Chapter 253: Revealing the Foreknowledge

Revealing the Foreknowledge

After returning from Heaven Prison, Nie Jinxuan remained in a low mood. Seeing her like that, Yin Fengzhan, who had been following her all the way, couldn't help but frown, yet said nothing.

After all, Yin Fengzhan hadn't entered Heaven Prison, so he didn't know what Nie Jinxuan and Yin Fengxiang had actually discussed, and naturally had no idea how to interject. Afterwards the two boarded a carriage and returned to Chen Wangfu.

When they arrived at Wangfu, Long Jingyun was already waiting for them. With Long Jingyun were Princess Qionghua and the Third Prince of Tiancheng, Ye Yushu.

Princess Qionghua is the Jin family lady Jin Jingwen. In recent days, the turmoil in Dongling has been constant, yet Princess Qionghua and Ye Yushu have not left. Moreover, because of Ye Chenluo's involvement, Ye Yushu naturally sides with Yin Fengzhan, so in the end both Jin Jingwen and Ye Yushu are considered allies.

At that moment, seeing Nie Jinxuan return, Long Jingyun, who had been waiting for a while, immediately frowned, but upon noticing their low spirits, the usually sharp‑tongued Long Jingyun wisely said nothing. After a quick check confirming Nie Jinxuan was truly fine, Long Jingyun handed her a small restorative pill and began to speak intermittently,

"By the way, you really have the leisure to do this, never checking your own condition and always running off... Oh right, didn't you go to Heaven Prison today? How's the 'paper-thin' now?"

The 'paper-thin' Long Jingyun mentioned naturally refers to Yin Fengxiang. Hearing this, before Nie Jinxuan could speak, Jin Jingwen beside him couldn't help pouting.

"Hmph! That Prince Rui—I once thought he was a rare good person! Yet, to my surprise, he's so ruthless, killing one after another, unafraid of dying and going to hell..."

Regarding Yin Fengxiang, Jin Jingwen originally liked him quite a bit. Compared with the other princes of Dongling, Yin Fengxiang, though physically frail, had a decent temperament. So after several meetings, Jin Jingwen always held a good impression of him. It is precisely because of this that when the truth emerged, it became even more unbearable, a deep sense of betrayal!

At this point, Jin Jingwen couldn't help glancing at Nie Jinxuan sitting beside her.

"But if I may say, Sister Jinxuan, your heart is too kind! Someone like Prince Rui, whose hands are soaked in blood, who can strike even his own relatives without hesitation—you shouldn't look at him, lest you stain your own eyes!"

Jin Jingwen is young, yet inherits the Jin family's uprightness, making her sense of right and wrong especially strong. Yet as soon as her words fell, Ye Yushu, who had been silent on the other side, lifted his folding fan and tapped her head.

"You brat, do you think everyone is like you?! You don't understand these matters, so keep your mouth shut!"

"Ah! Brother Yushu, how could I not understand? Everything I say is factual, okay?"

"Fine, if I tell you to shut up, then shut up!"

Jin Jingwen may be clever, but she's still young and knows little about the tangled affair between Yin Fengxiang and Nie Jinxuan. Ye Yushu, however, is different; naturally calm, and having covertly assisted Yin Fengzhan back then, he understands the situation more thoroughly. Hence his perspective naturally differs.

At that moment, seeing Nie Jinxuan remain silent, Ye Yushu repeatedly told Jin Jingwen to shut up. When Jin Jingwen complied, Ye Yushu glanced at Nie Jinxuan, then turned his gaze toward Yin Fengzhan opposite him.

"Prince Rui has now committed such misdeeds, exposing his crimes in full view of everyone. According to Prince Chen's admonition, what will happen to Prince Rui next?"

Ye Yushu opened seriously. After all, the evidence of Yin Fengxiang's treason was conclusive, and he even confessed on the spot to murdering the two Dongling emperors—this is no small matter, so any of these issues is enough to warrant death multiple times!

Yet Ye Yushu knew that although Yin Fengxiang was beyond redemption, he was still a brother, so Ye Yushu couldn't help wondering how Yin Fengzhan would handle this.

When faced with Ye Yushu's question, Yin Fengzhan merely glanced at him, and at that moment, the ever‑silent Nie Jinxuan suddenly shook her head.

"Let's not discuss this any further; the truth will reveal itself in time."

Nie Jinxuan's words were somewhat cryptic, even intriguing. Yet as everyone saw she didn't wish to elaborate, they refrained from pressing further. After a brief silence, Ye Yushu casually flicked his fan open, twirled it, and shifted the conversation,

"Actually, now that you mention it, there's something I've never understood. Back then, Prime Minister Nie painstakingly built his power for years, secretly colluding with Empress Dowager Duan. Over those years he was extremely cautious, even deceiving your former emperor and everyone, yet Prince Rui managed to spot a flaw."

"After all, if Prince Rui hadn't known the foreknowledge in advance, he wouldn't have set those layered, interlocking schemes! He even employed the mantis‑cicada‑oriole tactic... Yet it's odd—Prince Rui was previously in poor health, barely able to walk, so how could he know things that even we and the entire court were unaware of?!"

For decades, Nie Wenhao's disguise was flawless. Publicly he acted as if he were at odds with Empress Dowager Duan, while in court he presented himself as upright, a veteran of three reigns, even manipulating those closest to him. So how did the reclusive Prince Rui, Yin Fengxiang, discern Nie Wenhao's true nature?!

Ye Yushu's question hit the mark. Upon hearing it, everyone present, including Yin Fengzhan and Nie Jinxuan, showed a slight reaction, and after a brief stunned pause, Jin Jingwen also frowned and said,

"Indeed, Brother Yushu makes sense! This is unreasonable! We don't know how a prince who sits in a wheelchair, almost never leaving his residence, could know! If he didn't know, how could he devise so many traps for us to fall into?!"

For a moment, everyone fell into contemplation over Ye Yushu's question. As they puzzled, the usually talkative and sharp‑tongued Long Jingyun swallowed, then glanced at several people present... At that instant, his gaze met Yin Fengzhan's deep, icy eyes!

Yin Fengzhan's eyes exuded an indescribable intimidating aura. Upon that look, Long Jingyun reflexively retracted his neck, lowered his eyes, and dared not look again.

Yet Yin Fengzhan kept staring, his gaze growing sharper. At that moment, Nie Jinxuan also noticed Yin Fengzhan watching Long Jingyun and followed his gaze, followed by Jin Jingwen and Ye Yushu...

In the blink of an eye, everyone's eyes in the room settled on Long Jingyun. Then Jin Jingwen squinted and loudly asked,

"Brother Jingyun, tell me, is it you?!"

Jin Jingwen is also good at reading people. When she asked him directly like that, Long Jingyun instantly thought nothing of it.

"Shut up! You brat, what nonsense are you spouting? This... what does this have to do with me?!"

"Ha, you say it doesn't matter?! If it doesn't, why are you stammering?"

"Who stammered? I— I just happened to bite my tongue, that's why!"

"Bite your tongue?! Then why didn't you bite off your front tooth?! Lies without a draft—who would believe? Tell me, is it you? Did you secretly tell Prince Rui something, so he could sense the foreknowledge?"

Jin Jingwen is not easily brushed off. Seeing Long Jingyun's reaction, which was clearly different from usual, everyone present became even more convinced that Prince Rui's prior knowledge of Nie Wenhao's affairs must be linked to him!

Jin Jingwen pressed on with each question, but Long Jingyun stubbornly refused to admit anything. Seeing this, Ye Yushu folded his fan and, at a leisurely pace, said,

"Back then, Brother Jingyun lived in Prince Rui's residence, so he naturally had the most contact with Prince Rui. If we talk about this, Brother Jingyun should know some inside details... Of course, if Brother Jingyun insists it has nothing to do with him, that's fine. If not, we could have Gong Wuyá or Aunt Dragon send a letter asking for help; they'd likely uncover some clues!"

The Midnight Palace has four branches. Among them, the Jade Merchant Hall overseen by Gong Wuyá handles intelligence gathering. One could say that as long as the price is right, there's nothing the Jade Merchant Hall can't uncover in this world! The news about Ling Yidao was learned by Ye Chenluo through Gong Wuyá's Jade Merchant Hall, so the Hall's power is evident.

At the same time, for Long Jingyun, even fiercer than the Jade Merchant Hall is the 'Dragon Aunt' spoken of by Ye Yushu, namely his mother Sheng Ziyan! After all, others might still believe him or not, at least they can spare his feelings. But if this matter reaches his deadly, monstrous mother, he'll be dead!

Because other people's accusations can still be backed by evidence. But if his mother pinpoints you as the culprit, then you're guilty, and what awaits him won't be just a simple death; his mother will ensure he can neither live nor die!

To dare strike one's own son, that's a true warrior. In Long Jingyun's eyes, his mother Sheng Ziyan is an ultimate warrior among warriors!

So when Ye Yushu mentioned notifying his mother, Long Jingyun instantly leapt up and hurriedly said,

"Alright, alright, I keep saying—it's still not okay! Actually, the matter is..."