A life of ups and downs is pure joy

Lin Qinghuan and Lin Qingru sat in the carriage. They opened the curtain and watched Yun Xiang and Shu Yin running towards the notice board on the city wall. After a while, they came back.

"Young Madam, the notice states that the Crown Prince has passed away. Also, that the First Prince, Ning Yanlin, has been deposed as a commoner and imprisoned in the Duke of Tieyu's mansion. Consort De has granted him a white silk scarf. All males over sixteen in the Duke of Chen's mansion will be executed in the autumn, and those under sixteen will be exiled. All women will be enslaved by the government."

Yun Xiang sighed and shook his head as he spoke. The family of Duke Chen was still royal relatives the day before. Although Concubine De was not favored, she was still the mother of the eldest prince, and her family was also prosperous. How could the eldest prince now collaborate with the enemy and commit treason?

"Sister Huan, I remember meeting the eldest prince at Daddy's birthday party, but I didn't expect him to..."

Lin Qingru hesitated to speak. Outsiders did not know that this so-called treason was just an excuse to spare his life. After a month of investigation and search, all the evidence of the assassination of Crown Prince Ning Jinyang pointed to the eldest prince Ning Yanlin.

"Let's go. Since the notice clearly states it, that's the truth."

Lin Qinghuan sighed, then shook his head and said.

After sending Lin Qingru to Qinghe Academy, Lin Qinghuan went back to Xiao Mansion with Yunxiang. When they arrived at the door of Luoyi Pavilion, they saw Dayuan sitting on the threshold of the door, playing with the scabbard in his hand boredly.

"Brother Dayuan, why are you back so early?"

Yun wanted to shout.

"Young Madam, Young Master..."

When Da Yuan saw Lin Qinghuan, he quickly stood up and brushed the dust off his butt. Then he wanted to say something but didn't know how to start.

"I know. Go and take a rest."

Lin Qinghuan nodded and said nothing more.

Da Yuan knew that the only person who could comfort Xiao Yi at this moment was the young lady in front of him.

"Yun Xiang, go make some loquat and pear paste."

Before entering the house, Lin Qinghuan gave another instruction, then walked in. What caught his eye was the back of Xiao Yi sitting alone at the chess couch. Lin Qinghuan looked at Xiao Yi, who had lost a lot of weight in the past two months because of Ning Jinyang's matter, and couldn't help feeling distressed.

"Husband, you're back so early today."

Lin Qinghuan walked closer to Xiao Yi and called softly, then placed her hands gently on his shoulders.

Xiao Yi reached out and pulled Lin Qinghuan, motioning her to sit next to him.

"When I was sending Xiaozhu to the academy, I passed by the city wall and saw a notice saying that Ning Yanlin was collaborating with the enemy and treason, and that Duke Chen's entire residence, including Consort De, was also involved..."

Lin Qinghuan looked at Xiao Yi and couldn't continue.

"Huan'er, I've been investigating for two months, but I only found out that it was the eldest prince and Duke Chen who conspired to assassinate the crown prince. Am I useless?"

Xiao Yi said in a hoarse voice, tears streaming down his face. Lin Qinghuan looked at her husband at this moment, feeling even more distressed, and then hugged him tightly.

"Husband, if you feel bad, just cry. There is only Huan'er here."

Of course Lin Qinghuan knew that Xiao Yi didn't believe it, but the evidence was found by him and the Jinhan City Government Office. All the princes avoided suspicion, including Ning Sijue, who was born to the same mother as the prince.

"My eldest brother and I grew up together. My father and aunt always told me to do my utmost to help and protect him, but I watched helplessly as he was shot by an arrow, watched as he died of rage, watched him... and now I can't even find the real culprit."

Xiao Yi's voice was low and hoarse. He hugged Lin Qinghuan tightly and buried his head in her neck. The woman felt a wetness on her neck and heard the low sobbing of her cold husband. She couldn't help but shed tears. Ning Jinyang's death was hard to accept for the entire Xiao family. For Xiao Yi, it was even more difficult to face the fact that this person who was like a brother to him was really gone like this.

All Lin Qinghuan could do at this moment was to hide silently with her husband in Luoyi Pavilion, because tomorrow Xiao Yi would still have to continue to roll in the waves of court politics as before, and the same would be true for the Xiao family, who would have even more difficult battles to fight.

Jin Hanlin Mansion.

After reading the notice brought by the servant, Lin Mutang helplessly placed the paper on the table. He Su glanced at him, then picked it up and started reading again. After a while, he saw her slowly closing her eyes and said.

"Duke Chen was an upright man, and the eldest prince was even more honest. Now, everyone in the Chen family has become a criminal. It's a pity that Duke Chen, over seventy years old, has suffered such a misfortune. I heard that Madam Chen took her own life yesterday by drinking poison with several girls."

"No wonder the debate over whether to establish the eldest son or the heir has arisen in recent years. It was originally just an ancient saying, but now I think I was too simplistic."

Lin Mutang sighed deeply. He was a military commander and seldom took the opinions of civil officials to heart. Thinking of the current situation and his own children, he couldn't help feeling melancholy.

"General, what do you mean by that? Now that the legitimate heir has passed away and the eldest son has been demoted to a commoner, what's the point of still talking about establishing the eldest son over the legitimate heir?"

He Su asked in confusion, and after a while, as if remembering something, she widened her eyes and looked at Lin Mutang in surprise.

"General, are you saying that this situation is turning against the Imperial Noble Consort's third son and the Empress's sixth son?"

Lin Mutang said nothing more, but just frowned. Of his two sons, one married the daughter of the imperial concubine, and the other married the legitimate daughter of the Xiao family. If there really was another dispute over the crown prince, what should he do?

Lin Qinghuan and Xiao Yi returned to the Lin Mansion and had dinner with Lin Muchang and He Su.

After dinner, He Su also told the two of them about Xiao Qiannan, who was pregnant. She thought it was to encourage everyone to think more about happy things. After sitting for a while, Lin Muchang called Xiao Yi to the study, and He Su accompanied Lin Qinghuan to check Lin Qingru's homework.

"Little pig, what new knowledge did you learn in class today?"

Lin Qinghuan looked at Lin Qingru's neat and beautiful handwriting with satisfaction, then closed the book and asked.

"Sister Huan, whether it's Qinghe Academy or elsewhere, the most popular theory in the discussion is probably the one about the eldest son or the eldest daughter."

Lin Qingru said casually without any ulterior motive. He Su looked up at her two daughters in surprise.

"what does it mean?"

Lin Qinghuan asked in confusion.

"Well... Sister Huan, let me give you an easier-to-understand example. It's about whether my nephew Jian'er, the legitimate son, or Madam Li's illegitimate son Dong'er, the head of the Xiao family, will be in charge. This is true for families as small as a family or a country as large as a country."

Lin Qingru knew that her sister was not well educated, so she thought of an easy-to-understand explanation.

Lin Qinghuan still looked at Lin Qingru somewhat dully, then looked at He Su and asked.

"Then why has it become the most popular way of argument nowadays?"

"Sister Huan, now that the Crown Prince has passed away, a new one will definitely be appointed!"

Lin Qingru said.

Ning Sijue's face suddenly flashed through Lin Qinghuan's mind. Now he was the only legitimate prince, and he suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.