Chapter 475 - Visitors Late at Night
Chapter 475 Visitors Late at Night
Lin Mengya retreated one step. She had been feeling increasingly inconvenient ever since the days she was only able to use one of her hands.
Although Lin Mengya did not say anything, in her heart, she was really afraid that her right hand would be disabled.
It would be such a waste if she could not put her teacher’s art of controlling needles to practice anymore.
“I shall give this dagger to you as a gift. Hopefully, it will be able to protect you.”
Long Tianyu put the dagger into its sheath and pushed it into Lin Mengya’s hands.
In the past, she also used to own a sharp dagger, but it was not as strong and handy as this one from Long Tianyu.
“Are you really giving it to me? Alright, but don’t regret it.”
Lin Mengya was not an unreasonable person. Anyway, she was like a magnet for troubles, so it was good to have something for self-defense.
“What Dajin lacks is such competent talents.”
Surely, Long Tianyu could see clearly than Lin Mengya that Liu Xuan was very capable and competent.
Naturally, he cherished such talents with much fervor. However, he could tell that Liu Xuan had an extraordinary relationship with the Zuo Brothers. It was almost impossible for him to poach such a talent.
“Actually, Dajin’s territory is much extensive than the Nation of Lintian. There should not be a lack of talent. The only limitation is that we don’t have a suitable recommendation system in place. Am I right?”
Lin Mengya pointed out the problem as she smiled at Long Tianyu gently and warmly, her eyes sparkling with wit.
“That’s right. Nowadays, when we select the officials to stand in the courts, either the candidates must be nominated by officials of different ranks, or we have no idea when talent would emerge from the imperial examination system. If a talented man were to be unlucky, he would never be able to serve the country in his entire life.”
Long Tianyu gazed at the smart-looking of Lin Mengya admiringly. Every statement she made agreed with what was in his heart.
“Why don’t we make a change to conduct the imperial examination every four years? We’ll no longer test the candidates on their knowledge only. After all, an official is required to be all-rounded. Regardless of whether the candidates are good at both the civil and military skills, every one of them should be given a chance to display their talent. Wouldn’t that be better?”
Lin Mengya wanted to draw on the experience of the system of imperial examination in the olden days. At the same time, she felt that if these scholars only knew the eight-part essay, the literary composition in the imperial service examinations, characterized by rigidity and sterility, it would be disastrous that they were to be pedantic and did not know how to be flexible.
“You prove yourself to be my princess wife in that you are both exceptionally beautiful and intelligent.”
Long Tianyu continued looking admiringly at Lin Mengya and for some unknown reason, a sense of pride arose from his heart.
Reaching out both arms, he put them around her slender waist and gently carried her to the bed and put her down on it. He lowered himself and looked straight into her eyes and he poured out his heart to her.
“I am not the pioneer in this, so don’t you praise the wrong person. What will you do if I embarrass you in the future?”
Like a little girl, Lin Mengya wrinkled her nose. She was not used to receiving Long Tianyu’s straightforward praise.
Perhaps it could be because she had always been alone as she was growing up.
Families to her were more like signs in a book.
However, after she arrived here, her maidservants or her father and brother had all allowed her to experience a feeling that she had never felt before.
This was especially so during this period of time she spent with Long Tianyu day and night. Something seemed to be going on between the two of them. Quietly, something was changing bit by bit.
For example, in the obscurity of their relationship, there was the presence of sweet sentiment.
For example, their intimacy and proximity made her face blush and her heart race…
“What are you thinking about?”
Long Tianyu could not help but gently call out to Lin Mengya when he saw that she was in a daze.
He was really not used to seeing her eyes looking far away when she was right in front of him.
The faraway look in her eyes always made him uneasy.
“It’s nothing really. Oh yes, I’m afraid that Cousin Yu won’t make it back tonight. Let’s retire early given that we still need to hurry on our journey tomorrow.”
When Lin Mengya thought about how Zuo Qiuyu had been trampled underfoot at the city gate, she could not help but smile.
She wondered how her cousin had grown into such a joker.
Although on the surface, Cousin Chen appeared rather serious, he was actually a two-faced master.
In her impression, her kindhearted and highly skilled physician mother seemed to be more human now.
When her mother and father first met, she supposed it must have been very dramatic.
Once again, her curiosity was further aroused!
That night, Lin Mengya fell asleep, breathing evenly and sweetly.
As Long Tianyu laid on the mattress on the floor, he looked through the veil at the beautiful Lin Mengya who had fallen into sweet sleep and there was a mixed expression on his face.
The emperor, his father, had ordered the two of them to return likely because there were some new changes in the situation within the palace.
Although he had deployed his subordinate earlier on, they only sent common news that was not really of much concern to them.
However, his father, the emperor, was such an intelligent person. He must have sensed the truth, which was like the undercurrent below a calm surface.
On the one hand, he had Lin Mengya, but on the other hand, he had his nation. For him, the choice between them was the most vexing.
All of a sudden, there was a movement from outside the window.
An alarmed Long Tianyu sat up quickly. He quickly checked on Lin Mengya to make sure she had not been aroused from her sleep, then he quietly left the room.
In the dark back alley of the post station, Long Tianyu had followed the clues and spotted three dark figures standing further down the street at the deep end.
“Greetings to Your Highness!”
A low voice sounded. It did not attract much attention, although it was sonorous and forceful.
At that instant, the three figures fell on their knees before Long Tianyu.
“What’s the matter?”
Once Long Tianyu was in front of his subordinates, he put away the tenderness for Lin Mengya. At this moment, his cold and bright eyes seemed to penetrate and see through the hearts of people.
“In response to your question, Your Highness, there is an urgent message from the Capital City.”
These three men were messengers who relayed messages from the Capital City to Long Tianyu.
Since they had come all this way, Long Tianyu could tell that there must be a new letter from his father, the emperor.
“Bring it to me.”
Long Tianyu suppressed the helpless feeling within him, hoping that this letter would not add on to his already burdened heart.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Thereafter, the man handed over a black envelope sealed with hot wax into Long Tianyu’s hand.
Despite feeling a sense of resistance, Long Tianyu could not help opening up the letter as quickly as he could.
There were only a few words in the letter, but it was like the last straw to clutch at to Long Tianyu.
There was a look of relief deep in his eyes. Thank goodness that his father seemed to finally understand his intention. In this case, he would be even more justified to accompany Lin Mengya on this journey.
“I have gotten the message. Is there anything else you need to convey?”
Without betraying any emotions, Long Tianyu put the letter back into the envelope, but to his surprise, the letter burst out into flames.
The green flames did not look anything like the cool normal flames. It looked rather bizarre in the dark of the night.
Long Tianyu released his grip on the envelope and allowed the flame to dance around the envelope. In an instant, the black envelope became silvery grey ashes and dispersed into the air as if it never existed.
The other two men had disappeared with the letter and Long Tianyu did not even notice when they left.
Only the man in the middle was left kneeling on the floor.
“In response to your question, Your Highness, Blue Bird has started its operation, and soon, we’ll be able to provide you with the information you need. However, Blue Bird said the person you were looking for was not in the hands of the mother-and-son pair.
The other two men were the emperor’s messengers. Only this man remaining behind worked for Long Tianyu alone.
This was the privilege his father had given to Long Tianyu alone. Even the Crown Prince did not have such special treatment, to own some autonomy under his father’s nose.
“Not in their hands? Is Blue Bird very sure of this?”
Although Long Tianyu did not betray his feelings on his face, he was feeling rather anxious.
Mengya had already confirmed that the queen indeed knew the whereabouts of Long Tianyu’s mother.
Therefore, he had sent men to sneak into the queen’s inner circle.
Little did he expect the news that just arrived to be contrary to his belief. How could it be that his mother was not in the queen’s hands?
“Tell Blue Bird to continue gathering information, but refrain from making any rash move.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
After receiving Long Tianyu’s instructions, the dark figure disappeared into the dark street.
Standing alone in the dark, Long Tianyu was plagued by a mixture of feelings.
He had known long ago that the queen and Crown Prince were a gang.
However, given that the world was so vast, if his mother had been sent out of the palace, it would not be easy to find her secretly. In fact, it would not be easy even if his father, the emperor were to give an order to search every household.
He had become an unfilial son.
Lin Mengya was not aware that Long Tianyu had been out and wandered about anxiously the whole night.
Having enjoyed a good night’s sleep, Lin Mengya had been recharged physically.
Early in the morning, Zuo Qiuyu was escorted back from the senior provincial officer’s mansion.
He had not lost an arm or leg. However, the dark circles under his eyes seemed to indicate that he had received punches on them.
Lin Mengya gloated at the sight of Zuo Qiuyu, but she was also somewhat curious.
She wondered what happened last night between these two men. They were obviously bosom friends who reunited after a long absence from each other. How could they actually shake their fists at each other?
This was surely one of the entertainments she enjoyed along the way.
Otherwise, this journey of escape would purely be fleeing for her life and that would be so boring.
“It’s Liu Xuan here. Please accept my greetings to Your Highnesses, the princess, and Prince Yu!”
In contrast with Cousin Yu, who refused to meet anyone upon his return, Liu Xuan, the senior provincial official of Qingyuan Prefecture, appeared refreshed.
From her encounter with Liu Xuan yesterday, Lin Mengya knew that he had a compulsive disorder for cleanliness.
Thank goodness, both Long Tianyu and she had scrubbed themselves clean last night. Perhaps this was why Liu Xuan appeared to be friendlier towards them today.
Lin Mengya had to admit that because of Zuo Qiuyu’s behavior, Liu Xuan must have taken revenge on him last night.
Immediately, she cast Liu Xuan with a look of friendly approval.
If he could torment Cousin Yu in this way, he was definitely not an outsider.
“Please do not stand on ceremony but take a seat, Lord Liu.”
A friendly smile broke out on Lin Mengya’s face as she recalled that a moment ago, Zuo Qiuyu had picked up the steel knife and dashed out as if he was after someone’s life when he heard that Liu Xuan had come.
When he saw that his cousin was enjoying herself chatting with that scum, a chill ran through his heart and he quickly withdrew into his room.
This must be a joke. Liu Xuan alone was enough to make him suffer so much. With the addition of his ruthless cousin, it would be tolerable if he died!