Lin Jiangnian walked out of the basement cell and stood in the yard, breathing the fresh air and relaxing his mind.
The dreary, airtight underground cell gave off an extremely oppressive and terrifying atmosphere. Lin Jiangnian felt a little uncomfortable after staying there for a while. It was no wonder that Wang Qin had collapsed like that.
How could the son of a prefect, who had been accustomed to a life of luxury and wealth since childhood, endure such torture?
Thinking back to what Wang Qin had just said in the dungeon, the smile on Lin Jiangnian's face gradually disappeared and became more and more solemn.
If Wang Qin did not lie, once the secret he revealed was spread, who knows how many people would be implicated, and it might even trigger a series of dangerous chain reactions.
Lin Jiangnian narrowed his eyes. For him, this might be a mixed bag of news.
The third prince is involved. Once the matter is exposed, the third prince will be in extremely dangerous situation. Lin Jiangnian may be able to take advantage of this opportunity to take revenge.
But on the other hand, the exposure of this matter would also drag Lin Jiangnian into this storm, which is not what he wants to see.
Although Lin Jiangnian had a plan for his trip to Beijing, he ultimately had no intention of getting involved in the struggles there. His identity was too sensitive, and if he attracted everyone's attention and became the target of public criticism, the consequences would be greater than the gains.
I stood there for a long time, hesitating and struggling, but still got no answer.
"Where's Qingqing?"
Lin Jiangnian looked up and asked the guard beside him.
The guard beside him said solemnly and respectfully, "Your Highness, Commander Lin has not returned yet."
Lin Jiangnian nodded slightly and sighed softly.
He lacks capable people around him now.
Lin Jiangnian's only trustworthy subordinate was Lin Qingqing. Apart from Lin Qingqing, he had no idea how many spies and uncertainties were mixed in with the prince's personal army.
Lin Jiangnian didn't dare to believe it.
Other than that, Lin Kong might be able to be of use. However, when the secret room in the back mountain exploded, Lin Kong was caught in the blast while trying to save him and was seriously injured. He and other similarly injured members of the prince's personal army stayed outside the city to recuperate.
Looking around now, Lin Jiangnian indeed does not have many reliable and useful people around him.
It seems that I have to find a way to cultivate some real confidants that I can use.
Lin Jiangnian looked up at the figures in the courtyard. These people were all guards affiliated with the Prince Lin's Mansion and were loyal to the palace.
However, whether he is loyal to him, the Prince of Lin, is not certain.
Lin Jiangnian naturally knew that whether in the Prince Lin's Mansion or in the Linzhou Army, few people took him, the Prince Lin's son, seriously.
How could anyone be willing to obey a Prince Lin who is difficult to convince?
Lin Jiangnian knew this very well. This trip to Beijing was a good opportunity to break the deadlock. As for how to cultivate confidants, Lin Jiangnian gradually formed a rough idea in his mind.
After leaving the side yard next door, Lin Jiangnian returned to the courtyard. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he ran into a figure walking hurriedly with his head lowered.
“Ouch!”
A petite figure bumped into Lin Jiangnian's arms, subconsciously rubbed her little head in pain, and looked up.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty?"
When Xiao Zhu saw His Highness, he first smiled with joy and excitement, but then he quickly remembered something and his face gradually became guilty and aggrieved.
"What are you doing in such a hurry? Are you a thief?"
Lin Jiangnian looked down at the little maid, and then he saw that Xiaozhu's eyes were looking around and talking about other things, and there was something wrong with her behavior.
"What's wrong?"
Lin Jiangnian glanced at the place behind her. This is...
Which direction is the Kite Room?
“No, no…”
Xiao Zhu shook his head in a panic.
However, her lying skills were so poor that she couldn't hide her emotions at all.
"Tell me, what's going on?"
Lin Jiangnian narrowed his eyes and looked her up and down.
The little maid lowered her head, looking aggrieved, and stammered, "I, I..."
Lin Jiangnian's face suddenly turned stern: "What? You little maid are so incredible, you dare to hide something from this prince?!"
Hearing this tone, the little maidservant trembled slightly, and her face looked like she was about to cry: "Xiao, Xiaozhu doesn't dare, I, I..."
Xiao Zhu quickly waved her hands, lowering her head and not daring to raise it: "I... Your Highness, it's, it's..."
The little maid was in a panic, stammering, not knowing how to explain. The more anxious she became, the more flustered she became, and the more she couldn't say anything. She was so anxious that she stamped her feet on the spot.
Seeing this, Lin Jiangnian's expression softened slightly: "Don't be impatient, speak slowly."
Xiao Zhu took a few deep breaths and gradually calmed down. She looked up and glanced at His Highness quietly. Seeing that His Highness was not angry, she breathed a sigh of relief: "Yes, it's Sister Zhiyuan..."
"What's wrong with her?" It was exactly what Lin Jiangnian expected.
"Sister Zhiyuan, she..."
Xiao Zhu hesitated and struggled, then finally lowered her head, gritted her teeth, and said fearfully, "Sister Zhiyuan, I know, I know..."
Lin Jiangnian was surprised: "Know what?"
"That's it..."
Xiao Zhu spoke haltingly and stammeringly, and finally told the whole story.
It turned out that not long after Lin Jiangnian left, Xiao Zhu suddenly ran to find Zhiyuan. He originally wanted to apologize to Zhiyuan and confess the fact that he had become a little traitor.
But she was unexpectedly called into the room by Zhiyuan to help her apply medicine. After applying the medicine, Zhiyuan suddenly asked about the matter between Xiaozhu and Lin Jiangnian...
How could Xiaozhu lie? Confused, he confessed everything to Zhiyuan.
This included how Zhiyuan had been taken by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to the capital after she left the Lin Palace, how His Royal Highness had bullied her along the way, and how His Royal Highness had tricked her into looking at the goldfish that night when they entered Yanzhou and then...
After he finished speaking, Xiao Zhu lowered his head even more, his hands clasped together nervously and uncomfortably: "Your Highness, I'm sorry, I, I..."
After she finished speaking, she realized that she seemed to have said too much.
If His Highness knew this, would he be angry?
After all, that, that was a secret between her and His Highness...
As a result, Sister Zhiyuan now knows everything... Xiaozhu is very nervous.
Lin Jiangnian was indeed a little surprised. He didn't expect Xiaozhu to tell all these things to others.
What was even more unexpected was why Zhiyuan asked about this?
Lin Jiangnian instantly thought of a possibility in his mind. When he was about to say something, he looked down and saw Xiaozhu's guilty and pitiful appearance, and his heart softened a little.
"Okay, it's okay."
Lin Jiangnian reached out and touched her little head: "If she knows, then she knows. It's not a big deal."
Xiao Zhu didn't dare to raise her head, her face flushed, and she felt a little hot with shyness: "But, but..."
"Your Highness, don't blame Xiaozhu?"
Xiao Zhu asked nervously.
"Strange!" Lin Jiangnian nodded with a stern face.
Xiao Zhu immediately panicked: "Then, then..."
"so……"
Lin Jiangnian narrowed his eyes and suddenly leaned closer to Xiaozhu's ear: "You have to accept the punishment. Then punish you to warm the bed for this prince tonight..."
In an instant, Xiao Zhu's delicate body trembled slightly, and her ears turned red instantly.
Biting her lower lip, her originally flustered eyes suddenly became charming and shyness instantly emerged.
In the end, he didn't dare to look up, but just nodded his little head subconsciously.
"Um."
“…”
The little maid's face turned red with shame. She lowered her head, clenched her fists and hurried away.
Lin Jiangnian stood there, squinting his eyes, full of joy.
Calculating the time, it has been a while since I felt the warmth of Xiaozhu's bed.
The weather is getting colder, and I miss it a little bit.
Thinking of Xiaozhu's soft and warm body, curled up in his arms like soft jade, Lin Jiangnian was somewhat moved.
As for what Xiao Zhu had just mentioned, it wasn't a big deal in his eyes. Lin Jiangnian was no longer the same person he was a few months ago, and Zhiyuan was no longer the same Zhiyuan.
After leaving Prince Lin's Mansion, the master-servant relationship between the two no longer existed.
What if she knew?
When still in the Prince Lin's Mansion, Zhiyuan used various reasons to restrict Lin Jiangnian from harassing Xiaozhu, and even used the Xuanyang Heart Method to secretly set a trap for Lin Jiangnian.
But now…
Can she control it?
Lin Jiangnian was in a good mood. When he was about to turn around and leave, he caught a glimpse of something not far away from the corner of his eye.
Under the eaves not far away, a cold figure was watching him quietly.
Expressionless.
His expression was cold.
Temperament is like ice.
Just staring at Lin Jiangnian like this, the atmosphere in the entire courtyard seemed to become a lot colder.
For some reason, when Lin Jiangnian saw this extremely beautiful yet cold and a little too cold face, he suddenly felt a little guilty?
He was a little stunned, but quickly came to his senses.
"Why are you here?"
When did she show up?
Did you see it all?
Zhiyuan didn't say anything. She looked at him expressionlessly for a few seconds, then slowly shifted her gaze to the yard beside her.
Lin Jiangnian, who was about to leave, thought for a moment before lightly approaching the eaves and coming to her side. As soon as he got closer, he sensed the indescribable coldness of Zhiyuan beside him.
Keep people at a distance.
Just like the first time I saw her in Prince Lin's Mansion, she was very cold.
Lin Jiangnian stared at her profile for a long time without saying anything.
He had some vague guesses in his mind, but he was not sure.
After a while, Zhiyuan still looked at the yard with a cold look, as if in a daze.
"Xiao Zhu said she was the one who gave you the medicine?"
Lin Jiangnian spoke, glancing at Zhiyuan's back. Her thick clothing obscured her form, leaving no trace of her figure. The garment slipped off her body, and his gaze fell on her slender waist.
Zhiyuan still didn't speak.
Lin Jiangnian didn't expect her to answer, and quickly changed the subject: "I just went to see Wang Qin, and unexpectedly I got a big secret from him..."
Having said this, Lin Jiangnian paused.
The kite still didn't move.
However, one could vaguely see her originally calm eyes twitch slightly.
"What? You're not interested?"
Lin Jiang laughed young.
Zhiyuan still didn't say anything.
"Since you're not interested, forget it."
Seeing this, Lin Jiangnian turned around and prepared to leave.
However, after taking just two steps, he heard the cold voice of a kite behind him.
"What secret?"
The voice was still cold.
Lin Jiangnian turned around and saw Zhiyuan staring at him expressionlessly.
"Are you just going to look at me with a sour face?"
Lin Jiangnian spoke lightly.
Zhiyuan seemed stunned for a moment, his eyes flickered slightly, he lowered his eyes, and remained silent for a long time, as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself.
In the end, nothing was said.
"Um?"
Seeing that she didn't say anything, Lin Jiangnian pressed on.
Zhiyuan was silent for a long time: "I, don't have it."
"No?"
Lin Jiangnian sneered: "Do you want to look in the mirror?"
Although her cold face at the moment is indeed very beautiful, it is indeed stunning at first glance, with a kind of unattainable cold beauty.
But it would be a bit too boring to keep such a cold face all the time.
Lin Jiangnian naturally didn't intend to spoil her.
Zhiyuan took a deep breath, turned his head, and looked calmly at the courtyard: "If your highness doesn't like it, you don't have to look at it."
"What a good one not to look at."
Lin Jiangnian laughed, stared at her for a few seconds, and suddenly moved a few steps closer.
Zhiyuan felt Lin Jiangnian approaching and became alert and defensive almost instinctively.
But Lin Jiangnian suddenly moved closer and stared at her cold, delicate and beautiful face: "Who said this prince doesn't like to look?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he could clearly notice that the expression on Zhiyuan's face was slightly stunned, and even his breathing became a little rapid for a moment.
Extremely unnatural.
The fluttering eyelashes trembled slightly and quickly moved away.
"However, this prince really doesn't like you having a sour face all day long."
Lin Jiangnian stared at her. "As this prince's maid, it's important to cater to the master's preferences. Since I don't like it, you should change it!"
Zhiyuan was silent. "How do I change it?"
"Shouldn't you be happy to see me?"
Lin Jiangnian smiled faintly: "Give me a smile first?"
Kite: “…”
"Won't."
"Can't or don't want to?"
"Won't."
“…”
Faced with such an unyielding maid, Lin Jiangnian really had a headache.
However, Lin Jiangnian is no longer the same as before.
Seeing that Zhiyuan still had an attitude of "I'm just like this, do whatever you want with me", Lin Jiangnian's eyes flickered and he gently reached out his hand.
Zhiyuan suddenly became alert and subconsciously took a step back.
Lin Jiangnian did not retreat, but pressed forward.
The kite retreats again, and Lin Jiangnian comes closer.
Finally, Zhiyuan suddenly raised her eyes, her voice cold with a hint of barely perceptible panic: "Your Highness, please respect yourself."
"Self-respect?"
Hearing this, Lin Jiangnian sneered and stared at Zhiyuan's face: "This prince suddenly remembered something..."
"Does the thing you said last time still count?"
Zhiyuan's eyes flashed with a barely perceptible panic. He turned away and said coldly, "What's the matter?"
"That time..."
Lin Jiangnian suddenly leaned close to her ear, smelling the familiar body fragrance of Zhiyuan. He took a deep breath and said with a half-smile, "You said that time that as long as my father agreed, you would be willing to sleep with this prince?"
"Before I came here this time, I specifically asked my father. Guess what?"
Zhiyuan was suddenly startled, and the expression on his face froze at this moment.
In her mind, she vaguely remembered that when she was in Prince Lin's Mansion, she seemed to have said such words?
only……
Zhiyuan subconsciously looked up and saw Lin Jiangnian looking at her with a bright smile on his face.
"My dad agreed!"
Instantly, a wave of shyness washed over Zhiyuan. Her delicate body tensed, and she instinctively tried to escape. But the next second, she was held tightly by a pair of large, clasping hands, and a familiar, hot breath washed over her.
"Don't……"
Zhiyuan's mind went blank. The approaching hot breath made her, who was usually calm and aloof, panic in an instant.
Just then.
A sudden voice suddenly rang out.
"Your Highness, Sister Zhiyuan, I..."
A loud voice sounded in vain, and then stopped abruptly in the middle of speaking.
Lin Qingqing appeared at the gate of the courtyard not far away. She was looking at the scene under the eaves in disbelief and swallowed subconsciously.
"No, it's okay... Your Highness, I, I didn't see anything. You, you guys continue..."
“…”