Lin Qingyuan smiled and stepped forward to massage his shoulders. “You’re so wise, Father. Naturally, any daughter of yours can’t be stupid. I was just too anxious to think straight. Your reminder has set me straight.”

Minister Lin shot her a look. He was amused but purposely kept his expression grim. He sighed and said, “Anyone who can send a letter to the imperial capital of Great Shang must have some power. However, I am sure that they don’t know Her Highness’ true identity, which is why we can’t just carelessly go into the Palace now. If we do, the person in the shadows would immediately connect the dots and realize who she is. Then she will be at a disadvantage.

“How about this? Take the letter to your personal maidservant, Bai He, and leave from the back door. Take the long route to the Grand Duke Mansion and deliver it to the Dowager Duchess who can subsequently bring it to His Majesty. If you can recognize Her Highness’ writing, His Majesty would surely be able to as well. He will immediately understand when he sees the letter.”

Lin Qingyuan’s eyes brightened. “Why didn’t I think about this?” She looked at her father admiringly. “You are indeed wise and experienced! No wonder you’ve always done so well in the imperial court!”

Minister Lin grunted coldly. “Stop trying to butter me up!” He paused and added seriously, “I’ll stay behind after the imperial court session tomorrow so I can suggest some plans of action to His Majesty. I heard that the Emperor of the Yan Kingdom will be celebrating his birthday soon. I’ll ask them to send me to the Yan Kingdom as an envoy to send our best wishes, then save Her Highness from the Yan Kingdom!”

Lin Qingyuan gave him an admiring look at this point. “Father, you’re so wise and intelligent, I really admire you so much. It serves the people’s fortune and the imperial court’s great future to have such a loyal subject like you in Great Shang sharing the burden of His Majesty!”

Minister Lin rolled his eyes at her. “Didn’t you just say that I refused to share His Majesty’s burden?”

“I was being petty and short-sighted. You shouldn’t drop to my level.” Lin Qingyuan began to massage his shoulders.

Minister Lin rather enjoyed his daughter singing his praises. “It’s good that you know that. You’re still young, so take the opportunity to learn.”

Lin Qingyuan nodded obediently and helped him massage for a while more. Before he got angry again, she quickly raised the letter in her hand. “I’ll get Bai He to send the letter out first. I’ll come back later to help massage your shoulders.” Without waiting for her father to react, she disappeared.

Minister Lin almost threw up blood in anger.

He knew it. That girl must have had a reason for suddenly acting so filial.

She would not have even bothered entertaining him if not for trying to achieve her goal.

This made him furious!

Just as Minister Lin had guessed, someone was closely watching the people moving in and out of the Lin Mansion.

However, they had waited for half a day and did not manage to obtain any news, so they decided to leave.

A man stood with his hands behind his back in an inconspicuous mansion. “How did things go?”

“There was no news.” A subordinate shook his head.

“No news? That can’t be.” The man turned to look at his subordinate thoughtfully after hearing the report. His cousin, Yuan Xin, had sent him a letter to be delivered to the Minister’s Mansion. This was followed by another letter from his uncle, who ordered him to investigate the identity of the person who wrote the letter.

“Yes, it’s true.”

The man contemplated this and was slightly exasperated. “If that is the case, there’s nothing else I can do. Report this to the Prime Minister.”

“Yes.”

In the Palace.

By the time Long Yang received the letter, it was already in the afternoon.

He was marking Palace Memorials in the imperial study at that time.

Previously, Long Xuan had informed him via a letter from the West Water Frontier that he suspected Weiwei had been brought by Long Chi into the Yan Kingdom.

Long Yang had been focusing on the imperial court from the moment he received the news, forcing himself not to think about Weiwei because he had to quickly finish his duties before he was able to head to the Yan Kingdom to bring her home.

He had wasted too much time and had even refused to listen to the Dowager Duchess this time around. He needed to go to the Yan Kingdom personally and bring Weiwei home.

Zhao Qian looked at his master, who had become thin and worn, and felt sad for him. He quietly placed a cup of ginseng tea next to his master’s hand before leaving the room.

He wanted to carry in the little princess and let His Majesty hug her for a while. This would give him an opportunity to rest, but at that moment, someone informed them that the Dowager Duchess had entered the Palace.

Since Her Highness went missing, the Dowager Duchess would come to the Palace almost every day to help take care of the little prince and the two little princesses.

As usual, Zhao Qian did not make her wait when he heard the Dowager Duchess was here and he went personally to welcome her into the Palace.