Proud Feather

Chapter 120 Night Question
Lin Wenyu didn't know how he got to the camp. He stumbled and fell countless times, getting up each time.

He knew he was being tricked, but he dared not stop. As long as there was a glimmer of hope for survival, he could not give up.

It's truly admirable that an old man over fifty years old still has such a strong will to live.

When he finally ran back to the camp, he was in such a disheveled state that he was unrecognizable.

His hair was disheveled, his cheeks were covered in abrasions, his clothes were torn to shreds, one of the soles of his shoes had fallen off, and he was panting like a bull.

He lunged forward, shouting, "Hero! I did it! Look..."

"Wow, that's really something!" the servant chuckled. "Don't worry, we keep our word."

He leaned into the car window and whispered something to the person inside, then quickly turned back and said, "I said I'd spare your life, so I'll spare your life. Stay here!"

Lin Wenyu was overjoyed: "Thank you, hero! Thank you, hero!"

The two constables were long gone. Lin Wenyu hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Hero, what about those two constables...?"

"Thump!" The burly man flashed his blade and threw a thick bone into the earthenware pot where the porridge was being cooked, startling Lin Wenyu.

He turned his head and asked, "What?"

"No! No!" Lin Wenyu swallowed hard, not daring to say anything more. What if it was human bone...

However, after all that fuss, he was even hungrier, and the aroma of porridge and meat was so enticing that he couldn't escape it...

So he mustered his courage and said, "Hero, could you give me some food...?"

The housekeeper, who was cooking porridge, glanced over and said, "We don't let people eat for free in our household..."

"I'll work! I'll work!" Lin Wenyu said repeatedly.

The steward glanced at the carriage and replied, "Alright! My master wants to rest now, so please prepare a basin of water for washing his feet..."

"I'll go fetch water!"

So Minister Lin, under the moonlight, slowly made his way back, finally carrying half a bucket of water.

His hard work moved the servant: "He's really good! Master, we're short of a handyman, why don't we give him a chance?"

The butler taunted, "Aren't you the one doing all the odd jobs? You just don't want to do any work, do you?"

Before the servant could answer, Lin Wenyu blurted out, "I do! I do!"

As he spoke, he rushed forward, pouring water, carrying basins, and starting a fire. Although he wasn't very good at the job, he was so diligent that no one could find fault with him!

The burly servant couldn't help but sigh, "No wonder he was once an official; his skill in serving others is truly remarkable!"

The other party stopped being picky and let him sit by the fire. Minister Lin finally breathed a sigh of relief—barring any unforeseen circumstances, his old life was saved.

This was truly a calamity; not only did I lose my position, but I also nearly lost my life. Ultimately, it was my own bad luck. I should have just followed the established procedures, but the princess insisted on being so particular.

It's really strange. After the crown prince died, the princess seemed like a completely different person. Where was her former ignorant and incompetent self? Can such a dramatic change really completely transform a person?
However, no matter how strong-willed the princess was, it was useless. After all, she was a princess. When things were peaceful, His Majesty could pamper and love her, but when His Majesty no longer wanted to, there was nothing he could do…

As Lin Wenyu was thinking this, he glanced at the carriage and saw a glimpse of a shoe tip peeking out, adorned with a pearl.

He paused for a moment, then blurted out, "Princess?!" The moment the word left his mouth, the surroundings fell silent.

The steward, the strong servant, and the young servant all looked at him, but no one uttered a sound.

Lin Wenyu instantly regretted it; perhaps he shouldn't have called it out...

But it was too late. The carriage curtain was lifted, and Chu Ling, wrapped in a cloak, sat by the door, coldly watching him.

Lin Wenyu knelt down, saying, "This sinful subject pays respects to the Princess..."

After an unknown amount of time, Chu Ling finally spoke: "Minister Lin has never suffered like this before, has he? Born into a prominent family, with a great Confucian scholar as his grandfather, he has always been admired by everyone and easily rose to a high position... How does it feel today?"

Lin Wenyu didn't dare to raise his head: "This sinful subject deserves to die. As long as the princess is happy."

"As long as you're happy..." Chu Ling repeated his words, but then sneered, "But this princess is not happy at all."

Lin Wenyu remained silent. He knew all too well why the princess was unhappy, and anything he said at this moment would be inappropriate.

After a long silence, Chu Ling finally spoke again.

She asked bluntly, "Did you have my older brother killed?"

Lin Wenyu bowed down, trembling with fear: "This guilty subject dares not, Your Highness, please understand, this is truly a misunderstanding!"

Chu Ling was not angry. He calmly said, "You are not the Minister of Justice now, and this is not the imperial court. There is no need to fob me off with these words."

Lin Wenyu trembled. After the ordeal he had just experienced, he understood all too well. In the countryside, the princess could easily take his life; the rules of the game he knew were completely meaningless, and he was no different from a pig or a dog.

He could only plead, "Princess, I am an old man and may not even make it to Lingnan. Why do you need to dirty your hands?"

Chu Ling replied coldly, "My elder brother is indeed upright and honorable, but where is he now?"

A cold wind was blowing, and Lin Wenyu really couldn't stand it anymore. She said, "Princess, why do you have to get to the bottom of this? We all have no choice in what we're doing!"

"Not under my control?" Chu Ling looked at him sarcastically. "Was framing someone against your will? Was accepting bribes against your will? Was killing my brother against your will?"

Lin Wenyu was speechless, and finally said, "You won't get anywhere this way. Even if this sinner dies here, you won't get the result you want."

"Why?" she pressed.

Having nowhere to retreat, Lin Wenyu simply replied, "What kind of result do you want? To expose everything and let the world see the discord within the imperial family? What will become of the imperial authority then?"

"What is the majesty of the emperor?" Chu Ling replied, "It is to protect the people and safeguard the country, to uphold the law and promote righteousness! It is not to cover up filth and pretend nothing is wrong! What you think is a minor ailment today could sow the seeds of a disaster that shakes the very foundation of the nation."

These words shocked Lin Wenyu. He had thought the princess was expressing her indignation on behalf of the crown prince, but now he realized that she had her own principles.

He remained silent for a long time, as if he saw the Crown Prince—no, it should be said, he saw the Empress. That Empress Feng, though she only reigned for a few years, left a deep impression…

Perhaps it was the memory of the past, or perhaps the situation made him temporarily forget reality, but Lin Wenyu advised with unprecedented sincerity: "Princess, your ambitions are admirable, but the world is so corrupt. I dare to advise you, this world cannot tolerate those who are not clean. You must bow your head when necessary."

Before Chu Ling could speak, he continued, "Don't blame His Majesty. He's in a difficult position too! He only has two adult princes. If one of them is gone, how can he choose? The example of Emperor Xiaozong is still fresh in our minds. Even if His Majesty is in his prime, he cannot be without an heir. It's just a pity that you are not a prince, otherwise His Majesty wouldn't have to choose."

I'm feeling quite frustrated right now. The plot needs time to develop, and I'm getting impatient too...