Quick Transmigration: Underdog Turns out to be Untouchable

Chapter 953: Chapter 864: Refusing to Be a Slave 84

The Emperor was shocked by Song Lin’s words. In his eyes, Song Lin had always been reliable and loyal, and could never betray him. But now Song Lin was saying that he had leaked the Emperor’s whereabouts, which was unbelievable to the Emperor.

The Emperor looked at Song Lin with a stern face, coldly spitting out a single word, ”Speak!” His voice was like ice, revealing no joy or anger. The more composed the Emperor was, the more frightened Song Lin became, because he knew that this attitude from the Emperor meant he was truly angry.

Song Lin dared not delay and pressed his head to the ground, ”Your Majesty, when I was still a little eunuch, I used to know Bi Ying and received a lot of care from her, so I have always liked Bi Ying.

It’s just that Bi Ying never responded to me before, until recently she suddenly approached me, expressing her desire to be with me.

I was overjoyed and readily agreed. I am at fault because Bi Ying is a palace maid next to Du Zhaoyi, and I dared not let the Emperor know. I just thought that Bi Ying would leave the palace sooner or later, and by then it wouldn’t matter.

Bi Ying also said she was of an age to leave the palace and would live with me, and I believed her words. Bi Ying said she couldn’t bear to leave her mistress behind, fearing she would be lonely in the palace, and begged me to tell her of the Emperor’s whereabouts so she could help her mistress regain the Emperor’s favor.

In a moment of confusion, I told Bi Ying, allowing Du Zhaoyi to go to the Imperial Awakening Temple to pray for the Emperor daily, hoping to earn a bit of the Emperor’s compassion.

But I truly didn’t expect that the Imperial Awakening Temple would catch fire. I don’t know if this has anything to do with my leaking the Emperor’s whereabouts. I just dared not hide anything from the Emperor and beg for His Majesty’s forgiveness!”

The Emperor looked at Song Lin with a livid face and uttered a few words after a long while, ”Get out!” Song Lin dared not stay to plead, and he crawled out awkwardly, wiping the cold sweat off his forehead. He knew that today’s matter was far from over.

Now Song Lin could only hope that Du Zhaoyi and Bi Ying truly had nothing to do with the fire at the Imperial Awakening Temple. If there was any connection, his head would be in danger.

At this moment, there was no longer any affection for Bi Ying in Song Lin’s heart, only endless resentment. Song Lin swore that if he survived this, he would hold an unending grudge against Bi Ying and Du Zhaoyi!

Bi Ying was once gentle and kind. At that time, Song Lin was still a little eunuch, being bullied by a small Beauty and nearly unjustly beaten to death. It was Bi Ying who saw this and intervened, using the then Crown Prince Consort Du Zhaoyi’s influence to save Song Lin.

To Bi Ying, that incident was nothing more than a whim and she didn’t keep it in her heart, but to Song Lin, whose life was saved, Bi Ying immediately became precious. Later on, he rose to a high position, becoming a favored person beside the Emperor.

Many palace maids and eunuchs, including concubines, tried to curry favor with him, but when did Song Lin ever give anyone a pleasant face? Except for Bi Ying, he had always taken special care of her.

If it weren’t for Song Lin’s reputation, even if Du Zhaoyi and Bi Ying stayed low-profile in Fangcao Pavilion during their downfall, they wouldn’t have been left alone. It was Song Lin who risked being suspected by the Emperor to protect Bi Ying and Du Zhaoyi.

When Bi Ying came to Song Lin, he knew that Bi Ying wanted to use him, but Song Lin didn’t mind. He liked Bi Ying and had the ability to ensure Bi Ying and Du Zhaoyi could live a peaceful life in the harem. But Song Lin never expected that Bi Ying would approach him with such a deadly purpose.

Bi Ying once saved Song Lin’s life, and he was particularly grateful to her. Now that Bi Ying had put him in a life-and-death crisis again, all the previous gratitude disappeared, leaving only endless resentment.

Things indeed developed in the direction Song Lin most feared. The Emperor’s Hidden Guard soon found out the whole story. Du Zhaoyi was too eager to regain favor and used silver to buy people’s support. Throwing around large amounts of silver like that attracted too much attention, and once the Hidden Guard investigated, everything came to light.

When the Hidden Guards investigated these people using various methods, none mentioned having previously sought information from Nangong Shuangshuang.

Because these people were all thinking of establishing a connection with Nangong Shuangshuang, hoping for future benefits, they were afraid that others would know and also get involved, diminishing their own achievements.

The Emperor was now reviewing the report from the Hidden Guard, revealing the truth. It was indeed a foolish move by a foolish woman desperate to regain favor. Du Zhaoyi had bribed a few servant monks at the Imperial Awakening Temple to smear lamp oil used for the Buddha lamps on the window bars behind the grand hall.

When the Emperor was in the front of the hall offering incense, with no palace maids, eunuchs, or guards present, it became convenient for the servant monks to set a fire behind the grand hall. It was a case of hiding in plain sight, as no one would expect someone to dare attempt to burn the Emperor.

The initial plan was quite good: the fire would start behind the Buddha statue, and since the statue was cast in bronze, it wouldn’t catch fire while blocking part of the blaze, giving Du Zhaoyi enough time to make a death-defying entrance and save the Emperor heroically.

Du Zhaoyi’s plan was sound, but the oil was over-spilled. This was actually where Nangong Shuangshuang intervened, expanding the spill to the main hall.

To ensure no trace was left, Nangong Shuangshuang even used spiritual power to guide the spread of the lamp oil, so as to leave no clues.

Because of Nangong Shuangshuang’s additional intervention in spreading the lamp oil, the fire ignited faster and larger than expected. Then, when it was time to act, Du Zhaoyi was too scared to go in, but it was Lady Jing who recklessly rushed in without thinking.

The Emperor was both furious and amused by the simplicity and recklessness of the plan. In his anger, he also realized the difference between genuine feelings and pretenses: Du Zhaoyi’s intent was false, despite being well-prepared, she still didn’t dare to enter; Lady Jing’s feelings were true, charging in heedlessly to save him.

Thinking of Lady Jing, the Emperor frowned again. Lady Jing was seriously injured this time; severe burn injuries are the hardest to heal and the most lethal. Even with Nangong Shuangshuang’s excellent medical skills, the Emperor couldn’t help but worry about what would happen if Lady Jing couldn’t be healed.

Ordinarily, the Emperor would feel indifferent even if a concubine or the Empress were to die. But now, the thought of losing Lady Jing, the one woman in the world who truly loved him, made the Emperor inexplicably panicked.

The Emperor, in his nature, required personal confirmation to believe in someone’s genuine feelings. Once, when Lady Jing truly loved the Emperor, he responded with indifference. Yet now, with her schemes, Lady Jing had earned the Emperor’s somewhat sincere affection.

As the Emperor was reflecting on these things, a little eunuch who had been waiting in the Yingyue Palace for news to report promptly rushed in, kneeling before the Emperor with a panicked voice, ”Your Majesty, Lady Jing... Lady Jing is not well!”