Chapter 28: Something’s Wrong

Chapter 28: Something's Wrong

"That's utter nonsense! Destroying my good name! Where is he? Bring him here."

Feng Yin said honestly, "Young master, before you woke up, someone from the palace came and called him away."

"Called away? Is something going on?"

"That, I wouldn't know, sir."

Being summoned to the palace alone—could it be that he got caught for taking me out yesterday and is going to get chewed out?

Seeing how worried he looked, Feng Yin comforted him, "Don't worry too much, young master. I heard General Lu's already back in the capital; maybe the emperor wants to talk about something."

Li Zhiming didn't know General Lu all that well, but since he'd met him once and the guy had such a high rank, he asked a few more questions.

General Lu's name was Lu Zhao, son of the old General Lu. He followed in his father's footsteps and had real skill.

From what Feng Yin said, Lu Zhao went to war with his father at a young age and racked up military achievements, making him the dynasty's youngest young general.

Later, in the war against the Nanxun Kingdom, he did great deeds and was made a general.

"Didn't he head out with the Crown Prince and Second Brother last time? So have the Crown Prince and Second Brother come back?"

Feng Yin shook his head: "I heard only General Lu came back."

"Alright."

He was just asking, that's all.

Still, that Second Brother seemed like a decent guy. If he came back, the house would probably be a lot livelier, and he wouldn't have to hide from the Prime Minister anymore.

With everyone out, he was bored out of his mind, so he lay on the lounge chair in the courtyard, rocking back and forth lazily, feeling the cool breeze on his face.

He wondered if winter here would be like up north or down south.

As he rocked back and forth, the trees in front of him started to blur.

His head was getting foggier and foggier.

Honestly, this kind of life wasn't half bad. Sure, there were no phones or computers, but he had a bunch of servants waiting on him, and he could eat whatever he wanted without spending a dime.

"Brother, brother..."

A playful, sweet voice drifted over from a distance, and he could faintly hear hurried footsteps too.

Sure enough, a girl came hopping and skipping over, making a beeline for Li Zhiming.

Feng Yin stepped to the side and lowered his head: "Third Young Miss."

Li Ruoyao didn't even look at him, running up to Li Zhiming and grabbing his arm, shaking it: "Brother, guess what I found out?"

She was about sixteen or seventeen, with a pretty face and that spoiled, girlish air about her.

The Li family's Third Miss, Li Zhiming's own full-blooded younger sister.

Over the past few months, he'd seen this sister a lot and had already figured out how everyone in the household related to each other, and they'd gotten used to each other, so her being all clingy didn't surprise him.

"What's wrong?"

He looked at her with fond indulgence, doing his best to be a sweet, caring big brother.

He'd never had family before—he'd been scraping by on all kinds of film sets and had never known what it felt like to have family warmth. Now he had younger siblings, and it felt like a blessing dropped from the sky.

Li Ruoyao pouted, looking a little unhappy: "Brother, come on, guess!"

Li Zhiming couldn't help laughing: "Alright, I'll guess. Did some young lady invite you out and you came across something fun?"

"No."

"Then is it that you want something to eat? Or something you want? I'll go buy it for you."

"No."

"Then did Father compliment you?" Li Zhiming raised an eyebrow.

Unexpectedly, she still shook her head: "No, no, brother, stop guessing about me. Think—who else is there besides us?"

She gave a deliberate wink, as if hinting at him.

Li Zhiming was a little lost, scratching his head. Feng Yin, standing nearby, couldn't help but chime in: "There's Second Young Master."

"Pfft."

Li Ruoyao glared at him: "Who told you to speak out of turn? Leave."

Feng Yin nodded weakly: "Yes." And quickly retreated.

Li Zhiming smiled: "Right, it seems Feng Yin guessed it. What about him? I heard from Feng Yin that he and the Crown Prince haven't returned to the capital. You know about that too?"

"Of course."

"Then, what's Ruoyao's news? Can you tell your brother now?"

Li Ruoyao hummed: "Fine. I went to the princess's place at the palace today and heard that General Lu returned to deliver a message personally. The crisis over there has been resolved, but a new problem has arisen."

"What problem?"

He wasn't really interested, but since his sister was enjoying telling him, he was happy to play along.

Li Ruoyao smiled slyly, looking a bit gleeful: "I'll tell you quietly—I heard that guy isn't not coming back; he's gone missing."

"Missing?"

Li Zhiming sat up straight immediately, his mind sharpening: "Tell me more. What do you mean? How did he go missing?"

Li Ruoyao pulled a dissatisfied face: "Brother, why do you look so worried about him? It's good that he's missing. That hypocrite—better if he never comes back."

She strongly disliked Li Zhixing and never hid it.

According to her, she thought Li Zhixing was a wild child, a bad man who had taken their father away, and since he wasn't from the same mother as them, he wasn't family.

It was normal for a young girl to think that way.

Li Zhiming didn't argue with her, just coaxed her a few times until she stopped being upset, then continued asking what had really happened.

The young girl had a strong urge to share, chattering on endlessly about everything she knew.

General Lu reported that after finishing the task, the Crown Prince and Second Young Master Li had lingered in the area for a while, and for unknown reasons, the two had successively gone missing.

Appeasing the public's anger was no small matter, and it had naturally made more than a few enemies along the way.

At a moment like this, in a place like this, the disappearance of two big shots was a huge deal. General Lu ordered a search while galloping back to the capital at top speed to deliver the news.

"Brother? Hey, brother?"

Li Ruoyao shook him.

Li Zhiming snapped out of it, looking at her with slight confusion. "What is it?"

"Brother, what's got you spacing out?" Li Ruoyao pretended to be mad and yanked her hand away, with her lips stuck out in a pout. "Are you saying I'm too noisy?"

"No way, how could you think that?"

"Hmph, you are. You've barely come to hang out with me these past few months, you don't even remember the fun stuff we used to do, and the servants say that ever since you imprisoned the Prince of Nanxun, you're always hanging out with him, keeping him hidden like some precious gem."

"..."

Li Zhiming's lips twitched.

He had indeed intentionally kept Sang Yu out of sight of the household, mostly confining him to the small courtyard and rarely letting him go out.

First, there was his health; second, he feared those in the shadows might launch another sneak attack.

Most importantly, he dreaded the Prime Minister, his father. Last time, he had been caught and given a stern scolding. Though not his biological father, the fear from the bottom of his heart remained.

The Prime Minister had made it clear that the Emperor was using his hands to keep watch over Sang Yu—outwardly treated with kindness, but in truth, imprisoned.

That was why the Prime Minister had tacitly allowed Sang Yu to stay in the residence.

Even if it meant bearing the disgraceful reputation.

And when Li Ruoyao often came to find him, it was always in his own courtyard, avoiding Sang Yu. On the rare occasion she caught a glimpse, she had never truly met him.

Hearing her snarky remarks now, Li Zhiming only just remembered and couldn't help but feel a hint of amusement.