Ji Yunxi shook her head, unsure whether Ye Minghua was pitiful or detestable.
She knew only too well the nature and character of the Northern Di Queen. After all, the current Northern Di Queen, Hua Qi'an, was her younger sister when she was still Hua Yunxi.
Hua Qi'an was gentle and benevolent by nature. She would never harm the people of the two countries for her own interests, let alone initiate a war.
So the only possibility was that Ye Minghua had been deceived.
Based on Ye Minghua's own confession so far, it was very likely that the Moon - Gazing Pavilion wanted to use him for something. And it just so happened that he was a simple - minded brute.
While they were talking, a jailer came to report, "General, Ye Minghua's daughter attacked someone and has been detained!"
Ji Yunxi raised her eyebrows. Even in such a predicament, this Miss Ye still dared to attack someone. She was really bold.
Curious, seeing that Ye Minghua himself was still in a daze, she decided to go and take a look.
Not far from Ye Minghua's cell were his family members.
True to his word of an eye for an eye, Su Ningyuan hadn't done anything to them.
However, Ye Minghua's daughter had been making a ruckus since she entered the cell, disturbing everyone.
Su Ningyuan had a straight face. Opposite him knelt a girl in a pink outer robe. Although she wasn't extremely beautiful, she was still a splash of color in the gloomy cell.
"Miss Ye, your Ye family staged a rebellion. Now that you're in jail, you still dare to attack someone. You're really audacious!"
Miss Ye raised her head and stared at him malevolently. "Just you wait. As soon as the Queen's troops arrive, I'll have you torn to pieces!"
Ji Yunxi was surprised. She didn't expect this girl to still be living in a dream.
She stepped out of the shadows. Looking at the unrepentant and still shouting woman, she waved her hand to signal the jailer to cover her mouth.
"Such vulgar words are offensive to the ear." Ji Yunxi stood beside Su Ningyuan. "General Su has great patience."
When Miss Ye saw Ji Yunxi, her eyes widened instantly. Somehow, she summoned the strength to push away the jailer who was trying to cover her mouth and lunged at Ji Yunxi.
Ji Yunxi raised her hand and knocked her down. Before she could say anything, she heard the girl scold loudly, "Ji Yunxi! You bitch! If it weren't for you, why would Prince Feng reject me! If I had become the princess consort, none of this would have happened. You should atone for all the dead!"
A few days ago, hearing such words might have given Ji Yunxi nightmares for days. But now, she only found it laughable.
"Miss Ye, even if he didn't marry me, Feng Xingzhi wouldn't have married you. You're jealous and cruel, and you treat human lives like nothing. What right do you have to be the princess consort of Southern Yan? Cover her mouth. Since she likes to use violence, tie her up properly so she doesn't hurt others."
After saying that, Ji Yunxi returned to Ye Minghua's cell without looking at Miss Ye again.
As they walked, Su Ningyuan said, "The Ye family is really hard to understand. But Yunxi, we still haven't found the weapons in Huacheng. Ye Minghua refused to say anything before."
Ji Yunxi stopped in her tracks. Through the wooden bars, she saw the despair in Ye Minghua's eyes. "He will talk."
Sure enough, as soon as she went in and asked, Ye Minghua confessed that there was a warehouse in the northern suburbs of Huacheng.
"All the weapons are there. My adopted son is guarding it."
Su Ningyuan didn't dare to delay. He immediately sent people to search. "Hurry up. You must bring back everything. Make sure he doesn't transfer them!"
Seeing that Ye Minghua had said everything he needed to, Ji Yunxi figured there was nothing else for her to do. She excused herself and returned to the prince's mansion.
The prince's mansion was still solemn. Princess Rui had just woken up. No one knew what she had said to Feng Xingzhi, but she was sobbing uncontrollably.
As soon as Ji Yunxi entered the courtyard, she heard Princess Rui's heart - wrenching sobs.
She knew only too well the pain of losing a loved one, but she didn't know how to comfort her. When her father passed away, she had been in the same state, almost drowning in grief.
She pushed open the door. Feng Xingzhi was standing beside Princess Rui, looking a bit helpless.
"Xixi, you're back?"
Seeing Ji Yunxi return, Princess Rui wiped the tears from her face. "It's okay. I'm feeling much better. You two have been exhausted these days. Go and have a good rest."
Ji Yunxi looked at the dark circles under Feng Xingzhi's eyes and finally pulled him away.
The moon gradually climbed onto the branches. For a rare moment, neither of them spoke.
Ji Yunxi took the initiative to reach out and hug him. Ah Zhi was so tired, she thought. In the past few days, everyone had seen the hardships of Princess Rui and the people of the city. But the suffering in her Ah Zhi's heart hadn't diminished in the slightest.
"Xixi, I made a mistake. Uncle was devoted to the country, but I still suspected him before."
Feng Xingzhi's guilt was like a tide, constantly pounding on his heart.
"Ah Zhi, we fell into their trap. Uncle and Aunt won't blame you. The dead are gone. Finding out the truth and protecting Southern Yan is what Uncle would want to see."
Feng Xingzhi nodded. "Xixi is right. You went to see Ye Minghua. How was it?"
Ji Yunxi also intended to talk to him about this. She let go of him and said seriously, "Ah Zhi, the Moon - Gazing Pavilion is still involved in this matter."
"Again?"
"Yes. Ye Minghua said he received instructions from the Northern Di Queen. But if she really wanted to be an enemy of Southern Yan, she wouldn't have recalled her troops so resolutely when I wrote to her about Sang Yuanyi's matter."
Feng Xingzhi thought for a moment. "You're right. The Northern Di Queen has no reason to be inconsistent in this matter."
"Moreover, Ye Minghua said he had never seen the queen. It was all the people from the Moon - Gazing Pavilion who made the connections. What on earth do they want?" Ji Yunxi really couldn't understand the intentions of the Moon - Gazing Pavilion. Did they want to stir up disputes among the countries?
Feng Xingzhi had the same thought as her. "The actions of the Moon - Gazing Pavilion seem to be deliberately provoking disputes among the countries."
"Once the war starts, it will be a disaster for the common people. These people are so vicious. They're really detestable!" Ji Yunxi was indignant. She clenched her fists, wishing she could catch the mastermind right away.
Feng Xingzhi thought more deeply. "Xixi, I always feel that this matter is not simple. The Moon - Gazing Pavilion openly approached Ye Minghua without any disguise. It's a bit strange. We must be more careful."
Early the next morning, an imperial envoy from the capital arrived in Ruicheng. Without even taking a sip of water, he rushed into the prince's mansion to announce the imperial edict.
Feng Jiangming had sent a lot of things to console Princess Rui and bestowed a great deal of rewards. It was the most glorious honor a prince had ever received since the founding of Southern Yan.
But no one wanted this kind of honor.
It took a long time to finish announcing the rewards for Prince Rui. Then it was Princess Rui's turn. "… Princess Rui is conferred the title of a first - rank imperial - commissioned lady, enjoying the etiquette of a princess dowager. She is specially allowed to return to the capital to spend her remaining years in comfort. Thus ends the decree!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!" Princess Rui forced herself to get up and receive the imperial edict. Then she ordered someone to lead the imperial envoy to pay respects to Prince Rui.
Just as Feng Xingzhi was about to turn around and leave, he suddenly heard someone call him from behind.
"My lord!"
"The emperor has a secret edict. Please open it personally, my lord."