For several consecutive days, Ji Yunxi was always in a daze.
Feng Xingzhi and Li Jiuge were worried, so they came to the Prime Minister's Mansion every day to accompany her.
It was also their frequent presence that kept the Ji Mansion relatively peaceful.
When Ji Qilin was alive, he served as the prime minister. He was the most renowned Confucian scholar and decision - maker in Nanyan. Even the emperor showed him deference.
Moreover, Ji Qilin was a loyal official. No matter how the political situation in the court changed, he was only loyal to the emperor, so he was highly regarded.
However, this also attracted the attention of many people with different political views.
Since Ji Qilin's passing, some people in the court have been restless, secretly hoping that the Ji Mansion would decline.
But Feng Xingzhi came to the mansion every day, more actively than when he went to court. Coupled with Li Jiuge, the princess of Nanyan, who was a fearless person, for a while these people were at a loss and couldn't find a chance to strike.
Ji Yunxi was now only immersed in grief and knew nothing about these things.
However, with the two of them accompanying her every day, Ji Yunxi didn't become overly thin.
Feng Xingzhi and Li Jiuge seemed to have made an appointment. They brought food boxes every day, and every dish was Ji Yunxi's favorite.
One day, Ji Yunxi happened to meet Shutao, Li Jiuge's personal maid.
She saw Shutao carrying a food box in each hand, walking in a hurry towards her eldest brother's courtyard.
"Shutao!" Ji Yunxi called out to her and glanced at the things in her hands.
Shutao had nothing to hide. She bowed and said, "Miss Ji, our princess asked me to send some food to Lord Ji and the second young master."
Ji Yunxi nodded slightly. She didn't think there was anything wrong. Anyway, things had been in a mess recently. Her eldest and second brothers had to be busy dealing with matters, so they might not have time to eat. It was actually convenient that someone sent food.
"Then go quickly."
Ji Yunxi didn't ask any more questions and let Shutao go. Then she turned around and went back to her room.
Vaguely, she felt that something was wrong, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
It was as if her mind was covered by something. She couldn't think clearly or see things clearly.
Two more days passed, and Ji Yuchen finally stepped into his sister's courtyard.
Ji Yunxi opened the door, and Ji Yuchen's haggard face appeared in front of her. Ji Yuchen had always been a very clean - looking person, but now his chin was full of stubble, there were dark circles under his eyes, and even his hair bun seemed messy.
"Eldest brother..."
Seeing her eldest brother in this state, Ji Yunxi felt extremely heart - broken. "Eldest brother, you've worked hard. But you also need to take care of your health."
As Ji Yunxi spoke, her voice choked with sobs.
Ji Yuchen hadn't married yet. Besides that rascal Ji Yunyi, this younger sister was the only one who was truly considerate to him.
His heart was warmed by her words. Ji Yuchen reached out and stroked his sister's head. Weren't she also haggard?
"Let's go inside and talk."
Ji Yunxi keenly sensed that her eldest brother had something to say. After closing the door, she asked Qingxuan in her spiritual sea to set up a barrier around the room to prevent anyone from eavesdropping.
"Yunxi." Ji Yuchen's tone suddenly became serious. "Father didn't die of illness. He was, killed by someone!"
Ji Yunxi was extremely shocked. Her hand tightened suddenly, crushing the cup on the table.
"Eldest brother! What on earth is going on?!"
Ji Yunxi was impatient and couldn't help raising her voice.
Ji Yuchen grabbed her and immediately hissed, "Yunxi, don't be impatient."
"I've suspected Father's death for a long time. But at that time, you and Yunyi hadn't returned yet. Father's status was special. I couldn't directly report it to the Supreme Court for investigation. I had to wait for you two to come back and then discuss it. Later, the prince found me and brought a coroner named Shi. After discussing with Yunyi, we conducted an autopsy."
Ji Yunxi understood her eldest brother's difficulties. As the prime minister, if Ji Qilin was found to be killed, the capital city might be in turmoil.
Seeing that Ji Yunxi had calmed down, Ji Yuchen continued, "Coroner Shi said that all of Father's internal organs were damaged, almost all... ulcerated."
As Ji Yuchen said this, he gritted his teeth in anger. If it weren't for the autopsy, they might never have known that Father had died so miserably.
Ji Yunxi said, "Why would Father's organs... all ulcerate? If so, there should have been signs earlier. The pain from damaged internal organs must have been excruciating..."
Ji Yunxi couldn't bear it, and her eyes were slightly red.
Ji Yuchen was silent for a moment. "You're right. But Father never said he was uncomfortable. Even the acute illness came suddenly. He passed away within two days, and even you and Yunyi didn't get to see him."
"Coroner Shi said that this is a very hard - to - detect poison. There are no obvious symptoms on a daily basis, but as time goes by, there is no cure. According to him, Father had been poisoned for a long time."
Poison!
Ji Yunxi's mind buzzed. She herself had also been poisoned. Could it be the same kind?
She had never noticed it before. If it weren't for Feng Xingzhi's discovery, she would have surely died!
Ji Yunxi finally woke up from the entanglement of grief.
If Ji Qilin had been poisoned for a long time but the poison suddenly flared up in this life, it might be because her decision not to choose Su Ningyuan had an impact on the person behind it. So the poisoner suddenly increased the dosage and killed Ji Qilin earlier.
"Yunxi? Yunxi?"
Ji Yuchen saw his sister suddenly fall silent and was a little worried. "Yunxi, big brother is telling you these things not to make you worry. Don't worry. Big brother and second brother will handle this matter."
Ji Yunxi looked up, and the grief in her eyes welled up.
"Big brother, Yunxi has no mother, but she has had the love of Father and you two brothers. Now that Father is gone, Yunxi is so scared."
In the past few days, Ji Yunxi had not only been immersed in the grief of Ji Qilin's death but also in the despair of being unable to control the future.
In the previous life, she was killed by Ji Yuyan. She thought she had escaped this in this life, but she had inadvertently caused her father's death. This despair was something Ji Yunxi couldn't tell anyone.
Ji Yuchen moved closer to Ji Yunxi and pulled his sister into his arms. Since she had come of age, they hadn't been this close.
"Xixi, don't be afraid."
"The day Father passed away, big brother was also very scared. Father had always protected us under his wings, so the three of us siblings never thought life was difficult. But now that Father is gone, big brother will protect you and Yunyi. You just need to be at ease."
In Ji Yunxi's heart, Ji Yuchen had always been the best big brother. He had a gentle personality and was very steady in doing things.
As the saying goes, the eldest brother is like a father. Besides Ji Qilin, Ji Yunxi, who had no mother, relied most on Ji Yuchen.
After this disaster, Ji Yunxi noticed that her brother didn't smile as much as before. He used to treat her gently, but now there was a hint of seriousness.
She had been hiding in the courtyard, depressed and immersed in grief without a care.
She had put all the sadness on her two brothers.
At this moment, there might be many people coming to provoke them, but she, the one with the highest spiritual cultivation in the family, only knew how to hide in the courtyard.
Ji Yunxi felt extremely ashamed.
Even if Ji Qilin's death was related to her, even if it was really because of her choice that she had caused Ji Qilin's death, Ji Yunxi thought that she should find out the person behind it first!
It was not too late to blame herself later.