Chapter 61 061 ... On the Eve of the Outbreak
The vermilion gates were tightly closed. The residence was secluded and isolated, far from the bustling city. Even during the day when the sunlight was intense, few people were seen walking around here.
Suddenly, a carriage turned into the bright white alleyway. The wheels creaked loudly as they rolled over the quiet, dimly lit alley.
Xie Huaiyuan paid no attention to the eerie seclusion of the place. He got off the carriage and strode into the courtyard.
If you look closely, you'll find that this place is not far from Pear Blossom Lane.
"Your Highness, the person is already inside."
Xie Huaiyuan walked straight in without looking to the side.
The men in black on the Star Gazing Tower that night had all been dealt with, leaving no survivors. However, unexpectedly, there was a survivor hiding right across from the Star Gazing Tower, spying on what was happening inside.
This person naturally failed to escape and was caught red-handed by Green Bamboo, who had gone out to investigate.
At this moment, the man was kneeling at the lower end, drenched in cold sweat, not daring to look up at the person seated above him in the room.
Even though he didn't look up directly, the cold gaze above him descended like a venomous snake, coiling around him, and an invisible pressure intimidated him.
"Guard Li, why don't you just stay here as a palace guard and protect the palace? Instead, you're putting so much effort into watching us. Isn't that a waste of your talents?"
Although the tone of his words was calm, clearly lacking the chilling atmosphere of the prison, it still made Guard Li feel increasingly uneasy about the gaze above him, as if it were even more terrifying than that of the one in the palace.
A chill ran down his spine. The Prince of Xiangyang before him was not as naive as he appeared; he was probably quite cunning.
Li, the guard, calmed himself down, took a deep breath, and said, "Your Highness may have misunderstood; it's just a coincidence."
coincide?
Xie Huaiyuan sneered, clearly not believing a word of it.
"It seems that Guard Li is indeed loyal and worthy of respect." Xie Huaiyuan stood up, got off the armchair, took two steps forward, and got closer to the kneeling Guard Li. A strong smell of blood entered his nostrils, and Xie Huaiyuan couldn't help but frown, staring at the person in front of him with displeasure.
Since he was captured, he has been subjected to various forms of torture almost every day. Although no marks are visible on his naked clothes, there are large and small wounds hidden underneath.
Xie Huaiyuan lowered his body slightly, his dark aura pressing down on his brows, and said, word by word, "Your loyalty to the emperor is indeed admirable, but there is something else I want you to tell me frankly."
Li, the guard, breathed a sigh of relief. If he hadn't been in a hurry, he wouldn't have been the one tasked with keeping an eye on people. As long as it didn't involve the person who was going to take the position, it would all be the same to him.
"Do you know, or have you heard, why Princess Zhaoyi cares so much about an unknown person, and is even willing to set up a scheme at the Star Gazing Tower for Miss Lin?"
"Your Highness, you are mistaken. How could Her Highness allow this to happen? She and you have such a good relationship, how could she be involved in this matter? Someone must be slandering Your Highness." Guard Li took a deep breath, thinking he could just muddy the waters and get away with it.
However, Xie Huaiyuan was a very astute person, and he saw through it at a glance. With a turn of his eyes, Green Bamboo beside him threw a secret letter hidden in his sleeve in front of him.
A light piece of paper fluttered to the ground, and on the crumpled paper was written, "Fireworks, run."
The guard, Li, was no longer as calm and composed as before. Instead, he was filled with fear and said tremblingly, "What does this mean? I... I don't understand the meaning behind these words."
Xie Huaiyuan's expression shifted slightly, and he asked, "Is that person aware of Guard Li's unwavering loyalty? After your incident, did His Highness ever mention a word about you, or even stand up for you once?"
"I..." Guard Li was unable to explain himself for a moment.
Xie Huaiyuan narrowed his eyes and stared intently at him, then suddenly understood, "It seems that His Highness made a promise, otherwise why would she leave so suddenly?"
Then, Xie Huaiyuan seemed to sigh and say, "Did she start planning this as soon as she returned to the capital?"
He fled time and time again, and his promises were broken time and time again!
Otherwise, how could she have undergone such a dramatic transformation?
After Xie Huaiyuan figured it out on his own, he raised his head, straightened his posture, and his tall figure was quite intimidating in front of the kneeling guard Li. His face was no longer amiable, but suddenly flashed with a chilling gaze as he stared directly at him.
"Shi, Shizi?"
"Since you are so loyal to that person, guarding his secret to the death without revealing a single word," Xie Huaiyuan's voice turned icy cold, filled with murderous intent.
“Kill him.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Guard Li looked up and froze for a few seconds. Before he could even catch his breath, his wide, fearful eyes were frozen in place forever.
After Xie Huaiyuan finished speaking, he turned and left without lingering. At that moment, Green Bamboo beside him raised her knife and slashed Li's neck, making it appear red. Immediately afterward, Li fell straight backward, and the blood gushing from his neck sprayed onto the hem of Xie Huaiyuan's brocade robe, like blood-red specks.
Even if he's slow to realize it, he should have realized it by now.
He was confused by the sweet, alluring feeling she had previously brought him.
It was every decision she made from beginning to end.
Princess Zhaoyi was merely an accomplice to the wicked.
Lin Wan, oh Lin Wan…
Xie Huaiyuan stood by the door, looking at the carriage that had once carried Lin Wan. The subtle and intimate moments of those days, the joyful words spoken, surged in his heart, piercing his heart even more.
In the pitch-black night, his dark eyes, blending into the darkness, were filled with an uncontrollable madness.
-
Sunrise and sunset, and before you know it, it's another beautiful sunny day.
At the palace gate, in the long line of guards, eunuchs, and palace maids, there were rows of magnificent and high-class carriages.
Inside the Minghua Hall.
Princess Zhaoyi turned around and beckoned to Lin Wan: "Miss Lin, the Empress is going to Cibei Temple to pray for His Majesty. People of your status are not invited. Please change your clothes. After leaving the palace these next few days, stay by my side and declare to the outside world that you are my trusted maid. When we arrive at Cibei Temple, I will naturally tell you where that person is."
Upon hearing this, Lin Wan pondered for a moment. Given the current situation, there was absolutely no time for her to prepare. The carriages and troops were already waiting at the palace gate. If she missed this opportunity, she didn't know when the next one would come.
She agreed, but it was merely a matter of taking on the identity of a palace maid.
Before leaving, Yue'er, the palace maid who was responsible for serving Lin Wan, thoughtfully changed her clothes and did a lot of dressing up for her, even styling her hair in the same way as the other palace maids.
After the Crown Prince sent messengers to urge her on, Lin Wan finally finished getting ready. When she came out, she consciously walked in the line of palace maids accompanying Princess Zhaoyi.
The large entourage set off under the bright sunshine, heading towards Cibei Temple, located on the eastern outskirts of Beijing.
Such a grand procession attracted crowds of people from the capital to watch. When they heard that the rumored Crown Prince and Princess Zhaoyi were among the procession, even more people crowded around, eager to catch a glimpse of their beauty.
The Empress rode in a carriage, followed closely by the Crown Prince and Princess Zhaoyi's carriages.
The Crown Prince originally did not want to leave the palace. After all, this was a crucial moment, and the power he had finally gained was teetering on the brink of collapse; he hadn't even had a chance to fully grasp it.
However, some people in his household said that this was also a good time to find fault with the Prince of Jin. Since it was now the Prince of Jin's turn to stay in the capital, his original preparations could gradually be implemented.
As the troops gradually emerged and reached the outskirts of the capital, Lin Wan followed the matter at a leisurely pace. The closer she walked to Cibei Temple, the fewer onlookers there became.
Her figure was being watched by someone in the carriage following closely behind.
The prince glanced at her quickly and lightly, his eyes finally settling on her bright gaze.
He squinted slightly, and his breathing suddenly became longer and slower.
Lin Wan was dressed as a very ordinary palace maid today, with extremely simple attire. Yue'er applied a light touch of makeup to her, but this light makeup made her even more eye-catching. Even the Crown Prince, who was used to seeing beautiful women, was attracted to her.
Suddenly, a person rushed over from behind and told Lin Wan to come over.
At first, she thought that her disguise had attracted the attention of others, who would hold her accountable. But it turned out that it was not the Crown Prince.
Lin Wan was lost in thought, completely unable to understand the Crown Prince's intentions, which was to order her to ride in the same carriage as him.
She was unwilling from the bottom of her heart, but when she looked up, she actually saw a familiar figure walking towards her in the ranks ahead.
Xie Huaiyuan!
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