“I don’t know.”
Lin Jiangnian shook his head slightly. Seeing that Xu Zhongshan seemed interested in this matter, he asked, "Brother Xu, what do you think?"
"Actually, I don't know either."
Xu Zhongshan sighed softly, a little regretful. "The power dynamics in the capital are complex and intricate. The Lin Prince of Linzhou has offended too many people. Now that the Lin Prince's son is about to enter the capital, I don't know how many people secretly hate him to the core and can't wait to get rid of him..."
"No one can say for sure who did it this time."
Xu Zhongshan's tone was regretful, and his expression was vaguely complicated.
Lin Jiangnian glanced at him again: "Brother Xu seems to be very interested in this Prince Lin?"
Xu Zhongshan was startled, then laughed out loud twice: "Of course, this Prince Lin is famous, who wouldn't want to meet him?"
"It's not just me. Who in the capital isn't interested in that Prince Lin? Ever since the news of the assassination outside the city reached us, most of the city is talking about it. That Prince Lin is already famous in the capital before he even arrives."
Lin Jiangnian glanced inside the teahouse and found that it was indeed full. Most of the people were talking about Prince Lin every other sentence.
It is indeed famous in Beijing!
Xu Zhongshan looked at Lin Jiangnian in confusion again: "Looking at Brother Lin Kong's reaction, it seems that he is not very interested in Prince Lin?"
Lin Jiangnian sighed: "I guess so."
What interest could he have in himself?
Xu Zhongshan looked at Lin Jiangnian twice, as if thinking of something: "Brother Lin Kong, aren't you from Beijing?"
"You can see that too?" Lin Jiangnian raised his eyes.
He knew that there were many people in the capital and that there were many eyes and ears, so he disguised himself and concealed his aura, but he didn't expect that he would still be seen through?
Xu Zhongshan smiled and said, "I've been in the capital for many years and have come into contact with many people coming and going, so I can tell a thing or two. Judging from Brother Lin Kong's tone and demeanor, he must have been in the capital not long ago, right?"
"I guess so."
Lin Jiangnian nodded lightly without explaining too much.
Seeing that Lin Jiangnian seemed to be losing interest, Xu Zhongshan did not continue asking and chatted with Lin Jiangnian in a casual manner.
In this way, the two became much more familiar with each other.
"I don't know if Prince Lin is still alive!"
Xu Zhongshan listened to the discussions in the teahouse and sighed softly: "If he dies, our Daning Dynasty will probably have no peace."
Lin Jiangnian glanced at Xu Zhongshan and saw that he looked slightly solemn and frowned.
"Brother Xu is still worried about the country and the people?"
Xu Zhongshan sighed, "After all, as a citizen of Daning, I don't want the world to be in chaos. If the world is in chaos, the ordinary people will suffer in the end..."
Lin Jiangnian actually looked up to the man in front of him. From their conversation, it seemed that Xu Zhongshan was a man of generous character, not fussy about trivial matters, and also kind-hearted.
If he didn't have other motives...
Meanwhile, downstairs in the teahouse, the storyteller was recounting the story of the whereabouts of Prince Lin, missing since the assassination attempt outside the city. Speculations swirled in the capital, with some claiming he had been slain by a mysterious master. Others claimed he was still alive, recovering from his injuries in seclusion, poised to return with vengeance.
Let’s see a master coming down the mountain and the Dragon King returning!
In the noisy teahouse, the blind storyteller was telling a story with great enthusiasm.
"Back then, His Majesty arranged for the eldest princess to be married to the Prince of Lin. Now, just as the Prince of Lin was about to enter the capital, he was assassinated and his life or death is unknown. I wonder if someone hated him to the core, or if someone was wary of the Prince of Lin, fearing he might come to the capital and pose a threat, and in panic decided to strike first..."
This statement caused some people to question: "Afraid of him? Why should we in the capital be afraid of the Prince of Lin?"
The blind storyteller smiled faintly, knowing what was going on. "It's common knowledge that the Prince of Linzhou has made countless enemies in the capital, and he frightened countless people back then. No one knows what the Prince of Lin's son's purpose is in coming to the capital this time, or whether he has the Prince of Lin's instructions behind him..."
"It is precisely because of this that Prince Lin's arrival in the capital may have caused them anxiety, which is why they chose to kill him to silence him."
This statement caused a lot of rebuttals.
"Afraid of Prince Lin? How is that possible? Isn't it said that Prince Lin is a loser?"
"What kind of abilities can a dandy prince who has no knowledge or skills have?"
"I heard that Prince Lin almost died at the hands of a prostitute... If even a prostitute could almost kill him, how powerful could he be?"
“…”
The surroundings were filled with constant chatter and mockery. The Lin Wang Prince's reputation in the capital was already extremely poor, and most of them were just there to watch the fun. They scoffed at the idea of being afraid of the Lin Wang Prince.
If Prince Lin came, perhaps he would be a little afraid. What kind of trouble could a prince of Prince Lin, who can't amount to anything, cause even if he came to the capital?
Still want to marry the eldest princess?
Bah, let him dream on!
…
"laugh!"
"I think the Prince of Lin was frightened by our masters in the capital and may have fled back to Linzhou to become a coward!"
A sneering and contemptuous voice suddenly came from the teahouse.
A young man in brocade clothes walked up to the blind storyteller, sneered, and looked down at him condescendingly: "Are you the one spouting nonsense here?"
He looked childish, but his voice was cold and provocative.
The young man in brocade clothes was about sixteen or seventeen years old, but he exuded a dandy and arrogant aura. Although he was young, his behavior was extremely sophisticated.
The surroundings gradually quieted down, and everyone turned their gaze towards the young man in brocade clothes. Judging from his clothing and demeanor, he must be either wealthy or noble.
At this time, the blind storyteller was confused and asked, "Sir, why do you say that?"
"Is that even necessary?"
The young man in brocade clothes narrowed his eyes and sneered, "What kind of loser is this Lin Jiangnian? Do we in the capital need to be afraid of him? You're not taking us seriously. What kind of a person is a dandy prince from a barbaric land?!"
Although the blind storyteller couldn't see, he could still hear the other party's contempt. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Although Prince Lin is indeed unlearned and unskillful, this may not be true. Perhaps..."
The storyteller was about to say something when the young man in brocade clothes kicked over the table in front of him. Caught off guard, the storyteller stumbled and fell to the ground, his face showing a panicked look: "Master, what are you doing?"
"You, the storyteller, are full of nonsense. Could it be that you were invited by the Prince of Lin?"
The young man in brocade clothes looked down at him with a cold sneer, "If Lin Jiangnian was really capable, how could he die outside the city without even reaching the gate of our capital?"
At this point, the young man in brocade clothes was arrogant and domineering, and his tone was threatening: "Next time I let this young master hear you praising that loser Lin Jiangnian, I will break your dog legs!"
After saying that, the young man in brocade clothes turned around and left arrogantly.
The people around watched this scene quietly, no one said anything, and no one stepped forward to help.
Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that, despite his youth, the brocade-clad youth's attire and demeanor betrayed a wealth of nobility, suggesting a distinguished background. Furthermore, he was flanked by several eagerly awaiting guards, making it all the more difficult for anyone to venture out. No one wanted to risk trouble when out and about.
The teahouse fell silent for a brief moment before returning to its bustle again, though this time the chatter was much quieter.
On the third floor of the teahouse, Lin Jiangnian watched the scene quietly.
After overturning the storyteller's stall, the brocade-dressed youth left with a haughty air, returning to an elegant pavilion within the teahouse. Within the pavilion, several equally elegantly dressed dandies could be vaguely seen, surrounding a young man in a brocade green robe, their gazes surveying the teahouse with amusement. The young man possessed a distinguished demeanor, his features tinged with even more pronounced contempt and disdain than the brocade-dressed youth's.
The young man in brocade clothes walked into the elegant pavilion, and when he was in front of the young man in green robe, his arrogant attitude disappeared.
Lin Jiangnian watched this scene quietly, with profound meaning in his eyes.
"These people are getting more and more excessive!"
Xu Zhongshan's angry voice came to my ears.
Lin Jiangnian turned his head and saw Xu Zhongshan with a sullen face. His square face was full of indignation. He was staring at the private room not far away, extremely angry.
"Brother Xu knows them?"
Lin Jiangnian asked casually.
Xu Zhongshan glanced at Lin Jiangnian, then suddenly realized that he had lost his composure. He took a deep breath and sighed, "Brother Lin Kong, you don't know that these people are in cahoots with each other in the capital. What they have done in the capital over the years is no better than that Prince Lin!"
Lin Jiangnian: “…”
Why bother talking about him?
"You mean, these people are not good people?"
"How can someone who overturns people's stalls in public and bullies and threatens ordinary people be a good person?"
"These people are just relying on the power of their families to commit crimes and oppress the people in the capital."
Xu Zhongshan sneered, glanced at the young man in brocade clothes, and said, "His name is Jiang Shaoan, a member of the Jiang family in Beijing. Although he is not very old, he has never done anything good..."
"The others are all descendants of prestigious families in the capital... When they gather together, they are just a bunch of bad friends, and there's also that..."
Xu Zhongshan spoke indignantly, and knew all the dandies in the capital like the back of his hand. But when his eyes fell on the man in green robe in the attic, his pupils shrank slightly, and he took back his words mid-sentence.
Then he shook his head and sighed, "These people are used to being arrogant in the capital. If you run into them in the future, Brother Lin Kong, be careful and don't offend them."
Lin Jiang laughed young: "Thank you for the reminder, Brother Xu."
"Oh, it's getting late, I should go too!"
The tea on the table was cold. Xu Zhongshan looked at the sky and saw that it was getting late. He stood up and said goodbye to Lin Jiangnian: "It is fate that I can meet Brother Lin Kong today. If I have time in the future, I will definitely treat Brother Lin Kong to a good drink."
After Xu Zhongshan left, Lin Jiangnian continued to sit at the table by the window, looking at the street view outside the window. He saw Xu Zhongshan's figure appear on the street and gradually go away.
After a few moments, Lin Jiangnian also got up and went downstairs.
Leaving the teahouse, he crossed the bustling streets and arrived at the entrance of an ordinary house. The gate was slightly ajar. Lin Jiangnian pushed it open and walked in. The courtyard was deserted. He followed the eaves to a room and pushed the door open. Inside, a figure knelt on one knee and bowed respectfully, "Your Highness!"
The voice was a little excited, and he had been waiting for a long time.
"Get up."
Lin Jiangnian glanced at him and spoke lightly.
When leaving Jinxiu, Lin Jiangnian had already revealed his whereabouts. After receiving the intelligence, Lin Kong immediately came to meet His Highness. Since the recent assassination outside the capital, His Highness's whereabouts have been unknown. They have been searching for His Highness, but to no avail.
Now, His Highness has finally appeared!
Lin Kong also breathed a sigh of relief.
"Tell me what happened during the time I was away."
Lin Jiangnian looked at Lin Kong and asked about his recent situation.
Lin Kong lowered his head and began to tell Lin Jiangnian what had happened during this period.
"Your Highness, since that night at the inn, you ordered your subordinates to evacuate. I rushed to the capital to seek help... But by the time we arrived in this small town, your whereabouts were unknown..."
That day, Lin Jiangnian sent everyone away and faced Elder Shen alone. Everyone knew that this was a life-or-death situation. But they dared not disobey His Highness's orders and had no choice but to leave and seek help.
When they arrived at the small town again, the inn was already empty.
"Originally, Miss Zhiyuan planned to mobilize the forces in the capital to search for your whereabouts, but at this time, a mysterious person arrived with a letter saying that your Highness was not in danger..."
Lin Jiangnian could guess that this mysterious man must be related to the woman in white who saved him.
Zhiyuan and the others arrived in the capital early and settled down. Although there was no movement in the capital, the assassination outside the city and the news of Lin Jiangnian's disappearance still caused quite a stir.
While Lin Kong and his companions continued to search for the whereabouts of His Highness in secret, they were also investigating the real culprit behind the assassination of Lin Jiangnian.
"I have already investigated Duan Tiande, Yue Pingsheng, and the others. They are all from the underworld, and the forces behind them are complex and intricate. It will be difficult to find out..."
"The Duan family behind Duan Tiande is closely connected to the Northern King. As for Yue Pingsheng, he seems to have connections with forces in the capital. After Gu Chaosheng's death, Sikong Li confessed a lot under torture..."
"However, he was only entrusted by someone else and he didn't know who the real mastermind behind him was."
"After you disappeared that night, Mr. Shen also disappeared. Only a pool of blood was left where he was. It seems someone else had been there..."
Lin Kong reported one by one.
Lin Jiangnian had no expression on his face.
There were many people who tried to assassinate him that night, and the forces behind them were not so easy to reveal.
Perhaps, there may be more than one powerful group coming?
"What about the other person?"
Lin Jiangnian suddenly remembered the mysterious skinny monkey face that appeared that night after he killed Yue Pingsheng.
Lin Kong lowered his head and said in a deep voice, "This person is very mysterious. I haven't found any clues yet."
Lin Jiangnian nodded slightly and said nothing.
A hint of coldness rose in Lin Kong's eyes: "Your Highness, the person who assassinated you this time, I suspect, is probably related to the forces in the capital..."
"Most likely, it's related to the Third Prince!"
Lin Jiangnian glanced at him: "Do you have any evidence?"
Lin Kong was stunned.
evidence?
Indeed not.
However, there are not many people in the capital who have the ability to assassinate His Highness, who can create such a large-scale situation, and who are so bold and presumptuous.
Among them, the final suspect was only the third prince.
"He's a prince, a descendant of the emperor. Without evidence, you're slandering the royal family, and you'll be beheaded."
Lin Jiangnian glanced at him and said lightly.
Lin Kong's face immediately changed slightly, and cold sweat broke out: "Your Highness, it was my fault for being reckless..."
"But you're right!"
Lin Jiangnian's tone changed again: "Apart from him, there are not many people who want to take my life in this way!"
At this point, Lin Jiangnian had a blank expression on his face: "Since this prince is still alive, I have to settle this account with him."
Lin Kong was stunned: "Your Highness, you mean..."
Lin Jiangnian glanced at him and said, "Help me do something."
"Your Highness, please give your orders."
"Help me deliver a letter to the Third Prince."
Lin Jiangnian paused, half-closed his eyes and said, "Just say that this prince is here to seek revenge on him."
Lin Kong was stunned, not knowing what His Highness was going to do. He hesitated and said, "But Your Highness, didn't you say there was no evidence..."
"When has this prince ever needed evidence?!"
…
Beijing is a prosperous place.
A carriage slowly passed through the capital and arrived at the gate of a large and secluded mansion.
"Your Highness, we're here!"
The curtains opened, and Lin Jiangnian emerged from the carriage, looking forward. A towering, dark door frame and a bold, powerful plaque loomed before him.
"Jiang Mansion!"
Jiang family.
This place is the residence of Jiang Ningkang, a doctor in the Ministry of Justice in Beijing.
Although Jiang Ningkang was only a small doctor in the Ministry of Justice, the mansion before him was extremely grand, with tall gates standing in rows and a majestic entrance, which was completely unlike the grandeur of a small doctor in the Ministry of Justice.
In the entire capital, Jiang Ningkang was probably the only one who received such blatant treatment. It was simply because, although Jiang Ningkang was only a doctor in the Ministry of Justice, he had the Jiangnan Jiang family behind him!
The Jiangnan Jiang family is one of the largest families in the Jiangnan region. Even in the entire Daning Dynasty, it is a well-known and prestigious family.
Their power was immense, though not overwhelming, yet they were wealthy enough to rival a nation. Jiangnan didn't refer to a specific prefecture within the dynasty, but rather to the fertile land southeast of the dynasty. Nearly a quarter of the dynasty's annual tax revenue came from Jiangnan, and the Jiang family was a prominent and renowned family within it.
And this Jiang Ningkang is the current second master of the Jiang family.
In his early years, Jiang Ningkang was unwilling to take over the family affairs of the Jiang family. He loved reading when he was young. After passing the imperial examination and becoming the third place, he stayed in Beijing. Over the past twenty years, he has climbed step by step to his current position.
In addition, Jiang Ningkang has another identity... the elder brother of the late Princess Jiang Wan of Linzhou, the king of a different surname, Lin Hengzhong.
Prince Lin’s…uncle!
…