Warning (Revision)
She had never appeared at Zhiqiong Hall since her marriage. Now, after more than a month, she met her old friend again, and it felt like time had passed.
Lin Xu gave a gentle curtsy and said softly, "It's been a long time since I've seen you two. It's quite a coincidence that we meet today."
Duan Jinru, as the nephew of Prince Mao, was summoned to join the Imperial Guard not long ago. He is responsible for patrolling the palace and handling various matters. He was also personally appointed by Emperor Su as the Right Thousand Bull Guard, a fourth-rank official. He usually leads the Prince's personal guards and is already a well-known General Duan in Mujing.
Aside from their daily interactions at school, their last fleeting glimpse at Shaojing Garden was the first time he and Lin Xu had met outside the deep walls of the imperial palace. However, that time, she was pinned down by Dou Yanxun, and both of them were wary of each other, making it far from dignified. She still harbored resentment about that incident, and now that they had suddenly met again, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and greet him.
Duan Jinru calmly raised his hand, "We were classmates in the past, Madam Dou, there's no need for such formalities."
Song Jiaoling initially looked very awkward, simply waiting quietly beside the two of them. But perhaps because she hadn't seen Lin Xu for a long time, she couldn't help but look at her more curiously.
Lin Xu greeted him with a smile: "I had heard before that the perfumes and powders from Baozhen Pavilion were the best in the capital. Now that I've come, I can see that the place is indeed bustling with customers."
Song Jiaoling pursed her lips, glanced at Lin Xu quickly before looking away, and then nodded slightly. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Dou Zhen, still standing in the distance, was carefully smelling the different perfumes and rouges, completely unaware of the commotion they were making in the corner.
Lin Xu made an excuse to leave, but Duan Jinru spoke gently:
"I wonder if Madam Dou would do me the favor of speaking with me in private?"
Upon hearing this, Song Jiaoling and Lin Xu both looked at him in surprise. Duan Jinru's expression, however, was firm and unyielding. After a moment's thought, Lin Xu had no choice but to agree. She and Duan Jinru walked side by side out of the crowded shop, and then a few steps forward, until they reached a sparsely populated area under a white plum tree.
Lin Xu stopped and spoke first:
"Speaking of which, we parted in haste at Shaojing Garden last time, and I didn't even have a chance to thank General Duan... After all, we owe a lot to General Duan for his leniency that day."
Duan Jinru's gaze swept across Lin Xu's face, becoming sharper and more scrutinizing, completely different from the calm and refined demeanor he had displayed in the school, and also a stark contrast to his gentle appearance just now.
"Madam Dou, you flatter me. As I just said, we were classmates, and it was just a small favor."
After the pleasantries were over, he finally stopped beating around the bush and went straight to the point:
“After you left that day, I sent people to search the private room where you and Dou Yanxun were.”
As expected, what was bound to happen will happen.
Lin Xu paused for a moment, then looked up at Duan Jinru.
She had never forgotten what happened that day. It happened so suddenly that she didn’t have time to hide, so she hid the bow and arrow she was carrying behind the screen in the private room. Afterwards, she was poisoned and lost consciousness, so she never had a chance to take the bow and arrow out again.
She even wondered if the soldiers who had searched the area that day would have found the bow and arrows hidden behind the screen if they had returned to the private room after they left.
After that day, several months passed without any news, and she gradually gave up, treating the matter as an unsolved mystery. But now, Duan Jinru stood before her, discovered the traces they had left behind, and even questioned her face to face.
His expression clearly suggested he wanted to see through her worries.
Lin Xu had no choice but to lower his eyes and take the opportunity to look around.
In the distance, the Dou family's carriage was still waiting by the roadside, the driver leaning against the carriage, dozing off with a whip in his hand. Dou Zhen, meanwhile, was still inside the shop, carefully examining the cosmetics, and probably wouldn't notice the commotion here for the time being. Song Jiaoling, on the other hand, was standing in front of Baozhen Pavilion, glancing over every now and then, but the two had never crossed paths again since the day they had their falling out during the imperial examination.
Even amidst the bustling street, she remained as isolated and helpless as ever. If Duan Jinru were to truly break ties with her now, how would she escape her predicament?
Duan Jinru's eyes were full of calm and scrutiny, as if every subtle reaction of hers could not escape his notice. Indeed, she was someone who had been trained by the powerful Prince Mao since childhood.
Lin Xu spoke softly and slowly:
"Oh, General Duan, have you made any new discoveries?"
Upon hearing this, a subtle, complex emotion flashed in Duan Jinru's eyes. He turned slightly to the side, his gaze falling on the cluster of white plum trees not far away. The snow-white plum blossoms swayed gently in the cold wind, momentarily resembling real snowflakes, making it difficult to distinguish between them.
He paused for a moment, then said:
"In that private room, the carpet was soaked in blood, and behind the screen, there was a sharp bow and arrow."
"General Duan... what do you mean by that? Do you suspect that these things are related to my husband and me?"
Duan Jinru said coldly, "Lin Xu, I know you are meticulous, but some things cannot be covered up by clever words alone." His voice softened and became lower and lower. "Right now, it's just the two of us. Considering our past friendship as classmates, if you tell me the truth, I might still show you some leniency."
Lin Xu took a deep breath, lowered his eyes slightly, and when he opened them again, he was left with only a blank expression.
This Duan Jinru was clearly trying to trick her.
Now that he had found the item, he could have gone directly to the Dou residence to arrest the person, but instead, he chose to speak with her alone, excluding everyone else. Presumably, firstly, Duan Jinru lacked direct evidence, and secondly, the bow and arrow probably had no connection to the assassin captured by Prince Mao, so he was testing her attitude.
She slowly raised her head, her eyes clear and her tone soft, yet tinged with self-mockery:
"To be honest, Lin Xu truly doesn't know what the general means. That day at Shaojing Garden, I knew my words and actions were inappropriate. Although I wasn't married yet, I was overjoyed to receive the Empress's decree of marriage. I had long admired Dou Yanxun, and I was even more delighted to meet him. That's why I hid in the next room when our fathers were discussing the marriage that day. I was just too excited to control myself... As for the bloodstains and arrows the general mentioned, my husband and I really didn't know anything about them. Please investigate, general."
Duan Jinru narrowed his eyes, and after a long while, he slowly spoke, his voice carrying an undeniable sense of pressure:
"Neither of you knew? I already questioned the innkeeper. After the assassin incident that day, the entire Shaojing Garden was under heavy guard and closed to guests. Before you booked that private room, there were only a few casual diners meeting up for tea there. Does that mean that the bloodstains and arrows were the work of those casual diners before you?"
He continued:
"Furthermore, we searched all the rooms afterwards, because this matter was of great importance and we dared not be lenient. Who would have thought that in the vast Shaojing Garden that day, only the private room where you were earlier contained a bow and arrow."
This was the only suspicious trace that the hundreds of guards from the Prince's residence were able to find that day.
Lin Xu pursed her lips, and a faint smile slowly appeared on her face.
"If everything is as General Duan says, then the evidence is conclusive. Why would General Duan waste his breath talking to me like this? Lin Xu is a weak woman. Although she is now married, she is still just a woman. General, you can arrest me and put me in prison for a thorough interrogation. Why talk to me so much just to wait for me to confess?"
Duan Jinru did not respond immediately. Lin Xu took a step forward, his gaze gentle yet containing an unwavering strength, which momentarily stunned Duan Jinru.
"Or is it that General Duan also lacks evidence and is merely testing Lin Xu, trying to force me to submit?"
He stared directly at the person in front of him, clearly sensing a hint of cunning in Lin Xu's eyes. To outsiders, she was nothing more than a delicate and demure woman, but her inner self was far from simple.
"Lin Xu, many things in this world can be covered up for a while, but they will eventually be exposed. Rather than being caught red-handed in the end, it's better to surrender in advance and get a lighter sentence."
Lin Xu smiled calmly and sighed softly. Song Jiaoling, standing some distance away, grew increasingly uneasy, glancing frequently in their direction while feigning indifference. Lin Xu whispered:
“General Duan’s concerns are understandable. However, my husband and I have always acted with integrity and would never do anything illegal. We left in a hurry that day simply because the incident happened suddenly and we did not want to be associated with the assassin. However, if you still have doubts, you might as well meet with my husband soon to discuss it. Firstly, to clear up the misunderstanding, and secondly, if we can provide some clues, we may be able to help you catch the suspect from that day as soon as possible.”
Duan Jinru narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashing within them, but he did not press further, only saying calmly:
"Since that's the case, I won't say any more. But you two should be more careful in your actions from now on."
Lin Xu smiled gently: "I will keep the general's teachings in mind."
Duan Jinru stared intently at her for a moment, then finally nodded, saying only, "I hope so," before turning and striding away.
Lin Xu stood alone under the plum tree, a few wisps of fragrance carried by the cold wind. Her palms were already sweaty from nervousness. Song Jiaoling saw Duan Jinru leave, whispered a few words to him, glanced back at Lin Xu, and then hurriedly left with him.
All around, white plum blossoms rustled, their petals falling like jade. Yet beneath the calm surface, ripples subtly stirred, waiting for the opportune moment to unleash a colossal storm. She took a deep breath of the crisp air, forcing herself to calm down. Once her thoughts had settled, she straightened her clothes and slowly walked toward the Treasure Pavilion.
Dou Zhen was still selecting face powder in the shop, seemingly oblivious to the commotion outside the window. Upon seeing her return, she greeted her with a radiant smile:
"Sister-in-law, where did you go? I've picked out a few items and am waiting for you to come back and help me choose. Which one do you think suits me best?"
Lin Xu smiled and said, "Third Sister is naturally beautiful, no matter what. It's getting late, so let's make our choice and head back early."
Dou Zhen, unsuspecting, quickly instructed her maid to bring several boxes of face powder and hurriedly went to pay the bill. The two then boarded a carriage and drove back to the Dou residence. Along the way, Dou Zhen was in high spirits, sharing her experiences of the day with Lin Xu. Lin Xu occasionally responded with a few words, her smile serene, but deep down, she harbored various thoughts that she could not calm down.
Duan Jinru's warning today came out of nowhere, yet it was like a sharp blade hanging over her head, threatening to fall at any moment. There were some things she needed to understand.
—We must find a glimmer of hope before this storm rages on.
.
As the carriage returned to the Dou residence, the sunlight was already slanting, casting a faint, cold light on the stone steps in front of the gate. Lin Xu slowly alighted from the carriage and stood before the gate. He suddenly felt that this vast mansion, standing peacefully amidst the vast wilderness, appeared exceptionally quiet and solemn.
Granny Qin was already waiting at the door. When she saw Lin Xu return, she quickly smiled and said, "Second Madam, you're finally back! It's freezing outside today, and I was so worried. Madam, please come inside with Third Miss to warm up."
Lin Xu nodded, pulled her cloak tighter, and stepped into the courtyard. Dou Zhen was in high spirits today and bid her farewell, returning to Banyue Tower. She walked through the winding corridors, seeing plum branches lying askew in the courtyard, her feet treading on the still-melting snow.
Upon returning to the villa, a warm breeze greeted her, and a brazier was already lit inside, as usual. Lin Xu removed her cloak, casually handing it to Zhu Ling, and sat directly on the couch. Rong Wei poured her some hot tea, which she gently took and sipped.
Granny Qin was very good at reading people's expressions. Seeing that her brows were slightly furrowed, she asked cautiously:
"Madam, is something troubling you? You don't look well."
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