Chapter 65

Xu Yunxi was speechless for a while. No matter what, she needed to find a way to treat his illness.

The man continued to nuzzle against her neck. As she tried to move away, he only tightened his grip. She finally managed to reach the edge of the bed and struggled to get the water cup. At that moment, his hot lips had already reached her cheek and familiarly captured her lips, his tongue quickly darting in to taste her sweetness, his breath urgent like a storm.

Xu Yunxi closed her eyes tightly. Of course, she couldn’t let him do as he pleased.

At this moment, Doctor Xu regained her usual calmness and determination. She slowly moved her hand to the back of his head and pressed hard on the Tianchi acupoint. The man stopped in pain, slowly raising his eyes to stare at her, his confused pupils showing some grievance and doubt. Xu Yunxi ignored him and took advantage of the moment to bring the cup to his mouth.

“Drink some water first.”

For some reason, Pei Muheng heard a hint of coaxing in her gentle voice. He obediently lowered his head, and Xu Yunxi helped him drink a large cup of water, feeling more at ease. When she turned to put down the cup, Pei Muheng came closer again. This time, Xu Yunxi didn’t give him a chance. She decisively used a needle to prick his acupoint, making him completely pass out.

Xu Yunxi looked at the man who lay motionless on her and let out a long sigh of relief. She slowly moved him aside and began to administer acupuncture. Treating patients with high fever was Xu Yunxi’s specialty. A few massage techniques could reduce a child’s fever in the time it took to drink a cup of tea, and for adults, acupuncture could lower the fever in a quarter of an hour.

While waiting, Xu Yunxi called Huang Wei to prepare clean clothes and a pot of warm water.

The sky gradually brightened, and a light snowfall covered the courtyard in a thin layer of snow. Pei Muheng soon began to sweat, with steam rising from his forehead. His clothes were soaked, and Huang Wei helped him change into a dry set. After removing the needles, Xu Yunxi had Huang Wei assist him in sitting up and gave him a large cup of water. Large beads of sweat covered his entire body, and by the time they finished cleaning him up, it was fully light outside.

The man on the bed finally closed his eyes and slept soundly. The temperature on his forehead had subsided, leaving a slight coolness. Xu Yunxi checked his pulse and quickly wrote a prescription, instructing Ying Xing to prepare the medicine.

“I’ll go back to the rear courtyard for a rest. Let me know when he wakes up,” Xu Yunxi told Huang Wei before leaving.

Ying Xing went to fetch the herbs, and Xu Yunxi, wrapped in a cloak, walked alone to the rear courtyard. She exited the study’s back door and descended the steps to a stone path that meandered through the garden, winding between clusters of trees.

To the west, by the water, there had once been a grove of slender bamboo that provided dense shade. In late autumn, the bamboo had withered, leaving only a few poles standing idly in the wind. The wind rustled over the water, bringing a bone-chilling cold.

Two maids came out of the study’s back door, taking the clothes to be washed in the Qinghui Garden laundry room. One carried a basket of clothes, the other a water bucket. They walked along the stone path outside the bamboo grove, unaware of Xu Yunxi’s presence, chatting casually.

“The Third Master is really ruthless, using ice blocks in such cold weather.”

“I heard those ice blocks were even taken from the cellar of the Xun Mansion next door.”

Hearing this, Xu Yunxi was filled with doubt. Ice blocks? What was Pei Muheng doing with ice blocks?

Thinking back to the pulse signs of cold invading his body, Xu Yunxi suddenly understood. Could it be that he made himself sick on purpose? What happened in the court that forced him to feign illness?

Xu Yunxi could only understand it as the Emperor’s dislike for Prince Xi’s residence, forcing Pei Muheng to temporarily avoid the limelight and use a self-harm tactic.

She admired Pei Mucheng’s courage on one hand and felt sorry for him on the other. The entire honor of Prince Xi’s residence rested on him alone; his burden was too heavy.

Soon, one of the maids said, “To gain the Young Madam’s pity, the Third Master is risking his life.”

Xu Yunxi’s steps came to a sudden halt, and she immediately froze. What did they mean? How did this involve her?

The other maid chuckled, seemingly unfazed, “A self-harm tactic—it never fails. Even if Young Madam has a heart of stone, it should warm up. For the Third Master to resort to this trick shows how much he loves her.”

The cold morning wind was exceptionally chilling, but Xu Yunxi’s face was burning, the blush lingering for a long time. She stood there in the wind, utterly confused.

If this were indeed the case, Xu Yunxi would be furious. As a doctor, she couldn’t stand people playing with their health. However, she quickly calmed down.

Pei Muheng wasn’t such a person; it must be the two maids’ limited perspective, unaware of the court’s dangers and misunderstanding the situation.

When she returned to Qinghui Garden, Nanny Chen had already set up breakfast.

Before long, Ying Xing handed the prepared medicine to Nanny Chen to be taken to the front courtyard, and then she came in for her meal. According to the rules of the Prince’s Mansion, servants were not allowed to eat with their masters. However, these rules never applied to Ying Xing, who had lived dependently with Xu Yunxi for many years. Whenever Pei Muheng was absent, Ying Xing often ate and slept with Xu Yunxi.

Xu Yunxi had just finished eating when Ying Xing sat at the table. The young girl quickly devoured a few crystal dumplings, filling her empty stomach, and then said to Xu Yunxi, “Miss, I find it suspicious how Third Master fell ill this time.”

Xu Yunxi didn’t expect Ying Xing to catch on so quickly. “He used some ice blocks to make himself sick.”

Ying Xing was shocked, “That’s so harsh.”

Seeing her voice getting loud, Xu Yunxi quickly shushed her, “Don’t make a fuss. Third Master must not want to go to court, so he came up with this plan.”

Ying Xing looked at her skeptically, “Really?”

She recalled Huang Wei’s words from early in the morning, “If it’s because of the court, Huang Wei wouldn’t have hidden it from you. Besides, there’s no need to go to such extremes. He could have just faked a headache and gotten away with it…”

“Is the Emperor so easy to fool?” Xu Yunxi asked.

Ying Xing fell silent. After they finished their breakfast, Ying Xing cleared the table and returned, standing close to Xu Yunxi. “Miss, could it be that Third Master is genuinely ill but also wants to use this chance to gain your sympathy? Haven’t there been enough men pretending to be sick in front of you over the years?”

Xu Yunxi was stunned.

Indeed, plenty of men had been pretending to be sick in front of her, but Pei Muheng would never do that. If he went to such lengths… would he still be the same gentle and graceful Third Master?

Xu Yunxi shook her head.

Waking up too early in the morning made her sleepy, so she returned to bed for a nap. As she closed her eyes, Pei Muheng’s words echoed in her ears, “You only come to see me at times like this…”

Those words were identical to those of the young masters who pretended to be sick in front of her. How could that be?

Xu Yunxi slept restlessly, her mind clouded with confusion, as if in an internal struggle. When she woke up, it was already the third quarter of the afternoon. Rarely had she ever been so unsettled by someone before.

After lunch, she went to Qinghui Garden to check on the patient. Pei Muheng was still sleeping soundly. Seeing his steady breathing, Xu Yunxi didn’t worry. By evening, however, Pei Muheng still hadn’t woken up, making Huang Wei uneasy. Fearing that Pei Muheng’s condition might worsen, he anxiously ran to Qinghui Garden to bring Xu Yunxi over.

“Young Madam, please take a look. Third Master has been sleeping for too long.”

In the past, Pei Muheng would sleep for a maximum of three hours a day, going to bed at midnight and getting up at dawn, before heading to court.

Xu Yunxi sat down to check his pulse, which, although somewhat weak, was generally steady. “Some people are overly busy and always tense. Once they fall ill, the illness hits them hard and leaves slowly. Just let him rest.”

Soon, Princess Consort Xi heard about Pei Muheng’s illness and summoned Huang Wei for questioning. Xu Yunxi stayed to take care of Pei Muheng.

At this time, the man on the bed finally showed signs of waking up.

Xu Yunxi saw the signs of him waking up, and the softness on her face disappeared. She sat upright and silent.

Pei Muheng opened his heavy-lidded eyes and saw a blurry figure in front of him. As his vision focused, the image became clearer: a fair face with delicate features, still composed despite the storms it had faced. It was the face he longed for.

Pei Muheng’s expression paused, and his throat felt stuck. After a while, he managed to speak in a hoarse voice, “Yunxi?”

His face was ashen, and his thin eyelids lifted weakly. His sharp eyebrows had softened, and his tea-white long robe lay disheveled on him, giving him a broken beauty image.

Xu Yunxi began to scold him, “If you wanted to feign illness, why didn’t you tell me beforehand? I have a hundred ways to help you pretend without soaking in ice water on a cold autumn day.” She reprimanded him, frowning, “Don’t be so reckless next time.”

Pei Muheng was stunned for a moment and then found it somewhat amusing. After a long pause, he slowly nodded and seemed to recall something. He softly asked her, “When I was delirious from the illness earlier, did I do anything to upset you, Yunxi?”

As soon as he spoke, Xu Yunxi’s cheeks flushed. Meeting Pei Muheng’s dark gaze, she replied indifferently, “No,” and handed him a bowl of ginseng porridge she had prepared. “Here, have some to fill your stomach. You’ll need to take your medicine later.”

Pei Muheng complied without question, but when the bowl of dark medicine was handed to him, he frowned. He had practiced martial arts since childhood and rarely fell ill. Even if he did, a good night’s sleep usually cured him. He didn’t like taking medicine.

Seeing him hesitating in front of the medicine bowl, Xu Yunxi glared at him. “Third Master, a strong and fearless man, afraid of a bowl of medicine? Hurry up and drink it.”

These words sounded livelier than usual. Being scolded by her felt surprisingly good.

Feigning illness was definitely the right choice.

Pei Muheng gazed at her for a moment before obediently drinking the medicine. The bitter taste filled his mouth, and his handsome brows furrowed. Xu Yunxi kindly handed him a cup of tea to rinse his mouth. Taking the opportunity, Pei Muheng washed his face and brushed his teeth, feeling much more comfortable.

After taking the medicine, Pei Muheng broke out in a sweat again, a sign that Xu Yunxi was helping him expel the cold and detoxify.

“Change your clothes.” With that, Xu Yunxi took the bowl and left.

Pei Muheng changed his clothes but, after a while, didn’t see Xu Yunxi come back. He started to feel anxious and immediately got up to look for her.

Xu Yunxi was sitting at his desk preparing medicine. Hearing movement, she looked up and saw Pei Muheng leaning against the doorframe, his tall figure relaxed and casual, looking at her quietly and absentmindedly, still breathing heavily.

Xu Yunxi frowned and glared at him, “What are you doing out here? You’ve just broken into a sweat and will most likely catch a cold. Go back to bed!”

Pei Muheng didn’t move but instead asked her, “Yunxi, will you stay with me tonight?”

His tone had a hint of coaxing.

Xu Yunxi was stunned. The man who was always so steady and composed was now saying such a thing to her.

Xu Yunxi was silent for a moment but finally didn’t refuse, feeling a bit soft-hearted, “Alright, go back and rest.” It was clearly a reluctant compromise.

Satisfied with the promise, Pei Muheng returned to the inner room.

He looked like…a child who had finally been comforted by an adult after throwing a tantrum.

Xu Yunxi watched his back, dazed for a while.

It was just a common cold, yet he seemed like a different person. Xu Yunxi found it both amusing and exasperating. She quickly mixed some medicinal paste, put it in a box, and took it to the inner room.

Pei Muheng was holding a book and reading it. Xu Yunxi sighed and said, “Your body is weak; you shouldn’t be exerting yourself.” She walked over, took the book from his hands, and then instructed, “Lie down; I’ll give you a massage.”

Pei Muheng lay on the pillow, and Xu Yunxi pulled his collar open, revealing his strong shoulders and neck. She covered his lower body with a quilt, then applied the medicinal paste to his acupoints and rolled up her sleeves to start the massage.

Pei Muheng, although lying down, could clearly see her every move out of the corner of his eye.

Xu Yunxi, as always, was focused and serious, with just the right amount of strength in her hands, always accurately finding his pain points and smoothing them out.

Despite his youth and daily martial arts practice, Pei Muheng had accumulated some hidden issues in his neck due to years of desk work. Sometimes, falling ill isn’t entirely bad, as an experienced doctor can surface and address underlying problems.

Xu Yunxi was such a doctor.

In the past, massages were usually left to Ying Xing or the assistants at the medical clinic, but because it was Pei Muheng, Xu Yunxi did it herself.

Pei Muheng felt quite pleased about this, but soon, when he noticed the fine sweat on Xu Yunxi’s forehead, he couldn’t smile anymore.

If it weren’t for him, she wouldn’t have to work so hard. For a moment, he felt a deep regret.

“Yunxi, you don’t need to keep at it. I’m already feeling much better and should be fully recovered by tomorrow.”

Xu Yunxi’s expression remained unchanged. “You’ve been burdened with heavy thoughts for years, causing tension in the Fengchi acupoint. You might not feel it now, but as you age, it could lead to chronic headaches.”

Princess Consort Xi and the Emperor’s chronic headaches originated this way.

Pei Muheng fell silent.

Inside the house, the charcoal brazier burned brightly, the fiery red charcoal casting a radiant glow on Xu Yunqi’s face, making her features even more dazzling. Pei Muheng gazed at her motionlessly, his mind filled with countless thoughts. Why wouldn’t she give herself to him? Beyond the scars of her troubled past, it was also because of him—he hadn’t done well enough to make her feel at home.

As night fell, Xu Yunqi performed another round of acupuncture on him. Pei Muheng felt as if his internal organs had been cleansed, leaving him feeling refreshed and invigorated. This time, he truly experienced the brilliance of Xu Yunqi’s medical skills.

Pei Muheng was content, but Xu Yunqi was somewhat fatigued. Seeing her showing signs of tiredness, Pei Muheng extinguished the lamp, pulled her into his arms, and took her to the bed.

“Rest well for a while,” he said.

This sleep lasted until dawn.

Pei Muheng’s arm was across her waist, and she felt an imminent sense of arrogance behind her. The temperature inside the quilt suddenly soared. His breath sprinkled on the back of her neck, causing a shiver.

The kiss came over and quickly sealed her lips. He flipped his body, changing positions, clearly having taken control of the rhythm, well aware of how to bring her pleasure. Through their clothes, they teased each other, neither too close nor too far. Xu Yunxi couldn’t withstand it; she turned her face away, pulling back her tongue to avoid him, gasping,
“Stop fooling around.” Her trailing voice still trembled.

Pei Muheng’s deep gaze fell upon her, taking in her blurred silhouette, his voice low and enticing, “You want it too, Yunxi…”

Xu Yunxi was also somewhat annoyed; she found herself increasingly unable to resist his body, “It’s all because of your antics.”

Xu Yunxi had never spoken to him in such a coquettish tone before, and Pei Muheng felt as if molten lava had been poured into his chest, scalding hot.

As soon as Xu Yunxi finished speaking, she realized something was amiss and quickly composed herself, saying seriously, “Stop fooling around. You’re still weak; we’ll talk after you’ve recovered.”

It wasn’t that she was unwilling to give herself to him; there was no need to rush. As a physician, Xu Yunxi couldn’t possibly indulge in frivolities with a patient.

“I understand,” the man’s voice was firm, and then he moved back slightly, his fingertips wandering in with just the right pressure as if creating ripples across her skin and in her heart, one after another. His soft kisses hovered between sharpness and gentleness, giving her the right amount of tenderness.

She reached her climax quickly.

The darkness before the common people concealed all the embarrassment and shame.

Pei Muheng looked at his calm and composed wife, who covered her burning cheeks and slipped out of bed, as if escaping. While dressing and fastening the buttons, she said in as steady a voice as possible, “I will prepare some medicine for you.”

Her slender figure gracefully left and disappeared outside the door without looking back. Pei Muheng smiled and bent his lips.

The cold wind couldn’t calm Xu Yunqi’s flushed face. She quickly returned to Qinghui Garden, where Nanny Chen greeted her with a curtsy. Xu Yunqi smiled perfunctorily and walked straight to the step bed in the east room, then put down the curtain and collapsed into the bedding.

The conjugal harmony between her and Pei Muheng had been countless. She had always been frank and open, driven by the desire for offspring and human nature. This time was different from any other.

He was only pleasing her, solely pleasing her. She wasn’t afraid of his high posture; she was afraid of him lowering it.

Xu Yunqi’s mind and body took a long time to calm down.

Outside, Nanny Chen’s voice inquiring about breakfast could be heard. Xu Yunqi sat up again, took a deep breath, and then came out looking composed.

“I’ll eat in Qinghui Garden. Please send Third Master’s breakfast directly to the study.”

Nanny Chen was puzzled. Young Madam had not returned all night, clearly spending the night in the study, and now she came back before dawn. Could they have had another disagreement? But looking at Xu Yunqi’s gentle and bright face, it didn’t seem like they had quarreled. She swallowed her doubts.

Poor Princess Consort Xi would call her over every few days to instruct her on how to reconcile the young couple. Nanny Chen felt quite pressured and wished the two of them could stick together every day and have a child soon.

Xu Yunqi really didn’t deceive Pei Muheng; she spent the whole morning preparing medicine. Evading was not in her character, and at the beginning of noon, she appeared in front of him openly.

Pei Muheng had recovered well and was sitting behind the desk reading documents, with a charcoal brazier placed near his feet and another one near the Luohan bed, clearly prepared for her.

Seeing him busy, Xu Yunqi didn’t rush him. Instead, she placed the medicine mortar aside, sat on the Luohan bed to warm up, and said, “I’ve prepared some medicinal paste for you, Third Master, to apply to a few acupoints later.”

Pei Muheng’s illness this time had allowed Xu Yunqi to understand his physical condition and know where he had hidden dangers.

Pei Muheng’s expression had returned to his usual calm and reserved demeanor. The tall and handsome man sat behind the desk, meticulously handling official duties, and replied without looking up, “Wait a bit longer. I’ll be done soon.”

This is a familiar scene for Xu Yunqi; she calmed down and sat beside him, drinking tea, saying, “No rush, we can apply it after lunch.”

Neither mentioned the morning’s events, but a hint of ambiguity subtly flowed between them.

Pei Muheng continued to peruse the documents sent by the Ministry of Revenue. He was like a skilled hunter, always perfectly controlling the pace. He neither let her comfortably retreat into her shell nor pushed her beyond her limits.

Step by step, with moderation and appropriateness, is the way to ensure longevity.

In the afternoon, Xu Yunqi helped him apply the medicinal paste and then left with the tools, saying, “You rest for a while; I’ll bring the medicine later.”

As soon as Xu Yunqi left, Pei Muheng welcomed a long-awaited guest.

It was none other than the Prime Minister, Xun Yunhe.

On the day Xun Yunhe returned to the capital, Pei Muheng had sent him a message asking for a meeting when he was free. After having lunch at the Cabinet today, Xun Yunhe, missing his daughter, planned to return home but heard about Pei Muheng’s illness. Using the pretext of a visit, he entered Prince Xi’s mansion.

When Xun Yunhe stepped into the study, he glanced around and was somewhat disappointed that he had not seen Xu Yunqi.

“What matter does Qingyu wish to discuss?”

Pei Muheng respectfully welcomed him to sit on the chair, poured him tea, and said, “It’s about Xu Yunqi’s maternal grandfather, Old Master Zhang.”

Xun Yunhe was obviously shocked. “Didn’t the old man pass away?”

Pei Muheng shook his head gravely and relayed Xu Yunqi’s words to Xun Yunhe without missing a detail, even sharing some of his speculations.

Xun Yunhe’s face turned from blue to white in shock, and he remained silent for half a day. He immediately remembered an incident. After he got engaged to Qingniang, the old man jumped up in anger upon hearing that he was going to the capital for exams, refusing to agree and forcing him to choose between Qingniang and ambition. Xun Yunhe couldn’t understand at the time, not believing there was a conflict between the two, and naturally refused. Qingniang had supported him, and thus, they infuriated the old man.

Since then, he rarely saw Old Master Zhang. He didn’t interact with the old man much, but he remembered him as having an extremely domineering personality, which is why Yunqi was raised to be so resilient. This also explains why the old man strongly opposed his move to the capital.

What pained him the most was, “Has Yunqi been shouldering this alone for three years?”

He blamed himself and also resented Old Master Zhang. If the old man had treated him as family, they could have faced the hardships together, and he wouldn’t have been separated from his daughter for fifteen years, leaving her lonely and helpless.

Xun Yunhe’s face turned ashen, and he clenched his fists, clearly unable to let go of his feelings.

Pei Muheng stood up and bowed to him, “Master, it is my fault for causing Xu Yunqi to endure so much suffering alone.”

If he had treated her better, she would have been honest with him sooner.

Xun Yunhe replied bluntly, “That’s not your only mistake.”

Pei Muheng was at a loss for words. Although he had never acknowledged Xun Yunhe as his father-in-law, it seemed that Xun Yunhe was also dissatisfied with him as a son-in-law.

Both of them fell silent for a while.

Xun Yunhe took a deep breath to calm his emotions. “The most important thing now is to find Old Master Zhang. I’ll handle this matter; you don’t interfere.”

Prince Xi’s mansion was currently under the spotlight, making it more convenient for Xun Yunhe to handle matters compared to Pei Muheng.

However, Pei Muheng shook his head, “Yunqi’s matters are my matters, and I can’t stand by idly.”

Xun Yunhe was about to speak when Xu Yunqi’s voice came from outside the corridor, “Are there guests in the study?” She heard movement inside.

Xun Yunhe, who hadn’t seen his daughter for a long time, eagerly went out and called out to the young girl standing gracefully at the end of the corner, “Nannan…”

Thinking of his daughter bearing so much alone, Xun Yunhe’s heart churned with emotions.

At this moment, he and Pei Muheng shared the same feelings. How wonderful it would be if his daughter could trust him, accept him, and allow him to shield her from the storms.

Sadly, saying more would be in vain.

After a moment, the three returned to the study, and Pei Muheng roughly explained the situation.

Xu Yunqi sat on the Luohan bed without speaking.

Xun Yunhe had already gathered his anger, his thoughts racing, “No need to check the archives of the Imperial Medical Office; a fire destroyed them ten years ago, and the other copy is hidden within the inner palace, where only the Emperor has access.”

Xu Yunqi was stunned for a moment, “Can we find out who set the fire?”

Xun Yunhe, sitting on the chair by the northern screen, shook his head with a dark expression, “No need to check. I can roughly guess who it was.”

Xu Yunqi and Pei Muheng exchanged a glance and remained silent.

They had both speculated about the person behind this.

Xun Yunhe got straight to the point, “To force the head of the Imperial Medical Office to commit suicide; there were only three people who could achieve this thirty years ago: the Emperor, the Empress, and Consort Yan.”

“And the first one to be excluded is the Emperor. Yunqi had diagnosed the Emperor, and he did not suspect anything, which means he did not know the truth about Imperial Physician Liu’s death. By the way,” Xun Yunhe said, turning to Pei Muheng, “Imperial Physician Liu’s death is directly related to your father. What did Prince Xi say?”

Pei Muheng had asked Prince Xi about this matter the day before the altar, and he explained, “My father told me that he was playing in the Imperial Garden that day. He clearly remembers being hit in the knee by a stone, and as he stumbled forward, he accidentally collided with Imperial Physician Liu. Subsequently, he fell headfirst onto a Taihu rock by the roadside, causing a heart attack and death.”

“The person’s skill was extremely high, and somehow, there was no mark on my father’s knee, leaving him unable to defend himself.”

Xun Yunhe pondered and nodded, “Someone wanted to blame Imperial Physician Liu’s death on Prince Xi. If I’m not mistaken, there must be another reason behind his death, and Prince Xi was just a scapegoat.”

“When Imperial Physician Liu died, the little princess immediately lost her life. Whose benefit did the princess’s death serve the most?”

Pei Muheng narrowed his eyes and said, “Both Noble Consort Yan and the Empress had motives to act.”

Princess Mingyue was the Crown Prince’s full sister and the Emperor’s most cherished daughter, known as the auspicious sign of the Jin Dynasty. As long as she was alive, no one could shake the Crown Prince’s position. At that time, Noble Consort Yan had already given birth to Prince Qin, the Second Prince, while the Empress had not yet conceived the Twelfth Prince. Logically, Noble Consort Yan had a greater motive to act. Removing the Crown Prince’s biggest support and framing Prince Xi would clear the way for Prince Qin in one stroke, which made perfect sense.

However, Xun Yunhe shook his head, “The Empress also had a strong motive.”

Pei Muheng and Xu Yunqi both looked at him, “What makes you think so?”

Xun Yunhe, as the Prime Minister, knew more about past events than Pei Muheng, “At that time, Princess Mingyue was raised in Noble Consort Yan’s care. It was said that Noble Consort Yan adored her and treated her like her own daughter. When the princess had an accident, Noble Consort Yan would be the first to be affected. At that time, the new Empress had just entered the palace, and Noble Consort Yan held this trump card to use against the Empress. How could she stand by and watch her die?”

“Even if she truly wanted to kill the princess, that time was not ripe for Noble Consort Yan.”

“Of course, this isn’t entirely convincing,” Xun Yunhe slowly raised his eyes to look at the couple, “but my intuition tells me it is related to the Empress.”

Xun Yunhe had served the Emperor for many years and understood the personalities of the two leading ladies of the inner palace well.

Noble Consort Yan was bold and straightforward and had never resorted to underhanded tactics in decades. She always dealt with people openly.
In contrast, the Empress was very different. She was like a snake lurking in the deep palace, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Over the years, has the Empress ever openly shown her influence? No, but her position and that of the twelfth prince had become increasingly stable.

The Empress, being prepared in advance, took the opportunity to eliminate the princess, removing the Crown Prince and Noble Consort Yan’s support. It’s not impossible.

At this moment, Huang Wei reported that Wang Fan had returned.
Pei Muheng immediately called him in. Wang Fan, covered in cold, looked very disheveled, indicating that this journey had not been easy.

Xu Yunqi eagerly asked him, “Do you have any news of my grandfather?”

Wang Fan shook his head apologetically, “I didn’t find the old man, but I did get some information.”

“What information?”

Without waiting to salute, Wang Fan looked at the three of them and answered, “Originally, there were about a hundred river workers who were imprisoned by the Tongzhou Prefecture Office for half a year and then sent to Yingzhou as soldiers. Not long after arriving in Yingzhou, several elderly river workers couldn’t withstand the harsh environment and died in the military camp. Fearing the worst, I even dug up the graves of these people. The bodies of the other four were still there, but one was an empty grave.”

Xu Yunqi was shocked, “Do you know his name?”

Wang Fan replied, “His surname is Qiao. I don’t know his given name. Everyone called him Old Master Qiao.”

Xu Yunqi closed her eyes and sat down on the Luohan bed, her eyes glistening with tears. “It’s him. He used that surname in the past.”

Wang Fan immediately said, “Could it be that the Old Master faked his death to escape?”

Xu Yunqi also had this thought.

“When did he die?”

“They say it was at the beginning of May, so it’s been five months now.”

Xu Yunqi’s heart sank again, “It’s been five months. If it was really him, he would have sent me a message, not disappeared without a trace.”

In Xu Yunqi’s view, her grandfather must have heard about her engagement to Pei Muheng when he sent the distress letter to Prince Xi’s mansion. Since her grandfather knew she was in Prince Xi’s mansion, he should have sent a message even if he didn’t show up.

“There is another possibility,” Pei Muheng’s eyebrows furrowed deeply, “Someone behind the scenes discovered his existence and took him away using the ‘golden cicada shedding its shell’ trick.”

Xun Yunhe evidently agreed with this theory, “This possibility is greater.”

Pei Muheng sharply realized that the person who sent the river workers to Yingzhou must be related to the mastermind behind the scenes. He then asked Wang Fan, “Who signed the order to send the river workers to Yingzhou as soldiers?”

This time, it wasn’t Wang Fan who answered, but Xun Yunhe, “It was me.”

The three were genuinely surprised.

Pei Muheng immediately asked, “Why did you do that?”

Xun Yunhe recalled a familiar face.

That was an afternoon after the Crown Prince was deposed. Xun Yunhe was alone in the Cabinet when that person, dressed in a scarlet robe, came and handed him a letter, “Lord Xun, the Yingzhou garrison still needs some people to repair the moat. I’ve heard that the Tongzhou Prefecture Office has detained about a hundred river workers. I want to send these people to Yingzhou as soldiers and have them dig the moat as well.”

What that person said made perfect sense, and Xun Yunhe signed the order without hesitation.

Recalling that person’s identity, Xun Yunhe immediately understood everything. “Someone achieved their goal by using me.”