Winter arrived swiftly, and just as Fu An County Princess had begun to recover, the biting wind sent her health spiraling downhill once more.
A ceaseless stream of expensive medicines was dispatched to the Ying Chuan Prince's mansion in the capital.
Meanwhile, Lin Yan had become virtually invisible in the Hanlin Academy. She had already communicated with Prince Ying Chuan's household, and a preliminary consensus had been reached.
When An An turned twelve, he finally received his formal name, Zhao Hao. Although the name was bestowed, it was not yet entered into the family genealogy, known only to a select few.
"Summer, all things flourish, their essence vast and boundless, thus it is called Hao Tian."
From this character, one could discern Prince Ying Chuan's expectations for the child.
Over these past months, Lin Yan had also had the opportunity to peruse the imperial records of the current dynasty, uncovering subtle clues.
The Emperor, having ascended the throne through questionable means, naturally feared for the stability of his position. As for Prince Ying Chuan, though he had previously harbored no ambition for the throne, he was the late Emperor's designated successor.
The former Emperor's untimely and rapid demise had allowed the current Emperor to seize the opportunity. This was why he paid such close attention to Prince Ying Chuan.
Moreover, among the Emperor's sons of this generation, only he and Prince Ying Chuan remained alive. Prince Ying Chuan, too, was left without a male heir, with only one daughter surviving. The reasons for this were self-evident.
As for the identity of the one who had acted in secret, Lin Yan had begun to form some ideas. However, lacking influence within the imperial harem, she could only rely on Prince Ying Chuan's household to investigate.
After his twelfth birthday, Zhao Hao (An An)'s health gradually improved. Though still frail, he was now able to receive visitors.
However, he disliked wearing women's clothing in public and thus rarely ventured out, affording outsiders few opportunities to glimpse his appearance.
His improving health, however, was something the Emperor vehemently wished to avoid. He made numerous secret trips to a dilapidated palace, and although he concealed his movements each time, his presence was still detected.
Prince Ying Chuan's informants within the palace relayed this information. Upon receiving it, Lin Yan was able to deduce the identity of the person residing in the abandoned palace.
The occupant of the ruined palace must surely be a concubine of the imperial harem. Among all the concubines who had served the Emperor, only the mother of the male protagonist was a suspect.
Although the male protagonist's mother was dead, the cause of her death remained a mystery. Coupled with the fact that the abandoned palace had once been her residence, it was highly suspicious.
Even without seeing the individual, Lin Yan was eighty percent certain of her identity.
This explained why the male protagonist, despite enjoying the Emperor's favor, had not been designated as the heir.
It also explained why the male protagonist, who was so cherished due to his mother, had never had any trace of his mother within the imperial harem.
Lin Yan shared this speculation with Prince Ying Chuan's household and dispatched people to thoroughly investigate the dilapidated palace.
However, despite the palace's ruinous state, its security was exceptionally stringent. The informants dared not approach too closely, only managing to cautiously observe from a distance.
Therefore, confirming the individual's true identity was impossible for the moment. Yet, confirmation was not entirely necessary; knowing her whereabouts was sufficient.
Meanwhile, the male protagonist remained oblivious to the potential predicament of his imperial mother.
He was currently quite intrigued by Miss Wang, not only for her beauty but also for her disposition.
Especially her blush-tinted cheeks after he had teased her, which he found incredibly endearing.
Wang Linlang, however, found such individuals immensely vexing. Especially when he was so oblivious to her reactions. Yet, due to his noble status, Wang Linlang had no means to refuse him.
She was staying at her maternal grandparents' home and did not wish to cause them any trouble, so she confined herself indoors.
But no matter when she ventured out, she would encounter him. Even if she remained at home, gifts would still be delivered to her.
This incessantly bothered Wang Linlang, leaving her unsure how to handle him. She had rebuked him, but she could not resort to violence. Even if she wanted to inform her male cousins, she knew they would be powerless to seek justice for her.
It was then that she truly realized she had arrived in a world with a rigid social hierarchy and absolute imperial power. If this were her own modern society, she could have easily sought help from the police.
And everyone would have stood by her side, protecting her from such an overconfident man.
Now, she could only silently endure his harassment. It was harassment, wasn't it? At the very least, his actions had made her unhappy, so everything he did was harassment to her.
Wang Linlang's greatest concern now was her fear that he might use his influence to force a marriage. If he were to solicit an imperial decree for marriage, everyone would side with him, compelling her to marry him.
It wasn't even about marriage in the conventional sense, as he was a prince, a royal. Even becoming a secondary consort would be coveted by many.
And she, a daughter abandoned by her father and neglected by her stepmother, an orphan, why wouldn't it be advantageous to secure a royal alliance through her?
Wang Linlang now only wished to quickly extinguish this prince's curiosity towards her, and hoped he would swiftly shift his focus and leave her, a mere nobody, alone.
Although Wang Linlang had transmigrated to this world, she had no aspirations of being a female protagonist.
Nor did she entertain the notion of those heroines in transmigration novels who were adored by emperors and princes alike, or who achieved grand victories after their transmigration. She had never considered such things.
All she desired was a peaceful existence. Though she lacked parental affection, her maternal family treated her with great kindness. She cherished her current life.
Her only wish was for a tranquil existence. With the dowry left by her mother and the familial love of her maternal grandparents, her life was far happier than struggling alone in the modern era.
When he came to pester her again this time, Wang Linlang desperately wanted to seek help, but there was no one to assist her.
She glanced around, but everyone either watched with amusement or averted their gaze.
Wang Linlang abandoned the idea of seeking help from others and began to feign compliance with the prince.
Lin Yan happened to pass by and witnessed the prince and the female protagonist entangled on the street. Though Lin Yan had no intention of interfering, she could not help but intervene when she saw the pleading look in the female protagonist's eyes.
As a woman herself, Lin Yan understood the female protagonist's discomfort. While she did not wish to meddle in the romantic affairs of the male and female leads, she could not bear to see a woman being bullied in such a manner.
"Your Highness, what business do you have here? The street is crowded, and it would be unfortunate if you were to be jostled," Lin Yan stepped forward, interrupting Zhao Yanxiang's actions.
"And who might you be?" he asked, frowning at this meddler.
"Your humble servant is Lin Yan, a compiler in the Hanlin Academy. Greetings to Your Highness!" Lin Yan bowed to him.