Chapter 38
In order to investigate the mystery of his birth, Lin Xiao brought his sister, Tian Ying Er, to the general’s residence.
“Have another one, beautiful,” the general said, laughing as he fed a grape to his favorite concubine.
The former Heavenly Spirit Princess, now the most favored concubine in the general’s residence, Shen Pei, welcomed him with a face full of smiles. Every frown and smile of hers had captivated the general to no end.
“I am Lin Xiao. I am here to pay my respects to the Great General.”
The dancers and singers dispersed, and two people who looked like an immortal couple appeared. The young man led his innocent and kind sister into the extravagant hall with high spirits.
When she heard the familiar clear voice, the pampered concubine, who was originally behaving in an overweeningly arrogant manner because she had the general’s love, actually panicked. Her first reaction was to raise her sleeves to cover herself.
“My dear, what’s wrong?”
Forcing herself to put down her sleeves, Shen Pei forced a smile when the general noticed her abnormality.
“General, I’m fine. I just have a headache.”
However, her hands were tightly clenched under her long sleeves. In the close-up shots, her long nails were even embedded in her flesh.
In the hall, Lin Xiao greeted the general. His actions were full of youthfulness, causing the others in the hall to exclaim endlessly.
Shen Pei looked at the young man standing in the hall in sorrow. When Lin Xiao glanced at her inadvertently, she even lowered her gaze demurely.
The banquet had not ended yet, but the lively and active little sister could not help but run to the garden to watch the fireworks. Shen Pei also found an excuse to leave the room.
The pure and innocent Tian Ying Er watched the fireworks by the lake and was in high spirits. Her eyes had the pureness that only one who had been well-protected would possess.
In contrast, Shen Pei was wearing a colorful dress and dazzling jewelry. However, she looked at the woman in simple clothes in front of her with apparent envy.
“Brother Lin has his own important matters to attend to. If you follow him like this, you will be a burden to him.”
Tian Ying Er’s eyes were filled with obvious surprise when someone suddenly interrupted her and even mentioned “Brother Lin”.
“What’s your relationship with Senior?” Tian Ying Er looked at the woman in luxurious clothes with hostility.
“What relationship I have with Brother Lin has nothing to do with you.” Hearing Tian Ying Er call him ‘Senior’, Shen Pei looked even more lonely. She looked at Tian Ying Er with a strange sense of inferiority and pride before turning to leave. “In short, you have always been a burden to Brother Lin.”
“Very good! One take is enough! Prepare for the next scene.”
Needless to say, Xia Wanyuan’s performance was impeccable, and Qin Wu was a talented actor. Although Ruan Yingyu was a little immature compared to them, she was still considered one of the more talented young actresses in the new generation. Therefore, Director Yang was very satisfied.
Lin Xiao, who had stayed in the general’s residence for a few days, gradually unearthed the important keepsake that his parents had left there. The keepsake was kept in the secret chamber of the general’s residence.
In the dark General’s residence, two ghostly figures slowly crept into the study. Lin Xiao activated the secret switch in the study room and a bookcase slowly moved away.
“Sister, wait for me here. Let me know if anything happens.”
“Yes, Senior.”
Tian Ying Er watched Lin Xiao enter the secret passage nervously as she paced around the study.
Suddenly, a cat meowed outside the window. Tian Ying Er, who was already in a mess, jumped in shock and knocked over the vase on the table. The sound of the porcelain breaking was like a high-pitched siren in the quiet night.
The guard outside quickly reacted and kicked open the door of the study. When he saw Tian Ying Er inside, he immediately lunged forward with his sword.
However, before the guard’s sword could reach Tian Ying Er, it was deflected by a hidden weapon. Lin Xiao, who had come out of the secret room at some point in time, grabbed the frightened Tian Ying Er and dashed out of the window.
“Catch them!”
All the guards in the general’s residence gathered and searched one room after another. Upon seeing that they were about to find them in the woodshed, Tian Ying Er was so frightened that her eyes were filled with tears.
At that moment, footsteps came from the door. Lin Xiao gripped the hilt of his sword tightly and stared at the door warily.
The door was pushed open and Lin Xiao, who was hiding behind the door, had already pressed the blade of his sword against the person’s throat.
“Brother Lin, don’t be afraid. I’m here to save you.”
Lin Xiao heard a familiar voice and turned his face over. That person had beautiful eyebrows and rosy lips. Through the faint light outside, Shen Pei, who had washed off her heavy makeup, reminded Lin Xiao of the beautiful woman under the lanterns he met three years ago.
“It’s you? Miss, why are you here?”
Lin Xiao did not recognize that she was the General’s beloved concubine. Shen Pei was relieved.
“Don’t ask so many questions. I’ll go out and lure them away. There’s a hidden path to the right of the woodshed, you can leave from there later.”
“Miss, why are you helping us?” Lin Xiao slowly withdrew the sword he was holding at Shen Pei’s throat.
“Treat it as me returning a favor.”
Shen Pei took a deep look at this man who had appeared in her dreams countless times but had slowly faded from her memory. It was as if she wanted to remember his face forever.
After that, Shen Pei resolutely walked out of the woodshed and walked towards the place where the light was dense. However, in Lin Xiao’s eyes, it was as if she had walked into endless darkness, making his heart turn cold.
The camera zoomed in.
Shen Pei, who was leaving the woodshed step by step, could not stop her tears from flowing.
At this moment, Shen Pei, who was walking along the corridor, no longer walked as gracefully the her who was a pampered concubine. Instead, she had regained the royal etiquette that she had not practiced for three years. It was as if she wanted to leave behind her last shred of dignity as a royal.