LOT -Chapter 146 – You Might Just Be Your Father’s External Courage

Madam Lin really couldn’t bear to watch her daughter acting so foolish anymore. She jabbed Minister Lin with her elbow and said, “Go pull your daughter down already!”

How disgraceful—filthy and unruly!

Minister Lin silently shot her a look that screamed refusal. Pull her down? Do you think I can just do that? If he could actually control that girl, would all these ridiculous incidents have happened in the first place?

Dinner that evening was eaten in utter silence. Though everyone was quiet on the outside, the two culprits in question were having an animated conversation in their minds.

Bai Xiao: 【I’m telling you, that woman—what’s-her-name, Wumula—she’s almost in the capital. She should arrive tomorrow.】

Lin Mo: 【If you hadn’t mentioned it, I’d have completely forgotten about her. She’s that one who wanted to climb the social ladder, right? From the Western Territories or Western Frontier or something?】

Bai Xiao: 【Can you at least pay more attention when you’re gossiping? She’s from the Jade Kingdom, not those other two places you just made up.】

Everyone at the table froze for a second at the words “Jade Kingdom,” and then, thanks to Lin Mo’s reminder, they suddenly remembered who she was.

The Crown Princess sneaked a sharp glare at the Crown Prince, who could only look helplessly exasperated.

Lin Mo, oblivious to the strange tension in the air, happily started “eating melon seeds” — or rather, figuratively indulging in the gossip.

Lin Mo: 【If I remember right, that woman set her eyes on the Crown Prince, didn’t she? But what if the Crown Prince and the other two princes all reject her? What’s she going to do then?】

Just because someone came all the way here didn’t mean the princes had to accept her. If none of them did, then what would become of her?

Bai Xiao: 【They’ve already planned it out. Even if the Crown Prince and the other two princes refuse her, they’ll still have her stay with the Empress for a while. Maybe over time, she’ll develop a bond with Her Majesty. If she’s lucky enough to be taken in as an adopted daughter or even granted a title like County Princess or Commandery Princess—well, that’s a win for them!】

The Empress: …Do they take me for a fool?

Did they think she was bored enough to adopt some random stranger as a daughter? It wasn’t like she didn’t have one—her daughter was just married off far away, that’s all.

Besides, life in the palace was hard enough as it was. Adding another idle freeloader? Absolutely not!

Bai Xiao: 【Oh, and get this—Wumula’s face-blind. She literally can’t tell people apart.】

Bai Xiao continued with relish: 【She’s had this issue since she was little. Anyone around her age, she just can’t distinguish. She’s even been swooning over the Crown Prince’s portrait for years—but the portrait she’s been looking at is actually of the Third Prince!】

The Third Prince, who was happily eating a moment ago, froze. !!!

Why does this have to involve me?! I just finally married my wife—don’t go ruining things for me!

Everyone at the table lost their appetite instantly. Instead, they were all now feasting on gossip.

Lin Mo leaned forward eagerly: 【Quick, tell me more! How did that even happen? You think she’ll come here and mistake the wrong person right away?】

Bai Xiao: 【No idea. It hasn’t happened yet, so who knows? But here’s the thing—originally, they gave her the Crown Prince’s portrait along with a copy of the Third Prince’s portrait. She couldn’t tell who was who, and by sheer coincidence, she ended up picking the Third Prince’s picture to moon over.】

Everyone was speechless. It was the first time they’d ever heard of something this absurd.

After all, the Crown Prince and the Third Prince didn’t look that much alike. One was composed and handsome, the other lively and sharp-eyed.

As Lin Mo once said: The Third Prince has one of those “clever” faces—a little fox-like. One look into those shifty eyes and you can tell he’s plotting something.

Not that being clever-looking meant he actually was clever—because he really wasn’t.

Meanwhile, the Crown Prince was the classic refined, steady type—handsome and gentle, more like the Empress. Other than a few subtle similarities, the two brothers’ faces looked nothing alike.

They weren’t twins; how could someone not tell them apart? This Wumula really was something else.

The Third Prince lost all appetite. He had been eating happily before, but the thought of some strange woman staring dreamily at his portrait every day made his skin crawl.

When he returned to his quarters, he immediately threw himself into his wife’s arms, whining pitifully.

“Ughhh, so disgusting! That woman is so disgusting! How can she not tell me and my brother apart? What if she starts pestering me tomorrow?”

With his foxlike face scrunched up in distress, he actually looked rather adorable. At least, the Third Princess Consort certainly thought so.

She stroked his cheek gently, and he closed his eyes, leaning into her touch like a cat being petted.

While running her fingers through his hair, she reassured him softly, “Don’t worry. I won’t let that woman get near you. But you better stay alert too—don’t let yourself get tricked without realizing it.”

When it came to people sent from foreign lands, whether men or women, one had to stay vigilant. Who knew what kind of schemes they were planning?

As for Lin Mo and Bai Xiao, after spilling all that gossip, they slept soundly and contentedly—unlike everyone else, who lay awake half the night.

Oddly enough, everyone was kind of looking forward to seeing Wumula the next day—just to find out if she could actually tell the princes apart.

Minister Lin, meanwhile, was busy as ever. He had to handle the reception arrangements himself, working late into the night.

The next morning, the Jade Kingdom’s carriages finally arrived, heading straight for the imperial residence.

“This Great Yong is truly prosperous,” Wumula sighed, admiring the view along the way. “Could I really live here forever?”

Her maidservant smiled. “Miss, His Majesty already said so—if you marry the Crown Prince or one of the other two princes, you’ll get to stay here permanently.”

They’d seen firsthand how vast and wealthy Great Yong was. The more they saw, the more they realized how weak their own country was by comparison.

Wumula snorted and pulled out her small mirror, admiring her reflection. “I’m so beautiful—of course I’ll marry the Crown Prince.”

After all, she was the number one beauty of the Jade Kingdom’s nobility. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been chosen for this mission. And during the journey, she hadn’t met any women in Great Yong who looked particularly stunning.

Well, that was mostly because they had traveled through backroads, avoiding the bustling main streets. The people they passed were simple villagers, dusty and tired-looking—not exactly glamorous.

Still, seeing them had only boosted Wumula’s confidence.

When Lin Mo was dragged out by her father to join the welcoming party, she was utterly baffled.

Lin Mo: 【Why do I have to come again?! Last time it was to welcome that second prince—or was it the third? And now it’s this envoy from the Jade Kingdom? Is Father just afraid of doing work alone?】

Bai Xiao: 【Maybe. You might just be your father’s external courage.】

Minister Lin, standing right beside them: …Do you two think I want to bring you? The Emperor ordered this!

Yes—the Emperor himself wanted to see what kind of “melon” (gossip) these foreigners might bring. They had to seize the scoop before anyone else!