Happy New Year to my old friend.
The maidservant who served her entered quietly, her footsteps so soft they were barely audible. She carried a bowl of warm medicine and whispered, "..."
"Princess...it's time to take your medicine."
Liao Yan didn't even lift his eyelids, his expression remained indifferent, and his voice was as cold as if covered with a layer of frost, devoid of any warmth.
"Take it down."
The girl hesitated for a moment, about to speak again to persuade her, but before she knew it, Liao Yan simply waved her hand forward, and the medicine bowl shattered into pieces as her wide sleeve swept down.
The turquoise medicine in the bowl then scattered, seeping into the brocade carpet and leaving eerie deep marks.
The maid immediately panicked. The medicine had just been boiled and served, and now it had been spilled, with a lot of scalding hot medicine splashing onto her. However, she dared not cry out in pain and could only beg for mercy while cleaning herself up. The wet nurse and nanny who were guarding outside the hall also rushed over upon hearing the commotion.
Just as chaos erupted inside the hall, the sound of the beaded curtain fluttering rang out again, and with a gentle breeze, someone entered.
Liao Qian, dressed in casual clothes, with his sword-like eyebrows as gentle as a spring breeze and a deep gaze, strode into the hall.
Liao Qian's gaze swept quickly over the scattered medicine and the silent, head bowed, taking in everything. He showed no anger, only sighed deeply, and sat down beside her bed, his voice softening slightly as he said:
"Ye'er, why get angry at the servants? You're not fully recovered yet, you should take care of yourself."
Liao Yan remained silent, his gaze fixed on the window. He didn't even glance at Liao Qian, who had a gentle expression, nor did he rise to greet him. He simply uttered a cold "Father" as a greeting.
Although Liao Qian was the emperor's son-in-law, he was a very peaceful person and never showed any arrogance when he was with Liao Yan.
Seeing this, he said no more, only:
"I know you are troubled, so I specially invited an old friend to come. Perhaps it can help you feel better. You sisters haven't seen each other for a long time, so it's a good opportunity for you to keep each other company and have a heart-to-heart talk to relieve your worries."
Before the words were even finished, a clear, cheerful laugh gradually drifted in from outside the door:
"This humble woman pays her respects to the Princess."
Liao Yan frowned, turned around in a daze, and saw that the person who came was indeed an old friend she knew very well.
Miao Yiyun, tall and slender, dressed in a light green silk dress, gracefully approached her with a smile.
Miao Yiyun, now bestowed the title of Princess of Shou'an by imperial decree, still possesses a complexion as white as snow and delicate features. With just a touch of makeup, she is stunningly beautiful and unforgettable. In her hand, she carries a basket of vibrant roses, seemingly freshly picked, with dew still glistening on the petals. Her every step exudes a graceful ease that is no longer present in her past.
It's been a long time since I've seen Miao Yiyun, and she's become even more outstanding and radiant.
Liao Yan's gaze swept indifferently over Miao Yiyun's bowing posture. Recalling the unpleasantness with Miao Yiyun at the family dinner during the early winter snow festival, a hint of annoyance flickered between her brows. Her tone remained unchanged, coldly stating:
"The Lady of Shou'an County has been quite busy lately, how come she has such leisure time to come here to see me?"
Miao Yiyun, a charming smile playing on her lips, stepped forward and sat down beside Liao Yan's couch, affectionately taking her arm and gently swaying it:
“Princess, I know you’ve been feeling down at home lately and must be feeling lonely, so I asked the Prince Consort to come and keep you company.”
The two had grown up together since childhood, and Miao Yiyun knew best that Liao Yan was cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Even when she was treated coldly, she was not angry. Seeing that Liao Yan had not spoken for a long time, she continued softly:
"As we walked along, I saw that the roses in the front yard were in full bloom, their colors vibrant and their petals layered upon each other, yet so delicate and beautiful. Princess, do you still remember that when we were young, your favorite rose in the flower garden was this orange rose?"
Liao Yan glanced at the bouquet of flowers in the basket, which was still dripping with dew, and her expression softened slightly.
Liao Qian, who was watching from the side, breathed a sigh of relief as her daughter, who had been sullen for several days, finally softened her expression.
He waved to the maidservants to leave, then slowly walked out of Liao Yan's bedchamber and gently closed the door.
The hall quickly became much quieter.
Miao Yiyun lowered her head, fiddling with the flower branches, using golden scissors to trim away excess twigs. A stray hair fell from her temple, but she remained oblivious as she carefully selected the blossoms. Suddenly, in the silence, Liao Yan's extremely cold voice rang out:
You didn't have to come.
Miao Yiyun smiled slightly as she placed a neatly trimmed orange-red rose into a five-colored agate vase on the table, her voice calm and composed.
"The princess is in trouble. As her childhood playmate, how can I stand idly by?"
Before Liao Yan could speak, she slowly and meticulously trimmed a new rose bush before turning back and saying softly:
"...Moreover, only Yiyin can relieve the princess's anxiety right now. The princess has always been blessed with both wisdom and good fortune, so she naturally understands this."
Although Miao Yiyun had been with her for a long time, she had always treated her with affection but also with a hint of flattery. Liao Yan, however, had never seen her with such a resolute expression, and was momentarily stunned.
But then Miao Yiyun put down the golden scissors in her hand, raised her head, and looked at her with bright, sparkling eyes.
"However, Yiyun also has a request to make of the princess now, and I'm sure the princess is also determined to help her achieve her goal."
This is almost an undisguised threat.
Liao Yan stood up in disbelief, glaring angrily at Miao Yiyun, and immediately said coldly:
"How dare you! Are you threatening me?"
Miao Yiyun, however, turned a handkerchief in her hand to wipe away the dew that had just touched her skin, her face showing an unprecedented calmness:
"I ask for little, only to marry the Third Prince and become his lawfully wedded wife."
She slowly stood up, making no attempt to deny threatening Liao Yan. Miao Yiyun was tall and slender, almost shoulder-length with Liao Yan. Her eyes met Liao Yan's directly, showing no sign of backing down.
"And only the Princess can lend me a hand in this matter."
Liao Yan sneered repeatedly and said angrily:
"What a convenient way to lend a helping hand! We've known each other since childhood, and I never imagined you'd actually scheme against me! Miao Yiyun, how dare you! Although I'm no longer allowed to enter or leave the Princess's residence, I'm still a county princess. It's not your place to boss me around, let alone expect me to be forced by you—"
Before the words had even finished, Miao Yiyun quietly interrupted:
"Does Your Highness know that in three hours, it will be the final hearing of your beloved's case?"
Seeing Liao Yan's expression change upon hearing this, Miao Yiyun stepped forward and affectionately reached out to straighten Liao Yan's slightly wrinkled clothes from her hasty rise. Her movements were gentle, but her words showed no sign of softening:
"I am concerned about my relationship with the princess, so I have been secretly investigating this matter. I also know that the princess is trapped in the mansion by the order of the princess and has no use for her skills. She can only be anxious and helpless."
Liao Yan, having his secret exposed, was speechless for a moment. After a long while, he slowly closed his eyes and said in a deep voice:
"...Lin Xu is intelligent and resourceful. With her handling everything, Liang Zhengyuan will overcome the difficulties."
Miao Yiyun chuckled, a hint of pity flickering in her eyes as she quietly looked at Liao Yan. That look sent a shiver down the spine of the usually fearless Liao Yan.
"I suppose the princess has been isolated from the outside world for so long that she has lost track of time. Your trusted former classmate wrote three letters a few days ago, sending them to different places. Does the princess know whose help she sought in each of them?"
A strange feeling flashed through Liao Yan's heart, but he managed to maintain a calm expression and said:
"Her cousin is in trouble, so she will probably contact He Cheng herself and ask her family for help. It's only natural."
The light that had been twinkling in Miao Yiyun's eyes grew even brighter, and she said, word by word:
"The princess's guess about the whereabouts of the first two letters is correct. However, this third letter will probably disappoint the princess."
Miao Yiyun turned around:
“My informants are always on the move in the capital. When I was first reminded, I didn’t take it to heart. After all, it was just someone else’s business and had nothing to do with me. But I already knew what the princess was thinking, so I paid more attention and secretly sent someone to follow her for several days. Finally, I managed to get that letter—which hadn’t been completely burned to ashes.”
She took out a soft silk purse from inside her coat, pulled out a very thin piece of paper, and handed it to Liao Yan.
Another letter! It was the same letter her mother had shown her before, which led to her imprisonment in the mansion. And now, it's another one!
Liao Yan's brow twitched, instinctively wanting to resist, but unable to resist her curiosity, she hurriedly took it and glanced at it. After only a cursory look, she immediately held her breath.
She had been classmates with Lin Xu for nearly half a year, so she was naturally very familiar with her handwriting.
Delicate yet powerful, it even possesses a certain masculine grace, flowing like clouds and water. It is undoubtedly an exceptionally beautiful small seal script.
She felt a sudden darkness before her eyes, and in that instant, a flood of emotions overwhelmed her, leaving her speechless for a moment, only murmuring:
"How could this be... how could this be..."
Miao Yiyun walked back to her side, gently patted her shoulder, and comforted her:
"The princess's failure to recognize talent was not her fault, but rather the enemy's skill in concealing their true intentions. Fortunately, it is not too late."
Seeing Liao Yan look up at her, Miao Yiyun's voice grew even lower, yet it was as tranquil as a babbling brook, tinged with a captivating gentleness:
"Your Highness and I are deeply in love, and I will certainly help you through this difficult time. However, once everything has settled down, on the day of my wedding with the Third Prince, I would like to ask Your Highness to do me the honor of attending and drinking a cup of wedding wine."
.
With a rumble of thunder, the heavy clouds that had been gathering for days were finally dispersed by the rain, which poured down, soaking the pedestrians on the street in no time. Even so, the gates of the Ministry of Justice were still crowded with people who had gathered there early in the morning. Despite the guards with swords trying to maintain order, they could barely keep the onlookers outside the gate.
Niu Wenyuan coughed twice, took a sip of his lukewarm tea, and couldn't help but mutter to himself. Normally, when he presided over cases, the crowds were nowhere near this large. And the culprit, barely appearing, had already elicited murmurs of surprise from the women in the crowd.
Niu Wenyuan glanced to the side and saw Jiang Heng sitting calmly beneath the courtroom, dressed in a smoky blue, straight-legged court robe with narrow sleeves. It was clearly an ordinary outfit, but the man stood ramrod straight, as if simply sitting there could attract all eyes to him.
Jiang Heng, however, seemed to have grown accustomed to the onlookers' gazes. He calmly twirled the ring in his hand, and after a long while, he raised his eyebrows slightly and smiled at Niu Wenyuan.
"It's getting late. I wonder if Lord Niu is ready for today's tough battle?"
Niu Wenyuan regained his composure, put down his teacup, and nodded, saying:
“What Lord Jiang said is true. In that case, let’s begin the trial immediately.”
After he finished speaking, and as the deep, authoritative voices of the bailiffs on both sides gradually faded away, Niu Wenyuan said solemnly:
"Guards, bring the suspect in this case to the courtroom!"
Before long, Liang Zhengyuan, whose hands and feet were bound by iron chains, was brought to the courtroom by a group of fierce-looking yamen runners.
Only a few days had passed since the last court hearing, yet Liang Zhengyuan's face was already covered in stubble. His once neatly combed hair was now a tangled mess, like a clump of withered grass. Even his former air of noble elegance had been completely worn away—
But his spine remained unbent, never bending even slightly.
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