Chapter 35: Night Rain

Did the disaster relief grains turn into husks?

“How could this happen?”

Yu Lingxi originally thought that his elder brother was injured or encountered bandits, but she never expected it to be such a major case. “Didn’t you inspect it before setting out?”

“How is it possible not to check before setting out? Yu Huanchen is not stupid. He checked multiple times before departure, and there was no anomaly in the disaster relief grains. However, it was only upon reaching Luozhou County that we discovered the grains were replaced. There must be someone framing and setting us up!” 

At this point, Yu Xinyi stared at her still youthful sister, speaking with deep meaning, “Sui Sui, Mother’s old illness has not healed and cannot withstand shocks. It’s crucial to keep this information from her; only we should be aware of it.”…”

“I know what to do, sister. If someone is really framing us, it must be someone with great power in the court. Private appropriation of grain funds by military commanders is a grave crime second only to rebellion. The amount is enormous, and it will certainly lead to dismissal and confiscation of property.”

Yu Lingxi clenched her fists, trying hard to calm her voice. “We cannot leak the news, nor can we report the true situation to the emperor. Otherwise, with malicious provocation, the emperor’s anger will be stirred, and my brother will be firmly accused of embezzling disaster relief grains.”

“Exactly.”

Seeing her sister’s clear thoughts, Yu Xinyi was somewhat relieved. “I came back secretly to inform you. Now, I have to return to the palace on duty. You stay at home and take care of Mother, but don’t act rashly.”

“I understand.”

After seeing off Yu Xinyi and before catching her breath, Lady Yu entered the room with concern, “Sui Sui, your sister was in a hurry just now. What happened?”

Yu Lingxi composed herself, quickly stood up, and smiled, “Nothing, she forgot something and came back to get it.”

Her eyes were clear, pretending to be normal, as she approached Lady Yu, supporting her gently. “It’s going to rain. Mother shouldn’t be exposed to the wind. Let’s go back to the room and rest. Shall I give you a shoulder massage?”

Yu Lady raised her eyebrows and said softly, “Sure. If your sister has half of your attention to detail, I would be satisfied as a mother.”

Yu Lingxi pursed her lips and smiled, looking at the gloomy sky outside.

The ink-black clouds hung low, and the mountain rain was about to come.

In the evening, servants hung lanterns with long handles. Yu Lingxi accompanied her mother after dinner to rest. Finally, she heard the footsteps of Yu Xinyi returning to the mansion.

Yu Lingxi immediately stood up and asked, “How is it?”

Yu Xinyi’s face was more solemn than during the day. She untied the cloak wet by the rain and shook her head. Yu Lingxi’s heart sank like rain-soaked clothes, cold and sinking downward.

“Where’s Father?” she asked.

He was Yu Lingxi’s sky. As long as Father was still there, the Yu family would not collapse.

“Father claimed illness to get away from the court and urgently went to Luozhou to stabilize the situation,” Yu Xinyi said.

Yu Lingxi had a glimmer of hope, “As long as we fill the gap in disaster relief grains before the court finds out, nothing will happen.”

“It’s too late, Sui Sui.”

Yu Xinyi took a deep breath and revealed the most worrisome situation, “The court, under the pretext of supervising and caring for the people, has dispatched an inspector to rush to the four counties of Luozhou overnight. If we can’t produce thirty thousand stones of grain by tomorrow noon, both Yu Huanchen and Father will face dire consequences.”

Yu Lingxi’s breath caught in her throat. 

The emperor was unaware of the issue with the disaster relief grains, so why send an inspector in such haste? Could it be that someone is deliberately fanning the flames, intending to lead the Yu family to a dead end?

“Sister, who is the person concurrently serving as the inspector?” Yu Lingxi asked.

Yu Xinyi hurried back home upon hearing the news of the inspector leaving the capital. She immediately replied, “It’s Wang Lingqing, the Ministry of Revenue Assistant Minister.”

Wang Lingqing…

The name sounded very familiar, as if she had heard it before. Suddenly, something clicked in Yu Lingxi’s mind, and she whispered, “Sister, he is affiliated with the Crown Prince.”

Yu Xinyi was astonished, “Sui Sui, how do you know?”

Wang Lingqing was always smooth and worldly-wise like an old catfish. Even Yu Xinyi, who often served in the palace, didn’t know his political affiliation. How could her secluded sister be so sure that he was under the Crown Prince?

Yu Lingxi realized she had slipped up but couldn’t afford to dwell on it now. In her previous life, shortly after entering the Palace, someone presented treasures and beautiful women to Ning Yin.

Leaning on a cane, Ning Yin walked past the officials in crimson robes bowing to the ground and said coldly, “Wang Lingqing, this prince’s side doesn’t need servants from second-rate families.”

The official in crimson robes immediately followed Ning Yin’s pace, flattering, “Your humble servant was blind in the past, following the former… um, the former Crown Prince. Now enlightened, I am willing to devote my life and brain for Prince’s cause!”

“Oh?” Ning Yin glanced at him, then squinted his eyes and burst into low laughter.

Yu Lingxi remembered this name so clearly because that day Ning Yin truly fulfilled his promise of “devoting his brain and liver.” He ordered Wang Lingqing’s liver and brain to be extracted and minced, feeding them to the dogs.

“Probably heard a mention from Father or elder brother…” Yu Lingxi casually fabricated a reason, diverting the topic, “Sister, now is not the time to ask about this.”

“Right, you reminded me,” Yu Xinyi analyzed, “Father refuses to align with the Crown Prince’s faction, becoming a thorn in the Crown Prince’s side. Moreover, with consecutive cancellations of marriage arrangements, he intends to use this incident to suppress and absorb the Yu family, it’s not impossible.”

All doubts were resolved.

Before tomorrow noon, it was either death or submission.

Thinking of this, Yu Xinyi clenched her silver teeth, tightened her fist, and exclaimed, “Despicable!”

“Sister, don’t worry first. Keep it from Mother,” Yu Lingxi pondered for a moment and decisively said, “There’s still time; I’ll go to the Xue Mansion.”

Opening the door, a strong wind accompanied by sudden rain slapped her face, and the world turned dim.

In the back alley, the wings of a falcon swept across the sky, disappearing into the dense raindrops. Inside the room, Ning Yin took off his bamboo hat and sat down. By the dim light of the lamp, he glanced over the secret letter in his palm. A few lines of small characters on the paper encapsulated the recent events in the imperial city and the four counties of Luozhou.

The curve of his lips formed a mocking arc, exactly as he expected: Ning Tan, that pig, couldn’t resist making a move against Yu Huanchen.

The hidden thirty thousand stones of grain were enough to sustain a formidable blow. When two parties contend, it is most suitable to reap the benefits. The more chaotic the court, the more convenient for him to start a rebellion. As for who gets involved and how many people die…

Ning Yin placed the secret letter on the oil lamp and watched the flickering flames, indifferent. “Who cares?”

Except for those eyes as clear as autumn water, all beings in his eyes were blurred and insignificant, like ants.

The sound of carriage and horse came from the corner gate.

Ning Yin stood up, glanced through the crack of the door into the courtyard, and happened to see a maidservant holding an umbrella, accompanying the solemn-faced Yu Lingxi out of the corner gate.

Amidst the noisy rain, the neighing of horses reached his ears, and then the sound of wheels receded. After a long time, Yu Lingxi did not return.

The leisurely and carefree look in Ning Yin’s eyes suddenly faded, dispersing the darkness, turning into gloom.

Casually leaning against the door, he inexplicably felt a bit uncomfortable. “Who is she looking for so late?”

Yu Lingxi had gone to visit the Xue Mansion.

Xue Cen’s grandfather was the chief civil official, the Prime Minister. He held a crucial position in the court, and at this moment, he was the last hope that Yu Lingxi could think of.

On a night with heavy rain, the evening came unusually early. The surroundings were shrouded in darkness, and there were very few pedestrians on the streets. In less than a quarter of an hour, Yu Lingxi’s carriage stopped at the gate of the Xue Mansion.

The butler came to open the door. Hearing Yu Lingxi’s purpose, he smiled awkwardly and said, “Miss, it’s not a good time. Both of our masters are still accompanying the emperor in the palace and haven’t returned home yet.”

If Minister Xue was not there, the hope that had just ignited in Yu Lingxi’s heart was extinguished by more than half.

After a moment of thought, she said, “Is Xue Erlang available?”

“Well… Xue Erlang is also not at home.”

The butler apologized, “Miss, if there’s anything urgent, you can tell me. I’ll convey it when the masters return.”

It was too late, and she had to think of another solution.

“No need, thank you.”

Yu Lingxi said “thank you” and turned to board the carriage, rushing back to discuss countermeasures with Yu Xinyi.

She couldn’t do nothing and watch her father and brother fall into the trap of political struggle. Unexpectedly, when she returned home, the guards informed her that Yu Xinyi had just left.

Yu Lingxi suddenly felt an ominous sign. Without caring to dry the rain on her body, she asked, “Where did she go?”

“I don’t know,” the guard replied. “However, Miss left wearing the official robe of the Hundred Cavalry Division.”

Official robe?

So late, her sister didn’t need to be on duty, and it was impossible to enter the palace for an audience. Why would she wear an official uniform?

Thinking of the anger and urgency that her sister had just expressed about the Crown Prince, Yu Lingxi suddenly felt like she was hit in the head: Could it be that her sister went directly to the Crown Prince to plead?

“How long has my sister been out?” Her breath trembled.

“Just left, not even the time for a stick of incense.”

Too impulsive!

The Crown Prince set up a trap just to force the Yu family to submit. At this moment, Sister going to the Eastern Palace is like a sheep entering a tiger’s den. Given the Crown Prince’s temperament and methods, how could he let her leave unscathed? No one knows what the Crown Prince might do, and the more Yu Lingxi thinks about it, the colder her heart becomes.

After being reborn for so long, she feels such panic for the first time. Her father and brother are already deeply trapped, and Sister must not encounter any more trouble!

The only ones who can restrain the Crown Prince at the moment are those two in the palace. However, ordinary people can’t enter the palace, so she needs to seek help from someone in the royal family. Yu Lingxi lifted her gaze and ordered someone to bring Yu Xinyi’s dagger.

Holding the scabbard, she handed it to a guard and said in a deep voice, “Take Sister’s dagger and go to the Prince of Nanyang’s mansion. Tell the Junior Prince that Yu Xinyi is trapped in the Eastern Palace, her life is in danger, and beg him, in gratitude for Sister saving him at the risk of her life, to hurry to the palace and rescue her! Go!”

The guard, intimidated by the calmness in her eyes, dared not delay. He quickly took the dagger, mounted his horse, and rode off.

However, the Crown Prince would surely not let Ning Zizhuo enter the Eastern Palace to interfere. If they wanted to save Sister, they would need the Emperor or the Empress to enter the palace.

There was no time.

They had to find a way to delay the Crown Prince and buy time for Sister.

Thinking about this, Yu Lingxi made a firm decision and instructed Hutao, “Prepare a horse. We’re going to the Eastern Palace.”

In the pouring rain, the carriage raced along Yongning Street.

Due to the rough ride, teacups and fruit plates on the table clattered and fell to the ground. Yu Lingxi sat calmly, holding her skirt, sitting upright. In her hands lay a sharpened golden hairpin. She was very clear-headed. The Crown Prince, being the heir, if she were to injure him, it would only lead the entire Yu family into a more difficult situation.

Therefore, this golden hairpin was not prepared for Ning Tan; it was for herself.

Yu Lingxi knew that Ning Tan’s interest in her surpassed that in her sister. This was her only chance to buy time and negotiate her sister’s release.

If Ning Zizhuo couldn’t bring reinforcements, then she would have to…

“Who is it?”

The carriage driver shouted in surprise, hastily pulling the reins and making a “whoa” sound.

The carriage abruptly came to a stop, and Yu Lingxi, thrown forward by the tremendous inertia, quickly grabbed the carriage wall. Items inside the carriage clattered to the ground. The candlestick on the table toppled, and darkness enveloped the surroundings. After a while, Yu Lingxi finally found her breath and slowly exhaled the pent-up air in her chest.

“What happened?” she asked.

Outside the carriage, there was no sound except for the pouring rain.

Yu Lingxi reached for the fallen golden hairpin on the ground, held it against her chest for self-defense, took a deep breath, and gathered the courage to lift the curtain.

Suddenly, she was stunned.

In front of the carriage, the lanterns were dim, casting a faint glow in the rainy night. Raindrops gleamed golden under the light. The carriage driver had fallen unconscious by the roadside, and in the driver’s position, where the carriage driver should be, stood an extremely familiar figure in black.

Ning Yin held the reins with one hand, looping them around his arm and forcefully stopping the galloping horses with his own strength!

“Wei Qi.”

Yu Lingxi stared at Ning Yin’s tall and straight figure in the rainy night, and a surge of anger suddenly rose within her. “Have you gone mad?”

With such fast horses, any slight mistake could turn them into minced meat. How dare he!

“You’re the one who’s mad, Miss.” Ning Yin dropped the reins, turned his face around, and Yu Lingxi finally noticed how terrifyingly cold his complexion was. Rainwater ran down his cold, pale face, dripping from the tip of his nose and jaw.

“Miss intends to go where? The Eastern Palace?” He gazed at her with dark eyes, revealing a somewhat unsuccessful cold smile. “Do you know what it means to go there?”

Yu Lingxi stared at him for a long time, and tears welled up in her eyes. “I know.”

But she couldn’t think of a better way.

Holding the golden hairpin, Yu Lingxi spoke softly, “I’m not afraid, Wei Qi.”

But she was afraid.

Ning Yin’s lips moved. The rain was too noisy, and Yu Lingxi couldn’t hear what he said.

“What?” she asked.

“I said,” Ning Yin, drenched in the cold of the night, bent down to stare at her. 

Word by word, he said, “Miss is now, immediately, go back with me!”

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