A goddess dwells in my heart.

Chapter 22: Is the Crown Princess My Childhood Sweetheart?

Lin Zhengge's gaze slowly swept over everyone, a faint smile playing on her lips:

"You have all come from afar and must be tired. The Lin family has prepared accommodations for you, and a welcome banquet has also been arranged. However, the officials of the Demon Slayer Division have not yet all arrived. We will attend the banquet together once everyone has arrived. In the meantime, you may familiarize yourselves with your disguises to avoid giving anything away."

Her voice was clear and melodious, carrying the elegance of a noble lady. Her peach blossom eyes sparkled, captivating many of the men from the Demon Slayer Division, who unconsciously straightened their backs.

Zhu Yang stepped forward and handed over a roster: "I am Zhu Yang, the commander of the Xuanwu Eight Banners. This is the list of our proposed disguises. Please take a look, Second Miss."

Lin Zhengge took it, her jade-like fingers lightly turning the pages. Her gaze lingered on the list for a moment before she closed it and nodded, saying:

"Thank you for your trouble, Commander Zhu. In that case, I will not disturb you any longer. If you need anything, please feel free to instruct the servants."

After she finished speaking, she gave a graceful bow to everyone, and then walked away with her maid. The hem of her pale yellow skirt swayed gently with her steps, outlining her slender and graceful figure.

Only when that pale yellow hue disappeared at the end of the corridor did everyone turn their attention away.

Lin Yuexi whispered to Lu Zheji at that moment:

"Brother, Lin Zhengge seems to be elegant, but he didn't mention the investigation at all. He only told us to pay attention to the disguise. He is indeed arrogant because of his family background."

Lu Zheji absentmindedly hummed in agreement, his mind still preoccupied with the scene from just moments ago.

Lin Zhengge's gaze lingered on him more than once, though each time was brief and almost imperceptible, he did feel it.

Why does the Crown Princess keep looking at him? Is it because he's handsome?

Or... does she know him?

Considering their family backgrounds, this possibility is extremely high.

The Zhenbei Prince's Mansion and the Lin family's fiefdom are adjacent, both being top noble families in the Northern Wei Dynasty. It's perfectly normal for the two families to have interactions; they might even have been childhood sweethearts who played in the mud together when they were young.

He silently shared his speculation with the goddess, and after a moment of silence in the Bronze Sparrow Terrace, a cool and indifferent reply came:

"You did meet her a few times when you were young, but it was just ordinary interaction between sons of noble families, and you didn't have any real relationship. Besides, you were both children then, and your features are quite different from how they are now. She probably wouldn't recognize you."

"Is that so?" Lu Zheji rubbed his chin, pondered for a moment, and came to the only conclusion, "Sure enough, she only sees me because I'm too handsome. Sigh, there's nothing I can do, being too charming has always been my biggest problem."

goddess:"……"

As Lu Zheji was lamenting, an extremely unfriendly gaze suddenly shot over from the side, followed by a slightly frivolous voice:

"Hello, who is this?"

Lu Zheji looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young man in brocade clothes looking at him sideways. The young man was about twenty years old and had a handsome face, but his eyes and brows carried the arrogance and frivolity of a playboy.

Yang Xinyong walked up to Lu Zheji and said in an unfriendly tone, "When Miss Lin was here just now, you kept staring at her, your eyes practically popping out of your head. What, a toad trying to eat swan meat?"

Lu Zheji wasn't the only one staring at Lin Zhenge just now. This future crown princess was so beautiful, with such alluring looks and those naturally affectionate peach blossom eyes, how many men couldn't bear to look at her less?

But Yang Xinyong keenly noticed that Lin Zhengge's smiling eyes would linger for a very brief moment each time they swept over Lu Zheji.

The face before me had sword-like eyebrows and bright, star-like eyes; it was almost too handsome. Standing in a crowd, it made everyone else look rather pathetic.

Without a doubt, this person will be an obstacle to his trip.

Lu Zheji didn't even frown; he merely glanced at him, as if looking at a wild dog barking in his way.

"Who do you think you are, to know my name?"

Yang Xinyong choked, and his face immediately darkened.

Zhu Yang reacted quickly, stepping between the two and putting on a smile to smooth things over: "Calm down, you two. We're all on the same side. With important matters at hand, let's not cause any trouble and make a fool of ourselves in front of our host."

At the same time, he transmitted his voice to Yang Xinyong:

"Yang Xiaoqi, this is a young master from the Wang family, a man of noble birth. Do not act rashly."

A flicker of surprise crossed Yang Xinyong's eyes, but he quickly reverted to his flippant tone and laughed, "Just kidding. Didn't Miss Lin ask us to familiarize ourselves with our disguises? I played the role of a playboy who's infatuated with her. How was it? Realistic, right?"

The crowd, who had been waiting to watch the show, couldn't hold back any longer. To be honest, this playboy was quite a character.

Without waiting for Lu Zheji's response, Yang Xinyong chuckled and turned to leave without any hesitation.

He wasn't really afraid of the so-called princes and nobles. The Divine Sword Sect was no pushover either. In Southern Wei, apart from the Crown Prince who kept a low profile and never even showed his face, there was no member of the Lu family who was worth his excessive fear.

However, the family's trip was intended to allow him to curry favor with Miss Lin, and the relationship between the Lin and Lu families was common knowledge. It was obvious which side the Lin family would side with if he rashly made an enemy of the Lu family members at this moment.

So, when Miss Lin glanced at this man a few times earlier, could it be... that he was an old acquaintance?

Zhu Yang breathed a sigh of relief, walked to Lu Zheji's side, and whispered:

"Young master, I know you are of noble status, but this is, after all, someone else's territory. As the saying goes, even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake. It's best to avoid causing trouble."

Lu Zheji glanced at him, then suddenly smiled:

"Do you know what was the hardest part for me when I was facing him just now?"

Zhu Yang shook his head.

"You're trying not to laugh." Lu Zheji's lips curled into a playful smile. "It's been a long time since anyone has been able to make me laugh like this."

This mere celebratory banquet for students was intended to invite people from all directions. Anyone who knows that the Southern Wei court is currently preparing for unification, combined with the sudden rumors about the Crown Princess, can deduce that the essence of this celebratory banquet is the same as calling a deer a horse: it's all about seeing which faction has taken sides.

Because the Hehuan Sect was in decline, it failed to grasp this meaning and blindly rushed in. Wasn't the Shenjian Sect just as bad as the pot calling the kettle black?

Yin Siyue directly told him her identity as the Crown Princess, but the纨绔 (playboy) from the Divine Sword Sect was trying to seduce this future Crown Princess...

Tsk tsk, they're still just players who haven't even sat down at the card table yet.

Anyway, Lin Zhengge wasn't familiar with him, so he was happy to wait and see what happened.

Lu Zheji was in a great mood and no longer cared about the provocation from the man surnamed Yang. He walked into the manor with his hands behind his back.

Because of this minor incident, everyone's attention was focused on Lu Zheji and Yang Xinyong. No one noticed that at the edge of the crowd, Liu Changtian stared blankly in the direction Lin Zhenge had left, his face full of disbelief and a hint of... disorientation.

……

The welcoming banquet was held in an open pavilion overlooking the water at the Lin Family Manor. The moonlight was soft and gentle outside the window, and the water rippled gently. Inside the pavilion, the lights were bright, delicacies were laid out, and the aroma of fine wine filled the air.

Most of those sitting here are veterans who have been working in the Demon Slayer Division for many years. After a few cups of spirit wine, their initial restraint has dissipated by seven or eight parts, and their conversation has gradually become more lively.

Lin Zhengge sat upright in the main seat. She had changed into a smoky blue long dress with a silver silk belt tied around her waist, making her already slender waist appear even more delicate and highlighting the extraordinary curves of her upper body.

After several rounds of drinks, she lightly tapped the table with her delicate fingers, drawing everyone's attention.

"Gentlemen, you have come a long way and have had a long journey. I thank you for that. As for the matter of the Empty Void Young Master, you don't need to worry too much. A mere fourth-realm cultivator is nothing to our Lin family. All you need to do on this trip is remember to disguise yourselves and not easily reveal your whereabouts in front of others. The Lin family will take care of the rest of the investigation and vigilance. You don't need to worry about it."

Upon hearing this, the sounds of clinking glasses and toasts at the table immediately ceased.

Lin Yuexi snorted coldly, her tone slightly icy: "Does Miss Lin mean to say we're a burden?"

Lin Zhengge's tone remained gentle, yet she did not yield an inch: "Inspector, please do not misunderstand. The Lin family does not need support. We are not so destitute that we need to fear a mere flower thief. The reason we have asked you all to intervene is because the imperial court insists on getting involved in this matter. I am merely following orders."

She maintained that impeccable, dignified smile throughout, but the meaning behind her words couldn't be more straightforward—it wasn't me who asked you to come, it was the imperial court that forced you here, you can stay if you want, just don't get in the way.

Lu Zheji sat in the back seat, listening expressionlessly.

He had seen this kind of trick of the Hehuan Sect many times in his previous life on the Internet. Isn't this a typical case of opportunistic marketing? If you even glance at him, others will think that you are on the same level as him.

Sending only a fourth-realm cultivator to spread the word was a brilliant move. The Lin family couldn't possibly gamble that the Hehuan Sect had really only sent a fourth-realm cultivator, but if they deployed their defenses as if facing a formidable enemy, the Hehuan Sect could then spread the word that they only needed one fourth-realm cultivator to terrify the old Nine Heavens Sect into chaos.

The Hehuan Sect had a brilliant plan, but they never expected that the chessboard itself was flawed.

The organization that will host this celebratory banquet is not the Lin family, but the imperial court. The attendees will not be ordinary people exchanging pleasantries, but influential figures from various powerful factions. If the people from the Hehuan Sect were to actually come, they would probably be terrified to the sight of so many powerful figures gathered in the room.

Therefore, the Lin family did not care about the threat from the Hehuan Sect at all. It was only because the imperial court could not afford to lose that they forced the Demon Slayer Division to come and investigate. The Lin family was obviously quite unhappy about this.

The logic is sound, but saying it to someone's face is rather unpleasant to hear.

Lu Zheji looked around and, sure enough, saw that his colleagues' expressions were not very good.

Everyone had come all this way to protect Miss Lin's safety, but she said to his face, "I don't need you." No matter how beautiful Miss Lin was, apart from the turtle who couldn't move when he saw a pretty woman, who wouldn't feel resentful?

Seeing that the atmosphere at the banquet was about to cool down, Lin Zhengge smiled again: "However, since you have all come from afar, it is difficult to refuse your kindness. Although the Lin family does not need to provide assistance, we cannot be ungrateful for this sentiment. After the banquet, each of you may freely choose a First Realm Demon Heart in the manor as a token of our gratitude. This is nothing but a token of our respect."

"The Second Miss is so generous!"

"Thank you so much for your generous gift, Second Miss!"

"As expected of the Nine Heavens Family, their actions are truly extraordinary!"

The demon slayers, who had just been frowning, all changed their expressions in unison. They beamed with joy, as if they had just seen their own mothers, showering each other with praise, a hundred times more enthusiastic than when they were toasting earlier.

More important than simply getting a first-realm demon heart for free is the phrase "choose at will".

The Wanling Sect is renowned for its cultivation of demonic beasts. The demonic beasts specifically bred for medicinal purposes possess demonic hearts that are several times more potent than those of wild demonic beasts of the same level. What's even more remarkable is that they can select demonic hearts with attributes that match their own cultivation path.

However, correspondingly, the price of such high-quality demon hearts is several times higher. Normally, it would take several years of accumulating merit points in the Demon Slayer Division to exchange for just one. And those present were from the local Demon Slayer Division plus three supporting flag teams, totaling over ninety people—quite a sum!

Just as Lu Zheji picked up his wine cup, Lin Zhengge's voice rang out again, unhurriedly: "By the way, the Lin family has always had a rule that whenever there is a celebration, the clan members must personally kill a demon beast on the arena and, according to custom, publicly extract and consume its heart in order to qualify for the competition. I see that quite a few of you will be playing Lin family members, so you might as well practice a few more times beforehand to avoid being rusty on the day."

Lin Zhengge's unspoken meaning was that he was afraid these imposters would make a fool of themselves in front of everyone, causing the Lin family to be ridiculed.

But at this moment, everyone's attention was not on that.

"Holy crap! Can I have another serving of Demon Heart?"

"These guys are incredibly lucky!"

Jealousy has distorted me beyond recognition!

Those demon slayers disguised as members of the Lin family were so excited that their faces turned red. It was like a pie falling from the sky, and it fell twice in a row!

Lu Zheji's hand holding the wine cup tightened slightly. The custom of publicly dissecting and consuming the demon's heart after slaughtering a monster was perfectly aligned with the idea of ​​"demonizing your heart." He was openly killing and eating on the spot, and others would simply assume he was following the ancient customs of the Lin family, without arousing any suspicion.

Another thought quietly surfaced in her mind, and she immediately received a faint response from the goddess.

The task of unlocking the second chain of the first realm requires killing five enemies of the first realm. He didn't have the opportunity when he was in Chang'an, but now that he has stepped into this manor full of monsters, it is a godsend.

……

In a secluded hall deep within the villa, candlelight shone brightly.

The steward bowed and stood before the desk, opening the register in his hand and reporting to each of the demon slayers disguised as members of the Lin family what demon beasts they had chosen.

Lin Zhengge leaned back in the armchair, one hand supporting her chin, her peach blossom eyes half-closed, listening listlessly until a certain message reached her ears, at which point her slender white finger suddenly stopped.

"You said... what did Lin Chensha choose?"

The steward glanced down at the roster, his lips twitching slightly. "Reporting to Second Miss, Young Master Lin Chensha has chosen the white-fat pig."

The White Fat Pig is a edible demon beast specifically bred by the Lin family. Its meat is plump and its blood and qi are abundant, making it perfect for body cultivation. It is the most mainstream demon beast ingredient.

Lin Zhengge narrowed her eyes, a faint hint of coldness flashing in her gentle, smiling peach blossom eyes: "I told them to be realistic about their abilities and not to choose overly powerful demonic beasts, lest they get hurt and embarrass themselves. But he went too far, choosing a pig? Doesn't he fear being laughed at?"

The steward quickly explained, "Second Miss, it's because I mentioned that the slaughtered monsters would be served on the table. He said we should just use the white-fat pigs specifically for consumption, and he specifically instructed us to bring the biggest pig possible."

Lin Zhengge remained silent for a moment, then parted her red lips slightly:

"Since he asked for it himself, then so be it and bring out the biggest breeding pig in the manor."

The steward looked utterly astonished: "Second Miss, that beast is incredibly strong and has thick skin. If we make a mistake, it might seriously injure you."

Most people's impression of white-fat pigs is limited to the braised pork on the dinner table.

But few people have thought about it carefully. Since it is a monster specially bred to supply blood and qi, how could its own blood and qi not be strong under targeted cultivation? In addition, the thick hide of the white fat boar can be used as a by-product to make armor. This thing is much more difficult to deal with than wild boar monsters in a real fight.

To produce meat quickly, ordinary commercial pigs are slaughtered after two years, their bodies not yet fully developed before they are served on the table. The breeding pig, however, is not only carefully selected for its strong bloodline, but has also grown to an unbelievable size after years of feeding.

On a fighting arena where space to hide is limited, it's no joke that cultivators below the third realm can be killed by the very food they're used to eating.

Lin Zhengge sneered, "He deserved to be run over!"

Could the second young lady have some grudge against this person...? The steward dared not ask any further questions and quickly bowed, "Yes, I understand. I will make the arrangements immediately."

Having said that, he turned to leave.

"Wait a minute." Lin Zhengge suddenly called out to him again.

The steward immediately stopped, turned around, and stood at attention with his hands at his sides.

Lin Zhengge looked out the window, her tone carrying a barely perceptible awkwardness:

"Have higher-level cultivators guard the arena, just in case they actually get bumped into."

"...Yes." The steward bowed again, but inwardly wondered: Is there a grudge between them or not?

After the steward left the quiet room, the door was gently closed, leaving Lin Zhengge alone in the room.

She still leaned back in the armchair, her long black hair cascading down her shoulders. Moonlight streamed through the carved window, casting a cool glow on half of her face, making her delicate, porcelain-like skin appear even more radiant than snow.

She gazed at the swaying bamboo shadows in the courtyard outside the window, and after a long while, she let out a barely audible hum:

"My brain isn't very sharp to begin with..."

"Don't let it make you even more stupid."