Finest Servant

Chapter 473 Evidence

"She wants to leave?" Lin Wanrong was stunned. "Where is she going?"

The Second Miss looked down, her expression somber. "Mother wishes to return to Jinling. My elder sister is still trying to persuade her, but no matter what we say, she seems resolute."

"Why return to Jinling?" Struggling to sit up, Lin Wanrong let out a groan. Pain shot up his leg. Xian'er and Qingxuan hurriedly pushed him back down. Qingxuan softly said, "You're seriously injured; why don't you stay still? Just lie down and listen to what Yushuang has to say. There must be a reason why the Madam is so eager to leave."

"Exactly," Lin Wanrong grimaced through the pain. "Both the Eldest Miss and Second Miss are here in the capital, and the Madam has been happy living here. What could she possibly have to do in Jinling? She won't even have anyone to talk to, she'll be so lonely."

Yushuang nodded, her brows furrowed in worry. "My sister and I tried to make the same argument, but Mother insists that the roots of the Xiao family lie in Jinling. No matter how good the capital may be, it's not where she belongs long-term. She said she has been away for quite some time and it's about time to go back. Last night, she even wrote a letter to Cousin Guo, instructing him to come to the capital as soon as possible to discuss the rebuilding of our shops."

Roots in Jinling? Lin Wanrong glanced at the young women around him—Qiaoqiao, Xian'er, Qingxuan, and the Second Miss. Hadn't they all met in Jinling? The Madam had built her life there, living for many years; it was natural for her to have such thoughts. But why choose to leave at such a chaotic time? The Xiao family in the capital was in dire straits; this was when they needed her most.

Madam Xiao wasn't someone who acted without reason. If she decided to return to Jinling at a time like this, she must have her reasons. Lin Wanrong took solace in this thought after pondering it for a while.

Setting aside the chicken soup, the Second Miss took his hand and began to softly weep. "Mother said that your severe injuries are her fault, as she acted impulsively. She's been feeling guilty and says she can't face you, so she insists on returning to Jinling. Bad guy, I can tell she's going through a lot, although she won’t talk about it with my sister and me. You are the person she values the most; please try to persuade her to stay in the capital with us. Will you?"

‘Me, persuade her?’ Lin Wanrong gave a bitter smile. He knew Madam Xiao's character well—stubborn and strong-willed, even more so than Xiao Yuruo. Once she made up her mind, it was unlikely that anyone could change it.

"Husband, please give it a try," Qin Xian'er implored. She had grown fond of Madam Xiao during the few days they spent together.

Sighing, Lin Wanrong said reluctantly, "I can try, but I doubt it will make much difference. When the Madam gets stubborn, even I have to tread carefully around her."

‘You mean you usually don't?’ The sisters in the room all smiled at his words, lightening the heavy atmosphere considerably.

"Qiaoqiao, help me up. I should go see the Madam. If I wait any longer, she might be packed and ready to go, leaving no room for any discussion," Lin Wanrong concluded after some thought.

The women in the room were startled. Qingxuan scolded softly, "How can you move in your condition? Madam Xiao isn't heartless. If she decides to return to Jinling, she will certainly come to bid you farewell."

"Indeed," seeing his anxiousness, Yushuang felt a pang of pity and quickly said, "Mother is currently busy in the kitchen. It's not a good time to talk. She'll come to see you once she's free."

Being injured was indeed inconvenient; there was nothing one could accomplish. Before Lin Wanrong could speak, a long wail came from the courtyard, "Little brother Lin, little brother Lin, just days ago we were still toasting and talking joyfully. How could you just leave like this—" The voice choked on sobs, its mournful cry unbearable to hear, "—it's rare to find a true friend in life; you're abandoning me, this isn't the act of a gentleman! How could you be so heartless? Little brother Lin, come back, even if it kills me—"

A thud followed, the sound of something heavy hitting the ground. Immediately after, Si De's voice echoed in grief, "Lord Xu, what's wrong, what's wrong? Please restrain your grief! Someone come, Lord Xu has fainted. Brother San, how could you just leave like this—"

Lin Wanrong felt his whole body bristle with goosebumps. ‘Please, guys, if you're going to act, at least be professional about it. Don't just wail. Start by sounding the gongs and drums and putting on mourning clothes; otherwise, how will everyone in the capital know that I've died?’

The young ladies exchanged glances. Even though they knew it was an act, the sounds were still unpleasant to hear. The Second Miss pouted and snorted, "What nonsense is Si De spouting? He just died. Don't good people always die young while the wicked live on? Doesn't he know this?" ṘаNÒΒĘ𝐒

Everyone knew Xiao Yushuang was genuinely adorable. Unable to contain their laughter, the young ladies burst into giggles, clearly delighted.

‘Children say the darnedest things,’ Lin Wanrong chuckled and lightly touched Yushuang's rosy cheek, as if to regain his composure.

This room was full of women. Seeing that Xu Wei was about to arrive, it was time for them to leave. Xiao Qingxuan held Qin Xian'er's hand gently and smiled, "Sister, you can stay here and look after My Dear. He enjoys talking to you."

Qin Xian'er wanted to argue but found herself speechless, so she lowered her blushing face.

"Little brother Lin, little brother Lin," Xu Wei staggered in, his clothing covered in dust, his face streaked with tears, sobbing uncontrollably, "What happened to you?! I, this damned person, am still alive while you, in the prime of your life, have left us? Where should I look for such a good and loyal friend like you? Ah, I don't want to live anymore—"

Annoyed, Qin Xian'er muttered from behind the curtain, "Husband, what kind of person is this Xu Wei, so false and insincere, utterly unworthy of his reputation!"

"That's just the kind of person he is," Lin Wanrong chuckled, "Back in Jinling, he tricked me into attacking your White Lotus sect, even claiming he would make me an adviser general. In reality, I was just in charge of transporting provisions. I've long seen through his act. Ah, Mr. Xu—"

Qin Xian'er slowly pulled back the curtain. Xu Wei saw Lin Wanrong lying on the bed, wrapped up like a rice dumpling, and took three steps back in astonishment. After a moment of stammering, tears streaming down his old face, he exclaimed in joy and surprise, "Little brother Lin, you're... you're not dead?!"

Lin Wanrong chuckled, "Look at what you're saying. If I were dead, could I summon you? I wouldn't do something so unfilial."

Xu Wei seemed unable to believe what he saw. He walked closer and rubbed his eyes forcefully. Then he patted Lin Wanrong a few times. "Ah," Xu Wei exclaimed, pulling Lin Wanrong's hand. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he trembled with emotion. "Little brother Lin, you're really not dead? Thank God, this is such great news for our Great Hua Empire!"

‘This old man has quite a grip. Doesn't he know I'm seriously injured?’ Lin Wanrong thought, grimacing. Just as he was about to speak, Si De whispered in his ear, "Brother San, when Miss Luo sent me to find Mr. Xu, she said the act must be convincing. How to be convincing? I thought about it and decided to tell him you had passed away without mentioning you were still alive. He believed it and has been crying all the way here. Look, he didn't even have time to put on his shoes properly. Isn't the act convincing?"

"You clever boy," Lin Wanrong said, chuckling. He glanced down and saw Xu Wei was indeed in a sorry state: one foot was in a cloth shoe while the other was merely socked.

‘It was a misunderstanding. I didn't expect Old Xu to be genuinely concerned about me.’ Lin Wanrong felt guilty and quickly raised his fists in a respectful gesture. "Mr. Xu, I apologize for the inconvenience caused. Xian'er, quickly bring a stool for Mr. Xu."

"Oh no, I couldn't accept such treatment," Xu Wei hurriedly bowed deeply. "I pay my respects to Princess Nishang."

"Mr. Xu, please, no need for formalities. We're in my private residence; there's no need for such ceremonial gestures," Qin Xian'er said, waving her hand and smiling graciously.

Si De brought over a chair, inviting Xu Wei to sit beside Lin Wanrong's bed. Xu Wei sighed deeply and wiped away his tears. "Little brother, you scared me to death when you sent the news of your supposed death. If something were to happen to you, especially at this difficult time for our Great Hua, it would be an irreparable loss."

‘Do I really matter that much?’ Lin Wanrong wanted to joke, but when he saw the old man's snow-white hair and the tears still on his face, he sensed the genuineness in Xu Wei's emotions and decided to hold back.

"Little brother, is this act of yours meant to draw out the snake?" Xu Wei, experienced and cunning, quickly realized Lin Wanrong's intentions upon seeing him alive.

"I don't care if the snake comes out or not; either way, I intend to strike it," Lin Wanrong said, grinding his teeth. He never liked being on the losing end. Not only had he nearly lost his life this time, but he had also almost dragged the Xiao family's mother and daughters into it. His fury was far from quelled.

Xu Wei chuckled. "You really scared me this time. I've already sent for General Li Tai. I don't need to tell you how highly he thinks of you. He's probably just as scared as I was. When he sees you're fine, his stubborn nature will kick in, and he'll surely accuse me of falsely reporting military intelligence."

Seeing Xu Wei in good spirits, Lin Wanrong nodded gravely. "Mr. Xu, how are things at Grand Prime Minister Temple? Has there been any movement?"

Hearing talk of serious matters, Xu Wei's expression instantly turned solemn. "Little brother Lin, on the night I heard you were in trouble, I knew something was off. I immediately had the Grand Prime Minister Temple surrounded. The troops outside the city also withdrew ten li according to your instructions. Just as expected, that very night, several hundred suicidal warriors suddenly appeared in the southeast corner outside the city—"

"Did Prince Cheng escape?!" Lin Wanrong's face paled in shock, regret filling his heart instantly.

"If he had dared to truly flee, that would have actually been convenient. I've been vexed about not having a proper reason to act," Xu Wei said, a chilling murderous intent flashing in his eyes as he scoffed.

"It wasn't Prince Cheng?" Lin Wanrong furrowed his brows in query.

"It was the Dongyin!" Xu Wei snorted. "These hundreds of suicidal warriors were highly skilled in martial arts and extremely ruthless. We lost three hundred soldiers before we managed to kill them all. Yet, we didn't find anything useful among them."

"Dongyin?" Lin Wanrong was deeply puzzled. "They appeared out of nowhere and gained nothing. Did they really come just to sacrifice a hundred warriors?"

"That may not necessarily be the case," Xu Wei stood up and paced a few steps. "They might have been trying to test our defenses or perhaps to assist someone."

What exactly were these Dongyin trying to do by suddenly appearing? To plant suicidal warriors in the heartland of Great Hua was a crime deserving of death! Lin Wanrong clenched his teeth and hummed, "Mr. Xu, where is Prince Cheng? What is he doing?"

"He's been quite calm," Xu Wei dryly chuckled, "spending these last two days fasting and praying in the Grand Prime Minister Temple. On the day you got into trouble, he even invited the Emperor to listen to the master's teachings in the abbot's room."

"The Emperor went as well?" Lin Wanrong was more and more perplexed. What was Prince Cheng up to if he didn't use this chaos as an opportunity to escape? Had he suddenly come to his senses? Fat chance! Were the explosives at the Xiao family dropped from heaven?

Xu Wei nodded, "He claimed it was to pay homage to the late Emperor and to propagate Buddhist teachings. How could the Emperor, as a son, not attend? When I learned the root of the trouble at the Xiao family was at the Grand Prime Minister Temple, I had it surrounded that very night. However, with the Emperor inside, a royal decree came down, and I couldn't act rashly."

This Prince Cheng really had some guts. Plotting in the dark while making merry with the Emperor, this man needed to be eliminated, or he would become a major problem. Lin Wanrong sneered, "Mr. Xu, in your opinion, what is Prince Cheng trying to do? He has no troops and is heavily surrounded by us. How can he be so at ease?"

"At ease?" Xu Wei laughed, "I think he really wants to escape. If my guess is right, those hundreds of suicidal warriors were sent to probe our actual situation. If we had been disorganized that day, he might have already fled to the nomad camp."

Lin Wanrong pondered for a while before asking, "Mr. Xu, are you saying that he is trying to feign an attack in one direction and escape in another? Not to join the Dongyin but the nomads?"

"Only this could explain why those hundred suicidal warriors threw themselves into the net; he wanted to divert our attention," Xu Wei nodded in agreement.

‘Is that really the case? Prince Cheng's diversionary tactics are as shallow as my faked death scheme!’ Lin Wanrong, always priding himself on his cunning, couldn't completely fathom Prince Cheng's intentions. But there was one thing he could do. A sinister grin spread across his face, his eyes filled with murderous intent. "No matter where he runs, if we strike first, he'll have no chance. Mr. Xu, why don't we just—"

He menacingly gestured with his hand, but in doing so, he aggravated his leg wound. He grimaced in pain, breaking into a cold sweat. Qin Xian'er hurriedly massaged his temples, slightly alleviating his discomfort. But thinking of the main culprit only increased his murderous resolve.

"That's not advisable," Xu Wei urgently shook his head. "While Prince Cheng is undoubtedly wicked, he has not revealed this to the public. He's the only one apart from the Emperor with royal blood. Skilled in deception and rallying public sentiment, he has a fair amount of prestige both in court and among the commoners. With the impending war in the north, our Empire is in a critical state. Acting rashly without evidence could, at best, ignite resentment from both officials and the populace, destabilizing the military; at worst, it could lead to the disintegration of the Empire. We must not act hastily."

‘What resentment from officials or the populace? What about destabilizing the military?’ Lin Wanrong sneered. ‘Though Xu Wei has led troops, he's still too much of a scholar, considering things too minutely. Whoever strikes first seizes the initiative. Even if we bear temporary infamy, who will remember it after ten or twenty years of stability and prosperity? I understand this very well. Plus, Prince Cheng and I are like oil and water; waiting for him to attack isn't my style.’

"Mr. Xu, what does the Emperor have to say?" Seeing Xu Wei waver, Lin Wanrong decided not to argue and gently asked. He had full confidence in the old Emperor, who wasn't a person of mere kindness. If he could be both stern and lenient with his own son-in-law, what about Prince Cheng, who harbored ulterior motives? The Emperor had been biding his time for twenty years, waiting for this day. To think the Emperor would merely stand by— he would never believe it.

Xu Wei nodded, "After your incident, the Emperor has been in his study. Late at night, he sent a six-word decree: 'Present the evidence, set things right.'"

"Present the evidence, set things right?" Lin Wanrong laughed. "Excellent! The old Emperor thinks just like I do."

Xu Wei seemed puzzled. "The decree is easy to understand, but finding the evidence is extremely difficult. Prince Cheng is as cunning as a fox; he won't easily expose his weaknesses. If I had such evidence, I would have acted long ago, rather than waiting until now."

‘How could you become so obtuse, failing to understand the subtext in the Emperor’s words after all these years in court?’ Lin Wanrong chuckled slyly. "Mr. Xu, how do I even describe you? You're just too upright. If that old fox doesn't expose himself, can't you fabricate evidence against him?"

"I know I'm too upright, not really suited for manipulating politics," Xu Wei shook his head with a sigh, looking very dignified.

Lin Wanrong chuckled, beckoning him to lean closer. After whispering a few words, Xu Wei was shocked and immediately shook his head, "How can I do that? After reading the teachings of the saints and sages for so many years, how could I commit such a deed? If people found out, my reputation would be tarnished forever."

"Don't worry about it. How could someone as upright as Mr. Xu ever come up with such a bad idea?" Lin Wanrong casually waved his hand and chuckled, "Just put it on my account; everyone knows I'm unscrupulous anyway."

Xu Wei shook his head and sighed, suppressing a smile. He cupped his fist in his hand and said, "You're quite the strategist, little brother. I've truly broadened my horizons under your leadership. Please pardon me, for this was not my idea."

Seeing the cunning look on the old man's face, Lin Wanrong suddenly exclaimed inwardly, ‘Ah, damn it, I've been had! He gets the credit for the good idea, and I get blamed for the bad one! This old man isn't foolish at all; he's clearly playing the fool to catch the wise!’

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