"Do you know who the chess player behind all this is?" Bai Zheng's eyes carried a hint of coldness.
Feng Linyuan shook his head, the smile on his lips undiminished and looking even more profound. "Although I don't know yet, what he intends to do actually coincides with my own plans."
"Coincides with your plans? Then what did Zheng Yan do wrong!" Bai Zheng stared sharply at Feng Linyuan with her bright eyes.
Looking into Bai Zheng's clear and bright eyes, Feng Linyuan couldn't help but sigh. "I didn't anticipate Zheng Yan's incident either. But rest assured, Zheng'er. When I seek revenge, I won't involve innocent people."
"Okay."
For some reason, the promise from Feng Linyuan made Bai Zheng feel completely at ease.
The Marquis of Gaochang had indeed done wrong and should bear the consequences. But Zheng Yan was completely innocent in this matter.
She shouldn't have died.
Nor should there be another Zheng Yan, inexplicably dragged into this and sacrificed for someone else's chessboard.
For a moment, the two fell silent.
Feng Linyuan resumed his gentle expression and walked side by side with Bai Zheng towards the palace gate.
At the palace gate at this moment, everyone was vying to bid farewell and leave. There was no longer the bustling scene when Bai Zheng had come in the morning.
Now, only Feng Linyuan's carriage was still quietly waiting for them.
Feng Linyuan escorted Bai Zheng into the carriage. As the carriage wheels turned, inside the large carriage cabin, the two fell silent for a while.
"Since this chess player has emerged, what are your next plans?"
After a long moment of contemplation, Bai Zheng finally let go of the carriage curtain and suddenly broke the silence.
Just from the chess player's methods, it was clear that this person regarded both Bai Zheng and Feng Linyuan as chess pieces.
Bai Zheng knew that with her current reputation of being talent - less and virtue - less, the reason the chess player targeted her was mostly because of Feng Linyuan.
That meant this person might very well be regarding Feng Linyuan as an important chess piece.
But during their time together, Bai Zheng had come to understand Feng Linyuan's personality. Although he seemed gentle and indulgent towards her, he would never be willing to be manipulated by others.
Feng Linyuan raised his eyes and gave Bai Zheng a gentle smile. "As long as he doesn't go too far, let him play his game."
Bai Zheng: "..."
A glint of cunning flashed in Feng Linyuan's eyes. "Why, are you not satisfied, Zheng'er?"
"I'm just wondering. Are you just going to let him use you?"
"Not only that," Feng Linyuan slightly curled his lips. His suddenly lowered voice carried a strange charm. "I also plan to give him a good helping hand."
On the other side, Bai Sheng, who had just returned to the General's Mansion, was walking in the corridor with Bai Di.
Recalling how her elder sister had seemed expressionless but exuded a chilling aura all the way, Bai Di still felt a little out of breath.
She carefully turned her head. "Elder sister, can we cover up the matter of the formation?"
Actually, she didn't know about the formation. It was all Bai Sheng's doing. But after Feng Linyuan mentioned the "Imperial Garden formation" in the main hall, Feng Linche's aura had obviously changed.
It was evident that this matter was quite troublesome.
"You don't need to worry." Bai Sheng said calmly.
"But it's the Imperial Garden. Can we reach in and erase all the traces?" Bai Di said in disbelief.
"We can't."
The formation used against Bai Zheng this time was the Immortal - Trapping Formation. With the rockeries moving layer by layer, how could the traces left on the grassy ground be erased?
Bai Di exclaimed in surprise. "Then..."
Then why did you say not to worry?
Bai Sheng's long eyelashes gently touched under her eyes and then slowly lifted. Her tone was calm and emotionless. "I'm not the only one who knows formations."
As she said this, she turned to look at Bai Di. Her cold eyes made Bai Di shiver. "If you don't say anything, who will suspect me?"
Bai Di took a step back in fright and stammered. "I, I, I definitely won't say anything."
"That's good." Bai Sheng raised her head, ignored her, and walked away on her own. "Keep your mouth shut. This has nothing to do with you."
"Okay." Bai Di stared blankly at Bai Sheng's departing back.
She suddenly felt that this elder sister in front of her seemed extremely strange.
Bai Sheng walked into her room. As soon as she sat down, her eyes suddenly widened. "Who's there?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, her room door was closed.
It was still afternoon, a bright and sunny spring day.
But inside Bai Sheng's room, wrapped in thick silk, it suddenly became filled with a cold aura.
She took out a small knife from her sleeve and said coldly. "Since you're here, why don't you show yourself? I, Bai Sheng, would be happy to make you a pot of hot tea to show the hospitality of the General's Mansion..."
Before she could finish her words, she heard a "whoosh" sound. An arrow was nailed into the wall behind her.
The arrow flew past her head, knocking off a few strands of hair on her right side. The gold hairpin on her hair bun couldn't bear the loss of the hair and slid to the ground, making a clear sound.
Bai Sheng's face turned deathly pale.
Then, in the room, a voice that seemed to come from hell coldly said. "If you're still this useless next time, it won't just be a few strands of hair that fall."
Bai Sheng trembled all over. "My Lord?"
But in the empty room, she didn't hear any more echoes.
Bai Sheng suddenly stood up. For the first time, her face showed a cracked emotion. She looked around in panic and shouted hysterically. "My Lord, it's my uselessness! Please give me another chance, My Lord. I will surely, surely capture that bitch!"
The thick room door blocked out the bright sunlight and also blocked out the heavy shouts.
No one knew that in the General's Mansion on this beautiful spring day in March, the elegant and calm eldest young lady Bai Sheng was crying and collapsing like a ghost.
Due to Zheng Yan's tragic death, the Marquis and his wife of Gaochang were greatly shocked. They summoned their last bit of strength to hold a funeral for their prematurely deceased daughter.
As the day of Zheng Yan's burial approached, news came from the palace.
Feng Jingyang had developed hysteria.
Hearing the news, Bai Zheng just nodded calmly.
Seeing Bai Zheng's calm reaction, Zhuling was a bit surprised. Remembering the scene in the main hall that day, she felt angry and couldn't help but sigh. "This Fourth Prince really deserves his punishment. He caused Miss Zheng's tragic death. It serves him right that Miss Zheng's vengeful spirit is haunting him."
"Vengeful spirit haunting him?" Bai Zheng raised her eyebrows.
"Yes. I heard that the Fourth Prince has been having nightmares every day. Since Miss Zheng's tragic death, he hasn't been able to sleep at all. That's why he's completely fallen apart."
Bai Zheng gave a non - committal smile. "Miss Zheng was so affectionate towards the Fourth Prince when she was alive. How could she turn into a vengeful ghost to haunt him after her death?"
"So, we all say that this is just the Fourth Prince scaring himself because of his hysteria. Now, Concubine Zhao is almost going crazy with worry. Although His Majesty didn't post an imperial edict because of the face of the Marquis of Gaochang's Mansion, the Grand Tutor's Mansion is looking for doctors all over Yongding to treat the Fourth Prince's hysteria."
Zhuling said excitedly. At this point, she even felt a sense of relief as if she had finally vented her anger.