The confident look on Zongzheng Fengyi's face had long since vanished. His bright amber eyes darkened with each passing moment.
He never expected Yun Xi to pull such a move. He had thought that no matter what excuse Yun Xi came up with, he could just find a way to avoid her.
But as soon as Yun Xi mentioned drawing talismans with her fingers, it became difficult for him to avoid her on his own initiative.
Otherwise, it would seem as if he had something to hide.
He tilted his head slightly and exchanged a glance with the national teacher behind him. Zongzheng Fengyi gave a faint smile and said,
"Test."
At this single word, whispers immediately filled the air around them.
Yun Xi exchanged a surprised and suspicious look with Yi Yuan, wondering whether he was truly innocent or up to some other trick.
But in any case, since they had reached this point, there was no reason not to proceed with the test.
Yun Xi took the wooden pendant and walked step by step towards Zongzheng Fengyi.
However, Zongzheng Fengyi reached out his hand to the side, allowing the national teacher behind him to step forward and roll up his sleeve.
The national teacher's hands were pale, thin, and the blue veins were almost clearly visible under the skin, as if there was only a thin layer of skin without flesh and blood.
As his fingers flipped, a string of dark red beads on his wrist slipped out. The snow - white skin intertwined with the dark red and glistening beads, looking like something demonic.
Yun Xi couldn't help but stare at them for a few more seconds.
There seemed to be some hidden patterns on them, and they looked somewhat familiar. But before she could see clearly, the national teacher had retracted his hand.
Yun Xi didn't dare to look anymore. Just as she was about to tie the wooden pendant on Zongzheng Fengyi, she suddenly felt a gust of wind behind her. Before she could react, Hun Yuan had already stood beside her. He grabbed the national teacher's thin wrist, which seemed as if it would break with a single snap, and his eyes showed a loss of composure he had never shown before:
"Where did you get those beads on your hand!?"
Taking this opportunity, Zongzheng Fengyi took a step back, quietly evading Yun Xi's delicate hand, and stood behind the national teacher.
This sudden turn of events left everyone present, who were waiting to read Zongzheng Fengyi's mind, stunned.
"Presumptuous!"
The national teacher's clear green eyes suddenly turned sharp. With his other hand, he summoned a strong gust of wind and struck directly at Hun Yuan.
"So this is the celestial master of the Great Yin? What great courtesy indeed."
Hun Yuan bent backward abruptly, dodged and turned, barely avoiding the merciless palm strike.
The two sides briefly clashed and then separated instantly.
Hun Yuan didn't care and was about to step forward again, but Yun Xi, with quick eyes and hands, grabbed him:
"Senior brother, what's going on?"
Yun Xi desperately winked at him:
"Everyone is watching. Speak nicely."
Hun Yuan paused, glanced at the national teacher who had already retreated to the back while protecting Zongzheng Fengyi, then turned to bow to Emperor Zhaohuan and said,
"I was reckless. Please forgive me, Your Majesty. But..."
Hun Yuan looked back at the national teacher again and said,
"The bone - relic beads on the national teacher of the Ying Kingdom belong to my master. I don't know why he is wearing them."
"My master has been missing for a long time, and I've searched everywhere but couldn't find any trace of him. When I saw this familiar object just now, thinking about my master's safety, I lost control for a moment."
After saying that, he turned to the national teacher and asked,
"Why do you have my master's belongings? I'd like you to give me an explanation."
The national teacher didn't even blink an eye and said,
"I picked them up."
Such a perfunctory answer was of course unbelievable to Hun Yuan.
With a hint of anger in his eyes, Hun Yuan pressed on:
"Where did you pick them up? When? These are my master's..."
"Master,"
Zongzheng Fengyi coldly interrupted him:
"We respect you as the celestial master of the Great Yin with a lofty status. But interrogating our national teacher like this is a bit bullying, isn't it?"
"Your Majesty..."
Not content with scolding Hun Yuan, Zongzheng Fengyi looked up at Emperor Zhaohuan with sarcasm:
"Is this how you treat your guests?"
"We've come from afar. It's fine if our marriage proposal is being made difficult. After all, a woman's marriage is a lifetime event, and it's even more difficult for her to marry into a foreign country and leave her homeland. It's understandable for her to have a bit of a temper. But can't even our national teacher be spared from your insults!?"
"Hehe... Prince Seven is overreacting,"
Emperor Zhaohuan waved his hand and smiled to smooth things over:
"Once a teacher, always a father. Hun Yuan was brought up by Master Qingyi since childhood, and their relationship is very deep. But Master Qingyi has been missing for several years. When he saw the similar bracelet just now, he acted rashly out of desperation, but he has absolutely no intention of insulting anyone."
"Prince Seven, don't misunderstand."
"Humph—"
Zongzheng Fengyi let out a cold snort, his eyebrows and eyes turning cold. With an unhappy look on his face, he said,
"Since Your Majesty has spoken, Fengyi will surely believe it."
"But today's banquet... Fengyi is already full. Let's end it here."
Saying that, he bowed briefly and led his people away as if he was about to leave.
If the main guest was leaving, how could the others stay?
But since Emperor Zhaohuan hadn't given the order, no one dared to act rashly. They could only look at Emperor Zhaohuan expectantly.
Especially the Grand Minister of Agriculture, who had been longing for the Jiahe rice seeds, was so anxious that he stamped his feet. Seeing that Zongzheng Fengyi was really about to leave, he couldn't help but shout out:
"Prince Seven, wait! The matter of the marriage alliance hasn't been settled yet!"
Zongzheng Fengyi paused, turned to look at Yun Xi, who was still holding Hun Yuan to prevent him from rushing over, and said,
"Then it depends on Miss Yun."
"I can only stay in the Great Yin for ten days at most. After ten days, if Miss Yun still refuses, then I'll have no choice but to take the Jiahe rice seeds and propose marriage to another country."
After saying that, he didn't stay any longer and left angrily with a flick of his sleeve.
"This, this..."
The Grand Minister of Agriculture looked around but couldn't make a decision. He could only mutter to himself, full of regret.
What a banquet where neither the guests nor the hosts were happy.
Emperor Zhaohuan symbolically scolded Hun Yuan a few times and then waved his hand to dismiss the banquet. But he himself sat upright on the high platform in the center, looking at the backs of the departing people, his eyes filled with indescribable expressions.
Hun Yuan quickly shook off Yun Xi's hand and was about to chase after them, but was blocked by Yi Yuan, who flew over:
"Why be in such a hurry? We have plenty of opportunities."
Hun Yuan was stunned:
"Do you mean..."
"Xiao Xi!"
Qiao Yan, who came running from behind and hugged Yun Xi, suddenly interrupted Hun Yuan's words. She chattered and praised:
"You're so brave. You just blurted out the words of rejection, and you also directly voiced your suspicions. You didn't give them any face at all. It's much more refreshing than the round - about words of Princess Four."
Yun Xi quickly covered her mouth and whispered a warning:
"My little grandma, we're still in the Xingqing Palace. You can talk as you like, but don't drag others into it. Be careful someone might hear you."
"Uh..."
Qiao Yan stuck out her tongue and gently patted her mouth twice:
"I was just speaking too fast, just speaking too fast. But you were really amazing just now!"
Then she looked at Hun Yuan, widened her eyes, and asked,
"Are those beads on that national teacher really Master Qingyi's? Hmm... Why do I always feel like I've missed something..."
Wasn't she missing something?
Thanks to Hun Yuan's interruption, the matter of reading Zongzheng Fengyi's mind was just dodged by him.
Moreover, he had even managed to make himself seem like the victim, while she, the one being forced into marriage, had become the overbearing and unreasonable one.
It was really frustrating.
Yun Xi pouted, said a few words to Qiao Yan, and motioned for her elder brother to send Qiao Yan away first.
After all, if she didn't chase after them quickly, Zongzheng Fengyi and his people might already be at the posthouse.