Hand-crafted heavenly thunder, acting on behalf of Heaven.
"Then, what did His Highness the Crown Prince say?" Lin Huaiyin asked.
Lin Cuiyue shook his head and sighed: "His Highness is ill. I stayed up all night and just got back."
Upon hearing this, Lin Huaiyin gripped her teacup tightly and stood up abruptly: "You mean he's sick?"
What's your rush?
Lin Cuiyue pulled her down to sit, lowered his voice, and whispered, "Your Highness is too careless with your health. You went to Xiandu Peak before dawn yesterday and didn't return to the palace until night. Look at what you've done."
"This time, we're all officials and their families, no young ladies. What do you think His Highness is doing secretly going to the women's quarters? And for an entire day at that! With all this commotion, and having to be careful not to get caught, who could possibly stand it?"
Lin Cuiyue spoke with disdain, sighed, shook his head, and ate a cold pancake. He chewed it a few times, feeling that this matter was about to end.
Lin Huaiyin showed no outward expression, but her heart was in turmoil.
Xiao Zhian didn't say anything, so how could she know that he went to the courtyard early in the morning and actually waited for her for the whole day?
Is he free? Isn't he the Crown Prince who oversees the country and is extremely busy with state affairs?
He's sick. What's wrong? Is he seriously ill?
We met last night, and he was perfectly fine, even had the energy to yell at her. How did he suddenly...?
Lin Huaiyin opened her mouth, wanting to ask, but given her status, she had no right to care about the Crown Prince's health. She lowered her head, poured out a bowl of cold tea, and put it in her mouth.
"Third Sister," Lin Cuiyue turned his head and asked her, "Have you heard any rumors? Is there any gossip about whose official's family His Highness went to see?"
"No." Lin Huaiyin bit the rim of her teacup and replied softly, "I haven't heard of whose it is. Just now, when the guards came to deliver the medicine to prevent miscarriage, they even teased me. By the way, big brother, you haven't found out?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Cuiyue immediately raised his chin and puffed out his beard, "Hmph, you look down on your brother? The entire mountain is full of my men. If I wanted to stop you, even Your Highness might not be able to enter Xiandu Peak. If I wanted to investigate, it would be a piece of cake."
However, His Highness is of age and it's time to establish a Crown Princess. With his abilities, if he sets his sights on someone, he'll surely find a way to get her. It would be too impolite of me to interfere. As long as I keep it from reaching the Emperor, I'll pretend I don't know anything. That's the way of a subject."
"You wouldn't understand even if I told you." Lin Cuiyue turned his head, realizing she was drinking stale tea, and snatched the teacup away, scolding, "Drinking cold tea while pregnant? Are you crazy?!"
Lin Huaiyin was scolded and hung her head, thinking: There really isn't anything deadly in her stomach, a sip of cold tea won't kill her.
The critical issue now is that the White Lotus Sect hasn't even attacked yet, and chaos has already broken out on the mountaintop. It's a situation of being besieged from both inside and outside, a truly dire situation.
Princess Pingyang launched an attack, Liu Cang submitted a memorial, the court officials at Wanxianding were divided, and Shen Congyun was sharpening his sword. His Highness the Crown Prince is currently ill and has no strength to manage the situation.
Even if he were in good health, Lin Huaiyin couldn't figure out what to do, because he was now in a precarious position with Princess Pingyang. No matter what choice he made, he would inevitably lose prestige and the support of half of the court officials.
Princess Pingyang had already overstepped her bounds once on the Buddha's Birthday, and Lin Huaiyin felt it was inappropriate at the time. Now, the Golden Register Fasting Ceremony has been handed over to Princess Pingyang to preside over again. His Highness the Crown Prince has really spoiled his sister to the point of losing his mind!
Lin Huaiyin really wanted to grab Xiao Zhian by the neck, rip out his brain, wash it, and make him sober up.
But the more Xiao Zhian spoiled Princess Pingyang without any limits, the less Lin Huaiyin dared to do the same. She was glad that she kept her mouth shut and that she had chosen to stay away from him. She was extremely grateful.
The situation was urgent, and we could not sit idly by and watch Princess Pingyang and Shen Congyun divide the court officials and gain power from it.
If they gain power, His Highness the Crown Prince will lose power.
Xiao Zhian, that idiot, isn't he supposed to be all-powerful and incredibly intelligent? How come he got bullied so badly?
The thought of others being sick, weak and powerless, betrayed by their closest and most trusted sister, and having to deal with attacks from court officials made Lin Huaiyin wish that God would send down a lightning bolt to strike Princess Pingyang and the others dead!
Heaven is blind; Lin Huaiyin looked up at the roof.
In that instant, a thought flashed through her mind—His Highness the Crown Prince is the heir apparent, the future emperor. The emperor is the ruler of the people on behalf of Heaven; to question his will is to question Heaven itself, and to be punished by Heaven is perhaps a manifestation of divine will.
If Liu Cang offends His Highness the Crown Prince and is taken away by Heaven, wouldn't that prove that His Highness the Crown Prince is the chosen one and his words are law? Who would dare to say anything more?
No matter how great the rules of etiquette are, they cannot surpass the heavens.
Princess Pingyang played by etiquette and rules, while Lin Huaiyin could play by fate and destiny.
Lin Huaiyin decided to step forward and act as the embodiment of the Heavenly Dao.
Anyway, Liu Cang was no good either. As the head of the censors, he was responsible for supervising the whole country, but he colluded with Princess Pingyang, deceived the emperor and the people, protected local corruption, and withheld the memorials of his officials, so that the court was unaware of the suffering of the people and the hardships of the common people, which led to the people living in misery and turning into bandits.
Such a person deserves to die. Lin Huaiyin doesn't mind acting on behalf of Heaven to bring down divine punishment for Xiao Zhian and eliminate this treacherous villain.
Having made up her mind, she loosened her small fist, hiding the nail marks on her palm, and hugged Lin Cuiyue's arm, acting coquettishly: "Big brother, I want to go to Congyun. He doesn't eat properly when he's busy. Can I make some soup and disguise myself as a servant to deliver it to him?"
Upon hearing her words, Lin Cuiyue slowly clenched his fist on the table, his arm muscles bulging and making a creaking sound.
"snort."
His face was full of disdain, but his eyes shone with a proud masculine air. He said, "Your sister-in-law has been married into the family for five years and has never stepped into the kitchen. She tends to her little flower garden, and the house is always fragrant, colorful, and filled with chirping birds. I think that's wonderful."
"You're such a skilled archer, how come you're no longer a daughter of the Lin family after marrying a man? You don't hunt or wander around in the mountains anymore, just spend all your time chasing after men? Even if you're pregnant and shouldn't be out and about, are your hands only for making soup? You heartless thing! I've been so busy, yet I still remembered to bring you a whole box of arrows for your playthings!"
After saying that, Lin Cuiyue shook off Lin Huaiyin's small hand, feeling indignant, and looked down at the corner.
Lin Huaiyin looked in that direction and saw that it was a really big box, probably containing hundreds of arrows.
Big brother, he really dotes on her.
Not a single one of these arrows will be wasted.
Lin Huaiyin's eyes welled up with tears. She was a daughter of the Lin family, for all eternity. She loved her older brother and wanted him to stay with her forever.
Therefore, she had to help His Highness the Crown Prince stabilize the situation.
Pinching her thigh, Lin Huaiyin pleaded with Lin Cuiyue in a low voice, "Big brother, please promise me. I really miss Congyun. I feel terrible if I don't see him. I can't eat, I can't sleep, I can't walk, I feel dazed and confused. I miss him."
"Go! Go! Go."
Seeing Lin Huaiyin's infatuated expression, Lin Cuiyue wanted to scold her for being so hopeless.
He stood up, too lazy to even look at her, and loudly ordered the person outside, "Summon Yang Sicang here!"
A short while later, Yang Sicang appeared at the door with his fists clasped and asked, "What are your orders, General?"
"It wasn't your older brother looking for you," Lin Huaiyin said, jumping out on her own. "It was me."
Upon hearing her address him as "elder brother," Yang Sicang immediately understood: "Third Miss, you're looking for this humble servant?"
"Yes, let's talk as we walk."
Lin Huaiyin winked at Lin Cuiyue, waved, and followed Yang Sicang.
She was familiar with military affairs. Among the six military advisors, the one in charge of the granary was responsible for the kitchen, warehouse, and market. Lin Cuiyue summoned Yang Si Cao to come over, which meant that he agreed to her request.
Lin Huaiyin briefly explained the situation.
Yang Sicang told her that apart from the meals of the two princes being taken care of by the imperial kitchen of the imperial palace, all the officials and their families at Heming Mountain, as well as other people, would eat vegetarian meals, which would be arranged by the Imperial Guard's kitchen.
Lin Huaiyin said she was going to make soup.
Yang Sicang said we didn't bring any meat.
Lin Huaiyin suggested that he borrow some from the imperial kitchen.
Yang Sicang stared at the golden roof without saying a word.
So Lin Huaiyin boldly made a request: "I'm pregnant, and I can't do without meat. How about I secretly go hunting, bring it back, cook it secretly, send it to you secretly, and eat it secretly? I definitely won't cause you any trouble."
Yang Sicang remained silent for a while, then whispered that the commotion shouldn't be too big, and asked her to remind Lord Shen not to smack his lips and to rinse his mouth after eating.
Lin Huaiyin patted her chest and assured everyone that there would be absolutely no problem. She then said that she was going to take people hunting and that she needed to find the porters who had carried her up the mountain yesterday.
"It's normal to go hunting in the mountains and find a few locals familiar with Heming Mountain to accompany you, right?"
Lin Huaiyin muttered to herself, sounding self-righteous, but in reality, no one dared to question her.
Soon, twelve burly men, ostensibly to carry the snakes but actually seasoned snake catchers, along with two imperial guards, armed themselves and followed Lin Huaiyin into the forest in a grand procession.
Once inside the forest, Lin Huaiyin inquired about the price and offered ten times the usual rate, ordering the experienced snake catchers to catch as many snakes as possible, preferably live, not dead.
The snake catchers moved incredibly fast; when they separated, the bags were empty, but each time they reunited, the bags would swell considerably.
If the county annals are correct, Heming Mountain is teeming with snakes, so many that they cannot be caught in time.
Two imperial guards stood guard beside Lin Huaiyin, watching the snake catcher's bulging bag, the snake heads constantly emerging and being pushed back in, and the rising and falling arcs that kept bulging against the sack, gradually making their scalps tingle.
Those sacks used to be more than enough to hold an adult, but now each one is half full. If you put all twelve sacks together, they could drown a person.
The Imperial Guards were afraid, and even felt a sense of despair for no apparent reason. They looked at Lin Huaiyin, wanting to ask but not daring to.
Military orders are absolute. Yang Sicang ordered them to take care of the Third Miss without saying anything else. They couldn't figure out what the real intentions were or whose idea it was. They could only obey orders and couldn't ask any more questions.
But military orders cannot overcome people's natural fear of snakes. The two men suffered terribly, following along in fear that they might slip and fall headfirst into a sack, which would be worse than death.
Seeing their reaction, Lin Huaiyin hesitated for a long time before calmly explaining, "You'll all find out sooner or later, but I'll tell you now. These snakes were specially prepared for Imperial Censor Liu Cang. Last year, I saw him in the White Lotus Sect's den of thieves."
Upon hearing this, the two imperial guards' eyes sharpened instantly, recalling the nightmare of 100,000 imperial guards during last year's Shangsi Festival.
Their third young lady was kidnapped by the White Lotus Rebels. The General and the Supreme General led their troops to search the entire city, digging three feet into the ground, but they still couldn't find her.
Half a month later, the Third Miss was rescued by Lord Shen, the Grand Secretary, but her reputation was ruined and she suffered from all kinds of rumors and gossip.
"I have no evidence, so I have no choice but to resort to vigilante justice. Just forget about it once you hear it, and I guarantee that I won't be able to trace it back to you afterwards."
Seeing that they were no longer afraid, Lin Huaiyin used a branch to knock down the grass and walked forward.
The two imperial guards watched her retreating figure, exchanged a glance unconsciously, and followed her.
“The Third Miss’s eyes are the evidence.” The Imperial Guard caught up with Lin Huaiyin and asked, “What are the Third Miss’s plans? Do you need our help?”
"You can't get into Wanxian Peak, but the two of us can help you. We guarantee that no third person will know!"
"Third Miss!"
The Imperial Guards stepped in front of Lin Huaiyin.
Deep in the dense forest, the air was sticky and humid, and sunlight streamed through the tree canopy, falling in beams onto their heads, shoulders, and cheeks.
Lin Huaiyin looked up and saw two pairs of resolute and strong eyes, their eyes reddening.
"Third Miss".
"You trust us."
believe?
Lin Huaiyin stared at them, feeling incredulous.
She saw their fear and knew she couldn't hide it from them, so she told them the truth, half-truthfully.
She thought that comforting them would be enough.
She thought that the relief she felt after confessing was an unexpected joy.
Unexpectedly, this is how they responded to her.
They are willing to help.
Why would Lin Huaiyin need to use the excuse of delivering meat soup to Shen Congyun to secretly sneak into Liu Cang's room and put dead rats and snake bait?
Why would Lin Huaiyin need to go to such lengths to find Liu Cang's dinner and poison him with Five Poisons Powder?
Lin Huaiyin's heart was pounding.
"Third Miss?"
The two imperial guards stomped their boots deep into the mud and clasped their hands in a fist salute to Lin Huaiyin.
"Yuan Cong Imperial Guard followed our ancestors and Emperor Taizu in raising an army, all for the purpose of sweeping away evil from the world and bringing peace to the people. This ancestral precept has been passed down through generations and we have never dared to forget it. Now that the villain is right in front of us, how can we stand idly by and let you take the risk alone?"
"If you don't agree, the General will find out immediately. You decide what to do."
The two of them used a combination of persuasion and threats; they had their eyes on Lin Huaiyin.
Lin Huaiyin looked at the two of them and found it extremely funny. She punched them both.
That night, the Imperial Guards urgently reported to Xiao Zhi'an—
"Your Highness, strange phenomena have occurred. Imperial Censor Liu Cang has died suddenly, and hundreds upon hundreds of snakes have gathered in his room, a truly terrifying sight!"
Princess Pingyang awoke from her dream with a start.
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