Chapter 281 – Extremely Hopeless
Lin Kuang started to be sure that what he suspected really happened. His heart sank even more. After taking a long breath, he tried to say calmly, “well, say it…I only need to know how my son died…it’s not like I can’t accept it, but I at least have to know the reason. To make you obey, I’m sure the Emperor threatened to hurt your family, or promised to give you a lot of benefits? If you tell me the truth, I will guarantee you personally that your family will be safe. Otherwise, they will lie as corpses on the streets tomorrow!”
The prison guard’s face went pale, and there was a hint of despair in his eyes. He knew that whether or not he chose to tell the truth, it was impossible for him to stay alive anyway. What Lin Kuang told him also left him no choice.
“Ok…I will tell you…” When the prison guard said these words, he suddenly felt a sense of relief, and most of his fear had disappeared. Such is a feeling of comfort from too much suffering.
Lin Kuang’s whole body shook violently. Although he had been interrogating the prison guard, he really wanted him to keep denying the fact. If Lin Zhan had committed suicide, and not assassinated, he might as well feel better. At this time, he felt a heavy blow in his heart, like a hammer. His final fantasy disappeared. He was anticipating that all he reckoned was the reality…
“Tell me…” Lin Kuang was pale. His body was shaking. If Lin Yan didn’t support him, he would have fallen already.
At the moment, the prison guard told Lin Kuang everything in detail. When he did, he said it in such a thorough way that none of the details was missed.
When he finished, he felt a surge of relief all over his body, as if he had thrown away a heavy stone, and he closed his eyes, waiting for his end. Lin Kuang, at this time, had become entirely numb. He felt like his soul had left his body. For Lin Yan, he couldn’t control his rage, and he heard his fists making noises.
This small woodshed was like being pressed down by a large pot cover, and the atmosphere was so overwhelming that it made people hard to breathe. Lin Yan, being red-eyed, went forward and grabbed the prison guard with one hand, while Lin Kuang yelled, “let him go.”
The prison guard opened his eyes and looked in disbelief. Lin Yan asked, “Why? If the Emperor knows that we’re already aware of this, he’ll…”
“The Emperor will be sure to believe that I’ll kill him immediately, and that’s why he handed him over to me. He won’t care about him. He’s just a pathetic tool. If I put myself in his shoes, why would I take away his life…go, change yourself and leave here? Bring your family and leave the Tianlong City. Rest assured, the Emperor will not care a small potato like you.”
Without saying anything further, Lin Yan burnt the rope wrapped around his body and said, “since my brother lets you go, then leave. Don’t ever come back.”
The prison guard trembled and stood up. Somehow, he didn’t believe it. He hurriedly bowed and thanked Lin Kuang and Lin Yan, before rushing out.
Lin Kuang leaned weakly against the wall, and coldness filled his heart entirely. The previous day, the Emperor had promised him that he was only going to lock Lin Zhan temporarily, and he had no intentions to kill him. He even let the prison guard act in front of him. If Long Yin had killed Lin Zhan brutally in front of Lin Kuang, he might also find it better. What horrified him was Long Yin’s way of deception.
“We’re just a bunch of dogs in his eyes…” Lin Yan clenched his fists. He was so furious that one could see the veins on his forehead clearly.
Lin Kuang was still speechless.
“Brother, what should we do? Can you really accept this? It’s your son!” Lin Yan was full of resentment.
Lin Kuang said, “so what? If the Emperor wants him to die, he has to. He’s the Emperor, and we’re under him. If he wants to take away our lives, he doesn’t have to give a reason. What if Zhan’Er was assassinated by him, there’s nothing we can do…”
“Not only Zhan’er, I think the same happened to Xiao’er?”
“What did you say?” Lin Kuang widened his eyes.
“You told me yesterday that Xiao’er was shot by someone in the army, and it is still unclear who did it…this is just ridiculous! Who doesn’t know Xiao’er in the Palace? If that guard wasn’t instructed, how could he act so relentlessly? Also, there were so many people at that time, how is it possible that no one knew who shot the arrow? This is the biggest joke ever.”
br>Lin Kuang’s face expression got even darker. The day before, he was grief-stricken, and he didn’t think much about it. At this time, when he was listening to Lin Yan, he suddenly understood everything – that all these incidents had been planned by Long Yin all along. They had all been calculated.
“The Emperor is not a simple-minded person. And I learned this many years ago. And if he weren’t, he wouldn’t be a good emperor. As we’ve said all along, that being near to the Emperor is like being near to a tiger. We should’ve anticipated this day a long time ago.” Lin Kuang said weakly.
“Brother, you…Are you really going to endure this and pretend that nothing has happened? They are your son and grandson!” Lin Yan stepped forward and clutched his shoulders with anger.
“What are you planning to do otherwise? Are we going to rebel?”
Lin Yan suddenly calmed down. He said plainly, “yes, rebel…why not?”
Lin Kuang was suddenly shocked and shouted subconsciously, “second brother, you…”
“We didn’t do this intentionally. That damn Emperor forced us to!” Lin Yan sighed.
“No, absolutely not!” Lin Kuang shook his head firmly, and cautiously said, “the Emperor has never had any suspicion to the Lin family. This time, whether it was the death of Xiao’er or Zhan’er, it’s all because of that scandal…and we can’t put all the blame on the Emperor. My brother, you have to think twice.”
Lin Yan waved, pushed Lin Kuang away and said with disappointment, “big brother, I have always rebelled against my parents since I was a child, but I have always listened to you. Over the years, I have always admired my brother’s loyalty, but now I know…brother, you are not loyal, you’re stupid… brother, I have only one question for you – what have you got all these years for your loyalty?”
What has he got in return?
Lin Kuang felt stiff, and there was a tremendous pain in his heart. The sorrow that he’d always been suppressing rushed out immediately. He wanted to cry loudly.
At this time, the closed door of the woodshed was pushed open, and the prison guard, who had just been released, returned. The difference was that he had already put on a set of clothes of a servant. When he came in, he said with respect, “the two masters…there’s something I forgot to tell you. Before Master Lin died, he used his blood to write something on his chest…”
The body of Lin Zhan was lying in the mourning hall of the Lin Family. Lin Kuang and Lin Yan rushed in together, they let all the people who stayed there retreat, and they walked over to remove the white cloth and untied the top of Lin Zhan.
On the chest, they saw a line of unclear blood. Although the handwriting was somewhat distorted, it was still possible to distinguish that Lin Zhan wrote it, and the contents of the dozen words were astonishingly consistent as Lin Yan’s words – What have I got out of my loyalty?
Lin Kuang felt like he’d been struck by lightning; he sat on the ground and cried loudly.
At the same time, something happened in Tianfeng City.
“Father, I have just got some news. Ye Wuchen, who was forced to jump off the Duanhun Cliff, had not died. He also returned to Tianlong City three days ago. And it’s already been proven.” Feng Ling said calmly. However, although he was calm, there was still a touch of shock in him. Just now, when he got the news that Ye Wuchen was still alive, he could hardly believe his ears. At the same time, he echoed the phrase that he heard before Ye Wuchen jumped off the cliff, “ if I survive today, I will make everyone in the Feng family suffer.” However, Feng Ling was relieved after Ye Wuchen’s body was disabled. Otherwise, he could hardly imagine how big a disaster he would bring with his strength.
Feng Lie wasn’t surprised, he said, “I already knew. The reason I am calling you today is that I want to discuss with you about your marriage. You are already twenty-three years old. As a prince, you still have no wife or concubine. I know that you are still obsessed with the daughter of the Ye family in Tianlong City, but people have already started spreading rumors, and this matter cannot be further delayed.”
Feng Ling looked more serious, and he bowed his head, “I’ll do everything according to the instructions of father.”
“Then after five days, the marriage will be held. You have seen the daughter of General Yue, she’s now eighteen years old, and she’s both pretty and talented. If you get married to her, Yue Handong will be loyal forever, and it will be advantageous to you.”
“I have no objections to this arrangement.” Feng Ling replied, and then lowered his head again, “father, pardon me if I’m too blunt. Father has made up your mind three years ago…if not for me…and you’ve been acting these few years hesitantly. Every time you send an army, you’ve just tested the enemy’s strength without showing their real power. You once said that it’s all because of the Southern Emperor. However, three years have passed. Why doesn’t father still have any intentions to mobilize the army?”
His head lowered, and his face was pale like wax. His body was shaking vigorously. He turned and waved weakly, “I know what you’re thinking about. I suspect that the reason you want to conquer Tianlong Country is all because of the daughter of the Ye Family. Leave…I will make an arrangement.”