Hua Yuxi turned her head in a huff and saw Jiang Tanjing, dressed in eye-catching attire.
He wore a stone-blue round-collar robe made of lustrous satin woven with gold, embroidered with a pattern of butterflies frolicking among crabapple flowers. The golden thread patterns on the cuffs and hem shimmered under the sunlight, and his waist was cinched with a belt embedded with rubies. The gilded jade crown on his head complemented his outfit perfectly.
Paired with his red lips, white teeth, and strikingly handsome, almost bewitching face, such flamboyant dressing made him look like a peacock in full display.
Jiang Tanjing, the heir of Wuan Marquis, possessed feminine features in a male form and was exceptionally good-looking. He often dressed like a gaudy peacock.
When they were young, Hua Yuxi used to play with him. But as she grew older, she devoted all her attention to Wei Rong and rarely interacted with him. Yet, every time they met, this peacock-like man would inevitably taunt her with sarcastic remarks.
“Can’t you see? I’m going to visit Ziyang Gege. Jiang Tanjing, why are you here?”
Jiang Tanjing shook the carved wooden box in his hand, his peach-blossom eyes curving into a smile. “Well~ I’m also here to visit Ziyang Gege~”
Hua Yuxi nearly tore the embroidered handkerchief in her hand when she heard Jiang Tanjing mimicking her tone in a singsong voice.
“Who said you could call him that?! You’re not allowed to address him that way!”
Not only did Jiang Tanjing ignore her, but he also called out even more enthusiastically.
“Ziyang Gege and I usually get along quite well. Why can’t I call him that? The princess is so domineering. Could it be that the four words ‘Ziyang Gege~’ are reserved solely for you?”
With a snap, he closed the flower-and-bird folding fan in his hand, his teasing expression growing even more pronounced.
Hua Yuxi was infuriated by Jiang Tanjing’s sarcastic tone and wished she could scratch that pretty face of his to shreds!
“Anyway, you just can’t call him that! Hearing you say it makes me…” feel disgusted.
She didn’t voice the last part.
Could it be that her usual way of calling him sounded like this too?
No, no, Jiang Tanjing couldn’t possibly compare to her!
Jiang Tanjing watched as Hua Yuxi’s heavily made-up face shifted through a range of expressions, the amusement in his eyes deepening.
Meanwhile, Yun Fu, crouching on the wall, observed these two peacocks. The man was flamboyantly dressed, and the woman was bedecked in jewels. Standing together, they were almost blinding to look at.
Listening to their bickering, Yun Fu’s tail swayed back and forth.
If only she weren’t a cat right now—she could have grabbed a handful of melon seeds to snack on while watching. This was far more entertaining than any romance novel she had ever read.
Those involved are blind, but onlookers see clearly. Since childhood, Yun Fu had loved reading all kinds of romantic dramas. Her master, senior sisters, and senior brothers doted on her and would bring her many storybooks whenever they returned. In recent years, some of the plots had even taken on a more risqué tone.
Thus, watching the two bickering at the entrance, she thought they were nothing short of a quarrelsome yet destined couple.
At the moment, the male peacock was flaunting his feathers, while the female peacock remained completely oblivious. This made it all the more amusing~
Seeing that the young lady was on the verge of tears from his teasing, Jiang Tanjing immediately stopped. His ears twitched slightly as he lifted his gaze toward the high wall nearby.
When he looked over, he caught a glimpse of a warm yellow hue, like that of a cat.
Just then, the plump Steward Zhou hurried out to greet them.
Seeing the two at the entrance, he promptly bowed.
“This humble servant pays respects to the princess and the heir. I was unaware of your esteemed visit. Recently, our heir… his lady has been distraught, spending her days chanting prayers in the Buddhist hall, so she is not receiving guests. I beg the princess and the heir for your understanding—”
Hearing the steward’s words, Hua Yuxi’s eyes instantly reddened. “Brother Ziyang… is Cousin truly in such grave condition? Could I please just take a look? I promise not to disturb him!”
Beside her, a subtle gleam flashed through Jiang Tanjing’s peach-blossom eyes as he shed his usual frivolous demeanor.
“I beg the steward to relay our visit. My father sent me on behalf of Wuan Marquis Residence to inquire after Wei Heir.”
Steward Zhou, seeing this, showed a troubled expression but ultimately went to report their arrival.
The two successfully entered Wei Guogong Manor.
Upon stepping into the residence, Jiang Tanjing noticed the unusual silence permeating the manor—even the servants sweeping and sprinkling water moved with exceptional quietness.
As they approached the courtyard where Wei Rong resided, the atmosphere grew utterly soundless.
Nearing the courtyard, Jiang Tanjing keenly detected numerous shadow guards positioned around the perimeter.
He discreetly withdrew his probing gaze.
Hua Yuxi, accompanied by two maids, was stopped at the courtyard entrance by a stern-faced guard.
Jiang Tanjing’s attendant was similarly barred.
Without overthinking, Hua Yuxi took the tonic from her maid’s hands, lifted her skirts, and stepped into the courtyard.
No sooner had she entered than a heavy medicinal odor assaulted her senses, causing her to cough involuntarily.
Jiang Tanjing’s expression also tightened uncomfortably—the pungent aroma seemed to have saturated the entire courtyard.
Shen Shi, observing the newcomers, maintained a solemn demeanor as he bowed. “Greetings, Fengyang Princess and Jiang Heir. Our Heir is currently not receiving visitors. Your presence here is already a great honor.”
Upon hearing this, Hua Yuxi clenched her embroidered handkerchief tightly, her voice strained with anxiety. “Please let me see Brother Ziyang—just one glance! I swear I won’t disturb him. May I?”
Shen Shi remained expressionless. “I beg the Princess not to make this difficult for me.”
Jiang Tanjing recognized this guard as one of Wei Rong’s personal attendants—ordinarily all smiles, yet now as stern as the other impassive guards.
Whether this was genuine or feigned, Jiang Tanjing didn’t probe deeply. Without seeing Wei Rong in person, none of this could be verified.
Seeing the guard remained unmoved by either softness or force, Hua Yuxi gathered her skirts and prepared to charge forward.
Mindful of her status as a princess, Shen Shi dared not use force, instead positioning himself as a human barricade before the chamber door.
“Please do not put me in a difficult position, Princess.”
Hua Yuxi’s mind swirled with rumors of Cousin Ziyang being tortured by poison into a ghastly, unrecognizable state—perhaps even at death’s door…
She refused to believe it. How could someone as radiant as moonlight, as noble and untarnished, possibly become like that?
“Brother Ziyang~ It’s Fengyang! I’ve come to see you—”
Unable to enter, Hua Yuxi could only call out loudly.
Shen Shi raised his hand, preparing to press acupoints to stop the princess from shouting.
Jiang Tanjing, who had been silently observing, suddenly reached out and pulled Hua Yuxi’s arm, dragging her aside and blocking the acupoint technique.
Involuntary reactions never lie.
Jiang Tanjing now felt sixty percent certain: Wei Rong’s poisoning was indeed severe.
“Jiang Tanjing, why are you pulling me?”
Hua Yuxi glared tearfully at the peacock-like man who had yanked her arm.
Just as Jiang Tanjing was about to respond, a hoarse voice emerged from within the chamber.
“Shen Shi… let… let them in…”