guess

At the palace gate, a carriage stood still.

"Lin'er, he probably already sensed something when he saw you today."

He Lin looked ahead and smiled, but his dark eyes revealed a mocking look. He found it laughable when he thought of Emperor Liang's "true feelings" just now. He had indulged everything back then, but who was he showing his affection to now?

Su Tong called out to him softly with concern, "Lin'er?"

"Mother, don't worry, he can't do anything to me without evidence."

"Silly child, what I mean is, have you ever really thought about it in your heart..."

"I haven't thought about it."

He Lin knew what Su Tong was going to say, so he gave his answer decisively. He slowly turned around and glanced at the red walls and green tiles of the palace. The palace walls were so high that even birds in the sky could hardly enter or leave. It was like a huge cage that had trapped countless people for their entire lives.

"Once you enter the palace, it's like entering a deep sea. This cold and heartless place ruined her life. If I could, I would never want to set foot there again."

Su Tong already knew his answer, so she sighed deeply and gently patted He Lin's shoulder.

"Come on, let's go home. Yi'er is waiting for us at home."

Upon hearing this, He Lin's expression softened, and a soft "Mmm" escaped his throat.

Yes, as long as his aunt is still alive, he will always have a home and someone who loves him.

It was the same more than a decade ago, and it remains the same now. Moreover, he still has Jiang Yi, so no matter what he faces in the future, he will not back down.

Just like his mother said to him in the fire that year: Go forward and don't look back.

...

Standing before a mausoleum on the outskirts of Beijing, He Lin noticed that the tomb looked much better than the surrounding desolate graves, clearly indicating that it had been recently constructed.

The tombstone was blank; He Lin had to investigate quite a bit to find it.

It seems that Emperor Liang didn't know what to write for his old friend, so he used a blank stele instead.

On the day of the execution, after hearing Jiang Yi say that Ma Zhang liked to drink Xiaoyao wine, He Lin brought two jars of wine with him.

He poured the entire contents of one of the jars in front of the tombstone, then sat cross-legged on the ground without any restraint, occasionally tilting his head back to take a sip.

As dusk fell and the west wind rose again, the sound of wind whistling echoed through the woods. If a passerby were to suddenly see the dark figure in front of the tombstone, they would surely be startled.

He Lin didn't speak, he just kept drinking in silence. The Xiaoyao Brew was spicy and should be considered a strong liquor, but it was just right for He Lin to relieve his emotions at this moment. Otherwise, he would definitely suffocate and die from chest tightness.

After an unknown amount of time, He Lin lowered his head and chuckled, muttering, "Was it worth it?"

These three words were spoken so softly they sounded like a sigh, as if afraid of disturbing someone's sleep.

Ma Zhang probably never knew until his death that he had been betrayed by the son of the woman he loved. He had schemed for half his life, seeking only revenge for his beloved, but ended up with such an absurd and laughable fate.

What's even more ridiculous is that he knew nothing about Ma Zhang's story or his actions, yet he personally sent him to the execution ground...

Fate played a cruel trick on him, decreeing that he was destined to live with guilt for the rest of his life.

"sorry."

He Lin tilted his head back and took a big gulp of wine, choking and coughing a few times. The wine dripped down his chin and onto his clothes, quickly soaking a large area. "I'm so sorry..."

If his mother were still alive, she would probably be very disappointed in him, He Lin couldn't help but think.

Suddenly, a strong wind blew through the woods, and the cold wind stung my face like a knife.

A muffled rumble of thunder came from the thick clouds, followed by a streak of crimson lightning that flashed with the wind, making the scene particularly terrifying at that moment and place.

However, He Lin felt no fear, because his mother's deceased relatives were buried here.

Dark clouds filled the sky, and a torrential downpour was imminent. The wind picked up, rustling the withered leaves on the ground, its hurried sound seeming to urge him to hurry home.

He Lin smiled, initially just a faint chuckle, but the laughter grew louder and louder. When he had almost finished the jar of Xiaoyao wine, he casually placed the jar on the ground, solemnly knelt down, and kowtowed to the tombstone.

"Thank you for everything you've done for my mother. I'm leaving now, I'll come see you again another day."

In the Fallen Blossom Courtyard of the General's Mansion.

Jiang Yi sat on the veranda, gazing at the dark, heavy clouds in the sky, fearing a heavy rain was imminent.

Xia Zhi took a cloak from inside the house and draped it over her shoulders, then stood quietly by her side.

"Xia Zhi, has Aunt Qinglian left?"

"Let's go. The yam and poria soup is on the table. Miss, why don't you have some to warm yourself up? I noticed you haven't looked too well since you came back from the palace."

Jiang Yi was unaware of He Lin's situation. Some time had passed since Su Tong returned to the manor, but He Lin was still nowhere to be seen, and neither Shan Yanzhi nor Gu Ziyu were there.

Su Tong sent Qinglian to Luoying Courtyard to deliver soup, telling her that He Lin had something to deal with on the way and might be late returning. But Jiang Yi felt inexplicably uneasy, as if something big was about to happen.

A possibility even began to surface in her mind, and the more Jiang Yi thought about it, the more likely it seemed...

"It's okay, let's wait for He Lin to come back and eat together."

Xia Zhi nodded obediently, then looked up at the sky and said in a low voice, "The dark clouds are so big, it looks like it's going to rain heavily later."

"Um."

As the two were talking, they seemed to hear the sound of a door being pushed open at the courtyard gate.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi immediately stood up and ran towards that direction, with Xia Zhi following behind her carrying a lantern.

A dark figure swayed and staggered in.

Jiang Yi was a little unsure and tentatively asked, "He Lin?"

He Lin didn't say anything, but walked straight to Jiang Yi and put his arm around her.

Jiang Yi was stunned. She smelled a strong smell of alcohol, as well as the faint sandalwood scent that belonged to He Lin.

"What's wrong with you?"

He Lin buried his face in Jiang Yi's neck and said in a muffled voice, "I made a mistake that I can't undo."

The hot breath, mixed with the smell of alcohol, sprayed all over Jiang Yi's skin, almost burning the area behind her ear.

Jiang Yi's heart pounded. She didn't know what the mistake He Lin was talking about was. She just hoped that her impulsive words to Emperor Liang wouldn't harm him.

"Everyone makes mistakes. It's okay. Just close your eyes and the sun will rise again tomorrow morning. It's no big deal. Let's go inside. It looks like it's going to rain heavily."

Xia Zhi carried a lamp to light the way for the two of them, while Jiang Yi supported He Lin by one arm and helped him into the room.

As luck would have it, just as the group stepped into the room, a torrential downpour began outside.

Xia Zhi thoughtfully prepared a basin of hot water for Jiang Yi, then withdrew, leaving the two of them alone.

He Lin changed his clothes behind the screen, wearing only a snow-white undergarment. When Jiang Yi entered, He Lin was tying his sash, but he was lost in thought.

Jiang Yi cleared her throat and asked, "Who did you drink with tonight?"

"Nobody."

He wasn't drinking with anyone; it seems he was drinking alone.

Considering what he had just said about doing something wrong, Jiang Yi asked again, "Are you in a bad mood?"

He Lin didn't speak, perhaps because he had been drinking. He slowly blinked, walked over, took Jiang Yi's hand, went around the screen, and sat down at the table.

"Oh, this is some hot soup that Mother just had Aunt Qinglian bring over. Would you like some?"

He Lin sat down next to her, and before Jiang Yi could finish speaking, he lifted the lid of the pot, ladled out a bowl, and placed it in front of Jiang Yi.

"You drink it."

Jiang Yi was slightly surprised that he would serve her a bowl first: "Huh? Aren't you going to drink it?"

He Lin shook his head: "I'm not hungry."

Jiang Yi lowered her eyes and stared at the steaming bowl of yam and poria soup, swallowed, and asked, "Shall I drink it?"

"Um."

For some reason, when He Lin first invited Jiang Yi to dine with them in the warm pavilion, he really enjoyed watching her eat. She had a great appetite and ate everything with gusto, drinking soup and eating meat heartily without any affectation. Dining with her seemed to be contagious, and his own appetite improved considerably.

Jiang Yi sighed contentedly, her eyes narrowing. After a sip of the delicious soup, every pore on her body felt relaxed and comfortable.

"Don't you have anything you want to ask me?"

Jiang Yi stirred the hot soup a couple of times, stared into his dark eyes, and said, "Yes, of course I do. I have so many things I want to ask you."

A hint of amusement seemed to flicker in He Lin's eyes. "Then why haven't you asked me yet?"

Jiang Yi was taken aback. His words made it sound like he was looking forward to her asking him. Besides, she wasn't sure if she would get an answer if she asked. Rather than that, she would rather let He Lin take the initiative to tell her everything.

"Uh... never mind." Jiang Yi opened her mouth: "You'll tell me when you want to."

She already had a guess in her mind, and if she asked a little question, she would find out the truth, such as that his biological mother was not Su Tong, but Su Wan.

But after much deliberation, Jiang Yi decided to remain silent and wait for He Lin to tell her.

Jiang Yi remembered He Lin saying that when he was a child, he almost got beaten to death for trying to steal an egg from someone.

If He Lin really is Consort Su's son, how could a prince be reduced to fighting with others for food? And the whip marks on He Lin's back... she didn't know what had happened, and she didn't want to ask him easily.

If her wounds were to be reopened, the situation could become very awkward, and Jiang Yi wasn't confident about that.

He Lin had no idea what she was thinking, but found it a little funny. When did she start having all sorts of concerns, and even have questions she couldn't bring herself to ask?

If it were in the past, she would have dragged him down and questioned him thoroughly from beginning to end.

He Lin raised his hand and placed it on Jiang Yi's hand, saying softly, "It's not that I don't believe you, I just don't know how to tell you. I bear a great deal of responsibility for his death. I was the one who sent him to the execution ground. I..."

Jiang Yi's heart skipped a beat. The execution ground? Could it be Ma Zhang?!

So, she guessed right?

Is He Lin really the son of Emperor Liang and Su Wan? He... is a prince!

Jiang Yi comforted her softly, "Actually, if you don't know how to bring it up, you don't have to tell me. I don't have a penchant for snooping on other people's privacy."

"Thanks."

He Lin took her hand and gently stroked it a few times, feeling very grateful for Jiang Yi's understanding at this moment.

Don't let her seemingly carefree and nonchalant exterior fool you; Jiang Yi is actually very thoughtful and has a softer heart than anyone else. This is his Qingqing...