Chapter 7: Exposing Huaian

Lin Pianran was no stranger to Princess Huaian; she had encountered her many times in the past. Usually, the Princess carried herself with an air of haughty superiority, treating Lin Pianran with icy indifference unless she was demanding money or precious gifts, at which point she would feign a pleasant demeanor. On several occasions, when Lin Pianran was being bullied or insulted by the young ladies of the Lin household, the Princess would chime in, echoing their abuse and standing firmly on their side. In short, they were birds of a feather, cut from the same rotten cloth.

Seeing Lin Pianran now, the Princess looked astonished. "Why are you here? Weren't you with my cousin, Lin Chusheng, and the others?"

Lin Pianran’s eyes flickered. It seemed this Princess was very well-informed about the movements of the Lin family. The fact that they had lured her to a secluded place to bully her—surely the Princess had known about that in advance? Perhaps she had even been privy to their malice, or had even helped plot it. It seemed she could no longer afford to be lenient with this "ungrateful wretch"; she would have to strike back whenever necessary.

"Does my whereabouts require your Highness's permission?" Lin Pianran retorted without hesitation, her face full of sarcasm. "If I hadn't pointed out a way to survive, you would still be down there wailing and crying for your parents! You wouldn't have escaped danger so quickly, would you? I am your savior now, after all."

She firmly established her role as the Princess’s benefactor. If these sisters dared to act as outrageously as they had in the past, she would not hesitate to destroy their reputations, seizing the moral high ground to condemn them.

Princess Huaian looked mortified. She had not expected Lin Pianran to speak to her so rudely in front of the Grand Princess, let alone claim the status of a savior to gain the upper hand. She gnashed her teeth in hatred, struggling to control her urge to lash out and punish Lin Pianran as she usually would, but the presence of the Grand Princess forced her to restrain herself.

Pointing a trembling finger at Lin Pianran, she hissed, "Insolent! How dare you speak to me like that? Do you have a death wish? Are you not afraid that I will have you charged with lèse-majesté? It would be as easy for me to crush you as it is to squash an ant."

Ignoring the Princess’s fury, Lin Pianran replied with calm detachment, "Your Highness has always been ruthless; I have long since learned that lesson. It is only today that I have truly witnessed your cold-heartedness—abandoning your own cousin to save yourself. Is there anything you aren't capable of?"

"Furthermore," she continued, "I am your savior. Do you intend to repay kindness with hatred? Do you wish to be seen by everyone as an ingrate? Even if you are a royal princess, such a reputation would leave you disgraced for eternity, reviled by all!"

"You... you wretch!" Princess Huaian cursed, infuriated. The girl’s sharp tongue was impossible to parry. Eventually, the Princess reined in her rage, forcing herself to calm down. She refused to lose her royal composure and decorum in front of others. Moreover, such a squabble would damage her reputation; if her vanity-stricken father, the Emperor, or her mother, the Consort, were to find out, she would surely be punished to quell the gossip, and that would be a loss she could not afford.

She glared at Lin Pianran and said coldly, "I am a dignified royal princess. I will not lower myself to bicker with a nobody of unknown status like you, but you must remember your place. Do not overstep, or you will face consequences you cannot bear! Don't come crying for mercy when it's too late..."

With a final display of condescension and threats—the classic hallmark of a princess—Huaian turned away, though she shot Lin Pianran one last look filled with venomous chill. In her heart, she was cursing, *Lin Pianran, just you wait! Once you fall into my hands, I will make you wish you were dead!*

Lin Pianran paid no mind to the Princess’s impotent rage. She knew that saving lives was the priority and had no interest in arguing with a "mad dog." She turned to the Grand Princess and suggested, "Your Highness, many of the noble ladies below do not know martial arts, and the number of wolves is increasing. Please, send your hidden guards down to rescue them!"

The Grand Princess nodded without hesitation and ordered her two guards, "Go at once! Prioritize the rescue of the weak and those who cannot defend themselves." The guards obeyed instantly, soaring downward like great eagles.

The Grand Princess then turned to the guards beside Princess Huaian and asked gently, "Could your guards also go down to help? If they are any later, more people will surely be injured or killed..."

Princess Huaian immediately demurred. "I only have these two guards by my side. If something happens to them, my own safety cannot be guaranteed. Those noble ladies have their own guards to protect them. Besides, if they are hurt, it is because their guards failed them; what does that have to do with us? In such dangerous times, it is better not to overestimate oneself, or we will only cause chaos. And we are noble princesses; what if we were to be injured?"

The Princess’s face was etched with resistance; she was clearly unwilling to let her guards intervene.

"But as royal princesses, we cannot stand by and watch them die!" the Grand Princess said sternly. "Our every word and action must reflect the dignity of the royal family. If the Emperor were to learn that we stood idle, he would certainly be displeased."

Hearing the mention of royal dignity, Princess Huaian felt a pang of guilt but still refused to budge. "Sister, there are so many wolves below. We are too few to be of any real help. It would be better if I took my guards to fetch the Imperial Guard; that is the superior strategy to truly save everyone from this plight." She struck a pose of righteous indignation.

Lin Pianran gave the hypocritical Princess a cold glance and chuckled. "Lin Chuyan is your own cousin, and you are usually inseparable. Are you truly prepared to abandon her to her fate? Are you fleeing for your own life, discarding years of sisterhood? Are you not afraid of how you will answer to Consort De and your uncle when you return?"

"You..."

This wretched girl poked at her every weakness—it was utterly infuriating. Princess Huaian was beside herself with rage, wishing she could tear Lin Pianran to pieces. How could she drag her hidden darkness and selfishness into the light? This was putting her in an impossible position and driving a wedge between her and Lin Chuyan. It was a vicious scheme!

Lin Pianran, however, was deliberately picking a fight to expose the Princess’s ugly face, ensuring the Grand Princess would see her true colors and stop trusting or being deceived by her.