Chapter 702: Doubt is only expected (2/2)

For now, all he could do was wait.

A few days later, Chu Xifeng arrived with Murong Wanru, but Grand Concubine Yi was still unconscious. Gu Beiyue found himself at a loss as well.

“Under these circumstances, it’s definite that she’s suffered brain injuries. However, this one cannot determine the exact causes just yet,” Gu Beiyue explained.

“Is it possible to find out? How long will it take?” Long Feiye asked.

“It’s impossible to say,” Gu Beiyue admitted.

Long Feiye paused, then remarked, “Then I’ll leave this to you. For now, Mu Linger can take charge of affairs at Pill Fiend Pharmacy. You’ll move into the ancestral hall.”

Han Yunxi looked at the unconscious mother and daughter pair in the room and was filled with emotions. When she first stepped foot into the Duke of Qin’s estate, she’d suffered much from this pair of women. But fortune was a fickle mistress. She never expected them to end up like this. They probably expected it even less.

“Everything will be as Your Highness decrees,” Gu Beiyue’s words were filled with double meaning. Leaving Gu Beiyue at the ancestral hall would also make it easier for them to communicate via Long Feiye’s shadow guards. With the warfront between the three nations still ongoing, they had to keep an eye on Chu Tianyin.

When Chu Xifeng brought back Murong Wanru, he also had another piece of news.

“Your Highness, Jun Yixie’s left for the Wintercrow Clan. He’s probably gone to buy horses, but he’s traveling with the crown prince and second imperial prince.”

“Those two princes agreed to travel together?” Long Feiye laughed coldly. “And what about the poison on his shoulder?”

“This subordinate was unable to find out any information,” Chu Xifeng was put in a difficult spot. He had suffered the loss of quite a few men already just to find out intel about Northern Li sending teams to the Wintercrow Clan.

Jun Yixie’s own subordinates might not even know about his poison, to say nothing of mere outsiders. Without a word, Long Feiye flipped the pages of the Annals of the Seven Noble Families until he came to the section on the Wind Clan. At his sides stood Chu Xifeng and Baili Yuanlong, who could both read the heading clearly.

The Wind Clan possesses intimate knowledge of astronomy, geomancy, and the Qimen Dunjia. They are experts at controlling the air and using wind to cover spaces, set traps, and move troops.

Both men exchanged glances at the words. They knew that the Wind Clan specialized in astronomy and could predict the weather ahead of time. Thus, their clan members had been in charge of overseeing the many great fields of the kingdoms. Who knew they had these other skills too?

“Qimen Dunjia, control of the wind…” Long Feiye muttered with interest. After a while, he declared, “Baili Yuanlong, prepared to dispatch your troops north at any time.”

“Yes!” Baili Yuanlong obeyed.

“Your Highness, what about taking a break before going to Celestial Mountain? It looks like there’ll be plenty of things to take care of come autumn!” Chu Xifeng coaxed.

“No, there’ll be even more problems then,” Long Feiye said icily. At Lost Void Lake, Cang Qiuzi had intentionally kept himself hidden until Duanmu Yao was injured. Without a doubt, he was planning to keep the girl completely under his control. Right now, master was suffering through one of his bouts of insanity, so he feared for the old man’s safety if he didn’t go back now. Moreover, Cang Qiuzi and Duanmu Yao had not only joined up with the City of Daughters, but that mysterious poisons expert, too. Whether it was the imperial court controlling the jianghu or vice versa, it was worth keeping his attention.

No matter what the case, controlling the jianghu’s strength was a critical point. If Cang Qiuzi seized the advantage and pit the jianghu forces against the imperial palace, then all the pieces he’d set into motion over the past few years would come to waste. They couldn’t avoid going back to Celestial Mountain.

“Then this subordinate shall make preparations!” Chu Xifeng didn’t even get to go before Long Feiye rejected the offer.

“Let Xu Donglin come with us. You stay here. I’m leaving Gu Beiyue’s safety in your hands. If there’s any accidents, your lordship will hold you responsible!”

“Your Highness!” Chu Xifeng grew anxious.

Even so, Long Feiye ignored him. “Have you given the City of Daughters their big gift?”

“I have…” Chu Xifeng replied helplessly.

“How’s the situation with Tang Li?” Long Feiye asked next.

“I heard he took Ning Jing out touring. He said something about…” Chu Xifeng trailed off before he finally recalled the words, “About a honeymoon trip. Your Highness, the young clan head is finding ways to leave the Tang Clan anyways!”

Chu Xifeng assumed that His Highness wouldn’t ask for any details of the honeymoon beyond this, but Long Feiye only queried, “For how long?”

“A month. I heard it’s supposed to be a sweet and tender month, which is why they call it the honeymoon,” Chu Xifeng explained at length while General Baili listened uncomfortably from the side.

“Your Highness, you must be careful on the road! This soldier will await your return!” So speaking, the great general respectfully excused himself.

“Your Highness, that brat Xu Donglin’s never been to Celestial Mountain before. Moreover, you’re taking a detour to the City of Daughters as well. Why don’t you…” But Long Feiye had long left the room before Chu Xifeng ever finished. The Duke of Qin walked to the corner of the covered passageway before turning his steps towards Leisurely Cloud Pavilion. It was still dark there, so Han Yunxi was probably still at Pill Fiend Pharmacy tying up loose ends before their departure tomorrow. He had told her he’d reward her when they returned, but she hadn’t asked him for any favors. Perhaps she’d forgotten. Long Feiye smiled helplessly.

He didn’t look for Han Yunxi at Pill Fiend Pharmacy, but went to the ancestral hall. Somehow, the place had become extremely serene ever since Gu Beiyue’s arrival. Even the lantern light looked warm and inviting. Gu Beiyue was sitting on a rush cushion and staring at the Buddha statue when Long Feiye arrived. His thin face looked lonely in the candlelight, his peaceful eyes filled with devotion. He still hadn’t noticed Long Feiye even when the man stopped behind him.

“You believe in Buddha?” Long Feiye asked frostily.