Chapter 39 How could she wait?
The leaves rustled, casting tiny spots that fell on the two of them.
The atmosphere became somewhat tense for a moment.
The princess's health had just recovered, but the repeated relapses of her palpitations had damaged her heart meridian. If this continued, her health would likely weaken further. Imperial Physician Lin repeatedly instructed him to ensure the princess maintained a good mood and to avoid any further stimulation that could trigger a relapse of her palpitations.
If the princess knew the truth about this matter... Lin Xiao lowered his eyelashes, his expression full of silence.
"Lin Xiao, please tell me, okay?" Shen Panyan looked at him through teary eyes. "I really don't want to stay ignorant any longer."
"Someone is trying to harm me, but I don't even know who wants to harm me. Lin Xiao, do you want to watch me be plotted against and killed by others without knowing anything?"
Lin Xiao raised his eyes: "This subordinate has none."
He pursed his lips. "Your subordinate hopes, hopes that the princess will be well, that she will always be safe and sound..."
"Then tell me." Shen Panyan looked at him, her almond-shaped eyes filled with tears, but her voice was firm.
“You just said that Father had ordered people to cover up this matter, but such rumors still came out, so it is by no means a coincidence.”
Someone must be trying to ruin her.
“Lin Xiao…” Her eyelashes trembled, tears rolled down her cheeks, and her voice was weak, “Please…”
Lin Xiao's knuckles trembled. After struggling with his thoughts, he finally broke his silence and spoke in a low, hoarse voice, "Your subordinate can tell the princess, but the princess must also grant your subordinate a request."
Shen Panyan: "What is it?"
Lin Xiao: "Princess, after you hear this, please don't be angry or sad. Take good care of yourself, and I will tell you what to do."
Chen Panyan: "Okay!"
"I promise you, I won't be angry or sad."
Seeing her assurance, Lin Xiao slowly began to recount the entire story.
The story begins with the massacre of people by a rain of arrows on New Year's Eve.
The Dali Temple had already uncovered the truth: it was the work of the rebels who had been causing trouble recently. The rebels were caught and confessed that the mastermind was a member of Consort Hui's family, namely the current Grand Tutor.
This incident caused a stir in both the government and the public.
The next day, the Grand Tutor's entire family was beheaded at the Meridian Gate, and Consort Hui, who was in the deep palace, was no exception and was confined to the palace.
It was thought that Consort Hui was an outsider and that the case was closed, but after the princess was kidnapped, Emperor Gan Ning ordered his secret guards to investigate thoroughly and discovered that it was Consort Hui who had her family members do it.
Therefore, Consort Hui was stripped of her rank and confined to the Cold Palace.
However, this is only the information that is out in the open. The Grand Tutor's family did indeed collude with the rebels, but the collusion was not that deep. It was nothing more than embezzlement and bribery. They accepted some silver from the rebels and gave them some favors.
Consort Hui did indeed have her family hire bandits to harm Shen Panyan, but she did not collude with the Vice Minister of Rites to plot against her for life.
Most importantly, ordering mountain bandits to plunder silver and raise private armies, as well as the men in black, was something that a mere Grand Tutor could not possibly accomplish.
Emperor Gan Ning had already ordered his secret guards to search the mountains, but they did not find the private soldiers that Lin Xiao had mentioned hiding in the mountain valley.
The matter of the man in black has made some progress. The only person who could keep more than two guards under the emperor's nose is the current crown prince.
However, since there is no evidence, we must not draw any conclusions lightly; otherwise, wouldn't everyone be able to slander the future crown prince?
But whatever the truth may be, the Grand Tutor and Consort Hui were scapegoats pushed out by the mastermind behind the scenes because of their dishonest dealings, or perhaps it was a scheme to kill two birds with one stone.
After all, the Empress and Consort Hui had always been at odds, and in the imperial court, the Grand Tutor's family had never been willing to side with the Crown Prince.
Lin Xiao: "This subordinate suspects that this matter might be the work of the Empress..."
The Crown Prince is the Empress's biological son, while the Princess is just a princess and could not possibly pose a threat to the Crown Prince's position. He has no reason to harm the Princess.
Shen Panyan's eyelashes trembled, and she lowered her eyes. "I already guessed it..."
She had already guessed it back when they were in the mountain stronghold.
"I just don't know why she did this to me..." Tears rolled down her cheeks in an instant.
Even if the Empress disliked her, after so many years together, she should have some affection for her. Why would she hate her so much, determined to make her wish she were dead...?
Lin Xiao softened his voice, "Princess, this is not your fault."
"There might be other reasons for this..."
Shen Panyan raised her head and asked urgently, "Lin Xiao, do you know the reason?"
Lin Xiao hesitated before nodding, "Princess, do you know how your maid Qiu Shuang died?"
Shen Panyan was taken aback. "How did he die?"
"Qiu Shuang didn't die at the hands of her subordinates. She was already dead before the secret guards arrived; her throat was crushed..."
After leaving the Dark Guard Camp, Lin Xiao did not go directly to the Royal Villa, but instead investigated the follow-up of the matter.
Originally, he planned to tell the princess about this matter after she was feeling better.
But now, I have no choice but to speak out.
“It seems she already knew she was going to die. My subordinates found a piece of silk in her residence, but I don’t know many characters and don’t know what she wrote.”
"If the princess wishes to see it, I will bring it to you when we return."
Shen Panyan was stunned: "Thank you, Lin Xiao."
Lin Xiao: "This is what I should do."
That day, he took the princess down the mountain, causing her to miss the truth. Naturally, he had to find the truth for her.
He never intended to keep it from her for too long.
*
After this incident, Shen Panyan lost all interest in sightseeing and returned to the Royal Villa with Lin Xiao early in the morning.
Mu Ying stood anxiously waiting at the door. When she saw the two return, she breathed a sigh of relief and exclaimed, "Princess, you're finally back! His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!"
Shen Panyan was taken aback. "Crown Prince?"
What is he doing here? The royal villa is located far outside the capital. Could he have come here on purpose to see her?
Shen Panyan frowned; she didn't want to see him.
Mu Ying whispered, "Princess, His Highness the Crown Prince has been waiting for you in the front hall for a long time. I've been using the excuse that you're not feeling well and have already gone to rest to keep you waiting. An hour has passed, and His Highness still hasn't gotten up. I think he won't leave easily until he sees you."
Helpless, Shen Panyan had no choice but to get up and say, "Help me with my makeup."
"yes."
Upon arriving at the front hall, Shen Huai was leisurely sipping his tea, his expression calm, showing no signs of impatience despite waiting for an hour.
Upon seeing Shen Panyan, he smiled and said, "Mingyue has arrived. I heard you were ill. Are you feeling better?"
Shen Panyan bowed her head and curtsied, "Mingyue greets Crown Prince Brother."
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. Mingyue is much better now."
“We’re siblings, why are you being so polite? Get up.” Shen Huai raised his hand, gesturing for her to stand up.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Shen Panyan sat below him, carefully observing his expression, feeling uneasy.
In previous years, when she lived in the Royal Villa, no one ever came to visit her. Now, at this time, why has he suddenly come?
Shen Panyan lowered her eyelashes, sensing that something bad was about to happen.
She pursed her lips. "I wonder what important matter brings you, Crown Prince, to Mingyue's West Garden?"
Shen Huai chuckled: "A few days ago, I heard from the Empress Dowager that you were ill. The Empress Dowager and I were very worried about you, but the Emperor ordered that no one be disturbed while you were recuperating, so we couldn't send anyone to visit you. This time, I took on the mission of suppressing the rebels and happened to be passing through this place, so I came to see you."
"Now that we see you are safe and well, my mother and I can finally rest easy."
"It is Mingyue's fault that she has caused the Empress Dowager and the Crown Prince to worry about her."
Shen Huai smiled slightly and took a sip of tea.
After chatting with her for a few more minutes, he casually mentioned, "By the way, Mingyue, I heard that you have a new bodyguard who is highly skilled in martial arts. Even General Zhao is no match for him. I wonder if you could ask him to come out so I can see him? I would like to see what kind of person he is."
Looking for Lin Xiao? Why would he want to find Lin Xiao?
Shen Panyan's face turned pale instantly, and her hands, hidden under her sleeves, clenched so tightly they turned white as she tried her best to control herself and prevent herself from losing her composure.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, Lin Xiao did something wrong before and was punished by Mingyue. He is currently recuperating and it may not be appropriate for him to come out to see you."
Punishing people? His little bunny-like sister can punish people?
Shen Huai smiled slightly, "It's nothing, I was being presumptuous."
He stood up. "I have important matters to attend to, so I won't disturb Mingyue's rest any longer."
Shen Panyan stood up as well, "Mingyue will see the Crown Prince out."
Shen Huai waved his hand, "No need, you're not feeling well, you should rest."
Shen Panyan looked at Mu Ying, "Mu Ying, go see off the Crown Prince."
"yes."
Watching the Crown Prince's figure gradually disappear into the distance, Shen Panyan's eyes were filled with a sense of bewilderment, but more than that, there was a strange sense of panic.
He waited for an hour just to say those two sentences, and then he left.
Why?
The weather outside the window suddenly turned from clear to dark, with heavy, dark clouds pressing down. Soon after, it started to drizzle.
Mu Ying strode in through the puddles, complaining, "This weather, how could it rain so suddenly? Princess, you're not feeling well, please go back inside quickly, don't stand by the window."
As she spoke, she took the rabbit fur cloak and draped it over her shoulders.
Shen Panyan stood by the window, watching the rain outside fall like a curtain, large drops hitting the ground, when she suddenly remembered something.
What about Lin Xiao?
Didn't he say he was going back to get Qiushuang's silk? How come he hasn't come back yet after so long?
Shen Panyan turned around. "Mu Ying, have you seen Lin Xiao?"
Mu Ying asked in confusion, "No, isn't Guard Lin Xiao always by your side, Princess?"
Shen Panyan bit her lip, recalling the conversation she had with the Crown Prince earlier, and the unease in her heart grew stronger.
She hurriedly called out, "Lin Xiao!"
However, the black figure that usually appeared whenever she spoke did not appear.
Shen Panyan stepped out of the room and hurried towards his room.
Pushing open the door, the room was empty, with nothing there except for the blood-stained white cloth carelessly discarded on the table, and a bottle of wound medicine next to it, as if someone had left in a hurry.
Shen Panyan's gaze fell on this spot, and her heart pounded uncontrollably.
She clutched her chest, took a step back, and suddenly remembered something.
The day Lin Xiao returned, he was still injured, and the whole house was filled with the smell of blood. She was angry with him, and it took her a long time to learn from him that the injuries on his body were actually caused by his own fall.
But he changed the subject, and she forgot to ask him why.
Now, looking at this blood-stained white cloth, what doesn't she understand?
So, was it because Lin Xiao was in such a hurry to help her find the truth that he didn't pay attention to his own injuries, which caused the wounds to reopen?
In other words, his injuries had actually been quite severe, but he hadn't shown any signs of it, so she assumed that his injuries had almost healed. And today, he even used his lightness skill to take her to visit the town... Shen Panyan stumbled, tears streaming down her face.
Mu Ying quickly helped her up, her voice filled with concern: "Princess, what's wrong?"
"I'm fine." Shen Panyan forced herself to calm her flustered emotions and began to recall where Lin Xiao might have gone.
Normally, Lin Xiao was always by his side, never leaving. Now that he's gone, what will become of him...?
Recalling the scene of the Crown Prince coming and going, and asking about Lin Xiao, Shen Panyan suddenly gripped Mu Ying's arm tightly, panicking: "Mu Ying, go and call out everyone in the West Garden. No matter what, you must find Lin Xiao. Something has happened to him, something must have happened to him!"
"Princess, please don't worry. I'll send someone to find Guard Lin Xiao right away. Please wait a moment..."
How could she possibly wait?
Shen Panyan couldn't wait any longer. She grabbed her oil-paper umbrella and rushed into the rain to search for him.
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