Chapter 836: Han Yunxi, this fool (2/2)

“Master, master! A letter from Medical City!” Xu Donglin suddenly appeared out of thin air.

Long Feiye still didn’t react. Xu Donglin glanced back and saw that Baili Yuanlong hadn’t caught up yet, so he quickly pulled out the edge of a purple tassel from his sleeve to give His Highness a peek. As soon as he spotted it, Long Feiye’s eyes brightened. “Just where did--”

“Your Highness, shhh...Medical City sent a letter!” Xu Donglin murmured. While blocking Baili Yuanlong from sight, he handed both the purple tassel and Shen Jueming’s letter to Long Feiye.

“Send word that your lordship is feeling unwell. Nobody is to disturb me!” Long Feiye said loudly before entering his tent. By the time Baili Yuanlong caught up, he was already gone.

“Just then, what did you--” Baili Yuanlong didn’t get to finish before Xu Donglin interrupted.

“General Baili, what’s wrong...with His Highness? He looks to be in low spirits.”

“He’s troubled by military affairs. Guard him well, don’t let any subordinates disturb him,” Baili Yuanlong instructed.

“Yes!” Xu Donglin nodded respectfully. “General Baili, it looks like Miss Mingxiang is back. She’s in a rush to see you.”

Once the general left, Xu Donglin breathed a sigh of relief. Actually, he had no idea what Shen Jueming had written, but esteemed wangfei must have instructed the man to hand over that purple tassel to His Highness. Once upon a time, His Highness had sent a big box of ornaments to esteemed wangfei, and she’d picked this tassel from that very box to wear often. If Xu Donglin could recognize the item, so would Long Feiye at a glance.

Long Feiye all but tore open the envelope as soon as he entered the tent, but hesitated upon picking up the letter. He had always used the excuse that Han Yunxi wasn’t the West Qin princess to convince Shen Jueming to seal up Medical City. But now that she’d hung up her flags, what was Shen Jueming doing? He should be standing on the same side as Han Yunxi, so why was he writing to him? And why did he send him Han Yunxi’s tassel on her behalf?

Long Feiye tossed the letter aside and prepared to leave, but he’d hardly reached the door when he backtracked to open it up. Its contents suddenly gave fresh light to his dim eyes.

Inside, Shen Jueming detailed how Han Yunxi had used the purple tassel as an article of verification to entrust Long Zun into his care. When he saw the boy and his retinue, an eunuch in the party began to feel unbearably itchy on his back. He did an examination on site and discovered that the man’s back was covered in fine black lines. Upon closer inspection, he realized that they were rows of crookedly written characters.

The message read: Long Feiye, would you still like me if I wasn’t the West Qin princess?

Shen Jueming couldn’t figure out what Han Yunxi had done, but only suspected that she’d used poison. After he treated the man’s back with medicine, all of the words disappeared. He deliberated for a day before finally writing this letter. Long Feiye ended up reading it three times before his eyes rested on the pivotal sentence once again.

Long Feiye, would you still like me if I wasn’t the West Qin princess?

“Fool!” he smiled bitterly. It was the first time he’d ever shown a grin since Han Yunxi went missing. Now he was smiling so much that tears threatened to spill from his eyes. “Han Yunxi, you fool! Fool!”

Han Yunxi, if you want to know the answer, then come and ask me in person!

Although she’d met him today, she’d gone to these lengths just to have Shen Jueming send him a letter. It was likely she was forced to stay by Ning Cheng’s side. Thinking up to here, Long Feiye couldn’t help but recalled her red-rimmed eyes. A knife seemed to stab itself into his heart.

“Baili Yuanlong! Baili Yuanlong!” Long Feiye shouted. Baili Yuanlong had just met Baili Mingxiang, but they didn’t even have a chance to speak before he hastened back.

“Arrange a time to stop all the fighting. This crown prince wants to talk to Han Yunxi, the quicker the better!” Long Feiye said coldly.

“Your Highness, today we just…” Baili Yuanlong grew perplexed. “Your Highness, just what are your plans?”

They had just disgraced Han Yunxi today. If they wanted to meet again, it was better to wait a while.

“Nothing for now, but this is urgent in order to avoid any potential changes. Jun Yixie’s horses have almost arrived,” Long Feiye used an excuse.

Baili Yuanlong could only do as he was told.

Late at night, Han Yunxi had just finished a conference with Ning Cheng and his deputy general in the barracks. She brought the box back with her and placed it on the table. Aside from Ning Cheng, no one else knew what was inside or paid it any attention. As the last to leave, Ning Cheng cast it a glance and wanted to say something, but relented and left directly when he saw the princess in low spirits.

Once everyone was gone, Han Yunxi opened the box again. She gently stroked the torn clothes before thinking over all of the difficult, exhausting, unbearable, disturbing, and waiting she’d done over the past few days. None of that could compare to her present heartbreak.

Long Feiye, isn’t this your favorite shade of purple?

Han Yunxi shut her eyes and viciously shut the lid to the box, but suddenly discovered that there was something off about its interior. She quickly opened it up for a second inspection and discovered that it had two layers.

Nine envelopes rested at the bottom.