Your Majesty, please stop messing around.

Night time.

Lin Hengzhong stepped into the front hall of the mansion. Several people had been waiting in the front hall for a long time.

"Your Majesty!"

The housekeeper of the house stepped forward and said cautiously: "What you asked me to do, I have already done."

As he said that, the butler handed over a stack of accounts: "My lord, these are the records of the interactions between the various families in Linjiang City during your absence, as well as the people who visited the house in the past few days..."

Lin Hengzhong took the account, glanced down for a moment, and nodded slightly: "It was done well."

The butler bowed his head: "This is the duty that an old slave should fulfill."

Lin Hengzhong raised his eyes: "Has there been any movement in the southwest during the six months since I have been away?"

The housekeeper said softly, "Everything is fine. General Sun, who is guarding the southwest, sent a letter some time ago. Although the remnant forces in various countries in southern Xinjiang are still plotting, they cannot cause much trouble."

Lin Hengzhong had no expression on his face and said calmly: "Don't be careless. The descendants of the royal families in the southern Xinjiang countries hate this king to the core. They have not given up assassinating this king and plotting to restore the country all these years. Let the spies pass on my king's oral instructions and order Sun Changjing to keep the secret Come and see this king!"

"yes."

The housekeeper was shocked. General Sun was ordered to guard the southwest territory. Now the prince actually wants to meet General Sun in person. Could it be that the prince wants to...

The housekeeper concentrated for a moment and immediately went to do it.

After the housekeeper left, not far away, Zheng Zhiming, who had been silent all this time, slowly walked forward: "Your Majesty!"

"What's the matter?"

"My subordinates have sent people to search Prince Lin's Mansion and set up a dragnet in Linjiang City, but there is still no news about the assassin..."

Zheng Zhiming lowered his head: "Please punish me, Your Majesty."

Lin Hengzhong looked indifferently and waved his hand: "There is no need to rush this matter yet. How about the other thing I asked you to do?"

Zheng Zhiming was startled, and then said in a deep voice: "There are already some clues..."

"In Linjiang City, there are indeed many families who have secretly interacted with the capital's forces, and even..."

When Zheng Zhiming said this, he paused and then said expressionlessly: "There is also the Xu family."

"Xu family?!"

Lin Hengzhong's eyes suddenly focused, but then he calmed down as if he had expected it: "It seems that they don't trust me, hehe..."

A sneer made the atmosphere in the front hall seem to drop to freezing point.

There was murderous intent lingering in Zheng Zhiming's eyes: "Your Majesty, do you need me to go down..."

"No need!"

Lin Hengzhong withdrew his gaze and said calmly: "Mr. Xu is still in the capital now, probably because of the general trend. As for the Xu family..."

He narrowed his eyes: "Mr. Xu was kind to me back then. As long as the Xu family doesn't do anything inappropriate, let them be."

Zheng Zhiming concealed the murderous intent in his eyes: "Yes."

After Zheng Zhiming left, the other figures in the front hall also left. Soon the front room was empty.

Lin Hengzhong stood in the courtyard, staring at the dark night not far away, lost in thought. A trace of sadness occasionally flashed across those bottomless eyes.

It wasn't until the sound of soft footsteps came from behind that Lin Hengzhong came back to his senses and turned his head.

Zhiyuan's figure appeared and walked slowly into the front hall.

"Paper Kite."

Lin Hengzhong spoke slowly.

"Your Majesty."

Zhiyuan lowered her eyes slightly and paused: "Your Majesty, have you gone to see His Highness?"

Lin Hengzhong nodded slightly.

Zhiyuan's face seemed startled: "Then Prince..."

"You are right. Jiang Nian did hide the assassin who assassinated my king."

Lin Hengzhong spoke calmly.

Zhiyuan lowered her eyes and said nothing.

Ever since Willow Ye disappeared last night, she had guessed something. I went to see His Highness today and my suspicions were confirmed.

Sure enough, it's her? !

A hint of coldness flashed across her eyes.

"I heard that Jiang Nian likes her?" Lin Hengzhong asked suddenly.

Zhiyuan was silent for a moment, and then said: "His Highness is indeed very close to her, and she has been almost like a shadow these days. Presumably... he likes her."

Lin Hengzhong stared at the kite in front of him quietly. After a while, he sighed softly: "I feel so wronged."

Zhiyuan was startled and quickly lowered her head: "This is what a slave should do."

Lin Hengzhong shook his head gently and sighed: "You are the eldest daughter of an official family, you should have a better life..."

"Your father accidentally sacrificed his life to save me. No matter what, I owe you the Jiang family my life!"

As if thinking of something, Zhi Yuan's heart tightened, and she lowered her head and said in a deep voice: "In the past, my father was accused of treason and rebellion, and the entire Jiang family was executed. If the prince and princess hadn't come to rescue him, Zhi Yuan would have been a dead soul..."

"Dad, he is already a mortal man. If he can save the prince's life, it can be regarded as a blessing to the world..."

As if thinking of something, Zhiyuan's voice trembled slightly.

Lin Hengzhong looked at the little maid in front of him and sighed softly.

She was originally the daughter of the governor of Yanzhou County. Unfortunately, her father was killed by an adulterer and was accused of having an affair with the enemy. As a result, the whole family was executed.

Lin Hengzhong had a close friendship with her father. They were having a good time drinking together in southern Xinjiang. When Lin Hengzhong was attacked and killed, it was Zhiyuan's father who fought to save Lin Hengzhong and sacrificed his own life to save Lin Hengzhong.

However, not long after Zhiyuan's father died, her father was suddenly accused of collaborating with the enemy and treason, and his entire family was executed.

At that time, Lin Hengzhong was deeply involved in the war in the southern Xinjiang countries and had no time to spare. He angrily wrote a letter asking the emperor to re-investigate the case, but at that time he was just a general and was unable to prevent all this tragedy.

He even almost got involved in that catastrophe.

The entire Jiang family was slaughtered, leaving Zhi Yuan's mother and newborn Zhi Yuan to escape.

But even so, the person behind them still had no intention of letting go of their mother and daughter. They chased them all the way and eradicated them. Just when their lives were about to hang by a thread, fortunately Princess Lin rescued their mother and daughter. But Zhiyuan's mother was seriously injured and eventually passed away, leaving behind the infant Zhiyuan.

After that, Princess Lin secretly adopted Zhiyuan and stayed with her. After the princess died of illness, Zhiyuan stayed in Jiangnan with the princess's sister.

Until three years ago, King Lin brought her back to the palace from Jiangnan.

As if thinking of something, a look of self-blame appeared in Lin Hengzhong's eyes: "It's all my fault that I was so soft-spoken back then. Brother Jiang died because of me, but I couldn't even save his family..."

Zhiyuan lowered her eyes and said, "Your Majesty, there is no need to blame yourself. Your Majesty did your best back then."

At that time, Lin Hengzhong was not the king who would wield power and shock the world in the future. At that time, he was unable to change anything.

"Brother Jiang was an upright man back then, and he was a fair and honest official. How could he do anything treasonous?"

Lin Hengzhong's eyes gradually turned cold: "Someone must have framed what happened back then. I have been investigating over the years. It was not until recently that we finally got some clues..."

"Presumably, you should know this too, right?"

Zhiyuan nodded silently, but the coldness in his eyes became more obvious.

All the information in the palace will be reviewed by her, and she already knows what happened back then. Some truths have already surfaced.

Lin Hengzhong raised his eyes to look at Zhiyuan and said in a deep voice: "It's just that the events of that year have been settled and almost all the evidence has been destroyed. It is almost impossible to reverse the case normally and clear the grievances of your Jiang family!"

Zhiyuan was startled, and then understood!

Yes, those people came here to frame the Jiang family. Now, after so many years, the evidence from back then has been almost destroyed, and she is the only one left in the Jiang family.

Want to overturn the verdict?

It's almost impossible.

"But, so what if there's no evidence?!"

Lin Hengzhong's expression was cold, and he looked at Zhiyuan again, his eyes gradually softening: "No matter what, I will restore your Jiang family's innocence. Let the people who framed your Jiang family pay a heavy price!"

After Zhiyuan was silent for a long time, she suddenly raised her eyes and looked at Lin Hengzhong: "Your Majesty, I have a request."

"Say it."

Lin Heng nodded: "I have always regarded you as my own daughter. If you have anything to say, just tell me."

When Jiang's father died in the southern border to save him, Lin Hengzhong has always felt guilty about this. Then the Jiang family was raided and executed, but he was unable to do anything about it, and he felt increasingly guilty about it.

Later, when he learned that the princess had adopted the Jiang family's only bloodline, Lin Hengzhong was overjoyed. Zhiyuan has been staying in Jiangnan all these years, until he personally went to Jiangnan three years ago. After asking Zhiyuan's opinion, he took Zhiyuan back to the palace and stayed in the palace as the maid of His Royal Highness.

Although Zhiyuan is a maid in name, Lin Hengzhong treats her as his own daughter. She has a status in the palace that is no less than that of His Royal Highness, and is favored by thousands of people.

This is why many people in the house suspect that Zhiyuan is the illegitimate daughter of King Lin.

The reason why Lin Hengzhong did this may be partly to make up for what happened back then. If Jiang's father had not died, would the outcome be completely different?

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your love!"

Zhiyuan lowered her eyes, was silent for a moment, and then spoke softly: "Slave, I want to take revenge for the past by myself!"

Lin Hengzhong was startled and seemed to realize something: "You want to leave the palace?"

Zhiyuan was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly: "Back then, the Jiang family was framed by a traitor, so that everyone in the family was executed. This was Zhiyuan's blood feud..."

"Zhiyuan would like to ask the prince to allow me to take revenge myself!"

"Go and demand an explanation on behalf of your parents and all the innocent people in the Jiang family!"

Zhiyuan's tone was neither cold nor indifferent, as if he was talking about a very ordinary thing calmly.

Indeed, when the Jiang family was exterminated, Zhiyuan was still in her infancy and had no memory. Nowadays, even if it is revenge, there is not much emotional fluctuation for her.

Lin Hengzhong was silent for a moment and sighed softly: "Since you have already thought about it, I will not keep you!"

As he spoke, he shook his head gently: "I know that you were willing to follow me into the palace three years ago to repay your kindness. Now Jiang Nian has grown up and his temper has gradually become calmer. I'm afraid you will not be able to do anything in the palace in the past three years. You must have suffered a lot of grievances.”

Zhiyuan shook her head gently: "I am not wronged."

"You don't have to hide it from me anymore!"

Lin Hengzhong said: "That kid Jiang Nian must have been rude to you a lot, right?"

Zhiyuan was silent. After a while, he shook his head gently: "Your Highness is not bad in nature."

Something strange flashed in Lin Hengzhong's eyes, and he shook his head slightly: "It's difficult for you. Now that you have given up your intention to leave, I will not stop you..."

As he spoke, Lin Hengzhong took off a token from his waist and handed it to her: "You have rarely gone out since you were a child. It is inevitable that you will be in danger when you leave the palace this time. If there is any difficulty, you can use this token to dispatch Lin Heng at will." Any soldiers and horses in the state. Even if you go to other places, this token can mobilize the government's manpower for your use."

Zhiyuan took the token and stared blankly: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Lin Hengzhong waved his hands and sighed: "No matter what, this palace will always be your home. If you have nowhere to go after taking revenge, just come back to the palace... No matter when, the palace will always be your home."

"..."