The power struggles in the palace were like a fog, shrouding every inch of Rong Kingdom. Lin Wan'er and Xiao Yichen, caught in this vortex, had not even had time to catch their breath when they were swept up by a torrent of rumors.
In the bustling market of the capital, people gathered together, whispering and discussing amongst themselves.
"Have you heard? That Miss Lin from the General's Mansion is a vixen! She has that evil mind-reading ability; she can see right through what we're thinking," a plump woman said mysteriously.
"Really? If she stays in the capital for too long, what secrets will we have left? She might get us killed one day." A young man echoed with a look of fear.
"I've also heard that she used this sorcery to bewitch General Xiao, and she might even be plotting to usurp the throne!" An old man shook his head and speculated wildly.
These rumors spread like wildfire throughout the capital, reaching every street and alley, and even extending to surrounding towns and villages. Whether in the mansions of high-ranking officials or the humble huts of ordinary people, everyone was talking about Lin Wan'er's "sorcery" and "ambition."
Inside the General's Mansion, Lin Wan'er sat by the window, listening to the whispers outside. Her face was pale, and her eyes were filled with pain and helplessness. She had never imagined that her abilities would be so distorted and slandered, nor had she ever had the slightest thought of harming the people of Rong Kingdom.
Xiao Yichen entered the room and felt a pang of pain in his heart upon seeing Lin Wan'er's appearance. He gently walked to her side and took her hand, saying, "Wan'er, don't pay attention to these rumors. They've just been misled by malicious people and don't know the truth."
Lin Wan'er raised her head and looked at Xiao Yichen, her eyes filled with tears: "Yichen, I don't care what they say about me, but I don't want you and the General's Mansion to be implicated because of me."
Xiao Yichen pulled her into his arms and said firmly, "Wan'er, I said I would face any difficulty with you. These rumors can't hurt us, as long as we have a clear conscience."
However, the influence of the rumors far exceeded their expectations. Some families that had previously maintained ties with the General's Mansion began to distance themselves from them. The General's Mansion became deserted, and its former bustling atmosphere vanished.
In the imperial court, those ministers who had once been wary of Xiao Yichen seized the opportunity to kick him while he was down. They subtly hinted to the emperor that Lin Wan'er's existence would bring misfortune to the Rong Kingdom, and demanded that the emperor take action against Lin Wan'er again.
Although the Emperor still trusted Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er, he couldn't help but have doubts in the face of the overwhelming rumors. He summoned Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er again.
"General Xiao, Miss Lin, rumors are spreading throughout the capital, and I am deeply troubled. Do you have any ideas on how to quell the public anger?" the Emperor asked, frowning.
Xiao Yichen clasped his hands in a salute and said, "Your Majesty, these rumors are all nonsense. I am willing to work with Wan'er to find out the mastermind behind them, clear Wan'er's name, and set the record straight."
Lin Wan'er also knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I beg Your Majesty to give me a chance. I will definitely prove my innocence and have no intention of harming Rong Kingdom."
The Emperor pondered for a moment and said, "Very well, I will give you one month. If you cannot quell the rumors within a month, I will have no choice but to act in accordance with the laws of the court."
After expressing their gratitude, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er left the palace. They knew that time was of the essence and they had to act as soon as possible.
Xiao Yichen began by investigating the guards of the General's Mansion to trace the source of the rumors. After careful investigation, they discovered that the rumors originated from a teahouse in the capital. The owner of this teahouse had close ties with a high-ranking official in the imperial court.
Using her mind-reading abilities, Lin Wan'er secretly approached the teahouse staff and regular customers, reading their memories and inner thoughts. Finally, she discovered a crucial clue. It turned out that a high-ranking official had accepted bribes from the Mu Kingdom and deliberately spread rumors in the capital, attempting to incite internal strife within the Rong Kingdom so that the Mu Kingdom could profit from it.
Upon learning this news, Xiao Yichen immediately led his soldiers to arrest the minister. However, when they arrived at the minister's residence, they found it empty. Clearly, the minister had received advance warning and fled.
Xiao Yichen was not discouraged. On the one hand, he continued to investigate the minister's whereabouts, and on the other hand, he decided to respond to the rumors head-on. He posted notices in the central square of the capital, explaining in detail the origin of Lin Wan'er's mind-reading ability and their contributions to Rong Kingdom, and exposing Mu Kingdom's conspiracy.
At the same time, Lin Wan'er also took the initiative to leave the general's mansion and go among the common people. She used her kindness and sincerity to treat the sick and save lives, helping those in need. She no longer hid her mind-reading ability, but instead used it appropriately to better understand the needs of the people and provide them with assistance.
At first, the people were still suspicious of Lin Wan'er, but as time went by, they gradually felt her kindness and sincerity. Some people who had previously avoided her began to take the initiative to contact her and accept her help.
Thanks to Lin Wan'er's efforts, the rumors in the capital gradually subsided. People began to re-evaluate Lin Wan'er, and their opinions of her changed.
However, at this very moment, the minister who had fled suddenly reappeared in the capital. Unwilling to accept the failure of his plot, he devised an even more wicked scheme.
He secretly kidnapped a woman closely associated with Lin Wan'er, and then, in another part of the capital, created the illusion that Lin Wan'er was using mind-reading to harm people. He had his men spread the word that Lin Wan'er had tortured an innocent woman to the point of insanity in order to test her sorcery.
This news once again caused a huge uproar in the capital. The doubts and fears that the people had just calmed down were reignited. They all demanded that the Emperor severely punish Lin Wan'er.
Upon learning this news, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er were extremely anxious. They immediately launched an investigation to find the kidnapped woman. Lin Wan'er used her mind-reading ability to track the kidnappers and finally found the kidnapped woman in an abandoned manor on the outskirts of the capital.
It turned out that, to make the deception more convincing, the minister had given the woman a hallucinogenic drug, causing her to become mentally confused and behave erratically. Lin Wan'er quickly administered the antidote, and under her careful care, the woman gradually regained her senses.
Xiao Yichen returned to the capital with the woman and publicly exposed the minister's conspiracy. The people then realized that they had been deceived once again.
After this series of events, Lin Wan'er and Xiao Yichen finally quelled the rumors. Their reputation also grew even stronger after this ordeal. The people respected and trusted them more, and those who had tried to frame them with rumors received their due punishment.
Beneath the surface of the palace's calm, undercurrents were surging. A grand palace banquet was about to begin, and Lin Wan'er and Xiao Yichen knew that this seemingly ordinary banquet might just be another battlefield without the smoke of gunpowder.
As night fell, the palace was illuminated in a golden glow. Inside the banquet hall, magnificent palace lanterns swayed and shone, transforming the entire space into a dreamlike spectacle. High-ranking officials, dressed in splendid attire, moved among tables laden with delicacies, exchanging pleasantries and laughter. However, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er keenly sensed an unusual atmosphere permeating the air.
Xiao Yichen, dressed in a black general's uniform embroidered with gold, stood tall and imposing. He held Lin Wan'er's hand tightly, his gaze warily sweeping across their surroundings. Lin Wan'er, on the other hand, wore a light purple silk dress with delicate embroidery on the hem. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, but at this moment, a hint of worry lingered in her eyes.
"Wan'er, be careful today. I have a feeling something is going to happen," Xiao Yichen whispered in Lin Wan'er's ear.
Lin Wan'er nodded slightly: "Yi Chen, I understand. I will keep an eye on it."
The banquet began with everyone toasting the Emperor, expressing their respect and loyalty. The Emperor, seated on his dragon throne, smiled and accepted the homage. However, amidst this peaceful atmosphere, Lin Wan'er suddenly sensed a strong hostility. Following her intuition, she saw an official named Lord Zhao glaring at them with venomous eyes.
Lin Wan'er's heart skipped a beat, and she secretly used her mind-reading ability. To her surprise, she discovered that this Lord Zhao was actually secretly colluding with the Mu Kingdom. At this banquet, he was acting on the orders of the Mu Kingdom to create chaos, take the opportunity to assassinate the Emperor, and then frame Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er, thus instigating internal strife in the Rong Kingdom.
Lin Wan'er calmly informed Xiao Yichen of the news, and Xiao Yichen's expression immediately turned cold. He knew that this matter was of utmost importance and that he had to come up with a solution as soon as possible.
"Wan'er, we can't let him succeed. You go and protect the Emperor first, I'll gather my trusted men, just in case," Xiao Yichen said in a low voice.
Lin Wan'er nodded, then casually walked towards the high platform where the Emperor was. Just then, Lord Zhao suddenly stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, I have recently heard a strange story that I would like to share with you all at the banquet," Lord Zhao said respectfully to the Emperor.
The Emperor nodded slightly: "Minister Zhao, please speak freely."
Lord Zhao's lips curled into a sinister smile: "Your Majesty, I have heard that Miss Lin possesses the ability to read minds. Such a sorcery is truly an ominous thing. I fear that Miss Lin might use this sorcery to spy on Your Majesty's will, which would be detrimental to Your Majesty!"
His words caused an uproar at the banquet. Everyone turned to look at Lin Wan'er, their eyes filled with surprise and confusion.
Lin Wan'er's heart tightened, but she quickly calmed down. She stepped forward and bowed to the Emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, my mind-reading ability is not a sorcery. I have always used this ability to serve the Rong Kingdom and have never had any treacherous intentions."
The Emperor frowned: "Miss Lin, although I know you have made contributions to Rong Kingdom, I must be wary of what Minister Zhao said. Do you have any evidence to prove your innocence?"
Lin Wan'er pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I am willing to accept any test from you. If I utter even the slightest lie, I am willing to be severely punished."
Seeing this, Lord Zhao was secretly delighted, thinking his plan was about to succeed. So he said, "Your Majesty, I have a method to test whether Miss Lin truly has mind-reading abilities. Your Majesty can silently think of something and have Miss Lin say what Your Majesty is thinking. If Miss Lin can say it correctly, it proves that she does indeed have sorcery, and she should be dealt with immediately; if she cannot say it correctly, perhaps this matter is just a rumor."
The emperor listened and thought the method was feasible, so he nodded in agreement.
Lin Wan'er inwardly groaned; she knew this was a trap set by Lord Zhao. But at this moment, she had no other choice. She took a deep breath and slowly said, "Your Majesty, please think about it silently."
Lin Wan'er concentrated, using her mind-reading ability to decipher the Emperor's inner thoughts. However, the Emperor was, after all, the Son of Heaven, and his mind was deep and complex, making it extremely difficult for Lin Wan'er to read his thoughts. Nevertheless, she still managed to capture some information.
"Your Majesty, the matter on your mind concerns a high-ranking official of Rong Kingdom. This person has recently caused Your Majesty some dissatisfaction in handling a matter concerning the people's livelihood," Lin Wan'er said cautiously.
The Emperor was startled upon hearing this. He hadn't expected Lin Wan'er to be able to give such a detailed account. However, he remained outwardly calm: "Miss Lin, what you've said is too vague and insufficient to prove that you possess mind-reading abilities."
Lord Zhao quickly chimed in, "His Majesty is absolutely right. Miss Lin is just being deliberately mysterious."
Lin Wan'er was anxious. She knew she had to articulate the Emperor's thoughts more precisely to escape this predicament. She focused her attention once more, trying to decipher the Emperor's inner thoughts.
"Your Majesty, the important minister you are thinking of is Lord Li. In the matter of controlling the Yellow River floods, he failed to properly arrange the allocation of resources, resulting in slow progress of the project and suffering for the people. Your Majesty is very worried about this matter," Lin Wan'er said firmly.
This time, the Emperor was utterly shocked. He hadn't expected Lin Wan'er to be able to so accurately express his thoughts. Everyone at the banquet was also stunned.
Seeing the situation was turning sour, Lord Zhao hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, this Miss Lin must have used sorcery to know Your Majesty's thoughts. Your Majesty must not tolerate this!"
Just then, Xiao Yichen arrived at the banquet hall with his trusted confidants. He stepped forward, bowed to the Emperor, and said, "Your Majesty, I have important matters to report. Minister Zhao has secretly colluded with the Mu Kingdom, intending to assassinate Your Majesty at the banquet and then frame me and Wan'er. I implore Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly."
Upon hearing Xiao Yichen's words, the Emperor's expression changed drastically: "General Xiao, do you have any evidence?"
Xiao Yichen took out a secret letter and presented it to the Emperor: "Your Majesty, this is a secret letter that I just intercepted between Lord Zhao and the Mu Kingdom. It details their conspiracy."
The Emperor took the secret letter and read it carefully. His face grew increasingly grim. After reading it, he slammed his fist on the table in anger and stood up: "Lord Zhao, how dare you! You dare to collude with the Mu Kingdom and plot a rebellion! Guards, seize Lord Zhao!"
When Lord Zhao realized his plot had been exposed, he tried to escape. However, Xiao Yichen's confidants had already surrounded him, leaving him nowhere to run but to surrender.
The crisis at the palace banquet was finally averted. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er, once again demonstrating their wisdom and courage, successfully protected the Emperor and the peace of Rong Kingdom. This incident earned them even greater trust and reliance from the Emperor, and their position in Rong Kingdom became even more secure. However, they also knew that the road ahead was still fraught with challenges and dangers, and they must remain vigilant at all times to safeguard the peace and prosperity of Rong Kingdom.
Although Lin Wan'er and Xiao Yichen successfully resolved the crisis at the palace banquet, the fear of Lin Wan'er's mind-reading ability grew day by day both inside and outside the palace. Amidst the undercurrents, a test of their feelings and trust quietly descended.
One day, Xiao Yichen was handling military affairs in his study at the General's Mansion when an anonymous letter was quietly delivered to his desk. The letter's contents caused Xiao Yichen's expression to change drastically. It claimed that Lin Wan'er was using mind-reading abilities to secretly manipulate court officials, intending to seize power in the Rong Kingdom. The letter listed numerous so-called "evidence," presented with seemingly convincing arguments. Xiao Yichen knew the letter's contents were absurd, yet a trace of doubt inevitably arose in his heart.
Meanwhile, Lin Wan'er was strolling in the garden of the mansion when she noticed that the people in the mansion were looking at her strangely lately, and even those who used to be close to her were becoming distant. Just as she was wondering about this, a maidservant passed by in a flustered manner, accidentally dropping something she was carrying. Lin Wan'er bent down to pick it up and found it to be a talisman for warding off evil spirits.
"What do you mean by this?" Lin Wan'er asked softly, her gaze fixed on the maid.
The maidservant knelt down with a thud, trembling as she said, "Miss Lin, there have been rumors circulating in the manor lately that you... you are a witch who can read minds and harm people. Everyone is afraid, that's why..."
Lin Wan'er felt a pang of pain in her heart; she had never imagined that she would become an object of fear for everyone. She helped the maid up and said, "I will not harm anyone; you may go now."
After the maid left, Lin Wan'er felt troubled and decided to confide in Xiao Yichen. When she arrived at the study, she found Xiao Yichen with a furrowed brow and the anonymous letter in front of him.
"Yichen, are you troubled by this letter?" Lin Wan'er asked.
Xiao Yichen looked up at her, his eyes filled with a complex emotion: "Wan'er, although what's said in this letter is unreliable, but..."
Lin Wan'er felt a chill in her heart. She approached Xiao Yichen and asked, "Do you also suspect me?"
Xiao Yichen was silent for a moment, then said, "Wan'er, I believe you. But this matter has already spread like wildfire throughout the manor and even the capital. If we don't find out the truth, it may be detrimental to both of us."
Lin Wan'er felt bitter. She knew that explaining was useless at this moment. Only by finding the mastermind behind it could she prove her innocence. "Then investigate. I want to see who is so maliciously slandering me."
Thus, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er began their secret investigation. Lin Wan'er used her mind-reading ability to try and find clues from the people in the mansion, but everyone there was afraid of her, making it difficult for her to obtain any useful information. Xiao Yichen, on the other hand, started by investigating the source of the letters, tracing the messenger.
Several days later, Xiao Yichen discovered that the messenger was a wandering swordsman hired by a mysterious figure, who seemed to be connected to a certain force in the imperial court. During one of her outings, Lin Wan'er overheard two passersby chatting, mentioning that they had seen a suspicious person entering and leaving the residence of a certain minister, who had recently been targeting Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er in court.
Lin Wan'er informed Xiao Yichen of this news, and the two decided to go to the minister's residence together to investigate. That night, dressed in black, they sneaked into the residence. As soon as they entered, they sensed an eerie atmosphere. Lin Wan'er used her mind-reading ability to perceive the surrounding movements, while Xiao Yichen gripped his longsword tightly, proceeding cautiously.
Upon reaching a secluded room, they heard faint conversations coming from inside.
"My lord, Lin Wan'er and Xiao Yichen seem to be investigating us lately. What should we do?" a voice said.
"Hmph, no need to worry. That anonymous letter has already sown seeds of suspicion among them. All it takes is a little more fuel to make them turn on each other." Another voice laughed smugly.
Lin Wan'er and Xiao Yichen exchanged a glance, their hearts burning with rage. They burst through the door, only to find the two people inside looking terrified.
"Why did you frame us?" Xiao Yichen shouted angrily.
Seeing that his scheme had been exposed, the minister decided to stop hiding it: "Xiao Yichen, your prestige in the army is too high, and Lin Wan'er has that sorcery to help you. If you don't get rid of her, how can we have a place in the court?"
Lin Wan'er stepped forward: "Just because of your selfish desires, you want to destroy the peace of Rong Kingdom and incite internal strife?"
At this moment, Xiao Yichen suddenly realized that if the two of them were to place the minister here today, rumors would likely spread tomorrow, accusing them of abusing their power and plotting to murder the minister. Therefore, he decided to report the matter to the Emperor for a decision.
Upon learning of this, the Emperor was furious and ordered that the minister and his cronies be severely punished. He also proclaimed to the world that Lin Wan'er's mind-reading ability was a gift from heaven, and that she and Xiao Yichen were devoted to the country. Anyone who maliciously slandered her would be severely punished.
After this battle, the trust between Lin Wan'er and Xiao Yichen became even more unbreakable. They deeply understood that in this complex world of the court and the martial arts world, only by relying on each other could they withstand all storms. From then on, they cooperated even more closely, working hand in hand whether handling affairs of the court or dealing with conflicts in the martial arts world, striving tirelessly for the prosperity and stability of Rong Kingdom.
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