Chapter 48: Captured

Noble Consort De let out a sorrowful sigh. "This consort has sent out numerous people to search, turning over almost every possible place she could have gone within the camp, yet we found nothing!"

"I heard you met Princess Huai'an at the mourning hall this afternoon, and even stood talking with her for a while."

"Indeed, this humble daughter did see the Princess."

"Later, my little maid went missing. I was so panicked, searching everywhere in the camp like a headless fly."

"Finally, I received a letter stating that my maid was in the dense forest to the east. It took Tianzhu and me several hours in the eastern forest to find her unconscious in a ravine."

"I only saw the Princess for a brief moment, exchanged a few casual words, and haven't seen her since!"

Princess Minghua pressed on, asking, "Then what did the Imperial Elder Sister and the Sixth Young Lady Lin talk about?"

Lin Pianran took the letter from her sleeve, handed it to Princess Minghua, and said, "Princess Huai'an helped me a great deal. She passed this letter on to me, which enabled me to find my maid."

Princess Minghua took the letter and examined it closely. The contents matched what Lin Pianran had described, and the handwriting was unfamiliar to them. The characters were crooked and not very neat, written on ordinary paper.

From this letter alone, no useful information could be gleaned.

These facts aligned with the results of their afternoon investigation; Lin Pianran was not lying.

This dispelled some of the suspicions held by Princess Minghua and Consort De.

At the same time, because the series of events over the past two days centered around the Lin family, their intuition still drove their deepest suspicions back toward Lin Pianran.

The mother and daughter exchanged glances, and Consort De smiled as she said, "Regardless, Princess Huai'an vanished right after speaking with you. You still bear the heaviest suspicion."

With that, her expression shifted drastically, turning as fierce and menacing as a ferocious beast.

She barked viciously, "Someone come! Tie Lin Pianran up and lock her in the side hall. She is not to be released until Princess Huai'an is found."

"You act so willfully and recklessly. Do you hold the laws of the imperial court in any regard?"

Consort De discarded her usual gentle and dignified demeanor in front of others, her face twisting into a hideous expression. "This consort is the Emperor's woman. With my high status, I can naturally act as I please."

"You are nothing more than a stray dog, a pathetic creature abandoned by her own family."

"Anyone can look down upon you with contempt, anyone can step forward and kick you a few times. Crushing you to death would be as easy as squashing an ant."

Lin Pianran showed not a shred of panic on her face. She looked at the two women opposite her with mocking derision. "Do you truly believe that as a consort and a princess, you can act completely lawless and do as you please?"

"The moment the Emperor discovers your such vile and ugly faces, he will surely cast you aside like worn-out shoes."

Princess Minghua retorted, "The Emperor is busy with affairs of state every day; how would he have the time to bother with such trivial matters? If the Emperor had to deal with every chicken-scratch petty affair, wouldn't His Majesty have died of exhaustion long ago?"

"Precisely because the Emperor is weighed down by state affairs and has no time to mind your mother-daughter lawlessness, do you feel so emboldened and unrestrained?"

"And so unconcerned about tarnishing the imperial family's reputation? You truly are Emperor Qinwu's fine consort and dutiful daughter! The moment he learns of this, he will undoubtedly fly into a rage. You had better consider this well: when an emperor is enraged, a million corpses fall. By then, we shall see whether the Lin family can withstand the thunderous fury of the monarch!"

Lin Pianran's words struck like a thunderclap, sending a wave of profound shock through the hearts of Consort De and her daughter.

Yet, how could the arrogance, haughtiness, and unbridled nature cultivated over many years be reined in so easily?

In just a fraction of a second, the two women reverted to their malicious dispositions.

Consort De glared at the hesitant elderly nanny beside her and ordered once more, "Do it now! Tie her up immediately and throw her into the side hall. Catching even a glimpse of her fills me with utter irritation!"

That same elderly Nanny Huang, who had previously lost face when sent to summon Lin Pianran, stepped forward first. She directed several other nannies and maids to bind Lin Pianran, drag her into an empty room in the side hall, shove her into the pitch-black space, and slam the door shut.

Shortly after, the sound of a lock clicking echoed from outside.

Then Nanny Huang's harsh, malicious voice commanded, "The two of you keep a tight watch. Guard her every single step and do not let her escape, or else mind your own skins!"

"Also, do not give her any food or water. Starve her severely for a few days, and she will learn to behave. Let's see if she ever dares to talk back to Her Ladyship again!"

Lin Pianran knew this was Nanny Huang's revenge, but she cared not a whit.

When it came to dealing with such stubborn old hags, she had no shortage of methods and means.

Her inventory was fully stocked with everything imaginable; she lacked nothing.

These people could not trouble her even in the slightest.

Being confined to this side hall meant she didn't have to keep vigil for Old Madam Lin, which suited her intentions perfectly.

The drama of the night had been enough, and now she simply wanted a good rest.

This side hall fit her desires precisely.

By tomorrow morning, Princess Huai'an's corpse would likely be exposed.

That would be quite a grand spectacle, and she was more than content to wait and watch that show unfold.

She needed to rest well first, conserving her energy so she would have the strength to watch the spectacle tomorrow.

Finding a clean spot, she produced a thick blanket and spread it on the floor, layering a soft quilt over it. It felt plush and remarkably comfortable.

Then she took out a pillow, pulled another quilt over herself, and drifted off into a sound sleep.

Seeing Lin Pianran taken away and locked up did little to quench Consort De's anger; she furiously smashed a teacup.

"She actually dared to use the Emperor to pressure me! Quite some nerve!"

"If Princess Huai'an is still not found in two days, I'll have this death-defying girl buried with her!"

"That way, it will also rid the Lin family of a pest, allowing them to live in peace without any more messy complications!"

Princess Minghua chuckled softly. "Still, this Lin Pianran has changed quite a bit. She actually dared to talk back to Imperial Mother, which makes one look at her in a new light."

"To talk back, one needs the capital to back it up. Without capital, daring to defy this consort means I can let her die without a burial place, and no one will seek justice for her. Wouldn't she merely be throwing her life away for nothing?"

"Utterly foolish!"

While the mother and daughter debated how to deal with Lin Pianran, the girl herself had already drifted into dreamland, sleeping soundly and peacefully.