Song Lin was taken aback.
He turned around and looked at the half-open door.
The mechanism in the room was set up by him, and it would take time to take out the exquisite eight-treasure box, so he was not in a hurry just now.
But now... judging by the time, it's indeed time for him to come out.
Is the servant so stupid that he hasn't figured out the mechanisms yet?
Song Lin frowned and listened carefully.
There was still no sound from inside the house, which made him increasingly anxious.
"Your Highness, this servant is foolish. I shall personally retrieve the sacred object."
After saying this, Song Lin was about to turn around and go inside when he saw his trusted servant rushing out with something in his arms.
Song Lin felt a sense of relief, but couldn't help scolding, "I asked you to do something, and you've been dawdling for so long!"
"Young master, this..."
The servant glanced at him, then hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.
Song Lin looked up and saw that his forehead was covered in cold sweat, and even the hands holding the box were trembling slightly.
He couldn't help but glance at the box in the servant's hand.
Now that it is late, looking in the light of the candlelight, it seems to be the eight-treasure box that he put in by his own hands.
Song Lin was about to look away when he paused again.
The patterns carved on the box seem to be slightly different.
Just as he was about to take a closer look, a pair of hands suddenly reached out and took the exquisite eight-treasure box away.
Song Lin looked up and was startled: "Your Highness, the Crown Prince."
With Pei Xuan present, how could he dare to make a rash move?
He could only withdraw his hand and silently move aside, his eyes fixed on the box.
Whether intentionally or not, Pei Xuan quickly turned his back, blocking his view with his body.
Helpless, Song Lin could only try to recall the pattern on the Eight Treasures Box from his memory, his heart pounding wildly.
Perhaps... he misremembered.
This exquisite eight-treasure box has a clever mechanism; he personally placed the hidden compartment inside. If it had been discovered midway, it wouldn't be in such an intact state now.
The hidden compartment was meticulously designed and would be completely undetectable by ordinary people.
Not to mention, the house was guarded by guards in front and behind, and no one had approached it for many days.
Song Lin comforted himself.
I must be overthinking it.
Yuan confessed that she had handled the matter very carefully and secretly, so that Jiang Wan could not possibly know about it.
No matter how powerful she was, she couldn't possibly know about the existence of the Iron Certificate.
"The ironclad certificate you mentioned, is it contained within this?"
Pei Xuan's slightly cold voice interrupted Song Lin's thoughts.
Song Lin nodded: "Exactly."
"Your Highness, this exquisite eight-treasure box contains a mechanism that no one but me can solve. Please allow me to help you..."
Before he finished speaking, Pei Xuan turned around, his slender fingers flying, and with almost no hesitation, he opened the box in a few quick movements.
Song Lin stood frozen in place, his mouth still slightly open.
"Your Highness, this..."
He Xingyun chuckled, "Young Master Song, this box is rare, but it's not so difficult that no one can solve it. Besides, His Highness has been good at solving puzzles and arithmetic since childhood. Solving the puzzle is a piece of cake for him."
Song Lin shook his head, his voice tinged with panic, and muttered, "No, it's impossible. This eight-treasure box is specially made; no one else could..."
"Young Master Song."
Suddenly, a person stepped out from the crowd, smiling broadly.
“Lord He is right. Such treasure boxes are sold in the Treasure Pavilion every year for a hundred taels of silver. This year, I have sold several. They can be opened simply by solving arithmetic problems.”
He turned to look at Pei Xuan and cupped his hands in greeting.
"However, Your Highness's ability to solve the arithmetic so quickly is truly remarkable."
As soon as the man spoke, many of the women recognized him as the owner of the Treasure Pavilion in the capital.
Treasure Pavilion has been in the capital for decades and is a well-established brand specializing in jewelry and other precious items. Many young men and women in the capital are regular customers. They recognize the owner's appearance and trust his words more.
"How is this possible..."
Song Lin still refused to believe it and took a step forward, trying to see more clearly.
Pei Xuan moved even faster, his fingers flicking lightly as he took the contents of the box out.
His phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and his voice was cold and stern.
"Is this the iron certificate of merit that Young Master Song spoke of?"
He displayed what he was holding to everyone.
The iron certificate is shaped like an inverted tile, with gold characters embedded on it. At first glance, it is no different from the iron certificate with cinnabar inscription recorded in historical books.
Song Lin stared at the iron certificate, pausing slightly.
In fact, he had only seen the real imperial edict once.
That day, following Yuan's instructions, he sneaked into Luhe Hall under cover of night and retrieved the iron certificate. Fearing that his actions would be exposed, he dared not delay and hurriedly returned to the courtyard, placing it into a hidden compartment that had been prepared beforehand.
In my haste, I only caught a glimpse of it by the dim candlelight and vaguely remembered what it looked like.
It looks no different from the one in Pei Xuan's hand.
Song Lin nodded and said, "That's right. Please present this to His Majesty to absolve the Lady of the Elder and General Song of their crimes."
To everyone's surprise, Pei Xuan sneered and uttered two words.
"absurd."
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