"Your Highness, there's news from the palace that Concubine Shu is ill."
"Bang!"
Zhongli Mingye's teacup dropped to the ground. For some reason, his heart filled with unease.
He walked slowly to the desk and summoned his shadow guards. "Add fuel to the fire for that person in the palace."
"The beauty sent there last time offended the queen and was imprisoned in the cold palace," Qingfeng reported carefully.
Xingjian saw his eyebrows knitting tighter and tighter.
"What on earth does Father want to do? Although he protected Mother Concubine, the infighting between the Crown Prince and Prince Cheng is getting more and more intense." Zhongli Mingye planned to set off for the capital soon. "Your Highness, it's not a good time to return to the capital now," Xingjian stepped forward to dissuade him when he saw his mind was made up.
Zhongli Mingye sighed. "Mother Concubine has suffered so much for me."
"How can a son be so unfilial!"
Meanwhile, Song Jinyu was about to leave Liuzhou City. She stopped in front of the Prince Yu's Mansion, hesitating whether to go in. Even though they had been betrothed by the emperor, she still felt a bit uncomfortable in public.
Just then, Zhongli Mingye was about to go to the General's Mansion.
"You..."
The two smiled at each other and walked hand in hand into the mansion's garden.
"You first!"
"You first!" Their synchronized voices made Niaoniao and the others burst into laughter. Song Jinyu blushed and lowered her head. Zhongli Mingye gave them a look, and they all stopped laughing and retreated.
His phoenix eyes were filled with a smile. Seeing that she was wearing the new clothes he had made for her, he felt even better. "Do you have something to tell me?"
"I'm planning to leave for Tianmen Mountain tomorrow. My master is not in good health, so I'm here to say goodbye."
She was leaving too. Zhongli Mingye felt a bit reluctant. "What a coincidence. I'm also planning to return to the capital."
He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms. "What shall we do?"
What did he mean? Song Jinyu didn't understand. "We won't see each other for a long time."
His passionate eyes fell on Song Jinyu's small face. Suddenly, his hand reached out and stroked it. Holding her slender body in his arms, his heart skipped a beat.
"You'll come of age in a few months." Song Jinyu naturally understood what he meant when he suddenly brought this up.
He held her face seriously. "When I return to the capital this time, I'll discuss the wedding date with the palace. After you come of age, I'll welcome you into my family."
Ah?
She felt a bit uncomfortable. She almost forgot that her master might not have agreed yet.
"Isn't it too early?"
Song Jinyu's face stiffened slightly, which puzzled Zhongli Mingye.
"Let's talk about this after I return from Tianmen Mountain. My master's health is deteriorating, and there are a lot of affairs in the sect. I'm afraid it will take some time," she said.
Was that the reason? Suddenly, he remembered the day when Yan Fei came to see him alone. His face darkened. Zhongli Mingye didn't want her to go back.
However, just like his reason for returning to the capital, how could he stop Song Jinyu from going back to Tianmen Mountain to fulfill her filial piety?
He sighed and hugged her even tighter. No matter what, he would never let go.
As if sensing Zhongli Mingye's bad mood, Song Jinyu hugged his slender waist and buried her face in his arms. Feeling the faint fragrance of the young girl, his heart felt more at ease.
"Mingye... I don't want to leave you!"
Song Jinyu summoned up her courage. She wasn't a shy person. If she liked someone, she would admit it.
The young girl's clear voice sounded muffled in his arms. However, it instantly brightened Zhongli Mingye's mood. It was as if he had drunk honey.
How could he bear to part with her?
After leaving the Prince Yu's Mansion, Song Jinyu asked someone to take her to the Lin Mansion. But the Lin Mansion seemed strange today. It was as if there was no one inside.
The doorman outside was silent. Chengsong stepped forward and knocked on the door, but no one came to answer.
Song Jinyu's face gradually turned cold. Had something happened to the Lin family?
Chengsong and Micui climbed over the wall and were instantly stunned. There were several corpses lying in the yard. They quickly climbed down and reported the situation. Song Jinyu was worried about Lin Ziyu's safety. They managed to break open the closed gate, and Song Jinyu rushed towards Lin Ziyu's courtyard.
But as soon as she entered the door, she stopped.
Lin Ziyu's pale face came into view. Her eyes were closed, and there was no sign of life. Without looking closely, Song Jinyu knew that she was dead.
That cute young girl, only in her teens, had suffered such a tragic fate. Tears welled up in Song Jinyu's eyes. She covered Lin Ziyu's face with a handkerchief.
"Miss, there are no survivors in the Lin Mansion."
Her trembling hand held onto the door frame. "Where's Lin Yijun?" She looked around blankly. All the maids and servants in Lin Ziyu's courtyard were lying on the ground.
"We didn't see Young Master Lin!"
"Mr. and Mrs. Lin are in the bedroom," Micui said. Seeing that she was in a daze, she quietly retreated and quickly ran to the Prince Yu's Mansion.
Niaoniao knew that her young lady had a deep friendship with Lin Ziyu. Now that Miss Lin had been brutally killed, her young lady would surely be heartbroken.
"Miss, if you want to cry, just cry."
When Zhongli Mingye arrived, Song Jinyu was sitting there in a daze on the ground. He quickly picked her up and didn't let her look at the corpses anymore. The scene in front of him was too tragic. It was simply a living hell!
He postponed his trip back to the capital and only asked someone to inform Song Chuyu quickly. Since General Lin was under his jurisdiction, this matter must go through the Tiger Ben General's Camp.
Song Jinyu was silent. Her mind was still on Lin Ziyu's cold hand. There was no warmth at all. That lively little girl would never call her Sister Jinyu with a smile again.
"Mingye, is she really dead?"
As if unable to believe it, Song Jinyu kept asking Zhongli Mingye.
"Calm down. I'll handle this matter!"
"Calm down? Ziyu is so young and so nice. Who could be so cruel?"
"Ah!!!"
Song Jinyu beat Zhongli Mingye crazily, but he just held her tightly and kept thinking about the tragic case of the Lin family's extermination in his mind.
After a while, when Song Jinyu calmed down, he said, "I will definitely give the Lin family an explanation."
"No, I want to catch the murderer myself!"
At this moment, Song Jinyu's eyes were blank, and her body was trembling. Her fair and delicate hands were turning an abnormal red because of clenching.
"You don't need to interfere in this matter. I'm afraid there's something fishy about the Lin family's case."
If it weren't for a deep hatred, how could the whole family be exterminated? Zhongli Mingye's face was cold and solemn. He wanted to send her back to Tianmen Mountain now and not let her get involved in this matter.
Looking at him, Song Jinyu wanted to say something but couldn't find the strength. "If you want to cry, just cry." He felt sorry for her biting her lips tightly and not shedding a single tear.
Zhongli Mingye stretched out his slender finger and pried open her lips. "If you need to vent, go ahead."
She held his finger in her mouth but couldn't bite down. Suddenly, she threw herself into his arms and cried silently. Sobbing, she gradually soaked Zhongli Mingye's clothes. He just hugged her tighter, worried that he might have scared her.
"I must get involved." For both emotional and rational reasons, she absolutely couldn't stand by and do nothing.
The next day,
The shadow guards of Prince Yu finally found Lin Yijun. His boat had just returned from the capital. As soon as he heard the tragic news of the Lin Mansion, Lin Yijun stumbled towards the familiar gate, which was sealed with the official seal.
He fell to the ground helplessly.
That night, Song Jinyu had nightmares constantly. In her dreams, it was all about Lin Ziyu, asking her for help. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hold her hand.
"Ziyu..."
When she woke up, she was covered in cold sweat. Niaoniao helped her change her clothes, but she still felt cold all over.