si Ning's character and reputation when I was still a scholar. If Mr. Si is willing to participate in the imperial examination, then there is nothing for me to do."

Si Ning didn't take Lin Qingyan's flattery to heart and smiled, "Although it's not a good day, it's still a lucky day to meet Young Master Lin."

After a pause, Si Ning continued with a smile: "I recall that Young Master Lin once said during the palace examination, 'The way of the ruler and his subjects is that power and virtue complement each other, so that the subjects dare not deceive and the people will not dare to rebel, just as heaven and earth have thunder, rain and dew, and all things get their place.'"

"I still have some questions about this statement and would like to discuss them with Young Master Lin. Would Young Master Lin and His Highness be willing to share a boat with me and enjoy the scenery of the floating lake together?"

Lin Qingyan did not respond immediately, but instead glanced at Jiang Jinshuang beside her.

Jiang Jinshuang rubbed her forehead and nodded guiltily.

Lin Qingyan then bowed and said, "This is my good fortune."

The three of them boarded a passenger ship together.

When Jiang Jinshuang boarded the ship, she even glanced at Qian Yao beside her.

Qian Yao glanced at Jiang Jinshuang, shook his head slightly, and said something as his lips moved.

Jiang Jinshuang narrowed her eyes and discerned it.

He said, "Your Highness, take care."

Jiang Jinshuang: "..."

Why does it sound like we're going to war?