The Eldest Daughter Returns with Power

Upon returning to the bustling capital, Gongsun Lin did not choose to go directly back to the Duke of Jingguo's residence. Instead, he went to the palace with the Crown Prince to meet the Emperor and told him in detail about the attack he had suffered the previous day.

"These people are far too arrogant." In the imperial study, the emperor was furious and smashed a cup in anger.

"Are you two injured?" The Emperor then tried to suppress his anger and asked the Crown Prince and Gongsun Lin with concern.

"Your Majesty, your son and Lin'er are both well. However, the origins of the assassins who came to kill us are unknown, and their methods are extremely ruthless, which is truly worrying," the Crown Prince said respectfully, bowing with his hands clasped.

Gongsun Lin then said, "Your Majesty, this attack was no accident. I believe there must be a huge conspiracy behind it." The Emperor frowned deeply and paced back and forth in the hall. "I will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly and will not tolerate anyone involved. Issue my decree to have the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice investigate this matter thoroughly as soon as possible."

"Yes, Father." The Crown Prince hurriedly replied. Gongsun Lin bowed and said, "Your Majesty, this humble subject is willing to assist in the investigation and bring the mastermind behind the scenes to justice as soon as possible."

The Emperor nodded slightly: "With your help, I can rest assured. This matter is of great importance, so remember not to let even a whisper of it leak out."

"Your subject understands," Gongsun Lin and the Crown Prince said in unison.

"You may leave," the Emperor said to the two men.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I take my leave." "Your humble servant takes his leave." After bowing, the Crown Prince and Gongsun Lin slowly left the Imperial Study.

The Crown Prince and Gongsun Lin slowly walked out of the Imperial Study, side by side, their steps steady and orderly.

"Lin'er, what is your opinion on this matter?" The Crown Prince frowned, his face showing deep worry, his tone full of anxiety and doubt. Upon hearing the Crown Prince's question, Gongsun Lin pondered for a moment, then said solemnly, "Brother Crown Prince, in my opinion, this assassin is well-trained and is definitely not an ordinary bandit. I'm afraid that many complex forces are involved behind him."

The Crown Prince nodded slightly, agreeing, and said, "I share this concern, but the clues are hidden in the fog and are really hard to find. I don't know where to begin investigating."

Gongsun Lin's gaze was firm and resolute as he said, "Your Highness, rest assured, as long as we investigate carefully and leave no stone unturned, we will surely find some clues." As the two were speaking, the Empress's personal maid slowly approached them.

"Greetings, Your Highness, Young Master Gongsun," the palace maid greeted respectfully. "No need for formalities. What brings you here?" the Crown Prince asked, looking puzzled. "Her Majesty the Empress was deeply worried upon hearing of Your Highness's attack and has specially ordered me to come and invite you to come," the maid said obsequiously and softly. The Crown Prince turned to Gongsun Lin and said, "Lin'er, I will go to my mother's place first. We can discuss this matter later."

Gongsun Lin cupped his hands in greeting and said respectfully, "Your Highness, please."

Afterwards, the Crown Prince followed the palace maids to the Empress's palace, while Gongsun Lin turned around and returned to the Duke of Jingguo's mansion.

After returning to his residence, Gongsun Lin did not rest for a moment. He immediately went to the Duke's study and told him the whole story of the attack the previous day in detail. "Uncle, what do you think of this matter?"

“Lin’er, this matter is likely to have far-reaching implications. It may be a deliberate suppression of the Crown Prince by certain forces in the court.” Gongsun Lin nodded slightly, his brows furrowed in thought. “No matter what, we must investigate this thoroughly. Uncle, please also give orders to secretly investigate the recent movement of people in and around the capital, especially those with suspicious behavior.”

Meanwhile, the Crown Prince arrived at the Empress's palace, where the Empress greeted him with a concerned expression. "Chen'er, are you alright?" the Empress asked, holding the Crown Prince's hand tightly and anxiously looking him up and down. "Mother, rest assured, I am fine," the Crown Prince quickly reassured him. The Empress sighed softly, saying with worry, "The situation in the palace is complex and volatile. You must be extremely careful and not be negligent in the slightest." The Crown Prince nodded solemnly, "I understand, Mother, please do not worry too much."

Meanwhile, amidst this turbulent change, both the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice received the Emperor's solemn and authoritative decree and immediately began a vigorous and intensive investigation into the assassination.

The Minister of Justice, with a solemn expression, summoned his capable and efficient officials and said in an extremely serious tone, "This case is of utmost importance, concerning the safety of the Crown Prince. You must all do your utmost and not be negligent or careless in the slightest." The Minister of Justice was also in the temple, carefully discussing the direction and focus of the investigation with his Vice Minister and others.

For a time, undercurrents surged and waves rose in the capital, with all factions closely watching the progress of this matter.

The next day, after having lunch, Gongsun Lin slowly went to the East Palace.

The Crown Prince's attendant, Xiao Quanzi, respectfully led Gongsun Lin toward the study. The study door was open, and the Crown Prince was seen with his head slightly bowed, intently reviewing secret reports, a barely perceptible hint of fatigue showing between his brows.

Xiao Quanzi gently knocked on the study door. The Crown Prince looked up at the sound, a fleeting, almost imperceptible joy flashing in his eyes. "Lin'er, you've come." The Crown Prince put down the secret report in his hand and hurriedly got up to greet him.

"Your Highness, I have an important matter to discuss with you." Gongsun Lin's tone was firm and decisive. The two sat down comfortably at the desk, and Xiao Quanzi tactfully withdrew outside the door, carefully closing the study door gently behind him.

"I have already ordered a secret investigation into what happened the other day, but progress has been quite slow. The marks left by those men in black seem to be related to certain forces in the court, but there is no direct evidence to definitively point to who they are," the Crown Prince said in a low voice, a deep worry flashing across his eyes.

Gongsun Lin frowned slightly. "Your Highness, please don't be anxious. I've made some subtle discoveries. Recently, a group of unfamiliar faces have arrived in the capital. They've been acting suspiciously and have been secretly contacting some officials." The Crown Prince's expression suddenly turned serious. "Do you know which officials they are?" Gongsun Lin slowly shook his head. "We haven't been able to completely ascertain their identities yet, but we've identified a few individuals. We need to investigate further." "This matter must be handled with utmost care. We must not alert them," the Crown Prince solemnly instructed.

Gongsun Lin nodded and replied, "Your Highness, rest assured, I will act with utmost care. However, the person behind this has planned so meticulously that I fear their scheme is no small matter." The Crown Prince gave a soft snort, "Whatever their intentions may be, I will certainly not let them succeed so easily."

At this moment, Xiao Quanzi whispered from outside the door, "Your Highness, the Minister of Justice requests an audience." The Crown Prince and Gongsun Lin quickly exchanged a glance. "Please come in quickly." The Minister of Justice hurried into the study, bowed, and said, "Your Highness, Young Master Gongsun, I have discovered some important clues during my investigation, but further verification is needed." "Tell me about them," the Crown Prince said eagerly.

The Minister of Justice lowered his voice and said, "This humble official has discovered that the weapons used by those assassins are connected to an arms shop outside the capital." Gongsun Lin's gaze suddenly sharpened. "Have you investigated the background of this arms shop?" The Minister of Justice shook his head helplessly. "Not yet. This arms shop is extremely mysterious, and the people around it know very little about it." The Crown Prince pondered for a moment. "Continue the investigation. You must find the person behind it all." "Yes, Your Highness. This humble official takes his leave." The Minister of Justice bowed and hurriedly left.

The Crown Prince looked at Gongsun Lin, "Lin'er, do you think this matter is related to those unfamiliar faces?" Gongsun Lin stroked his chin, "It's not impossible. It seems we need to investigate from multiple angles." The two discussed it seriously for a while before Gongsun Lin left the Eastern Palace.