Chapter 568 - 372: Daughter of the Former Imperial Censor, Lin Qinghan! (2)

Chapter 568: Chapter 372: Daughter of the Former Imperial Censor, Lin Qinghan! (2)

Cao Haosheng forced himself to stand on his weak legs, only to find his palms already soaked in cold sweat.

He sneakily glanced at his adoptive father in front, only to see the figure under the ink-colored python robe, unmoving like a mountain, making it impossible to guess his emotions.

Cao Jin suddenly looked up, meeting Lu Xuan’s smiling eyes.

Those eyes were like a butcher sizing up a lamb destined for slaughter.

"Adoptive... adoptive father..."

Cao Jin’s entire body froze, and cold sweat trickled down his spine.

Only then did he realize that he had lost his composure due to over-excitement.

Cao Jin hurriedly banged his forehead heavily on the cold floor, making a dull thud.

Seeing this, Cao Haosheng also lowered his body, not daring to breathe too heavily.

Their shadows twisted on the ground like shrimp, resembling two ants waiting to be crushed under the changing daylight.

"Please, adoptive father, let us redeem ourselves with meritorious deeds!"

Cao Haosheng’s voice carried a sob, his nails nearly digging into the palm of his hand.

Last time, due to their negligence, the Jinyi Guard got a tip-off from the traitor ahead of time.

If they failed to make up for it this time, they might not even be able to save their necks.

Lu Xuan seemed as if he hadn’t heard them. He walked slowly to the two of them, crushing the wood chips on the ground under his boots.

This time, he wanted to personally see Lin Qinghan brought back to the palace—the spies hidden in the shadows, the fangs of the Jinyi Guard.

Even Yuan Qian, who boasted to be invulnerable to swords and spears, was just a small inconvenience.

For the plans ahead, Lu Xuan would not allow anyone to interfere.

Otherwise, it could very well lead to the failure of his worldly trials in this lifetime.

Lu Xuan flicked his robe sleeve, the ink-colored python robe drawing a cold arc in the air.

As he turned, the force from the sleeve brushed against the faces of the two men like a knife.

"Go to the torture chamber and receive twenty lashes..."

"Yes, I obey, father!"

Surprisingly, upon hearing this punishment, Cao Haosheng and Cao Jin felt as if they had been granted amnesty.

They pressed their foreheads to the ground in unison, responding with trembling voices filled with the joy of surviving a calamity.

When Cao Jin sneaked a glance upwards, cold sweat dripped from his forehead into the crevices of the blue bricks, seeping painfully into the wounds he had just grazed.

But this pain was nothing compared to the fate they had imagined.

Those who angered the adoptive father before had at the very least their tendons severed and were thrown into a pitch-black dungeon.

The screams echoed from dusk till dawn, eventually becoming dark red blood in the channels of the torture chamber.

But now, they were only to receive twenty lashes. The thought of the Dongchang torture chamber’s specially made thorn whip made Cao Haosheng let out a half-stifled laugh.

What kind of punishment was this?

It seemed instead like the adoptive father had intentionally held back—those lashes on the bodies of grandmasters with True Qi protection were more comfortable than the powdery fists of girls in a brothel.

Jinfu City’s western manor!

Located just one hundred twenty li from the capital, a swift horse ride would reach it in less than half a day.

Ordinary fugitives would surely choose desolate places or flee thousands of miles away.

Yet, they had hidden Lin Qinghan right under the emperor’s nose, a daring "darkness under the lamp" strategy indeed.

"It’s quite a clever scheme, but unfortunately..." Lu Xuan boarded the Dongchang’s specially made swift carriage.

Inside the manor, the scenery was serene, with rock formations artfully arranged, a clear pool reflecting the sky and clouds.

Exotic plants and rare flowers adorned the surroundings, and towering ancient trees cast dappled shadows, all exuding a delicately crafted elegance.

Outside the main hall, four guards in black uniforms stood solemnly like statues.

Their hawk-like eyes continually scanning every grass and tree in their surroundings.

Though the Brocade Spring Sabers at their waists remained sheathed, they exuded a subtle murderous aura that even silenced the insects in the courtyard.

Inside the room, a middle-aged man in black attire sat upright on a rosewood chair.

His presence was like a pine, with eyes like torches—it was none other than Black Tortoise Governor Yuan Qian, a grandmaster of the highest order.

Beside him, a plainly dressed woman sat quietly by the window, her delicate fingers lightly stroking the strings of a zither.

A few palace-dressed maids stood with their heads bowed, their demeanor dignified, controlling even their breathing to be exceedingly light.

Their demeanor was surely cultivated from years of immersion in the inner palace.

Yuan Qian gazed at the beauty before him; even he, a seasoned official maneuvering through the bureaucracy for decades, was stunned by Lin Qinghan’s breathtaking allure.

He steadied himself, lowering his voice, "Miss Qinghan, rest assured, when the Crown Prince ascends to the throne...."

Saying this, Yuan Qian made a slashing motion across his neck, "That old eunuch dog of Dongchang will surely have no remains intact!"

"By then, even the esteemed Imperial Censor can close his eyes in the underworld with peace."

In the faint morning light, Lin Qinghan sat by the window, as if bathed in a gentle glow.

Her skin was like new snow, her features exquisite, and as her eyes moved, they seemed to hold the depth of autumn water.

When her vermilion lips slightly parted, the hint of a smile was like a peach blossom budding in March, captivating anyone who saw it.

A light pink gauze dress fluttered in the breeze, tracing her graceful and alluring figure.

Amid the wide sleeves resembling flowing clouds, her slender jade fingers occasionally revealed themselves, carved like white jade, with a faint pink hue at the fingertips.

As she gracefully rose, the arch curve of her occasionally revealed shoe tips was so exquisite it sent a shiver through the heart.

This scene, even Yuan Qian, usually cold and indifferent, unconsciously held his breath.

Lin Qinghan was like a fairy stepping out of a painting, every expression and smile imbued with innate charm and elegance.

Especially that slender waist, its subtle rise and fall with her breathing, radiated irresistible allure.

Yuan Qian hastily shook his head and pinched his palm, cursing himself internally.

Damn it, he’s an old man half-buried, yet having such thoughts at this critical moment.

No wonder, on that day in the secret room, the Crown Prince was willing to kneel for Miss Qinghan.

Yuan Qian still found that scene shocking. At the time, Commander Envoy Shen Wanbao was so surprised he almost couldn’t stand, the teacup in his hand shattering to pieces.

If not for the Crown Prince, with the dignity of his status, swearing fiercely and invoking the life-saving grace from years past....

This master of his, always wise and cautious, would never defy imperial decree so boldly.

After all, it was well known throughout the court, Commander Envoy of the Jinyi Guard Shen Wanbao only acknowledged the one on the throne.

Even if the Crown Prince was accorded princely respect, should it conflict with the emperor’s will... Yuan Qian subconsciously touched his neck.

In this whirlpool of imperial power struggles, even the Crown Prince finds it hard to withstand the emperor’s wrath.

Lin Qinghan respectfully saluted, her long lashes casting shadows beneath her eyes: "This humble servant... thanks you esteemed gentlemen for your assistance."

Her voice, like a clear spring striking jade, carried an imperceptible tremor.

Lin Qinghan’s manner of saluting seemed respectful, yet it was filled with disappointment.

That lofty Crown Prince, how earnest was he in the secret chamber a month ago?

Saying he would "personally execute the old eunuch dog of Dongchang to console the soul of the Imperial Censor in the heavens," and promising "in this lifetime, to take his head."

Now, more than a month has passed, yet any sign of action?

She had long realized that in this court entangled with power struggles, she was merely a plaything in the Crown Prince’s hands.

Lin Qinghan’s red lips slightly parted, exhaling like orchid fragrance.

To avenge her father, she did not hesitate to make herself the bait, luring the Crown Prince into a gentle trap.

During this past month, she exhausted every seductive skill she had—sometimes singing and dancing softly, other times cooking with care, calculating charm in every glance and angle.

The Crown Prince was indeed ensnared, cherishing her as a precious treasure.

Whenever he held her in his arms, he loved to play with her cascading black hair, foolishly saying, "I wish to build a golden house for A-Jiao."

But whenever she feigned inadvertently mentioning the old eunuch dog of Dongchang, the Crown Prince seemed doused with cold water, his desire in his eyes vanishing instantly.

"Beauty, don’t rush..."

The Crown Prince always replaced it with a face of righteous awe, yet his fingers lingered at her waist, "When I ascend the throne...."

The words barely finished, the Crown Prince eagerly pressed his burning lips down, stifling all her probing.

Lin Qinghan gently smoothed her temple, a flash of resolute coldness flickering in her eyes.

Since the path of the Crown Prince was a dead end, she decided—she would ascend straight to the nine heavens!

Secretly, she summoned a few personal maids who had served her since childhood; these girls were old people of the Lin residence, sharing its prosperity and decline.

Taking advantage of sending embroidered items to the palace, carefully crafted messages quietly infiltrated the deep palace.

If she could enchant the Crown Prince to such a dizzy state... then surely the one on the dragon throne would also find it hard to escape the gentle trap of her beauty.