Chapter 71: Losing a Friend (Part 2)

Chapter 71: Losing a Friend (Part 2)

Yun Mujing left from the back of Qingfeng Abode. Just as he stepped out of the door, he met Su Er, who was dismounting from his horse. Instantly, Su Er's aura turned icy cold, and the surrounding air felt like sharp blades piercing through.

Each icy blade targeted Yun Mujing, but he didn't stop. He walked toward Su Er, exuding an equally chilling presence, and let out a cold snort.

"Suyu Mo, you'd better keep your ugly sister in check. Don't let her fall into this prince's hands, or..."

He made a slicing gesture across his neck, then strode away.

Su Er's brows furrowed tightly, and his hands, hidden under his dark robes, clenched again.

Veins bulged on his forehead.

"Master..."

Su Han spoke softly.

Su Er took a breath, suppressing the raging fire within him. The sharp blades around them dissipated, and he walked into Qingfeng Abode with a stoic expression.

Su Han turned to look at Yun Mujing, who had already disappeared on his horse. A hint of confusion appeared in his eyes.

He couldn't shake off the feeling that Prince Seventh seemed off again, with a lot of anger.

As Su Er entered Qingfeng Abode, he saw Yi Su standing by the door on the second floor. He immediately used his lightness kung fu, leaping up and causing snowflakes to swirl around him.

The ground was soon covered by another layer of thin snow, hiding the trail of footsteps.

"Miss, Second Master has arrived."

Yi Su quickly whispered this reminder, sensing the cold and heavy atmosphere that followed Su Er's arrival, reminiscent of Prince Seventh's departure.

Su RAO put down her cup and turned to look at the door before getting up.

Second Brother...

Su RAO naturally thought of Yun Mujing and immediately stepped out of the room. However, before she could even see clearly, her arm was grabbed and pulled back inside.

"Guard the door."

With those cold words, the door was shut.

"Second Brother, Second Brother, be gentle."

Her wrist hurt; it felt like her bones were about to break. Su RAO cried out in pain.

Su Er stopped.

"Who is the master of Free and Easy Abode?"

This abrupt question froze the pained expression on Su RAO's face. Her peach blossom-like eyes flickered.

"Su RAO, do you know that Prince Yi of Zhu Xian, Xian Yi Chishao, is secretly investigating the Su family, investigating you?"

With just these two sentences, Su RAO understood. Su Er suspected that Han Mohchen was Prince Yi, and he was asking if she knew.

Her expression fell, and she pursed her lips. "Second Brother, I'm sorry, I..."

"Just sorry? Playing with fire, where do you place your own life?"

Su Er was filled with suppressed anger. If the master behind Free and Easy Abode was Prince Yi of Zhu Xian, his ambitions would be clear for all to see. What about Little Sister's safety...

Su RAO pressed her lips tighter together. Mist filled her bright eyes, making them slightly teary. It was a particularly uncomfortable feeling, yet also heartwarming.

Second Brother came here in such a rage because he was afraid she would be used by Xian Yi Chishao.

"Second Brother, don't be angry. It's not certain yet whether they are the same person. I've already asked Yi Ying to keep an eye on Prince Yi. As long as Han Mohchen appears, we'll know for sure. I won't involve Grandfather and you in any trouble. I will take responsibility for my actions."

She poured a cup of tea and handed it to Su Er, standing obediently.

She would never involve the Su family in any trouble.

"Su... RAO... you..."

Su Er was so infuriated by Su RAO's words that he seemed to lose his temper. Seeing her hang her head like that, he had nowhere to vent his anger and stormed out.

"Since the Emperor has given the order, you should learn well from Jiyue. When Jiyue is satisfied, you can come home then."

Su RAO suddenly looked up.

Su Er's figure had already disappeared outside the door, descending the stairs and heading straight for the Moon Room.

Yun JI was still eating when Su Er walked in. Yun Feng passed a bowl and chopsticks to Su Er.

Without saying a word, the Moon Room was silent. The warm fire dispelled the icy chill from Su Er's body. In Yun JI's Qingfeng Abode, Su Er felt at ease as if it were his own house, and he started eating.

"Yun JI, let me ask you, what is the relationship between Yun Mujing and my little sister?"

After finishing his meal and rinsing his mouth, Su Er wasted no time and got straight to the point.

When it came to Yun Mujing's character, Su Er believed no one knew him better than he did. For someone who had nothing to do with him, there was no way he would be so kind as to meddle in their affairs, especially if it involved Su Yu Mo's sister.

Yun JI also rinsed his mouth and wiped his lips with a moonlight handkerchief, facing Su Er.

The bamboo grove in the pavilion swayed gracefully in the wind, its leaves weighed down by the falling snow.

Drifting and falling.

In a moment, a faintly colored word emerged:

"Yumoke, it's better for you not to know about the relationship between them."

Su Er's brows instantly furrowed.

Yunjie rose and walked into the inner chamber, "Ajing won't harm Su Rao. If this is what you're worried about, there's no need. The person you should be wary of is Prince Yi. Since he has set his sights on Su Rao, he won't easily dismiss his suspicions..."

Su Er stood up and followed, his expression grave, "Jiyue, you clearly know why you didn't tell me earlier about Yun Mujing and my little sister..."

His steps paused as Yunjie coughed lightly, covering her mouth with a moonlit handkerchief.

"Yumoke, Ajing is a man."

This phrase seemed to carry a deeper meaning, causing Su Er to abruptly halt in his tracks as well.

His hanging hand clenched tightly.

The room suddenly fell silent.

A suffocating silence.

"Jiyue, just this once."

After a moment, leaving behind these indifferent words, Su Er turned and strode away.

"It's not the first time."

Shaking his head faintly, Yunjie smiled, followed by another bout of coughing.

Meanwhile, within the Shaoxing Hall, those phoenix eyes remained fixed on the information Mo Ying had brought back.

The light in his eyes was clear and cold, making it impossible to discern his thoughts.

"Yun...Mujing..."

The icy voice that escaped his lips carried a faint chill.

His calloused fingertips tapped the table, landing on the three characters written on the paper, as his mind flashed back to that brief encounter at Wanglu Temple.

Was that woman in red Yun Mujing?

Although he had only seen her profile that day, which disappeared under the white hood's veil in an instant, her exquisite beauty was vividly imprinted in his memory, harboring a hidden sharpness. One glance revealed that she was a woman of many schemes.

While Yun Mujing appeared idle on the surface, how could someone who had earned the favor of Prince Jiyue be as simple as he seemed? Moreover, with his delicate, feminine appearance, he did bear some resemblance to the woman in red who had appeared at Wanglu Temple. If it was indeed him, why did he disguise himself as a woman at Wanglu Temple that day?

There must be something fishy about this.

"Your Highness, the investigation you asked me to conduct has also yielded some leads. I found out that the appearance of those princes at Wanglu Temple was all due to a girl from the Su family.

Last night, Prince Yunlang, the seventh prince, disguised himself as a woman and appeared outside the Langjing city military camp to cause trouble for Su Er. This happened because Emperor Yu had sent Su Rao to Yunwang Palace, and Su Rao, being lustful, became entangled with Prince Yunlang."

Seeing Prince Yi deep in thought, Mo Ying informed him of what he had discovered over the past few days.

"I also uncovered something strange. In their childhood, Prince Yunlang and the ugly girl from the Su family seemed to have a deep relationship, meeting secretly multiple times. However, after the disfigurement of the ugly girl from the Su family, there was no further contact between the two."

Yun Mujing...

Su Rao...

Prince Yi raised his gaze, his cold eyes focusing sharply. His sword-like eyebrows suddenly twitched, and then he picked up a piece of xuan paper from the side.

He picked up a brush and began writing.

Mo Ying ground ink beside him.

Names like Su Rao, Yunjie, Su Yumoke, the woman in red who appeared at Wanglu Temple—Yun Mujing, and the crown prince, one by one, leaped onto the paper. The brushstrokes were sharp and bold, exuding a cold intensity, the ink spreading.

After a pause, he crossed out the name 'Su Rao' that he had started to write and placed it in the middle.

Then, the names on the paper were connected one by one, revealing that the relationships between these people were all related to Su Rao, who was the most doted upon daughter of the Su family.

The words 'military power' floated onto the paper, the final stroke of the character 'power' heavily inked.

Immediately, they were linked to the name 'Su Rao'.

Those phoenix eyes finally rested on the two characters 'Su Rao', and a sudden glint appeared in his eyes. The light within them, which had been still, now seemed to shimmer like ripples on water.

"So that's how it is."

With this utterance, a smile appeared on Prince Yi's lips.

A cold smile, carrying an understanding.

Emperor Yunlang Yu, with his imperial strategies, used Su Rao as a vast net to gather all the princes within. His actions...

Suddenly, his gaze fell on Yunjie again. With Yunlang's celestial radiance, how much had he been involved, or perhaps it was he who had woven that vast net.

"Your Highness has guessed it."

From Prince Yi's reaction, Mo Ying knew that he must have deduced something.

"It seems that Yunlang is bound for a grand drama."

The Su family's military power...

Setting down the writing brush in his hand, Prince Yi rose and strode to the window lattice, pushing it open.

He clasped his hands behind his back.

A flurry of large snowflakes rushed in instantly, accompanied by a biting wind that sent chills through him, cooling his face as it swept past.

His gaze fell straight toward the direction of the Yun王府 (Cloud Duke's Mansion).

Prince Jingyue, the light of the heavens, with an otherworldly grace, had he truly descended into this world of human desires?

Such an all-encompassing web could not be woven by Emperor Yu alone.

Do you also wish to vie for the tumultuous power of this mundane world?

"How is the situation at Lian Ge (Jewel Pavilion)?"

After a moment, he asked another question.

"Your Highness, our people have been keeping watch, but those from Lian Ge are very vigilant. Our men dare not get too close."

Mo Ying followed over, shaking his head. When he mentioned Lian Ge, his expression darkened again.

Silence filled the hall, no further words were spoken, only a sudden oppressive chill pervaded the air.