Chapter 84 An Old Friend Meets Another, Yet Does Not Recognize Him
Lin Chengye didn't answer whether she believed it or not. She just suddenly spoke, and a strange sentence fell into Dongtang's ear.
Have you ever seen New Year's Eve outside the palace?
What does it mean? Dong Tang dared not ponder its deeper meaning.
Lin Chengye didn't seem to want an answer from her and immediately got up and left.
Dongtang remained kneeling, and Lin Chengye left with almost no sound. It took her a long time before she dared to slowly raise her head and look around at the dark ground. The shackles on her feet were still there, the icicles on her head were still dripping, and the air that rushed into her nostrils was still so cold. Everything seemed to be the same as before.
But... Dongtang touched her back with her other hand, where warmth still lingered, and a trace of sweetness remained on her tongue... all of this told her that someone had indeed been there.
...
Back at the Prince Su's residence, Lin Chengye entered his room and had just closed the door when Chai Hu Nan appeared in the corner like a ghost, arms crossed, his tone disapproving.
"Young Alliance Leader, I think it's best to be cautious about this matter. After all, that woman is..."
"Yes, so you need to be prepared too. When you go to the appointment tomorrow, keep an eye on the surroundings. If anything seems amiss, we'll leave immediately. However..."
Lin Chengye suddenly took something out of his pocket; a red string was wrapped around his fingertip, and a koi fish pendant below swayed. It was the one that Dong Li, the old mute man the two servants had mentioned, had dropped.
"I saw that woman had the other half of a koi fish hanging on her wrist... Although I don't know what their relationship is, but..."
"I've decided to give it a try."
...
"How was your trip to the East Palace today? Did anyone spot you?"
Wei Jingchen probably didn't return to the Prince Su's mansion until evening. He didn't even go back to his own bedroom. He barged into Lin Chengye's room in a very rude manner, pushed Lin Chengye, who was leaning against the bed in a daze, into a corner, and took up most of the bed himself.
Wei Jingchen raised his hand and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. Instantly, he felt his breathing become easier, and the tension he had felt during the day finally relaxed. He even felt a little sleepy.
"I just returned from the Princess's residence. My aunt and I talked again... Are you listening? What are you holding in your hand?"
"I'm listening. But Your Highness, could you please be mindful of your image? You're really crowding me."
Lin Chengye resisted the urge to kick Wei Jingchen down, shook the carp jade pendant in his hand, and said.
"I was thinking about the family dinner tomorrow, and this is just something I casually held in my hand; it's something I usually carry when I'm thinking. What did Her Highness the Princess say?"
"...She actually said that she had always thought I was more outstanding and more capable of taking on the great responsibility than the Crown Prince."
Wei Jingchen sighed in frustration. She didn't understand why the Princess had brought this up so directly. Could it be that her father was truly nearing the end?
“I don’t understand why she suddenly changed her mind. If your guess yesterday is true, and the Crown Prince is actually working for her, then she only needs to wait until the Crown Prince inherits the throne.”
Her words carried a hint of defiance. Wei Jingchen knew that if she pledged allegiance to her aunt, she would gain a thousand times more support. However, this would mean she would be at her aunt's mercy, and she was unwilling to be just a puppet emperor.
Wei Jingchen didn't notice that Lin Chengye's expression gradually became serious, his body stiffened, and his thoughts were completely different from hers.
Wei Jingchen's demotion from the palace was unexpected by the Princess. However, Wei Jingchen's unintentional mention of the itinerant doctor made His Majesty realize that Bian Yi knew Wei Jingchen was still alive. As a result, Bian Yi was destined to return to Lin Su City to ask His Majesty for clarification.
This was all part of His Majesty's plan. Lin Chengye suddenly realized this, and she fell silent, constantly pinching her index finger.
Although we don't know why His Majesty did this, it's highly likely that the mastermind behind what happened back then wasn't actually His Majesty, because he must have known that Bian Yi wanted the truth and killed the mastermind. In this light, it seems His Majesty isn't afraid to let Bian Yi know about Wei Jingchen's matter.
Moreover… Qin Ruoliu also knew Bian Yi had arrived. The maternal parasite was attached to her; any unusual movements from her would inevitably be noticed by the person possessing the maternal parasite. Therefore, it meant…
The eldest princess also knew.
Lin Chengye suddenly opened his eyes wide, his fingertips trembling violently for a moment.
In other words, it wasn't a coincidence that the eldest princess asked about Bian Yi. Rather, it was because she was wary of... Bian Yi?
If Wei Jingchen's mysterious whereabouts can be considered a rope that holds Bian Yi back, then if Wei Jingchen is truly the princess's puppet, completely controlled by her, then given Wei Jingchen's significance to Bian Yi, he can also become a second rope that binds her.
But why? Why is she wary of Bian Yi? When the incident occurred at Qingluan Medicine Valley, the Eldest Princess was still far away at Yongfo Temple. How could she be involved?
Her Highness the Princess seemed to be involved in everything, but she simply didn't understand what role she was playing in it all.
After a while, Lin Chengye slowly spoke.
"Perhaps...some things are changing, and she has to change her previous ideas. But Your Highness, please don't get too close to the Princess yet."
"Why are you acting so serious when it's just the two of you? I know this is a trap. Also, are you ready for the family dinner tomorrow, New Year's Eve?"
Wei Jingchen gave Lin Chengye a strange look and asked again.
"I was just about to tell you that I would be leaving early due to feeling unwell."
Lin Chengye's expression returned to normal. He nodded and tossed the jade pendant high into the air, where it landed precisely in her palm.
"Today I discovered a hidden world beneath the Eastern Palace, but unfortunately there wasn't enough time. I need to go there again."
...
As dusk falls and the wind rises, the Shengde Hall, the venue for the New Year's Eve banquet, comes into view.
Lin Chengye, a lowly retainer, should have waited in the side hall, but was granted the privilege of sitting with Wei Jingchen by His Majesty's special permission.
Lin Chengye was a step behind Wei Jingchen. He bowed slightly and slowly climbed the steps.
With each step she lifted and lowered, she moved further from the ground and closer to the sky, closer to Chengde Palace and further from the northern frontier. Lin Chengye couldn't stop his upper body from trembling, and his heart sank lower and lower.
Aside from her hasty arrival and departure yesterday, this was her first time in the imperial city. She was nameless and without status, merely a favorite of the Third Prince. No one knew that she was born into a general's family and had once led troops to repel enemies in the northern frontier.
She was about to meet the Emperor, the one to whom her mother had been loyal her entire life, only to end up with nothing, and whom she hated most before her death.
But now the truth is both so close and so elusive. She knows that His Majesty may not be the one who holds the reins of everything. What should have been pure hatred is now mixed with more complex emotions, such as anger, and perhaps even pity—pity for his choice, pity for his silence.
Lin Chengye only just realized that she had broken free from the constraints and pain of being "loyal to the monarch".
She still remembered her birth mother Lin Daiqiao's expression and last words as she lay dying. Her words revealed her disappointment in His Majesty and her continued concern about what His Majesty truly thought.
Lin Chengye no longer wanted to question the man about why he did this, why he was so ruthless, nor did he want to hear a single word of regret from him.
She just wanted the truth, and then...
Lin Chengye looked up and saw Wei Jingchen walking in front of her. It was rare for her to look at the Third Prince's back so intently.
Wei Jingchen walked steadily, his back straight, his dark red robe embroidered with flying eagles, stained with fallen white snow, like a truly proud and solitary plum blossom in the cold.
Then she would watch Wei Jingchen become a wise and benevolent ruler, and she would return to the martial world. There was no need for them to pledge loyalty to each other, nor for them to have any expectations of one another.
But as long as they continue to care for the common people, there will always be a tacit understanding between them, and that is enough. Lin Chengye suddenly smiled slightly and stepped into the palace gate through the red brick floor.
In the main hall, to the right of the west were two senior officials of the court. They were about fifty or sixty years old, with graying hair and temples but not confused. Their eyes were sharp and their brows were stern. When they saw Wei Jingchen enter, they raised their hands and bowed at the same time.
To the left of the east are the Crown Prince and the Second Prince. Crown Prince Wei Jingrui's face is pale, his phoenix eyes are slightly lowered, but his gaze sweeping over Wei Jingchen cannot hide his domineering composure. He is dressed in black, with gold embroidery patterns that resemble both flames and Mount Song.
The Second Prince, Wei Jingyu, did not have the aloof demeanor Lin Chengye had imagined. Instead, his sword-like eyebrows were piercing, sharp as a blade cutting through clouds. He wore a white robe with blue accents and embroidered water patterns. His expression was languid, and his posture casual. Upon seeing Wei Jingchen arrive, he even raised the wine cup in his hand to her, then leaned halfway over Wei Jingchen's table and whispered teasingly.
"Long time no see. How is Bingzhou? Why don't you come and visit my fiefdom, Luoshui County?"
"Second sister, are you teasing me like this? But Bingzhou isn't exactly bad; we actually gained something."
Wei Jingchen suddenly rolled his eyes and whispered a few words in Wei Jingyu's ear.
Lin Chengye sat down behind Wei Jingchen and took in the whole scene. Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine, and her intuition told her that this matter was related to her.
As expected, Wei Jingyu suddenly turned around and looked at Lin Chengye, who was sitting behind Wei Jingchen, raised his eyebrows and said in a low voice.
"I am a chess enthusiast and have never met a worthy opponent in my life. I have never heard of any so-called chess god in the martial arts world. Since you have such a great reputation, you may come to my residence on a chosen day so that I may learn from your skills."
Wei Jingchen, I, Lin Chengye, will haunt you even in death.
"Your Majesty..." Lin Chengye was about to open his mouth when suddenly the eunuch's loud voice rang out.
Lin Chengye quickly swallowed the rest of his explanation, glared at Wei Jingchen, and stood up to greet him.
This is the first time His Majesty has officially appeared in public since the Crown Prince assumed regency.
He wore an ochre-yellow robe and a folded turban. This attire made him appear more approachable, as it wasn't a formal court assembly.
It should have made him look dashing and heroic, but instead His Majesty had become frighteningly thin, his body swaying in his clothes, his eye sockets sunken, his cheeks drooping loosely, and his hair had turned completely gray. If no one dared to impersonate the emperor, one would hardly recognize him as the spirited Prince Qin, Wei Yun'e, of yesteryear.
Lin Chengye remained unusually calm.
She simply watched His Majesty slowly approach, her mind completely blank. But only she knew how rebellious she felt at that moment, placing the Emperor in the position of "everyone," neither too high nor too low, just at eye level with him.
His Majesty walked past her, followed by his male attendants with their heads bowed.
Suddenly, Lin Chengye's expression froze.
Her hands, hanging by her sides, gripped the flesh of her outer thighs so tightly they almost tore the skin apart. She stared in disbelief at the thin male attendant following behind His Majesty, feeling a sudden dizziness and a lump in her throat.
How could that be?
If the mask hadn't concealed his unusual expression, Lin Chengye's gaze would have burned a hole through the servant's face.
She was once very familiar with that face, watching it grow from five or six years old to fifteen or sixteen. In some ways, they were even family members without blood ties, having spent every day together.
Lin Chengye didn't understand.
Could Liu Yue be here?
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