"Master, there is news about Miss Lin."
Upon returning to the Su residence, a Shadow Guard with a black cloth covering his face emerged from somewhere, appearing before Xiao Jinyan like a ghost.
Hearing this, Xiao Jinyan grew even more agitated.
Lin Wanru was actually still alive!
"Miss Lin was rescued by a fishing family…"
Unaware of his master's inner thoughts, the Shadow Guard reported the information he had gathered with a hint of indignation.
"Did that entire family die?"
Xiao Jinyan learned that Lin Wanru had repaid kindness with cruelty, ordering the deaths of the fishing family who had saved her to destroy evidence before returning to the capital first.
Even someone accustomed to the bloodshed and carnage of the battlefield couldn't help but show a trace of shock.
"Four are dead…"
The Shadow Guard replied cautiously, "According to my investigation, there should be one more who fell off a cliff. Their fate is unknown."
"Continue the investigation."
Xiao Jinyan's eyes were as cold as frost. "I want to see them alive or their body if dead."
"Yes."
The Shadow Guard retreated two steps and then vanished into the shadows, disappearing from sight.
Su Hong and Su Cai, the two brothers, returned from their trip to town, laden with goods.
They had hired a donkey cart, loaded with rice, flour, cooking oil, meat, eggs, and vegetables.
The only way back from town was a mountain path that passed through the neighboring Yongquan Village.
Yongquan Village was small, with only about a dozen households. Usually, when passing through, the village was quiet.
The able-bodied men were either away working or fishing, while the women washed clothes and mended nets by the riverbank. Occasionally, a few mischievous children would chase each other, darting past travelers before quickly disappearing.
But now it was completely different. When the brothers had left early in the morning, they hadn't noticed anything unusual, but by the time they returned at noon, everything had changed.
The entire village was shrouded in a gloomy, sorrowful atmosphere. All the villagers had gathered at the entrance, each face filled with fear and terror.
Sensing something was wrong, the brothers jumped off the donkey cart and approached a villager to inquire.
"A terrible thing has happened. The He family must have offended someone, and the entire family was killed."
"Killed?"
Su Hong was horrified.
"What about Brother Hesheng?"
Su Cai's voice trembled with shock. "Is Brother Hesheng dead too?"
"Ah."
The villager was trembling with fear, his words stumbling. "There were four bodies in the house, but Hesheng was missing. Someone heard some noise last night but was too scared to make a sound. Just now, officials from the county came to investigate. They said he ran toward the back mountain. The constables couldn't find him. Perhaps he was being chased and fell off a cliff…"
"What?!"
The brothers exchanged glances, seeing unprecedented terror in each other's eyes.
"Xiao Xiao, how could you be so bold?"
On the bamboo raft, Xu Shi looked frightened. "That's a prince. With a single word, he could take the lives of us common folk. How dare you anger him?"
"I wasn't lying…"
Su Xiao had her own troubles but couldn't explain them openly. She felt wronged. "Brother Hesheng has been very good to me, and I like him too. We were already fond of each other."
"You're still young. What do you know about liking someone?"
Xu Shi was secretly worried for her. "Don't be foolish. Without the prince's protection, if someone really tries to take you away, your parents won't be able to protect you."
"I'm going to find Brother Hesheng."
Su Xiao had made up her mind. She didn't want to return to the capital with Xiao Jinyan. "I'll ask him to marry me. Once I'm married, they won't be able to scheme against me anymore."
"You foolish child, you're thinking too simply…"
Xu Shi was frantic: "Who would dare marry you at a time like this? Even if He Sheng is willing, it might not be enough to escape this disaster, and it would only drag his entire family down with us."
"I can't worry about that anymore."
Su Xiao insisted on going, pushing herself up and straining to paddle the bamboo raft toward the shore.
"Husband, say something, won't you?"
Seeing she couldn't be dissuaded, Xu Shi redirected all her anger toward her husband.
"Ah."
Su He couldn't bear to blame his daughter any further and let out a deep sigh.
"Father, Mother, Sister, it's terrible—something has happened at Brother Hesheng's house."
As the raft reached the shore, Su Hong and his brother happened to return from Yongquan Village.
"What happened?"
Su Xiao jumped off the raft, her legs giving way beneath her, nearly causing her to fall.
Su Cai choked back tears: "Old Man He, his wife, their son, and daughter-in-law are all dead. Brother Hesheng also fell off a cliff, and his fate is unknown."
"No, I don't believe it. Brother Hesheng can't be dead. He can't be…"
Su Xiao couldn't believe it, stumbling and staggering as she ran toward Yongquan Village.
"Xiaoxiao."
"Where are you going?"
Su He and his wife grew frantic, hurrying after her.
"I'm going to find Brother Hesheng."
A chill ran through Su Xiao's heart, and a strange thought involuntarily surfaced.
The tragedy that befell Brother Hesheng's family coincided precisely with the time when Xiao Jinyan was assassinated and Lin Wanru fell into the water.
In this life, she had wanted to change her family's fate, altering its course by saving Xiao Jinyan.
If Lin Wanru, the future Crown Princess, was destined not to die…
Could it be that the person who brought disaster upon Brother Hesheng's family was her?!
"Ah, what kind of sin have we committed?"
Su He and his wife looked on with sorrow in their eyes.
"Sister, wait for me. I'll take you there."
Su Hong hurriedly unloaded the goods from the donkey cart, told his younger brother to watch the house, paid the driver a few coppers to turn around, and then drove his father and two sisters back to Yongquan Village.
The two villages weren't far apart, and they arrived shortly.
When Xu Shi saw the crime scene, she nearly fainted.
Su He supported his wife, unable to conceal his grief.
Su Xiao noticed the trail of blood extending from the courtyard gate and suddenly widened her eyes. She turned and ran toward the direction of the cliff where she had fallen in her previous life.
If the tragedy was truly connected to Lin Wanru, and she hadn't died in her previous life, could it be that Brother Hesheng had also fallen off the cliff and into the river?
The cliff at the back of the mountain.
Su Xiao stumbled her way up, weeping heartbrokenly at the edge of the cliff.
There were bloodstains at the cliff's edge, and signs of a struggle were clearly visible.
She was now certain: Brother Hesheng had fallen from this very cliff, and the spot where he fell was almost identical to where she had plunged into the water in her previous life.
"Brother Hesheng!"
She cried out in despair, her anguished voice echoing through the canyon.
Xiao Jinyan arrived with his men upon hearing the cries, giving her a complicated glance before waving his hand. Several Shadow Guards, seeing the signal, took out ropes and began climbing down the cliff face.
The Shadow Guards of Prince Rui's residence were agile and skilled, reaching the bottom of the cliff before long.
At the base of the cliff was an underground river with a swift current.
The Shadow Guards searched carefully at the bottom but found no body. They climbed back up to report to their master.
The fact that they hadn't found anyone reignited a glimmer of hope in Su Xiao.
Brother Hesheng was an even stronger swimmer than she was. If she had managed to survive by chance, his chances were even greater.
"Xiaoxiao, don't cry anymore."
Xu Shi couldn't bear to watch, and with great effort, she helped her daughter up: "He Sheng is a good boy. May heaven protect him and keep him safe."
No, it's my fault. I'm the one who harmed Brother Hesheng.
If I hadn't wanted to change my fate, Brother Hesheng and his family wouldn't have died.
The lives of the Su family were stolen by me.
They were exchanged for the lives of Brother Hesheng's family.
I am the one to blame.
I harmed him, I harmed him!
Overwhelmed with remorse, Su Xiao felt a sharp, wrenching pain in her chest. Her eyes closed, and she fainted.
"Xiao Xiao!"
Su He and his wife were terrified. Holding their daughter, they wept bitterly.