Finest Servant

Chapter 491 Returning to the Royal Mansion

‘Retire? Has the old man gone senile? I'm only in my twenties; how could I retire so soon? Even if someone had to take the fall, it wouldn't be me.’ Lord Lin thought indignantly.

The Emperor slowly walked up to Lin San and Chen Biqing, scrutinizing both men carefully. After a lengthy pause, he let out a long sigh. "My loyal subjects, this matter greatly affects the prosperity of our great empire. The responsibility is immense. You both must investigate it thoroughly—I am kin to the prince, and I refuse to believe that he would commit such an act."

Chen Biqing's face flushed with emotion as he knelt on the ground, respectfully saying, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. I will devote myself entirely to resolving this issue and will not disappoint your trust."

The Emperor nodded slightly and turned his gaze towards Lin San. "And you? Can you handle this task?"

Lin San frowned and said, "Your Majesty, I'm not a learned man, and my insights are shallow compared to Lord Chen here, who excels in rhetoric. What if, while I focus too much on the task, someone takes issue with me and wants to file a complaint? That would certainly disgrace you. Therefore, it might be better if this case is assigned to someone else—"

Lin San's sarcastic tone did not escape Chen Biqing, but the Emperor was present, so he dared not speak out of turn.

The Emperor chuckled, "If you succeed, the credit is yours; if you fail, then it's my fault for misjudging character. How cunning of you to absolve yourself of all responsibility in advance."

Lin San put on a humble smile. "Your Majesty, isn't it because I don't want to tarnish your reputation? My sincere intentions are as clear as day!"

Despite his casual demeanor, the thick bandages wrapped around his leg bore testament to his capabilities. This young man had always delivered and had never disappointed anyone. The Emperor smiled faintly. "Rest assured, as long as you serve our great empire with all your heart and soul, even if there are minor mistakes, I will not hold them against you. Minister Chen, my loyal subject—"

"I am here," Chen Biqing hurriedly said.

The Emperor smiled, "Lin San is a bit straightforward. If you encounter any difficulties while working together, do not be too harsh on him."

Straightforward? Lin San's cunning would put even a labyrinthine mountain path to shame. Lord Chen felt helpless. It was clear the Emperor was favoring Lin San, and who knew what problems would arise when they teamed up.

Lin San had the gift of the gab, speaking so eloquently that he could probably convince the stars to fall from the sky. The issue of his toppling was set aside, and the Emperor even assigned him to investigate the case concerning the Prince. It wasn't exactly a favor, but it might as well have been one. Everyone clearly understood this, and their respect for the usually jovial Lin San grew even greater.

"How's your injury, Little brother Lin?" Xu Wei asked, as they left the imperial audience.

‘Do you really need to ask? Can't you see I'm still in a wheelchair?’ Lord Lin glared at Old Xu, "I'm fine, not going to die."

Xu Wei looked around and saw Chen Biqing waiting in the distance, presumably to discuss collaborating on the case. Lowering his voice, he said, "Little brother, are you confident that you can close this case within two days? General Li was really anxious when he heard you were in trouble. If it weren't for urgent military drills yesterday, he would've personally visited you. Among those in our great empire who can hold their heads high in front of the nomads, besides Li Tai, it's just you. You can't afford to mess this up!"

Old Xu indeed had some skills; he knew how to flatter in a way that felt genuinely pleasant. With a warm smile on his face, Lord Lin said, "Mr. Xu, you give me too much credit. I can only deal with the likes of Lu Dongzan, nothing that would put me on a grand stage. As for this case..." He sighed, "Whether we can solve it or not, we have to. We don't have the luxury of time. It's a real headache."

Indeed, two days was a tight timeframe, but under these critical circumstances, even the Emperor had no other options. Xu Wei nodded in agreement, "Little brother, Gao Qiu has already briefed me on the matter. I also believe your analysis is quite sound. Given the crafty nature of our opponent, there's nothing we can't imagine that he wouldn't dare to do. After operating for so many years, we easily breached his stronghold. It raises suspicions; there must be something big going on in the royal mansion."

‘Great minds think alike,’ Lord Lin patted Master Xu's shoulder with satisfaction, even though there was a slight whiff of too-little-too-late in his so-called heroism. Still, it was better than being obstinately wrong.

To look after Lin Wanrong, the Emperor had sent Gao Ping to escort him personally. When the palanquin left the palace gates, it was already late. The head inspector, Imperial Censor Chen Biqing, had been waiting there for some time.

"Master Lin, where are you going now?" Gao Ping asked softly from outside the palanquin.

Where else could he go? The old man had only given him two days. If he didn't hurry, he would really have to retire and go home. Seeing Chen Biqing anxiously looking his way, Lord Lin let out a casual 'oh' and said, "I'm a bit tired today, I think I'll go back to my mansion to rest. Eunuch Gao, you know the way to my place, right?"

Before his words could settle, Chen Biqing hurriedly approached, lifting his official robe, "Lord Lin, there's no time for rest, no time at all!"

"Oh? Isn't that Minister Chen?" Lin Wanrong responded in a leisurely manner, "What are you doing here, watching the sunset? You seem to be in a good mood."

The young man's tone was full of irony, entirely disregarding the authority of the Imperial Censor, a position feared by many officials. Lord Chen had never been treated like this before and couldn't vent his frustration. Suppressing his anger, he said seriously, "Lord Lin, you make it sound so easy. The Emperor has only given us two days, we cannot afford to delay. I've been waiting here specifically to discuss this with you."

‘Discuss what? This Chen is clearly trying to make life difficult for me. Does he think I'm an easy target?’ Lord Lin yawned and replied lazily, "I don't have much to contribute, given my limited abilities and knowledge. I'm better off going home to sleep. You handle it, Minister Chen. You've submitted so many reports to the Emperor; just send another one asking for an extension. Or, just shift the blame onto me. I've been reported on so many times; the Emperor knows I often get wronged. So, it doesn't bother me much."

Gao Ping, an old servant in the palace accustomed to the internal struggles, quietly listened to their conversation. A subtle smile crossed his lips. Lord Lin was indeed someone who knew how not to be taken advantage of. Anyone who tried to trip him up would get it right back.

Chen Biching was grinding his teeth in fury. ‘How did this scoundrel manage to get this far, to utter such outrageous words?’ he thought. Suppressing his anger, he said, "Lord Lin, you and I both serve the Emperor. Our duty is to be loyal to the court and the nation. If everyone were as unambitious and evasive as you—"

‘To hell with you. I hate sanctimonious people like you who say one thing and mean another,’ thought Lin Wanrong, dismissing Minister Chen. Calmly, he said, "Eunuch Gao, wasn't the Emperor's instruction for you to escort me? Why have we stopped?"

"Yes, yes," replied Eunuch Gao, ever so astute. Sensing Minister Chen's disapproval of Lord Lin, he knew better than to stick around. With a wave of his hand, the palanquin bearers lifted Lin Wanrong and proceeded on their way.

Chen Biching stood there, flabbergasted. Seldom had he encountered someone like Lin Wanrong in the bureaucratic circles—someone so forthright that they didn't give a damn about saving face.

Two ministers on a joint case, yet not even a few words were exchanged before negotiations collapsed—a rarity indeed. Lin Wanrong, however, was unfazed. While Minster Chen may have appeared grandiose to others, Lord Lin knew he must be more anxious about the case than himself. After all, Minister Chen sought promotions through his work, whereas Lord Lin was neither hungry for rank nor wealth and acted merely out of goodwill. Who could outdo him?

Sure enough, Minister Chen's palanquin hurriedly caught up with them. His face was ashen, teeth clenched. "Lord Lin, my earlier words were ill-considered. I hope you'll overlook them. Please understand my difficulties and discuss the case with me."

"My, my, Lord Chen, you're too modest," Lin Wanrong said, chuckling under his breath at the man's change in demeanor. "I, too, wish to resolve this case properly. Otherwise, I wouldn't be doing justice to your concerns."

Minister Chen gritted his teeth and remained silent. Lowering his voice, Lin Wanrong grinned, "Lord Chen, there is something I'd like to confirm with you."

"Speak," Minister Chen replied.

Lin Wanrong nodded and sighed, "Rumors have it that Gu Bingyan is your cousin. Is that true?"

‘Everyone in the court knows that, don't they?’ thought Minister Chen, infuriated by Lord Lin's sly appearance. He snorted, "What you said is true. Bingyan is indeed my cousin. But what does this have to do with the case?"

"Oh, nothing much," Lord Lin said, his smile skin-deep. "Today, my residence was besieged by a few ignorant scholars who even engaged in looting. I couldn't help myself, so I detained a couple of them and casually interrogated them—"

"What did you find out?" Minster Chen asked, alarmed.

Lin Wanrong waved his hand dismissively, "Oh, just some random things. You know me, I'm usually easy-going. But unfortunately, I have two princesses at home, and they are rather... militant in their views. Of course, this should have nothing to do with Brother Bingyan. It's just that I've heard he's quite influential among the scholars. So, Lord Chen, if you happen to meet your cousin, please ask him to mediate. Ah, if the Emperor decides to investigate this—well, I really wouldn't want to see that day come."

Chen Biqing's face turned pale; he fell silent.

After that, Lin Wanrong pondered about the royal mansion, wondering if Gao Qiu had made any progress. He dared not actually go home to sleep. He instructed his palanquin bearers to head straight for the royal mansion, with Chen Biqing closely following behind.

Before they even approached the royal mansion, they saw troops patrolling in formation, a security perimeter established within a two-mile radius—no entry, no exit, the level of security was tight. Once inside the royal mansion, they were even more taken aback: thousands of soldiers maintained their formation as they thoroughly searched every corner of the premises.

"Brother Lin, you're back?" Gao Qiu rushed over upon receiving word, his face visibly worn. Seeing his expression, Lin Wanrong knew that the search had not yielded anything promising.

Chen Biqing surveyed the scene, his brows tightly furrowed, "Lord Lin, what are you doing? This is a royal mansion; how could you let soldiers rampage through it so recklessly?"

Lord Lin spread his hands, "Unless Lord Chen has a better idea? If so, I'll happily go home and sleep."

The audacity! Faced with Lord Lin's unscrupulous tactics, Chen Biqing felt helpless. "Lord Lin, even the Emperor has not yet pronounced judgment on the Prince's actions. Acting so rashly might give people grounds for criticism."

Gao Qiu sneered disdainfully at these supposed words of wisdom. Lin Wanrong shrugged and smiled, "Lord Chen, are you implying that I've convicted the Prince? These soldiers are here to search for him. If you have a better plan, I won't stop you."

Chen Biqing huffed, "If Lord Lin is so confident, who am I to interfere? I'll take a look around the premises and await your good news."

With a few attendants in tow, Chen Biqing headed deeper into the royal mansion. Watching his retreating figure, Gao Qiu muttered menacingly, "Brother Lin, what kind of trouble-making official did this guy turn out to be? Should I have my men tie him up?"

‘Dammit, Brother Gao's more of a bandit than I am,’ thought Lin Wanrong, laughing heartily. "Why tie him up? The old man is still waiting for him to uncover the 'actual truth.' So, Brother Gao, did you find anything?"

Gao Qiu spat softly and dejectedly said, "Brother Lin, you see the scene. Over a thousand brothers have turned this royal mansion upside down, and we didn't even find a yellow pair of underpants. It's truly bizarre!"

Lin Wanrong responded gravely, "Brother Gao, are you certain those two guards entered the royal mansion and never left?"

"My life's at stake on it!" Gao Qiu declared confidently, "We have sealed off two miles around this area so tightly that not even a fly could get out. Dammit, did they fly away or vanish into thin air?"

"Don't panic," Lin Wanrong patted Gao Qiu on the shoulder. His own anxiety was far greater than Gao Qiu's, but he couldn't show it. "As long as they're hiding here, we will find a way to flush them out. Brother Gao, take me inside to have a look."

Gao Qiu nodded, pushing Lin Wanrong's wheelchair as they entered.

A great fire had long ago altered the appearance of the royal mansion. The air was filled with a choking smog, the gardens were desolate, and the flowers were withered. All the past grandeur was gone. The enormous waterwheel, brought from Yunnan by Prince Cheng, was still turning slowly. The golden dragon root carving—emblazoned with "Dragon Trapped in Shallow Waters"—still stood in the distance. Yet the circumstances within these gardens had already changed beyond recognition.

In stark contrast to the grandeur of the past, with its golden lanterns, glazed cups, wine, and numerous attendants, the present-day decline and disrepair were all too glaring.

"What are you looking at, Brother Lin?" Seeing Lin Wanrong lost in thought as he stared at a clean side room, Gao Qiu quickly tugged on his sleeve.

"Nothing, just reminiscing about the past," Lin Wanrong replied, a hint of nostalgia flashing in his eyes. He gently pushed open the door to the room. It was as neat as ever, with a fine table standing quietly in a corner. The silk quilt on the bed was soft, a faint fragrance still lingering in the air, unchanged from that night so long ago.

"Make haste, you can't mess this up. Think about Xian'er—"

"Don't call me Master Sister—"

"My Lord, go slow, you're tearing me apart—"

Whispers of moans and groans seemed to float back to him, as if he had returned to that exact scene. An Biru's seductive face subtly floated into his view.

"Sister An, don't go—" Lord Lin's eyes brimmed with tears as he grabbed An Biru's small hand.

"Let go of me—" Sister An cried out urgently.

Lord Lin tightened his grip, "Even if it kills me, I won't let go. Sister, come back, I miss you so much—"

"Brother Lin, I beg you, let go of me—" Gao Qiu, full of goosebumps, pleaded, "I have someone else now—"

Startled by the raspy voice, Lord Lin looked closely and found no Sister An but was instead tightly grasping Gao Qiu's bark-like hand, nearly tearing off his skin.

"Brother Gao, what are you doing hiding here? Trying to take advantage of me?" Lord Lin quickly let go of Gao Qiu's sleeve, his body breaking out in a cold sweat.

"Brother Lin, are you delusional? What Sister An? This is the royal mansion!"

"Never mind, never mind," Lord Lin wiped the sweat from his forehead, sighing deeply, and sternly said, "Brother Gao, nobody touches anything in this room. Anybody who does will lose their head!"

"Yes, yes," Gao Qiu nodded. Noticing the redness around Brother Lin's eyes, he whispered, "Don't worry, Brother Lin. Your affairs outside the home will die with me. Your wives will never know."

That scoundrel Gao! Lord Lin cursed silently and hurriedly left the room. As soon as he stepped out, he arrived at the mansion's backyard, and the scene before him took him aback.

The backyard was immensely vast, surrounded by walls that enclosed a clear lake stretching across several acres. There were pavilions and towers on the lake, willows surrounding wooden boats. A gentle breeze made the green waves ripple; it was incredibly charming.

Lin Wanrong had never been to the royal mansion's backyard before. The green hills and clear waters caught his eye. Indeed, the prince knew how to enjoy life. His expression suddenly tightened, "Brother Gao, have you searched the lake?!"

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