Chapter 60: Begging Your Highness The Crown Prince To Enlighten Me?
“Crown Prince, when there is a desire to condemn, excuses will never be lacking. My younger sister simply came to worship Buddha and happened to encounter Your Highness. Moreover, the note and the handwriting on the scripture were not written by her. My younger sister has a habit when writing; she likes to lightly hook a tail on the last character, but there is none here.”
Jiang Linlei handed the note and the scripture to the Crown Prince, who glanced indifferently and did not take them.
Jiang Linlei immediately knew that the Crown Prince had long been displeased with the Jiang Family; this was just a lesson for the Jiang Family. He felt angry but helpless.
His tone also became much more indifferent. “Since Your Highness does not believe it, I will first take my younger sister back to treat her injuries. Once we return to the Jiang Family, we will send Your Highness handwriting written by my younger sister at home for comparison to verify the truth.”
As he spoke, he moved forward to pick up Jiang Xuerou, but was stopped by Gong Yi.
Jiang Linlei knew it was at the Crown Prince’s command; his entire face darkened. “Your Highness, my father and elder brother are fighting for the Qin Dynasty at the border, and Xue’er’s husband also sacrificed for the country. Will you treat the daughter and widow of a loyal minister like this?”
These words were a severe threat; the Crown Prince’s eyes immediately darkened deeply, staring fixedly at him.
The hand at his side clenched tightly.
Li Xi was frightened by this chilling atmosphere, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.
But he did not dare to wipe it.
After a long moment, the Crown Prince said indifferently to Gong Yi, “Let them go.”
Gong Yi stepped aside. Jiang Changjun picked up Jiang Xuerou and walked toward the door; Jiang Linlei followed behind.
After they left, the Crown Prince said indifferently to the trembling Li Xi, “Old Marquis of Zhenguo, rise.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Li Xi stood up shakily; coupled with his weak body, he coughed several times.
“Old Marquis, your health is poor. This One originally did not need you to come today. This One trusted your loyalty to This One, but Jiang Xuerou is from the Jiang Family and also the daughter-in-law of the Marquis Manor, so This One had you come to prove your purity. But now, it seems unnecessary.” The Crown Prince said darkly.
Li Xi, who had navigated the officialdom for most of his life, immediately understood the Crown Prince’s meaning.
He feared the Jiang Family’s power and did not dare offend them; coming today was to remind him.
To not treat Jiang Xuerou too well.
Li Xi dared not disobey and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Thank you for Your Highness’s trust. This official knows what to do.”
The Crown Prince stepped forward and patted his shoulder. “This One is also doing this for your Marquis Manor’s good. Do you know what Jiang Xuerou has done?”
Li Xi was stunned, not understanding what the Crown Prince meant, and looked at him blankly. “Please instruct me, Your Highness.”
“The Marquis of Dingning from Dingning Marquis Manor has been very intimate with Jiang Xuerou these past few years. People from Dingning Marquis Manor are also at Guangming Temple these days.”
After the Crown Prince finished speaking, he left directly, leaving behind a bewildered Li Xi.
Their Marquis Manor and Dingning Marquis Manor were related by marriage; it was reasonable to be close.
Why would the Crown Prince specifically mention this?
Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind.
What does it mean for a woman and a man to be so intimate?
Either there is an affair, or otherwise, with distinctions between men and women, it is impossible for them to interact intimately.
At this thought, Li Xi’s face became very ugly.
His son had died on the battlefield only a few years ago, and unexpectedly, that woman Jiang Xuerou could not stand loneliness and shamelessly sought other men.
And that man was even her husband’s younger brother—truly disgusting to the extreme.
“Hu Dong, go immediately and investigate the interactions between Jiang Xuerou and Lin Ningkun these past few years. Investigate secretly without letting anyone know, and be quick.”
Hu Dong was his personal guard.
Although he did not understand why Li Xi suddenly wanted him to investigate, he did not ask further.
“Yes, Marquis.”
Li Xi left with an ashen face.
**
“Madam, the Old Madam sent someone to say she will burn incense soon and asked you to go over early.”
While Jiang Ruanxi was leisurely copying scriptures, Hong Ye came in to remind her.
Jiang Ruanxi set down the brush and said indifferently, “Tell the Old Madam I will go over immediately.”
Ever since her rebirth, she had great respect for Buddha.
Because the matter of dying and being reborn was too bizarre for something that happened to her, she held Buddha in high regard in her heart.
She came to Guangming Temple this time to properly thank Buddha through the Buddha ancestor for giving her the chance for rebirth and revenge, and to investigate everything.
When the first ray of dawn illuminated Guangming Temple in the early morning, the Lin Family finally lit the first incense.
After burning the incense, Lin Ningkun looked at Jiang Ruanxi several times wanting to speak, but she subtly deflected him, not even giving him a glance. Lin Ningkun clenched his hands into fists tightly, a sense of powerlessness suddenly surging.
“The incense has been burned; let’s go home.”
Madam Zhou spoke, and the others naturally had no objections.
Too many things had happened at the temple; the assassin incident had shocked Madam He, who had not dared to go out these past few days.
In Lin Tingting’s heart, she had originally been conflicted about Lin Ningkun not letting her impersonate the one who wrote the note, harboring resentment toward him. But after seeing Jiang Xuerou implicated and locked up because of the note, she let it go.
She even secretly felt fortunate in her heart.
After this experience, even if she had any disloyalty toward the Crown Prince in her heart, she dared not take any further action.
After all, becoming the Crown Prince’s person was vague and uncertain in success.
If she was not careful, she might lose her life.
She knew which was more important.
They had just reached the door when someone called out to them from behind.
“Marquis of Dingning, the Crown Prince requests your presence.”
Lin Ningkun stopped, his brows slightly furrowed, instinctively looking toward Jiang Ruanxi.
“Since it is the Crown Prince calling you, Marquis, you should go quickly and not keep His Highness waiting.”
Still indifferent words, yet they made his heart feel blocked. He could sense that Jiang Ruanxi no longer had her former infatuation with him; she was now distant toward him.
If it were before, he might have been very pleased, but now, for some reason, he felt a bit disappointed.
He was puzzled by Jiang Ruanxi’s change.
Could it be because of Jiang Xuerou’s matter?
But she did not know about the things between him and Jiang Xuerou.
And he knew that things between him and Jiang Xuerou were completely over.
Thinking that Jiang Ruanxi had always managed the Marquis Manor for him without any grievances, she was hundreds of times better than Jiang Xuerou.
Previously, he had been blind and could not see Jiang Xuerou’s hypocrisy.
As he walked, he secretly resolved to live well with Jiang Ruanxi from now on.
The matter of the Crown Prince encountering an assassin did not become a big issue; no live assassin was captured, he was not injured, and he did not trouble the pilgrims at the temple.
Madam Zhou was vaguely worried and insisted on waiting for Lin Ningkun to return. Seeing Madam He’s poor complexion, Jiang Ruanxi then said, “Mother, let us go back first.”
