The Useless Miracle Doctor Consort Is Spoiled Rotten by the Prince!

Capítulo 1705: Chapter 1698: Lin Sisi’s Melancholy

It was that Miss Chu who recently took interest in observing the women’s martial training. Yang Xianhui and Fu Yuan received her guidance as well.

Though the two carried some of the arrogance of tigresses from families of generals, Lin Sisi proved her strength and won their complete admiration.

After instructing Yang Xianhui and Fu Yuan, Lin Sisi went to meet Lin Aotian.

Unlike Chu Jinling, she never intended to keep secrets from her father.

When Lin Aotian saw her, his face lit up with joy, the wrinkles deepening as he smiled. “Come, come, sit down! Don’t tire yourself out!”

“Thank you, General Lin!”

Lin Sisi responded politely and walked past Ye Hongru to follow Lin Aotian into the inner chambers to rest.

Lin Aotian had prepared good wine and dishes, thinking to drink and feast happily with her.

Father and daughter hadn’t sat together for a meal in a very long time.

He had never thought that he would once again share food and drink with his daughter.

“Father, I can’t drink wine. Let me accompany you with water instead.”

Lin Sisi removed the wine jar.

Lin Aotian nodded, poured himself a cup, and after drinking, sighed with contentment, “Among all women, you are the best drinker!

The entire military camp’s men couldn’t outdrink you! Back in those days…”

Seeing Lin Sisi again overwhelmed Lin Aotian with a flood of emotions and countless memories to recount.

“Father, those days are long gone. Now that I can spend a little more time with you, this is all that remains. Two years later, I’m not even sure if I’ll still be alive.” Lin Sisi’s voice carried guilt.

She managed to preserve her life but could not fulfill her filial duties consistently—a deep regret buried in her heart.

Lin Aotian rubbed his rough hand against his eyes. “It’s okay! I still have Prince Ling here! He’s just like my own son—such a good child!”

“Hasn’t he stopped visiting you recently?” Lin Sisi asked upon hearing of him.

She actually wanted to tell her father, “Mother has been gone for years. You could marry again. If you feel lonely, you could adopt a child or two so that someone is always by your side.”

Her mother had died early, leaving her and her father to depend on each other and go to war together.

Now, though she had returned to life, she didn’t even know how long she could survive. Her father remained alone, and she couldn’t stop worrying.

“Your Highness Ling is a very good child. Although he hasn’t come lately, during the two years when you weren’t here, he often visited me. He cared for me like Imperial Consort Xiao, with so much concern. Father is satisfied.”

Lin Aotian spoke, unwilling to upset Lin Sisi, though he truthfully added, “I also heard recently that he brought a new concubine into the prince’s mansion and is deeply fond of her. It’s reasonable that he hasn’t come to see me!

After all, you two never married. He’s a distinguished prince and isn’t obligated, isn’t that right?”

“Yes, I don’t blame him. I just worry that Father will be alone in the future…”

“Enough! What’s all this talk about one person or two people? You’re still here, aren’t you? Father has a daughter, so there’s nothing to worry about!”

Lin Aotian stroked his beard and heavily patted Lin Sisi’s shoulder. “Come, drink well with your father!”

Lin Aotian drank heartily despite Lin Sisi holding only water, thoroughly enjoying himself.

Lin Sisi later had someone escort him back to the mansion.

That night, she walked alone through the silent streets.

Streetlamps along the roadside illuminated her way. There was no fog, no obstacles, yet she found the road ahead so hollow and helpless.

Over these years of survival, she had fought battles and faced storms, shining bright as the most renowned female general in the Great Cheng Dynasty.

Yet she had never thought she’d face such misery and sorrow one day.

She could no longer live as she once did—now, even staying alive felt laborious.

Day after day, consuming medicine, giving her utmost efforts.

But her so-called “utmost efforts” could actually accomplish so little. She couldn’t accompany her father openly, couldn’t train female soldiers with him, and had to avoid her beloved Jinling.

In the civilian world, rumors spread that Prince Ling finally had a woman he adored and had forgotten about her—a dead person.

Everyone seemed happy for him!

She should be happy for him too.

After all, what she wanted most was that, after her death, her loved ones would have others by their side, avoiding unbearable pain over her passing.

Yet as the cold night wind swept over, her heart remained enveloped in an icy chill.

“Jinling, I miss you so much…”

She wished she could hold him, lie beside him, wrap her arms around him while sleeping, pressing her heavy leg against him and listening to his childish complaints as he cradled her leg to make her comfortable.

She even wanted to bear Jinling’s child.

Before going to war, she had promised Jinling that upon her return, they’d have many, many children together, continuing the bloodlines of the General Manor and the prince’s mansion, even giving birth to a son who would bear her surname Lin.

Jinling, so gentle and lovely, agreed to everything.

Dutifully waiting for her in Jiang Du City.

But she had broken her promise.

Lin Sisi, tormented by her relentless anguish, wandered sleepless through the night.

The next day, she saw Lin Yu at Wangjiang Tower.

Lin Yu ran back crying, kneeling before Ye Hongru and pleading, “General Ye, let me return, please? I no longer wish to marry. I want to train hard and participate in the imperial examination, enlist in the army, and fight battles.”

“That wasn’t what you said before!”

Ye Hongru, with a stern face, shook off her hand. “You willingly chose to enter the prince’s mansion as a concubine, and I removed your name from the list. Whether you return or not is not up to me; it’s up to His Highness Ling.”

“I cannot meet His Highness Ling to plead with him. But General Ye, you can plead on my behalf!”

Lin Yu, red-eyed, implored bitterly, gritting her teeth inwardly, having had enough of life in the prince’s mansion.

That wasn’t the life she wanted!

It wasn’t!

“I told you it’s impossible!”

Ye Hongru, annoyed by her pestering, found himself temporarily at a loss for words.

“General Ye, please run this errand for her.”

Lin Sisi spoke up on Lin Yu’s behalf.

It wasn’t that Ye Hongru was unwilling to help; he was just torn. “Miss Chu, the prince’s concubines have statuses. Once registered in the prince’s mansion, their identity is bound to it—they cannot be easily recalled.”

This was precisely why he had vehemently opposed Lin Yu becoming a concubine in the first place.

The difference between being a concubine and having a free status was immense.

Lin Sisi understood this too but believed that Chu Jinling wasn’t someone unreasonable. He would certainly respect Lin Yu’s wish.

With reluctance, Ye Hongru mulled it over and eventually went to see Chu Jinling.

Lin Yu and Lin Sisi waited for his news at Wangjiang Tower.

Lin Sisi watched Lin Yu kneeling and crying on the ground. She handed her a handkerchief and told her to get up.

Lin Yu’s current predicament was something Lin Sisi hadn’t anticipated. She asked Lin Yu, “Weren’t you very fond of the prince and the idea of living a lavish life? Why have you changed your mind and want to come back?”

“Miss Chu, I was wrong before! I wasn’t firm enough! Such a lavish life is impossible for someone like me—a commoner—to dream of!

In this Jiang Du City, no matter which family I marry into, I’ll always be a woman of low status. Even if I win my husband’s love, when beauty fades, love will drift away. Days of happiness won’t last long; men cannot be relied upon for a lifetime!

I must have my own independence and strength!”