<h4>Chapter 492 The Bewilderment of the Zhu Family</h4>


    Zuo Qiuyu supported Ling Ye as he leaned against the horse carriage.


    It took Ling Ye great effort to finally calm his breathing, after which he seeded in narrating what really happened from his nowplete memory.


    “We had just left the mansion when someone came to deliver a letter to His Highness. After His Highness finished reading the letter, he had me apany him to the mansion belonging to Zhu Qiyun. However, for some unknown reason, His Highness got into an argument with them. Then, all of a sudden, someone appeared beside me and shed a mirror at me. I had no recollection of events after that.”


    At Ling Ye’s words, the expressions on everyone’s face turned serious.


    The name “Zhu Qiyun” obviously did not ring a bell with Lin Mengya.


    She instantly turned to look at Zuo Qiuyu and Liu Xuan, who exchanged looks.


    Zuo Qiuyu then said, “Zhu Qiyun is the father of that Master Zhu whom we punished. He is the country’s official in the ministry of tax.”


    She was surprised to find that this person was the father of Master Zhu. She had obviously stumble upon some leads.


    Master Zhu had been made to suffer pathetically. It was only reasonable that Zhu Qiyun desired to avenge him.


    However, why did they set this whole thing up?


    “Your Highness, we’ve checked. And these men had been in with just one stroke of the sword. They didn’t appear to be people who knew martial arts.”


    Yu An’s words confirmed Lin Mengya’s suspicion.


    The entire episode had a delusional set up to deceive them.


    “Little Sister, why do you think they have employed this tactic?”


    Despite being an intelligent person, Zuo Qiuyu was totally confused by now.


    Zhu Qiyun had captured Long Tianyu and managed to control Ling Ye, so he would make a false report. Had he gone so far just to distract their focus?


    “He was certainly trying to distract us so that our vision would be deflected. If I’ve guessed correctly, the attempt to capture me and the abduction of Long Tianyu are done by two different parties. Ling Ye had been skillfully hypnotized because he had been very focused when Long Tianyu encountered danger and it was easy to fall into hypnosis.”


    For the same reason, Lin Mengya could easily wake Ling Ye from the state of hypnosis because the electromaic waves from the Shen Nung system could stimte the brain directly.


    In addition, Ling Ye had a strong and determined mind and this allowed Lin Mengya to break the state of hypnosis.


    Lin Mengya looked around onest time to make sure she had not missed any leads before the group of them returned to the Crown Prince’s mansion.


    Things seemed to be moreplicated than she imagined. Back in the courtyard, Lin Mengya looked through the pictures she brought back from the scene.


    She kept having the feeling that there was a mastermind behind all that had happened taking control in an invisible way.


    Back when they were in the Dajin’s capital city, she had a faint feeling that the Crown Prince and the Queen were not the only ones making trouble in many ways.


    Crises were like a shadow that followed them everywhere they went. Some things were perplexing for Lin Mengya after thinking through some details.


    She felt very helpless in this situation where she could not find the chance to catch hold of any concrete evidence.


    If there really was someone or a group of people in power who was remotely controlling these things that happened behind their backs, this would be too frightening.


    “Your Highness, those men whom we sent out to find information had returned.”


    Yu An, looking severe, had walked up to Lin Mengya and reported the news to her softly.


    “Oh? What’s the situation like now?”


    When Lin Mengya saw him, an unsettling feeling welled up inside her all of a sudden.


    “The information gatherers said that not long after Master Zhu returned home, he passed away due to the severe injury.”


    What Yu An said came on her like a bolt from the blue.


    Did he just drop dead? How was that possible?


    Given the extent of Master Zhu’s injury, he would only need a few days to recuperate. How did he end up


    “When did this happen? Why did we not get the news?”


    “It was two evenings ago. Lord Zhu did not disclose any information about the funeral so not many people knew about it. The men you sent had returned by then, so no one knew about it.”


    Did he die the moment she gave the order for her men to return?


    Could it be so coincidental?


    In fact, when she first entered the city, she had sent men to gather information from the Zhu residence. They hade back saying that Master Zhu was getting better and there was nothing to worry about. How did this happen now...


    “Go inform Zuo Qiuyu and Liu Xuan about this right now, so they would know how to handle the preliminary round of thepetition cautiously.”


    Immediately, Yu An rushed off to inform the two, leaving Lin Mengya alone to ponder over this twist of event.


    It was no wonder that the Zhus daredy their hands on Long Tianyu.


    It was for the reason that he wanted to avenge his son!


    How did Master Zhu, whose condition had obviously stabilized, suddenly died within a night.


    What was also very suspicious was the fact that the Zhu’s had not made the funeral publicly known.


    If she guessed correctly, the Zhus would make trouble at the time when they watch the preliminary round of the medicalpetition.


    Well and good if that were the case. She would like to see what the Zhus had to say!


    The Zhus had stepped on Lin Mengya’s toes when they schemed against Long Tianyu.


    Early in the morning on the day of the preliminary rounds ofpetition, the entire old capital hade alive.


    It was just past five in the morning and themon people had gone out and found themselves a strategic position to watch the grand event at the Pavilion of Herbs before the roadblocks were put up.


    At 5:45 am, some specialized officers and men had started to sweep the main roads.


    Every corner had to be swept clean and there should not be any trash lying around.


    The officers and men had to carefully sweep through the streets three times before the city gates were opened to let the security officers on duty that day into the city.


    Security had been stepped up with men stationed at close intervals to ensure order along all the streets.


    Themoners were only permitted to pass through along the two sides of the roads and soon, the streets were overcrowded with people.


    The way from the city gates to the venue where the Pavilion of Herbs had chosen had basically been jam-packed.


    The sedans from the families of the officials had all set out at 7:30 in the morning.


    All the families had been informed beforehand so that the lower-ranking officials’ families with smaller sedans would set out first.


    The sedans they used were carried by two people each. The streets were lined with these small green-top sedans in an orderly manner.


    In contrast with themoners who basically crowd together, the officials had adhered to the assigned routes beforehand.


    Moreover, men were specially nted at the various locations to keep order. Soon, all the officials had arrived at the main gate of the Pavilion of Herbs.


    Apart from the officials more highly ranked than the third-rank officials, the others were required to get off their sedans to walk through the entrance.


    Nevertheless, the seats of the participants had been assigned beforehand. There were even disciples of the Pavilion of Herbs dressed in light green uniform who showed the participants to their seats.


    Surprisingly, there was no mor whatsoever even when there was a constant stream of people who were entering the premise.


    Whenever someone bumped into a familiar face, they would simply keep their voices low as they greeted or conversed with each other.


    This was in total contrast with themon people.


    However, these officials were not the highlight of the show.


    As the stream of green-top sedans died down, what followed were red and purple-top sedans.


    Such privileged treatment was only given to meritorious families within the royal courts and the officials ranked above the third-rank officials.


    These men were not people whom themoners in the old capital get to see very often.


    Therefore, at the announcement of the arrival of each official, there would be a burst of discussion.


    However, they were also not the highlight of the show.


    Thest to arrive were two yellow-top sedans.


    They were royal-yellow color sedans carried by eight people, decorated with royal-yellow tassels, and were rocking from side to side as their carrier moved along.


    Wherever the sedan passed, themoners had to bow and kneel before them.


    Even the officials who had just entered had to get up from their seats to wee those two sedans that had just arrived as a show of respect.


    “Prince Shen had arrived...”


    “Princess Anle had arrived...”


    These two unfamiliar titles brought about an even greater reaction from the crowd than when any other officials arrived.


    The men carried the two sedans directly through the gates of the Pavilion of Herbs. No one dared block them but everyone looked on silently at the two moving sedans.


    “Stop...”


    As the crisp voice of the servants sounded, all eyes were focused on the two sedans.


    Two figures emerged from the sedans in slow motion.


    The two figures who alighted the sedans bore a resemnce to each other, were honorable and elegant-looking, and they began to scan the surrounding.


    “Greetings to Prince Shen...”


    “Greetings to Princess Anle...”


    A thunderous voice of greeting sounded in unison.


    The crowd fell to the ground in unison and their voices of greeting continued.


    A low, gentle voice of moderate volume echoed through the air and its casual tone seemed to say that this person was used to such situations.


    “Please rise.”


    “Thank you, Prince Shen...”


    “Thank you, Princess...”


    The crowd rose and their vision instinctively shifted to settle on the two figures.


    The man was adorned in a royal yellow robe and there was an awe-inspiring four-wed golden dragon embroidered on it.


    The wave formed by the scales of the golden dragon exuberated the golden dragon’s domineering air.


    He was wearing a jade color waistband secured with a jade ring in the shape of a dragon carved out of white jade.


    His hair had been tied up with an exquisite golden crown set on his head. Right in the center of the crown was arge pearl.


    His features were very handsome with a smooth forehead. Compared to his stately adornment, his features brought about a schrly and refined air.


    His eyes, be, and brows made him naturally honorable-looking. Although his expression was gentle and amiable, it did not invite contempt.


    Inparison with the young men from noble families, he was definitely more outstanding than them.


    Coupled with his honorable status, it was not surprising that countless girls became smitten by him.


    “This way, Your Highness.”


    Thedy whom an outstanding man like him was escorting had to be someone usual.


    Not to mention thedy’s breathtaking beauty, her mysterious identity was enough reason to attract all the curious looks.


    She was the daughter of the elder princess from the past dynasty and the only princess who had the most direct blood rtion with the current royal family.


    This alone was sufficient reason for her to be the legacy of the Nation of Lintian.


    She was adorned in a long white costume with its hems that went all the way to the floor.


    Her slim waist had been wrapped around by a delicate gold waistband and she was wearing a fanciful crown set with pearls and precious stones.


    She was also wearing a dangling ornament in the shape of a phoenix in her hair.


    She looked a little too thin, but still elegant and her mannerism was mild and appropriate.


    Only her beauty would be captivated by such description as the ethereal color and celestial fragrance.


    As her gentle eyes scanned the crowd, all the men in the crowd who were still not married felt as if they had been electrocuted and the ones with weak willpower were instantly infatuated with her.


    “Thank you very much.”


    Her sweet voice was more crispy than the sound made by the shattering jade of Kunshan.


    It was only when the people saw how her hair had been bunned up with a hairpin that they remembered that Princess Anle of Lintian was already married.


    She didn’t know that she was the reason Long Tianyu had be themon enemy of countless men.


    At this moment, Lin Mengya might appear rxed, but she had braced herself and put on her guard.


    After hearing what Ling Ye had recalled of the day’s event, Lin Mengya had temporarily abandoned her n to have him disguise as Long Tianyu.


    She was left with no other choice but to brace herself for today’s event with Zuo Qiuyu.