"Let him in," Xin He said.
"Yes."
Ling Yu stepped in quickly and bowed: "I pay my respects to you, madam."
"How was it?" Xin He sipped her tea and spoke softly.
Ling Yu slightly raised his head and looked solemn: "As madam expected, I was followed by someone as soon as I left Qingyuan Temple."
"Was it Lady Sun’s people?"
"It should be. This person has profound cultivation and is difficult to trace. Ordinary people may not be able to notice his tracking at all. It’s not simple for Lady Sun to still have such an expert be loyal to her despite her current situation," Ling Yu said.
Xin He sneered, "Lady Sun has been a cunning fox for so many years, not to be underestimated. But I never thought that this old fox would eventually choose her own doom."
Ling Yu said solemnly, "I stayed in the house at Lotus Alley until now because I found out that the person who was tracking me had been watching the house. I dared not to act rashly or come back lightly. So I stayed there until he returned to report at night, and I took the opportunity to come back."
Xin He nodded and told Xiaoyu, "Send two people to the house over there and keep an eye on it."
"Yes." Xiaoyu responded and turned to leave.
Ling Yu continued, "Madam, is this a deliberate attempt to lure Lady Sun to her trap?"
Xin He sneered, "She chose this path herself. She was unwilling to walk the easy path and insisted on choosing this one, so she ought to pay the price!"
Ling Yu bowed his head and said, "Yes."
He did not argue further. When they set out, the Prince’s only command to him was to follow the Princess’s orders while ensuring her safety.
"Today I went to see Lady Sun, and she mentioned another matter, saying she can help madam save Le Yuanhou, but madam must first let her see Li Junyan, or at least let her know where Li Junyan is now," Ling Yu said.
Xin He sneered, "She hasn’t even done anything for me yet, and she’s already making requests. Lady Sun is playing a good game, first trying to get information from me, and then using the Emperor to save Li Junyan, while also taking the opportunity to set me up. I didn’t know the grudge she has against me could be this deep."
Ling Yu said solemnly, "Lady Sun has not had many conflicts with madam. Given the current situation, her resentment should be mainly directed towards Le Yuanhou Mansion."
Xin He inhaled deeply, "Lady Sun deceived my father for a lifetime. He gave her a lifetime of wealth and trust, so what right does she have to resent Le Yuanhou Mansion?"
Pausing, she continued, "Besides, I have long had doubts in my heart. Since Lady Sun is a chess piece the Emperor placed in Le Yuanhou Mansion 20 years ago, I am not ignorant of the turmoil that occurred in Da Qian 20 years ago. Even my mother died in that turmoil. It’s uncertain what role Lady Sun played in all this."
Xin He’s eyes were filled with a touch of coldness. Twenty years had passed, and the current Emperor accused Mu Houchu of being a rebellious conspirator, seemingly forgetting that 20 years ago, their Leng Family achieved this empire and imperial power through also rebelling. At that time, Le Yuanhou Mansion was also a powerful minister holding heavy military power.
She did not know if her mother’s death was related to Lady Sun.
"You can go now," Xin He waved her hand.
"Yes, I take my leave," Ling Yu said.
As soon as Ling Yu left, Xiaoyu brought a young servant in: "Madam."
It was the person Xin He had sent to watch Lady Sun earlier.
"Greetings to madam," he said.
Xin He nodded, "Get up. Has the Emperor returned to the palace?"
Only then did the servant respectfully stand up, "Yes, I have been watching. Lady Sun has discussed many things with the Emperor, all of them...all of them are ways to deal with madam."
Xin He spoke softly, "How exactly did they discuss?"
Awkwardly, the servant said, "Lady Sun said she already knows where madam is staying. The Emperor can arrest you whenever he wants to, but before that, he has to help her rescue her daughter."
Xin He’s eyes gleamed mysteriously, "As expected."
Xiaoyu frowned upon hearing this, "Madam, what should we do now? Now that Lady Sun has told the Emperor about madams’s whereabouts in the capital, our situation has become even more dangerous. Though we are holding Li Junyan, this issue has come to the Emperor’s attention, and it’s not as simple as controlling a petty Lady Sun. I’m afraid..."
Xin He said, "Whether or not we can control the situation depends on how we take action."
"Madam, the capital is unlike Yu State, please be careful in everything you do," Xiaoyu worried.
"Mmm." Xin He lightly tapped her teacup and pondered for a moment before saying, "Tomorrow morning, send Ling Yu to find Lady Sun again. Tell her that three days later, Li Junyan will be handed over to her and ask her to come here to collect him."
Xiaoyu’s heart skipped a beat, "Madam!"
Wasn’t this exposing themselves?
"Go now," Xin He said in a deep voice.
Her tone left no room for objection, showing she had already formed a plan. Xiaoyu no longer said anything and simply complied.
The next morning, Ling Yu went to Qingyuan Temple again, passed on the message, and also brought back a promise from Lady Sun, "In three days, Le Yuanhou’s execution day, I will definitely save him."
"Good," Xin He smiled, "I’ll wait."
---
Three days later.
On this early morning, Xin He woke up early.
Because the young servant who was watching the house in Lotus Alley reported that the house there was now completely surrounded in secret.
It was expected, so Xin He was not surprised. However, what was unexpected was when Ling Yu came back to pass on another message, saying that Lady Sun had given him an item belonging to Le Yuanhou to reassure Xin He that she should wait patiently.
"Madam, what should we do now?" Ling Yu asked with a bow.
"How many people do we have in the capital that we can use now?" Xin He asked.
"There are nearly a hundred secret guards, all of them experts. Madam can assign them at will," Ling Yu said.
"Good, lead the secret guards directly to the execution ground, and wait for an opportunity."
Ling Yu furrowed his brows, "What opportunity?"
Xin He smiled, "As long as Lady Sun comes here and sees Li Junyan, the Emperor will surely order the arrest of me in Lotus Alley. Once Lotus Alley becomes chaotic, do you think the Emperor will still focus on my father? His ultimate goal is me."
For the Emperor, Le Yuanhou doesn’t have much value.
The Emperor knows who Mu Houchu’s real weakness is, but Xin He also knows how to use her "weakness" to her advantage.
In this contest, it’s too early to say who will win and who will lose!
Ling Yu’s eyes flashed with determination, "Yes, I will follow your orders!"
"After you save him, leave the city immediately. I’ll rendezvous with you later," Xin He said.
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