"What?"
Everyone was shocked. Even Yi Yuan showed rare astonishment on his face.
The little girl from back then had grown up so much.
"That... No, Senior Brother???"
Ye Xi wracked her brains but never thought it would be related to Hun Yuan. For a moment, she was at a loss for words. She simply reached out to help Jiang Ning up.
"Get up first, Miss Jiang. It's not convenient to talk here standing. Let's go to the waterside pavilion over there."
As they walked and talked, they soon arrived at the waterside pavilion and took their seats.
"I really didn't expect you and Senior Brother to have such a past."
Ye Xi sighed.
"How old was Senior Brother back then? He actually dared to steal you away from the palace."
Remembering the past, Jiang Ning's eyes were gentle and she smiled sweetly.
"Indeed. I was abducted by human traffickers back then. Fortunately, I was selected to be a maid for the little princess in the palace. But who would have known that as soon as I entered, there was a fierce epidemic. The eunuchs had already put me on a stretcher to be burned. I thought I was surely going to die."
"Who would have thought it was such a coincidence that I happened to meet Hun Yuan, who had entered the palace with his master to check on the epidemic. He saw that I still had a breath left. I don't know how he managed to persuade the eunuchs. He said he wanted to perform a religious service for me to send me off, and he actually boldly secretly transferred me out..."
Jiang Ning's eyes sparkled like gentle spring water.
"I still remember how he pleaded with his master to save me and insisted on taking me with him. He was so young, yet so smart and brave."
Everyone was momentarily in a daze. It seemed as if they could see the young Hun Yuan with his big, round eyes pitifully tugging at his master's robe.
"What happened later?"
Sai Xing couldn't help but ask.
"How did you two separate?"
Jiang Ning's smile turned slightly bitter as she looked into the distance at the lake.
"Later, when I was nine years old and traveling with Hun Yuan and his master, I met my parents who had spent all their money searching for me. As I grew older, it was inconvenient for me to always follow Hun Yuan and his master since they were men. And just then, my parents came to find me, so I went back with them."
"That parting seemed like half a lifetime had passed."
Everyone sighed.
Ye Xi gently patted Jiang Ning's hand to show her comfort.
"So you came to find Senior Brother this time because..."
Ye Xi didn't finish her question.
Since Hun Yuan had inherited his master's mantle and guarded the palace, there was no possibility for him and Jiang Ning anymore.
"He owes me something."
Jiang Ning patted Ye Xi's delicate hand in return and forced a smile.
"Perhaps our fateful bond was not yet broken. Later, I met him again. I was about to come of age at that time. When I was out shopping with my parents on the street, I saw him at a glance. I was very happy, and he promised that he would come when I came of age and give me a hairpin."
"But he didn't come, and the hairpin... He didn't give it to me either."
"He just left like that without leaving a single word. Later, I found out that he had come back to inherit his master's mantle. He became the youngest master in the Great Yin Dynasty, admired by thousands of people."
Tears welled up in Jiang Ning's eyes. She turned her face away and continued.
"I know he has his own path to follow. I originally didn't want to bother him. But I'm already past eighteen. If I don't get married soon, my parents will be worried to death, and the villagers will laugh at me. But I'm really not willing. I just want to see him one more time and ask him where the hairpin he promised me is..."
Her voice got softer and softer. Everyone looked at each other, not knowing how to comfort her.
Meeting the wrong person at a innocent age, no matter how it ends, it will be a bitter fruit.
Finally, Ye Xi sighed and said.
"Since you have such a past and your earthly bond is not yet broken, you really should meet and make things clear."
Saying so, she gently tugged at Yi Yuan's sleeve and said.
"Then invite him in your name. My identity as the Fairy Manping is not convenient to be made public for the time being."
Yi Yuan directly held Ye Xi's jade-like hand and said softly.
"No need. Today's incident at the Ye family has caused quite a stir. There will surely be waves in the court. Once Hun Yuan hears the news, he will definitely come here tonight."
Yi Yuan really knew Hun Yuan well. Not long after nightfall, Hun Yuan knocked on the back door of Ye Xi's garden like a thief and rushed straight to the main hall.
"Little Junior Sister—"
Hun Yuan always announced his arrival with his voice before he showed up. He was still in the yard when he started shouting.
"I've finally found out about the Ye family! Congratulations! I heard you publicly admitted my junior sister's identity? Hehe..."
"What a great..."
The rest of the words got stuck in his throat. It seemed as if all the blood in his body had frozen. Hun Yuan stood there stiffly.
Among all the people in the hall, he only saw the gentle woman in the lotus-colored dress.
"A Yuan."
It was still that familiar yet strange voice.
Hun Yuan turned around and ran.
Yi Yuan had anticipated this move. He flashed like a phantom and started fighting with Hun Yuan.
Hun Yuan was panicked. He was never a match for Yi Yuan, and now he was easily forced back to his original position by Yi Yuan in just a few moves.
"Senior Brother."
Ye Xi quickly spoke up. "Didn't you come to congratulate me? Why are you leaving without even saying a single word?"
Hun Yuan didn't even dare to turn his head. He tried to make an excuse.
"I suddenly remembered there's still something to do in the palace. Hearing Little Junior Sister's energetic voice, I'm sure you're happy. Senior Brother will..."
"A Yuan," Jiang Ning didn't listen to his nonsense at all. "Where's the hairpin you promised me?"
"I've been waiting for nearly four years. Are you going to give it to me after I'm dead?"
Hun Yuan didn't answer. His face was hidden in the darkness, and his expression couldn't be seen clearly.
Yi Yuan stepped forward and patted Hun Yuan on the shoulder and said.
"I'll only stop you this once, as a favor to the you who left without saying goodbye back then. From now on, I won't interfere anymore. Whether you want to make things clear or not is up to you."
After saying that, he glanced at Ye Xi beside him. Then they all silently left, leaving the yard to Hun Yuan and Jiang Ning.
Everyone was in different moods. Just as they left the main courtyard, Yan Xuan and Yan Gui suddenly appeared and bowed in unison.
Yan Xuan said.
"My lord, according to our observation, the Suiyu Department hasn't made any moves yet."
"But during the process, we found another group of unknown people," Yan Gui continued.
"We're not sure whether they're enemies or friends for the time being, but that group of people isn't targeting Miss Xi. Instead, they're targeting the Fairy Manping. It seems they're investigating the identity of the Fairy Manping."
"That means they don't know yet that Xiao Xi is the Fairy Manping."
The change of address was so sudden that Ye Xi herself didn't react for a moment.
But Yi Yuan didn't feel awkward at all. He continued slowly.
"It's normal for someone to investigate when a capable fairy suddenly appears in the capital. Just find a few people to keep an eye on them."
A thoughtful look appeared on Yi Yuan's brow. He said.
"Now the news of Xiao Xi's 'serious illness' has spread like wildfire in the capital. The assassination by the Suiyu Department will surely be postponed for a while. Most likely, they'll make a move before or after Xiao Xi participates in the Qingyun Competition."
"Lin An, send a message to the Chongshuang Pavilion. Keep a close eye on the news about 'Zai Shuang' and try to find the person behind the hired assassin. If there are no other concerns at that time..."
The aura around Yi Yuan turned cold. His voice was as cold as ice in the coldest winter.
"Kill."