Father’s words left Leng Mingye momentarily stunned. When he realized who he was referring to, his expression turned incredulous as he asked, “Gone?”
“Yes. As soon as I returned from the palace, I sent someone to check on him, only to find his room empty. There was a letter left on the table by the bed. Take a look…” Seeing his son’s reaction, Prince Ji had no choice but to hand over the letter in his hand.
“Just like that? Gone? Do we know how long he’s been gone?”
Recalling how Liu Yufeng had privately assured him the night before that he would do his utmost to investigate the source of his poisoning and find a cure, Leng Mingye was now deeply puzzled by his sudden disappearance. After a pause, he asked his father again.
“According to the maids, he was still here before we left for the palace this morning, Ye’er…”
Prince Ji sighed helplessly, his eyes filled with resignation as he observed his son’s equally bewildered expression.
“I need to step out for a moment…” Leng Mingye muttered, thinking back to their conversation in front of the emperor. With a quiet sigh, he frowned, sitting there as he pondered the strangeness of it all. Suddenly, he recalled Liu Yufeng’s words from their encounter days ago. A flash of realization crossed his face, and he stood up abruptly, heading for the door.
“Ye’er, this child… We made bold promises in front of His Majesty, and now…”
Prince Ji watched helplessly as his son strode away, unsure of his intentions. Remembering the contents of Liu Yufeng’s farewell letter and the grand claims he had made before the emperor, Prince Ji shook his head in distress, sighing deeply.
Unbeknownst to him, Leng Mingye rushed straight to Song Ziqian’s residence after leaving Prince Ji’s mansion.
“Young Master Song has gone out with a friend, Lord Heir. If you have any business, you’ll have to wait until he returns…” The servant of the Song household, though surprised by the sudden visit from the heir—given their usual lack of interaction—answered respectfully.
“I see. May I ask if his friend is a certain Master Liu?”
Recalling Song Ziqian’s fondness for the martial world and how Liu Yufeng had mentioned meeting a friend—the son of a general—during their encounter days ago, Leng Mingye, though uncertain, pressed the servant for details.
“I’m afraid I don’t know about any ‘Master Liu,’ but the young man with our master was about his age, with the demeanor of a frail scholar…” The servant hesitated before sharing what little he knew.
“Very well. Thank you for the information.” Leng Mingye nodded courteously before turning away, lost in thought. “Where would Song Ziqian take him? Could it be Prince Ning’s residence? No, Prince Ning is with that girl…”
As he wandered, he unknowingly found himself on the street behind the Mu residence.
“Oh, Lord Heir, what brings you here?” A eunuch from the palace, accompanied by two younger attendants, suddenly appeared before him. Recognizing him as Eunuch Sun from the empress’s retinue, Leng Mingye responded coolly.
“Where I go is none of your concern, Eunuch Sun. Attend to your duties. I have matters to attend to.”
With that, he turned to leave. However, noticing Eunuch Sun and his companions heading toward the back gate of the Mu residence, his curiosity was piqued.
“Eunuch Sun serves the empress. Given the Sun-Mu marriage arrangement, the empress is a key figure. Why would her envoy use the back gate instead of the front? Something is amiss…”
Though he usually paid no mind to such matters, the peculiarity of the situation made Leng Mingye pause. Concealing himself in a nearby corner, he watched as the group knocked on the back gate and were admitted inside.
His curiosity deepened. As the gate closed behind them, he frowned slightly before swiftly scaling the nearby rooftops to follow discreetly.
Meanwhile, inside the Mu residence, Wanqing was engaged in lively conversation with a group that included Liu Yufeng and Song Ziqian.
Liu Yufeng had examined Leng Mingye’s poisoning but found himself at a loss despite his extensive training under his master. Learning that the antidote Leng Mingye was taking had been prepared by the Second Miss Mu, he felt both competitive and eager to seek her guidance.
Unable to swallow his pride, he turned to his only friend in the capital, Song Ziqian, who reluctantly agreed to introduce him.
To his surprise, Song Ziqian was on good terms with Wanqing. After several rounds of testing—where Wanqing effortlessly countered every poison he concocted using nothing but the flowers and leaves in the courtyard—Liu Yufeng was deeply impressed.
Her mastery of poison and medicine far surpassed his own, possibly even rivaling his master’s. Humbled by her skill and charmed by her wit and sincerity, he gladly accepted her as his junior sister under their shared master.
With Song Ziqian and Prince Ning present, the group chatted merrily despite Wanqing’s injuries.
Just then, Chun Tao approached and announced, “Miss, Eunuch Sun from the palace requests an audience. He says it’s urgent.”
“Eunuch Sun?” Wanqing frowned, glancing at Prince Ning and Song Ziqian for clarification.
Having never entered the palace or met the emperor or empress since her transmigration, she was unfamiliar with the name.
“Is it Eunuch Sun from the empress’s side?” Prince Ning asked Chun Tao, equally puzzled.
“He didn’t specify, Miss. Shall I admit him?” Chun Tao, a servant purchased to fill the household ranks, knew even less than Wanqing.
“Let him in. I’d like to see what the empress is up to…”
Though reluctant to entertain anyone from the Sun family, Wanqing steeled herself and instructed Chun Tao before resuming her conversation with her newfound senior brother, Song Ziqian, and Prince Ning.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage