LOT -Chapter 145 Got Pecked While Stealing Wild Eggs

The female bandit stood there with her neck stiff and chin raised, a look of unyielding defiance on her face—as if someone were about to do something unspeakable to her.

“I’m just following my heart! What’s wrong with that? Lin Tanhua, do you really not remember me? Over twenty years ago, we met once on the street!”

Her gaze turned tender and yearning as she stared at Minister Lin, to the point that goosebumps erupted all over him.

What was wrong with this woman? They’d supposedly seen each other once twenty-some years ago—he didn’t have some kind of photographic memory! And her face wasn’t exactly unforgettable. Why on earth would he remember her?

“This young lady,” Minister Lin said with practiced politeness, “I’ve long forgotten things from over twenty years ago. And even if we did meet once, it’s not like we were ever acquainted. In those twenty years, I’ve met countless people.”

As he spoke, he discreetly pressed down his wife’s hand—because she was twisting the flesh off his arm.

Madam Lin gave a soft huff and released him. Fine, his explanation sounded reasonable enough.

The female bandit had grown up on the jianghu since childhood, and honestly speaking, she’d never suffered much hardship. For the first few decades, her parents and martial brothers had protected her so well that she’d developed this kind of spoiled, impulsive personality.

Just one look at her expression and Lin Mo could tell this woman needed a beating. So she raised her hand and smack!—landed a clean slap.

“I said, do you have no shame? There’s nothing wrong with pursuing love, but pursuing my father is absolutely wrong!”

“My father is an upright, clean-living man. Don’t stick to him like some damned plaster! You’re not even as pretty as my mother, and your brain’s clearly broken. Where on earth do you get the confidence to think my father would remember you?”

Every word Lin Mo said stabbed right in the heart—brutal, but undeniably true.

The female bandit’s face turned pale with hurt. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked pitifully at Minister Lin. “You really don’t remember me? I still remember—you smiled at me that day! I refuse to believe you don’t remember!”

Madam Lin’s eyes narrowed sharply and shot him a look like a dagger. Minister Lin broke into a cold sweat on the spot.

He hadn’t smiled at anyone in years! Everyone in the capital knew him as the Cold-faced Minister.

But twenty-some years ago, when he’d first passed the imperial exam as Tanhua, he had smiled at someone once— that someone being his wife!

“You must be mistaken, young lady,” he said firmly. “Over twenty years ago, when I had just become Tanhua, I smiled at only one person—my current wife. She was standing in the crowd that day, and I fell in love with her at first sight.”

Bai Xiao: “Exactly! This woman really thinks she’s that charming?”

If anyone knew the truth, Bai Xiao did—there was nothing in the world he didn’t know.

The surrounding onlookers didn’t even know what to say. All this drama… over a misunderstanding from twenty years ago.

Should they say Minister Lin was a man who brought disaster by his looks, or that this bandit woman was absurdly infatuated? Well, maybe not infatuated—more like lust-struck for two decades straight.

“Impossible! That’s impossible! You definitely smiled at me! How could it have been a misunderstanding from start to finish?!”

Lin Mo spat, “Pah! You’re way too narcissistic! Seriously, eat some walnuts—maybe they’ll help your brain!”

She really couldn’t stand people who went after her parents. No morals, no shame—don’t they know you’re not supposed to touch married people?

Eventually, all those involved were arrested. Emperor Xuande ordered that they be escorted back and thrown into prison.

Technically, this was an assassination attempt—though the Emperor knew the real story, others didn’t. And attempting to assassinate the Emperor was a crime punishable by execution of one’s entire clan.

Still, seeing as their target hadn’t been him, Emperor Xuande decided to be merciful. He sentenced them to life imprisonment instead.

Once they reached the imperial retreat, Lin Mo and Bai Xiao immediately ran off to play.

The noble ladies and concubines originally wanted to chat and bond with Lin Mo—after all, it wasn’t often they got the chance to see her. But before they could even approach, the two were already gone.

“Where did your sister run off to this time? Doesn’t she want to spend time with us?”

Some of the young ladies who didn’t know Lin Mo’s personality were genuinely puzzled.

Usually, people wanted to join in rather than be the odd one out—playing alone wasn’t fun.

Lin Ran replied calmly, “I have no idea. She’s never liked staying with us since childhood. She says we’re too stuffy.”

The noblewomen, young ladies, and imperial consorts present: …

Indeed, Little Lord Lin was one of a kind.

Even the Empress couldn’t help but laugh. In all her years, she’d never met such a spirited young girl.

So lively, carefree, and utterly unrestrained—what woman wouldn’t want to live like that? But there were just too many concerns and constraints in life. Few ever truly managed it.

While everyone else was tidying up, Lin Mo and Bai Xiao had already found a little hidden corner to squat in.

Bai Xiao: 【Shh, don’t make a sound! There’s a wild pheasant nest here, full of eggs. We’ll grab them all at once!】

Lin Mo: 【Relax! It’s just a pheasant nest. There’s nothing I can’t handle!】

The next second, their screams echoed through the woods.

“Ahhhhh! Turn on the protection system—quick! Why does this pheasant peck so hard?!”

Lin Mo clutched her butt and sprinted away, wailing miserably—all while holding five or six eggs in her hands.

Bai Xiao wasn’t much better off. “That’s what you get for not following my lead! You stole her eggs—who else is she supposed to peck?!”

After they activated the protective mode, things finally calmed down. Lin Mo, who was basically invincible, went back and took down the whole nest of pheasants.

Later that evening, when everyone gathered for dinner, the two of them appeared covered head to toe in feathers.

Everyone stared, speechless.

What now?! Where had they even been? And what was with all the feathers—and that smell?!

Lin Mo wiped her face with her sleeve, grinning ear to ear as she presented her “treasure.”

“We found a wild pheasant nest! Look—so many eggs! Your Majesty, Your Highness, these wild eggs are for you!”

The Emperor and Empress, seated at the head of the table, looked down at the gift—still streaked with bird droppings—and exchanged complicated looks.

The Empress was the first to recover, smiling kindly. “Little Lord Lin, your thoughtfulness is appreciated. We’ll have these wild eggs cooked up so everyone can have a taste.”

Lin Mo’s eyes lit up. “Hehehe, okay!”

As everyone looked at her—blackened face, bright white teeth, feathers sticking out all over—even the Empress nearly lost her composure trying to keep her smile intact.