Bam bam bam!
At Lin Qingyuan’s words, Chen Xuping suddenly brought his forehead to the ground and bashed his head forcefully against it three times. When he raised his head again, it was already a bloody mess. He stared at Lin Qingyuan, smiling ruefully. “Is this enough?”
Lin Qingyuan glanced at him with an unreadable expression and eventually said in a muffled voice, “If you want the Emperor to pardon your family, you need to have evidence to prove that you’re not the culprit.”
Chen Xuping thought for a while, then said, “Remember the place we used to hang out as kids? I have evidence buried under that tree. Can you retrieve it for me and give it to the Emperor?”
Lin Qingyuan naturally remembered.
When she was young, she loved spending time at the Duke Chen Mansion. Back then, Chen Xuping took great care of her. They often played hide-and-seek together, and he always liked hiding in that tree. When she failed to find him, she would cry, and only then would he slide down from the tree.
However, at some point, Chen Xuping started treating her more and more indifferently. If they had not been engaged, he would probably no longer care about her.
Lin Qingyuan felt somewhat dazed as she recalled their childhood memories.
Good times always slipped away so easily, and everyone was no longer the same as their past selves when they were all grown up.
She sighed.
“Alright. I’ll retrieve it for you and give it to the Emperor,” Lin Qingyuan said lightly and turned to leave.
Chen Xuping was still kneeling on the ground as she walked away. Watching her retreating figure, he suddenly came to a realization.
She was the only one who treated him wholeheartedly without any deceit, but he put an end to her pure feelings with his own hands.
If he had not tried to kill her, they would still be close now. Just like the old days, she would always run after him and call him Big Bro Xuping…
However, he started getting more and more impatient with her at some point. He had wished that she would disappear and not bother him anymore.
A teardrop fell from the corner of his eye.
…
After leaving the prison, Lin Qingyuan did not go directly to the Duke Chen Mansion.
The Duke Chen Mansion had already been seized, and she could not enter without the Emperor’s warrant.
She could only go to the Grand Duke Mansion.
However, Zhu Yu told her that Lu Liangwei had not returned from the palace.
Lin Qingyuan could only suppress her anxiety and wait in Lu Liangwei’s house for her return.
At this moment, Lu Liangwei was ready to leave the palace.
With Lil White in her arms, she bid farewell to Long Yang.
“I’ll be going back now.”
Looking at the kitten in her arms, Long Yang was silent for a while, then he said, “Aren’t you still busy with opening your medicinal shop? You can leave the cat in the palace, and Zhao Qian will take care of it for you.”
Lu Liangwei glanced at the kitten in her arms, then at Zhao Qian, who was smiling radiantly beside her. She was a little hesitant. “Won’t it be too much trouble for Butler Zhao?”
Zhao Qian immediately said, “No, no. I feel a strong bond with this kitten already. You can leave it to me, Second Miss Lu. I’ll definitely treat it like my own son.” Despite his words, he was complaining in his heart. He did not like raising cats at all, but Master was clearly determined to keep the animal. If he did not make any effort, and Second Miss ended up taking the cat away, would Master perhaps cut him in half?
With that in mind, he gazed at the kitten in Lu Liangwei’s arms affectionately.
The kitten shuddered under the gaze and buried itself in Lu Liangwei’s embrace.
Lu Liangwei noticed it and was a little puzzled. The weather was hot now, so it could not be feeling cold, right?
Also, was Zhao Qian not being a bit too enthusiastic about this kitten? He did not have some sort of peculiar hobby, did he?