Forced Into the Palace: Becoming the Emperor's Favorite-Chapter 403: Capture the Little Ghost

Compared to Mr. Lin’s silence, it was evident that Mrs. Dong was utterly terrified.

She kept repeating, "Impossible, absolutely impossible."

Indeed, they knew very well what kind of people the Dong Family were.

They had even helped with the purchase of that batch of rice, flour, grains, and oil, so how could there be a problem?

Moreover, speaking of Second Young Master Dong.

Ever since he started overseeing the clinic, countless patients have been cured.

Where was there any talk of someone being killed by a doctor!

It’s simply absurd.

Mrs. Dong cried out in injustice, and her daughter-in-law Mrs. Feng comforted her by her side.

Lin Xingzhi also spoke seriously.

"Mother, don’t worry, I won’t let this slander tarnish Grandfather’s family name. I’ll go and discuss with the Fourth Prince about countermeasures."

"Yes, yes, yes, and also within the palace, Qianqian must be informed. Once she knows, the Emperor will surely find out, and with the Emperor’s decree, perhaps there will be a turnaround."

In her desperation, Mrs. Dong was grasping at straws, but Mr. Lin wasn’t foolish.

Suddenly remembering something, he comforted his family, saying,

"Madam, don’t worry. Let He Song and me handle this. You and the daughter-in-law should just take care of the household."

"Yes, yes, Mother, don’t worry, we’ll certainly rescue Grandfather’s family."

At this moment, Mrs. Dong had no other pillar of support. Since both her husband and son said so, she could only nod desperately.

Leaving the parents’ courtyard, Lin Xingzhi and Mrs. Feng returned to their own courtyard.

The couple always shared everything with each other, so naturally, they needed to discuss the matters concerning the Dong Family.

"Madam, do you think it’s Imperial Concubine Yi behind this mess?"

Lin Xingzhi first voiced his thoughts.

Mrs. Feng thought for a moment and replied.

"It’s quite possible, but I don’t understand why they acted so hastily. It’s obvious to everyone, so could something have forced them to act in advance?"

In Mrs. Feng’s view, the Liu Family wouldn’t be so impatient.

After all, she also hails from a military family, so she has some understanding of the Liu Family, who have been guarding the Northwest for generations.

However, she was, after all, a woman brought up within the confines of a household.

Despite her wisdom, she might not be able to see the entire situation clearly.

The couple fell into a stalemate over this conversation.

Just then, a secret letter that Lin Wanyi had urgently sent through Qin An finally reached Lin Xingzhi’s hands.

"News from the palace?"

"Exactly. The person who delivered it is close to Mr. Qin, and he instructed me to ensure that this was handed over to you, Master."

"Alright, you may leave now."

"Yes." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

The couple exchanged puzzled looks. Since there was a message from the palace, it seemed that they also knew about the Dong Family’s situation.

They quickly opened the letter and began reading.

But as Lin Xingzhi read it, he encountered a difficulty.

It read: "Pines and cypresses stand tall, sheltering a distant presence."

Upon seeing this, Lin Xingzhi was utterly confused.

He couldn’t understand what his sister meant.

"What does Qianqian mean by this? Going to such great lengths just to send this? How can she be sure I can understand it?"

Mrs. Feng came over upon hearing this.

She carefully deliberated over it before speaking.

"Husband, could it be a word puzzle?"

Prompted by her words, Lin Xingzhi reflected and studied it carefully, finally understanding Lin Wanyi’s intention.

With Mrs. Feng’s interpretation, soon a "Mu" character appeared on the paper.

"The word puzzle forms ’Mu’. So does the Consort mean you should investigate Consort Mu?"

Mrs. Feng, being exceptionally clever, managed to solve the puzzle, even though it was tricky.

The "Mu" character naturally led them to think of Consort Mu in the palace.

With Mrs. Feng’s prompt, Lin Xingzhi suddenly realized.

"What you say is right. Qianqian went to great lengths to send this message because there must be difficulties in the traveling palace. Since she suspects Consort Mu is behind this, I must investigate. How could a mere consort possess such power, reaching beyond the palace walls? She might be conspiring with Imperial Concubine Yi."

There are currently two factions within the palace: one aligns with Imperial Concubine Yi, and the other stands with Lin Wanyi.

With the Dong Family in trouble, it would naturally pose a threat to Lin Wanyi.

After much contemplation, Lin Xingzhi became increasingly certain that Consort Mu had likely sided with Imperial Concubine Yi.

The Liu Family holds substantial power, and the Marquis of Northwest is currently in the Capital City.

Even though Lin Xingzhi has garnered the Emperor’s favor and risen to a decent position over the years, he still cannot compete with the Marquis of Northwest.

Therefore, by starting with Consort Mu, there might be an opportunity to find evidence.

With this in mind, Lin Xingzhi told Mrs. Feng,

"You’ve just given birth to a child, and I should be accompanying you, but Grandfather’s family has been kind and affectionate to us, so I cannot ignore this matter."

Mrs. Feng, having married into the family, received considerable care from the Dong Family as well.

She naturally understood the bonds of blood and affection, so she said to Lin Xingzhi,

"Husband, go with peace of mind. I’ll take care of the household, Mother-in-law, and the child."

"Hmm."

After arranging everything at home, Lin Xingzhi took advantage of the night, stealthily making his way to the Fourth Prince Mansion.

As for the details of their conversation, it remains undisclosed.

But on the following day, Lin Xingzhi disguised himself within the Dark Guard Camp of the Prince Mansion, starting to trace the whereabouts of Consort Mu.

However, she had already been missing for some time, and Lin Xingzhi wasn’t sure if he could truly find her.

He feared she might have already been secretly harmed; otherwise, the Dong Family’s grievances would be difficult to clear.

The cold wind swept through the bustling Shengjing City as it welcomed the winter month.

People began preparing for the New Year, but amidst the festivity, the Lin and Dong Families found no joy.

The matter of the Charitable Hall had eventually alarmed the Emperor.

If, at such a time, those charitable people’s illnesses got out of hand, affecting the entire Shengjing City, it would be troublesome.

So, the Emperor immediately dispatched Doctor Dou and three Medical Officers to the Charitable Hall for consultations.

As for the Dong Family, caught in the whirlwind of public opinion, they remained under close watch.

Not a single person, not even a fly, could escape the Dong Family’s confines.

In the main courtyard of the Lin Family, Mrs. Dong was weeping sorrowfully over her maternal family’s predicament.

For the past half-month, she could barely eat.

Every time she sent someone to inquire about news, she only received the response that there was no progress.

Not only had the Emperor’s Imperial Guard taken control and guarded the Dong Family in the city,

but even the Dong Family’s Mansion outside the city faced the same treatment.

They were surrounded like a steel fortress by the Imperial Guard.

The only good news was that their lives and safety were temporarily secure.

But the bad news was that no information reached the outside, fueling widespread speculation.

The more she thought about it, the sadder Mrs. Dong felt.

As her tears flowed endlessly, her daughter-in-law Mrs. Feng walked in.

Fearing that she might also become upset, she wiped her tears and stood up to greet her.