Xue Zining arrived just as servants were pulling Lin Yanzhi and Li Chenxuan apart.
Li Chenxuan was faring better, but Lin Yanzhi was not. Already frail, he leaned on the servants, his face deathly pale.
Upon seeing her, both Li Chenxuan and Lin Yanzhi froze for a moment. Then, they quickly knelt.
"Take them to Zhaoyuan Palace," Xue Zining said, turning to leave.
Li Chenxuan watched the girl's retreating back, his gaze flickering before he followed.
Lin Yanzhi, however, gasped for breath. Cui Sheng, his attendant, said with concern, "Young Master, let's go back. I'll speak with His Majesty."
Lin Yanzhi shook his head, his jade crown having fallen. "Take me there."
Cui Sheng knew his young master's decisions were final and stopped trying to dissuade him, carrying Lin Yanzhi towards Zhaoyuan Palace.
Zhaoyuan Palace
Li Chenxuan arrived first. Entering the outer hall, he saw the girl seated on the throne.
She wore a sky-and-water colored gown, her long hair held in place by a single jade hairpin. Even this simple style couldn't conceal her natural beauty.
Her clear, refined face held eyes as limpid as water, though they held a hint of coldness when they looked at him.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!" Li Chenxuan hastily averted his gaze, ignoring the unease stirring in his heart.
"What exactly happened?" the girl asked, her lips parting slightly.
Li Chenxuan wasn't the decadent young master of his past life yet. The fact that he was fighting, she suspected, meant there was more to it.
Li Chenxuan faltered. A hint of panic flashed in his lowered gaze. He knelt on the ground, kowtowed, and said, "This matter was caused by this humble subject. I beg Your Majesty's punishment!"
"Your Majesty, it wasn't all Young Master Li's fault. I was also wrong," Lin Yanzhi said, walking in unsteadily.
Behind him, Cui Sheng was so infuriated he almost spat blood. Why was his young master speaking nonsense? It was Young Master Li who had initiated the conflict. What was the point of Young Master joining in?
Lin Yanzhi knelt, raising his eyes to meet those clear, watery orbs. They seemed to penetrate him, yet also seemed bottomless.
Deep, unfathomable, without end…
Lin Yanzhi shivered.
"Both are at fault? Very well, drag them out and give them thirty blows each," the girl said, her lips parting lightly as she uttered the words.
Li Chenxuan and Lin Yanzhi both froze.
The girl leaned back against the chair, resting her chin on her hand. Her sleeve slipped down, revealing a slender arm, white as jade.
Lin Yanzhi saw the corner of her lips curve upward, her gaze towards him filled with a knowing hint.
His heart leaped.
"Your Majesty, it was all my fault. I beg Your Majesty to add Young Master Lin's thirty blows to mine." Li Chenxuan spoke up suddenly.
The girl sat up straight and after a long pause, slowly asked, "Then can you tell me why, Young Master Li, you argued with and came to blows with Young Master Lin?"
Li Chenxuan hesitated. What could he say? That he was jealous of Lin Yanzhi receiving the Empress's heart's blood?
Or jealous of the Empress's favoritism towards Lin Yanzhi?
He couldn't voice any of it.
He slowly closed his lowered eyes and said, word by word, "I beg Your Majesty's punishment!"
"Very well. Come, drag him away and give him sixty blows," the girl's clear voice echoed.
Li Chenxuan resignedly allowed the palace servants to drag him away. Soon, the sounds of sticks striking flesh could be heard from outside.
Other than occasional muffled groans, there were no other sounds from the one being beaten.
Lin Yanzhi looked up, seeing those clear eyes also looking at him, bright as the morning light, almost blinding. He felt inexplicably guilty.
As he lowered his head, he heard the girl's footsteps, and soon, a pair of golden-threaded, dark-patterned cloud boots appeared in his vision.
"Young Master Lin, this time you only encountered the guileless Young Master Li. Next time, you might reap what you sow." The girl's voice was colder than ever.
Lin Yanzhi trembled, lowering his eyes. "This humble subject does not know what Your Majesty is speaking of."
"You don't know? Good, shall I make you understand?"
In the girl's voice, besides the coolness, there was a trace of ice.
He knew she was angry.
But…
He had no choice.
"Your body is delicate. If I were to hit you, it would be to take your life. It is said that a father is responsible for the faults of his son. It is only natural for your father, Grand Commandant Lin, to bear your fault."
As the girl's words fell, Lin Yanzhi trembled and looked up. "Your Majesty…"
He saw the corner of her lips curve into a cold smile. "What? Is that not right?"
"Your Majesty, all of this was caused by this humble subject alone. I beg Your Majesty to punish me!" Lin Yanzhi knelt on the ground.
"I know it is your fault, so it is best for your father to bear it. Feng Yu, go to the Lin Residence and deliver my command. Watch until the thirty blows are finished before returning," the girl said coldly.
Lin Yanzhi trembled upon hearing this and urgently said, "Your Majesty, you must not!"
The girl turned and asked indifferently, "Why not?"
Lin Yanzhi moved his lips, but said nothing.
"Withdraw!" the girl said coldly.
Lin Yanzhi kowtowed and, supported by Cui Sheng, walked out of Zhaoyuan Palace.
At that moment, the sixty blows had just finished. Li Chenxuan slid off the long bench, his skin already bleeding from the beating.
Lin Yanzhi's face grew even paler. He pushed Cui Sheng aside and approached Li Chenxuan, asking, "Why?"
Li Chenxuan raised his head with difficulty and gave a weak smile. "Sometimes, this is the most touching way. I must thank you, Young Master Lin, for giving me this opportunity."
Lin Yanzhi pursed his lips, and after a long moment, said, "You are mad."
Li Chenxuan heard this, looked at the palace, and smiled. "Perhaps."
Lin Yanzhi turned to leave, but Li Chenxuan, from behind him, suddenly spoke again. "I know that what happened today was intentional on your part, Young Master Lin. However, I must still advise you, the Empress does not tolerate any sloppiness. Those she protects, she holds dear."
Li Chenxuan saw only a slight stiffening in Lin Yanzhi's back before he left.
"Young Master," Cui Sheng hurried after him.
Lin Yanzhi leaned all his strength onto Cui Sheng, his breath weak. "Cui Sheng, was I wrong to do this?"
Would the connection he had finally established with the Empress be broken?
Cui Sheng looked at his young master's pale face and said with concern, "Young Master, you did nothing wrong. After all, your father is still in the Regent's hands."
Lin Yanzhi sighed. "Although the Empress is angry with me, she still saved my father."
Cui Sheng was startled. "Saved Master? But she gave Master thirty blows!"
Lin Yanzhi smiled and shook his head. "Thirty blows in exchange for my father's return to the residence is worth it."
Moreover, with Feng Yin accompanying, the Regent would not dare to refuse to release his father.