Laurel (repair)
If this matter can be resolved smoothly, then...
Before she could think it through, she saw Liao Yan pull the blanket up for Liang Zhengyuan, her gaze fixed on his gaunt face. She turned to Lin Xu and said:
"Liang Zhengyuan would never violate military discipline, much less be involved in a murder case. In any case, this case must be solved!"
Lin Xu sighed softly:
“I understand the princess’s pity for her cousin, but the most important thing right now is to protect his life first, and then gradually investigate the truth. Thanks to my husband, we were able to see my cousin first, but this matter is far-reaching and we can’t afford to make any mistakes… As for the various relationships in the court, we are just ordinary people and we will probably need the princess to personally maintain and manage them.”
Liao Yan nodded slowly, turned to look at Dou Yanxun, and said in an extremely firm voice:
"Lord Dou, before the truth is found, please take good care of Zheng Yuan along with your subordinates. No matter what, I, Liao Yan, will not stand idly by."
Dou Yanxun gazed at her silently for a moment, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes. He nodded, his tone steady:
"Your Highness is too kind. I dare not accept such praise. It was nothing more than a small favor. However, I would like to implore Your Highness that no matter how things develop, you must remain calm and not act impulsively."
The situation was urgent, and Liao Yan had only sat for a short while before leaving to find connections to help with the matter. She was extremely anxious, and before leaving, she tightly grasped Lin Xu's hands, as if she had a thousand words to say but didn't know where to begin. She only gave her a deep look before hurriedly leaving.
Lin Xu felt heartbroken seeing Liang Zhengyuan's weak state. She then had the physician invited by Dou Yanxun carefully write several prescriptions for recuperation and instructed the maids in the yamen to prepare the medicine according to the pharmacy and feed it to Liang Zhengyuan on time. Only after all the arrangements were made could she finally relax.
A short while later, Dou Yanxun had a detailed conversation with his superior, Vice Minister Zhang, and had learned some of the details. After returning to the inner room, he whispered to her:
“I have inquired and found that the Fourteenth Division had been quite successful in quelling the bandits in the Huidong area. General He Qijiang, who led the division, even submitted a memorial the day before yesterday, preparing to request His Majesty to withdraw the troops back to the capital. Logically speaking, the Emperor should receive that memorial today or at the latest tomorrow, which would be a great opportunity for the generals to reward their merits. However, at this critical moment, Brother Dou suddenly appeared alone a thousand miles away, unconscious, which is indeed very suspicious.”
Lin Xu nodded and asked, "Have you found out the identity of that unidentified male corpse?"
Dou Yanxun held the teacup, paused, and said:
"This is the difficult part. The coroner has examined the body repeatedly, and I haven't seen the autopsy report yet, but my colleagues say it was caused by several fatal sword wounds. However, after checking the household registration in Mujing, this person is neither from Mujing nor from the village on the outskirts of the capital where the two were found. Since Liang Zhengyuan belongs to the 14th Division, Vice Minister Zhang has already sent someone to deliver a letter to General He at full speed, requesting an investigation into any missing personnel in the army. It will probably take another day or two to get a reply."
She listened and felt her mind was filled with many thoughts, and she was confused and had no solution.
This was the first time she had encountered such a perplexing and secretive case, and the person involved was even her own closest relative. She clearly saw him lying there, unconscious and suffering terribly, and all the clues pointed against Liang Si.
Under these circumstances, Dou Yanxun was the only person she could rely on.
She curled her lips in a mocking smile, but Dou Yanxun looked at her with concern and said again:
“I know you’re worried about your cousin’s safety, but for now we can only wait and see. I’ll have someone take good care of him, and we can ask about the details after he wakes up. But it’s getting late, so let’s go back and rest for a while.”
She was, after all, just a relative, and couldn't stay in such an important place as the government office for long. It was also highly inappropriate for Dou Yanxun to tell her about the case in private. If she stayed here any longer, she would probably cause him more trouble.
Right now, it seems there's really no other option but to wait.
So Lin Xu composed himself, got into the carriage, and slowly made his way back to his residence.
The bright and sunny morning light when I arrived has turned into a cold drizzle that stings my face and feels icy cold.
She couldn't help but recall all the times she had spent with Liang Zhengyuan in the past... Among all her cousins, Liang Si had always treated her the best and was the closest to her.
He always teased and joked with her, but when she was really in trouble, Liang Si was always there to protect her. He gave her two parrots because he was afraid she would get bored, mocked her embroidery skills, and then played with her in all sorts of ways... How could such a vibrant person now lie on the bed, dying and unconscious?
Lin Xu couldn't help but think back to the past. It was because she wanted to take revenge and win over Princess Kunrou that she pushed him step by step to Liao Yan's side after realizing that the princess cared about Liang Zhengyuan.
She was so selfish that she never even considered or asked him if he wanted to, or what his wishes were.
It's all her fault! She drove Liao Yan into a corner by trying to submit his surrender letter! It's all her fault!
Is it really important to him to join the army, make meritorious contributions, fight on the battlefield, and win the heart and favor of the princess—the kind of happiness that everyone in the world desires?
When she saw Liang Si's current weak state, she suddenly hesitated and felt afraid.
...If Liang Si wakes up and learns everything, and discovers that he is actually a selfish and ruthless person who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals, will he hate her?
Lin Xu was filled with worries, and in the end, he was so flustered that he could no longer think about it.
Zhu Ling, ever observant, said softly, "The wind is indeed damp and cold; it might have gotten into your eyes. Madam, please wipe them."
She took the handkerchief in a daze, only to realize that the tears she had been holding back in the yamen had now soaked her clothes.
The Dou family mansion is not like the outside world. There are spies everywhere, and news travels very fast. If someone with ulterior motives sees her going to the yamen and bursting into tears, who knows what kind of trouble they might stir up.
So she could only straighten her clothes, take a deep breath, and wait until her emotions returned to normal before walking into the courtyard.
The corridors twisted and turned, but surprisingly, behind a patch of lush, shady bamboo, one could hear the laughter of several women.
Lin Xu glanced at Zhu Ling beside him. Both of them had just returned to the manor and were unaware of the guests visiting their home.
She really wasn't in the mood to play along with Bai Shi today!
Lin Xu was about to lower his head and walk quickly around when he saw a graceful figure guarding the door ahead.
Upon seeing that the visitor was Lin Xu, Fu Lian curtsied and greeted her, saying, "Greetings, Second Young Mistress."
The laughter and chatter that had been going on inside suddenly stopped.
Lin Xu smiled gently, "Has Mother invited distinguished guests today?"
Fu Lian replied politely with a smile, "Reporting to the Second Young Madam, today you went to Guangfo Temple to offer incense and happened to meet several other ladies who were also offering incense. They are currently sitting together drinking tea and catching up."
She nodded, and a moment later a very respectful maidservant came out from inside, who was Fuzhen, who usually served by Bai's side.
Fuzhen bowed to Lin Xu and said softly, "Second Young Mistress, have you returned from your business? Madam asked if you have some free time. If you do, please come in with us to pay our respects to the ladies of the prominent families."
Sure enough, Bai, who was sitting in the inner room, had clearly heard the few words spoken in silence. She could only nod and then followed Fuzhen into the inner room with Zhuling.
Passing through the carved crescent-shaped archway, one sees that the inner room, which was originally used for receiving guests, is now decorated in a much more spacious manner. Pots of fresh flowers are placed in front of the windows, and a natural fragrance wafts in. As soon as you enter the inner room, you are surrounded by the fragrance of perfume mixed with the fragrance of flowers.
Looking around, there were two or three elegant and graceful women sitting in the hall. Among them, a young girl stood out from the crowd, her beauty rivaling any of the blooming flowers in the corridor. Even though Lin Xu hadn't seen her for a long time, her face still retained its former charm.
As the young woman looked up, Lin Xu's forehead twitched involuntarily.
When Bai saw her come in, she smiled and waved to her warmly, "Second wife, why are you standing there? Come here quickly."
Lin Xuman stepped forward, bowed to each of the women present, and then sat down next to Bai.
Bai smiled and glanced at her, then pointed to the women sitting around the round table and introduced them to her one by one.
"...This is Mrs. Jiang, this is Mrs. Song who lives in the suburbs, and this is Mrs. Yao. You have met them all by now."
Then, pointing to Lin Xu, he said to the other ladies, "This is the wife of my youngest son, Yi Huai. She is the kindest, gentlest, and most sensible."
Madame Chiang, dressed in a purple silk robe with subtle floral embroidery, smiled at Lin Xu:
"Your Madam Dou is truly blessed to have such an outstanding and charming daughter-in-law. No wonder your life is becoming increasingly smooth. I heard that this marriage was personally arranged by our Empress, and everyone in the capital knows about it. Now I've finally seen it with my own eyes. She is truly an extraordinary woman."
Madam Song took a sip of her hot tea and smiled kindly, "She is indeed a lovely person."
She was probably in her forties or fifties, with fine wrinkles around her eyes, yet her gentle demeanor remained. She smiled slowly and said:
"Madam Jiang praised him repeatedly, it seems she really likes him from the bottom of her heart. Your Heng'er is also a handsome young man, it's a pity he can't have the good fortune of being personally granted a marriage by imperial decree, otherwise, I think you would be grinning from ear to ear."
Upon hearing this, Lin Xu's heart stirred.
It seems that this Madam Jiang is the biological mother of the young censor Jiang Heng and Jiang Wuqiao.
Madam Yao, who had remained silent until now, stirred slightly. She turned her head to look at her daughter beside her, then frowned and said softly, "Didn't you also study at Zhiqiong Hall before? Why don't you even greet your former classmate?"
The girl, who had been half-hidden behind Madam Yao, looked embarrassed upon hearing this. She then looked up and met Lin Xu's probing gaze.
Yao Suran nodded slightly, a deep shadow flashing in her eyes, but she finally spoke, her voice soft:
"Little sister Xu'er, it's been a long time."
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