Chapter 462: Yi Hou’s Illegitimate Child

Chapter 462: Yi Hou’s Illegitimate Child

After returning, Yun Mu had a checkup on the fetus in her womb.

To her surprise, the fetus was remarkably healthy and full of vitality.

Upon hearing this news, Yun Mu and Yi Jue were both thrilled.

However, Yi Jue’s joy was tempered by concern for Yun Mu.

"Have you figured out the formula for the poison?" Yi Jue asked.

Yun Mu, who was looking at the prenatal report, hesitated briefly before nodding, "Yes, I have."

"Do you know how to counteract it..."

"Yi Jue," Yun Mu looked up at him, "Yi Jue, I won’t lie to you, I still have no clue about the antidote."

Yi Jue’s eyes darkened, his heart ached, but he masked it with reassurance, "It’s okay, we still have time."

"Yes, the baby and I will be just fine." Yun Mu gently hugged Yi Jue, resting in his arms for a moment before saying, "Tonight, I won’t go back to Maple Leaf Manor with you. I’m concerned the banquet incident might get out, so I need to return to the Yun family to check the situation."

After all, Yun Mu is still the head of the Yun family. If the news of her poisoning got out, it would undoubtedly cause a major stir.

Yi Jue nodded in understanding, "I’ll drive you back."

After sending Yun Mu back to the Yun family, Yi Jue drove back to Maple Leaf Manor.

As he was about to drive into the villa, Yi Jue suddenly hit the brakes, his sharp eyes locked onto the sports car in the rearview mirror.

The car door opened, and Yi Yanran stepped out into the night, standing at Yi Jue’s car door.

Yi Jue rolled down the window, his icy gaze fixed on Yi Yanran, "What is it?"

Since she hadn’t gotten the antidote, Yi Yanran was already feeling guilty. Now, under Yi Jue’s gaze, she shivered under his gaze.

"Cousin, I..."

Before she could stammer out her words, Yi Jue spoke, "I held up my end of the deal, but you didn’t deliver what I asked for. Yi Yanran, how dare you come to see me?"

His eyes were dark and icy, cutting through her, making her spine tingle.

Yi Yanran quickly said, "Cousin, it’s not like I didn’t try to get the antidote, but there simply isn’t one, as you already know. Moreover, I came today precisely because of the antidote. I’m sure my father has the antidote."

Yi Jue’s gaze focused on her.

He also didn’t believe that Yi Hou truly didn’t have the antidote, but getting that old fox to talk was next to impossible.

"Tap—" He tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel.

"Do you know where the antidote is?"

"..." Yi Yanran said, "I don’t know, but I’ve got something on my father. If you can grasp this leverage, he’d give you not just the antidote, but even his own life."

Yi Jue became somewhat interested, "Tell me more."

"He has an illegitimate child, one that’s been hidden away and unknown to the public."

A hidden illegitimate child?

Yi Jue squinted slightly.

It’s not out of the question.

For years, every Yi child, especially the boys, has been poisoned with withering grass, including Yi Yanran, who had been frail since childhood. To protect his lineage, Yi Hou might have secretly fathered a child outside, and keeping it hidden isn’t impossible.

Yi Yanran watched Yi Jue’s expression and went on, “So, if you can find this illegitimate child to threaten him, don’t you think he’ll spill the antidote?”

Yi Jue’s lashes dipped slightly, as if deep in thought. “What clues do you have about this illegitimate child?”

Yi Yanran paused and shook her head. “I’ve been digging for a while but came up empty. I only know he’s probably around fifteen or sixteen. My dad’s kept him under tight wraps! But my mom told me about it, so there’s definitely an illegitimate child!”

Yi Jue’s thin lips curled slightly. “Are you messing with me? You expect me to believe you without proof?”

Yi Yanran became anxious. “I’m not bluffing! Just look at how my dad’s been treating me lately. Marrying me off to that loser Xuanyuan Xun is bad enough, but he’s even been working on the poison behind my back! He’s never seen me as the Yi family’s heir, just as his pawn!”

Indeed.

Before this, everyone thought that as Yi Hou’s only daughter, Yi Yanran would naturally be the future successor of the Yi family.

But lately, Yi Hou’s attitude toward Yi Yanran has been hard to figure out.

It’s like he’s desperate to marry her off, even to someone beneath her, like Xuanyuan Xun, who had no ability or real power.

“Coming to me with this late-night news, are you really helping me get the antidote, or just using me to take out your threat?”

Yi Jue looked up, his sharp eyes icy and piercing, locked on her.

Yi Yanran’s heart skipped a beat.

“Yes, I want you to help me get rid of that illegitimate child. That’s my deal for working with you. But you wouldn’t mind, right? I want the Yi family, and you want the antidote. And I promise, once I’m head of the Yi family, if Yun Mu can cure the withering grass poison, I’ll bury the hatchet and end the feud between our families!”

Yi Yanran boldly spoke her mind.

Yi Jue listened, mildly amused.

Xuanyuan Xue and Yi Yanran, both seem inspired by Yun Mu, thinking they can be powerful female heads too.

But there’s only one Yun Mu in this world.

These two haven’t sacrificed nearly as much as Yun Mu for the position. Even if they got the job, they probably wouldn’t last!

Seeing Yi Jue remain silent, Yi Yanran felt uneasy.

“So? Are you willing to cooperate with me? Let’s work together to find the antidote, save Yun Mu, and help me secure the position of head of the Yi family.”

“I heard that you recently used Yun Mu’s matter to threaten Ji Ming?” Yi Jue suddenly changed the subject.

Yi Yanran stiffened. “No, I just heard some rumors and teased Ji Ming a bit. I have no ill intentions toward Yun Mu. I just wanted to get closer to Ji Ming with some small tricks.”

She didn’t expect Yi Jue to know about this and quickly denied it. She knew very well that if Yi Jue found out she had any ill intentions toward Yun Mu, this deal would definitely fall apart.

Yi Yanran had ambitions, and the best way to secure her position as head of the family was to marry someone like Ji Ming, the successor of a powerful family.

Yi Jue said coldly, “If I find out you have any ill intentions toward Yun Mu again, you won’t have the chance to stand in front of me.”

With that, Yi Jue stepped on the gas, and the car drove straight into the villa.

Fortunately, Yi Yanran moved aside in time, or she would have been hit by the car.

What does he mean? Did he agree to cooperate or not?

Yi Yanran was itching to barge in and demand a straight answer from Yi Jue, but she chickened out!

This Yi Jue, who even dared to storm into the Yi family estate and blow up the house, is truly a force to be reckoned with!

But it was precisely this that made Yi Yanran completely change her previous mindset.

She aimed to surpass Yun Mu, but with Yun Mu already considering stepping down, opposing her seemed unnecessary. It would be better to align with Yi Jue and make securing the Yi family her primary objective!