“Huh?” Qiao Yan was also a bit dazed. “It wasn't you guys who shot the silver needles? Then who else could it be?”
Ye Xi was also stunned. If it wasn't Yi Yuan, was there someone else secretly protecting her?
All of them were a bit confused. It was Yi Yuan who pondered for a moment and then spoke up, “Anyway, those people are at least friends rather than enemies.”
“The situation is really complicated now. We don't know how many forces are hidden behind the scenes. Xiaoxi, you should suspend your 'fortune - telling' business outside for a while.”
“Okay,” Ye Xi nodded. “I was thinking the same thing.”
“I have enough money for now, and the cloth shop business is booming. It doesn't matter if I suspend the 'fortune - telling' for a while.”
After they talked for a while, taking advantage of Yun Qi's presence, Yi Yuan casually asked about the matter of taking over the border war back then.
“When the urgent report came, Hengfeng City was already half - broken,” Yun Qi frowned as he recalled the battle at that time.
“Fortunately, Hu Qiao, the deputy general who was a confidant of my father, was a meticulous person. He was originally leading the soldiers in training nearby, thinking that they could finish the training earlier and go back to rest. When he heard that something seemed wrong, he immediately sent someone to send a message back. Then he led that team of soldiers and quietly rushed over.”
“But it was already too late when they arrived. Prince Chi Xuan had been shot by dozens of arrows and was already out of breath. Uncle Hu and my father led people to drive away the Ying troops and then carefully buried Prince Chi Xuan. I was also there at that time, and there was really nothing on his body.”
“Hmm...” Yi Yuan's deep black pupils were unfathomable. He clasped his fists and said, “Thank you.”
After a pause, he asked again, “I wonder when General Yun will return to the capital? Is there anything abnormal in the army?”
Yun Qi instantly understood what Yi Yuan meant and said seriously, “The army that used to be under Prince Chi Xuan's command has now been incorporated into the Yun family's hands. My father and grandfather have checked. There were indeed a few incompetent junior generals, but they all died in that great battle.”
“The rest are all clean and there are no problems.”
Yi Yuan's eyes became even darker. His cold voice was even calmer, and every word was very clear, “All of them died?”
Although there was no obvious emotion in the words, Yun Qi unexpectedly understood the deeper meaning in Yi Yuan's words.
“Your Highness means that someone is trying to cover up their tracks?”
Yi Yuan didn't say anything else. His slender fingers tapped rhythmically on the shiny table.
Yun Qi had a just and upright personality. According to Yi Yuan's words, it was obvious that there was a problem with someone in the army. In war, the most feared thing was an insider traitor. One dirty person could destroy an entire military camp.
Yun Qi couldn't sit still immediately. He stood up and was about to say goodbye and go back to write a letter to his father.
Qiao Yan was also worried about her aunt and cousin. So the two of them said goodbye and left together.
“Xiaoxi,” After seeing them off, Yi Yuan held her uninjured hand with self - blame and heartache. “It's the fifteenth day today. There will be a banquet in the palace. All of us with a bit of royal blood have to attend. But you're injured like this now. Just stay at home and wait for me. Don't run around anymore.”
“Tell the kitchen to prepare some delicious dishes. I'll come back as soon as the palace banquet is over. Hun Yuan will probably come too. Xie Huaiyue never participates in these sticky festivals, so you don't need to prepare for him. Just call Jiang Ning. Let's have a good meal together.”
“Okay.” Ye Xi held Yi Yuan's warm big hand back and answered with a gentle smile.
That night—
The bright full moon hung in the quiet night sky, shining like a silver plate. The streets and alleys in the capital city were all brightly lit. Kongming lanterns slowly rose into the sky, looking like stars.
The main hall in the palace was as bright as day. Elegant string music lingered in the air. Graceful dancers were dancing lightly, their eyes full of charm.
“Prince Yu'an.” Yi Yuan was in a daze, worried about Ye Xi's injury, when he suddenly heard Emperor Zhao Huan calling him. He subconsciously stood up and replied, “Your humble subject is here.”
“Haha...” Emperor Zhao Huan laughed heartily. “Sit down. You don't need to be so polite at the Mid - Autumn family banquet. What are you daydreaming about? Why isn't Miss Xi, the apple of your eye, here?”
“Your Majesty,” Yi Yuan sat down calmly again and replied, “Xiaoxi accidentally got injured while practicing archery on a whim today. The injury is quite serious, so I didn't let her come. I was just worried about her injury.”
“Got injured again?” Emperor Zhao Huan shook his head helplessly. “Your future princess has had a rough life. As far as I know, she has been injured two or three times. There was the disfigurement and self - harm incident, and the time during the Qingyun Competition. It's not even been long and something has happened again. It's as if this girl has offended some unclean things.”
Seeing that Yi Yuan's face looked bad, Emperor Zhao Huan waved his hand and said, “Forget it. Natural disasters and man - made disasters are sometimes unavoidable. Since you're worried about her injury, you can go back first.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Yi Yuan secretly noted down this “black account” of Emperor Zhao Huan and then turned around and left.
As soon as he walked out of the outer door of Zhanghua Hall, he heard a delicate voice say, “Uncle Wang.”
Yi Yuan gave Yi Zhen a non - committal look and showed no intention of stopping.
“Uncle Wang,” Yi Zhen called him again and took a few quick steps. “Do you really have to investigate the matter of the Shen family to the end?”
“Princess Four,” Yi Yuan still walked unhurriedly. “Don't overstep your bounds when it comes to court affairs, Princess.”
“But Uncle Wang, what's the benefit for you if you keep holding on to the Shen family?” Yi Zhen quickly caught up but didn't take Yi Yuan's words to heart. “Don't end up bringing trouble to yourself.”
Yi Yuan suddenly stopped in his tracks. His sharp eyes like an eagle stared intently at Yi Zhen in front of him.
Yi Zhen was not afraid at all. Instead, she took a few more steps closer. Her bright eyes met Yi Yuan's gaze directly. “Uncle Wang, Zhen'er is also doing this for Uncle Wang's own good. Uncle Wang should understand. Uncle Wang, please stop investigating the matter of the Shen family in time.”
“Don't entangle yourself any longer.”
Yi Yuan coldly averted his eyes and didn't say any more. He led Lin An and quickly walked through the heavy palace gates. He met Hun Yuan who was leaning against the door boredly waiting for him and then returned to the prince's mansion.
On the way, Hun Yuan learned the truth about Ye Xi's injury. As soon as they arrived at the prince's mansion, he pulled Ye Xi and wanted to calculate her recent bad luck and disasters.
Jiang Ning stuffed a mooncake into Hun Yuan's hand angrily and said, “On such a great day, why are you calculating bad luck and disasters? I think it would be better to directly calculate the mastermind behind the harm to Xiaoxi. We can just pick up our swords and go there to avenge Xiaoxi.”
Hun Yuan was scolded by Jiang Ning and didn't dare to say a word. He could only mutter, “There's no such good thing in the world. If everyone could calculate accurately, there wouldn't be so many scheming people who can't be caught.”
Ye Xi said with a smiling face, “I think it's good to calculate the disasters. Although we can't figure out who the attacker is, at least we can be prepared in advance and be more vigilant.”
Seeing that Ye Xi agreed with him, Hun Yuan gave Jiang Ning a proud smile. “Look, Junior Sister also says it's good.”
Then he looked at Yi Yuan and said, “What about you? Do you want to calculate?”
Disliking Hun Yuan's smug look, Yi Yuan mercilessly poked at his sore spot. “Have you forgotten? When Master Qingyi calculated for me, you were still a half - baked kid. You can just calculate for Xiaoxi.”
Hun Yuan glared at Yi Yuan discontentedly. Then he rolled up his sleeves and started to divinate, determined to calculate all of Ye Xi's disasters and save face.
But after divinating three times, the result was always: unclear.
Hun Yuan couldn't help but sink his face.
For those with an unclear divination, their fate may be concealed, or they may be on the verge of death.