Go to the East Palace and see Xiao Zhi'an.
"My daughter doesn't understand."
Lin Huaiyin looked up at Lin Zhenlie and slowly shook her head: "Back then at the foot of Heming Mountain, I wanted to assassinate Princess Pingyang, but His Highness the Crown Prince said that private revenge was not allowed and that a joint trial by the three judicial authorities was necessary. Now, Father, you say that it should not be announced to the world and that I should act in secret. Whom should I listen to? The Crown Prince or Father? You each have your own version of events. What is the truth? What should I do?"
The small hall was filled with Lin Huaiyin's grievances and resentment.
Lin Zhenlie tightened his grip on the armrest, wanting to warn his daughter: The Crown Prince can promise anything, because those in that position always believe themselves omnipotent. Given the right atmosphere, they dare to promise anything. However, when faced with obstacles in fulfilling those promises, or when the cost becomes too high, they either go back on their word or shift the burden onto the people. Whether it's betrayal or sacrificing the common people, it undoubtedly marks the beginning of a monarch's downfall…
I will betray justice and conscience once, and I will betray it countless times.
It is better for the emperor not to make promises lightly than to make them at all.
Knowing about Xiao Zhian's promise to Lin Huaiyin, Lin Zhenlie became even more determined to send his daughter away.
Princess Pingyang was raised and protected by the Crown Prince. The two lost their mother at a young age and were blood relatives. Publicly accusing Princess Pingyang of treason would be like tearing off the fig leaf of fratricide within the royal family. Even if the princess is executed, the Crown Prince's position will be in jeopardy.
Once the Crown Prince realizes the painful cost of fulfilling his promise and hesitates, his daughter will become a thorn in his side.
Lin Zhenlie believed that the Crown Prince had some feelings for Lin Huaiyin, but could those feelings outweigh the position of Crown Prince?
Even if the Crown Prince is young and impetuous and truly keeps his promise, what if he regrets it and becomes resentful three to five years later?
Princess Pingyang should die, but the Lin family cannot afford the consequences if it means the downfall of the royal family, internal strife and factional strife, and the displacement of millions of people.
If there were other options, Lin Zhenlie could give it a try, but the princess could not die at the hands of the Lin family, much less die because of his daughter.
At least on the surface, the Lin family is not involved in this cause and effect.
Lin Zhenlie wanted to send Lin Huaiyin away and then deal with Xiao Zhian slowly. He was enough to handle this quagmire, and the sooner his daughter left, the better.
He slowly stood up and saw his daughter kneeling in front of him, her face pale and on the verge of tears. He hardened his heart and said to her, "Third daughter, you can't rely on anyone but yourself, not even your father."
After speaking, Lin Zhenlie left directly.
Lin Huaiyin knelt on the spot, breathing in the dust kicked up by her father.
The clattering footsteps, like axe blows, severed the mooring ropes, and Lin Huaiyin's little boat was banished, leaving the harbor to sail alone into the open sea to face the wind and waves.
"Third Miss".
Fan Xun, Lin Zhenlie's personal attendant, bowed outside the door: "Master has ordered me to escort you out of the mansion first. Yu Li and Xie Ao will pack your luggage and come to meet you."
This meant she had to leave home immediately and was not allowed to say goodbye to her mother.
Lin Huaiyin knelt in the small hall, her head buzzing, feeling like a lone boat adrift at sea, unsure of where she was.
She remembered that she had simply gone out to the Holy Water Temple to see Madam Liu, retrieve the jade hairpin, and then brought Physician Lu to clean the silver needles from Gongyang Yan's body.
She agreed to go see Consort Hui's child.
There were also snake catchers from the foot of Crane Cry Mountain; she promised to teach them archery and take them to live in the capital.
At the Imperial Academy, the little girl named Lotus Lantern had just enrolled; she hadn't yet seen her pass the imperial examinations.
Mu Zhanjuan has not yet returned to the capital.
Bai Zhizhi didn't come to Beijing either.
So many unfinished things.
Many things remain unfinished.
She didn't want to leave.
"Third Miss, it's time to go."
Fan Xun urged in a low voice.
Lin Huaiyin suddenly remembered her jade hairpin, took it out from her purse at her waist, and gripped it tightly.
She had already escaped once, abandoning His Highness the Crown Prince and fleeing from the imperial prison of her previous life to this place. Now, she was going to leave behind a mess, disappoint so many people's expectations, and just walk away.
No.
Lin Huaiyin will not leave, she will not give up, and she will never turn Daxing into another prison from which there is no return.
She moved the kingfisher feather hairpin to her left hand.
Lin Huaiyin pushed herself up and unconsciously reached into her purse with her right hand.
"Third Miss".
Fan Xun stepped aside and waited for Lin Huaiyin to leave.
As she stepped through the doorway, Lin Huaiyin raised her right hand, scattering white powder all over Fan Xun's face.
Before the other party could react, Lin Huaiyin made a run for her life.
The itching medicine that Lin Mianfeng had prepared came in handy at this moment.
Even though Fan Xun was highly skilled in martial arts, Lin Huaiyin caught him off guard, and his face was incredibly itchy before he was instantly knocked down.
Qin Luoren, hidden in the shadows, was completely stunned by Lin Huaiyin's move.
Although the Imperial City Guard could arrest people at will, Xiao Zhian had instructed them not to offend the Lin family. Qin Luo had heard the whole story and had already sent someone to the Eastern Palace to report the news. He planned to follow them first and take Lin Huaiyin away at any time.
Unexpectedly, Lin Huaiyin turned around and attacked her own people, including a master like Fan Xun. Qin Luo's eyes lit up and he was speechless. Seeing Lin Huaiyin running towards Lin Zhenlie's direction, he quickly appeared to stop her.
"Miss Lin the Third".
Qin Luo called out softly.
Lin Huaiyin glared at him.
Qin Luo was scared, thinking he was going to be beaten again, or given itching medicine.
But after rolling her eyes, Lin Huaiyin immediately grabbed onto a lifeline—"Take me away!"
Qin Luo knew that he would commit a crime if he hesitated even for a moment. He carried Lin Huaiyin over the courtyard wall, found his backup, and rode at full speed.
When Lin Zhenlie learned that Lin Huaiyin was missing, Lin Huaiyin had already entered the East Palace gate.
Lin Huaiyin didn't make things difficult for Qin Luo. He brought her here, so she came openly and naturally. After listening to her father's words, she also wanted to ask His Highness the Crown Prince whether his previous promise still stood.
Upon seeing Miss Lin's arrival, the guards of the Eastern Palace were overjoyed, and the deathly atmosphere instantly changed.
Everyone wore a happy expression, except for the Imperial Guard General guarding the front of the Jiade Palace.
Lin Shifeng saw a woman approaching from afar and squinted, giving her a fierce look into the hall.
Ah, the fox's tail is showing.
Lin Huaiyin also saw Lin Shifeng from afar.
Her mind went blank for a moment, and she quickly hid behind Qin Luo.
The gestures were too intimate, and the guards of the Eastern Palace around them immediately changed their expressions, questioning Qin Luo's overstepping of his bounds. Qin Luo suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. In his embarrassment, he noticed Lin Shifeng ahead and immediately realized that Lin Huaiyin was afraid of exposing her whereabouts, so he led her to change course and detour around Chongjiao Gate, while sending someone to invite Xiao Zhian.
A meeting is being held in the Jiade Hall.
Upon hearing of Lin Huaiyin's arrival, Xiao Zhian stood there dumbfounded, holding the golden seal, unsure of what to do.
He gripped the jade pendant tightly, the excruciating pain and Xuan Ge's face unmistakably real.
The voice that said, “Miss Lin is waiting for you at Chongjiao Gate,” was soft but absolutely true.
While the court officials presenting memorials were still alive, the entire Secretariat had been dismissed. The sheer volume of official business was overwhelming, and Xiao Zhian was solely responsible for managing the Secretariat, personally drafting imperial edicts.
While the court officials were still waiting for the imperial edict, Xiao Zhian dropped the golden seal, which rolled off the desk, causing an uproar among the officials. He ignored it all, ran down the steps, out of the Jiade Hall, and ran towards Lin Huaiyin under Lin Shifeng's fierce gaze.
The Crown Prince's demeanor was far from dignified; in fact, it could be described as pathetic.
Lin Shifeng assessed Xiao Zhi'an, secretly clenching his fist. Loud thuds echoed in the Jiade Hall. He turned around and saw the court officials looking at each other in dismay. In the very center, the golden seal was rolling down the steps one by one.
Seeing this, Lin Shifeng decisively chased after Xiao Zhian. He wanted to see with his own eyes what kind of woman was so alluring that the "future father of his nephew" would even give up the golden seal and rush to greet her regardless of everything.
No, not "future nephew's father," Lin Shifeng retracted that sacred title—since the crown prince has other women, and his third sister doesn't share the same bowl with other women, Lin Shifeng resolutely deprived Xiao Zhian of any rights.
The child was born with the surname Lin and was raised by the Lin family. The Crown Prince could do whatever he wanted; the Lin family did not acknowledge him.
Lin Shifeng quickened his pace, wanting to see what the fox spirit looked like and whose it was.
Xiao Zhian ran too fast. Qin Luo rushed to catch up with him, but just as he arrived at Chongjiao Gate, he was stopped by Qin Luo.
Inside the gate, Lin Huaiyin heard Xiao Zhi'an's footsteps and smelled his familiar scent, unique to "Zhi'an." Her heart pounded, and she suppressed the urge to rush to meet him, forcing herself to look up at the roof of Jiade Hall, reminding herself that she was in the Eastern Palace and needed to be more alert. The person who came was not her "Zhi'an," but His Highness the Crown Prince.
Yes, it's His Highness the Crown Prince.
Lin Huaiyin forced herself to calm down and forced herself to recall how His Highness the Crown Prince had used her and ignored her.
She was his subject, and he was her sovereign.
There was an insurmountable chasm between them. She had been ignorant and fearless before, but now that she knew, she had to stand in the right place.
Lin Huaiyin withdrew her gaze, and a purple figure flashed past her eyes. She pretended not to see it, raised her hands to her left waist, and slightly bent her knees. The purple figure crashed into her, crashing into her solidly. She was like a swallow flying into the forest, surrounded by the deep forest, tightly embraced, almost suffocating.
“Yinyin,” Xiao Zhian murmured breathlessly, “my Yinyin, you’ve finally come to see me.”
Back in Xiao Zhian's arms, the burning body temperature, the strong heartbeat, the rise and fall of his chest muscles, his voice and hot breath—everything was the most familiar scent to Lin Huaiyin. Closing her eyes, she couldn't stop herself from greedily feeling Xiao Zhian's presence.
They had clearly said they would never see each other again, but at this moment of seeing each other, only heaven knows how satisfied and intoxicated Lin Huaiyin was, wanting to anchor herself to Xiao Zhian and make her home in him.
This was the first time she had ever embraced Xiao Zhian in broad daylight, right here in the Eastern Palace in the heart of the empire, surrounded by Eastern Palace guards, and Xiao Zhian made no attempt to hide it.
He was there when she came.
An unexpected hug nearly shattered Lin Huaiyin's reason.
Her body and emotions were screaming for "Zhi'an," surrendering madly, ordering her to give up resistance and pour out her longing and love to Xiao Zhi'an.
But Xiao Zhi'an was not only her "Zhi'an". Ripples of reason spread slightly. Lin Huaiyin did not want the crown prince, nor did she want to be a woman in the Eastern Palace. She only wanted to know how Xiao Zhi'an planned to deal with Princess Pingyang.
Does what he said count?
If her obstinate revenge threatens his rule, what will he do?
"Your Majesty... Your Highness."
Lin Huaiyin placed one hand on Xiao Zhian's chest.
Xiao Zhian's heart sank.
Xiao Zhian's hands were at a loss for what to do.
He felt that Yinyin calling him that was a form of rejection, and he shouldn't force her; he should respect Yinyin's wishes.
"Forgive me, Yinyin, I don't want to let go, let me hug you."
The apology was gentle, but the arms were hard. Xiao Zhian firmly picked up Lin Huaiyin and lifted her up, pressing his head against her cheek.
The moment their faces touched, the difference in temperature created an almost frightening intimacy. Lin Huaiyin's cheeks burned, her breathing became rapid, and she almost grabbed Xiao Zhian's lips, wanting to kiss him.
She loves him.
He continued to seduce her, and she was about to surrender.
Xiao Zhian gently nuzzled Lin Huaiyin's cheek, their breaths mingling and their hearts pounding. He finally pulled Yinyin into his arms again. No matter why Yinyin had come, he had no intention of letting her go.
To lose something and then get it back is the ultimate joy, but also the ultimate pain.
Xiao Zhian wanted to end this cycle of gain and loss.
All his previous methods were wrong. Xiao Zhian decided to possess her first and not give her a chance to escape. He couldn't wait and wanted to do whatever it took to get her. He could no longer bear the thought of her not being by his side.
After passing through Lizheng Hall and Guangtian Hall, and then through Yichun Gate, you will reach Chengen Hall.
He wanted to leave the mistress of Cheng'en Hall.
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