Chapter 16: Who Let You Come to the Eastern Palace?

The sounds of begging and wailing gradually faded into the distance; Xiao Youlan cast a sidelong glance at Nan Xueyin.

Her tears fell uncontrollably, like a broken string; she raised her hand to cover her face, and a few red marks leaked out from between her fingers.

Xiao Youlan frowned again. He had doubted her identity just now and had not immediately driven those two people out, causing her to suffer this blow. It was his fault.

"Shall I take a look?"

He spoke slowly, his gaze landing on her face.

Nan Xueyin lowered her head, her voice tearful, "This servant looks disheveled and dares not soil Your Highness's eyes."

In reality, she had just discovered that her Human Skin Mask had been torn—only a very small spot, but it absolutely could not be seen by Xiao Youlan.

Therefore, she kept her face covered and did not let go.

She felt a bit guilty, but fortunately, Xiao Youlan did not insist, saying, "Then go back and tidy up. I will have someone send some Ointment to you later."

"Very well. Thank you, Your Highness."

Xiao Youlan signaled to Linglang, "Accompany Doukou back."

Linglang rarely spoke to the Crown Prince; at this moment, she couldn't help but blush to her ears as she replied, "Yes."

Back in the room, Nan Xueyin left Linglang outside the door, "I want to pretty myself up; don't come in."

Having said that, she closed the door before Linglang could say anything.

Ensuring the door was locked, Nan Xueyin sat before the vanity mirror. Looking at the young girl's face in the mirror, which was soaked with tears, she tugged at the corner of her mouth. No wonder Hua Lianying loved to cry whenever she had the chance; tears were truly useful.

She sat for a while, then began to repair the Human Skin Mask.

Later that evening, Feihong delivered the Ointment according to Xiao Youlan's wishes, specifically emphasizing, "Miss Doukou, this was specially made by the imperial physicians in the palace. It has the effect of soothing scars and reducing swelling. When His Highness was assassinated last year and injured his arm, he relied entirely on this Ointment, and not a single trace was left on his arm afterward."

Nan Xueyin was delighted, "Thank His Highness for me."

Feihong, however, was in no hurry to leave. With a meaningful smile on his face, he took a long purple sandalwood carved box from his sleeve, "There is also this; His Highness said this is also for you, Miss."

Nan Xueyin roughly knew what it was. She opened it to take a look, and sure enough, it was a Jade Hairpin, even more exquisite and magnificent than the one that had broken today.

Her gaze fell upon the Jade Hairpin, and she blushed just the right amount, "His Highness is very thoughtful."

Feihong laughed, "Indeed! This is the only one of its kind in our Eastern Palace! His Highness also said to let you rest for a few days and wait until your injuries are healed before seeing him; there is no rush."

Nan Xueyin thanked him again.

After Feihong left, Linglang exclaimed in admiration, "His Highness is really good to you."

Nan Xueyin was noncommittal toward this. She put down the wooden box and asked indifferently, "Have you seen Hantao?"

Linglang found it strange, "Why are you suddenly asking about this?"

Nan Xueyin did not speak. She merely suspected that the Lin father and son coming to the door today was something Hantao had done behind the scenes.

Linglang thought carefully and did not hide anything, "Hantao has been very close to an attendant named Jiang Yan recently. I even suspect the two of them are involved."

Nan Xueyin nodded slightly.

When the sky turned dark, Nan Xueyin told Linglang she was going to sleep. Once Linglang went out, she blew out the candle, peeled off the Human Skin Mask to reveal her original face, changed into dark clothes and trousers, and climbed out the window.

Having stayed in the Eastern Palace for these days, she had walked around the perimeter and familiarized herself with it.

Her figure was naturally agile and nimble; moving through the night, she was even more silent.

In the room next door, Hantao was not there.

Nan Xueyin made a round of the Eastern Palace and finally, beside a secluded side hall in the west, caught the sound of a man's heavy panting.

It was Jiang Yan.

He panted, calling out incessantly, "Hantao, good Hantao, brother will cherish you."

Then, in a hoarse voice, he said, "Call me 'Brother Yan' once, and I'll give you my life."

Nan Xueyin:...

She gritted her teeth, only just managing to resist the urge to turn around and leave.

The next instant, she heard Hantao's delicate voice, "Brother Yan."

Nan Xueyin was speechless, taking two silent steps toward them.

In the bushes, Jiang Yan was kissing and hugging Hantao, impatiently trying to take off his pants.

Hantao pressed against his chest, "Good brother, is what you promised me still valid?"

Jiang Yan was anxious and said offhandedly, "I remember!"

Hantao threw a tantrum, "You say it first, what is the matter?"

Jiang Yan suppressed his impulse and said quickly, "Isn't it just sneaking you into the Crown Prince's bedchamber so you can sleep with His Highness for a night! I remember it all—good Hantao, hurry up and give it to brother!"

Hantao was reassured and relaxed the strength in her hands.

Jiang Yan undid his belt and hurriedly went to pull at Hantao's skirt.

It was at this moment that Nan Xueyin descended from the sky and struck him unconscious with a hand chop.

Jiang Yan collapsed onto Hantao. Hantao was also terrified; not daring to look at who had attacked, she covered her face, "He forced me! He coerced me!"

Nan Xueyin kicked Jiang Yan away, flipped Hantao over, and pinned her face-down on the ground.

Hantao's body stiffened, and she cried, "I won't struggle, and I won't scream. Warrior, I beg you, don't kill me! I'll do whatever you want!"

"Shut up."

Nan Xueyin spoke coldly and deeply.

This was a female voice, but it lacked any emotion, like the biting wind and snow of midwinter.

Hantao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"I am a Hidden Guard of the Crown Prince; I have questions for you." Nan Xueyin said it right off the bat.

Hantao did not doubt her and nodded vigorously, "Ask! Please, ask anything!"

Nan Xueyin then asked, "Was it you who arranged for the Lin father and son to be brought in today?"

Hantao hurriedly said, "It wasn't me!"

Nan Xueyin gripped her neck and said ruthlessly, "If you hide anything, I will kill you right now."

Hantao was so scared she cried, "It really wasn't me! I... how could I have such great ability! I don't know anything about the Lin father and son at all. I was jealous of Doukou, I hated her, but I only begged Jiang Yan to help me, to let me sleep with the Crown Prince for one night, so that I could trample Doukou under my feet!"

Nan Xueyin recalled the conversation she had just heard.

"My lady, I beg you to believe me! Today's matter really has nothing to do with me! I beg you, don't kill me! I just wanted to be a favored concubine!" Hantao wept bitterly.

Nan Xueyin gave a hum, thought for a moment, and warned, "The Crown Prince has no interest in you; stop doing brainless things."

Hantao naturally nodded in agreement, "I won't do it again! I won't ever dare to again!"

Nan Xueyin took one last look at her; with her clothes and hair in disarray, she was truly pathetic for having offered herself to a servant she had only known for a few days just to gain favor.

On second thought, wasn't she much the same, only forced to offer herself to a Crown Prince she had only known for a few days? She was also pathetic.

Nan Xueyin frowned, withdrew her gaze, lifted her leg, and walked away.

The mission to win over the Crown Prince could not tolerate any mistakes; if this matter had nothing to do with Hantao, then it was someone else.

Nan Xueyin left the Eastern Palace, originally intending to return to Doukou's home according to her memory.

She hadn't gone far when she saw two people lying by the side of the street, one old and one young; they were none other than Lin Laixi and Lin Jiaxing.

Both father and son had been whipped; Lin Laixi had been struck less and was doing better, but Lin Jiaxing was already half-dead, his entire back and buttocks mottled with bloodstains.

Lin Laixi held his son's body, his throat hoarse from crying, still muttering, "That heartless little wench, just watching her own father and brother get beaten like that! How could the Lin family produce such an unfilial daughter..."

Sobbing and sniffling, he began to regret it, "If I had known, I wouldn't have listened to him, I wouldn't have come..."

Nan Xueyin's gaze turned cold, and she revealed herself from the darkness.

Lin Laixi was startled by her, "You! Who are you!"

Nan Xueyin raised her leg and stepped on Lin Jiaxing's back.

Lin Laixi cried out in distress, "Don't step on my son!"

Nan Xueyin stared at him expressionlessly, "Who told you to come to the Eastern Palace? Speak honestly, or else I will kill your son."

Lin Laixi saw that this was a ruthless character not to be trifled with, and having no other choice, he confessed, "It was a young man, he didn't say his name, he came to find us and said that the daughter I sold into the palace had caught the eye of the Crown Prince and was enjoying a life of luxury in the palace. He said that if we went to find her, we would definitely be able to get a large sum of silver, and perhaps even land an official position..."

Nan Xueyin asked, "What features did he have?"

Lin Laixi racked his brains to recall, and finally, he remembered, "A round, square face, not very tall, had a bit of an accent, sounded like he was from around Lianzhou. Oh, he had a scar on the right side of his chin."

Nan Xueyin's expression turned abruptly cold and dark.

She knew who this was; an Assassin newly recruited by the Duan Prince Mansion last year.

However, Xiao Mingyu had already sent him out, and he now only took orders from one person—

Hua Lianying.