Fastest reconciliation in history
All the imperial guards present let out a sigh of relief.
Since it was divine punishment and a miracle, it cannot be considered a dereliction of duty by the Imperial Guards, and they cannot be held responsible. Otherwise, there would be another bloodbath upon their return to the capital.
Princess Pingyang held Xiao Zhian's hand, her eyes moist.
Her brother was too good to her, taking care of her in every way. When he agreed to let her preside over the ceremony, he already thought of this day and asked for the imperial decree in advance. How could she not be moved?
"Rest well, it will be over soon." Xiao Zhian pulled the cloak off her shoulders and turned to stand there.
Princess Pingyang gripped her cloak tightly, gazing at Xiao Zhian's tall and upright back, a smile of admiration curving her lips—no wonder he was her brother, so thoughtful and shrewd, leaving no stone unturned.
However, the situation was only temporarily stabilized. Princess Pingyang sneered: After returning to the capital, it remains to be seen who will emerge victorious.
Liu Cang was Consort Hui's father. His sudden and unjust death made Consort Hui want an explanation.
When the time comes, if the imperial concubine makes trouble, the emperor is biased, the emperor's elder brother or Lin Cuiyue, or Consort Hui will surely try to kill one of them.
How the Emperor will handle it is something to look forward to.
Princess Pingyang was not discouraged. She was still young and had plenty of time and opportunities, so she was in no hurry.
Xiao Zhian looked around at his ministers, his gaze sweeping over Shen Congyun and Lin Huaiyin, who was clinging to him. He thought to himself that although the little cat was being mischievous, it had unintentionally created an excellent opportunity for him to close the net.
If Liu Cang had stepped forward, Xiao Zhian could have easily suppressed him on the spot with an imperial edict. However, he deliberately indulged him, aiming to encourage the officials to submit memorials and allow the Secretariat to start operating on the spot.
He wanted to see how Shen Congyun handled memorials and how he performed his duties.
Now that the incident has occurred in the middle of the night, and Shen Congyun is entangled with the kitten and can't get away, it's the perfect opportunity.
Just as Xiao Zhian was about to speak, the night wind stopped, and the palace lanterns and torches dared not move.
He was ill and his vital energy was somewhat weak, but he was usually lazy and had a low voice, yet his thoughts were exceptionally clear.
“I caught a cold last night and was unable to keep abreast of the outside world and quell the disputes in time. I bear responsibility for how things have turned out.”
As he spoke, he turned to look at Shen Congyun and called out, "Shen Qing."
"Your subject is here." Shen Congyun pushed aside Lin Huaiyin and bowed as he stepped forward.
"You've worked hard, with all the officials submitting memorials and matters being so numerous." Xiao Zhian praised him in public.
"Your Majesty, I have done my utmost in my duty and dare not accept such praise." Shen Congyun bowed and lowered his head even further.
“You are capable, of course you deserve it. However,” Xiao Zhi’an changed the subject, turning to the court officials, and continued, “these are just your passionate arguments and angry words. There’s no need to submit them to the Emperor, as it would only create more discord. The Emperor and I will not read these memorials. Xuan Ge, Du Yu.”
"Your subordinate is here!"
"Your subordinate is here!"
Xuan Ge and Du Yu clasped their hands in a fist salute and stepped forward.
"You two accompany Shen Qing to bring the memorial over and burn it on the spot," Xiao Zhian instructed, then leisurely sat back down in his chair.
Before long, the crowd carried in the memorial, filling a large basket to the brim.
Xiao Zhian ordered it to be burned.
In front of the entire court, memorials were thrown into the fire one after another.
Flames soared into the sky, piercing the heavens.
The assembled officials looked up and saw the sky ablaze with red clouds, a sign of the Crown Prince's leniency and forgiveness.
A fire, a handful of ashes, let bygones be bygones, and start anew.
At this moment, the Crown Prince's benevolence reached its peak, and the courtiers bowed their heads, moved to tears of gratitude.
"Your Highness, may you live a thousand years!"
The ministers bowed their heads, and the people's hearts turned to them.
Xiao Zhian stood up to comfort him.
Lin Huaiyin's eyes were filled with flames, the heat scorching her eyes, burning through her body and reaching her back.
The iron bars of the imperial prison crashed down before her, and the sea of fire engulfed her instantly.
The excruciating pain of being pierced by a thousand arrows tore at her flesh. She looked down blankly, watching her hands appear to have turned black in an instant, her knuckles becoming brittle, breaking off, and falling away.
She smelled the stench of burning flesh.
She heard Shen Congyun's ghostly footsteps.
She couldn't breathe, she perished in the flames, twisted beyond recognition, burned into a shell, cracked into pieces, and turned to ash.
The chicken leg slipped from my hand.
Lin Huaiyin's eyes were unfocused, she was drenched in sweat, and her body trembled as she retreated step by step.
"Minister Liu has served in the court for many years and has made great contributions to the country. Tomorrow, Minister Shen will escort Minister Liu's remains back to the capital." Xiao Zhian was still making plans when he caught a glimpse of Lin Huaiyin leaving in a daze, and his heart suddenly ached.
"Your subject obeys the decree." Shen Congyun bowed.
"Du Yu, you lead the escort team." Xiao Zhian's voice trembled slightly.
"This subordinate obeys the order!"
Du Yu clasped his hands in acceptance of the order, and suspiciously followed his gaze—Lin Huaiyin was lying in the arms of two imperial guards, being urgently carried away.
Miss Lin the Third?
What happened?
Did a snake escape and bite you?!
Du Yu was greatly alarmed and dared not move.
"Your Highness?"
Xuan Ge also noticed the commotion and looked at him questioningly, as if he should go and check it out.
Xiao Zhian clenched his fist. He wanted to go; he wanted to go in person.
But with everyone watching, including all the officials, his status prevented him from taking a single step forward, from walking towards her.
Xuan Ge and Du Yu cannot go either.
Xiao Zhian clenched his fist in his sleeve and dug it into his palm.
He forcibly turned his gaze away from Lin Huaiyin, comforted the court officials, instructed Lin Cuiyue to handle the aftermath, took Princess Pingyang's hand, and walked towards the imperial palace.
——
The Imperial Guards rushed back to their camp, but Lin Huaiyin had already completely fainted.
The military doctor rushed over and tried everything – observation, auscultation, palpation – but couldn't find anything.
After a room full of military doctors took turns examining the patient, they managed to come up with a conclusion: the patient was overly frightened and mentally disoriented.
"Then what is this?"
The Imperial Guard pointed at Lin Huaiyin, who was so distorted that she was no longer human. Her cheeks, neck, and hands—all the exposed skin—were red, swollen, and hardened, with tiny blisters constantly oozing out.
"Are you sure it wasn't a snake bite?"
The two guards exchanged a glance, fearing some unspeakable retaliation.
“No.” The military doctors all shook their heads: “The limbs have already been examined, there are no wounds.”
"What exactly happened to the Third Miss?"
"Summon the imperial physician! Quickly, summon the imperial physician!"
The military doctor was at a loss and ran to get reinforcements. As soon as he stepped out the door, he bumped into Xuan Ge.
Xuan Ge unfolded a silk blanket, rolled up Lin Huaiyin, and carried her away on the spot.
He moved swiftly, returning quickly to the palace and arriving at Xiao Zhian's sleeping quarters, where he laid her flat on the bed.
Physician Lu had been waiting and immediately took out his left hand to take the pulse.
Xiao Zhian grasped Lin Huaiyin's right hand.
"How is it?" he asked.
Physician Lu shook his head awkwardly and did not reply.
Who asks for the results as soon as they take a pulse? He's not a god.
Physician Lu concentrated intently, taking Lin Huaiyin's pulse while observing her physical signs.
Lin Huaiyin's consciousness was trapped in the fiery inferno of the imperial prison. She was repeatedly burned to charcoal, brought back to life, crushed into ashes, and brought back to life, only to be pierced by a thousand arrows and fall back into hell.
Flames licked at the ground, and the sound of Shen Congyun's footsteps penetrated everywhere.
Enveloped in flames, she was neither able to die nor to come back to life, endlessly cycling through the same cycle.
In a daze, Lin Huaiyin thought this was reality, that she had not been reborn at all, and that it was all an illusion.
Yu Li and Xie Ao, the eldest brother and fourth sister, and Yuan Congjin, they all died long ago, because of her foolishness, because she trusted a scumbag, and were buried by her own hands.
She was covered in the blood of the Lin clan, and beneath her lay the withered bones of the nine generations of the Lin family. She was a sinner, and she deserved it. This was her hell, her fate.
She doesn't need to struggle; she can simply accept her punishment.
A tear slid down Lin Huaiyin's cheek.
Xiao Zhian frowned and gripped her hand tightly.
The warmth of his palm, the touch of his skin, the curves of his knuckles—all these, through Lin Huaiyin's hands, gradually materialized and solidified in the sea of fire.
That hand reached out through the sea of fire.
Lin Huaiyin sensed a familiar presence as a white figure emerged from the fire.
He straightened her hairpins and twisted her ear, saying—
"You must live."
"Um."
Lin Huaiyin squeezed that hand back and pulled Xiao Zhian's arm into her embrace.
"Your Highness."
She called out, her voice muffled.
Xiao Zhian shuddered and stared at Lin Huaiyin in disbelief.
She was in a deep coma and could not be woken up by pinching or touching her. Her eyes were not open. The imperial physician was taking her pulse with her left hand and her right hand was in his palm.
In this situation, she was able to accurately recognize him, feel close to him, and call out to him.
Why?
Why was she able to recognize him?
She recognized him; that night on the ship, she recognized him first before getting intimate with him.
She recognized him in front of Xiangguo Temple and then leaned on his embrace.
She recognized him on the day of the family dinner, and that's when she felt an overwhelming longing for him.
The person she wanted from beginning to end was him.
She had already decided on him.
She was willing to do anything for him, even kill for him, work for him, and risk everything for him.
"Yinyin, I'm here."
Xiao Zhian leaned closer and called to her.
"Yes, Your Highness."
Lin Huaiyin hugged him even tighter.
Xiao Zhian embraced her and kissed her hair.
Now, there's no pulse to diagnose, so we can only watch the show.
Doctor Lu pretended to be blind and deaf, and couldn't diagnose anything. He thought to himself that there was nothing wrong with the patient, and that the patient would probably get better after resting. He decided to prepare some ointment to apply to the blisters to prevent scarring later.
So he silently got up and left the bedchamber.
Outside the palace gate, Xuan Ge was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, hurriedly asking what was going on.
Physician Lu glanced at him and thought to himself, "Young man, something's wrong with you. Why are you so agitated? Even Lord Shen isn't agitated, and General Lin isn't agitated. Why are you so anxious?"
His eyes looked suspicious, and Xuan Ge immediately realized what he meant and quickly explained, "Miss Lin is suffering, and Miss Yu Li is going to cry again."
"Fish? What?" Doctor Lu squinted, indicating that he had never heard of it.
Xuan Ge realized he had misspoke and quickly corrected himself: "Well, I have to give General Lin an explanation. When can we send the person back?"
“I reckon,” Doctor Lu beckoned and whispered in his ear, “we’ll be spending the night there.”
"What?" Xuan Ge's face flushed red instantly. "What if General Lin comes to demand our people back?"
"I don't know. I'm off to brew my medicine."
Physician Lu ruthlessly threw down Xuan Ge.
Xuan Ge and Du Yu exchanged a glance and decided to go and explain the situation to Yu Li so that she wouldn't worry.
——
Imperial Guard Camp.
Lin Cuiyue was extremely busy and returned to his tent completely exhausted.
He didn't believe in any divine punishment. Liu Cang's death was definitely caused by releasing a snake to kill someone. It was due to the Imperial Guards' inadequate protection, and the responsibility lay with him. After returning to the capital, Consort Hui would definitely not let it go.
Lin Cuiyue had commanded the Imperial Guards for many years and had always been upright and honest. But this time, he felt something was amiss, and his back inexplicably trembled.
He strongly suspected that it was his beloved third sister who was behind the trouble, and since she was involved, the Imperial Guards would inevitably help him, which would be tantamount to the Imperial Guards committing murder!
Damn it.
If the Imperial Guards were to commit murder and this were exposed, the prestige of the 100,000 Imperial Guards would be completely destroyed, and the reputation of the Lin family, which had lasted for a century, would be ruined in an instant. The Emperor and His Highness the Crown Prince would never trust them again.
One Minister Zhao wasn't enough, so they brought in Imperial Censor Liu.
What on earth is the third sister up to?
Lin Cuiyue was still worried, so he removed his armor and ordered someone to bring Lin Huaiyin to him.
The matter was of great importance, so he didn't hold back and decided to interrogate her.
It's only after the review is complete that we can clean up the mess.
However, before the order to take her away had even left the camp, a messenger reported: "The Third Miss suddenly fainted earlier and was personally taken away by General Xuan Ge, who serves His Highness the Crown Prince."
Overwhelmed by the amount of information, Lin Cuiyue paused for a moment before asking, "What happened to Third Sister?"
"I don't know, it looks very scary. The military doctors have all come to take a look, but they can't find anything wrong, so they let General Xuan Ge take it away."
Xuan Ge? His Highness the Crown Prince's men took away Third Sister?
Lin Cuiyue's expression immediately turned suspicious. He put his half-undone armor back on and set off to the palace to demand the person.
Along the way, the night wind howled, and Lin Cuiyue walked heavily, becoming more and more lucid as he went.
He suddenly had an idea—with His Highness the Crown Prince's abilities, it was impossible for him not to find out who the archer was, unless he knew it was his third sister and was intentionally protecting her.
The third sister had no grudge against Minister Zhao; her killing could only have been instigated by His Highness.
Third Sister and Lord Liu have no past grudges or recent conflicts. Today, he released a snake to kill someone, and in the end, the benefits all go to the two princes. If it is really related to Third Sister, then it must have been at the behest of the princes.
Although the third sister uses all her brainpower to practice archery, she is absolutely kind-hearted. How could she possibly outwit the cunning and scheming Crown Prince?
Caught off guard, Lin Cuiyue recalled the day he set off, when His Highness the Crown Prince summoned his third sister.
When the third sister came out of the palace, she fell hard. Could it be that it was at that time that His Highness ordered her to harm Lord Liu? The third sister refused and came up with a way to resist by injuring herself. In the end, she was forced to serve His Highness the Crown Prince.
His Highness the Crown Prince, behind everyone's back, manipulated his third sister to harm people...
After much deliberation, Lin Cuiyue felt that the clues were airtight and that this was most likely the truth.
For some reason, the third sister was taken into custody by His Highness the Crown Prince.
That won't do.
Lin Cuiyue decided to break into the palace at night to rescue Lin Huaiyin and prevent her from becoming isolated and helpless, and from sinking deeper into trouble.
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