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Lin Cheng originally hoped that Lin Ning would be punished to drink three cups of wine, but unexpectedly, it backfired, and he ended up being the one punished to drink three cups. Feeling downcast, Lin Xiu noticed Lin Cheng's unhappiness and tried to comfort him, saying, "Didn’t Xue Yin's sister mention in her couplet that there will be a night banquet tomorrow? As long as you put in the effort, I believe you can redeem yourself from tonight's humiliation."
Lin Ning asked Hu Xueyan, "Is there really going to be a night banquet tomorrow?" Hu Xueyan replied, "Because there will always be the night before, last night, tonight, and tomorrow night. So the banquet will go on as usual." Lin Xiu added, "They say all good things must come to an end; I really hope our gathering never disperses." The four of them decided that Lin Ning would be in charge of the drinking game for the banquet the next evening.
However, the arrival of the housekeeper Linyi at noon the next day shattered their dreams. Linyi had come on behalf of Lin Enzhe and his wife to take the three siblings back home from Yunshan Island. It turned out that Lin Enzhe and his wife were worried about their children being left unsupervised on Yunshan Island, spending their days idly wandering around and neglecting their studies. Upon hearing this news, Hu Xueyan hid alone in Qingdai Building and cried quietly. During the days spent with the Lin siblings, she had become inseparable friends with them, and now she found it hard to accept that they would be leaving Yunshan Island.
In truth, the three Lin siblings did not want to leave either. The carefree lifestyle they enjoyed here was something they could not experience back in Jinling. Moreover, they particularly enjoyed being with Hu Xueyan. Leaving her while they were having such a wonderful time together filled them with a sense of loss.
The three siblings arrived at Qingdai Building and saw Hu Xueyan sitting in a chair, wiping her tears with a handkerchief. Lin Ning comforted her, saying, " Xue Yin's sister, don’t be sad. Jinling is so close to Yunshan Island; we can visit you anytime." Lin Cheng added, "I will study poetry and literature diligently after returning to Jinling. I hope that when we have our next night banquet, I won’t always be punished to drink." Lin Xiu chimed in, "Yes! I feel the same way. I don’t want to be at the bottom either. I will work hard when I get back to Jinling so that we can challenge Xue Yin's sister again. Who knows? Maybe Xue Yin's sister will lose to me next time; you mustn’t cheat then!"
The few words from the three siblings warmed Hu Xueyan’s heart. She wiped away her sadness and said, "Alright then, I will treat this farewell as the beginning of our future reunions." Hu Chuanmao and Cheng Yun accompanied Hu Xueyan to see Lin Cheng and the others off until their boat disappeared into the misty horizon. Only then did Hu Xueyan reluctantly return to Yihua Garden.
Upon returning to Jinling, Lin Enzhe urged his three children daily to cultivate literature and practice martial arts. Lin Ning focused intently on mastering all the martial arts he had learned during his time on Yunshan Island. With guidance from Hu Xueyan and his own intelligence combined with diligent practice, Lin Ning made significant progress in his martial arts skills. Although Lin Cheng and Lin Xiu had never been particularly fond of poetry and literature before, ever since returning from Yunshan Island, they surprisingly dedicated a lot of time to studying poetry.
More than half a year had passed in the blink of an eye, and Ming Shenzong Zhu Yijun and Ming Guangzong Zhu Changluo had both passed away. Ming Sizong Zhu Youjiao ascended to the throne. The frequent changes of emperors in the Ming Dynasty made the fate of the nation increasingly unstable. In October of that year, the fertile land of Jiangnan welcomed a bountiful harvest. Lin Enzhe had stockpiled a large amount of grain in the Enze Gang, and he thought that apart from selling it, he should reserve some to send to the Ming army in the Borderlands.
One day, an unexpected guest arrived outside the Enze Gang, claiming to want to visit Lin Enzhe. Lin Enzhe let the person in. The visitor was a burly man with a strong physique, a full beard, dark skin, and dressed in a silk robe trimmed with gold. From his attire, he appeared to be a merchant, but his appearance gave off the impression of a reckless brute. The man introduced himself as Li Gang, a merchant who wanted to purchase the grain stockpiled by Lin Enzhe. Li Gang offered a good price, and naturally, Lin Enzhe was very pleased to have business and sold him five hundred thousand stones of grain. Li Gang wrote a check and handed it to Lin Enzhe. Lin Enzhe sent his eldest apprentice Su Dongliang to a money shop in Jinling to successfully withdraw the silver.
Li Gang ordered his men to load the grain onto carts and then took his leave from Lin Enzhe. Lin Enzhe asked Li Gang, "May I ask where you are transporting so much grain?" Li Gang replied, "This grain is going to the Borderlands; there is famine there this year, and the people are displaced and homeless, suffering greatly. I want to distribute this grain for free to those disaster victims." Lin Enzhe said, "Your benevolent act is truly admirable." Li Gang cupped his hands in thanks and said, "Well said, well said. Here is my address; I hope you will visit me when you have the chance." Lin Enzhe took the paper that Li Gang handed over and saw that it was an address in Shengjing.
Lin Enzhe cautiously reminded Li Gang, "Last year Nurhaci already occupied the Tieling area, and now he has his eyes on Shengjing and Liaoyang. I advise you to leave Shengjing as soon as possible; it is not a safe place." Li Gang laughed heartily and said, "Thank you for your kind advice, Master Lin; I will keep it in mind." After that, Li Gang led his men away from the Enze Gang and headed north.
In less than a year since Zhu Youjiao ascended to the throne as Ming Sizong, he indulged in pleasure and neglected state affairs, heavily relying on corrupt officials who brought disaster to the people. This provided an excellent opportunity for Nurhaci's forces in the north to further expand into the Borderlands.
On the twentieth day of the second month in the first year of the Tianqi era, a servant reported to Lin Enzhe that someone was requesting to see him outside Ho Chu Garden. The visitor was a middle-aged man dressed as a Jurchen merchant. He introduced himself as Liu Li and handed Lin Enzhe a letter. Upon opening it, Lin Enzhe discovered it was from Li Gang, the merchant who had sold him grain the previous year. Li Gang invited Lin Enzhe to visit Shengjing and expressed his desire to purchase five hundred thousand stones of grain at double the previous price. He requested that the grain be delivered to Shengjing by March 10.
After Liu Li left, Miao Shuyan remarked to Lin Enzhe, "Senior Brother, I can't shake the feeling that Li Gang is not as simple as he seems. What if something goes wrong during the transport of such a large quantity of grain?" Lin Enzhe pondered for a moment and replied, "Currently, we only have over five hundred thousand stones of grain left. I intended to donate this grain to the Ming army in the Borderlands, not sell it. How about this: we load the grain onto carts immediately, and tomorrow morning, we will take three disciples and three children to escort it to the Borderlands. We will deliver it to the garrison at Ningyuan and then visit Li Gang in Shengjing afterward to inform him that we will sell him grain when we receive more this year." Miao Shuyan nodded in agreement, saying, "That sounds like an excellent plan."
Lin Enzhe instructed the servants to load the five hundred thousand stones of grain onto over a hundred carts. His decision to personally travel thousands of miles to the Borderlands stemmed from his lingering thoughts about Xiong Yanbi's mention of searching for Nurhaci's treasure. He hoped this journey would yield some results regarding the treasure. If time permitted, he also wanted to pay respects to Yu Jiangong and his wife.
After discussing with Miao Shuyan about the treasure, they shared its background with Lin Ning. Both felt that Lin Ning was steady and resourceful, while Lin Cheng and Lin Xiu often complicated matters.
The next day, they set off northward with over a hundred carts of grain. After fourteen days of travel, they finally passed Shanhaiguan. At that moment, Liu Li reappeared before them. He bowed to Lin Enzhe and said, "My master Li specifically instructed me to wait here for Master Lin." Lin Enzhe replied, "Please return and inform your master that we have some business to attend to in Ningyuan City first before visiting Mr. Li in Shengjing." Liu Li's expression suddenly darkened as he stammered, "Um... I'm afraid I won't be able to explain this to Master Li!"
Lin Enzhe's suspicion grew; why was Liu Li so fearful about their visit to Ningyuan City? Was Li Gang not just an ordinary merchant? Realizing this, Lin Enzhe said firmly, "We won't be staying long in Ningyuan City; once our business is done, we'll head straight to Shengjing." With his words clear, if Liu Li insisted further, it would confirm his suspicions.
Liu Li did not press further and mounted his horse toward Shengjing. After he left, Lin Enzhe and his group reached Ningyuan in half a day's time. The local soldiers had already reported their arrival to Xiong Yanbi. Xiong Yanbi opened the city gates to welcome them and was pleased to see Lin Ning among them. After greeting Xiong Yanbi, Lin Enzhe donated all five hundred thousand stones of grain to the Ming army.
He then recounted his acquaintance with Li Gang and how he had been invited to Shengjing. Xiong Yanbi's expression turned serious as he said, "I have served as an administrator in Liaodong for many years and have never heard of a merchant named Li Gang there. I suspect this is likely a trap. Especially during these times when Nurhaci is eyeing Shengjing and Liaoyang closely; he could attack either city at any moment. Master Lin must not let down his guard; you must act cautiously. How about I accompany you to Shengjing so we can meet this Li Gang and see who he really is?"
Lin Enzhe replied gratefully, "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Xiong; however, given your long-standing position in Liaodong, many people know you here—it would be too dangerous." Unexpectedly, Lin Ning interjected from beside him, "Father, I can disguise Uncle Xiong so he can travel with us to Shengjing."
Lin Xiu asked, "Are you planning on using the disguise technique that Second Brother learned from Xue Yin's sister on Uncle Xiong? It requires powder and resin from a lacquer tree; we have powder but finding fresh lacquer tree resin here in the north at this time is difficult."
Lin Ning pulled out an iron box sealed with wax from his pocket and opened it after removing the wax cover. Inside was indeed lacquer tree resin! It turned out that before leaving Yunshan Island, Lin Ning had asked Hu Xueyan for some resin and brought it along on this trip without expecting it would come in handy.
Lin Ning then borrowed some powder from Lin Xiu. Noticing that a tall servant resembled Xiong Yanbi's build closely enough, he transformed Xiong Yanbi's appearance into that of this servant by darkening him with soot from cooking pots as well. Remembering what Lin Xiu had said about disguising oneself as someone with darker skin using soot made him chuckle quietly.
If only Xue Yin's sister were here now! The thought of Hu Xueyan brought a warm feeling over him. Before long, Xiong Yanbi had taken on the appearance of the servant. Everyone marveled at the transformation as Xiong Yanbi instructed Zu Dashow to lead one hundred elite soldiers disguised as ordinary citizens outside Shengjing City to wait for any changes in circumstances.
Once everything was prepared, Xiong Yanbi and Lin Enzhe led their group on horseback toward Shengjing.
Without the burden of supplies weighing them down, their pace quickened significantly. They first arrived at Guangning at the foot of Lushan Mountain where they paid respects at Yu Jiangong's couple's grave. It was early spring in March; while southern Jiangnan was already vibrant with greenery and blooming flowers, the northern lands remained bleak with barren branches swaying in the wind—a stark contrast to Jiangnan’s beauty.
The three siblings had heard Lin Enzhe speak highly of their master uncle and his wife before; knowing they were heroes who sacrificed themselves for their country made each bow respectfully three times at Yu Jiangong’s grave.
That night they stayed at the dilapidated Qingqing Hostel beside Lushan Mountain. As Xiong Yanbi reminisced about that harrowing night fifteen years ago when he encountered Yu Jiangong and Zu Dashow, he couldn't help but feel sorrowful—especially thinking about how Lin Ning did not know he was born here while his biological parents had sacrificed themselves right at this place.
The next morning, the group departed from Qingqing Hostel and rode towards Shengjing, arriving in the city by the afternoon. Liu Li had been waiting by the city gate for Lin Enzhe and his companions. Noticing that they had not brought any supplies, Liu Li inquired about the whereabouts of the provisions. When Lin Enzhe informed him that the supplies had been given to the Ming army, Liu Li's expression changed dramatically. He led Lin Enzhe and the others to a mansion within Shengjing, where Li Gang was already waiting for their arrival in the hall. Unlike his usual merchant attire, Li Gang was dressed in a black short shirt and shorts, resembling a martial artist. Flanking him were two individuals on either side. On the left stood two men, each holding a golden flute; one of them was Bai Songhe. The other bore a striking resemblance to Bai Songhe but was slightly taller, likely Bai Songpeng from the Penghe Gang. To Li Gang's right stood two more men: one bald with a shiny head like a monk, wielding an iron halberd, and the other short and stout, holding a long spear.
Lin Enzhe was taken aback; judging by their appearances and weapons, they were likely from Gansu's Dunhuang Double Slayers. The man with the iron halberd was Chen Zhaohui, the leader of the Dunhuang Double Slayers, while the short and stout man was his sworn brother, Xiao Tianquan. The Silkworm Poison used by the Dunhuang Double Slayers was a particularly deadly technique cultivated using highly toxic silkworms. They would first place ordinary silkworms in an iron box filled with mulberry leaves soaked in arsenic and vermilion; most silkworms would perish almost instantly, leaving only a few survivors whose toxicity would be significantly heightened. These rare toxic silkworms would then be subjected to heat of seventy or eighty degrees Celsius in the box, resulting in even fewer surviving—about one or two out of every hundred thousand—becoming true kings of poison. The Dunhuang Double Slayers treated these silkworms like treasures, wrapping their silk around their weapons. In battle, even a minor cut from their weapons could infect an enemy with Silkworm Poison, causing excruciating pain as if their internal organs were being burned by charcoal fire; this poison acted swiftly and could claim a life within twelve hours.
As Lin Enzhe pondered how the Dunhuang Double Slayers ended up in the Borderlands, Li Gang spoke up: "Master Lin, it is an honor to have you here. Allow me to introduce these two gentlemen: Bai Songpeng and his brother Bai Songhe from the Western Regions' Penghe Gang." Xiong Yanbi and Lin Enzhe were taken aback by Li Gang referring to himself as "this king." Li Gang then introduced the two men on his right; as Lin Enzhe suspected, the bald man was indeed Chen Zhaohui and the stout one was Xiao Tianquan.
Lin Enzhe asked Li Gang, "Mr. Li, how does a businessman like you know these leaders from Penghe Gang and the Dunhuang Double Slayers?" Bai Songhe arrogantly replied, "What Mr. Li? This is Lord Amin Beile of the Great Jin Dynasty." Both Xiong Yanbi and Lin Enzhe were shocked to learn that this man was Min.
It turned out that after Nurhaci declared himself Khan King, he conferred titles upon his three sons and one nephew as Beile. They were Dai Shan (the eldest), Min (the second), Mongolia Ertai (the third), and Hong Taiji (the fourth). These four Beile are well-known figures from history during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Dai Shan, Mongolia Ertai, and Hong Taiji were Nurhaci's sons while Min was his brother Suerhachi's son.
Lin Enzhe addressed Min: "I am Lin Enzhe of the Ming Dynasty. You Jin Dynasty have occupied our lands and cities and slaughtered my fellow citizens, causing families to be torn apart and leaving many homeless. As for national grievances and family feuds, I have never wished to engage with anyone from your Jin Dynasty. May I ask why you summoned me here?" Min replied, "I cherish heroes of this world greatly; I have long heard of Master Lin's reputation. I mean no harm; I simply wish to befriend you. Those who recognize current affairs are wise; your Ming Dynasty has already become a spent force. If Master Lin could serve my Great Jin, I assure you that you will enjoy endless wealth and honor from now on."
Lin Enzhe responded firmly: "As they say, those who do not share similar paths should not conspire together. I appreciate your good intentions but cannot condone your actions against my country; selling out for personal gain is not what a true man does. May I ask if last year you truly donated the five hundred thousand stones of grain you purchased from me to the impoverished people?" Min laughed: "Of course not! The Great Khan ordered me to buy this grain for military supplies. However, I paid you quite handsomely—much more than market price."
Lin Enzhe gritted his teeth in anger: "Even if you offered me ten times that amount, I would still refuse to sell it to you." Min's expression darkened: "Master Lin, you truly do not know what is good for you! You are refusing my sincere offer! You have chosen to give your grain to the Ming army instead of profiting from it; if you do not retrieve it today, you will never leave Shengjing!" Lin Enzhe coldly replied: "Even if I had not given my grain to the Ming army, I would never believe your lies about purchasing it with silver."
In truth, last year Min purchased grain at a high price primarily to win over people's hearts; this time he had no intention of paying Lin Enzhe for another five hundred thousand stones of grain—his aim was to seize it instead. He planned to use Bai Songpeng, Bai Songhe, and the Dunhuang Double Slayers to pressure Lin Enzhe into submission so that he would serve Great Jin Dynasty henceforth. Especially since Min had heard that there would be a martial arts conference this year where a leader would be elected; if that leader could rally Zhongyuan's martial artists under Great Jin's banner, it would greatly bolster their strength against Ming Dynasty.
Lin Enzhe, Bai Songpeng, Bai Songhe, and Dunhuang Double Slayers were all strong contenders for this leadership position in martial arts. The Bai brothers and Double Slayers had already been bought off by Min; if Lin Enzhe could also be swayed to follow him, regardless of who became martial arts leader among these top experts in Jianghu, they would all serve Great Jin.
However, Lin Enzhe did not fall for Min's schemes at all. Min thought that while Shengjing may not yet belong entirely to Great Jin’s territory at present, they had already bribed several key generals guarding the city—though it appeared fortified with high walls and deep moats—it had effectively become part of Great Jin’s domain.
When they would conquer Shengjing was merely a matter of time. Since Lin Enzhe dared come here, Min intended for him never to return alive. Yet upon further reflection—despite having so many skilled fighters present—killing Lin Enzhe would ultimately mean losing someone capable of aiding Great Jin against Ming Dynasty.
Thus Min sought one last effort in hopes that Lin Enzhe might reconsider his stance. At that moment he came up with an idea and instructed his subordinate: "Go summon Princess of Yue Ming County."
Before long, a young girl entered, dressed in a red floral satin jacket with a blue satin vest trimmed in white fur over it, and a blue skirt adorned with scattered flowers. The moment she appeared, everyone felt a spark of brightness. Lin Ning noticed that the girl had a face like a flower, rosy and vibrant, with delicate willow-like eyebrows and expressive almond-shaped eyes that sparkled with emotion. She was charming and graceful, exuding an extraordinary beauty. The girl approached Min and sweetly asked, "I wonder why Ama called for me?" After speaking, her lively gaze swept across the crowd, her clear eyes stirring the hearts of everyone present.
Lin Ning felt a pang of disappointment upon realizing that this beautiful girl was Min's daughter. She thought to herself that no matter how much more beautiful this girl was, she could never compare to Xue Yin's sister in any way. At that moment, Lin Ning's thoughts turned to Hu Xueyan, bringing warmth to her heart.
Min smiled and said, "My dear daughter, let me introduce you to some esteemed guests." The crowd marveled at the sight of Min's robust figure paired with such a delicate daughter. The Princess of Yue Ming County was dignified and gracious as she greeted everyone one by one. Min continued, "It is truly our fortune that my daughter can meet a hero like Master Lin today. I have a small request: would Master Lin and his wife consider taking my daughter as their goddaughter? My daughter, Yue Ming, is my precious jewel. I have long heard of your impressive martial arts skills, and she has always been keen on studying martial arts. If she could receive guidance from both of you and achieve success in her studies, I would certainly reward you generously."
In truth, the Princess of Yue Ming County was quite lovely. When Lin Enzhe and Miao Shuyan first laid eyes on her, they did not find her unappealing; however, they were reluctant to associate with anyone from the Jin Dynasty. Lin Enzhe replied to Min, "Thank you for your kind offer, but my wife and I are unworthy and cannot accept the honor of being the godparents of the young princess." Nearby, Bai Songpeng, Bai Songhe, and the Dunhuang Double Slayers were infuriated by this response. Chen Zhaohui exclaimed, "Lin Enzhe, what makes you so special? The prince holds you in high regard; that's why he wants the young princess to acknowledge you as her godfather. You are truly ungrateful! Do you think our Dunhuang Double Slayers are inferior to you? Prince, he is being unreasonable; let me, Chen Zhaohui, be the young princess's godfather! I will teach her all my skills!"
As soon as Chen Zhaohui finished speaking, Lin Xiu couldn't help but burst into laughter. Chen Zhaohui glared at her fiercely and said angrily, "Little girl, what are you laughing at? What's so funny?" Lin Xiu replied with a smile, "The young princess would never acknowledge you Dunhuang Double Slayers as her godfathers!" Xiao Tianquan's eyes widened like lanterns as he asked, "Why not? Does the young princess look down on our martial arts?" Lin Xiu responded seriously, "I don't know whether the young princess looks down on your martial arts or not, but she certainly wouldn't want to acknowledge either of you by name because one of you is named Dusty (Chen Zhaohui) and the other is named Heavenly Hound (Xiao Tianquan). How could such an esteemed young princess possibly want to take you two as her godfathers?"
Upon hearing Lin Xiu's explanation, everyone burst into laughter. The young princess had initially been annoyed that Lin Enzhe and his wife refused to accept her as their goddaughter but found herself laughing at Lin Xiu's teasing of the Dunhuang Double Slayers. Chen Zhaohui and Xiao Tianquan were furious; both thrust their weapons toward Lin Xiu simultaneously. No one expected that two masters of martial arts would resort to violence against a young girl due to a joke.
Lin Enzhe drew his sword to block Chen Zhaohui and Xiao Tianquan's attacks. Bai Songpeng and Bai Songhe stood back to observe the duel between the three fighters with great interest. Lin Enzhe's Tai Chi swordplay had reached an extraordinary level; despite facing two top-tier experts attacking him simultaneously, he remained calm under pressure. Chen Zhaohui focused on targeting Lin Enzhe's upper body with his spear while Xiao Tianquan aimed for his lower half with swift strikes.
The two utilized their height advantage effectively—one attacking from above while the other struck low—working together seamlessly as if they had four arms and four legs between them. However, despite their flawless coordination after over three hundred exchanges of blows with Lin Enzhe, they still couldn't find any openings in his defense.
Lin Enzhe primarily focused on defense rather than offense; in high-stakes duels like this one, impatience could be fatal. Seeing that his sword was protecting him well against their attacks made Xiao Tianquan anxious for results. In a desperate move, he rolled forward while sweeping his spear toward Lin Enzhe's legs just as he thought he had found an opening.
Lin Enzhe thought to himself that he had no grievances against either of them from Dunhuang Double Slayers; he could not harm them without cause and quickly stepped back to evade their strikes. However, Xiao Tianquan feigned an attack with his spear while targeting Lin Enzhe’s legs instead. At that moment, Chen Zhaohui saw an opportunity and lunged forward with his spear aimed directly at Lin Enzhe.
Seeing that there was no way for him to dodge now made both Chen Zhaohui and Xiao Tianquan secretly rejoice in their success. Just then, Xiong Yanbi spotted Lin Enzhe in grave danger; if either weapon struck him even slightly, it could cost him his life. Unable to hold back any longer, he dashed out from the crowd and blocked Chen Zhaohui’s spear with his blade.
Chen Zhaohui felt an immense force from Xiong Yanbi’s strike; his spear nearly slipped from his grip while pain shot through his hands. Realizing that this man possessed exceptional internal strength made Chen Zhaohui wary; he avoided direct confrontation with Xiong Yanbi and quickly found himself at a disadvantage.
Bai Songpeng and Bai Songhe were astonished to see such remarkable skill among Lin Enzhe’s attendants; they watched in disbelief as Chen Zhaohui struggled against Xiong Yanbi’s powerful attacks without being able to retaliate at all. Meanwhile, Xiao Tianquan found himself completely surrounded by Lin Enzhe’s sword strikes as well.
The two brothers exchanged glances; Bai Songpeng moved to assist Chen Zhaohui while Bai Songhe helped Xiao Tianquan fight against Lin Enzhe.
Min observed both sides locked in combat and realized that forcing Lin Enzhe might not work through sheer strength alone; it seemed she needed a more strategic approach regarding him. She shouted loudly: "Heroes! Please cease fighting! Allow me to speak!" Upon hearing Min's words, everyone took several steps back.
Min continued: "All of you are esteemed heroes invited by me; do not let a few words ruin our harmony. Today those who have graced my palace are friends; I hope everyone can coexist peacefully and help me achieve great accomplishments."
Xiong Yanbi noted Min’s ambition for greatness without mentioning Nurhaci; it became clear that Min harbored grand aspirations. With places like Shengjing and Liaoyang in peril now more than ever due to figures like Min from Later Jin arriving in Shengjing—it seemed Nurhaci had sent Min ahead as scouts for military intelligence.
While Xiong Yanbi pondered this situation further, Min instructed an attendant nearby: "Start the banquet immediately; I wish to host all these heroes." After receiving orders from Min, within moments exquisite food and fine wine filled several low tables in the hall.
Everyone sat down on the floor; however, Lin Enzhe and others hesitated to eat hastily out of fear that there might be poison in the food. Miao Shuyan removed her silver hairpin from her head and dipped it into the dishes before confirming there was no poison inside—only then did everyone feel safe enough to begin eating.
The Princess of Yue Ming County sat next to Min and occasionally glanced over at the three siblings from the Lin family. Lin Xiu returned her gaze with gentle smiles now and then while Lin Cheng felt hungry enough not to notice any attention directed towards him by the young princess. Meanwhile, Lin Ning frowned slightly but pretended not to notice anything amiss.
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