Maybe it wasn't a lack of sincerity? Tang Xiyi took out the piece of paper, but Mr. Lin remained unmoved and didn't even reach out to take it.
His heart sank instantly, but he still managed to say, "I won't hide it from you, Mr. Lin. The Tang family is now at the end of its rope."
Mr. Lin turned to look at him, his expression cold, completely different from the gentle and jade - like gentleman in the rumors. "Then why did Young Master Tang try to scheme against my disciple?"
Tang Xiyi was rendered speechless. He never expected this man to be so protective of his own. He had only taken a shortcut, but he had been warned for it.
What should he do?
He composed himself and said to Mr. Lin, "You're right, Mr. Lin. It was my fault. I'm willing to compensate Miss Meng and Young Master Song after this."
The small courtyard was quiet. Since it was located in the woods, the clear chirping of birds could be heard occasionally.
Tang Xiyi had never felt so helpless before. Even when facing the Crown Prince, he had never shown such helplessness as he did now.
He had underestimated Mr. Lin. He had thought that by tempting him with benefits, he could find a way out from him.
But Mr. Lin had become famous at a young age. He came from a noble family, chose not to enter officialdom, but took over the White Deer Academy and retreated into the mountains. How could such a man be easily tempted by small benefits?
"Young Master Tang," Mr. Lin finally spoke, asking him, "Even if you were to defect to the Crown Prince now, you might not be completely eradicated. You might even earn the merit of following the future emperor."
"Mr. Lin," Tang Xiyi said helplessly, lowering his eyes in confusion. "I thought the same way at first."
"But there are hundreds of people in the Tang family. If we take a wrong step, I would be guilty even if I died a thousand times."
"Moreover..."
Tang Xiyi seemed to remember something. A look of fear flashed across his face, his fingertips went numb, and his face suddenly turned deathly pale.
He raised the piece of paper again and placed it in Mr. Lin's hand. He said in a deep voice, "Sir, please take a look."
Lin Xiqing looked at Tang Xiyi's expression and was slightly stunned. Without hesitation, he took the piece of paper from his hand and quickly scanned it.
The flood in the Yellow River has been a problem since ancient times. Every rainy season is a great disaster. If the embankment breaks, it will be a human tragedy.
The moment Lin Xiqing saw the content on the paper, his heart skipped a beat for the first time in a long while. He felt all the blood rushing to his head.
"Absurd!" He looked at Tang Xiyi, his brows furrowed, and his tone quickened. "Is the news reliable?"
Tang Xiyi forced a bitter smile and just nodded, saying weakly, "If I didn't know this, I would have defected to the Crown Prince's side long ago."
Mr. Lin fell silent.
With the permission of the Crown Prince, the officials of his maternal family had embezzled the silver for building the embankment. Now, many important sections of the embankment could no longer hold up. The rainy season was coming soon, and there was even no chance for people to make amends.
If they were unlucky this year, no one knew how many more homeless people and unburied corpses there would be along the river.
Moreover, the epidemic after the flood would be even more deadly. If they were not careful, then...
This was a matter that could shake the foundation of the country. The Crown Prince actually ignored the common people for his own selfish desires!
No wonder!
Mr. Lin finally understood why Tang Xiyi had taken such a desperate move and insisted on defecting to him.
A ruthless person like the Crown Prince, if he successfully ascended the throne, would only care that the Tang family didn't know their place or try to confiscate their wealth into the national treasury.
Tang Xiyi still had a bit of conscience and couldn't bear to see the tragic situation after the flood.
But the rainy season was approaching. What could they do?
Even if they had known about it three months in advance, it would have been a rush to find a way to remedy it, let alone with only one month left?
"When did you get this news?"
"Half a month ago," Tang Xiyi forced a bitter smile and explained. "I was still hesitating whether to defect to the Crown Prince, so I left the capital to avoid trouble. Unexpectedly, I received this news on the way. So I gritted my teeth and went to find Miss Meng and Young Master Song."
"Wait. Don't worry for the time being. I'll try my best to protect the Tang family until we confirm the reliability of the news."
Mr. Lin looked at Tang Xiyi and promised, "But you must not tell this news to anyone other than me and my disciples. If the Crown Prince's scheme is exposed, he might..."
Mr. Lin couldn't bring himself to say the word "usurp the throne". If the Crown Prince got desperate at this time, it would truly be a situation of internal and external troubles.
"Yes," Tang Xiyi nodded. "I'll go and tell Miss Meng and Young Master Song later."
"Good. Then you can stay in the academy for the time being. I'm sorry to trouble you, Young Master Tang."
"How could it be trouble?" Tang Xiyi said seriously to Mr. Lin. "Sir is so righteous and willing to get involved in this messy situation. How could I doubt your actions?"
After saying that, Tang Xiyi said a few more words and then turned to leave.
Watching Tang Xiyi's slightly staggering figure, Mr. Lin was also rarely at a loss. He looked at the sky, not knowing what to do.
It was June now, the height of summer and the driest time. The rainy season was coming next. Countless raindrops would flow into the river along the soil, and then...
What could they do to minimize the losses now?
Mr. Lin didn't hesitate for long. He turned back into the house, picked up his personal belongings, and left in a hurry with his attendants.
Maybe there was a last resort there.
...
Meng Ruyi returned to her room. Before she could catch her breath, she saw Tang Xiyi rushing over.
Before he could speak, Meng Ruyi saw the bullet - screen suddenly get excited and relay the content of the conversation between Tang Xiyi and Mr. Lin just now.
"Miss Meng," Tang Xiyi said in a hurry. "I have something to tell you and Young Master Song."
She had thought Meng Ruyi would be impatient, but unexpectedly, her face seemed to turn pale. She said to Chui Xue, "Quick, go and find Brother Song and tell him there's an important matter."
Then she said to Tang Xiyi, "Please come in, Young Master Tang."
Tang Xiyi was a bit confused, but he couldn't help but feel relieved about Meng Ruyi's cooperation.
After Meng Ruyi learned what had happened, her steps became heavy. The anger in her heart burned through her whole body bit by bit.
How dare he!
This was a matter that concerned hundreds of thousands of common people!
[Is the Crown Prince... I'm so annoyed by this kind of character. I hate him so much.]
[Isn't this the typical character in old - fashioned stories? When the emperor gets angry, millions will die. In many old - fashioned plots, the male lead kills a large number of people for the female lead. Isn't this just to highlight the Crown Prince's cruelty and ruthlessness, and then he only falls in love with the female lead in the end? Isn't this so charming?]
[... Sorry, I repent. I used to like this kind of character. But now that I'm older, I can't help but put myself in the position of the common people.]
[I can't accept this. This male lead is the one I can't accept at all among all the male leads who have appeared so far. Even the male lead who is a divine doctor, who was related to Yu Yu's tragic death in the original plot, I could still bear to read about.]
Related to her own tragic death?!
The most crucial information was confirmed, but Meng Ruyi no longer had the mind to care about this.
The rainy season was approaching. What could they do?