Chapter 74 What's more dangerous than the two foxes...
The trip to the Lü family not only failed to expose the fake Lü Lin, but also added new mysteries.
Shen Lingyue lay listlessly on the table, the delicate pastries in front of her no longer appealing.
"Yak tail?"
Yan Yi sat opposite her, frowning in thought, "Why would something from the northern grasslands suddenly appear in the Lü family ancestral hall?"
Shen Lingyue recalled Lü Chong's account: "He swore that when Minister Lü saw a person outside the ancestral hall, he chased after him and the person disappeared, leaving only a yak tail."
Neither she nor Yan Yi believed in the so-called yak spirit, so this mysterious figure seemed highly suspicious.
Shen Lingyue suddenly had a whimsical thought, "Do you think it's possible that Lu Lin is actually not dead? But for some reason, he can't show himself and can only sneak into his family's ancestral hall on New Year's Eve to pay respects to his ancestors?"
She grasped Yan Yi's hand, her eyes shining with anticipation, "So, did the Goddess Xuan Nu give you any new insights?"
Yan Yi waited quietly for a while, then shook her head, "No, I still didn't see anything."
Shen Lingyue was still unwilling to give up, "But in the footage you saw before, it didn't say that Zhen Lülin was definitely dead, right? What if, what if he was just injured?"
She clapped her hands, suddenly realizing, "No wonder that imposter wasn't scared or nervous at all when he saw Lü Lin's 'ghost,' because he knew Lü Lin wasn't dead!"
Following her line of thought, Yan Yi speculated, "If that's the case, perhaps the real and fake Lü Lin aren't actually enemies or impersonators as we previously thought, but rather there's more to the story?"
"Hmm... things are getting interesting." Shen Lingyue deliberately lowered her voice and stroked her chin to look cool.
Yan Yi was amused by her, and after thinking for a moment, asked, "So, are you going to continue the investigation?"
"Of course I want to," Shen Lingyue answered without hesitation. "Eating only half a melon will suffocate you."
Moreover, there was something she couldn't understand: if the real Lü Lin hadn't died, why would he just stand by and watch the fake Lü Lin take his place? Didn't he consider the feelings of the Lü family?
She puffed out her cheeks, as if to encourage herself, "Anyway, I must find out the truth. And also, since the Goddess Xuan Nu has shown you a scene, it means that she also wants us to investigate and find out the truth, right?"
Yan Yi chuckled and nodded, "Yes, let's do it together."
...
Yan Yi has been spending increasingly more time in Pei Jingyi's study lately. She has dug out all the books, records, case files, and even the official gazettes published by the court in the past, trying to find any clues related to Lü Lin.
But there was a full ten-year gap in between, and many documents had been lost. So Yan Yi went to the front yard again and brought out more documents and files from Pei Xian’s study to study them word by word.
Her excessive focus on the Northwest finally caught Pei Jingyi's attention. After copying files from the Ministry of War once again, he couldn't help but ask, "What exactly did Lü Lin do to offend you?"
Judging from the way Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi were acting, it seemed as if they wanted to dig deep into his past and kill him completely.
"Ahem." Shen Lingyue cleared her throat guiltily, trying to make her expression look more sincere. "Big brother, you might not believe it... Lu Lin's ghost appeared to me in a dream, asking me to seek justice for him."
Pei Jingyi: ...I really don't believe it.
He turned to look at Yan Yi, his eyes asking her: You believe it?
Yan Yi put down a government gazette and nodded seriously. "Legend has it that Bao Gong could communicate with the spirits of the dead, and wronged souls often appeared in his dreams to cry out their grievances. Perhaps my sister-in-law also has this talent?"
A rare look of bewilderment appeared on Pei Jingyi's face.
Isn't this just something made up from folk tales? How can you take it seriously?
But looking at the documents and materials piled up everywhere in the study, and Yan Yi's carefully organized notes, he couldn't bear to dampen her enthusiasm.
...Anyway, there's nothing much going on at the Ministry of War lately, so I'll just treat this as playing a detective game with her.
"You suspect that this Lü Lin is an imposter?" Pei Jingyi found an empty seat and sat down. "It all started ten years ago with the suppression of bandits in Xichuan County?"
Shen Lingyue nodded repeatedly, then looked at Pei Jingyi expectantly, "Big brother, do you have any clues?"
No matter how hard they studied, they couldn't understand politics as well as Pei Jingyi, a "high-ranking official's son" who worked within the system.
Pei Jingyi pondered for a moment, then took out a map containing Xichuan County and its subordinate Yunzhou Prefecture, spread it out, and drew a winding route on it.
"Don't underestimate Xichuan County just because it's small and poor. Once you cross this mountain range, you can reach the northern grasslands."
Seeing that the two were listening attentively and seriously, Pei Jingyi added, "However, this is just a theoretical idea on paper. The mountain range stretches for hundreds of miles, with extremely steep and dangerous terrain, forming a natural barrier. The northern desert is mainly inhabited by cavalry, and a large army simply cannot get through. There is no need to worry."
“The main force can’t cross the mountain…wouldn’t it be better to have fewer people?” Shen Lingyue suddenly asked. “For example, could we send some spies to sneak into Daye territory to gather military intelligence or something?”
Pei Jingyi's expression turned serious. "Perhaps that's possible, but that's something the Embroidered Uniform Guard needs to worry about."
He thought for a moment and then gently reminded the two of them: "After all, Lü Lin is an official appointed by the court and the son of Minister Lü. You may have your suspicions, but do not act rashly before you have solid evidence."
Yunzhou Prefecture is located in a special position, and Lü Lin was able to serve as the local official for ten years, which clearly shows that he was a person deeply trusted by His Majesty.
If something was really wrong with him, or if, as the two of them said, he had been replaced by someone who looked exactly like him, Pei Jingyi didn't believe that the Jinyiwei stationed there would be completely unaware.
...
The days of the New Year always fly by, and in the blink of an eye, it's already the Lantern Festival.
Colorful lanterns were hung along the wide main streets. Many shops and restaurants spared no expense in hiring skilled lantern makers to attract customers. The lanterns they made were all unique and beautiful, and they were hung high up on the buildings, vying with each other for beauty.
There is no curfew in Beijing tonight, and people can bring their families out to enjoy themselves, guess lantern riddles and win prizes, and revel all night long.
Shen Lingyue naturally wouldn't miss out on such excitement. She had been helping Yan Yi research information for the past few days and was so stressed that she desperately needed to get out and clear her head.
As soon as it got dark, she couldn't wait to drag Pei Jinghuai out the door, buying things along the way. Soon, Pei Jinghuai was covered with lanterns of all sizes, looking like a walking human lantern stand.
Yan Yi and Pei Jingyi followed behind at a leisurely pace. Both of them were wearing sky-blue cloaks today, walking side by side, bathed in the cool moonlight, truly like a perfect couple.
"Are you cold?" Pei Jingyi took her hand to check the temperature, and then didn't let go.
Yan Yi shook her head, her breath carrying a faint white mist. Her nose was slightly red, but her eyes were bright and sparkling. When she looked up at him, her face showed a hint of novelty and excitement.
Pei Jingyi's heart softened for no apparent reason.
Did she never have this opportunity before, to freely go out and enjoy the lanterns?
He held her hand tightly, turned his head and gazed at her intently, "From now on, we'll come out to see the lanterns every year."
The moonlight poured down from the sky, falling equally on everyone, yet it seemed that only he received special favor. The light and shadow outlined his well-defined features, and in his deep peach blossom eyes, there was only her reflection.
Yan Yi was mesmerized by his face. No matter how many times she had seen him, he always seemed to have a way of making her blush and her heart race uncontrollably.
She gently raised the corners of her lips and answered just as earnestly, "Okay, I'll come every year."
...
"I want to play this!"
A vendor had set up a ring toss stall on the street ahead. As soon as Shen Lingyue saw it, she couldn't move away. She spent several tens of coins to buy a large handful of bamboo rings and threw them out with great enthusiasm.
Then—the score was zero.
Pei Jinghuai stepped forward and said, "Let me do it."
He bought twenty bamboo rings from the vendor, raised an eyebrow at Chen Lingyue, and asked, "Which one do you like?"
Shen Lingyue didn't have much hope. The bamboo ring was too light, the distance was too far, and a gust of wind would occasionally blow over, which greatly affected her performance.
...Anyway, she would never admit that it was because she was bad at the game! It was all due to objective factors!
But she didn't want to dampen Pei Jinghuai's enthusiasm, so she casually pointed to a roly-poly toy in the middle row.
Pei Jinghuai took a deep breath, threw two rings to get a feel for it, and on the third throw he caught the roly-poly toy.
Shen Lingyue's eyes widened. Could it be a fluke? Her luck was too good.
She thought for a moment, then pointed to a vase that was further away. The stall owner had chosen a very tricky style; the mouth of the vase was just one size larger than the diameter of the bamboo ring, which greatly increased the difficulty of looping it in the ring.
Pei Jinghuai threw two more rings, both of which barely grazed the bottle rim before wobbling and falling over.
He thought for a moment, and before throwing the next hoop, he slightly lowered his wrist. The bamboo hoop flew into the air and suddenly changed angle, hooking onto the left ear of the vase.
Pei Jinghuai asked the stall owner, "Does this count as me winning the lottery?"
The stall owner gave a wry smile, "Fine."
Shen Lingyue perked up and pulled Pei Jinghuai aside, asking, "Can you put on any outfit I want?"
Pei Jinghuai cleared his throat reservedly, "Pick whatever you like."
"Hehe, then I won't be polite." Shen Lingyue rubbed her hands together, eager to try.
Soon, a large crowd of onlookers gathered in front of the stall.
"I won! I won again!"
"That's amazing, hitting the bullseye every time!"
"Husband, I want that too!"
Pei Jinghuai's condition improved, and he didn't miss any of the rings. Soon, he had taken most of the items on the ground.
When the last bamboo ring was thrown out and landed squarely on a jade bracelet in the very corner of the last row, enthusiastic applause erupted from the crowd.
The only one who was hurt was the stall owner, who looked like he was about to cry.
Shen Lingyue ran over happily, picked up the first roly-poly doll from the ring toss game, and came back to hold Pei Jinghuai's hand, "When we get back, I want to set up a ring toss game in the yard too, and we'll have another match."
Pei Jinghuai was about to say that even if she practiced for another hundred years, she still couldn't beat him, but then a sudden inspiration struck him: "...Okay."
After the two had had their fill of playing, they prepared to continue their stroll. As they passed a stall owner, Pei Jinghuai kindly explained to him, "We don't want the stuff anymore, you can continue your business."
The stall owner breathed a long sigh of relief, as if he had survived a disaster, and greeted the next customer with even greater enthusiasm.
"Huaizhou, sister-in-law?"
Lu Chong, who was walking towards them, waved to them and said, "Didn't you used to hate these crowded, noisy places the most?"
He made a sarcastic remark to Pei Jinghuai.
“That was then. Now I have to spend time with my wife,” Pei Jinghuai said matter-of-factly. “Don’t you take your wife out to see the lanterns every year?”
Shen Lingyue also greeted Lü Chong's wife. She had met her before when she visited the Lü family. She was a very gentle and kind sister-in-law.
Her gaze swept behind the two of them, and she only saw Fan Qingxi. She couldn't help but ask, "Where's your older brother? Why didn't he come out with us?"
"Huh? He was with us just now."
Lu Chong turned around and asked, "Sister-in-law, where did my elder brother go?"
Zong Ge'er got candied hawthorns all over his body while eating them, and Fan Qingxi was busy wiping his face. Hearing this, she didn't even look up and said, "Your older brother just met a friend who said he hasn't seen him for many years and wants to find a place to sit down and catch up. He'll come and meet us later."
What friend could be more important than accompanying family to a lantern festival?
Shen Lingyue gave Pei Jinghuai a wink, and the two worked together seamlessly. After quickly saying goodbye to Lü Chong and his wife, they followed the direction they had come from and inquired about Lü Lin's whereabouts.
Finally, one of the stall owners remembered Lü Lin and pointed to a small alley on his right, saying, "He walked this way."
Shen Lingyue asked, "Is he one person or two?"
The stall owner thought for a moment and said with certainty, "Alone. I was wondering what that gentleman was going to do in the dark alley."
Shen Lingyue and Pei Jinghuai walked into the dark alley. It was quiet and deserted. After several twists and turns, a house with a lamp lit up and a banner hanging at the door suddenly appeared in front of them. It looked like a small tavern or similar shop.
She became increasingly certain that the fake Lü Lin had a secret, so she quickened her pace and pushed open the door.
The room was small, with only three empty tables.
Is Lü Lin not here?
A middle-aged man stood behind the counter, seemingly startled by the sudden opening of the door. He looked up and asked, "What would you two gentlemen like to order?"
Shen Lingyue frowned slightly and asked the shopkeeper, "Did a square-faced man in his thirties, about this tall, come by just now?"
She briefly described Lü Lin's appearance.
The shop owner shook his head, "No, business is slow tonight..."
Before he could finish speaking, Pei Jinghuai strode forward and pushed open the door next to the counter.
The boss's voice stopped abruptly, and Lü Lin slowly walked out from the inner room.
His gaze fell on the two of them, his brows furrowed. "You were following me?"
Shen Lingyue didn't have time to answer and rushed into the room. She saw two teacups on the table and a crack in the window facing the door, letting in a cold draft.
Has the person who met with Lü Lin already jumped out of the window and run away?
She quickly said to Pei Jinghuai, "They shouldn't have gone too far. Go after them."
She's determined to find out the imposter's secret tonight.
Pei Jinghuai nodded, stepped forward and opened the window completely. Just as he was about to climb out to chase after the person, a gleaming dagger was thrust in from outside the window, the tip pointed directly at his eye.
Pei Jinghuai paused, and subconsciously took two steps back.
Shen Lingyue was startled and quickly stepped forward, only to see a man wearing a long black cloak and a hood standing outside the window.
An oil lamp was lit in the room, vaguely illuminating the outline under the hood; it looked somewhat familiar.
Shen Lingyue squinted and looked closely, then suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, "So it was you."
He was about to step forward and slap the dagger away when he said this, a slight smile appearing on his face. "Lu Fox, you're playing tricks again..."
Pei Jinghuai was shocked and quickly pulled Shen Lingyue back, shaking his head desperately at her, squeezing out a breathy voice, "Wrong, he's not..."
The man outside the window slowly removed his hood, revealing his true face, and spoke indifferently.
"Lu Fox, is that the new nickname you gave to Xilou?"
Shen Lingyue opened her eyes wide in disbelief.
This...this is Lu Xilou!
No... he seems a bit older, a bit weathered, and there are even a few strands of white hair.
Pei Jinghuai whispered in her ear, "He is Xilou's older brother, Lu Donglou."
He pulled Shen Lingyue behind him to shield her, forcing a smile, "Brother Lu, what a coincidence! Why did you suddenly return to the capital?"
"Back to take care of business." Lu Donglou said indifferently, using one hand to push himself up the windowsill and climb into the house. He took two steps forward, "Why aren't you two out watching the lanterns on the street? What are you doing here?"
He took a step forward, and Pei Jinghuai pulled Shen Lingyue back a step. The other party's aura was too cold and hard, like a sharp blade that could be drawn at any moment.
"We looked at the lights, and then... then suddenly we got tired and wanted to find a place to sit down and have a drink of water."
Pei Jinghuai racked his brains to come up with an excuse.
Lu Donglou chuckled, "I see. Then you should go somewhere else; this place isn't very convenient."
"Alright, we're off now. Goodbye, Brother Lu."
Pei Jinghuai tugged at Shen Lingyue twice, but couldn't budge her. He turned back and winked at her: "Aren't you going to leave?"
Shen Lingyue peeked out from behind him, looking at Lu Donglou and then at the fake Lü Lin.
"You two know each other? You arranged to meet here tonight?"
Lu Donglou retorted, "Is that not allowed?"
Shen Lingyue: ...
Lu the fox is fierce and doesn't seem easy to fool.
She bit her lip, her eyes filled with resentment, and taking advantage of the fact that they were alone, she finally confronted the fake Lü Lin.
"I know who you are. A fake is a fake, and you can't fool me..."
With a sharp clang, Lu Donglou's dagger suddenly pierced the table, interrupting Shen Lingyue's words.
He looked up at me with a chilling gaze, "Aren't you leaving yet?"
Pei Jinghuai immediately covered Shen Lingyue's mouth, put his other arm around her waist, picked her up, and strode out the door like a whirlwind.
Behind me, the unremarkable-looking tavern owner closed the door, and I could hear the bolt being bolted shut.
Pei Jinghuai carried Shen Lingyue for dozens of meters before snapping out of his daze amidst her frantic protests and putting her down on the ground.
Shen Lingyue was so anxious she jumped up and down, "You saw it, didn't you? Lu Donglou definitely knows that this Lü Lin is a fake. He's telling me not to say anything, he's protecting him!"
Pei Jinghuai's face turned serious for the first time, and he stared at her intently: "Then why do you think Lu Donglou would protect him? He is His Majesty's spy on the border, the next commander. Would he do something meaningless?"
A night breeze blew by, and Shen Lingyue shivered, slowly calming down.
Remembering Pei Jingyi's warning, she murmured, "Could it be that His Majesty already knew that this Lü Lin was an imposter? But... why?"
Pei Jinghuai untied his cloak and wrapped it around Shen Lingyue to keep her warm. The two huddled close together as they slowly walked out of the alley onto the brightly lit main street.
"If you ask me, you should just stay out of it. If this involves the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who knows how much trouble it will cause."
Pei Jinghuai put his arm around her shoulder reassuringly, "Listen to me, whether Lü Lin is real or fake doesn't really concern us, right?"
Shen Lingyue remained silent, letting Pei Jinghuai lead her out of the alley until she was surrounded by the lively and bustling atmosphere of everyday life, at which point she slowly recovered.
"Where did you go? How did you disappear in the blink of an eye?"
Yan Yi and Pei Jingyi had been searching nearby for a long time before finally catching up with the two of them and hurriedly came to greet them.
Pei Jingyi glanced at the dark alley behind the two of them, his brows furrowing slightly. "What are you going there for?"
Pei Jinghuai coughed lightly and leaned close to his ear: "Lu Donglou is back, and he secretly met with Lü Lin at the tavern."
Pei Jingyi's eyes flickered slightly, and his expression became more serious. "I understand. We'll talk about it when we get back."
The night was still long, and the four of them lost interest in continuing their stroll, so they called a carriage to head home.
...
Lu Donglou's sudden appearance on the Lantern Festival seemed to serve as a wake-up call for Shen Lingyue.
Perhaps she had been having too much luck lately, which made her a little complacent and almost forgot that her and Yan Yi's identities could not withstand close scrutiny and could easily lead to their deaths.
The big fox is much more dangerous than the second fox!
Inside Danyue Pavilion, Shen Lingyue rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought. "Actually, Pei Jinghuai is right. Whether Lü Lin is real or fake, what does it have to do with us?"
These words seemed to be spoken to Yan Yi, but also to herself.
Seeing her frowning and unhappy expression, Yan Yi raised her hand and pressed between her eyebrows, saying softly, "Giving up halfway isn't like you. Are you really going to give up?"
"Of course I don't want to give up," Shen Lingyue answered quickly, but then couldn't help but sigh. "Lu Donglou is clearly protecting that fake now, how dare I confront him head-on?"
“Then let’s continue our investigation and find out why Lu Donglou is protecting him, and whether there is any unspeakable secret between them.”
Yan Yi's voice was calm, yet carried her usual composure and firmness.
The problem statement is just a bit more complex, introducing a new variable, but the underlying solution remains the same.
Encouraged by her calm attitude, Shen Lingyue felt energized again.
"Yes, investigate every single one who comes. If you're so capable, let Lu Donglou come and arrest me."
She was just a concerned citizen who cared about the safety of the country and worried that the impersonation of government officials would cause trouble. What could she have done wrong?
That's what she said, but Shen Lingyue still stayed in the mansion for a while, euphemistically calling it "hibernation."
It wasn't until the end of January that Yan Yi finally received the message sent back by the Bai family.
Bai Ruixuan wrote a thick letter, along with two large trunks full of clothes and shoes, all handmade by Yan Yi's aunts and uncles.
Half of the items inside were even for children to wear and use, such as bibs, swaddle blankets, tiger-head hats and shoes, as well as several exquisitely crafted gold and silver longevity locks, small bracelets and anklets.
...It seems like they didn't force the birth, but it also seems like they did.
Yan Yi was both amused and touched as she counted the items.
Once everything was packed, the two opened Bai Ruixuan's letter.
The first thing in the letter made Shen Lingyue gasp.
"So there really is a secret passage from Xichuan to the northern desert, and it's right behind the mountain where the bandits were entrenched ten years ago?"
Bai Ruixuan said that he found out this information after drinking with the elders of the Bai family for several days. As a businessman, he would not get up early for nothing. As long as he could make money, it didn't matter whether he sold the goods to Daye or Mobei.
In earlier years, when the imperial court still prohibited trade with the northern deserts, some daring merchants would secretly cross the mountain paths to sell their goods in the northern deserts.
Until one day, this group of bandits suddenly appeared, forcibly occupied the mountain, and robbed passing caravans, forcing them to give up this way of making money.
After much investigation, Bai Ruixuan finally found an old man who had narrowly escaped a bandit attack years ago. According to his recollection, the bandits were ruthless and merciless, killing without blinking an eye, and even taking pleasure in finishing off the attackers. When excited, they would utter strange words that were hard to understand, unlike the Mandarin of Daye.
But ten years ago, Lü Lin led his troops to suppress bandits, clearing the entire mountain. Everything became impossible to verify.
-----------------------
Author's Note: It's finally born (just kidding) [crying][crying] I'll try to finish this part tomorrow!
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