Сhеng Lеi wаtched his friеnd frоwn оnе mоment and smile thе nеxt, and сouldn't helр but sigh inwаrdlу. Тhе wоrd "love" trulу was something best avoidеd. In thе pаst, he hаd оnlу thоught Fu Yunxi's iсу dеmеаnor wаs terrifying, but now, with his unрrеdictаble moods, hе seemеd even mоrе unsеttling.
"Ноw did thе invеstigation in Shu gо?" Lаst time, Fu Yunхi hаd оrderеd his men tо invеstigate mаttеrs relаted to the Тang Sect in Ваshu, whiсh had surрrised Cheng Lеi grеаtly. Fu Yunхi hаd nеvеr shоwn muсh interеst in mаtters оf the mаrtial world. Lаter, uроn lеarning it wаs Наn Yаn's request, he grеw suspicious. After аll, for a yоung lady frоm a dееp bоudoir to investigate a martial arts sect was somewhat peculiar no matter how one looked at it.
Fu Yunxi's expression shifted slightly as he recalled the results his men had brought back. The embroidered handkerchief was a unique product of the Tang Sect, but the character "Qiao" on it did not correspond to anyone within the sect. After further inquiries, they finally learned that the current sect leader's youngest daughter was named Tang Qiao, and everyone called her Xiao Qiao. However, Xiao Qiao had fallen seriously ill twenty years ago and had long since passed away. Fu Yunxi's spies had visited Xiao Qiao's tomb, only to find it empty.
Why the Tang Sect would create such an empty tomb was unknown to Fu Yunxi, but his spies reported that the Tang Sect was deeply wary of and harbored hatred toward those in the imperial court. Skilled in the use of poison, the spies dared not delve deeper for fear of being discovered.
"It's related to the imperial court," he said gravely.
Cheng Lei was taken aback. "Martial arts sects and the imperial court have always kept to their own affairs. How could they be connected? Since it was sister-in-law who asked you to investigate, does that mean she is also connected to the court?" At this thought, Cheng Lei's expression suddenly changed. "Now that you mention it, it is indeed strange. Sister-in-law is the daughter of a fifth-rank official, so she shouldn't have any connection to the palace. Yet ever since she appeared at the palace banquet, Wei Rufeng, the Seventh Prince, and even the Empress Dowager have been paying attention to her actions. Logically, that shouldn't be the case."
At that time, Han Yan was not yet the Xuan Qing Prince Consort, and her status was merely that of an ordinary official's daughter. Yet Wei Rufeng had personally sought to marry her as the Wei heir's consort, and the Empress Dowager had even considered arranging a marriage. Could there be some hidden connection in all of this?
Fu Yunxi gazed at the teacup before him, watching the green tea leaves float and sink in the water. The imperial court was already a murky pool, and their insistence on dragging Han Yan into it was surely not without ulterior motives. Cheng Lei suddenly spoke up, "By the way, Yunxi, there's one more thing."
Fu Yunxi looked up at him, and Cheng Lei continued, his voice filled with confusion, "I sent several people to keep watch on the Zhuang residence day and night, and I discovered that others are also monitoring it."
This was indeed strange. If they were only watching Han Yan, it might make sense, but why monitor the Zhuang residence day and night? Could there be some hidden secret within the Zhuang residence?
Fu Yunxi said coldly, "They can't sit still anymore." He had long suspected that there might be something important in the Zhuang residence, though he had never confirmed it. Now, with Han Yan repeatedly facing assassination attempts and that favored concubine of Grand Tutor Zhang staying at the Zhuang residence for so many days, it was likely they were also after that thing. As long as Han Yan remained in the Zhuang residence and had not yet crossed the threshold of the Xuan Qing Prince's Mansion, her fate would remain tied to the Zhuang residence for another day.He could not allow Han Yan to face any danger. As time slowly passed, those people were growing restless and would likely strike soon. Before he set off on his campaign, he must ensure Han Yan remained in an absolutely secure environment. Although Han Yan had her own ways of handling things, now that she had become his princess consort, Fu Yunxi would not tolerate the slightest mishap befalling his own.
Cheng Lei clearly understood what was on Fu Yunxi’s mind and couldn’t help but smile. This ice-cold man, once he developed feelings, became exceptionally protective of his own. Cheng Lei was genuinely happy that Fu Yunxi had found someone he loved, but the princess consort he had chosen was clearly no ordinary person. Setting aside the tangled web of various factions, just the fact that she could utter such shocking words as “one lifetime, one partner” was enough to make one look at her with newfound respect.
“The Empress Dowager likely won’t give up easily. Sister-in-law ruined the Seventh Prince’s plans, so he must hate her to the bone now,” Cheng Lei kindly reminded.
“He has left the palace to pray for blessings,” Fu Yunxi replied, pressing his fingers to his temples. His handsome face was stern. “I have already dispatched hidden guards to protect her. Anyone who dares harm a single hair on her head—even if they flee to every corner of the Great Dynasty—I will tear them to pieces.”
The Zhuang residence had been unusually quiet lately. Han Yan had not stepped out, and Zhuang Hanming had visited several times, only to be dismissed each time with claims of exhaustion. The Qingqiu Garden was extremely desolate. It was said that Concubine Zhou and Concubine Mei had grown quite close recently, while Madam Da Zhou had gradually distanced herself from Zhuang Shiyang.
“I really don’t know what they’re plotting. My heart is in turmoil,” Ji Lan couldn’t help but complain. Indeed, this lukewarm dragging on felt more like the brewing of some grand conspiracy. Han Yan waved her hand dismissively. “It’s fine. Let them do as they please.” After hearing her words last time, Zhuang Shiyang’s distancing from Madam Da Zhou was only to be expected. Men, after all, sought novelty. No matter how much Zhuang Shiyang liked Madam Da Zhou, when it came to his own future, he could still clearly distinguish between what was urgent and what was not.
Ji Lan suddenly added, “By the way, miss, the task you assigned me earlier has been completed.”
“So quickly?” This was beyond Han Yan’s expectations.
Ji Lan nodded. “Jiao Meng’s brother has gambled away all the family’s silver. Now the debt collectors are demanding their house as collateral.”
Han Yan nodded. “In that case, it’s time for me to meet her.”
In the largest gambling den in the capital, a gaunt young man was beaten and thrown out. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, clearly indicating serious injuries, but he still shouted defiantly into the den, “You’re bullying us too much!”
“Get lost!” A pot-bellied man leading the group stomped on his spine. “Kid, hurry home and pack your things. Your house is already mortgaged to me, hahaha! I’ll give you three days. If you can’t come up with the silver, I’ll come to claim your ancestral home!”
Chen Er angrily retorted, “I’ll win it back!”
The man threw his head back and laughed as if he had heard the funniest joke. “Win it back? With what? You don’t even have silver and still want to gamble, hahaha! I heard you have a sister… How about her?”
Chen Er roared in fury, “Don’t you dare lay a finger on my sister!”"Enough nonsense." The man frowned. "Throw him out for me!"
The servants on the side swarmed forward, driving Chen Er out. Stumbling, Chen Er returned to the old house, only to find it in complete disarray—as if it had just been ransacked by bandits, with chaos everywhere. Chen Er's heart sank. He stepped into the inner room and heard the faint sobbing of a woman and the cries of an old man. Upon entering, he saw his sister Jiao Meng weeping with her head bowed over the knees of their eighty-year-old father. When Jiao Meng saw Chen Er, her crying stopped, and she immediately snapped angrily, "Why have you come back? Why didn't you just die in the gambling den?"
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