IDWBE -Chapter 428 Lying Flat

As the top figure of the Liang Kingdom, he could never have imagined there would be someone he couldn’t handle—let alone a woman!

This woman lay in his arms, as if invincible, clinging tightly to his hair. He tilted his head, not daring to relax for a moment.

“This isn’t normal,” Lin Yi said, half laughing, half exasperated. “Where did this child get such strength?”

Normally, a baby less than a month old, apart from eating and sleeping, might flail a little—but they wouldn’t be capable of such a strong pull.

Even if it were a prodigy, surely not this strong?

He was genuinely puzzled. Could it be that after seeing so many abnormal children at the orphanage, he no longer knew what a normal child was like?

Mingyue smiled and said, “Prince, the princess is clever and lively—truly a joy to behold.”

“Clever and lively is wonderful, of course. But I have no grand expectations of her,” Lin Yi let her clutch his hair, rocking her gently. “As long as she’s safe and healthy, that’s all that matters.”

As the daughter of Liang Kingdom’s top leader, his daughter would never be ambitious—never in this life.

Rationally speaking, he hoped she wouldn’t grow up with the same ambitions as Princess Lin Yun’er—just lie flat.

In his previous life, many of his university classmates came from rural villages or small towns. They were the pride of their villages, the finest children in town, finally making it into university—but before they even had a chance to clean the mud off their feet, they were thrust into society.

Rural parents had no pension, no healthcare, no capacity to handle risks.

Even if his classmates didn’t care about marriage or property, they lived in constant fear, never daring to lie flat.

If their parents fell seriously ill, the whole family would be in ruin—they couldn’t afford the medical bills, and their parents would end up in the morgue.

So, no matter what, they couldn’t truly lie flat.

At most, they could complain a little before returning to their daily grind.

As for an orphan like him, without parental support, lying flat still required a house.

No house? Where could you lie flat?

And later, after becoming disabled, it became even harder to lie flat—constantly struggling for meals.

No wealth at home, no chance to lie flat.

“Prince speaks wisely,” Mingyue stepped forward and took the child from Lin Yi’s arms, carefully placing her in the hands of the wet nurse. “The princess spit up this morning. Be mindful when holding her.”

The wet nurse quickly said, “Don’t worry, young lady. I will take good care of the princess.”

Mingyue hovered her hands under the child for a moment to make sure the wet nurse had a secure hold, then smiled, “Actually, as the princess’s wet nurse, by duty and with the prince’s permission, as long as you hold the princess, you need not bow or pay respects to anyone.”

“Thank you for the prince’s grace!”

The wet nurse tried to kneel again, but Mingyue caught her halfway down.

“Be careful with the princess in your arms. One mistake, and I won’t forgive you,” Mingyue said with a smile.

“Yes!”

The wet nurse hurriedly responded.

Zixia stepped forward. “Prince, Prince Heshun has arrived.”

Lin Yi thought for a moment. “Caring for his daughter is proper, but has he been coming too often?”

In less than half a month, Prince Heshun had visited at least ten times!

Wanting money? He had already sent 500 taels the day after Hu Miaoyi gave birth.

Happy at having a granddaughter, as an external relative, he couldn’t arrive empty-handed—it would be embarrassing for anyone.

Caring for his daughter? Definitely not.

If this old man had any sense of a father-daughter bond, he wouldn’t have made so many humiliating gestures, making Hu Miaoyi uncomfortable as princess consort.

Feeling guilty in old age? Trying to mend the father-daughter relationship? Impossible.

People like him have little to no conscience left.

Lin Yi remained cautious around this superficially friendly old man.

Zixia glanced at Jiao Zhong behind her, then stepped back.

Jiao Zhong hesitated, then loudly said, “Reporting to the prince, Fang Pi’s men have found Prince Heshun’s heir in Ankang City. Prince likely wants the prince to intervene on his behalf.”

Lin Yi didn’t reply, walking directly to the pretending-asleep Hu Miaoyi. “Jiao Zhong, nothing is to be hidden from the princess consort. Tell everything truthfully.”

“Yes,” Jiao Zhong bowed and spoke frankly. “On the second day after the princess’s birth, the palace guards discovered He Xin’an, the Junwang’s heir, and the side consort of the Junwang, visiting twice and having a major argument with the Junwang. The Junwang was very angry. If nothing goes wrong, in a couple of days, they will come to the prince’s mansion to see the princess consort.”

“Understood. Thank you, Commander Jiao,” Hu Miaoyi suddenly opened her eyes, calmly, “You may leave.”

Jiao Zhong glanced at Lin Yi and loudly said, “Yes!”

After Jiao Zhong left, Lin Yi said to Hu Miaoyi, “This is your family matter. I will not interfere. Handle it as you see fit, without informing me.”

Hu Miaoyi hesitated, “Thank you, Prince.”

This was the first time the prince had explicitly granted her the rights of a princess consort.

Lin Yi nodded, gently touched the sleeping child again, and quietly left the chamber.

Jiao Zhong followed closely. Seeing Lin Yi exit the main gate, he asked, “Prince, where are you going?”

Lin Yi smiled. “Half a month without fishing. The weather’s good today; let’s catch some fish.”

Jiao Zhong hesitated. “Prince, Wen Zhaoyi specifically instructed that before the monk and the blind man return, for your safety, it’s better not to leave the city lightly.”

Lin Yi said, “If they never return, am I to stay in the city forever?”

“Well…”

Jiao Zhong gritted his teeth, knelt, and loudly said, “Prince, please reconsider!”

Lin Yi replied lightly, “Why reconsider? Qi Peng only reported this morning, Ding Lun has long left Ankang City. What’s there to worry about? Get the donkey ready. We’re going fishing. If we stay, I’ll get sick from frustration.”

“Yes,” Seeing Lin Yi so determined, Jiao Zhong didn’t argue. Once Lin Yi mounted the donkey, he led it himself and couldn’t resist asking, “Prince, Hu Xin’an is despicable and might cause trouble if left unchecked.”

Lin Yi sat on the donkey, smiling. “So Prince Heshun is a good man? Dogs bite each other; we can watch the fun. As long as their family affairs aren’t illegal, we don’t intervene. Let them handle themselves.”

“Yes,” After hesitating, Jiao Zhong said, “Chen Xinluo has been in Ankang City for some time, wanting to see the prince, but I didn’t report since you were busy.”

“He’s a senior in the mansion,” Lin Yi said in surprise. “Since when does he need to report to see me?”

“I acknowledge my fault.”

Jiao Zhong abandoned any thought of complaining about Chen Xinluo in front of the prince.

To Lin Yi, whether it was Shen Chu or Chen Xinluo, they mattered more than himself!

From now on, even giving Chen Xinluo eye drops required extreme caution; otherwise, it could ruin his own future.

Lin Yi waved dismissively. “I’ve heard enough of your empty talk. Use some fresh words.”

“Prince,” After turning two corners, Jiao Zhong said, “According to the scouts, Guan Sheng has recovered. Recently, he’s been traveling with his daughter Guan Xiaoqi to Ankang City. They reportedly returned to the village last night.”

Lin Yi said impatiently, “Such an important matter, and only now you report it?”

He tightened his legs around the donkey, heading toward the south city gate.

Since the new city was built outside the south gate, it became the only gate without inspections.

Moreover, a new decree exempted merchants and travelers entering through the south gate from all taxes.

This was part of his urban integration strategy.

The main road to the south had been widened, accommodating ten carriages side by side, blending with the carefully built pavilions and towers outside Ankang City.

To support the prince’s new city plan, even government offices moved outside, and many sold old homes to buy new ones here.

Even the Grand Lecturer of the National University, Chen Yan, compromised and relocated the university outside the city to reopen it.

The National University remained the top institution in Liang Kingdom—the holy land for scholars.

Course content was still being negotiated.

Lin Yi took the southwestern route. Previously, it would take ten minutes to reach a fishing spot.

Now, with bustling commerce led by Sanhe merchants, new roads, inns, taverns, and even bridges with tolls were built.

Toll collection was a Sanhe specialty.

The revised Liang laws explicitly protected investors’ “profit rights.”

Lin Yi had promised no investor would be disappointed.

Of course, tolls couldn’t be arbitrary—pricing followed government regulations and had time limits. If not profitable within twenty years, investors accepted the loss.

Still, many Sanhe people trusted Lin Yi without question.

The area was now bustling, filled with vehicles and activity.

After half an hour, they left the paved road, reached a canal tributary, baited their lines, and cast their first rods.

“It’s getting chilly,” Lin Yi sat down, feeling slight discomfort.

If not for frequent urination being absent, he might suspect prostate issues—the cold made him uncomfortable.

But he was certain it wasn’t that. Only one reason: the weather was genuinely cold!

“Prince, autumn is here,” Jiao Zhong, retrieving Lin Yi’s catch, said with a smile, “Dry weather has caused two city fires already. At the morning court, some officials suggested increasing the fire brigade’s personnel.”

“Time flies,” Lin Yi cast again, sighing, “I haven’t noticed at all.”

Jiao Zhong said, “Prince, you manage so much, it’s hard to notice these small matters.”

Just then, a guard on horseback returned. Jiao Zhong stepped back and, hearing Lin Yi’s cold snort, warned the guard, “Report everything directly to the prince. No hiding, or face severe punishment!”

“Yes!”

The guard, Tan Fei, in his twenties, was a native of Sanhe with considerable talent, personally trained by the chief steward.

After graduating the first primary school in Baiyun City, he entered the He Mansion at the peak of rank five.

In short, he grew up in the He Mansion, unafraid of anyone there, including the prince.

Now at peak rank nine, he held significant status.

Hearing Jiao Zhong, he spoke loudly to Lin Yi, “Prince, the scouts are correct. Guan Sheng has recovered; his daughter Guan Xiaoqi will continue harvesting lotus roots and seed pods tomorrow to sell in the city.”

“Seems it really was an allergy,” Lin Yi smiled. “The father and daughter are fearless. The illness cleared just in time—they really aren’t afraid of death.”

Tan Fei lowered his head, saying nothing.

Jiao Zhong said, “Please instruct, Prince.”

Lin Yi replied, “They’re alive—that’s enough. The rest, let them deal with. I won’t interfere.”

He returned his gaze to the river float.