The Noble Lady's Rebirth: She just wants to Rest in Peace!-Chapter 257 - 258: Kidnapping

At this time, Lin Youning had already returned to the East Mansion. Seeing Li Si coming toward her, she teased him with a smile.

"Could it be that there’s a letter from the Marquis?"

Li Si’s smile grew even larger, "Madam is indeed impressive. The Marquis has indeed sent a letter."

As he spoke, Li Si handed over the letter.

Lin Youning quickly accepted the letter, and without waiting to reach the main courtyard, she began to open it while walking. Upon reading its contents, a relaxed expression appeared on her face.

Finally, she couldn’t help but laugh quietly.

Shanmoi and Hailan exchanged a glance behind her and couldn’t resist closing their eyes and laughing along.

These days, since trouble befell the family, it was the first time they’d heard the young lady laugh with joy.

Lin Youning was truly happy, especially after reading the words from her elder brother in the letter. She hadn’t expected such a traditionally rigid person to undertake such actions.

It turned out Gu Yifeng had anticipated that the Prince Xian Mansion or Zhou Mansion might resort to underhanded tactics during his departure. In response, Gu Yifeng’s method was simple: the Prince Xian Mansion cut off Zhao Housheng’s medicine supply, so the medicine used by the heir of Prince Xian wouldn’t be effective, instead worsening the condition.

Lin Youning was puzzled, no wonder the Prince Xian Mansion ceased their actions after cutting off the medicine in prison; they were busy dealing with the heir’s illness.

As for Zhou Mansion, Zhou Wu was having a hard time, his leg broken, requiring at least three months in bed before he could walk again.

This way, neither side could focus their intentions on Zhao Housheng.

Lin Youning never knew her elder brother, who left in such haste, had arranged all of this beforehand.

Lin Youning felt slightly moved, no wonder her elder brother seemed unperturbed upon leaving; he had already anticipated all of this and left instructions.

She felt a sweet satisfaction in her heart, and during dinner, her appetite was especially good, which Shanmoi and Hailan noticed but did not mention.

Six or seven days passed this way, with Lin Youning shuttling between the Zhao Mansion and East Mansion. She visited Mrs. Gu Sr. once, and upon realizing Lin Youning’s busyness, Mrs. Gu Sr. told her she needn’t come by.

Mrs. Dong occasionally sent things over, and Lin Youning unknowingly counted the days; her elder brother had gone to Jiangxi for half a month, yet hadn’t returned.

Lin Youning couldn’t help but worry. However, seeing Li Si remaining calm, she figured if there were issues, Li Si wouldn’t be so relaxed and thus eased her concerns.

Meanwhile, Chancellor Liu frowned due to the letter Sister Ning wrote him. Despite communicating with the Prince Xian Mansion and the Eldest Prince, neither could discover the source of the leak.

Prince Xian, being timid, was shocked upon hearing of the leak, where one side involved his son’s injury and the other the matter with the Eldest Prince, resulting in him falling ill within days.

The Eldest Prince remained stoic, repeatedly asking Chancellor Liu about the source of the information. Chancellor Liu could only say it was delivered to the mansion, without knowing who wrote it.

Yet the Eldest Prince wasn’t just any character; although secretly dealing with Chancellor Liu, he had people watching over the Prime Minister’s Mansion and Prince Xian Mansion. During these days, it was known that the adopted daughter from the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion visited the Prime Minister’s Mansion.

The adopted daughter of Dingyuan Marquis Mansion became the Marquis’s wife, naturally privy to certain matters. Could it be that the Marquis uncovered this matter?

Then why did the Marquis send the letter to Prime Minister Liu’s Mansion, or was it the adopted daughter’s personal doing?

Was it to protect the Prime Minister’s Mansion?

Or did she simply think he wouldn’t possibly ascend the throne?

With this suspicion, the Crown Prince summoned his hidden guard, whispered instructions in his ear before the hidden guard withdrew.

Lin Youning hadn’t expected to be kidnapped while visiting her elder brother. Her captors hid their faces, daring to act in the Capital, and for someone raised in the Marquis Mansion, it was her first encountering such an event, instinctively thinking of the letter to her grandfather.

Her hands and legs were bound, her mouth gagged, and eyes blindfolded. Lin Youning neither struggled nor made noise. All she knew was she was inside a carriage, enduring a bumpy ride which even passed through the city gate, suggesting she was out of the Capital.

She didn’t know where she was being taken but remembered she had Gu Yifeng’s hidden guard by her side, which provided some peace of mind.

Toward the end, she even heard the river’s rippling, raising an uneasy feeling, wondering why the hidden guard following her hadn’t appeared, could they have been discovered?

If so, she had to think of a way to save herself.

Hands tied behind against her back, securely bound, Lin Youning didn’t know if there was anyone in the carriage. She cautiously moved slightly, encountering no response, and then propped herself up, slowly sitting against the carriage.

However, soon after sitting up, the carriage stopped, followed by low murmurs. Though she couldn’t see, she could feel the curtain being lifted after which she was kicked out forcefully.

During the journey, she was handled by a firm grip, her feet dragging across the ground, until being thrown harshly, either onto the ground or planks, which slightly swayed amidst water sounds, making her guess she might be on a boat.

The gag was removed, above came a man’s low questioning voice, "Who told you about the connection between the Prime Minister’s Mansion and the Eldest Prince?"

Lin Youning’s expression didn’t change, but her heart sank; indeed, it was this issue.

She was puzzled as to the importance of the connection between the Prime Minister’s and Prince Xian’s Mansion to the Eldest Prince, prompting him to act against her.

These considerations flashed quickly in her mind, Lin Youning deliberately showed panic, "What are you saying? I don’t understand. Why are you bringing me here? I’m the Madam of the East Mansion, if you let me go now, you’ll still survive."

"No need for pretense here. You wrote a letter to Chancellor Liu, who is your grandfather; you should remember the contents?" The man’s voice bore a menacing tone, "If you honestly confess now, perhaps you’ll be spared, or else, Madam of the East Mansion will disappear from this world today."