At night.
Lin Hengzhong stepped into the front hall of the mansion, where several people had been waiting for him for a long time.
"Your Majesty!"
The housekeeper stepped forward and said cautiously, "I have already done what you asked me to do."
As he spoke, the butler handed over a stack of accounts: "This is a record of the exchanges between the various families in Linjiang City during your absence, Your Highness, as well as the people who visited the mansion in the past few days..."
Lin Hengzhong took the account, glanced down at it for a moment, and nodded slightly: "Well done."
The butler bowed his head and said, "This is the duty of this old servant."
Lin Hengzhong raised his eyes and asked, "During the six months since I was away, has there been any movement in the southwest?"
The butler whispered, "Everything is fine. General Sun, who guards the southwest, sent a letter a while ago. Although the remnants of the various countries in southern Xinjiang are still plotting, they are not causing much trouble."
Lin Hengzhong's face was expressionless as he spoke calmly, "Don't be careless. The descendants of the royal families of the southern border countries hate me to the core. They have been plotting to assassinate me and restore their country for years. Have the spies convey my order and have Sun Changjing come to see me secretly!"
"yes."
The housekeeper was shocked. General Sun had been ordered to guard the southwestern border, and now the prince actually wanted to meet with General Sun in person. Could it be that the prince wanted to...
The housekeeper concentrated for a moment and then hurried to do it.
After the butler left, Zheng Zhiming, who had been silent the whole time, slowly stepped forward and said, "Your Highness!"
"What is it?"
"I have sent people to search the Linwang Mansion and set up a dragnet throughout Linjiang City, but there is still no news of the assassin..."
Zheng Zhiming lowered his head: "Please punish me, Your Majesty."
Lin Hengzhong looked calm and waved his hand, "There's no need to rush this matter. How's the other thing I asked you to do going?"
Zheng Zhiming was startled, then he said in a deep voice: "There are already some clues..."
"In Linjiang City, there are indeed many families that have secretly had dealings with the forces in the capital, and some even..."
Zheng Zhiming paused here, then continued expressionlessly, "And the Xu family."
"Xu family?!"
Lin Hengzhong's eyes suddenly focused, but then he calmed down as if he had expected it. "It seems that they don't trust me, huh..."
A cold laugh made the atmosphere in the front hall drop to freezing point.
Zheng Zhiming's eyes were filled with murderous intent: "My Lord, do you need me to go..."
“No need!”
Lin Hengzhong withdrew his gaze and said calmly, "Mr. Xu is still in the capital, probably because of the general trend. As for the Xu family..."
He narrowed his eyes and said, "Old Master Xu was kind to me back then. As long as the Xu family doesn't do anything out of line, let them be."
Zheng Zhiming concealed the murderous intent in his eyes: "Yes."
After Zheng Zhiming left, the other figures in the front hall also left. Soon, the front hall was empty.
Lin Hengzhong stood in the courtyard, staring into the pitch-black night not far away, lost in thought. Occasionally, a trace of sadness flashed across his deep, bottomless eyes.
It was not until he heard soft footsteps behind him that Lin Hengzhong came to his senses and turned his head.
Zhiyuan's figure appeared and slowly walked into the front hall.
"Kite."
Lin Hengzhong spoke slowly.
"Your Majesty."
Zhiyuan lowered her eyes slightly and paused: "Did the prince go to see His Highness?"
Lin Hengzhong nodded slightly.
Zhiyuan seemed stunned for a moment: "Then the prince..."
"You guessed correctly. Jiang Nian did indeed secretly hide the assassin who tried to kill me."
Lin Hengzhong spoke lightly.
Zhiyuan lowered her eyes and said nothing.
Ever since Liu Ye disappeared last night, she had suspected something. Meeting His Highness today only confirmed her suspicions.
Sure enough, it's her?!
A hint of coldness flashed across her eyes.
"I heard that Jiang Nian likes her?" Lin Hengzhong suddenly asked.
Zhiyuan was silent for a moment before she said, "Your Highness is indeed very close to her. He's been almost inseparable these days. I guess... he likes her."
Lin Hengzhong stared at the kite in front of him quietly. After a while, he sighed softly, "I'm sorry."
Zhiyuan was startled, then quickly lowered her head: "This is what a servant should do."
Lin Hengzhong shook his head slightly and sighed: "You are the eldest daughter of an official family, you should have a better life..."
"Your father accidentally sacrificed his life to save me. No matter what, I owe you, the Jiang family, a life!"
As if thinking of something, Zhiyuan's heart tightened. He lowered his head and said in a deep voice: "In the past, my father was slandered for treason and rebellion, and the entire Jiang family was executed. If it weren't for the prince and princess who rescued him, Zhiyuan would have been dead long ago..."
"Father is doomed to die. Saving the prince's life would be a blessing to the people of the world..."
Zhiyuan's voice trembled slightly, as if he thought of something.
Lin Hengzhong looked at the little maid in front of him and sighed softly.
She was originally the daughter of the governor of Yanzhou County, but unfortunately her father was murdered by a traitor and was falsely accused of having an affair with an enemy country, leading to the execution of her entire family.
Lin Hengzhong and her father had a close friendship. They had been drinking and chatting together in southern Xinjiang. When Lin Hengzhong was attacked, it was Zhiyuan's father who risked his life to save Lin Hengzhong.
However, not long after Zhiyuan's father died, he was suddenly accused of treason and his entire family was executed.
Back then, Lin Hengzhong was deeply mired in the chaos of war among the various states in southern Xinjiang, leaving him with no time to spare. He angrily petitioned the emperor to reopen the case, but at the time, he was only a general and powerless to prevent the tragedy.
He was even almost caught up in that catastrophe.
The entire Jiang family was executed, leaving only Zhiyuan's mother and newborn Zhiyuan to escape.
Even so, the person behind the plot still had no intention of letting them go, and they hunted them all the way, trying to kill them completely. Just when their lives were hanging by a thread, they were fortunately saved by Princess Lin. However, Zhiyuan's mother was seriously injured and eventually passed away, leaving behind Zhiyuan in her cradle.
Afterwards, Princess Lin secretly adopted Zhiyuan and kept her by her side. After the princess died, Zhiyuan stayed in Jiangnan with her sister.
Until three years ago, Prince Lin brought her back to the palace from Jiangnan.
As if thinking of something, Lin Hengzhong's eyes showed a look of self-blame: "It's all my fault that I was so insignificant back then. Brother Jiang died because of me, and I couldn't even protect his family..."
Zhiyuan lowered his eyes and said, "Your Highness, there is no need to blame yourself. You did your best back then."
Back then, Lin Hengzhong wasn't yet the Prince Lin who would dominate the government and shock the world. Back then, he was powerless to change anything.
"Brother Jiang was an upright man and an honest official. How could he have committed treason?"
Lin Hengzhong's eyes gradually turned cold. "Someone must have framed me back then. I've been investigating all these years. Not long ago, I finally got some clues..."
"I guess you should know this too, right?"
Zhiyuan nodded silently, but the coldness in her eyes became more obvious.
All intelligence within the palace was reviewed by her. She already knew what happened back then. Some of the truth had already surfaced.
Lin Hengzhong raised his eyes to look at Zhiyuan and said in a deep voice, "However, the matter of that year has been settled, and almost all the evidence has been destroyed. It is almost impossible to overturn the verdict and clear the injustice for your Jiang family!"
Zhiyuan was startled, then he understood!
Yes, those people came here to frame their Jiang family. Now, so many years have passed, and the evidence has been almost destroyed. She is the only one left in their Jiang family.
Want to overturn the verdict?
It's almost impossible.
"But what if there's no evidence?!"
Lin Hengzhong's expression was icy, but he looked at Zhiyuan again, his gaze gradually softening. "No matter what, I will clear your Jiang family's name. Make those who framed your Jiang family pay a heavy price!"
Zhiyuan was silent for a long time, then suddenly raised her eyes and looked at Lin Hengzhong: "Your Highness, I have a request."
"Go ahead."
Lin Heng nodded emphatically: "This prince has always regarded you as his own daughter, so feel free to tell me if you have anything to say."
Lin Hengzhong had always felt guilty about Jiang's father's sacrifice in the southern border to save him. Later, when the Jiang family was executed, he was powerless to do anything about it, and his guilt grew even worse.
Later, Lin Hengzhong was delighted to learn that the princess had taken in the only descendant of the Jiang family. Zhiyuan had remained in Jiangnan for many years until three years ago, when he personally visited Jiangnan. After consulting Zhiyuan's opinion, he brought her back to the palace and kept her there as a maid to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
Although Zhiyuan is nominally a maid, Lin Hengzhong treats her as his own daughter. She has a status in the palace that is no less than that of the Crown Prince and is loved by everyone.
This is also the reason why many people in the mansion suspect that Zhiyuan is Prince Lin’s illegitimate daughter.
Lin Hengzhong's actions may have been partly to make up for what happened back then. If Jiang's father hadn't died, would the outcome have been completely different?
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!"
Zhiyuan lowered her eyes, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke softly, "This servant wants to avenge the past by herself!"
Lin Hengzhong was startled, as if realizing something: "You want to leave the palace?"
Zhiyuan was silent for a moment, then nodded gently. "Back then, the Jiang family was framed by a traitor, and the entire family was executed. This is Zhiyuan's deepest blood feud..."
"Zhiyuan would like to ask Your Majesty to allow this servant to avenge this with my own hands!"
"Go and demand an explanation for my parents and all the innocent people in the Jiang family!"
Zhiyuan's tone was neither cold nor indifferent, as if he was calmly talking about something very ordinary.
Indeed, when the Jiang family was exterminated, Zhiyuan was still a baby and had no memory of it. Even now, even if it was revenge, it didn't cause much emotion for her.
Lin Hengzhong was silent for a moment, then sighed softly, "Since you've made up your mind, I won't try to persuade you to stay!"
As he spoke, he shook his head slightly: "I know that you were willing to follow me into the palace three years ago in order to repay my kindness. Jiang Nian has grown up now, and his temperament has gradually calmed down. I'm afraid you have suffered a lot of grievances in the palace during these three years."
Zhiyuan shook her head gently: "I am not wronged."
"You don't have to hide it from me!"
Lin Hengzhong said, "That kid Jiang Nian must have been rude and mean to you a lot, right?"
Zhiyuan was silent for a moment, then shook her head gently: "Your Highness is not a bad person."
Lin Hengzhong's eyes flashed with a strange look, and he shook his head gently: "It is indeed difficult for you. Now that you have made up your mind to leave, I will not stop you..."
As he spoke, Lin Hengzhong took out a token from his waist and handed it to her. "You've rarely left your home since you were a child. Leaving the palace this time will inevitably put you in danger. If you encounter any difficulties, take this token and you can freely mobilize any troops in Linzhou. Even if you go elsewhere, this token can mobilize government personnel to your advantage."
Zhiyuan took the token, his eyes fixed on it. "Thank you, Your Highness."
Lin Hengzhong waved his hand and sighed, "No matter what, this palace will always be your home. If you have nowhere to go after your revenge, just come back to the palace... No matter when, the palace will always be your home."
“…”