After Lin Qian recruited Zhang Ziling, Prince Ning finally understood Lin Qian's intentions. Lin Qian must be a reborn person. In his previous life, he had wiped out her entire family. Now that Lin Qian had been reborn, it would be strange if she didn't seek revenge in this life.
Prince Ning abruptly slammed the memorials on the table to the ground, his eyes filled with malice. He, a prince, had actually been completely manipulated by a woman!
"Guards!" he roared.
A black-clad guard appeared silently before him, kneeling on one knee: "What are your orders, Your Highness?"
"Go, investigate for me! Find out everything that has happened to Lin Qian during this time, and keep a close eye on that Zhang Ziling!"
"Yes!" The guard obeyed and left, but Prince Ning still couldn't quell his anger. Lin Qian, in my past life I granted your entire family the death penalty, and instead of being reborn as a decent human being, you dared to come back for revenge!
He recalled Lin Qian's beautiful and refined face, and his heart grew even more agitated. In his past life, he had only treated her as an insignificant pawn, to be manipulated at will, used and then discarded without a second thought. How laughable that he had never discovered that beneath that seemingly gentle exterior lay such a deep and cunning mind.
"Your Highness, are you worried that Lin Qian might harm you?" asked the trusted advisor.
"Hmph, she dares?" Prince Ning sneered. "She's just a woman, what waves can she stir up? I'm powerful enough now, how could she possibly shake me?"
The strategist, however, looked worried: "Your Highness, you must not underestimate her! Since Lin Qian has snatched the talent you need, she must have something to rely on. Moreover, she is now highly favored by the Crown Prince; if..."
"Enough!" Prince Ning interrupted him impatiently. "I know what to do with the Crown Prince. Just do as I say!"
The strategist sighed helplessly, but felt even more uneasy. He knew the Prince of Ning's character all too well: arrogant, stubborn, and never listening to advice.
On the surface, Prince Ning feigned indifference, but inwardly he was in turmoil. Lin Qian, what exactly do you intend to do? Aren't you afraid that I will once again destroy everything you have?
As night fell, Prince Ning tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. He got up, put on his outer robe, and went to his study.
"Someone come here!"
The figure of the black-clad guard reappeared outside the study: "What are your orders, Your Highness?"
"Go, prepare a generous gift for me and send it to the Lin residence!" Prince Ning's voice was icy cold. "Just say it's a gift from me to Miss Lin..."
He paused, a cruel smile playing on his lips: "An apology gift!"
The guard was startled, but dared not ask any further questions, and withdrew after receiving the order.
Therefore, Prince Ning launched a retaliatory campaign. He instructed his men to spread rumors throughout the capital, claiming that Lin Qian had been secretly meeting with an unidentified man, behaving intimately and violating her chastity. These rumors spread rapidly like a plague, and the entire capital was shrouded in malicious gossip.
When has the capital ever lacked gossip? Especially those high-ranking officials and nobles, who love to chatter when they're bored and have nothing better to do. Sure enough, rumors about Lin Qian spread like wildfire in spring, climbing all over the streets and alleys overnight.
"Hey, have you heard? That Miss Lin seems to be having an affair with some random guy!"
"That's right! They say they're being intimate, but tsk tsk tsk, you can never judge a book by its cover!"
"Who says otherwise? I used to think she was some kind of innocent girl, but now it seems she might be a vixen!"
Teahouses, taverns, and street corners were filled with gossip about Lin Qian's "romantic affairs." The vivid descriptions, so detailed and detailed, seemed to be based on firsthand accounts, making everyone who heard them feel nauseous.
Meanwhile, the instigator, Prince Ning, was sitting in the pavilion of his palace, listening to his subordinates' report, a sinister smile playing on his lips.
"Your Highness, rest assured, the whole capital is buzzing about Lin Qian's scandalous affair, and the Crown Prince must have received the news as well," the trusted advisor whispered. "What should we do next?"
“No rush.” Prince Ning slowly sipped his tea. “The Crown Prince values his reputation most. After something like this, no matter how much he admires Lin Qian, he will never give her a position again.”
This was the moment he had been waiting for. He wanted to ruin Lin Qian's reputation and make her a despicable person despised by everyone! He wanted her to taste what it felt like to fall from grace!
Lin Qian's reputation was severely damaged as a result. People gossiped about her in the streets and alleys, pointing and whispering, their eyes full of suspicion and contempt. Lin Qian was furious, but she knew this was a conspiracy by Prince Ning, whose purpose was to ruin her reputation.
Seeing that his plan to slander Lin Qian had failed to achieve its intended purpose, Prince Ning grew increasingly enraged, his eyes revealing a crazed murderous intent. He decided to resort to an even more extreme method—assassination. He secretly assembled a group of trusted assassins, these men were rigorously trained, ruthless, and obeyed only Prince Ning's orders.
On this sunny day, Lin Qian decided to go out for a stroll to relax. She wore a light blue long dress, the hem of which fluttered in the wind, making her look like a fairy descending to earth. Accompanied by A'Luo, Lan'er, Lin Feng, and several servants, she wandered through the outskirts of the capital.
The scenery in the countryside was breathtaking, with lush green trees and fragrant flowers. Lin Qian admired the beautiful view, and her mood relaxed slightly. However, she remained vigilant, knowing that Prince Ning would not let her off easily.
Just as Lin Qian was immersed in the beautiful scenery, danger quietly descended. Prince Ning's men had already laid an ambush all around, hiding in the woods, waiting for the best opportunity.
Sunlight filtered through the dense foliage, dappling the ground and creating patches of light and shadow, imbuing the woods with a tranquil and mysterious atmosphere. However, this peace was instantly shattered by an uninvited guest who suddenly intruded.
Suddenly, several dark figures darted out from the depths of the forest like ghosts, their movements as swift as lightning, pouncing on Lin Qian with lightning speed. Lin Qian's eyes instantly turned cold, revealing a chilling aura. Her figure moved with lightning speed, easily dodging the enemy's first attack.
I lightly touched the ground with my toes, my body moving as gracefully as a falling willow catkin as I dodged the attacks of those foolish assassins. Ha, they dare to try and assassinate me with such meager skills? Do they really think I'm easy to bully? I sneered inwardly, my eyes filled with disdain and mockery.
"Miss, be careful!" A'Luo's anxious cry rang out, her eyes filled with worry and determination. Without hesitation, she drew the soft whip from her waist, wielding it with the agility of a serpent as she fiercely attacked the assassins. At the same time, Lin Feng reacted swiftly. His eyes sharpened as he quickly drew his weapon, tightly shielding me behind him. His entire being exuded an inviolable and powerful aura.
I nimbly dodged an assassin's vicious slash, and then, with a swift backhand, struck him squarely in the chest. A sharp crack echoed, and the man screamed, spitting blood before collapsing heavily to the ground. My face showed no pity, only a chilling killing intent.
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