Come in and kneel down.

Physician Lu was not very skilled with acupuncture.

As I get older, my hands tremble, my eyesight deteriorates, and I can no longer control the force precisely.

He didn't try to save face and confessed honestly. Lin Huaiyin's face froze on the spot, and she couldn't manage a smile.

He's supposed to be the imperial physician exclusively for the Crown Prince's palace, isn't he a bit too incompetent?

Isn't the life of the Crown Prince who oversees the country also a life?

Lin Huaiyin wanted to say, "Never mind then, I'll send you back home and find someone else."

Unexpectedly, Physician Lu's eyes lit up, and he slapped the stack of books as tall as himself, excitedly expressing his interest and asking Lin Huaiyin to let him see it.

After saying that, he immediately started to cram for medical advice, burying himself in medical books and making gestures in the air with his fingers, leaving Lin Huaiyin standing aside.

Not wanting to disturb her, Lin Huaiyin instead prepared a backup plan, considering what other tricks she could use since she couldn't rely on Physician Lu.

Saving Gongyang Yan was a detour to save Consort Hui.

Consort Hui, of course, could not save her for nothing; she had to promise to report Princess Pingyang to the Emperor.

At that time, there's no need to worry that the Emperor won't be able to kill Princess Pingyang.

Using one tiger to devour another, Lin Huaiyin's calculations were shrewd. To this day, she had no doubt that Princess Pingyang's venomous heart came from the current emperor.

The emperor's ingratitude and cruelty in raising two children with deep minds is his retribution.

The saying goes, "If the people are guilty, the guilt lies with me." The monarch is the father of all the people, receiving the sustenance of the nation and bearing its responsibilities. Moreover, Princess Pingyang is the emperor's own daughter.

The princess is at fault, but the fault lies with the emperor. The princess has brought disaster to the country, and the emperor should cleanse the family, issue an edict of self-reproach, apologize to the people, and then die in the underworld to atone to the wronged souls of those who died unjustly in their previous lives and to the late empress—that orphaned girl surnamed Zhao.

Thinking of the late Empress, Lin Huaiyin's thoughts almost drifted to the Eastern Palace, but she quickly stopped herself and refocused on Gongyang Yan and Consort Hui—the fact that the imperial physicians in the palace could neither diagnose the Emperor's poisoning nor see anything unusual about the imperial fetus was enough to prove that no one in the Imperial Hospital could rival Gongyang Yan's methods.

In this light, Gongyang Yan truly is a peerless genius.

Lin Huaiyin couldn't help but recall their first meeting. Gongyang Yan pestered Xie Xincun, repeatedly saying she wanted to become his disciple. Xie Xincun ignored her, but Gongyang Yan persisted. Even after being exposed for poisoning Lin Huaiyin and causing her infertility, Gongyang Yan remained proud and shameless, showing off her achievements to Xie Xincun. She was not a normal person at all.

Gongyang Yan's madman nature made Lin Huaiyin secretly sweat. She wasn't sure if she could command Gongyang Yan to treat Consort Hui after removing the silver needles, and she was also vaguely worried that Gongyang Yan would scheme against her and poison her again...

Therefore, Lin Huaiyin thought of the blood she had taken from Xie Xincun.

The blood-stained clothes and blood clots are temporarily stored in the ice cellar at home.

She personally verified that after drinking Xie Xincun's blood, the poison that caused her infertility was cured, and she felt much better.

Just three days after drinking the blood, she is now light and strong, with abundant blood and energy, agile body, and a sharper mind. Apart from the occasional slight palpitations, she clearly feels that she has been completely renewed.

Xie Xincun is not a very good person, but his blood is absolutely a precious blood that can cure all poisons.

Lin Huaiyin guessed that Gongyang Yan had also used poison on Consort Hui. She was willing to take a gamble, but she was worried that Consort Hui was pregnant and was unsure if it would work.

After pondering all the way, the carriage slowly drove back to the Lin family home.

As soon as Lin Huaiyin jumped out of the car and called for the guards to help carry the books, the gatekeeper quietly approached and whispered, "Third Miss, the master is in your courtyard and is furious."

Upon hearing this, a chill ran down her spine and up her neck. Lin Huaiyin instinctively shrank back and asked in a low voice, "What happened?"

"I heard that the Fourth Miss broke something. You should go and take a look."

"I'll go right away." Lin Huaiyin immediately arranged for someone to lead the way for Physician Lu and rushed back to her room.

Is there anything in her yard that, if broken, would anger her father?

Lin Huaiyin shook her head as she walked—no, everything she had, Mianfeng had too. Apart from the ancestral hall, there was nothing in the entire Lin family that absolutely could not be broken.

However, upon entering the courtyard, Lin Huaiyin was shocked—

Gongyang Yanzheng was foaming at the mouth and convulsing by the garden pond.

Lin Mianfeng held a silver needle in one hand and a medical book in the other, muttering to himself and fiddling with the needles, the needle tips more terrifying than a noose.

There were no fish or crab claws to be seen nearby, and the guards and maids were all trembling with fear...

Oh my god!

This is still the same genius poisoner who smugly sat in front of Yu Li's bedside and wreaked havoc on her from the palace with a single move—Gongyang Yan.

Lin Huaiyin stared wide-eyed, her jaw agape, her throat constricted, unable to utter a sound, her body moving mechanically.

The sound of footsteps startled everyone, and they all exclaimed, "Greetings, Third Miss!" Lin Mianfeng raised her bright eyes and brandished the silver needles in her hand, "Third Sister is back! I'll take care of this vixen who drugged you."

"Witch?"

Lin Huaiyin managed to squeeze out two words, a terrible premonition welling up inside her—Mianfeng knew that Gongyang Yan had drugged her, and her father knew too?

Was her father angry because he felt sorry for her and was upset that she had kept it a secret?

Lin Huaiyin felt that this should be the case, but the chill that was wrapped around the back of her neck had not dissipated at all, and it seemed to be about to break through her scalp and probe into the ravines of her brain.

My bad feeling has grown stronger.

"What are you standing there for, Third Sister?" Lin Mianfeng waved the silver needles at Gongyang Yan's face. "Come and play with us."

"I'll go change my clothes first."

Lin Huaiyin responded verbally, looking around but not seeing Yu Li and Xie Ao. Suddenly, her vision went black, her heart pounded violently, and she clutched her chest. Ignoring her palpitations, Lin Huaiyin rushed to her bedroom.

Her heart pounded faster and faster, leaping into her throat and then falling back into her chest, only to leap and fall again. Lin Huaiyin's face turned deathly pale, cold sweat soaking her clothes, her undergarments clinging to her skin. Her chest felt like a pool of water, and she stumbled along, finally managing to run back. She pushed open the door—but he wasn't there. Her father was nowhere to be seen.

Lin Huaiyin went to their room instead—she knocked on the door but received no response and saw no one.

What happened?

After wandering around aimlessly like a headless fly, Lin Huaiyin was surprised to find that the main hall of the courtyard, where guests were received, was inexplicably open.

The main hall? Is Father in the main hall?

Is this a place to receive guests? Are we having guests?

Who could it be? Xie Xincun?

Thinking of Xie Xincun, my heart suddenly spasmed unexpectedly deep inside. Then, my heart calmed down, returned to normal, and stopped beating erratically.

Sweat dripped from his forehead.

The wide-open door is like an invitation, but even more like a silent, gaping maw.

As her heart palpitations gradually subsided, Lin Huaiyin reassured herself not to be afraid, as Xie Xincun could not possibly appear at the Lin family home.

What was said in last night's letter was absolutely true and credible. Even if Xie Xincun escaped... Lin Huaiyin knew she shouldn't have such thoughts, but she believed that if Xie Xincun escaped, she would receive the news immediately.

As long as it had nothing to do with Xie Xincun, Lin Huaiyin felt that things weren't so bad, and that her father's anger might not be directed at her at all.

Just go in and figure it out.

Lin Huaiyin wiped away her sweat, tidied her appearance, lifted her skirt, and walked towards the hall door.

Even though Xie Xincun wasn't there at first glance, Lin Huaiyin still trembled all over, and cold sweat broke out on her forehead again.

Lin Zhenlie sat in the main seat.

Fish and crabs knelt in the hall.

Lin Huaiyin met Lin Zhenlie's fierce eyes.

Father and daughter exchanged a glance. Lin Zhenlie narrowed his eyes and said succinctly, "Come in and kneel down."

A dignified voice echoed in the small hall.

The fish and crab claws trembled and cowered in response.

Lin Huaiyin stepped over the threshold, entered the room, and knelt down.

She finally understood why her father was angry.

Yu Li Xie Ao confessed everything, from the Shen family to Heming Mountain. Although her father didn't tell Yu Li Xie Ao what she had done, he only needed some clues to piece together the whole story, especially regarding her relationship with the Crown Prince...

Yu Li had seen traces of her spending the night with His Highness the Crown Prince, and Xie Ao kept mentioning "male prostitutes." Her father must have thought she was extremely rebellious and acted out of line, especially since she hadn't divorced him yet; she was still Shen Congyun's nominal wife, a subject's wife...

"You all get out."

Lin Zhenlie drove away Yu Li and the crab claws.

The two walked past Lin Huaiyin looking miserable.

Lin Huaiyin bumped her head on the back of her hand, unable to see the crab claw desperately trying to signal her.

After they left, Lin Zhenlie stood up, slowly walked to Lin Huaiyin, and said in a deep voice, "Pingyang Princess is not to be trifled with. If you can't stand her, you should go and guard Hulin even more."

These words struck Lin Huaiyin like a thunderbolt, shattering her heart and lungs. The thunder deafened her and the lightning blinded her. She looked up in disbelief, her trembling pupils reflecting her father's face and his somber expression.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Lin Zhenlie looked down at Lin Huaiyin with a cold gaze. "You've hidden away the culprit who poisoned the Emperor, Princess Pingyang. What are you planning to do? Use her to bring down Princess Pingyang?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Huaiyin's pupils contracted sharply, and the question in her mind blurted out, "Father, how did you know?"

"You don't need to know how your father knows."

Lin Zhenlie cut off any possibility of relocating the princess, then sat down in a nearby armchair, gripping the armrests. His gaze fixed on Lin Huaiyin, he began to instruct his successor: "If the Crown Prince intends to punish Princess Pingyang, she could die of illness, or at best, seek refuge in seclusion. The least severe consequence would be being sent to her fiefdom and never being allowed to return to the capital. But the Crown Prince hasn't made a move. If the Crown Prince hasn't acted, you certainly can't. What do you intend to do? Proclaim the princess's crimes to the world and let the Imperial Palace, the Crown Prince, or all the subjects of the land judge and punish her?"

Her questioning tone seemed to be trying to suppress Lin Huaiyin's raging fire of revenge. Her eyes suddenly sharpened, and she raised her chin to ask, "Princess Pingyang and Shen Congyun are in cahoots, and she may even be the ringleader. Why can't we touch her?"

"Because to harm her is to harm the Crown Prince's Palace, the Imperial Palace, the entire Xiao imperial family, and shake the very foundations of the nation." Lin Zhenlie rebuked sternly, "The aftermath of the White Lotus Rebellion has not yet subsided, Japan is eyeing us covetously, and the court is in turmoil. Do you think the world is not chaotic enough already?"

Caught off guard by her father's accusations, Lin Huaiyin's eyes turned bloodshot, and a raging fire erupted from her chest—Princess Pingyang had committed so many sins, yet she could still enjoy wealth and honor in the princess's mansion. She was avenging two generations of blood feuds, she had a legitimate reason to do so, she stood tall and upright, so why should she be the one to be smeared with dirty water?

Absurd, ridiculous, absurd, sophistry, utterly laughable!

"The world is in chaos?" Lin Huaiyin said, enunciating each word clearly. "Father, did I cause this chaos? Was it me? Father, am I Lin Huaiyin?"

“It’s you.” Lin Zhenlie lowered his eyes sadly and sighed, “Princess Pingyang’s crimes are a royal scandal that shakes the foundation of the country and must not be made public. After the Zhao Changji case, you can no longer kill Princess Pingyang with an arrow. You want revenge, but you can’t do it quietly and cover it up. This is the incompetence of you and your father. The path I have chosen for you is the only one: Hu Shoulin. Given time, if you have half the strength of Xie Xincun, I believe you can still kill Princess Pingyang with your own hands.”

"No matter where Xie Xincun is now," Lin Zhenlie's tone softened, "I've arranged for you to go to Xinliaohu to guard the forest. He won't make things difficult for you. The necessary documents have already been prepared. Go back and get ready to depart immediately."