Bai Zheng also knew that because of his physical condition, Feng Linyuan was extremely afraid of the cold. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dressed so thickly every time he went out.
Today, however, he had run for so long in this cold spring for the herb, so it was natural for his illness to flare up.
It was not until the half of his face visible to others turned deathly pale from coughing that Feng Linyuan gradually recovered.
Seeing the deep concern in Bai Zheng's clear black - and - white eyes, Feng Linyuan gave an apologetic smile. "I'm fine, Miss Bai. I've made you worried."
"Is the rumor true?" Bai Zheng ignored his apology and suddenly asked.
Feng Linyuan's gentle eyes met Bai Zheng's gaze. They stared at each other for a while before Feng Linyuan nodded. "I don't seem like someone with a long life, do I?"
The so - called rumor was naturally about how Feng Linyuan had been seriously injured in a battle six years ago and was not expected to live past twenty - five.
Bai Zheng suddenly felt as if a hand had tightened hard in her heart.
Since she had met the Marquis of Dingyuan, although he always seemed frail, his ability to handle things was far beyond that of ordinary people. So Bai Zheng had never associated him with the rumor of not living past twenty - five.
But today, she suddenly and truly realized that this handsome and extraordinary man in front of her was only one step away from death.
Bai Zheng felt an indescribable pain in her heart.
Feng Linyuan knew how the other person was feeling, and his deep eyes dimmed a bit. He didn't like the feeling of being pitied, which was why he rarely showed himself in public after he was injured.
He was not the kind of person who couldn't accept his fate, but he never needed the world's meaningless pity.
"Miss Bai, if you don't want to see me die young, why don't you marry me and help me ward off the ill - fates in my life?"
Feng Linyuan raised the corner of his mouth in a smile and changed the subject.
Bai Zheng was caught off guard by this remark and stared at him with wide eyes. "You're daydreaming!"
"Smack!"
Just as Bai Zheng was about to argue with him, there suddenly came the sound of a box hitting the ground behind them.
She had placed it too hastily just now, and the box wasn't stable. It wobbled a few times and then fell to the ground. The lid hadn't been closed properly, and the silk letters inside were blown everywhere by the cold wind seeping in through the window cracks.
Seeing this, Bai Zheng quickly ran to chase the letters that had floated far away, while Feng Linyuan also crouched down to pick up those scattered nearby.
These letters were mostly written by the former Marquis's wife to the current Marquis of Gaochang who was on the battlefield. Apparently, the Marquis of Gaochang had used a special potion to preserve them, and the handwriting was clear and intact. One could read:
"My son has been on the battlefield for ten days since leaving Yongding. I am extremely worried. This battle is extremely dangerous. My son must not be careless. In case of necessity, saving your life should be the top priority. I'm waiting for your early return at home. On the Bingchen day of the Bingyin month in the Dingmao year."
Looking at the silk letter he had just picked up, Feng Linyuan suddenly narrowed his eyes!
The Bingyin month of the Dingmao year was exactly the Battle of Yan City that had changed his life. At that time, the Prince Xuanning of the Western Liang led 400,000 troops eastward, forcing the old Marquis of Dingyuan to retreat step by step. Feng Linche immediately ordered the Marquis of Gaochang to lead 300,000 troops to Yan City for support.
But leaving ten days before the Bingchen day? This departure time was completely different from the information he had obtained!
For the first time, a fierce and resentful emotion welled up in his usually calm eyes.
He had already found out that that battle was a plot by Feng Linche to get rid of the Marquis of Dingyuan's family because he was jealous of their great achievements. Otherwise, with his father's ability, how could he have died in Yan City along with the 100,000 Changping Army that even the Western Liang and Southern Shu feared?
For many days and nights, he had resented the injustice of heaven and his enemies. But he still held on with his seriously ill body and dared not fall for a moment.
The hatred of his father's murder was unavenged, and 100,000 heroic souls had died in vain. Even if he had to live a humble life, Feng Linyuan would avenge his enemies with his own hands.
However, he had been in a coma for too long after the Battle of Yan City. By the time he woke up and started to investigate, too much evidence had been lost.
This letter was like a ray of unprecedented light for him when his path was blocked.
The Marquis of Gaochang had deliberately left Yongding half a month earlier, avoiding everyone. That meant that when they were fighting against the Prince Xuanning of the Western Liang, the Marquis of Gaochang might already have been in Yan City!
"Is there something wrong with this family letter?"
A pair of slender hands suddenly reached out, trying to take away the silk letter from his hand.
Feng Linyuan came back to his senses but didn't let go. Instead, he took the silk letter, folded it, and put it into his sleeve.
"Are you even interested in other people's family letters?" Seeing his action, Bai Zheng curled the corner of her mouth slightly, looking half - smiling.
Feng Linyuan's eyes returned to their usual gentleness. "Things of value are worth keeping."
Seeing that Feng Linyuan didn't intend to explain further, Bai Zheng didn't press for details. There were too many stories and secrets hidden in this man, and it wasn't something she could find out in a day or two.
Bai Zheng considered herself not a gossiping person. Since the other person didn't want to say, she just pretended not to have seen what had just happened. She covered the wooden box, locked it again, and put the box back under the blue brick.
Now it seemed that there was no trace of the herb in this mansion after they had searched it all over. Where on earth had the Marquis of Gaochang hidden it?
"Are there any other places in the Marquis's Mansion related to the former Marquis's wife?" Bai Zheng asked.
Feng Linyuan shook his head. Before coming here, he had already looked at the layout of the Marquis of Gaochang's Mansion. Most of the places related to the former Marquis were now occupied by the current Marquis of Gaochang.
This was the only place that had been kept in memory of the former Marquis's wife.
"Did we miss something? How about searching again?" Bai Zheng pursed her lips, and there was a hint of doubt in her clear black - and - white eyes.
For some reason, she subconsciously felt that the herb should be hidden here. Not to mention the deep mother - son relationship between the Marquis of Gaochang and the former Marquis's wife, the husband - wife relationship between the former Marquis's wife and the former Marquis was also extremely deep.
Compared with the ancestral shrine, it was more likely that the herb was hidden here.
Feng Linyuan agreed. "That's fine. You go to the rooms I've searched, and I'll search this room. Let's swap and search again."
Bai Zheng walked out of the room neatly and started searching again.
This time, she searched more carefully, almost turning the roof over.
But she still found nothing.
Bai Zheng felt her head start to ache. She couldn't figure out what was wrong. If they couldn't find the herb here and had to search every room in the huge Marquis's Mansion, it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
But the medicine Uncle Zhu had given Feng Linyuan could only last for three days. There wasn't enough time!
Bai Zheng's delicate eyebrows almost knitted into a rope. She paced slowly out of the room.
By this time, Feng Linyuan was already standing at the door, lost in thought as he stared at the clear lake water.
"Have you searched the small pavilion in the backyard?" Bai Zheng asked.
"Yes." Feng Linyuan's voice was calm.
Bai Zheng sighed. Indeed, that kind of small pavilion with wind blowing through on all sides. If the Marquis of Gaochang had used it to store the herb, it could only mean that he was too careless.
"There's nothing in the two rooms, and there's only a wooden table and two portraits in the middle hall. Where else could it be hidden?" Bai Zheng murmured to herself.
As soon as she finished speaking, Feng Linyuan suddenly stared at Bai Zheng with wide eyes.