The Xiannan Hall was as secluded and simple as before without any visitors.

Although Xin Luan was about to be the former High Priest, he still had an influence that could not be underestimated in the Xin Family.

There were supposed to be plenty of people coming to flatter him.

However, the High Priest claimed that he couldn’t receive any visitors after being frightened in the assassination attempt.

By now, Lin Mengya was one hundred percent certain that the High Priest must be acting in collusion with the Emperor.

His recuperation was just an excuse for refusing to receive visitors.

However, no one knew what mischief the High Priest, who was not a coward, was up to in the Xiannan Hall.

“Who are you?” There came a voice.

Lin Mengya, who was walking with her head down, was stopped.

She lifted her head and saw several men dressed like guards.

It was strange. She did not see them here a few days ago. It was such a coincidence that they also came here today.

“Aren’t you Miss Helan, Madame Jingrou’s maid? You come at the wrong time, Miss. His Majesty is also here. What brings you here?” A personal eunuch of the Emperor immediately ran over and asked.

He could afford to offend any servant other than Miss Helan in front of him, and must hold her in high esteem.

At the sight of his smiling face, Lin Mengya realized that she might fail to meet Xin Luan again today.

She curled her lip helplessly and could not show any disappointment on her face.

Then she said, “Madame sent me to bring the High Priest a cup of tea. Please give it to the High Priest. I made the tea with my unique skill, and Madame wanted the High Priest to have a taste. Since I’ve brought the tea here, I’m leaving now.”

Obviously, Lin Mengya was not willing to leave without meeting Xin Luan.

But if she stayed… she didn’t have the guts to ask to meet Xin Luan when the Emperor was present.

As soon as Lin Mengya handed the tea to the eunuch with a smile, she left.

Considering the Emperor had been a little annoyed with her in recent days, she thought she’d better avoid showing up in front of him.

Fortunately, she had the other task today. Otherwise, her plan would have been disrupted.

She just wondered what the Emperor and the High Priest were talking over.

Getting out of the Xiannan Hall, Lin Mengya walked to the north.

Her destination was the prison in the imperial palace for detaining prisoners.

It did not occupy a large area, but was very secluded.

Without a guide, it would be almost impossible for ordinary people to get there.

After all, such a place was a little gruesome and terrifying. It would be terrible if the noble masters in the imperial palace were frightened by it.

Although Lin Mengya came here for the first time, she seemed to be familiar with the path.

She had read the map of the imperial palace, so it was certainly not difficult for her to come here.

As soon as she walked through the moon gate, she saw a few palace servants, who had committed crimes, husking rice with mortars and pestles under the watchful eyes of a few strong old maids.

Generally speaking, this kind of task was assigned to those who had committed minor crimes. Although they would be tired out, they, who would be released after serving their sentences, definitely would not be exhausted to death.

Of course, this was only the ostensible rule.

In fact, those guards had a multitude of ways to put them in an utterly miserable situation.

Some of the palace servants, who had committed crimes, would rather die than come here to suffer such torment.

Some in-charge old maids came to greet Lin Mengya as soon as she came in.

Although they usually stayed in this small courtyard, they could learn whatever happened in the imperial palace at once.

“Aren’t you Miss Helan? Greetings, Miss. What brings you here today?” they said with their faces full of smiles.

They certainly took a respectful and enthusiastic attitude towards Lin Mengya.

After all, she had an extraordinary status and was even superior to those princesses.

“I come to take a look at the person Madame sent here a few days ago. Where is she? Can you show me the way?” Lin Mengya said with a modest smile.

Although she didn’t like this place, it still had its value.

She would not be so naive as to believe tolerance and kindness could influence everyone positively.

The advancement of mankind was supposed to be accompanied by danger and slaughter.

Otherwise, mankind could end up like sabre-toothed tigers and mammoths during the evolution.

Compared with the outer area for husking rice, the cells inside were much darker.

As a sour and moist smell came into her nose, she felt sick and wanted to roll her eyes.

It was only now that she realized how painful it was to have a good nose.

Lin Mengya was taken to the innermost room that should be the dwelling of those in-charge palace maids.

It not only was much cleaner and larger, but also smelled much better.

She sat in a chair, waiting for the person.

“Go, hurry up!” There came a reproach from outside.

Then, a person in ragged clothes appeared in front of Lin Mengya.

The in-charge old maids frowned. Obviously, they were dissatisfied with the person’s slow movement.

The person pounced at Lin Mengya’s feet.

She looked down and took a closer look. It was the person she wanted to meet.

“Miss, we’ve brought her here. Please take your time to interrogate her. We’re going out to do our work now,” the in-charge old maids said with smiling faces.

Lin Mengya did not hesitate to draw a piece of silver from her sleeve and give it to them as a reward.

They thanked Lin Mengya profusely and left, leaving Lin Mengya and the woman, who collapsed on the ground and looked in a mess, in the room.

Lin Mengya sneered and looked at the woman in front of her.

She said, “With no one else around, you’d better stop pretending to be dead. Beauty Jin, am I right?”

Hearing Lin Mengya’s words, the woman lying prostrate on the ground suddenly stiffened for a moment.

What made Beauty Jin, poor in pretending, dare to switch identities with someone else? What a joke!

“I… I have no idea what you mean by saying that. I’m innocent. Please help me!” With her hands and feet tied, the woman could only lie prone on the ground and cry out about her grievance in a slightly trembling voice.

It appeared that the torment she had suffered these days left a deep impression on her.

“Why did you have to do this? In fact, you are inapt at disguising. I think you did this because the in-charge palace maid looks a little like you, or she is your cousin you brought into the imperial palace from outside. It’s a pity that you made a scapegoat of her even after she died for you. Don’t you feel guilty?” Lin Mengya said.

She sat there composedly, exposing the true colors of the woman in front of her little by little.

Although with her long hair disheveled, the woman looked more like a ghost, the similar features of her and her cousin were valid evidence.

Plenty of people looked like their cousins, someone could change her appearance, but it was difficult to change her air.

Beauty Jin was just a little bit more beautiful than her cousin, and their slight difference was distinguished by their dress.

Therefore, it was quite an excellent scheme to substitute Beauty Jin with her cousin.

No one was aware that Beauty Jin, who had been privately executed by the Eldest Prince, was still alive and even appointed as the in-charge palace maid who sent some palace maids to guard the empty Linqiu Pavilion.

The day Lin Mengya entered the courtyard, she noticed this problem.

Therefore, she asked Baisu to detain the in-charge palace maid immediately.

Unexpectedly, she got a bonus.

“You… Miss, what are you talking about? I don’t understand. I’m indeed Beauty Jin’s cousin. But she, who offended Madame Jingrou, deserved her punishment. I’m really innocent. Miss, please uphold justice for me.” After finishing speaking, the woman began to sob.

Her acting was a little rigid, but it was confusing enough.

Unfortunately, she was faced with Lin Mengya, the former Princess Yu who was good at extorting confessions by torture.

“Oh? Is that so? It turns out that my men made a mistake. I’m sorry for that. But since you deny that you’re Beauty Jin, can you give an explanation of those deceased people?” Lin Mengya said emotionlessly.

No one could tell what she was thinking.

The woman lying prone on the ground hesitated, while thinking she was lucky to convince Lin Mengya.

She said, “I really didn’t expect that! On that day, I sent them to guard the Linqiu Pavilion as usual. Unexpectedly, they got killed later. I, I’m really innocent.”

Lin Mengya had always been good at dealing with those who refused to tell the truth.

However, it was impossible to take a multitude of measures she got.

Unfortunately, Beauty Jin had a prominent weakness.

Lin Mengya stood up and pulled a hairpin out of her bun.

Although the hairpin was made of soft silver, its tip was extremely solid and sharp.

Holding the hairpin in her hand, Lin Mengya smilingly stared at the Beauty Jin who was still putting up a stubborn resistance. Well, since Beauty Jin wanted to play a game, she would join her.

Lin Mengya said, “I know you’re innocent, but unfortunately, it’s useless. I’m afraid that you are still unaware that one of the four deceased girls is the daughter of a tribe leader. She, who was quite mischievous, just entered the imperial palace to stay for a few days. Unexpectedly, she got killed. Now, the tribe leader makes a scene every day to make His Majesty and Madame Jingrou give him an explanation. It seems that you have to be wronged. Don’t worry, you’re so loyal. After you die uncleared of a false charge, His Majesty and Madame Jingrou will definitely give you an elaborate funeral. Now, do you have any last words? I’ll fulfill your last wish whatever it is.”

The hairpin shone with a flash of silver light.

She could use its tip to pierce the woman’s tender neck with a little strength.

Lin Mengya keenly sensed that the woman was nervous and even scared.

She was scared now, but it seemed to be a little too late.

“No! No! You must have made a mistake. The four girls entered the imperial palace to work as palace maids because they came from poor families. There can’t be the daughter of a tribe leader among them. You must have made a mistake, definitely!” She denied hurriedly without noticing a flash of light in Lin Mengya’s eyes.

Lin Mengya showed an even more helpless expression, as if in a more difficult position than the woman.

She put her hairpin in front of the woman’s neck, and its sharp and cold touch gave the woman goosebumps.