On a dark and windy night, in a side room in the backyard of the Rich Pawnshop, Lin Zijing, dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, was attaching hidden weapons and powders to various parts of his body. His belt held a soft whip, his most readily available weapon. Several bottles in the inner pockets of his clothes contained his latest concoction of powders, with extraordinary effects. Judging by this gear, it seemed the Master was about to handle some thorny matter! However, sometimes the Master felt the urge to go out and stretch his muscles, and that was true! Like when he once sneaked out to single-handedly fight the Seven Demons of the Drum, eliminate the notorious thief Guai Kong, and the womanizer Qin Donglu, among others. These glorious deeds worried the four stewards of the Dark Night Tower greatly. The Master's life was precious; what would happen to their more than ten thousand members if something happened to him? Under the four stewards' combined pleading, cajoling, and threats, Lin Zijing finally agreed to never sneak out again to do bad things—uh—big things!
Since going in the dark won't work, let's go out in the open! Lin Zijin was so excited that her eyes lit up when she finally got a chance to go out and have fun openly!
Anwu stood to the side, watching Lin Zijin change her clothes, her face full of worry. She said, "Master, let me go! It's too dangerous for you to go. What will we do if something happens to you?"
These words, spoken in the heat of the moment, were somewhat ambiguous. Young Master Lin laughed lightly and said, "Don't worry, I'll be fine. How could I abandon you all?"
Although Anwu considered him a woman, she couldn't help but blush at such a genuinely handsome man speaking so frivolously to her. She retorted angrily, "Master, you know I didn't mean it that way, how could you—"
"Alright, I'll stop teasing you. I'll be careful. This time, I have to go to rescue Jun Yilin myself, otherwise I'm afraid he won't obediently go with you." Lin Zijing stopped teasing and said seriously.
After changing her clothes, Lin Zijing, accompanied by the four masters of Dark Night Tower—Meteor, Cloud, Rain, and Night—disappeared into the night.
In the royal palace of Jun Kingdom, several patrol teams of guards had already changed shifts. In the middle of the night, people are particularly prone to fatigue. With some dream-inducing powder specially made by Young Master Lin delivered by the wind, the guards finally could not resist the temptation of sleep and fell asleep while standing!
From a distance, there was absolutely nothing unusual about it. When they woke up, they would simply feel that nothing had happened; they had just taken a nap!
Seeing that the dream-creating powder they had used had taken effect, Lin Zijing and her group lightly leaped down from the eaves and walked effortlessly to the entrance of the secret chamber. Of course, every secret chamber has mechanisms, but this was no challenge for their master of divination and mystery, Master Lin! She quickly defused the mechanisms, and under the admiring gazes of the four masters of the Dark Night Tower, Master Lin calmly entered the secret chamber, leaving Liu Yun to guard the entrance. They descended a winding staircase, where an iron gate appeared before them.
Separated by an iron fence, Lin Zijin and her group were on the outside, while inside was a person imprisoned, disheveled, dressed in tattered clothes, which appeared to be stained with blood. The person ignored the approaching people, sitting on the ground, seemingly dazed, muttering to themselves, their eyes unfocused.
"Jun Yilin!" Lin Zijin called out softly.
The man still didn't react, only repeatedly muttering, "I don't know anything, I don't know anything..."
Has he gone mad? Although the news that came back all said his condition was bad, Lin Zijing never thought that Jun Yilin would go mad! No, he's not such a weak-willed person!
Lin Zijing turned to Liuxing and the others and said, "You guys go out first, and report back immediately if there's any commotion outside!"
The group left silently.
Lin Zijing cleared her throat and said somewhat awkwardly, "I know you're not crazy, and I know you won't trust anyone right now, but you should trust me, because I am Lin Qingluan."
Jun Yilin still didn't react, but a glint seemed to flash in his eyes, and he stopped muttering to himself. He stared intently at the ground.
Lin Zijing continued, "I know it's hard for you to believe me now, but on the day we returned from Shu and entered Zhou, you told me—" Young Master Lin blushed, stammering as he awkwardly recounted what Jun Yilin had said to him on the rooftop that day. Such private words were known only to the two of them. He wouldn't tell anyone else, and he believed Jun Yilin wouldn't either.
Seeing Jun Yilin suddenly raise his head in surprise, Lin Zijing knew that her words had had an effect; he believed her at least halfway! Lin Zijing hurriedly said, "Time is of the essence. I'll get you out of here first. Once we're in a safe area, I'll tell you everything. Please believe me, okay?"
Seeing Jun Yilin nod hesitantly, Lin Zijing was very happy. She called Liuxing and the others to use their swords to cut open the iron lock and help Jun Yilin out. Jun Yilin still had an iron chain hanging from his foot. Just as Liuxing was about to cut it down, Jun Yilin hurriedly shouted, "Wait!"
Lin Zijing asked, puzzled, "What's wrong?"
Jun Yilin said, "I just disappeared like that. He won't let this go. Do you have any wire or silver needles on you?"
Lin Zijin thought to herself, "I have plenty of silver needles, but what am I going to do with them?" She took out a silver needle and handed it to Jun Yilin.
Jun Yilin took the silver needle, bent it a few times to make a strange shape, and then sat on the ground to use the silver needle to unlock the iron chain on his foot. Lin Zijing was astonished. This Prince Lin can also pick locks. If she had known, she wouldn't have needed to cut the iron chain!
Jun Yilin unchained his feet. He was weak and unsteady on his feet. Liuxing helped him up. He asked Lin Zijing, "How many guards are there at the gate?"
Lin Zijing replied, "There are about 20 or so."
Jun Yilin said, "I'm afraid we can't keep him here. If you don't want to do it, then I'll go. We'll also need to bring in a corpse."
Lin Zijin understood his meaning: to use a substitution technique, but to kill these unconscious and unarmed people—oh well, between two evils, choose the lesser. Since she had chosen to come and save Jun Yilin, how could she not have considered that there would be sacrifices!
Lin Zijing said to Liu Yu, "Go, leave no one alive, and bring in a corpse that is about the same size as Prince Lin."
Liu Yu did as she was told and went out.
Jun Yilin tried to comfort Lin Zijin, but Lin Zijin calmly said, "I know that necessary sacrifices are unavoidable."
Jun Yilin said, "If you really are her, you are much more decisive than before!"
The two remained silent.
Liu Yu dealt with the guards outside and brought in a corpse. Jun Yilin went over, slashed the man's face with his sword, then slashed his body several times. He then put shackles on the corpse's feet. When he was a little weak, Liu Xing went to help him.
Everything was arranged, and the scene was disguised as Jun Yilin trying to escape, but he was discovered by the guards. In the ensuing battle, the entire army was wiped out, with not a single one left alive.
"I don't know if we can fool him, but at least we can buy ourselves some time," Jun Yilin said. Such composure, wit, decisiveness, and ruthlessness—this was a side of Prince Lin she had never seen before! It seemed the Jun family had a natural talent for acting! Could this person really be deceiving her again? Lin Zijing wondered.
☆、VI、Old Friends
Jun Yilin had no idea what Lin Zijing was thinking. He was eager to know the truth, so he said to the dazed Lin Zijing, "Let's go!"
Lin Zijing snapped out of her daze, nodded, and said, "Okay."
When they went out, Liu Xing carried Jun Yilin on his back, while the others were responsible for protection. Following the points they had scouted beforehand, they made their way without any obstacles. When they arrived at the foot of a secluded palace wall, the group was about to leap onto the wall when they suddenly saw a dark figure darting over. Lin Zijing instructed Liu Xing and the others, "You go first, I'll be right there."
Meteor and the others knew the Lord's strength very well and were very worried about the shadowy figure. The Lord hadn't sneaked out to fight anyone in a long time, and this person was really in trouble! With immense pity for the shadowy figure, Meteor and the others led Jun Yilin and leaped over the palace wall.
In the blink of an eye, the dark figure was already in front of Lin Zijin. Seeing that Lin Zijin was also dressed in black, he was not surprised or nervous, but simply asked, "Who are you? Why are you here in the middle of the night?"
Although the shadowy figure was masked, Lin Zijing still recognized the voice. She was secretly delighted, having been planning to find him sometime soon. Now, it was all so easy! However, he had prevented her from fighting today, which wasn't good! A mischievous thought crossed Lin Zijing's mind; she wanted to tease this honest man. She said, "And who are you? Sneaking around like this in the middle of the night?" The man who had been acting suspiciously turned the tables, accusing the other of being suspicious!
The man wasn't angry. He said, "Tell me your identities and purpose, and I'll spare your life."
Lin Zijing laughed and said, "Are you out of your mind? Do you want to fight me here? Even though you are a great general, you are entering the palace in the middle of the night without being summoned and dressed like this. If you are discovered, are you out of your mind?"
The man's eyes suddenly flashed with a sharp light, and a murderous aura swept over him, making Lin Zijing feel a chill. This silly younger brother, could he be planning to kill her? Although she really wanted to spar with Ye Zhanqing to see if he had regressed in the past few years, or if his comfortable life had dulled his brilliance, causing a scene would be disastrous. So, Young Master Lin acted decisively, using his ultimate move: reminiscing about the past. "Zhanqing, it's me! I'm Sister Qingluan. Do you remember the first time we met…?"
Young Master Lin spoke eloquently, recounting their past experiences in detail, including some things only the two of them knew. Only when Ye Zhanqing pulled down the black cloth covering his face, his jaw nearly dropping, did Young Master Lin finally end his reminiscence with satisfaction.
Ye Zhanqing looked Lin Zijing up and down, her face and figure still incredulous. Lin Zijing had no choice but to say, "I know it's hard for you to believe, but can we go outside first? I'll explain to you later."
Seeing Ye Zhanqing nod, the two leaped onto the roof together, their steps light, and caught up with the others ahead. Everyone remained silent until they arrived at the Fugui Pawnshop.
After placing Jun Yilin in the side room, Liu Xing left with Liu Yun and the others. Jun Yilin sat weakly in a chair. Seeing Lin Zijin enter, Jun Yilin, with a sudden burst of strength, jumped up and, along with Ye Zhanqing who followed Lin Zijin in, grabbed her collar at the same time, asking in unison, "What exactly happened?"
Young Master Lin was startled and swallowed hard. His throat was still dry. He chuckled dryly, brushed their hands away, sat down in a chair, and recounted his experiences over the past few years.
After listening, General Ye Zhanqing, who was now several years older than Lin Zijing, gradually changed from surprise to peace in his eyes, and his eyes showed the joy and innocence he had when he was with Lin Qingluan.
Seeing that he quickly regained his composure, Lin Zijing nodded approvingly. She thought to herself, "These past few years of experience have matured this kid!"
The Prince Lin, looking disheveled, displayed a fascinating range of emotions in his eyes: surprise, admiration, pain, heartache, embarrassment... However, having grown up in the palace, he was adept at maintaining composure and quickly regained his composure.
The room was quiet as the rising sun gradually seeped into it. Lin Zijing knew that the two of them were processing what she had just said. If it were an ordinary person, hearing such a bizarre story, they would either go crazy or be driven mad! It was better to give them some space to adjust slowly! Young Master Lin didn't dare to disturb their contemplation, so he could only watch the dust motes moving up and down in the sunlight with amusement!
The sunlight was becoming increasingly dazzling. Lin Zijing coughed, intending to interrupt the two's thoughts and remind them that it was getting late, when Ye Zhanqing suddenly spoke up: "Sister—" He stopped awkwardly after speaking. Calling a real man "sister" was indeed a bit disgusting.
Young Master Lin immediately said, "My name is Lin Zijing now, and I'm younger than you, so you can just call me by my name."
General Ye continued, “Zijing, I also felt your death was suspicious. The Emperor said you were poisoned by Consort Ya, and that your mother and sister followed you in death. But I secretly went to the cemetery to examine your body. How could a woman from the deep palace like Consort Ya have such a potent poison? And I don't believe your mother and sister would be so foolish. Fortunately, the Emperor didn't know about my relationship with you, so I couldn't reveal what I had discovered. I had to pretend to be ignorant and secretly investigate. Last night, I tried to sneak into the palace to investigate, and luckily I met you. Now the truth is finally out! But since you are safe and sound, why didn't you come to find me?”
Lin Zijing nodded and said, "Zhan Qing, I didn't go to you for two reasons. First, I was afraid you wouldn't be able to accept this fact. Second, I was afraid that knowing I was alive would give me away and arouse suspicion. Now, I'm determined to avenge my mother and Zhan Hong, and to rid the world of this scourge. I've already made some arrangements, and your role in this whole situation is now crucial. I was just about to rescue Jun Yilin and then go to find you. Now that you know the truth, are you willing to come with me?"
Ye Zhanqing stood up and said firmly, "I always listen to my sister—uh—Zijing! And even if you didn't say it, I would naturally avenge my mother and sister!" After saying that, she glanced at Jun Yilin beside her and said, "But our plan is secret, and we can't let others know about it, right? Besides, he is a prince!"
Lin Zijing knew what he was implying, and quickly said, "It's alright. Although he is a prince, he is on our side! Zhan Qing, you've been out all night. Go to the next room to change your clothes and then go back first. If you need anything, come find me here."
Ye Zhanqing was dressed in all black, and he couldn't just walk out like that, so he did as he was told to change his clothes.
Only Lin Zijin and Jun Yilin remained in the room, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.
Seeing that Jun Yilin remained silent, Lin Zijing had no choice but to break the silence and said, "Jun Yilin, why were you imprisoned there? When we were attacked that day, you told me to leave first. After I went back, I notified people to rescue you. When they came back, they said you were missing. We have been looking for you for the past few years, but we only recently learned of your whereabouts."
Jun Yilin looked at the ground and sighed softly, "Alas! I always thought that as long as I indulged in the beauty of nature, my brother wouldn't suspect me. So I always hid my strength, spending my days traveling and living a carefree life. But in the end—he still wouldn't let me go! That day, after you left, we were all isolated and helpless. Fortunately, the signal I sent was seen by my attendants who arrived later, and they saved me. However, we suffered heavy casualties, and in the end, only I and three others escaped, and everyone else was injured. We had no choice but to hide in a nearby village. Later, my brother sent people to find me, and I was taken back to the palace. Although I had a bad feeling, I still couldn't believe that my brother wanted to kill me. When he pointed his sword at me, I had no choice but to take out a life-saving talisman."
Jun Yifeng looked up at Lin Zijin, his eyes filled with broken pain. He continued, "Do you know? I was the one Father Emperor intended to succeed. Before he died, Father Emperor personally handed me the imperial edict of succession and the Qingyu Guards he had secretly trained. However, my elder brother, Linghu Hongyu, and Wei Zhili had already reached an agreement. My elder brother used the position of Empress and the future Crown Prince to gain their support and ascend the throne."
Jun Yifeng shook his head sadly and said, "Actually, I had no intention of becoming emperor. Seeing the situation, I hid the imperial edict and decided to live as a carefree prince. My brother didn't know about the edict, so he always trusted me. But at the moment of my death, I had no choice but to tell him about the edict. I told him that if I died, the edict would be made public, and his throne would be illegitimate! He had no choice but to spare my life, imprison me, and have me write a personal letter to my confidant every month to ensure that I was still alive."
Hearing this, Lin Zijing felt a pang of sadness. She hadn't expected that the seemingly carefree Prince Lin had also been deliberately putting on an act for Jun Yifeng. So what was his true nature? Was he the one who remained calm and collected even when being chased, willing to sacrifice his life for her? Or was he the one who bravely faced his own feelings and confessed his love on the rooftop? Or was he the one who often deliberately made things difficult for her and provoked her anger…?
Jun Yifeng looked at Lin Zijin, a hint of warmth in his eyes. He said, "Our brotherhood is over now. You're all I have left. No matter what you do, I'll always be on your side!"
Lin Zijing remembered that he was responding to what she had just said to Ye Zhanqing, and her heart stirred. Not knowing how to respond, she could only say, "You've worked hard these past few days."
Jun Yilin's gaze was no longer as frivolous as it had been with the former Prince Lin; instead, it had softened into a gentle pool as he looked at Lin Zijing. He said softly, "Zijing, Zijing, you have no idea how happy I am that you are still alive! Every day I was imprisoned, I lived on the belief that I would see you again. Every night I thought of you, recalling your every smile, every gesture! No matter what your status is now, for me, as long as you are alive, that's enough! I don't believe in celestial phenomena; I only believe in you. If you want this world, I will help you take it!"
Lin Zijing avoided his burning gaze, stood up, and said to him with her back to him, "Well—you've suffered for so long, let's not talk about anything else for now. Just settle down and take good care of yourself. We'll discuss things further later." After saying that, she ran out the door as if fleeing, and a hearty laugh came from behind her.
"Ha ha……"
☆、VII、Planning
Jun Yilin settled down at Fugui Pawnshop with peace of mind. To avoid suspicion, Lin Zijin devised a new identity for him: Yi Lin, the pawnshop's accountant, who had come to seek refuge with the second manager, Lin Zijin. Of course, to ensure everything went smoothly, he also had to wear the human skin mask made for him by Anmei.
Lin Zijing had been worried about the awkwardness of being alone with Jun Yilin, but in reality, ever since Jun Yilin said those blush-inducing words that day, he had become very serious the next day. Sometimes he would seriously discuss the pawnshop's business with Lin Zijing, and other times he would be very cold and indifferent, not liking to talk to her, which left Lin Zijing puzzled!
However, this made everyone feel much more relaxed and at ease. Occasionally, Lin Zijing would get confused, wondering if this was the same mischievous Prince Lin.
"Cousin, I've finished organizing these accounts. Please take a look." The accountant, Yi Lin, also known as Jun Yilin, brought the account book to the second manager, Lin Zijin, for review.
"Uh, cousin, you've already looked at these accounts, there's no need to send them to me again. I trust you!" Manager Lin tried to smile naturally.
A sly glint flashed in Jun Yilin's eyes. He thought to himself, "Isn't this just an excuse to see you? You're so timid. I only had to say a few words from the other day and you were already so scared. I'll really have to put in some effort to get close to you without making a sound!"
Jun Yilin sighed inwardly. Being too eager would scare her away, while being too distant would create distance. Sigh! Only by appearing before her occasionally, letting her gradually get used to his presence, would she eventually become inseparable from him!
Zijing! Whether you are a man or a woman, you cannot escape my grasp!
Lin Er, the shopkeeper, was oblivious to the fact that he had become someone else's prey, and continued to earnestly discuss the next steps of the plan with Jun Yilin.
“I’ve been pondering this for the past few days. Jun Yifeng’s reputation as a benevolent ruler is well-established. Although there are rumors of a drastic change in his temperament, it’s just hearsay, and the people still love and respect him. If we rashly launch an attack, I fear we will be the ones who suffer,” Lin Zijin explained to Jun Yilin. “The best course of action now is to plan carefully before acting. First, we should secretly gather evidence of his heinous crimes, and then secretly contact the senior officials in the court to inform them of the late emperor’s decree and gain their support!”
Seeing Jun Yilin nod in agreement, Lin Zijin continued, "As for the army, we have Zhan Qing. He will find a way to place his confidants in important positions within the army. As long as we can gain military power and the support of the court officials, we will have the right timing, the right place, and the right people, and we will naturally be able to seize the opportunity."
Jun Yilin smiled and praised, "Great plan!"
Lin Zijing smiled sheepishly and continued, "I believe you will be a good emperor. After you successfully ascend the throne, I will return to the mountain to cultivate with my master and then find a good disciple to pass on the mantle of my sect."
Lin Zijing's detached and carefree tone, as if she had seen through the ways of the world, deeply pained Jun Yilin. He wanted to keep her by his side forever, but he disagreed with any talk of secluded cultivation.
“You are the Emperor Star, why are you asking me to be the Emperor?” Jun Yilin disagreed.
“I do not wish to set foot in that place of sorrow again. Besides, being emperor is not what I desire. You are a prince and the rightful heir. The great responsibility of governing the world should naturally fall on your shoulders.” Lin Zijin ignored Jun Yilin’s objections.
Jun Yilin knew that if he continued to insist on the topic of who should be emperor and expressed his desire to be with Lin Zijin, he might scare her away and send her back to the mountains to cultivate in seclusion, which would be a loss for him! Therefore, he wisely did not continue the topic, and Lin Zijin took it as his tacit consent.