“She, your mother, is too naive and too stubborn. She promised her a lifelong commitment to one person, but I broke my promise.”
He Lin genuinely repented and knelt down to sit beside He Jinran.
What he regretted most was, of course, that he had mistakenly killed Shu'er back then.
When he saw Shuer act this way, his resentment outweighed his heartache.
Who told Shu'er to do this in order to save that masked man?
He was a king, and he could not tolerate such betrayal and humiliation.
To this day, he still doesn't know who the masked man was.
He had suspected it was his eldest brother, but later he confirmed that it wasn't.
As for his third brother, he hadn't even considered it.
The third prince spends all his time with a four-wheeled cart; even if he had the desire, he didn't have the ability.
"If you can't give it, don't make promises lightly," He Jinran said, lowering her eyes.
“At the New Year’s Eve banquet tonight, you said that the position of Crown Prince was a promise you made to your mother, but what you just said did not constitute any promise.”
His tone was calm, but not as cold as before.
"Father swore an oath at your mother's grave." He Lin was referring to the scene many years ago when he found Shu'er's grave.
"Where is my sister? Where is she now?" He Jinran, who had no brothers or sisters since childhood, was eager to see her twin sister when she heard that she had one.
"She has been missing ever since that masked man took her away. Father doesn't know if she's dead or alive." So many years have passed, and He Lin has still not found out the truth.
"Who exactly is the masked man? Is he the same person who injured you a few days ago?"
He Jinran's mind was in a mess.
“Father doesn’t know,” He Lin shook his head. “If Father knew who that masked man was, he wouldn’t be alive now!” He Lin said the second sentence through gritted teeth.
"It's dawn, Your Majesty, you should return to the palace," He Jinran reminded him.
He Lin looked up and realized that he and Jin'er had been talking for quite a while.
"Jin'er, I am your father."
“Father…” He Jinran paused slightly as she thought of her father.
He turned around, his back to He Lin.
"Let it go," he advised He Lin, urging him to let go of his obsession with his mother.
Obsessive thoughts lead to heartbreak and, more importantly, physical harm.
"Father can't let go." He Lin felt a little disappointed that he hadn't heard the word "Father."
He turned and left.
He Jinran watched He Lin's retreating figure, muttering to herself.
"You should have let it go a long time ago."
As dawn broke, he couldn't sleep any longer, so he decided to leave the courtyard and head towards the drill ground.
But as soon as he went out, he saw his father and mother walking hand in hand into the main courtyard.
It turns out that he and He Lin weren't the only ones who stayed up all night.
He continued on to the drill ground.
His expression remained indifferent throughout, and he ignored even when Qin Susu and Qiu Xu and their siblings tried to talk to him.
After breakfast,
Gu Qian and Qiu Yan, wanting to find out the truth, went together to the blacksmith shop near them.
"Excuse me, did you make this throwing knife?"
While asking questions, Gu Qian was already in the blacksmith's shop, comparing his throwing knife with other throwing knives.
The blacksmith examined it carefully and then shook his head: "Although the color and weight are no different in appearance, it is not made by me."
Qiu Yan nodded in agreement; it was clear that the murder weapon was more exquisite.
They then visited several blacksmith shops, but did not receive a positive response.
Qiu Yan had to admit, "We've gone in the wrong direction."
"Hmm." Gu Qian was led astray by Duan Xiu. "Then, according to Yan Yan's opinion, where should we begin our investigation?"
Qiu Yan: "Wing King, or Duan Xiu." Right now, they have no clue what to do; their only lead is this flying knife.
She heard He Lin's account clearly last night.
Although she felt that Li Wenshu had died unjustly,
But she also felt that Li Wenshu's death was by no means accidental.
Such a strong-willed woman could not survive peacefully in this feudal society, especially while serving as an emperor's attendant.
Qiu Yan thought, if she were her,
It seems that she wouldn't have set off from the moment she began searching for He Lin across the country.
Even before setting off, she should have realized something from the moment He Lin first refused to take her into the palace.
Even if she never imagined that she would encounter He Lin's second wife the moment she married him, she should have faced reality.
Even if you can't recognize it, if you want to escape the palace, you should temporarily compromise.
Even if you can't escape the palace, you should still be careful to avoid being framed and protect yourself, instead of being framed by the palace concubines and then waiting for your senior brother to save you.
Even if framed...
Thinking of this, Qiu Yan silently shook her head.
After being framed, Li Wenshu was completely placed under house arrest by He Lin, and the only person she could rely on was her senior brother.
Now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, even if she leaves the palace... she should be able to imagine that there are many eyes watching her outside.
Qiu Yan realized that Li Wenshu had clearly died from postpartum hemorrhage.
He Lin's sword strike wouldn't have been fatal in a short time.
Given Li Wenshu's condition at the time, in ancient times when medical conditions were relatively backward, there was nothing that could be done to save her.
Qiu Yan could only say that Li Wenshu was a woman of strong character, capable of both love and hate.
Gu Qian: "You suspect...the two of them?"
“No, it’s just a clue.” Qiu Yan shook her head. “I suspect that it was the Wing King who took the little princess away.”
“But… he has a leg ailment.” Gu Qian knew He Xuan’s leg ailment better than anyone.
He was on the battlefield at the time.
"Nothing is absolute. Whether it is or not, we can find out by investigating." Although Qiu Yan didn't know if it was Prince Rui who wanted to assassinate Xiao Ran,
But she inexplicably felt that it was the Prince Yi who wanted to assassinate He Lin on the day Li Wenshu died.
After listening, Gu Qian pondered silently.
He felt that Yan Yan's words made some sense, but they didn't quite make sense.
As the two walked, they encountered Qin Susu and Qiu Ling'er, who were also out on the street.
Qiu Yan was tripped up by Qin Susu.
“Xiao Yan, tell me, what are His Highness Yu’er’s preferences? Ling’er’s preferences are not of any interest to His Highness. I can only sigh that my enthusiasm is met with indifference.”
To please He Jinran, Qin Susu brought a lot of delicious food this morning, including peanut candy, which Gu Xiaoran loves the most.
However, He Jinran only glanced at it indifferently, said "Just put it there," and then remained silent.
Qiu Ling'er was a little puzzled: "Sister, ever since Xiao Ran returned to the manor, he seems like a different person. He doesn't speak and just stares blankly."
Qiu Yan: "Perhaps it's because I'm in a bad mood."
Qin Susu: "Xiaoyan, come with us for a walk and buy him some delicious food."
“Okay,” Qiu Yan nodded. “Gu Qian, you can go ahead and get busy.”
"No, let's not," Gu Qian said, not wanting Yan Yan to go shopping with anyone other than him.
After all, the young lady is pregnant. "I'll take you back to your residence."
He thought that after sending Yan Yan back to her residence, he would go to the Prince Yi's residence.
"No need, Susu and Ling'er are here." Qiu Yan knew what Gu Qian was thinking, but she was just pregnant, so she could just be careful.
She pulled Qiu Ling'er and Qin Susu aside, and they left Gu Qian's sight.
After parting ways with Qiu Yan, Gu Qian went to the Prince Yi's mansion once again.
Unexpectedly, someone else had done it before him.
"What brings Your Highness, the Crown Prince, to my Prince Yi's residence?" He Xuan, sitting in the four-wheeled carriage, asked indifferently.
Clearly, he did not welcome He Jinran's arrival.
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