Chapter 468 Surprise Visit
Lin Mengya remained seated on her chair as she stared at Zuo Yuanyi across from her, with a ferocious expression on her face.
Those hands which attempted to grope the two beautiful ladies got a “special treatment” from Zuo Qiuyu.
Zuo Qiuyu was indeed an expert. Although he dislocated three joints on the sc.u.m’s right hand, there was completely no sign of external injury, only that Zuo Yuanyi almost fainted.
“One blink, two blinks, three blinks…? Why were there only three blinks? That’s not any one of the options in our agreement. Oh, I get it. Are you cursing me?”
While Lin Mengya did the counting, she continued to torment Zuo Yuanyi at the same time.
Zuo Yuanyi was already sniffing and tearing when Zuo Qiuyu dislocated the another joint on Zuo Yuanyi’s finger. Soon, the sweet-sour scent of sweat began diffusing out of Zuo Yuanyi’s body.
“This is so disgusting. Forget it. I’ll break the rule for you just this once. Remember, you just have to answer one question at a time. Otherwise, you’ll have to continue suffering this treatment, understand?”
Zuo Yuanyi nodded quickly. He would do anything to escape the torture, including betraying his ancestors.
Long Tianyu snorted and he convenient slapped the pig trotter out of Zuo Yuanyi’s mouth.
“Spare me, Princess! Please spare my life! No matter what you ask, I’ll surely furnish you with the answers!”
Zuo Yuanyi lost all will to retaliate. The torture had completely destroyed his arrogance and pride.
Zuo Qiuyu put his hand, with distinct joints, on the back of Zuo Yuanyi’s neck.
Immediately, Zuo Yuanyi’s sweat drops kept dripping. He was so fearful that the pair of hands would break his neck.
“Let me ask you, why does your father send out so many invitations? Don’t try to be funny because Prince Shen is not easy to please. If he sees through your lie, you’ll get in trouble with him!”
Lin Mengya’s threats were like an immediate blow to Zuo Yuanyi’s weak heart.
His vigor plummeted like a waterfall. To please these angry people, he would have gladly offered them his father’s head as a football for Lin Mengya and he would have no complaints whatsoever.
“Who would dare to lie to you? My father said it was to stop you from going to the Pavilion of Herbs. If I find you, I have to capture you and imprison you in Prince Qing’s Mansion by all means.”
On this point, Lin Mengya had already guessed it earlier.
“I suppose I am not the sole target, am I? Tell me, who else had been intercepted.”
Zuo Yuanyi broke out in cold sweat. There was no way he could keep anything. He had to tell her everything he knew.
“All who supported the new emperor would be intercepted. Those supporters of the new emperor in Yulong Prefecture were sought out by my father and imprisoned. He wasn’t after their lives. He said he would release all of them after the event at the Pavilion of Herbs.”
It was strange that all the new emperor’s supporters outside the prefecture had been blocked.
While those staying within Yulong Prefecture had been imprisoned.
Moreover, this matter had been kept a secret. Needless to ask, Prince Qing ought to be brewing something against Cousin Chen.
However, to imprison court officials without permission was a move equivalent to falling out with the emperor.
Was Prince Qing a hundred percent confident that the emperor would not find his secret accounts?
Lin Mengya had a feeling that things were not as simple as it seemed.
“What is your father’s secret ploy? Tell us, what’s he trying to do?”
It seemed that Lin Mengya had overestimated Zuo Yuanyi.
After this guy pleaded for them to spare him, he was unable to provide any useful information.
Despite Lin Mengya’s persistent threats to dislocate the joints on his other hand, the man failed to say anything other than pleading for his life.
It looked like he was truly clueless.
After thinking over it, Lin Mengya was not surprised. This guy was after all a blockhead.
If she were Prince Qing, she would definitely not entrust such secrets to Zuo Yuanyi.
However, Prince Qing’s actions were obviously directed at Cousin Chen and this made her nervous and anxious.
While she was in deep thoughts, there was a noise of movement outside.
Lin Mengya recovered her vigilance and the sharp-eyed, deft-handed Zuo Qiuyu quickly made Zuo Yuanyi pa.s.s out in that instant.
“Your Highness, your younger brother has come and is in a hurry to see you. Is it convenient now?” a voice sounded from outside.
Lin Mengya did not expect Zuo Yuanyi’s younger brother to be here at this moment.
Lin Mengya shot a glance at Zuo Yuanyi, who had fainted, and then pondered for a moment before leaving the room herself.
“The prince is busy at the moment so he won’t be able to entertain guests. Please make him wait elsewhere. Once he is free, he will go look for his brother.”
Lin Mengya had merely opened the door a little so that the person outside the room could see that she was the beauty whom the master had brought home earlier on. The servant soon smiled as if he understood, and then excused himself.
This was getting more complicated. Lin Mengya thought for a moment and turned back to Long Tianyu and Zuo Qiuyu to discuss how they could get away.
“What’s there to be scared of? We can just sneak out,” commented Zuo Qiuyu, as he thought that there was nothing to be worried about.
Long Tianyu pondered for a moment and said with a low voice, “We can’t do that. If we sneak out, we will be discovered before we leave the city. By then, the people here could simply arrest us in a justified manner.”
“That won’t work. If we sneak out now, we will be discovered before we even leave the city. By then, the people here could arrest us with a justifiable reason.”
Long Tianyu and Lin Mengya shared the same thoughts. Moreover, if they were to go round a longer way to escape, they would not make it to the Pavilion of Herbs on time.
“Are you still thinking to make use of this blockhead? Now that his people had come, it would be very difficult to make him submit to us.”
Apparently, Zuo Qiuyu was not supportive of this idea.
“Cousin Yu, do you know if Zuo Yuanyi and his younger get along?”
Lin Mengya must have thought of some good ideas to have asked such an intended question.
“We’ve not so much heard that he has a brother. Oh yes, I heard that the second son of Prince Qing was an adopted child. He was a capable and intelligent person.
Zuo Qiuyu’s information allowed Lin Mengya to fish out something crucial.
This was going to make things much easier. Here was the eldest son of the prince who only knew how to enjoy life, and there was the capable adopted son. It was almost impossible for them to be on good terms.
“I would like to meet this second son of Prince Qing personally. Rest a.s.sured that I would substantiate my statements to him. You just have to make sure Zuo Yuanyi is under control, then I’ll be able to get through this in one piece.”
If there was some form of conflict between the two brothers, she could simply make use of this to work it in their favor.
If there was no conflict, could she not create some?
Anyway, they were all part of Prince Qing’s family and would be very similar. What good could come out of them?
While Long Tianyu still felt uneasy about Lin Mengya’s suggestion, Lin Mengya had insisted to go ahead and they could not come out with a better solution at the moment.
They had no other choice but to let Lin Mengya take the risk. They agreed that if Lin Mengya did not return after ten minutes, Long Tianyu would go out in search of her.
After some instructions, Lin Mengya straightened her clothes and went out of the room with Baishao.
The second they stepped out of the reception room, an observant servant quickly came up to attend to them.
Seeing that it was the two beauties instead of his master, the servant was no doubt perplexed.
“His highness is busy now. Please do not disturb him. If you ruin his business, you’ll get in trouble,” said Lin Mengya.
The ferocious expression on Lin Mengya’s face quickly convinced the confused servants.
Usually, almost all the women whom the son of Prince Qing brought back would be weeping.
However, those women would eventually stay on to wait on him.
All women would be attracted by the riches of their master’s family once they found out about it.
This woman today seemed to carry the air of the mistress.
The servants might not be happy, but they would not dare to say anything.
After all, no one would dare to provoke the woman whom their master fancied.
“Where’s your master’s younger brother? Your master can’t afford the time and effort to attend to him, so I’ll go meet him on your master’s behalf. Lead the way, lest your master should become impatient.”
Lin Mengya sized up the situation and pretended to be growing impatient too.
The servants did not dare to delay further but immediately led the way.
Although the guest was supposed to be the second son of Prince Qing, Lin Mengya knew she had guessed correctly when she entered the room that was plain-looking.
Zuo Yuanyi was definitely not expecting his adopted younger brother, seeing that he was not even served any tea.
Seated upright in the room was the second son of Prince Qing. In contrast with the foppish Zuo Yuanyi, the man in the room was most ordinary.
However, compared to Zuo Yuanyi, he definitely appeared much more sensible and mature.
He was dressed plainly like an ordinary rich man’s son, neither was he wearing any gold or silver.
“You must be the second son of Prince Qing. Coincidentally, your brother is busy with some business and won’t be seeing any guests. You may want me to convey your message if it’s important?”
Lin Mengya, together with Baishao, made sure they kept a safe distance from the second son of Prince Qing.
It was only at this moment that the man lifted his eyes to her.
With just one look at his eyes, Lin Mengya could tell that he was no ordinary man.
There was a prosaic look in his eyes and there was an absence of any kind of emotions.
Although there was a subtle look of disdain on his face, his eyes did not betray any emotions.
He was certainly a master, one who was in a different league than Zuo Yuanyi.
“Business? What kind of business would this brother of mine, who leads a life of debauchery, be doing? Please convey my message to him, telling him that he must not leave out anything my father, the prince had instructed him to do.”
There was a coldness in his voice.
It was obvious that he made no effort in hiding his att.i.tude towards his elder brother. Lin Mengya could tell there were deep grievances between the two brothers.
“I’ll pa.s.s the message for you. If there’s nothing else, second prince, I’ll take my leave.”
It was merely a short face-to-face meeting, but Lin Mengya managed to gather the information she needed.
“Hold on,” to Lin Mengya’s surprise, the second son of Prince Qing called out to her.
Without batting an eyelid, Lin Mengya turned to him with no fear in her eyes.
“Why have I never seen you in the mansion before? Where are you from? What do you do?”
The second son of Prince Qing held his gaze on her as he sized her up.
Lin Mengya naturally knew that her strange face would easily stir up suspicion.
Smiling, she answered saying, “I’m the new girl whom your brother brought into the mansion, so naturally, and you wouldn’t have met me.”