“Shouldn’t I be a general?” thought Dong Ling in total confusion.

Hearing that she was titled a princess instead of a general she had asked for, Dong Ling could hardly believe her own ears. She had never expected an emperor to cheat her with such a mean trick!

“Princess? I’m afraid you got something wrong?” asked Dong Ling.

She still dreamed that maybe the eunuch misunderstood the order and read something wrong.

“Miss Dong. His Majesty made the imperial edict himself. Nothing could go wrong!” Liu Zhi raised his voice to make himself sound more dignified.

Dong Ling, however, still didn’t believe him. After all, seeing is believing. Immediately, she snatched the imperial edict from Liu Zhi!

“What the hell?! How rude you are!” Liu Zhi howled, “You know what? When I was reading the imperial edict, you should have knelt down and kowtowed to show your respect and gratitude!”

Dong Ling hated his yell and glared at him! Liu Zhi stopped talking immediately and didn’t dare to say anything.

Right on the imperial edict wrote “Princess” in thick ink! Dong Ling got dumb for a few minutes. She heard it right and she read it right!

Nothing got wrong. The emperor just tricked her!

“Miss Dong… Miss Dong?” said Liu Zhi.

Right now, he was holding the imperial edict in front of so many people when Dong Ling didn’t kneel to say thank you yet. “What a disgrace to His Majesty!” thought he.

He continued, “Miss Dong. Do you not want to accept this imperial edict? This is your honor! If you refuse to take it, you’ll be committing a grave crime! And all your families will be involved.”

Well, her mom Concubine Lin might be involved, too. Dong Ling hesitated, though she hated all the other families in the Dong family.

She still didn’t kneel. To be honest, not throwing away the imperial edict was the best she could do.

Seeing this, Butler Liu rushed to Yuanfeng Building. He reported to Wu Jitian, “Your Highness. Chief Eunuch Liu Zhi has come!”

“What did he come for?” asked Wu Jitian with a snort, not even looking up.

“His Majesty is making Miss Dong a princess!” replied Butler Liu.

“What? Princess?” Wu Jitian was surprised, but only a few seconds later he returned to normal, “That’s it. As far as I know my father, he wouldn’t have promised to make her general! He would never be that generous.”

Then he remembered how elated Dong Ling was when she thought her dream had come true.

“She must be very disappointed now.” thought he.

Immediately, he stood up, rushing to help her out.

“Miss Dong. Say something!” yelled Liu Zhi.

“Eunuch Liu, how arrogant you sound!” taunted Wu Jitian, hating the way Liu Zhi ordered Dong Ling about.

He then looked at Dong Ling. The latter just was standing there, wearing a shocked look. It was totally weird as if she had become a different girl.

Wu Jitian took her hand and kneel down with her. Rejecting the emperor’s order was a great guilt! He didn’t dare to let Dong Ling make such trouble!

“Eunuch Liu, you’ve been working for my father for years and you must have seen a lot like this. It’s normal that someone can’t react when he or she is suddenly rewarded. Now, Miss Dong is a noble princess! You must keep that in mind!” said Wu Jitian.

He waved at the maids and guards, signaling them to take the awards.

“Haw-haw.” Liu Zhi gave a short laugh. He didn’t dare to embarrass Dong Ling. “Yes. Yes. I guess Princess Lingyue must be overjoyed. It’s okay. It’s okay!”

But neither Wu Jitian nor Dong Ling replied. Liu Zhi finished his task and also didn’t want to stay. He left with his subordinates, without the least hesitation.

As they walked away, Wu Jitian held Dong Ling’s shoulders and asked gently, “Dong Ling. What’s wrong with you?” asked Wu Jitian gently.

“I… I had meant to be a general!” replied Dong Ling. Her disappointment was too deep for tears.

Her head exploded. She looked at Wu Jitian, eyes filled with disappointment.

Wu Jitian sighed.

Dong Ling was still a little bit in shock.

“I thought Father wouldn’t promise to make you general that easily. As expected, something went wrong.” Wu Jitian continued to warn her of the consequences, “If you only want to be a general so that you can revenge your mom and yourself, being a princess can help you from being bullied again, too. Don’t be too distracted! As long as Father appreciates you, you still have a chance!”

In fact, he didn’t know what he should say to make her feel better. He had never seen Dong Ling so despondent like this!

“Princess… Princess…” Dong Ling murmured repeatedly and read the imperial edict again and again before she left Wu Jitian’s mansion, not turning her head. All Wu Jitian could see was her lonely back.

It was the first time that Wu Jitian saw Dong Ling in this mood. Limp and drab. She looked no longer smart. She wasn’t acting like herself at all!

His heart ached so hard for her. He cared quite a lot for her.

Inside the main hall of the Imperial Place.

“Your Majesty. Dong Ling was surprised and quite offensive when she heard your order!” Liu Zhi said, “I’m afraid it’s not easy to calm her down.”

He hunched his back, reporting to Wu Ling every detail about what happened in Wu Jitian’s mansion when he was reading the imperial edict.

Wu Long, sitting in his throne, gave an unfathomable smile. “Humph, I always have a plan B. But I guess, there’ll be great fun to see tonight, for the sake of her temper.”

“Your Majesty. If Dong Ling comes to you tonight, what do you think we would do?” asked Liu Zhi.

“Let the news get out then!” replied Wu Long, “When everyone in town knows she’s a princess, it’s set in stone. I’ll see how she can argue with me!”

“It’s wise of you, Your Majesty.” said Liu Zhi.

Dong Ling, after she left Wu Jitian’s mansion, walked in a daze. Her thoughts jumbled.

Just when she was about to go into the palace for justice, several riders rushed out of the gate. They always put up imperial notices on behalf of the emperor.

Dong Ling saw them get off their horses and put up an imperial notice.

Full of curiosity, Dong Ling tried to join the crowd. Unexpectedly, she heard her name.

Some people were talking about her.

“Look! Who is Princess Lingyue? Why is a common girl suddenly titled as a princess? That’ll be great honor for her family!”

“When His Majesty makes her princess, how embarrassed other girls feels!”

“Come on! Why does His Majesty need to care for anyone else? Mind your words!”

It was just then that Dong Ling knew the emperor proclaimed her a princess to the public. Soon, by word of mouth, everyone in town would know it!

She realized that it wouldn’t help at all even if she went into the palace and asked for justice. Faced with Wu Long’s trick, she had no choice, but to accept her new identity. There would be ample time in the future and she would find another solution!