"Is Father better?"
"Yes!"
In the past few days, Zhongli Mingye had been busy with interrogations and had no time to attend to the affairs in the palace. The emperor might not even want to see him, so he hadn't shown up in the palace again.
In the dim candlelight, Song Jinyu's face was slightly pale.
Zhongli Mingye wanted to ask her something, but the words got stuck in his throat. He took her hand and said, "There's no need to investigate Uncle anymore... Lin Yijun has confessed."
Confessed?
Song Jinyu didn't really want to know the truth. Because Lin Yijun had already committed suicide in the prison! The Lin family's line was completely cut off.
"Earlier, the Lin family's business was actually backed by Prince Cheng."
"After the tragedy of the Lin family, Prince Cheng pulled out all support and didn't offer any help. So Lin Yijun hated him. It wasn't until Prince Cheng's birthday this time."
Zhongli Mingye put his arm around her and they took a rest in Liuyun Pavilion. Outside the pavilion, cicadas were already singing.
"Sure enough, it was for family revenge." Song Jinyu sighed. The consolation she gave him that day had actually had no effect on him. Maybe for any hot - blooded young man, such a hatred could never be forgotten.
Lin Yijun had been planning for a long time. "Was there someone behind him?"
"He didn't confess to this, but... after investigation, Ming Xi had an association with him and regarded him as a close friend."
Did this point to the Prince Yong's Mansion?
Song Jinyu was stunned. Was this a scheme between him and Ming Ruyi?
Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and there was a glint of moisture in her eyes. In the end, it all came down to the scheme for the throne. She reached out and touched the scabbed wound. "When the scab falls off and you apply the ointment, the scar won't be noticeable."
"No, I'm going to keep it." Song Jinyu was helpless. "That won't do!"
"I'm going to remember that day forever." Zhongli Mingye's cold voice rang out behind Song Jinyu, full of coldness and ruthlessness.
Suddenly, he kissed her fair face, with an aggressive air, not allowing Song Jinyu to refuse. He had only intended to give her a kiss at first, but as the kiss deepened,
he lost control again. He tore the plain brocade belt, and then bit her earlobe. "My love... Concentrate." Song Jinyu's mind was still stuck on the so - called "truth",
but the man beside her was already impatient.
The emperor looked at the evidence. Prime Minister Ling argued forcefully, "Prince Yong has only just returned to the capital. Even if he had an association with Lin Yijun, it was not as much as Prince Yu's association with the Lin family in Liuzhou City back then!"
"Why did a prince associate with the Lin family?"
The voices in the court were in a complete uproar. The emperor was furious, and his face changed drastically. Prime Minister Ling and other ministers didn't dare to say more. The Duke of Auxiliary State watched coldly. "A bunch of idiots!" The emperor no longer cared about the truth. What he cared about was that someone was causing trouble.
It almost made the Great Xia Dynasty lose its heir to the throne!
In the end, because Prince Yong had associated too closely with Lin Yijun, the emperor issued an oral order, ordering him to reflect on his mistakes in his mansion.
Lin Yijun's body was cremated and his ashes scattered!
Zhongli Mingye carefully settled the sleeping Song Jinyu and then went to the study. By the candlelight, he looked at a piece of tattered cloth.
It was written on it: "If we could meet as we first did, deep love won't last long." He sneered and then rummaged out a piece of jasper. The color was excellent and the quality was top - notch.
Fortunately, Xing Jian had discovered it in time. Otherwise, if this writing and this jasper fell into the hands of the wrong people, who knew how they would be misinterpreted. His eyes were unfathomable.
The fact that Yu Duanya and her son could survive was really because of Song Jinyu.
His thoughts drifted back to Liuzhou City. If he hadn't requested the imperial edict for marriage, this young woman might really have married into the Lin family.
He hadn't known about this before. Later, when he was drinking with Song Chuyu, the latter accidentally let it slip.
"If we could meet as we first did?"
Whether it was their first meeting or subsequent ones, she could only be his!
By the candle flame, the cloth turned to ashes. The jasper was also crushed into powder.
He only heard the young woman next door turn over slightly and then there was no more movement.
Early the next morning, Song Jinyu directed Mincui to pack a lot of things. "These, those..."
"Send them to the Mansion of Prince Cheng's County - level Heir."
The emperor doted on his eldest grandson and conferred the title of County - level Prince on the heir of Prince Cheng. After he came of age and made contributions, he would be promoted to Prince. Yu Duanya still enjoyed the treatment of a first - rank princess.
The matter had finally come to an end, but the dead were gradually forgotten.
Prince Yong was in seclusion for self - reflection, while the Mansion of Prince Yu was in the limelight. However, Prince Yu and his wife successively declined all visitors. A few days ago, Song Chuyu and his wife came to the capital to take up their posts.
The two families got together and played with Ling Yu. Just as they had fed him a piece of pastry, Mrs. Xiang wouldn't let him eat anymore. "Too much is as bad as too little!"
Song Jinyu thought it made sense. "After the New Year, Ling Yu will start his enlightenment education."
"Yes. Originally, my father - in - law wanted to personally start his enlightenment, but now that we are separated by a long distance, he has given up the idea." Mrs. Xiang packed some specialties from Liuzhou and sent them over. "These gems were found by your elder brother."
"The mansion has everything. Sister - in - law, you should keep them for your own use." Mrs. Xiang laughed. "These gems are not for you." Then she leaned over and whispered in Song Jinyu's ear, "You can make a hairband to tie up the prince's hair."
Song Jinyu looked at Mrs. Xiang with amusement. "Oh, sister - in - law, I didn't expect you to be so romantic."
"Men also like beautiful things. Don't you rarely give the prince gifts?"
Thinking about it, it seemed that she really had given Zhongli Mingye very few gifts. The most recent one was just an unattractive purse.
Looking at this box of colorful gems, Song Jinyu had an idea.
On this day, Ming Ruyi invited Zhongli Mingye to play a game of chess.
Originally, she had also invited Song Jinyu, but she had declined. No one knew what she was busy with. She hadn't left the mansion for several days.
It was good that she was being obedient.
Ming Ruyi had just arranged a coral screen. "What about presenting this screen to your father?"
"Of course, it's excellent."
They tacitly didn't mention Lin Yijun. "I've received news that the King of the Southern Court and Yu Ze have formed an alliance."
"Oh? That's interesting!" Zhongli Mingye calmly placed a chess piece,
but didn't remove his finger. "It seems that your strategy of balance is about to fail!"
"I'm afraid a battle in Yanqiu is inevitable."
"He has always been ambitious. I have a plan in mind."
"What about you?"
"You can't catch tiger cubs without entering the tiger's den. One must be pushed to the brink before one can rise again." Ming Ruyi looked at him seriously. "It's easy to let a tiger go back to the mountain, but it's harder than ascending to heaven to take its life."
"I have no fear!"
When the game of chess ended, there was no clear winner. "Uncle, you need to work harder!"
Ming Ruyi lost interest. "The banquet is ready. Would you..." Before she could finish her sentence, Zhongli Mingye refused. "No need. My princess is waiting for me at home."
There was a hint of pride in his words, which made Ming Ruyi unhappy. "What's so great about that!"
"It's very great!"
After saying that, he flicked his robe and left with high spirits.
When he returned to the mansion, Song Jinyu secretly pulled him over. "Take a look. Does it fit?"
"What is this?"
After looking at it for a while, he realized it was a waistband. The stitches were fine, but the needlework was not very neat. The waistband was made of the royal blue moon - like brocade that Xiliang had presented as tribute.
A few red gems were hanging on it, shining brightly.
It was really rare. He looked up at Song Jinyu. She looked a bit embarrassed. "I've been learning for a few days, but the stitches are still not good enough." There was nothing she could do. Although she was good at using silver needles, when it came to embroidery, she was a bit lacking.
He spread out his arms. "Come..." indicating for Song Jinyu to tie it on for him. Before she could withdraw her hand, he hugged her tightly. "I'm very satisfied. Anything you make is good."
"Excellent!"
The depression of the past few days dissipated at this moment. Their eyes met, and the affection between them grew.