Chapter 45: Even The Emperor Isn’t Bothering With It Anymore—who Are You Gonna Show This Thing To?
“Then Xin and Nan Nan will head back first.” Lin Xin finished speaking, still holding a cold face as she picked up Lin Nan and went down the mountain. Big Tiger followed behind them. Although his leg was still a bit lame, when passing Mo Ziyuan, he still bared his teeth at him in a show of defiance.
Mo Ziyuan stared in the direction they left for a long time. Even until their shadows were completely gone, he didn’t shift his gaze. After a long while, he suddenly smiled, shook his head, and said softly: “What an interesting young lady. I’m starting to look forward to the next surprise you bring me!”
Back home, Lin Xin first fetched water and gave Big Tiger a thorough cold bath. The originally fluffy fur was now plastered to his body, making him look much thinner. Plus, several scars were starting to ooze blood again, making the whole tiger look especially pitiful.
“Sis, Big Cat is bleeding again.” Lin Nan felt heartbroken watching it. His eyes were red even as he spoke.
“It’s fine. Have you forgotten how powerful it is? It’ll be better soon.” Lin Xin couldn’t figure it out no matter what. There were so many animals in the woods, so why was Lin Nan so attached to this Big Tiger specifically.
“Yeah, then Sis, hurry and stop its bleeding! If it keeps bleeding, it’s gonna die!”
Lin Xin was silent. So I was just perfunctorily saying that earlier, and you weren’t even listening with your ears, huh!
But she still took the healing medicine and applied it to Big Tiger’s butt and side ribs, then quietly used her supernatural ability to nourish his body once more.
Big Tiger lay comfortably on the ground, obediently letting Lin Xin work on him. Only after she finished did he slowly stand up and shake his body vigorously, flinging water everywhere.
When Mo Ziyuan knocked and came in, this was the scene he saw. Although the courtyard was messy, it gave him a very warm feeling, much more comfortable than his home at the Dingguo Duke’s Mansion in the capital city.
Lin Xin didn’t make him wait long. She went straight into the house, retrieved the copper tube from her space, handed it to him, and gestured at Big Tiger’s hind leg: “It was taken out from this spot on it.”
Mo Ziyuan nodded and took it. He studied it in front of her for a moment, then quickly disassembled the copper tube and took out the things inside, examining them carefully.
Lin Xin twitched her lips but ignored him. Seeing he had no intention of leaving, she began preparing dinner for everyone.
Mo Ziyuan seemed focused on the item in his hand, but he was actually keeping a thread of attention on Lin Xin. When he saw her frowning and staring at him, his heart skipped a beat, afraid she would mercilessly kick him out without regard for face.
When she turned toward the kitchen, his heart finally settled. After letting out a heavy sigh of relief, he belatedly realized that his fear of being kicked out just now wasn’t because of losing face, but because he wouldn’t get to spend this meal’s worth of time with her.
Lin Xin prepared a hearty dinner, all simple farm dishes. She even specially made a big basin of raw meat for Big Tiger. He ate it with relish, smacking his lips. Occasionally, Lin Nan would secretly contribute some meat from his own bowl to it. Lin Xin could feel satisfaction radiating even from the tips of its whiskers.
Mo Ziyuan was also very satisfied, especially seeing Lin Nan’s little glance toward his older sister after secretly feeding Big Tiger—it was utterly adorable. Combined with Meng Yichen’s description of this little guy, he somewhat understood why Old Cui and Meng Yichen had taken a special liking to Lin Nan.
After dinner, Mo Ziyuan could no longer find a reason to stay, but he really didn’t want to leave. At that moment, a strong thought suddenly arose in his heart: to pull this pair of siblings into his own faction, so he’d have plenty of chances to spend time with them.
But soon, he dismissed this crazy idea. What they were doing now was too dangerous, with the risk of losing their lives at any moment. The merit of assisting the dragon wasn’t easy to obtain. Someone like Meng Yixuan surviving such desperation was a rare stroke of luck, one in a million.
“Although I know I shouldn’t, I still want to put in a word for Yi Chen and Old Cui.” Mo Ziyuan looked into Lin Xin’s eyes and said seriously.
Lin Xin looked back at him just as seriously. “Can’t this matter just end here? Nan Nan is still young. He might not fully understand what they did to him, but I do. Although we’re just the most ordinary farm siblings with no extraordinary status, we still have our dignity. I don’t like my younger brother being used like this.”
“Miss Lin, don’t misunderstand. I’m not excusing them, but Old Cui and Yi Chen were probably implicated by Fu Jing. Old Cui’s fondness for Nan Nan is genuine. Yi Chen did initially agree to be Nan Nan’s mister with some ulterior motives, but later he truly came to like this child.” Mo Ziyuan carefully chose words that wouldn’t upset Lin Xin to plead their case.
“Actually, Fu Jing and the others had no choice. With the Grand Tutor’s faction support, the Third Prince has already won over nearly half of the court officials. The Crown Prince’s forces are under constant suppression. Many in the Crown Prince’s faction have been accused on trumped-up charges, imprisoned, or defected for promotions. Those who hold out get dismissed at best—family ruin and death at worst. That’s why they were desperate to get this item.”
Lin Xin frowned. She had heard of such things before, but only in novels or films. Though she empathized with some plots, she knew they were fake. Hearing this real-life example now still gave her a bit of a shock.
“Even with all this, the Emperor doesn’t do anything about it?” Lin Xin asked, puzzled.
“The Emperor has been in poor health these years. The Grand Tutor recommended several Daoist experts to him.”
Got it—no need to say more. She knew this trope well: the Emperor gets obsessed with cultivation, devotes himself to the Dao, maybe even takes some immortality pills, and completely ignores court affairs.
“Then this thing in your hand is useless even if you get it! The Emperor isn’t handling things anymore—who are you gonna show it to?”
Mo Ziyuan pursed his lips and answered, his voice bitter. “There’s still the imperial clan and some elders. It can have some restraining effect, at least.”
“Why not just kill those people and be done with it?” Lin Xin blinked. “They can kill your people—why can’t you kill theirs?”
In Lin Xin’s view, it was better to handle the ones who needed handling themselves than pin hopes on unreliable imperial clan or elders who might defect.
Mo Ziyuan shook his head. “If we did that, we’d be no different from them. And if something happened to the Third Prince’s faction, who knows who they’d blame. They might even use it as an excuse to upend the court.”
“Tch!” Lin Xin scoffed in disdain. They all say to capture the thief, first capture the king— just kill the main one and be done!
But she just thought it and didn’t say it out loud. Instead: “Fine! You’re all noble people. I’ve given you the thing—now go!”
Mo Ziyuan was already familiar with Lin Xin’s habit of kicking people out when displeased, though he didn’t know what he’d done to upset her this time.
But looking at the time, it was getting late—he really should go.
Mo Ziyuan dawdled to the door. Just as he was about to open it, a hand reached out from behind to block the door panel. He turned back in surprise, only to find Lin Xin standing right behind him, her face ugly, her eyes filled with frost. Even he felt a chill from that gaze.
“Wha······” Mo Ziyuan started to ask, but Lin Xin put her right index finger to her lips in a “shh” gesture.
A few breaths later, faint footsteps deliberately lightened came from afar, along with two people’s conversation.
