The Great Song Dynasty: You were put in charge of teaching, and you produced a whole bunch of prime

Side hall of Kunning Palace.

The furnishings here were still magnificent, and the scent of incense was still as elegant as ever, but in Zhao Lingjun's eyes, it was like an exquisite cage, with every carved beam and painted rafter exuding a cold meaning.

She had been standing by the window for a full hour, her gaze fixed on the direction outside the palace, but apart from the high palace walls and the occasional weary bird flying by, she could see nothing.

"Princess, please eat something. It's been a whole day, and you've only had half a bowl of porridge," a kind-looking old nanny said cautiously, holding a bowl of lotus seed soup.

Zhao Lingjun shook his head, having no appetite whatsoever.

Her heart felt as if a heavy stone was pressing down on it, making it hard to breathe.

Three days.

She risked her life to buy herself three more days.

Now, the first day is almost over.

Will Jiang Lin come? Does he know everything that happened in the capital?

From Daming Prefecture to Bianjing, it's a long journey. Even if he didn't stop, where would he be now?

Moreover, the entire city of Bianjing is under tight surveillance, with arrest warrants posted everywhere. How is he supposed to get in? How is he supposed to break free of this trap?

A series of questions swirled in Zhao Lingjun's mind, leaving her in a state of utter confusion. For the first time, she felt so powerless, like a drowning person desperately trying to grasp at a straw, only to find herself surrounded by endless, icy seawater.

"Click...click..."

The crisp sound of chewing came from not far away, and it was particularly clear in this quiet side hall.

Zhao Lingjun turned around and saw Niu Aihua sitting cross-legged on the soft couch, a roast chicken in her left hand and a braised pork knuckle in her right, eating with great relish, her mouth full of oil. Beside her was a small pile of cleanly gnawed bones.

Seeing Zhao Lingjun looking over, Niu Aihua said indistinctly, "Princess...you really don't want to eat? The food in the palace tastes really good. It's much better than the grilled fish we eat in the mountains."

Looking at her carefree attitude, Zhao Lingjun felt both anxious and angry, and couldn't help but say, "Aihua! What time is it? How can you still eat?! We might be sent to see that Western Xia envoy tomorrow... or the day after!"

Niu Ai swallowed the meat in her mouth with great effort, gulped down a mouthful of water, and then slowly wiped her mouth before looking at Zhao Lingjun with a serious expression: "Princess, let me ask you, will pacing around in such a hurry without eating solve the problem?"

Zhao Lingjun was taken aback, then shook his head: "No."

"That settles it then." Niu Aihua tore off another chicken leg and said matter-of-factly, "Since we can't solve this, why not fill our stomachs first? Only when we're full will we have the strength. And if someone tries to force us later, I'll have the power to snap their necks."

"Besides, didn't the headmaster say that even if the sky falls, he'll hold it up? All you have to do now is trust him, eat your fill, and wait."

Listening to Niu Aihua's absurd reasoning, Zhao Lingjun was both amused and exasperated, but the heavy weight in his heart seemed to have been lifted a little.

Yes, what's the point of just worrying here? It's just torturing yourself.

That headmaster, though usually incredibly lazy and with a sharp tongue, has never let me down. From the founding of the academy to the desperate counterattack in Daming Prefecture, he always manages to create miracles in the most unlikely circumstances.

I should trust him.

Just like when he was exhausted and thought he had nowhere to go in the mountains of Daming Prefecture, it was he who pointed out the way for him.

"You're right." Zhao Lingjun took a deep breath, walked to the table, picked up the bowl of lotus seed soup that had cooled down, and sipped it slowly.

Seeing this, Niu Aihua grinned, revealing a set of white teeth: "That's right! A full stomach makes you forget about home! Uh... no, a full stomach gives you the energy to think of solutions!"

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the palace gate.

Eunuch Chen's slightly high-pitched voice rang out again: "Your Highness, the Emperor has issued a decree."

Zhao Lingjun's heart tightened suddenly, and his emotions, which had just calmed down, tensed up again in an instant.

Niu Aihua put the half-eaten chicken leg on the table, stood up, and her eyes instantly turned as sharp as knives as she stared intently at the doorway.

The palace doors were pushed open, and Eunuch Chen led several eunuchs in, his face bearing a forced smile.

"Your Highness, this is His Majesty's decree," Eunuch Chen said slowly, flicking his whisk. "His Majesty, concerned for Your Highness's health, has specially ordered the Imperial Hospital to send over the finest calming tonic. Please take it immediately and rest well so that you will be in good spirits tomorrow when you meet the envoy from Western Xia."

coming!

Zhao Lingjun's face turned deathly pale instantly.

Is Father Emperor unwilling to wait even a day longer?

Who knows what's in that so-called "soothing soup"? It's probably just meant to make you fall into a deep sleep and then let them do whatever they want with you!

"I won't drink!" Zhao Lingjun's voice trembled, but her eyes were unusually firm. "Go back and tell Father that I am unwell and need to rest for three days. During these three days, I will not see anyone!"

The smile on Eunuch Chen's face faded, and his tone turned colder: "Your Highness, I'm afraid this is no longer up to you. The Emperor's will has been made; you'd better not put your servants in a difficult position. Someone, serve the Princess her medicine."

As soon as he finished speaking, two burly old women walked in from outside the door and approached Zhao Lingjun expressionlessly.

Zhao Lingjun was so frightened that he retreated repeatedly until he reached a corner where he had nowhere left to go.

"Let's see who dares!"

A loud shout, like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

Niu Aihua's tall figure instantly blocked Zhao Lingjun's path, like an insurmountable wall. Her eyes were devoid of any emotion as she coldly stared at Eunuch Chen and the two old women.

"It seems you've forgotten what I said yesterday." Niu Aihua slowly cracked her wrists, making a crisp "crackling" sound. "If anyone dares to take another step forward, I'll twist their head off and use it as a football."

The two old women were so frightened by the palpable murderous aura emanating from her that their legs went weak, and they stopped in their tracks, too afraid to go any further.

Eunuch Chen's face also turned extremely ugly. He did not expect that this wild girl from the countryside would be so ignorant of her own mortality and dare to be so arrogant in the palace.

"Outrageous! How dare you threaten and intimidate in the palace! Guards..."

"Go ahead and call," Niu Aihua interrupted him, a cold smile creeping onto her lips. "Call as many people as you want. One comes, I'll kill one; two come, I'll kill two."

"I'd like to see if there are more of you than my fists. Anyway, the headmaster said that anyone who displeases the princess will have their entire family killed. My worthless life is worth it to exchange it for the lives of all of you."

Eunuch Chen was speechless for a long time after hearing her words.

He realized that the girl in front of him was a complete madwoman, a truly ruthless and desperate person who would actually take action!

The atmosphere inside the side hall froze instantly.

Zhao Lingjun hid behind Niu Aihua, watching her broad back, feeling both moved and anxious. She knew Aihua was protecting her, but to take action in the palace—the crime…

She can't let Aihua be implicated!

Thinking of this, Zhao Lingjun stepped out from behind Niu Aihua. Although his face was still a little pale, his eyes had regained their composure.

She looked directly at Eunuch Chen and said, word by word, "Eunuch Chen, go back and inform the Emperor. I promised to give him an explanation in three days. But within these three days, anyone who dares to step into this side hall and force themselves upon me..."

She paused, then pulled a sharp gold hairpin from her hair and pressed it against her neck without hesitation. The cold tip of the hairpin instantly pierced her delicate skin, drawing out a trickle of blood.

"I will shed my blood here, so that he may see a corpse and give an explanation to the Western Xia people!"