The scholar, seeing Lin Yanxi signal her guards to halt, seemed to grasp a sliver of hope. His expectant gaze fell upon her, waiting for her words to turn his fate around.
Lin Ruoyan tugged at her elder sister's sleeve. "Sister, he must be punished."
Her face was ashen, her eyes dark, tear tracks still visible on her cheeks. She trembled behind Lin Yanxi.
Lin Yanxi's heart ached seeing her sister in such a frightened state.
The scholar, sensing Lin Yanxi's wavering, quickly prostrated himself in supplication. "You are all prominent figures in the capital. I wouldn't dare disrespect you, let alone within the palace walls."
"The Censorate Minister has promised his illegitimate daughter to me. Though she is of lesser status, it is still a marriage beyond my station. I would never dare to covet another woman. My words are true, and I fear no death. I only seek my innocence!"
He knelt on the ground, his body trembling, his words sincere. But on the other side was her sister. If this was not handled properly, it might wound Yan'er's heart.
She put on a stern face and declared icily, "Very well. Since you desire innocence so much, you shall go to the Dark Night Division."
"Once you are in the Dark Night Division, you can thoroughly explain your innocence."
Upon hearing this, the scholar collapsed onto the ground, his expression vacant.
The Dark Night Division was personally cultivated by the Ninth Prince. It was rumored that they had spies throughout the entire Moon幽(Yōu) capital, gathering intelligence. Furthermore, they were responsible for adjudicating difficult and special cases for the court.
However, without exception, anyone who entered the Dark Night Division never walked out alive.
This was tantamount to a death sentence.
The scholar scoffed at himself. "I am truly foolish. How could you people clear my name? If I were sent to the Court of the Imperial Clan, and my innocence was proven, I might have a sliver of a chance to survive. But the Dark Night Division... no one walks out of there alive. That is sending me to my death."
Lin Yanxi shook her head helplessly. The reason she wanted to hand this man over to the Dark Night Division was because she knew the Court of the Imperial Clan answered to the Crown Prince. If there were any hidden circumstances involving the Crown Prince, him going to the Court of the Imperial Clan would indeed be sending him to his death.
Shen Qingyun spoke up. "This matter can be handled by the Court of the Imperial Clan. Why would a mere scholar need to involve the Dark Night Division? I will not let anyone who dares to harm the Grand Tutor go unpunished."
Lin Yanxi raised an eyebrow at his words and couldn't help but let out a scoff. It was utterly laughable. In her past life, the Grand Tutor's manor was annihilated under his watch, and now he feigned such righteousness.
She met his gaze, wanting to see through the hypocrisy of his outwardly benevolent facade to his ugliness beneath. She wanted to understand the purpose of his move.
Shen Qingyun felt a prickle of unease under her steady, doe-like gaze.
Just as he was about to lose his composure, she spoke mockingly, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is truly concerned about matters within the Grand Tutor's manor."
"However, our Grand Tutor's manor's affairs do not require your concern."
Shen Qingyun's jaw tightened, his face turning ashen. He suppressed the rage within him, maintaining a façade of gentle courtesy.
Lin Ruoyan, seeing her sister challenge him while he merely lowered his gaze and chuckled softly, not offering any defense for himself, softened her heart. "Sister, Crown Prince Brother is only trying to help us."
"He helped me just now; otherwise, I would have truly been bullied by this shameless man."
"Please don't make things difficult for him anymore."
Lin Yanxi looked at Ruoyan with complex emotions. Crown Prince Brother? Since when were they so intimate?
She wanted to say something, but ultimately, she couldn't bear it. She smoothed the stray hairs from Ruoyan's forehead and nodded, signifying her agreement.
After all, she was merely the second daughter of the Grand Tutor's manor. She couldn't afford to openly antagonize the Crown Prince, as it would be detrimental to the manor. There was no need to seek satisfaction in a moment's impulse. What she wanted was for Shen Qingyun to be deposed from the throne and for the people of the world to see his deceitful face.
"This matter will be handed over to the Dark Night Division. I will personally implore the Ninth Prince to investigate this thoroughly. For now, the person will be temporarily entrusted to the Crown Prince. Will there be any accidents when the Dark Night Division comes to retrieve him later?"
Lin Yanxi's words held a hidden meaning. She worried that if this was all orchestrated by the Crown Prince, he would simply silence the witness.
The Crown Prince showed no reaction, pretending not to understand the implication. He turned to his guards. "Since Second Sister trusts the Dark Night Division more, I will also speak to my Ninth Brother later and request that he have the Dark Night Division handle this case."
He then turned to his guards. "Escort this person away now. Keep a close watch on him and ensure no mistakes are made."
With the matter settled, the time for the palace banquet was approaching. Lin Yanxi linked arms with Ruoyan and headed towards the Weiyang Palace, with the Crown Prince following silently behind them.
She voiced her concern, "Yan'er, why don't I take you back to the manor first?"
After the events of just now, Lin Ruoyan truly had no interest in attending the palace banquet. She said unhappily, "But if we had feigned illness and not come today, it would have been fine. Now that we are here and do not attend the banquet, I fear Her Majesty the Empress will be displeased."
She had other worries as well. She continued, "Actually... I'm also worried that if you don't attend, others will speculate wildly. I'm afraid they'll know I..."
Lin Yanxi embraced her and comforted her. "Don't worry. Today's events will not spread. If anyone dares to speak ill of you, your sister will kill them. The dead never talk."
Her voice was cold and laced with ferocity as she spoke, her gaze unwavering. Her family was her bottom line; anyone who dared to harm them would die.
It was the first time Lin Ruoyan had seen her sister like this. She flinched in her embrace, unsure how to respond.
Shen Qingyun's voice was gentle. He chuckled, "Alright, don't frighten your Yan'er. How about this: you attend the palace banquet, and I'll have my guards escort your sister back."
"Yan'er doesn't always appear in the palace. With so many people at the banquet, no one will notice her absence."
Lin Yanxi shot him a sideways glance. "Crown Prince, please be mindful. My sister's personal name is not for an unrelated man to use, even if you are the Crown Prince."
"Indeed, I was thoughtless."
Lin Yanxi glanced at him again. She didn't trust Shen Qingyun and couldn't entrust Ruoyan to him.
Lin Ruoyan spoke first, nodding. "Thank you for your trouble, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
"Yan'er, I... it's better if your elder sister escorts you back."
Lin Ruoyan smiled. "Sister, you go and attend the palace banquet with peace of mind."
Finally, at Lin Yanxi's insistence, Lin Ruoyan returned in the Grand Tutor's manor's carriage, with the Crown Prince's guards following at a distance to ensure her safety.
Watching the carriage recede, the Crown Prince asked, "Lin Yanxi, it seems we cannot be husband and wife, and even friends are difficult to be."
Lin Yanxi gave a contemptuous smile. "Making friends with the Crown Prince, such an honor is beyond my capacity to bear."
The Crown Prince's gentle smile vanished, and he said coldly, "Hmph, Second Sister's words are as sharp as knives, always piercing the heart."
"However, I can tolerate you if you speak incorrectly. If you choose the wrong side, then I cannot tolerate you."
"I advise you, before you do anything, think more for the sake of the Grand Tutor's manor."
He spoke these words from a position of superiority, his voice filled with killing intent.
This was a threat. She glanced at the two guards outside the palace gate, who were clearly loyal to the Crown Prince. She disliked being alone with the Crown Prince, so even though she understood the threat in his words, she did not intend to argue, only wishing to leave.
The Crown Prince suddenly extended his hand towards her. She instinctively took a step back, shielding her face with her arm, a flashback to her past life making her tremble.
The memories of days gone by resurfaced with vivid reality, all of them showing him striking her.
She had been beaten and cornered, and he had grabbed her by the hair, dragging her out to continue his violent assault with fists and feet. His blows targeted her most vulnerable spots, each punch landing on her abdomen.
Until blood flowed from her lower body down her thighs, followed by a sharp, agonizing pain in her lower abdomen, and a surge of bile from her throat.
Only later, when she regained consciousness, did she realize she had miscarried.
He particularly favored secluded places where no one else was present to inflict his violence upon her.
Lin Yanxi instinctively used her arm to shield her face, recoiling. The fear of Shen Qingyun consumed her, threatening to drag her back into the abyss. Her jaw trembled, and she was speechless.
In her extreme fear, a large hand pulled her into an embrace. Her eyes welled up, and through her blurry vision, she recognized the person.
Shen Muzhou's profile, cast in the dim candlelight, appeared somewhat cold. His peach blossom eyes seemed to be filled with ice as he looked at Shen Qingyun.
With his appearance, Lin Yanxi felt like a drowning person who had suddenly grasped a lifeline.
Shen Muzhou's handsome face was devoid of warmth, his expression stern. "The palace banquet is about to begin. Is Your Highness the Crown Prince not attending?"
Shen Qingyun had not expected Shen Muzhou to appear. He stared at Shen Muzhou, stunned and furious, unable to speak for a long time.
His entire plan was disrupted!
With Shen Muzhou's arrival, a crucial piece of evidence for framing him for stealing the jade talisman was lost, which was extremely disadvantageous to him. He blamed Lin Yanxi for this.
It must be this woman that caused him to come.
Lin Yanxi was held tightly in Shen Muzhou's embrace, wrapped in his cloak. He had come.
She looked at the Crown Prince blankly, meeting his hateful gaze. It seemed she was still entangled in these affairs.
Originally, she had only wanted to watch from the sidelines and protect herself. But Shen Muzhou always appeared when she needed protection the most, making her reluctant to watch him perish and compelling her to offer a word of warning.
Moreover, the threatening words the Crown Prince had just spoken revealed a clear intention to kill. She couldn't let the Crown Prince see her thoughts just yet.
After some deliberation, she quickly pushed him away, acting as if they were not familiar, and turned her head.
Shen Qingyun sneered at this. "It seems Ninth Brother will also experience the frustration of unfulfilled desires. I wonder, Ninth Brother, are you seeking a person, or power?"
"Indeed, the Grand Tutor's manor... who wouldn't be enticed by it?"
Shen Muzhou didn't even spare Shen Qingyun a second glance. His gaze remained fixed on Lin Yanxi from beginning to end. His eyes dimmed slightly as he looked at her.
He softly cursed in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Ungrateful little thing."
With that, he walked into the palace gates, ignoring her. His heart felt inexplicably chaotic and vexed.
Lin Yanxi watched Shen Muzhou's retreating figure. She unconsciously puffed out her cheeks, feeling a pang of discomfort in her heart as well.