Arrangements for marriage (or revision)
Lin Fu had always doted on his only daughter, and was helpless against her coquettish and infatuated ways. But then he thought, well, today is just a simple tea party. In any case, this marriage was personally bestowed by the Empress and could not be changed, so he didn't dwell on it.
Therefore, he nodded after only a moment's thought.
The little boy, now that he had received approval, smiled even more brightly on the steps.
Looking at the smiling face under the bright sun that resembled his deceased wife more and more, he couldn't help but feel a pang of pain in his heart, but he could only remain silent.
Children will eventually grow up, start their own families, and break free from their parents' protective arms. Since it can't be avoided, let's just go with the little girl's wishes.
He watched his daughter, her eyes brimming with joy, run towards him, and couldn't help but reach out to support her, worried that she might trip on the sharp steps. The two settled back into the sedan chair before slowly setting off to keep their appointment.
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Shaojing Garden is located on the outskirts of Mujing City, bordering the nearby Dongwei Town, and surrounded by the downstream section of the Weilong River. Compared to the bustling crowds on Mujing North Street, it is exceptionally quiet and elegant.
Lin Fu, along with Minister Wen and several other colleagues, were frequent visitors to this place. After finishing their official business in the nearby Dongwei Town, the colleagues would come here for a short while to sit, drink tea, and reminisce, which was quite relaxing and relieved their fatigue.
Several years have passed since I last visited this place.
Since the person he was meeting today was Dou Huaisheng, a junior whom he had mentored, he didn't need to make many preparations. He just needed to arrive at the agreed time.
Lin Xu was already blushing with barely concealed shyness. As soon as she entered Shaojing Garden, she hurriedly asked the shopkeeper to arrange a nearby private room for her.
Lin Fu looked at his daughter waving goodbye with a smile on her face, and smiled helplessly, but he could only let her do as she pleased.
A beautiful maid, having already received instructions, led him slowly and with her head bowed, into the private room that had been reserved.
Upon entering, one is greeted by the delicate and soothing aroma of incense wafting through the air, accompanied by the continuous murmur of flowing water that meanders down from the artificial hill within the private room.
The scenery that meets the eye is fresh and elegant, and exceptionally captivating.
Amidst the flowing streams and drifting mist, graceful maids of various figures stood respectfully on either side of the door, carrying clean towels for washing and water for cleansing their hands. Their attire was uniformly lake blue, making the scene even more ethereal, like a fairyland.
Compared to before, Shaojing Garden has become increasingly adept at creating ingenious scenery.
Dou Huaisheng arrived very early, and was pouring tea for himself when he heard footsteps. He then looked up and laughed loudly:
"Master Lin!"
Beside him stood a handsome young man, whom Lin Fu had seen several times in the imperial court. This was the exceptionally outstanding eldest son of the Dou family.
The Dou family father and son were very polite and quickly stood up to greet him.
Lin Fu disliked socializing and was even less inclined to engage in scheming. Over the years, he had only a few close friends in the court, and the rest were just casual acquaintances.
Even so, he had heard that the Dou family's affairs had recently been progressing rapidly and were unstoppable.
He raised his hand and smiled, "No need for formalities, please have a seat."
Dou Huaisheng's smile remained unchanged, a bright and humble one:
"Speaking of which, I have known you, Right Chancellor, for many years. It is truly an honor for me to finally have the opportunity to sit with you for a while."
After speaking, he personally poured two cups of tea, presented them to Lin Fu with both hands, and sighed with emotion:
"I owe my current success entirely to the kindness of the Right Chancellor in the past. If it weren't for your discerning eye, I would probably still be just a mediocre clerk in the Ministry of Personnel. I am deeply grateful and will never forget it."
Lin Fu took a sip of tea and nodded slightly.
"The past is past. Brother Dou is now quite influential in the court, so there is no need to talk about the past."
His gaze was deep, as he let the refreshing aroma of tea linger in his mouth.
Looking through the misty air at the craggy rocks and a few sturdy bamboos beside the seats, one finds a scene more idyllic than any ordinary garden landscape, reminiscent of a fairyland.
Dou Huaisheng put down his teacup, his face still full of smiles, but his tone suddenly became serious:
"Right Vice Minister Lin, actually, besides catching up, there is another matter I must mention when I invited you here today. The marriage between my son Yanxun and your daughter was fortunately granted by the Empress, and it is now a done deal, a joyous occasion known to everyone in the capital. However, I am still somewhat uneasy, as the political situation is currently volatile, and my son is still young, so there may be many twists and turns in the future. If we can receive your support in the future, Right Vice Minister, the Dou family will be eternally grateful."
This is how the marriage of the younger generation is used as a pretext to seek political unity between the two families.
Lin Fu raised an eyebrow slightly, gently set down his teacup, and said calmly:
"Brother Dou, there is no need to worry. Since it is an imperial marriage, it is the will of Heaven. The affection between children will naturally grow stronger with the passage of time. The political situation is ever-changing, and neither you nor I can predict everything. We can only do our best to take care of ourselves. However, it is best to let them handle their own family matters. As elders, it is natural for us to help them if we can, but as for other matters, let the younger generation figure it out and learn from their experiences."
Dou Huaisheng remained silent upon hearing this, his smile unchanged, as he lowered his head to play with the teacup in his hand.
Dou Yanzhou, who was sitting to the side, froze, his polite smile that he had been maintaining.
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In the private room next door, Lin Xu gazed at the blood-red maple leaves fluttering outside the window, but his mind was as restless as drifting catkins.
Although she had entered the private room, she did not take off her cloak. The fluffy, soft white squirrel fur trimmed her soft cheeks, making her even more covered up.
Her private room was right next to the private room where Dou Huaisheng and the others were. It was quiet all around, so their conversation could be heard clearly.
She listened with a frown for a long time. This Dou Huaisheng truly lived up to his reputation as a cunning old fox...
Although the marriage was decided by the Empress's decree, it was likely that her father and Dou Huaisheng were weighing their options behind the scenes. That's why she deliberately pestered her father to come here today, just to find out a thing or two.
However, after listening for a while, the Dou family members saw that even though the person in front of them was a prominent figure in the imperial court, they still did not dare to show the slightest disrespect to the father, and their words were full of respect.
She then recalled what Dou Zhen had told her in the palace that day: Dou Huaisheng often expressed his gratitude for his father's past support at home.
As doubts deepened in my mind, the matter became even more perplexing.
Based on his own deduction, the Dou family should have already begun to infiltrate the Lin family and lay out a meticulous plan, waiting for an opportunity to bring down the Lin family in one fell swoop.
Dou Huaisheng was able to hide his true nature so well; no wonder his father never noticed it in his previous life.
Until finally, they were pushed into an abyss of no return.
After all, who could have imagined that this very same junior, who was so respectful and affectionate to his father at this moment, would, three years later, send a single memorial to the throne that would plunge the Lin family of over a hundred people into utter ruin?
As expected, it's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but a hidden arrow covered in sweet icing is always the hardest to defend against.
At Shaojing Garden, court officials and courtesans often danced or played music. Therefore, each window had a small paper window, about half an inch in size, which was just enough to reflect the graceful figures of the courtesans, just to entice the passing guests.
Everything was elegant and ingenious, but this also made one less vigilant and gave others an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.
She lowered her head gently.
Her hands, folded in her sleeves and concealed beneath the soft, comfortable cloak, moved with the shy, nervous demeanor of a young girl, constantly fidgeting with her palms. In reality, however, a sharp arrow was hidden inside her sleeves.
A faint purple glow could be seen on the arrow, flickering under the candlelight in the private room.
It was a small bowl of venom obtained by boiling fresh aconite stems and leaves for a long time, which she then applied entirely to her bow and arrows.
With just a shot and a draw of the bow, the Dou family father and son, so close at hand, would either be dead or severely wounded.
She would then be able to kill the culprit who caused her family's destruction in her past life.
She had been practicing archery diligently with Liang Zhengyuan for many days, waiting for this moment. After all, a dagger was a weapon for close-quarters assassination, but it couldn't kill an enemy from afar. With just one arrow, she could avenge her past life's grudge.
In this life, will she no longer have to pretend and submit to that person?
Maple leaves fluttered outside the window, and the setting sun cast a blood-red glow across the sky and earth, much like the scene on the day the Lin family was massacred in my memory.
Lin Xu took a deep breath and took out the bow and arrow that he had been hiding for a long time.
She stood up and went behind the screen in the private room, observing quietly through the paper window.
Despite the blurred vision, one could still vaguely make out that the person sitting behind the paper window was the short and stout Dou Huaisheng, and his eldest son, Dou Yanzhou, whom Dou Huaisheng was always very proud of.
Her thick, raven-feather-like eyelashes trembled slightly; the arrow was on the bowstring, and her breathing became rapid.
After a moment, she finally held her breath and aimed the arrow, which was flashing with purple light, at the Dou father and son who were drinking tea and talking through the paper window—
Just as they were about to release the arrow, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the quiet and secluded private room.
A series of hurried footsteps approached from outside the private room, accompanied by a deep reprimand, breaking the lingering echo:
"Guards, search! No one in the private room is to move!"
The taut bowstring in her hand trembled slightly.
Through the window of the private room, one could vaguely see figures moving about outside, dressed in armor and wearing helmets. It was indeed a few guards striding closer. Judging from their voices, they were about to search each private room.
Even through the window frame, one could still faintly see the chilling glint of a blade, its cold light emanating a sinister glow.
Her breath trembled slightly.
Why would Shaojing Garden, which is bustling with people and guests during the day, need to be searched?
And it just so happened that she was carrying a weapon that could kill.
After much deliberation, Lin Xu frowned and slowly lowered the bow and arrow.
Now is not the time to act rashly.
She strained her ears to listen to the sounds outside the private room; the low murmurs of the guards drifted in through the window:
"Prince Mao has graced us with his presence today. We are ordered to protect him and find that fearless assassin."
Is there an assassin?
A moment later, another guard shouted, "This is an emergency! Everyone in the private rooms, come out immediately so we can check you! Anyone who disobeys will be killed without mercy!"
Her heart skipped a beat.
She had never met the powerful Prince Mao before, nor had she ever had any connection with him. But she never expected that this prince would come to Shaojing Garden today, and that he would even attract assassins!
Seeing that she was now heavily guarded and on high alert, and that she happened to be hiding a weapon, it meant that—
Once the guards search this place, she will be caught red-handed and in serious trouble. No matter how much she tries to explain that her actions were not intended to assassinate Prince Mao, no one will believe her!
Instead, she'll be arrested as the assassin!
As her thoughts returned to their own, she heard guests emerging from different private rooms one after another, and the sound of doors closing could also be heard from the next room where her father and Dou Huaisheng were.
When she looked back, she saw that the private room she was in was quite empty. Apart from the screen, there was only a four-legged square table and a few low mahogany stools.
She had nowhere to hide.
Without time to think further, Lin Xu turned around and quickly stuffed the bow and arrows he had brought under the table behind the screen, then used his sleeve to wipe away any possible traces on the ground.
Having done all this, she clapped her hands and listened carefully to the sounds coming from the outer hall. The heavy footsteps and the clash of swords gradually faded into the distance, as if the guards were leading the guests who had just come out of the various rooms to another place.
Perhaps she should take advantage of the chaos and leave?
Lin Xu held her breath, her mind in a state of panic, when suddenly the door to her private room was pushed open. Before she could react, a tall figure staggered in.
She turned to run away, but was so shocked by the sight before her that she almost screamed out loud—
The person who burst through the door had eyes that were usually dreamy and aloof, now stained with endless crimson blood vessels. His handsome face was unusually pale, conveying a sense of helplessness as if his life hung by a thread.
When their eyes met, the blood-stained lips, after a moment of stunned silence, curled into a faint smile that seemed to melt away.
However, it appears even more bloody and terrifying.
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