Chapter 488: Premeditated Treachery

Lin Mengya’s action was beyond the understanding of all who were present.

Every frown and every smile on Lin Mengya’s face appeared somewhat evil in their eyes.

They had seen with their own eyes how the man had gone mad and how he eventually turned into an invalid.

Now it was their turn and they were instinctively struck with fear.

Death was not the most frightening thing, but if they were to end up in that manner, they would rather bruise his head and die.

The remaining people were escorted to the storeroom for logs to be held there.

Lin Mengya was not worried that they would collude with each other. Where there were people who lied, there would be someone who wanted to speak the truth.

Under the heavy threat, someone would snap under the pressure and want to drag out an ignoble existence.

Once there was a division, a dog-eat-dog situation would surely happen.

By then, she would be likened to a third party who would benefit from the division between them.

Seeing that those men had been escorted and detained in the storeroom for logs, Lin Mengya was in no hurry to interrogate them.

Instead, she returned to the study to meet up with Long Tianyu and Zuo Qiuyu, who had just rushed back.

The moment they received the news that something serious had happened back home, they had rushed back as fast as they could.

Coincidentally they saw Lin Mengya returning to the study in one piece. The two men went up to her and looked her up and down.

It was only after they made sure that she was unscathed that their mind was put at ease.

“We’ve only been out for a while and such a serious thing happened? How did those guards carry out their duties that they were unaware even when spies infiltrated the mansion?”

Zuo Qiuyu almost blew his top at the thought that these guards they brought with them had been handpicked with much care.

Even the resident guards and stewards of the Crown Prince’s Mansion were of good reputation and background.

Little did they expect that even so, a number of spies had managed to infiltrate the mansion.

“I’m afraid this may not be as simple as it seems. After some interrogation just now, someone said they had been sent by Li Yuan. I believe you know very well who Li Yuan is.”

Lin Mengya looked towards Zuo Qiuyu with keen, sparkling eyes.

Zuo Qiuyu forced a smile and his eye turned cold.

“In my opinion, even if it wasn’t him who sent the spies, Liu Xuan had mentioned that Lin Yuan was the person who personally makes arrangements for everything in the old capital. If not for his tacit consent, how would those men be able to enter? Cousin Yu, I’m not trying to sow discord. You know Cousin Chen very well. If Li Yuan has not started harboring a thought of revolt, Cousin Chen won’t conceive thoughts of replacing Li Yuan so easily. It’s a taboo to replace an important role just before a battle.”

Lin Mengya’s words had hit the bull’s eye.

Li Yuan was precisely the secret agent Zuo Qiuyu had painstakingly planted in the Pavilion of Herbs from the beginning.

In fact, Li Yuan was the one who personally prepared the Crown Prince’s Mansion to be their residence this time.

“I’ll make sure to get to the bottom of this.”

Zuo Qiuyu’s expression turned solemn. Apparently, the old capital was filled with crises everywhere by this moment.

The post of the First Elder had stirred up the tragedies of internecine and brotherly strife.

Lin Mengya had unintentionally become a target of strife among these people.

Everyone knew that she was the most likely person to be in possession of the music score for the green stringed instrument.

The medical skills competition might seem like a fair competition, but who would reject her if she possessed more chips?

“I would suggest that you bide your time. In a few days, you will challenge Li Yuan. It would create a lot of trouble if you were to fall out with him now.”

To hold back and not act would be the best solution.

Zuo Qiuchen glanced at Lin Mengya with a mixture of feelings and then gave her an exaggerated nod.

Thereafter, he dashed out of the study and vanished into the night.

“That’s acting impetuously,” blurted Long Tianyu, who had remained silent all this time.

In Lin Mengya’s perspective, however, Long Tianyu had hit the bull’s eye.

“You’re right. Cousin Chen might not even bat an eyelid when these people were being sacrificed. To Cousin Yu, he was unable to accept that someone who was like a brother had turned against him and become his enemy.”

To a certain extent, she and Long Tianyu were in the category as Zuo Qiuchen who was faraway in Wangtian City.

Sadly, while Cousin Yu was intelligent and valued personal loyalty, being overly concerned about the past relationship would ruin matters for someone who was to accomplish great things.

“Forget it, let’s stop talking about him already. Why are you downcast? Did something happen back home?”

When Lin Mengya turned around, she saw that Long Tianyu’s face was ashen.

It had been quite some that Long Tianyu had not appeared so indifferent and cold before Lin Mengya.

No matter how important the matters regarding the Pavilion of Herb were, they were after all the other people’s family affairs to Long Tianyu. There was no way he would be so upset over them.

“So you saw through me. This is the letter my emperor father wrote and brought to me by his men. You will understand once you read it.”

Long Tianyu pulled out the letter from within his sleeve and handed it over to Lin Mengya.

While Long Tianyu sauntered towards the window and lifted his gaze to the bright moon, the expression on his face told of his pain and burdened heart.

Lin Mengya quickly opened the letter and the more she read it, the more her expression darkened.

“What? Pestilence has broken out in three states and sixteen prefectures. Has the court managed to develop a vaccine yet? Has there been proper arrangements made for the victims of this calamity?”

In the olden days, pestilence was no different from a great calamity.

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Corpses would be left lying openly in the wild everywhere. Such imagery brought chills to people.

Long Tianyu looked deeply into Lin Mengya’s eyes and shook his head with a look of dejection in his eyes.

“No, and not only this, Father had just recovered and there are already many accumulated matters in the courts are waiting for him to handle. However, most people who are infected by the pandemic are concentrated at less densely populated prefectures, so it has not attracted much concern for now.”

There was a hint of anger in Long Tianyu’s voice when he spoke.

Even if most areas where there were breakouts were not very densely populated, how could the court not care and leave the people to perish?

Still having the letter in her hands, Lin Mengya sank into deep thoughts.

If the emperor truly did not care, why would he send the letter? He had described the pandemic situation in detail, but he did not mention a word about his expectation for Long Tianyu to act.

It was unlikely that he had written a letter to convey casual messages by talking about the pandemic. Things were not as simple as it seemed.

Moreover, it was not usual for Long Tianyu to be so dejected and grieved.

As she went a little deeper into her thoughts, she eventually understood.

“Is the emperor trying to take back the authority he had bestowed on you?”

As Lin Mengya probed, her suspicion was confirmed when she saw the pained look in Long Tianyu’s eyes.

“You are not one to covet after power. Am I right that there is a hidden reason you don’t wish to go back now?”

Long Tianyu was a little shaken. He had believed that no one int he world would understand him so thoroughly.

Little did he expect Lin Mengya to see through the struggle and pain in his heart even though he had kept it to himself.

“All the hard work over the years would go down the drain in a day. While I could reconcile with this face, all the more, I don’t wish to put the entire Dajin under risk.”

The pain in his eyes turned into determination. Long Tianyu knew very well that his father did this because he had no alternatives.

Otherwise, he would not have someone send the letter.

He had the right of choice in everything.

His emperor father would not blame him even if he were to be just a little selfish, however, the people of Jin State would suffer because of it.

The pain in his eye was gradually subsiding. In a matter of minutes, his black eyes were back to being bright and clear.

“I’m going to make the necessary arrangements, so take care to protect yourself at home. Hopefully, you’ll not get into any dangers again,” Long Tianyu instructed earnestly.

Before he left, a pair of slender arms hugged him gently from behind.

“When there’s gain, there’ll be a loss too. A momentary sacrifice could win people’s hearts. It’s all worthwhile.”

A soft gentle voice sounded, but every word she said reflected Long Tianyu’s exact thoughts.

At that moment, Lin Mengya’s arms not only trapped his footsteps, but they also seized his heart.

“You understand?”

“Yes, I do.”

All of a sudden, Long Tianyu’s heart was welling up with emotions.

He turned around and embraced the slender figure back.

Thank goodness that she understood everything.

“Go, I will wait here for your return.”

After a moment of warm intimacy, Lin Mengya pushed Long Tian away gently, smiling gently.

Nodding, Long Tianyu walked into darkness step by step, with his heart deeply moved by Lin Mengya.

He knew there would always be a warm and gentle candlelight waiting for him to return to.

Lin Mengya’s eyes were filled with tenderness as she leaned forward at the door. She was willing to help Long Tianyu clear away all the obstacles in the world.

“Let’s go, Yu An. Let’s go see those people.”

The warm feeling in her went away. In an instant, she had turned back to the sinister chilling beauty.

She summoned Yu An, who was guarding by the door. Carrying a lantern, they went to the storeroom for the logs in the backyard.

By this time, Zuo Qiuyu, who had learned his lesson through his experiences, had secretly replaced those guards put there by Li Yuan with his trusted men.

Liu Xuan had also arrived at the door of the storeroom for logs. Zuo Qiuyu ought to have given him instructions so much so that he did not look surprised when Lin Mengya tripped along down there.

His handsome face was written with vigilance and severity.

He was like a leopard in the midst of hunting in that nothing could escape his senses.

“You’ve worked hard, Lord Liu. How did the spies perform?”

Lin Mengya cocked her head with a cheeky look on her face.

Liu Xuan looked down after giving her a glance. For some unknown reason, Princess Anle gave him a sinister and creepy feeling when he looked at her.

“In response to your question, Your Highness, they just got into a quarrel. It was only a dog-bite-dog situation. Some of them wanted to survive while the others wanted to give up their old ways and turn to a better one. Just that it’s difficult to discern.”

Lin Mengya cast a glance at the door of the storeroom for the logs and without looking surprised, she said, “Oh? If that is the case, how much of what they said could be trusted?”

Liu Xuan pondered calmly for a while and said, “Not even 30 percent.”

Lin Mengya smiled and said, “What do you say that we go in and listen to their false claims?”

Liu Xuan bowed to her, opened the door to the storeroom to let her enter.

The noisy storeroom became quiet.

Seven pairs of eyes were immediately turned to the elegant figure who had stepped into the room with grace.

“Everyone, I trust that you’ve been well since we parted.”…