Lin Jiangnian had just stepped half a foot into the palace when he suddenly stopped.
Lin Hengzhong, is he coming back?
It was a bit unexpected, but also within expectations. Calculating the time, it was only in the next few days.
Lin Jiangnian turned around and glanced at Zhiyuan standing at the door. She was also staring at Lin Jiangnian quietly.
"tomorrow?"
Zhiyuan's eyes were calm: "Yeah."
"Okay, got it!"
Lin Jiangnian waved his hand, said nothing more, and walked into the mansion.
Behind him, Liu Su lowered her head slightly and followed Lin Jiangnian into the palace without saying a word.
Zhiyuan stood there, staring at the two figures without saying a word.
After an unknown amount of time, Lin Qingqing emerged from the darkness and said with her head lowered, "Today, Your Highness and Miss Xu Lan went to Yingfeng Garden and ran into Li Qianlin and his group..."
In Linjiang City, no movement escapes the eyes of the Linwang Mansion. Naturally, what happened to Lin Jiangnian in Yingfeng Garden today cannot be concealed.
Zhiyuan's eyes changed slightly. He glanced at her with a hint of surprise: "Your Highness easily defeated Li Qianlin today?"
Lin Qingqing nodded: "That's right, Your Highness has now reached the ninth level of martial arts, and his martial arts foundation is solid..."
"Although Li Qianlin is also a ninth-rank warrior, he was no match for Your Highness... Your Highness's martial arts talent far exceeded your expectations, Sister Zhiyuan. It seems..."
Lin Qingqing was about to say something, but held back.
Although both are of the ninth rank, there are still differences between them.
Although Li Qianlin is ranked ninth, his martial arts skills are not weak among those of the same level, but Lin Qingqing has seen that His Highness has been studying hard these days.
His Highness has a solid foundation in martial arts, and he takes each step steadily. He also has the Xuanyang Heart Method, and with her guidance over the past few days, with His Highness's martial arts skills, he has almost no rivals in the same realm of the Ninth Grade.
This is the power of having a solid foundation in martial arts and possessing advanced martial arts skills.
This is also one of the reasons why it is difficult to produce masters in the world, and most geniuses come from famous holy places.
Zhiyuan raised her eyes, her expression still cold, and her gaze gradually shifted from the mansion to the night outside the door, which was as dark as ink.
"I see."
She nodded indifferently, paused for a moment, and then said, "A letter came from outside the city saying that the prince will arrive in Linjiang City tomorrow... Qingqing?"
Lin Qingqing immediately lowered her head: "I am here."
"You will lead the palace guards out of the city early tomorrow morning to bring the prince back to the palace!"
"yes!"
“…”
The palace under the cover of night suddenly became lively today after being quiet for several days.
People in the mansion were coming in and out, each busy with their own things.
The prince will be back tomorrow!
Everyone in the palace was nervous and excited. It had been nearly half a year since the prince left. During this time, the palace had continued to operate as usual, and there had been no major disturbances.
But always, it seems like there is a lack of backbone!
Now that the prince is about to return, the people in the mansion are also excited.
In the courtyard, inside the room.
A brass oil lamp was lit on the table, and two figures were sitting quietly in front of the table.
It was Lin Jiangnian and Liu Su.
Lin Jiangnian didn't practice tonight, and the two of them sat at the same table again, a rare occasion. But unlike the other people in the palace who were excited and happy, they were a little nervous and solemn.
"Lin Heng is back!"
Liu Su glanced at Lin Jiangnian.
"I know."
Lin Jiangnian nodded.
The day has finally arrived.
It has been almost two months since he entered the palace and pretended to be the Prince of Lin.
So much has happened in these two months!
Lin Jiangnian was cautious and treading carefully in the palace, trying to hide from others and gradually gaining his footing.
Now, almost no one in the entire palace doubted Lin Jiangnian's identity. Even Zhiyuan didn't seem to doubt Lin Jiangnian's identity.
Except...Lin Hengzhong!
Prince Lin of the Daning Dynasty, the biological father of Prince Lin’s son!
This is the last hurdle Lin Jiangnian needs to face, and it is also the hurdle that determines his fate.
"Are you ready?"
Liu Su looked at Lin Jiangnian with her beautiful eyes, with a hint of worry in her eyes.
During the two months in the palace, the Xuanyang Diagram's whereabouts remained unknown. The only person who knew of its existence was Lin Hengzhong.
In order to obtain the Xuanyang Map, Lin Jiangnian had to face Lin Hengzhong and find out its whereabouts from him.
But will Lin Jiangnian, the fake Prince Lin, be exposed?
Will he not show fear when facing King Lin?
Liu Su was unsure.
Although during this period, she told Lin Jiangnian almost all the details about the habits and practices of the Prince of Lin.
However, no one can guarantee what the final result will be!
After all, Lin Hengzhong is not an ordinary person... Whether he can conceal the truth remains a mystery.
Thinking of this, Liu Su became more worried.
"I guess I'm ready."
Lin Jiangnian nodded and sighed softly.
"Are you sure?"
Liu Su stared at Lin Jiangnian and asked again.
"No."
Lin Jiangnian shook his head decisively.
Liu Su said in a deep voice, "It has to be there even if there isn't one!"
"When you meet Lin Hengzhong tomorrow, be sure to remember the details I told you before... Most importantly, don't show any fear, and don't let him notice anything is wrong!"
"As long as you can pass this test, from now on you will be the true prince of Linwang!"
"But if he finds out and becomes suspicious of your identity..."
Liu Su took a deep breath and stared at Lin Jiangnian, her face showing an unprecedented seriousness: "You will die miserably...even worse than death!"
"Prince Lin is Lin Hengzhong's only son. If he knew that Prince Lin was dead and that you were an imposter... no one in the world could save you!"
"When that happens, you will suffer more than death!"
Liu Su spoke in a deep voice, each word seriously.
She wasn't kidding!
This is by no means a child's play, nor is it playing house.
The Prince of Lin is the only child of Lin Hengzhong and the late Princess Lin, and the only heir to the Prince of Lin! All the thoughts and love that the Prince of Lin had for the Princess Lin were instilled into the Prince of Lin.
Once he learns the truth about the death of Prince Lin, Lin Jiangnian's fate will definitely be worse than anyone else!
Lin Jiangnian looked at Liu Su, whose expression was more solemn than ever before. The flickering oil lamp slowly passed across her face, appearing particularly cold in the quiet night.
It adds a sense of loneliness!
She was indeed not joking, and Lin Jiangnian naturally knew this.
"Don't worry!"
Lin Jiangnian nodded: "I know what I'm doing."
Liu Su stared at Lin Jiangnian's face for a long time before slowly looking away.
After a moment's silence, he continued, "As long as you pass this test of Lin Hengzhong... from now on, you will be the true Prince of Lin!"
"Once you help me obtain the Xuanyang Map, all the past between you and me will be written off..."
Lin Jiangnian just smiled and said nothing.
"why are you laughing?"
Liu Su's beautiful eyes narrowed.
“…I just thought it was interesting!”
Lin Jiangnian shook his head slightly, glanced at her, and said in a relaxed tone: "I never thought that I would inexplicably become the Prince of Lin..."
"And you don't even want to kill me anymore... I'm a little dazed."
Liu Su was startled for a moment, then quickly realized something and stared at him: "You still don't believe it?"
"I believe it!"
Lin Jiangnian nodded.
Liu Su stared at him for a while, then said expressionlessly, "Stop pretending, you don't believe it!"
Having known this guy for so long, how could she not know what he was thinking?
Lin Jiang sighed: "Is there really still no trust between you and me?"
During the past half month, the two of them could indeed be said to be "respecting each other like guests". Since the last deal was reached, the two of them had been coexisting peacefully for a period of time.
Although they often live under the same roof, they hardly interfere with each other.
Liu Su even passed on all the Tai Gu techniques she had learned to Lin Jiangnian. Even though she only taught him the first two levels of the Tai Gu techniques, it also meant that she had shared her most important life-saving method with Lin Jiangnian.
This created a deeper bond between the two, but ultimately, they still didn't trust each other!
As for the reason, it goes without saying.
"You don't have to believe me."
Liu Su was silent for a moment, then looked up at him again: "But, at least for now, we have to get through this level first... If Lin Hengzhong can't even get through this level, then it won't matter whether you believe me or not!"
Lin Jiangnian nodded and sighed: "Indeed."
Liu Su, standing before him, looked as elegant as ever. However, ever since her identity was exposed, she had never worn the same red dress that she always wore.
As a maid in Prince Lin's mansion, wearing that red dress did seem too ostentatious and easily exposed.
The Liu Su in front of him was wearing a light-colored skirt, completely lacking the elegance and grace she once had. However, this made her look even more delicate and feminine.
Lin Jiangnian stared at her, deep in thought. Then he slowly poured a bowl of wine from a nearby jar, the aroma filling the air. He glanced at her and asked, "Would you like some?"
Liu Su's eyes fell on the wine jar beside him. He seemed to remember something, and a hint of shame and anger appeared on his cold face.
What happened last time was all due to this wine!
“No!”
She turned her head away expressionlessly.
But then she turned back and stared at him: "I've told you everything I need to say. Now it all depends on you... Whether you can survive depends on your own accomplishments!"
"I hope you won't let me down!"
She had told Lin Jiangnian everything she could teach him, and the rest depended on him alone.
Taking a deep breath, Liu Su stood up.
"I'm leaving!"
Lin Jiangnian seemed a little surprised and glanced out the window: "It's still early, why are you leaving so soon?"
"I'm tired, go back and rest!"
Liu Su spoke lightly, shifting her eyes away from the fragrant liquor on the table and leaving the room.
Lin Jiangnian picked up the bowl and took a sip, feeling the burning sensation of the liquor entering his body.
For some reason, ever since he started practicing martial arts, Lin Jiangnian has particularly liked this feeling. The burning sensation in his body seems to stimulate the flow of qi and blood in his body, and even helps a lot when practicing!
No wonder all martial artists in the world love to drink?
Lin Jiangnian stared at the clear liquor in the bowl, seeming to be lost in thought.
It was not until a long time later that he stood up and walked out.
The palace was quite quiet at night. Not far away, the lights were brightly lit, and the servants were busy. But the courtyard where Lin Jiangnian was located was still quiet, and no one came to disturb him.
Lin Jiangnian glanced around and then turned and left.
Soon, he appeared in a lighted area of the mansion, where several maids were busy coming in and out.
There were also several maids in the courtyard who were in dishevel and only wearing underwear, carrying something.
When she saw a man appear in the courtyard, she subconsciously wanted to scream out, but when she saw that the man was Lin Jiangnian, her tone instantly became stammering.
"Your Highness, Your Highness?!"
"You, why are you here?!"
Lin Jiangnian's eyes casually swept across the delicate and fair bodies of the maids, then slowly retracted them and asked a maid beside him: "Where is Liu Ye?"
The maid beside her lowered her head and whispered, "Is Liu Ye back yet?"
"Not back yet?"
Lin Jiangnian looked normal, as expected.
"Where is her room?"
Lin Jiangnian asked again, and soon a maid pointed out the location to Lin Jiangnian. Lin Jiangnian followed the direction to a room and pushed the door open and walked in.
Outside the door, the maids in the yard opened their eyes wide and whispered.
"Why is Your Highness here?"
"Wow, Your Highness, Your Highness just saw me naked, Your Highness, are you..."
"Stop being so narcissistic. Your Highness is here to look for Liu Ye..."
When Liu Ye was mentioned, the disheveled maid's face immediately fell.
They really can't compare to that Liu Ye.
That willow leaf... is so beautiful!
Since she entered the palace six months ago, she has aroused the jealousy of many maids in the palace. However, Liu Ye is very low-key, rarely interacting with anyone on weekdays, and does not participate in any intrigues among the servants.
There were some people who were jealous of Liu Ye who wanted to secretly deal with her and trip her up, but for some reason, nothing came of it. Most of those who envied her never mentioned the matter again.
Everyone was curious before, what happened?
It wasn't until recently when Liu Ye suddenly appeared beside His Royal Highness the Crown Prince that everyone suddenly realized...it turned out that the person standing behind Liu Ye was His Royal Highness?
No wonder...Liu Ye is so beautiful, she definitely can't escape the clutches of His Highness!
envy!
Jealousy makes their faces look hideous!
…
As soon as he entered the room, Lin Jiangnian smelled a familiar fragrance. It was exactly the same as the fragrance on Liu Su's body. It was indeed her room.
Lin Jiangnian looked around and found that the room was clean and tidy, with nothing unusual.
There was a small bed, but it was clean and the bedding was neatly arranged. There was a table by the window with some supplies on it, and a wardrobe, but nothing else.
Lin Jiangnian looked around and understood in his heart... Since Liu Su could appear in Prince Lin's Mansion, it was impossible for her to leave any clues.
Lin Jiangnian did not waste time. He came here just to verify his thoughts.
She just said she was tired and wanted to come back to rest.
But he wasn't in the room?
Where did you go?
Lin Jiangnian's eyes remained calm, but he already had the answer in his heart.
Liu Su’s purpose of sneaking into Prince Lin’s Mansion...is indeed not simple!
…
early morning.
It was just dawn.
A ray of morning sun slowly fell outside Linjiang City, gradually illuminating the entire city.
Two figures appeared on the official road a few miles away from Linjiang City.
Two fierce horses were walking slowly on the official road, with two figures sitting on their backs, one in front and one behind.
Sitting on the horse at the back was a young man in green, about thirty years old. His handsome face was slightly weathered, with sharp eyebrows and eyes. Occasionally, a sharp edge seemed to flash in his sharp eyes.
But soon it returned to calm!
A sharp sword was tied to the horse's back, and the air was filled with a murderous and bloody atmosphere.
He was taciturn and followed quietly behind.
Right in front of the young man in green, a middle-aged man in a gray robe sat on a tall and strong crimson horse.
The middle-aged man was wearing ordinary and plain clothes, with a slightly mature face and deep and indifferent eyes.
Just like an ordinary middle-aged man, extremely inconspicuous.
The two men rode their horses slowly on the official road, one in front and one behind. The middle-aged man raised his eyes and saw the shadow of the riverside city wall not far away.
"You're finally back!"
The voice was slightly emotional.
The man in blue behind him raised his eyes and glanced ahead. His body, which had been always alert, finally relaxed a little.
"Thank you for your hard work along the way!" said the middle-aged man.
The young man in blue immediately bowed his head and said respectfully, "This is my duty."
Along the way, they returned from Xuzhou to Linzhou, spanning several states and counties, and the two encountered countless assassinations and assassinations.
In this world, there will always be some ants who overestimate their own abilities and daydream about becoming successful overnight!
But they are all dead!
"Go back and investigate carefully who sent these people along the way and who betrayed me!" The middle-aged man narrowed his eyes and spoke lightly.
"yes."
The man in green lowered his eyes and nodded respectfully.
"Let's go into the city!"
Lin Hengzhong waved his hand, looked up at Linjiang City not far ahead, and said with emotion: "I haven't been back for half a year, I don't know how Linjiang City is doing!"
At this moment, several black shadows suddenly appeared not far ahead and rushed quickly from the official road.
"call out!"
A trace of murderous intent suddenly flashed in the eyes of the man in green, and the long sword on his horse was instantly unsheathed.
"Don't be nervous, Zhiming, we are one of us!" Lin Hengzhong said calmly.
Zheng Zhiming looked up and stared at the place not far ahead. When he saw several familiar figures in his sight, he sheathed his sword.
The guards of Prince Lin's Palace appeared in front of him! They were a dense mass, approaching rapidly.
Several armored shadowy guards jumped off their horses, and the leader knelt on one knee: "Your subordinate, Lin Qingqing, respectfully welcomes the prince back to the palace!"
Lin Hengzhong nodded calmly: "Everyone, get up."
Lin Qingqing stood up, her expression still respectful and excited.
"Where's the kite?"
Lin Hengzhong glanced at the crowd.
Lin Qingqing said respectfully, "Sister Zhiyuan is already waiting for Your Highness at the mansion. Please return home, Your Highness!"
Lin Hengzhong nodded slightly: "Let's go back home!"
Several guards immediately remounted their horses and cleared the way for the prince.
Along the way, countless people had been waiting for a long time.
Many people had already heard the news of King Lin's return. Even at dawn, many people had gathered outside the city gate.
Some came to join in the fun, some wanted to catch a glimpse of the prince, and some tried to take the opportunity to complain and file a complaint.
When they saw Prince Lin appear, the people inside and outside the city gate knelt on the ground.
Some people even tried to squeeze into the crowd, but were then stopped by the defenders outside the city.
With the guards clearing the way, Lin Hengzhong returned to the Prince Lin's Mansion unimpeded.
He dismounted, looked up at the familiar plaque of the palace gate in front of him, and saw the guards and servants kneeling outside the gate. Lin Hengzhong's eyes moved slightly.
You're back!
…