Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

Lin Jiao moved her foot back and forth when her brother asked her not to do so.

“Father, I will talk with Lin Jiao,” Lin Yongyi said and gazed at his sister.

“Father told me to understand the value of money when I was having fun. When I accepted Father’s challenge to prove to him that I could also earn, Father wants me to sit at home,” Lin Jiao said and twitched her lips.

“Father did not say that, Lin Jiao. You were spending money making bets with random men in the betting house. Did you have any idea how much we all were criticized? Mother didn’t raise us this way,” Lin Yongyi explained the situation to his sister.

“Brother Yongyi, it was fun to make bets,” Lin Jiao murmured. “When the men from noble families can enjoy themselves, then why can’t I? This is so wrong,” Lin Jiao said in her rebellious tone.

Lin Yongyi shook his head and gazed at his father.

“That’s why it is the time you should get married. The Fourth Prince, Prince Mingquan is coming to see my daughter. He will be here in an hour,” Lin Wujian affirmed.

“What??!” Lin Jiao exclaimed in shock. “I do not want to marry, Father. I am only 22. I have yet to enjoy my life,” she rebelled against her father’s decision.

.....

“I do not want to listen to you this time, Lin Jiao,” Lin Wujian asserted. “Rui Chun, take Lin Jiao to her room and make sure she gets ready in beautiful attire,” He ordered the personal assistant, who was appointed in Lin Jiao’s service.

“Father, what if I tell the Fourth Prince I do not want to marry him?” Lin Jiao asked.

“I will keep bringing more marriage proposals for you,” Lin Wujian replied.

“Does Father not love me?” Lin Jiao asked and crossed her arms. “I will not marry anyone. I am not interested in men,” she annoyingly said.

“Did this girl even have any idea what she’s speaking?” Lin Wujian caught his head and told Lin Jiao not to behave that way.

“Father made me behave that way,” Lin Jiao stated.

“Prince Mingquan is the most humble Prince in this Kingdom. The way he talks shows the sweetness in him and his kind gesture wins everyone’s hearts. You should not look down on this marriage proposal. If you love your father, go and get ready,” Lin Wujian affirmed.

Lin Yongyi asked his father to calm down and then told Lin Jiao to listen to their father. Lin Jiao pulled up a long face and walked out of the room.

“She is turning rebellious with each passing day,” Lin Wujian stated.

“Father, she is still a kid. She will surely start to understand things after meeting her future husband,” Lin Yongyi assured his father.

“Son, I think she will try to ruin this meeting,” Lin Wujian said while panicking. His loyal servant handed him the medicine and asked his master not to be worried.

“What if Prince Mingquan refuses to marry her? We do not know yet if he will like Lin Jiao. If she didn’t behave the way she should, then it might create a problem.” Lin Yongyi’s forehead furrowed.

“I wish her mother was alive. I think she behaves this way because of her mother’s absence. I could not either give her my time fully,” Lin Wujian said with a worried expression.

“Father, that is not the issue. Lin Jiao loves to go against the flow from a young age. How could Father forget what she did when she was eight years old,” Lin Yongyi reminded his father, who immediately remembered the day when Lin Jiao came with the dirty clothes.

“She beat up the son of my close friend and then threw mud on him. He laughed at her for not having a mother and–” Lin Wujian ended up laughing as he reminisced those memories.

Lin Yongyi smiled along with his father and said, “She doesn’t bear any kind of injustice. Also, she doesn’t care if society is dominated by men. She has her own set of rules which makes her different. I think Prince Mingquan will surely like those remarkable qualities of my sister.” He was confident that Mingquan would go forward with this proposal.

~~~~

Mingquan hopped down the horse as he was welcomed by the Lin family head and son.

“The Fourth Prince is welcomed in the Lin residence,” Lin Wujian said with a smile.

“Mother told me about it, and I could not refuse her,” Mingquan said and they walked in. Lin Yongyi gestured to the servant to check on Lin Jiao. They headed to the guest room.

After Mingquan took his seat, Lin Wujian and Yongyi settled at their respective places.

The servants brought tea, various kinds of snacks, and sweets for Mingquan. As the tea was served to them, Mingquan asked Lin Wujian to drink first.

“After Your Highness,” Lin Wujian said.

Mingquan picked up the teacup and brought it to his mouth. He sipped the tea, and after Mingquan, they both lifted their cups.

“Bring Lin Jiao here,” Lin Wujian said to his loyal servant.

Mingquan picked up a sweet to taste and heard Lin Wujian say, “Your Highness, my daughter is a cheerful girl. I hope he will like meeting her. If she makes any mistake, please forgive her.”

Mingquan smiled and nodded his head.

He took a bite of the sweet he was holding and placed it on the small porcelain plate. He liked the taste and waited for Lin Jiao to arrive.

“Your Highness, my daughter is here,” Lin Wujian informed him.

Mingquan shifted his gaze from the sweet to the door and found a familiar face in front of him.

The woman who asked him to wash fabrics with her was none other than Lin Jiao!