"The prince once instructed that when Your Highness is determined to learn martial arts and embark on the great path, he should let this key be handed to Your Highness..."
Zhiyuan still lowered her eyes: "On the seventh floor, there is something that the prince left for Your Highness."
Lin Jiangnian looked at the key in her bare hand, then raised his eyes and stared at Zhiyuan's calm face in front of him.
I was a little surprised.
What does this mean?
Could it be that the Prince Lin had already calculated that the Prince Lin's son would turn over a new leaf one day?
Is it possible that the seventh floor of Ruyi Tower was reserved specifically for the Prince Lin?
If this is true, then does Lin Jiangnian count as a cuckoo taking over the magpie's nest?
After a brief moment of daze, Lin Jiangnian glanced at Zhiyuan and took the key from her hand: "So, the Xuanyang Heart Technique is on the seventh floor?"
Zhiyuan nodded calmly.
"Okay, then I'll go take a look."
Lin Jiangnian nodded, stood up and walked towards the stairs to the seventh floor.
Zhiyuan stood there, watching quietly as Lin Jiangnian walked up the stairs to the seventh floor door and inserted the key into the iron door lock. With a crisp "click", the iron door opened.
Zhiyuan watched Lin Jiangnian enter the seventh floor, her eyes faintly lit. A ray of light from outside the building fell on her pretty face. Her tall figure was cold and independent.
Like a fairy from the mortal world, quiet and cool!
…
As Lin Jiangnian stepped onto the seventh floor, a faint scent hit his nose. Like incense, it lingered in the air.
This made him feel a little strange.
This seventh floor has always been locked, and no one except King Lin has ever entered. Logically, shouldn't it be covered in dust and have a pungent, stuffy smell?
Lin Jiangnian looked around. The dimly lit seventh floor was different from what he had imagined. The seventh floor of Ruyi Tower looked more like... a room?
An elegant room decorated in an antique style, with an overall elegant and fresh style. There are wall lamps hanging on the walls. When Lin Jiangnian approached, the wall lamps suddenly lit up and illuminated the entire room.
When I saw the decorations in the room, a shocking thought came to my mind.
This...could this be the bedroom of the late Princess Lin?
wrong……
Should it be said that it is a replica of the bedroom?
Lin Jiangnian's eyes fell on the furnishings in the room. When he saw the familiar architectural structures, he gradually confirmed his guess.
It’s true!
The room was filled with various items, and it was clear that the owner was probably a simple person. Everything in the room was simple and plain, without any trace of luxury. This was simply unimaginable in the Lin Wang Mansion.
In addition, there is a suit of armor and a sword hanging on the wall... On the desk not far away, there are several read books.
Could this armor and sword belong to King Lin?
Why did Lin Hengzhong set up such a place in Ruyi Tower?
Could it be... to commemorate the Princess Lin?
Didn't you realize that Prince Lin is such a sentimental person?
Thinking of this, Lin Jiangnian's eyes narrowed slightly. It was also heard that since Princess Lin passed away, Prince Lin never married again, had no concubines, and only had one son.
He is indeed a passionate person!
Lin Jiangnian finally remembered the important matter after collecting his thoughts. He glanced around and felt a little suspicious.
Since the seventh floor was where Princess Lin lived, and where Prince Lin missed his late wife, it was understandable that it was locked away from others. However, why did he leave the key to Zhiyuan and ask her to give it to Prince Lin?
Is there anything special here?
Lin Jiangnian looked around but didn't notice anything unusual. The items displayed around him were neatly arranged, and Lin Jiangnian didn't mess around. The items here were all the remains of the Princess Lin.
Although Lin Jiangnian had never met the Princess Lin, after learning about her deeds from the woman in red, he also had great respect for the princess.
Finally, Lin Jiangnian's gaze fell on the desk not far away. There were open books on the desk, and... a letter?
Lin Jiangnian walked slowly forward to the table and his eyes fell on it.
There was indeed a letter on the table.
To be precise, it's a piece of paper.
There was only one sentence on the paper.
"Go and do what you want, my son!"
Put pen to paper, Lin Hengzhong.
A concise line of words, written in clear and elegant handwriting.
Obviously, these were the words that Prince Lin left for the Prince Lin.
Lin Jiangnian stared at the words quietly, frowned slightly, and his doubts grew.
Why did Lin Hengzhong leave such a line of words?
The former Prince Lin was unlearned and had no interest in martial arts. How could Lin Hengzhong be sure that his son would change his mind?
So what was the purpose of what he left behind?
Why can’t you say it in person?
Why did you have to give the key to Zhiyuan and cause this?
Lin Jiangnian frowned, unable to come up with a conclusion. He picked up the piece of paper in front of him, and underneath it was the half-open book. Lin Jiangnian picked up the book and was suddenly stunned when he saw the contents.
…
It's getting dark.
Night gradually falls.
Ruyi Building, sixth floor.
Zhiyuan still stood quietly in the same place, straight as a sculpture, with his hands behind his back, glancing out the window at the night, and occasionally retracting his gaze to the door of the seventh floor.
Waiting for a long time.
Until the night fell completely, Lin Jiangnian finally appeared at the door of the seventh floor.
Lin Jiangnian walked out slowly, carefully locked the iron door on the seventh floor again, and came to Zhiyuan.
"for you."
Lin Jiangnian handed the key to Zhiyuan.
Zhiyuan didn't take it, lowering her eyes and saying, "This servant is only keeping the key for His Highness temporarily. Now that His Highness has gone to the seventh floor, the key will naturally be handed over to His Highness."
"You have a point, but..."
Lin Jiangnian still handed the key to her and shook his head: "This prince has a bad memory, and I'm worried that I might lose the key one day. So, I'd better ask you to help me keep it."
Zhiyuan was slightly startled, looked up at Lin Jiangnian, hesitated for a moment, and then took the key.
"Then, I will continue to help Your Highness keep the key."
Lin Jiangnian nodded in satisfaction and glanced at the sky outside the building: "It's getting late, let's go."
After saying that, Lin Jiangnian turned around and went downstairs.
Behind him, Zhiyuan stared at Lin Jiangnian's back in a daze. For some reason, His Highness seemed to have...changed?
what happened?
She subconsciously glanced back at the closed seventh floor, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion.
On the seventh floor, what did the prince leave for Your Highness?
After a moment, Zhiyuan regained his composure and slowly followed.
Stepping out of Ruyi Tower, Lin Jiangnian stood on the bridge, breathing the fresh air, feeling refreshed.
Although the air inside Ruyi Tower is quite ventilated, it is still somewhat oppressive and cannot compare to the air outside.
At this moment in the evening, the evening breeze blows across the lake, and the scenery is beautiful.
Lin Jiangnian stopped in the middle of the bridge, gazing at the scenery. Behind him, Zhiyuan followed suit and paused.
His eyes fell on Lin Jiangnian's relaxed and happy profile. As if thinking of something, Zhiyuan suddenly asked, "Your Highness, have you obtained the Xuanyang Heart Technique?"
Lin Jiangnian glanced back at her and nodded slightly. Then, as if thinking of something, he said playfully, "How long do you think it would take for me to become a master if I practiced the Xuanyang Heart Method?"
Zhiyuan frowned slightly and said softly, "Martial arts training requires continuous practice and accumulation. If Your Highness is obsessed with quick success, not only will you fall behind, you may even... become possessed."
"Your Highness, be careful!"
Lin Jiangnian, however, didn't seem to take Zhiyuan's warning seriously and asked again, "Logically speaking, shouldn't this prince have missed the best opportunity to practice martial arts?"
"Is it too late to learn martial arts now?"
When it comes to learning martial arts, the younger you are, the better.
Lin Jiangnian is just starting out at this age, isn't it too late?
Zhiyuan simply said, "If Your Highness is willing, it's never too late."
Lin Jiangnian couldn't understand what she meant, but he didn't pay much attention to it. He glanced at the night view of the lake, then at Zhiyuan beside him, and suddenly asked, "You are seventeen years old this year, right?"
Zhiyuan was a little confused, but nodded: "Yes."
"Seventeen years old...it's time to get married!"
Lin Jiangnian muttered to himself, staring at the kite again, and suddenly said meaningfully: "This prince heard from the servants in the mansion that..."
"Are you my father's illegitimate daughter?"
"Is that true?"
A hint of coldness suddenly flashed across Zhiyuan's eyes, and his gaze became icy.
Lin Jiangnian looked calm as he watched her reaction with a half-smile.
…
I'll just update once today, and make up for it tomorrow! As I was writing, I realized that the plot was starting to deviate from the initial outline. I need some time to sort out the subsequent plot and connect it together. I'll resume normal updates after that.
Thanks to 【Pyramid142857】 for the 10,000-yuan reward. I should have added more chapters, so I'll add them tomorrow. Set a flag, five chapters tomorrow!