Zhi'an, I want you, now.
At this point, Lin Huaiyin was certain that Princess Pingyang had captured Yu Li.
Not only did she arrest people, Princess Pingyang was also vicious and ruthless. In just one night, she thought of using Yu Li to threaten her into reporting Xiao Zhi'an's affair.
The situation suddenly took a sharp turn for the worse, and even though Lin Huaiyin was completely lost, she had no choice but to quickly gather her thoughts—
Once the charge of having an affair with a subject's wife is proven, Xiao Zhian will be immediately disgraced. Then any accusations they make against Shen Congyun will be twisted into a frame-up of stealing a subject's wife, and all witnesses and evidence will become invalid. Princess Pingyang will turn the tide in one fell swoop—shedding her skin like a cicada and biting back!
As long as she can protect Shen Congyun this time, she can make a comeback.
Xiao Zhi'an, by seizing a minister's wife and framing a high-ranking official, will inevitably become the target of public criticism and be condemned by everyone...
When the Emperor is enraged, he will punish Xiao Zhi'an for both crimes... and so on...
The humid, hot air of the imperial prison stung her eyes and nose. Lin Huaiyin seemed to see Xiao Zhian in white robes, sitting alone in his cell. As a concubine who had lost her virginity to the crown prince, she would also implicate the Lin family, bringing shame upon her father, brothers, mother, and fourth sister.
Given time, Princess Pingyang and Shen Congyun will make a comeback and continue their plot to seize power. At that time, without Xiao Zhian, no one will be able to stop them.
After a moment's thought, Lin Huaiyin broke out in a cold sweat; she simply couldn't bear the consequences of falsely accusing Xiao Zhian.
No, absolutely not, she can't do it.
But if we refuse, how can we save Yu Li?
Yu Li is Lin Huaiyin's life. She owes Yu Li too much in both her past and present lives. Lin Huaiyin would never abandon her. She must save her no matter what!
what to do?
What else can we do?
Lin Huaiyin quickly tried to come up with a solution.
Princess Pingyang, seeing that Lady Shen still harbored illusions even in her desperate situation, laughed with amusement, propping her chin up. "Lady Shen is truly innocent and naive; no wonder the Emperor likes her. I'll tell you an interesting story; would you like to hear it?"
The story goes that a maidservant stumbled upon the Grand Secretary's wife having an affair with the Crown Prince. Shocked, she tried to report the affair, but the Grand Secretary's wife cruelly cut off her limbs, fed her a drug to make her mute, and buried her alive in the deep mountains. By chance, the maidservant was rescued and brought before the Emperor to file a complaint. It was as if her life was not meant to end there.
The net of heaven is vast, and even a maid's life is precious. If Madam Shen has compassion and is willing to appeal to the emperor, at least the maid's and the Lin family's reputation can be somewhat preserved.
Princess Pingyang told her story slowly and deliberately, using bloody threats to block both the front and back, leaving no way out.
In fact, she didn't care whether Lin Huaiyin agreed or not. Having Lin Huaiyin's personal maidservant was the most powerful witness. The two of them were not innocent to begin with, and they would definitely be exposed in front of the emperor. Xiao Zhian's affair with a minister's wife was a foregone conclusion.
Princess Pingyang could have remained silent and waited until she returned to the capital to make trouble for Yu Li, but it would be a waste not to bring Lin Huaiyin over to play with and manipulate such a big handle.
In Princess Pingyang's eyes, Lin Huaiyin was a stinking rat in the gutter, lurking in the shadows, killing Zhao Changji, defeating the White Lotus Sect, seducing Xiao Zhian, ruining so many of her affairs, and destroying the foundation she had painstakingly built over many years. She wanted to see Lin Huaiyin die, and even more so, she wanted to see her beg for death but not be able to.
New and old grudges piled up, and the murderous intent to eliminate them as quickly as possible, along with the wicked pleasure of toying with their prey, emanated from Princess Pingyang's indifferent eyes.
Lin Huaiyin's clothes were soaked through, and she felt a chill run down her spine.
She was not afraid of death. She knew that Princess Pingyang would not dare to lay a hand on her now, but Princess Pingyang had truly seized her lifeline.
Princess Pingyang's words were clear enough: she summoned Lin Huaiyin not to negotiate, but to make Lin Huaiyin grovel like a dog in exchange for Yu Li's life.
She wanted to force Lin Huaiyin to betray Xiao Zhi'an and personally destroy Xiao Zhi'an, her strongest asset.
She wanted revenge on Lin Huaiyin for killing Zhao Changji and ruining her plans.
As for Xiao Zhian's crime of having an affair with a court official's wife, whether or not it was through Lin Huaiyin's mouth, it would definitely reach the Emperor's ears, with absolutely no room for maneuver.
Lin Huaiyin racked her brains but couldn't find a solution. Yu Li and Xiao Zhian were both at Princess Pingyang's mercy, and she couldn't protect either of them. The defeat in her previous life collapsed like a mountain, making it hard for her to breathe.
Now, perhaps there is another option, Lin Huaiyin thought: that is to talk to Xiao Zhian and ask him to discipline his good sister...
But without any evidence, would Xiao Zhian believe it if he rashly told him that Princess Pingyang wanted to harm him? How could he possibly believe that his own sister wanted to harm him?
"Your imperial brother has bestowed upon you his personal jade pendant."
Princess Pingyang, recalling that Xiao Zhian was missing his most vital piece of clothing at the altar last night, felt a flash of malice in her eyes. She tucked a blue flower behind her ear and kindly explained to Lin Huaiyin:
“That is the Empress Dowager’s keepsake. For the past fifteen years, the Emperor has never parted with it. He really loves you. Why don’t you go and serve him properly tonight? First, to thank him for his affection, and second, during your intimate moments, you can leave some scratches on his body. If you cry before the Emperor one day, you will have two pieces of evidence: the jade pendant and the scratches.”
Princess Pingyang was incredibly clever and carefree, revealing Xiao Zhian's deep affection and then teaching his beloved woman how to harm her.
This is the consequence of betraying her. She wants Xiao Zhian to see clearly that the woman he abandoned and loved without regard for anything was a fool she could easily manipulate.
This fool would betray him without hesitation for the sake of a mere girl and his own family.
His deep affection was worthless.
This kind of woman is not worthy of interfering in the relationship between the siblings. This kind of stinking rat will only drag him to hell. Princess Pingyang thought: If Xiao Zhian wakes up in time, she may consider forgiving him. If Xiao Zhian repents, she is the softest-hearted one and will still be willing to support him for the rest of her life.
She has time to wait for him to turn back.
They, brother and sister, will never be separated.
"Go, Madam Shen."
Princess Pingyang smiled faintly and warned, "I will personally examine the scratches tomorrow morning. You'd better not cause any trouble and lose a life for nothing."
Princess Pingyang was quite pleased after issuing the order to leave.
Lin Huaiyin stood up shakily. She hadn't said a word since she entered the room, as if she had no right to speak at all.
She was indeed being overwhelmed and beaten, completely powerless to fight back, but Lin Huaiyin really couldn't understand it. She asked, "Aren't you afraid I'll tell him if you harm His Highness like this?"
Upon hearing this, Princess Pingyang smiled faintly: "Madam Shen, why not try it yourself?"
"No!!" Lin Huaiyin immediately changed her words—"This concubine will absolutely keep her mouth shut, I only beg Your Highness to spare Yu Li's life."
"hehe."
Princess Pingyang smiled but remained silent.
The old nanny stepped forward and asked Lin Huaiyin if she needed help and if she could leave on her own.
Lin Huaiyin remained silent and did not respond. She leaned against the wall, dragged her feet, and slowly withdrew.
It is now mid-April, around 1-3 PM. A gentle breeze blows, the sky is high and the clouds are wide. Crane Cry Mountain stands majestically, and the small inn is chilly.
Lin Huaiyin's legs were weak, and she leaned against the wall, unable to move.
The last time I saw Yu Li was when she got her clothes dirty at Xiao Zhian's place and went back to change.
When Yu Li discovered the handprint on Lin Huaiyin's neck, she almost blew the roof off. She limped outside to find Lin Cuiyue to settle the matter.
Lin Huaiyin had to coax and persuade Yu Li to stop. Yu Li wiped away her tears while applying powder to cover her face and found a pretty shawl to temporarily cover her up.
A tear rolled down her cheek, and Lin Huaiyin was filled with regret.
She clearly had the opportunity to settle Yu Li properly back then, to take her to the Imperial Guard camp, or even to hand her over to Xiao Zhian. How could she only care about her own affairs and completely forget about Yu Li?
Where is Yu Li right now?
Did Princess Pingyang's people bully her?
Where exactly should we look for her?
Lin Huaiyin covered her face with her arms.
She dared not go to her two brothers for fear they would notice something was wrong, and she dared not go back to her room, as she was too ashamed to face the crab.
She encountered several imperial guards, composed herself, and went up to ask who was in charge of arranging the descent down the mountain that morning, explaining that Yu Li had lost a small purse and wanted to find it.
After several twists and turns, the Imperial Guards led Lin Huaiyin to the person in charge of the women's quarters.
The person in charge felt guilty as soon as he saw Lin Huaiyin and hurriedly explained: He had specially arranged a palanquin for Miss Yuli, but Miss Yuli insisted on walking by herself. He tried to persuade her for a long time, but in the end, he had no choice but to take over all the luggage and ask someone to take care of her on the way.
So the group went to find the imperial guard who was looking after Yu Li. The guard explained that he had made a pair of crutches for Yu Li, but she walked slowly and said that men and women should not touch each other, so he shouldn't cause trouble for the young lady. He was not allowed to follow her. So he stepped back. During this time, Yu Li went to pick flowers and left the group from time to time, and slowly she fell behind.
Upon hearing the word "picking flowers," Lin Huaiyin immediately thought of the blue flower that Princess Pingyang was playing with.
She turned her head toward the vast Crane Cry Mountain, outlining the possible path Yu Li had taken to disappear—Yu Li refused the carriage and insisted on walking on her own, and then frequently picked flowers, escaping everyone's sight. These behaviors were all unusual. She must have been bewitched by Princess Pingyang's people with some kind of rhetoric, led into the mountains and forests, and then captured.
As for that story, Lin Huaiyin had no doubt that it was definitely related to her. Yu Li was worried about her, which is why she dragged her injured body back and forth, was easily tricked by the enemy, fell into enemy hands, and is now in a state of uncertainty.
The investigation had reached a dead end, and Princess Pingyang warned her not to make a fuss, meaning she was not allowed to deploy the Imperial Guards for a large-scale search.
We can't make a big fuss, otherwise Yu Li won't survive.
Lin Huaiyin had no choice but to tell everyone that her wallet was fine, thanked them with a smile, and avoided their gaze.
Lin Huaiyin wandered around the inn like a ghost all afternoon.
She crept into the stable, climbed onto the carriage, and jumped into the cellar; she searched every corner.
Lin Huaiyin couldn't stop, and had nowhere to go. She was the shadow under the sunlight, a living demon.
Then it suddenly started raining, and she became a lonely soul under the eaves and in the corridor.
The rain was getting heavier.
The vast Crane Cry Mountain is hidden behind a curtain of rain.
The crab claws in the bedroom stood guard by the window, their eyes filled with longing.
The Lin brothers, one lying down and the other busy, were engaged in their own activities.
The Imperial Guards performed their duties in an orderly manner.
The postmaster and his staff were working themselves to the bone.
Court officials and their families closed the door and talked about the great battle of the previous night.
As darkness fell, the Eastern Palace guards who were delivering medicine to Lin Huaiyin knocked on the door.
Crab Claw opened the door looking annoyed.
After exchanging their stories, the two realized with shock that Lin Huaiyin had been missing for half a day.
Crab claws realized something was wrong and dashed out to look for them.
The palace guards secretly moved out, avoiding the imperial guards, and finally brought Xiao Zhian a soaking wet Lin Huaiyin.
Xiao Zhian was terrified and heartbroken. He ordered water to be sent and commanded his guards to inform Xie Ao and Yu Li, so that they would not have to live in fear.
Upon hearing the name "Yu Li," Lin Huaiyin buried her face in Xiao Zhi'an's chest, blankly unbuckled his belt, and began to kiss his neck.
Princess Pingyang asked her to serve Xiao Zhi'an, and Lin Huaiyin obediently came.
Princess Pingyang wanted to see the scratch marks the next morning, so Lin Huaiyin scratched them for her.
You can't find Yu Li, but finding Xiao Zhian is easy.
Lin Huaiyin kissed Xiao Zhian passionately.
But Xiao Zhian had absolutely no such intentions.
He took off Lin Huaiyin's clothes, one by one, while they were still wet.
Lin Huaiyin also tried to take off Xiao Zhian's robes, but he refused. She used all her strength to push him down, climbed on top of him, and touched his chest with her icy hands, probing downwards.
"Yinyin." Xiao Zhian grabbed Lin Huaiyin's hand. "Yinyin, what's wrong? Are you upset that I haven't promised you anything since I'm going back to the capital?"
Lin Huaiyin did not answer.
She didn't hear anything; her mind was blank, filled only with Yu Li's face. All she wanted to do was strip Xiao Zhian naked and scratch his chest and back raw.
There are still six days until they return to Beijing to report the crime, but Yu Li needs to get through tomorrow morning first, and Lin Huaiyin can't afford to delay any longer.
Xiao Zhian was uncooperative. Lin Huaiyin didn't have much experience, but she knew how to rub against him. She had done it many times and knew what Xiao Zhian couldn't stand the most. She sat up and swayed her body, and Xiao Zhian's eyes instantly turned red.
"Yinyin." Xiao Zhian's throat bobbed uncontrollably as he pulled Lin Huaiyin into his arms and pressed her back firmly.
"Don't move. I will marry you, a proper marriage. We will have the auspicious ceremony of taking a concubine, and we will have a wedding night. I can't take you like this without a clear reason. Give me some time, and I will handle everything."
"Yinyin, you have to believe me."
Xiao Zhian slowly sat up, pressed Lin Huaiyin's small body against him, and lifted her face. She stuck out her tongue and licked his fingers. He saw a pair of empty eyes, with tear stains still in their sockets.
In an instant, Xiao Zhian seemed to be caught in a noose, the five horses pulling the noose at breakneck speed, dust flying everywhere, the sky darkening, tearing him to pieces, his flesh and blood flying everywhere.
Xiao Zhian felt as if he were dying from heartache.
He had never seen Lin Huaiyin like this before. Even when he grabbed her by the neck and almost strangled her to death, she had never been like this, like a broken, empty shell, the place where her soul was placed was empty and desolate.
"Yinyin! What happened? Who bullied you?"
Xiao Zhian's face was ashen, and veins bulged on his temples. He couldn't believe that he was here, the Lin brothers were here, and the eight thousand imperial guards were here, yet Yinyin was being bullied like this right under his nose.
A signal came from outside that water was being brought in, and Xiao Zhian picked up Lin Huaiyin and put her into the bathtub.
With a splash, the bathwater overflowed, releasing a misty vapor.
Hot water and Xiao Zhian enveloped Lin Huaiyin tightly. Her eyelashes trembled slightly. She turned her eyes, gazed at Xiao Zhian, and murmured, "Zhian, I want you, now."
"good."
Xiao Zhian did not hesitate at all.
He took off Lin Huaiyin's last piece of clothing and also loosened his own collar.
If doing this would comfort her, Xiao Zhian would do it.
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