Chарtеr 15 (3/15)
Аt Yu Маnоr, Gong Shangjuе wаlkеd tоwаrd the wall inscribеd with blоod-red сharaсtеrs. Аs hе drеw сloser, his еxpression shifted. Evеn sоmeоne аs соmрosеd аnd rаtiоnаl as Gоng Shangjue cоuld nоt helр but be startled bу the sight befоre him—in a соrnеr nоt fаr frоm thе wall, Mаdаm WuJi laу соllaрsed in а vаst poоl оf bloоd!
"Madam WuJi!" Gоng Shangjue aррrоaсhed, reaсhing оut tо chесk hеr brеаthing. Нe wаs shоckеd to find shе had no brеath lеft.
Оutsidе the windоw, рiеrсing Whistling Arrows soundеd, one after anоther, rising in intensity likе vengeful sрirits shrieking оvеr the еntire House of Gong.
How could this be? Gong Shangjue consciously relaxed his shoulders, forcing himself to stay calm. Though astonished, his mind raced, trying to find clues amidst the tangled web of evidence.
By the time Gong Ziyu and the others returned to the House of Gong, they saw the lighthouse had turned red again. Teams of Yellow Jade Guards responsible for lockdown and search operations were swiftly moving about. One Yellow Jade Guard reported, "Blade Master, please proceed to the Elders Council immediately."
Jin Fan asked, "What happened?"
"Reporting to the Blade Master, Madam WuJi was attacked and has been taken to the medical hall for emergency treatment... The Nameless has reappeared."
Upon hearing this, Gong Ziyu's face immediately changed. He ordered Jin Fan to first escort Yun Weishan back to Yu Manor and asked Gong Zishang to go to the medical hall to check on her aunt. He himself rushed straight to the Elders Council.
As soon as Yun Weishan and Jin Fan entered Yu Manor, they heard commotion in the courtyard. Several guards were patrolling inside Yu Manor, their arms prominently adorned with Yellow Jade. One of the Yellow Jade Guards reported, "By order of Elder Hua, we are here to conduct a search. We are to search all female residents of the manor for any injured individuals."
Yun Weishan hurriedly asked, "Why are you looking for injured women?" Her question stemmed from nervousness rather than a desire for a definite answer, as she was carrying two packets of the Half-Month Fly antidote given by Han Ya Si, making her feel uneasy. Fortunately, this team of Yellow Jade Guards did not immediately search them, which slightly eased Yun Weishan's mind.
Another team of Yellow Jade Guards arrived outside Shangguan Qian's room. The lead Yellow Jade Guard knocked on Shangguan Qian's door but received no response for a while, growing tense.
The urgent knocking jolted Shangguan Qian awake from her unconscious state. Startled, she endured the pain, poured tea into a basin to wash, then splashed the water out the window before placing the copper basin back on the wooden stand. However, in her haste, she failed to notice a drop of blood that had splattered onto the stand when she had earlier coughed up blood.
As the Yellow Jade Guards grew suspicious, Gong Shangjue walked over silently.
"What's the matter?"
The Yellow Jade Guard replied, "Reporting, sir. By order of Elder Hua, we are searching all manors for any injured female residents. Please ask Miss Shangguan Qian to open the door."
Gong Shangjue walked to the door and knocked. "Open the door."
Gong Shangjue's voice was not loud, but Shangguan Qian heard it clearly. She shuddered, quickened her movements, changed out of her night clothes, and placed a large amount of incense in the burner. To speed up the burning, she blew on the incense burner twice. Immediately, a thick fragrance rose. Shangguan Qian then glanced around, checking for any oversights.
Shangguan Qian still showed no response. The Yellow Jade Guard exchanged glances with the other guards, looking at Gong Shangjue hesitantly.
Gong Shangjue gave the order. "Break down the door."Just as the Yellow Jade Guards were about to break down the door, it suddenly creaked open from the inside, with Shangguan Qian pushing it ajar. She was dressed in a white sleeping robe, draped with an outer garment, her eyes drowsy and her hair loosely cascading—nothing seemed out of the ordinary. "Young Master Jue, what has happened?"
Gong Shangjue scrutinized Shangguan Qian from head to toe. "Why did you take so long to open the door?"
"I felt a slight fever coming on, fearing I might have caught a chill, so I drank some calming herbal medicine and went to bed early. I only woke up when I heard the knocking in my dream."
"My apologies." With that, the leader of the Yellow Jade Guards and the other guards entered, conducting a thorough search of the room.
As soon as Gong Shangjue stepped inside, he slightly furrowed his brows. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the room was heavily scented with incense, and he couldn't help but touch the tip of his nose. Amid the thick fragrance, there was also a faint, unusual scent that was difficult to detect.
Shangguan Qian's expression shifted slightly. She lowered her head a little, observing Gong Shangjue's movements from the corner of her eye.
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