Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Guilty and dodging.
Outside the Zen temple, all the maids and servants brought by Lin were sent back outside the courtyard, and only a few guards with swords stood at the door.
Lin suppressed the emotions surging in her heart and said calmly, "What do you mean?"
"Lin Zhen has no other intention. He just wants my aunt to know what kind of person Meng Liangyu is. It is impossible for you to protect the letter from his hands." Lin Zhen said sincerely.
"The Duke's Mansion is colluding with the Third Prince to plot rebellion and commit treason. Prime Minister Meng is simply sacrificing his own family for the greater good!" After a moment, Lin realized she had misspoken and said, "Besides, what does Prime Minister Meng have to do with me? What are your intentions in forcing me to see that mad woman who plotted rebellion today?"
Even now, Mrs. Lin still wanted to conceal the identity of the person who had visited the Ning Mansion with Lin Zhen that day. Lin Zhen disdained to expose her and continued, "Aunt, are you still pretending to be ignorant? We were in the meditation room for half an hour just now. Didn't you hear anything from the imperial concubine?"
"You still need me to tell my aunt——"
"Shut up!" Lin suddenly interrupted her, scolding, "She's the mother of a traitor and a madwoman. What she said is also rebellious. I advise you to be careful with your words!"
The imperial concubine's mumbling in the meditation room just now is still ringing in my ears - eight out of ten sentences are accusing Meng Liangyu of betrayal. Although they are fragmented and crazy words, it is not difficult to piece together the complete facts.
But just as he confided to himself that day, for someone like him who came from a humble background and had no foundation, if he wanted to climb to the pinnacle of power, it would be a thousand times more difficult than for ordinary people.
Those shady schemes and methods may just be forced by the situation.
If her brother had not insisted on separating them and forced her to marry the Marquis of Yong'an, perhaps neither she nor he would have ended up like this.
At that time, Lin Zhen was still young and didn't know about the past between her aunt and Meng Liangyu. She just wanted her aunt to see Meng Liangyu's evil as much as possible, so that she would hand over the letter and stand on her side.
Seeing that Lin still refused to give in, Lin Zhen had no choice but to make a last-ditch attempt at a hypothesis she hadn't yet verified: "She's a rebel, and so is Meng Liangyu! Aunt, do you know the Third Prince's true background? Why would he so intently support the Third Prince, who was of mediocre talent? How did she rise to the position of Imperial Consort step by step? And why has she gone mad now?"
"Even a tiger wouldn't eat its own cubs, aunt, he simply—"
"Shut up, shut up!" Lin slammed the table in anger, her inner panic clearly visible on her face. She stubbornly denied it, "You, what nonsense are you talking about! Defaming the royal bloodline is a serious crime!"
If she were still the little girl she was twenty years ago, even after hearing such words, she would still believe Meng Liangyu without hesitation.
After all, she had believed at that time that she was his true love, and even if he was not as her brother said, he was genuinely passionate about her.
Now that she is a mother, her mood is no longer the same as it was before.
She really wanted to convince herself like she had just done, but she found that she couldn't do it at all. Perhaps people would change eventually, or perhaps she was just like her brother said, and she had never truly understood him.
If he was really such a beast in human skin, how could she dare to hand the letter to Lin Zhen, and how could he let her go so easily?
The huge Ning Mansion now depends on her alone...
Lin suddenly stood up. She wanted to escape as usual and avoid Lin Zhen.
But today, she couldn't get what she wanted as usual. Lin Zhen sat at the table, motionless, his voice as soft as falling snowflakes: "If you don't tell me where the letter is today, I will not let you go."
"My relationship with Ji Sui is just as you imagined. Now everyone outside is his man. As long as I give the order, they will all obey my orders."
Lin had never expected to hear such words from Lin Zhen. She was so shocked that she couldn't speak for a long time. After a long time, she angrily said, "Lin Zhen, don't forget that I still have a first-rank imperial decree. How dare you secretly detain a woman of noble birth!"
"Aunt, you can try it, but I dare not." Lin Zhen looked back and said slowly.
*
After asking where the letter was, Lin Zhen hurriedly opened the door and ran into Ji Sui head-on.
In fact, Ji Rui did not send any soldiers for her to command, but it just happened that he had something to deal with in Dajueshan Temple today.
What she said just now was just to scare her aunt.
Lin Zhen didn't know when he came to the door, and how much of her words he had heard. She couldn't help but avoid the cold and pressing gaze because of guilt.
Fortunately, Ji Sui didn't seem to hear anything. He only asked, "Is it done? I have guests to meet later. Let Shi Zhu take you back first."
Lin Zhen also said seriously: "Auntie was frightened and may need to rest in there for a while. Can you send someone to take her back home later?"
Ji Sui nodded: "Leave it to me, what about you?"
Lin Zhen said: "I need a horse, let's go to Ning Mansion first."
Ji Sui turned to Shi Zhu and said, "Bring my horse here." Then he said to Lin Zhen, "My horse is in the backyard. It recognizes you and will be easier to ride."
Lin Zhen nodded in agreement.
Looking at the direction where Lin Zhen rode away, Ji Bai couldn't help but raise his lips.
"The prince of Zhongqin has arrived, please come over, General." Shizhu said.
Ji Rui put away the proud and satisfied smile on his lips and said seriously, "Take me there."
*
Although the Prince of Zhongqin was only a fourth-rank officer in the Shenshu Camp, he was the lieutenant general in charge of the Shenshu Camp. The only piece of the palace defense map that Ji Sui was missing was obtained from him.
"General, the Duke of Ying's conspiracy to treason will not implicate my wife, will it?"
Ji Sui tucked the cloth back into his sleeve and said with a smile, "Since the Crown Prince is so sensible of current affairs, Madam will naturally be safe."
*
Under the scorching sun, a woman in pink and blue clothes stood outside the temple gate accompanied by her maid, waiting anxiously. Her silk handkerchief was tightly twisted between her fingertips, and the flower ornaments on her forehead were slightly blurred by the sweat.
From time to time, Ji Bai and his group came out of the temple and rode away on horseback. The woman's heart couldn't help but tighten.
It wasn't until that familiar gray-green figure came into view that his expression relaxed slightly. He stepped forward and asked, "What's going on?"
The man held the woman's shoulders, took the handkerchief from her hand, and wiped the sweat from her forehead. "It's so hot in the sun, why don't you wait in the car?" He lowered his voice and put his arm around her, "Let's go back to the car first."
Jiang Yuchang couldn't wait any longer. The conspiracy between the Duke of Ying and the third prince had caused a sensation in the city. Everyone with the surname Jiang was in danger, and she, the noble lady of the Jiang family, had fallen from the clouds to the mire and became a rat crossing the street that everyone avoided.
When her marriage with Ji Sui failed, her parents and brothers blamed her for being incompetent. Fearing that her value would be reduced because of this incident, they hurriedly looked for a new marriage for her so that they could gain the greatest benefits.
The best interests of my brother, the best interests of my cousin.
She was used to being arrogant and proud, and because she refused to obey her parents' orders, she chose the Prince Zhongqin, whom they disliked the most.
He has always been a cautious person, but fortunately he is willing to listen to me in everything. Unexpectedly, when Jiang was in trouble, many officials were afraid of being implicated and even divorced their wives to prove their loyalty.
At this juncture, her husband was determined to protect her to the end and even dared to ask Ji Sui for help.
In fact, no matter what the outcome is, she is already satisfied.
Thinking of the sad things, Jiang Yuchang couldn't help crying.
The prince quickly held her face in his hands and said with a smile, "It's my fault. I frightened Madam. Don't worry. I've already got his promise today. The rest depends on God's will."
"But as a husband, I selfishly think that God would not be so cruel as to take the lives of you and me."
Hearing that he wanted to stand with her, Jiang Yuchang's tears fell even more, but a smile appeared on the corner of her lips: "No way."
The sunlight filtered through the gaps in the treetops, casting mottled shadows. The carriage slowly moved away, weaving through the light and shadows.
*
"Hongye, can your sister tell you when they will come back?" Lin Yue asked.
Hongye shook her head.
"Then do you know where they went?" Lin Yue asked again.
Hongye still shook her head.
So many things have happened recently. When it was lunchtime and her sister and the others had not returned yet, Lin Yue couldn't help but feel anxious.
"Yu'er, your foot injury has just healed. Stop walking around and sit down and rest." Bai Ce brought out a bowl of medicine from the house and placed it on the table in the front hall.
Lin Yue couldn't help but glare at the white silk covering Bai Ce's eyes. Sometimes she really suspected that he was pretending to be blind rather than being really blind.
Lin Yue sat back at the table and gulped down the medicine. She didn't know what Bai Ce put in the medicine, but the medicine he brewed was not as sour and bitter as the medicine prescribed by ordinary doctors.
The outer hall was so hot that Lin Yue broke out in a sweat after drinking the steaming hot medicine. Hongye helped her back to her room.
Lin Zhen walked back home with a gloomy look on his face, not even noticing anyone in the front hall. It was Bai Ce who heard the noise and said, "Miss Lin is back?"
Lin Zhen's scattered gaze slowly gathered and fixed on him. After a long pause, he replied, "Well, Lin Yue and the others are home, right?"
Bai Ce nodded, and after a moment added: "General Ji hasn't returned yet."
"Miss Lin, are you feeling unwell? Do you need me to take your pulse?"
Lin Zhen was slightly startled when she heard this. She knew Bai Ce's keen perception, so she said, "Yes, a little bit. Just take a break."
The two of them were silent for a moment, each with their own thoughts. Lin Zhen was still immersed in the letter he had seen in Ning Mansion, the letter his father had left for the Marquis of Yong'an, or more accurately, for the Emperor. Bai Ce, on the other hand, was debating whether to tell Lin Zhen about his experience with Lin Yue. After all, he had been wronging Lin Yue, and perhaps he should confess to her elder sister.
"Miss Lin..."
When the words were on the tip of his tongue, he changed his mind - after all, he should ask Yue'er first.
"If Miss Lin is feeling unwell, please go back to your room and rest."
As soon as she finished speaking, several people suddenly climbed over the wall and quickly rushed behind Lin Zhen, covering her mouth and nose before she could make a sound.
They were all very skilled in physical skills, their movements were smooth and crisp, but even so, they still didn't escape Bai Ce's ears. He immediately stood up and asked, "Miss Lin?"
When no one responded, he immediately shouted, "Miss Lin! Miss Lin!"
As he shouted, he chased in the direction where the faint sound disappeared.
Lin Yue's room was closest to the front hall. She ran out first upon hearing the sound and followed the sound out of the mansion gate, but she could only see Bai Ce's figure chasing her. Lin Zhen and others were long gone.
"Miss Lin has been kidnapped!" Lin Yue caught up and Bai Ce said anxiously.
She stopped Bai Ce and said, "Don't chase me!"
He looked back at Lin Yue in confusion, but he soon understood. He silently and coldly pushed away Lin Yue's hand that was holding his arm, and continued to chase forward.
Lin Yue didn't notice his sudden change of attitude and rushed forward to grab him: "Stop chasing! It's too late to catch up!"
Bai Ce said stubbornly: "I still remember their voices!"
Lin Yue found him baffling and gave up trying to stop him. She said, "I'll go find Ji Sui to save him."
Bai Ce disagreed with her again and said, "You wait at home. Let Hongye prepare the carriage. I will go find him."
"What a joke!"
How could she let a blind man run around while she just waited at home? However, she had no time to argue with him. She just quickened her pace and ran inside.
Who would have thought that Bai Ce was a completely different person today, extremely persistent and forceful. He actually stopped her and said, "You can't go. If you want to go, let Hongye go!"
Lin Yue finally came to her senses, "You—are you suspecting that I'm not really saving my sister?"
Bai Ce was silent as a mountain.
"you!"
"Yuer...I can't let you do anything you'll regret later."
Lin Yue was embarrassed and annoyed, and finally cried, "What nonsense are you talking about! That's my sister!"
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