Chapter 1241: The Eldest Daughter, Empress Lin Zhiyi

Lin Lang turned around at the sound, and the sunlight fell on the stone road not far away. A small figure was running towards him—it was his and Chu Yiren's twin daughter, Lin Zhiyi.

The little guy just turned five. He has his hair styled in double buns, with pink and white ribbons tied around them, which flutter gently as he runs.

He wore a light purple silk jacket with delicate phoenix patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs, paired with a matching pleated skirt that billowed with each step, like a budding lotus flower.

Her face was round and chubby, pink like a ripe peach. Her eyes were exactly like Chu Yiren's, big and bright, like black grapes soaking in water. When she ran, her eyelashes fluttered, carrying an indescribable charm.

"Father!" Lin Zhiyi opened her little arms and rushed into Lin Lang's arms like a little swallow.

Lin Lang picked her up and his nose brushed against the wisps of hair on his daughter's forehead, carrying a faint fragrance.

He lowered his head and kissed his daughter's soft cheeks repeatedly, his voice very gentle: "Yi'er, you're running so fast, be careful not to fall."

Little Zhiyi hugged Lin Lang's neck, buried her face in the crook of his neck, and rubbed against him in a childish voice: "Father, Yi'er ran over as soon as she saw you."

Lin Lang's heart melted at his daughter's adorable expression, and he couldn't help but kiss her on the cheek again.

Watching this scene, Zhao Liying was secretly amazed: this little girl's eyebrows, eyes, and nose were exactly like Chu Yiren's, especially the slight curve at the corner of her eyes when she smiled, it was exactly the same.

Even at such a young age, she exudes the delicate and noble air of a legitimate princess. When she grows up, she will probably be even more stunningly beautiful, just like her mother.

Lin Lang held Xiao Zhiyi in his arms, rubbed his chin against the top of her head, and introduced her with a smile: "Yi'er, this is your Aunt Zhao. Quickly greet your aunt."

Xiao Zhiyi blinked her almond-shaped eyes, which were just like Chu Yiren's, and curiously looked at Zhao Liying. Seeing her gentle smile, she called out in a clear voice, "Hello, Aunt Zhao!" Her voice was soft and sweet, like she was holding a candied fruit.

Zhao Liying immediately smiled and replied, "Hello, Yi'er. You're so pretty, just like a fairy in a painting."

This time, without Zhao Liying's prompting, Lin Lang quietly took out another box of Taiwanese specialty candies from his personal space and stuffed it into Zhao Liying's hand.

Zhao Liying understood immediately, took the candy, and gently handed it to Xiao Zhiyi, saying softly, "Yi'er, this is candy your aunt brought you. It has different flavors. Take it and try it."

"Thank you, Aunt Zhao!" Xiao Zhiyi's eyes lit up instantly. She reached out and took the gift box, her little fingers already eagerly picking at the edge of the packaging.

Lin Lang smiled and put his daughter on the ground. He then opened the gift box and picked out a brown sugar plum candy wrapped in transparent candy wrapper. Inside the wrapper, you could vaguely see a small plum wrapped in dark brown sugar, which looked sweet and sour and tempting.

He unwrapped the candy and held it to Xiao Zhiyi's lips: "Here, my good daughter, try this."

Xiao Zhiyi opened her mouth and took it in, her little cheeks puffing out immediately. First, she savored the rich, sweet aroma of brown sugar, then the slightly sour taste of preserved plum slowly seeped out. The two flavors intertwined on her tongue, making her squint her eyes comfortably.

"Mmm..." she mumbled indistinctly, her little voice full of satisfaction, as she sucked on the candy, "So sweet... and a little sour, so delicious!"

As she spoke, she held the candy gift box tightly in her arms, nodding her little head. Her greedy yet adorable appearance made Lin Lang and Zhao Liying laugh.

Lin Lang squatted down and gently pinched Xiao Zhiyi's chubby cheeks with his fingertips, teasing her on purpose: "My darling daughter, have you missed your father?"

Little Zhiyi smiled, her eyes crinkling with a hint of candy, and nodded her little head, mumbling, "I want to!"

Lin Lang smiled and pressed further, "So, did you just say it, or did you really think it?"

"I've been thinking about it!" Little Zhiyi reached out her chubby little hand and gently touched Lin Lang's cheek, her eyes full of dependence on her father.

"Oh? Between Father and candy, which smells better?" Lin Lang raised an eyebrow, deliberately putting on a stern face.

Xiao Zhiyi's eyes darted around, and she leaned close to his ear, saying in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Father smells better! But candy is sweet too."

After saying that, Xiao Zhiyi winked at Lin Lang, her clever look exactly the same as Chu Yiren's occasional slyness.

Lin Lang burst into laughter at his daughter's antics, pulling her into his arms and tickling her: "You little rascal, where did you learn to be so sweet-talking?"

Xiao Zhiyi squirmed in Lin Lang's arms, laughing loudly, almost dropping the candy gift box in her hand.

"It was my mother who taught me! She said that if I act cute with my father, he'll agree to anything!"

Standing to the side, Zhao Liying thought enviously, "Will the daughters and sons I give birth to for Lin Lang be as cute as Tian'er and Yi'er, and as beloved by Lin Lang?"

Before Zhao Liying could think further, she saw Xiao Haotian holding a piece of nougat high in his hand, looking up with his delicate, pretty face, and saying in a childish voice, "Auntie Zhao, you can have some candy too."

Zhao Liying didn't expect Xiao Haotian to be so sensible.

She smiled and took the nougat from his hand, holding it in her palm. Then she gently stroked Lin Haotian's face and coaxed, "Thank you, baby. Tian'er is such a good boy. How come you're so sensible?"

Lin Haotian puffed out his chest and replied, "That's what the Crown Prince's tutor taught me. You should greet your elders and share good things. Yesterday, the Crown Prince's tutor also taught me that as the Crown Prince, I should know the rules and etiquette so that I can protect the country in the future."

Zhao Liying was startled upon hearing this.

She hadn't expected Xiao Haotian to be so composed in his speech, unlike an ordinary child.

They are clearly being raised according to the standards of a crown prince.

She looked at Lin Lang, who was trying to cheer up his daughter, and suddenly realized that Lin Lang and Chu Yiren probably had planned to keep their eldest son, Lin Haotian, in ancient times so that he could inherit the throne and become the ruler of a country.

As he was pondering, Lin Haotian looked up again, holding up his empty little hand: "Aunt Zhao, Mother said that when I grow up a bit more, Father will conquer all the territories in East Asia, Europe and America, and the whole world will be the royal land of my Shanghai Kingdom."

That earnest little face really does have the air of a future monarch.

Zhao Liying smiled and ruffled Xiao Haotian's hair, but inwardly she was amazed.

It seems that once the children of the Lin family grow up and possess the superpower of time travel, they will be able to bring firearms to ancient times and conquer all the countries in the world. Even then, the land and resources of the entire world will not be enough for the many children of the Lin family to divide up.

After reading it aloud, Zhao Liying sweetly coaxed, "This vast land needs someone to protect it, and Tian'er must be the Crown Prince of Shanghai who is so highly regarded."

After hearing this, Xiao Haotian smiled sweetly with a bewildered and childlike expression, his cheeks puffed out like a little hamster, as he ate the nougat with relish.

Being born into the right family is a skill, and Lin Haotian, as Lin Lang's eldest son, is clearly destined for immeasurable achievements in his future life.

At the same time, Lin Lang pulled Xiao Zhiyi back into his arms, gently smoothing the stray hairs at her temples with his fingertips, his tone gentle yet serious: "Yi'er, have you been slacking off while studying with your teacher lately?"

Xiao Zhiyi immediately straightened her little body and answered in a childish but serious voice, "No! I have memorized all the 'Essentials of Politics' that the teacher taught me. I even discussed 'the people are the foundation of the state' with Mother yesterday."

A hint of approval flashed in Lin Lang's eyes as he continued, "Then what should be done if a region suffers a disaster, but its granaries are embezzled by corrupt officials?"

Xiao Zhiyi tilted her head and thought for a moment, then gently tapped her chin with her little finger. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she answered crisply, "First, send the secret guards to investigate. Don't make a fuss. Get evidence that the corrupt official embezzled disaster relief grain, and also write down the names of the people he colluded with."

"Then let the Censorate openly 'inspect the disaster situation,' open the granaries in front of the people—if there is a shortage of grain, show the evidence and ask the people, 'Do we need such officials?'"

She paused, her little brows furrowing like a little adult: "If the people say no, then execute the corrupt official and confiscate his property to replenish the granary."

“Open the imperial granaries again to distribute grain and tell the people, ‘The court remembers you.’”

"Oh, and we also need to root out all the accomplices of corrupt officials, so that other officials can see that when they embezzle life-saving grain, not even bones are left!"

After saying that, she blinked her big eyes and tilted her little face up to add: "Mother also said that to punish corrupt officials, we should not only kill them, but also let the people watch them being killed, so that they know that the court is protecting them; we should also make the officials fear, so that they know which money they cannot touch."

Lin Lang laughed loudly upon hearing this, and bounced his daughter around in his arms: "My darling daughter, your methods of governing officials are even more comprehensive than your father's!"

Xiao Zhiyi giggled, regaining her childlike innocence and cuteness.

Lin Lang continued, "In the imperial court, civil officials always say that military officials consume too much grain, while military officials scold civil officials for talking nonsense and ruining the country. They argue endlessly. What should be done?"

“Let the civil officials go to the border for three months and see how difficult it is for the military officers to endure the cold wind and sand,” Xiao Zhiyi said, patting Lin Lang’s arm with her little hand. “Then let the military officers go to the Ministry of Revenue to calculate the accounts and see if the collected grain is enough to feed the troops and provide disaster relief.”

"They've experienced each other's difficulties, so they stopped arguing," Xiao Zhiyi said, then smiled sweetly again.

Lin Lang was very satisfied with what he heard and then asked several more questions about checks and balances on power and how to appease the people.

Although Xiao Zhiyi's answers were childlike, they were all to the point, revealing a wisdom far beyond her years.

Lin Lang was increasingly satisfied as he listened, and couldn't help but give Xiao Zhiyi a loving kiss on the forehead, praising, "My good daughter, you're so smart, well said!"

Zhao Liying, who was standing to the side, was dumbfounded. When Lin Lang stopped asking questions, she hesitated before speaking. She was about to call him "husband" when she suddenly changed her mind.

"Your Majesty, why...why are you teaching Yi'er these imperial arts? She is, after all, a girl..."

Lin Lang put Xiao Zhiyi down and let her play with her brother, while he leaned close to Zhao Liying's ear and whispered very softly.

"I won't lie to you. Yi'er and Crown Prince Li Hong of the Tang Dynasty have already been betrothed since childhood. When she comes of age, she will marry into the Eastern Palace and become the Crown Princess."

Zhao Liying's heart skipped a beat, and she said in a low voice, "But Li Hong was destined to die of illness!"

Lin Lang said, "Li Hong is my godson. I treat him as my own son and do not want him to die young. After my elder brother Li Zhi passes away, Hong will inherit the throne and Yi'er will be the empress."

“Uh…” Zhao Liying was stunned.

A cold glint flashed in Lin Lang's eyes: "After Hong'er becomes emperor, before he dies, I will pave the way for Yi'er in the court. After Hong'er dies, Yi'er will follow the example of Wu Zetian, ascend the throne and become the ruler of this Tang Dynasty."

"What?!" Zhao Liying covered her mouth in shock, her voice trembling. "Then... what about the original Empress Wu Zetian?"

"With me here, Wu Zetian can't overturn the world. I'll make her go offline and get her lunchbox in no time." Lin Lang's tone was calm but carried an undeniable certainty. "At that time, the Li family's empire will be changed to the Lin family."

Zhao Liying was shocked when she heard this. She never dared to dream that Lin Lang and Chu Yiren's eldest daughter, Lin Zhiyi, would be entrusted with such an amazing plan since childhood!

She suddenly realized that she had never truly understood the man beside her.