"If you don't believe me, young lady, you can ask the neighbors. When my uncle died, his body lay in state for seven days, and many people saw it with their own eyes." Seeing that Lin Xihe remained silent, the scholar added, trying to convince her that what he said was true.

"Didn't your uncle say anything to you?" Lin Xihe raised her head, a hint of doubt in her eyes.

“No, I did ask, but my uncle only said that the less I know, the better.” The scholar shook his head slightly, his eyes filled with helplessness. “Miss, I haven’t touched a single penny of this two hundred taels of silver. I have told you everything I know. I am Li Zhuyan, and if I have uttered even a single falsehood, I wish to fail the imperial examinations for the rest of my life.”

“Young master, there is no need to make such a vow. Seeing the state of your family, yet still being able to uphold your principles and not touch this money, is enough to show that you are a person of noble character.”

Lin Xihe paused slightly before continuing, "However, this money concerns my father's reputation, and I must take it back with me."

“If it’s not mine, I naturally won’t make any rash moves,” Li Zhuyan replied calmly.

"Then I will take this box of silver with me."

As Lin Xihe spoke, she stood up. Upon hearing her words, Ling Shuang picked up the box without saying a word.

"Please, young lady." Li Zhuyan also stood up and respectfully saw her off.

Reaching the courtyard gate, Lin Xihe stopped and handed the purse at her waist to Li Zhuyan: "Young Master Li, thank you for keeping this box of silver safe for me for so long. There are still two months until the imperial examination. Please accept this money first, and you can use it to buy some paper, pens, and ink. Consider it my sincere thanks for your kind words."

"This was my uncle's last wish. I only did what I should do, and I dare not accept your money, young lady," Li Zhuyan declined.

"Consider it a loan from me. If you pass the imperial examination, remember to return it to me." Without waiting for a reply, Lin Xihe stuffed the silver into Li Zhuyan's hand, then turned and boarded the carriage.

Li Zhuyan stared blankly in the direction the carriage had gone, her heart also shrouded in a cloud of doubt that lingered for a long time.

When my uncle returned carrying that box of money, he looked completely lost, as if he had lost his soul.

After making his final arrangements, he resolutely hanged himself.

Later, after making inquiries, he learned that it was his uncle who had denounced General Lin.

But my uncle always expressed admiration and gratitude for General Lin in his words, so why would he report him at that time?

Before his death, his uncle told him that after raising him for so many years, his only hope was that he would pass the imperial examination and become a good official.

Lin Xihe's thoughts were in complete disarray. Sitting in the carriage all the way, she kept thinking about the various mysteries surrounding Uncle Fu, but she couldn't make sense of them at all.

As soon as the carriage returned home, she hurriedly sent someone to the Gu residence to find Gu Qinghuai.

Upon learning the news, Gu Qinghuai rushed to Lin Xihe's home immediately.

At that moment, Lin Xihe was sitting in the study, staring intently at the two hundred taels of silver, her brows furrowed, unaware of Gu Qinghuai's arrival.

"Xihe, you were looking for me?"

Gu Qinghuai's tone was filled with barely suppressed excitement. As soon as he stepped into Lin Xihe's study, he couldn't wait to ask, his gaze fixed on Lin Xihe.

"General Qing... I have many doubts in my mind and I have no idea what to do, so I can only take the liberty of asking you to come here."

Lin Xihe almost blurted out the affectionate nickname the original owner used for Gu Qinghuai, but fortunately she realized her mistake at the crucial moment and corrected herself in time.

But how could such a subtle change escape Gu Qinghuai's keen ears?

"Just call me by my name, don't call me General Gu," Gu Qinghuai said softly, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

Lin Xihe didn't continue the topic, but simply pointed to the seat opposite her and said, "General, please sit down. Ling Shuang, go outside and guard the door. Don't let anyone in."

"Yes, young lady."

After the door was closed from the outside, the room immediately became quiet.

Looking at Lin Xihe's serious expression, Gu Qinghuai was filled with doubt: "What's wrong? Why are you, who is usually so carefree, being so cautious? Is it because of this box of silver?"

"This silver was given to me by the Emperor on the day of the raid on my home because Fu Bo falsely accused my father of hiding words that were disrespectful to the Emperor." Lin Xihe said, while staring intently into Gu Qinghuai's eyes, trying to catch some clues from his expression.

As expected, Gu Qinghuai's expression immediately turned serious upon hearing this, and a complex look flashed in his eyes.

Seeing this, Lin Xihe knew that Gu Qinghuai probably knew something. She was about to ask him, but before she could speak, Gu Qinghuai said in a serious tone, "Xihe, don't investigate these things on your own."

"Why? That's my dad!"

“Uncle Lin’s death and the injustice he suffered are not as simple as you imagine. If you get involved in this matter, you will definitely get into big trouble,” Gu Qinghuai said with a worried expression, his brows furrowed.

What do you know?

Lin Xihe's gaze was intense as she pressed on relentlessly, as if she would not give up until she got an answer today.

"Don't ask anymore, just listen to me. Now that you're back in the capital, you can just live freely. I'll investigate all the matters concerning your family for you. The turmoil in the north has subsided, and I don't need to leave the capital anymore. Just leave everything to me, okay?" Gu Qinghuai softened his tone, trying to soothe Lin Xihe's agitated emotions as if coaxing a child.

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