“Father, Elder Brother had done all those things because of me. Therefore, please do not blame him.”
Even since they were young, Lin Nansheng had time and again sustained injuries in the course of protecting Lin Mengya. Even this time, he had risked his life fighting for her justice. Lin Mengya was aware that Lin Muzhi might have tried to shield her brother, but it did not mean that he would not punish Lin Nansheng.
“Ya’er, I know you’ve come to plead for mercy for your elder brother. However, did it ever cross your mind that what your brother did could’ve ruined our entire family? It doesn’t matter if I die, but what about all the members of the household from young to old? Do they have to lose their lives over this impulsive action?”
At their father’s words, Lin Mengya and Lin Nansheng hung their heads. As Lin Muzhi gazed at the pair of outstanding children of his, he sighed and blurted out, “The fact that the Fifth Prince attempted to assassinate your sister was in itself was a grave sin, but you even burned the Zhaohe Palace and tried to push the blame onto Fifth Prince. It doesn’t matter that the Fifth Prince was ousted. What really matters is that the Chen family would be destroyed.”
Disappointed that his children failed to meet his expectations, Lin Muzhi thought that these two, although intelligent, did not consider the big picture.
What they were ignorant of was that while Lin Mengya seemed to be the winner, but in reality, the Shangguan family, who was covetously eyeing power, was the real winner this time.
“Father, didn’t you say that the Chen family and the Shangguan family had collaborated with each other in doing evil? Isn’t it a good thing that the Chens are destroyed. Wouldn’t the Shangguan family be one lackey short?” a perplexed Lin Nansheng asked.
However, Lin Mengya pondered over her father’s words, and all of a sudden, the expression on her face changed. She realized that she had neglected one move in this game of chess.
“Ya’er seems to have realized what I’m saying. Tell your brother what you think,” said Lin Muzhi, shaking his head. Lin Nansheng might be a valiant soldier who was skilled in using weapons, but he was still lacking in strategizing.
Ya’er was different. Although she did not know anything about fighting a war, she had a sharp mind that turned fast. She and Lin Nansheng were complete opposites.
“I think Father is trying to say that although the Chens and the Shangguans are aligned in their goals, they are also constrained by each other. The Chens were able to save the Fifth Prince’s life because they are partly in control of the military power. However, given that the Fifth Prince had violated a great taboo, they have to exchange his life with the military power they are holding. Not only will the Chens lose their power, they could even be swallowed up by the Shangguan Family.”
Lin Muzhi nodded, as Ya’er was apparently smart enough to understand what he was trying to say.
“Moreover, the Shangguan and the Chen families had worked together to do many evil things. If the Chens were to fall, who do you think will shoulder this responsibility?”
At Lin Muzhi’s words, the two siblings were forced into silence.
Their father’s words had hit the nail on the head. The Shangguan family would be the one to benefit from the Chen family being destroyed. In that case, not only would the Chens fall under the Shangguan family’s control, they would also become the sacrificial lamb for them!
In order to protect their heirs, the Chens would surely not oppose the Shangguans. In this way, the Shangguan family would then be given a chance to clear the family name.
Lin Mengya shuddered. What Father said was indeed right. The Queen had emerged victorious over them this time.
However, the Chens hated the Lins.
“Ya’er, did you already get acquainted with the two senior princes? They are my good buddies. The truth is that the Fifth Prince would not have escaped punishment even if nothing happened to Zhaohe Palace. As your father, I won’t ever allow my daughter to be bullied and humiliated. Do you understand?”
Lin Mengya nodded. Father had taught them some important lessons today. He had taught them how to make deliberate and calculated political choices in order to take control of the entire situation.
“Father, I’ve done you wrong. I’ve let down your good intentions.”
Finally, Lin Mengya was completely convinced and submitted to her father. The method employed by her and her brother, though risky and ruthless, was like fighting a battle alone. They were able to achieve success only through cooperating and relying on the plan that their father had laid out as well as Long Tianyu’s vigilant reactions.
If they followed closely to Father’s plan in its execution, the King of Chongshan and King of Lishan would not send the Fifth Prince to his death. The Queen, being his mother, would not be able to escape blame.
This would result in the Fifth Prince being punished. However, even if the Chens were forced to hand over their military power, it would not go to the Queen. In this way, the Queen would have to receive a blow.
This would be the best outcome.
However, Lin Mengya and her brother had ruined this chess game so much that Father and the two senior princes had to take the back seat.
“As your son, I realize I was wrong. Please punish me, Father!”
Lin Nansheng no longer insisted on his own opinion. Father once told him on the battlefield that it was necessary to start laying down military strategies and formations and the major locations in order to ensure nothing went wrong. In addition, Father would also enact the various possible reactions from the enemies. Miraculously, they had never lost a battle so far.
Now he fully understood that their victories were not the result of luck or that Father was some amazing strategist. It was because Father had the entire situation at his fingertips. He was also able to make a careful observation of their enemies’ strengths. All of this added together allowed Father to lay out the strategies and plans in a meticulous way.
“It’s good enough that you understand now. Although you had made a risky move, it was not a bad move after all.”
Lin Muzhi had no intention of blaming his son in the first place. He merely wanted to take this opportunity to teach his son a lesson. Hopefully, he would remain modest and keep cool in the future so he could achieve even greater things.
“How so?” Lin Nansheng asked earnestly. Even Lin Mengya was clueless as to what plan Father had used to turn the situation around and create a miracle out of a mistake.
“The water leakage in Zhaohe Palace would eventually be thought of as a calamity inflicted by the heavens. What exactly had resulted in this calamity after the great sacrificial ceremony? I have to say that it was the Heavens giving Dajin a warning.”
A light flashed in Lin Mengya’s eyes as she recalled that back in the modern world, she had read in history that before Wu Zetian became the Emperor, there were many people who claimed that there were already signs that women were meddling in politics.
At this time, the Queen was holding on to the nation’s governing authority. If she used her power appropriately, would she likewise become the Emperor?
“Are you implying, Father, that the country would not be able to enjoy peace if the Queen governs from the imperial throne?”
Lin Nansheng was also exceptionally intelligent and was able to understand his father’s intention immediately this time.
Lin Muzhi nodded. He could see that both his children had inherited the Lin family’s intelligent genes.
“Oh yes, Father, there is something very important that I wish to discuss with you on this trip back home,” said Lin Mengya.
Lin Mengya had kept her intention to enter the palace from her father. However, if rumors of the Queen wanting to usurp authority were to go around, she would not have the mental power to go against Lin Mengya.
In other words, it was the best time for her!
“Out with it. What cheeky ideas do you have now?”
Lin Mengya smiled faintly as she clearly narrated her intention to go into the palace to treat the Emperor’s illness.
After she was done speaking, both the father and son went into silence.
In fact, even if they were to put the danger of Lin Mengya entering the palace aside, would she really be able to see what was wrong with the Emperor?
“Ya’er, let Father ask you a question. How confident are you in your diagnosis of the Emperor’s illness? I heard from your brother that you’re even able to neutralize poison after you recovered from your illness. Is that true?”
Lin Muzhu asked her with a serious tone of voice. After all, many miracles had happened to his daughter.
Nevertheless, the Emperor’s illness was no small matter. It would endanger the lives of the entire Lin family if Lin Mengya went ahead. He had to take the necessary precautions.
It was good that Lin Mengya had already prepared exactly what she wanted to say earlier.
“As your daughter, I wouldn’t have the audacity to lie to you. Since young, I’ve always been very sensitive to all kinds of medicine. What was even more strange was that I was able to use my sense of smell to discern whether something was poisonous. As for neutralizing poisons, it was because there’s a very able person in Prince Yu’s Mansion who imparted his knowledge and skills unto me. I knew that I naturally possessed a talent, and coupled with the help of this teacher, I finally picked up on how to neutralize poison, although it was not easy.”
Honestly, if one were to think over Lin Mengya’s words, one would be able to find many holes.
However, Lin Muzhi appeared to be totally convinced.
He gazed at his daughter’s eyes and said after a sigh, “Lass, you are so much like your mother. Do you know that your mother was the well-known Jade-faced Physician in the capital city?”
“Jade-face Physician?” Lin Mengya furrowed her brows as she tried wracking her brains, searching for this name.
Back then, her elder brother was still a toddler and she an infant. How would she ever have any impression of her mother?
Lin Muzhi looked at his daughter with a comforted and contented look, and said, “When I first met your mother, she was treating the illnesses of the nomads at the borders. Later on, I was seriously injured and my subordinates, in a frenzy, ordered men to kidnap your mother.”
Based on what Lin Muzhi said, their acquaintance was purely coincidental.
Lin Mengya and Lin Nansheng exchanged looks as they realized this was the first time after they became adults that their father told them the romantic story between him and their mother.
He appeared to be engrossed in the wonderful feeling at that time so much that there was tenderness written all over his face. Lin Mengya thought that this was what people described as the tenderness of a strong man.
In reality, although Father might look course and wild, he had a gentle and attentive side to him.
Who would have imagined that Father had raised her single-handedly in the first few years after her mother passed away?
It was even hard for her to imagine now, how this army commander who instilled fear in the hearts of the enemies, was able to tenderly hold on to an infant. It was hard to fathom that they were one and same person.
“Back then, your mother was known as the most beautiful woman at the borders. She was beautiful, intelligent, gentle, and understanding. Can you imagine that my deputy general was berated by her for capturing her? There were so many soldiers in the army camp but everyone would circumvent her when coming across her. At that time, I had a hard time when she treated my injury.”
By this time, Father was smiling brilliantly. It was a sweet smile that belonged in a past memory. As Lin Mengya and Lin Nansheng exchanged looks again, there was a look of pity in their eyes.
If their mother was still alive, Father would be the most blessed man on earth.
“Look at me! I’m really getting old. I can’t contain my emotions when I talk about the past.”
