Chapter 3 — The Eastern Palace Can No Longer Hold Me

But the final merit is written in his memorial. He patted my head and said: "Leng Nghi, Dong Palace has you, you are very assured." At that time, I felt that this one sentence of reassurance was enough. Looking back now, it was truly a disadvantage to a disadvantage. I spread out the drawing of the water wheel again. It is not unexpected that the Southwest flood will soon be repeated. It's just that this time, I won't take the initiative to send you to the Eastern Palace. Three days later, my father returned from the temple, his eyebrows furrowed. While I was having dinner with my mother, I heard him looking for old files in the study. I brought the tea in. Father raised his head: "Why are you here?" "Father is looking for old drawings of the Southwest water wheel?" He was stunned. I put down the tea. "Last year after the rainy season, father said, the dike over there probably won't be able to hold up for a few years." Father rubbed the road. "Today at court, the Household Ministry is arguing again over the matter of granting money." "The crown prince, the princes of the country are all staring." "If this matter is not handled well, before the rainy season this year there will be chaos." I looked at the files on the notebook. "Father, have you checked the wood yet?" His movements stopped. again. "What?" I took the old drawing and showed it to him. "The old regime before the dynasty used agarwood, which did not rot for thirty years." "But in the repair books in recent years, it was written as Sam Nam. When Sam Nam encountered humidity for three years, it rotted, the money was reported according to the price of Agarwood." Father's face slowly changed. He quickly flipped through the notebooks. I watched it with him all night long. By morning, my father had finished writing and composing his notes. He held that notebook, looking at me with complicated eyes. "Leng Nghi, if you enter the official school, I'm afraid you will be better than your elder brother." I laughed. "Father is teasing you again." He shook his head. "I'm not teasing." "I just feel, in the past we were always afraid that you were too smart, afraid that in the future your in-laws wouldn't be able to oppress you." "Now that I think about it, it's so absurd." My heart moved slightly. I can hear this saying, it's so much better than my previous life. After his father's petition was presented, the court was truly shocked. The wood swap led to a chain of corrupt officials. Crown Prince Quy Canh Hanh, thanks to the country's governor, temporarily stabilized the situation. But this time, the person who signed the document was his father. At court, someone asked why the Minister of Justice suddenly thought of turning over old wooden books. Father said: "The young lady closed the door to copy books, and had free time to flip through old drawings and talk a few words." When this word was transmitted to the palace, I was repairing a broken Lu Ban box in the yard. Thu Hanh quickly ran in. "Miss, there is someone in the palace." I raised my head. "Who?" "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." The wooden piece in my hand "clicked" and returned to its original position. I sighed softly. Still coming. Quy Canh Hanh stood in the flower hall. He was wearing civilian clothes, his eyes and eyebrows carrying a bit of fatigue. When he saw me, his eyes first fell on my hand. The wound had scabbed over, leaving only a small red streak. "Is your hand healed?" I bowed. "Sorry to bother your highness." After sitting down, he was silent for a moment. "About the water wheel, is it you who reminded Master Khuong?" I bowed my head. "Father had already looked up the old drawing, the goddess just casually reminded me." Quy Canh Hanh looked at me. "She's always like that." I didn't answer. He said: "You clearly understand, why do you want to break nine chains during the banquet?" Finally he asked out loud. I raised my head and said in a respectful tone: "The goddess is really clumsy." He stared at me. "You don't believe it." I smiled. "Your Highness believes it or not, it doesn't affect the fact that that bracelet is broken." Quy 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 lift up my heart to you, I am afraid you will misunderstand. Now he understands

Wrong or not, we don't care anymore. After Quy Canh Hanh left, sister came. Today she wore a lotus blue dress, with only a fluttering pearl hairpin in her hair, still as gentle as the person in the painting. "Ling Nghi, did His Royal Highness the Crown Prince come to see you just now?" I nodded. "Ask a few questions about the water wheel." She sat opposite me, gently stroking the corner of the scarf. "You have such skill, why did you pretend to be a clumsy person on the day of the banquet?" I looked at her. Finally, she stopped beating around the bush. I pushed the Lu Ban box aside. "Do you expect me to be able to untie the nine chains?" Her eyes flashed slightly. "I have liked these things since I was a child." "If I could untie them that day, the Queen Mother would definitely like you." I smiled. "What happens after that?" My sister's face turned a bit white. I continued for her: "After that, the Queen Mother praised you for your intelligence, the Eastern palace lacks people." "And then my sister said that I will not give up, I am afraid that I will appear more intelligent than the Crown Prince in everything." She suddenly raised her head. "When did I say those words?" In this life, she had not yet had time to speak. But in her heart she thought. We can see it. I don't argue with her. Just said: "Of course sister A hasn't said anything." "I just said it casually." She looked at me, not speaking for a long time. "Leng Nghi, recently you have been very cold towards me."