Chapter 080
Chapter 80: Huo Ying Zi Is Injured
Lin Ye Lan asked in the dark cell: “Were my meals specially made by the jailers because you told them to?”
Huo Ying Zi heard the anger in his voice and thought he was upset about being arrested, so she answered with a light smile: “Of course. It took a lot of work, but Elder Brother Ye Lan is worth it.”
Covered by shadow, Lin Ye Lan curved his lips in a cold smile as the last bit of warmth in his heart faded. [So you have been using me all along.] He had always known, deep down, that Huo Ying Zi used him. Whether at Northern Fortress Pass or after they returned to the Capital, he felt he had treated her well. He never expected the poison in his body did not come from Marshal Huo’s hidden hand, but from Huo Ying Zi. That truth hit like a hard slap.
He said softly: “Thank you.”
Huo Ying Zi froze. Feeling that something was off, she asked with worry: “Elder Brother Ye Lan, are you blaming me for not saving you?”
Lin Ye Lan lowered his eyes and said in a calm voice: “No. I thought His Majesty would spare me for the Huo Family’s sake. I was wrong. I was framed and put in prison, and I cannot leave for a while. You are alone in the Capital, so I worry about you. Why not write a letter to the marshal and have him send a few men to the Capital to protect you?”
Huo Ying Zi clenched her handkerchief and forced a laugh: “No need. The Capital is safe. Elder Brother, did you forget that I can fight too?”
Lin Ye Lan’s smile turned thin: “Is that so? I did forget.” [Your skills are all show; in a real fight you would lose in two moves.] She acted so bold in the Capital, so he was sure: Marshal Huo had already sent people in secretly. [How stupid I was to see you clearly only now.]
Huo Ying Zi felt that Lin Ye Lan was acting strange but could not tell why, so she asked impatiently: “Elder Brother, did you call me here to tell me something?”
The smell in the cell was awful, and she wanted to leave as soon as possible. She did not know that her look of disgust fell cleanly into Lin Ye Lan’s eyes. Cold spread in his chest. [All these years I gave and gave, and I still cannot earn even a little care from you. Fine. Then don’t blame me.]
He said in a flat tone: “The Chief Justice of the Dali Court asked me for the reason behind the case. I plan to name you. Xia Meng Yan already has grudges with you. If I say you ordered me, His Majesty will go easy on you for the Huo Family’s sake. After a while, everyone will forget.”
Huo Ying Zi blurted out before she could stop herself: “Why should I?” Realizing she lost control, she rushed to explain: “I mean, the Huo Family was just investigated by His Majesty. If you push this onto me, Elder Brother may still not escape. I only fear I might also be locked up, and then no one would take care of the Marquis Manor.”
Lin Ye Lan stepped out of the shadows, his handsome face lined with dust: “This matter is tied to you. Wasn’t it you who told me that if Lord Xia fell from power, then Xia Meng Yan would lose support and remarry me?”
Huo Ying Zi glanced around to make sure no officers were nearby. Dropping her weak act, she said coolly: “Those were your own guesses. You were unwilling to lose and wanted everything back. I only reminded you. How could that be my fault?”
Lin Ye Lan seemed not to notice her change. Limping, he went forward until he stood one step from the door: “You said just now you were willing to save me. Now there is a way, yet you change your mind. At Northern Fortress Pass I ran around for you. More than half your credit was mine. Now I ask you to repay me; it is only right.”
Huo Ying Zi frowned and kept her voice even: “Elder Brother, is someone forcing you, or did something happen?” She would not show her true face unless she had to.
Lin Ye Lan’s patience wore thin, and his tone lost all gentleness: “Just say whether you will or will not.”
Seeing he would not bend, Huo Ying Zi let her mask slip piece by piece: “You could not accept being cast aside by Xia Meng Yan. I only tried to comfort you. I never thought you would hold a grudge against me.”
Lin Ye Lan snapped, roaring as he stepped forward: “If you had not stirred up trouble, how would I have acted on impulse?”
Huo Ying Zi was startled and stepped back.
Lin Ye Lan warned in a harsh voice: “If you won’t save me, don’t blame me for telling everything that happened at Northern Fortress Pass.”
Huo Ying Zi’s heart jumped. She cursed him in her mind as a bastard and said quickly: “Elder Brother, don’t be rash. Things are not what you think. I will find a way to get you out soon.”
Lin Ye Lan shook his head: “No. I want you to admit you egged me on.”
Anger surged in Huo Ying Zi’s chest. [If I had known he feared death this much, I should never have let him know so much.] She forced herself to calm down. She took a breath, edged closer, set her hand on his bloodstained hand, and spoke in the softest tone: “Elder Brother, you said it yourself. If the Huo Family speaks up, His Majesty will give only a light punishment. Why ruin your life because you are angry? We can still—ah!”
A scream tore out of her. Lin Ye Lan had sunk his teeth into her wrist, biting as if to tear it off. Huo Ying Zi never dreamed he would attack her like this. No, not with his hands, but with his teeth.
Delicate and pampered, she could not break free. She could only throw back her head and cry out: “Help! Help!”
The yamen runners heard the noise and rushed in. They saw Huo Ying Zi’s wrist pouring blood while the attacker clamped down like a mad dog. “Save me, save me,” Huo Ying Zi gasped. Her arm felt like it would snap, and her whole body shook like a drowned cat. The pain stole her voice.
The runners came to their senses and struck with their batons. A blow hit Lin Ye Lan’s head, and he had to let go. They dragged Huo Ying Zi away.
Lin Ye Lan threw back his head and laughed wildly: “If I suffer, you won’t get your wish either. Sister Ying Zi, don’t worry, I will drag you to hell with me.” Blood welled from the cut on his scalp and ran down his cheeks in crooked lines, making him look like a ghost from the underworld come to seize a living soul.
Huo Ying Zi stumbled back in fright, yet still hurried to wash her hands of it: “The Ping An Marquis is crazy, he is crazy.”
Only a madman’s words are not believed.
Nanny Cheng’s legs went weak with fear. When she saw her Eldest Miss pulled free, she rushed to support her: “Eldest Miss, we must leave at once.”
Leaning on Nanny Cheng, Huo Ying Zi left the Dali Court in a sorry state. People from the Xia Family were watching outside. They saw blood drip from Huo Ying Zi’s hand to the ground as she was helped into the carriage, and their mouths fell open. One of them turned at once and ran back to report.
Xia Meng Yan was eating bird’s nest soup when Chun Yue brought the news, and she almost choked. Nanny Song, quick as a flash, patted her back and said coldly to Chun Yue: “How many times have I said not to rush in? Go and take your punishment later.”
Chun Yue’s excited face fell at once. She bowed in panic: “Eldest Miss, I did not mean it. Are you all right?”
Xia Meng Yan rubbed her throat and waved a hand. After a moment she was steady again, and she asked: “You said our people saw Huo Ying Zi’s wrist injured?”
Chun Yue nodded like a pecking chick: “It’s true. The ground in front of the carriage was bright red.”
“Do we know what happened?” Xia Meng Yan guessed it must be linked to Lin Ye Lan.
Chun Yue shook her head: “Our people only watched outside. They saw Huo Ying Zi leave in a mess with an injured hand, but they could not learn what happened inside the Dali Court.”
Xia Meng Yan said in a level voice: “You did well. There is a reward. Tell our people to keep watching the Dali Court gate. Do not startle the snake.”
Chun Yue answered and turned to relay orders. Right then a serving lad led someone in. Chun Yue came back to report: “Eldest Miss, Wang Mang has returned.”
Xia Meng Yan sat straighter and glanced at the sandglass: “Give him some food and let him rest a while, then send him to the study in the front courtyard.”
She rose, and with Nanny Song’s support went straight to the front courtyard study.