"Please speak, Nanny Zhou."
Nanny Zhou turned around and looked at the beautiful woman in front of her. Her face grew more solemn.
"I can tell that you, miss, are not meant to be caged. What do you think?"
Lin Wanyu was slightly taken aback. Then she raised her eyes, and there seemed to be a glimmer of hope in her slender eyes.
"I wonder what the Princess..."
"You've misunderstood, miss. I'm the one who wants to talk to you. The Wang family sent you here before their daughter is even married into the mansion. I'm sure it's not just for you to spy on the affairs of the mansion. But no matter what their purpose is, the Wang family's actions will only make the Heir Apparent detest them. When the Wang girl marries in, you'll be caught in the middle, and I'm afraid your days won't be easy."
"It's better to make plans early."
Nanny Zhou's words came from the bottom of her heart and hit right on Lin Wanyu's soft spot.
After hearing this, Lin Wanyu quickly bowed respectfully and said, "Please show this humble servant a way out. I'll be forever grateful."
Nanny Zhou had prepared a whole lot of words to persuade her, but unexpectedly, the girl in front of her agreed even before she'd finished half of her speech.
She's truly a smart and sensible girl...
"Since you know what to do, go and thank the Princess later."
"Thank you, Nanny Zhou."
After Nanny Zhou left, Lin Wanyu let out a long sigh and slumped into a chair. There seemed to be a mist surging in her slender eyes.
"Miss, are you okay?"
Chunqiao's voice came from outside the door, sounding a bit anxious.
Lin Wanyu took a breath, smoothed her hair at the temples, opened the door, and walked out with a smile. "I'm fine. I'm just a bit tired. I'll take a nap first."
Seeing that she was really okay, Chunqiao finally felt relieved and nodded in response.
Lin Wanyu didn't sleep well. She had a dream in which Lu Huaijin discovered that she was trying to escape from the mansion. He called her a traitor and stabbed her to death with a long sword.
When the sword pierced her chest, she woke up with a start. She suddenly sat up, gasping for breath, and cold sweat broke out on her forehead.
It took her a while to come to her senses. Looking at the dim room, she let out a sigh of relief. Suddenly, she felt a sense of loss.
It was just a dream!
When she tidied herself up and went out, the yard was quiet. Chunqiao was nowhere to be seen.
Seeing this, Lin Wanyu didn't care about anything else. She rushed out of the yard and headed for the front courtyard.
It was just getting dark at this time. The lanterns were lit everywhere in the mansion. Occasionally, when the maids passed by and saw Lin Wanyu, they would bow.
Lin Wanyu walked past them calmly and headed for the Princess's residence.
It seemed that He Shulan was waiting for her. As soon as she entered the front courtyard, Nanny Zhou came up to greet her.
"Miss Lin, this way, please."
Lin Wanyu thanked her with a bow and followed Nanny Zhou to the side hall on the west.
When the door of the hall was pushed open, a strong fragrance of benzoin wafted out immediately. He Shulan was wearing a gorgeous brocade robe and quietly reclined on the beauty couch in the hall.
There was a look of fatigue on her noble and elegant face.
Nanny Zhou entered the hall first and walked to He Shulan's side. She whispered, "Princess, Miss Lin is here."
Hearing this, He Shulan slowly opened her beautiful eyes and sat up with the support of Nanny Zhou's hand.
"Please invite Miss Lin in."
"Yes."
Lin Wanyu entered the hall, and the door behind her was slowly closed.
The light in the hall was dim. Lin Wanyu lowered her eyes and bowed. Suddenly, she felt a bit nervous.
She had made up her mind on the way here, but when she actually stood in front of He Shulan, she felt a bit scared.
"This humble servant pays respects to the Princess."
"Get up."
He Shulan rubbed her temples and looked at the girl in front of her. She continued, "Nanny Zhou told me everything that happened today. Since you've made up your mind, I'll send someone to take you back to the Wang family later."
Lin Wanyu was slightly taken aback. She didn't expect things to go so smoothly.
"Thank you, Princess!"
When the carriage slowly drove out of the mansion, Lin Wanyu lifted the curtain on one side and looked back at the magnificent mansion. It felt like a dream.
Everything that had happened in the past few days gradually blurred as the carriage moved forward.
Lin Wanyu let out a long sigh, put down the curtain, and sat quietly in the carriage. A smile slowly appeared on her lips.
The night was as cool as water. The long street was still bustling at this time, even more prosperous than Yangzhou.
As soon as the carriage got on the long street, it ran into Lu Huaijin who had just finished his duty.
Chuncheng was holding a food box and riding behind him on a horse. "Your Highness, you've bought so many delicious things. Miss Lin won't be able to finish them all by herself!"
Lu Huaijin didn't say a word. He rode in front. When he saw the carriage of the mansion, his eyebrows frowned slightly.
Chuncheng also saw it and was a bit confused. "Isn't this the carriage of the mansion? Who would go out at this time?"
Lu Huaijin gave him a sidelong glance, and he immediately shut his mouth and silently followed behind.
When they returned to the mansion, Lu Huaijin took Chuncheng to the front courtyard first to pay respects to the Princess. Nanny Zhou opened the door and came out. She bowed respectfully and whispered, "Reporting to the Heir Apparent, the Princess is not feeling well. She's taken the medicine and gone to rest. If there's anything, we can talk about it tomorrow."
While speaking, she didn't forget to look at Lu Huaijin's expression.
Lu Huaijin nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, "Then you should take good care of the Princess. I'll come to pay respects to the Princess early tomorrow morning!"
"Yes."
After leaving the front courtyard, Lu Huaijin walked towards Yuncheng Residence while giving instructions. "You take the food to Wanhua Pavilion."
Chuncheng responded and was just about to leave with the food box when he heard the person beside him speak again.
"I suddenly remembered that I left something in the carriage. You go and get it. Give me the food box."
Chuncheng was a bit dazed and asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, didn't we ride horses today..."
Before he could finish his words, he suddenly felt a chill on his head. Scared, he immediately shut his mouth and obediently handed the food box to Lu Huaijin. "This subordinate will go right away."
Lu Huaijin took the food box, gave him a sidelong glance, and strode towards Wanhua Pavilion.
Chuncheng stood there, looking at the tall and straight figure, and couldn't help shaking his head. "Men in love are all so unreasonable!"
Lu Huaijin pushed open the door of Wanhua Pavilion, dusted off the dust on his body, and walked in with the food box.
There were lanterns lit in the yard, but the room was pitch - black.
Lu Huaijin frowned slightly. Just as he walked to the corridor and was about to knock on the door, someone came from behind.
When he turned around, Chunqiao and the guards were kneeling on the ground. In the thick night, they were particularly eye - catching.
"This subordinate has failed in her duty. Please punish this subordinate, Your Highness!"
Looking at the people kneeling neatly on the ground, Lu Huaijin's heart skipped a beat. A cold and fierce look appeared in his dark eyes.
"Speak!"
Just one word, but it was like a huge boulder pressing on Chunqiao's head.
She knelt there, burying her head even deeper. After hesitating for a moment, she reported truthfully, "Miss Lin is missing."