He wanted to shout it out, every organ in his body clamoring restlessly.
But he was afraid.
He had nothing, no foundation, and his path in officialdom was difficult. Perhaps in many years, he might forge a path, but not now.
Because he was favored by the Emperor and promoted too quickly, he also incurred the jealousy of those in court. This trip to Donglin was also undertaken after much consideration.
The Emperor also knew that he had to achieve something, undergo rigorous tempering, and then return to the capital to establish a firm foothold.
He had ambitions and would always strive for them.
But now, before Lingxi, he felt inferior and terrified.
He could give her nothing, not even enough to calculate how many pieces of pastry she ate.
Feather robes and silk, delicacies, and crowds of servants – these were things he could not provide.
He feared that if he spoke his feelings, she would distance herself, and they wouldn't even be able to remain friends.
He feared even more that she would leave soon, and they would be separated forever, never to meet again.
The mere thought brought him immeasurable pain.
Since childhood, apart from studying for success in the imperial examinations, he had never so intensely desired anything.
She had silently infiltrated his heart, spreading through every limb and bone, impossible to drive away.
He had tried: avoidance, cold words, studying through the night – none of it worked.
Every night, he secretly wore the peach pit string, and in the morning, he guiltily took it off, distracted and lost in thought.
Lingxi.
A meeting of minds.
Fang Silin arrived without a sound. Upon arrival, he entered the study with Liu Donghuai and they talked for a long time. The next day, he had transformed into an imperial envoy sent by the Emperor.
As the Imperial Guards waiting outside the city entered, Donglin City began to stir.
But it was too late.
The Zhou, Du, and Meng residences were all surrounded.
When Zhou Xingshen was dragged out, he was still shouting frantically.
"Liu Donghuai! You ungrateful wolf cub! I knew you, a nobody from the mud, had ill intentions!"
"My grandfather is unaware of this. He is a loyal minister praised by the late Emperor. You have no right to touch him!"
"Liu Donghuai! You son of a criminal, you filthy country bumpkin, I advise you to think carefully. My Zhou family is not to be trifled with!"
Fang Silin smiled coldly, waved his hand, and the guards stepped forward. The pommel of a sword struck, and Zhou Xingshen's mouth was smashed, teeth falling out mixed with blood.
"If your mouth cannot speak, then do not speak."
Fang Silin came from a true aristocratic family. The Zhou family's connections in the capital meant nothing to him.
"Brother Donghuai, you handle things here. I'll go check on those two families."
Liu Donghuai bowed gratefully. Fang Silin was perceptive; he was deliberately stepping aside to allow Liu Donghuai to handle his personal grievances.
Zhou Xingshen was forced to kneel on the ground. The once noble young master was now consorting with the dirt, his face contorted with malice as he glared at Liu Donghuai, spitting out unintelligible words.
Liu Donghuai squatted down and looked at him coldly. His usually gentle and harmless face was now extremely cruel.
"Zhou Xingshen, I didn't intend to investigate you so soon, but you dared to touch someone you shouldn't have..."
"Wuwuwuwu!" Zhou Xingshen's eyes widened, his mouth full of blood.
"You don't know? You let your lackey Du Lin do what? Smuggling salt, colluding with bandits – unforgivable crimes. But you and Du Lin dared to abduct that woman from the county office... Do you know who she is?"
As Zhou Xingshen stared in stunned silence, Liu Donghuai leaned close to his ear and spoke each word slowly, like a voice from hell.
"The Emperor's own sister, the Divine Maiden's sister, Princess Lingxi."
Princess Lingxi, royalty.
Kidnapping royalty, defying imperial authority, was equivalent to rebellion, punishable by the extermination of nine generations.
Zhou Xingshen's eyes widened. He was stunned, bewildered.
The entire Zhou family was dragged out, a scene of wailing and howling. He barely reacted, merely staring blankly at Liu Donghuai.
A guard ran over to report, "Lord Liu, Old Master Zhou has hanged himself."
His grandfather had hanged himself!
Only then did Zhou Xingshen react!
The Zhou family was truly finished!
"Wuwuwuwu, Grand...father..."
"Zhou Xingshen, your grandfather could have lived out his years in peace. However, you were slightly mistaken. Perhaps earlier he didn't know what you were doing, but when I began investigating you, he had already sensed it. And to cover for you, he made some arrangements."
That was why his progress had been slow. Otherwise, the evidence would have been collected long ago.
Watching Zhou Xingshen writhe and roar on the ground, Liu Donghuai recalled his time in the academy.
He always held his head high, surrounded by a crowd, proud and spirited. Back then, in his eyes, where were people like them, the lowly country folk?
It was a pity to be born with a silver spoon and yet meet such a desolate end so quickly.
Liu Donghuai reminded himself even more firmly: one must never make mistakes, be driven by fame and desire. That is walking on a cliff, seeking one's own destruction.
Now, only the bandits remained.
Zhou Xingshen was indeed cautious, rarely contacting those people directly. Liu Donghuai had only found them through clues and traces, but he had not yet figured out their exact hiding place in the mountains.
At the county office, a bailiff suddenly ran to the backyard.
"Brother Chen Chuan! The Lord has asked the young lady to go to the Zhou residence to identify the perpetrators!"
The bailiffs accompanying Lingxi were all brought from the capital by Liu Donghuai, loyal and cautious.
Chen Chuan asked a few more questions, and the bailiffs answered truthfully. After understanding the situation, he escorted Lingxi out of the county office.
Liu Donghuai had finished handling his affairs, and Fang Silin had also taken the people from the two residences into custody.
"Brother Donghuai, are there any omissions?"
Fang Silin saw him frowning, as if there was still something on his mind.
Liu Donghuai had a question that troubled him, making him uneasy.
"Earlier, I received news that Zhou Xingshen had arranged for people to kidnap me and the princess. I don't know if it was too late or for what reason, but there has been no movement yet."
"The princess is at the county office, so nothing should happen. Perhaps those people haven't had time to act yet. Once we find the bandits' hideout and capture them all, we can rest easy."
As Liu Donghuai was about to nod, he saw Chen Chuan running over, clutching his arm.
"My Lord! Something has happened!"
Lingxi had been abducted!
"They said to have you, alone, bring Zhou Xingshen for an exchange!"
Fang Silin saw Liu Donghuai, usually calm and reserved, instantly change color, his face turning deathly pale.
"Brother Donghuai, don't worry. Since they want an exchange, they certainly won't let the princess be harmed."
Not that she wouldn't be harmed, but they wouldn't let her die.
As for injured hands or feet, or other forms of harm, no one could guarantee anything.
Those bandits were capable of anything!
"I will take Zhou Xingshen there first. Brother Silin, you handle the rest. I entrust it to you!"
Liu Donghuai bowed deeply to Fang Silin. He couldn't wait to discuss better strategies with him; he had to go rescue her immediately.
Immediately!