Shen Zhou stood far away at the corner, watching as several people carried the unconscious Yun Xi into the General's Mansion in a hurry. There was undisguised worry in his eyes.
A hand landed on Shen Zhou's shoulder with a gentle yet firm grip. The man wearing a golden mask stepped out from behind him, his voice full of mockery.
"Come on, are you heartbroken?"
Shen Zhou glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and shook off the hand on his shoulder.
"She's my woman. Of course I'm heartbroken."
"Unlike you, big brother. You're only focused on your grand cause and never get involved in any love affairs."
The man seemed quite satisfied with Shen Zhou's "compliment". Even though his voice was muffled under the mask, it was obvious that he was laughing heartily.
"Of course."
The man spread out his hands, as if embracing the victory he was about to achieve.
"A real man shouldn't be mired in love all day long. What would that look like?"
"If you had less of this kind of sentimentality, you would have established yourself in the Shen family long ago. Why did it take you so long to get your mother's name on the family genealogy?"
After a moment of silence, Shen Zhou didn't respond. Instead, he stared thoughtfully at the man's dazzling golden mask. His voice seemed to be devoid of any emotion.
"Father may be middle - aged now, but they say he was a handsome and renowned young man in his prime. And Grandfather was even more imposing and heroic in his youth. He charmed countless young ladies."
"I imagine... big brother must be equally good - looking. I wonder if you take after Grandfather or Father more?"
"It's a pity that such a handsome face is always hidden. It's truly a shame."
A fleeting and indescribable emotion flashed across the man's eyes revealed under the mask.
The man glanced at Shen Zhou and ignored his remarks about his appearance. He simply said,
"If you want to marry her, do it quickly. The cooperation with the Holy Master is still on. Once Zongzheng Fengyi marries Yi Zhen, they will return to the Ying State. The thing they want from Yun Xi must be given to them before they leave for Ying State."
"I know."
Shen Zhou withdrew his inquisitive gaze from the man and replied to him.
After a pause, he added,
"I just don't quite understand. What on earth does Yingying have that is so important to them? Why is the Holy Master so persistent? He even managed to persuade their Seventh Prince to propose marriage to Yingying."
"Don't ask me,"
The man crossed his arms and shrugged innocently.
"I don't know and I don't care. If you want to know, go and ask yourself. But..."
His voice suddenly turned cold, and there was a warning in his tone.
"I don't care what it is that he wants. You'd better not try to stop it. Otherwise, if I don't get what I want, I guarantee that you... will be completely ruined and die a miserable death."
Shen Zhou's eyes darkened. He tightened his lips and then suddenly smiled.
"Don't worry, big brother. I've worked so hard to get to where I am today. How could I easily give up everything for a woman?"
"I do like her, but when it comes to my career and a woman, I can tell the difference between what's more important."
The man snorted coldly. He didn't comment on Shen Zhou's words. He simply said,
"That's your own business."
"I only care if the things we originally had in Shuozhou have been sent to the place I specified?"
"Of course they have,"
Shen Zhou replied.
"The manpower has also been transferred there. We just have to wait for the Holy Master and the others to leave, and then we can take action."
The man nodded and grunted in a muffled voice.
"The people of the Yun family are not easy to deal with. Be ruthless when you take action. Don't mess up our grand plan and end up with more losses than gains."
"Of course,"
Shen Zhou stared at the General's Mansion and murmured to himself.
"I've already made arrangements for the Yun family. I'm sure we'll get some news soon..."
The man glanced at Shen Zhou, who seemed confident. He didn't say anything else. He simply said "Good" in satisfaction and then turned around, disappearing from everyone's sight in an instant.
At the Yun Mansion -
Yun Xi's sudden coma panicked the entire Yun family.
This time, Hun Yuan was practically under house arrest in the palace, and Yi Yuan was in prison. The Yun family was at a loss and almost on the verge of collapse.
Yun Qi's eyes were red. He grabbed his sword and rushed straight to the inn where the Holy Master was staying.
He was stopped by Qiao Yan, who had come to comfort Yun Xi after hearing the news of Yi Yuan's imprisonment.
"Don't be impulsive!"
Qiao Yan grabbed Yun Qi's arm tightly.
"Not to mention that the Holy Master is extremely skilled in martial arts and has all kinds of strange poisons. You don't stand a chance going there alone. Besides, Zongzheng Fengyi is about to marry Yi Zhen. The alliance between the Ying State and our Dayin through marriage is a done deal. The Holy Master and his people must not be touched."
"If you really take action and ruin this marriage, which might start a war between the two countries, then you'll be a sinner!"
Yun Qi's hand holding the sword tightened until his knuckles turned white.
"Then what can I do?"
"Xiao Xi is in critical condition now. The person who poisoned her is right in front of us. As her elder brother, am I just supposed to stand by and watch?"
Qiao Yan pinched his arm in frustration.
"Don't you know you can go at night? You're so stubborn."
"Get more people at night. If he has so many poisons, can't we get some too? You're so stupid!"
Yun Weisheng and his wife, who had chased after them, were speechless...
Although Qiao Yan's suggestion wasn't very reliable, it was still a way out.
After some discussion, they actually came up with a plan to secretly visit the inn at night.
However, they didn't expect that when they were fully prepared, the Holy Master wasn't at the inn at all.
Yun Qi wasn't willing to give up.
He ransacked the inn from top to bottom. Although he couldn't find the Holy Master, he accidentally discovered another suspicious person in an unassuming room.
The man was sneaky, and it was hard to tell what he was up to.
Since he couldn't find the Holy Master, Yun Qi decided to take a chance. He quietly crept up behind the man and pressed a sharp and cold dagger against his neck.
"Don't make a sound!"
He warned the old man, who was dressed as a servant of the Ying State, in a low voice. Then he pressed the dagger closer to his neck.
"If you cooperate, I'll spare your life. Tell me, where is the Holy Master?"
The old man trembled but didn't answer Yun Qi's question. Instead, he asked excitedly,
"Are you from Dayin?!"
"Coming here secretly at this hour to look for the Holy Master. Do you have a grudge against him?"
Seeing that the old man wasn't cooperating, Yun Qi, who was already in a bad mood, became even more impatient. He was less gentle with his hand. The thin blade of the dagger made a small cut on the old man's neck.
"Cut the crap. Answer my questions! Don't give me any nonsense."
"I'll ask you one last time. Where is the Holy Master?! If you don't answer honestly, don't blame me for being rude!"
The old man was trembling slightly, seemingly frightened. However, his words shocked Yun Qi.
"Don't be excited, young hero. I'm from Dayin! The Holy Master's whereabouts are only known to those closest and most trusted by him. Asking me is useless."
"What?!"
Yun Qi exclaimed in shock. The next second, he came to his senses.
"Don't try to fool me!"
"If you're really from Dayin but are acting as a lackey for the Ying people here, then you deserve to die even more!"