Chapter 17: Solutions

Before the person arrived, the faint and elegant fragrance of orchids already lingered in the air, elusive yet present.

The soft chime of jade ornaments accompanied the gentle flutter of her skirt, like the wings of a butterfly as she walked.

Tong Yun stood up, her gaze icy as she looked at Lan Xin, who was approaching slowly, and spoke with measured indifference:

“Look at what the Second Elder is saying. I was merely concerned for Her Majesty the Flower King’s safety—how could I possibly be putting on airs?”

“Oh?” Lan Xin stepped into the hall, raising an eyebrow as she looked at Elder Tong Yun. “Pray tell, what has happened to our Flower King?”

As she spoke, a maid brought over a stool, and Lan Xin gracefully took a seat.

Tong Yun pointed at the five bound figures in the hall. “Elder Gu Mu caught these five attempting to assassinate Her Majesty the Flower King. I was just interrogating them!”

“Oh?”

Lan Xin frowned, glancing at the five captives before turning back to Tong Yun. “Then, Elder Tong, have you uncovered their origins? Why would they attempt to assassinate our king?”

“Alas!”

Tong Yun sighed, her usually proud face now showing frustration and unwillingness. “These people are stubborn. No matter how much I had them tortured, they refused to utter a single word!”

As Tong Yun finished speaking, Lan Xin’s beautiful eyes turned once more to the five bound figures. She closed her eyes, using her magic to probe them, and when she reopened them, her expression was one of surprise.

“These people… they are all members of our own clan—spirits of flowers and trees who have attained cultivation!”

“Ah, yes! Precisely because of that, I am even more troubled. How could our own people attempt to assassinate Her Majesty the Flower King? It’s truly heartbreaking!”

Tong Yun echoed the sentiment, though she felt a pang of guilt. When Gu Mu had brought these people to her, she had been in a foul mood and had simply wanted to vent her anger on them. She hadn’t genuinely intended to investigate why they would try to assassinate Yun Qingxue, nor had she thought to use her magic to discern their true forms.

Now that Lan Xin had revealed they were all clansmen, Tong Yun was somewhat taken aback but quickly masked her surprise.

“If they are our own people, then this should be easier to handle,” Lan Xin said calmly. Both Gu Mu and Tong Yun turned to look at her.

“Does the Second Elder have a solution?” Tong Yun asked, raising an eyebrow.

Lan Xin replied unhurriedly, “Since they are our own, they must have been hiding among us for some time. Elder Tong, why not first clean the grime from their faces? Once their true appearances are revealed, take them outside and have our clansmen identify them. I refuse to believe we won’t find any clues!”

“Well, it seems the Second Elder and I think alike.” Tong Yun smiled faintly at Lan Xin before turning to her guards. “Do as the Second Elder says—now!”

“Yes!”

The guard bowed and quickly summoned others to escort the five captives out of the hall.

Soon, the sound of splashing water could be heard outside. Moments later, the guards hurried back in.

“Elder Tong!” The guard knelt respectfully, his voice tinged with panic.

Tong Yun frowned in displeasure, her tone sharp. “Why are you so flustered?”

“Elder Tong,” the guard’s voice trembled. “It’s… it’s Fen Yao, Liang Yue, and Ye Xiang!”

Tong Yun didn’t quite understand and snapped, “What about them?”

“Three of the five captives are Fen Yao, Liang Yue, and Ye Xiang!” The guard rephrased his words, finally making himself clear.

“What did you say?” Tong Yun’s phoenix-like eyes widened as she frowned and strode out of the hall.

A gentle breeze blew, causing the flame-red flowers on the trees to sway like the clouds at sunset.

Lan Xin and Gu Mu followed Tong Yun outside the Golden Phoenix Hall. Not far away, a large puddle of water covered the ground, and in its center stood the five bound figures, their hair and clothes still dripping wet.

Tong Yun’s gaze swept over them, and sure enough, she recognized Fen Yao, Liang Yue, and Ye Xiang among them.

“What is the meaning of this?” Recognizing the three, Tong Yun’s first reaction was to whirl around and demand an explanation from Gu Mu, who had brought them in.

Gu Mu blinked, his expression one of pure innocence—even a hint of surprise—as he asked, “Elder Tong knows these assassins?”

“Assassins?!”

Tong Yun’s voice rose sharply, her anger turning into a cold laugh as she pointed at Fen Yao and the others. “Are you implying that I would send my own people to assassinate Her Majesty the Flower King?”

Gu Mu quickly shook his head, feigning confusion. “Elder Tong must be misunderstanding. I never said such a thing!”

“You didn’t say it, but you bound my own maidservants as assassins and brought them before me, tricking me into torturing them! What is your real purpose?!”

“What?!”

Gu Mu’s eyes widened in exaggerated shock, his fingers trembling slightly as he asked in disbelief, “They… they are your people, Elder Tong?”

“What else would they be?” Tong Yun took a deep breath, her smile icy.

“They truly are your people?!” Gu Mu repeated, as if still unable to believe it.

Tong Yun glared at him, her voice dripping with venom. “What, Elder Gu Mu? Are you going to accuse me of being the mastermind behind the assassination attempt on Her Majesty?”

Gu Mu hastily waved his hands, though his next words only infuriated Tong Yun further.

“I never said that, Elder Tong. Don’t jump to conclusions—”

“You—!” Tong Yun gritted her teeth, barely restraining the urge to strike him down.

“Enough!” Lan Xin interjected, cutting them off. “Stop arguing. Let’s first question the bound captives.”

“Hmph!”

At Lan Xin’s words, Tong Yun turned her face away with a cold snort.

Gu Mu adopted an expression of pitiful innocence, looking sorrowfully at the five bound figures.

“Release them!” Tong Yun barked, and the guards swiftly moved to untie Fen Yao and the others.

Once freed, the five slumped to the ground as if their strength had deserted them.

“Antidote!”

Tong Yun roared again, and immediately, guards stepped forward to administer detoxifying pills to each of them.

After a while, the pain on their faces faded, yet they remained sprawled on the ground, unmoving.

“Fen Yao.” Tong Yun’s patience wore thin as she called out sharply, but Fen Yao—who had always been obsequiously deferential to her—showed no reaction.

“What did you do to them?” Realizing something was amiss, Tong Yun turned her furious gaze back to Gu Mu.

Gu Mu maintained his innocent expression, his voice even carrying a hint of grievance. “I did nothing…”

“My lord.”

A guard who had witnessed the entire farce stepped forward cautiously, glancing between Tong Yun, Lan Xin, and the others.

“Speak,” Gu Mu said impatiently.

“My lord, you still haven’t lifted the spell you cast on Fen Yao, Liang Yue, and the others—including those two guards.”