Yan Boxi's gaze followed Chen Jin's gesture and fell on the white jade butterfly twin hairpins. A complex emotion flashed in his eyes, as if it was nostalgia and regret.
"Your Majesty has been on the throne for ten years..." He spoke in a hoarse voice, each word seemed to be forced out of his throat, "Some people can't wait any longer."
Chen Jin raised his eyebrows slightly, as if he was quite surprised by the answer, but did not interrupt Yan Boxi.
"What troubles the father-in-law is that even though he knows the truth, he lacks concrete evidence, and his words are not enough to support his words." Yan Boxi spoke slowly, with a hint of insight in his tone.
Chen Jin sat back in his chair, his demeanor calm. "The Imperial Household Department has mobilized its full forces, but all leads have been completely wiped out. The silver shop that sold this hairpin was reduced to ashes in a fire four days ago... As for the shopkeeper Liu you mentioned in your confession, we've searched every corner of the capital, but there's no trace of him."
Upon hearing this, Yan Boxi closed his eyes slightly, without showing any surprise on his face, as if he had already expected this result.
"Father-in-law is not here to send me to death." He said softly, with a certainty in his tone.
"Oh? So you still have a way out?" Chen Jin raised his eyebrows slightly, showing some interest.
"I have been detained until now and am not on the list of those being sent to Lingnan. My father-in-law came to visit me alone today. I'm sure this news will soon reach the ears of those who are interested."
Yan Boxi spoke in a low voice, his words revealing his intelligence. He tilted his head slightly and glanced outside the prison door.
"Besides you, father-in-law, I have another way to survive!"
"Who gave it to you?" Chen Jin asked, a hint of curiosity in his eyes.
"The culprit!" Yan Boxi spat out these four words in a firm tone.
Chen Jin stared at him, feeling a pity. If such a talent could stay in the court to pursue his ambitions, whether as an ally or an opponent, it would be a fascinating contest.
However, fate played a trick on him, and now he can only be trapped in prison, waiting for an unknown outcome.
"So, which way of life do you choose?" Chen Jin asked slowly, his eyes fixed on Yan Boxi's face, trying to read some clues from his expression.
Yan Boxi did not answer immediately. He moved his body with difficulty, reached out and held the bag that Chen Jin brought tightly in his arms.
He was silent for a long time, as if he was having a fierce struggle deep in his heart, and finally he spoke.
"Death isn't scary. It's even a relief for me right now," he said slowly, each word weighing heavily on his heart. "But I won't let myself vanish silently like this. I want to make that person lose everything the moment he's about to achieve what he's been striving for his whole life. I want him to fail at the last hurdle, leaving him in excruciating pain."
Chen Jin listened quietly, understanding that Yan Boxi had made his choice.
When he walked out of the cell, he looked back at Yan Boxi again. The other party was holding the hairpin tightly in his hand. In the dark cell, a beam of sunlight shone in, like a ray of hope.
It seems that this battle is far from over.
…
On Liquan Mountain, spring scenery is everywhere and the scenery is picturesque.
On the mountainside, there are several places with beautiful scenery, dotted with teahouses and villas, as well as temporary rest tents, providing a place to rest for guests who come to outing.
The carriage from the Marquis' Mansion slowly arrived and joined the people from the Jiang Mansion.
The women exchanged greetings and went into the tent to rest, while Jiang Lun waited impatiently for Xue Zhongfu and Xue Jiyan to arrive.
As soon as they met, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. Seeing that Xue Zhongfu's body had almost recovered, he immediately suggested: "Zhongfu, you are in great shape! Why don't we go for a horse race along the other side of the mountain road?"
Xue Zhongfu's eyes sparkled with excitement when he heard this: "What a great idea! I haven't ridden the horse for a long time."
When the young men from the surrounding noble families heard about the horse racing, they gathered around and expressed their desire to join this exciting competition.
Their enthusiasm was ignited by the proposals of Jiang Lun and Xue Zhongfu, and for a moment, the mountainside was filled with laughter.
Jiang Lun turned and walked towards his mother, Mrs. Qiao, and his aunt, Mrs. Sun, and said respectfully, "Mother, Aunt, Zhongfu, Ji Yan, and I plan to go for a couple of laps of horse racing first and then come back to talk to you later."
Qiao and Sun smiled at each other, and Hong Yingrong also said, "You guys go ahead. Let the servant follow behind on horseback. Just be careful."
Jiang Lun and the others responded in unison, then jumped on their horses and whipped their horses to ride away. Their figures galloped past on the mountain road, leaving behind a string of cheerful horse hoofbeats and fluttering clothes.
On the other side, Xue Huichun held a round fan with a pattern of clouds, fish and algae, gently blocking the pouring spring sunshine.
After paying her respects to Madam Sun and Madam Qiao, she and her maid Jinxia strolled to an open area on the mountainside.
Looking out from here, the lake at the foot of the mountain is sparkling, like a huge mirror inlaid on the earth, reflecting the blue sky, white clouds and the surrounding mountains, which is beautiful beyond words.
"Mrs. Ronghua County, best of luck!" A sweet and soft greeting came, like a spring breeze, making Xue Huichun turn around.
The person who came into view was Mrs. Qiao’s niece, Qiao Heyuan.
Qiao Heyuan had a cute round face and clear eyes that revealed a sense of innocence. Perhaps because she jogged over, her cheeks were slightly flushed, which added a bit of liveliness and spirit to her, making her look more lively and lovely.
"Sister Qiao, you should call me Xue Si. I rarely hear people call me that." Xue Huichun walked towards her with a smile and said kindly, "I didn't see Sister Qiao just now. Did you go somewhere to enjoy the scenery?"
The maid behind Qiao Heyuan was holding a small wooden box in her hand. When she heard this, she subconsciously hid it behind her.
"Sister Xue, there are many flowers blooming over there that I have never seen before, so my maid and I looked at them for a while longer." Qiao Heyuan replied. Perhaps because she was not good at lying, she unconsciously pinched the hem of her skirt.
Xue Huichun turned her gaze towards the tent in the distance. Seeing her mother and the two aunts from the Jiang residence chatting and laughing, she softly suggested, "We have some delicious cakes today. If you're tired, why not go over and rest for a while?"
However, when she turned her gaze back to Qiao Heyuan, she found that the little girl's almond-shaped eyes were wide open, staring at her feet, as if she saw something extremely attractive.
Xue Huichun looked down, not knowing what was going on, and saw a toad had clinging to the hem of her skirt.
Jinxia, who was beside her, screamed and suddenly pulled Xue Huichun back, almost falling down.
Qiao Heyuan shouted calmly, "Don't move!" Then he quickly squatted down, clasped his hands together, and easily grabbed the toad.
The maid behind her reacted quickly and immediately handed the wooden box to her lady, opened the lid, and put the toad inside.
The two of them cooperated well and performed their movements with ease. It was obvious that this was not the first time they had done this.
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