IDWBE -Chapter 516 Negotiation

“Hm?”

Lin Yi suspected he had misheard and frowned. “What did you say?”

He had to admit that he was indeed the best shelter she could find.

But happiness arriving so suddenly still caught him completely off guard.

“Your Highness…”

Du Yinniang had always been very confident in her appearance, yet she hadn’t expected the prince’s reaction to be like this. She took a deep breath and said, “This humble woman dares not ask for anything else. I only wish to serve by Your Highness’s side day and night.”

Lin Yi waved his hand grandly.

“Approved!”

By now he had already gone through many battles in life and had long lost the innocence and naivety he once had.

He no longer held any unrealistic hopes for ‘love.’

At his position, even family affection was nearly gone. Where could love possibly come from?

A truly beautiful face is one in ten thousand. But interesting souls are everywhere.

“Your Highness…”

Du Yinniang couldn’t help laughing bitterly.

The prince’s reactions were always impossible to predict.

“You wish to devote yourself to me. I have no objection,” Lin Yi said.

In this life, aside from Mingyue and Zixia, she was the third woman who had voluntarily offered herself to him, and he felt slightly excited.

“But will your father agree? Although I personally don’t care whether your father agrees or not, I don’t like forcing people.”

Du Yinniang lowered her head shyly.

“Your Highness is wise and heroic. If my father knew, he would be overjoyed.”

“I see.”

Lin Yi immediately understood from her expression.

“As long as you and your father have discussed it and agreed, that’s enough.”

Having Du Yinniang offer herself was most likely Du Sanhe’s idea, that old fox.

In the current Liang Empire, Lin Yi was undoubtedly the best possible son-in-law candidate.

And with Du Yinniang’s temperament, beauty, and family background, even if he simply brought her home as a decorative vase, he had no reason to refuse.

“But…”

Du Yinniang hesitated.

Lin Yi casually lifted his teacup, playing with the lid as he spoke indifferently.

“If you have something to say, say it directly. You know my temperament. I’m easy to talk to. Hesitating and stuttering will only annoy me.”

“Yes. Then this humble woman will speak boldly.”

Du Yinniang raised her head and said firmly, “If in the future I bear a child for Your Highness, I ask that Your Highness allow the child to be raised by my father.”

“Hm?”

Lin Yi frowned.

With a crack, the teacup slammed onto the table and shattered, tea spilling everywhere.

He snorted coldly.

“Who gave your father the courage to make such a demand?!”

They actually wanted to adopt his child into Du Sanhe’s family to become a pirate.

That was basically courting death!

“Please calm your anger, Your Highness.”

Du Yinniang remained calm.

“This was entirely my idea. It has nothing to do with my father.”

Lin Yi laughed angrily.

“You’ve got quite the nerve yourself, daring to propose such a condition to me! A royal descendant becoming a pirate—how could you even think of that?”

“Your Highness! Aren’t the current Prince Yong’an, Prince Jin, and the Crown Prince also royal descendants?”

Du Yinniang blurted out.

The moment she finished speaking, she regretted it.

But seeing Lin Yi expressionless, she forced herself to continue.

“Inheriting my father’s legacy—how is that piracy? Your Highness once praised my father for his enterprising spirit, saying he could expand living space for the Liang Empire. You even said he might become the next Columbus!”

Although she didn’t know who Columbus was.

From the prince’s tone she understood that the prince admired the distant westerners greatly.

Anyone the prince admired must be extraordinary.

Suddenly—

Clang!

Pan Duo drew his blade and shouted sharply at her, “Speak another word of nonsense and I’ll execute you immediately!”

Truly!

He knew the woman was highly skilled in martial arts and had stayed here to prevent her from suddenly attacking the prince.

But he had never expected her boldness in speech to be this outrageous.

He regretted staying here.

He should never have listened to so many things he shouldn’t hear.

Now he was stuck in an awkward position.

“Stop.”

Lin Yi glanced at Pan Duo.

“You may leave.”

“Your Highness…”

Pan Duo sheathed his sword but hesitated to leave.

Lin Yi waved his hand.

“Don’t worry. She wouldn’t dare. Even if she doesn’t value her own life, she must value her father’s—and the lives of the ten thousand people on Heixiazi Island.”

“Yes.”

After glaring fiercely at Du Yinniang, Pan Duo left the room.

He was not afraid of offending her.

Nor Mingyue and Zixia.

Qi Peng had long told him that history had proven with blood and tears that an emperor and the imperial harem can only be pleased on one side.

Those who try to please both sides usually die miserably.

After Pan Duo left, Lin Yi looked back at Du Yinniang and sighed.

“Within the royal family, conflicts between father and son and brothers fighting each other are far too common. I cannot guarantee that my future children will definitely be filial sons and harmonious brothers.”

This had nothing to do with education or systems.

Once people are blinded by greed and power, morality disappears.

Du Yinniang bravely continued.

“I ask Your Highness to consider carefully.”

Lin Yi sighed again.

“Let’s not worry about this for now. When the child grows up, let him decide for himself. If he wants to enjoy a carefree life, let him be a wealthy idle noble. If he wants to roam the seas freely, then let him become a pirate.”

As for inheriting the Liang throne—that was still far off.

After all, he currently had only one daughter.

Du Yinniang quickly bowed.

“Your Highness is wise!”

She knew this was already the greatest concession the prince could make.

Pushing further would be inappropriate.

Lin Yi sighed.

“You’re quite impressive—to actually persuade me.”

Even he hadn’t expected himself to make such a large concession.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Du Yinniang’s face was full of pride.

Her father had risked his life at sea for decades to accumulate such wealth and power. There was no way he would hand it over to others.

As a woman, she was considered unlucky on ships. Being allowed aboard at all was already exceptional—let alone inheriting the family business.

Even if she had a son, there was no guarantee he would become the leader.

Her father was already old and might not live long enough to see the child grow up.

Only a son with Prince He could guarantee inheriting the sea power her father built.

The new Sea Dragon King.

As for the imperial throne, her father had once said:

“When risking your life, you must use your brain. Otherwise you’re just delivering your head to others.”

Their family might be powerful, but competing for the throne was impossible.

Prince Nanling had a famous general as his grandfather.
Prince Jin had the richest man in the world as his grandfather.

Yet they were still fugitives.

Prince Yong commanded one hundred thousand troops but was still trapped in a corner of the empire.

Fate decides everything.

Once Prince He ascended the throne, their descendant would at least be an idle prince—backed by the royal family while dominating the seas and accumulating wealth.

Far better than fighting endlessly in palace intrigue.

“Alright, then it’s settled happily,” Lin Yi said.

Once he made up his mind, he stopped overthinking.

“You’ll go back to Ankang City and wait?”

Du Yinniang covered her mouth and laughed.

“I’ve observed that Your Highness doesn’t even have a close attendant nearby. If Your Highness doesn’t mind my clumsiness, I can stay and serve by your side.”

“Hm?”

Lin Yi touched both cheeks in surprise.

“This Huanglian Ejiao decoction actually worked. I’ve talked this much without pain.”

“Since you want to stay, then stay. But your appearance…”

Even with the disguise, her face would attract attention anywhere.

He didn’t want that when traveling.

“Your Highness, don’t worry.”

Du Yinniang turned around.

When she turned back, Lin Yi almost didn’t recognize her.

He walked closer, staring at the yellow, rough face and thick waist.

“How did you do that?”

She looked completely like a different person.

Now she resembled an ordinary village woman.

Du Yinniang smiled.

“These are tricks I learned from my father. It’s just colored sticky rice paste spread on the face, trimming the eyebrows, and padding the waist with cloth.”

Lin Yi laughed.

“No wonder your father could evade the imperial secret police. It wasn’t luck.”

He looked more carefully.

It definitely wasn’t just rice paste.

Probably some kind of adhesive.

But since she didn’t want to explain further, he didn’t press.

Lin Yi stayed at the harbor for three more days.

His mouth ulcer gradually healed.

He could finally eat normally again, though he remained cautious with seafood.

Instead he constantly held peaches and pears.

Du Yinniang laughed at him as she rode a tall horse.

“Your Highness, if you keep eating like that, you won’t be able to eat the big meals waiting in the town ahead.”

The donkey brayed loudly.

Lin Yi patted its head and stuffed the pear core into its mouth.

“I’m focusing on health now—control the mouth and exercise more. Otherwise my body will keep getting worse.”

If he became emperor someday, he would have the three palaces and six courtyards.

Without a strong body, letting them all sleep alone would be immoral.

One mustn’t be selfish.

“Your Highness,” Du Yinniang said slyly, “The best way to strengthen the body is learning martial arts.”

When she first met Prince He—who couldn’t even restrain a chicken—she had been stunned.

The Liang Empire was founded through martial strength.

Even wealthy families hired instructors for their children.

The royal family especially should have many masters.

And yet this prince had never learned martial arts.

Truly bizarre.

“No matter how hard I train, my talent tops out at third rank,” Lin Yi said dismissively.

“So whether I train or not makes little difference.”

“Your Highness, there is one thing I truly admire about you.”

“Oh? What is it?” Lin Yi asked proudly.

“You always find a reason to justify laziness.”

Du Yinniang grinned.

“Yet at school ceremonies you always tell students to study hard and strive forward.”

Lin Yi yawned.

“If they don’t work hard, how can I live such a happy life?”

“Your Highness…”

Du Yinniang felt like punching cotton.

“Brilliant!”

Pan Duo quickly added, “If Your Highness worked hard too, wouldn’t that make the rest of us seem incompetent?”

“See?” Lin Yi winked at Du Yinniang.

“That’s what good speaking sounds like. Learn from him.”

She pouted and deliberately ignored him.

Suddenly Luo Han galloped over, drenched.

“Your Highness! Ahead is a town called Tangjia River. It’s raining heavily there. The storm clouds are moving fast—should we take shelter?”

Lin Yi looked at the clear sky.

“Doesn’t look like it.”

Song Cheng replied, “With this wind, the storm will arrive quickly.”

“Then let’s find somewhere to rest.”

The forest around them was dense.

Pan Duo pointed to a narrow path.

“Two li ahead there is a village. Please follow this way.”

“Let’s go.”

Lin Yi led the group into the forest.

Du Yinniang watched Pan Duo’s figure closely.

The imperial guards must have many hidden scouts nearby to gather information so quickly.

The donkey stopped repeatedly to eat locust flowers along the road.

Lin Yi eventually got off and walked instead.

Soon the road widened and from the mountain they could see smoke rising from farmhouses.

“Of all the places we’ve traveled, this one finally feels poetic.”

As soon as he finished speaking—

Dark clouds covered the sky.

“Your Highness!”

Pan Duo immediately lifted Lin Yi onto a horse and the group rushed down the mountain.

No one had time to care about Du Yinniang.

They hurried until they reached the largest house in the village.

Just as they reached the eaves—

Lightning flashed.

Thunder roared.

And torrential rain poured down.

Children who had been playing nearby screamed and scattered in all directions.