When Yu Yang returned home, Xie Chi was still asleep.
In the Cloud Abode Courtyard, the setting sun dyed the maple trees even redder.
Doctor Xi said, “The Shizi must have taken life-preserving medicine. After just one induced vomiting, he’s much better now.”
Yu Yang wasn’t surprised.
Those of noble status inevitably have some life-saving methods at their disposal.
Like today’s golden poison—probably the most toxic substance Pei Chiye carried. While preventing wounds from healing was secondary, the poison could reach the brain, causing numbness and foolishness.
That Xie Chi managed to walk to her with that poison still surprised her.
She said, “Please stay at the Cloud Abode Courtyard for now, Doctor Xi. When the Shizi wakes up, examine his pulse again.”
Doctor Xi nodded.
“Of course.”
Yu Yang then asked Cheng Liu, “Is my uncle-in-law returning tomorrow?”
Cheng Liu replied, “He should be. However, the madam will be back soon. Additionally, Pei Chiye’s personal servant Pei Lai has been in town all day today. He listened to storytelling at the teahouse this afternoon, then headed out of town, circled around Su Ming Forest, and is now loitering near our residence.”
Yu Yang didn’t pay much attention to this.
“Probably waiting for Pei Chiye and wants us to help search for him. Have you found any other suspicious people entering the forest?”
Cheng Liu shook his head, looking somewhat troubled. “Su Ming Forest is quite large. There are plenty of woodcutters and herbalists going in and out daily, with scattered villages and hunters inside. It’s not easy to investigate everyone entering the forest.”
Yu Yang said, “Do your best to see if there are any people resembling the Celestial Child.”
After giving her instructions, she finally entered the room.
The man on the bed lay with his eyes closed, sleeping peacefully…
Yu Yang approached and lightly sniffed the wound on Xie Chi’s arm. Detecting no particular odor, she looked up.
In her vision, a yellow paper still floated above Xie Chi’s head.
[Auspicious: All matters favorable]
[Inauspicious: All matters unfavorable]
How could there be such contradictory auspicious and inauspicious signs?
Come to think of it, that revolving lantern had been spinning all day today, as if drawing mystery boxes.
But the only ‘lucky’ option on the revolving lantern was ‘all matters favorable.’
Was it because she had only seen Xie Chi’s yellow paper today, and the only ‘lucky’ option in Xie Chi’s case was ‘all matters favorable’?
If calculated this way, as long as she saw Xie Chi every day, would her revolving lantern always have the ‘all matters favorable’ option?
Yu Yang moved a stool to the bedside and sat down, staring at Xie Chi.
Xie Chi’s jet-black hair and pale skin, with gentle features that seemed compassionate, made him look like a broken immortal imprisoned there.
Yu Yang boldly admired him.
Suddenly, she remembered Xu Jiatong saying, “Don’t you think that handsome guy gives off a very comfortable vibe?”
She shuddered, quickly picked up the stool and moved to sit by the door, before finally getting up and leaving the room.
As night approached.
Pei Chiye’s servant Pei Lai, who had been loitering outside, finally knocked on the Yu Family’s door.
“My young master came to Nanpu and entered that forest, but he hasn’t come out since. I hope the Yu Family can send people to accompany me into the forest to search for him.”
Yu Yang said indifferently, “If you want to find someone, go to the county office. Why come to the Yu Family?”
Pei Lai replied, “Let’s speak plainly. The Yu Family dominates Nanpu. Those in the martial world handle martial affairs. If anything happens to my young master near the Yu Family, our family head won’t let the Yu Family off!”
He held his head high, appearing arrogant.
His young master had said that whenever encountering difficulties, find the local authority—they could always resolve matters.
Yu Yang raised an eyebrow. “Are you threatening me?”
Pei Lai instantly fell silent.
“I…”
“Beat him up.”
“Yes.”
Pei Lai widened his eyes, “How dare you! Was it your Yu Family who captured my young master? My young master is Chief Pei’s most valued younger brother, the heir of the Pei Family. How dare your Yu Family lay a hand on him… sob, sob…”
Sobbing and the sounds of a beating echoed from outside the hall.
After a while.
Yu Yang finally spoke.
“Bring him in.”
Pei Lai was dragged into the room, bruised and battered, lying on the floor whimpering.
Yu Yang toyed with the lid of her teacup, not even glancing at Pei Lai, and asked, “Can you speak properly now?”
Pei Lai: “You…”
Yu Yang said, “If not, let them teach you again.”
Pei Lai immediately cried out, “I don’t need the Yu Family’s help! I’ll go to the authorities…”
Yu Yang frowned.
“If the young master of the Pei Family goes missing near the Yu Family’s territory, and the Yu Family does nothing to help, wouldn’t that be a breach of martial honor? Are you, this lowly scoundrel, trying to ruin the friendship between the Yu and Pei families?”
She said discontentedly, “Beat him.”
Just as the guards were about to step forward.
Pei Lai hurriedly cried out, “I was wrong! This lowly one, this lowly one begs Miss Yu to help… no, no, to help the Pei Family find the young master. Please, Miss Yu, help rescue my young master. For your great kindness, this lowly one will report it truthfully to the family head.”
The hall fell silent.
Only then did Yu Yang nod.
“The disappearance of the Pei Family’s young master is a serious matter. Cheng Liu, send someone to the Chang Ting Army to find Lu Huaice, then report it to the authorities. Together, search Su Ming Forest for him.”
She stood up, “Let’s go, we’ll take a look in the forest ourselves.”
The sky had grown completely dark.
But the forest was brightly lit.
Torches moved through the woods.
Shouts could be heard from time to time.
“Young Master Pei!”
“Master Pei!”
…
Yu Yang sat by the river, guarding her fishing rod, waiting quietly, even feeling a bit drowsy.
Although she had gained half a year of life.
Perhaps her body was still weak.
She still tired easily.
Just as her eyelids began to droop, the sound of neighing horses approached.
An army had arrived.
Lu Huaice dismounted and strode swiftly toward Yu Yang.
“Miss Yu.”
His voice was somewhat soft, clearly still a bit uncomfortable.
Yu Yang, however, graciously pretended as though nothing had happened.
“General Lu.”
She stood up, wrapping her cloak tighter around herself, and said, “My uncle is away on business and hasn’t returned yet. A servant from the Pei Family came tonight, saying Pei Chiye is missing. Considering Pei Chiye’s status, I thought it best to inform you as well.”
Lu Huaice’s expression also turned serious.
He and Pei Chiye were actually somewhat related.
He asked, “Where is that servant?”
The bruised and battered Pei Lai was dragged before Lu Huaice.
Lu Huaice froze.
Yu Yang sighed and said, “This man’s mouth was filthy, offending my ears, so I taught him a lesson.”
She even looked somewhat weary, as if forced to exert herself.
Lu Huaice: “…”
Pei Chiye had always been arrogant, and even his servants looked down on others.
So he said, “It’s just as well you didn’t cut out his tongue.”
Yu Yang said gently, “I’ve always known my limits.”
Lu Huaice gave a slight smile and asked Pei Lai, “Why did Pei Chiye come to Su Ming Forest?”
Pei Lai: “Well…”
Lu Huaice grew impatient.
“Hesitating like that—do you want to be tortured?”
Pei Lai hurriedly explained, “I’m not sure either, young master. The young master received a letter and came here. Originally, he refused to bring anyone along, but I insisted on my loyalty, so he allowed me to follow. Later, when we reached the edge of the forest, he told me to wait outside and not follow him in. I waited until it was completely dark, but the young master never came out, and my eyelids kept twitching. The forest is vast and deep at night—I had no other choice but to think of borrowing some help from the Yu Family to search the forest together…”
He had intended to bully the weak, but ended up getting beaten instead.
Yu Yang sneered, “The Pei Family is so large—couldn’t they find a place to meet? They had to come to Nanpu to stir up trouble.”
Lu Huaice remarked, “It is rather strange.”
Just at that moment.
A Yu guard came running out of the forest.
“Miss! Two bodies have been discovered in the forest!”