Chapter 5 — Breaking the Nine Rings

The piece of wood in my hand made a "click" sound, snapping back into place. I sighed softly. Finally arrived. Quy Canh Hanh stood in the flower hall. He was wearing civilian clothes, with a bit of fatigue between his eyebrows. When he saw me, his eyes first fell on my hand. The wound had scabbed over, leaving only a very small red streak.

“Is your hand healed?”

We perform the ceremony.

"Thank you for remembering, Your Highness."

After sitting down, he was silent for a moment.

“The case of the water wheel, is it you who reminded Lord Khuong?”

I bow my head.

“Father had already checked the old drawings, so the goddess only casually mentioned a sentence.”

Quy Canh Hanh looked at me.

“She's always like that.”

I did not answer. He said:

“Obviously she can undo it, why did she break the nine chains during the banquet?”

Finally, he asked. I raised my head and said in a respectful tone:

“The goddess is truly clumsy.”

He stared at me.

“I don't believe it.”

I smiled softly.

“Your Highness believes it or not, it doesn't affect whether that set of bracelets is broken.”

Qui Canh Hanh's face changed slightly. I absolutely would not have talked to you like that before. I will explain, I will prove myself, I will show my whole heart to you, I am afraid you will misunderstand. But now, whether he misunderstood or not, I no longer care. 5 After Quy Canh Hanh left, sister came. Today she wore a lotus blue dress, with only a pearl brooch in her hair, still as gentle as the person in the painting.

"Lanh Nghi, did His Royal Highness the Crown Prince come to look for you just now?"

I nodded.

“Ask a few questions about the water wheel case.”

She sat down opposite me, gently smoothing the corner of her handkerchief.

“You have such skill, why do you pretend to be clumsy on the day of the birthday party?”

I looked at her. In the end, she stopped being so crooked. I pushed the Lu Ban box aside.

“Do you want me to remove the nine chains?”

Her eyes flashed slightly.

"Since I was little, I've liked those things."

“If I can remove it that day, the Queen Mother will definitely love you.”

I laugh.

“What happens after that?”

My sister's face turned a little pale. I continued for her:

“After that, the Queen Mother praised me for my intelligence, the Eastern palace was lacking people.”

“And then sister said that I don't give up on anyone, I'm afraid that in everything I want to appear more intelligent than the Crown Prince.”

She suddenly raised her head.

“When did I say that?”

In this life, she still hasn't had time to speak. But she used to think so. I can see it. I don't argue with her. Just say:

“Of course sister never said it.”

“I just said it casually.”

She looked at me and didn't say anything for a long time.

"Lin Nghi, you've been treating me very coldly lately."

I lowered my eyes.

“Maybe copying books is tiring.”

“Are you resentful of me?”

Her voice trembled slightly.

"From childhood to adulthood, I always protected you. You didn't understand the rules in the scriptures, I taught you. You didn't like female servants, so I hid them for you. When you caused trouble, I defended you in front of my mother."

I listened to those words, my heart was not completely unmoved. In my previous life, she really helped me hide many small mistakes. She helped me hide my mother, saying that I didn't sneak out to buy a lock for the office, I was just looking for her. She once repaired the princess for me, removed the crooked needle lines and re-embroidered it. She also stayed up at night to take care of me when I was sick. The human heart is the hardest thing to calculate. It's true that you treated me well. It's true that it hurts me. I raised my head to look at her.

“Sister, if you don't go to the Eastern Palace in the future, will you be happy?”

She was stunned. I asked again:

“If the person the Queen Mother looks at is you, and the person who becomes the Crown Princess is also you, and you stay far away, will you protect me?”

Her lips moved slightly.

“Of course.”

I laugh.

“That's good.”

But she was not at all relieved, on the contrary, she became even more uneasy. Perhaps she could hear that there was no trust in my "that's good" statement. A few days later, the Queen Mother summoned the Khuong family's daughter. The phoenix pointed to the palace. Sister A is also going. In Phuong Nghi Palace, the Queen Mother held her sister's hand and praised her for her dignity and gentleness. Sister A lowered her eyes and smiled, moving back and forth properly. The Queen Mother looked at me again.

“My dear, after breaking the nine chains, do you still dare to touch delicate things?”

I bowed my head and said:

“Recently, the goddess only dares to copy books, and does not dare to touch other things.”

The Queen Mother was made fun of by me.

“I also know how to be afraid.”

Quy Canh Hanh is also next to him. Hearing these words, his eyes darkened. The Queen Mother suddenly took out a small golden lock.

“This lock is something someone used when he was young, the key has long been lost.”

“Miss Khuong, do you want to try?”

I hadn't spoken yet, but my sister spoke softly:

“The Queen Mother, a few days ago you were punished for a nine-part affair, I'm afraid I don't dare try it today.”

She thoughtfully refused for me. The Queen Mother looked at her, then smiled and placed the golden lock on the table.

“So Minh Duong should try it?”

My sister's fingertips stiffened slightly.