son, don't mess around

When some truths are revealed, they are more surprising than you might imagine!
But often, it always makes sense.

Before this, Lin Jiangnian actually had some vague guesses.

Especially after meeting Xu Lan in the capital, and getting information about that person from Xu Lan, Lin Jiangnian realized that his appearance might be related to the previous Prince Lin.

Now, it has been completely confirmed!
It was no coincidence that Lin Jiangnian appeared in that dilapidated temple that night a year ago!
Everything had been planned long ago!

On the outing a year ago, the person who went there was ostensibly going for Chen Yingying, the courtesan of Qingfeng Tower, but in fact, he was probably going there for Lin Jiangnian.

The content of the letter he left for Lin Hengzhong mentioned this matter, and also mentioned that this trip was very dangerous and there was a high possibility that he would not be able to return...

By the time Lin Hengzhong received the letter, it was too late. Everything had already happened. When Lin Hengzhong returned to the Lin Wang Mansion, the person he met again was Lin Jiangnian!
The person did not mention what happened in the letter, and there was no way to know what he found out. As for how Lin Jiangnian appeared in the ruined temple that night, there was still no answer.

The truth of all this seemed to have disappeared with the death of the Prince of Lin...

only……

Lin Jiangnian frowned.

He always felt that he had overlooked some details.

Some things still seem a little unreasonable.

"Several forces appeared in the temple that night!"

Lin Hengzhong looked at Lin Jiangnian and said slowly, "One group is from the Celestial God Cult. Is it related to the girl named Liu Su beside you?"

Lin Jiangnian remained silent and nodded.

A year ago, Liu Su had tried to assassinate Lin Hengzhong. Later, Lin Jiangnian pleaded for mercy and saved Liu Su, so it was not surprising that Lin Hengzhong could find out.

"The other one comes from Xuzhou Xu family..."

At this point, Lin Hengzhong's tone was slightly cold: "The Xu family is still eyeing our Lin family covetously. What happened back then is very likely related to them!"

The Xu and Lin families are the only two kings of different surnames in the Daning Dynasty. Lin Hengzhong and King Xu have deep grievances, so it is not surprising that they have conflicts.

It is no surprise that the Xu family assassinated Prince Lin!

The Xu family is probably the people in this world who least want Lin Jiangnian to be alive!
No wonder Zheng Zhiming went to Xuzhou alone and killed so many officials under King Xu. It must have been a revenge secretly instigated by Lin Hengzhong.

The Xu family's inaction seemed to be an admission of something.

"In addition, two other forces appeared that night..."

Lin Heng spoke again slowly.

Lin Jiangnian was silent. Zhiyuan had mentioned these forces to him before.

"The remaining two forces are very mysterious. I have been investigating for a long time, but still can't find any clues... Just like the two forces nineteen years ago, they appeared out of thin air and disappeared out of thin air..."

"I'm afraid these two forces are deeply related to where you have been all these years!"

Lin Hengzhong spoke in a deep voice.

"In fact, these people are most likely the force that took you away that year!"

"..."

Lin Jiangnian was thoughtful.

The intelligence from the Lin Wang Mansion is already one of the most powerful intelligence organizations in the world. The fact that even Lin Hengzhong cannot find out about this force is enough to show how deeply the other party is hiding.

The only person who found the clue, the prince of Lin, had already died. Now, unless the person behind the scenes showed up, it would be almost impossible for Lin Jiangnian to find out!

"Didn't he leave any other clues?"

Lin Jiangnian asked.

Lin Hengzhong shook his head and said in a deep voice: "If he had told me earlier, I would never have let him take the risk!"

Speaking of this, Lin Hengzhong's tone was extremely heavy.

For him, it was indeed a very happy thing to find his child who had been lost for many years.

But at the same time, he lost another child!
Losing is always more difficult to accept than gaining!
Although it was expected that the child would not live long, even if he had not died in the temple that night, he would not have lived for much longer.

But for Lin Hengzhong, it is still difficult to accept this matter.

Lin Jiangnian was silent.

It was difficult for him to describe his feelings at the moment.

Although there were still some doubts that had not been resolved, he could realize that his appearance was related to the Prince of Lin!
In fact, perhaps from the moment he pretended to be the Prince of Lin... it might have been expected by that person.

More likely...

Is it possible that all of this was part of his plan?
Thinking of this, Lin Jiangnian's heart skipped a beat.

He seemed to have grasped some important clues, but it was difficult to sort them out for a while, and he always felt that something was missing...

I have some doubts and can't figure it out.

"You are lucky to be able to return home safely."

Lin Hengzhong adjusted his mood, looked at Lin Jiangnian, and his tone became gentle: "Dad knows that a lot of things have happened to you, and there are many secrets, but that's not important."

"What's important is that you are my child, born after your mother carried you for ten months. You have the blood of my Lin family flowing in your body!"

"that's enough!"

"..."

Lin Hengzhong recognized Lin Jiangnian's identity the first time he saw him, but he did not expose him. From beginning to end, he did not interfere with Lin Jiangnian's affairs, nor did he impose any ideas on him.

"Your mother passed away early, and her last wish before she died was to see you. Now, your brother has also passed away. Dad only hopes that you can be well and safe... That's enough!"

Silence, for a moment.

Lin Jiangnian was in a complicated mood, and some indescribable emotions were rising. Perhaps it was because of the atmosphere at the moment that made him feel particularly heavy.

He nodded.

"I will."

As he spoke, Lin Jiangnian raised his head, looked at Lin Hengzhong, then looked towards the direction of Linjiang City in the distance, and spoke calmly.

"Since I am taking over his identity, I should inherit his legacy no matter what... I think this is what he would most like to see."

Today, he is still Lin Jiangnian!

But he represents more than just himself!
He also carries the last wishes of a brother with whom he has never met but with whom he shares the same blood.

He could guess some of the thoughts of the Prince Lin...

The Prince of Lin is dead. Once this news gets out, it will definitely deal a huge blow to the Prince of Lin’s Mansion!
Even if it was revealed at this time that Prince Lin had another child, it would be of no avail. The impact on Prince Lin's Mansion would be difficult to reverse.

But what if Lin Jiangnian replaced the identity of the original Prince Lin without anyone noticing... just like the current situation.

In the eyes of outsiders, Lin Hengzhong only had one child from beginning to end!
Nothing has changed!

This will be the best outcome.

……

When Lin Jiangnian came down from the back mountain, he felt complicated and heavy.

It also feels a bit absurd!
Some things are just so outrageous!

He pretended to be the Prince of Lin from the beginning, sneaked into the Prince of Lin's mansion, carefully disguised himself, imitated the Prince of Lin's words and deeds, and tried not to reveal any flaws. He thought his disguise was perfect and fooled everyone.

Who would have thought that it had been exposed from the very beginning...

It’s not that he was good at disguising himself, but that all the people who knew the inside story chose unanimously... not to expose him.

So is Zhiyuan, and so is Lin Hengzhong.

Even the old senior Li from Ruyi Tower could be considered Lin Jiangnian's nominal master. When they first met, he probably saw through Lin Jiangnian's disguise.

But he also did not expose it. Instead, he just stayed with Lin Jiangnian as if nothing had happened and watched his performance quietly...

This made it difficult for Lin Jiangnian to not feel complicated.

Today, the truth that has puzzled Lin Jiangnian for a long time has finally been answered!

But at the same time, some mysteries remain unsolved.

For example, where did the two remaining forces in the temple come from a year ago?

Where did the force that assassinated Princess Lin nineteen years ago, and the force that rescued Princess Lin come from?
What is the connection between these forces?
These are still mysteries!
Only by finding out the truth about these forces can we solve the real mystery and uncover the final secret of Lin Jiangnian!

However, even though Lin Hengzhong had been investigating for such a long time and failed to find any clues, Lin Jiangnian did not intend to waste his efforts. Now that his identity as the prince of Lin Wang had been confirmed, Lin Jiangnian did not need to investigate these things anymore. Even if he could not find out clearly, it would not affect him now.

What Lin Jiangnian needs to do now is to win the hearts of the people of Linzhou, establish his prestige in the Linwang Palace, and cultivate his confidants in the Linwang Army so that he can take over Lin Hengzhong's position in the future.

At the same time, we must also be wary of the imperial court's reduction of vassal states and the fallout from the relationship!

For the imperial court, reducing the power of the vassal states was not a one-day task. Based on Lin Jiangnian's understanding of the new emperor, he had strongly advocated reducing the power of the vassal states and would not give up until his goal was achieved.

For the Linwang Palace, this will be a long-lasting stalemate.

……

When we went down the back mountain, we saw several figures waiting for a long time at the foot of the mountain.

The pair of maids who bathed and changed clothes for Lin Jiangnian last night and tried to sleep with him were standing respectfully at the foot of the mountain.

In addition, there were several maids and servants standing there, and Lin Qingqing had been waiting there for a long time.

As soon as Lin Jiangnian appeared in the pavilion at the foot of the mountain, two maids hurriedly trotted forward to wipe the sweat off the prince and handed him water.

While enjoying the service of the two maids, Lin Jiangnian looked at Lin Qingqing: "What's wrong?"

"Your Highness."

Lin Qingqing glanced at the two maids and reported: "Someone from the Chen family is coming!"

"Chen family? Which Chen family?"

Lin Qingqing reminded: "It was the person you asked me to arrest yesterday..."

After being reminded by Lin Qingqing, Lin Jiangnian finally remembered that this was indeed the case?
You know what, he has been very busy since last night and almost forgot about it.

"Who came from the Chen family?"

"A steward who manages things."

"Just a housekeeper?"

Hearing this, Lin Jiangnian raised his eyebrows and sneered: "Isn't it that the Chen family looks down on this prince a little too much?"

Lin Qingqing asked tentatively: "Then what does Your Highness mean..."

"Blast it out, don't see you!"

Lin Jiangnian glanced at her and said, "This prince doesn't have time to see this kind of people. Please ask for the real person in charge of the Chen family to come."

Lin Qingqing immediately understood: "As you command, I will drive them away right away!"

"and many more."

Lin Jiangnian called her again: "Where is the man we arrested yesterday? His name is Chen Junru, right? How is he doing?"

"Your Highness asked me to lock him up for one night. He is still in the prison of the palace."

"Okay, I'll go check him out!"

Now that he remembered this person and happened to have some free time, Lin Jiangnian planned to go and take a look.

Strictly speaking, this guy named Chen Junru can be considered an "old acquaintance" of Lin Jiangnian.

……

In the prison cell at the Prince's Mansion.

The light was dim, and the surroundings were dark, eerie and cold.

The cell was relatively clean, but the air still had a hint of blood and a bit of musty smell. Even though it was clean and tidy, it was still not much better after not seeing the sun for years.

Right at the door of one of the cells.

"let me out!"

"Let me out now, do you know who I am?"

"You dare to lock me up? When I get out, none of you will be able to escape..."

"..."

A cursing voice was heard in the cell. The voice was harsh and seemed a little angry.

Not far outside the cell, there stood several constables and jailers, looking at each other, feeling at a loss as to which way to go.

This young man in the cell is so arrogant!
If it were anyone else, they would have been severely punished. Who wouldn't be obedient and submissive after entering the prison cell of the palace?

But unfortunately, His Highness had instructed last night not to touch this person for the time being. In addition, this person's identity is not simple, and the power behind him cannot be underestimated.

Therefore, no one in the cell took action and just let him howl and threaten.

After shouting for a long time, I finally got tired.

Chen Junru sat down on the dry grass, his face gloomy and his teeth gnashed.

"Mr. Lin, I will never let you go for today's shame!"

"Your Lin family is about to face a disaster, and you still dare to arrest me... I will definitely kill you in the future..."

Just as Chen Junru was gritting his teeth and cursing inwardly, a voice suddenly rang in his ears.

"Who are you going to get rid of? Who are you going to kill?!"

The sudden sound scared Chen Junru so much that he almost fainted. When he looked up, he saw a figure appear outside the cell.

A familiar figure.

Lin Jiangnian!
Chen Junru recognized at a glance that the person who appeared in his sight was the Prince of Lin!

A hint of fear appeared in Chen Junru's eyes, and he almost subconsciously shrank his neck. The arrogance that had just emerged disappeared subconsciously.

But then, he suddenly realized...what was he afraid of? !

Why should I be afraid of him? !
Thinking of this, Chen Junru's anger surged again!
"Lin Jiangnian!"

Chen Junru gritted his teeth and said angrily: "Why did you send people to arrest me? Why did you lock me up?"

Outside the cell, Lin Jiangnian looked at the helpless and furious Chen Junru in the cell, and crossed his arms over his chest: "Don't you know why this prince arrested you?"

Chen Junru's heart skipped a beat, and he naturally knew what Lin Jiangnian was coming for.

But that matter had already been dealt with, and Chen Junru had a plan in mind, so he was not panicked.

"How would I know?"

"I was fine at home, but you sent people to bring me here as soon as you came back... Lin Jiangnian, you are indeed the prince of Lin Wang, with a noble status and high position. However, this is not a reason for you to arrest people at will!"

"Can the Crown Prince Lin just use his power to arrest people at will?!"

"My Chen family is in Linjiang City, and we are not soft persimmons that can be easily bullied. You don't have any evidence, so what qualifications do you have to arrest me?!"

"My Chen family will never let this matter go, and my father will definitely not sit idly by..."

"How are you going to give the Chen family an explanation?"

Chen Junru spoke with a loud and clear voice and full of confidence.

He was confident and naturally not panicking. In addition, he had long known that something big had happened to the Lin family. The Lin Prince was assassinated and seriously injured. Now the Lin Prince's Mansion was leaderless, with only this stupid Lin Prince left.

Chen Junru is much braver now than before.

"Explain?"

However, after listening to Chen Junru's "generous" speech, Lin Jiangnian just sneered.

"What are you laughing at?!" Chen Junru glared at him.

"You make me laugh!"

Lin Jiangnian looked him up and down and said, "Chen Junru, Chen Junru, I have not been in Linjiang City for the past year. Have you forgotten something?"

"What, what happened?"

"When this prince wanted to beat you, when did he need any evidence?"

"My Lord, when will I need to give an explanation to your Chen family?"

Lin Jiangnian chuckled disdainfully and curled his lips lightly.

"You, the Chen family, are worthy?!"

"..." (End of this chapter)