The battlefield transforms into a judgment seat
With Xiao Zhian backing her up, Lin Huaiyin had no worries. Her rationality returned, and she immediately noticed the contradiction—if there really was a spy, her bow and arrows should have been exposed long ago, but the facts were right in front of her, and Shen Congyun was unaware of it.
Lin Huaiyin was unwilling to abruptly seal off the Su residence and offend Su Jinggui, so she stepped forward and asked him, "Young Master Su, where is that thing now?"
"Yes." Su Jinggui glanced at Xiao Zhian through Lin Huaiyin's reddened ear tips and said softly, "In our home. Third sister, I've prepared a house for us, so of course your things should be kept in our home."
After Su Jinggui mustered his courage to finish speaking, he carefully observed Lin Huaiyin's reaction.
Lin Huaiyin nodded, instantly realizing the key point—so that's how it is. Fortunately, there was a place to store it, and the bow and arrows were not taken back to the Su residence. Otherwise, she would have been exposed on the first day of her rebirth and would have died in vain at the hands of Shen Congyun.
Thank goodness, I escaped unscathed.
With a huge weight lifted from her heart, joy spread across her face. Lin Huaiyin's lips curved into a charming smile, and her clear, autumn-like eyes gazed at Su Jinggui, filled with the relief of surviving a calamity.
Seeing how happy she was, Su Jinggui didn't resist "their home" and couldn't help but take a step forward.
Lin Huaiyin was just planning a way to lure the snake out of its hole and expose the spy when she noticed Su Jinggui's shoe tip touching her. She was startled and didn't have time to back away. Suddenly, a hand landed on her right shoulder, and the hand pulled back to the left, causing her to bump into a warm embrace.
"Are you done asking questions?"
Xiao Zhian put his arm around her slender waist.
He smiled gently, wiping the lingering sweat from Lin Huaiyin's fingers, and without her reply, took her hand and walked away.
"Let her go!"
Su Jinggui turned around and shouted, "Stop them!"
Before he could finish speaking, Du Yu stepped in front of him, raised his chin, and gave him a cold, menacing look, his aura radiating menacing intensity.
The entire Su family was suddenly rendered immobile.
Such an imposing presence is no ordinary person; even the fifth-rank official of the Su family probably cannot afford to offend him.
Du Yu's gaze was as sharp as a thousand pounds. Su Jinggui felt a sudden chill run down his spine, as if his flesh and bones had been torn apart by a single glance, and cold sweat pierced out like needles.
He was afraid, not only of Du Yu, but also of the saying "the greater the master, the more powerful the servant," and Xiao Zhian's unapproachable face made him even more apprehensive.
Su Jinggui could see the disparity in strength and social status, but Lin Huaiyin was drifting further and further away from him.
Third sister, she's being taken away.
Su Jinggui's heart clenched, and the scene of him and Lin Huaiyin being surrounded by the White Lotus Sect during the Shangsi Festival last year flashed before his eyes.
He was too scared to see how Lin Huaiyin was kidnapped back then, but this time, he will never let anyone hurt her!
A surge of adrenaline rushed to his head, and Su Jinggui held his breath, bypassing Du Yu and giving chase.
Du Yu smiled and thought to himself, "You've got guts."
With a sideways movement and a long arm outstretched, Su Jinggui caught her easily.
Du Yu had no intention of hurting anyone, so he didn't use any force, only making the person unable to make a sound.
However, he captured the master of the Su family.
"Young Master!"
"Who are you? Release the young master at once!"
"Miss Lin? Miss Lin, say something!"
The Su family's guards and servants surrounded them in an instant, and Old Wu caught up with Lin Huaiyin, begging her to make the decision.
Lin Huaiyin remained calm and silent.
Shen Congyun harbors wolfish ambitions and covets Su's father's official position; who knows when he might turn against Su Jinggui again.
Su Jinggui was caught in the whirlpool without realizing it, and he was also stubborn and wouldn't listen to advice. At the last family banquet, he almost killed Yu Li and Xie Ao. Lin Huaiyin secretly wanted to use Xiao Zhian's hand to put him under some pressure.
She had limited energy and no time to be on guard all the time. She would rather let Su Jinggui hate her and stay away from her than keep pestering her and causing more trouble.
Her silence caused the expectant gazes of the Su family members to turn into disdain.
Su Jinggui was an only child. Back then, he was willing to marry into the Lin family to marry Lin Huaiyin. His love was so deep and moving that it truly deserved to be described as profound and touching.
Later, the White Lotus Sect incident occurred, and Lin Huaiyin was trapped by the thieves for fifteen days. Su Jinggui never showed any disdain for her. Even despite the rumors, he was willing to marry her ahead of schedule. On the contrary, Lin Huaiyin insisted on breaking off the engagement.
Miss Lin climbed the social ladder by marrying Prime Minister Shen, but she was ungrateful and dumped her former lover.
Everyone in the Su family had this thought, and everyone felt aggrieved, but no one dared to express it.
When Lin Huaiyin broke into the Su residence at night, they initially thought she had been wronged by Chief Minister Shen and came to their young master to complain and seek comfort. They thought that perhaps their old feelings would rekindle, and it wouldn't be bad to fulfill their young master's wish.
Unexpectedly, she brought a strange, shady man with her, openly pulling and tugging at them, and even bullying their young master. The Su family couldn't stand it, and old and new grudges surged up, their resentful eyes fixed heavily on Lin Huaiyin.
Lin Huaiyin could sense it.
A person's gaze actually carries weight.
Just like when she was "rescued" by Shen Congyun, on the day they returned to the capital, Shen Congyun deliberately draped his outer robe over her shoulders and rode the same horse with her, parading through the city in a showy manner.
That day, Lin Huaiyin endured even more complex and harsh scrutiny, with everyone looking at her with eyes that said, "Look, her life is completely ruined."
But Lin Huaiyin didn't care.
She did nothing wrong; she was just in trouble. Now that she's home, she's overjoyed.
If that day couldn't defeat her, what about tonight?
Lin Huaiyin stopped and turned to look at Su Jinggui, saying, "The night dew is heavy, and Young Master Su is frail and ill, so it is not advisable for him to travel. I would be extremely grateful if you could send someone to take me to retrieve my things."
That's enough.
According to Lin Huaiyin's plan, Shen Congyun's spies would definitely want to find out what she came to retrieve, as well as the identity of the Crown Prince, a very important figure. The spies would also want to find out. If they set off now, whoever stepped forward to volunteer would be the most suspicious, and they could almost strike the target in one fell swoop.
Standing beside her, Xiao Zhian understood her reluctance to harm innocent people, but his eyes darkened, and for the first time he hesitated whether to listen to her arrangements.
Du Yu released Su Jinggui at the opportune time.
Su Jinggui and Lin Huaiyin are now very far apart.
He stepped forward, getting closer, and confirmed that there was no warmth in her eyes as she allowed another man to hold her hand.
Those were hands he had never touched in the ten years they had known each other, and now they were in another man's hands.
Lin Huaiyin's indifference to Su Jinggui was like a knife to his heart. They were clearly engaged, and he had never accepted the annulment of the engagement. Since she had given up on Shen Congyun and wanted to choose another partner, why couldn't it be him?
Why can't it be him?
He loved her so much and was willing to give up everything for her, so why did she choose someone else?
He helped her hide the bow and arrows, and concealed the evidence of her murder. He had the ability to protect her, and he was someone she could rely on.
Su Jinggui looked into Lin Huaiyin's eyes and asked, "Third Sister, are you safe now? Is someone coercing you? What are you going to do with that thing?"
"Of course, it's to kill people." Lin Huaiyin smiled, revealing her white teeth on her pretty face.
A hideous face that Su Jinggui had never seen before suddenly came into his view.
"I'm in a hurry, please hurry, Young Master Su."
Lin Huaiyin urged him on, her smile forced and insincere.
Su Jinggui was greatly shocked and took two steps back in surprise. The third sister in front of him was ruthless and unfamiliar, and he could not recognize her at all.
His personal servant came out to support him. Seeing that he was weak and frightened and could not stand steadily, he hurriedly asked Lin Huaiyin for permission: "I know the place. I will lead the way and take you there."
As he spoke, he called for someone to help Su Jinggui.
Seeing this, Lin Huaiyin shook her head in opposition: "You should stay and take care of Young Master Su, and find two other people to lead the way."
“Miss Lin is right.” Old Wu echoed, “Young Master cannot be without you by his side, so please allow this old man to make the trip.”
After saying that, he asked for the address, arranged a carriage, and assigned men to accompany him.
Lin Huaiyin observed secretly and had already gained some confidence.
She subconsciously looked up, and Xiao Zhian was looking down at her. When their eyes met, she quickly looked away.
The kitten is shy again.
Xiao Zhian squeezed her small hand, thinking that since she was happy, it wouldn't hurt to put the rest on hold.
In the blink of an eye, Lao Wu had made all the arrangements and stepped forward to invite Lin Huaiyin to set off.
Lin Huaiyin took a step and left, deliberately not saying goodbye to Su Jinggui.
Unexpectedly, upon hearing her leave, Su Jinggui struggled to his feet and called out to her retreating figure, "Third Sister, what happened that day was all my fault, I—"
Upon hearing this, Lin Huaiyin's heart sank, her scalp tingling with unease, and she quickened her pace.
She knew all too well what Su Jinggui was going to say; she had heard it countless times and didn't want to hear it again.
"Third Sister!" Su Jinggui stared at Lin Huaiyin's resolute back, suddenly realizing he was about to lose her forever. He staggered after her, "Third Sister! You've heard about what happened that day—"
His voice was shrill and his appearance was disheveled. The Su family was heartbroken. The more they looked at Lin Huaiyin, the more they felt that she was a femme fatale and deserved to die.
Lin Huaiyin kept walking and sped forward.
However, Xiao Zhian suddenly stopped.
Is this really a good idea?
He lowered his eyes and asked Lin Huaiyin, but Lin Huaiyin did not understand what he meant.
So Xiao Zhian called out "Du Yu".
Upon hearing the voice, Du Yu clasped his hands in greeting: "Your subordinate is here."
Immediately afterwards, he raised his hand and made a movement, and the dark shadow fell down in an instant.
Twenty palace guards appeared in an instant, surrounding Xiao Zhian on either side.
A guard carried over a chair, and Xiao Zhian helped Lin Huaiyin sit down by supporting her slender shoulders, while he stood beside her.
The Su family was terrified by this sudden turn of events.
Su Jinggui guessed that Xiao Zhian was of noble status. Although he did not guess that Xiao Zhian was the Crown Prince, he was still extremely shocked and stood there stunned.
Lin Huaiyin turned her head to show her incomprehension. She was about to capture the spy, so why make such a fuss?
Xiao Zhian patted her shoulder and explained, "When I take you out, how could I only have Du Yu as a guard, and besides, this person..."
He paused for a moment, then asked Lin Huaiyin, "Does this person bring up that matter every time he sees you?"
He asked casually, but Lin Huaiyin's pupils trembled, her eyes burned, her nose stung, and her heart felt like it was dead, still and motionless.
Everything around her vanished in that instant, leaving only Xiao Zhian before her. She couldn't believe that the voice that had echoed in her heart for so long had finally been heard by someone, even though she had only just met him.
Being heard and watched, so this is what it feels like. Before Lin Huaiyin's fingernails dug into the armrest, Xiao Zhian scooped them into his palm, rolled them into a ball, and held them in his hand.
"Bring it over."
Xiao Zhian issued an imperial decree.
Du Yu clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Yes."
He walked to Su Jinggui's side and gestured with his hand: "Young Master Su, please."
Su Jinggui slowly walked towards Lin Huaiyin.
"Who told you to take Miss Lin to the mudflats at the foot of Jiufeng Mountain last year on the Shangsi Festival?"
As Xiao Zhian asked his question, a powerful aura spread out.
Su Jinggui subconsciously composed himself and bowed in reply, "It was my own idea to take my third sister with me."
"How could you, a mere scholar, know of such a remote place?"
"Yes, I happened to see the little boy in my family carrying a string of crabs and singing 'On the third day of the third month, crabs climb high mountains.' On a whim, I asked him where it was."
"Does that child often walk around in front of you?"
“No, just this—” Su Jinggui shook his head, then looked abruptly at Old Wu, his voice hesitant: “Once.”
Xiao Zhian slowly closed his eyes.
"So do you realize how stupid you are?"
“You kept spies in your home, who easily fell into your trap. You personally pushed Miss Lin into the White Lotus Sect's fiery pit, ruining her life. You deserve to die.”
You are foolish and unaware of your own mistakes. Afterwards, you do not reflect on your errors or eliminate the root of the problem. You attempt to escape responsibility by torturing yourself and falling into depravity. You deserve to die.
You deserve to die the most for your relentless harassment, putting Miss Lin in an unjust position, and even trying to force her to forgive you time and time again, using her to soothe your cowardice and cover up your incompetence.
In my opinion, even a glance from you is a defilement.
After saying that, Xiao Zhian glanced at Du Yu, picked up Lin Huaiyin, put her on his arm, and turned to leave.
The word "I am alone," spoken only at the very end, caused the entire Su family to prostrate themselves on the ground.
"Your Highness, may you live a thousand years!"
Du Yu commanded the guards.
Most of the attendants were Xiao Zhian and his companion.
Some went to retrieve Lin Huaiyin's belongings.
The remaining task was to clean up the Su residence of spies.
Lin Huaiyin sat on Xiao Zhian's arm. The action was so familiar and made her feel so at ease. It instantly reminded her of the white-cloaked woman in front of Xiangguo Temple, where she was sitting on the arm of a strange man.
"Was it you back then?"
She asked, and Xiao Zhian nodded, taking her hand in his as she had touched his hand before, acknowledging her presence.
Lin Huaiyin felt the temperature of his palm, scalding hot, almost melting her.
She kept avoiding him, trying not to think about what he had done or said.
At this moment, those words and actions were churning in her mind.
He was the one who peeled the membrane off her fingertips on the day of the family dinner.
It's probably the person behind the screen in the abbot's room.
He lifted her up in front of Xiangguo Temple and protected her in front of Su Jinggui.
He saw through her predicament and Su Jinggui's inner demons at a glance.
In truth, Lin Huaiyin knew perfectly well that what had trapped Su Jinggui in this life and the next was never romantic love.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have apologized for what happened that day again and again after she was rescued, made her recall being kidnapped by the White Lotus Sect and losing her virginity to Shen Congyun, and made her relive the moment when Shen Congyun saved her from dire straits.
What Su Jinggui could not overcome was his own inner demons; he remained trapped on the day he was hunted by the White Lotus Sect on the Shangsi Festival last year.
It was Su Jinggui who took her to that remote place, leaving behind Yu Li and Xie Ao—it was his idea. The sudden appearance of the White Lotus Sect rebels caused Su Jinggui to faint from shock, a secret she had never revealed to anyone.
Lin Huaiyin never blamed him. She understood his desire to be alone and was considerate of his timidity as a weak scholar.
But Su Jinggui didn't believe it. His regret for that moment of weakness and his obsession with seeking forgiveness and redemption far outweighed his concern for Lin Huaiyin.
So he kept questioning her, torturing her with his words.
He couldn't see that she was also enduring and suffering, and she had to tell him again and again that it was okay, it wasn't her fault, it was the White Lotus Sect's fault, it was the Crown Prince's failure to suppress the bandits, and that she would take him to cause trouble for him.
The forgiveness Su Jinggui wants is probably forgiving himself, something Lin Huaiyin can't give, nor can she afford to.
Realizing this, she decisively chose to annul the engagement and avoid seeing him.
She remained silent about the reasons behind it all. Everyone accused her of being fickle, abandoning Su Jinggui for Shen Congyun. Even her father, brothers, and family members sympathized with Su Jinggui, feeling that the Lin family owed the Su family something.
Lin Huaiyin silently endured it all; she never dared to hope that anyone would know her, understand her, or help her out of her predicament.
But Xiao Zhian, Xiao Zhian is different.
Lin Huaiyin squeezed his hand back.
The two returned to the golden carriage.
The luminous pearl remained silent, its soft light delicate.
She sat in his lap, his heart pounding against her chest, and she looked into his eyes, unable to look away.
Xiao Zhian lowered his head and gently stroked the tip of her nose, chuckling softly, "What kind of look is that? Trying to eat me?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com