Jian Zhaoxing

Chapter 314 You lied to me first!

"Ah Qing, did someone say something to you?" Lu Huai began to explain, "It's not what you think..."

Lin Zhiqing had no patience to listen any longer: "Lord Lu, so what if someone else told me? If they hadn't told me, I'm afraid I would have been kept in the dark for a long time."

"Now you know yourself that your purpose in coming to the Lin family wasn't entirely clean, right?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Huai remained silent for a moment, then simply nodded:

“That’s right, I admit that I came to the Lin family initially to investigate the imperial gift, but the reason I investigated this matter was also for the Lin family’s benefit, and I did not mean to deceive you.”

Lin Zhiqing laughed again: "For the Lin family? Lord Lu, that's a funny thing to say. I used to think you were different from others, but now it seems I was wrong."

"You know perfectly well that what I hate most is deception and betrayal. In any case, you did lie to me back then."

"Investigating the imperial gifts was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather a premeditated plan."

"You don't need to use such high-sounding words and the Lin family as an excuse."

"If you say that you are investigating this matter for your own promotion, I will respect your honesty to some extent."

"Honesty? A path to promotion?" Lu Huai's heart suddenly clenched, all his explanations stuck in his throat:
"Ah Qing, in your eyes, am I such a calculating person?"

His heart felt as if it had been shattered, and he was plunged into extreme pain.

Lin Zhiqing sensed it and looked away: "But Lu Huai, you lied to me first."

Her tone was very calm, as if she were speaking to a stranger.

Lu Huai was stunned. He was stung by the unfamiliarity in Lin Zhiqing's words, but even so, he still wanted to explain:
“Ah Qing, listen to me. I did enter the Lin family that day with the mission of investigating the imperial gift and assisting you in the case, but that was only the beginning…”

"Lord Lu, there's no point in saying more; it's too late." Lin Zhiqing's gaze fell to the side, never landing on Lu Huai again.

Lin Zhiqing's estrangement came too suddenly and too violently.

Lu Huai tried to find a trace of sadness or distress on her face, but her expression was far too calm.

It was as if their relationship had never existed.

Lu Huai stepped forward and grabbed Lin Zhiqing's wrist:

"Ah Qing, you don't care about my explanation, but now you won't even look at me?"

Lin Zhiqing let him hold her, as if the person in front of her was a stranger.

This attitude made Lu Huai's heart clench, and a dense, persistent pain enveloped him.

He slowly released Lin Zhiqing's wrist, but still wanted to explain:

“Ah Qing, I was in the Ministry of Revenue. I had indeed heard that the Ministry of Revenue was going to investigate the Lin family’s imperial gifts, but I was unaware of this when I joined the Lin family’s Ministry of Revenue. It was my father who wanted me to help the Lin family.”

"I didn't explain to you because you were hiding your talents at the time, and I didn't know you were so intelligent. Besides, we weren't familiar with each other back then."

Lin Zhiqing turned around directly: "And then? You clearly had countless opportunities to explain yourself."

“But Ah Qing…” Lu Huai’s eyes reddened slightly:

“If I had spoken up then, you would have kept me at arm’s length as you are now.”

"I don't want to become a stranger to you."

He's right. If he had confessed his impure motives to Lin Zhiqing at any point in time, Lin Zhiqing would not have accepted it.

Jiang Liuyun is right. Besides those around her, Lin Zhiqing's Achilles' heel is deception.

Perhaps their initial encounter was inherently contradictory.

Lin Zhiqing closed his eyes and shouted loudly outside, "Zhaoyan, see the guest out."

Lu Huai's body trembled. He took two steps forward, but Lin Zhiqing turned around and went into the inner room.

"Lord Lu, please." Asagao's voice was like a wall, separating the two of them.

Lin Zhiqing knew that Lu Huai had been standing there for a long time. Only after Chaoyan spoke again to see the guest off did the footsteps slowly fade away.

She slowly closed her eyes, feeling as if a gaping hole had been torn in her heart. Asagao's worried voice came in: "Miss, Miss, are you alright?"

Lin Zhiqing did not answer.

Asagao sighed, left the room, and closed the door behind her.

But Lin Zhiqing could no longer hear those sounds.

She felt as if she had returned to the day she first arrived in Dasheng, where the surrounding environment was unfamiliar and unreal.

She was there, like an intruder, completely out of place in this world.

Aunt Mu was the first person to introduce her to this world.

But Aunt Mu had already left her.

Lu Huai and Jiang Liuyun were the people who helped her further accept this world.

But Jiang Liuyun fabricated a colossal lie to scheme against Lin Zhiqing.

Lu Huai was the person she trusted and valued most, besides Aunt Mu.

But now, he has personally told Lin Zhiqing that his original purpose was not pure; he came for the imperial gift.

Despite various explanations, Lin Zhiqing could not tolerate the deception from the very beginning.

At first, she was wary of everyone in Dasheng, but now that she has given her heart, she has received a dishonest truth in return.

In a place like Dasheng, lies are ever-present.

She couldn't help but wonder why she was no longer as cautious as before.

As it turned out, she could only trust herself.

Otherwise, how could she survive in this world?
Memories flooded back, and Lin Zhiqing recalled her first encounter with Lu Huai.

At that time, Lu Huai was not interested in anything else, but in investigating the case of poisoning his cousin, he became very interested in the rhinoceros lacquer and the Lin family's belongings.

Not only that, Lin Zhiqing also thought of some other things.

The three items bestowed upon the Lin family by the emperor were a set of headdress, a sword, and a painting.

As memories become clearer, the past seems to find its answers.

Even though Lu Huai is teaming up with Jiang Liuyun, he still has to attend the Spring Banquet.

Lin Zhiqing had not forgotten that the prize offered by the Grand Secretary's Mansion at that time was a set of filigree ruby ​​headdresses.

To express her gratitude for Lu Huai's help, she gave him the headdress even though she had won the Spring Banquet.

In return, Lu Huai gave her a set of jade jewelry.

After obtaining the headpiece, Lu Huai disappeared for a period of time and never reappeared.

At the time, Lin Zhiqing was unaware of the imperial gift. Later, when she learned of it, she discovered that the imperial gift from the Lu family was a set of gold-threaded headdresses.

Headpieces can be processed and modified; she didn't initially connect the two.

She didn't know how this set of jewelry ended up outside, but it was clear that the Grand Secretary's residence was unaware that it was a gift from the Emperor.

Otherwise, they would never have given this away as a prize for free.

Lu Huai, however, was after the imperial gift.

Lin Zhiqing also remembered the second imperial gift, a painting and calligraphy.

Lu Huai was also implicated.

That happened in Bianliang.

(End of this chapter)