His eyes suddenly darkened. Hun Yuan turned to glance in the direction where Jiang Ning was, then said nothing and just walked away on his own.
Letting out a soft sigh, a flicker of pity flashed across Yi Yuan's eyes. Looking at Hun Yuan's departing back, he raised his voice slightly:
"If there's anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to ask."
Waving his hand, Hun Yuan just let out an "mm" without turning back.
The news that Yun Xi had been poisoned and was on the verge of death at her own betrothal banquet spread throughout the capital the next day.
People on the streets were all sighing about Yun Xi's bitter and unlucky fate.
She had finally recognized the true nature of her adoptive parents and was luckily favored by the Prince of Yu'an. However, she had always been criticized because of her family background. After finally managing to avoid the schemes of her adoptive sister and reclaim her identity as the eldest young lady of the Yun family, thus silencing the gossiping tongues, just when fortune was finally smiling on her, she was poisoned by such a vicious and incurable poison and didn't have long to live.
Of course, while many people felt sorry for Yun Xi, many young ladies from noble families saw the soon-to-be-vacant position of the Princess of Yu'an.
Some who were jealous of Yun Xi's beauty were gloating and waiting to watch the show.
For a while, there was a continuous stream of ladies and noble young ladies coming to the General's Mansion to visit Yun Xi. The visiting cards piled up like a small mountain.
However, all of them were turned away by the "heartbroken" Liu Jingyue.
Only Qiao Yan and Liu Mengxian, who were truly concerned about Yun Xi, were allowed in.
As a relative, Liu Mengxian had known that something had happened to the Yun family yesterday. But at that time, it was Jiang Ning who was injured, and then the Yun family had imposed a strict curfew. It took a long time before people were allowed to leave one by one. But none of them mentioned that Yun Xi was also injured, and the injury was so fatal.
When the news couldn't be hidden and spread the next day, Liu Mengxian finally understood why Yun Weisheng, who had come out to handle the situation yesterday, had such a gloomy face.
Surprised, she didn't even have time to hand in her visiting card before rushing here by carriage to visit.
Coincidentally, just as she got off the carriage, she met Qiao Yan, who was also rushing here in a hurry.
So the two of them were welcomed in together and led to Yun Xi's room by a maid.
Acting realistically, especially when the words came from the people closest to her, would make it more believable.
So Yun Xi didn't tell the two of them for the time being that she was just pretending.
With her face covered and hiding behind the curtain, she lay limply on the bed, and her voice was much weaker and more dispirited.
She selectively told the two of them what had happened last night. Qiao Yan was so angry that she picked up her whip and wanted to rush over to whip Lou Qianying a hundred times to avenge Yun Xi.
Yun Xi quickly stopped her.
It wasn't that Yun Xi was more magnanimous than the Buddha and could forgive Lou Qianying. It was just that her father, mother, elder brother, Yi Yuan, who was extremely protective of her, as well as Hun Yuan, Ling Yan and a bunch of others now hated Lou Qianying to the core.
The punishments and tortures they had inflicted on Lou Qianying were so severe that she was only one step away from death.
If Qiao Yan were to go, it was very likely that Lou Qianying would be whipped to death with just two lashes. That would not only be too lenient for her but also result in the loss of a witness, which would be a great loss.
After gently soothing Qiao Yan, Yun Xi was afraid of exposing her lie. She made an excuse that she was not feeling well and needed to rest. She asked Saixing to call Yun Qi to help see the guests off and divert Qiao Yan's attention.
Just as she saw the two of them off, Yi Yuan walked in quickly.
There was a rare look of joy on his usually calm and indifferent face, and he even seemed a bit out of sorts:
"Xiao Xi, the people from the Frost Pavilion reported that they found a clue about suppressing the strange gu on you in the underground palace that Shen Zhou had drawn before."
"Really!?"
Yun Xi was overjoyed. She lifted her veil and rushed out, excitedly running towards Yi Yuan.
"What kind of clue is it?"
Glancing at Yun Xi, who didn't even have time to put on her shoes, Yi Yuan reached out to catch the person who was rushing towards him and picked her up horizontally. Frowning his long eyebrows, he pretended to be angry and said:
"Although there is charcoal burning in the room, it's so cold in this weather that the floor is also icy cold. How could you run down without putting on your shoes? What if you catch a cold?"
"Uh..."
Yun Xi gave a playful smile, pressed her face against Yi Yuan's neck and rubbed it coquettishly, begging for mercy:
"I was just too happy for a moment and forgot. I won't do it again next time."
"Please tell me what the clue is first."
Helplessly, Yi Yuan put her back on the bed. He lifted his robe and sat down beside her. He lovingly turned his face and kissed Yun Xi, then chose his words carefully and said:
"It's a mural. No, to be exact, it should be half a mural."
"Originally, we didn't hold much hope. After all, a long time had passed. The people I sent had been searching there for several days before they found the entrance to the underground palace. The Saint Master's lair had been discovered by Shen Zhou and was quickly evacuated cleanly. Not even a single hair was found."
"Xie Huaiyue, who went with them, was not willing to give up. She rummaged through the place dozens of times. Just when they were about to give up and return, a servant accidentally stepped on a loose floor tile. That's how they found the half-destroyed mural in the secret door. Presumably, they were in a hurry to evacuate and it was difficult to destroy the mural, so they left a small part of it."
Carefully tucking a strand of hair in front of Yun Xi's forehead behind her ear, Yi Yuan smiled:
"Although many details on the mural have been destroyed, it can still be roughly seen that it records something about refining gu with people. Xie Huaiyue has found someone and is now making a rubbing and a copy of the mural. She should be here soon."
"I've already sent someone to call Hun Yuan. If there is really any relevant clue on it, only he can understand it. However..."
Yi Yuan's expression became solemn, and a flicker of worry flashed across his eyes:
"It may take some effort for him to come here now."
Yun Xi was stunned for a moment and immediately sensed something wrong in Yi Yuan's words. Just as she was about to ask, she heard Yi Yuan's voice in her mind:
[Those who are supposed to wholeheartedly serve the royal family and sacrifice for the Great Yin Dynasty but have their own selfish motives. How could the people in the palace tolerate such a thing?]
[Jiang Ning may not be able to stay. And Hun Yuan will definitely not let anything happen to Jiang Ning. This matter may be difficult...]
Could the consequences really be so serious?
This was something Yun Xi had never thought of.
"If we must protect Jiang Ning,"
Yun Xi asked directly:
"What will happen to Senior Brother?"
After a moment of stunned silence, Yi Yuan immediately realized that Yun Xi must have read his mind.
Even if she couldn't read minds, this was something that couldn't be hidden from her sooner or later. Yi Yuan didn't say it now just to let Yun Xi worry less.
Since Yun Xi had already asked, Yi Yuan didn't hide it anymore. He simply replied:
"He will surely lose most of his life."
"All his skills will have to be completely destroyed. Among his five senses, his eyes, tongue and ears will surely be gone. As for his hands and feet, probably only one of them can be saved..."
"Bang——"
The sudden sound of a bowl shattering on the ground startled Yun Xi and Yi Yuan.
The two of them turned their heads at the same time and saw Jiang Ning standing at the door with an expression of disbelief on her face. She was trembling and could hardly stand.
"A Ning!"
Unexpectedly, Jiang Ning would come at this time, Yun Xi quickly got out of bed to greet her.
"Why did you come here? Come in quickly..."
Frowning and looking at the two maids who were sent to serve Jiang Ning, thinking that they looked down on Jiang Ning's status and didn't do their job well, Yun Xi blamed them:
"A Ning's abdominal wound is so deep. Didn't Doctor Ji instruct her to rest quietly? What are you doing? How dare you let A Ning get out of bed and come here?"