The Crown Prince's health was gradually improving, and the Chief Prosecutor's Office of the Capital noticed something unusual. It turned out that the Crown Prince had drunk a few more cups of wine at the Moonlight Tower and then taken some Wu Shi San (a kind of toxic drug in ancient China).
This "truth" was rather disgraceful.
To calm things down, the Crown Prince finally decided not to pursue the matter any further.
"Why did I have hallucinations only on that day? I've been in contact with Wu Shi San on weekdays too," Zhongli Chengze's gloomy eyes shot out a terrifying glint.
The Crown Prince's aide advised him to focus on the important affairs of the court. He shouldn't pursue this matter anymore, because if the fact that the Crown Prince had taken Wu Shi San were exposed to the Emperor, his position as the Crown Prince would become even more unstable.
Therefore, the Crown Prince's "illness" got better even faster.
Zhongli Mingye hadn't seen Song Jinyu for three days. He couldn't really say why, but he seemed to be avoiding her.
"The Crown Prince is a smart man... If that blood - written letter were to appear on Father Emperor's desk, he..."
Xing Jian said, "My Lord... The Princess wasn't in the mansion that day..." His words were clear. It was very likely that the Princess had something to do with the Crown Prince's misfortune.
Zhongli Mingye stood up and waved his hand, signaling Xing Jian and Yu Nianbai to leave. How could he not know? Otherwise, why would he have spent so much effort to cover up her traces?
The so - called "suicide" of Concubine He in the palace was also his order. If he didn't stir up the waters in the palace, the Crown Prince might dig deeper, and Song Jinyu would be exposed.
She was still too young. The palace was a hundred, a thousand, even ten thousand times more dangerous than the martial world.
Why didn't he want to see Song Jinyu? Zhongli Mingye was holding a piece of old, light - colored cloth in his hand. The bloodstains on it had long turned brown.
He still carefully kept it in a sandalwood box.
The first flutter of his heart probably happened on those peaceful days.
The deepest love was probably hidden in this piece of cloth and those lingering feelings.
But... What exactly was her attitude towards this relationship?
Zhongli Mingye felt that he had changed, changed a lot. In the past, he never asked for anything in return for his love. He only hoped that she wouldn't reject him and would stay by his side safely.
Now... He had changed.
He wanted more! He wanted more responses and equal love. But the person who had been cherished completely ignored it.
Song Jinyu had just returned from the pharmacy. It had been raining a lot recently, so she had found some herbs and made some damp - dispelling pills. In previous years, she would always make more at this time and distribute them to her family and friends.
Now that she was far away in the capital, she could only make some for him.
"Your Ladyship, why don't you deliver them yourself?" Mi Cui didn't understand. Clearly, the Lord would be happier if Song Jinyu delivered them herself. But she insisted on sending them by others.
Sighing, Song Jinyu said, "It's not something very important..." Niao Niao and Mi Cui exchanged a look and decided to disobey the order.
Song Jinyu looked at them strangely. "Do you think he'll find something special if I deliver them myself?"
Shaking her head helplessly, she thought that maybe he was just too busy. It had been several days since she last saw him. Since they returned to the capital, Zhongli Mingye had been assigned many tasks by the Emperor.
When she came to the study, she hesitated for a while. Seeing Xing Jian coming, she wanted to play the same old trick again.
Mi Cui gave a signal, but unexpectedly, Xing Jian immediately bowed and ran a few steps away.
"You guys... Humph..."
Helpless, she had to step forward and knock on the door. There was no response from inside. "Is he not in?" Just as she was about to leave, a lazy and cold voice came from inside, "What is it?"
Feeling a bit embarrassed for no reason, Song Jinyu touched her nose and walked in. Mi Cui kindly closed the door...
Zhongli Mingye was looking down at a book and didn't say a word. She didn't understand what he was being so awkward about. She could only weakly step forward and put down the damp - dispelling pills. "I saw that it has been raining a lot. I prepared some damp - dispelling pills. You can take one every day when you're free."
"Would I dare to eat your things?"
Song Jinyu was puzzled by his words. The man put down the book, slightly squinted his phoenix eyes, and didn't look at her anymore. "Others almost lost their lives just by touching a bit of your medicine.
How can I feel at ease eating your things?"
Song Jinyu thought for a moment. Maybe he knew that the Crown Prince's illness was related to her. So she stopped talking and silently put away the damp - dispelling pills.
She turned around and was about to leave.
"Stop!"
Zhongli Mingye was extremely angry. He got up and strode in front of her. "What am I to you? You don't even want to explain a single word more."
"What's the difference between me and Ouyang Jinsè in your eyes?
I'm afraid... Only Yan Fei is the most important man in your heart!" As soon as the words came out of his mouth, Zhongli Mingye regretted it. He knew that she had been in great pain because of Yan Fei's death.
A series of words made Song Jinyu's eyes gradually turn cold. She looked at Zhongli Mingye coldly. Although she didn't know why he was so angry, but... Since he had said such hurtful words today, Song Jinyu didn't plan to say anything more.
It was meaningless to say more. Song Jinyu pushed him away and was about to leave. The man behind didn't stop her. His heart just sank gradually.
However, just as she opened the door.
Song Jinyu suddenly closed it again. "If you really think so, then so be it!"
"Just a reminder... From now on... I won't make these things for you anymore!"
"Taking revenge is my own business and has nothing to do with others."
Nothing to do with others? Zhongli Mingye was so angry that he tightly grabbed her arm. "What do you mean by nothing to do with others? Say it again!"
Seeing him so furious, Song Jinyu was filled with anger. "Let go of me!" Her wrist was being pinched painfully... Seeing Zhongli Mingye's red - eyed look, she felt a bit heart - ache. Enduring the pain, she stopped struggling and whispered, "I make these damp - dispelling pills every year.
They're good for the body... I saw that you had many wounds on your body before, so I added some tiger bone. They're very beneficial to the body."
Song Jinyu didn't even bother to look at him. "If you want to eat them, then eat. If not, then forget it..." She was slightly pouting. She was naturally shy. Now that he was so angry, she could only clumsily try to console him... Although she didn't know what she had done wrong.
The study was so quiet that you could even hear a pin drop.
She did care about him after all.
Gradually, Zhongli Mingye calmed down his anger. He hugged her from behind, rested his head on her thin shoulder, and slowly closed his eyes, trying to dispel the gloom in his heart.
She gently broke free from his embrace. "You're busy... I'll leave first..."
She handed the damp - dispelling pills to him, but he grabbed her. "Don't go!" She had no choice but to go back to his side. "Well... Don't worry. I won't do anything that will damage the reputation of the Prince Yu's Mansion."
Song Jinyu said very seriously, "Even though I'm eager to take revenge, I won't damage your reputation."
She lowered her head again. "Between us... After I take revenge... I..."
"I'll give you an explanation."
Zhongli Mingye was both helpless and comforted at this moment. She understood. It was always like this. Her eyes were filled with an undeniable determination.
They stopped arguing. Song Jinyu knew very well that if he really knew about the Crown Prince's matter, then the current calmness in the capital.
It was very likely that Zhongli Mingye had paid a great price for this.
Thinking of this, she hated herself even more and felt even more guilty.
She had clearly promised not to implicate him, but she always did such things. She turned around and hugged Zhongli Mingye. "..."