Chapter 15: It Is My Fault

"Is that so?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Laixi stepped forward and walked a circle around Nan Xueyin, looking her up and down as if inspecting livestock.

He nodded, "It really is different."

Nan Xueyin could clearly feel Xiao Youlan's gaze not far away, resting steadily upon her with a sense of scrutiny.

Before leaving Lianzhou, Wu Zhui had worriedly reminded Nan Xueyin that the current Crown Prince was cautious by nature; over the years, many factions, including Prince Duan, had attempted to plant spies in the Eastern Palace, but few had succeeded.

Those who were arranged to enter needed to spend a great deal of energy and time to barely gain the Crown Prince's trust, and this trust was not unbreakable—it was very likely that because of some minor matter or detail, revealing some subtle information would cause the Crown Prince to grow suspicious and swiftly and cleanly dispose of that person.

Although Nan Xueyin appeared to have gained favor after entering the Eastern Palace, she knew clearly that the Crown Prince did not fully trust her.

If she were to slip up today because of the arrival of the Lin father and son, Nan Xueyin was certain that Xiao Youlan would dispose of her without the slightest hesitation.

If that happened, the mission would be impossible to complete.

Nan Xueyin slowly raised her eyes to look at the father and son: "Where am I different?"

Lin Laixi stroked his chin, "Well, it's hard to say, hard to put into words..."

Lin Jiaxing grinned cheekily: "You've become prettier!"

Lin Laixi slapped his thigh, "Yes! Prettier! No wonder the Crown Prince likes you!"

Prettier, Nan Xueyin raised her eyebrows imperceptibly: "Do you not know why I have become prettier?"

Lin Laixi answered without thinking, "Of course it's because I gave birth to you well..."

"That is not it."

Nan Xueyin interrupted him, "It is because I lived too bitterly when I was at home, but after entering the palace, I have enough to eat and warm clothes to wear, so I have become a bit better looking. What does that have to do with you?"

Lin Jiaxing was displeased, "How are you talking to your father? All these years, has our family ever shorted your food or lacked your clothing? Why are you playing the victim!"

Lin Laixi sighed with feigned posture: "A daughter born and raised like the apple of my eye, only to end up hiding in the palace enjoying blessings, leaving her old father and own brother to suffer in the village! Now that we've found you, you're looking down on us, sigh!"

Nan Xueyin laughed, "Raised like the apple of your eye?"

Although she was smiling, tears welled up in her eyes, "But I clearly remember that from the age of six, when I was tall enough to reach the stove, I had to get up early every day to cook for you two. Yet, I always had to wait until you were full before I could sit at the table to eat the leftover scraps. Before I was fifteen, the clothes I wore were all the ones you didn't want and replaced; when they were torn or broken, I would use old rags to patch them."

"My first new set of clothes was only bought because you wanted to marry me off to the village blacksmith. The blacksmith thought I was too thin and small, worried I wouldn't survive, and refused to take me. You then cursed and swore, forcing me to take off the clothes so you could resell them for money. Later on, when Lin Jiaxing wanted to discuss marriage, you sold me into the palace for the sake of the bride price."

She spoke with grievance, and tears fell in streams across her cheeks.

Those watching and listening could not help but be moved.

Lin Laixi's old face fell instantly: "What are you doing, you must bring up those past things!"

Lin Jiaxing also rolled his eyes, "You say it as if selling you into the palace was harming you! If you hadn't entered the palace, would you even be able to serve by the Crown Prince's side? You don't thank your father, don't thank me, what are you pretending to be pitiful for?!"

Nan Xueyin's voice trembled, "I was reluctant to leave home! At that time, I begged you not to sell me. I said if I entered the palace, I would never pay attention to you again; I would finish being a palace maid and then continue to be a Momo, dying of old age in the palace. What did you say then? You said, then we will act as if we never gave birth to a daughter like you. Those words still ring in my ears, yet now you have the nerve to come looking for me—"

She wiped away her tears and revealed a bitter smile, "I even thought you truly missed me. I didn't expect that, after all this talk, it was still just for my good-for-nothing brother. He is lazy and gluttonous, so you want to step on my corpse to seek an official position for him!"

"You still dare to speak!"

Lin Laixi could not suppress the anger in his heart and raised his hand to slap her.

Nan Xueyin deliberately did not dodge; she stood in place and took the blow head-on.

Lin Laixi had indeed used great force, carrying his rage, and Nan Xueyin followed the force of the slap to fall to the ground, letting the Jade Hairpin in her hair be knocked off and broken in two.

Finally, she heard Xiao Youlan's voice: "Stop!"

Nan Xueyin knew she had succeeded.

She had always been the sharpest blade under Prince Duan; she was top-tier at killing, and as a spy, she was naturally not bad either.

"Cr-Crown Prince..." Lin Laixi's expression was sheepish, "This girl has developed a stubborn temper in the palace; she must be disciplined!"

Xiao Youlan ignored him, "Men!"

Both Lin men were startled.

The guards had long found them unpleasant, and with the Crown Prince's direct order, they immediately stepped forward and pinned the father and son firmly to the ground.

Nan Xueyin saw a pair of black brocade boots; Xiao Youlan came before her and leaned down.

Nan Xueyin clutched half of her cheek, her eyes and face full of tears, like a shattered glass lamp.

Her voice trembled as she timidly called out: "Your Highness..."

"Hmm?" Xiao Youlan leaned closer, thinking she would complain.

But she said: "The Jade Hairpin you gave me... is broken..."

Xiao Youlan was slightly stunned.

Only then did he notice the broken hairpin on the ground; it was the one he had specially given her for Prince Kang's birthday banquet. Since that day, she had always worn it, so she must have liked it very much.

"It is my fault." Nan Xueyin's voice grew even fainter.

Xiao Youlan's heart suddenly softened, and an endless sense of pity welled up.

He comforted her in a low voice, his tone inadvertently becoming gentle, "It is not your fault, stop crying."

After speaking, he stood up straight and looked coldly at the pair of father and son.

Lin Jiaxing was unconvinced, raising his head and shouting: "Why are you arresting me? I am Lin Chunxia's own brother! I am the only son in the Lin family!"

Lin Laixi wailed at the top of his lungs: "Chunxia, look, they are bullying your father and your brother! Tell them to let us go!"

Feihong pointed at them and cursed: "You just hit Doukou, where do you get the nerve!"

Lin Laixi glared over: "I hit my own daughter, what does it have to do with you?"

Xiao Youlan walked closer, and he shouted again: "Crown Prince! It was really because this girl said such nasty things just now that I accidentally moved my hand. After all, I am her father, there's no need for this!"

"According to the laws of the Ye Dynasty, there are two ways to sell children into the palace."

Xiao Youlan suddenly said this.

It was out of the blue, and neither Lin Laixi nor Lin Jiaxing understood.

Xiao Youlan continued unhurriedly: "One is a Living Contract, where the daughter enters the palace as a servant, and can leave the palace upon reaching the age of twenty-six. The other is a Death Contract, where children enter the palace and, regardless of life or death, belong to the palace's affairs. The money given for a Death Contract is twice that of a Living Contract."

He asked: "When you two sold Doukou, which one did you sign?"

Lin Laixi and Lin Jiaxing could not say a word; how would they know about this!

"A Death Contract."

Nan Xueyin spoke up to answer; she was helped up by Linglang and stood to the side, her throat choked with an irrepressible sense of grievance, "They wanted more silver and were in a hurry to take wives."

"Very well," Xiao Youlan nodded.

He looked down from above, gazing coldly at the father and son of the Lin family, "Since it is a Death Contract, there is no Lin Chunxia here, only the Eastern Palace maidservant Doukou."

Lin Laixi was unconvinced, "But she is my own biological daughter after all!"

Feihong snorted: "Judging by what you mean, do you think the laws of our Ye Dynasty are just for show? If you think this is unreasonable, why don't you go tell the Emperor!"

How would Lin Laixi dare to question the Emperor! He immediately changed his tune: "I... I didn't mean that..."

"This matter is settled, let us discuss other things," Xiao Youlan spoke again, "As for you two, father and son, for rashly breaking into the Eastern Palace today, what should your punishment be?"

Feihong chimed in: "According to the law, twenty lashes!"

The faces of the Lin father and son changed drastically, and they kowtowed in panic, admitting their guilt and begging for mercy.

"Lin Laixi is advanced in years, so he shall only receive ten lashes; the remaining ten lashes shall be borne by Lin Jiaxing. As a son, taking the punishment for one's father is only right and proper." Xiao Youlan spoke unhurriedly, his voice cold and heavy with the majesty of a mountain.

The guards acknowledged the order and dragged the Lin father and son out to carry out the punishment.