Chapter Seven: The Origin of the Kite

In the dimly lit room, the flickering light cast shadows on a striking woman clad in a blood-red dress, illuminating a face of breathtaking beauty. Beneath her flowing black hair lay an exquisitely flawless visage, a delicate nose, crimson lips, bright eyes, and pearly teeth. Within those dark pupils shimmered a faint trace of calm detachment.

Her eyes, seemingly casual yet tinged with a playful smile, appraised Lin Jiangnian standing at the door. When Lin Jiangnian clearly saw her, he was momentarily stunned, surprise flickering across his face.

Somewhat unexpected.

“Is that you?”

“How did you get here?”

The woman before Lin Jiangnian was none other than the red-clad woman he had encountered at the temple—the very person responsible for his presence here now.

“Surprised?” she asked, glancing at him with a slight upturn at the corner of her mouth, evidently pleased by his reaction.

After a brief moment of shock and doubt, Lin Jiangnian quickly composed himself.

“It’s a bit unexpected,” he admitted, nodding as he locked the door behind him, then took a seat opposite the woman. “How did you get in?”

Though her appearance was unexpected, Lin Jiangnian was not overly alarmed.

The woman’s eyes flicked over him inquisitively. “Aren’t you afraid of me?”

This man before her seemed different from the trembling, fearful figure she had met in that dilapidated temple. Back then, his eyes were filled with confusion and fear, obedient and submissive. But now, there was no trace of that earlier expression; instead, his gaze was calm and composed.

It was as if he had become someone else entirely.

“Why should I be afraid?” Lin Jiangnian countered. “You going to kill me?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Do you think I won’t?”

“At least not for now,” he replied, shaking his head. “Since you want me to impersonate the Crown Prince of Lin, you must have a purpose. You wouldn’t kill me before that purpose is fulfilled. Otherwise, why go through all this trouble?”

The woman paused, considering this. Indeed, she had risked much to set this scheme in motion, not to end his life. Yet even so, his composed reaction was unexpected—a stark contrast to the original scoundrel prince.

So, he really wasn’t the Crown Prince?

Her suspicion began to wane as she studied Lin Jiangnian for a moment. Narrowing her eyes, she said, “You’re right; I won’t kill you now. But if you dare—”

Before she could finish, Lin Jiangnian nodded firmly. “Don’t worry, I won’t betray you. After all, I don’t want to die either.”

The red-clad woman hadn’t expected Lin Jiangnian to be so sensible. After a brief pause, a faint smile curled her lips. “So you’re willing to obey me and cooperate?”

“What choice do I have?” Lin Jiangnian shrugged. “If I don’t, will you let me go?”

“No.”

“Then why ask?”

“...”

“Now, tell me—what is your goal?”

Now that he was sure she wouldn’t kill him, Lin Jiangnian relaxed somewhat and took the opportunity to ask about her intentions.

“You want me to impersonate the Crown Prince and infiltrate the Lin Mansion. Is it to assassinate the prince, or to incite rebellion?”

She replied coolly, “I want you to help me find something.”

“What?”

“You’ll know when the time comes.”

She shook her head without elaborating but glanced at him sharply. “Your task is to convincingly impersonate the Crown Prince, deceiving everyone. You must not let anyone discover you’re a fake.”

Lin Jiangnian fell silent, then sighed. “That’s not easy.”

“I think I may have already been exposed,” he confessed.

Her eyes narrowed sharply. “What happened?”

Hadn’t she warned him to be cautious? How could he have been uncovered so soon?

Lin Jiangnian recounted his encounter earlier that day with the maid named Paper Kite, sharing his suspicions.

“Although she didn’t say anything, I feel she’s sensed something suspicious. She might be starting to doubt me... Even if she hasn't confirmed it yet, it’s only a matter of time before the truth slips out.”

After hearing his analysis, the woman fell silent, pondering deeply. Suddenly, she looked up at him. “What did you call her today?”

“Her name? Why?”

Lin Jiangnian recalled how, during his test, he had called the servant by her name—Paper Kite.

Could he have said it wrong? Was she not Paper Kite?

The woman’s eyes cleared. She shook her head. “The original scoundrel prince never called her by her name. That’s likely what aroused her suspicion.”

Lin Jiangnian was surprised. “If he didn’t call her by her name, what did he call her?”

“The scoundrel prince never addressed her directly by name. Usually, he called her... ‘stinky woman.’”

Lin Jiangnian blinked.

The woman’s lips twitched into a faint smile. “That’s how the scoundrel prince used to address her.”

Lin Jiangnian was dumbfounded.

So that’s how it was?

‘Stinky woman’?

No wonder she was suspicious!

Previously, the Crown Prince had called her ‘stinky woman,’ but after being rescued from an ambush, his attitude changed, and he suddenly called her by her name. Anyone would suspect something was amiss.

“Wait... Isn’t she the Crown Prince’s maid? From what you said, their relationship isn’t very good?”

“That’s right,” the woman nodded, her gaze cool and indifferent. “Though she’s the Crown Prince’s maid, she’s deeply favored and trusted by Lin Hengzhong. Her status in the Lin Mansion is very high—her power even surpasses that of the scoundrel prince. Do you think that prince liked her?”

Lin Jiangnian was taken aback. Was that so?

A maid wielding more power than the Crown Prince himself? Coupled with what had just been revealed—that she was deeply trusted by Lin Hengzhong—this raised significant suspicion...

Could this maid be the Crown Prince’s illegitimate daughter?

Seeing Lin Jiangnian’s doubt, the woman explained softly, “She was an orphan taken in by the late Crown Princess. After the Crown Princess passed away, her younger sister raised the girl. She entered the Lin Mansion at fifteen. Officially, she is the Crown Princess’s personal maid left to the scoundrel prince, but in reality, she serves as Lin Hengzhong’s eyes and ears—there to discipline and control the scoundrel prince.”

“Discipline?” Lin Jiangnian asked.

“Yes,” the woman sneered. “The Crown Princess died young, and Lin Hengzhong neglected supervision. The scoundrel prince had done countless outrageous and shameful things in recent years. The people of Linjiang City despised him bitterly.”

“Therefore, Lin Hengzhong placed her by the scoundrel prince’s side—not just as a maid, but to monitor and restrain his behavior, preventing him from running wild as before.”

Lin Jiangnian was puzzled. “Can a maid really control the Crown Prince?”

“She’s different.”

The woman’s eyes narrowed, her dark pupils shimmering. “Others may fear the Crown Prince’s status, but she doesn’t. With Lin Hengzhong’s backing, she keeps the scoundrel prince tightly reined in. He both hates and resents her but is powerless to resist.”

Lin Jiangnian finally understood.

This maid named Paper Kite held an extraordinary position in the Lin Mansion.

If even the notoriously wild and vicious scoundrel prince was helpless before her, reduced to only calling her ‘stinky woman’ in frustration, it spoke volumes about her influence.

She was likely very capable as well.

Otherwise, the Crown Prince’s authority alone would have been insufficient to control such a fearless scoundrel.

“The person you must be most wary of here is her. She knows the Crown Prince better than anyone. If you can deceive her, no one else in the Lin Mansion will doubt your identity. So...” The woman’s gaze fixed on Lin Jiangnian, her expression grave and serious.

“You must find a way to deal with her.”