Chapter 26: Settling the Score with You

Morning.

Lin Jiangnian woke up as usual, sitting on the edge of the bed in a daze for a while, as he did every morning.

This was partly to clear his head, and partly to recount the events of the past few days.

In the end, he accepted reality.

Lin Jiangnian took a deep breath, and once his mind had gradually cleared, he rose slowly.

Impersonating the Heir of Prince Lin was an extremely dangerous game—no different from licking blood off the edge of a blade. He had to remain clear-headed and vigilant at all times to keep his life.

*Knock, knock, knock...*

A light tapping sounded at the door, accompanied by a timid voice.

"Yo-Your Highness, are you awake?"

The voice was familiar. Cautious.

Lin Jiangnian glanced toward the door and said calmly, "Come in."

The door was pushed open slowly, and a petite figure appeared, carrying a copper basin. It was Xiaozhu.

"Your Highness, I... I am here to help you wash and dress..."

Xiaozhu set down the basin and carefully shuffled over to Lin Jiangnian, her head bowed slightly, her demeanor still nervous.

Lin Jiangnian glanced behind her and felt a bit surprised. "Why are you alone today?"

"Th-they told me to come and serve Your Highness..."

Xiaozhu looked up at Lin Jiangnian, then quickly lowered her gaze again, testing the waters cautiously, "Sh-should I go call them?"

"No need." Lin Jiangnian waved his hand. "You'll do."

"Oh..." Xiaozhu’s pretty face flushed red. "Th-then I shall help you d-dress..."

Her voice stuttered, and she began to help him dress with careful movements. Her actions were still clumsy, but noticeably better than the frantic mess she had been yesterday.

Lin Jiangnian looked down and saw the little maid standing within arm's reach. Her face was as delicate as carved jade, her skin fair and flawless—truly beautiful. With a hint of maidenly shyness, her flushed, alluring face made her look like a refined and adorable young girl. At this moment, she was completely focused, her small face slightly tense.

She looked as though she were performing a task of great importance and gravity.

Even cuter!

Finally, through her efforts, she managed to dress the Prince. Lin Jiangnian glanced down at himself with a meaningful look. "Not bad, much better than yesterday!"

Xiaozhu lowered her head in embarrassment, feeling a sense of relief. But then, as if thinking of something, her expression grew complicated. She snuck a glance at the Prince, then quickly looked away, lost in thought, her cheeks remaining flushed.

After washing and dressing, Lin Jiangnian ate his breakfast as usual. The life of the Heir of Prince Lin was truly plain, simple, and a little dull!

Yet, for some reason, Lin Jiangnian felt that the little maid was acting unusually today. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something felt strange.

She would steal glances at him from time to time, only to lower her head in a panic when caught, looking like a thief with a guilty conscience.

Something wasn't right!

"What's wrong with you?" Lin Jiangnian glanced at the little maid.

"Ah?" The little maid seemed startled. Her face flushed, and she shook her head vigorously. "N-nothing, it's nothing..."

"Really?" Lin Jiangnian narrowed his eyes, his tone carrying a hint of a threat.

Seeing this, the little maid turned pale with fright, but she continued to shake her head, stammering, "R-really, there’s nothing..."

Lin Jiangnian looked at the terrified little maid and withdrew his gaze. "That's fine, then."

This little girl was clearly hiding something from him.

***

However, Lin Jiangnian did not intend to press her further.

Seeing him look away, the little maid breathed a deep sigh of relief. Then, as if recalling something else, a look of conflict appeared on her delicate face, and she bit her lower lip, revealing the full extent of her maidenly shyness.

***

In the Prince’s residence, in the front courtyard.

A cold, shadowy figure stood in the yard, hands behind her back, possessing a certain air of masculine grace. Her raven-black hair was tied up, with a single strand falling loose, revealing a face that was exquisite yet completely devoid of emotion.

She gazed at the flowers and trees in the yard, remaining silent.

Behind her, Lin Kong knelt on one knee and said in a low voice, "Your subordinate has followed your orders and seized Song Jue. We found this letter in his possession..."

As he spoke, Lin Kong handed over the letter.

Zhiyuan scanned the contents, her gaze gradually turning icy.

"As expected, they have set their sights on our Prince's residence!"

Zhiyuan’s expression remained blank, but a faint, lingering murderous intent flickered in her beautiful eyes.

Lin Kong asked in a low voice, "Do you need me to go and bring Li Qianlin back?"

"No need!" Zhiyuan’s gaze was indifferent. "He is, after all, the son of the Vice Minister of Justice, and carries some influence in the capital. If something were to happen to him in Linjiang City, it would be detrimental to our residence..."

"Keep him alive for now, and monitor his every move in secret."

"Yes." Lin Kong replied respectfully, understanding the implication. Keeping Li Qianlin alive was to silence the bureaucrats in the capital, while also allowing them to secretly identify everyone he associated with in Linjiang City, so they could catch them all in one fell swoop.

As for whether Li Qianlin left Linjiang City or not, that was irrelevant!

Lin Kong’s eyes were cold. Once he left this place, his life or death would have nothing to do with the Prince's residence!

As if remembering something else, Lin Kong asked, "Then, what should be done with Song Jue?"

Zhiyuan did not turn back, standing in the yard like a statue, cold and peerless.

"Dispose of him cleanly."

"Yes."

***

After lunch, Lin Jiangnian planned to take a nap.

Just as he returned to his room, a blustery figure forced her way in once again.

"Why are you here again?" Lin Jiangnian lifted his eyes to look at the 'brother' who had barged into his room without an invitation, frowning slightly.

"What? You have a problem with that?" Xu Lan crossed her arms and snorted condescendingly.

"I don't have a problem, but..." Lin Jiangnian glanced at her chest—no matter how hard she tried to push them together, what wasn't there, simply wasn't there! "Didn't you say you wanted to break off our friendship yesterday?"

"That's right, what's the problem?" Xu Lan pulled out a chair as if it were only natural and sat opposite Lin Jiangnian, sneering, "I broke off our friendship yesterday—does that conflict with me coming to find you today?"

"Doesn't it?"

"Does it?"

Lin Jiangnian was certain that this girl either had a poor brain or was missing a screw.

"Don't you want to know why I came to find you?" Xu Lan stared at Lin Jiangnian, her gaze meaningful.

"Not interested."

Lin Jiangnian shook his head. He wasn't interested in this girl at all. Who would be interested in a 'brother'? He didn't swing that way.

"Song Jue is dead!" Xu Lan suddenly blurted out.

Lin Jiangnian froze. "Dead?"

"It seems you didn't know about this either!" Xu Lan stared at his face, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. "That's right, he's dead. He died this morning, in his own home."

Lin Jiangnian's heart sank. "Who killed him?"

"I heard it was suicide," Xu Lan said airily.

Lin Jiangnian narrowed his eyes sharply.

Suicide? How could that be? Song Jue had been arrogant and sarcastic toward him just yesterday. That he would suddenly commit suicide today... who would believe that?

But...

"He died fast enough. Could it be he was afraid I'd go looking for trouble, so he took his own life out of fear of guilt?" Lin Jiangnian sneered.

"Do you think that's possible?" Xu Lan looked at Lin Jiangnian, who was playing dumb in front of her, and sneered, "Why on earth would Song Jue commit suicide?"

Lin Jiangnian waved a hand. "How would I know?"

"Need you guess? Of course, it's..." Xu Lan was about to speak, but suddenly realized something. She scanned the surroundings, and once she was sure no one was there, she lowered her voice, leaned in close to Lin Jiangnian, and asserted, "It must have been your maid who did it!"

"Who?"

"Zhiyuan!"

Xu Lan sneered, "With Uncle Lin away, who else in the Prince's residence besides her could pull off something like this?"

"The Song family isn't exactly a small clan in Central Province. Even if Song Jue’s status as the second son isn't particularly high, to kill him just like that..."

"How ruthless!" Xu Lan couldn't help but exclaim.

Lin Jiangnian felt his heart sink slightly.

Yes, it was indeed quite ruthless! This maid of the Heir of Prince Lin seemed to be even more cold-blooded and vicious than he had imagined.

"Then he only has himself to blame!" Lin Jiangnian shook his head, his tone profound. "Who told him to go against me?"

"He deserved to die!"

Xu Lan gave him a strange look. "Are you happy?"

"What else?"

"Song Jue’s death will be blamed on you."

"On what grounds?"

"You are the Heir of Prince Lin, and Zhiyuan is your maid. If they don't blame it on you, who would they blame?"

Xu Lan looked smug, with a hint of schadenfreude. "If nothing goes wrong, the Song family will definitely come looking for trouble with you."

Lin Jiangnian: "..."

"Damn it!"