Princess, Please Fall in Love with Me-Chapter 32 : Chapter 32

Chapter 32 : Pursuit and Escape, Life and Death Fleeting
“Stop that carriage ahead!”
The Empress’s soldiers blocked the opulent, golden carriage in front of them, rudely driving the driver away before aggressively pulling open the curtain, only to retreat in fear.
“Labu, what are they trying to do?”
“Labi, Mother said this is called an offense.”
The Fourth Prince and Fifth Prince stared solemnly at the soldiers who had suddenly intruded.
The cramped space indeed contained only the two young boys.
The soldier bowed apologetically, quickly signaling his men to escort the carriage away.
“Brother, why are they so afraid of those two princes? Aren’t we under Her Majesty the Empress? Those two princes who have no claim to the throne—”
“Shh! Do you want to die?”
The shaken soldier hurriedly covered his confused companion’s mouth.
Only when the carriage gradually disappeared from their sight did he cautiously explain the reason.
“Princes with no claim to the throne are nothing to worry about, of course, but behind them stands the Oak Family, which controls the entire empire’s commercial channels.
If those two little ancestors mentioned our actions to the adults…”
In the supreme and glorious Austin Empire, the surface was balanced by the Four Major Families: the Kelake Royal Family, representing the ruler’s authority; the Clover Family, aligned with the royal family; the Alva Duke’s Mansion, acting as the empire’s enforcer and arbiter; and the Oak Family, which still held sway over commerce.
The Clover Family leaned toward the royal family, while the Duke Alva maintained his independent sphere of influence, both confronting and depending on the royal family. Only the Oak Family, as a neutral party, could remain unscathed.
The Oak Family provided commercial dealings for all noble houses, from procuring supplies for royal gatherings to fulfilling the fashionable whims of a noble lady.
Thus, they never sided with any faction for any reason, believing in serving “for profit” fairly and justly—this also meant that if you offended the Oak Family’s interests, you would receive no protection or help from any side.
“Got it? Even if His Majesty the Emperor himself came, he’d have to give them face. If you really laid a hand on them, you’d have to sew your own underwear tomorrow.”
At that moment, inside the carriage, the two boys peering out the window watched the soldiers figures come to a halt.
Once the driver had driven the carriage far enough that the Empress’s palace was out of sight, they finally relaxed and knocked on the panel beneath the seat.
“Are they gone?”
“They’re gone. Come out quickly.”
Yiwen crawled out from under the panel, brushing the dust off her body, still looking hesitantly at the two innocent faces.
It seemed their mother’s protection had truly made their childhood fortunate.
“Why did you help me?”
“You saved Labu and Labi. Mother said this is called helping a beneficial ally.”
“Labi, no, Mother said it’s called an investment.”
Amid their playful bickering, Yiwen nodded and bid farewell to the two, then slipped into a nearby haystack.
Oddly enough, the original builder of the palace had a wild imagination, connecting all the back gardens into one large garden model.
This was something Loka had discovered, which was why she could always sneak in from her back garden unnoticed.
That guy’s sneaky ideas were actually quite useful sometimes.
Following the familiar route, Yiwen evaded the pursuing soldiers and finally slipped into the back garden of her own palace.
Just as she prepared to climb out, she heard a violent commotion of smashing and venting curses coming from inside her palace.
“Really, why haven’t we found what Mother wants yet? Are you all just freeloading? Hurry up and search!”
“Your Highness the First Prince, take a rest. I’ll lead the others to search the garden immediately.”
That furious voice and the cowardly, subservient demeanor— who else could it be but the First Prince and his so-called lackey, Balesha?!
At that moment, the interior of the Amethyst Palace had been smashed into chaos, with several maids Yiwen recognized still frantically searching hidden corners.
Some of their kind faces shocked her.
She had thought that with Kafu around, the Empress’s people couldn’t touch her, but their reach had already infiltrated her surroundings.
Those maids had either been planted or coerced into becoming the Empress’s tools to monitor her.
So, her being obstructed and harassed by the Empress, Kafu’s disappearance, and now the ransacking of her palace— they had discovered the secret of the Silver Sword she carried!
“Your Highness the First Prince, could she have taken it with her?”
“Impossible. We have people around her. She hasn’t carried that thing for a long time. It must be hidden somewhere.”
The First Prince glanced disdainfully at his incompetent subordinates, then suddenly thought of something.
He called one over and tossed a golden dagger to him.
“You, go bring that old man. If he still won’t talk, use this dagger to cut his mouth open. That stubborn old turtle.”
Yiwen’s hand clenched in anger, itching to rush out and punch that arrogant jerk, just like she did at the banquet hall.
No, Kafu was still in their hands.
She couldn’t just charge in.
Without Kafu, she couldn’t take on so many people.
She needed a long-term plan.
The group continued ransacking the room, even pulling down the chandelier from the ceiling, but still found nothing.
The First Prince turned his gaze to the vibrant flowerbed in the garden.
Since they had searched everywhere else, only this most conspicuous spot remained.
It must be hiding something. How could those useless fools have thought of it?
The First Prince ordered someone to fetch a shovel and headed toward the flowerbed.
Looking at the thriving, vibrant flowers, he stomped them flat with one foot.
“Annoying things, just like that overreaching Sixth Princess.”
“Oh? Sounds like you’re quite dissatisfied with me.”
A gleaming double-edged sword quietly pressed against the First Prince’s throat.
Yiwen emerged from the grass behind him with a cold smile, accidentally nicking his hand with the blade.
“You— it’s you! Someone, help!”
The surrounding attendants and soldiers rushed over at the sound, but Yiwen’s blade was only centimeters from the First Prince’s throat.
Everyone froze, hearts pounding.
“One step closer, and your master gets his throat slit.”
“Don’t come closer! Are you trying to get me killed?!”
Faced with the terror of death, the First Prince forgot all about pride, trembling uncontrollably, nearly causing Yiwen’s blade to slip and leave a shallow cut on his throat.
“Let His Highness go!”
“I didn’t move. He’s the one squirming to get cut.”
Yiwen spoke with an innocent tone, tossing out casual taunts as if she might actually kill the First Prince by accident— or perhaps she really would?