Seeing that her father had gone back to writing with complete focus, Lin Xiner said nothing more.
She walked to the bookshelf filled with books and casually pulled one out to flip through.
She also took out the Analects and checked them carefully.
When she saw that the letter was still safely hidden between the pages she had chosen, she finally relaxed.
Next, she needed to visit the Great Jin princess.
Since her mother trusted her completely, the princess was probably being treated well.
“Father, I’ve found the copybooks I wanted, so I won’t disturb you any longer.”
Holding a stack of writing copybooks, Lin Xiner bowed politely.
“Stay for lunch before you go back. Spend some time with your grandmother and your mother.”
Lin Zhengbei looked up and reminded her.
“I know. Father, please take care of your health too.”
Lin Xiner spoke gently like a caring and filial daughter.
What she did not know was…
As soon as she left, a hidden shadow guard jumped down from the ceiling beam.
“She checked the letter on purpose.”
Lin Zhengbei’s voice was certain.
“My Lord, the eldest young lady looked at the letter several times. She also carefully checked the seal.”
The guard had been hiding directly above the bookshelf.
Everything Lin Xiner did while examining the letter had been clearly visible to him.
Lin Zhengbei’s face darkened.
Although everything had happened exactly as expected…
Seeing it with his own eyes still felt like a knife cutting into his heart.
The daughter he had treasured since childhood had truly chosen to stand against her family.
He knew clearly…
After today, Lin Xiner would no longer be part of the Duke’s household.
Perhaps that was for the best.
Since she had made the first move against them…
She could not blame him, her father, for striking back later.
…
After leaving the study, Lin Xiner went straight to the small courtyard where the Great Jin Princess, Yelü Zheng, was staying.
“Greetings, Eldest Miss.”
The young maid standing under the corridor quickly bowed.
Lin Xiner ignored her and walked directly inside.
“You come outside with me.”
Before the princess could speak, the nanny accompanying Lin Xiner took the maid serving Yelü Zheng outside.
Only the two women remained in the room.
Yelü Zheng looked to be about thirty years old.
She leaned against the headboard, looking weak and exhausted.
Lin Suisui had been right.
Her appearance was noticeably different from the people of Great Yong.
Yet none of the masters of the Duke’s household had become suspicious.
No one had come to see her.
No one had even asked a single question.
If anyone had simply looked at her once, they would have known Lin Xiner was lying.
Chen Yuanqing was already in his twenties.
How could his wet nurse be only about thirty years old?
The lie was obvious.
In truth, the destruction of the Duke’s household in the previous life was partly caused by the family’s own carelessness.
If they had not allowed Lin Xiner into the study…
If they had not allowed her to bring strangers into the Duke’s residence…
Then even if the emperor still wanted to destroy the family…
Without all this planted evidence, the situation would never have become so hopeless.
Perhaps there would still have been a chance to turn things around.
“Why did you kidnap me?”
Yelü Zheng still could not understand.
She was only an unloved princess of Great Jin.
Why had she been brought to this unfamiliar land of Great Yong?
She also knew that resisting these people would only bring more suffering.
She had tried to escape several times during the journey…
But after being beaten nearly to death more than once, she finally stopped resisting.
What she did not know was…
Even if she had obeyed from the beginning, the beatings would still have happened.
After all, the story used to bring her into the Duke’s residence was that she had made a serious mistake in the Chen household, had been severely beaten, and then driven away.
“Princess, are your injuries any better?”
Lin Xiner pulled over a chair and sat beside the bed.
Yelü Zheng glared at her with hatred and remained silent.
“The medicine I had applied to your wounds is of the highest quality.”
Lin Xiner ignored the hatred in her eyes.
She had come today for only one reason—to find out whether Yelü Zheng knew anything.
She also wanted to know whether any members of the Duke’s family had visited her.
“What exactly are you trying to do?”
Although Yelü Zheng had fallen from power, she had once been a royal princess.
Even while questioning someone, she still carried natural authority.
Hearing her question…
Lin Xiner suddenly lost all interest in talking.
She felt foolish for wasting time speaking with someone who would soon be dead.
“You’ll know our purpose soon enough.”
Now that she had confirmed the princess was still safe, her visit had achieved its purpose.
Ignoring Yelü Zheng’s repeated questions, Lin Xiner stood up and walked out.
…
“Has she left this room at all these past few days?”
Lin Xiner stopped and asked the two young maids outside.
“Replying to Eldest Miss, the nanny’s injuries are too serious. She can’t even get out of bed.”
The older maid answered respectfully.
What confused her was this…
Hadn’t Eldest Miss said this nanny was extremely important?
That was why the Duchess had specially assigned them to care for her.
But the ointment Eldest Miss had sent did not help the wounds at all.
Instead, the wounds seemed to be getting worse every day.
Still, she was only a servant.
It was not her place to ask questions.
She only needed to do her job.
“Take good care of her. You’ll be rewarded.”
Leaving those words behind, Lin Xiner walked away without hesitation.
Coincidentally, no guests came to the Duke’s residence that day.
Seeing her favorite daughter return again, Wang Qingwan was naturally delighted.
At noon, the kitchen prepared three tables full of delicious dishes.
All the members of the Duke’s household gathered together for lunch.
The atmosphere was warm and cheerful.
Lin Yue’er and the younger siblings were all very close to their eldest sister, Lin Xiner.
Watching Lin Xiner smile warmly as she reminded her younger brothers and sisters to honor their parents and grandmother…
The people who already knew the truth felt a deep bitterness in their hearts.
It was no wonder they had all been deceived.
No matter how anyone looked at it, Lin Xiner’s behavior was flawless.
She perfectly played the role of a good granddaughter, a good daughter, and a good elder sister.
With such incredible self-control…
No one could see through her.
The Second Madam, Madam You, and the Third Madam, Madam Guo, exchanged a glance.
Both saw the same disbelief in each other’s eyes.
If their husbands had not repeatedly warned them to act exactly as usual and avoid alerting the enemy…
Lin Xiner might already have noticed something was wrong.
This woman…
Who could chat and smile while calmly planning the deaths of her own family…
Was she really the noble eldest legitimate daughter who had been raised with every luxury in the Duke’s household?