See, I told you I was right. I should be more confident in myself.
Gu Lingwan pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his mouth. He looked at Xiao Yingxun with utmost sincerity. “Your Highness, please rest assured. If there is anything you need my help with, I will give it my all without hesitation! No matter what difficulties or challenges arise, I will stand by your side and do my best to help you resolve your troubles.”
How hypocritical! Xiao Yingxun glanced nonchalantly at the tableware Xiao Yanming had used. “I wish to find the assassin who attempted to assassinate me that day.”
Gu Lingwan paused for a moment. “So, Your Highness wants me to help you find the assassin?”
Xiao Yingxun nodded slightly.
Gu Lingwan was puzzled. “But how can I help you find that assassin?”
Xiao Yingxun replied, “I was too far away from the assassin that day. By the time I discovered him, he had already fled.” As he spoke, he looked out the window toward the opposite side. “From that distance, the Heir must have seen him more clearly.”
Gu Lingwan followed his gaze toward the opposite building. “But the assassin was dressed in black that day and wore a black veil and hat to cover his face. I did not see his true appearance. Wait, no. I saw a corner of a red robe peeking out from under his black outer garment.”
It seemed his guess was correct. Xiao Yingxun already had the answer in his heart, and he immediately asked Gu Lingwan, “Can the Heir describe his physique?”
Someone was guiding Gu Lingwan step by step.
Hearing this, Gu Lingwan recalled the scene from that day. “The assassin was quite slender. He was not as tall as Your Highness, but he was quite a bit taller than me.”
Xiao Yingxun asked, “Can you guess his age?”
Gu Lingwan shook his head. “I cannot tell.”
Xiao Yingxun persisted, “Based on his movements and demeanor, what was the age you perceived when you first saw him?”
Gu Lingwan recalled the throat-slitting gesture the assassin had made toward him. “It felt like a youth younger than me.”
As he finished speaking, the image of Xiao Yanming involuntarily surfaced in his mind. Gu Lingwan’s pupils trembled slightly, and he immediately looked at Xiao Yingxun. “Does Your Highness have a suspect in mind?”
Xiao Yingxun locked eyes with his deep gaze. A moment later, he said, “I was reminded of my Eleventh Brother.”
Gu Lingwan asked, “Is it just based on what I said?”
Xiao Yingxun was silent for a brief moment before saying slowly, “I originally thought there were some things he did not know, but it turns out he was only pretending to be ignorant. Now that he knows the truth, he must hate both my Imperial Brother and me deeply.” Naturally, his mother, the Empress Dowager, was the person he hated the most.
There were some things he had not wanted to mention, yet they were difficult to avoid, especially with this young man, who seemed to have insight into many things he should not know, yet somehow did.
Xiao Yanming’s mother was the Empress. The position of Empress was coveted by many concubines, including Xiao Yingxun’s mother. Because she had given birth to twins, she was highly favored by the late Emperor. However, to become Empress, the current one had to be deposed or die. At the time, Xiao Yanming’s mother was virtuous and her family power was significant; she could not be deposed, so only death would suffice.
Thus, Xiao Yingxun’s mother, the current Empress Dowager, used insidious methods to poison the Empress shortly after she gave birth to Xiao Yanming, framing her death as a result of postpartum exhaustion. Xiao Yanming was too young at the time to know such a dark secret.
After hearing Xiao Yingxun’s words, Gu Lingwan thought internally, If you want to keep it hidden, you should not have done it in the first place.
As someone familiar with the story’s plot, he knew what kind of person the Empress Dowager was. Hearing Xiao Yingxun’s words, he realized that the death of Xiao Yanming’s mother was related to the Empress Dowager. Xiao Yanming had discovered the truth and naturally wanted revenge, making him a logical suspect for the assassination attempt. Furthermore, there was something Gu Lingwan did not know: Xiao Yanming had deliberately framed Xiao Yingxun for the incident where the original owner was pushed into the water to drown. All of this was part of Xiao Yanming’s vengeance.
Realizing the implications, Gu Lingwan’s face paled.
At the same time, Xiao Yingxun remarked, “If the Eleventh Prince is the assassin, it would be very dangerous for the Heir to be in contact with him. He would hold a grudge against you for saving me that day and might find an opportunity to kill you.”
Gu Lingwan sighed softly and stated firmly, “Your Highness can remove the word ‘if.’ He is the assassin who tried to kill you, and he has already attempted to kill me, though he failed.”
Discussing these matters with Xiao Yingxun helped Gu Lingwan realize that back at the lotus pond, the hand Xiao Yanming had extended toward him was not to pick a lotus pod, but to push him into the water to drown. Everyone knew the original owner had fallen into the water as a child and almost drowned, and did not know how to swim. However, they did not know that the person now inhabiting the body was Gu Lingwan, who knew how to swim.
Hearing Gu Lingwan’s firm statement, Xiao Yingxun had his own realization. He frowned and said in a low voice, “He intended to drown the Heir in the lotus pond, but he tripped and fell in himself, only to be saved by the Heir.”
Gu Lingwan mocked, “So it is quite ridiculous that I became his savior.”
He finished speaking, his gaze stalling for a moment before he glanced at Xiao Yingxun opposite him. Then, could it be that the person who pushed me into the water years ago was not him?
Xiao Yingxun, listening to Gu Lingwan’s inner voice, let out a faint, imperceptible sigh.
Gu Lingwan began to analyze internally: He once said he does not know how to swim either. Given how meticulous he is, if he did not know how to swim, he would not risk drowning himself to push someone into the water in such a secluded place. If an accident happened, no one would be there to save him.
Today, Xiao Yanming is the best example. Fortunately, I was there to save him.
Thinking of this, Gu Lingwan cursed internally, The big idiot.
He continued his analysis: If Xiao Yanming is seeking revenge, framing Xiao the Second is a good method. He wants to drive a wedge between Xiao the Second and me to make our relationship deteriorate. If I had told Xiao the Second about this, he would just move on to sowing discord between Xiao the Second and the Foolish Emperor.
Furthermore, does this mean the culprit back then was the Foolish Emperor in disguise?
At this point in his analysis, Gu Lingwan looked at Xiao Yingxun again, meeting his cold, deep phoenix eyes. The man asked, “Is something the matter, Heir?”
Gu Lingwan’s eyelashes fluttered. He bit his lip and asked, “How does Your Highness intend to deal with the Eleventh Prince?”
Xiao Yingxun replied in a calm, flat tone, “How does the Heir want me to deal with him?”
Gu Lingwan smiled faintly. “Your Highness, that is a matter between you two brothers. I have no right to interfere.” He changed the subject and asked his true question. “I have been curious about one thing for years.”
Xiao Yingxun played along. “What are you curious about?”
Gu Lingwan arched an eyebrow and feigned gossip. “Your Highness and the Emperor are twins and look exactly the same. Do you ever pretend to be each other?”
Xiao Yingxun answered him truthfully, “I do not, but the Emperor often disguises himself as me.”
Gu Lingwan’s curiosity deepened. “Why would the Emperor disguise himself as you?”
Xiao Yingxun picked up his teacup and took a slow sip, clearly indicating he had no intention of answering further.
Gu Lingwan was tactful enough to stop asking, but thought to himself, Even if you do not say it, I can guess. He must have disguised himself as you to do bad things.
For example, after pushing me into the water, he framed you.
However, I still cannot be certain that the incident back then was the work of the Foolish Emperor.
Gu Lingwan sighed softly and stood up. “I need to relieve myself.”
The restroom was inside the restaurant. Xiao Yingxun watched the young man leave the private room. He has not called me a ‘vicious Xiao the Second’ for quite a while!
The restroom on the second floor was high-end, spacious, and sanitary. It was empty. Gu Lingwan walked to the urinal and prepared to untie his belt, but he suddenly felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck. His vision went black, and he collapsed unconscious.