The Truth (Revised)
When Liang Zhengyuan was released from prison, Hua Chang, the little maid who had served him when he was still in the Lin family, was waiting at the door.
Seeing him finally emerge, Hua Chang's eyes reddened, and she wept with joy, "Young Master, you've finally..."
Liang Zhengyuan nodded slightly. Behind Hua Chang were two tall and imposing figures, also old acquaintances whom she now felt a deep sense of familiarity with.
Zhou Qi and Zhou Quan simultaneously clasped their fists, their expressions a mixture of emotion and joy: "Fourth Master is safe and sound, and we can finally put our minds at ease. Congratulations on the exoneration of Fourth Master!"
He choked up, unable to utter a single word. His gaze swept quickly over the other old servants who had come to greet him, but he couldn't find the figure he missed most.
Liang Zhengyuan glanced at the street scene but found nothing. He withdrew the disappointment from his eyes and was about to step into the sedan chair when he heard a voice behind him filled with joy and urgency.
"Yingzhi!"
The sky was clear, the clouds had dispersed, and the rain had stopped. The torrential rain that had been falling for days had completely vanished without anyone noticing. The streets were bustling with people; what used to be an ordinary scene now seemed exceptionally bright and cheerful.
Amidst the hurried crowd, Liao Yan, dressed in a honey-colored feather gauze gown with eight tassels, stood gracefully behind him.
The noble princess, who always presented an icy and aloof demeanor, now had a flushed face and her eyes, like pools of water, were filled with surprise. Bathed in the bright sunlight, her face was even more dazzling.
“Yingzhi”.
She stood not far from him, watching him with delight. Given her status as a princess, she must have received the news long ago; it was unknown how long she had been waiting there.
This was the first time Liang Zhengyuan had met Princess Kunrou since he joined the army, and he couldn't help but smile slightly.
Just as he stepped out of the Ministry of Justice, he heard his servant whisper that during the time he was unconscious and imprisoned, Princess Kunrou had been very concerned about him and had helped him in many ways. He was deeply grateful for such a great kindness.
Seeing that he only smiled and remained silent, Liao Yan quickly walked up, with a personal maid following closely by his side.
She carefully examined Liang Zhengyuan from head to toe, and a heart that had been longing for him for so long seemed to finally settle back into his chest. Liao Yan's lips curved into a rare smile, radiating tenderness, as she softly spoke:
"These past few days have been tough for you, but thankfully the outcome is good in the end, and you have returned safely. It is truly remarkable that you were able to survive this ordeal."
Liang Zhengyuan returned the bow respectfully, his smile humble.
"I am deeply grateful for Your Highness's kind concern and consideration, but I am unworthy of such praise. Your Highness's leniency is truly my greatest fortune."
Liao Yan understood the polite words implied by Liang Zhengyuan. She lowered her eyelids and took another close look at his face, her smile widening.
She had been worried for days, and only with Miao Yiyun's help was she able to escape the mansion. Naturally, she had a thousand words she wanted to say to Liang Zhengyuan. However, considering that he had just been released from prison, she naturally needed to rest and recuperate.
Princess Kunrou then took a small amount of the weight and took a lotus-colored sachet from the jade belt at her waist, handing it to Liang Zhengyuan.
"this......"
“This is something I keep close to my body. It was given to me by a high monk from Guangfo Temple years ago. It has the effect of bringing blessings and warding off disasters. You have gone through so much and it has not been easy for you. Keep it for protection and to bring blessings.”
Liang Zhengyuan looked at Liao Yan's eyes, which sparkled like starlight, but due to etiquette, he couldn't accept the gift and could only repeatedly decline, saying:
"Thank you for your kind words, Your Highness, but I am truly unworthy of them... I am afraid I will fail to live up to your kindness."
Upon hearing this, a strange chill flashed in Liao Yan's eyes, then she smiled.
"Since you have suffered a great injustice and been framed, although the real culprit has not yet been caught, you will surely be exonerated soon, which is a stroke of good fortune amidst misfortune. After this experience, your future official position will certainly not be just a minor accompanying general. You must already know this in your heart. However, I still say the same thing: Yingzhi, don't let me misjudge you."
Since things had come to this point, Liang Zhengyuan dared not refuse any longer and had no choice but to accept it with his hands clasped.
Because the two had stood on the street for a while, Liao Yan finally slipped out of the mansion. Not wanting to attract too much attention, she gave him one last deep look, then hurriedly said goodbye and turned to leave.
Following the direction Princess Kunrou had gone, Liang Zhengyuan slowly straightened up.
With a blank expression, he saw a camphor wood sedan chair, intricately carved with patterns, parked at the street corner, amidst the bustling street scene. Not far from the sedan chair, a graceful and beautiful young woman stood still.
One look at him and you know he's someone of high status.
The woman's face looked somewhat familiar from a distance.
Liang Zhengyuan only glanced at it briefly before turning away.
He never liked to cause trouble, nor did he care about other people's affairs. He glanced at the sachet in his hand, which still had a faint fragrance, then clenched his fist, a lingering shadow falling over his eyes.
.
Seeing Liao Yan return, Miao Yiyun hurriedly stepped forward to take her hands, smiling sweetly as she said:
"Has the princess seen Young Master Liang? How was it? Is she finally able to relieve her worries?"
Liao Yan withdrew his gaze and looked at the red gold butterfly-wing hairpin with pearls tucked diagonally into Miao Yiyun's hair, which trembled slightly with her charming laughter.
It was as if the person standing before her was exactly the same Yiyin who had chased butterflies and embroidered handkerchiefs with her years ago. The two had grown up together and were once inseparable, but somehow, a rift had gradually grown between them.
They've even reached the point where they distrust and blackmail each other.
But today, Liao Yan suddenly realized that Miao Yiyun was perhaps still the same as always. She was still incredibly charming and beautiful, and beneath her blooming face, her burning ambition and unwillingness to be subordinate to others had never changed in the slightest.
It's just that everyone harbors a persistent obsession that's hard to shake off.
Liao Yan sighed inwardly before saying:
"Although you didn't help much in this matter, I was able to see Liang Zhengyuan today thanks to your secret assistance in my escape from the manor. However, if my mother knew the whole story, she probably wouldn't let you off so easily."
Miao Yiyun's eyes and brows were full of smiles. She curled her lips nonchalantly and gently tapped Liao Yan's nose with the tip of her index finger.
"Princess, rest assured, it's just a scolding from the Eldest Princess. It's most worthwhile for Yiyun to relieve your worries. These are just trivial matters."
Liao Yan looked into her smiling eyes, and sure enough, after a light chuckle, the light in Miao Yiyun's eyes deepened as well.
"However, Princess, you must not break your promise to Yiyun and disappoint her good intentions."
.
Lin Xu sat upright in front of the couch, bathed in the gentle sunlight, carefully examining the accounts.
Zhu Ling stood under the curtain for a long time before finally unable to resist tiptoeing forward to change the tea for her.
"Madam... you've been looking at things so carefully for so long, it must be tiring your eyes. You should get some rest."
Lin Xu turned to a new page of accounts, turned back and smiled, "You're a considerate person. The sun is still shining, and you must be very busy serving me all day. Go and rest in the pavilion for a while, and chat with the other maids."
In the distance, four or five idle young maids had already gathered by the back garden of the villa, sitting in a circle making knots. They were all about the same age, basking in the warm sun, their laughter drifting through the cracks in the window into the bedroom.
Zhu Ling then said, "Does Madam wish for some peace and quiet? Would you like me to close the windows tightly for you?"
Lin Xu was never strict in managing the villa, and over time, all the servants and maids there treated her with exceptional kindness and felt no fear towards her. Today's incident was simply a case of her turning a blind eye, allowing the young maids a rare moment of rest and play.
Seeing Lin Xu chuckle without speaking, Zhu Ling noticed the unease in her eyes and finally couldn't help but say:
"But today is, after all, the day that the young master has finally been exonerated and released from prison. Madam, do you really not want to go back to the manor to visit him?"
Lin Xu closed the ledger.
With no one around, she gently caressed the cover of the thick ledger with her fingertips. It had been worn and rubbed in her bosom for so long that it had already begun to yellow and soften.
“My cousin has finally managed to get through this ordeal, and now is the perfect time to shake off the bad luck and start fresh. There are so many people and things to do at home that will keep him busy for a while. After all this, I’m sure Father, Grandfather, and my other cousins are all feeling quite emotional. I should give them some time to make the most of it.”
Zhu Ling then said, “What you say is absolutely right, Madam. In fact, I have seen it all. These days you have been so worried about the young master’s safety that you haven’t had a good night’s sleep. There have even been several nights when you cried your eyes out in your sleep. I was really heartbroken. Now that the case is finally closed, you can finally relax and get some rest.”
Although Liang Zhengyuan was released safely, the maneuvering she made behind the scenes was incredibly cunning.
...On that most helpless and frightened day, she hastily wrote three letters.
A letter assigned Zhao Qi the task of investigating the events at the Mujing Martial Arts Academy years ago, inquiring whether there were any unknown clues or hints. Zhao Qi had served as a guard at the academy for many years, observing the daily training and interactions of the students. He was also meticulous and had a good memory. Sure enough, within a few days, she heard one or two pieces of information from Zhao Qi that were extremely useful to her.
Zhao Qi said that Liang Zhengyuan was kind and honest by nature. He not only did not make enemies with anyone in the martial arts arena, but also made many friends because of his cheerful and interesting personality. However, if we really had to count the disputes or disagreements he had with others, then in the vast martial arts arena, there was only one person who could be considered to have harbored any dissatisfaction with Liang Zhengyuan.
And that person's name was Qin Ziyuan.
Lin Xu immediately felt a stirring in his heart.
Qin Ziyuan was very dissatisfied with Liang Zhengyuan's better family background and outstanding talent despite being a newcomer, and he was even more jealous of the fact that Liang Zhengyuan had won the favor of Princess Kunrou in the martial arts arena.
Later, Liang Zhengyuan was selected into the Fourteenth Division because of Liao Yan. The other one of only two people selected from the martial arts field was Qin Ziyuan, who had been secretly jealous for a long time.
Cutting off someone's path to promotion and wealth, perhaps Qin Ziyuan was too eager for quick success and had long harbored murderous intent towards Liang Zhengyuan. But he was too greedy, not only wanting to remove Liang Zhengyuan as an obstacle, but also wanting him to be utterly disgraced.
The only person who could harbor such intense hatred for Liang Zhengyuan was his rival.
Then, relying on his keen observation skills, Lin Xu delved deeper into the information from the Huidong area and Qin Ziyuan's past, and soon discovered the key to the problem—
This case, seemingly simple, appears to be nothing more than a murder case where the perpetrator was killed first and then framed.
However, upon closer examination, the identity of the deceased is quite crucial.
In her second letter, she informed her two other cousins, who were serving in the imperial court, of all the news that Liang Zhengyuan was imprisoned at that time.
Although my second and third cousins are currently only holding minor military positions in counties near Mujing, the Liang family has been a family of military generals since ancient times, with extensive connections not only in Hecheng but also throughout the entire Dayu region.
The two cousins, who used to practice martial arts together and were now guarding Yazhou, got to know each other well and began to vaguely notice details that might have been overlooked before.
All these factors combined lead to an unspeakable speculation.
This case is far from simple.
What's behind this might be a conspiracy between the local prefect and bandits, who secretly colluded to wreak havoc on the people.
Or perhaps, it's a web involving royalty and nobility, capable of stirring up the political landscape.
As fate would have it, Liang Zhengyuan was assassinated just as the operation was about to end.
In just a few years, Huidong transformed from a small county under the jurisdiction of Yazhou into a prefecture that was on par with Yazhou.
It's possible that there are officials in the court who are secretly colluding with An Qibiao, the prefect of Huidong.
...Perhaps that person is now sitting comfortably in a prominent position within the Great Yu Dynasty.
After figuring all this out, Lin Xu felt a chill run down his spine. He feared that their concern for Liang Zhengyuan's safety might inadvertently trigger a link in the case, dragging them into a deeper and darker vortex.
The fact that the Eldest Princess had confined Kunrou to her residence and kept her indoors only further confirmed her suspicions. If even the Eldest Princess wanted to avoid the limelight and not get involved, just how deep were the waters behind this?
The third letter at that time was Lin Xu's preparation for the worst the moment the incident occurred.
if......
If she couldn't clear Liang Zhengyuan's name and secure his safe release despite her best efforts, then she would have to prepare for the worst.
Fu Qing had been by Dou Yanxun's side for many years. Not only was she highly skilled in medicine, but she was also adept at using poisons. Furthermore, she felt indebted to Lin Xu because she could not control her feelings for Dou Yanxun.
After hesitating for a long time, she finally made up her mind and wrote the letter to Fu Qing seeking help.
The letter contained only a few words, requesting Fu Qing to prepare two excellent pills for her.
Upon ingestion, it immediately throws one's internal organs into chaos, causing them to vomit blood incessantly, and within half an hour, the person will cease breathing. It appears no different from the soul returning home.
The only difference is that the user will wake up in the early morning of the night after taking the medication.
Those were the two fake death pills she had painstakingly obtained.
She had already made up her mind that if all else failed, she would do everything in her power to save Liang Zhengyuan's life, even if it meant giving up all worldly fame and fortune.
Since this whole affair began because of her selfish desire to avenge the Dou family's wrongdoing in her past life, Liang Zhengyuan wouldn't have been dragged into this endless struggle if she hadn't insisted on making a deal with Liao Yan.
Then she could return to him all the freedom he had had to roam the heavens.
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