Chapter 41: You ignorant, pathetic fool, stay away from me!

After dawn, Lin Yue finished her breakfast and left the palace.

The Crown Prince had been performing exceptionally well in the imperial court, and her merit points continued to soar. This feeling of being pleasantly surprised every morning was exhilarating. Of course, it would have been even better if she hadn't run into Xiao Huaiqing at the entrance of the Prince’s estate.

Su Yingyue was there too; the couple seemed to be preparing to head out. Seeing Lin Yue return, Su Yingyue stepped forward and said, "Mother, you’ve returned. My husband and I were just about to head out to visit my parents."

Lin Yue nodded. "Very good. Knowing how to be filial is a virtue. You may go."

Xiao Huaiqing yanked Su Yingyue back and said impatiently, "Why are you telling her all this? Do you think she cares? Now that she’s climbed higher, she doesn't look down on anyone."

Su Yingyue looked extremely awkward, flushing red, yet she did not step in to mediate. She, too, seemed curious to see what would happen if a conflict erupted between the Heir and the Princess Consort, and how it would play out when no one stood on the Princess's side.

Lin Yue glanced at Xiao Huaiqing and said, "If your head is filled with filth, go clean it out. Don't bring that stench to your father-in-law's house. Even if they don't mind your foulness, I mind that you are shaming our Prince Ding’s estate."

Xiao Huaiqing raged, "Lin Yue!"

Lin Yue sneered, "If you weren't already grown, I would truly like to slap you twice." She added, "And 'Lin Yue' is not what you call me, you dense, pig-headed unfilial son!"

Xiao Huaiqing’s eyes turned red with anger, and his heart was filled with an indescribable bitterness. From Lin Yue’s cold tone and attitude, he realized that she truly no longer cared for him. But how much time had even passed? Why had this change occurred? Could it be that the Emperor had fed her some sort of love potion?

Xiao Huaiqing barked, "You had better remember your place!"

Lin Yue replied, "I remember it very clearly. Xiao Huaiqing, do you even know who you are? You ignorant, pathetic fool—get away from me! Bah, what bad luck!"

Having finished her reprimand, Lin Yue walked away.

Su Yingyue stood there, stunned, her eyes filled with disbelief. How could Lin Yue scold Xiao Huaiqing like that? As if she were berating a beast? When she looked at Xiao Huaiqing, she saw that he was so angry he was on the verge of tears, his fists clenched tightly in indignation.

Su Yingyue hurriedly took his hand. "Mother must have been upset outside; please try to be more understanding. Things will be better when Father returns."

*Father?* By the time Father returned, would she even still be a part of the Prince Ding estate?

Xiao Huaiqing fumed, "Does she even remember she is my father’s wife? I think she’s long forgotten!"

"This fickle woman—she won't even know how she dies in the end!"

After saying this, Xiao Huaiqing climbed onto his horse in a rage. Seeing that he wouldn't get into the carriage, Su Yingyue had no choice but to board it alone, feeling deeply dejected. How many times had this happened now—where she was completely invisible to him? How could things go on like this? Was Lin Yue doing this on purpose, knowing they were headed to the Su residence, just to return at this exact moment? Even when Xiao Huaiqing had gone to the palace earlier, he couldn't get her to come back. She was truly despicable. Su Yingyue thought bitterly, nearly shredding her handkerchief.

Throughout the journey, Xiao Huaiqing was distracted. He wanted to talk to someone to vent his frustration, but seeing the estate guards around him, he remembered that Luo Qingyu was still at the mansion. He hadn't come out today, so if Lin Yue went back, wouldn't she be alone with him?

Thinking of this, Xiao Huaiqing turned his horse around. Hearing the movement, Su Yingyue pulled back the carriage curtain and called out, "Husband, where are you going?"

Xiao Huaiqing didn't even look back. "I have something to take care of. You go on ahead; I’ll come to pick you up later." With those words, he vanished into the long street.

Su Yingyue stared blankly at the scene, letting the curtain fall in disbelief. The direction Xiao Huaiqing had gone was clearly back to the mansion. He was actually rushing back to see that woman, Lin Yue. Why? Why had things turned out this way? Weren't they told that Lin Yue was always the one clinging to him? Could it be that Lin Yue had changed her tactics, using "retreat to advance" and "playing hard to get"? No, she could not hand her husband over to someone else. She had to go back and keep an eye on him.

"Turn around! Back to the estate!"

As she spoke, she thought of how she had already sent word home; if she didn't show up now, the second and third branches of the Su family would surely mock her. But she couldn't care about that anymore. As she seethed with resentment, she added this debt to the tally she held against Lin Yue.

Meanwhile, Lin Yue was discussing the construction of porridge sheds and the purchase of wasteland with Chief Steward Bai. She emphasized, "Although it is in the name of the Prince’s estate, the funds will come from my dowry. Do not touch the estate's treasury. Furthermore, once the wasteland is purchased, build houses immediately. Build them in rows; I will give you the blueprints shortly."

"Once they are built, recruit casual laborers to reclaim the land. For the land they clear, if they wish to farm it, we will only take thirty percent of the harvest for the first three years. After three years, we take twenty percent, and after another three years, only ten percent. After ten years, the land will be theirs, and the land deeds, along with the houses, will be transferred to them."

Chief Steward Bai was shocked. "In that case, there will be no profit."

Lin Yue replied, "We are the Prince Ding estate, and this world bears the surname Xiao. Settling the common people is our duty. Do you understand?"

Hearing this, Chief Steward Bai looked at her with newfound admiration. He nodded quickly. "This subordinate understands. Rest assured, Princess, I will certainly see it done."

Lin Yue nodded. "Also, look into opening two charitable halls in the capital. One will focus on taking in the elderly who have no family, helping them find their relatives. If there are unfilial children, we will use the local government to pressure them. They don't have to care for the elderly themselves, but they must provide the money."

"The other will focus on taking in children. We will hire tutors to teach them skills so they can serve the country in the future. We will also try to find their families. If they are victims of human trafficking or abuse by stepparents, the authorities must be involved to prosecute and punish them. We will never tolerate the abandonment of children by their biological parents, nor will we tolerate the malicious kidnapping or trading of people."

Though shocked, Chief Steward Bai asked, "Princess, why have you suddenly decided to do all this?"

Lin Yue said, "I received guidance from the Empress Dowager in the palace. I realized that even if the Prince is away, I cannot continue to live in a daze. We are royalty; we should contribute to the stability of the world. The Prince does so, and we must do the same. This way, when we see the Prince in the future, we will not have failed his trust. By keeping the estate in perfect order and winning a good reputation for our house among the people, he will be proud."

Chief Steward Bai was deeply moved and nodded repeatedly. "It is the blessing of the entire Prince Ding estate that the Princess thinks this way."

Lin Yue smiled. "We have only just begun. Don't praise me yet; doing the work is what matters. I will go draw the plans now; you can send someone to retrieve them shortly."

Chief Steward Bai immediately ordered his trusted aides to make arrangements and find a suitable location for housing and land reclamation. Once he was done, he sent Qingyu to the main residence to collect the drawings.

Qingyu had been outside the door and heard the Princess's plan to settle the commoners; he was incredibly shocked. He finally understood what the Taoist Master Zhang had said about the Princess's importance to the entire estate. He realized that the Princess of today was no longer the woman who was hopelessly obsessed with love. She was the Princess Consort of Ding, the mistress of their entire household.

Just as he arrived at the main residence, he happened to run into the returning Heir. Luo Qingyu was just about to bow, when the Heir glared at him and demanded, "Where is Lin Yue? So she was indeed in such a rush to come back to see you!"

"What?" Luo Qingyu was stunned. The Princess hadn't met with him since she returned.

Xiao Huaiqing scoffed and, just as he was about to barge in, Luo Qingyu stood his ground in front of the door, blocking him. "Heir, you cannot enter!"

This action undoubtedly angered the already furious Xiao Huaiqing. He kicked out violently and roared, "Get lost!"