Chapter 279 And the Seventh Prince
Meng Shilan's fingertips almost dug into the soft flesh of her palm, causing a slight stinging pain, but it was far less than the chill in her heart.
We must not act rashly.
She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the bone-chilling cold.
She lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and gave Guo Fan, who was riding alongside her in the wind and snow, a wink.
Meng Shilan's voice was calm and without a trace of emotion.
"Guo Fan, follow them."
"Follow them from a distance, without getting close, just observe where they go and who they meet."
"Remember, your own safety should always be the top priority."
"yes."
Amidst the wind and snow, Guo Fan's voice was steady and powerful. Soon, he and his horse disappeared into the vast expanse of snow.
Silence returned to the carriage.
Looking at Meng Shilan's calm profile, He Ran felt a strange sense of calm settle down in his wildly beating heart.
"Shi Lan, what do you think... Xiao Shu is planning to do?"
“A prince dares to return to the capital without imperial decree; this is a capital offense.”
Meng Shilan's gaze fell on the swirling snowflakes outside the window, her eyes as deep and unfathomable as an ancient well.
"He dares to come back, naturally he has something to rely on."
"As for what he wants to do..."
Meng Shilan gently shook her head, a cold smile curving her lips.
"His wolfish ambitions are obvious to everyone."
...
The incense at Baima Temple was indeed extremely popular.
Even on such a snowy day, pilgrims still came and went in an endless stream.
Meng Shilan and He Ran did not alert anyone.
They knelt devoutly on the prayer mats and lit eternal lamps for their loved ones far away at the border.
The orange flames danced quietly in the ancient bronze lamp.
The rising wisps of smoke carried their unspoken worries and prayers.
May they be safe.
May they return in triumph.
By the time we returned home from Baima Temple, it was already getting dark.
Guo Fan has not returned yet.
Meng Shilan dismissed the servants.
She simply sat by the window, quietly watching the night deepen outside.
He Ran didn't leave either, and waited with her.
Time slips away, bit by bit.
The flickering candlelight cast their shadows long and short.
Just before midnight, a dark figure silently slipped into the courtyard.
It's Guo Fan.
His cloak was covered in snow, and his face bore several red marks from the cold wind.
What's even more alarming is that there's a long gash on his left sleeve, with blood seeping out.
"Are you injured?"
Meng Shilan immediately stood up, her voice tinged with urgency.
Guo Fan knelt on one knee and shook his head.
"Don't worry, Master, it's just a superficial wound, nothing serious."
"It's just that my subordinates are incompetent and lost track of them."
His voice carried a hint of frustration and defeat.
"The Chen family's carriage drove directly to a villa in the west of the city, which was heavily guarded."
"When I tried to get closer, I discovered that there were many skilled fighters hidden in the shadows, each with extraordinary abilities."
“The other party was extremely vigilant; my subordinates were discovered as soon as they got close.”
"If it weren't for my familiarity with the terrain of the capital, I almost... wouldn't have been able to get away."
He didn't go into details about the dangers he faced, but his tattered sleeves and solemn expression said it all.
He Ran gasped.
Under the emperor's very nose, this is utterly lawless!
Meng Shilan's face showed no surprise whatsoever.
"Get up, you've worked hard."
If you didn't see it, then you didn't see it.
Her voice was soft, yet it carried a knowing wisdom that seemed to understand everything.
"Whether Xiao Shu lives in that house or not is obvious."
"Now that the country is prosperous, the border is under pressure, which is a threat from the outside world."
"If trouble arises again in the capital..."
She didn't say anything more, but the unspoken words weighed heavily on everyone's hearts like a boulder.
Beset by internal and external troubles.
The country is on the verge of collapse.
He Ran was so angry that his chest heaved violently, and he slammed his fist on the table next to him.
"These horde of rats! Parasites!"
"The soldiers on the border are fighting for their lives in the freezing cold to protect their homeland!"
"They're doing just fine, hiding in the capital, only thinking about their own power and wealth, scheming and causing trouble!"
"In my opinion, we should tie them all up and send them to the border!"
"Let them taste what it's like to be trampled underfoot by warhorses and have a scimitar held to their necks!"
"Let them see with their own eyes how many people paid for the country they claim to have so easily with their own blood and bones!"
She became more and more emotional as she spoke, and her eyes even reddened.
Meng Shilan's eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"Ranran, I understand everything you're saying."
“But Xiao Shu, like the Seventh Prince Xiao Lin, is His Majesty’s younger brother.”
"He illegally amassed troops in his fiefdom. How did His Majesty deal with him?"
He Ran was stunned, and the resentment on his face gradually turned into a sense of powerlessness.
yes.
His Majesty merely issued an edict to reprimand them, taking it high and then letting it go lightly.
Even his title of prince remained unshaken.
Meng Shilan's voice was calm and restrained.
"Royal affairs are far more complicated than we imagine."
"Until we have solid evidence, all our speculations today are just speculations."
"To slander the prince out of thin air—do you know what crime that is?"
He Ran fell silent.
This is a heinous crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family.
That suffocating feeling made it almost impossible for her to breathe.
Even though she knew the other party was a wolf, she could only watch helplessly as he approached step by step.
Inside the warm pavilion, deathly silence fell once again.
a long time.
Meng Shilan turned around, walked to the desk, and personally ground the ink.
The scent of ink slowly permeated the warm air.
"Sitting here and waiting is not a solution."
"We have to do something."
She picked up her pen and spread out a blank sheet of paper.
"I'm going to write a letter to my brother."
"My brother is in Ding County. It's always good to tell him to be careful and cautious in everything he does."
In the candlelight, her profile appeared exceptionally delicate, exuding a serene beauty.
No one knows how long this good fortune can last.
...
A few days later, the snow in the capital finally stopped.
As the sky cleared, the snow on the green tiles reflected a dazzling light in the sunlight.
In two days, it will be Fu'er's sixth birthday.
These days, the atmosphere in the mansion has been somewhat oppressive due to the war at the border and the shadow of Xiao Shu.
Meng Shilan wanted to take this opportunity to liven up the mansion and make the children happy.
"Fu'er, which friends would you like to invite to your birthday party?"
While combing her daughter's hair, Meng Shilan asked softly.
Fu'er sat in front of the dressing mirror, swinging her little legs and counting on her fingers.
"I'd like to invite Sister Zhao and Sister Wang!"
The two older sisters she mentioned were her classmates at the Imperial College.
One was the daughter of an imperial censor, and the other was the daughter of a high-ranking official; both were four or five years older than Fu'er.
Although the Imperial College of today also admits female students, it is ultimately different from the male college.
Women studied primarily to gain wisdom and understanding, without needing to participate in the imperial examinations.
They will study for another six months before returning home to learn how to manage the household affairs from their mother, in preparation for future marriage proposals.
Meng Shilan nodded.
"Alright, Mother will send someone to deliver invitations to them right away."
Fu'er tilted her head and thought for a moment, her big, dark grape-like eyes sparkling.
"And...and the Seventh Prince!"
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