After refusing marriage, she was pampered by the prince who acted as a shield.

Chapter 72: Playing Along

Lin Rusi struggled for a moment and finally managed to break free, then directly shielded the person behind her.

“Grandmother, my mother did nothing wrong.”

"Or do you think my mother should focus her attention on whomever she doesn't focus on, if not on my father?"

Upon hearing this, Madam Lin's expression changed, and she pounded the rules in her hand again, as if she would break them at any moment.

Even so, Lin Rusi did not back down an inch, and even took a step forward to create distance between herself and her mother.

"When my mother heard you were back, she was so afraid you would see her that she hid in her room. She wouldn't have come at all if she hadn't heard that I had been wronged. Isn't that enough concern for me? Or is it a lack of respect for you?"

"Respect? She's a vixen. If it weren't for her, there wouldn't be any..."

Lin Rusi knew that she still blamed the death of that person on her own mother, and her face turned even uglier. She opened her mouth to shift the blame onto someone else.

But before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by the sound of a door opening behind him.

Everyone quickly looked over and saw Wanqi, who had disappeared at some point, and they couldn't help but frown.

“This whole courtyard is full of unruly children. Take them away and teach them a lesson.”

"Yes, Madam, rest assured, when they come out again, they will definitely know what rules are."

Hearing this, Old Madam Lin nodded in satisfaction before turning her gaze back to Lin Rusi, who was standing to the side.

The other person, however, remained completely calm, staring intently at the door, their eyes reddening as if they had suffered some immense injustice.

"You know how to show weakness now? Too late. Take your mother and get to the ancestral hall to copy scriptures right now."

"Why is Grandmother treating us like this? We have been deliberately avoiding you."

“Miss, it was my fault for not paying enough attention. Otherwise, how could I have failed to protect you?”

Wanqi nimbly dodged the two old women and quickly ran to Lin Rusi's side, using her own body to shield her.

"The young lady is right behind us."

"I know you're clever."

Lin Rusi whispered something in her ear, then raised her hand and kept wiping her eyes, making her already moist eyes even more teary, looking exactly like someone who had been bullied.

"Miss, please don't cry, you'll hurt your eyes."

"You're right, I can't cry, I still have to go to the ancestral hall to copy texts as punishment."

After saying this, Lin Rusi helped Si Yu up and slowly walked towards the ancestral hall.

Seeing the two of them in such a pitiful state, Old Madam Lin did not stop at all, but instead mocked Si Yu even more sharply.

"I wonder if this petty behavior will affect Qinqin. You know, she has already been betrothed. If she goes there looking like this, people will talk about her."

"Grandmother, why do you always belittle Mother like this? She was personally chosen by Father, so she would never bring shame to him, would she?"

Hearing this, Madam Lin's face turned even uglier, and she wished she could wake up her son who had made that decision.

But before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a noise coming from outside.

"How could I not know that the person I chose was petty?"

"Greetings, Your Highness."

Seeing the group kneeling on the ground, Li Jingyang didn't give them much of a look, but instead walked straight to Lin Rusi's side.

Noticing the deliberately rubbed red eyes and the dryness of the eyes without a single tear, he shook his head helplessly.

They don't even bother to make their act convincing; they're really fearless.

Lin Rusi sensed the meaning in the other person's eyes, but did not restrain herself at all. Instead, she used her free hand to cover her eyes and searched the other person's shoulders.

When she withdrew her hand again, her eyes were even redder, and finally a little moist.

"Your Highness, this is a family matter, and it's not appropriate for you to get involved. Why don't you go to the front and rest for a while?"

"Rest? Are you just going to watch them bully my fiancée?"

Li Jingyang's icy gaze swept over everyone in the mansion, making those kneeling on the ground afraid to get up.

Lin Rusi remained silent, simply helping her mother to sit up, preventing anyone from making a sound and disrupting the current situation.

Si Yu wasn't stupid; upon seeing this situation, she naturally reached out to look at the arm wrapped in gauze.

Li Jingyang also noticed the wound and frowned.

"How did you get injured?"

Old Madam Lin, who had personally left Lin Rusi with a wound, frowned and was about to raise her head to warn her not to talk nonsense when she heard her sigh.

My heart was in my throat, and I wanted to interrupt the conversation, but then I heard Lin Rusi's voice.

"It was all my fault; I bumped into the wall without realizing it."

How could I be so careless?

Upon hearing this question, Lin Rusi did not say anything more, but instead looked at Old Madam Lin.

Having already heard Wanqi explain the situation, Li Jingyang glanced at her but didn't linger, telling everyone to stand up.

"Since it's a wrist injury, there's no need to copy it as punishment; just recite it twice."

"Thank you for your mercy, Your Highness."

Lin Rusi raised her head and gave him a gentle smile, but the next moment she turned to look at Old Madam Lin, as if asking for her opinion.

Since Li Jingyang could not be punished more severely, he nodded and turned his gaze back to the prince in front of him.

"Your Highness, what brings you here today?"

"What, am I not allowed to see my fiancée?"

Upon hearing that he had come because of Lin Rusi, Old Madam Lin's face darkened further, and she looked at him with disdain.

She sensed that gaze, but instead of speaking, she subtly moved herself and Si Yu behind Li Jingyang.

The movement was small, but it was perfectly clear to anyone with eyes to see.

Li Jingyang naturally cooperated by shielding the person behind him, and then looked at Old Madam Lin in front of him again.

"I heard that the old lady just returned to the manor today. Why is she in such a bad mood? I heard it all clearly from the front yard."

"It's because this girl is ignorant. If she continues to behave like this, she might displease the prince. So I want to take advantage of this time to teach her properly."

"Oh, but why don't I feel any discomfort at all?"

According to the rules, they can't say anything more, no matter what the person in charge says.

But Madam Lin just couldn't stand seeing the two of them doing well, and continued to add fuel to the fire by saying bad things about them to Li Jingyang.

"Sisi was born to a concubine, and she hasn't had a chance to be taught many rules. Your Highness may not be able to see it now, but if you marry her in the future, you will find it unbearable."

"I can accept whatever happens to her."

Lin Ruqin's eyes widened upon hearing this, but she quickly composed herself and slowly stepped forward to support Old Madam Lin.

Seizing the opportunity, he would occasionally bring up a couple of minor issues that Lin Rusi didn't care about, giving the old lady something to say.