"Lord Sichen, His Highness..."
Wang Jinsong had been waiting outside for a long time. Not hearing a word from those in the carriage, he couldn't help but feel puzzled.
As soon as the Prince's carriage stopped in front of his mansion, the young servant at the gate had already reported to him.
He quickly rushed out with Wang Jingze to greet them. But now, after being out for quite a while, there was still no sign of anyone.
Sichen had no idea what his Highness was doing in the carriage. He could only try to come up with an excuse: "Please forgive me, Prime Minister. His Highness... His Highness..."
It was them who had stopped in front of the Prime Minister's mansion and now refused to move. What kind of excuse could he make up?
It seemed that nothing would work!
Just as Sichen was stuttering and didn't know what to say, the carriage door was pushed open, revealing Lu Huaijin's cold and elegant face.
Seeing this, Wang Jinsong quickly bowed with a young man behind him.
"May Your Highness the Crown Prince be in good health. Your Highness has come in the middle of the night. I wonder what your orders are? We've already prepared dinner in the mansion. Perhaps..."
"Greetings, Prime Minister. A disobedient cat from your mansion ran out. I've come to catch it. Now that I've found it, I won't bother you in your mansion."
After saying that, Lu Huaijin closed the carriage door. Sichen understood, bowed to Wang Jinsong, mounted his horse, and ordered the coachman to drive away.
After returning to Yuncheng Residence, Chunqiao and the granny who had delivered medicine to Lin Wanyu last time were already waiting there.
Lu Huaijin walked in front, and Lin Wanyu followed behind, her small face flushed. It was hard to tell whether it was because of the night wind or because she had walked too fast and got tired...
When they reached the corridor, Lu Huaijin glanced back at the slender figure behind him and said in a deep voice, "Go in and wait for me!"
After his words fell, the granny walked up to Lin Wanyu and said expressionlessly, "Miss Lin, please."
Lin Wanyu was now like a fish on the chopping board. Knowing that she couldn't escape, she had no choice but to obey.
After they went in, Lu Huaijin looked up at Chunqiao standing in the yard and said coldly, "Speak!"
Chunqiao stepped forward and knelt down, saying, "Today, a small hall behind the Huanhua Pavilion caught fire. Most of the people in the mansion went to put out the fire, including those from the Huanhua Pavilion. I went to the backyard to check the fire situation and saw several snakes in the flowers and plants there. After I led people to catch them and throw them out, when I came back, I couldn't find Miss Lin."
Lu Huaijin sneered with a touch of mockery in his inky eyes.
"I failed to take good care of her. Please punish me, Your Highness."
Chunqiao lowered her head and kowtowed, quietly waiting for her punishment.
Lu Huaijin glanced down at her and said in a deep voice, "Get up!"
After saying that, he strode out and headed straight for He Shulan's bedroom in the front yard.
When he arrived, the front yard was brightly lit. There were maids and servants standing all over the yard, as if they were all waiting for him.
Lu Huaijin glanced back at Sichen following him, then lifted his robe and stepped onto the steps, pushing the door open and walking in.
He Shulan was sitting upright on the main seat at this moment. She was still wearing the bright red brocade dress she had worn during the day. The gold hairpin in her hair was swaying back and forth in the cross - wind that came in.
After Lu Huaijin walked in, he didn't bow. He went straight to a chair beside and sat down, saying in a deep voice, "Mother sure gets the news quickly!"
"Please calm down, Your Highness the Crown Prince. Today's matter was all my idea. I met Miss Lin privately. Coincidentally, Miss Lin also wanted to leave the mansion, so I sent her out. The Princess just found out about this!"
He Shulan didn't say a word. Granny Zhou walked up to Lu Huaijin, knelt down, and said with her head lowered.
Lu Huaijin twirled the pendant at his waist, his eyes gloomy: "Granny Zhou is really loyal to Mother! Mother dislikes someone, and Granny Zhou also dislikes that person. So Granny Zhou secretly went to see Lin Wanyu behind Mother's back!"
Granny Zhou pursed her lips and replied, "Over the years, although Your Highness is not close to the Princess, at least you haven't quarreled with the Princess every day like these days! Your Highness, the Princess is your mother. How could a mother harm her own son?"
Her words were naturally He Shulan's words.
Lu Huaijin curled his lips and looked up at the silent person sitting on the main seat: "Now it's all my fault!"
He Shulan looked up and met his gaze. There was a touch of strangeness in her eyes.
"Huaijin, Mother just wants you to be well."
"If I had known earlier that I would be Mother's marionette from birth, I would rather not have been born!"
Over the years, every word and deed of his had to follow He Shulan's wishes. If he showed the slightest disobedience, she would find other ways to make him comply.
She said that his father had made great military achievements, and his father's son naturally couldn't be inferior. So without hesitation, she sent him to the military camp when he was ten years old.
At that time, his father had gone up the mountain to practice, and the Prince's mansion had declined. They were looked down upon everywhere. He was tortured and humiliated every day in the military camp. But even so, he gritted his teeth and persevered.
At the age of fifteen, he went on a southern expedition with the army and became famous overnight, becoming the youngest young general in the capital city. But these people didn't know that he had almost died in the miasmic land in the southern border that day.
Later, some people began to curry favor with him. Countless treasures and beautiful women were sent to the Prince's mansion.
He Shulan knew clearly that he didn't like women full of the smell of powder, but she still sent them to Yuncheng Residence again and again.
Last year, the Wang family had made great contributions and took up their new positions, becoming the favored and powerful officials. The Emperor rewarded the Wang family, and the Wang family asked the Emperor to bestow a marriage.
The Wang family approached He Shulan, and she had agreed to the marriage.
And Lin Wanyu...
Lin Wanyu...
Lu Huaijin thought of all these things and felt it was ridiculous.
Previously, he always thought that Mother did all these things because of Father. So he indulged her as much as he could. But now...
"Over the years, when has Mother ever asked for my opinion? Does Mother know that I used to like reading? Does Mother know that I've hated swords and guns, killing, and being like Father with both hands stained with blood since I was a child?"
"Mother keeps saying that it's for my own good, but has she ever considered me?"
When Lu Huaijin returned to Yuncheng Residence, the moon was slanting to the west. The curfew bell of the second watch had just rung not long ago.
Lin Wanyu was wrapped in a gossamer - like veil, kneeling on the couch in the bedroom, lying there half - asleep.
When the door of the hall was pushed open, she was suddenly awakened. Her body trembled, and her heart jumped into her throat.
The wind stirred the cyan gauze curtain, and the light and shadow outside danced with the swaying of the curtain.
After waiting for a while, there was finally some movement in front of her.
Granny Qin walked to the bedside with a clean long handkerchief and said in a low voice, "Miss Lin, His Highness the Crown Prince is taking a bath in the hot - spring hall. Go and serve him."
Lin Wanyu's heart skipped a beat. She replied and lifted the curtain to get out of bed. She took the handkerchief and walked towards the hot - spring hall.
Lu Huaijin was sitting in the small hot - spring pool with his eyes closed. His bare back was covered with many scars, which were shocking in the bright light.
When Lin Wanyu walked up to him, Lu Huaijin suddenly opened his eyes.
The woman's straight and plump legs came into view first. As his gaze moved up, her beautiful eyes seemed to be filled with the rising mist in the hall. Her face was charming, showing all her charm. She was very alluring!