Chapter 25: Are They on the Same Wavelength? Him and Lin Yue? Hmph!

"Save him, we must save him first. Xiao Jingyun is very fond of this eldest nephew and has always wanted to support his ascension to the throne. He is enduring such hardships fighting at the border precisely so that his nephew won't be held captive by others when he eventually takes the throne. If I don't help him, he will be truly pathetic."

Lin Yue’s voice came through the mirror, crystal clear.

Xiao Jingyun stared at this scene in disbelief. Then, the light in the mirror flickered and vanished, and the mirror returned to stillness. The moment that had just passed felt as if it were a figment of his imagination. Yet, he knew with absolute certainty that it was Lin Yue’s voice; she must have been carrying the mirror with her.

When Master Zhang had told him about the mirror, calling it the "Heart-Link Mirror" and explaining there were two, claiming that those with a true connection could speak across thousands of miles, he had dismissed it. Now, he was utterly stunned.

A true connection? Between him and Lin Yue?

Hmph!

However, he was aware of the Crown Prince’s illness, which was the very reason he had gone to war. Could it be that Lin Yue had also learned of it and had a way to save him?

Xiao Jingyun put away the mirror and walked into the main tent to ask, "Have there been any letters from the capital recently?"

His military strategist, Liang Xing, teased, "Has the Prince finally remembered he has family back in the capital?"

Xiao Jingyun ignored the sarcasm and pressed, "Is there one or not?"

Liang Xing, unable to bear crushing his spirits, replied, "There is one, but it was sent by Chief Clerk Bai. You haven't forgotten that the Heir Apparent got married last month, have you?"

Xiao Jingyun certainly hadn't forgotten. He felt profound regret for missing his son's wedding, but he also harbored an unspeakable sense of loss. After all, no matter how strained their father-son relationship was, he had expected his son to wait for his return before marrying. He hadn't expected...

On his own wedding night, his wife had murmured another man's name in her sleep—his son's. That home, in truth, was not worth longing for.

So, when Liang Xing retrieved the letter, Xiao Jingyun walked away without even glancing at it. Liang Xing packed it away again and sighed helplessly.

Xu Changdong came in after Xiao Jingyun had left and asked, "What's wrong now? He looks so grim."

Liang Xing said, "He was looking for a letter from the Princess Consort, but there wasn't one. It’s probably for the best he didn't look; Chief Clerk Bai wrote that... ever since the Heir Apparent married, the Princess Consort has become even more reckless, openly daring to target the Heir Consort."

Xu Changdong frowned, displeased. "Has this Lin Yue lost her mind? Turning away a good man like Jingyun to pursue that..."

"Sigh, they are both Jingyun’s flesh and blood, so it’s hard to say, but clearly, Jingyun has a broader heart, greater ambitions, and is far more reliable."

Liang Xing remarked, "Who could argue with that? But their marriage was only to ward off bad luck, after all. At worst, when the Prince returns, he can simply marry someone he truly fancies."

Xu Changdong shook his head. "It’s difficult. The late Emperor was devoted to the Empress Dowager and took no other concubines. Our Prince, though he appears cold and iron-willed, is actually soft-hearted. He only wants a woman who shares a mutual affection with him. Why else would he have refused to remarry after his first wife passed away during childbirth?"

"I originally thought the one he married later would be his heart's desire, but who would have thought..."

With that, both men fell into a heavy silence. As close friends and subordinates, they wanted to help, but some matters were beyond their interference; the Prince had to find his own way.

...

After Lin Yue exchanged her points for the life-saving pill, the system had only five thousand merit points remaining. Although the "invisible" merit points were still increasing, the speed and volume of the gain had gradually leveled off, no longer as intense as it had been that morning.

Nevertheless, she placed the pill into the Crown Prince’s tea, brought it into the flower hall, and said, "This is my first time brewing tea; I don't know if it's any good. I must trouble the Crown Prince to taste it."

The Empress said excitedly, "Go on, don't keep your Imperial Aunt waiting."

The Crown Prince rose hurriedly. His heart ached, and he was so moved he dared not speak, fearing his voice would betray him, so he simply nodded.

The Emperor’s hands gripped the arms of his chair, suppressing his own intense agitation.

The tea was fragrant, and it was impossible to tell which cup held what. But they all knew that the cup Lin Yue personally handed to the Crown Prince was the one containing the pill.

The Crown Prince, worried about spilling it, moved with extreme caution. Yet, as he caught the scent of the tea, he felt an inexplicable sense of calm wash over him.

He smiled and thanked Lin Yue, "Thank you, Imperial Aunt."

Lin Yue replied, "No need for thanks, drink up."

[If Xiao Jingyun survives to return, just try not to target him.]

[He is a true hero. In the previous life, he died on the battlefield, sacrificing himself for the country. In this life, just let him retire in peace.]

The hand holding the cup tightened. Amidst the bitterness and sorrow in his heart, the Crown Prince downed the tea in one gulp.

In an instant, his mind cleared. The oppressive stagnation that had plagued his vital organs vanished, and he felt a sudden lightness, even a surge of strength returning to his limbs.

The Crown Prince was overjoyed. Just as he was wondering whether he should hide his reaction, a loud "bang" erupted—he had let out a massive fart.

As if that weren't enough, the stench was so foul that everyone present scrambled to cover their noses and mouths.

The Crown Prince was mortified, standing frozen in place with a beet-red face. He didn't run, but everyone else in the room fled.

Lin Yue stood outside, gasping for air—she had been holding her breath, nearly suffocating—and explained, "It must be the tea, purging the impurities from his system."

The others quickly agreed, though they were privately burning with curiosity to know how the Crown Prince was faring.

It was only then that they noticed the Heir Consort had not come out; she was still inside. With such a foul-smelling cloud, it was true devotion.

Lin Yue remarked to the system in surprise: [The Heir Consort truly loves the Crown Prince. No wonder she dies for love of him in the end.]

The system replied: [Five hundred merit points added...]

Lin Yue sighed, having already guessed the outcome. [The root cause of the illness was hidden and known by few; curing it doesn't carry much influence.]

The system consoled her: [Any good deed done by the host that spreads positive energy in this world will eventually reflect back upon the host. It is only a matter of time.]

Lin Yue nodded: [Even without the merit points, I would still save the Crown Prince and his son. I cannot turn a blind eye just because of some so-called plot trajectory; that would truly warp my moral compass.]

The system: [...] But it was heartbroken! If the merit points accumulated over a million, it could have leveled up!

Unsure of what would happen once the Crown Prince emerged, Lin Yue decided to head to the Songyue Palace to compose herself.

After she left, the Heir Consort supported the Crown Prince as they stepped out. Though she was helping him, it was clear he was standing steadily and firmly, his posture tall and strong. The Heir Consort leaned gently against his shoulder, her eyes shimmering with tears of excitement.

Seeing this, the Emperor said, "Could it be a case of indigestion? Perhaps we should call an imperial physician to take a look."

The Empress quickly added, "Yes, yes, let’s have Physician Lin check him. While we are all here, we can treat it as a routine wellness check."

The Empress Dowager interjected, "Go back to the palace if you must check. Don't make your Imperial Aunt feel slighted. To call for a physician after only one cup of tea—is that appropriate?"

The Emperor and Empress turned beet red and quickly agreed. The Crown Prince and his wife also felt that the Empress Dowager was right; they mustn't hurt their aunt's feelings. With their child in tow, they hurried back to the Eastern Palace.

Once they left, the Emperor and Empress took their leave as well, though they were visibly reluctant to go. Lin Yue, however, was already thinking that they all needed to exercise some restraint.