She doesn't want him anymore.
Inside the room.
Lin Huaiyin stretched out her arms, still in the posture of preparing to hug Xiao Zhian.
He walked over first, otherwise Lin Huaiyin would have gone up to hug him, pressed her face against his chest, and clasped her hands tightly against his back. She spoke without thinking, and regretted it as soon as she finished. Her mind was a mess, and she didn't know what to say, but she would never let go and let him leave.
But Xiao Zhian made the first move. He was always proactive and submissive, which made Lin Huaiyin think that he would always cherish her and that she could be proud and wait to be coaxed.
Unexpectedly, he came and then left. Seeing the candle go out, he refused to light it for her, let go of her hand, and left without a word.
The warmth around Lin Huaiyin's waist and ears, and the lingering scent of Xiao Zhi'an, vanished in an instant.
She was the only one left in the dark guest room.
Xiao Zhian abandoned her here; he didn't want her anymore.
Lin Huaiyin thought that at least, at least after he finished asking his questions, he would wait for her to answer, ask her for an explanation, or even force her to apologize and order her to coax him.
He has plenty of ways to torment her.
But he simply withdrew.
No. Lin Huaiyin didn't believe it. Xiao Zhian loved and doted on her, and he would never abandon her. He had just said that he wanted to discuss how to deal with Princess Pingyang. He wasn't the kind of person to give up halfway. He even asked her for "fairness," so he would definitely want an answer before he was satisfied.
He won't leave. Lin Huaiyin was certain: Xiao Zhian couldn't bear to part with her, he wouldn't abandon her in this strange, dark place, and he would return very soon.
She should give him an answer when he returns.
Numbly raising her hands, Lin Huaiyin's legs felt as if they were entangled by vines extending from the wooden floorboards. She stood rooted to the spot, letting the darkness envelop her and the stench of burning spread. Deep within her skin, there were tiny, stinging pains, as if a thousand ants were gnawing at her.
Lin Huaiyin racked her brains, trying hard to think of something to say to Xiao Zhian. She didn't really understand whether Xiao Zhian was angry, aggrieved, or just couldn't stand her yelling at him. After all, he was the Crown Prince who ruled the empire and had the power to command the wind and rain. No one dared to mess with him. Perhaps even Princess Pingyang wasn't so mean to him. But when she got angry, she became incoherent.
Lin Huaiyin slowly recalled what had just happened.
The trigger was Xiao Zhian's remark about "three thousand beauties." His tone was flippant, and his face showed smugness, as if he had already found the right masters for his harem, with beauties lingering and reluctant to leave. Those four words were like a wake-up call. Lin Huaiyin suddenly realized that the man in front of her was the Crown Prince of the current dynasty, and that he would have countless concubines in the future, and that Xiao Zhian was used to it and took it for granted.
That was a completely different situation from Shen Congyun's. When Xiao Zhian wanted to find women, Lin Huaiyin didn't even have the right to stop him. In the entire Daxing Empire, only Xiao Zhian could find any kind of woman he wanted, as many as he wanted. As long as he wanted, no one could stop him.
The thought of Xiao Zhian being surrounded by women made Lin Huaiyin explode and go crazy. She would never be the one chosen and abandoned. She would never beg for mercy or ask Xiao Zhian for pity. She would rather tear him apart than have him.
It was clearly his fault, Lin Huaiyin felt wronged. Xiao Zhian kept saying he loved her, yet he was thinking about other women. Why couldn't she complain and why did he ask her for fairness?
Whether it's fair or not between them is clearly in Xiao Zhian's hands.
He is the Crown Prince who will become the future Emperor, and he can do whatever he wants and ask for whatever he desires. If he ever betrays her, does she think she can just pick up a jujube wood bow and shoot him dead with an arrow?
Lin Huaiyin felt wronged and unconvinced. She even wanted to stop there—since Xiao Zhian was the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince was the most unreliable man in the world, she might as well not have him at all.
Yes, let him go.
She doesn't want him anymore.
As her thoughts raced, her introspection turned into a rebellious act. Lin Huaiyin puffed out her chest, declaring that she had had enough of living in fear and anxiety, and that she didn't want any more men.
Having made up her mind, Lin Huaiyin stumbled towards the door in the dark and bolted it shut. Xiao Zhian was gone, but it wouldn't be so easy for him to come back. She would not leave her door open to Xiao Zhian again. She needed to get a good night's sleep and recharge her energy so she could go back and cause trouble for Princess Pingyang tomorrow.
Without undressing, Lin Huaiyin lay stiffly on the bed, plotting murder.
Outside the gate, the guards of the Eastern Palace split into two groups.
He accompanied Xiao Zhian all the way back to the post station.
They stayed behind at the guesthouse the whole way.
In the next guest room, the guards placed the stunned crab claws onto the bed and tucked in the bed curtains.
The next morning, Crab Ao woke up rubbing her temples, her mind still filled with the image of her waiting for the male fox to be scolded and kicked out, so that he would be tied up to prevent him from retaliating against her for abandoning her and running to tell on her... But then she suddenly felt a pain in the back of her neck and inexplicably fainted.
Like a mantis stalking a cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, the crab, deeply resentful of the villain who attacked her, sat up, drew back the bed curtains, and looked around.
There was nothing unusual in the guest room. Worried about Lin Huaiyin, she threw off the covers and rushed to the next room, intending to take Lin Huaiyin away.
As dawn broke, the door to the next room was wide open. Xie Ao sensed something was wrong and jumped in, only to find Lin Huaiyin, Lin Shifeng, and Lin Cuiyue sitting in a triangle, having breakfast.
Lin Huaiyin frantically winked – Hurry up and go!
Oh, wow.
His right leg, which was halfway in, timidly retracted. Crab Ao was fearless, but having grown up in the Imperial Guard training grounds, he was afraid of the Lin brothers.
At the corner, two imperial guards waved to the crab-like creature. She understood immediately, nodded in greeting, and quickly ran away.
Lin Huaiyin held the white porridge, slurping it in small bites, not daring to finish it.
The Lin family rule: no one is scolded during meals. She just wanted a bowl of bottomless porridge that she could never finish, so she would never be scolded.
Hearing a knock on the door early in the morning, Lin Huaiyin thought it was Xiao Zhian. Every little bone in her body was awakened, but she didn't get up. She awkwardly changed positions on the bed.
Lying face down, on her back, covered with a blanket, legs stretched out, spread out like a starfish, curled up like a shrimp—Lin Huaiyin wanted to say that she was comfortable sleeping alone, extremely comfortable, and didn't need any extra men at all. She just wouldn't open the door, but then Lin Shifeng called out "Third Sister," scaring her half to death.
The moment the door opened, Lin Huaiyin cried out that she was hungry. Lin Shifeng wanted to punch her, but Lin Cuiyue stopped him and told him to bring breakfast.
The two brothers would occasionally exchange glances—one was hiding from Xiao Zhian that he liked Lin Huaiyin and that the two were entangled; the other was hiding from Lin Huaiyin that she was poisoned and could not get pregnant and that she was too weak to be frightened—both felt that the other did not understand the seriousness of the matter, and silently covered for Lin Huaiyin and wanted to drive the other away so that they could talk privately.
The two older brothers were exchanging sparks, but Lin Huaiyin couldn't control them. She just kept her head down and licked her white porridge, stubbornly refusing to look up like an ostrich.
Lin Shifeng finally couldn't hold back any longer and asked directly, "Did you kill Zhao Changji?"
What are you saying? Lin Huaiyin buried her face in the bowl and thought to herself: It's so early in the morning, there's no sense of propriety at all.
Lin Cuiyue frowned: "Second brother?"
"Why are you calling me? The Crown Prince's arrest has spread like wildfire throughout the post station overnight, and all the officials are talking about it. Besides finding out the truth, can the two of us really protect her?" Lin Shifeng snatched the bowl of porridge from Lin Huaiyin's hand and stuffed a handkerchief into her hand. "You condoned her beforehand and covered her up afterward. Now the wind has blown in your favor, and it's the Lin family's doing. How long can you protect her?"
Lin Shifeng explained the seriousness of the situation, which shocked Lin Huaiyin. Her handkerchief stopped at the corner of her lips, her lips dark with blood, and she said, "When I was arrested yesterday, no one saw me on the road. How could it have spread throughout the post station?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Cuiyue and Lin Shifeng narrowed their eyes simultaneously. Lin Huaiyin did not defend herself or cry foul, but only cared about the spread of rumors, which was tantamount to admitting it.
"Did you really do this?" Lin Cuiyue had also been suspicious for a long time. Seeing Lin Huaiyin remain silent, his heart sank. He frowned and pondered for a moment, then waved his hand and sneered, "It doesn't matter. Zhao Changji colluded with the White Lotus Sect to supply weapons. He deserves to die. You are a first-rank imperial consort. When the imperial court deliberates, you will only have to pay some money. Our Lin family is not short of money. This matter is not difficult."
"Keep spoiling him." Lin Shifeng glared at Lin Cuiyue, then asked, "What about the forgery of His Highness the Crown Prince's secret edict?"
"That's not true." Lin Cuiyue refused to believe it and answered immediately.
Lin Huaiyin immediately echoed timidly, "Absolutely not. I wouldn't dare risk my head."
"Dare not?" Lin Shifeng didn't think Lin Huaiyin had anything to be afraid of. He leaned back in his chair and coldly reprimanded her: "Princess Pingyang and Shen Congyun had an affair, and you went to force His Highness the Crown Prince to kill the princess. What else are you afraid of? I think you are incredibly audacious. You would do anything to get revenge on that despicable couple."
"Wait, Princess Pingyang and her brother-in-law...?"
Lin Cuiyue was speechless.
When he first heard this explosive news, he was completely taken aback.
In her memory, when Shen Congyun helped Liu Cangling's coffin leave Heming Mountain, Lin Huaiyin was still reluctant to part with it, and packed a small bundle to follow it to the death.
Looking back, it was Shen Congyun who cared about Lin Huaiyin's health and let her rest at the foot of the mountain for another day before going up.
Going back further, we see Lin Huaiyin falling off the platform, crying her heart out in Shen Congyun's arms, calling out "child" pitifully.
As for Shen Congyun and Princess Pingyang, they had no connection whatsoever, so how could they have an affair?
Lin Cuiyue was incredulous and turned to Lin Huaiyin to ask her for confirmation.
Lin Huaiyin wanted to explain, but her eyes darted around and a lie came out of her mouth.
"What, do you want me to repeat what I heard yesterday to my elder brother from beginning to end?" Lin Shifeng said, suppressing Lin Huaiyin's little thoughts. A hint of ferocity appeared at the corner of his mouth, warning her that if she dared to lie, he would reveal all the things Xiao Zhian said about "loving her".
"I swear to God, it's really not true." Lin Huaiyin didn't believe it and looked at Lin Cuiyue and Lin Shifeng with a blank and innocent expression. "Where did you hear that, Second Brother? Who said it? Find them and confront them."
Lin Huaiyin lied loudly, completely unafraid. Anyway, she and Xiao Zhian had fallen out and neither wanted the other. If her second brother wanted to provoke Xiao Zhian, let him go ahead; he would definitely get a cold shoulder.
Seeing her fearlessness, Lin Shifeng recalled that when Xuan Ge came to arrest her yesterday, he kept calling her "Madam Shen". He immediately guessed that the two had fallen out and were fighting, which was why the palace guards notified Lin Huaiyin of the prison break in the early morning and told them to come and take her away themselves.
"Alright, I won't argue with you about this." Lin Shifeng backed down, afraid of scaring Lin Cuiyue to death, and changed the subject, saying, "What about Liu Cang's death?"
"Liu Cang was killed by the Crown Prince." Lin Cuiyue said righteously, "His Highness admitted it himself, so there is no doubt about it. I say, Second Brother, why do you have to pick on Third Sister? Do you want her to go to jail or be beheaded or something?"
“That’s right, that’s right.” Lin Huaiyin picked up a small round stool and moved next to Lin Cuiyue. “Big brother, second brother has taken the wrong medicine and is framing me.”
“I’m accusing you,” Lin Shifeng laughed angrily, “Then tell me, without any evidence, why would the Crown Prince arrest you?”
When he asked that, Lin Huaiyin really didn't know how to answer. Last night, she hadn't had a chance to ask Xiao Zhian—why did you arrest me for no reason?
Without asking, there was naturally no answer. Lin Huaiyin was completely baffled. Lin Cuiyue, on the other hand, figured things out first. He tenderly rubbed Lin Huaiyin's head and said, "Second brother, think about it yourself. If Princess Pingyang and Shen Congyun are having an affair, then the Crown Prince's actions are naturally under the guise of arresting a suspect, but in reality, they are protecting Third Sister. Otherwise, what if Princess Pingyang thinks Third Sister is in the way, and also, is jealous of Third Sister's pregnancy?"
Lin Cuiyue reminded himself that Lin Huaiyin was pregnant. He had also instructed the military doctor to keep quiet and not arouse her suspicion. He emphasized again, "My third sister is pregnant. If the princess secretly plots against her, it will be impossible to guard against. The Crown Prince is taking action to deal with this, which is why he has settled my third sister first. I heard that Yuan Jie'e and his son Yuan Butian were also summoned by the Crown Prince for questioning. I expect there will be an explanation after they return to the capital."
Lin Cuiyue rattled off a long string of words.
Lin Shifeng's gaze gradually sharpened, as if piercing through the dining table, and he looked at Lin Huaiyin's lower abdomen, asking in a low voice, "Are you pregnant?"
"Ah." Lin Huaiyin had almost forgotten, and hurriedly nodded vigorously, rubbing her belly: "Yes, it's Congyun's child."
Lin Huaiyin mentioned Chen Congyun casually, but Lin Shifeng heard it and felt it was unnecessary and suspicious—could it be that the child in her womb is, could it be that?
The moment this thought crossed Lin Shifeng's mind, his heart clenched—his third sister was carrying that man's child, and her current status was that of Shen Congyun's legal wife.
Tricky.
This is terrible.
So, who was it that spread the news last night, claiming that Third Sister was suspected of murdering Zhao Changji—the Crown Prince or Princess Pingyang? Was their true intention to protect Third Sister, or to put her to death?
Lin Shifeng was completely baffled.
"Let's go. We're heading back to the capital today. We should head back now." Lin Shifeng tentatively announced, "The Crown Prince has reminded us that you escaped from prison and wants us to catch you. Third Sister, after we get back, you still have to go to His Highness the Crown Prince's place and continue to be a suspect."
"Huh? I don't want to?" Lin Huaiyin didn't want to get involved with Xiao Zhian at all, let alone become a prisoner in front of him. She quickly hugged Lin Cuiyue's arm tightly, "Big brother, save me, I'm innocent."
“Of course you are innocent. That’s why His Highness the Crown Prince wants to protect you.” Lin Cuiyue patted her arm to encourage her: “Don’t worry, His Highness the Crown Prince will definitely protect you. You are absolutely safe with him.”
Not only is it safe, but it's also convenient to receive treatment from Physician Lu nearby, and to take herbal medicine to regulate the body. Perhaps the problem of infertility due to poisoning can be properly resolved soon. Lin Cuiyue felt that Xiao Zhian was thoughtful and considerate, and for his sister's sake, he was willing to kowtow to Xiao Zhian.
Lin Cuiyue's words and demeanor revealed an excessive trust in Xiao Zhi'an, which greatly surprised Lin Shifeng. He suddenly guessed that the Crown Prince and Lin Cuiyue might have discussed the issue of his third sister's ownership, and hurriedly asked, "What do you mean by that, elder brother?"
"And what do you mean by that tone?" Lin Cuiyue retorted, clearly displeased. "His Highness sent us to secretly fetch Third Sister to cover for her. This alone shows how well His Highness treats Third Sister. As His Highness himself said before, the responsibility for last year's Shangsi Festival incident lies with him. He failed in his duty as regent and felt guilty towards Third Sister, so he is very willing to make amends. We are fortunate to serve such a crown prince; how can we presume to speculate!"
After a righteous and stern lecture, Lin Shifeng and Lin Huaiyin fell silent.
Lin Cuiyue continued to pat Lin Huaiyin's arm to calm her down and encourage her to trust Xiao Zhian.
In Lin Huaiyin's heart, the two things—Xiao Zhian informing his brothers to come and pick her up, and taking her kidnapping by the White Lotus Sect as his own fault—were like two pebbles that "plop" into the river of her heart, creating ripples.
Perhaps Lin Huaiyin had a feeling that the reason why Xiao Zhian allowed her to shoot Zhao Changji was because of this.
She approached Xiao Zhi'an initially to protect him, which was equivalent to protecting the Lin family's talisman, as only Xiao Zhi'an could deal with Princess Pingyang; later, she discovered that only by Xiao Zhi'an's side could she find a moment of peace.
Xiao Zhian, seemingly unaware of her presence, had already felt guilty towards her during the Shangsi Festival last year, paid attention to her, and tacitly approved of her revenge.
So that's how it is. So his kindness towards her wasn't because she risked her life to save him on Buddha's Birthday, nor was it because of their accidental physical intimacy on the ship.
He saw her long before she had her eye on him. He had kept that matter in his heart. He cared about whether she was doing well or not, so when Su Jinggui brought it up, he became furious. He was even angrier than she was and immediately taught Su Jinggui a lesson on her behalf.
Lin Huaiyin's heart was churning, and she remained silent, unsure of where to begin.
Lin Cuiyue thought she was a promising young girl and was very comforted.
Lin Shifeng remained silent. He prepared to write a letter to his father, Lin Zhenlie, detailing everything he had seen, heard, guessed, and speculated about. He knew he couldn't do anything about Lin Cuiyue and Lin Huaiyin, but his father would surely make a decision on the day he returned to Beijing.
So they packed their things and everyone hurried back to the inn.
Lin Cuiyue and Lin Shifeng both said it was inconvenient to deliver it, and Lin Huaiyin had to go to Xiao Zhian's place to continue being a suspect.
Lin Huaiyin was speechless. Urged by the two, she had no choice but to go to the gate of Xiao Zhian's courtyard alone.
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